Fic: Steady As She Goes (37/86)
Title: Steady As She Goes (37/86)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1553 this part; [67,191 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: Ray and Chris visit Sam.
Rating: still Blue-ish Cortina, uhm, what's slightly darker than blue?
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Sorry for making people cry last chapter. I promise I'll write a fuzzy happy fic one of these days.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
It had been three of the longest days of Chris’ life, longer than the time he’d been five and forced to sit through his twin cousins’ Catholic double wedding. Finally he received a clean bill of health with strict orders to stay off greasy foods and get plenty of rest. He could even go back to work on Monday if he wanted but from what Ray had told him he might not.
Litton’s team fell apart faster than a house of cards after they arrested DI Graham. They admitted to covering up for their DI and hiding the truth from their DCI but unfortunately CID couldn’t find any proof that Roy Martin’s accident wasn’t really an accident. The Guv knew they caused his death and had squealed on Graham to protect themselves but even his strongest interrogation techniques hadn’t convinced Graham to rat out his supposed mates.
Ray figured it was because he didn’t want to get charged with murder or manslaughter on top of attempted murder and conspiracy. Gene had decided it was because DI Graham was a lying, balls sucking, fudge packer who had his own dick so far up his arse it had poked a whole in his brain.
Chris couldn’t really see why it mattered at this point. He was just glad it was over. As Ray helped him out of the bed and into the wheelchair (the nurses had insisted) he hoped his stays in hospital were over with as well. He waved a cheery goodbye to the staff as Ray pushed him out of the ward and into the corridor. As soon as they were out the door Chris looked up at his driver. "Can I get out now?"
"Sure mate," Ray laughed and he put on the brakes as Chris rose from the chair.
"Thanks Ray." They left the chair and kept walking down the hall. "I mean, they’re nice an’ all but a bit overprotective. Bad enough I had to convince me mum not to install padded flooring in the kitchen."
"Clumsy as you are normally, should live in a padded house."
"Cheers Ray," Chris sighed as Ray smiled and handed him a cigarette. They came to the end of the hall and Chris stopped outside the door as Ray pushed it open.
"C’mon then. World’s waitin’ for yeh."
"I..." Chris lowered his voice. "D’you think we could go see ‘im?"
Ray let go of the door and it swung shut. "You know what the Guv said. I told yeh!"
"I know but...I want to see ‘im. We don’t have to tell DCI Hunt. An’ you don’t have to, if you don’t want."
Ray hated it when Chris pouted like that. For a man in his early thirties he could look three in an instant. No wonder the birds always took a liking to him. "Alright. Let’s go then. If it’ll make yeh stop moping." Chris gave him that loopy grin and together they made their way to Sam’s room.
The door was closed when they got there but they could hear muffled voices from within. Chris looked around and spotted a familiar face behind the nurses station. "Hiya Rachel."
"Hiya yourself, Mr. Skelton. You leavin’ us today?" The hefty nurse grinned broadly.
"Yeah. Fit as a fiddle doctors said."
"Well good. An’ I don’t want to see your handsome face in our beds for a good long while. Got it?"
"Yes ma’am. Uhm, Rachel. DS Carling and I were hopin’ to say hi to Sam before we left..."
Rachel set down her clipboard and walked around the station. "Dr. Merrick’s in with ‘im now, but I think they’re almost finished. They could probably cut it short for a visit from his friends." She walked to the door.
"Merrick. That’s the quack, ain’t it?" Ray asked. Chris almost thought he sounded worried but that was silly. Ray wouldn’t worry about DI Tyler.
"The psychiatrist, yes." She raised her hand to knock but stopped when Ray’s questioning continued.
"Been seein’ ‘im a lot?"
"Once a day, at least. Twice if Dr. Merrick can spare it. Usually after Mr. Tyler’s physical therapy." She was prepared to knock again when Chris stopped her.
"He’s been walking then?"
"Everyday!" She answered cheerfully. "Only been a few days of course, but Mr. Tyler’s been making excellent progress. Following doctor’s orders to a ‘T’. Does everything he’s told, this one."
Ray and Chris exchanged confused and worried glances as Rachel finally wrapped lightly on the door and turned the handle.
"She mean our Tyler?" Ray whispered aloud as the door opened. They couldn’t see Sam but Merrick was leaning close to the bed.
"What happened after your father left?"
" ‘Scuse me Dr. Merrick."
