Kojak: Extortion

"When you come back, he could be on prongs. That will make visiting easier and he will probably be more awake."

"I don't care if he sleeps through my visits, just so long as he gets well and can come home to me soon. You do have a contact number for me?" Theo asked suddenly turning to face the nurse fully. He saw an older woman with a warm friendly face whose eyes were full of humour.

"Yes, Lieutenant," she laughed. "We have your office number, cell phone number and your home number. But I'm sure this young man will sleep quietly through until he hears your voice."

"Who loves ya, Baby?" Theo smiled as he left his beloved to rest and heal.

"Theo you're too close," O'Neill said with a sigh. "I can't have you head this up. You and Bobby ... well, you're you and Bobby. I'll head it up."

"I just want to be kept informed of everything that we find, Frank," Theo affirmed. "I need to feel I'm doing something to find out who's behind this. Two young men dead and Bobby was...lucky. I want to make sure we nail this guy. I swear I won't investigate alone. I'll take Stavros with me. So, do we have anything?"

"The killer abandoned his weapon at the scene. It was a real expensive, hi-tech rifle with infra-red scope. Killer could use sight or heat. We have the photographs from the bus depot, but they're poor quality, very dark and grainy. I'm expecting some kind of blackmail material, but till we can see them more clearly I can't be certain. They're in the labs being enhanced. The people who own the apartment the killer used have been out of town a few days. Their neighbour, who may have seen or heard something, is out. Apparently her daughter always comes for her, takes her out shopping, she stays overnight with the daughter and comes home later today."

"So we still have nothing," Theo growled. "Possible blackmail, but nothing on who or why."

"Sorry, Theo," O'Neill said genuinely. "The rifle is real big money. The kids, Walters and Channing, were nobodies. They weren't mixing with the types that would have the kind of money the rifle boasts. They were 'hood kids. They thought they had hit the big time and it blew up in their faces. Unfortunately for us, it's caught Bobby in the fall out."

"Two boys are dead and Bobby nearly died," Theo spat angrily. "I really want this guy and we're no closer to knowing who we're dealing with."

"Look, Theo," said O'Neill kindly. "Take the rest of today off. Visit Bobby, make sure he knows we're all rooting for him and want to see him soon. Come back tomorrow with refreshed eyes. We'll have spoken to the neighbour and have the enhanced pictures."

"I just feel so useless," Theo sighed; his shoulders slumping.

"Bobby won't see it that way when you're sitting there at his side. He needs you there more than you're needed here at the moment, Theo. Come back tomorrow, but I promise if we have any breaks, I'll call and let you know. Deal?"

"Deal," Theo said with a wry smile.

The big detective returned to the hospital. He had a more genuine smile for the nurse from earlier in the day as he sat next to Bobby. He was still on a mask, but his face had a little more colour. Theo caught hold of his hand and began to talk quietly to his sleeping lover. He wasn't aware of time passing till he broke off to sip from the water at Bobby's bedside and saw it was late evening. As he moved, he felt a squeeze to his hand and saw Bobby gazing at him.

"Hey, Baby," said Theo warmly. "Welcome back. Let me ring for help." Theo activated the alarm call and it was answered by Henning.

"You caught me just before I go off duty, Bobby," he smiled at the injured man. "Let me just check a few things and I'll see about nasal prongs. Then you can have some ice chips and chat a little with your partner. Could you wait outside please, Lieutenant?"

Theo paced the floor outside. He hated waiting. However, he knew he couldn't help with this and the thought that Bobby could speak to him kept him buoyed. He darted forward as the door opened. "Don't over-exert him, Theo," Henning murmured as the men passed. "He still needs to rest. See you tomorrow, Bobby," he turned and waved as he left.

"Bobby," Theo husked as he looked at his lover. The bed had been lifted so Bobby was more upright. He'd lost the colour and looked so fragile, that Theo felt tears threaten to fall.

"Theo," the voice was raspy and cracked, but at least it was Bobby's. In a couple of strides, Theo was at his lover's side. Bobby held out his uninjured arm and Theo gently enveloped his lover in the hug they both needed. "Love you," Bobby croaked quietly.

"Love you, Bobby. Love you always," Theo replied.

