Fan Fiction

Part I: Rebirth
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8

Part II: Reunion
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8

The sea was calm beneath a clear, moonless sky. With the stars glittering the sky with their brilliance, it would have been a fabulous night for a romantic cruise. But Castillo had only one objective in mind - to get back to Miami as quickly as they could. As he steered the boat into the night, he felt uneasy. After all that had happened in the past week, it seemed strange for things to be moving along so well now.

It was the middle of the night. Rico, Trudy and Stan were down below, fast asleep, finally able to give in to the exhaustion and rest quietly after the tension-filled hell they had just lived through. He would wake Tubbs in a while to take over for him, and then get some shut-eye himself. Gina had nodded off to sleep in the chair beside Crockett's bed. Sonny was still deep in drug-induced slumber, but safe at last from the nightmare of Fuente's island.

Just before sunrise, Rico took over the helm. As he headed the boat northward, he watched the day break. It was as beautiful a sunrise as he had ever experienced. There was clear sailing for a while, so he put the controls on autopilot and went down to see how Crockett was doing. The light in the room was dim. The blinds were drawn to keep out the morning sun. Stan had relieved Gina at Sonny's bedside and had put on a pot of coffee. "He seems to be coming 'round," Stan said when he saw Rico enter. "There's some fresh coffee in the pot. I'll take the controls for a while if you want. I've always wanted to drive one of these babies."

"Thanks Swi," returned Rico. He could use a cup of java. After Stan went up to the bridge, Rico poured a coffee and took his place on the chair at Crockett's side.

He gently rubbed his hand over Crockett's brow. "Everything's OK now, man. You're gonna be just fine partner." Sonny started to stir and mutter unintelligible sounds. His head moved from side to side and his eyes opened slowly. The left one only opened only a slit and hurt like hell. He tried to take in what was around him but the light was dim.

"Hey partner, how ya doing? Welcome back to the living man."

"Rico?" It was an apprehensive question, barely audible. "Is that you Rico? What are you doing here? Where am I?" The questions were just above a whisper, more thoughts than anything else.

Rico opened the blinds a bit to let some more light in. "Yeah man, it's Rico. We're on a boat heading back to the Sunshine State in the good ol' USA. You sure picked a helluva place for a holiday. Remind me not to make a reservation." They smiled at each other. "Can I get you something Sonny?"

Sonny tried to sit up, but he was still too groggy to do it on his own. "Is that coffee I smell?"

"Switek's special brew," Tubbs replied. "Want some?"

"Sure. But first, can you help me up?"

Rico got the coffee, cream no sugar, just like Sonny used to drink it on all those stakeouts they shared. He brought it over and put it on the ledge beside the bed, and then put his arms around his friend and pulled him up to a sitting position, holding firm to provide support. When he was sure Crockett was steady, he gently eased his legs over the side. Sonny raised his head and stared directly into Rico's eyes. His arms reached out and wrapped around Rico's neck and he dropped his head onto his friend's shoulder. "Oh God Rico, it is you isn't it? I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"No, Sonny. You're not dreaming. It's me, Rico."

The relief overwhelmed him and Crockett burst into tears on Rico's shoulder. "Thank God, man. Thank God."

Tubbs held him until spasms stopped and Sonny had control of himself again. "Want that coffee now?" he asked.

"Swi made it you said?" He was a bit less groggy now and his voice was a little stronger. "Better put lots of cream in it then."

"Just the way you like it partner," Rico said as he passed the cup over, holding on long enough to make sure the bandaged hands were steady enough to hold on.

They didn't say much -- they didn't have to. They had shared too much together in the past not to know what the other was thinking.

Trudy and Gina had heard the voices. They appeared around the corner together. "Good morning Sonny," Gina said. "Sleep well?" she asked with a beaming smile on her face. "You know, it's just like you Crockett to pass out when we come to rescue you," she said in a voice that pretended to scold. "Can't you ever stay out of trouble?"

