Archive of Our Own ^beta

He was struggling to think. He couldn't remember what had happened but he definitely didn't remember falling asleep— or getting knocked out. The latter would make more sense. Last he was aware Shawn was just approaching his place, not in a hospital.

Shawn's not afraid of hospitals— he's quite use to them in fact. He wasn't bothered by them, he didn't actively seek out going to one but he didn't hate them. But there was something about this hospital that just irked him. Maybe it was the flickering light in the hall. Or perhaps, it was just how cold it was in the room he was in.

It wasn't an individual room. It was a ward room. Five other beds were in the room; all empty, but they had been occupied before. One beds IV line was dripping, an others sheet had blood on it.

Shawn had never wanted to leave a hospital so badly before in his life. It was far too cold, and quiet; save for the beeping machines and the noises flickering lights. Where was everyone? Usually hospitals are busy, lively, never this quiet. And where were his friends?

Or his belongings?

He's been stripped into a hospital gown, but the bag with all his belongings wasn't next to his bed.

Maybe it was at the desk outside.

He wasn't in pain, but that might be the pain meds he's possibly on. Nothing seems broken, and nothing is bandaged. Perceiving that everything is okay, he pulled the IV line out of his arm and got out of the bed.

He doesn't feel like he's walking, rather it feels like he's floating. It doesn't stop him. What does stop him is how empty the hallway is, and how wrong everything feels.

There's blood on walls; as though someone had been dragging themselves across the wall whilst bleeding. Some of the lights were completely out. The ceiling was dripping, leaving puddles of water on the floor.

Shawn shivers, and for the first time in his life, he's afraid of being in the hospital. The fear only grows as he takes steps further into the hallway.

He stops in his tracks as he turns the corner. He can't strip his eyes away from the wall in front of him. There's a message written on it, in blood.

'Get out'

He's going to listen to the creepy message. He's going to leave the hospital find someone and hopefully they'll let him borrow their phone. He doesn't care about his belongings anymore. Although, he has to turn around to leave, he'll take a look behind the desk when he passes.

His belongings aren't there, but his file is.

He's not up to date on medical records, but he's pretty sure he has never signed a DNR. Nope, he's one hundred percent sure he's always been please resuscitate.

"What are you doing out of bed?" A voice behind him startles him. Shawn turns around and is met with a nurse. He takes a step back, this nurse is wearing what looks like a Halloween nurse costume, she's not wearing scrubs, and there's blood all over her. "You should be in bed."

Her smile is enough to make Shawn never want to see another nurse in his life.

"I woke up." He mumbles taking another step back as the nurse takes a step forward.

"Let's get you back in bed. You'll need plenty of rest before the surgery."

"Surgery?" Shawn asks as the nurse grabs his hand and starts to drag him back to the room. Shawn tries to fight back but the nurse is stronger than she looks.

"Yes, surgery."

"What surgery?" The nurse doesn't answer him as she practically throws him onto the bed. Her back is to him and she's going through a tray that's seemingly appeared from nowhere. "Don't I have to sign forms before a surgery?"

The nurse stops, titling her head slightly. "That won't be necessary."

"Why not?"

The nurse doesn't reply. She slowly turns around and Shawn quickly notices the scalpel in her hand. He tries to get up but the nurse is quick, pinning him to the bed.

Her smile grows; beyond what Shawn thought was humanly possible. He teeth are sharp, and her nails start to dig into his arms. Her mouth slowly opens; it reminds Shawn of the scene from 'IT', when Pennywise opens his mouth the way Georgie.

Shawn screams as bites into him.

He startles awake. It was just a dream, just a dream. No creepy nurses here, nope, no face eating clown looking nurses here.

Where exactly is here?

He turns his head, suddenly more aware of his surroundings. His wrists have been restrained, as have his ankles. The room is dark but Shawn can make it out enough to recognize it.

He's in a surgery room.

His breathing picks up, he reminded of the strange dream— nightmare he had. He really hopes that nurse isn't going to appear from nowhere.

Well, that, and whatever surgery he's suppose to receive doesn't happen.

The door creaks open, "He wakes."

