Fic: Steady As She Goes (82/86), brown cortina, dakfinv
Title: Steady As She Goes (82/86)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1964 this part; [147,510 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: The team go to Liverpool.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya, Gene/missus
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Please enjoy!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
It was a perfectly miserable, rainy day on the coast. A heavy blanket of clouds was blocking any hint of warming sunlight and the continuous heavy misting might as well have been a steady downpour. Half an hour outside and already Ray was soaked to the core. He couldn’t imagine Chris and Cartwright were faring much better.
Ray paced up and down the docks waiting impatiently for the Golden Shamrock to pull into port. Having decided that he didn’t want the Liverpool plod mucking up his chance to earn him his new station, Ray had arranged for himself, DC Skelton, and WDC Cartwright to arrive in Liverpool that Saturday and watch the docks Sunday with the local coppers.
He had called the Guv early Saturday morning at home to approve his plan and ask if the DCI wanted to come with. Ray had been expecting an “absolutely, no question,” but instead Gene had said that Ray and the others could go ahead and he’d follow if he could. Carling hoped whatever was holding the Guv back was worth it.
Yet, what was more surprising than the Guv declining to show off his policing prowess to some local plod and to pass up the opportunity to be the first to bash Jerry Walsh’s teeth down his throat, was when he called Ray at their hotel late Saturday night with the name of the ferry and the time it was arriving.
At first, Ray had been too excited about the news to notice the hollow tone in his Guv’s voice. When he began to realize something was wrong he had asked Gene how he knew. Gene said simply that Bobby Walsh told him. Something still hadn’t felt right so Ray had cautiously asked how he knew Walsh wasn’t lying. There was a brief pause before he replied coldly, “He’s not.” Something had most certainly been wrong but as soon as Ray had said, “Tyler,” the phone had clicked and gone dead.
So here he was on a dreary Sunday morning, pacing the wet dock lands, shoes, trousers, coat already soaked through, Skelton, Cartwright, and nine other officers under his command and no Guv to fall back on. Ray was desperate for another cigarette but his pack was already empty. He hadn’t smoked this much since Chris was shot. Now he understood why the Guv carried so many hip flasks.
The ferry was due at ten-thirty sharp. Five minutes to go and they could finally see it approaching on the horizon. Some of the plod were dressed in plainclothes to avoid suspicion while the rest ambled around casually as if they were walking their normal beat. Annie and Chris were posing as a couple waiting for a friend.
Ray hung back slightly, looking at all the different routes Jerry could run if he was stupid enough to try. Ray wasn’t exactly in the best of shape. If Walsh were going to run it would be better if Carling could cut him off instead of chasing after him.
The ferry was getting close. Ray could make out people standing by the rails. Focusing on the job, it was the only thing keeping Ray from reflecting on the Guv’s peculiar behavior on the phone yesterday. It had to do with Tyler. There was no denying that but whatever it was, whatever had happened, there was nowt Ray and the others could do until they nabbed Walsh and brought him back to Manchester.
That’s why Ray hadn’t told them. He had lied. Said the Guv offered Bobby a new deal for the information. This could have been true, of course. Though Ray knew instinctively that the “new deal” would have involved blood over barristers.
The ferry was docking now. Another few minutes and the damp passengers would be disembarking. Ray, Chris, and Annie all knew exactly who they were looking. For over two months they had studied Jerry Walsh’s picture, memorized it, absorbed it. They could probably recognize him faster than his own mother.
The ramp was pulled out and the ropes taken down. The weary travellers slowly unloaded, walking down the slippery plank, obviously relieved when their feet touched solid ground. Ray moved in closer, as did Chris and Annie, and Carling also recognized some the plainclothes plod moving in.
It was mostly women and children at first, then single men slowly started to enter the mix. One by one the filed out, collars up, hats down in a vain attempt to protect themselves from the weather. It was making it difficult to spot faces. The passengers were moving more quickly now, one after the other hurrying past to seek out some place warm and dry.
Chris spotted him first. Ray saw him tug on Annie’s sleeve and point. He followed the finger to a skinny bloke wearing a black knit cap, carrying a large duffel over his shoulder. When his face shifted towards Ray, eyes on the lookout for his brother, he could see it was clearly Jerry Walsh.
