Post by jaglady on Feb 13, 2009 19:51:38 GMT -5
A/N: I forgot to explain something in my last chapter. Fatty embolisms can happen within 24-72 hours of a fracture that isn't set properly. Fat from the bone marrow leaks into the bloodstream. Sometimes a chunk of marrow fat will be large enough to block the brain, heart, or lungs. Symptoms can include labored breathing, sweating, agitation, hallucinations. If caught in time, fatty embolisms can be easily fixed with oxygen, blood thinner, and proper setting of the fracture. If not dealt with right away, however, fatty embolisms can cause brain damage and death.
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Chapter 16—The Waters Recede
Charlotte County Regional Medical Center was a small hospital, much smaller than what Horatio was used to with Miami or New York. The past week’s storms had caused just as much chaos in Punta Gorda as anywhere else in south Florida. Yet this hospital seemed to stay quiet and peaceful.
Horatio felt renewed. He had spent the night with a fellow officer’s family, where he’d had a shower, clean, dry clothes, and his first good meal in days. Most of his memory had returned. He remembered the events leading up to the crash. He remembered his wet feet dangling just inches above a watery death. He remembered his head wound being stung by that cold, driving rain. He remembered the sound of Emmie wailing in despair as she cradled him, struggling to keep him alive with what strength she had left. And he remembered that, at the moment when she was about to give up and let go, something deep inside him reacted.
The Lieutenant shut off his cell phone as he stepped into the quiet room and sat down next to his sleeping computer tech. As far as he knew, she had been sleeping since being brought out of surgery the night before. That leg had been properly set, removing the danger of any more fatty embolisms. She wore a nasal canula. Absentmindedly his eyes followed the IV line attached to her left arm. She had more cuts and bruises on her face and arms. She was probably full of pain killers and blood thinner right now, he thought. In contrast with the night before, she breathed more peacefully.
Most of all, Horatio knew that she had saved his life and almost died in the process.
He touched her hand. “You’re still a fighting Marine, Emmie. And you always will be.”
For a long time, Horatio stared out the window at Punta Gorda. The rain was gone, and the waters had begun to recede. That blue sky was a welcome change, but the bright morning sun reflected off the floodwaters, nearly blinding him. He was still taking in that beautiful blue sky when he heard a rustling sound behind him.
Emmie’s weathered green eyes were simply watching his every move.
Horatio smiled at her as he sat down next to her. “Well. Welcome back, Miss Stockburne. How are you feeling?” He knew Emmie was full of pain killers and blood thinner. But the worst of it was over.
“Hey, Sir. Tired” she whispered.
“Well, you had a busy couple of days.”
She didn’t answer. She merely looked into his steely blue eyes. “What’s happening?”
He glanced at the window again. “The sun’s out. We’re in the Charlotte County hospital. You had fatty embolisms, so they had to stabilize you before they could set your leg. We weren’t sure you’d last the night. I’m told you’re gonna be here until the doctor’s sure you’re stable.”
She nodded. “What about you?”
“I’m gonna stay here. You can ride back to Miami with me.”
Her eyes wandered toward the sunlight. “It’s gonna be Christmas soon, isn’t it?”
“It is. Today’s December twenty-second.”
“Wouldn’t you rather be back in Miami, Sir?”
He smiled. “Actually, I can celebrate Christmas here or there. Besides, I talked to your parents last night while you were in surgery. Your father wired money for me to stay here. They couldn’t be here, so they asked me to look after you. I told them it was the least I could do.”
“What about your job?”
Horatio held up his cell phone. “I’ve been talking to the crime lab all morning. Stetler is on his way up here to meet with Charlotte County CSI. He has to investigate the crash.”
Emmie simply looked down.
“I’m sure it’ll be okay. Ryan’s coming with him. So don’t worry, Emmie. It’s not like you and I are spending Christmas alone.” He leaned forward and gathered his thoughts. “Emmie, do you remember your email?”
She was still too numb to feel embarrassed. “I hoped you’d forget about that.”
“I know I got it by mistake. But did you really mean it when you said you wanted to leave?”
“I just don’t know, Sir. Seems like I don’t fit in here.”
“Or maybe you just haven’t made the move yet.”
She tilted her head toward him. “Sir?”
