This chapter is loosely based on episode 2x24 - Charge of This Post which is not part of my creation. I'd never hurt Flack! The song Open Your Eyes belongs to Snow Patrol.

Chapter 8 – Exploding

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, it was springtime in the city. Lily was finishing packing up and Flack was having a shower. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a phone ringing: it was his cell phone. Lily picked it up and got to the bathroom. He opened the door and extended his hand. Clearly, they had gone through this routine before.

Ten minutes later Flack got out of the bathroom.

'I got called in, sorry,' he said with an apologetic look.

'Guess it'll have to wait …'

'Crime never stops, Lily, you know that. I'll be back near five, I'll help you move then.'

'Have a nice day,' she waved.

Five, quarter past five, half past, six o'clock. She was fuming. She ought to have known; Don would arrive two or three hours after he promised saying the case had gotten complicated and that he was sorry. Lily turned on the TV and lost herself in a Boston Legal rerun.

Half past six, quarter to seven. She was getting really, really angry. At seven, seeing as he hadn't arrived, she decided to call him. She got that annoying message saying it was currently unavailable, to try back later. She tossed the phone on the table near her.

At 19:25 (according to the clock on her cell) the phone rang.

'Hello?' she said gruffly.

'Lily, hey. Danny Messer speaking. I wanted to tell you that he got out of surgery. We're still waiting to see what happens.'

'Danny, what the hell are you talking about?'

'Flack. He got out of the OR.'

'What?! What happened?' she asked alarmed.

'There was an explosion on the crime scene this afternoon, he got pretty hurt. Nobody called you?' the man explained.

'No. What hospital?'

Danny answered and hung up. Lily grabbed her jacket and her purse and left the apartment quickly. After fifteen minutes which seemed hours to her, she got to the hospital. A flight of stairs, a right turn, then a left one and she saw Mac and Danny sitting on a bench.

'How is he?' she asked breathlessly after almost running to get there.

'Still on coma. We don't know if everything's alright yet, the neurological evaluation is tomorrow morning,' answered Mac.

Lily buried her face in her hands. Danny hugged her. She broke the embrace and directed her steps to the room.

'I don't think you should go in, he was badly injured,' Mac advised her.

She entered the room anyway. Lily approached the bed slowly and sat at the chair next to Flack's sleeping form. She carefully held his hand, fearing that if she wasn't careful enough he'd break. She caressed his now cold skin and shivered more from dread than chill. What if he didn't open his eyes? What if he … if he died?

Now was the first time she noticed his bandages. They were all over his face and neck and she cringed a bit. How could this have happened to him? He was really good at his job, surely he would have noticed a bomb and stayed away, right?

All this feels strange and untrue

And I won't waste a minute without you

My bones ache, my skin feels cold

And I'm getting so tired and so old

She was still in shock. How could this have happened? A moment ago he had been apologizing for having to leave and now … now he was laying there, cold and bruised.

Mac had entered the room a moment before to take her out, let her take some air but she had refused. Not if Don was still in a coma. She had read that people in comatose state reacted to stimuli, so it was important to talk to them, make them know someone was there, waiting for them to wake up again. Besides, Lily didn't know if she was capable of moving. She felt as if fifty years had fallen on her, she was tired both physically due to sitting next to him for three hours and emotionally caused by seeing him like that.

The anger swells in my guts

And I won't feel these slices and cuts

I want so much to open your eyes

'Cause I need you to look into mine

Danny wanted some minutes alone with Flack so she waited outside. Hawkes was there too. He asked her if she was okay and she shook her head.

'You know what the worst part is? He was supposed to come home at five and help me move. When he didn't come I thought he was being his usual workaholic self and got angry, really angry at him and disappointed too. Not even for a minute did I imagine he could have been hurt. I was selfish and now, if he doesn't make it, how will I live with it? Knowing that he was one of my best friends and I was angry at him while he was suffering and dying? I need him to wake up, to tell Don how much he means to me,' she started sobbing and Hawkes enveloped her in a hug.

Danny left the room and Lily got back to the chair next to Flack. She held his hand again.

'Please open your eyes,' she whispered.

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

She whispered that sentence over and over.

There was a knock on the door and Mac came in. He sat next to Lily.

'I'll keep guard, go and have a coffee or something, take some fresh air.'

'Mac, I …'

'Go,' he encouraged her.

She stood up reluctantly, knowing that it was useless to argue with the ex-marine.

'Anything happens, I'll be on my cell, okay? Call me.'

If she hadn't gone to the coffee shop opposite the hospital and sit in a bench to drink, she would have seen how Flack squeezed Mac's hand.