Ray signalled for Chris and Annie to move towards him and the DC’s started weave their way through the crowd, unnoticed by Walsh. The local plod had noticed their movements and also began to close in around the unsuspecting man.
Ray held back, moving towards the most obvious route of escape. Plod were gradually separating Walsh from the rest of the crowd and suddenly the man noticed. His brother nowhere in sight and at least three uniformed officers coming his way, Jerry tossed his duffel at the nearest copper and took off down the closest street.
Chris and Annie were too far to catch him and the nearest officer tripped over his own feet in his haste to make chase. Walsh was speeding down the crowded street, dodging and weaving through pedestrians ignoring the shouts of “stop him.”
Jerry looked behind him to see how much ground he was gaining and ran straight in DI Carling’s fist. He went down faster than a brick coated in cement, not unconscious but dazed beyond comprehension.
Ray gave him a swift kick to the groin, just to make sure he was truly subdued, then whipped out his handcuffs and secured his suspect as Annie and Chris caught up with them, panting heavily from the chase.
Ray dragged Jerry to his feet and searched his pockets, pulling out the man’s packet of fags. Tossing him to a now nearby plod, Ray lit one up, savored the taste and blew the smoke into Jerry’s face.
“You’re nicked mate.”
*
The ride back to Manchester was stalled, bumpy, and took much longer than it should have, but for Annie it was fantastic. Arresting Jerry Walsh had been just the thing they had all needed to start moving them out of their slump. They could now find the answers they needed, close this Graham case, and the good news could be exactly what Sam needed to help him recover.
Even though it was a late Sunday afternoon, the station seemed plenty full and the trio were met with cheers and claps as they escorted Jerry down the halls and to the cells. Ray held him tight on one side, Chris on the other, and Annie followed close behind. The encouragement from her fellow officers was able to make her smile for the first time in days.
“Cartwright.”
Annie turned to see the Guv standing back by the intersection they had just passed, hands in his pockets and a deeply unpleasant expression hardened on his face. She went back, eager to share the good news. Obviously DCI Hunt hadn’t heard about the arrest yet. That was why he looked so unhappy.
“Guv we--”
“With me.” He nodded towards the way out and started walking before she could protest.
Annie followed silently, instinctively knowing what this must be about but choosing to remain in denial for as long as it was possible.
*
“Shenley Hospital is quite excellent and has a great deal of experience dealing with cases like Sam’s. I think if we expect to see any sort of improvement he needs to be moved to a more specialized facility.” Merrick sat in his office, a large purple bruise on the left side of his jaw, protected by his large, oak desk which separated him from DCI Hunt and WDC Cartwright.
“Sorry, where did you say it was located?” Annie asked quietly and politely.
“Just outside of London.”
“London?” Gene growled. “Bloody southern poofs, London.”
“A simple train ride. Approximately--”
“He’s only ten minutes now.” Gene fought back but there was a note of defeat in his voice.
“You don’t think there’s anymore you can do here?” Annie asked calmly, disconnected from everything she was hearing.
“Sam has stopped eating, drinking. He didn’t sleep last night and has been completely unresponsive to any forms of communication,” Merrick explained. “Now, though Sam is currently in my care, you two are listed as his medical agents and without any family that we know of, I leave it up to you to make this decision.”
“No,” Gene quickly stated.
“Can I see him?” Annie asked immediately after. “Alone?” She looked nervously from Merrick to the Guv. Gene didn’t protest. He didn’t even look at her.
“Of course. This way.” Merrick rose and ushered Annie into the hall, leaving Gene to stay alone in the office. During the short walk, Annie was positive Merrick was speaking to her but she couldn’t hear anything over her own beating heart. When they stopped, she realized they had reached their destination and watched Merrick point her in Sam’s direction. He held back as she walked silently towards her friend.
They had him sat in a chair, staring out a window, presumably hoping that the view outside would stimulate something in his mind. He didn’t move as she held her breath and stepped in front of him. Crouching so she was eye level she tried to catch his eyes with hers but Sam’s gaze didn’t waver from its spot on the floor.
