Notes:

Thank you everyone for your encouraging reviews! I was quite surprised to see that some of you thought I was going to end the story in a cliffhanger! I wouldn't do that as I write the story from the reader's POV, not the writer's POV! :)

This story will not be following the exact timeline of the show, so some situations and characters shown in the show might appear at different places in the story. After all this is fiction!

This chapter contains some medical stuff and a lot of angst. Although I haven't gone into too many technical details regarding the medical stuff written here, I've tried to make it authentic. It may not be a hundred per cent close to reality, but I have done my research regarding the situation mentioned here. If there are any medical professionals reading this, kindly excuse any loopholes that might be present in the story and just enjoy reading!

Chapter 5: The Rescue

Jane lost his battle at staying conscious right before the EMT's swarmed in. My hand is still on his neck attempting to stem his precious blood from flowing out, but it doesn't seem to be working enough. I give the medical personnel an initial description of the injury. Then, very gently yet firmly they move me aside so that they can help him.

Somehow this slight change in position seems to awaken him, but he's not doing okay. He's having a lot of difficulty breathing and the sounds coming from inside of him are scary to my ears. The EMT announces to his partner that there are diminished breath sounds coming from Jane's lungs and that his trachea is most likely injured. Intubation is not an option according to them, so they perform a cricothyrotomy(an emergency medical procedure to obtain an airway).

The procedure is done efficiently and an oxygen mask is placed over his face, dressings are applied over his wounds, an IV is attached and they get ready to transport him. His eyes are still closed and he looks almost peaceful, except for his blood-stained clothes and his pale face in contrast to his bright red blood.

Tears cloud my vision as I see my best friend struggling for his life. Whoever did this to him is going to have to pay a huge price. As I head out of the room with the EMT techs, I see Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt moving towards us. They take a look at us and they realize the gravity of the situation.

"What's the situation here Cho?" I ask him throwing a quick glance at the two police officers on the scene.

"Boss, when I asked dispatch to send an ambulance I asked for backup too, just in case."

"Good thinking. Any leads?"

"Not yet. By the time we got here there was no sign of anyone that might have been trying to get away. Grounds are clear. We're going to start reviewing the CCTV footage and start interviewing the guests as well as the staff."

"That's good because I don't want that bastard to get away. We are going to do whatever it takes to get this person in custody."

"Yes boss." Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt nod solemnly.

"Okay, I am going to the hospital with Jane. You guys keep me posted. I'll be in touch."

With this I literally run towards the ambulance and we speed off towards the UC Davis Medical Center. The EMT attending to Jane is closely monitoring him for his vital signs. The tech relays the medical information to the hospital and then starts bagging Jane's personal effects. His watch, wedding band, belt, shoes and socks are all quickly dumped in the small plastic bag and it's handed over to me. My hands are shaking as I hold the bag in my hands. I've never done this before, but this feels incredibly personal to me. I clutch the bag tightly in my hand while holding Jane's hand with my other. "Hang in there Jane….it's going to be okay." I almost whisper it in his ear as a reassurance that we are fighting for him. I am trying to reassure myself too.

We are at the medical center and before I know it Jane is being wheeled out of the ambulance into the trauma bay. Medical attendants are awaiting him there. The team gets to work quickly. Curtains are drawn and there's a flurry of activity - sounds of his blood-stained clothes being cut open with scissors, someone hooking him up to the various monitors, someone announcing his BP is dropping, orders for upping the pressure through another IV and then I hear the word – "Go."

It all happens so fast and there's no one I can talk to, so I just stand there, tears streaming down my eyes. A nurse comes out and asks if I'm his family. I tell her I am his partner at work and I hold his medical power of attorney. She nods and hands me over some forms to fill. Before I can do that I ask her where they have taken him. She looks at my tear-streaked face and gives me a sympathetic smile and leads me to the row of chairs just outside the trauma bay.

"I am sorry about your friend. They have taken him for a CT scan to find out the extent of his injuries. He will then be taken in for surgery. After you finish filling out the forms, someone will direct you to the surgical floor where you can wait comfortably."

I nod and thank her. This bureaucratic task of filling out the forms is testing my patience, but there's no way around it, so I do the needful as fast as I can and hand them over to the admin desk. The staff here is excellent, before I can even ask for the directions to the surgical floor, a nurse guides me towards the elevators and tells me the floor I need to get off on, the OR number and the name of doctor operating on Jane. I give her a hug, thank her and then disappear in the elevator.

The doors ding open on the 6th floor of the hospital. It's quieter over here. I make my way towards the waiting area. It's almost 6:20 pm and I see that there are some more people seated in the lounge waiting for an outcome about their loved ones. I wearily sit down on the chair and close my eyes for a few moments. The events of the evening flash before my eyes and I quickly open them not wanting a recap of those moments.

As I am taking out my phone from my pocket, a nurse comes out in the waiting area and asks, "Family of Patrick Jane?"

"That's me."

She takes a look at the information on the iPad in her hand and asks if I am Teresa. As I acknowledge, she tells me he has been taken into surgery about 10 minutes ago. The surgery could take about 4 hours and that she would come to give me an update every 1.5 hours. She also shows me the monitors in the room displaying the status of the patient. She's told me Jane's patient number so that I can keep a tab on his operative status myself. I thank her and make my way to the washroom.

When I enter the washroom, I find myself alone. It's a huge relief. The past few hours have been scary and crazy. I take a look at myself in the mirror. My red eyes and flushed cheeks have their own story to tell while my jacket is stained in blood - my partner's blood. I take it off and hold it under the tap water in an attempt to get the blood off it, but then I suddenly stop. My hands are trembling. I realize, if he doesn't make it, this is the last memory I will have of him – he, bleeding to death in my arms. My tears show no signs of stopping now and I protectively clutch my jacket.

I hear the door opening and I barely register the person who has entered the washroom. I guess I must have looked worse than I had thought, because the next thing I realize is someone calling my name in panic.

"Oh my God - boss!" Grace almost shrieks as she finds me sitting on the floor in a very awkward position. Her first thought must have been that I must have fallen to the floor and hit myself somewhere. She tries rousing me and I open my eyes, much to her relief.

"Are you okay? Can you stand up?" I am confused. Why is she here and what am I doing on the floor of a washroom? Suddenly it all comes back…."Jane!"

"Boss, we are at UC Davis. Jane is in surgery. C'mon let's get you off this floor." She gently helps me up. I don't seem to be hurt anywhere; she seems to be relieved. I look at myself in the mirror before me and I see someone else staring back at me – not Teresa Lisbon. Grace throws a worried look in my direction but doesn't say anything. It takes me a few moments, but after washing my face with the cool water I begin feeling like myself again – in charge of the present situation and ready to face the world – again.