Choice of the Heart
Danny and Martin pull up at Kim's storage locker, stepping out of the car, Martin glances up to see Kim walking out with duffel bags filled with cash.
"Kim!" Martin yells, drawing his gun as the partners take off after her.
She looks up and sees the two agents, turns and runs back inside. She pulls a gun from her side turning around recognizing the familiar figure of Martin.
"This is getting to be a habit with you. Put the gun down."
"What are you doing here?" Still pointing the gun at Martin she questioned him.
"You know why I'm here. You and I we need to talk." Martin replied firmly as he began making his way toward her slowly with his gun remaining pointed at her.
"Okay you put your gun down and then we'll talk." She answered.
"You know I can't do that." He responded.
Shaking her head she said, "You should have let this go Martin, why didn't you just let this go?"
Furiously and disbelievingly he looked at her and exclaimed softly, "That security guard at the bank had a wife and two kids."
"I wasn't involved in that." She replied confidently.
Martin was now seething with anger and hurt from the lies coming from the woman he had fallen so hard for.
"Don't lie to me!" He yelled furiously.
Both remained firm on their ends pointing their weapons at each other when she finally answered, "Jimmy forced me to drive the car."
Slowly digesting this information, the walls Martin had put up began to crumble, when he refused to lose that resolve in him, as his gun for a second came down, before shaking his head in complete disbelief and hurt, and aiming it back up at her.
"I don't care. Kim please put the gun down." He replied shakily but firmly.
For a second it almost appeared as though she was prepared to surrender, when Danny appeared from behind her by the fence, drawing his weapon as he said, "Kim, put the gun down."
Turning her head to see Martin's partner backing him up, keeping her weapon aimed at Martin as she looked at him.
Firmly she turned back to Martin and said, "Martin, tell him to back off."
Shaking his head supporting his partner and his best friend, he replied, "You gotta listen to him."
"Back Off!" Kim yelled while keeping her eyes drawn to Martin.
"Listen to him!" Martin's voice began to rise a bit more furiously.
"Put the gun down!" Danny exclaimed as she screamed, "Back off!"
Danny and Martin began yelling at her to put her gun down, when before any of them knew it Kim had fired at Danny, and in turn forced Martin to fire his weapon on her.
Hearing Danny gasp in pain, dropping his gun, falling to the ground, seeing Kim cry out and collapse for a moment he froze.
"Danny?" He cried out worriedly.
Glancing from the woman he loved to his severely wounded partner, best friend, and little brother.
Knowing there was no time to question his love for either one right now, he made his way quickly to Kim to check on her first.
Shaking his head he checked the wound and spoke firmly, "I will be back to deal with you. If you had only listened to us and put your gun down I would not have had to do this. Apply pressure to the wound you will be fine."
Getting up without looking back, he ran to Danny and knelt beside his best friend.
"Danny? Danny bro come on open your eyes man! Danny!" Martin exclaimed, his eyes filling with tears, as he tapped his face worriedly, shaking him gently.
The Fitzgerald family did not express emotion, but he found by the friendship he had developed with Danny over time, that he had support from him in ways he had not had in years.
His best friend had been by his side, even if after the ambush and shooting Danny had not been there, now really none of that mattered to Martin anymore.
Because Danny once he was aware that Martin was struggling, he had been with him every single step of the way to recovery.
That meant more to Martin than anything else in the world, the only way he had convinced himself to attend that first meeting was knowing his best friend and brother would be there with him.
Danny's breathing he could tell was shallow and dark crimson blood was pooled around him. There was some blood trailing from his mouth, and his eyes were closed.
"Danny man come on bro open those eyes for me."
Observing intently, he watched as Danny's eyes slowly opened and his breathing quickened.
Drawing in a sigh of relief, gently smoothing hair from Danny's face back, Martin allowed his affection to show, as he whispered, "That's it come on brother."
"M-Martn, M-." Danny's voice began slurring, as he breathed shallowly which worried Martin.
Reaching for Danny's hand he held it in a tight brotherhood grip, and whispered soothingly, "I'm right here brother, right here, Danny look at me man right here. We need to get you to a hospital right now okay?"
Watching in disbelief of his brother as he saw Danny shake his head, he wondered what the hell Danny?
Leaning in he asked, "What is it brother?"
"G-get K-Kim f-first. A-an a-ambulance i-is a-already o-on t-the w-way. You love her. G-go t-take c-care offff h-her f-first."
Martin could not believe what he was hearing from his best friend. Did Danny really believe he meant that little to him? I mean yeah they had their problems, but they were closer than most on the team.
Shaking his head as his eyes began to fill with tears as brotherly protectiveness and love kicked in as he replied shakily, "N-no Danny, I won't leave you here like this don't ask me to brother. I won't do it."
"N-no I'm f-fine M-Martin j-just g-go."
Finally recognizing he was not going to win this one, he replied firmly to Danny, "Okay, fine, I will be right back for you though okay? Do not fall asleep on me you hear me? And put pressure on that wound! I'll be back."
Danny laughed weakly, replying, W-whatever m-mom."
Martin chuckled weakly, taking Danny's hand again squeezing it with brotherly affection, holding his focus there for a few seconds, kept his eyes on Danny for another moment, feeling Danny's hand weaken in his own.
Closing his eyes, trying to block out the emotion threatening to overwhelm him, at this moment, he let out a sigh of concern, and ran back to Kim.
Picking her up, he took her outside and heard, as the sirens got closer. Waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he assisted the medics in getting Kim strapped onto a gurney, watching them load her up, then ran back for Danny.
Crying out as he ran back he yelled to the medics, "My partner is still in there, he's hurt badly I'm going back in there for him."
Seeing the medic near nodding in quick response he dashed back into the warehouse.
Arriving back at his best friend's side, he was horrified to find Danny's eyes had closed.
"NO! Danny! Come on bro wake up, the ambulance is here come on man stay with me please, just hang on for me please!"
Martin cried, finally as he heard a weak groan from Danny, and watched intently as Danny's eyes fluttered open he leaned in, whispering caringly, "Danny? Oh thank god. Ambulance is here just please try to stay with me just hang on for me okay? We're getting you out of here now. Just stay awake for me."
Placing a gentle hand under Danny's head and back easing him up, he heard a painful grunt come from Danny, as he whispered soothingly, "Easy easy easy it's okay it's okay Danny I gotcha come on."
Martin gently pulled him up, guiding most of his weight, as he brought him out of the building.
Walking him towards the next available ambulance that had arrived, he filled the medic in on what he knew, and then informed him, that he was Danny's partner, and his emergency contact. He was going to ride to the hospital with him.
Nodding the medic held the door open as they strapped Danny in, Martin's concerned eyes never once leaving Danny's face.
Hearing the ambulance doors slam shut on them, and the sirens blaring, he too Danny's hand in his own, whispering, "Please Danny hang on man."
With that the ambulance took off racing down the street, headed for the hospital.