“Sam?” Her voice was shaking so she swallowed, took a deep breath, and tried again. “Sam? It’s Annie. Do you remember me? Annie Cartwright?” She took his hand but it was cold and limp. Lifeless. She hadn’t meant to cry but suddenly her face was coated in tears. She raised her other hand combed it gently through his soft hair. “Can you hear me?” There was no response. “We’re going to get you some help,” she cried. “You’re going to get proper help and get better and get back to us. Okay?” She lowered her hand to his face and gently stroked his pale skin.
“Where did you go Sam?” She whispered. “Why couldn’t you stay with us? What should we have done differently? How...” Annie knew she was getting hysterical now and cut herself off. She lowered her hand further, placing it over his heart. It was still pulsing, slowly. Beating gently. Still real. His unresponsiveness suddenly became too much and she dropped her hands and raced out of the ward and into Gene.
She allowed herself to cry in his arms, as undignified as it may have been for a Detective Constable. After a minute she pulled back, found a handkerchief in her purse, and started dabbing her eyes. “Sorry Guv.”
He didn’t respond, silently allowing her to pull herself together. Annie, eyes red and puffy, looked up at her DCI firmly. “We have to send him to Shenley,” she stated with an authority she didn’t feel. “We have to let him go.”
Annie was right. She knew she was right and she knew the Guv knew she was right.
“Do what you want then. Only takes one of us.” With that, Gene spun on his heels and disappeared from sight.
_______
Part 83
Author: dak
Word Count: 1964 this part; [147,510 overall]
Summary for Whole: After an accidental shooting at the station, Gene struggles to keep his team from tearing themselves apart while his and Sam's friendship is pushed to the limits.
Summary this Part: The team go to Liverpool.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Warnings: angst, swearing, violence, violent imagery, minor drug use, mild sexual situations, self-harm for whole
Spoilers: none here; see each chapter for specific spoiler warnings
Pairing: mild Sam/Annie, Sam/Maya, Gene/missus
Disclaimer: Belongs to BBC/Kudos
A/N: Please enjoy!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29 Part 30 Part 31 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34 Part 35 Part 36 Part 37 Part 38 Part 39 Part 40 Part 41 Part 42 Part 43 Part 44 Part 45 Part 46 Part 47 Part 48 Part 49 Part 50 Part 51 Part 52 Part 53 Part 54 Part 55 Part 56 Part 57 Part 58 Part 59 Part 60 Part 61 Part 62 Part 63 Part 64 Part 65 Part 66 Part 67 Part 68 Part 69 Part 70 Part 71 Part 72 Part 73 Part 74 Part 75 Part 76 Part 77 Part 78 Part 79 Part 80 Part 81 Part 82 Part 83 Part 84 Part 85 Part 86
It was a perfectly miserable, rainy day on the coast. A heavy blanket of clouds was blocking any hint of warming sunlight and the continuous heavy misting might as well have been a steady downpour. Half an hour outside and already Ray was soaked to the core. He couldn’t imagine Chris and Cartwright were faring much better.
Ray paced up and down the docks waiting impatiently for the Golden Shamrock to pull into port. Having decided that he didn’t want the Liverpool plod mucking up his chance to earn him his new station, Ray had arranged for himself, DC Skelton, and WDC Cartwright to arrive in Liverpool that Saturday and watch the docks Sunday with the local coppers.
He had called the Guv early Saturday morning at home to approve his plan and ask if the DCI wanted to come with. Ray had been expecting an “absolutely, no question,” but instead Gene had said that Ray and the others could go ahead and he’d follow if he could. Carling hoped whatever was holding the Guv back was worth it.
Yet, what was more surprising than the Guv declining to show off his policing prowess to some local plod and to pass up the opportunity to be the first to bash Jerry Walsh’s teeth down his throat, was when he called Ray at their hotel late Saturday night with the name of the ferry and the time it was arriving.
