Believing In You (Blue Bloods Fanfiction)

↞ Chapter Twenty-Four ↠

Episode Fifteen

A kiss pressed to my forehead woke me up in the morning. "I've got to go." I nearly had to pry my eyes open. I lolled my head over to the eyes, and saw my beautiful sort-of boyfriend looking all frumpy and half asleep still.

"What time is it love?"

"Just after seven, I didn't mean to fall asleep here." He looked at his watch while he answered, before smiling a lopsided smile at me. "I've got to go to the dedication."

"That's today?" I tried to sit up and pull the covers off of me. "I promised Frank that I would be there." Jameson's hands stopped me, attempting to cover me in the blankets again.

"I think he'll forgive you, given the circumstances." He motions to the hospital room, and I suddenly remember. But I couldn't disrespect my memories of Joe like this. I nodded either way, muttering about seeing him once I get out of here. Jameson kisses my forehead again, and I grab his shirt, pulling him in for a real kiss. "I'll visit again soon, alright? Maybe I'll see about sneaking some better food in here eh?"

I chuckled, "I think I'd like that."

He nodded, waving a bit as he walked out the door. I maintained a happy smile as he did, but the second the door shut behind him, I groaned loudly. Throwing my head back into the pillow. I attempted to fall back asleep, but I was anything but successful.

It seemed like every time I closed my eyes the car was back in front of me, and the gun was going off. Hours passed as I tried to sleep, and when I finally gave up it was nearly ten, and someone was knocking at my door.

"Hello Mr. Howards, I've come to take a look at your injuries." It was the same doctor as before, Dr. Firth. I just nodded. "Any pain?" She walked over and lifted the edge of the paper dress that I was wearing.

"Not really, but I could do with something other than this paper thing." I motioned to it. "A pair of pants maybe?"

"Of course detective." She makes a few notes on my chart, before leaving the room and returning with a pair of scrubs. "Should I get someone to help you?"

"Thank you, but no. I think I can handle it." Dr. Firth nods, before leaving the room. The second the door closes behind her I sigh. I take a deep breath before swinging my legs off the edge of the bed and pushing myself to my feet. A ripple of pain shoots up my side, and I groan loudly, but remain standing. It takes me way to long to get changed, but once I do, I'm quick to call a nurse back into the room.

A male nurse walks in after a moment, and I'm sitting on the edge of the bed. I extend the arm that has the IV in it to him, "You mind taking this out mate? I've got somewhere to be."

He squints, looking at me and shakes his head. "It's really not the best idea for you to leave, you suffered three gsw's four days ago."

"I'm aware, but I promised that I'd be there." The nurse walks over and works on removing the IV.

"I do have to say sir, that leaving against medical advice isn't-" I wince a bit as he tugged the IV out and stuck a band aid over the little puncture mark left behind.

"Advisable. I know." I mutter a thank you to him as I stand up, moving past the nurse and towards the door.

"You'll have to sign some paperwork." He called out to me, and I internally groaned, but motioned for him to lead the way. It took me a minute to follow him, every step that I took hurt, but I pushed it away. Thinking only about Joe and the other Reagan's.

It took me a few minutes to finish the paperwork, but once I did they called me a cab and I got in. I gave the cabbie my address, which was luckily only a dozen or so blocks from the hospital. When he pulled up be the curb I leaned forward, speaking through the divider that was in place.

"If you can wait here for a few minutes, I'll throw in another tener for the trouble." The cabbie considered it for a moment, before nodding and saying that he'd wait for me. It took me a minute to actually get out of the cab, my side throbbed the entire time, but I was successful either way.

The front door was unlocked, which isn't new given the lady who owns the building. "Hullo Mrs. Townsend!" I could hear her screech a reply as I made my way upstairs. My front door was unlocked too, which I didn't remember doing. But nothing look out of place, so I just continued through.

My dress blues were tucked in the back corner of my closer, and once I dug them out it didn't take long to get most of the uniform on. I paused as I put on my shirt, looking for the first time at my injuries, and I wasn't as surprised at them. Nothing was bleeding, but they were tender to the touch.

"I heard you got shot." Mrs. Townsend's voice came from the doorway, and I turned. I nodded as I pulled my left arm into my shirt sleeve. I tried to maneuver my other arm into the sleeve but only end up wincing loudly. "Oh come here." Mrs. Townsend mutters, walking towards me and grabbing my arm in a firm but gentle grip. She feeds my arm through, before helping with the coat as well.

"Thanks Mrs. Townsend." She pats my arm, before wishing me luck with the events of today. I nodded as I left the house, sliding back into the back seat of the cabbie's car and giving the address to John Jay college. It was an uneventful drive, and I spent most of it slowly breathing and trying to move past the pain of my side.

I was lucky really, three gsw's and I still made it out without a lot of damage. The doctor told me that I'd be in pain for a while, but that I'd be alright in a few weeks to go back on the job. I don't know why this was getting to me as much as it is, every time I close my eyes I see the damn headlights. I've been shot once before, and even that time I wasn't bothered as much as I am now.

"Thank you mate." I pulled out a fifty and ten, passing it to the man through the divider. He replies with a very excited thank you, and I take my time climbing out of the vehicle. I pause briefly at the edge of the sidewalk, taking a deep, deep breath and starting to slowly walk to the stairs. I concentrated more on my footing then where I was actually walking too, when a voice spoke up.

"Jethro?" I looked up suddenly, and smiled at the wrinkly face of Henry Reagan. He took a few steps towards me, extending his hand as he spoke. "I really didn't expect to see you here."

I took his hand, shaking it twice before dropping his hand. "The Commissioner invited me, that's what happened the night that all of," I paused, motioning to my left side, "this happened."

He nodded like he understood, before making the motion of moving towards the side to wait for the Commissioner. "Did you know Joe?"

I nodded, looking away at the big van that was pulling up to the curb. "Pretty well, we were in school together." I laughed at a bit of the memories left from that, it was a dry laugh. "He came and stayed with me for a bit when I first moved to Newport."

Henry huffed, "I don't remember that."

"Neither do any of the others." I muttered, stepping off from the side and walking to approach the Commissioner. "Sir." I nodded my head, and he smiled a bit at the look of me. He muttered about not expecting to see me here, and that he is indebted to me about the entire situation.

I followed him in, taking a stand at the top of the stairs overlooking the entire event. Something about this was making me nervous. Having Frank in the open only a few days after. I scanned the crowd, eyes bouncing off of every person.

We'll have to wish the best, or hope for an easy worst.