NEW! "Headstrong - Part Three" (Nuke/ATWT/Angels Lie)
Title: Headstrong - Part Three
What It Is: Oneshot/Songfic/"Angels Lie" 'verse
Rating: M for language
Prompt: Still another sequel to “Angels Lie”!
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Don’t make no money.
link
Note: This story takes place on the same evening as Can’t Find My Way Home and Caught By The River.
If you'd like to refresh your memory, Part One is here:
http://willwork4dean.livejournal.com/30637.html#cutid1
Part Two is here:
http://willwork4dean.livejournal.com/31322.html
All the other chapters of Angels Lie can be found in the master fic list at my LJ.
***
***
When last we left our heroes...
Glancing out the window, Casey realizes the storm has finally eased, and the apartment is quiet. Moving carefully, he gets up, tiptoes to the door of Noah’s room, eases it open, and peers inside.
The bedside lamp is on, but Luke is sound asleep, wearing one of Noah’s flannels shirts and clutching his pillow to his chest. In the dim light, his face is still tear-streaked, but peaceful.
Casey cell phone rings across the living room. He quickly closes the door and dives for it, praying that it doesn’t wake Luke.
Thirty seconds later he bursts back through the door and switches on the overhead light.
“Luke, get up!”
Startled awake, Luke stares at him blearily. “Casey, what the hell?”
“They found him.” Casey can’t keep the tremor out of his voice. “They found Noah.”
And now…Headstrong - Part Three
***
***
“What the hell do you mean I can’t see Noah?” Luke’s voice rises in outrage.
Casey’s lost track of time, but he knows it’s in the middle of the night, and he feels exhausted and wired at the same time. He rubs his eyes and blinks at his surroundings, trying to focus.
They’re in the ER waiting area, and it’s taken a good twenty minutes to get everything sorted out. The instant Luke and Casey arrived, Luke’s parents descended upon them like a pair of clucking hens. Because apparently they’d been trying to reach Luke and thought he was dead or drunk or gone after Noah and how had he gotten past the guard and why didn’t he have his phone, young man, and how could he put them through this with everything else that’s going on?
Casey was prepared to throw himself on his sword, but was pleasantly surprised when Luke shouldered all the blame, telling his parents that he called Casey and asked him to help Luke sneak out of the house.
"I just needed some air,” Luke explains. “I’m sorry I forgot my phone. It won’t happen again.”
Of course, Luke’s parents -- being Luke’s parents and not Casey’s -- immediately forgive him and then spend five extra minutes hugging and kissing him and stroking his hair and reassuring themselves that their precious boy is unhurt.
“We were so worried, honey,” Lily frets.
“You really scared your mom, kiddo,” Holden adds.
Luke tolerates their fussing a minute longer and then demands to know where Noah is. And that’s another ten minutes of explanation, because apparently Noah just wandered into the Oakdale PD out of the clear blue sky -- okay, technically it was raining -- after being missing for days. Then he handed his fugitive father over to the cops as casually as if he were delivering a pizza. Only now he’s in emergency surgery, something about being shot but it’s a good wound, not to worry, and how the hell can any bullet wound be good, Casey wonders, not to mention a collapsed lung?
Luke freaks out, of course, but his parents reassure him that Noah’s in good hands. Casey agrees, because it’s Chris doing the surgery. He and Chris may have had their differences, but Casey knows for a fact his uncle is the best surgeon on staff; besides his grandfather, of course. (Dr. Oliver doesn’t count because he’s an asshole. Plus, he only does brain surgery, and Noah doesn’t have a head injury this time, thank God.)
“Besides,” Casey tells Luke. “Ali’s here. She stayed an extra shift just to take care of Noah. If he dies on her watch, she’ll kill him again and then sue his corpse for rent money.”
Luke smiles weakly and seems reassured. But Casey can’t help staring at the blood on Holden and Jack’s shirts, and it gives him a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Speaking of Jack, the hospital is absolutely swarming with cops of every stripe -- Oakdale PD, county sheriff, state troopers, and who-the-hell-knows what else. They’re pacing and drinking all the coffee and barking orders into their cell phones. Casey doesn’t see his mom, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before she shows up and nails his ass.
That’s when it hits him.
He sidles up to Jack, who is also pacing and drinking coffee and barking orders into his cell phone.