At first, Ray had been too excited about the news to notice the hollow tone in his Guv’s voice. When he began to realize something was wrong he had asked Gene how he knew. Gene said simply that Bobby Walsh told him. Something still hadn’t felt right so Ray had cautiously asked how he knew Walsh wasn’t lying. There was a brief pause before he replied coldly, “He’s not.” Something had most certainly been wrong but as soon as Ray had said, “Tyler,” the phone had clicked and gone dead.
So here he was on a dreary Sunday morning, pacing the wet dock lands, shoes, trousers, coat already soaked through, Skelton, Cartwright, and nine other officers under his command and no Guv to fall back on. Ray was desperate for another cigarette but his pack was already empty. He hadn’t smoked this much since Chris was shot. Now he understood why the Guv carried so many hip flasks.
The ferry was due at ten-thirty sharp. Five minutes to go and they could finally see it approaching on the horizon. Some of the plod were dressed in plainclothes to avoid suspicion while the rest ambled around casually as if they were walking their normal beat. Annie and Chris were posing as a couple waiting for a friend.
Ray hung back slightly, looking at all the different routes Jerry could run if he was stupid enough to try. Ray wasn’t exactly in the best of shape. If Walsh were going to run it would be better if Carling could cut him off instead of chasing after him.
The ferry was getting close. Ray could make out people standing by the rails. Focusing on the job, it was the only thing keeping Ray from reflecting on the Guv’s peculiar behavior on the phone yesterday. It had to do with Tyler. There was no denying that but whatever it was, whatever had happened, there was nowt Ray and the others could do until they nabbed Walsh and brought him back to Manchester.
That’s why Ray hadn’t told them. He had lied. Said the Guv offered Bobby a new deal for the information. This could have been true, of course. Though Ray knew instinctively that the “new deal” would have involved blood over barristers.
The ferry was docking now. Another few minutes and the damp passengers would be disembarking. Ray, Chris, and Annie all knew exactly who they were looking. For over two months they had studied Jerry Walsh’s picture, memorized it, absorbed it. They could probably recognize him faster than his own mother.
The ramp was pulled out and the ropes taken down. The weary travellers slowly unloaded, walking down the slippery plank, obviously relieved when their feet touched solid ground. Ray moved in closer, as did Chris and Annie, and Carling also recognized some the plainclothes plod moving in.
It was mostly women and children at first, then single men slowly started to enter the mix. One by one the filed out, collars up, hats down in a vain attempt to protect themselves from the weather. It was making it difficult to spot faces. The passengers were moving more quickly now, one after the other hurrying past to seek out some place warm and dry.
Chris spotted him first. Ray saw him tug on Annie’s sleeve and point. He followed the finger to a skinny bloke wearing a black knit cap, carrying a large duffel over his shoulder. When his face shifted towards Ray, eyes on the lookout for his brother, he could see it was clearly Jerry Walsh.
Ray signalled for Chris and Annie to move towards him and the DC’s started weave their way through the crowd, unnoticed by Walsh. The local plod had noticed their movements and also began to close in around the unsuspecting man.
Ray held back, moving towards the most obvious route of escape. Plod were gradually separating Walsh from the rest of the crowd and suddenly the man noticed. His brother nowhere in sight and at least three uniformed officers coming his way, Jerry tossed his duffel at the nearest copper and took off down the closest street.
Chris and Annie were too far to catch him and the nearest officer tripped over his own feet in his haste to make chase. Walsh was speeding down the crowded street, dodging and weaving through pedestrians ignoring the shouts of “stop him.”
Jerry looked behind him to see how much ground he was gaining and ran straight in DI Carling’s fist. He went down faster than a brick coated in cement, not unconscious but dazed beyond comprehension.
Ray gave him a swift kick to the groin, just to make sure he was truly subdued, then whipped out his handcuffs and secured his suspect as Annie and Chris caught up with them, panting heavily from the chase.
Ray dragged Jerry to his feet and searched his pockets, pulling out the man’s packet of fags. Tossing him to a now nearby plod, Ray lit one up, savored the taste and blew the smoke into Jerry’s face.
“You’re nicked mate.”
