Trapped
Jessica Miller
Disclaimer: I don't in
anyway own the characters of Law & Order.
Summary: There's a fire at Hogan Place and Nora is
trapped inside alone. Can Jack save her
before it’s too late?
Nora sat at her desk in her office at Hogan Place waiting for Jack to get back with their dinner so that he could tell her how the Lewis case was coming along. She hadn't told Jack that she had feelings for him because she didn't know if he felt the same way. It was even harder for her now working at Hogan place and seeing him every day. Suddenly, she smelt smoke and went to the basement. It was filled with smoke.
Jack drove toward Hogan place with the Chinese food that Nora had wanted. The night was cold and he had forgot to put on his jacket at the office. Nora wanted Chinese food from her favorite restaurant but unfortunately for him didn't deliver. As he neared Hogan place he saw cop cars and fire trucks. He also saw the building on fire.
"Oh God" he said to himself as he got out of the car. He didn't see Nora, but he saw Lennie Briscoe. Jack ran to Lennie, "Lennie, where's Nora?"
"Jack, what do you mean where's Nora I thought she already went home for the night."
Jack had a worried look on his face. "She's not out? Oh my God Nora!" he yelled and ran toward the building,
"Jack, no," Lennie said and ran after him.
Jack was stopped by Ed Green, Lennie's partner at the 2-7. "Jack, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you crazy? The building's on fire! You can't go in there. What are you thinking?"
"He was thinking of a way to kill me," Lennie said coming up to them out of breath, "Geez Jack, you must be crazy, I know Nora is still in there, but you can't help her if you get yourself burnt to a crisp," he said in his usual sarcastic tone.
Jack stared at Ed and Lennie, "Nora is still in there," he said. "I have to get her out."
"It’s not safe enough for anyone to enter. The firefighters say the ceiling might collapse any moment," Ed told Jack.
"I don't care I'm going to get her out of there." Jack ran into Hogan Place.
Ed and Lennie tried to stop him, but he was already in the building. Jack ran through the halls trying to find Nora "Nora, Nora," he called threw the smoke and flames. He coughed, he took out his handkerchief and put it over his mouth. Smoke and flames were all around him. He was coughing harder. "Nora?" The smoke was getting thicker, "Nora?" he called again. Finally through the dense smoke he saw Nora lying by a stairwell. He ran to her side and knelt beside her. "Nora, Nora wake up please," he begged her.
Nora opened her eyes; her face was streaked with soot and perspiration.
"Jack?" she said weakly.
"Yes Nora its me. Don't worry honey, we'll get out. Can you stand?"
"Yes, I think so," Nora tried to stand. She was a bit wobbly, but Jack helped her. She coughed "There's too much smoke, Jack."
"Here, put this over your mouth," He gave her his handkerchief, They walked further and came to another hallway. Jack heard something crack above their heads and looked up. The ceiling was giving way, "Nora get down!" he yelled and pushed her to the ground; he shielded her from the falling debris as the ceiling came crashing down on them.
Lennie was arguing with a fire fighter, "There has to be a way in there! Two of the people I care about most in the world are in there, and you’re telling me there's no way I can help them?"
"Detective, right now that’s what I'm telling you. Yes, we're doing the best we can, but the fire’s out of control, and a part of the ceiling just caved in."
"Well, your best is not good enough," Lennie barked at him.
Ed came up to him, "Lennie I'm sure they ARE doing the best they can, but getting angry won’t help Nora or Jack. You know I'm right."
Lennie scowled at him, "Yeah, I know. That’s what scares me," Lennie said angrily.
Jack got up. His head hurt bad; he touched it and looked at his fingers there was blood on them. Then he looked at Nora, "Are you all right?" he asked.
"I think so," came her reply, "but my ankle hurts. I think I may have twisted it."
"Alright let me help you." He helped her feet, but she immediately fell back down, Jack caught her.
"I don't think I can walk" Nora told him. Jack didn't know what to do "Um ok...I'll think of something."
"We found a safe way in,” Ed yelled to Lennie as he helped clear away the debris.
