Grasping At Straws

All's Well That Ends Well

Ant felt familiar hands palpating his left side and he cried out in pain. The darkness that had momentarily swallowed him up had seemingly spit him back out and now he was rapidly blinking at the harsh light shining in his eyes as shadowed figures moved about him.

"Dec...he was strangling him...he was strangling Declan!" he cried out weakly, trying his very best to raise himself to his elbows but hands were gently pushing him back down. "I tackled Devon...got him off Dec! Is he breathing? Bob! Is he alive?"

Horrified at Ant's words, Bob relayed the information over his shoulder to the group behind him before firing off instructions at those figures at his side, his hands still working their way over the young man's chest and belly, in search of injuries all the while listening to Ant's frantic questions and, distressingly unanswered cries to his friend. Bob continued to speak in quiet tones to calm Ant. At the same time, frustrated that no one was speaking about Dec, and fearing the absolute worst, Ant continued to futilely struggle against the hands holding him in place, ignoring the mounting pain, while  slightly turning his head to see that a few feet away, Ashton was carefully supporting Dec's head as Bert slowly turned him onto his side so that he was now facing him, In growing horror, he watched as his friend's arms were cut free from his bonds before being slowly moved to lay on his back, his mouth still cruelly gagged.

"Dec...Bob, please!" Ant called out, again trying to somehow get to his friend since he was beyond terrified at not knowing Dec's condition and Bob quickly turned to look back down at him while grasping his shoulders firmly. "He's okay, Anthony...he's okay, son. Listen to me, Anthony...look at me," Bob instructed firmly, taking Ant's face in his hands and turning it so they could look each other in the eyes. "Declan is going to be okay...he is breathing...he's breathing on his own...he's going to be okay. He's being taken care of. Do you understand me?"

Relief visibly flew all over Ant's face and his eyes instantly filled with tears as he nodded while whispering brokenly. "Aye, Bob...aye. Deccy is okay...he's alive...he's alive." 

"So, let's focus on you now. What hurts, lad?" he asked over Ant's mantra as he continued trying to distract the injured man from the distressing scene not 3 meters away, all the while still firmly pressing him to the ground.

Ant blinked away his tears as he glanced once more in his friend's direction before looking back up at Bob, who carefully wiped away at the tears as they slid down the sides of his face. Ant then swallowed hard while weakly reaching for his left side with a visibly trembling hand that was bruised, with sluggishly bleeding knuckles.

"He...kicked me...in me left side side. Hurts to...breathe...something...awful...felt it give way..." he answered quietly before giving a lop-sided half smile. "...but I...smashed his...face in..." he added before coughing then moaning at the new discomforts that were rapidly making themselves known.

Bob let out a low chuckle before letting a certain level of paternal pride seep into his tone as he very quietly spoke. "That you did, lad...that you did," he replied, looking up at Tucker who had placed his hand on Bob's shoulder.

"I've got this, Bob," he said nodding behind him at Bert, who was working on Dec with Ashton's help.

Not wanting to upset Ant, the young medic gave Bob a meaningful look which caused the older medic to look back down at his patient.

"I'm going to go check on Dec. Bert is going to start an IV and give you some pain relief before we put you on a stretcher." Bob then gave the young medic a quick nod before getting up and moving to Dec's side. Much to his surprise and relief, Jared place a hand on the older medic's shoulder for support as he gingerly knelt down beside him.

"Alright there, Jared?" he asked as he covered the hand with his own, feeling it slightly trembling. Looking up he saw that the answering nod in reply was just as shaky, before turning his attention back to the task at hand. Choosing to not tell his young friend he didn't believe him,
Bob used his pair of medical shears he had been handed to very carefully cut his way through the gauze gag that had been forcefully pulled between the Dec's lips, opening his mouth so wide, that the corners of his mouth were actually cracked and slightly bleeding.