Title: City Under Siege
Chapter 3 – Waiting to Exhale
Donna? Is it Donna? My wife…please God let it be her and let her be okay, Ed's mind swirls as he helps them carefully but quickly remove the rubble from off the exposed legs, Ed's face wincing at the heavy cut that is seen. The hazmat-clothed search team quickly steps back to allow the hazmat-clothes medical team rush in and try to save the precious life.
"Donna?"
"Eddie what's going on?"
"Not sure boss…Captain Towes…"
"Last name on his shirt says Reynolds."
"Boss they found Riley," Ed replies as he watches them pull Riley's unconscious body from the rubble; Ed's eyes wincing at the piece of rebar that had impaled him in the chest.
"How is he?" Spike asks about his friend in haste.
"Alive…I think," Ed whispers in remorse as he pulls back with a small curse; turning and heading for the entrance the caved in building; Greg slowly approaching, Tom hanging back with the rest of Team One – still safe an unaffected by the radiation leakage.
"What does that mean Ed?" Spike dares to wonder.
"He was stabbed in the chest with rebar but they say he's alive. Sorry Spike, that's all I know," Ed offers in remorse.
"Spike, he'll be fine. He's young and strong," Greg talks into his headset as Ed approaches. "Eddie…"
"He's alive."
"Barely," Greg looks at Ed seriously. "You know as well as I do the deeper they go into that rubble the chances of survival drop."
"I have to believe she's okay. Greg I know this might sound stupid but I know she's alive."
"No, not stupid," Greg assures him in truth.
"I…I can't believe otherwise. Boss you can't order me off this search. If it was just Roy and my mind could focus knowing my brother was safe would be one thing and you know it. You know if it was just that and she was safe I'd be leading our team away from here, following up that lead; but you can't call me away from this now. Not now. Donna knows I'll be looking for her, you can't…"
"I want to spare you…"
"And I get that," Ed interjects firmly. "But Sam is more than capable of taking the lead in this and Tom can slide into his spot until the madman is taken down. But I'm not leaving. You know my mind would not be focused; it'd be here, wondering where my wife is. I can't take that chance – I won't. For today; let me just once not follow that order. Boss," Ed's voice breaks into thick emotion as he watches the medic's hurry by with Riley's unconscious frame on it. "I can't leave. Please don't give me an order you know I cannot obey right now. Please?"
Greg looks at the utterly tormented expression on his friend's face and feels his heart sink. As much as he wants to order Ed away, reasoning it was for his own good, he knows Ed's right – his mind would be distracted and he might make an error that could cost them all dearly. Tom would be a good substitute addition to Team One in Ed's stead, as he knows Tom is close to Donna but not her husband. The emotional connection wasn't even close. Tom could be objective; Ed – distracted. The decision was already made by the man who set up the deadly trap. It would be cruel on his part and tactically unsound for him to order an emotionally compromised team leader into such a dangerous hot call. In good faith he couldn't do it; even to spare Ed the pain of what might be found – he just…couldn't.
"Greg?" Ed begs once more as they all hear Captain Towes voice call out that they were advancing.
Greg looks at Ed and can only offer a firm nod before he turns and looks at the team. "Okay listen up Team One. Sam, I want you to take lead on this."
"Copy that," Sam replies firmly as he looks at Ed and also gives him a nod of confirmation. He knows, or at least can try to sympathize with the inner turmoil Ed's facing right now; having been separated from his own wife not so long ago and wondering about her fate and then having to pull back emotionally when she crawled out from the rubble – injured. His mind too would be distracted and dealing with an enemy this evil and twisted, everyone has to be focused. It was the right call.
"Tom, suit up; you'll join team one today. Spike I need…"
"Copy," Tom agrees as he gestures for Ed to come toward him. "Ed I'm so sorry."
"Trust me today of all day's I'm glad you're on this side of the tape," Ed tells him in truth. "I'm bringing her out alive."
"I know you are. And we're gonna stop his bastard."
"You do that!"
"Thanks Sam," Ed tells his temporary replacement before turns and heads back to the search and rescue team; Greg wanting to stay behind but being told he had head to the ACC to be tested for radiation levels and treated accordingly. "Winnie can you hear me?"
