Title: Damsel in Distress/ Fandom: Flashpoint

Genre/Type: Friendship/Other / Characters/Pairings: Spike/Winnie

Series: None / Rating: K+ / Warnings/Spoilers: Implied Course Language / Setting: Around Season 2 / Written For: Prompt Damsel in Distress

A/N: I don't own Flashpoint or any of the pairings etc. This is set around the first half of Season 2, with Donna replacing Jules and when Winnie first arrives.

Her eyes were wide as she looked side to side, her slender fingers grabbing desperately at the arm that encircled her neck.

"Ok, Harry. Why don't we just put the gun down?"

"How do you know my name?" The man asked, looking frantically around him; the gun that he held in his hand shaking slightly as it touched the woman's temple.

"Just take it easy, Harry. My name's Spike. Why don't we just-"

"Don't move!" The man yelled, pointing the gun to Spike then back at the woman again, making the other people in the room squeal and duck as the gun loomed in their direction, "I'll kill them all, I swear! They'll all pay!"

"Sarge…"

"You're doing fine Spike, you're doing just fine. Now talk him down, never lose that initial contact with the suspect. That's the biggest mistake you can make. You do and it's all over."

"Ah, thanks, not helping, Sarge." Greg chuckled softly into Spike's mike. Spike sighed quietly as he surveyed the situation before him: a desperate man with a desperate problem… and a loaded gun on a group of innocent people, the woman that had captured Spike's attention the first time he saw her, the one with the gun now trained on her head.

"That's a load of bull sh-"

"Ok, Harry," Spike said holding his hand up in front of him, "I understand that, buddy. But look around you, these are innocent people some of them only kids. They did nothing wrong. They aren't the ones that hurt you." The armed man looked around him, breathing heavily as Spike held his breath. "See?" He asked, taking a small step forward, "They won't hurt you. They're kids, Harry; they aren't the ones that you have to worry about. So why don't you just put the gun down and we can talk about it, work it all out."

"You'd do that?" The man asked, his gun shaking slightly in his hand as he studied Spike with narrowed eyes, "You'd help me get the guys who did this?"

"Sure, Harry," Spike said, taking another step closer to the man, "I'll do my best. But believe me, this isn't the way to get what you want. Put the gun down, and we'll work it all out." Harry looked around him, the gun shaking even more as Spike continued to hold his breath. "Come on," He whispered, "Please…"

"I don't think so, cop." Harry twisted the woman to the side and aimed the gun at Spike, pulling the trigger and sending him to the ground with a thud.

"Well, that'll hurt in the morning." Spike squeezed his eyes shut and gave a small laugh as he felt his safety vest.

"Love these things."

"Want some help up, old man?"

"Thank-you, young man." Spike accepted Lou's offered hand and hauled himself up.

"Better luck next time." Lou said patting Spike on the back as he passed. Spike smiled and shook his head.
"Yeah, you bet." He rubbed the back of his neck as the rest of the officers filled out of the training room.

"Well, that was horrible." Winnie said, coming to stand next to Spike, "And that's the last time I ever agree to stay back late."

"Well you learn that early around here. Never agree when the boss asks you to stay behind on training day. Anyway, he only uses newbies once."

"First time you let someone get shot?"

"Nah, just having a bad day."

"Aha, well just remind me to not get caught next time, save damaging those expensive vests."

"Nothing's too good for a damsel in distress Winnie."

"Spike, if you're finished chatting could you come with me now?"

"Sure boss," Spike replied as Greg and Ed left the training room.

"Don't worry Winnie," Ed said pausing as he passed, "Normally he saves the pretty girls."

"Thanks," Winnie replied, "I think."

"Don't pay any attention to him," Spike said unzipping his safety vest and leaving on a nearby table, "He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"You mean you don't save the pretty girls, cause you sure didn't save me."

"Ah, no- I mean yes, well I try to… I think the boss is waiting, see you around, Winnie." Spike tripped over a chair leg as he started backing up, grinning sheepishly at Winnie as he turned and hurried away. Winnie smiled as she shook her head. "And Winnie," Spike said reappearing in the doorway, "You make a great damsel in distress."