For a few minutes the two men held tight, reluctant to be apart. However, Theo knew it would be too much of a strain for his lover and gently pulled away. Unwilling to allow the older man to move too far, Bobby patted the bed on his left side. As though Bobby was made of delicate crystal that could shatter, Theo eased himself down to sit by his younger lover. With a sigh, Bobby nestled close to Theo's thigh, allowing his uninjured arm to drape between Theo's legs. Theo caught the flailing hand and held it tight, whilst stroking Bobby's head. The soft snore caught him by surprise, but he didn't try to move. He needed to feel Bobby close, to feel him warm and alive. He closed his eyes and relished the nearness of the man he loved.

"Lieutenant," a quiet voice whispered close to his ear. A strong hand on his shoulder prevented him from starting. He opened his eyes and realized that he, too, had fallen asleep. The nurse was smiling, but it was clear she was looking to move him. "He's out cold," she assured. "He needed a pain shot when they moved him to prongs. They seem to make him very sleepy."

"They do," Theo confirmed. Inwardly cursing himself for forgetting how Bobby reacted to pain relief.

"His signs are getting better and stronger Lieutenant," she assured. "I don't think he'll be much company now for several hours. Why don't you go home? I think he'll be much more his usual self tomorrow."

Theo nodded. He leant down and kissed Bobby's brow.

"Be back tomorrow, Baby," he assured before leaving.

Theo arrived at Manhattan South the next morning. He'd rung the hospital to find Bobby had needed another pain relief shot in the early hours. Theo knew Bobby would be asleep for a while and wanted to update himself on the case. Something had niggled at him since O'Neill had given him the brief outline of yesterday, but the veteran cop couldn't put his finger on what troubled him. He noted an elderly woman and a younger companion be ushered in by Stavros and continued to read the file.

In the hospital, the assassin prowled the corridors. He knew where Bobby Crocker was, he just couldn't get to him. Whilst in the ICU, the young man was highly visible and under close and frequent monitoring.//Can't take any chances// he thought. //Don't know what Channing told him. He spent too long with him. Can't take any chances//

In his office, Theo suddenly realized what had troubled him. O'Neill had said the gun was on heat mode, but there was only one bullet hole in the blind. He quickly scanned Stavros' statement. The detective had seen the bullet hole in the blind and kept low. If both men had been shot, with the blind down, there would be two holes. If Bobby had pulled down the blind, then that meant a significant delay between shots and Bobby had been deliberately targeted. He looked up as Stavros rushed into his office.

"Lieutenant, Mrs Laidlaw is the occupier of the apartment next to the one used by the killer. She's just said there was a five to ten minute gap between shots."

"Get Sapperstein to finish off Mrs Laidlaw's paperwork," Theo snapped as he picked up his phone.

"Frank, it's Theo. Bobby's shooting was no accident, he was targeted. He's alone and unprotected in the hospital. I'm getting down there now with Stavros. The killer must think Bobby knows something." Theo raced from the office as he slammed the phone down. //Don't let the bastard get to Bobby// he prayed.

The killer's opportunity had arrived. He watched with greedy eyes as the defenseless man was wheeled to a private room at the opposite end of the corridor from the ICU. Once in there, no-one would be able to see him and the killer could finally make heir move.

"He's still drowsy, Ann," Henning spoke to the older nurse from the previous day. "Lieutenant Kojak has already rung once," Ann replied. "He's coming as soon as he's checked in with his office. He'll be happy his partner is doing so well. The private room will be a big surprise."

Unless I get a call otherwise, I think it'll be safe to leave Bobby for an hour or so before I check in on him again. The rest is helping his recovery."

"I'll check in about half an hour, make sure he's still settled," Ann confirmed.

The killer smiled. He'd need a lot less time than half an hour to complete his work. With no remorse, he stalked down the corridor towards his helpless prey. Opening the door, he slipped inside. Bobby lay still and pale against the sheets. He was still hooked up to monitors, but the killer felt no mercy. Only his own safety was important, the life of one other was insignificant to him. He opened the closet and pulled out a spare pillow.

"It's going to be all over now," the killer muttered as he covered Bobby's face.

Bobby awoke as the pillow covered him, but his flailing was weak and ineffectual. He was too weak to defend himself and too disorientated to try. His left hand fastened on the pillow as he felt his chest begin to burn. As everything went black, his last coherent thought was //Theo//

At the opposite end of the corridor, Theo was frantic to find Bobby gone.

"I need to know where Bobby Crocker is now," he bellowed at a confused young nurse.

"Lieutenant Kojak," Ann hailed him. "He's in 330 down the hall on the left."