Merrick leaned back from the bed and smiled, though it was obvious to the detectives he was startled. "Oh hello Rachel. Sorry. I didn’t hear you knock."
"Mr. Tyler has some visitors and I was wondering if they could come in."
Merrick flipped shut his notebook and capped his pen. "Certainly. Certainly. Would you like to continue this later today, Sam?" They didn’t hear Sam respond and could only assume he had shrugged or something similar. "Okay then. I’ll stop by later." Merrick slid the pad and pen in his front coat pocket and left the room. "Gentlemen," he nodded at Ray and Chris and vanished from sight.
Ray and Chris entered cautiously and shut the door behind them. To them Sam looked healthier, had gained a little weight and wasn’t so pale. But his face. His face was just empty.
"H-hiya Boss," Chris ventured first.
"Hi Chris." He didn’t sound depressed. He sounded calm. Awkwardly calm.
"How’re you feelin’?"
Ray stayed by the door and let Chris handle the conversing.
"Better."
"That’s good."
Sam didn’t say anything else. He didn’t seem bored or annoyed with the forced conversation. In all honesty, Chris couldn’t tell how Sam felt about their presence.
"Getting sent home today."
"Good." Sam looked around the room apparently finding the cracks in the walls very interesting. Chris looked to Ray for help but his partner was at as much of a loss as Chris was.
"Uhm, so when they think you’ll be gettin’ out?"
Sam shrugged submissively. "When I’m better, I guess."
"When’s that goin’ ta be?"
Sam shrugged again. "When Dr. Merrick says."
"Oh. He a good doctor?"
"Yeah. I guess."
Chris couldn’t think of anything else to say and looked at Ray a second time, praying he could do something. Ray was staring oddly at DI Tyler now and stepped forward, pulling out his pack of fags. "You mind if I smoke Boss?"
Sam shrugged, his new favorite gesture. "Whatever you want."
Ray put away the cigarettes without lighting one up. "We arrested DI Graham."
"Oh," Sam nodded.
"You know who that is?" Ray asked.
Sam shrugged. "Sounds familiar." Ray was going to pin his shoulders to the mattress.
"Litton’s DI. One that shot Chris."
"Oh. You were shot?" Sam asked Chris.
"Y-you were there Boss," Chris reminded him.
"Oh that’s right. I remember now." The pattern on the bedspread was apparently more interesting than Chris getting shot.
"Still haven’t found the kidnappers though." Ray tried to sound urgent but again Sam only shrugged.
"What can you do?" Sam stated matter-of-factly.
Rachel’s entrance cut off Ray’s retort. "Sorry to disturb you boys. Time for your meds Sam."
Ray and Chris watched as Sam obediently took the cup of pills and a glass of water from Rachel’s tray. He swallowed the drugs down smoothly and set the cup and glass back on the tray. Rachel left the room.
"What were those?" Ray asked harshly. His change in tone didn’t affect Sam’s behavior.
"Just the pills Dr. Merrick prescribed me."
"But what are they for?"
Sam shrugged. "Dr. Merrick gave them to me." Ray wished he could punch Tyler now.
"Yeah, but what do they do? What’re they called?"
"I don’t remember. Dr. Merrick told me to take them."
Chris could see Ray’s anger rising and moved to the door. "C’mon Ray. Let’s go."
"So you take ‘em. Just like that?"
"Ray..." Chris called.
"Since when did you become such a respectful, little wanker?" Ray was yelling at him now but Sam only stared back him blankly, like he’d never heard the term before.
"Ray," Chris pleaded more urgently.
"Yeah. Yeah we’re goin’. An’ I know where."
Sam watched docilely as Ray stormed out of the room and Chris stumbled behind, wondering what they could be so upset about. He soon forgot and went back to studying the ceiling tiles.
*
Gene read over the reports on Graham’s interrogations. Rathbone had told him to let the Martin case go. Accept it was an accident and be happy with the arrest and destruction of RCS. Gene had caught a whiff of sarcasm in his superior’s voice over that last bit.
He set the paper down and reached for another but couldn’t grab it before a heavy bang shook his desk and knocked over his bottle of whiskey, spilling it everywhere. Gene pushed himself back to prevent the heavy drips from staining his clothes then looked up to see an infuriated Ray Carling leaning forward on his desk. Ray spoke before Gene could demand anything from him. His voice was low, authoritative, and very, very angry.
"What’d you do to him?"
