Only Time Will Tell
Part 20
"I want to go back, now." Cassy repeated for what had to be the hundredth time since they had arrived at the cafeteria. Harry was doing everything possible to delay. They had sat at the table for over an hour. Cassy had tried to get up to leave twice, but a glowering look from her Captain returned her to her chair obediently.
Her frustration with his tactics was pushing her to her limits, but was strangely familiar. She concentrated and realized that the last time she felt this way Tom was playing the 'delay' game with her. . .over breakfast.
A small smile came to her lips at the memory of Tom's behavior that morning. She was furious with his immaturity, but knew that it was that behavior which made him so damned appealing to her.
Upon seeing her smile, Harry tilted his head, eyes narrowing suspiciously, "A smile? Do I really see a smile on your face? What's so funny?"
Cassy shook her head, the exhaustion and despair taking hold again. "Nothing. I was just thinking about Tom."
Harry reached across the table and laid his hand on top of hers, "He's going to be okay, you'll see."
Cassy shook her head, but said nothing. She wanted desperately to believe the words, but could not find hope in them.
"Captain Lipschitz?" a young voice sounded from behind her.
Cassy turned to see an orderly standing in the doorway of the cafeteria, slightly out of breath. "Dr. Anderson asked that I get you."
Cassy felt the blood drain from her face. She looked desperately at her captain, hoping to find some comfort in his strength, but fear filled his eyes. His voice was shaky when he responded, "We'll be right there."
Cassy wasn't sure who was supporting whom as she and Harry rounded the corner to enter the ICU ward. The trip from the cafeteria, up the elevator and down the hall to the wing which housed Tom's room was impossibly endless and too quick. Neither Harry nor she was prepared for the sorrow they knew was waiting for them.
Tom had lost the battle. He had not been able to fight back. Before approaching Tom's doorway, Harry stopped walking, holding Cassy back. "Cassy, I. . ." he cleared his throat, "What ever has happened, I want you to know that. . .that Frannie and I are here for you."
Cassy smiled sadly at the man and nodded her head, taking comfort in the words.
They approached the door, prepared to face the worst possible scenario and then heard a very hoarse, very painful "Uh huh."
Cassy knew that sound. She'd lived with it for seven months. . .she'd been partnered with it for years. She threw a startled look at Harry and then released his arm, rushing into the room, "Thomas!"
Dr. Anderson looked up from his position next to Tom's bed, a smile on his face. Nurse Jacobson, a similar expression on hers, stepped aside and made room for the blond detective.
And at that moment, Cassy saw the most beautiful sight she had ever seen, her partner's open eyes.
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"Harry?" Tom asked, trying to look around. He knew his captain had been in the room earlier, but he seemed to have disappeared.
"He's getting your parents. Their plane landed a few minutes ago." Cassy answered from her usual place beside Tom's bed, her fingers once again intertwined with his.
"Here?" Tom asked, eyes narrowed.
"Yes. They're here." Cassy shook her head, not believing that he would doubt their presence.
"Bad, then." Tom said softly.
"Yeah. . .you were bad." She closed her eyes, remembering Harry's words about Tom's diagnosis. "You scared me," Cassy whispered.
His hazel eyes met her blue and he gave her a slight grin, "You scared me, too."
Cassy's face showed her puzzlement, "What? When?"
"Janet's house," he murmured. Cassy bit her lower lip and nodded. His face became serious, his voice tired, "You saved me. Thank you."
Cassy let out a small laugh, "Only because you saved me first."
"Even?" Tom asked, the grin returning.
"Even." Cassy leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Tom's uninjured cheek.
Tom allowed his eyes to close, but he gripped Cassy's hand more tightly, making sure she could not leave him.
Cassy was warmed by the gesture. She had no desire to leave his side. She had been so certain that she would never feel his grip again, she savored the feeling now.
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Dr. Anderson sat in the lounge by himself, sipping on a very strong cup of black coffee. He closed his eyes and said a prayer, thanking God that, once again, the higher being had chosen to save another human life.
There had been serious doubts about the possibility of saving the police officer. In fact, Tom Ryan's return to consciousness had been as much of a surprise to the hospital staff as it had been to his captain and partner. During his examination of the comatose man, Dr. Anderson noted that Tom appeared to be fighting the respirator. His lungs were finally trying to do the job the machine had been providing since the previous afternoon.
As a result, he ordered the respirator be removed and Tom be allowed to try breathing on his own again. And this time after a brief bout with a cough attack, Tom's breathing remained steady.
The shock of air returning to the injured man's lungs brought another, unexpected gift, consciousness. Immediately, Tom made a fight for awareness. He began to struggle against the binding which held his injured arm firmly in place, he tried to escape from Nurse Jacobson's grip.
Hazel eyes opened and attempted to focus on the doctor. Anderson was relatively sure the patient was seeing only blurred images, but that was okay. The fact the patient had opened his eyes at all brought an enormous amount of relief.
Dr. Anderson felt true confidence the battle had been won when the detective responded to his question with a rough sounding "Uh huh." His confidence was sealed when he saw the expression on the injured man's face upon hearing his partner yell out his name. The look on his pale features, which appeared for only a brief second, was a cross between love and "deer in headlights." It was the same look the doctor gave his wife when his wife shouted out his name like that. The doctor had to smile.
Yes, there would be tests. Yes, there was still a possibility of some damage to the brain, but all-in-all, he felt sure that the worst was over.
*********************************
Cassy continued to hold on to Tom's hand, watching him sleep. She could not help but marvel at what fate had done. It had taken her to the edge of despair. . .to complete loss of faith, and pulled her back. Tom was okay. He was tired. . .and he was hurting. . .but he was alive. Janet Angelini had not won.
The door to Tom's room slowly opened. Two friendly faces appeared in the doorway.
"Lyam! Margaret!" Cassy called out, then remembered her sleeping partner and hushed herself. She let go of his hand and moved to greet his parents in a group hug.
Father and mother gave her an affectionate embrace. They then released their ex-daughter in law and made their way to their sleeping child.
"He's okay?" Margaret whispered, worried about her son's pale appearance.
Cassy nodded, a smile on her face. "He's fine. He's just sleeping," she whispered.
"No he's not," was the whispered reply from supposedly-sleeping man.
"Tommy?" Lyam leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on his son's leg, causing Tom's eyes to open.
"Oh Thomas," Margaret cried out. She then leaned forward to give her son a gentle kiss on his forehead.
Tom smiled at the contact. "I'm glad you're here," he responded gratefully.
Lyam returned his son's smile and then looked at Cassy. "You took good care of him for us, Cassy. Thank you."
Cassy chuckled slightly, "You're welcome. But trust me, it was in my own best interest. It's too hard to break in a new partner." Cassy motioned for Margaret to sit in her chair. "I'll leave you alone. You have some catching up to do."
"Don't leave, Cass," Tom grasped her hand before she could walk away.
"Yes, please stay, Cassy," Margaret smiled.
"I need to take care of some things and you do need to have some time alone. I'll be back," she promised. She leaned over the bed and gave Tom a quick kiss on the lips and then left the room.
Lyam, upon witnessing the kiss, chuckled, "What was that all about?"
Tom, somewhat shocked himself, didn't reply.
End Part 20
To Conclusion