“I don’t care what time it is,” Jack snarls. “And I don’t care if we have to drag every culvert between here and Kentucky. Until I see James Moloney’s body on a slab, he’s considered armed and dangerous and alive. You got that?”
Apparently the other person gets it, because Jack ends the call. He’s barely hung up before Casey pounces on him.
“Where’s Colonel Mayer?”
Jack glances over at Luke, who’s huddling with his parents. Holden has his arm around Luke’s shoulders, and Lily is holding his hand.
“Where is he?” Casey hisses.
“He’s in custody,” Jack says firmly.
“Where?”
Jack doesn’t answer.
“He’s here, isn’t he?” Casey practically spits out the words. “That son of a bitch is here.” His breath is coming hard and fast, and his hands clench into fists.
“Okay, okay, keep your voice down,” Jack murmurs. He puts his arm around Casey and steers him to the side of the waiting area.
Casey shakes Jack’s hand off. “Well?”
“Colonel Mayer had some minor injuries. He was admitted to the hospital for observation,” Jack tells Casey quietly. Casey sputters with rage, but Jacks hold up a hand. “He’s only being kept overnight. First thing tomorrow he’ll be released into state custody.”
Casey folds his arms and glares out the window at the blackness outside, then glares at his own reflection in the glass, then counts to ten.
“Fine,” he says finally. “Is he being guarded?”
“Two guards at all times, another two in the corridor, plus the hospital entrances. Don’t worry,” Jack adds. “He’s not getting away."
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Casey says flatly.
Jack blinks, then smiles ruefully and rubs his forehead. “Tell me about it,” he says.
It occurs to Casey in an offhand, exhausted way that Jack is talking to him like a fellow adult, rather than talking down at him like a little kid. He decides to press his luck a little.
“What about the Colonel’s accomplice, this Moloney guy? My mom told me about him,” he adds, at Jack’s questioning look.
Jack nods tiredly. Casey thinks that if Jack were more awake, he’d realize that Casey’s mom doesn’t tell Casey jack shit. Fortunately, Jack looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“Is Moloney still out there?” Casey asks.
Jack frowns and is about to reply when Chris appears, and everybody swarms him. Chris, who looks as exhausted as Jack does, holds up his hand for silence, then gives the update. They got Noah’s lung re-inflated and there was minimal damage from the bullet and he came through the surgery with flying colors.
“Then what took so long?” Luke snaps.
Casey winces, but Chris doesn’t seem offended. He explains mildly that it took a while to stabilize Noah because he was in shock and lost a lot of blood. He’s breathing on his own now but Chris is keeping him on oxygen just in case, and of course, the biggest concern is the risk of post-operative infection blah blah blah.
Luke is practically jumping up and down trying to get Chris’ attention. “When can I see him?”
“Tomorrow,” Chris says.
Luke’s face falls. “Tomorrow?”
“Noah’s still in recovery,” Chris explains. “We’ll move him to a private room soon. But he’s still unconscious, so no visitors until tomorrow.” Chris looks at the darkened window, then at his watch. “It’s only a few hours away anyway. I suggest you all go home and get some sleep.”
Luke gets that stubborn look. “Hell, no.”
“He’s right, honey,” Lily says. “The best thing for Noah right now is rest. And for you, too.” She places a gentle hand on Luke’s shoulder, but he shrugs it off.
“You don’t understand,” Luke tells Chris. “Noah’s been missing. I haven’t seen him in days. I need to know that he’s okay.”
Jack speaks up. “You heard Dr. Hughes, Luke,” he says. “Noah will be fine. He’s in good hands.”
Luke rolls his eyes like an impatient teenager. “I need to see him for myself.”
“Then come back tomorrow during regular visiting hours,” Chris says.
Luke gapes at him. “But...” His voice wobbles. “Noah asked for me.” He looks to his father.
Holden clears his throat. “It’s true, Dr. Hughes,” he says quietly. “When Jack and I brought Noah into the ER, he asked for Luke.”
“I’m aware of that,” Chris says tersely. “He asked me the same thing.”
“Then why won’t you--”
“Because I am Noah’s doctor,” Chris interrupts Luke, and for a moment he reminds Casey vividly of his grandfather. “And as his doctor, I am ordering rest and no visitors.”
“But--"
“Come back tomorrow.” Chris turns away. Luke sinks onto a nearby couch and his parents hover over him. Consequently, Casey is the only one who sees what happens next.