*
The ride back to Manchester was stalled, bumpy, and took much longer than it should have, but for Annie it was fantastic. Arresting Jerry Walsh had been just the thing they had all needed to start moving them out of their slump. They could now find the answers they needed, close this Graham case, and the good news could be exactly what Sam needed to help him recover.
Even though it was a late Sunday afternoon, the station seemed plenty full and the trio were met with cheers and claps as they escorted Jerry down the halls and to the cells. Ray held him tight on one side, Chris on the other, and Annie followed close behind. The encouragement from her fellow officers was able to make her smile for the first time in days.
“Cartwright.”
Annie turned to see the Guv standing back by the intersection they had just passed, hands in his pockets and a deeply unpleasant expression hardened on his face. She went back, eager to share the good news. Obviously DCI Hunt hadn’t heard about the arrest yet. That was why he looked so unhappy.
“Guv we--”
“With me.” He nodded towards the way out and started walking before she could protest.
Annie followed silently, instinctively knowing what this must be about but choosing to remain in denial for as long as it was possible.
*
“Shenley Hospital is quite excellent and has a great deal of experience dealing with cases like Sam’s. I think if we expect to see any sort of improvement he needs to be moved to a more specialized facility.” Merrick sat in his office, a large purple bruise on the left side of his jaw, protected by his large, oak desk which separated him from DCI Hunt and WDC Cartwright.
“Sorry, where did you say it was located?” Annie asked quietly and politely.
“Just outside of London.”
“London?” Gene growled. “Bloody southern poofs, London.”
“A simple train ride. Approximately--”
“He’s only ten minutes now.” Gene fought back but there was a note of defeat in his voice.
“You don’t think there’s anymore you can do here?” Annie asked calmly, disconnected from everything she was hearing.
“Sam has stopped eating, drinking. He didn’t sleep last night and has been completely unresponsive to any forms of communication,” Merrick explained. “Now, though Sam is currently in my care, you two are listed as his medical agents and without any family that we know of, I leave it up to you to make this decision.”
“No,” Gene quickly stated.
“Can I see him?” Annie asked immediately after. “Alone?” She looked nervously from Merrick to the Guv. Gene didn’t protest. He didn’t even look at her.
“Of course. This way.” Merrick rose and ushered Annie into the hall, leaving Gene to stay alone in the office. During the short walk, Annie was positive Merrick was speaking to her but she couldn’t hear anything over her own beating heart. When they stopped, she realized they had reached their destination and watched Merrick point her in Sam’s direction. He held back as she walked silently towards her friend.
They had him sat in a chair, staring out a window, presumably hoping that the view outside would stimulate something in his mind. He didn’t move as she held her breath and stepped in front of him. Crouching so she was eye level she tried to catch his eyes with hers but Sam’s gaze didn’t waver from its spot on the floor.
“Sam?” Her voice was shaking so she swallowed, took a deep breath, and tried again. “Sam? It’s Annie. Do you remember me? Annie Cartwright?” She took his hand but it was cold and limp. Lifeless. She hadn’t meant to cry but suddenly her face was coated in tears. She raised her other hand combed it gently through his soft hair. “Can you hear me?” There was no response. “We’re going to get you some help,” she cried. “You’re going to get proper help and get better and get back to us. Okay?” She lowered her hand to his face and gently stroked his pale skin.
“Where did you go Sam?” She whispered. “Why couldn’t you stay with us? What should we have done differently? How...” Annie knew she was getting hysterical now and cut herself off. She lowered her hand further, placing it over his heart. It was still pulsing, slowly. Beating gently. Still real. His unresponsiveness suddenly became too much and she dropped her hands and raced out of the ward and into Gene.
She allowed herself to cry in his arms, as undignified as it may have been for a Detective Constable. After a minute she pulled back, found a handkerchief in her purse, and started dabbing her eyes. “Sorry Guv.”
He didn’t respond, silently allowing her to pull herself together. Annie, eyes red and puffy, looked up at her DCI firmly. “We have to send him to Shenley,” she stated with an authority she didn’t feel. “We have to let him go.”
Annie was right. She knew she was right and she knew the Guv knew she was right.
“Do what you want then. Only takes one of us.” With that, Gene spun on his heels and disappeared from sight.
_______
Part 83