A/N: I only recently got into Person Of Interest, my brother played an episode for me, and I've been immensely hooked ever since. Sorry for not coming out with any new chapters for my other stories, been spending a lot of time with my family. This is my first crack at a Person Of Interest fanfic, so hope you like it. And if you haven't seen it, it's a great show you're missing out on. This is a M/M fanfic between the two main male characters, so if that makes you uncomfortable, this isn't the story for you. Enjoy!

PS- There will be some minor details changed for the sake of this fanfic. I know what

"Good morning, Mr. Reese. I trust you've dealt with the little issue with the previous number by now?"

Finch, a short, well-dressed man spoke into what seems like thin air. His hand reaches down to pet a brown and black German Shepard, the dog's body shifting uneasily as he looked up at the human with the glasses. Finch was seated in front of a set of monitors, his eyes staring into a couple of the camera screens that he'd brought up on one monitor, the others monitoring police radio, a GPS locator in his partner's phone. The man he was eyeing was Mr. Reese, a former CIA operative who, only recently, was employed by the man who gives him numbers of people who are either in danger, or causing it. On occasions, Mr. Reese has expressed gratitude to the short, funny-looking man. If it hadn't been for Mr. Finch, as Reese calls him every now and then, Reese would remain a homeless drunk that'd likely end up dead in an alley way. Mr. Finch was watching Reese combating 3 armed men, about the same build and fighting style as Reese, all using close-combat weapons of poor taste and quality, Finch mumbles to himself. He watches admirably as the slightly salt-and-peppered hair man moves with such dexterity, avoid blows here and there, but a few landing their marks. He always winces, he hates the sound of blows landing, especially if he doesn't know who is landing them on who. But he feels more at ease, able to watch as Reese knocks out one guy with a bat, and another with a knife. The third seemed to be more difficult, seemingly avoid almost every hit, and landing each one. Reese knocks him against a brick wall, one arm pinning the hand with the knife against his body in a safe manner, his other hand tapping at his right ear, opening communications.

"Finch, you can see all good and well that it's not resolved. Whatever it is can wait, a little tied up."

Reese lost a little bit of his footing, enough for his assailant to push him back, but instead of a knife, Finch sees an all too familiar weapon brandished, one he despises more than anything.

"John, be careful. He has a handgun, a .45 by the looks."
"Finch, you think I don't see it? If you don't like to watch the fights I get into, there's plenty of channels you could watch. Why not start with researching our next number, assuming that's why you called?" Reese remains still, calculating the most effective way to disarm and KO the man, his greyish blue eyes darting around in a growing panic.
"Yes, Mr. Reese, another number has come up. I'm sure our friends Carter and Fusco are more than capable of handling themselves. We'll be in touch."

Finch tapped his right ear, closing the com links between them. He kept the cameras running in the background as he began working to resolve the issue with the new number The Machine gave. It wasn't long before Finch figured out the owner of the number, his eyes slowly widening in terror as he realizes who it belongs to. The one person he strives to avoid, not out of fear for his life, but their's. Also, the only person he wants to hold close in his arms. The printer comes to life as it prints out a picture of a person, a woman by her curves, an artist by the easel she carried, a red-haired woman who paints. Harold collapses in the office chair, fear overtaking his body at the gravity of his situation. He taps his ear, hoping to hear the soft, rugged voice of the man who knows him best without needing to know much. He hears a gunshot as soon as the line opens, his breath stops and his heart ceases to beat. He hears nothing for a minute, the worst minute of his life. He looks over at the computer hosting the video feed from the camera best focused on John's situation. Finch looks at a rather large fellow slumped to the ground, and another man in a well-tailored suit on his hands and knees, one hand clutching his side.

"What, Finch?"
"Mr. Reese, are you alright? I heard the gunshot when I called you." Finch was worried about his dear friend, one of a very few number of people he even talks to willingly, let alone trust and care for. He could tell John was shot as well, he cursed himself for not watching the cameras closely.
"Fine, it was just me taking care of business, as usual." He is such a liar, Finch thought.
"What about you, are you injured?"

John groaned, Finch watched him struggling to stand up, his hand still over his side as he watches him turn around. It's evident to Finch that Mr. Reese is far from okay, judging from the growing red stain on his perfectly form-fitting shirt, clinging more to the body within its cloth.

"Nope, I'm dandy. Now, what's up with this new number? Must have you spooked to call me back within a minute of the last call."
"Nothing, Mr. Reese, I'm..." Finch can barely keep his composure, unable to complete his next sentence without tears escaping from his eyes, "I'm more concerned about the gunshot wound you sustained on your left side. Go by Madeline's before you come back to the library. I need you, for this next number, but don't overdo it."

With that, Finch closed the link between the two phones. He could hear Bear whimper as he concealed his face within the palm of his hands. He knew, for Grace's sake, that he could not be involved in the number. There was no way possible she could see him, after all this time of her believing he was dead. If she realized that her Harold was still alive...well, it was just another life that he had put in danger...

A/N: Sorry, I wasn't quite sure how to end this. I wasn't intending for this to be a chapter story, just a single story, but things happen. I have too many ideas for how this could go, lol. Let me know what you think about it?