One – Shot: No Me Without You

Author: Camila Carneiro

Genre: Romance/Drama

Rating: T

Summary: Jo gets shot at the line of duty and when she is finally out of the danger, she gets an unexpected confession from a certain someone.

A\N: Is just a simply one-shot I wanted to give you after finishing "In Love", the name of this fic came from Ashley Tisdale's "Me Without You", hope you like it.

I've always heard that when you have a near death experience your life flashes before your eyes; it is true, but you know what is the most important thing in these experiences? Is about what and who you were thinking, because in the end it will be these thoughts that will have the strength to keep you alive.

I had several near death experiences, that is the price of being a cop, but none of them scared me as much this one did.

My team and I were working on a case for several weeks. It was more than a case actually, 4 bodies in a week, all from the same guy. The cases were getting cold when we finally found something that could lead us to him, and thank God, it did.

We found his location, an abandoned warehouse away from the city, and headed towards there. Once the team was ready, vests on and guns loaded, we divided in two minor teams to check out the place.

Mac, my boss, and I were in the same team, and we were the ones who found the guy. Usually this is a good thing, unless you get shot.

The guy was carrying a 7.62 mm .300 Winchester Magnum, a powerful riffle used by hunters and snipers, can you imagine the damage a gun like this can make? I do.

Mac said to him to put his hands behind his head but before he did this he grabbed his riffle and before anyone could react, he began shooting. One of the bullets ended up hitting me in the chest. Fortunately, before a bigger tragedy happens one of our snipers shot and the guy fell to the floor.

The bullet entered me and it felt like there were flames inside of me and it hurt like hell.

The only thing that managed to keep me awake for a few more minutes were the thoughts about my family – my momma, my kids – my friends and him.

I thought about how my kids changed my life and made me feel the luckiest person for having them. After a hard day of work nothing makes me happier than go home and see them. They are the reason why I survive.

I thought about everything my momma had taught me, how she helped me throughout my life. My mom is my best friend and my rock, she is the place I can lay my head anytime and I am who I am because of her.

I thought about all of my friends and how they helped me when I needed. I thought about all the friends I had already lost, but mostly about all the friends I had gained in the last few years I've been in New York. My family had always supported me, but I wouldn't be able to make through the hard time in my life without my friends.

At last I thought about him.

Mackenna "Mac " Boyd Taylor II

This is his name.

He is the one who has my heart, but doesn't have idea about it. After all he is my boss. I know what you are probably thinking. "How could I let this happen? How could I be in love with my boss?" But we can't control our hearts.

The worse thing about it is that he was always there, he worried about me, and he supported me. He is the kindest man I've met. And this only makes it harder.

I didn't mean it, I really didn't, but I couldn't stop it from happening. All I know is that happened really fast. But I never told him and I forbade myself of it, I wouldn't risk our friendship, I couldn't. If everything I could have was him only as a friend, then it had to be enough.

While thinking about every single important person in my life, I hit the floor and one of the few things I can remember clearly was Mac running to me and then kneeling by my side and while he spoke to me I could hear the fear in his voice as I felt myself slowly fading.

"Jo, stay with me, please" he pleaded.

"Ma-Mac" it was all I could manage to say.

"Shh. I'm here, I won't leave you, never" I could hear his voice shaky.

My eyes seemed to have life it's own and were shutting; I was falling into darkness but still his voice remained; I could hear him asking me stay to stay with him.

"Please Jo, hold on. Please don't leave me; please. There's no me without you"

And I fell into totally darkness.

And then there was no pain anymore, I felt so comfortable, so light and it was like everything was right, but it wasn't. My kids weren't there, my momma wasn't there, my friends weren't there; he wasn't there. I pushed myself out of there, I needed them, I needed him. The next thing I know I was in hospital room lying in the bed and Mac was holding my hand. I could see he was crying.

"Hey. You're back." He said with a little bit of enthusiasm.

"Hi. What happened?" I asked.

"You were shot, don't you remember?" Worry began increase in his voice.

"I do. I want to know what happened after." I asked

"Okay. The bullet crossed your bulletproof vest hitting you in your chest; you had a big loss of blood until the paramedics arrived. When we arrived here you were sent straight to the O.R."

He said patiently.

"How long have I been out?"

I asked him.

"You've been out for the longest 15 hours of my life."

I couldn't believe it felt like minutes for me.

"So, you missed me?"

I asked smiling a small smile at him.

"You don't have idea how I missed you. I don't think I had ever been so afraid of losing someone how I was afraid of losing you today."

What did he mean?

"I don't get it."

I said to him confused.

"I love you Jo. I couldn't wait anymore to tell you, not after today. You almost died without knowing that I love you, but God gave me a second chance and now I'll say it as many times as I can."

This was everything I needed to hear.

"Mac, I love you, I had loved you all this time, but don't you think Sinclair will disprove it?"

I was relieved to finally say to him I loved him, but I was worried about what could happen if Sinclair heard about it.

"I don't give hell to what he will think. I all want is to be with you."

I looked in his eyes and all I could see was love and kindness, and I didn't need more to know he was saying the truth.

"I want to be with you too, nothing can't make me happier than this."

He moved slowly towards me and pressed his lips softly against mine, it didn't last too long but it was enough to make me feel butterflies in my stomach. When our lips finally parted he smiled at me and said

"Well I think now we just have to tell Ellie and Tyler to get their approval."

I chuckled.

"What?" He asked me.

"You are the only guy I've ever met that would care about what my kids think of you being with me."

But it makes him the sweetest man ever.

"Of course I care. I don't want just be "our mom's boyfriend" for them. I want to help them when they need, I want to let Tyler know that he will always be the number one man in your life and I want to be the father figure that Ellie never had."

I melted when I heard him saying those words.

"If it means this much for you, then we can talk with them. Thank you, Mac"

I said to him.

"For what?" he asked me.

"For being who you are and for being here."

I said looking him in the eye. Never had I seen so much love bright in someone's eyes as I saw in his.

"Well the only way I can answer this to you is by saying that for as long as I can I will always be with you. I love you."

He said it so softly that made my eyes fill with tears of joy and happiness.

"I love you too"

I said and he kissed one more time.

As we stayed in that hospital room, talking and laughing I finally came to the realization that just as I am nothing without my children, I am nothing without him either.

The End!