"Go ahead."
"The boss needs a new headset."
"Copy."
"Thanks Eddie."
"I'll be bringing my wife to the stadium. See you there."
Greg can only watch with helpless frustration as Ed turns and hurries back to the mouth of the wounded building, slipping into the gaping hole and disappearing from view. With that he heads for the transport van en route to the stadium praying for the safe journey for his team and a swift rescue for his friend's wife. How did a day that started with so much hope and promise end with such misery and despair?
Ed's eyes instantly seize going back into the darkness and he has to pause a few seconds to let them adjust to the dimly lit surroundings before he decides to proceed. Finding Riley was fortunate but as they get closer to the actual detonation site the injuries to team three were more serious. Richard had only managed a few scrapes and cuts; Rachel a broken arm, Gary, a broken leg and some internal bleeding, Riley….Jimmy…Donna…he knows Greg is right but in his heart he refuses to believe she's anything other than alive and waiting for him.
"Okay guys we gotta make some noise right now!" Towes calls out as he turns and looks at Ed. "If you're a praying man, now's the time to offer one up."
"Donna!"
XXXXXXXX
"Ed…." Donna starts only to utter an angry curse when the area around her starts to vibrate; her body trying to curl around itself to protect her vulnerable frame from further damage. But then something happens. Her hands dare to reach out and touch the vibrating concrete and much to her thankful delight, the mass above her isn't shifting position – at least not yet. It was holding its own, offering whatever protection the remaining steel girders and rebar could provide.
"Okay they found…someone…heard them shout…must have been Jimmy. Jimmy's okay…he's okay," she rattles to herself as she closes her eyes and coughs; the mass around her might not be imploding but there was nothing to stop fresh bits of debris from further raining down on her.
The loud pounding finally stops and she rests for a few more moments, allowing the ringing in her ears to subside as much as possible before she tries yelling again.
"Laryngitis be damned," she growls as she takes in a mouthful of air. "EDDIE!"
She waits.
Nothing.
"Come on baby, I hear voices in the distance…I know one of them is yours. I know you're here…I know it," she lightly whimpers, telling herself to remain calm and keep her fluid emotion in check; there would be lots of time to cry into his strong embrace once they were reunited. Now it was time to focus on staying awake long enough to be found.
"ED! OVER HERE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" She shouts before her lungs painfully constrict once more thanks to the thick dust and she tries to recoil onto her side. "Damn leg!" Donna curses as she tries again in vain to pull her trapped leg free from the debris her uniform fabric was trapped by but cannot and slumps back in place. Her tight stomach begs for some relief but she knows if she was to throw up it could cause internal damage and she'd be forced to lie in whatever her body wanted to expel. It would all have to wait.
"Eddie…please baby find me. Please."
XXXXXXXX
"Okay Constable Lane I'm gonna hafta ask you to stand back. Ray, Stan…get that lifter in here and get this piece removed! Stat! Come on team time is of the essence here!"
Ed stands back and watches the two rescue team members step forward with some heavy equipment and can only hope and pray it opens a pocket that his wife was able to get to and be sheltered from all the cruel debris. Riley had gotten off relatively easy compared to what he had been trapped under but he was still in very serious condition and much like Gary until the surgery was over and they were back up walking around it was still too soon to give them a clean bill of health.
Ed watches the large piece of debris being removed and holds his breath as he at first thinks it's a human limb that comes into view but exhales heavily as it turns out to be just a mangled piece of wood.
"Eddie? You okay?" Wordy asks in concern over the headset.
"So far," Ed replies with a soft whisper and small cough as he steps back and allows the search team a new angle to dig through. "Wordy hold on…DONNA!" Ed calls out before he turns his attention back to his best friend. "Wordy…what if they don't find her in time?"
"She's going to be okay. You know she'll hold on for you. She knows you're coming," Wordy tries to assure him.
"I just need…a sign…something a call, a shout…Wordy anything," Ed whispers as he internally orders his brain to hold back his tears as he swallows heavily. "I keep thinking back to the day we made our vows and…I can't think straight. What if…"
"Don't do this to yourself Ed. She's strong, you know that."