She went over to him and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Welcome back Crockett," she said softly.

"Welcome back Sonny." Trudy smiled and gave him thumbs up from the doorway. "Hey, is that coffee I smell?"

"It's Switek's," Crockett and Tubbs answered in unison.

"Better add lost of cream then," said Trudy.

"Can we take this swill outside?" Sonny proposed.

"You up to it man?" asked Rico.

"I haven't seen the sun for a long time -- I'm up to it. Just give me a hand."

Rico helped Sonny up and supported his weight as he walked him out onto the deck and sat him down onto a seat. The ladies poured coffees for themselves and then joined them on deck. It seemed that every inch of his body ached but Sonny hardly noticed it. He was sitting in the sunshine with great company, and he was heading away from hell. Sonny closed his eyes and rolled his head back. "Feel that breeze," he pronounced. "Feel that sun, and breathe that air." He brought his head forward again. "You know, you never know how important things really are until you don't have them." He looked at each one of them. "Thanks guys. I owe you big time." The words were few, but they said everything.

"You also owe Izzy fifty bucks, plus interest." Castillo declared as he joined them on deck.

"That slimeball! I paid him that fifty bucks a long time ago. Is he still trying to squeeze another fifty outta me?" It felt good to joke again with the old gang. It helped take away the pain.

They sat there for a while, chatting about the old days and what was happening in their lives now, and sometimes just enjoying the beautiful Caribbean morning. Sonny didn't say much. The exhilaration of discovering he was free had initially masked the aches and pain. But that exhilaration was wearing off and so was the dope Ricardo had given him the night before.

It wasn't long before he started to feel chilled despite the warm sunshine, goosebumps broke out on his skin and his hands started shaking. Castillo noticed it first. "Crockett," he said, "maybe you should rest for a while. Why don't I help you down below?"

"Sure." He could only get out the one word.

Crockett was apprehensive, knowing what was coming on. The aches from the beating the night before and the previous ordeals he had gone through were catching up with him, at the same time as the drug was wearing off. Sonny wasn't looking forward to next little while. He knew that no one would be coming with anything to ease the pain this time, and he knew it was still a long way back to Miami. He had fought the desire the whole time he was on the island. But now, for the first time, he felt himself wanting that needle that would send him into pain-free Nirvana. "No you don't want that garbage," he told himself. "Hold it together just a little while longer man," he thought. "You're just about there. You can make it."

Castillo got him inside just before he heaved the coffee he had swallowed a short while before. Castillo noticed that blood was mixed in with it, but he didn't say anything. He recalled Ricardo's warning about internal injuries and he knew that Crockett was not out of the woods yet.

Crockett saw it too, but didn't want to think about it. He had seen the same thing in his urine after Tubbs had helped him to the head earlier. He could also feel the heaviness inside his chest, a different type of pain from the external aches from the cuts and blows. He knew there was something wrong inside him, but he tried to ignore it. He didn't want to think that Fuente might get the last laugh after all.

Castillo helped him to the bed and got him to drink some water before he eased him down and covered him with blankets to keep him warm. He knew that a person's body would go into shock with fluid loss, and he felt pretty sure Crockett was bleeding inside. The warmth and liquids would help keep the shock in check. Then he went to a cupboard and took down the syringe that he had placed there the night before. He boiled a pot of water sterilized the point. By this time Crockett was starting to writhe with the pain. He tried to hold it back but he couldn't. Castillo went over to the bed, took hold of Crockett's arm, found a vein, and shoved the needle in. By the time Crockett realized what was happening, it was done.

He looked up at Castillo with surprise and anger in his face. "What the hell did you do?"

"I'm getting you back alive. It's a long way 'til we can get you some help." Crockett didn't argue. He just lay back and waited for the aches to go away. There was a look of resignation on his face. "Hang in there," he told himself. "We'll get rid of this monkey soon."

