The Blue Line, Chapter 3
He wasn’t looking forward to doing this, but he had done it many times in the past, and this wouldn’t be the last time.
Knocking on the door to the Rizzoli family home, Korsak was greeted by Angela, Frankie and Jane’s mother.
“Mrs. Rizzoli,” Korsak began, “I’m-”
“-I know who you are,” she interrupted him. “You’re Jane’s old partner.”
“Yes. There’s been an accident at Headquarters…Jane and Frankie were both shot.” Their mother paled and sank against the doorframe, looking at him horrified.
“Are…are they…”
“They’re still alive,” Korsak added hastily, wincing. He should have gotten that in earlier. “They’ve been taken to New England Baptist.”
“Jesus Christ,” She muttered, wringing her hands. “Wait here.” Korsak nodded as Angela ran back inside her house.
“Tommy! Get your father, now!”
*****
Pain.
She felt it when through her, and she was feeling it now as she woke up.
Panic set in as she glanced around, unfamiliar with her surroundings, but she calmed down once she saw Frost snoring in a chair and heard the tell-tale sounds that one would only find in a hospital.
Goddamn it my throat is killing me ah shit
SHIT FROST WAKE UP AND TAKE THIS DAMN THING OUTTA MY THROAT…!
Slapping the side of the bedrail, she was able to wake up her partner who was a light sleeper. Frost smiled as soon as he saw what woke him; his older partner glaring at him from her hospital bed.
“Jane, thank God. They said you were going to be ok, but goddamn I was worried; you should’ve seen Korsak, he was practically slave driving the doctors earlier to make sure you pulled through-“He stopped when he saw her hand move.
“You want to tell me something?” At her thumbs up, he grinned. “Sure thing.” Grabbing a pen and a small tablet of paper from the stand nearby, he gave it to his older partner, who, still loopy from the painkillers which were wearing off, wrote like a ten year old. The message, however, was clear.
Frankie?
The smile slid off of Frost’s face.
Oh no OH NO DON’T YOU SAY IT FROST
“Well…”He sat back down in the chair, and took one of her scarred hands in his own. Upon seeing her expression, he sighed. “Because of all the internal bleeding, they weren’t sure if he was going to make it, but he made it through surgery…he’s in critical condition though.”
Jane closed her eyes in relief.
Jesus Christ if Mom ever found out that Frankie got shot-
Oh NO.
She scribbled that down as her next question, looking horrified.
Mom? Family know?
“Yeah, yeah…Korsak went over and made the notification yesterday.”
Well FUCK. That meeting she wasn’t looking forward to.
Yesterday?
“Yeah…you went into surgery as soon as they brought you in and have been out cold ever since.”
She frowned darkly, and upon studying Frost’s confused look, wrote another name.
Marino.
“Yeah…he made it too…touch and go for awhile with him, considering the bullet tore his left lung all to Hell. Dr. Isles stabilized him until they put him in an ambulance, and I guess he flat-lined a couple of times on the table but…he’s in ICU now with a beat cop standing watch at his door.”
Jane rolled her eyes in sarcasm
As if that fucker’s going to go anywhere
Frost grinned, as if he could read her thoughts.
“It’s to keep other officers OUT, not to keep him IN. Surel thinks that perhaps…some of our fellow officers may act a little…rash.”
A little? I’d shoot that dirty bastard again!
She attempted to smirk but the tube made that difficult.
What now?
“Your parents were in the cafeteria…I told them I’d let them know once you woke up.”
Jane winced visibly. She already knew what her mom’s reaction would be, and she wasn’t really looking forward to it.
“Hey, you ok?”
Fine, just a little sore
“I would think that’d be an understatement,” Frost said, admiration tinging his voice. “Korsak stopped by last night to see how you and Frankie were. He’d be here now but Surel put him in charge of the scene at Headquarters, so he’s been busy with that.”
