Chicago PD: Dani Ruzek

Chapter 6 - Redemption (2/2)

As mentioned in the previous chapter, the plot for these to chapters was suggested by OneChicago2020
"Danielle Ruzek, fifteen year old female suspected right tibial shaft fracture, two left rib fractures and minor lacerations to the face and arms. GCS 15 oxygen saturation 95." Gabby said as she and Brett wheeled Dani into Med.

"10 mg of morphine administered intravenously en-route." Brett added.

"Great thanks guys. How you doing Dani?" Will asked

"Ah you know, I've been better." Dani said with a smile on her face but then winced a little and kept trying to breathe.

"Alright we're going to help you out ok. Try not to worry. How's your breathing?" Will said noting her struggling.

"I can breath it just hurts. It's been better since the pain meds." Dani said.

"Alright good let's get a portable chest x-ray." Will said out loud and someone quickly completed the x-ray.

"Looks ok I'm just gonna check your breathing and your heart ok?" Will said, she agreed and he and put the stephescope to her chest.

"Alright so you've not got a pneumothorax that's good. That also means the rib fractures haven't punctured your lung." Will said and moved to look at her head and neck. He shined the penlight in her eyes for a few seconds to check for a sign of a brain injury or a concussion.

"Can I take this off now?" Dani asked feeling uncomfortable from the collar.

"Ok so you have signs of a minor concussion so we'll want to keep you in tonight just for observation because of your added other injuries as well. No signs of neck trauma but I do want to get a few scans done before I take the collar off ok? Just a bit longer kid your doing really well." Will said.

An hour or so later Dani had, had all of her scans and was back in the room she was in before. They had come back clear so Will had been able to take off the C-collar.

"Hey honey, how you doing?" Adam said coming back into the room.

"Dad? I can't see you." Dani said looking a little nervous her eyes darting around and stuck on the ceiling because of the collar.

"It's alright baby, I'm right here." Adam said getting closer into her field of vision and holding her hand reassuringly.

"I'm scared Dad, I hate hospitals." Dani said her breathing getting a little more panicked as she became more aware of the feeling of the collar around her throat.

"Hey, kiddo just look at me ok? Focus on me darlin' that's it." Adam said stroking the back of her hand with his thumb comfortingly.

"Dad..." Dani said and Adam turned around to focus on what Dani was about to say.

"Yeah baby." Adam said in response.

"I'm sorry about before. About hitting Marissa and about walking out like that. You were right about everything." Dani said.

"I wasn't right about everything." Adam said in response. "and I need to apologise too." Adam said. "Dani we need to talk more about what happened to Al and Lexi. This is my fault, I'm your Dad and instead of talking about it like you needed I chose not to talk about it at home because it was all I could think about at work. I was wrong." Ruzek said and held her hand.

"Dad it's ok..." Dani went to say.

"No its not and I'm so sorry honey." Adam continued and looked her in the eyes.

They both teared up a little and stayed silent for a minute or two thinking about what had happened over the last few months.

"Dad you can't just blame yourself. You know as well as I do. There's something wrong with me. Everytime I think about stuff that scares me or upsets me or someone taunts me about it at school I get so mad." Dani said and stopped to think. "I don't wanna be the one your having to arrest in a few years Dad."