Writing Prompt: Write the saddest scene between a man and a woman, except this is the first time they've ever met.
…
I Can't Help My Heart
Jean Innocent/Sammy Murray
Jean Innconcent/James Hathaway
...
It shouldn't have ended this way; it was just a normal day…just like any other. Except today would be her last…perhaps if she'd known, she might have tried harder in her life, been a little more patient with her parents, focused more on her failing marriage before the inevitable had happened, been a better mother to her son, spent more time with him that focusing solely on her job. Given in to her young Sergeant, the poor man…so many time's he'd dropped subtle hints at dinner and a movie and every time she'd use the excuse of being to busy, far too much paperwork. It wasn't that she didn't want to move on, to find someone new to share her life, it was just the simple fact that she was afraid, the small fear that she'd end up cocking up another relationship and that alone terrified the hell out of her.
Really she should have been paying more attention, she was the Chief Superintendent, she's gone over and over with the other officers repeatedly how this operation would go, how much back-up they would need. She had thought about putting her two best on the raid but they were so busy with three other on-going cases that she'd stupidly decided to handle this one on her own, get back out on to the streets. She'd been cooped up behind her desk for far too long, perhaps she had been a little too preoccupied with other things, James declaration running though her mind over and over again.
"It's been two years Jean, I just thought by now you'd have realized that I'd fallen in love with you."
Why had she turned him away, he loved her and she turned him away and she couldn't believe that she may have missed her last chance at being happy.
…
The shots had come out of nowhere, it was unexpected, suddenly guns were firing from all directions, officers running back and forth while Jean barked orders at then. One young officer, just in uniform looked almost terrified as his head shot around in all directions, suddenly landing on Jean who had gone quiet, her hand coming to her front stomach when she began to feel burning, bringing her hand up to see nothing but red covering her now shaking hand. Her eyes darted to the young officer, who on instinct ran to her side, catching her as her legs began to give way.
"OFFICER DOWN….OFFICER DOWN." The young man yelled.
Jean fell back, feeling the warm hand around her back as he held her close to him.
"What…how did I…"
"Ssssh, don't try to talk Ma'am."
Jean's hands began to shake as the young man looked down at her, fear on his face as people ran around them, one officer on the radio requesting an ambulance.
"What's you name?" Jean asked shivering, the shock setting in.
"Sammy…Sammy Murray."
"You're…first day?"
"Yeah, I'm down from London, following in my mum's footsteps."
"An officer too?"
"DCI…."
"What's her name?"
"Gill, DCI Gill Murray."
"She must be…very proud."
Jean began coughing, small bits of blood leaving her mouth.
"Oh god, this isn't..happ…"
"Here let me."
Sammy got a tissue from his jacket and wiped away the blood before covering Jean's hand that was keeping pressure on her wound.
"I'm sorry…not what you wanted on your first day mmmm?"
"The ambulance will be here soon."
"It…where's James."
"James Ma'am."
"Hathaway, he…would you believe he likes me…his boss, imagine tha…that."
"I don't know Ma'am; you're very beautiful for an older woman."
Jean laughed, regretting it immediately as she cried out in pain.
"I need you to do me a favour Sammy, if I don't make it…tell him, tell James I'm sorry, tell him…that I wish I hadn't been so scared. I love him too; I was just scared to admit it to him."
Sammy looked down in to Jean's eyes, tears falling from her eyes as he held her tighter to him.
"Being a police officer, it's one of the best jobs you could have."
"That's what mum said."
"But don't let it consume your life, I didn't that. I lost my marriage, my son because I…I worked to long, it became all of me, don't let that…ahhhh."
"Ma'am…"
"Don't let that happen to you, promise me…promise me you…"
"I promise Ma'am."
"Call me Jean."
"I promise…Jean."
…
The sound of the ambulance could be heard coming up the road as Jean's grip on Sammy suddenly loosened.
"Ma'am…Jean, don't not yet. The ambulance is here, hear it, it's here…you're gonna be okay…wake up, please wake up."
Sammy felt a hand on his shoulder as one of his team mates loosened his grip on Jean's lifeless body. Sammy got to his feet at the paramedics attended to her, everyone standing around them, watching the scene in shock before the head paramedic pronounced it.
"Time of death, two twenty-four pm. I'm sorry but she's gone."
Everyone looked behind them as a car pulled up, an older man in his sixties and a younger man in his thirties getting out. Sammy heard the older one address the other as James as he tried to hold him back before he pushed away and over to Jean's body, kneeling down beside her, holding her in his arms as he cried.
Sammy watched as James placed a kiss to her forehead, wiping away blood from her face as he cried.
It was an hour before James finally allowed them to take Jean's body, Robbie comforting his friend as he escorted him back to the car; Sammy came up behind them, offering his sympathies.
"Are you James Hathaway?"
James turned to the young man, wiping tears from his eyes before he nodded.
"Yes, I am…who are you."
"My name's Sammy Murray, I was with Chief Superintendent Innocent before she died."
"You're the young lad that stayed with her." Robbie stated.
"Yes Sir."
"Well thank you lad, I'm glad she had someone with her." Robbie said softly.
"James she asked me to tell you something."
"She did, what…what did she say?"
"To tell you that…that she loved you too, she was just scared to tell you, she wanted you to know that."
"I loved her too, more than she knew and now it's too late."
"I'm sorry, I tried to help her I really did I…"
"It's okay Sammy, you were with her, she didn't die alone. I'm grateful for that."
"Come on lad, let's get you home. Sammy lad, thank you…for everything."
Sammy shook Robbie and James hand before standing back and watching the car drive off. He turned when he heard the ambulance leave, watching them take Jean away.
"Come on Murray, we got arrest to make."
Sammy nodded before looking at the scene where Jean took her last breath, bloody soaking in to the road. She closed his eyes briefly, a small tear escaping.
"Goodbye Jean." He smiled to himself before leaving to join the others.
…
-Fin