The voice is familiar. Shawn's chest tightens as the creepy nurse meets his eyes. At least she's wearing scrubs, non bloody scrubs. That's a positive.

"The doctor will be here soon." She says as she picks up a needle. "He's a curious man."

Shawn can't speak, his breathing only deepens as she approaches him. He's shaking his head as she touches his arm.

"He wants you awake during the surgery." She says as the needle pierces his skin and whatever drug was in it enters his system.

It's fast acting, his whole body starts to numb. He can't even be sure is he's breathing. He's aware he's panicking; but it's possible he's not breathing and isn't aware of it. He can't tell is he's shaking his head, or if he's crying.

A loud bang echoes through the room leaving his ears ringing. He can't hear anything else, another figure comes into view; the doctor or another nurse. He tries to force his body to fight back.

He's vaguely aware of shouting but he doesn't stop.

"Spencer!"

Carlton doesn't hesitate to fire the gun as Geraldine approaches Spencer with a creepy smile. He had tried to get her to back down, but she only inched closer to man.

"I guess the doctor won't be able to perform the surgery. Perhaps, he'll be satisfied with an autopsy." She had said as she held the scalpel to Spencer's neck.

She didn't get a chance to slice his throat. She was on the ground with a bullet in her head before she could make another move.

"Lassiter!" O'Hara shouts running into the room, she pauses at the sight. Spencer restrained to the table panicking, the body of one of their suspects dead on the floor as blood spills from her.

"Did you get Howden?"

"Yeah, uniforms are taking him back to the station."

She's moved to removed the restraints from Spencer. As soon as both are free, the man is fighting back, panicking so much Carlton isn't sure if he's even getting a breath in.

Spencer falls to the floor, landing on the blood from Geraldine. He doesn't seem to notice as he moves back. O'Hara tries to approach him, saying his name in a calming tone but the psychic makes no indication he heard her.

As soon as she close enough, Spencer is attacking her.

Carlton is quick to wrap his arms around Spencer from behind. The psychic tries to fight him, but his movements are sluggish. His breathing is getting worse.

"Spencer."

Carlton has no idea if it works. Spencer's still fighting him as he guides them to the floor. "Spencer you need to calm down."

"Carlton."

The head detective ignores his partner. He loosens his grip on Spencer just ever to slightly. Adjusting the man into a more comfortable position.

"Follow my breathing."

At first neither detective is sure it works but after a while Spencer's breaths slow down, and start to become more steady. Once he's calmed down, Carlton releases his hold from him. Spencer doesn't move, he just slumps against the wall.

"I'll call an ambulance." O'Hara mummers but Spencer heard it and he's starting to panic again.

"No… No…" He's shaking his head repeating himself over and over again. Both detectives know he should go to the hospital, but as Carlton looks around the scene before him, he can't blame Spencer for not wanting to go to another hospital.

This abandoned hospital was enough to put anyone off going to a hospital ever again.

"O'Hara can you see what drug she injected him with." Carlton moves closer to Spencer. He's panicking again. The head detective puts his hands on the psychic shoulders. "We won't force you to go anywhere you don't want to."

It seems to calm him down slightly. He's calmed down enough to allow Carlton to check him over for injuries.

"He's not injured anywhere."

"The drug is a paralytic. Gus says it's mostly harmful and will wear off after a while."

"What do you think we should do?"

Everything is groggy when he wakes. Shawn doesn't want to open his eyes in fear of where he is. His body is still partially numb. He doesn't want to see what they've done to him. He doesn't want to wake up in either room again.

"Shawn. Kid, open your eyes."

It's not the nurses voice, it belongs to his dad. What is his dad doing here?

"You're safe kid."

He forces his eyes open, and he's not met with darkness. Rather he's in a familiar room; his dads living room. He's on the couch. He groans, unable to speak what on his mind.

"Lassiter and O'Hara brought you back here after rescuing you. Gus said the drug you were given wasn't serious enough to warrant a hospital visit."

"Don't….."

"You won't need to go the hospital. Gus is getting some food, do you think you can eat?"

He can feel himself shake his head. His dad puts a hand on his shoulder and it's barely there but Shawn can feel it.

"You're going to be okay kid." He hears his dad say as his eyes slip close.