"Stavros," Theo shouted and the two men ran.

"Bleep Dr Henning," Ann ordered at the first nurse. "I don't know what the problem is, but in his current mood, the Lieutenant is a danger to my patients." She then ran in pursuit of the detectives.

"Police, freeze!" Theo commanded as he kicked open the door to Bobby's room. He and Stavros arrived, just as Bobby's hand fell limply from the pillow that was suffocating him.

"No, no, no," his attacker wailed as Stavros rushed forward to cuff him. "This was to be the end of it all."

Theo was dimly aware of Stavros reciting Miranda as he threw the pillow from Bobby's face and began to blow air between the young man's blue-tinged lips.

"Come on, Bobby," Theo begged as he gently compressed Bobby's injured chest. "Breathe for me, Baby."

Ann ran in and gasped at the scene before her.

"He was suffocating Bobby with a pillow," Stavros supplied.

"Move, Lieutenant," Ann ordered, taking command of the situation. "Matthew, I need help here," she demanded as Henning ran in.

Between them, the medical staff quickly had Bobby stabilized. With relief, Henning noted that whilst Bobby's breathing had been compromised, the nasal prongs had continued to allow some air to keep being delivered to the injured man and that Bobby had just fainted. Ann and Henning stepped away from their patient satisfied.

"Theo?" the word was rasped and rusty, but to Theo it was the most beautiful sound in the world, because it was uttered by Bobby. He rushed to Bobby's side, clasping the slender man's left hand and softly kissing the now pink lips.

"I'm here, Baby," he assured.

"Don't go," Bobby begged. Theo glanced beseechingly at Henning who nodded.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sweetheart," he crooned softly. He found himself smiling at the small smile of contentment from his lover. Taking his place at Bobby's left side, Theo settled to keep vigil over his fragile young lover.

It was another two days before Bobby was fully awake and lucid. During his vigil, Theo had noticed fresh blood on Bobby's dressing and it was found the stitches had torn. Then the young man's temperature had risen, worrying Theo and Bobby's care team alike that infection had set in. However, he proved resilient and his temperature dropped down and the wound appeared to be healing well. Theo now felt able to bring the young detective up to date on the outcome of the case. Theo was leaning against the headboard of the hospital bed. Bobby lay half-reclined using Theo as a much better pillow than the hospital provided.

"So the guy was engaged to a cousin of the Mayor?" Bobby repeated making sure he was making sense of what his lover was explaining.

"Yep," Theo confirmed, nuzzling into the back of Bobby's neck. "Channing took pictures of punters in a local club. He caught the guy just as he was buying his drugs, it's clearly visible on the enhanced pictures we have. The dealer's well known to us. Channing knew who he was and thought the guy was easy pickings; rich and stupid. Unfortunately he was neither. His money went on drugs and he was very intelligent. He was banking on the money infusion from marrying into the Mayor's family and their reluctance for a family scandal to have provided him with the costs of going to one of the best rehab clinics. He never intended to kill Walters. Channing was intelligent enough to use a go-between. Walters was beaten to reveal Channing's name, but didn't survive. He needed to find the location of the pictures back because he couldn't buy them back. Channing then upped the ante not realizing that having killed once, there was no way back for his mark. Channing was waiting for his big pay-off when he was killed. Our man couldn't take the chance Channing hadn't told you anything, so he tried ..." Theo couldn't continue.

"It's OK, Theo," Bobby said quietly, squeezing Theo's strong thigh. "I'm here, I'm safe. You got here on time." He smiled adding "Dr Henning says I can go home tomorrow."

"God I hope so, Baby," Theo replied. "You'd only just begun to share my life fully when I nearly lost you." Theo nuzzled into the back of Bobby's head and then sensuously licked the nape of Bobby's neck.

"No fair," Bobby groused good naturedly. "You'll turn me on and there's nothing we can do about it."

"You taste so good, Baby," Theo murmured. "Even with hospital tang. Anyway, I don't want you forgetting what you have waiting at home for you."

"As if I could or would," Bobby smiled, tilting his head and getting the kiss to his lips that he craved. "I want to be home, Theo," he moaned softly as the chaste kiss ended. "I don't want to stay here any longer. I miss you and sometimes I dream I'm being suffocated again."

"I promised Henning we'd abide by his decision, Baby. This is the first day you've been completely lucid, able to eat and drink. Even your catheter has been removed. You're doing so well, Lover. Just a little longer. I promise I'll take you home soon."

