The night had been long and dull, rain spattered against the bedroom window turning the lights around London an orange blur.
Ros Myers lay in her bed, pulling the covers tighter around her. Her mind raced with the memory of her friend's death; Ros held the gun in her hands and watched as Jo held the suspect. Ros fired her weapon, the sound of the shot rang through her mind and she woke up screaming; Jo's lifeless eyes the last thing she saw.
Ros took a moment to compose herself, hot tears running down her cheeks as the memory came flooding back. Once she had settled herself, Ros got back into bed and drifted off into yet another troubled sleep.
The day was bright and warm, though the large park was cooled a little by a gentle breeze. Ros sat down on a bench overlooking a pond, two swans gliding across its surface. She put her head in her hands; "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry."
Ros felt it as someone sat down on the bench beside her, and a comforting feeling came over her. She looked up and was shocked to see Jo. Her hair had been cut back to its short style and a light seemed to shine behind her blue eyes, a white summer dress sat well on her. She gave Ros a genuine smile.
Ros was taken aback. "Jo! Oh Christ! Jo, I never wanted to hurt you…to…!" She trailed off.
Jo reached across and took Ros's hand in her own. "You saved me Ros."
Ros looked confused; "What?"
Suddenly, Ros saw Jo's memories; her sick mother, her friendship with Zaf, her relationship with Ben, her guilt at Fiona's death and everything she suffered at the hands of the Redbacks, as well as her friendship with Adam, and her grief at the loss of so many friends and colleagues. She saw the forest whizzing by in a blur. Saw bruises and heard screams, saw a bottle of whiskey and a packet of cigarettes, saw tears and blood…then blackness.
Ros snapped out and was back in the park, Jo was still beside her. Ros looked at Jo, horrified; "What the fuck was all that…why did I see that?"
Jo shook her head; "That's what you saved me from; Ros; from myself. I was on a path of self -destruction and you took me away from it all. Thank you…"
Ros was still confused. Jo could see that Ros couldn't understand what was happening, she gripped her hand a little tighter; "I know you feel guilty, but don't, because I'm not scared anymore. I don't have any more reasons to cry, no one can hurt me, not now, no more bullets, no more shrapnel, no more men, nothing. You didn't end my life, you ended my hell."
