In the Wrong Place
Chapter 13
Lenny guided Steve slowly down the corridor, into the elevator and back to the bullpen..They had to stop a few times to let Steve rest along the way...Lenny was highly concerned at how weak and tired Steve appeared to be...When they entered the office, it was fairly quiet...The only detectives present were Inspector Lee Lessing and Sgt. Dan Healy who on seeing Steve being assisted by Lenny got up from their desks to rush over...Seeing them Steve put up his hand in an effort to reassure the two men that he was ok and to avoid as much fuss as possible... It was bad enough that he had to rely on Lenny at the minute just to get around but he still felt very light-headed and wouldn't trust his own two legs to support him on their own.
"I'm alright guys...really...Just a little slow on my feet at the minute..."
Not fully convinced by Steve's version the two men looked at Lenny questioningly who then replied...
"He just had a dizzy spell up at the meeting...I'm taking him to Mike's office until Mike is finished...He's ok ...He's just up and about too soon after coming out of hospital...that's all..."
Satisfied with Lenny's version the two detectives sat back down and watched as Lenny brought Steve slowly into Mike's office... As they passed Lessing's desk, Lee spoke...
"Hey Lenny, if he needs anything just shout ok?"
Lenny nodded at Lessing forever amazed at the amount of affection that everyone held for the young detective...When they got into Mike's office Lenny put Steve sitting down in Mike's chair...The trip from Olsen's office had taken its toll on Steve and he looked fit to collapse...Lenny was even more concerned as Steve leaned over onto the desk and held his head in both hands...
"You feeling dizzy again?"
Steve didn't speak just nodded slowly and Lenny opened the window behind the young man and proceeded to remove his tie and opened the top button of his shirt...He then raced outside and returned seconds later with some cool water and instructed Steve to drink some...Lenny's race to the water cooler set Lessing and Healy's nerves on edge again as they stood up and looked in at Steve... Not wanting to make a fuss and seeing that he was being well looked after by Lenny the two detectives exchanged a worried glance at each other but then sat down and carried on with their work...
Steve revived a little again...The fresh air that was blowing in through the window felt good to Steve and the cool water felt good as it soothed his dry throat...Studying Steve closely, Lenny thought of something and questioned the young detective...
"Steve, have you eaten anything so far today?"
Steve glanced up at Lenny and felt a lecture coming on...
"No, not much...just some coffee...that's all..They gave me toast this morning in the hospital but I couldn't swallow it...It felt like I was eating sawdust..." and with that Steve grimaced and shuddered at the memory of it...
Lenny beamed from ear to ear and looked like the cat that got the cream...
"Of course...That's it!... Don't you see?"
"What?...What are you talking about?" Steve asked Lenny who seemed to be enjoying his "eureka" moment...
"That's why you're feeling dizzy and so weak...I mean it's bad enough that you lost so much blood yesterday and the pain of course would drain you too but you haven't eaten anything either...You've been moving around all morning and using energy that you haven't been replacing...It's like expecting your car to get you around if you haven't put any gas in it! You need to eat something Steve!"
"Ok, ok Lenny I get it but don't you remember the restroom incident from earlier? You know I don't exactly feel like eating anything at the minute..."
"Sure, sure I understand that but all you need to eat is something light...like em...chicken soup...Yes that's it...Chicken soup would be easy on your stomach and yet should help you feel better... " and with that Lenny called Lee to come in...
"Lenny...I really don't want chicken soup..." Steve pleaded but his pleas fell on deaf ears as Lenny was determined to prove his theory and asked if Lessing could go to the canteen and get some chicken soup for Steve... Lessing was only too happy to help but smiled seeing Steve's face knowing full well that the chicken soup had not been Steve's idea ...
" Trust me will you Steve? The medical profession knows best..."Lenny stated enthusiastically while Lee looked sympathetically at Steve and went off on his errand..
Before Steve could say another word in protest the phone on Mike's desk started to ring and Steve picked up the receiver...
"Hello. Homicide...Lt..Stone's office?...Oh, hi Jeannie...Yeah everything's ok...I'm fine...I've given my testimony but Mike is still up there...Yeah...We should be home within the next hour or so...Ok? No...Jeannie ...I'm ok...Will you stop worrying please?...Yeah...Meatloaf for dinner is fine...Ok...We'll call you when we're on our way...Ok?..Ok,... Bye Jeannie.. I will...Bye..." And with that he hung up. He was smiling as he hung up the receiver after hearing Jeannie's voice but on seeing Lenny's face curiously watching him, Steve blushed and decided a change of subject was called for...
"Now, Lenny about this chicken soup..."
Before he could continue, the office door opened and Lee Lessing came in and placed the offending substance in front of Steve smiling...
"Here you go Steve, drink it while it's hot"...
