Confetti

Weren't expecting to see me again so soon, right? Me neither. I have so much stuff I kinda sorta could be doing but I'm mostly just stressing myself out about starting my field study for my social work major in the morning. So, I figured that if I was going to stare at my computer thinking about all the different ways I was going to freak out, screw up, or otherwise make a fool out of myself I could at least put some of this energy to something productive. So, a quick fic for you all. Remember, I don't own anything here.

"You said that if I beat you, you were buying, Ed!" Spike said loudly as he drove the SUV and pulled over to the sidewalk near a Timmies.

"That was not a fair match, you made the bomb we had to diffuse. How could I beat you?" Ed argued, trying to point out the absurdity of the argument. The team had spent the morning at HQ running a general skills test where each member of the team prepared a challenge for the rest and they were all ranked at the end. While neither Ed nor Spike had won the top spot (Sam held that honor and wouldn't stop rubbing it in for weeks) Spike had edged out Ed by a few points.

"And you decided that you were going to turn off the lights while I was in the shoot-house and add an extra two targets. Your argument is invalid and you know it. Just because you try to rush through the bomb disposal and got confetti to the face doesn't mean it was an unfair challenge." Spike said rationally, as if explaining to a twelve year old why he had to eat his vegetables. "Now we can't park here forever so you know how I like my coffee." Spike said with a cocky smile. It was rare that anyone other than Sam gave Ed any competition and Spike wasn't going to let him get away easy. He had won this day and he was going to enjoy it.

"Whatever." Ed said as he got out of the truck before turning and looking back through the open window. "But when we get back, I demand a rematch with someone else making the bomb." Spike couldn't help but laugh as Ed walked away obviously frustrated with himself but being a good sport nonetheless. They had been listening to their standard police radio throughout their patrol to see if there were any incidences they could be helpful with. It had been a startlingly calm day and the entire team was waiting for something to happen. The radio crackled to life as the dispatcher described a report of a carjacking in which someone was seriously injured. Spike listened lazily to the description of the car and suspects but his attention perked when he saw a car speed by, the same blue Honda that the dispatcher was describing. He considered calling for Ed but knew that by the time his teammate got back he would have already lost the subjects.

"Scarlatti in pursuit of blue Honda-" His words were cut shout as he moved through an intersection for which he had a green light but saw far too late that a large industrial van was planning on and in the process of running their red light.

He didn't even have time to panic before feeling the impact. Things went so fast, lasted no more than thirty seconds really, but time seemed to slow. He distinctly heard the grinding of metal on metal, wanting to cover his ears to the harsh sound but noticing that he was paralyzed, his muscles tensed and preparing for something...he didn't know what until he felt the truck perching precariously on one side and the combined weight along with the inertia of the impact tipping the SUV. The truck was specifically reinforced for certain maneuvers, ramming cars in pursuit, maintaining control at high speeds and on uneven terrain and he knew that it could withstand damage but this was extreme. He felt himself flipping once...twice...each time his body hitting hard against the side of the door and his head banging with each impact. He found himself upside down and staying there as the entire smoldering mess of what was his SRU SUV coasted to a stop about thirty feet from where it started.

Spike was groggy, definitely more so than he hoped, knowing a concussion was likely. He groaned as he forced himself to focus though, forced himself to stay still and evaluate the situation. He was upside down but still strapped into his seatbelt so he was also suspended above the ground a little more than a foot. He considered unbuckling himself and letting his body drop but he couldn't figure out how he'd avoid another hard hit to his head. He decided to wait and finish evaluating his injuries before he took any action. His nose was definitely broken, there was blood dripping down...or was it up...his face even though he didn't quite remember the airbag deploying. His neck and back, luckily, felt fine, nothing but a little whiplash to deal with at another point. As he continued to move down his body and mentally check for injuries he found his left side pinned and a little numb. He knew that wasn't a good sign and was glad that he hadn't made a rash action to unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Spike!" He head his name being called from somewhere outside the car but couldn't decide what direction Ed was coming from.

"Ed!" He shouted back, realizing how weak his voice sounded as he let out another grunt of pain. He realized that he hadn't heard the familiar buzz of voices over the radio in his ear when he found that his transponder wasn't where it should be. He couldn't find it in his ear or near his shoulder and quickly gave up his hunt as his head ached with the movement.

"Spike, talk to me." Ed demanded, letting the slight panic slip through as he got on his stomach next to the drivers side door and tried to get a visual on his teammate.

"Ahh..." Spike couldn't help but yell a bit as Ed tried to move the door causing Spike's entire side to feel like it was on fire. "Stop!" He managed to yell through gritted teeth as Ed froze. Spike took a moment to take a few shallow but calming breaths. "I'm pinned...can't really feel my arm or leg on my left side...got a nasty concussion too." Spike said despite the dizziness that seemed to overpower him suddenly.