"Still my job to protect her," his voice dies out as he looks at the mess before him.
"What are you doing right now?"
"Waiting…I can't…" Ed turns and looks at the open door and gently curses. "Donna, baby if you can hear me…just call out if you can," Ed begs once more. "Wordy, she's not answering."
"Her headset might have been damaged in the blast," Wordy lightly suggests.
"Maybe…maybe," Ed huffs as he watches the search and rescue team extract another large piece of debris. "Donna!" Ed calls out once more. But destiny was about to hand him a false sense of despair as one of the search and rescue team calls out they might have found someone.
"We found a body!"
"Hold on Constable Lane," Towes suggests as he looks at Ed in concern.
"Donna," Ed whispers as he tries to see the movement of the rescue team a few meters head. The rescue member, Ray, maneuvers the large piece of machinery into place, settles down the claws and extracts a piece of large debris. But Ed's fists instantly tighten as he spies what appears to be droplets of blood slowly falling off the right end of the large ugly slab. "Oh god NO!" Ed shouts in horror.
"Ed? What's going on?" Wordy asks in haste. "Ed! Talk to me!" Wordy demands firmly. "Have they found her?"
"Blood…oh god they have blood…Donna!" Ed shouts as he tries to push his way into the search; scrambling past two of Towes men but being pulled back by two of the search team before he could impede their progress in any way.
"Ed, talk to me buddy," Wordy implores.
"Donna?" Ed begs as they remove a piece of debris and a gloved hand limply falls to the ground and his heart literally stops. "Donna! No…please don't…no no no…that can't be…move that piece!"
All of team one holds their breath, Ed's heaving breathing taking over the airways; panic surging and his breathing starting to pick up; Wordy and Spike exchanging worried glances.
"Ed?" Tom dares to ask.
"Don't know yet. Move faster!" Ed angrily barks as Towes looks at him in sympathy. "I just need to know…if that's my wife," he begs in sorrow as the airspace over the headsets goes radio silent for the next few seconds. Ed's world starts to slow, the sound booming at levels so high in his ears they start to sound muffled and only the pounding from his rapidly beating heart is heard bouncing off the walls.
This can't be…maybe it's Jimmy but then….oh God this can't be happening, Ed's mind spirals as he holds his breath a few moments longer. He watches the rescue team lift off another piece of rubble and Ed's stomach instantly lurches and he feels bile surge up from his stomach and flood his throat, wanting to be tossed out.
"Constable Lane, do you know them?"
"Oh god no…" Ed whispers in misery. "It can't…be…." Ed lightly huffs with a ragged gasp.
"Ed what is it? Is it Donna?" Wordy asks in haste. "Ed!"
"DONNA!" Ed yells in torment.
XXXXXXXX
"Eddie…" Donna's mind snaps her back to reality as she hears her name being called. Only…it sounds…"closer?" She braces herself against the bottom of the debris mass, reaches up her arms and tries to push at the debris block at the top of her head.
"Ahhhhh!" She utters a tormented gasp as her side screams at her to stay put; her arms quickly retreating and her mind yelling at her to be patient but keep alert. Ed's closer…call out to him…let him hear you…
She had thought about pulling her gun and firing a shot, but in her confined space might do herself serious harm so would save that for a last ditch effort if it was necessary. He won't give up on me…he'll not leave until he knows what's happened, her mind takes comfort. Ed would never just up and leave…not when there was the chance she'd be found safe and alive; he'd stay, even if everyone else left she knows he'd stay. And in that darkened prison; that small ray of light gives her hope.
"Eddie!" She tries once more; the movement around her starting to push fresh puffs of toxic drywall dust into any crack that was around her and flooding the area with chocking particles. "Eddie!" She tries again, her body trying in vain to shift and roll onto her side. But as she tries to push once more against the debris atop her head, she quickly realizes the problem isn't her arm or her side – it's her wrist.
