Burr hole
Author: NYWCgirl
Fandom: White collar
Pairing: None
Characters: Neal, Peter, Mozzie
Warning/genre: hurt/comfort, head injuries, serious injuries, friends, survival, archaic medical treatment, recovery, traumatic brain injury,
Spoilers: none
Rating: Gen
Author's Notes: This fic fills the ‘archaic medical treatment’ square on my H/C Bingo card. Remember that this is fiction and in no way based on real life, just trying to fill the prompt
Word Count: ~ 3026
Summary: Mozzie, Peter and Neal are kidnapped. Neal’s injury is more traumatic than they realized at first.
The fic can also be found on AO3.
‘Neal? Can you wake up for me?’
Peter gently shakes his arm, but Neal doesn´t react at all. Peter looks a bit desperate at Mozzie.
‘This is not good, Mozzie.’
‘I know Peter, I know, but in light of our current situation, there is not much we can do, can we? Do you think they are looking for us?’
‘Yeah, Diana and Jones will look for us, but depending on where they took us… I was knocked out so I have no idea where they took us.’
Peter studies Neal´s face again, it is deadly pale for the large bruising on the left side of his face. The bruise is almost black. He is worried.
When they had woken up, they were locked up in what appeared to be a basement. Peter was the first to wake up and he groans, his head is killing him. You would think there are better ways to knock your victims out than to bludgeon them. But leave it up to Keller to find the most hurtful way to do something.
Once he is able to keep his eyes open and focused, he sees Mozzie and Neal laying on the floor close to him.
‘Mozzie? Neal?’
They are both still out cold, so he gets up and checks them. They are both breathing, so he counts it as a victory, knowing the rivalry between the con men. He rubs his knuckles over Neal´s sternum and he groans and tries to turn away from the feeling. He knows that is not the way an EMT would recommend, but it is effective, so he is satisfied. He gives Mozzie the same treatment. He gives the two men time to gather themselves while he inspects the space they are being kept in.
‘Peter?’
‘Over here.’
Mozzie looks in the direction of Peter´s voice and waves. He helps Neal to sit up.
‘How are you feeling?’
Neal doesn´t say anything but swallows thickly.
‘Peter? Do we have a bucket?’
‘What?’
He looks back towards Neal and realizes what is about to happen, so he grabs a bucket he saw out of the corner of the room and hurries back to Neal. Neal does his best not to vomit and seems to succeed, eventually relaxing again.
‘You probably have a concussion from the blow to your head.’
Neal nods, but quickly holds his head still. Mozzie looks a bit worried.
‘Maybe you should rest. Here, Keller was generous enough to give us blankets. There are some cushions from a garden set in the corner so Mozzie makes a bed from Neal and slowly guides him to it. Neal´s eyes almost immediately close.
Mozzie gets up and starts looking for a way out of their confinement with Peter. But there is not much to go on. The doors don´t have locks and the small windows are blinded and bared.
‘What does Keller want Mozzie?’
‘How should I know?’
‘Well, whatever it is, he must once again want something you have. What are you keeping from me?’
‘I don´t understand that Neal trusts you, suit, you are always assuming the worst. We are not hiding anything from you. Well nothing that Keller wants anyway.’
‘He is telling you the truth Peter.’
Both Mozzie and Peter look towards Neal.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Like my head is about to explode.’
‘Keller left us a faucet, so we won´t die of thirst. Do you want some water?’
‘Yes, please.’
Peter gets up and fills a bowl with water, because there are no glasses and walks back to Neal.
‘You will need to use your hands or drink from the bowl.’
Neal slowly rises and he turns an impressive shade of pale.
‘Take it easy, Neal.’
Neal takes a couple of sips and color returns to his face.
‘Do we have food?’
‘Yeah, there are canned goods and crackers, so I guess we won´t die of starvation. Do you want some crackers?’
‘Yeah, it might help with the nausea.’
