New
Arrivals
Author-Suzie
Titles
Wild Ride
by Suzie
Summary: Blair stops at an accident scene to help. #1 in Writer's Block Series #2.
Disclaimer: Some of the characters in this story belong to the UPN Network and Pet Fly Productions as part of the television show The Sentinel. I do not claim these characters as my own. No money has changed hands.
Notes: Thank you, Jen. <<HUGS>> This series is dedicated to Keren. She wanted something for her new website. :-)
Jim sat bedside the bed in ICU. His partner, Guide, and best friend lay unconscious in the bed. Monitors beeped, IVs dripped, and a mask providing oxygen helped Blair breathe a bit more easily with his badly bruised lungs. Surgery had sorted out broken ribs, repaired the internal bleeding and damage to Blair’s spleen and abdomen. A chest tube kept fluid from building up. Countless bruises covered his friend’s smaller, compact body. Bandages covered the lacerations and stitches on Blair’s face and head trauma had left him with a concussion. His broken leg was in a cast and suspended in traction.
Jim sat, gently holding Blair’s hand. *Critical condition* the Doctor had told him after surgery. *Some swelling in his brain* the Doctor had said. They would know more in twelve hours or so.
“I know you’re in there, Chief,” Jim whispered into Blair’s ear. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
**********
It all began on Friday, just twenty-four hours earlier, when Jim had to work late. The stake out had proved successful and the paperwork needed to be finished if they didn’t want their perp to get out on bail that same night.
“I’m sorry, Chief,” Jim told Blair over the phone. “I know we’d planned to go to a movie tonight, but with this bust and …”
“It’s okay, Jim,” Blair quickly interrupted. “I understand. We’ll do the movie thing another night. I’ll be there in less than an hour to help with the paperwork.”
“You don’t have to, Blair.”
“I know that, but I want to. With two of us working we’ll be done in no time. I’ll bring you some dinner.”
Jim smiled, “Thanks, Chief.”
“No problem, man. I’ll be there asap.”
**********
Blair stopped at Jim’s favorite Thai restaurant and picked up some take-out. He was disappointed that they weren’t going to a movie, but he really did understand. Getting one more slime ball off the streets *was* more important. Blair only wished he’d been there for the bust instead of at the University and he sighed as he made his way through the heavy Friday evening traffic. He glanced at the clock as he passed the bank. It read 8pm.
Sitting, first in line at a red light, Blair wondering if the van waiting in the intersection cross-traffic would ever get a chance to make the left turn before his light turned green. He really wanted to get to the station to help Jim and his stomach was growling at the smell of the food in the seat next to him.
It happened all at once and very fast. Tires screeched, metal crunched and was ground together as a car plowed into the back of the van. Horrified, Blair watched as the van lurched forward and turned sideways across traffic. Two more cars slammed into the van from either direction before it was over. The sudden silence was disorientating and Blair didn’t react immediately, but after several seconds he was out of his Volvo. The woman in the car next to him got out of her car, a cell phone held to her ear.
“Are you calling 911?!” Blair called out her.
She nodded and Blair sprinted over to the van. The occupants of the other two cars were not badly injured, but were encouraged to remain in their cars until help arrived. The driver of the car that started the accident had just been in a hurry and had wanted to get through the light. He didn’t notice the van stopped in front of him until it was too late.
Blair and another man wrestled with the passenger side door of the van. Both the driver’s door and the sliding side door were crumpled and wouldn’t budge. When the door finally squealed and protested as they pulled it open, Blair squeezed inside. The airbag on the driver’s side had deployed and he had to push it away a bit to get to the driver, a young woman, and feel for a pulse. He let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding when he felt a slow pulse against his fingers.
A quiet moan.
“Hey there,” Blair whispered into the woman’s ear. “It’s okay. Help’s coming.”
She tried to move, but cried out in agony.
“Nono … don’t try to move,” Blair told her softly.
She moaned again and reached out.
Blair gently took the slender hand in his own. “What’s your name?”
“Samantha.”
“Okay, Samantha, my name’s Blair and I’m going to stay here with you until the paramedics get here.”
“My … ch … child … ren,” Samantha gasped.
Blair snapped his head around to look into the backseat. OhmyGod! he thought as he saw one tiny body laying limply in a car seat and another child, maybe five-years-old, clutching a teddy bear as she lay unconscious on the seat. With a shaking hand, Blair reached back and felt for pulses. “They’re alive, Samantha,” he told her.
“How’s it going in there?!” A voice sounded from outside.
“I’ve got a woman and two small children in here,” Blair answered. “They’re hurt. Is the fire department coming yet?”
“I can hear the sirens. They should be here any second.”
The last thing Blair would remember was hearing tires screech.
**********
When the call had come, Jim was just beginning to get concerned over Blair taking so long to get there. He’d called home, but the machine picked up. Blair’s cell phone rang and rang, but wasn’t answered. Jim didn’t know that it was sitting on the seat of the Volvo at a downtown intersection.
“Detective Ellison?” a female voice said.
“Yes,” Jim said, feeling his heartbeat quicken as the hair on his arms and head prickled.
