Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA Network and Jeff Eastin.
Chapter 19
Jones, the team's best medic made a make-shift sling out of Neal's tie and then used his own around Neal's chest to keep it all stable on the way to the hospital.
"Sorry Neal, but you're going to have to wait until you get to the hospital for any pain meds. If you take anything now, they'll give you grief when you arrive if they need to do surgery." He tried to console Neal, who had turned deathly pale and was clearly in a lot of pain.
Meanwhile Peter printed out a copy of Neal's medical Power of Attorney and put it in his briefcase together with the case file and printouts which he surreptitiously retrieved from his desk.
Neal swayed with dizziness as Jones and Peter eased him from the floor, but they held him steady. Slowly, they walked him to the parking garage and lowered him into the car, which Diana had pulled up in front of the exit to the lobby.
"Do you want me to come along?" Jones asked his boss.
"No, I got it. You could give Elizabeth a call though and ask her to meet me at the hospital," Peter replied. "And Diana?" he continued, as he shut the door on Neal's side and motioned for her to come closer.
"Yes, boss?"
"Get in touch with this Mrs. Geyer and find out all you can about Neal and Jennika."
"Boss, I'm really sorry about how things went down. I had no idea that Neal was the other child until that final page came out. I was so surprised I just didn't think." Diana started choking up. She felt truly awful about what she had put Neal through.
Peter took hold of her arm and tried to offer her some comfort. "Diana, it is not your fault. The whole thing caught us all off balance. Please, don't feel badly. I have a sickening feeling that there's a whole lot more about to hit the fan with this case and right now we need to present a united front in support of Neal. I should have brought you and Jones into the loop on everything else I learned from Neal, but he'd asked me not to. I'm going to have a talk with him after we get his arm sorted out. In the meantime, the more you can find out, the better. Call me later, okay?"
"Sure," Diana replied, still not convinced that she hadn't been the cause of Neal's distress.
Peter walked around the car and opened the driver's door.
"You still with us, buddy?" he asked Neal, who had his eyes closed, his head resting on the passenger window.
Neal did his best to nod and gave a mumbled uh huh as Peter knelt on the driver's seat and reached over to strap him in without causing too much additional pain. Neal groaned and winced as the strap tightened on his injured arm, despite Peter's best efforts.
"Hang in there. We'll be at the hospital in no time and, before you know it, they'll have you so full of happy meds you'll be ready to dance with all the pretty nurses," he joked. Neal opened one eye and gave him a dubious look.
"Got it, less humor – more driving," Peter said, more to himself than Neal as he patted his friend's leg and strapped himself in.
Driving as swiftly and smoothly as he could, he headed off to the Emergency Room. There was no point in using the siren, as he didn't want to risk jostling Neal around if he opted to speed from lane to lane in order to get there quicker. As it was, they made good time and within the hour he had Neal signed in and settled in an examination cubicle awaiting the orthopedic surgeon.
Peter was very relieved to hear Elizabeth's voice soon after, as he had not been relishing the thought of being Neal's sole support when examination time came. For someone who had been beaten, shot and had God only knows what else done to him, Neal could be a complete drama queen when it came to minor injuries. Not that a dislocated arm was minor, but he had watched Neal cope with a broken bone before with stoic quietness and then wail like a three year old while getting a splinter removed. He was hoping that Elizabeth's calming influence might make the whole thing go more smoothly and definitely more quietly. He pushed the curtain aside and went to join her at the nursing station, filling her in on what had happened at the office. Neal's doctor had also arrived and listened carefully before going off to attend to Neal, with Peter and Elizabeth in his wake.
"Boy, that's gotta hurt!" He exclaimed, as he looked Neal over.
Neal looked at the worried couple with a woeful expression. Peter didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Elizabeth turned to him and whispered fiercely, "Whatever you do, do not tell him to cowboy up!"
"No ma'am!" Peter replied, raising his hands in surrender. He turned to face Neal. "I am so sorry, bud. The best I can do for you now is let my wife kiss you better when they're through with you."
A kindly nurse ushered them toward the waiting room. As the door whooshed shut behind them, Neal's unmistakable cry rang out loud and clear.
TBC
Sorry for being so slow in posting this chapter. I hope to be more timely with the next one.
Thank you to lstuds for continuing to beta this story for me.
