Fic: How Far, green cortina, dakfinv
Title: How Far (one shot, complete)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1144
Spoilers: 2x08
Rating: Green Cortina (that is a color, isn't it? or am i just making that up?)
Warning: Angst and...yeah, just angst
Characters: Ruth, Sam
Summary: Ruth watches her son grow and fade.
A/N: I did it! I wrote a short fic. When I should be sleeping because it's way too late for me to be awake and writing. I couldn't kill the bunny though. And I have a bit of insomnia. So yeah. I promised Sam fluff. This is not it. Also, I borrowed some of the fantastic dialogue from 2x08 but just a tiny bit. Please enjoy!
“How far along are you?”
“Three months. Vic, maybe we should--”
Ruth’s boyfriend shushed her softly, placing his warm fingers over her lips then combing them through her soft, blonde hair. “Don’t even think about giving it up.” He spoke gently but Ruth thought she detected the faintest hint of malice in his normally sincere voice.
“I don’t see how we can. My father--”
He cut her off again. “Let’s get married.”
“But how will we afford--”
Vic held her tightly and stroked her skin in that way that always made her say yes. “I’ll take care of you, Ruth. And the baby. Always. I promise.” He kissed her passionately.
Ruth knew the conversation was over.
*
“Look how far he walked!” Ruth beamed down at her baby boy and he stared back up at his mother, unsure if he had done something good.
“Hey, Sammy! Five whole steps. Oh you’re a big lad now!” Vic scooped up his son and spun him around the room.
“Don’t drop him Vic!” Ruth warned with a smile.
“I won’t. Promise.” Sammy couldn’t stop giggling as his father held him in the air.
Ruth didn’t think life could get any better.
*
“How far did you go, Sammy?” Ruth cradled her son close and kissed his light hair.
“To the shop.”
“You can’t run away like that, Sam. You always need to tell Mummy where you’re going.”
“I had to find Daddy,” he replied sincerely. “I wanted to show him my picture.”
“Daddy’s far, far away right now, Sammy. But he’ll look at your drawing when he gets home. Okay? I promise.” She still hadn’t the courage to tell her son Daddy was never coming home.
Ruth hoped Sammy couldn’t see her crying.
*
“Well, how far’d you get?”
“Mum! I’m not telling you that,” Sam whined as he returned home from his first proper date.
“Did you kiss her?” Ruth smirked, egging him on.
Sam blushed and she had her answer. “I’m going up to my room.”
Ruth crossed her arms and leaned against the bannister, smiling as she watched him scurry up the stairs. “You’ll tell me later, yeah?”
“Oh yeah. Promise!”
Ruth wondered if Sam knew anything about condoms.
*
“How far are you going?”
“It’s only Mexico, Mum,” Sam sighed and rolled his eyes.
“But is it safe? There are plenty of places round here to go on holiday. What about France or Spain?” Ruth took out her nervous energy on the dirty dishes.
“Everyone goes to France and Spain. I want to go somewhere different.”
She wasn’t looking but she knew he was pouting just by his voice.
“I saved the money myself. It won’t cost you a thing!”
“Fine.” She held up her arms in defeat. “Promise me you’ll bring me a souvenir, though.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Absolutely Mum.”
Ruth prayed to God that he simply came back in one piece.
*
“He’s gotten how far?”
“DCI now,” Ruth smiled as she paid for her groceries.
“Well, straight to the top he went, din’t he?” Her neighbor remarked disbelievingly as she waited in line behind Ruth.
“That’s Sam. Always keeps his eyes on his goals.”
“You have to come round tomorrow for tea. Tell me all about it!”
“Sorry. I promised Sam and Maya I’d go out to dinner with them.” She smiled and took her groceries, quickly leaving the store.
Ruth never wanted to have tea with Mrs. Whittaker. Ever.
*
“How far is he?” Ruth barely remembered to grab her purse as she chased Sam’s DC out the door.
“Just over at St. Mary’s. Not far at all.” The DC held open the car door for her and Ruth clambered inside.
“Is it serious?” She couldn’t help but wring her hands in fear.
“Not sure, Mrs. Tyler. All they told me was DCI Tyler was struck by a car and to make sure you got to the hospital. They promised to ring me soon as they heard anything new.”
Ruth felt her world collapse.
*
“Why have you gone so far away, Sammy?” Ruth smiled sadly and brushed back is dull hair. Five months now and still no change. There didn’t seem to be a reason for it. No reason why her beautiful boy couldn’t wake up.