Steve looked at the take away cup of soup and then looked at Lee who seemed to be enjoying his discomfort...Reaching over and taking off the lid Lenny handed it to Steve...
"Come on, try some...You'll feel better...Mark my words!"
Steve had eaten in the canteen on many occasions and knew the food served there was not great ...He looked at it distastefully and again up at Lenny pleadingly ...Lenny on the other hand was probably one of the few people who ate in the canteen all the time and loved the food that was served there...
"Come on Steve, just a bit...huh? What can it hurt?"
Noticing that Lee was still in the office, Steve looked at him curiously...
"You're going to stay and watch me drink this too huh? I thought you were my friend.."
Lee laughed..."I am..."
Realizing that he had no choice but to get this over with he lifted the cup to his lips and took a big mouthful... Expecting it to taste awful he was pleasantly surprised to find that it tasted good... Swallowing it he looked at the men present...
"You know that's not bad. It's actually quite nice!" Steve said feeling very surprised...
Lenny beamed from ear to ear..."See I told you..."
Still astonished that anything from the canteen could taste that good Steve looked at Lee who looked like he was trying not to laugh...
"Lee, you got this from the canteen?"
"No, Lee Hongs from across the street...Hey man you just got out of hospital...I didn't want to get you something that would send you back in man..." and Lee burst out laughing as Lenny's smile faded...
This made Steve laugh too. Lenny looked at the two men and found that he couldn't be mad at them. Despite his love of the canteen food he was well aware of the reputation it had among most of the detectives in the Bureau. And besides, it was good to see Steve laugh again...
"Very funny guys. You know you two should be a double act...Just drink the soup ok Steve?"
"Ok, Lenny.." Steve said and took another mouthful of the soup.. Lee had gone back outside to his desk and Lenny had sat down opposite Steve... Steve seemed to be deep in thought and Lenny watched him closely...
"I'll give you a penny for them.."
Steve looked up at Lenny..."What?"
"For your thoughts..."
"Oh..." Steve smiled.."I was just thinking about Joe...He's very hostile towards Mike...It's like he blames him for everything...What is that all about?"
"Ah, that's the curse of being an alcoholic Steve...You can't help them until they accept they have a problem .. In Joe's case he's still in denial... So he needs to believe that someone else is to blame for all the misfortune that his heavy drinking is actually causing..., That way he doesn't have to deal with the guilt he's feeling...However, that's a dangerous path as it leads to anger, resentment and violence..."
"But why Mike? I'm the one he shot...I'm the one testifying today against him..Why isn't he blaming me? I don't get it Lenny.."
"Ah...but you're forgetting something important...He shot you...So inside he feels guilty that he hurt you unintentionally...Therefore his subconscious won't let him blame you...You heard him today...He's made up this idea that Mike put you up to testifying so as to let you off the hook..."
"You don't think he'd try to hurt Mike do you?"...Steve asked starting to feel anxious...
Seeing Steve's worried face, Lenny tried to reassure the young man..
" No, probably not... Normally all that hostility is all talk and no action...I wouldn't worry unless..." Lenny didn't finish his sentence...He shouldn't be causing the young man in front of him to worry...so he decided to change the subject instead..." How are you getting on with that soup?"
Seeing that Lenny was purposely changing the subject alarmed Steve even more...
"Never mind the soup...Unless what? Come on Lenny...You're holding something out on me..."
Lenny cursed himself for agitating Steve... But he couldn't help it.. Whenever he was asked about people the psychologist part of him always seemed to take over and before he knew it he was analysing their every thought and move...
"Look, Steve, I'm just surmising..."
"Lenny!... Unless what?"
Knowing that Steve was not going to let the subject drop Lenny continued...
"Unless... something important to him gets taken away from him...That can sometimes be the catalyst...for violence"
"Something important?...What are you talking about?...You mean like ...what?His badge? Is that what you're talking about? Lenny! They're going to take his badge off him at that meeting!...Dear God...I have to warn Mike!..."
Steve felt himself panic and he jumped up out of his seat determined to get back up to Olsen's office but as soon as he stood up so quickly, the dizziness returned full force. The office spun wildly before him and Steve lost his sense of balance...He pitched forward but luckily Lenny had seen the situation unfold and had raced around Mike's desk and caught the young man and lowered him once again into his seat...
"Steve, for heaven's sake,...Look I told you I'm only making general assumptions...Losing his badge could also be the thing that finally makes him accept that he has a problem so that he can get help...Mike is in no immediate danger! And you are in no fit state to rush off anywhere... Do you hear me? Now you need to take it easy...Mike will be back soon and we can discuss it with him them ...Ok?"
Steve had his eyes closed while the room stopped spinning but he heard every word that Lenny had said...Knowing that what he said made sense, Steve opened his eyes carefully to look at Lenny and slowly nodded his head.
