Fic: Back from the brink
Title: Back from the brink
Author: Kirsteena
Fandom: Life on Mars
Spoilers: Set after 2.03
Rating: Green Cortina.
Pairings: None
Word Count: 1,959
Summary: How long can Ray go on without facing what happened?
a/n Much love to elfbert for her help with this one!
DISCLAIMER: Life on Mars is copyright Kudos and the BBC. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made.
Sam sat, pretending to do paperwork, but in reality watching what was happening in CID. Hunt was in his office, most likely either asleep or reading his paper. His attention wandered over to Annie Cartwright, bent over her paperwork, but with a half smile playing on her lips. Sam’s glance flicked to where some of the detectives were leering over a magazine, and then smiled to himself at Annie’s reaction. She was fitting into CID just fine.
Sam then transferred his musings to Chris. Chris was a study in conflicting emotions. So obviously caught between wanting to join in with his colleague’s horseplay, and wanting to ‘be a good detective’. Chris had a lot of potential as a police officer, and Sam was amused and proud to see the growing maturity in Chris’ work.
His gaze finally settled on Ray. Ray was still showing scars on his face from being blown up by that car bomb a few days ago. The physical scars may have faded, but Sam was concerned about the mental scars. He had been through so much, the bomb, having a gun pointed at him, with a real threat that the trigger would be pulled. He studied Ray a little more closely. Ray was subdued. Joining in with the horsing around, but with none of his usual bravado. Only someone really looking at it would be able to tell. Sam was fairly sure that Gene wouldn’t notice, but wouldn’t put it past him to have seen. Annie might, but Chris...
... was looking closely at Sam. Sam met Chris’ eyes, and Chris nodded once. Sam smiled, realising he should never underestimate Chris. He knew that Ray was struggling, though he would call it something other than what it was - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In that smile back to Chris, he did his best to convey the knowledge that he would keep an eye on Ray, along with Chris.
Ray’s phone rang. He sauntered over to pick it up, listening for a minute. Gene wandered out of his office to see what was happening. He looked over at Ray. As Ray put the phone down, Sam could see him swallow hard, then steady himself. “Armed blag going down. Hostages been taken at Trafford Park Post Office, Guv.” Ray looked carefully at Gene. Sam could see the remembered pain in his eyes, but didn’t move, merely watched. Damn the seventies and their macho man attitudes!
“Ok, let’s get going then.” Gene ordered.
“No RCS Guv?” Sam had to ask. Gene gave him a withering look.
“Litton doesn’t need his face in the papers again this month,” Gene pointed at the latest Litton picture, which had, as usual made its way onto the notice board and had been ‘decorated’ by A Division. “We can do this.”
The convoy of police cars raced through the streets of Manchester. Sam was resolutely staring ahead, trying to remember his hostage negotiation training. Last time - didn’t go so well. However, his thoughts kept drifting back to Ray. How was he going to cope? Especially if Gene took his usual ‘bull in a china shop’ approach. He was likely to throw Ray in at the deep end, with little thought for consequences. Sam knew he would never have a good relationship with the sergeant, but he wouldn’t wish this situation on his worst enemy.
As they pulled up, Sam noted idly that the entire street had been cordoned off. At his insistence, a crisis centre had been set up, using a commandeered shop. The most important item in there was already in use - the urn for the endless stream of tea that would be needed. Gene was in the centre, pouring over plans of the post office.
“I’m gonna need officers stationed here... here and here,” he pointed to various parts of the plans. “Don’t want the bastards to get away, now do we?”
“No, Guv,” was the chorus that came from various quarters of the shop.
“Guv, we need someone to talk to them, find out what they want,” Tyler had to say it, even though he knew what the response would be.
“They are robbing a post office, Tyler. I would have thought that even with your addled brain it would be pretty bleeding obvious!”
“They might want something else?” Sam asked pitifully, throwing his hands in the air. “OK, I know it was lame, but I need a starting point to negotiate.”