Peter nods and gets Neal a package, handing one to Mozzie, who splits it between the two of them. Neal eats slowly but deliberately and he looks better afterwards. Since they couldn´t find a way out, they decide to wait and see what happens. Mozzie found a deck of cards and they play while Neal rests.
It must be evening, because they are getting tired and since they have no way to tell time, they decide to check out the canned foods, but they are canned meats and their hunger if not of a level where they will eat cold canned meat.
Mozzie lays down next to Neal and Peter found a spot that is somewhat comfortable. It is not cold in the basement, so they are OK.
* * *
The next morning Peter and Mozzie wake, because Neal is tossing in his sleep.
‘Neal, wake up, you are having a nightmare.’
Neal stills but it takes some time before he opens his eyes. He seems off to Peter, who looks at Mozzie seeing that he also seems to notice that Neal isn´t behaving like he should.
‘Do you need to use the bathroom?’
‘Yeah.’ Neal slurs.
‘Here, let me help you.’
Mozzie slowly pulls Neal to his feet and stays still for a moment to allow Neal to find his footing.
‘OK?’
‘Yeah, thanks. What is for breakfast?’
Peter walks to the shelf where the cans are.
‘Well, you have a choice between crackers with tuna or crackers with corned beef which will be served with water.’ Peter calls out.
‘I think I will pass then.’
Neal stumbles when he leaves the small cubicle where the toilet is located, but Mozzie prevents him from falling. Once Neal sits down, Peter hands him the crackers and the bowl with water. Afterwards, Neal seems to feel better and he checks the basement out himself coming to the same conclusion that they are not getting out without help. The day progresses and Neal starts getting anxious.
‘Why aren´t you getting us out of here Mozzie?’
Mozzie looks in surprise towards Neal and folds his cards.
‘What are you talking about, Neal?’
‘Whatever, leave me alone.’
‘Neal, are you feeling alright?’
‘I’m fine.’
Mozzie walks towards Neal and sits down next to him. He feels his forehead and Neal eyes him in suspicion.
‘You are not running a fever. Do you want something to drink?’
‘No, I’m fine. What is he doing here?’
Now it is Mozzie´s turn to look in suspicion.
‘Are you talking about Peter?’
‘Is it Peter now? Since when are you all chummy with the feds, Moz?’
It is clear that Neal’s concussion is more serious than they first suspected.
‘Neal, I think, no, let me rephrase that, we think you are confused. Your concussion is worse than I thought. I think you should let that brilliant brain of yours rest for a moment.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘What is the last thing you remember?’
‘We were working on the De Naeghel job.’
Peter´s attention is suddenly drawn, he never heard about de Naeghel.
‘Neal, now would be a good time to go to sleep.’
Neal pouts but does as he is told and lies down, closing his eyes. It is testimony that he is not feeling well.
When he wakes up an hour later, he is doing better and appears to be more lucid.
‘How are you holding up, Neal?’
‘I´m good, have you found a way out of here?
‘Nah, still nothing, the house is completely still, so I doubt there is even someone present. We tried breaking the glass of the window, but there is some protective layer on it, because it doesn´t break.
‘And the door?’
‘Nothing, the hinges are on the outside and there is no lock so I guess it is padlocked from the outside.’
Neal frowns and then suddenly looks anxiously at Peter.
‘Agent Burke, what are you doing here?’
‘Come on Neal, you were clear a moment ago.’
It is clear Neal wants to move backwards, but he stumbles again.
‘Neal, stop. We are kidnapped, and I was taken with you guys. I am in the same predicament as you are, so we need to stick together.’
‘Moz?’
‘He is telling the truth Neal. We will have to work together if we want to get out of here.’
Color is draining from Neal´s face and Mozzie steps closer.
‘I don´t feel well, Moz.’
‘Here, let me help you, you will be alright if you rest.’
Once Neal is down and his breathing evens out, Mozzie looks up at Peter.