"My wrist….damn think it's broken…maybe just a strain…damn I gotta get out of here," she growls as she slumps back. Her mind finally realizes she has the keys to the SUV in her lower pants pocket and she strains to reach them, wanting to use her left wrist, if possible to tear away the pants fabric and give her a bit more freedom to move to a better position.
"EDDIE!" She continues to yell, her voice start to sound ragged due to the dry dusty bits continually coating her throat. She finally reaches the keys; her somewhat sticky fingers pulling them free of the pocket and then scrambling to get them into her other hand. There isn't much room to move but it was better to keep busy and…
"Wait oh damn…" she hisses at herself as she realizes the keys could at least make some noise. "Ed…I pray you hear this…please baby…please hear this."
XXXXXXXX
"Wordy?"
"Ed, it's Greg; the team has now found the other bombs of Faber's and are trying to detonate them. I've put you on a private channel. Talk to me."
"They um…they found Jimmy. Boss he…he's dead," Ed confesses in misery as he watches the rescue team working to gently remove the somewhat crushed remains of the interim team three team leader. "He was…damn boss…he's…oh god he was…crushed…chest crushed and…I…" Ed turns away as his lips offer a gasp of emotion.
"Eddie I'm sorry," Greg offers in remorse as his kind tone tries to settle Ed's anguished mind. "Maybe you should pull…"
"No. I have to…"
"Constable Lane?" Captain Towes voice gently interjects; Ed's watery blue gaze beneath the protective head shield turning back in haste. "The closer we get to the blast site, the rest will only get worse. If anyone else is in th…"
"SHE'S ALIVE!" Ed yells before he shakes his head and offers a whispered I'm sorry. "She's alive," he repeats in a whispered tone. "I know she's alive."
"I know you want to be here but this can't be easy and if your wife is under…this," Towes pauses as Ed turns back to him with a sharp gaze. "I wouldn't want to find that. I just want to spare you what we might find."
"She's alive and I'm not leaving here until I have her in my arms!"
"Eddie…" Greg tries.
"No boss. I know you all want to shield me from what you think is coming…but I'm…I have to know for sure. I have to. I'm staying here."
"Okay," Towes agrees; Greg unable to do anything but reluctantly listen.
"Just go carefully Ed."
"Copy that," Ed replies as he looks at the darkened mass before him. Two medics are finally able to get to Jimmy's body, wrapping it in a plastic bag and taking it away to be disposed of properly. With his mind anxiously racing, Ed tries to tell himself to help out in any way he can, even if it means taking away smaller chunks that don't amount not much – just to keep busy.
He feels his eyes water again as the machine very carefully removes another piece of debris, the team still working to clear the hallway; not even attempting to get into the room where Anson Holts few bits of remains were waiting; possibly never to be claimed.
"Donna…if you can hear me you gotta call out!" Ed mutters over and over; not caring that he earns a few odd glances from the team working around him. In truth, none of the rescue team was going to call the team leader on his fervent requests – it was a desperate plea, part of a desperate search to claim a precious life. It was more than merited.
But just before he can make another call out, Towes pauses as his radio cracks to life.
"What did you find Clark?" Towes asks one of his search team.
"Jenkins and I are on the other side of the debris pile here Sir. You can't see us but um…well we hear something. A faint voice and I think keys…"
"Say again?"
"I think…yeah we heard it again. Keys jingling…and Eddie? I think. Sir who…"
"Constable Lane is that…"
"Donna!" Ed exclaims as he looks at Towes in haste. "Where are they?"
"Other side of…Lane wait!" Towes calls out as Ed turns and darts back toward the opening of the damage laboratory building; Towes and two others right behind him.
"Ed?"
"Don't know yet boss but they hear keys and a soft voice. It has to be her…it has to be," Ed races toward the other side of the building, hurrying so fast down the stairs it was a miracle he didn't fall; coming to stop before another daunting mass of rubble. "DONNA?" Ed calls out just as Towes comes to a rest beside him.
"Sir…"
"Let him call to her Jenkins. If she's under this, she'll respond to him," Towes offers softly as he knows if there was indeed someone under there, pulling them out without further damage wouldn't be an easy task.
