BA slowly settled Face into the cold water and held onto him as Hannibal methodically began to wipe him down. This was slightly difficult at first, because the shock of the cold caused Face to open his eyes and instinctly put up a short fight.
Hannibal was praying that this would bring his fever down, but also that it would not cause Face's ravaged body to go into shock. After the initial onset, Face again lost his battle with conciousness and remained still and limp throughout the rest of the time time in the tub. After what Hannibal considered enough time in the ice water, he asked BA to lift they young man out.
Murdock was waiting with a towel and together they dried and dressed Face. His temperature was checked fifteen minutes later, the Colonel noted with relief that it was down and that his body did not go into shock from the sudden cold. Then they began the race to Maggie's.
Face was placed in the back of the van with Murdock keeping an eye on him. He was still deeply unconcious and though his fever had lessoned considerably, it was still very high. BA wasted no time reaching their destination. He took back roads when possible and went just slow enough to keep from receiving unwanted police attention when he had to use highways.
Face's fever began to rise again and he again became restless in his sleep.
About an hour into the trip, Murdock saw Face's eyes flutter and started talking to him softly, hoping to get some reaction out of his best friend. "Are you going to wake up Face?" Face responded to this in hysterics, grabbing Murdock by the arm as though he was drowning and Murdock was a life raft, and blinking several times.
In a weak voice full of panic and fear.."Why can't I see, Murdock?".
This was the last thing Murdock expected. He was ready for delusions and confusion, for nausea and puke, even ready for flashbacks. But he was not ready for the man he considered a brother to ask him why he couldn't see. Nor could he understand why this was.
The pilot was in a state of panic himself and had to calm himself before speaking to Face.
He looked into his friend's eyes. The blue-green orbs were opened wide, fear visible. The fever and sickness was also evident in the red and glassed over eyes. But, Murdock could still not come up with a solution as to why his friend could not see. "I don't know Face, just stay calm, Muchacho. Maybe it's the fever"
Face continued his death grip on Murdock's arm. The explanation was not helping to calm him.
Murdock knew Face was terrified, he was terrified himself.
He pulled Face closer to him, letting him know that he wasn't going anywhere and trying to ease his fear. Murdock decided that Hannibal's presence may help Face calm down, so he called him to the back of the van.
"Where are we?"
"We're going to Maggie's. She'll figure out what's going on."
Hannibal had already heard what was happening in the back, and was on his way to his men before Murdock called. He was just having trouble maneuvering the seats as he made his way back.
He finally made it to Face's side.
"Calm down, kid. We'll figure this out. Thirty more minutes and we'll be at Maggie's door."
At the sound of Hannibal's voice, Face immediately began trying to find him with his free hand. The Colonel caught the hand and held onto it. Face grasped on while never letting go of Murdock with his other hand.
"I can't see, Hannibal. I can't see anything". Panic was still in the voice, getting weaker from all the exertion.
"Let's just set here Face, we're not leaving, we are right here beside you. So let's set and try to stay calm until we get to Maggie's. We'll get answers lieutenant. It'll be okay, whatever we find out,we'll deal with it."
This quieted the lieutenant for the moment, as fatigue and fever overtook him. He began to relax against Murdock, who could feel the heat radiating through his shirt. The feeling of fear never left him as Face's body began to go limp again. He looked at Hannibal in fear and shock. Hannibal only looked back, worry overwhelming him.
They both looked down at the object of their concern, Face was asleep again, but the grip he had on his two friends, his family, was never broken. He continued to hold on for dear life.
Hannibal was praying that this would bring his fever down, but also that it would not cause Face's ravaged body to go into shock. After the initial onset, Face again lost his battle with conciousness and remained still and limp throughout the rest of the time time in the tub. After what Hannibal considered enough time in the ice water, he asked BA to lift they young man out.
Murdock was waiting with a towel and together they dried and dressed Face. His temperature was checked fifteen minutes later, the Colonel noted with relief that it was down and that his body did not go into shock from the sudden cold. Then they began the race to Maggie's.
Face was placed in the back of the van with Murdock keeping an eye on him. He was still deeply unconcious and though his fever had lessoned considerably, it was still very high. BA wasted no time reaching their destination. He took back roads when possible and went just slow enough to keep from receiving unwanted police attention when he had to use highways.
Face's fever began to rise again and he again became restless in his sleep.
About an hour into the trip, Murdock saw Face's eyes flutter and started talking to him softly, hoping to get some reaction out of his best friend. "Are you going to wake up Face?" Face responded to this in hysterics, grabbing Murdock by the arm as though he was drowning and Murdock was a life raft, and blinking several times.
In a weak voice full of panic and fear.."Why can't I see, Murdock?".
This was the last thing Murdock expected. He was ready for delusions and confusion, for nausea and puke, even ready for flashbacks. But he was not ready for the man he considered a brother to ask him why he couldn't see. Nor could he understand why this was.
The pilot was in a state of panic himself and had to calm himself before speaking to Face.
He looked into his friend's eyes. The blue-green orbs were opened wide, fear visible. The fever and sickness was also evident in the red and glassed over eyes. But, Murdock could still not come up with a solution as to why his friend could not see. "I don't know Face, just stay calm, Muchacho. Maybe it's the fever"
Face continued his death grip on Murdock's arm. The explanation was not helping to calm him.
Murdock knew Face was terrified, he was terrified himself.
He pulled Face closer to him, letting him know that he wasn't going anywhere and trying to ease his fear. Murdock decided that Hannibal's presence may help Face calm down, so he called him to the back of the van.
"Where are we?"
"We're going to Maggie's. She'll figure out what's going on."
Hannibal had already heard what was happening in the back, and was on his way to his men before Murdock called. He was just having trouble maneuvering the seats as he made his way back.
He finally made it to Face's side.
"Calm down, kid. We'll figure this out. Thirty more minutes and we'll be at Maggie's door."
At the sound of Hannibal's voice, Face immediately began trying to find him with his free hand. The Colonel caught the hand and held onto it. Face grasped on while never letting go of Murdock with his other hand.
"I can't see, Hannibal. I can't see anything". Panic was still in the voice, getting weaker from all the exertion.
"Let's just set here Face, we're not leaving, we are right here beside you. So let's set and try to stay calm until we get to Maggie's. We'll get answers lieutenant. It'll be okay, whatever we find out,we'll deal with it."
This quieted the lieutenant for the moment, as fatigue and fever overtook him. He began to relax against Murdock, who could feel the heat radiating through his shirt. The feeling of fear never left him as Face's body began to go limp again. He looked at Hannibal in fear and shock. Hannibal only looked back, worry overwhelming him.
They both looked down at the object of their concern, Face was asleep again, but the grip he had on his two friends, his family, was never broken. He continued to hold on for dear life.