Falling, Flailing

So this is my promised Spike/Ed piece and, just a heads up, probably my last story for quite a while. I head back to school in exactly one week and I will definitely not have time to write during the semester (triple major, honors program, three jobs, internship…) so just savor this one. Wanted to let you all know about that since I've been writing at an absurd rate the past few weeks. Not quite sure where I'm going with this one but know that there will be definite spoilers through "A World of Their Own" and probably foreshadowing for "Fit for Duty." My typical disclaimer about not owning Flashpoint and my typical asking for reviews! PS. Some of the dialogue in the beginning comes right from the episode "A World of Their Own" but I change something pretty vital so just keep an eye out.

"Shots fired!" Ed shouted as he automatically dropped down behind a rock and pulled Cole down with him. His handgun was aimed in the general direction of the shots as his eyes looked from tree to tree.

"It's the boy." Spike's voice came quietly over the radio as Ed found him crouched a few feet past where he saw the rifle and then the boy, Noah. Ed was aware that Cole was speaking to him, asking to be allowed to talk to his nephew but Ed knew that they couldn't risk all the things that could go wrong with that idea right now. More shots were fired, hitting trees and the rocks surrounding Ed and Cole as Spike's voice broke through. "He has lethal intent, Ed." Spike spoke cooly, tried to be detached from the situation as Ed spoke directly to Cole.

"Stay down."

"I've got the solution..." Spike sounded a bit reluctant but Ed could see that his gun was aimed and on target, ready to take the shot if necessary. He didn't want Spike to take the shot, didn't want Spike to have to live with the guilt that he'd had to live with since he started with the SRU, the even more intense pain of killing a child that he had experienced not more than a few months ago. "Ed, what's the call?" He pressed, wanting official orders either way. It helped a bit, to have someone tell you that your actions were expected based on an order, but it didn't help as much as Ed had ever hoped it would when he had to make those tough shots. "Ed, what's the call?" Spike spoke a bit stronger now, longing for that guidance.

"Spike, hold your fire. Don't give him a target." Ed spoke clearly. His reasoning was plausible, he didn't want Spike to expose himself or for Noah to think that they were trying to sneak up on him.

"Almost there, Ed." Greg's voice sounded over the radio and Ed felt a little bit better about his position. He knew how much Greg hated making the tough calls but, it was better he than Ed at this point. He grew disheartened as he learned that there was literally no way to communicate with Noah other than putting Cole and themselves in more danger.

"Greg, he's not looking to kill. He's taken seven shots, he hasn't hit his target once. Cole's our only chance to get through to him. We gotta let him try."

"No, it's too risky, Eddie." Greg said with a degree of authority. They both knew the different scenarios, most of which ended with Noah hurting someone or the team needing to neutralize Noah. Neither option was a good one and they all knew it.

"Okay...okay. Stay with Cole. Spike, cover me." Ed said strongly as he stood.

"Copy that." Spike's voice was a horse whisper, it was obvious that he was focusing hard on his breathing and keeping himself steady. The idea of any lethal solution always hurt Spike. They were there to help, to bring some reality to the situation and make sure everyone went home okay. Even if they went home and their ears hurt a little bit from the flashbangs or their nose burnt for a few hours from the tear gas, everyone going home relatively unscathed was always the goal. Spike understood that some people brought it upon themselves, some people left them no choice. Spike had taken two lethal shots before and he had felt badly but he didn't lose much sleep over either. As much as he tried to live by Greg's philosophy that everyone could be a good person making some bad mistakes, a drug dealer threatening his girlfriend who was in the process of getting clean and a bank robber who got greedy and started killing his accomplices, didn't really phase him much. At least not as much as some of Ed and Sam's shots had phased them. It was always hard to take a life, but the innocent, the misguided, the ones that you could really understand their motivations, those were the tough ones. And this was a tough one for Spike on so many different levels.

"I need you to put that gun down, please..." Ed had his arms raised as he walked towards Noah and was making sure to annunciate each word, hoping that Noah could read his lips, even if only slightly. Spike tensed as Ed continued to speak, keeping his body language open, trying not to intimidate him. "Nobody needs to get hurt today-" They all jumped for an instant, shocked to hear a loud bang breaking the silence as Ed fell to the ground. Before his body even hit the rocky hill beneath him, Spike had quickly flicked his finger on the trigger, meeting his target as his bullet flew through the air and met it's target just over Noah's right eye.

"Ed! Ed, status?" Greg shouted into his comm link as he held Cole down, trying to keep him from seeing his only nephew fall.

"No harm...no harm..." he choked out as he tried to sit up, the pain in his ribs overwhelming for a moment. "Hit the vest." He finally got himself into a sitting position, trying to ignore the cries coming from behind the rocks where Greg comforted Cole. "Spike?" He choked out again as he got himself kneeling and then standing, a bit shaky as he tried to get a real breath. "Spike?" He said again as he made his way over to his young tech's position approaching slowly.

You might kill me for ending it there but another chapter will be coming soon so leave me a review if you don't mind, they really make my day! Also, for future reference, I'm not sure if they ever say Noah's age or last name in the episode. I'm gonna guess that they do but I don't have time to sit through the whole thing again to listen for that quick little tid-bit so if you know, please message or review so I can get it right.