“You are not negotiating with the buggers.”
Sam stared blankly at Gene. “And who do you suggest does talk to them?” he asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice.
“That would be me, Detective Inspector” Gene replied. Sam raised his eyebrows, waiting for the explanation. “I want you to take Ray and Chris round here” and Gene pointed at a place round the back of the post office on the plans. “There should be a skylight up here - I want you take a look, see what is inside. I’ll keep ‘em busy out front.”
Sam pursed his lips. “You sure that they won’t just shoot people to shut you up?” He couldn’t resist the dig at the thought of Gene’s ‘negotiating skills’.
Gene gave him a withering look. “In case you have forgotten, I am a DCI. They don’t just give away these badges. Believe me, I can take care of it. What do you think we did before you rode in on your Hyde high horse?”
Sam had no answer for this, but merely walked out of the shop. “Ray, Chris, with me.”
“Yes, boss.”
“So what we doing here, exactly?” Ray asked in a low whisper.
“Guv wants us to see if there is any way in, and what exactly they are doing. We don’t know how many people are in there, or how they are being held, so I guess he wants us to check that too. Chris, get me on your shoulders, I’ll take a look.”
“Eh?”
Sam gestured for Chris to bend down. He climbed onto the younger man’s shoulders. “Ok, stand up,” Sam whispered. It was a bit of a scrabble, but Sam managed to pull himself onto the roof. He crouched down, then carefully walked along the rooftop, keeping low.
A noise next to him made him look up. Ray was next to him. “Christ, Ray, where did you learn to creep along like that?” Sam demanded after his heart had stopped hammering.
“When I were about 14. Used to climb out of me window to go t’pub. Parents didn’t approve of drinking, so I learned to be quiet.” Sam paused, watched Ray for a bit, then gestured for them to move. They came to a stop close to the skylight Gene had mentioned. Sam motioned for them both to lie flat before peering in. Doing so, he scooted close to the edge and looked down.
Three men in the main section of the post office, all brandishing sawn-off shotguns. The probability was there was one more, maybe two in the back, trying to open the safe. Sam looked closer at the main room. There were eight hostages, all lying face down on the floor, including what appeared to be a mother and daughter. Sam heard a noise next to him. He snapped his head up to look at Ray. The sergeant’s face was filled with horror at the scene below - not at the visible, but a remembered terror.
Sam realised what a precarious position they were in. Too much noise and someone would look up. He had to get Ray down, now. Grabbing him by the collar he pulled Ray back along the length of the roof, tearing his clothing in the process. Sam didn’t care, he just knew he had to get Ray back down to earth now.
As they approached the edge, Ray seemed to shake himself and climbed down. Sam dropped down, looked first at Chris, whose concern was obvious, and then at Ray.
“It’s just a little kiddie... How can they hold a little kiddie like that?” Ray murmured.
“Ray, you ok?” Chris asked.
“Poor little kid - she’ll be so scared.” Ray’s litany continued.
“Ray?” Chris asked again, then looked at Sam. Seeing that Ray was lost in his own world, he threw a gesture at Chris, telling him to encourage Ray to talk. “Ray, mate, come over here and sit down.” Chris pulled Ray over to a nearby low wall, and pushed him into a sitting down. He in turn crouched on his heels in front of Ray.”
“So, so scared...”
“Ray, we will get ‘em out, promise.” Chris glanced at Sam, obviously not knowing how to snap his friend out of the horror. Sam gestured for Chris to carry on, knowing that this would be the only way to help Ray. “Ray, s’ok mate, we are here for ya."
“She’ll feel that gun against her head, be too scared t’ breathe in case it tips him over the edge. So scared.” Sam was horrified to see a single tear rolling down Ray’s cheek. He turned away, knowing that if Ray knew he had seen it, he would hate Sam even more than now. But Ray was still locked in his battle with his own personal demons.
