Paralyzer [Gotham]

20

I was finishing up my rounds when my attention was stolen, several doctors wheeling Katie towards the O.R. She had her cat tucked safely under her arm, warding off the fear that snuck into her expression. When she saw me, though, her whole face lit up. "Dr. Cane," she called, encouraging me to walk along side her. "You're not on the team today?"

I shook my head, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Not today. You're in good hands, my brother-in-law is going to take care of you, my request." I leaned close and whispered, "He's even gentler than I am." My steps stuttered a bit when she held her hands out to me, the cat's limbs dangling from her palms.

"Mr. Whiskers helps me when I'm scared," she mumbled, eyes turning from the cat to me. "You're not very good at hiding it, maybe he can help you feel better." I went to refuse, the striped cat had been the one comfort object they'd allowed her to keep at all times, but I slowly took the cat between my fingers, smoothing them over it's down. "I know grownups get scared, too, they just don't like to show it."

My feet stopped as we reached the doors of the O.R., not scrubbed up, on my way out of the hospital, even. But I had one last stop to make before leaving. Andy had been in a coma for about a month now, I hadn't been able to dislodge the bullet, and I was starting to run low on sterile supplies. It's not like you could just buy this stuff in a shopping mart, not the medications I needed at least, not the tools.

I was searching around the supply closet when the door clicked open. "Dr. Cane?" a voice asked, causing me to drop what I was holding in my bag and warily come around the corner.

"Hello, Samuel," I greeted with a light breath, faced with the security guard. "How can I help you?"

"What were you doing back here?" he inquired, staring around the orderly area.

"Well, I have a key," I explained, holding up my set of work keys. "My station was running low on syringes, I just wanted to restock before I head out." I could tell by the way he eyed me I wasn't a good liar. I never was.

"What's in your bag?" he asked, still eying me warily. Panicking for a short second, I reached in with a soft smile, pulling up the head of Katie's cat.

"One of my patients gave it to me," I explained, but the movement of the animal had caused some shifts in the objects hiding below it, sending a tiny jar of blood thinner rolling onto the floor. "Oh, crabapples."

[]

I took a deep breath when I walked through the door, making my way to Andy's room and sitting beside him with my hands folded in front of my mouth. "The hospital revoked my medical lisence... Guess stealing for the greater good is still frowned upon," I admitted to him. Some books said that coma patients could hear the world going on around them. It helped, talking to Andy even though he wouldn't respond.

"Should've learned after all the times you got busted for playing Robin Hood," I scoffed, reaching forward and taking his hand. "I swear, I won't let you die like this." Taking a deep breath, I stood up and began changing his bandages, checking for signs of infection as I repacked the guaze in his wound. So far so good, at least concerning his health.

They wouldn't let me keep the meds, obviously, and I'd lost all access to anything I could use to help him. I frowned when my phone rang in my pocket, examining the caller ID shortly before answering. "Thomas, how did it go?" I asked hopefully.

"After we put her under, Kate's body started regecting the medications. She went into a seizure shortly before she flatlined. I'm sorry, Lucian." I swallowed hard and gave a short nod.

"Yeah," I breathed, hanging up and tightening my hand around Andy's. It took a long moment for me to move after, my heart heavy as I reached into my purse and took hold of Katie's cat. I knew that despite all our efforts, there were some patients we just couldn't help, no matter how much time and care we put into them.

I decided I wasn't going to let Andrew be one of those people, taking a page out of his book - which I'd been doing since he fell comatose - and effectively taking one for the team.

I didn't live far from Don Falcone's most frequented returant. In this town, it was no secret where he would be, the cops wouldn't touch him, no one would. I'd definately torn out one of Andy's less great pages, but it was a sure way to get things done. I had to take things into my own hands.

I'd refused my normal doubleshift in order to tend to Andrew, causing my need to reach out to Thomas, to make sure Katie was in good hands. For the moment, it seemed there was none better than my own, but without my medical liscence, I'm screwed.

I was able to enter the resturant, no problem. It was getting within five tables of the don that proved difficult. A gaurd stopped me with a hand, and I took a deep breath to steel my nerves. "I'm from the Kane family," I informed, apparently catching the don's attention by the way he sat down his fork, about a quarter of the way through a meal. "I'd like to speak to Don Falcone."

The man spared the don a glance over his shoulder, stepping aside upon recieving a slow nod. I didn't get far before I was stopped again, my cheeks flushing a bit as I was patted down. He seemed almost suprised I wasn't packing any weapons, but allowed me to walk the rest of the way and sit across from him. "You aren't here to try and kill me, so why are you here, Miss Kane?" Falcone asked, hands folded in front of his plate.

"My brother was shot last month. No hospitals in town would accept him and he won't last much longer under my care. I'm willing to provide you my services if you make sure he gets help." The don studied me a moment before a thin smile crept onto his face.

"I know that look. You're Andrew's sister, aren't you?" I froze and looked the place over. He hadn't told me who he owed, but now I was just wishing I hadn't came to the people who shot him. "Yes, the doctor," he remembered, sinking comfortably in his seat. "What made you come to me?"

I paused a second to think it over. "You're the one people go to when they want things done," I explained, knowing that that sentence was more often used for dropping bodies than saving them. "I want my brother's health ensured, and who says gangland couldn't use a medic? The way I see it, it's win win."

"Maybe your brother did teach you something," he admired, looking me over once more. "Give me some time to think it over, I'll come to you."