Horatio cupped his hands together. She was alert enough to understand. “Emmie, we all know you’re a great computer tech and a great team lead. I sensed that when I made the decision to hire you. You really care about that crime lab. You proved that when you helped clear Tyler of any wrongdoing. But I think that in your mind, you’re still a Navy wife with the FBI. I’m not so sure you’ve let go of all that yet. I know you miss Dexter, just like I miss Marisol.” He glanced out the window again. “The truth is, I never wanted to come to Miami either. But some things happened, and I had to come here and start all over again. Just like you did when Dexter died.”
Emmie silently lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Just let yourself get used to the way the Miami-Dade Crime Lab does things. I think you’ll find out Miami’s not such a bad place. You'll be on medical leave while that leg heals, and I'm going to review your FBI and Marine Corps records. If you're willing to make the commitment, I know there are some areas in the lab besides cybertechnology in which you can advance. If we have to expand again, I know I'll be looking for an assistant lab manager. You are more than up to the challenge.”
Emmie simply stared at her blanketed feet. She could not look at her boss. “Do you think everybody will forgive me?”
Horatio smiled understandably. “Nobody’s mad at you, Emmie. Just start accepting the Miami-Dade Crime Lab on their terms. Then I think you’ll find yourself starting to fit in more easily. Besides, nobody makes coffee like you do. Keeps us going through those rough cases and those IAB investigations.”
“Hi. Am I interrupting?” a familiar voice said tiredly from the doorway.
Horatio smiled. “Speaking of which. Mr. Wolfe. Glad you could make it. Come on in.”
Ryan walked in and quietly laid a red shoulder bag on the floor next to the bed. “Hi, Emmie. Your folks asked me to bring you some clothes. We just got here. Stetler’s at the police headquarters.”
“Thanks, Ryan” she said quietly.
“Miss Stockburne had a rough night, but it looks like she’s gonna be okay. How was the drive up?” Horatio wanted to know.
Ryan closed his eyes and groaned. “Four hours in a county vehicle with Stetler. That had to be the worst ride of my life. Guy doesn’t stop for anything. Roads are better.”
Horatio smiled as he stood up. “Mr. Wolfe, I’m going down to the county headquarters and check in. Why don’t you keep Emmie company? You can check in at the hotel when you’re done.”
The young CSI nodded and smiled. “Sure. See you later, Horatio.”
As Horatio walked out, Ryan pulled up the chair and sat next to Emmie. She only looked into his eyes for a few minutes. Neither of them said a word.
“See? I knew you’d make it out of there” he finally told her.
Slowly and weakly Emmie reached her bruised, scratched hand out to him. He caressed her fingers.
“Thank you” she said quietly. “So you had to ride up with Rick Stetler, huh?”
Ryan groaned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. First he insists on driving a county vehicle here, so I can’t eat anything on the way. And I swear, there’s something wrong with a guy who can ride in a Hummer for four hours without having to pee. I finally told him, ‘Hey, could you at least pull off the road or something? I really gotta—‘“ He quickly censored himself. “Wait a minute! I shouldn’t be telling you that!”
Despite all the drugs in her system, Emmie covered her mouth and laughed uncontrollably for the first time in days. Finally she caught her breath. “It’s okay, Ryan. I think I know how it works. I kind of needed a good laugh.”
“How’s that leg doing?”
She looked down at her blanketed feet. “Well, I was in surgery yesterday. Take a look.”
Ryan reached over and flipped back the blue blanket. Her left leg sported white bandages from her knee to her foot, covering a plastic splint. Some blood had seeped through from the incision. “Well, looks like they fixed it. You’re probably gonna be off that thing for a month or two.”
Emmie watched Ryan probe her leg. “Looks like I’ll be stuck here for Christmas.”
“I’ll be here. Sounds like Horatio’s gonna stay too.”
“You’re staying here?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Remember when you asked if we could do something together? And I said ‘When you got out of there?’ Horatio approved my vacation. Christmas in Punta Gorda sounds just as good as anyplace else. Besides, who said you’d be in the hospital on Christmas Day?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Besides, I’m here on your family’s dime. Spoke to your dad a little yesterday.” He smiled. “We hit it off pretty well.”
Emmie just watched him. “You said you didn’t get anything to eat?”