"Ok Lenny..."
It took a few more moments before Steve's dizzy spell passed. He was still feeling worried about Mike...He had a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach and was sure it was his gut instinct telling him something bad was going to happen...Just then Lee came into Mike's Office...
"Lenny, your secretary Mary just called...She's been looking for you everywhere. Apparently you have an appointment for two o'clock and she needs you back up in your office..."
"Oh no...I'd completely forgotten... I arranged to meet someone at two..."
"It's ok Lenny... You go ahead... I'll be ok.. I'll just wait here for Mike."
Lenny looked at Steve suspiciously...
"Are you sure? You're not going to go rushing off as soon as I leave are you? Because if you do Mike's going to give me an earful..."
"You said it yourself...I'm not in any fit state to rush off anywhere...I give you my word I'll stay put..."
Again Lenny studied Steve closely...He felt guilty leaving the young detective in such a fragile state but the officer he had arranged to meet needed him too so he felt slightly torn...
"Lenny! It's ok! Now get going...Don't keep the man waiting...I promise to wait for Mike and... thanks...you know for everything..."
"Alright...I'll see you soon...You take it easy...Doctor's orders! ...and you're welcome...See you Steve..."
"See ya..."
With that Lenny left the office but as he got halfway across the bullpen he stopped and looked back anxiously at Steve hoping that he wouldn't try to head back upstairs by himself...
Lee Lessing saw how anxious Lenny was and tapped him on the arm...
"Don't worry Lenny...Dan and I will keep an eye on him until Mike gets back...He'll be ok!"
Finally happy that Lee and Dan would keep an eye on Steve, Lenny smiled gratefully...
"Thanks..." and checking his watch he turned and hurried out the door...
Watching Lenny leave, Steve was actually glad to finally be by himself for a while...It felt like people had fussed over him all day and the one thing Steve hated above all else was fuss!... Sitting back in Mike's chair, Steve felt the cool breeze that was coming in the window and stared out at the clear blue sky...Next he looked up at the clock...It was almost two...Where was Mike? Surely the meeting was nearly over...He thought about what Lenny had said and remembering the open hostility that Joe had shown for Mike ,again he began to worry... His arm itched again and he scratched at it almost subconsciously ...His side was starting to hurt and it just dawned on him that the painkillers would be starting to wear off soon...Had he gotten a prescription? He couldn't remember ... He suddenly felt extremely tired.. What he wouldn't give for his soft bed back in his apartment now and a few hours sleep... His eyelids began to feel heavy and folding his arms on Mike's desk and leaning over he decided there would be no harm in just putting his head down for a little while ...Resting his head on his arms Steve saw the picture of Jeannie that Mike had on his desk ... He hadn't had a chance to talk to her much so far, the way his morning panned out and when she had phoned the fact that Lenny was eavesdropping on his conversation meant he felt he wasn't able to talk long with her then either ... God he felt so tired!...He felt his eyes closing and tried desperately to keep them open but while his mind was telling him he should stay awake and look out for Mike's return his body wasn't giving him the option, as once again for the third time that day exhaustion claimed him and he drifted into a deep healing sleep...
Lee and Dan had both been glancing up every now and then from their paperwork at Steve making sure he was ok. Dan was on the phone to the Coroner's office and was put on hold as he waited for the clerk to come back to him with information he had sought about his current case when he glanced into Mike's office and couldn't see the young detective... Alarmed but unable to leave his phone call, Dan rolled up a piece of paper and threw it at Lessing catching him right on the back of his neck to catch his attention...
"HEY!..." Lee yelled looking back at Dan..."What was that for?"
Returning to his phone call as the clerk started talking on the other end Dan gesticulated wildly at Stone's office and held up a piece of paper with the word "STEVE ?" on it...
Looking up at where Steve was and not seeing him over the glass Lee realized what Dan was alarmed about and getting up he raced over to Mike's office... Half expecting to see Steve passed out on the floor he was almost relieved when he saw his friend apparently asleep on Mike's desk...Just to be sure Lee went over and checked that Steve was breathing...Quietly he spoke...
"Steve...you ok?"
Steve didn't stir. Lee placed his hand on Steve's neck and noticed that he felt cool to the touch..Seeing the window open behind the young detective, Lee closed the window until there was just a small amount of air coming in and taking off his jacket he draped it around Steve's shoulders not wanting him to catch a chill in his current weakened state... Then feeling satisfied that Steve was just exhausted and was sleeping soundly he patted Steve's back...
"Sleep well my man!"
Lee went back to his desk...Seeing Lee return but still taking notes over the phone Dan looked up anxiously at Lee... Lee wrote something on a piece of paper and holding it up to Dan it read "SLEEPING LIKE A BABY !" Dan heaved a sigh of relief and smiling at his colleague returned to his phone call...