"Great," Lennie yelled back, "the fire is under control as well."
Jack picked Nora up in his arms and carried her. He saw her come in and out of consciousness, "No, Nora come on sweetie you have to stay with me," he coughed hard and his head was throbbing; the smoke was unbearable; it stung at his eyes, "Don't worry Nora, I'll find a way out, I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise."
"I know, that’s why I love you Jack" Nora said before she passed out.
Anita and Serena pushed their way through the throng of people. They found Lennie and Ed. "We got here as soon as we heard," Anita said. "How did this start?' she asked.
"We think it was a blown fuse," Lennie told her.
Serena looked around, "Wait a minute where's Jack and Nora? When I left they said they were going to stay and discuss the Lewis case,"
"They’re in the building," Ed said. "Jack ran in to get Nora when he saw the building on fire. I think he went to get them dinner or something and then when he came back went in to get her"
"Oh God," Anita and Serena said in unison.
"Come on Ed, let’s go find them," Lennie said to his partner.
"Right behind you.”
Just as Ed, Lennie, and a few fire fighters were going to enter the building Jack came out. He looked haggard. His face and clothes were streaked with soot, sweat and blood as was Nora, whom he carried in his arms.
Their friends rushed toward them, "Jack, thank God you’re all right," Lennie said he saw Nora in Jack's arms, "Is she…"
"No she's alive but she inhaled a lot of smoke and twisted her ankle."
A paramedic came running over to them, "Can you bring her to the ambulance?" he asked Jack. Jack did and the medic examined her as another paramedic checked on Jack.
" How is she?" Ed asked the medic.
"It’s serious. She inhaled a lot of smoke, she sprained her ankle, and she's got a nasty looking bump on her head. She'll have to go to the hospital. Mr. McCoy you'll have to come too," said the medic. "That head injury is bad. You might have a slight concussion. You can ride with her."
"We'll meet you at the hospital," Serena told him.
"Alright," Jack said as he got into the ambulance. Once the doors were closed, it headed toward its destination. Jack sat in the waiting room with Ed, Lennie, Anita and Serena. After having his head wound patched up and being checked on for smoke inhalation, the doctors found he hadn't inhaled as much as Nora had.
The doctor came into the waiting room, "Are you Miss Lewin's friends?" he asked. All of them stood,
"Yes, how is she, Doctor?" Jack asked, concerned.
"Miss Lewin's condition is not as bad as we feared, she will be fine." A sigh of relief escaped the lips of all present, the loudest from Jack. The doctor continued. "I want her to stay here for a few days so I'm sure she gets enough rest and I can monitor her recovery."
"Thank you doctor," Jack said.
"You can see her now, but one at a time. She's still a little weak."
"You go first Jack," Lennie said.
"Yeah, say hi to Nora for all of us," Anita said.
"Sure," Jack replied. The doctor showed Jack to Nora's room and left. Jack opened the door and found Nora asleep in a bed. He pulled a chair over to the bed and sat down. He held her hand and placed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Nora it’s me, Jack . Can you hear me?"
Nora opened her eyes "Jack?" her voice was hoarse from coughing so much.
"Yes, it’s me. The Doctor said your going to be fine."
"Well that’s good to hear," she said. Jack still held her hand.
"Nora do you mean what you said back at Hogan place before you passed out? Do you really love me?"
"Yes, Jack I meant it. I really do love you."
A smile appeared on Jack's lips. "Good, because I feel the same way."
Nora looked surprised. "You do?"
"Yes," Jack said as he crept in bed beside Nora. "Nora, I thought I was going to lose you today. I don't know what I would do without you," he said. "Hey, once you’re out of here, how about a nice candle lit dinner? I'll cook. Is it a date?"
"Jack McCoy-- YOU cook? I have to see this for myself," she laughed. "Sure it’s a date."
"I love you Nora," Jack said and kissed her.
"I love you too Jack," she said and kissed him back.
They spent a few more hours with each other until Nora fell asleep in Jack's arms. He gently got up and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow my darling Nora," and with that he left and hailed a taxi to take him home.
THE END