Ryan sighed. “Nope. Stetler wouldn’t let me eat anything in the Hummer. I was really thinking about grabbing something from the cafeteria. How’s your stomach?”
“I’m still a little nauseous, but I haven’t had any real food since the accident. Maybe if they have toast or a bagel?”
He stood up with a smile. “Be right back.”
“Thanks, Ryan. And definitely some coffee.”
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Chapter 16—The Waters Recede
Charlotte County Regional Medical Center was a small hospital, much smaller than what Horatio was used to with Miami or New York. The past week’s storms had caused just as much chaos in Punta Gorda as anywhere else in south Florida. Yet this hospital seemed to stay quiet and peaceful.
Horatio felt renewed. He had spent the night with a fellow officer’s family, where he’d had a shower, clean, dry clothes, and his first good meal in days. Most of his memory had returned. He remembered the events leading up to the crash. He remembered his wet feet dangling just inches above a watery death. He remembered his head wound being stung by that cold, driving rain. He remembered the sound of Emmie wailing in despair as she cradled him, struggling to keep him alive with what strength she had left. And he remembered that, at the moment when she was about to give up and let go, something deep inside him reacted.
The Lieutenant shut off his cell phone as he stepped into the quiet room and sat down next to his sleeping computer tech. As far as he knew, she had been sleeping since being brought out of surgery the night before. That leg had been properly set, removing the danger of any more fatty embolisms. She wore a nasal canula. Absentmindedly his eyes followed the IV line attached to her left arm. She had more cuts and bruises on her face and arms. She was probably full of pain killers and blood thinner right now, he thought. In contrast with the night before, she breathed more peacefully.
Most of all, Horatio knew that she had saved his life and almost died in the process.
He touched her hand. “You’re still a fighting Marine, Emmie. And you always will be.”
For a long time, Horatio stared out the window at Punta Gorda. The rain was gone, and the waters had begun to recede. That blue sky was a welcome change, but the bright morning sun reflected off the floodwaters, nearly blinding him. He was still taking in that beautiful blue sky when he heard a rustling sound behind him.
Emmie’s weathered green eyes were simply watching his every move.
Horatio smiled at her as he sat down next to her. “Well. Welcome back, Miss Stockburne. How are you feeling?” He knew Emmie was full of pain killers and blood thinner. But the worst of it was over.
“Hey, Sir. Tired” she whispered.
“Well, you had a busy couple of days.”
She didn’t answer. She merely looked into his steely blue eyes. “What’s happening?”
He glanced at the window again. “The sun’s out. We’re in the Charlotte County hospital. You had fatty embolisms, so they had to stabilize you before they could set your leg. We weren’t sure you’d last the night. I’m told you’re gonna be here until the doctor’s sure you’re stable.”
She nodded. “What about you?”
“I’m gonna stay here. You can ride back to Miami with me.”
Her eyes wandered toward the sunlight. “It’s gonna be Christmas soon, isn’t it?”
“It is. Today’s December twenty-second.”
“Wouldn’t you rather be back in Miami, Sir?”
He smiled. “Actually, I can celebrate Christmas here or there. Besides, I talked to your parents last night while you were in surgery. Your father wired money for me to stay here. They couldn’t be here, so they asked me to look after you. I told them it was the least I could do.”
“What about your job?”
Horatio held up his cell phone. “I’ve been talking to the crime lab all morning. Stetler is on his way up here to meet with Charlotte County CSI. He has to investigate the crash.”
Emmie simply looked down.
“I’m sure it’ll be okay. Ryan’s coming with him. So don’t worry, Emmie. It’s not like you and I are spending Christmas alone.” He leaned forward and gathered his thoughts. “Emmie, do you remember your email?”
She was still too numb to feel embarrassed. “I hoped you’d forget about that.”
“I know I got it by mistake. But did you really mean it when you said you wanted to leave?”
“I just don’t know, Sir. Seems like I don’t fit in here.”
“Or maybe you just haven’t made the move yet.”
She tilted her head toward him. “Sir?”
Horatio cupped his hands together. She was alert enough to understand. “Emmie, we all know you’re a great computer tech and a great team lead. I sensed that when I made the decision to hire you. You really care about that crime lab. You proved that when you helped clear Tyler of any wrongdoing. But I think that in your mind, you’re still a Navy wife with the FBI. I’m not so sure you’ve let go of all that yet. I know you miss Dexter, just like I miss Marisol.” He glanced out the window again. “The truth is, I never wanted to come to Miami either. But some things happened, and I had to come here and start all over again. Just like you did when Dexter died.”