Get up, get out, get away from these liars

'Cause they don't get your soul or your fire

Take my hand, knot your fingers through mine

And we'll walk from this dark room for the last time

The doctor had said that it was possible he couldn't get back to work once he had woken up. But Lily had faith in him. She knew how he loved his job and his life and knew he'd fight to get both of them back. She wished, at least for a second he'd take her hand, let her know he was conscious. However, it didn't happen. His hand was still stiff and cold between her own.

Every minute from this minute now

We can do what we like anywhere

I want so much to open your eyes

'Cause I need you to look into mine

Lily wanted him to come round. If he did, she'd make sure he had anything he wanted. She'd cook his favorite meals and spoil him like a grandma would a grandson. She would do anything if it meant he opened his eyes.

'Please, Don. I want to see your beautiful blue eyes again, I want to drown in them over and over again, don't deny me that,' she pleaded. 'I'll even spend one of those Flack coupons if you open them.'

Lily buried her face in her arms.

'I need to tell you everything you mean to me.'

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

'C'mon, Don! Wake up. I need you to wake up.'

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

Tell me that you'll open your eyes

'You know, seeing you here made me remember. Remember high school, remember how good you've been to me in the past and in the last few months. And I really want to make it up to you. But I can't do that if you're unconscious, so wake up honey. Let me return the favor,' she sighed.

All this feels strange and untrue

And I won't waste a minute without you

'By the way, I'm not moving, I'm staying with you until you get better, so you don't have to worry about carrying all those boxes.'

'Good,' came his reply in a low and raspy voice.

She filled a plastic cup with water and took it to his lips.

'Hey, Donny. Are you feeling better?' she asked softly.

He nodded and she leant forward to press the button and call a nurse. A nurse and a doctor came and after stating everything was okay, they left.

'You got us really worried you know? I've already talked to Danny and Mac, told them you'd woken up. They will be here as soon as they can.'

Flack nodded.

Lily sighed in relief and smiled. 'I'm glad you're okay. For a moment I thought you were never going to …'

'But I did. I'm alright,' he said with his raspy voice and coughed.

She put a finger to his lips to stop him from talking.

'You'll have a lot of time to explain to me why you always have to be a hero. Right now you have to rest.'

He fell asleep after ten minutes, Lily's hand still entwined with his. When he woke up some time later, he saw she had dozed off. Flack squeezed her hand and she opened her eyes.

'Sorry to wake you,' he said.

'I wasn't sleeping that soundly, don't worry. When you get out of this hospital, I'm booking a whole body massage. I feel as if I were sixty; all my muscles are aching.'

'How long have you been here?'

'Since the day of the accident. But Danny dragged me home twice and Mac made me get some air a few times.'

'What about your job?'

'Oh, it seems I had lots of vacation and sick days. Five months, actually,' she blushed under his gaze. 'Well, you know I am a workaholic …'

'Don't have to waste your holidays when I'm in the hospital.'

'You're my friend, Don, it's the least I could do.'

'I'm better, you can leave now.'

'If you don't want me here I'll leave, but I had to be with you. I had to see you open your eyes and know you'll get better, hold your hand, be by your side.'

'I don't want you to leave but I understand if you have to. You're a busy woman, it's only logical …'

'God! You truly think I'd be here if I didn't want to? I want to help you through this Don, I really do.'

Lily opened the door of their apartment and let Flack enter first. He was going to sit on the couch when she directed him to the bedroom.

'You haven't recovered yet. Now you'll go change and lie down and if you need any help you call me, okay?'

'Yes, mom!' he answered, to which she rolled her eyes.

'No way!' refused Flack.

'Don, you can't do it by yourself! You need help.'

'I can do it alone,' he assured her.

'The doctor said you had to be careful and I don't want you going back to the hospital anytime soon. Besides, admit it: it hurts even when you're not moving.'

'Yeah, a bit. Do you really have to do this?' he asked with a pained expression.

'If you want I can call Danny and ask him to come and help you, I don't mind.'

'Hell no! Are you sure you want to do this? It's not necessary …' he tried to convince her one more time.

'Don, I've been having showers by myself since I was five and I think I'm not half bad at it. And even if it's hard to believe, I've seen naked men before, you've got nothing to worry.'

'We're friends, don't you think it'll be weird?'

'Well, if you're uncomfortable with the idea, you could desist from showering today and we'll hire a nurse tomorrow.'

'I can't wait any longer.'

'Then you'll have to let me do it. It's not like we'll be close or anything, I'll be on the outside of the shower.'

'I get cold when the door isn't closed,' he told her.

'Who's the girl?' she asked while rolling her eyes.

'Why can you wear a swimsuit and I have to be naked?' asked Flack with his boxers still on.

'Because I'm not the one having a shower.'