Tubbs had sensed something was wrong. He decided to go below to check things out and arrived just in time to see Castillo take hold of Sonny's arm. He figured out what was happening and hated it, but understood the need. He remained at the door silently waiting. When it was over, Rico went over to Castillo and put his hand on his shoulder. "I'll take over if you want."

"Yeah, okay," Castillo replied. "Let me know if there's any change. I'll radio the Coast Guard to post a paramedic team and med-evac chopper at the limits."

Rico sat down on the chair beside the bed and looked at his friend lying there. His eyes were glassy and vacant, but at least there was no pain. "Hang in there man. We're almost home." He didn't know whether Sonny heard him or not, but at least it made Rico feel better.

The rest of the trip seemed to drag on forever. The light-hearted bantering of the morning gave way to the somber realism that Crockett was not out of the woods yet. A seemingly endless time later, they spotted the coast guard cutter. A helicopter rested on the stern chopper pad. As they approached, the crew threw out ropes to tie up alongside. The paramedics wasted no time boarding the cruiser. At the same time the chopper fired up its jets and got the rotors turning. Crockett was in a bad way. The small dose of opiate had worn off a while ago and he was barely conscious due to the other injuries. The medics had been given a pretty good idea of what to expect and were prepared. "Hey buddy, just relax, it's almost over now. We'll just get things stabilized here and then fly you in."

One of the medics started checking him out -- taking blood pressure and pulse readings, and then set up an IV for fluids and connected the pads to his chest that would send messages back to the trauma home base at Biscayne General. His partner opened his case and filled a hypo with a clear fluid. "This is methadone Sonny. It will help take away the pain."

The reaction was almost immediate. Crockett's eyes opened wide, his chest started heaving uncontrollably and he tried to grab for his neck. He couldn't breathe, and then everything went black.

"Shit!" he's going anaphylactic. He's allergic to the stuff!" the medic called to his partner. "Epi right now! I'm cutting an airway." The medic quickly swabbed Crockett's windpipe with antiseptic and cut into the airway as his partner injected the epinephrine to counteract the allergic reaction. There was an immediate hiss as air rushed towards the oxygen-starved lungs. He inserted the airway and a bag and started pumping a steady flow of air. The heaving stopped and Crockett's body calmed.

"He's fibbing," the voice on the radio calmly reported. "Shock him right now, level 1." They pulled out the defibrillator, attached the pads and charged the machine.

"Clear!" called out the medic.

"Clear," was the reply.

The medic applied the paddles and Crockett's body jumped.

"Again, level 2," the voice on the radio said, a little louder this time.

Charge, clear, clear, paddles and ....

"Okay, he's got sinus rhythm. Pack him up and get him here pronto. Fill us in on the details on the way in."

"Roger," was the reply. They were already packing up their equipment and starting to load Crockett onto a stretcher.

The whole thing had taken less than ten minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to the team that had worked so hard to bring him this far. They helped load the stretcher onto the cutter and the crew rushed it into the chopper immediately followed by the paramedics.

As he watched the helicopter rise from the platform and turn its nose towards land, Tubbs whispered a prayer, "Hang in there a man. You can do it." Then he went to the bridge, picked up the radio-phone and called the cell phone number Caroline had given him the night before they left.

"Hello, Caroline. It's Rico. Sonny's on his way in to Biscayne General by helicopter."

"How is he?"

"Not good," he replied. "We're on our way but it'll be a while before we can get there."

Inside the chopper the paramedics were exchanging information with base and doing what was needed to keep their patient alive until they arrived at the hospital where the trauma team would take over.

"Whew! I thought we were home free back there, now I'm not so sure. It's ones like this one that remind that it's not over until it's over."

Part I: Rebirth
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8

Part II: Reunion
Chapter 1 :: Chapter 2 :: Chapter 3 :: Chapter 4 :: Chapter 5 :: Chapter 6 :: Chapter 7 :: Chapter 8