Emmie silently lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Just let yourself get used to the way the Miami-Dade Crime Lab does things. I think you’ll find out Miami’s not such a bad place. You'll be on medical leave while that leg heals, and I'm going to review your FBI and Marine Corps records. If you're willing to make the commitment, I know there are some areas in the lab besides cybertechnology in which you can advance. If we have to expand again, I know I'll be looking for an assistant lab manager. You are more than up to the challenge.”
Emmie simply stared at her blanketed feet. She could not look at her boss. “Do you think everybody will forgive me?”
Horatio smiled understandably. “Nobody’s mad at you, Emmie. Just start accepting the Miami-Dade Crime Lab on their terms. Then I think you’ll find yourself starting to fit in more easily. Besides, nobody makes coffee like you do. Keeps us going through those rough cases and those IAB investigations.”
“Hi. Am I interrupting?” a familiar voice said tiredly from the doorway.
Horatio smiled. “Speaking of which. Mr. Wolfe. Glad you could make it. Come on in.”
Ryan walked in and quietly laid a red shoulder bag on the floor next to the bed. “Hi, Emmie. Your folks asked me to bring you some clothes. We just got here. Stetler’s at the police headquarters.”
“Thanks, Ryan” she said quietly.
“Miss Stockburne had a rough night, but it looks like she’s gonna be okay. How was the drive up?” Horatio wanted to know.
Ryan closed his eyes and groaned. “Four hours in a county vehicle with Stetler. That had to be the worst ride of my life. Guy doesn’t stop for anything. Roads are better.”
Horatio smiled as he stood up. “Mr. Wolfe, I’m going down to the county headquarters and check in. Why don’t you keep Emmie company? You can check in at the hotel when you’re done.”
The young CSI nodded and smiled. “Sure. See you later, Horatio.”
As Horatio walked out, Ryan pulled up the chair and sat next to Emmie. She only looked into his eyes for a few minutes. Neither of them said a word.
“See? I knew you’d make it out of there” he finally told her.
Slowly and weakly Emmie reached her bruised, scratched hand out to him. He caressed her fingers.
“Thank you” she said quietly. “So you had to ride up with Rick Stetler, huh?”
Ryan groaned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. First he insists on driving a county vehicle here, so I can’t eat anything on the way. And I swear, there’s something wrong with a guy who can ride in a Hummer for four hours without having to pee. I finally told him, ‘Hey, could you at least pull off the road or something? I really gotta—‘“ He quickly censored himself. “Wait a minute! I shouldn’t be telling you that!”
Despite all the drugs in her system, Emmie covered her mouth and laughed uncontrollably for the first time in days. Finally she caught her breath. “It’s okay, Ryan. I think I know how it works. I kind of needed a good laugh.”
“How’s that leg doing?”
She looked down at her blanketed feet. “Well, I was in surgery yesterday. Take a look.”
Ryan reached over and flipped back the blue blanket. Her left leg sported white bandages from her knee to her foot, covering a plastic splint. Some blood had seeped through from the incision. “Well, looks like they fixed it. You’re probably gonna be off that thing for a month or two.”
Emmie watched Ryan probe her leg. “Looks like I’ll be stuck here for Christmas.”
“I’ll be here. Sounds like Horatio’s gonna stay too.”
“You’re staying here?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Remember when you asked if we could do something together? And I said ‘When you got out of there?’ Horatio approved my vacation. Christmas in Punta Gorda sounds just as good as anyplace else. Besides, who said you’d be in the hospital on Christmas Day?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Besides, I’m here on your family’s dime. Spoke to your dad a little yesterday.” He smiled. “We hit it off pretty well.”
Emmie just watched him. “You said you didn’t get anything to eat?”
Ryan sighed. “Nope. Stetler wouldn’t let me eat anything in the Hummer. I was really thinking about grabbing something from the cafeteria. How’s your stomach?”
“I’m still a little nauseous, but I haven’t had any real food since the accident. Maybe if they have toast or a bagel?”
He stood up with a smile. “Be right back.”
“Thanks, Ryan. And definitely some coffee.”