Blake was seriously pissed off. He didn't know how that little prick got to him so much, but manage it he did. He'd just cost him a trip up to Boston for no reason for Christ's sake!

He chucked his coat in the car, and was just about to throw himself in as well when he saw the source of his anger disappear around the corner of the building.

Norman you little prick, what are you up to now? Snorting some goddamned cocaine up your nose probably... Blake thought. If there was one thing he didn't like more than anything it was drug junkies. Rounding the corner, Blake saw Norman stand up shakily from where he'd been sitting against the wall, and started prowling towards him. "Hey, Jayden." he said angrily. "Thanks to you, I've just lost a day's gas for nothing! You happy now, you little jerk?"

The kid turned round, and jumped visibly at seeing Blake. Oh, how the mighty have fallen... Blake mused. Jayden started to say something, but Blake interrupted him almost before he had started. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm on about, you ass-wipe. You came here just to try and muck things up for me, didn't you? Well you succeeded. You happy now? Well? Are you?"

Apart from a small squeak, he still said nothing, backing away slowly, and Carter took this to mean he was going to make a run for it. Good, he was scaring him. "Oh, don't think you can run away from me, you little shit. Just try it. I'll fucking eat you for breakfast..." he growled, and just walked faster towards him.

For the first time, he looked closely at the younger man, took in his shaking hands and twitchiness, and the way he seemed to be looking at something that wasn't there, unless something was hovering just about three feet over Carter's head... I was right! Carter crowed inside his head. Little junkie is all drugged up!

He was jerked out of his thoughts by Norman letting out some kind of high pitched squeak, or maybe it was meant to be a strangled laugh of sorts. He growled at the thought that on some level Jayden was laughing at him. "Are you even listening to me, you little shit?" he barked, finally catching up the distance to Jayden as he stared transfixed at whatever he was seeing in his stoner head, and shoving his face aggressively right next to the younger man's.

For all the years he'd spent on gritty cases at the police station, Carter wasn't prepared for what happened next. Norman turned to look at him, the look of stupid amusement on his face turning to one of sheer shit-your-pants terror, that at first made Carter wonder if something really shit-scary was behind him. The kid opened his mouth to scream, but all that happened was a sort of strangled gasp, and he clutched at his throat, breathing coming in short, scared gasps, hardly at all. Blake blinked, unsure if the kid was having him on, until he saw the blood pouring out of his eyes. Oh fuck... he thought, and grabbed for the kid to steady him, but it was too late, he was already flat out on the floor.

Carter dropped to his knees, and felt for a pulse. Shit, there wasn't one, and his phone was in the car... Thank God he took that First Aid course when it was offered at work. He checked Norman's breathing, to find there was a distinct lack of it, undid his shirt to ease the pressure on his throat, and quickly began performing Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation.

Nothing happened. Getting worried now, Carter started chest compressions. Come on, don't die on me... Carter thought desperately, and if he wasn't so preoccupied probably would have been startled to realise that he actually gave a shit about Jayden. He carried this on for what seemed like an age, and finally felt the younger man's body jerk as he spluttered back into life again. Checking him over to make sure he hadn't broken anything or hit his head as he fell, Carter picked Jayden up, and carried him to the car. Jeez, he hardly weighed anything! Did he not eat? He felt a slight twinge of guilt for not letting him have anything to eat at the soup kitchen. Opening the car door, he bundled Norman inside, and pulled the seatbelt over him before getting into the car himself. After starting the car up, he drove out of the parking space, and started heading towards the hospital.

He turned to look at Jayden, and noticed he was falling asleep. "Hey. Talk to me, Norman. I'm not having you die on me, the paperwork alone'd be horrendous." Jayden stirred slightly, but didn't answer. "Hey! Jayden! Talk to me!" Jayden opened his eyes, and Blake saw that his normally bright pale blue eyes were rimmed with red, and the blood that had been pouring from his eye-sockets was just now slowing.

"Talk about what?" he mumbled.

"Anything. Whatever, as long as it keeps you awake. Why were you here at the soup kitchen and not doing fancy FBI investigations?"

"Because I don't work at the FBI anymore." Jayden replied, slipping back into sleep.

"Well where do you work then?" There was no way the kid was dying on him... Hell if he did, it might even be partly his fault!

"I don't. I resigned before I got chucked, and I couldn't afford the mortgage payments. My house got repossessed..."

"So where do you live then?" Oh shit, don't say he actually is homeless after all. The only thing that could make me feel any more shit now is if he isn't a druggie after all. Huh, not that there's much chance of that.

"Whichever doorway I can find that's dry and not occupied by someone else I guess..."

"Right. We're nearly there now Jayden, hang on in there. Uhmm..." Carter tried to think of something else to talk about. "The car. Why in Hell did you rent a car if you haven't got any money or a house? You could've bought food or shelter with that, for Christ's sake."

"I... I was going to see my parents. They said they'd accept me back into the family when I eventually dumped David. Of course, I thought that would never happen... But in the end, I suppose it didn't, because he dumped me. I never did properly thank you for saving my life, by the way. And now you've done it again."

"Don't mention it." said Carter gruffly, waving his hand. "Call it a pay-back for the Origami case. I hate to say it, Jayden, but you and those fancy glasses of yours really helped with the investigation."

"Really?" Jayden looked surprised. "...Thanks." Blake grunted in reply, and parked up at the hospital. He got out, and opened Jayden's door.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"Course I can walk!" Norman replied quickly, standing up and stepping forward, before his knees crumpled and he nearly hit the floor again.

"No, you don't, not this time." Carter said matter-of-factly, and bundled him over his shoulder.

"Carter... I can walk!" Norman whined.

"Whatever, Norm, but I'm not having you get a concussion as well as your drug habit."

"I don't have a..." Jayden was interrupted by a doctor coming up to them, and enquiring as to whether he needed to be seen soon.

"Well, considering he's only just stopped bleeding from his eyes, and his heart stopped ten minutes ago, I'd say so." drawled Carter, and in a flash Norman was taken off on a trolley, looking somewhat pasty.

And all Carter could do was wait.