‘This isn´t good Peter, the concussion is far worse than we suspected.’
* * *
Peter and Mozzie are now out of their comfort zone, when Neal woke he was not moving, he just blinked at them and didn´t make any sense, he only said his head was killing him. He doesn´t move much and whenever he speaks, it doesn´t make sense. It is clear something is very wrong and Peter agrees with Mozzie that he probably has a brain bleed. They need to get out of here.
Mozzie and Peter start inspecting the basement for weaknesses that they can use to get out of here, but Keller did a good job finding this place, because they can´t find any.
‘Kate!’
Peter and Mozzie both turn at the same moment surprised to see Neal awake.
‘We need to get going, agent Burke is on our trace.’
Mozzie walks up to him, because they decided it is better for Neal´s health not to scare him since he still associates Peter with the agent who is on his tail instead of his partner.
‘Neal, you are OK, Kate is not here.’
‘Moz?’
‘Yes, I am here.’
‘Why are you keeping a lama in Tuesday?’
Mozzie snorts.
‘Neal, come on, you know me, I would never keep a lama in Tuesday. Come on, think about it.’
Neal slowly shakes his head and abruptly stops, ‘you are right. You wouldn´t. But why do you look like cactus, that isn´t funny Mozzie.’
Peter now walks up to the two men, this is not good, Neal is no longer making sense.
‘Neal?’
‘Dad?’
‘No Neal, it´s Peter, does your head hurt more?’
‘No, the ants inside are no longer talking.’
‘Is he warm?’
‘No, he doesn´t have a fever.’
When Neal opens his eyes, both men hold their breath, one pupil is completely blown and it is earie to see the blue almost gone.
‘Shit, he really has a brain bleed.’
‘The strawberries taste fantastic.’
‘What are you talking about Neal?’
‘Can you taste them?’
Before Mozzie or Peter can say anything, Neal starts convulsing. Peter immediately removes everything around Neal and they both keep reassuring Neal that he is going to be OK. Luckily the seizure is over rather quickly.
‘We need to do something.’ Peter starts banging on the door, but it is no use.
‘Peter, get me something hollow and preferably made out of steel.’
Peter stares at Mozzie.
‘Something the size of a bendy straw.’
Peter starts searching through the rubble and comes back with a small steel tube that looks to have been used to snort. But Mozzie doesn´t care. He takes it from Peter and cleans it with some disinfectant he has in his coat, luckily Keller didn´t take that.
‘Do we have a hammer?’
Peter looks at Mozzie in horror, ‘are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?’
‘Do you have a better plan?’
‘No, but you can´t just hit a hole in his head. What if you hit too hard, what if he bleeds out or gets an infection, ho wdo you even know where to hit? You…’
‘Peter, take a breath, OK? It is called a bure hole and it is what a doctor would do as well.’
‘Yes, but in a sterile operating theatre, with a medical degree and medical equipment.’
Neal starts seizing again and this time it takes longer before the involuntary movements stop.
‘We can´t wait, the pressure will keep building until he goes into a coma or dies. We will bind him with our belts so he can´t lash out when I do this. You hold him steady and I will push this into his skull.’
Mozzie sound more sure than he feels, but he also knows that they will have to do something if they want Neal to survive this. They both take their belts off and ties them around Neal´s arms. Neal is completely limp and doesn´t react at all. Peter sits over Neal´s hips so he can´t move and Mozzie has Neal´s head between his knees. He inspects Neal´s skull through his hair and then with one sure tick of the hammer, he is through the bone. Blood squirts out until the pressure is alleviated and it just slowly seeps. Mozzie uses a clean handkerchief and keep the spot covered. To see if it worked, Mozzie lifts Neal´s eyelids and the blown pupil is already a tad smaller.
‘And now?’
‘I guess we wait to see whether or not he regains consciousness.’
Peter nods. He hates it being this useless and not able to participate in his own rescue. Hopefully help will turn up soon. He would even settle for Keller at the moment.