Chris looks at Jack and gives a tiny jerk of his head toward the door that leads to the recovery area. Jack nods in reply, then follows Chris through the door and out of the room.
Casey gets that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach again.
“No, I’m staying here,” Luke says loudly, interrupting Casey's unease. “I don’t care if I have to sleep on this couch.”
Luke parents try to argue with him, and Casey wants to tell them it’s a lost cause. This is Luke Snyder: A fencepost is more flexible.
“Honey, are you sure?” Lily asks finally. “Won’t you sleep better at home?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Do you want me to stay with you?” Holden asks.
“I’ll be fine,” Luke says again. “I’ll just grab a quick nap, and in the morning they’ll let me see Noah.”
Luke’s parents -- being Luke’s parents and not Casey’s -- reluctantly agree, then spend the next five minutes hugging and kissing and cooing over Luke, telling him they love him and to call if he needs anything, until Casey’s about to die from sugar shock.
The instant his parents are gone, Luke jumps up from the couch and turns to Casey, eyes gleaming.
Casey holds up his hand. “Dude, don’t even speak” he says, then grins. “I’ve got a plan.”
***
Casey’s janitor’s uniform still fits, and it’s still hanging in his old locker because he never bothered to clean it out after he quit. And his body remembers the trick of mopping the floor, automatically falling into that lazy, familiar rhythm that covers the width of the corridor in three broad swaths.
Dip and wring and swish, swish, swish.
Dip and wring and swish, swish, swish.
Because, let’s face it, between prison, community service, and a sucky hospital job, Casey Hughes is King of the Mop.
Casey pauses to check both ways around a corner. The hospital is nearly deserted at this hour -- only a few staff members are present, and no visitors. Fortunately, the staff doesn’t recognize him, their tired eyes cataloguing him as “just the janitor” instead of “Bob Hughes’ loser grandson/janitor.” Neil, the usual night custodian, was more than happy to take the rest of the shift off, especially after Luke slipped him a hundred bucks cash.
Casey peers around the corner, toward the room Ali said was Noah’s. She’d been surprisingly reluctant to help implement The Plan when Casey and Luke approached her.
“I swear to God we won’t get caught,” Luke told her. “I won’t get you in trouble.”
“It’s not that,” Ali said.
“What then?”
Ali folded her arms. “Noah’s sleeping,”
“I won’t wake him up, I promise.”
Ali hesitated, frowning.
“I just need to see him,” Luke wheedled. “Please, Ali? He asked for me,” he added, and Ali’s frown softened.
“Okay,” she said. “But five minutes. No more. Got it?”
“Cross my heart.”
Now Casey’s surprised to see the light still on in Noah’s room. He pulls back quickly as the door opens, then cautiously peeks around the corner again.
Chris and Jack and, of all people, Dr. Oliver are huddled outside Noah’s room, talking quietly amongst themselves. Then Jack shakes hands with Chris and Dr. Oliver and walks away. As he does, he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and calls somebody
"It's Snyder," he says, by way of greeting.
Meanwhile, Dr. Oliver walks off in the opposite direction, and Casey ducks back around the corner to hide.
After he passes, Casey peers out again and sees Chris turn off the light in Noah’s room. He pulls the door closed behind him, but leaves it a little ajar. Ali, as planned, approaches Chris with a huge stack of paperwork in her hands. Chris sighs visibly as he glances over the forms, then trudges off. Ali shoots Casey a stern look over her shoulder.
“Five minutes,” she mouths.
Then she follows Chris around the far corner toward the nurses’ station. Casey darts back to the break room where Luke is hiding and knocks three times on the door, then goes back to mopping. Behind him, he senses Luke slip out of the room and around the corner.
Casey continues mopping, eventually moving to the corridor outside Noah’s room. When five minutes are up, he starts whistling loudly in the agreed-upon signal. (The tune is “If I Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz. Ali chose it.)
Luke doesn’t appear, and after a few minutes Casey’s cheeks are tired from all that whistling. He stops and leans his mop against the wall, then eases the door open and looks inside.