"DONNA? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
"Eddie!" Donna's voice cracks as she stops her task of trying to get her pants free and listens. "He's here…I knew…" her voice pauses as her eyes water. No…no crying until you are safe. Remain alert and awake. Call out. "EDDIE!" She tries once more, using the keys to bang against the cement coffin and praying she's heard. "Please god let him hear me. EDDIE!"
"I hear…her oh god yes I hear her," he states with a fluid gasp as he presses himself up against the cement mass as much as he could. "DONNA! BABY I'M RIGHT HERE. I'M HERE TO GET YOU OUT! WE'RE COMING IN!" Ed shouts and then turns back to Towes with renewed determination. "She's alive."
"Okay team let's get her out. We gotta be careful or this could still all come down on top of her," Towes tells his team before he turns back to Ed. "It's a miracle she's alive but this won't be easy."
"I'm not leaving. Not now…not when I'm this close," Ed replies firmly. "I'll stay out of the way but don't tell me to back down now. She needs to hear my voice."
"Okay stand back. Ray we need the machine in here now!"
"Ed?"
"Boss, she's alive…she's uh…she's trapped but she's alive," Ed huffs as he rapidly blinks, cursing the fact that he's unable to pull off his mask and wipe a few tears away. "How's the team?"
"They're working on the bombs. Just stay with me Ed…talk me through it, keep your mind busy," Greg instructs. "What's going on?"
"Okay they have…."
Ed's here…knew he'd come…Donna's mind finds instant comfort in the fact that her efforts at being heard were not in vain. Knowing that the rescue effort was now underway, Donna rests her right arm and concentrates her strained efforts on getting her left leg free of the cement barrier. "Ed's here…knew he'd come…knew he'd never give up…" her voice cracks and a few tears of relief start to come forth. As much as she knows its selfish of her to hope that Ed wasn't with the team, she knows that Sam and even Tom were more than capable of helping to bring down the real culprit behind the bombing since it obviously wasn't Anson Holt. "Who the hell…ahhhhh," she slumps back just as her left hand manages to rip the last shred of fabric and her leg pulls free.
"Damn," she groans as she tries to roll onto her side, twisting herself around to greedily stare at the small cracks of light behind and overhead; something her last position didn't afford her. Hope and relief.
"Eddie…baby hurry," she groans as she hears the machine start up, Ed yelling at her to brace herself if she could and then starting to cough as the cracks fill with dusty dirt.
Donna immediately tries to cover her face and head from the impending dust storm, her side and leg screaming out to her to just rest but her mind knowing that wasn't possible just yet and she has to remain strong a little bit longer.
"Why are they stopping?"
"Constable Lane it's a miracle that wall hasn't given way just yet. If we don't brace it up before the machine moves in closer, the vibration could bring it all down on top of her. Whatever small pocket of wall is sheltering her we can't take risks with its integrity. Just keep her talking; let her hear your voice and let us do our job."
"Okay," Ed replies as he grits his teeth.
"Eddie I know this is tough but he's right. They're trained for this."
"I know boss…I know but um…I hear her but can't get there and…"
"Yeah it's tough but they'll find her in time. The team found the locations for four more bombs and are on their way now to take care of them."
"Okay good…" Ed watches as the search and rescue team sets up the last brace and prepare to extract a large piece of debris. "Donna I don't know if you can but baby you gotta try to pull back from where you hit the wall with your keys!" Ed calls out at the direction of Captain Towes. "They're gonna remove the block…just hang…tough," he voice breaks into a small sob before he angrily swallows and utters a small growl. "JUST MOVE BACK!"
"Move…back…I can't….ahhhh…" Donna's lips gasp as she tries to get her body to crouch down toward her feet, her side instantly rebelling but her mind yelling at her to push past the pain. "Ribs…think they're…oh god maybe broken…move…Eddie hurry," she lightly pants as she takes a deep breath.
"THEY'RE COMING IN NOW!" Ed shouts as he pulls back and watches in helpless misery. "Please god let her be okay," he fervently prays out loud as his fists tighten. The machine starts up and his heart breaks as he thinks he hears what amounts to a scream, but in reality is just the whine of the engine. "Donna…you have to be okay…you have to," he chants over and over as the large claws are carefully guided by strong human hands toward the piece of debris they think they can move without hurting the previous life trapped beneath.