“Helpless, so scared. Bright lights hurt, when t’ bomb went off...then the gun against me head.” Ray was now completely caught up in his own world. “Saw it all in slow motion - knew it were gonna happen. Blamed the boss,” Sam looked up at this “but didn’t have to go. Thought I were dead. Was shocked when I woke up in hospital. But worse - the gun. You never know if he is gonna pull that trigger... waiting for the sound of it...”
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a gun shot rang out, followed by shouting, then another shot. Ray jumped what seemed like several feet in the air, bringing him crashing violently out of his reverie. His face was shocked, but he stood up, and raced off in the direction of the post office. Sam and Chris looked at each other once, then took off in pursuit.
As the three of them reached the front, they saw the robbers being led out of the post office, and all the hostages following them. Ray looked first at Chris, then glanced at Sam, before heading over to the mother and daughter. Sam watched Ray speak to them, then he wandered over to Gene, who was looking unbearably smug.
“Where the bloody hell have you been, Gladys?” Gene demanded. “While you have been lollygagging about, I’ve been sorting this mess out.”
“Er, sorry Guv, took us longer to find the skylight than we expected,” Sam knew it was lame, but given the circumstances...
“Hrmph. Well they are all out safe, that’s all that matters.”
“Yes, Guv,” was the only response Sam could give. At that moment, Ray finished talking to the female hostage, then walked back over to where Gene, Sam and Chris were.
“Ok, Ray?” Chris asked after a moment.
“Yeah, just wanted to tell her a couple of things that might help the kiddie stop ‘aving nightmares,” Ray replied. Sam peered at Ray, then smiled to himself.
“You? Advising someone?” Gene spluttered.
Ray stared at his old friend. “What, like you persuading hostage-takers to give themselves up peacefully?” and stalked off. Gene and Chris followed, leaving behind them the sound of Sam laughing.
Back in CID, Sam took another look round. Ray was still slightly subdued, but he looked - better. Sam knew it would take time, but Ray would get through it As if he had sensed Sam watching him, Ray turned and stared at him, then nodded once. As Ray turned back to Chris, Sam smiled a gentle smile.
Author: Kirsteena
Fandom: Life on Mars
Spoilers: Set after 2.03
Rating: Green Cortina.
Pairings: None
Word Count: 1,959
Summary: How long can Ray go on without facing what happened?
a/n Much love to elfbert for her help with this one!
DISCLAIMER: Life on Mars is copyright Kudos and the BBC. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made.
Sam sat, pretending to do paperwork, but in reality watching what was happening in CID. Hunt was in his office, most likely either asleep or reading his paper. His attention wandered over to Annie Cartwright, bent over her paperwork, but with a half smile playing on her lips. Sam’s glance flicked to where some of the detectives were leering over a magazine, and then smiled to himself at Annie’s reaction. She was fitting into CID just fine.
Sam then transferred his musings to Chris. Chris was a study in conflicting emotions. So obviously caught between wanting to join in with his colleague’s horseplay, and wanting to ‘be a good detective’. Chris had a lot of potential as a police officer, and Sam was amused and proud to see the growing maturity in Chris’ work.
His gaze finally settled on Ray. Ray was still showing scars on his face from being blown up by that car bomb a few days ago. The physical scars may have faded, but Sam was concerned about the mental scars. He had been through so much, the bomb, having a gun pointed at him, with a real threat that the trigger would be pulled. He studied Ray a little more closely. Ray was subdued. Joining in with the horsing around, but with none of his usual bravado. Only someone really looking at it would be able to tell. Sam was fairly sure that Gene wouldn’t notice, but wouldn’t put it past him to have seen. Annie might, but Chris...
... was looking closely at Sam. Sam met Chris’ eyes, and Chris nodded once. Sam smiled, realising he should never underestimate Chris. He knew that Ray was struggling, though he would call it something other than what it was - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In that smile back to Chris, he did his best to convey the knowledge that he would keep an eye on Ray, along with Chris.