"Okay, okay buddy just focus on your breathing, slow it down. Medics are coming and I'm gonna come around the other side to get to you." Ed assured as he stood and ran around the truck. The driver of the van was obviously drunk and barely even noticed what he'd done; Ed had checked him quickly and zip tied his hands to his steering wheel after taking his keys and realizing that he was relatively uninjured. Ed got on his stomach on the passenger side of the truck and crawled through the still open window to get a better view of Spike. He was pale, hanging upside down with his eyes fluttering open and closed. It was obvious the young man was in pain and his wheezing breaths and the dark maroon on his left sleeve and down his uniform were an indication that the situation wasn't good. "I'm here, Spike." Ed announced as he tried to get closer.

"Ed..." Spike's voice was growing softer each time he spoke and it worried Ed a great deal.

"I'm hear, buddy. I'm gonna check out your left side and see if there's anything I can do to get you out of here." Ed said strongly, a little louder than strictly necessary but he felt the need to try and keep Spike awake. "But you gotta keep talking to me, Spike. You can't fall asleep." He stressed as he moved under the tech to see the door crumpled and a piece of metal sticking into Spike's side. The steering column had shifted and pinned his left leg but there didn't appear to be any broken bones or penetrating wounds. "Talk to me, Spike." Ed demanded, a bit louder.

"I win...the skills challenge...I don't get my coffee...and now you want me...to entertain you...winning sucks." Spike mumbled with a slight smile.

"It's the price we pay my friend." Ed said as he reached up and checked Spike's pulse. It was a bit fast but otherwise strong. "Medics and firefighters are here, Spike, I've gotta get out but I won't be too far, okay?" Ed asked, waiting for Spike to motion his assent before backing his way out of the truck and approaching the firefighters. "My man, Scarlatti, has a concussion and a penetrating wound to his left abdomen. He's pinned between the door and the steering column and his left leg is trapped. Pulse is strong and he's conscious but he's fading pretty quick." Ed rattled off the important details before stepping back, knowing it was best if he didn't get in the way of the medics and firefighters doing their jobs.

"Eddie!" Greg and Sam pulled up to the scene and were parked near the ambulances as they jogged up to him. "Any new updates?" He asked already hearing all the things that had transpired over the comm link that Ed still wore. He shook his head and watched the progress, itching to somehow feel useful. Raf and Jules quickly followed Greg and Sam as the team stood with bated breath as the sound of metal bending and glass breaking filled their ears. As the firefighters moved into position to remove the side of the car the team paled when they heard Spike scream in pain. Ed instinctively took a step forward before Greg cut him off. "Let them do their jobs, Eddie." Greg said softly as Ed cringed, wishing he'd let Spike pass out when he was in the truck so he didn't have to deal with that pain.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Spike was pulled out of the truck on a gurney, unconscious, bloodied, broken, but alive. There was a moment between Ed and Greg where they silently agreed that Ed could ride along in the ambulance while the rest of the team cleaned up the scene and met them soon. Ed climbed in and tried to stay out of the way as the medic started IVs, removed Spike's vest and shirt to apply monitors, and placed an oxygen mask on his face. She carefully applied more bandages to the wound in his side, the metal now gone and only dark gauze in it's place.

"Your friend is going to be okay." The medic spoke after a few minutes to Ed. "You can breathe, you know." She added as Ed realized that he had been stone still since he sat down and his eyes hadn't left Spike's face. "The concussion is pretty serious but he seemed cognizant when we were talking to him. His leg was crushed and he might need to stay off it for a few days but it's just gonna be some bad bruising in the scheme of things and this," she motioned towards the wound in his side. "is a little more serious, he's gonna need surgery, but it doesn't look like it hit any organs or any major blood vessels." Ed felt much better as she listed his injuries and told him of the true seriousness, appeasing many of his fears. He nodded and was about to say something when Spike opened his eyes and Ed leaned in.

"Hey, buddy." Ed said as he gently held Spike's shoulder. He seemed confused as his eyes darted around and finally settled on Ed with a confused look.

"Ed..." He mumbled from behind the mask. Ed tried to ignore the disconcerted feeling that he was getting seeing Spike's pupils were two different sizes, an obvious sign of a concussion. "Why do you still have confetti all over your face?" Spike mumbled again as he grasped out with his right arm and tried to grab some.

"Spike...I think that's the concussion talking, buddy." Ed smiled as the medic nodded her head in confirmation. "But you're gonna be just fine, okay? We're gonna get you to the hospital and you're going to be okay." Ed said strongly as Spike nodded as much as the neck brace would allow.

"You still owe me a coffee..." Spike said tiredly as his eyes fluttered closed.

"Whatever you say, Spike but I still want a rematch." Spike smiled ever so slightly before he fell back into a slightly more peaceful unconsciousness.

Okay, not exactly what I planned but I wrote this in an hour and probably should get to bed since I need to be up early tomorrow for my first day...so nervous! So...leave me a review and make me smile before I start tomorrow? Oh, and thank you to the anonymous reviewer on my last story "Falling, Flailing" for suggesting something like this...well not exactly but your review spurred this idea so thanks!