“Mrs. Tyler?” A crisp voice cut through her sad reverie.
“Yes?”
“My name is Dr. Morgan. I think I know what’s been keeping Sam in the coma.”
“And you can help him?”
“I promise to do everything in my power to get Sam home.”
Ruth was afraid to hope.
*
“How far did you get today, Sam?”
“Five steps. Maybe six.” He stared blankly at his lunch.
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart.”
“It’s pathetic,” he sighed to himself.
Ruth reached out and squeezed his hand. Sam didn’t respond. “You’ve just started the physio. It’s going to be hard now but it’ll get easier. I promise.” She smiled warmly.
Ruth wasn’t sure the smile reached him.
*
“How far do you think you went?”
Sam sat on the sofa, fresh off from work wearing his handsome suit and that same blank expression he’d been housing since he woke all those months ago. “I went some place Mum.” He finally spoke. “And everyday I woke up in that place. And I told myself, I’m alive. And I was. In some ways more than I’ve ever been.”
Ruth thinks maybe this conversation will finally give him closure, that after this her Sam will be alright. Then he starts talking about barmen and feeling alive and she knows Sam’s still not alright. She takes his hand. She hopes he can feel it.
“I made a promise, Mum. I made a promise to someone who I cared about very much.”
Ruth hopes he means her. “Then they’ve got nothing to worry about cos you always keep your promises.”
Sam looks down and tries not to cry.
Ruth knows he doesn’t mean her.
*
“How far did he fall?” Ruth clutched his warrant card tightly. She knew they had cleaned it before they gave it her.
“From the roof of the station, Mrs. Tyler.” The DS shifted uncomfortably.
Maya took her hand. “I’m sorry, Ruth. There was no chance he could’ve survived a fall like that.”
“You mean a jump.”
Neither Maya nor the DS could look at her. “I promise we’ll release the bod...Sam’s body as soon as possible.”
Ruth now knew how empty Sam had felt.
*
The coffin was lowered into the fresh grave. Curious onlookers and close friends alike surrounded Ruth Tyler but she didn’t notice them as she watched her beautiful baby boy lowered deep into the ground. Everyone else had gone by the time she was able to say her good-byes. Ruth kneeled by the still open grave and whispered to Sam one last time.
“I think you went too far, Sammy.”
Author: dak
Word Count: 1144
Spoilers: 2x08
Rating: Green Cortina (that is a color, isn't it? or am i just making that up?)
Warning: Angst and...yeah, just angst
Characters: Ruth, Sam
Summary: Ruth watches her son grow and fade.
A/N: I did it! I wrote a short fic. When I should be sleeping because it's way too late for me to be awake and writing. I couldn't kill the bunny though. And I have a bit of insomnia. So yeah. I promised Sam fluff. This is not it. Also, I borrowed some of the fantastic dialogue from 2x08 but just a tiny bit. Please enjoy!
“How far along are you?”
“Three months. Vic, maybe we should--”
Ruth’s boyfriend shushed her softly, placing his warm fingers over her lips then combing them through her soft, blonde hair. “Don’t even think about giving it up.” He spoke gently but Ruth thought she detected the faintest hint of malice in his normally sincere voice.
“I don’t see how we can. My father--”
He cut her off again. “Let’s get married.”
“But how will we afford--”
Vic held her tightly and stroked her skin in that way that always made her say yes. “I’ll take care of you, Ruth. And the baby. Always. I promise.” He kissed her passionately.
Ruth knew the conversation was over.
*
“Look how far he walked!” Ruth beamed down at her baby boy and he stared back up at his mother, unsure if he had done something good.
“Hey, Sammy! Five whole steps. Oh you’re a big lad now!” Vic scooped up his son and spun him around the room.
“Don’t drop him Vic!” Ruth warned with a smile.
“I won’t. Promise.” Sammy couldn’t stop giggling as his father held him in the air.
Ruth didn’t think life could get any better.
*
“How far did you go, Sammy?” Ruth cradled her son close and kissed his light hair.
“To the shop.”
“You can’t run away like that, Sam. You always need to tell Mummy where you’re going.”
“I had to find Daddy,” he replied sincerely. “I wanted to show him my picture.”
“Daddy’s far, far away right now, Sammy. But he’ll look at your drawing when he gets home. Okay? I promise.” She still hadn’t the courage to tell her son Daddy was never coming home.
Ruth hoped Sammy couldn’t see her crying.
*
“Well, how far’d you get?”