______
Part 38
Author: dak
Word Count: 1553 this part; [67,191 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: Ray and Chris visit Sam.
Rating: still Blue-ish Cortina, uhm, what's slightly darker than blue?
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Sorry for making people cry last chapter. I promise I'll write a fuzzy happy fic one of these days.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
It had been three of the longest days of Chris’ life, longer than the time he’d been five and forced to sit through his twin cousins’ Catholic double wedding. Finally he received a clean bill of health with strict orders to stay off greasy foods and get plenty of rest. He could even go back to work on Monday if he wanted but from what Ray had told him he might not.
Litton’s team fell apart faster than a house of cards after they arrested DI Graham. They admitted to covering up for their DI and hiding the truth from their DCI but unfortunately CID couldn’t find any proof that Roy Martin’s accident wasn’t really an accident. The Guv knew they caused his death and had squealed on Graham to protect themselves but even his strongest interrogation techniques hadn’t convinced Graham to rat out his supposed mates.
Ray figured it was because he didn’t want to get charged with murder or manslaughter on top of attempted murder and conspiracy. Gene had decided it was because DI Graham was a lying, balls sucking, fudge packer who had his own dick so far up his arse it had poked a whole in his brain.
Chris couldn’t really see why it mattered at this point. He was just glad it was over. As Ray helped him out of the bed and into the wheelchair (the nurses had insisted) he hoped his stays in hospital were over with as well. He waved a cheery goodbye to the staff as Ray pushed him out of the ward and into the corridor. As soon as they were out the door Chris looked up at his driver. "Can I get out now?"
"Sure mate," Ray laughed and he put on the brakes as Chris rose from the chair.
"Thanks Ray." They left the chair and kept walking down the hall. "I mean, they’re nice an’ all but a bit overprotective. Bad enough I had to convince me mum not to install padded flooring in the kitchen."
"Clumsy as you are normally, should live in a padded house."
"Cheers Ray," Chris sighed as Ray smiled and handed him a cigarette. They came to the end of the hall and Chris stopped outside the door as Ray pushed it open.
"C’mon then. World’s waitin’ for yeh."
"I..." Chris lowered his voice. "D’you think we could go see ‘im?"
Ray let go of the door and it swung shut. "You know what the Guv said. I told yeh!"
"I know but...I want to see ‘im. We don’t have to tell DCI Hunt. An’ you don’t have to, if you don’t want."
Ray hated it when Chris pouted like that. For a man in his early thirties he could look three in an instant. No wonder the birds always took a liking to him. "Alright. Let’s go then. If it’ll make yeh stop moping." Chris gave him that loopy grin and together they made their way to Sam’s room.
The door was closed when they got there but they could hear muffled voices from within. Chris looked around and spotted a familiar face behind the nurses station. "Hiya Rachel."
"Hiya yourself, Mr. Skelton. You leavin’ us today?" The hefty nurse grinned broadly.
"Yeah. Fit as a fiddle doctors said."
"Well good. An’ I don’t want to see your handsome face in our beds for a good long while. Got it?"
"Yes ma’am. Uhm, Rachel. DS Carling and I were hopin’ to say hi to Sam before we left..."
Rachel set down her clipboard and walked around the station. "Dr. Merrick’s in with ‘im now, but I think they’re almost finished. They could probably cut it short for a visit from his friends." She walked to the door.
"Merrick. That’s the quack, ain’t it?" Ray asked. Chris almost thought he sounded worried but that was silly. Ray wouldn’t worry about DI Tyler.
"The psychiatrist, yes." She raised her hand to knock but stopped when Ray’s questioning continued.
"Been seein’ ‘im a lot?"
"Once a day, at least. Twice if Dr. Merrick can spare it. Usually after Mr. Tyler’s physical therapy." She was prepared to knock again when Chris stopped her.
"He’s been walking then?"
"Everyday!" She answered cheerfully. "Only been a few days of course, but Mr. Tyler’s been making excellent progress. Following doctor’s orders to a ‘T’. Does everything he’s told, this one."
Ray and Chris exchanged confused and worried glances as Rachel finally wrapped lightly on the door and turned the handle.
"She mean our Tyler?" Ray whispered aloud as the door opened. They couldn’t see Sam but Merrick was leaning close to the bed.
"What happened after your father left?"
" ‘Scuse me Dr. Merrick."