It’s dark in the room -- the only light comes from the medical equipment - and the heart monitor beeps monotonously. Noah’s sound asleep on his back in the narrow bed, and Luke’s sitting in the guest chair, watching him. The bed is low enough that Luke can sprawl his upper body next to Noah’s. He’s got his head resting on the pillow and one arm draped over Noah’s head, his hand idly toying with Noah’s hair. His other hand holds Noah’s, their fingers intertwined. Noah’s oxygen mask is off, held loosely in his other hand, while his face is turned toward Luke’s, as if they’ve been kissing. Luke doesn’t acknowledge Casey’s presence -- he doesn’t even seem to hear him -- and after a moment, Casey quietly pulls the door shut behind him and walks away.
Casey finishes mopping and pours out his bucket in the sink in the supply closet, then empties all the trash cans in the corridor, just for the hell of it. Then he takes the full trash bags to the dumpster and stands outside for a few minutes. The storm has blown away and the air is crisp and clean and cool. For the first time in weeks, it actually feels like fall. Casey shoves his hands in his uniform pockets, rocks back on his heels, and breathes in deeply.
Mission accomplished, he thinks.
***
As the sky starts turning from pitch black to deep blue, Casey goes back inside. The shift will change soon, and he needs to get Luke out of Noah’s room. As he approaches, softly whistling “If I Only Had a Brain” through his teeth, he pulls out his cell phone to text Turo the good news.
He’s about to hit the buttons when there’s a sudden crash.
Casey stops, puzzled.
Then he hears muffled shouting.
Then the door slams open, and Luke staggers halfway out the door. “Help!” he shouts, his voice cracking. “Somebody help!”
As Casey stands frozen, Ali darts around the far corner and down the corridor, glaring. “What the hell did you do?” she hisses. “I told you five minutes!”
“He was fine,” Luke says desperately, chest heaving. “Then he woke up and--"
There’s another crash from Noah’s room. Ali pushes past Luke.
“Noah, what’s--" Her voice breaks off. “No, honey, you need that. Let me help you.”
“Don’t touch me!” Noah’s voice is hoarse. He starts coughing.
“Chris!” Ali yells. She must have hit the call button, because the light outside Noah’s room starts blinking rapidly, and an obnoxius beeping sound comes over the PA system.
Chris rounds the corner at a run and skids to a halt, scowling, when he sees Luke. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you to go home.” His eyes flick to Casey, widening when he sees his janitor’s uniform.
Luke points back toward Noah’s room, his face panicked and tear-streaked. “Noah pulled out his IV.”
“God dammit!” Chris heads for the door, pausing to glare at Casey. “If you had anything to do with this, you are dead, you hear me? Dead!"
“Chris!” Ali yells again.
Casey literally shoves Luke out of the way and enters the room. Luke stumbles into Casey, then collapses, his weight pulling both of them to the floor.
Meanwhile, Noah is still coughing and Casey can hear Chris talking to him, his voice a low, soothing patter.
“Easy, buddy, easy. Just lie still. Where the hell is that oxygen mask?” he snaps at Ali.
“Here it is. He pulled it off.”
“Noah, I want you to breathe into this, do you hear me?” Noah coughs helplessly, then starts to gasp for air. Chris’ voice becomes urgent. “Breathe, God dammit!”
Luke drops his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he sobs. "I'm sorry."
Dr. Oliver sprints down the hall. A distant part of Casey's brain wonders why he's still here at this late hour. He stares down at Luke. "What the hell is going on?"
"Reid! Get in here!" Chris bellows.
Reid frowns but obeys, pausing to switch on the harsh overhead light.
“Hold him down,” Chris orders grimly. “And shut that fucking door.”
The door slams shut, but Noah’s voice is still audible. It sounds like he’s crying and saying “No, no, no, no,” over and over again. But that can’t be right, Casey thinks. Noah never cries.
Wailing, Luke puts his hands over his ears and starts rocking back and forth. Casey wraps his arms around him and holds on tight, squeezing his eyes shut as if that will somehow to block out the sounds.
So much for Casey Hughes to the rescue, he thinks bitterly.
In the black space behind his closed eyelids, he can almost see the red words from Kill Zone flashing at him over and over again.
MISSION FAIL, they say.
MISSION FAIL.
MISSION FAIL.
***
(I can't give everything away)
This is not where you belong
(I won't give everything away)
I know, I know all about, I know, I know all about
I know, I know all about, I know, I know all about
Your motives inside and your decision to hide
Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong, I’ll take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong.
Headstrong, headstrong.
Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong, I’ll take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong.
The End
***
Lyrics from “Headstrong” by Trapt.