He gets some water and some crackers and hands them to Mozzie, who silently eats them.
* * *
Peter slowly wakes and blinks open his eyes. What woke him? He looks at Neal who is laying in between Mozzie and him, but he is still out. He checks Neal´s pulse, but it is steady, so that is good, considering.
‘There, he hears it again, there are people outside. He starts shouting, waking Mozzie in the process. Mozzie immediately picks up on Peter´s behavior and starts making noise by hitting some piping with the bowl.
There is noise and then someone is in front of the door.
‘Agent Peter Burke?’
The sound is muffled by the thick door, but it is clear that rescue has arrived.
‘Yes!’
‘Give us a sec to open the door.’
‘Hurry!’
It doesn´t take the SWAT long to get the padlock of the door and then a team of agents pour into the room.
‘Neal needs urgent medical assistance.’
The lead agent passes the message through his radio, while two other agents, start working on Neal.
Peter and Mozzie are ushered out of the basement under heavy protest, but they are told that the EMT´s need room to work. Both men are seated down in the waiting ambulance where Diana and Jones are waiting for them.
‘How did you find us.’
‘Lucky shot. We picked up one of Keller´s henchmen and after some pressure, he wanted a deal for telling us where you were.’
‘You did good. Do we know how Neal is?’
‘I will check.’
Diana leaves the rig and Peter and Mozzie are handed some sports drinks while Jones explains the details. Mozzie isn´t listening, he just keep starring at the door. When a helicopter can be heard, Mozzie looks towards Peter.
‘They are probably doing to medevac him, Mozzie, that means he is still alive. You did good.’
Once the helicopter touches down, agents come out of the house carrying Neal on a stretcher. Mozzie jumps out of the ambulance and runs towards Neal.
‘How is he doing?’
‘We are taking him to a trauma center where he can be assessed.’
Neal is still chalk white under the oxygen mask and a thick bandage has been wrapped around his head.
‘Now let´s go, you go with the ambulance to the same hospital, we will see you over there. Relax, you did good, he is hanging on.’
Mozzie is pulled back by Diana and Peter and lead back to the ambulance while the helicopter takes off.
* * *
Peter walks into the ICU and greets the nurses on duty and hands them a tin with cookies.
‘With my wife´s compliments.’
‘Thank her from us.’
‘Will do. How is Neal?’
‘He is doing well. He is starting to wake up.’
Peter looks surprised, ‘really?’
‘Yes, Neal opens his eyes, so that is a very good sign. Go see him.’
Peter walks into the room and is disappointed to see Neal sleeping.
‘Neal?’
One of the nurses stands in the door.
‘You can be a bit more forceful, because Neal likes to play possum.’
She smiles and walks up to Neal.
‘Hey Neal, Peter is here. Why don´t you open your eyes and surprise him.’
And as by magic, Neal opens his eyes. They are not focused but they are open.
‘Oh my God, Neal. You are awake.’
Neal moves his head towards him, so he must hear him but his eyes don´t focus.
Peter takes hold of his hand and he can feel a weak squeeze, before closing his eyes once again.
‘He is really improving, visual and auditory tracking is a good sign of improvement. He is doing good, Peter.’
Peter is too overwhelmed to say anything, he just clutches at Neal´s hand.
‘Neal is doing very well, but we must ask to keep the visitors to 2 a day and not to long, Neal needs his rest to recover further.’
Peter nods, only able to look at Neal.
‘Neal, can you open your eyes, one more time for me?’
Neal doesn´t open them, but he moves his head so he has heard Peter.
Peter settles in the chair next to Neal´s bed and keeps physical contact. Neal is not out of the woods yet, and they don´t know how he will come out of this, but it is clear that Mozzie saved his life and Neal opened his eyes. Baby steps…. Peter knows Neal will get there, with his will and the help from the staff and his friends, he will get there.