Step Back.

Hello, so back again with another Flashpoint story!

Trigger Warning – Mentions of Suicide and Depression.

-Winnie find herself trying to talk a young teen off the ledge. -

This is a one shot and has a Spike/Winnie established element.

I hope you enjoy and decided to leave a review!
Disclaimer – I own nothing.

Winnie was unsure on just how it got to this. A friendly chat with a girl who'd come to HQ looking for Greg was threatening to jump off a room. The roof. The roof of HQ, with only Winnie there with some experience, and by some, she meant none.

"Winnie, you know how this works, you know the steps, you can do this. I will be there the whole time." She could hear Greg's voice on the other end, but still she couldn't see this going well.

"Kate, it's Winnie. Can we talk?" The question went unanswered as she took a few steps forward.

Winnie hadn't realised where she had gone until the motion sensor cameras from the roof had flicked up on her screen, causing her semi-panic as she tried to figure out what to do next.

Team one was on coms and hell, she wished they were here, it was what they did, they helped people, they saved people.

"We're 10 minutes out, Win, just try and get her talking." Spike. She was more than thankful to hear his voice.

"Kate, why don't we talk about Emma?"

"She's better without me!" Kate, in a state of tears and anger, took another step forward.

"I don't think she would see it that way. You told me you go to the park together? Just think about how much she would miss that…"

"Boss…" Winnie said in a hope to get some help.

"Try and relate to her Winnie, she's depressed, she doesn't see a way out…" Jules put in before Greg could speak, team one listening almost helplessly as they fought traffic.

"Kate…" Winnie took a step forward, she could now see the ground below then, a long way below then. Her hands sweating as she realised she was going to have to open up in order to do some good.

"Kate, I know that everything happening right now, makes you feel so hopeless, like nothing will ever go your way, and believe me I have been where you are, I have felt this way so many times and I can't tell you how many time I thought ending it all would be best…"
"I do want to end it all!"
"I know, and I know exactly what that feels like, but Kate I also know what it feels like to come out the other side. The way that feels when you wake up in the morning and you smile, how it feels to look in the mirror and actually like what you see, to be able to go out with friends and actually smile because you mean it because you're having a good time. It might take some time, but believe me when I say, it's worth it."
Winnie took another step towards her, in a hope to get a response.

"Kate, I might not be able to help you, but I know people who do. People who will go to the ends of the earth to help you get through this, because they helped me." Kate turned to face Winnie, looking at her through teary eyes.

"Really, you mean that?"
"Yes. That feeling of not being good enough, of thinking the world would be better off without you, I battled with that for so long, I battled with depression for so long, thinking everyday would be my last, but I kept fighting, I found things, small things to fight for and now I'm here. You have so much to fight for, so much to live for, and I don't mean family and friends I mean you. The artwork you showed me, think of how good you can become, how much you could learn. Think of your sister and how happy she would be, think of how proud you can be of yourself when you wake up and realise that actually you're no longer faking that smile."

Kate took a step back, a small step, but a step none the less.

"Do you mean that?"
"Yes. I mean it, I swear by it. Things right now, this, what you're feeling, it won't last forever, I promise you."

There was a moment of silence. Winnie stood, watching, hoping Kate would hear her, and Team One sat in silence, trying to take it all that was being said.

She saw Kate's breath quicken as she took a step back, falling into Winnie's arm, sobbing like nothing Winnie had ever heard.

"It's okay, you're okay…"
"Boss, she's, she's okay."

"Good job, Winnie. Really good, job." Greg said looking over at Spike who was in the car next to him.

Winnie let a few tears fall, as she held the younger woman close.

"It's okay, everything is all going to be okay."

It was an hour later when Kate was taken by medics, surrounded by family, on her way to get checked over.

Spike hadn't left her side since they got back and Greg was constant with telling her how much of a good job she did. How proud of her he was.

Spike and Winnie walked in silence down the hall to the changing rooms and Winnie had to admit it was strange, to go from talking all the time, to suddenly not talking at all. It felt like a bad breakup.

"Do, do you still love me?" Again, like a bad breakup.

"Of course, I do, Win." There was no doubt in Spike's voice as he took her hand.

"It's just, what I said to Kate. I never told anyone, I didn't want people knowing, I never told you…" She tried her best at explaining, but she felt like she was only making it worse.

"Winnie, I love you. You know that, and the only reason I would want to know everything about you and your past is because I want to help you. Everyone can get depressed, and everyone can have bad days, but you're here and you saved a life today…"
"I know, I know."
"Sometimes Win, you just have to take a step back and let other people help you, so okay, you didn't want us to know you suffered from depression, but now we know and now we can help if it happens again, I can help if it happens again…" Winnie nodded with tears in her eyes.
"I love you, Winnie."
"I love you too, Spike…"
"I'm proud of you, for what you did today. She's still with us because of you." Winnie smiled for the first time since the roof and actually felt glad.

She saved a life, someone was getting a second chance at happiness because of her.

Winnie made a mental note to remember her words when she was having a bad day, but for now, she was just content knowing the smile she was wearing was no longer fake.

I hope everyone liked this! It's a little different from what I normally do, but the idea was in my head and I thought it would be good to write it out. Try something different.

Please let me know what you thought!

Bethany.