What It Is: Oneshot/Songfic/"Angels Lie" 'verse
Rating: M for language
Prompt: Still another sequel to “Angels Lie”!
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em. Don’t make no money.
link
Note: This story takes place on the same evening as Can’t Find My Way Home and Caught By The River.
If you'd like to refresh your memory, Part One is here:
http://willwork4dean.livejournal.com/30637.html#cutid1
Part Two is here:
http://willwork4dean.livejournal.com/31322.html
All the other chapters of Angels Lie can be found in the master fic list at my LJ.
***
***
When last we left our heroes...
Glancing out the window, Casey realizes the storm has finally eased, and the apartment is quiet. Moving carefully, he gets up, tiptoes to the door of Noah’s room, eases it open, and peers inside.
The bedside lamp is on, but Luke is sound asleep, wearing one of Noah’s flannels shirts and clutching his pillow to his chest. In the dim light, his face is still tear-streaked, but peaceful.
Casey cell phone rings across the living room. He quickly closes the door and dives for it, praying that it doesn’t wake Luke.
Thirty seconds later he bursts back through the door and switches on the overhead light.
“Luke, get up!”
Startled awake, Luke stares at him blearily. “Casey, what the hell?”
“They found him.” Casey can’t keep the tremor out of his voice. “They found Noah.”
And now…Headstrong - Part Three
***
***
“What the hell do you mean I can’t see Noah?” Luke’s voice rises in outrage.
Casey’s lost track of time, but he knows it’s in the middle of the night, and he feels exhausted and wired at the same time. He rubs his eyes and blinks at his surroundings, trying to focus.
They’re in the ER waiting area, and it’s taken a good twenty minutes to get everything sorted out. The instant Luke and Casey arrived, Luke’s parents descended upon them like a pair of clucking hens. Because apparently they’d been trying to reach Luke and thought he was dead or drunk or gone after Noah and how had he gotten past the guard and why didn’t he have his phone, young man, and how could he put them through this with everything else that’s going on?
Casey was prepared to throw himself on his sword, but was pleasantly surprised when Luke shouldered all the blame, telling his parents that he called Casey and asked him to help Luke sneak out of the house.
"I just needed some air,” Luke explains. “I’m sorry I forgot my phone. It won’t happen again.”
Of course, Luke’s parents -- being Luke’s parents and not Casey’s -- immediately forgive him and then spend five extra minutes hugging and kissing him and stroking his hair and reassuring themselves that their precious boy is unhurt.
“We were so worried, honey,” Lily frets.
“You really scared your mom, kiddo,” Holden adds.
Luke tolerates their fussing a minute longer and then demands to know where Noah is. And that’s another ten minutes of explanation, because apparently Noah just wandered into the Oakdale PD out of the clear blue sky -- okay, technically it was raining -- after being missing for days. Then he handed his fugitive father over to the cops as casually as if he were delivering a pizza. Only now he’s in emergency surgery, something about being shot but it’s a good wound, not to worry, and how the hell can any bullet wound be good, Casey wonders, not to mention a collapsed lung?
Luke freaks out, of course, but his parents reassure him that Noah’s in good hands. Casey agrees, because it’s Chris doing the surgery. He and Chris may have had their differences, but Casey knows for a fact his uncle is the best surgeon on staff; besides his grandfather, of course. (Dr. Oliver doesn’t count because he’s an asshole. Plus, he only does brain surgery, and Noah doesn’t have a head injury this time, thank God.)
“Besides,” Casey tells Luke. “Ali’s here. She stayed an extra shift just to take care of Noah. If he dies on her watch, she’ll kill him again and then sue his corpse for rent money.”
Luke smiles weakly and seems reassured. But Casey can’t help staring at the blood on Holden and Jack’s shirts, and it gives him a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Speaking of Jack, the hospital is absolutely swarming with cops of every stripe -- Oakdale PD, county sheriff, state troopers, and who-the-hell-knows what else. They’re pacing and drinking all the coffee and barking orders into their cell phones. Casey doesn’t see his mom, but he knows it’s only a matter of time before she shows up and nails his ass.
That’s when it hits him.
He sidles up to Jack, who is also pacing and drinking coffee and barking orders into his cell phone.
“I don’t care what time it is,” Jack snarls. “And I don’t care if we have to drag every culvert between here and Kentucky. Until I see James Moloney’s body on a slab, he’s considered armed and dangerous and alive. You got that?”
