Walking wounded- the legs of Judge Laura Delaney
Ch1 – "When death comes calling, take a message"
A/N: AU. What if the booby-trap explosion under Admiral Chegwidden's front step didn't kill Judge Laura Delaney outright? What if she survived, to embark on a slow, painful recovery which had the added bonus of building a life with AJ?
A/N: link to Canon Episodes: "Ghosts" (S02Ep07) first broadcast 14FEB1997.
A/N: Publication date: 07-04-2020: Initially just a one-off vignette, but…
Notes Mike, UK, 07-Apr-2020
Characters from FFNET – AJ Chegwidden and OC
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Ch1 – "When death comes calling, take a message"
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14th February 1997, 17:46hrs
Outside the home of RAdm AJ Chegwidden, McLean VA:
"Hi AJ, I thought I'd cook a Valentine's surprise."
"Well my darling, I must say that it is definitely a surprise." Then he frowned as he closed his car door, suddenly snapping back to the case which was causing him concerns. "But I thought I'd told you to keep clear until this investigation is completed, Laura."
She smiled at him as she paused at the top of the steps leaving down to the front parking area, then stepped down to come meet her lover. Even though the divorce was not yet finalised, she had satisfied the requirements of separation and now she was ready to live again. She was 47 and wanted to find a new life and a new love; it looked pretty certain that Albert Jethro Chegwidden was the man for the job, to meet all her needs.
"AJ, are you trying, dear Admiral, to tell a judge what to do?" She was smiling, her eyes were shining as her heel landed on the second step, her front leg already reaching for the ground when…
The explosion ripped her lower leg apart, showering AJ with some of the resulting debris.
"LAURA!" His despairing cry alerted his neighbour, a retired trauma surgeon and Community First Responder, who was out the door, radio in hand summoning the Fire and Rescue teams, before Laura's deeply-traumatised body had finished rocking on the damp soil.
"Hi AJ, hell of a way to make a house call."
"Thanks Phil. What the hell happened?" AJ was obviously somewhat shocked, so Phil gave him something to concentrate on.
"Not a clue, neighbour. Look AJ, I haven't had my front porch explode since young Mitch overcooked the fuel on the barbecue for his 18th birthday – and you know that he is now serving as an EOD. Now, snap to sailor and make me a tourniquet for that leg."
Despite his worry and fears for Laura (who was still showing a pulse as her body went into a protective state of shock), the Admiral had the presence of mind to remove his trouser belt and form a rough tourniquet around Laura's shattered leg. It was obvious that her left foot and ankle had been vapourised, but her right leg, although gashed and torn up with splinters and shrapnel, looked reasonably intact.
He then took her hand. Laura was obviously circling the edge of consciousness, but he suddenly realised that he was caressing a dent in her left ring finger, where, up until now…
"Laura – you took your ring off!" Of course, Laura had left the building; nevertheless, it gave AJ something to hang onto. Laura had finally acted upon her impulse to move ahead with divorcing the drunk. She had always said that, whilst her ring remained, the drunk had a chance. Clearly she was ready to move on.
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14th February 1997, 23:58hrs
Trauma room, Washington General Hospital, Washington DC:
"Hi, I am looking for Laura Delaney's family."
The grey-haired surgeon looked down the line of assembled family members, noting that a tall, bald guy in a bloodied USN Admiral's jacket (she wasn't too sure on Rear or Vice or Fleet, but the wide gold strip obviously meant "Flag rank" and she addressed him. She noticed the woman alongside him (whose clothing screamed "Federal Agent") and politely ignored the shambling drunk alongside the Admiral, as she wearily pulled off her surgical cap to reveal a good thick mop of wavy grey hair.
"I was with her when the incident happened; I'd just got home and she was preparing dinner when..." he shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Alongside him, the female NCIS agent reached up and patted his shoulder.
"Relax, Admiral; she is out of the woods. Of course she lost the lower part of her leg but we have operated to conserve as much as we can and there is plenty of flesh to support a prosthetic. She may take a year or two to get dancing again but her prognosis is good."
AJ bowed his head and nodded.
"When can I see her?"
"She's in post-op now, should be coming around in 15-30, so I suggest that you go grab a coffee and get back here around 00:25hrs."
AJ looked at her, picking up on her use of the military-style 24hr clock. She smiled back: "Son and daughter serving: one is a trauma surgeon up at Walter Reed."
"A good career choice then?"
She smiled: "Well, I taught her a lot of what I know. But the military surgeons learn every time there is a conflict – the Bosnian unpleasantness the other year came up with some new techniques, but really it was the Gulf War which has had the biggest impact recently."
AJ held out his hand – she took it gingerly and he remembered – just in time – to shake gently ("surgeon's hands" is a frequent admonishment to people to be gentle).
"OK, I'll be back." He turned to the NCIS agent with a smile, then scowled at the drunk.
"Come on Agent Todd, let me get you caffeinated." She smiled wanly: "I reckon a coffee would hit the spot, Admiral."
He nodded and turned to the drunk civilian.
"Come on Phil, I'll try intravenous caffeine."
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15th February 1997, 01:49hrs
Surgical recovery suite, Washington General Hospital, Washington DC:
"Hi, AJ".
She tried to sit up then failed; perplexed, she looked at the large cage structure over the foot of the bed, keeping the blankets off her lower leg. Her face collapsed into tears.
"Oh God, I thought it was a dream – wow, that anaesthetic they gave me must have been the good stuff."
AJ was instantly in her field of view at her left side. He lifted her left arm and caressed the fingers, rubbing gently the slight dent on her ring finger where her wedding ring had rested.
"I was surprised that you took you ring off, Laura."
"Well, AJ, the reprobate wasn't going to change, I may just as well let him head off with Miss Pneumatic Idaho 1982 and then be able to get on with my life."
AJ looked deep into her eyes. "Well Laura, this is a little ahead of my schedule, but as you say it *is* Valentine's day (or it was, until some time recently!), so I'll invoke Admiral's Privilege."
As this, Laura burst into tears. He reached out and cradled her head on his shoulders.
"Darling, what is the matter?"
"Oh AJ, you don't want me any more – I'm not a complete woman anymore", she sputtered out as the waterworks began again – this time in full flow with tears cascading down her face – and turned her face into his chest.
"Laura, you are still all the woman I'll ever need."
As he comforted his distraught friend and worked out what to say next, one thought played over and over in AJ Chegwidden's mind:
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"Look out Gayle Osborne: when I find you, my revenge will be terrible and complete."
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End of Ch01 – is there an appetite for more?
Mike, UK, 07-04-2020