Well shit, Korsak’s moving up in the world
“Yeah, apparently the Lt. got his ass chewed out. Right now Superintendent Blake’s in charge while the Commish is away, and let me tell you, pretty much everyone’s out for Marino’s blood right now. There are bets going on whether or not he’ll even live to be transported to jail to await his trial.”
I bet…how much?
“I think it’s up to 500 now, but whether or not it’s legit or someone blowing smoke…” Frost shrugged.
Maura?
“She’s been busy with some of the autopsies, but she’s planning on stopping by-“
“-Sooner than expected,” Maura interrupted from the doorway. Attempting to smile with the tube down her throat, Jane raised a shaky hand in greeting just before the Medical Examiner attempted to suffocate her in a hug. “Sorry, but…Jane, if you ever do that again, you and I are going to have a talk…I don’t want you on my table, is that understood?”
Jane rolled her eyes in heavy sarcasm.
Yes MOM
“Good.”
So…how about them Red Sox?
Frost snorted before covering his mouth, and decided to leave the room upon seeing Maura give both officers a withering glare.
So…can you take this fucking tube out of my throat?
Maura smirked, and shook her head no.
“Afraid not. You’re going to have that in there for awhile yet.”
How bad.
Jane looked up at her, her eyes still managing to convey the seriousness of the question depite the fact she was still (according to the chart she was studying at the moment, anyways), heavily drugged.
“Well…you suffered a single through-and-through GSW to the right lower thoracic space. They have you down as suffering from an open pneumothorax with right lower and probably right middle lobe lung involvement. The bullet missed your liver, thank God, or else you’d still be out at the very least.” Jane studied her friend for a moment, seeing the worry and relief in her eyes.
You seriously didn’t think I was going to make it, did you…?
“...I wasn’t sure, no.” Maura sat down in the chair Frost had so recently vacated. “Seeing you take that shot…was horrifying.”
Jane sighed.
I’m sorry. Had to.
“Why? He may have let you go and be dead right now.”
For Frankie. Tears came unbidden to Jane’s eyes. Because of him, Frankie could have DIED, HIS FAULT. He said that Frankie was probably already dead
Abrubtly, Jane turned away from her, tears running uncontrollably down her face. Maura touched her arm lightly, and Jane composed herself before continuing.
Mom’s not going to forgive me for this. Dad will. She won’t.
“You don’t know that.”
Jane shook her head fiercely.
I DO know that. That day you reset my nose, we were playing a game of basketball, and SHE accused me of roughhousing with him. Now with him getting shot…he’s her favorite. Mor e so than me or Tommy. Besides, where are they? Frost said that they had been notified YESTERDAY. Where are they?
“Well, they’re holding a vigil by Frankie’s bedside. He hasn’t come out of it yet.”
Jane put down the pad and rubbed her scarred hands unconsciously, looking worn out and tired.
“Marino…while you did do some damage, he’s not going to die.” Jane glanced up at her for a second, and Maura could have sworn she saw fury in those eyes before they glanced away.
I heard. You saved him.
Maura sighed. Even though she had written it, Maura could easily imagine Jane saying it flatly, indicating she was pissed.
“…I had to. As a wise woman once said, ‘It’s what I do.’ I had the training necessary, Jane. I couldn’t let him bleed out like that.”
YOU SHOULD HAVE.
“Really?” Maura was getting angry now, and planted herself by the room’s window overlooking some of Mission Hill. “Yes, Jane, I could have let him bleed all over the sidewalk, and you and the rest of your fellow officers would have been THRILLED, I’m sure, but I’m NOT going to be like Hoyt. I’m not. And that’s what he would have done.” She turned to face her bedridden friend, and they stated at each other for a long moment.
You’re right. I’m sorry. Didn’t think of that.
“I know. It’s ok.”
We ok? Still friends?
Maura smiled and nodded.
“Always.”
1 comment:
Thanks for the read! That was original!
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