Apparently the other person gets it, because Jack ends the call. He’s barely hung up before Casey pounces on him.
“Where’s Colonel Mayer?”
Jack glances over at Luke, who’s huddling with his parents. Holden has his arm around Luke’s shoulders, and Lily is holding his hand.
“Where is he?” Casey hisses.
“He’s in custody,” Jack says firmly.
“Where?”
Jack doesn’t answer.
“He’s here, isn’t he?” Casey practically spits out the words. “That son of a bitch is here.” His breath is coming hard and fast, and his hands clench into fists.
“Okay, okay, keep your voice down,” Jack murmurs. He puts his arm around Casey and steers him to the side of the waiting area.
Casey shakes Jack’s hand off. “Well?”
“Colonel Mayer had some minor injuries. He was admitted to the hospital for observation,” Jack tells Casey quietly. Casey sputters with rage, but Jacks hold up a hand. “He’s only being kept overnight. First thing tomorrow he’ll be released into state custody.”
Casey folds his arms and glares out the window at the blackness outside, then glares at his own reflection in the glass, then counts to ten.
“Fine,” he says finally. “Is he being guarded?”
“Two guards at all times, another two in the corridor, plus the hospital entrances. Don’t worry,” Jack adds. “He’s not getting away."
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Casey says flatly.
Jack blinks, then smiles ruefully and rubs his forehead. “Tell me about it,” he says.
It occurs to Casey in an offhand, exhausted way that Jack is talking to him like a fellow adult, rather than talking down at him like a little kid. He decides to press his luck a little.
“What about the Colonel’s accomplice, this Moloney guy? My mom told me about him,” he adds, at Jack’s questioning look.
Jack nods tiredly. Casey thinks that if Jack were more awake, he’d realize that Casey’s mom doesn’t tell Casey jack shit. Fortunately, Jack looks like he hasn’t slept in days.
“Is Moloney still out there?” Casey asks.
Jack frowns and is about to reply when Chris appears, and everybody swarms him. Chris, who looks as exhausted as Jack does, holds up his hand for silence, then gives the update. They got Noah’s lung re-inflated and there was minimal damage from the bullet and he came through the surgery with flying colors.
“Then what took so long?” Luke snaps.
Casey winces, but Chris doesn’t seem offended. He explains mildly that it took a while to stabilize Noah because he was in shock and lost a lot of blood. He’s breathing on his own now but Chris is keeping him on oxygen just in case, and of course, the biggest concern is the risk of post-operative infection blah blah blah.
Luke is practically jumping up and down trying to get Chris’ attention. “When can I see him?”
“Tomorrow,” Chris says.
Luke’s face falls. “Tomorrow?”
“Noah’s still in recovery,” Chris explains. “We’ll move him to a private room soon. But he’s still unconscious, so no visitors until tomorrow.” Chris looks at the darkened window, then at his watch. “It’s only a few hours away anyway. I suggest you all go home and get some sleep.”
Luke gets that stubborn look. “Hell, no.”
“He’s right, honey,” Lily says. “The best thing for Noah right now is rest. And for you, too.” She places a gentle hand on Luke’s shoulder, but he shrugs it off.
“You don’t understand,” Luke tells Chris. “Noah’s been missing. I haven’t seen him in days. I need to know that he’s okay.”
Jack speaks up. “You heard Dr. Hughes, Luke,” he says. “Noah will be fine. He’s in good hands.”
Luke rolls his eyes like an impatient teenager. “I need to see him for myself.”
“Then come back tomorrow during regular visiting hours,” Chris says.
Luke gapes at him. “But...” His voice wobbles. “Noah asked for me.” He looks to his father.
Holden clears his throat. “It’s true, Dr. Hughes,” he says quietly. “When Jack and I brought Noah into the ER, he asked for Luke.”
“I’m aware of that,” Chris says tersely. “He asked me the same thing.”
“Then why won’t you--”
“Because I am Noah’s doctor,” Chris interrupts Luke, and for a moment he reminds Casey vividly of his grandfather. “And as his doctor, I am ordering rest and no visitors.”
“But--"
“Come back tomorrow.” Chris turns away. Luke sinks onto a nearby couch and his parents hover over him. Consequently, Casey is the only one who sees what happens next.