'I think it would only be fair if you were naked too. Not that the swimsuit leaves much to the imagination but …'

'Don't push it, Flack. Now get out of your boxers and into the shower before I change my mind and call Danny.'

He obeyed and she stepped into the shower.

Thank God he was in bed again. Flack had never thought having a shower with a woman could be so embarrassing and painful. He had suffered every second of the whole ten minutes it had taken her to wash his body. If he thought that had been terrible, he didn't know what was coming. He took the phone Lily was giving to him and answered it.

'Hey Flack, how are you feeling?' Danny said in a cheerful tone.

'Good.'

'Of course you are. After the shower you've had!' he laughed a bit.

'She told you?' asked a really embarrassed Flack.

'Yeah. Seemed pretty upset about your reaction. Wouldn't mind being you …'

'It was one of the worst moments ever.'

'Obviously, having a beautiful half-naked woman give you a bath is something horrible.'

'It wasn't pleasant. She saw me naked, for God sake's!'

'I'm sure you have nothing to be ashamed of.'

Flack grunted and hang up. He was never going to live this one down, was he? And a more important question: how was he going to look at her in the eye ever again?

'Sometimes I'm such an idiot that it surprises me,' said Lily to Emily on the phone.

'What happened, sweetheart?' the other woman asked.

Lily told her friend the story.

'You did what?' she asked amused and laughed.

'Yeah, that's how stupid I am.'

'Why did you do it?'

'When I said I wanted to help him through this I really meant it. Guess I felt guilty you know, he's been so good to me, I wanted to give something back …'

'If you wanted it so bad you could have asked him to have sex with you, don't think he would have refused.'

Lily gasped.

'Oh, sorry, I forgot you were a prude.'

'That's not true!'

'Whatever you say, Lil. So, did you check out the goods?'

'Em!' Lily cried in shock while blushing. 'He's my friend. And I shouldn't have given him a bath in the first place.'

'Well, I agree with you on this one, but you have to admit he's become more than a friend to you.'

'He hasn't.'

'Lily: he kissed you and you gave him a bath, therefore seeing him completely naked. If the two of you were only friends none of this would have happened,' the psychologist tried to reason.

'Maybe it's just something physical, you know? He's an attractive man and neither of us have had interaction with the opposite sex for a while. It's only natural, right?'

'Guess that you'll realize I'm right when you're ready. I'm not going to push you, but think about it.'

'I will. Just one last question: how do I look at him in the eye after this?'

'You'll get over it soon. Talk to him if it's so important to you. I've got to go, good luck. Bye!'

'Bye, Em. Thanks for your help.'

'I think we need to talk,' said Lily with a sigh.

Flack nodded.

'I'm sorry if I embarrassed you but can assure you I was uncomfortable too,' she said as she sat on the bed next to him.

'You were uncomfortable? I was the one naked.'

'It's not like I'm the first woman to see you without clothes.'

'Yeah, but little difference, they were naked too.'

'You said so yourself; the swimsuit I was wearing didn't leave much to the imagination.'

'True, it was very revealing. However, it still wasn't fair. Didn't get the chance to soap you,' he said with a grin. His comment earned him a slap on the arm.

'And that won't ever happen,' she answered with a grin as well.

'Wanna see?' said Flack and with one swift movement got on top of her, their lips dangerously close.

'And yet, that wouldn't involve any soap,' she said cheekily.

He leant forward, wanting to crash their lips together when his body failed him and he fell on top of her, not being able to suppress a groan.

'That's what happens when you've been seriously injured and try to be a player,' she said. 'Now get off me so I can get you a painkiller.'

With a little help from her he got back to his original position. Why does this happen to me? I was so close! Maybe it was a good thing.

In she came with a pill and a glass of water. Lily watched him as he swallowed the medicine. He just wanted to make me nervous, that's all. Wouldn't have done anything, he was simply bluffing.

Flack dozed off almost instantly and she couldn't do anything but watch him sleep; he looked so peaceful … Lily ruffled his hair and shortly fell asleep too.

Flack woke up and it was his turn to watch her sleep. He put a strand of hair out of her face and she woke up.

'Hey. I'm sorry for what happened yesterday,' he apologized.

'It's okay, but you really need to improve your pick-up lines. You're no good with words.'

'Nobody complained before.'

'Yeah, but they didn't want to talk about world politics, did they? They liked what they saw and took no notice of your lack of way with words,' she grinned.

He simply raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously. She returned the smile.

One more chapter. What's your opinion? Liked it, hated it, have any suggestions? Leave a review and tell me. Prepare for the next chapter:

Chapter 9 - Mesmerizing

There's a fight coming.

As usual, thanks to SparkyCSI.

LaUrIsHa-just me