Ray’s phone rang. He sauntered over to pick it up, listening for a minute. Gene wandered out of his office to see what was happening. He looked over at Ray. As Ray put the phone down, Sam could see him swallow hard, then steady himself. “Armed blag going down. Hostages been taken at Trafford Park Post Office, Guv.” Ray looked carefully at Gene. Sam could see the remembered pain in his eyes, but didn’t move, merely watched. Damn the seventies and their macho man attitudes!
“Ok, let’s get going then.” Gene ordered.
“No RCS Guv?” Sam had to ask. Gene gave him a withering look.
“Litton doesn’t need his face in the papers again this month,” Gene pointed at the latest Litton picture, which had, as usual made its way onto the notice board and had been ‘decorated’ by A Division. “We can do this.”
The convoy of police cars raced through the streets of Manchester. Sam was resolutely staring ahead, trying to remember his hostage negotiation training. Last time - didn’t go so well. However, his thoughts kept drifting back to Ray. How was he going to cope? Especially if Gene took his usual ‘bull in a china shop’ approach. He was likely to throw Ray in at the deep end, with little thought for consequences. Sam knew he would never have a good relationship with the sergeant, but he wouldn’t wish this situation on his worst enemy.
As they pulled up, Sam noted idly that the entire street had been cordoned off. At his insistence, a crisis centre had been set up, using a commandeered shop. The most important item in there was already in use - the urn for the endless stream of tea that would be needed. Gene was in the centre, pouring over plans of the post office.
“I’m gonna need officers stationed here... here and here,” he pointed to various parts of the plans. “Don’t want the bastards to get away, now do we?”
“No, Guv,” was the chorus that came from various quarters of the shop.
“Guv, we need someone to talk to them, find out what they want,” Tyler had to say it, even though he knew what the response would be.
“They are robbing a post office, Tyler. I would have thought that even with your addled brain it would be pretty bleeding obvious!”
“They might want something else?” Sam asked pitifully, throwing his hands in the air. “OK, I know it was lame, but I need a starting point to negotiate.”
“You are not negotiating with the buggers.”
Sam stared blankly at Gene. “And who do you suggest does talk to them?” he asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice.
“That would be me, Detective Inspector” Gene replied. Sam raised his eyebrows, waiting for the explanation. “I want you to take Ray and Chris round here” and Gene pointed at a place round the back of the post office on the plans. “There should be a skylight up here - I want you take a look, see what is inside. I’ll keep ‘em busy out front.”
Sam pursed his lips. “You sure that they won’t just shoot people to shut you up?” He couldn’t resist the dig at the thought of Gene’s ‘negotiating skills’.
Gene gave him a withering look. “In case you have forgotten, I am a DCI. They don’t just give away these badges. Believe me, I can take care of it. What do you think we did before you rode in on your Hyde high horse?”
Sam had no answer for this, but merely walked out of the shop. “Ray, Chris, with me.”
“Yes, boss.”
“So what we doing here, exactly?” Ray asked in a low whisper.
“Guv wants us to see if there is any way in, and what exactly they are doing. We don’t know how many people are in there, or how they are being held, so I guess he wants us to check that too. Chris, get me on your shoulders, I’ll take a look.”
“Eh?”
Sam gestured for Chris to bend down. He climbed onto the younger man’s shoulders. “Ok, stand up,” Sam whispered. It was a bit of a scrabble, but Sam managed to pull himself onto the roof. He crouched down, then carefully walked along the rooftop, keeping low.
A noise next to him made him look up. Ray was next to him. “Christ, Ray, where did you learn to creep along like that?” Sam demanded after his heart had stopped hammering.
“When I were about 14. Used to climb out of me window to go t’pub. Parents didn’t approve of drinking, so I learned to be quiet.” Sam paused, watched Ray for a bit, then gestured for them to move. They came to a stop close to the skylight Gene had mentioned. Sam motioned for them both to lie flat before peering in. Doing so, he scooted close to the edge and looked down.