“Mum! I’m not telling you that,” Sam whined as he returned home from his first proper date.
“Did you kiss her?” Ruth smirked, egging him on.
Sam blushed and she had her answer. “I’m going up to my room.”
Ruth crossed her arms and leaned against the bannister, smiling as she watched him scurry up the stairs. “You’ll tell me later, yeah?”
“Oh yeah. Promise!”
Ruth wondered if Sam knew anything about condoms.
*
“How far are you going?”
“It’s only Mexico, Mum,” Sam sighed and rolled his eyes.
“But is it safe? There are plenty of places round here to go on holiday. What about France or Spain?” Ruth took out her nervous energy on the dirty dishes.
“Everyone goes to France and Spain. I want to go somewhere different.”
She wasn’t looking but she knew he was pouting just by his voice.
“I saved the money myself. It won’t cost you a thing!”
“Fine.” She held up her arms in defeat. “Promise me you’ll bring me a souvenir, though.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Absolutely Mum.”
Ruth prayed to God that he simply came back in one piece.
*
“He’s gotten how far?”
“DCI now,” Ruth smiled as she paid for her groceries.
“Well, straight to the top he went, din’t he?” Her neighbor remarked disbelievingly as she waited in line behind Ruth.
“That’s Sam. Always keeps his eyes on his goals.”
“You have to come round tomorrow for tea. Tell me all about it!”
“Sorry. I promised Sam and Maya I’d go out to dinner with them.” She smiled and took her groceries, quickly leaving the store.
Ruth never wanted to have tea with Mrs. Whittaker. Ever.
*
“How far is he?” Ruth barely remembered to grab her purse as she chased Sam’s DC out the door.
“Just over at St. Mary’s. Not far at all.” The DC held open the car door for her and Ruth clambered inside.
“Is it serious?” She couldn’t help but wring her hands in fear.
“Not sure, Mrs. Tyler. All they told me was DCI Tyler was struck by a car and to make sure you got to the hospital. They promised to ring me soon as they heard anything new.”
Ruth felt her world collapse.
*
“Why have you gone so far away, Sammy?” Ruth smiled sadly and brushed back is dull hair. Five months now and still no change. There didn’t seem to be a reason for it. No reason why her beautiful boy couldn’t wake up.
“Mrs. Tyler?” A crisp voice cut through her sad reverie.
“Yes?”
“My name is Dr. Morgan. I think I know what’s been keeping Sam in the coma.”
“And you can help him?”
“I promise to do everything in my power to get Sam home.”
Ruth was afraid to hope.
*
“How far did you get today, Sam?”
“Five steps. Maybe six.” He stared blankly at his lunch.
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart.”
“It’s pathetic,” he sighed to himself.
Ruth reached out and squeezed his hand. Sam didn’t respond. “You’ve just started the physio. It’s going to be hard now but it’ll get easier. I promise.” She smiled warmly.
Ruth wasn’t sure the smile reached him.
*
“How far do you think you went?”
Sam sat on the sofa, fresh off from work wearing his handsome suit and that same blank expression he’d been housing since he woke all those months ago. “I went some place Mum.” He finally spoke. “And everyday I woke up in that place. And I told myself, I’m alive. And I was. In some ways more than I’ve ever been.”
Ruth thinks maybe this conversation will finally give him closure, that after this her Sam will be alright. Then he starts talking about barmen and feeling alive and she knows Sam’s still not alright. She takes his hand. She hopes he can feel it.
“I made a promise, Mum. I made a promise to someone who I cared about very much.”
Ruth hopes he means her. “Then they’ve got nothing to worry about cos you always keep your promises.”
Sam looks down and tries not to cry.
Ruth knows he doesn’t mean her.
*
“How far did he fall?” Ruth clutched his warrant card tightly. She knew they had cleaned it before they gave it her.
“From the roof of the station, Mrs. Tyler.” The DS shifted uncomfortably.
Maya took her hand. “I’m sorry, Ruth. There was no chance he could’ve survived a fall like that.”
“You mean a jump.”
Neither Maya nor the DS could look at her. “I promise we’ll release the bod...Sam’s body as soon as possible.”
Ruth now knew how empty Sam had felt.
*
The coffin was lowered into the fresh grave. Curious onlookers and close friends alike surrounded Ruth Tyler but she didn’t notice them as she watched her beautiful baby boy lowered deep into the ground. Everyone else had gone by the time she was able to say her good-byes. Ruth kneeled by the still open grave and whispered to Sam one last time.
“I think you went too far, Sammy.”