Depression

[smallhobbit]

Title: Depression
Rating: Green cortina
Word count: 719 + 100 drabble
Notes: The wonderfultalkingtothesky  wrote the drabble and then very kindly said that I could adopt the bunny, so this is for her.

 

Gene finds him slumped against the door to Lost and Found, feet flat on the floor, hands on his knees, shoulders drooping. His eyes are wet, but it seems he’s given up on crying.

Gene slowly sits down, close enough to bump shoulders. He passes Sam his handkerchief. “Here, clean your face up. You look a mess.”

“Thanks.” Gene nearly winces when he hears how hoarse Sam’s voice is.

 “…Do I need to take you to see someone? You’ve been like this for weeks, Sam.”

“Jumping off a roof takes some adjusting.”

Gene grips his hand, hard. “Don’t you dare.”

 

They returned to CID and Gene spent the afternoon watching Sam through his office window.  Although apparently concentrating hard, Gene could see that Sam hadn’t turned a page of the report he was reading and the pen he had initially picked up had rolled off his desk onto the floor without being noticed.

At 5pm Gene stalked out of his office.  “Beer o’clock, gentlemen,” he announced.  “Not you, Tyler, we’ve got a job to do first.”

Sam started to object; suggesting that Gene take someone in his place, but Gene merely glared at him and said “That’s an order.”

They drove in silence; Sam sitting with his arms wrapped round his body, apparently far inside his own world.  Gene concentrated on driving and trying desperately to decide how best to deal with his unpredictable DI.

Gene parked outside his house and turned to Sam, “Out you get!”  Fortunately Sam didn’t seem to have sufficient energy to dispute the order and dutifully followed his boss into his house.

“First things first,” said Gene as he went into the kitchen.  He made two mugs of tea, gave one to Sam and told him to sit and drink it and that he’d be back in a couple of minutes.

Sam obediently sat drinking his tea until Gene called out, “I need you upstairs.”  Following his voice Sam found him in the bathroom, where the bath had been run.

“I don’t know any poncy ways for dealing with DIs with emotions, but the Missus always reckoned a bath was a good start and I can’t see as how it can do any harm.”  Gene handed Sam a towel and some faded pyjamas.  “They’re the best I could find.  You’ll just have to wrap them round you a bit.  Enjoy your bath.  I’ll go and get us some fish and chips in a bit.”

Gene went back downstairs, leaving Sam to undress and get in the bath.  As he sank into the hot water he finally felt himself start to relax.

When Gene returned from the chippie he called up, “Sorry, I’ve been so long, there was a queue.” 

Receiving no response he called out, “Tyler, you still in the bath you lazy sod?”

Still no reply.  “Shit!”  He dropped the food on the kitchen table and took the stairs two at a time.  “Tyler!” he shouted.  Feeling grateful that he’d never got round to fixing the bolt on the bathroom door he pushed it open and stepped inside.

He breathed a sign of relief.  “Wake up, Tyler.  Your bath’s getting cold.”

Sam opened his eyes and smiled ruefully.  Gene felt his heart flip; it might only be a small smile, but it was the first he’d seen in weeks.  “I thought you’d decided to drown yourself.”

“Sorry, Guv, I must have dozed off.”

“Well, if you don’t get out now your food will get cold, as well as your bath.”

Without thinking Gene picked up the towel and wrapped it round the younger man as he got out of the bath.  Sam let himself be dried, feeling surprised at how gentle Gene could be.

Once they had finished eating, (Sam having said that he wasn’t very hungry and then eating half of Gene’s chips as well as his own) Gene looked at Sam and said, “I think you need to get some sleep.”

Sam looked down at his plate.

“There’s one problem,” Gene continued.  “There’s only one bed, so you’ll have to share, but don’t worry, I’ll sleep as far away from you as I can.”

Sam gave another small smile.  “That’s okay.  I’m sorry you’ve had to do all this for me.”

Gene snorted.  “Got to do something to get my DI functioning properly again.  Now get yourself to bed.”

They’d been asleep for a couple of hours when Gene was woken by Sam flinging his arms around as if he was trying to fight something off.  He rolled over and cautiously put an arm round the slighter man’s shoulders.  Instantly Sam started to calm down.  Gene listened as his breathing changed and he felt him move closer and nuzzle into his neck. 

Then Sam said “What happened to the bed in your spare room?”

“Um, well.”

“Thank you,” said Sam as he snuggled even closer “for everything.”

“Go to sleep, Sam.”