The sound of the rifle shot echoed through the air and he felt the breath rush from his lungs as he stared, momentarily shocked, as Kate fell silently to the ground, a small of red hole had suddenly appeared in the middle of her forehead. Falling to his knees, he desperately pressed his trembling fingers against the cool neck, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall as his heart refused to accept what his head told him.
This isn't how it was supposed to end. He was her Boss; it was his job to protect her, to protect all his team. A job he took seriously!
Oh God, how was he going her family that she would never be coming home again. That he had failed to protect one of the most important people in their lives.
He felt a warm, reassuring hand squeeze his shoulder and he looked up into Tony's shocked but compassionate eyes as the younger man quietly murmured the words he desperately needed to hear but his heart could not quite believe. "It's not your fault, Boss."