Timing

The Slip and Fall

A shout startled Cecelia Mercury from her place on the bench. her head snapping up from where it was buried in her book. She leapt up and snagged the bright red emergency bag from beside her and raced towards the shout. There was a group surrounding someone lying on the ground at the edge of The Pond. Shooting in Central Park was never one of Cece's favorite locations, for there were too many people who would hold up shooting with wanting to talk with the stars. She shoved her way through the crowd, her strong frame squaring up and trying to push through the many bodies obstructing her path.

"Move! Move!" A Staten Island accent hollered and a path began to clear for her to race towards the body. She could see the tall form of Peter Fowkes straining his neck to find her.

"Cece! Here!" He waved as the circle opened up. He was on the opposite side of the circle, that much she could tell before a large hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her into the center of the circle. She collided with a large t-shirt clad chest, arms wrapping around her waist to keep her steady. She quickly spun out of the arms and knelt down to the lithe body at her feet.

"What happened?"

"He tripped over the fucking car, fell down the steps, and smacked his head on the steps," the man behind her knelt down next to her, zipping open her bag.

"How do you not see the car there, you moron?" another voice broke through, panic evident in the voice.

"I have to call Mark and Charlie," Peter said, pushing away from the center at Cece's nod.

"Gloves and my light," she ordered over her shoulder as she saw blood smearing the sidewalk. "Hey, hey!" she shouted, trying to get the attention of the man on the ground. "You with me?"

"You're really pretty." She chuckled as a third voice joined the fray above them.

"Only you would try to hit on a woman when you're bleeding out, you idiot."

"He probably has no idea what he's saying," she chuckled, snapping the gloves on. "Good chances he has a concussion. James, can you look at me?" James Murray blinked up at her from his position on the ground. "Follow my finger, okay?" She waved her finger back and forth in front of his face and his eyes jerkily followed. "Alright, Murr. I'm gonna look at your head, okay? Tell me if anything hurts." Lilly touched his shoulders and slid her hand under his neck. As soon as her fingers touched the base of his skull, Murray twitched in pain. "Okay, James. Easy." She pulled her hands back slowly, one followed by the other, and was stunned to see them coated in blood.

"Where's all that blood coming from?" the second voice shrieked.

"He probably cut his head. It's fine."

"Fine?! He's bleeding out and you're saying he's fine??"

"Hey," her eyes snapped up. "Breathe, Sal."

"You're telling me to breathe when Murray's dying?" Sal Vulcano flailed about, voice edging on a panic attack.

"Sal," her voice cut through him sharply. "Look at me. Kneel down here and look at me." Sal followed her orders, staring into a pair of swirling green eyes. "You gotta calm down, okay? I have to help Murray first. I can't have you going into a panic attack right now, okay? I know you're scared. But he's gonna be just fine as long as you let me do my job. Got it?" Sal nodded, his features pale and unable to look down at his friend. "If you want to help, I need you and Joe to clear these people back. I need room to help him."

"C'mon bud," Joe Gatto's hand clamped down on his friend's shoulder. "Let's clear these people." Sal stood up and he and Joe began pushing the crowd of people back. Her hand flew to her side and she pulled up a walkie-talkie and quickly spoke into it.