Merrick leaned back from the bed and smiled, though it was obvious to the detectives he was startled. "Oh hello Rachel. Sorry. I didn’t hear you knock."
"Mr. Tyler has some visitors and I was wondering if they could come in."
Merrick flipped shut his notebook and capped his pen. "Certainly. Certainly. Would you like to continue this later today, Sam?" They didn’t hear Sam respond and could only assume he had shrugged or something similar. "Okay then. I’ll stop by later." Merrick slid the pad and pen in his front coat pocket and left the room. "Gentlemen," he nodded at Ray and Chris and vanished from sight.
Ray and Chris entered cautiously and shut the door behind them. To them Sam looked healthier, had gained a little weight and wasn’t so pale. But his face. His face was just empty.
"H-hiya Boss," Chris ventured first.
"Hi Chris." He didn’t sound depressed. He sounded calm. Awkwardly calm.
"How’re you feelin’?"
Ray stayed by the door and let Chris handle the conversing.
"Better."
"That’s good."
Sam didn’t say anything else. He didn’t seem bored or annoyed with the forced conversation. In all honesty, Chris couldn’t tell how Sam felt about their presence.
"Getting sent home today."
"Good." Sam looked around the room apparently finding the cracks in the walls very interesting. Chris looked to Ray for help but his partner was at as much of a loss as Chris was.
"Uhm, so when they think you’ll be gettin’ out?"
Sam shrugged submissively. "When I’m better, I guess."
"When’s that goin’ ta be?"
Sam shrugged again. "When Dr. Merrick says."
"Oh. He a good doctor?"
"Yeah. I guess."
Chris couldn’t think of anything else to say and looked at Ray a second time, praying he could do something. Ray was staring oddly at DI Tyler now and stepped forward, pulling out his pack of fags. "You mind if I smoke Boss?"
Sam shrugged, his new favorite gesture. "Whatever you want."
Ray put away the cigarettes without lighting one up. "We arrested DI Graham."
"Oh," Sam nodded.
"You know who that is?" Ray asked.
Sam shrugged. "Sounds familiar." Ray was going to pin his shoulders to the mattress.
"Litton’s DI. One that shot Chris."
"Oh. You were shot?" Sam asked Chris.
"Y-you were there Boss," Chris reminded him.
"Oh that’s right. I remember now." The pattern on the bedspread was apparently more interesting than Chris getting shot.
"Still haven’t found the kidnappers though." Ray tried to sound urgent but again Sam only shrugged.
"What can you do?" Sam stated matter-of-factly.
Rachel’s entrance cut off Ray’s retort. "Sorry to disturb you boys. Time for your meds Sam."
Ray and Chris watched as Sam obediently took the cup of pills and a glass of water from Rachel’s tray. He swallowed the drugs down smoothly and set the cup and glass back on the tray. Rachel left the room.
"What were those?" Ray asked harshly. His change in tone didn’t affect Sam’s behavior.
"Just the pills Dr. Merrick prescribed me."
"But what are they for?"
Sam shrugged. "Dr. Merrick gave them to me." Ray wished he could punch Tyler now.
"Yeah, but what do they do? What’re they called?"
"I don’t remember. Dr. Merrick told me to take them."
Chris could see Ray’s anger rising and moved to the door. "C’mon Ray. Let’s go."
"So you take ‘em. Just like that?"
"Ray..." Chris called.
"Since when did you become such a respectful, little wanker?" Ray was yelling at him now but Sam only stared back him blankly, like he’d never heard the term before.
"Ray," Chris pleaded more urgently.
"Yeah. Yeah we’re goin’. An’ I know where."
Sam watched docilely as Ray stormed out of the room and Chris stumbled behind, wondering what they could be so upset about. He soon forgot and went back to studying the ceiling tiles.
*
Gene read over the reports on Graham’s interrogations. Rathbone had told him to let the Martin case go. Accept it was an accident and be happy with the arrest and destruction of RCS. Gene had caught a whiff of sarcasm in his superior’s voice over that last bit.
He set the paper down and reached for another but couldn’t grab it before a heavy bang shook his desk and knocked over his bottle of whiskey, spilling it everywhere. Gene pushed himself back to prevent the heavy drips from staining his clothes then looked up to see an infuriated Ray Carling leaning forward on his desk. Ray spoke before Gene could demand anything from him. His voice was low, authoritative, and very, very angry.
"What’d you do to him?"
______
Part 38