Three men in the main section of the post office, all brandishing sawn-off shotguns. The probability was there was one more, maybe two in the back, trying to open the safe. Sam looked closer at the main room. There were eight hostages, all lying face down on the floor, including what appeared to be a mother and daughter. Sam heard a noise next to him. He snapped his head up to look at Ray. The sergeant’s face was filled with horror at the scene below - not at the visible, but a remembered terror.
Sam realised what a precarious position they were in. Too much noise and someone would look up. He had to get Ray down, now. Grabbing him by the collar he pulled Ray back along the length of the roof, tearing his clothing in the process. Sam didn’t care, he just knew he had to get Ray back down to earth now.
As they approached the edge, Ray seemed to shake himself and climbed down. Sam dropped down, looked first at Chris, whose concern was obvious, and then at Ray.
“It’s just a little kiddie... How can they hold a little kiddie like that?” Ray murmured.
“Ray, you ok?” Chris asked.
“Poor little kid - she’ll be so scared.” Ray’s litany continued.
“Ray?” Chris asked again, then looked at Sam. Seeing that Ray was lost in his own world, he threw a gesture at Chris, telling him to encourage Ray to talk. “Ray, mate, come over here and sit down.” Chris pulled Ray over to a nearby low wall, and pushed him into a sitting down. He in turn crouched on his heels in front of Ray.”
“So, so scared...”
“Ray, we will get ‘em out, promise.” Chris glanced at Sam, obviously not knowing how to snap his friend out of the horror. Sam gestured for Chris to carry on, knowing that this would be the only way to help Ray. “Ray, s’ok mate, we are here for ya."
“She’ll feel that gun against her head, be too scared t’ breathe in case it tips him over the edge. So scared.” Sam was horrified to see a single tear rolling down Ray’s cheek. He turned away, knowing that if Ray knew he had seen it, he would hate Sam even more than now. But Ray was still locked in his battle with his own personal demons.
“Helpless, so scared. Bright lights hurt, when t’ bomb went off...then the gun against me head.” Ray was now completely caught up in his own world. “Saw it all in slow motion - knew it were gonna happen. Blamed the boss,” Sam looked up at this “but didn’t have to go. Thought I were dead. Was shocked when I woke up in hospital. But worse - the gun. You never know if he is gonna pull that trigger... waiting for the sound of it...”
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a gun shot rang out, followed by shouting, then another shot. Ray jumped what seemed like several feet in the air, bringing him crashing violently out of his reverie. His face was shocked, but he stood up, and raced off in the direction of the post office. Sam and Chris looked at each other once, then took off in pursuit.
As the three of them reached the front, they saw the robbers being led out of the post office, and all the hostages following them. Ray looked first at Chris, then glanced at Sam, before heading over to the mother and daughter. Sam watched Ray speak to them, then he wandered over to Gene, who was looking unbearably smug.
“Where the bloody hell have you been, Gladys?” Gene demanded. “While you have been lollygagging about, I’ve been sorting this mess out.”
“Er, sorry Guv, took us longer to find the skylight than we expected,” Sam knew it was lame, but given the circumstances...
“Hrmph. Well they are all out safe, that’s all that matters.”
“Yes, Guv,” was the only response Sam could give. At that moment, Ray finished talking to the female hostage, then walked back over to where Gene, Sam and Chris were.
“Ok, Ray?” Chris asked after a moment.
“Yeah, just wanted to tell her a couple of things that might help the kiddie stop ‘aving nightmares,” Ray replied. Sam peered at Ray, then smiled to himself.
“You? Advising someone?” Gene spluttered.
Ray stared at his old friend. “What, like you persuading hostage-takers to give themselves up peacefully?” and stalked off. Gene and Chris followed, leaving behind them the sound of Sam laughing.
Back in CID, Sam took another look round. Ray was still slightly subdued, but he looked - better. Sam knew it would take time, but Ray would get through it As if he had sensed Sam watching him, Ray turned and stared at him, then nodded once. As Ray turned back to Chris, Sam smiled a gentle smile.