"I get nervous even though I know he's in custody," Bobby said huddling back into Theo's strong body.

"I won't leave you, Baby," Theo promised as he began to stroke Bobby's brow in just the way to relax his Mate.

"Promise?" Bobby's question was little more than a puff of air.

I promise," affirmed Theo. He helped settle Bobby so the younger man's head could lie on Theo's stomach, while he continued to stroke Bobby's brow.

"It's good to see him sleep without some form of medication," Henning's voice intruded on Theo's own dream-like status. "If his temperature stays stable, he continues to accept food and drink without problems and can demonstrate he can walk just a few steps tomorrow, he can go home."

"We both understand," Theo sighed. "He's just feeling a little vulnerable."

"When I get him ready for discharge, I don't want to see him back here except for his check-ups," Henning smiled. "If you want, I'll arrange with the nursing staff for you to spend the night here."

"It's what Bobby wants, Doc," Theo said. "Whatever Bobby wants that's in my power to give him, he gets."

A few scant days after Bobby's release from hospital was the day of Maria's party. Bobby hadn't wanted the date changing, insisting if he took it easy, there was no problem with going. However, as Theo helped him to dress, he couldn't fail to notice the slender man trembling.

"Bobby, are you OK?" Theo asked concerned.

"Oh, Theo," Bobby cried as he buried his face in Theo's still naked neck and shoulder. "What if they think you've made a mistake? What if they don't think I'm good enough for you?"

"Bobby, Baby, they're more likely to think how lucky I am to have had the good fortune to meet and fall in love with a generous, beautiful, intelligent young man who loves me."

"I do love you, Theo," Bobby vowed. He tilted his head and got the kiss he craved. As much as they missed a physical relationship, Bobby hadn't recovered sufficient strength and so they contented themselves with gentle touches and as many kisses as Bobby could wish for. Reassured, Bobby allowed Theo to continue with their preparations.

At Maria's house were twenty of Theo's closest family of brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces. There weren't any young children. The youngest of those present was a mature thirteen years old. The meal was no different to any others Maria had hosted. There had been drinks before and the family had been almost overly solicitous of Bobby's health, but he had borne it with good grace despite it being so tiring. During the meal, Theo cut Bobby's food before attending to his own as the young man still needed his sling. At the end of the meal, Theo squeezed Bobby's thigh reassuringly and stood up.

"I'm sure most of you already have a notion of what I'm going to say and you all know I was going to make an announcement, so I won't disappoint you." He placed his hand on Bobby's shoulder gently. "You've all seen Bobby and me together at gatherings for a few months now, so here's the official statement. I have the pleasure and privilege to confirm that Bobby Crocker has agreed to be my life-partner. I couldn't be more happy or proud to consider Bobby a permanent part of my life and family. During this last case, I nearly lost him twice before our life had really begun, so I don't intend to allow another minute to be wasted. Life is too short not to hold on to love with both hands in whatever form it takes." Theo tugged at Bobby to ensure the younger man stood next to him. Bobby couldn't stop the blush as he met the intensity of Theo's gaze. "I love you, Bobby," he said, smiling as the words were mouthed back without hesitation. "There is one other thing. I know we can't have a traditional wedding, but I would be honoured if you would consent to a civil commitment ceremony, Bobby. I would like you to wear my ring." So saying, Theo pulled out a black box and displayed the contents to his stunned lover. It contained a thin gold band, studded with diamonds. "You get the wedding ring at the ceremony," Theo whispered.

"Theo," Bobby whispered before his voice broke and he buried his face in Theo's neck, oblivious to the family all waiting with anxious eyes to hear his response. Theo could feel the wetness of Bobby's tears and feared he'd overwhelmed his still emotionally and physically fragile lover. Theo almost sagged with relief and hugged Bobby close as he heard the muffled, "Yes, oh yes, yes, yes."

As Bobby moved back, Theo placed the ring on Bobby's finger to the cheers of his family. Everyone was happy to turn the gathering into an impromptu engagement party. However, in deference to Bobby's health, it didn't become too energetic or go on too late. At the sight of Bobby fast asleep on Theo's shoulder, the family slipped quietly away. Maria whispered to Theo that the guest bedroom was ready and gently Theo scooped his slumbering mate into his arms and carried him to their bed. Bobby didn't wake even as Theo stripped them both and settled them in the bed. The older man happily curled protectively around his sleeping lover.