thesupersmeller | OOM: So Not Dead

The end of the universe is ending and Burton Guster is curled up in a ball in a corner, wracked with soft sobs as his brain tries to figure out what's going to happen to not only himself, but to everything. He closes his eyes tightly, shifting from where he sat with his back to the wall until he's on his side in the fetal position.

It seems to last forever, the shaking and screams - muttered prayers and reassurances that somehow everything is going to be just fine. And then... nothing. A chill wraps around him like jumping in a swimming pool in January; he can't breathe - can't open his eyes or move a muscle.

And then pain, shooting up his left arm from his elbow to his wrist. The rest of his body is numb until he feels the arm warm enough that he can gasp for breath and open his eyes. He's alone, and he sure as hell aint in Milliways anymore. It's dark, after a moment he realizes he's outside but the moon is obscured behind heavy clouds. He can see a street light in the distance and hear the ocean.

Gus closes his eyes again and rolls onto his back - the arm that had been trapped under him letting out another fresh jolt of pain. Broken; definitely at the wrist and probably up higher too if the tingly numbness and shooting pain is telling the whole story. Desperate, he digs into his pocket and manages out his cellphone and phones the last number he called.

"Shawn, pick up pick up pick up..." he whispers in a barely audible whimper.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

thesupersmeller

Triage pushes him through pretty fast, but the shock is hitting him hard and he really doesn't come back around until he feels hands on his head and an unfamiliar voice urging him to open his eyes.

As much time as he spends with doctors, he's never gotten used to the antiseptic and latex smell; "Shawn? Doctor?" He manages his eyes halfway open. "I think I might have a little concussion."

From:

psyched_you_out

He sticks as close to Gus's side as he can while the doctor examines him, trying to stay out of the way at the same time.

"Does that mean I get to poke you every twenty minutes to make sure you're not unconscious?"

From:

thesupersmeller

He manages to raise an eyebrow at Shawn and concedes; "Probably. You should stay at my place tonight... If Juliet doesn't mind."

He turns his attention back to the doctor; "How broken am I?"

"We'll have to x-ray your arm, but it looks like you broke your wrist..." The doctor gently ran his gloved hands over the displaced and swollen flesh - eliciting a loud whimper from Gus. "Your friend says you broke your ribs but you're sitting up pretty well so I think you got away with just bruising. Either way you're looking at a minimum of three hours, and I'm only rushing you through because you're cops."

"We're not..."

From:

psyched_you_out

Shawn's had one or two bonks on the noggin himself over the years.

"Jules'll understand. She'll probably want to keep an eye on you too."

He squeezes Gus's shoulder gently to shut him up at the doctor's pronouncement.

"Thanks, doc. Your civic cooperation will be duly noted."

From:

thesupersmeller

The gentle squeeze on his his shoulder illicts an unexpected hiss of pain, damn if he ever made it back he was getting at least a few drinks on the house for his pain and suffering.

"I'll, uh, let you guys be... like I said, you're looking at at least an hour before we can get you on a machine, but as soon as we can you're up." The doctor gently pats Gus' good shoulder; "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here as soon as we can. This is pretty textbook... did you fall down a flight of stairs or something?"

"It's kind of a long story." Gus swallowed and tries not to close his eyes again, he'd rather not lose another chunk of time.

From:

psyched_you_out

"He doesn't like to talk about it."

He gives the doctor a knowing nod.

From:

thesupersmeller

Not talking about it was good, he'd nod if he wasn't so afraid of making things go all swirly again.

"I'll be fine."

The doctor nods to Shawn and then to his patient; "I'll send a nurse in to see if we can't make things a little more pleasant."

Yeah, right. Pleasant and emergency room... not exactly bound to happen.

From:

psyched_you_out

"Dude," he whispers in Gus's ear as the doctor hustles off to find someone. "I bet you at least get a cute nurse out of the deal."

From:

thesupersmeller

Gus raises a noncommittal eyebrow and shrugs with his good side; knowing his luck it'd be one of those nurses from Hell you see on TV.

"Can you get me something to eat? I'll be fine here, but I'm starving."

From:

psyched_you_out

"Sure. Anything you're in the mood for?"

From:

thesupersmeller

He shakes his head and closes his eyes against the swirl of dots and wave of nausea. "Whatever's close and open."

Gus considers going for his wallet before realizing that not only is that a really bad idea given his current physical state but that Shawn probably has his debit card anyway. "Maybe a burger and a Frosty?" The hospital staff better not get in the way of a man waiting three hours for an x-ray and his damn Frosty.

From:

psyched_you_out

He nods sympathetically. "You might wanna wait on the Frosty, unless you can solemnly promise me you won't get brain freeze."

From:

thesupersmeller

Gus opens his eyes just for the chance to be sure Shawn sees him rolling them. "I'm pretty sure after what I've been through I can handle a little bit of a brain freeze. Besides... you're gonna either have to hold it for me."

Yeah, there's nothing humiliating about being able to use only one arm... he was just thankful he already did his business well before things got real.

From:

psyched_you_out

"Fair enough."

He gives Gus a weird flourishy wave. "I'll be right back."

From:

thesupersmeller

Gus frowns slightly at the wave, but relaxes once he's alone in the room. While Shawn's away, a couple orderlies make him get up in the gurney and give him some painkillers and a juice box to wash it down... so it's not so bad despite the fact that there's nothing on TV and he's pretty sure he's got no idea what the hell's going on anymore.

Fumbling with his right hand, he manages to find his cellphone and idly checks his email.

From:

psyched_you_out

A quick trip through the drive-thru later, Shawn returns only to be blocked by a wall of nurses.

After a few moments of arguing, voices are raised.

"THERE IS AN INJURED MAN HERE WHO NEEDS HIS FROSTY."

From:

thesupersmeller

And that is one of the reasons Shawn will always be his best friend.

"Come on, son! Let the man through!" He grins as the small group is parted Shawn can press through.

From:

psyched_you_out

He finally manages to break through the blockade and hands Gus his food.

"Sounds like we're gonna be here a while. Anything else you need?"

From:

thesupersmeller

"No," Gus almost shakes his head yet again, but thinks better of it and offers a weak smile instead. "You should call your girl, though... let her know everything's okay."

From:

psyched_you_out

"Yeah."

He pats Gus's good shoulder and wanders off to find a quiet place to call Juliet.

From:

thesupersmeller

Content with his burger and chocolate Frosty, Gus settled back on the raised bed and focused on filling his stressed belly.

From:

craftylildoodlepumpkin

Juliet has been hovering over her phone. Lassiter's been prodding her about it for the past twenty minutes, but she's been so worried that he's lapsed into what passes, from him, for concern.

She's on it the moment it starts ringing. "Shawn. What's wrong?"

From:

psyched_you_out

"I'm with Gus. We're at the hospital."

He summarizes the day's events as briefly as he can.

"He's gonna be okay, but we're probably stuck here for a while and I might need to keep an eye on him tonight."

From:

thesupersmeller

No might about it. Gus squares up his shoulders and sets the Frosty in his lap, trying to eat it one handed. It's harder than it looks.

"I'll be fine."

From:

craftylildoodlepumpkin

Juliet's reaction is ever-so-slightly frantic; she's been hiding the truth about Milliways from Carlton and needs to be as discrete as possible. He can be heard saying something in the background as Juliet, and whatever it is heightens the tension in her voice. "I'm coming as soon as I get off."