Chris looks at Jack and gives a tiny jerk of his head toward the door that leads to the recovery area. Jack nods in reply, then follows Chris through the door and out of the room.
Casey gets that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach again.
“No, I’m staying here,” Luke says loudly, interrupting Casey's unease. “I don’t care if I have to sleep on this couch.”
Luke parents try to argue with him, and Casey wants to tell them it’s a lost cause. This is Luke Snyder: A fencepost is more flexible.
“Honey, are you sure?” Lily asks finally. “Won’t you sleep better at home?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Do you want me to stay with you?” Holden asks.
“I’ll be fine,” Luke says again. “I’ll just grab a quick nap, and in the morning they’ll let me see Noah.”
Luke’s parents -- being Luke’s parents and not Casey’s -- reluctantly agree, then spend the next five minutes hugging and kissing and cooing over Luke, telling him they love him and to call if he needs anything, until Casey’s about to die from sugar shock.
The instant his parents are gone, Luke jumps up from the couch and turns to Casey, eyes gleaming.
Casey holds up his hand. “Dude, don’t even speak” he says, then grins. “I’ve got a plan.”
***
Casey’s janitor’s uniform still fits, and it’s still hanging in his old locker because he never bothered to clean it out after he quit. And his body remembers the trick of mopping the floor, automatically falling into that lazy, familiar rhythm that covers the width of the corridor in three broad swaths.
Dip and wring and swish, swish, swish.
Dip and wring and swish, swish, swish.
Because, let’s face it, between prison, community service, and a sucky hospital job, Casey Hughes is King of the Mop.
Casey pauses to check both ways around a corner. The hospital is nearly deserted at this hour -- only a few staff members are present, and no visitors. Fortunately, the staff doesn’t recognize him, their tired eyes cataloguing him as “just the janitor” instead of “Bob Hughes’ loser grandson/janitor.” Neil, the usual night custodian, was more than happy to take the rest of the shift off, especially after Luke slipped him a hundred bucks cash.
Casey peers around the corner, toward the room Ali said was Noah’s. She’d been surprisingly reluctant to help implement The Plan when Casey and Luke approached her.
“I swear to God we won’t get caught,” Luke told her. “I won’t get you in trouble.”
“It’s not that,” Ali said.
“What then?”
Ali folded her arms. “Noah’s sleeping,”
“I won’t wake him up, I promise.”
Ali hesitated, frowning.
“I just need to see him,” Luke wheedled. “Please, Ali? He asked for me,” he added, and Ali’s frown softened.
“Okay,” she said. “But five minutes. No more. Got it?”
“Cross my heart.”
Now Casey’s surprised to see the light still on in Noah’s room. He pulls back quickly as the door opens, then cautiously peeks around the corner again.
Chris and Jack and, of all people, Dr. Oliver are huddled outside Noah’s room, talking quietly amongst themselves. Then Jack shakes hands with Chris and Dr. Oliver and walks away. As he does, he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and calls somebody
"It's Snyder," he says, by way of greeting.
Meanwhile, Dr. Oliver walks off in the opposite direction, and Casey ducks back around the corner to hide.
After he passes, Casey peers out again and sees Chris turn off the light in Noah’s room. He pulls the door closed behind him, but leaves it a little ajar. Ali, as planned, approaches Chris with a huge stack of paperwork in her hands. Chris sighs visibly as he glances over the forms, then trudges off. Ali shoots Casey a stern look over her shoulder.
“Five minutes,” she mouths.
Then she follows Chris around the far corner toward the nurses’ station. Casey darts back to the break room where Luke is hiding and knocks three times on the door, then goes back to mopping. Behind him, he senses Luke slip out of the room and around the corner.
Casey continues mopping, eventually moving to the corridor outside Noah’s room. When five minutes are up, he starts whistling loudly in the agreed-upon signal. (The tune is “If I Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz. Ali chose it.)
Luke doesn’t appear, and after a few minutes Casey’s cheeks are tired from all that whistling. He stops and leans his mop against the wall, then eases the door open and looks inside.
It’s dark in the room -- the only light comes from the medical equipment - and the heart monitor beeps monotonously. Noah’s sound asleep on his back in the narrow bed, and Luke’s sitting in the guest chair, watching him. The bed is low enough that Luke can sprawl his upper body next to Noah’s. He’s got his head resting on the pillow and one arm draped over Noah’s head, his hand idly toying with Noah’s hair. His other hand holds Noah’s, their fingers intertwined. Noah’s oxygen mask is off, held loosely in his other hand, while his face is turned toward Luke’s, as if they’ve been kissing. Luke doesn’t acknowledge Casey’s presence -- he doesn’t even seem to hear him -- and after a moment, Casey quietly pulls the door shut behind him and walks away.