"Okay…here we go…just hold on…a bit longer," Donna tells herself as she closes her eyes and tries to picture a happy moment – their wedding day. The area around her begins to shake, her trusty cement guardian doing its best so shield the injured life form beneath it but at the same time knowing it would soon have to bend to the laws of physics.
"Deep breath…" she whispers as her heart starts to pound even louder in her ears; a small scream escaping her mouth as a small piece of debris dislodges and bounces off her shoulder. "Eddie!" She calls out before the whining becomes too loud and she fears darkness will consume her for good.
"Okay we got it!" Ray shouts as he looks at his Captain for an extraction command.
"Let's move it out very carefully!" Towes calls back.
"Okay just a bit longer baby…just a bit longer…" Ed chants over and over; Greg hearing the emotional strain in Ed's voice and knowing he had made the right call in leaving Ed where he was. In the end it was his love and strength that saved her; of that he would be certain.
"Okay all hands as soon as the machine pulls that up be ready to brace the opening!" Towes orders.
Not caring that he wasn't part of the official rescue team, Ed rushes in to help; his hands placed beside another member's, ready and waiting. The world around him starts to slow into a frenzied blur, the sound deafening as he calls out to his wife, telling her he was right there and then watching as the large metal claws, hungrily wrapped around its piece of debris start to pull back; the team of anxious humans – waiting.
The machine pulls back and Ed takes a deep breath, waiting, impatiently for the sturdy equipment to do its job; pulling back and allowing the desperate team a look at what the next hurdle would be. A small hole is presented and Ed breathes an instant sigh of relief when he hears his name from his wife – now only a few meters away.
For the first time in what feels like a small eternity Donna finally allows herself a proper exhale. The opening was create and in seconds light starts to decorate the once sullen area around her; her faithful protector opening its arms and allowing someone else to now step up and offer some loving care and protection – it's job almost complete.
"Donna? Can you hear me?" Ed leans in as close as he can; squinting into the darkness below and literally offering a small sob of relief as a glint from her mangled vest catches his eye. "Donna?"
"Ed. Thank…god," she lightly whimpers as her entire being floods with emotion. "I knew…you'd find me."
"I'm here. Okay they just need to remove a bit more away from the opening to get you out. Are you um…hurt anywhere badly?"
"I'll be okay," she answers with a strained tone as she tries to stifle another dry cough.
"Constable Lane," Towes gently touches him on the shoulder; Ed taking the hint and pulling back.
"Greg, I just spoke to…her…she's okay…she's okay," Ed repeats as he hears Greg utter a heavy sigh of relief; the headset going silent for a few moments as Greg informs the rest of the team of Donna Lane's status.
Not caring about holding back anymore tears, Donna's eyes water as she turns her face to the left, shielding it as the team carefully but swiftly extracts a few pieces of concrete away from the mouth of the rescue opening and the light around her increases – forcing hope to surge at the same time.
"Ed!"
Towes watches Ed wanting to pull off his glove and stops his actions by putting his hand on his arm. "This area is contaminated."
"I don't care," Ed replies in a firm but kind tone.
When it was large enough Ed's bare hand reaches down into the opening; his heart waiting for a few tormented seconds before her cool flesh finally connects with his warmth; his mind offering a brief prayer of thanks and his heart starting to beat again; her body gently trembling from happy relief as her grip around his hand tightens and hangs on with whatever ounce of strength her soul had left to offer.
"I got you," Ed whispers into the hole as he looks up at Towes who nods and then looks at his team.
"Okay…let's get her out."
A/N: I know in the show, Ed's time & attention was focused on helping find the bombs but in this rewrite figured he'd be too distracted and Sam was more than capable. But sadly Jimmy did die in the eppy and I kept that one detail canon – sorry if it was overly depressing but I tried not to dwell on it. Hope you all have a few nails left from this angsty rescue and the bittersweet reunion and recovery is up next. Thanks so much everyone and please do review before you go!