“Do you know a Blair Sandburg?”
“Yes.”
The woman took a breath and said, “This is Cascade General. Mr. Sandburg has been in an accident.”
“How bad?” Jim asked. He suddenly felt light-headed and leaned forward in the chair to support his weight against his elbows.
“He just went to surgery. I don’t know the extent of his injuries. You’re named as his emergency contact?”
Yes, he’s my partner. I’ll be right there.”
“Yes, sir.”
**********
It had been sixteen hours since Blair came out of surgery. Jim sat next to the bed … waiting. He held Blair’s limp hand, lightly rubbing his thumb over the knuckles, when Captain Banks quietly entered the room.
“Jim, how’s he doing?” Simon asked, his brow wrinkled into a concerned frown.
“The same,” Jim sighed. “The Doctor thinks the swelling in his brain is causing the coma and he should wake up when it goes down.” He looked up at the tall black man that stood beside him. “Any word on what happened?”
“The driver that rear-ended the van was in a hurry … wasn’t paying attention,” Simon explained. “Apparently, Blair was there when the original accident occurred. He’d gotten inside the van to help the driver and her kids until the ambulance got there. That’s where he was when that last car sailed into the intersection, ramming into the pile-up. He probably never saw it coming.”
“And that driver?” Jim asked, anger building within him.
“Knock on the head … nothing serious. His blood alcohol was so high it’s possible that he passed out just before the accident. He and Mr. ‘In-A-Hurry’ are sharing a cell downtown.”
“At least they’re off the street.”
“I see he’s breathing on his own now,” Simon said, noticing that the tube that had been in Blair’s throat was now gone.
Jim nodded, “Yeah, once they got the internal bleeding stopped and the extra fluid drained, his lungs started working again.”
Jim’s left hand joined his right in holding Blair’s. Simon saw a single tear trail down Jim’s face and patted the big man on the shoulder.
“Blair’s going to make it, Jim,” Simon said, his voice strong with conviction. “He’s strong and stubborn … he’ll be all right. Just keep the faith.”
“Yeah, Simon, I am … I really am,” Jim whispered.
“Can I take you home?”
Jim shook his head, “I want to stay here for a while.”
“Call if you need anything … okay?”
“Yeah, Simon … thanks.”
**********
It was late in the day, the third day after the accident, when Jim’s senses picked up the change in Blair’s heartbeat and respiration. He sat up and waited, trying not to zone-out as he concentrated on his partner's vitals. The hand Jim was holding twitched.
“Blair?” Jim whispered close to his friend’s ear. “C’mon, buddy, time to wake up now.”
There was a slight hitch in Blair’s breathing and Jim moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Squeeze my hand, Blair,” Jim directed.
After a moment Blair’s hand tightened slightly around Jim’s fingers, then relaxed again.
Jim felt himself begin to tremble, tears burning in his eyes. “That’s it, Chief,” he choked out. “I know you’re there. Just open your eyes and look at me.” Jim reached for the call button.
Blair’s eyes fluttered, then slowly opened.
“Hey, buddy,” Jim said, his hand gently rubbing Blair’s fingers between his own.
Blair blinked, his fingers tightened around Jim’s again. There was confusion mingled with recognition as those blue eyes looked up at the Sentinel. Jim felt like laughing and crying at the same time.
“It’s all right now. You’re going to be okay,” Jim managed through his constricted throat. “You hear me? You’re going to be just fine.” He reached out and gently stroked an uninjured place on Blair's temple.
Blair’s eyes slipped shut again, but this time it was a normal sleep that claimed him.
Jim suddenly found himself being shooed from the room as the nurses and Doctor appeared. He watched the curtain as it was drawn around Blair's bed and thought, I have to call Simon. But Jim didn't move right away. He let his senses pick up his Guide's heartbeat and even breathing ... knowing instinctively the pattern of his normal sleep. Blair was going to be all right. I have to call Simon.
**********
"Jim?" Blair whispered into the dimly lit hospital room.
Jim moved to the edge of the bed so his friend could easily see him. "I'm right here, Chief."
Blair looked at the big man and managed a faint smile. "Jim," he whispered again as he recognized the face and could put the name with it.
Jim smiled, gently holding the smaller hand. "Yeah, Blair ... I'm Jim."
"I knew I ... should know you ... but I ...," Blair's barely audible voice said slowly.
"Shhh ... don't talk. Just rest."
"Wha' happened?"
The smile left Jim's face. "You were in an accident." He saw the look of painful concentration on his friend's face. "Don't try to remember it right now."
Blair managed another slight smile as he drifted off to sleep again.
Jim moved back to the chair next to the bed, still keeping in contact with his partner. Blair had slept a good six-hours after he awoke from the coma. Another MRI was done, the second since the accident, and the swelling in Blair's brain was going down steadily. The Doctor and Neurologist didn't believe there would be any brain damage.
Convinced that all was going to be all right at last, Jim stood again. The Sentinel looked down at his Guide with deep affection as he touched the same spot on Blair's temple and said a silent prayer of thanks. Jim could go home now and rest ... maybe even sleep for a little while.
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end