Casey finishes mopping and pours out his bucket in the sink in the supply closet, then empties all the trash cans in the corridor, just for the hell of it. Then he takes the full trash bags to the dumpster and stands outside for a few minutes. The storm has blown away and the air is crisp and clean and cool. For the first time in weeks, it actually feels like fall. Casey shoves his hands in his uniform pockets, rocks back on his heels, and breathes in deeply.
Mission accomplished, he thinks.
***
As the sky starts turning from pitch black to deep blue, Casey goes back inside. The shift will change soon, and he needs to get Luke out of Noah’s room. As he approaches, softly whistling “If I Only Had a Brain” through his teeth, he pulls out his cell phone to text Turo the good news.
He’s about to hit the buttons when there’s a sudden crash.
Casey stops, puzzled.
Then he hears muffled shouting.
Then the door slams open, and Luke staggers halfway out the door. “Help!” he shouts, his voice cracking. “Somebody help!”
As Casey stands frozen, Ali darts around the far corner and down the corridor, glaring. “What the hell did you do?” she hisses. “I told you five minutes!”
“He was fine,” Luke says desperately, chest heaving. “Then he woke up and--"
There’s another crash from Noah’s room. Ali pushes past Luke.
“Noah, what’s--" Her voice breaks off. “No, honey, you need that. Let me help you.”
“Don’t touch me!” Noah’s voice is hoarse. He starts coughing.
“Chris!” Ali yells. She must have hit the call button, because the light outside Noah’s room starts blinking rapidly, and an obnoxius beeping sound comes over the PA system.
Chris rounds the corner at a run and skids to a halt, scowling, when he sees Luke. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you to go home.” His eyes flick to Casey, widening when he sees his janitor’s uniform.
Luke points back toward Noah’s room, his face panicked and tear-streaked. “Noah pulled out his IV.”
“God dammit!” Chris heads for the door, pausing to glare at Casey. “If you had anything to do with this, you are dead, you hear me? Dead!"
“Chris!” Ali yells again.
Casey literally shoves Luke out of the way and enters the room. Luke stumbles into Casey, then collapses, his weight pulling both of them to the floor.
Meanwhile, Noah is still coughing and Casey can hear Chris talking to him, his voice a low, soothing patter.
“Easy, buddy, easy. Just lie still. Where the hell is that oxygen mask?” he snaps at Ali.
“Here it is. He pulled it off.”
“Noah, I want you to breathe into this, do you hear me?” Noah coughs helplessly, then starts to gasp for air. Chris’ voice becomes urgent. “Breathe, God dammit!”
Luke drops his head in his hands. "I'm sorry," he sobs. "I'm sorry."
Dr. Oliver sprints down the hall. A distant part of Casey's brain wonders why he's still here at this late hour. He stares down at Luke. "What the hell is going on?"
"Reid! Get in here!" Chris bellows.
Reid frowns but obeys, pausing to switch on the harsh overhead light.
“Hold him down,” Chris orders grimly. “And shut that fucking door.”
The door slams shut, but Noah’s voice is still audible. It sounds like he’s crying and saying “No, no, no, no,” over and over again. But that can’t be right, Casey thinks. Noah never cries.
Wailing, Luke puts his hands over his ears and starts rocking back and forth. Casey wraps his arms around him and holds on tight, squeezing his eyes shut as if that will somehow to block out the sounds.
So much for Casey Hughes to the rescue, he thinks bitterly.
In the black space behind his closed eyelids, he can almost see the red words from Kill Zone flashing at him over and over again.
MISSION FAIL, they say.
MISSION FAIL.
MISSION FAIL.
***
(I can't give everything away)
This is not where you belong
(I won't give everything away)
I know, I know all about, I know, I know all about
I know, I know all about, I know, I know all about
Your motives inside and your decision to hide
Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong, I’ll take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong.
Headstrong, headstrong.
Back off, I'll take you on.
Headstrong, I’ll take on anyone.
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong.
The End
***
Lyrics from “Headstrong” by Trapt.