Hey there! :) This is my first FanFiction story ever and I'm not a native english speaker. Consider yourself warned. ;) So please help me to improve my writing by reviewing at the end of the story.

Thanks to TheShulesLovin'Psycho and redwolffclaw for beta-reading!

Running Into The Fire

After closing a particularly nerve wracking, dangerous case, I figured we all could use some drinks. Lassie insisted that the work wasn't done yet, and that there was still tons of paperwork waiting to be filled out, but he couldn't even convince Jules of that. She, Gus and I went to the last bar which was still open in the early morning hours.

"I don't know Shawn..." she said first. "Even though I agree that work can wait until tomorrow morning, if I stay up for any longer, I won't be able to achieve anything."

"Jules, relax." I comforted her and rubbed her back. "Don't think about tomorrow. Tonight is about celebrating one more victory for the best crime solving team ever. Just let loose, you will feel better afterwards I promise." And with a sly smile I added. "Also I swear will take care of all of your pains in the morning and do whatever it takes to make them go away."

She couldn't resist smiling back at me. "Okay, but only for an hour..."

Sure enough, exactly one hour later, at 4 a.m., Jules decided to scoot. She said that she was really tired and wanted to sleep at least for a few hours before the workday calls again. I kissed her and promised that I would come after her soon to cuddle next to her. It was something she visibly looked forward to.

Still another hour later, I hadn't moved from the bar with Gus, and we were still shooting the breeze.

"I tell you, I had everything under control!" he said stubbornly, taking another drink.

"Like hell you did. You were shaking like Jell-O." I laughed. "Seriously, I don't understand why that guy even froze when he could have make you faint with one more step towards you."

"It's because I was in control!" Gus protested again. "If it wasn't for me he would have gotten away."

He was talking about our case. Gus had insisted on staying outside of the warehouse, where the showdown happened, but he somehow managed to stop the weakest member of the gang who tried to sneak away from us unseen.

I was just about to respond, when I got an unexpected call. Surprisingly from Lassie not from Jules. "Hold on for a sec." I told Gus and took the call.

"Spencer, listen to me closely and don't freak out!"

Lassie said quickly, obviously freaking out himself. In the background I heard the siren of his police car and Chief Vick, who assumingly sat next to him speaking into the radio. I wondered what had him so freaked out much and had to ask why.

"Lassie what..." I didn't get to it before he cut me off.

"Please say that O'Hara is still with you!"

I stumbled over my answer at first, when I felt my stomach churn. I heard worry and fear in his voice. Was that even possible? What happened? What happened to my Jules? "N-no... she went home to rest about an hour ago. What happened?" I wasn't sure if Lassie got my carefully asked question, 'cause I heard him curse.

However, he still answered. "They want to take revenge." Lassiter referred to the gang, whose boss they just had incriminated. "Especially on you. Shawn..." he continued, trying to stay calm. "...a neighbor just called. He claims that a house on 102 Shoreline Drive is on fire. We are on our way already."

I had stopped breathing since he addressed me by my first name. "T-That's our house." I answered shakingly. Our house. It still sounded new and unfamiliar, 'cause Jules and I just bought it together. It wasn't even completely furnished yet... Jules!

"Spencer! Can you hear me?! We're on our way, don't pa..."

I disconnected the call and stormed out the door without saying a word. I heard Gus and only seconds later also the bar tender, yelling that we hadn't paid yet, but I didn't care right now. I lunged at the Blueberry and pulled at the hand grip until I realized that Gus of course locked his car.

"Shawn, are you out of your mind?! We have to..."

I didn't let him finish his sentence. "Unlock the car! Now! We have to save Jules, she's in danger!" I called out quickly and continued to pull at the hand grip. Finally Gus obeyed and got into the driver seat. I spurred him on, and said he had to drive as fast as possible and yelled that he still was going too slow.

With trembling fingers I dialed Jules' number, but nobody answered. Even worse, her phone seemed to be dead. "Drive faster!" I screamed at Gus and he sped around the next corner. A fire truck passed us and then I saw it.

Fire! Everywhere!

Orange and red flames licked out of almost every window of our home and engulfed it in thick, black smoke. Only the upper window to our bedroom still was untouched. I wasn't too late yet. Gus hadn't even started to slow down, when I threw the car door open and jumped outside. Shocked, he called my name, but I rolled over and started to run.

People were everywhere. All dressed in black or blue and most of them wore masks. A hose was rolled out and another one was directed towards the flames. It was obvious they'd just arrived. It was only after I pushed aside one of the many attendant police officers before he could barricade the scene, that everyone noticed me.

He yelled that I should stay put. I didn't even consider it for one second. Jules! She was inside! In that inferno! She was probably sleeping and recognized the fire too late! She might not get out by herself! My panic-fuelled thoughts pushed me to higher speeds.

More uniformed men threw themselves in my way, but I swerved through them. I pushed myself free and kept running. A blurry, familiar face appeared for a second in my line of sight, but I rushed pass him without slowing down.

"Spencer! Dammit, Come Back!"

Only now I realized to whom the face belonged. I left the policemen behind me and raced towards the black and yellow dressed firemen. They also yelled at me to stop, but I pressed on, escaping them like a snake that swiftly weaved through the woods. The last barriers were behind me and in front of me I only saw the black, practically destroyed front door, which opened like a maw into blistering hell. I didn't hesitate for one second and plunged right into it.

I couldn't hear the firemen's yells anymore, once I was inside. A wall of heat and noise swallowed every other sound. Out of instinct I blocked my face with one arm to protect myself from the burning heat, but I didn't slow down. It was dark and black where the flames were already extinguished, but apart from that everything was blazing red. My destination was clear. I had to go upstairs, where the flames haven't touched most of the rooms yet. To my Jules.

The smoke in the upper floor was so thick that I couldn't see my own hand anymore. I coughed, but it only got worse. Booming flames and noise all around me, acrid smoke burned my nose and eyes but I kept on stumbling forward, unerringly towards the bedroom door. I couldn't hear Jules. Wouldn't she be awake by now due to the noise of the fire? Wouldn't she yell for help? Could she?

"Jules!" I called out above the roaring of the fire and finally felt the door in front of me. I wanted to reach for the knob but it was so hot, that I burned myself. I flinched back and tried it again nonetheless, but the heat had already warped the door frame. It stuck. "Juliet! I'm coming!" I called out again and started to cough heavily.

With all my strength I threw myself at the solid wood over and over again until my shoulder hurt, but even that didn't stop me. After the fourth time I plunged so hard against it, that the hinges finally gave way. I tumbled forward and banged my head against the door hard. I got dizzy for a moment, but blinked the feeling away and sank down next to the bed. The smoke in here wasn't as thick as outside, so I could see her and how she was laying there; motionless on her side of the bed. Her body felt hot when I touched her shoulder and shook her.

"Jules! Juliet! Wake up, please wake up Sweetheart!" I said and held her cheek in my hand. She didn't budge, she didn't even scrunched up her face. More fumes progressed from the hallway through the door and I heard the crackling flames coming closer and destroying everything in its way with a crash. "Juliet please! You have to wake up! Don't you hear the fire!" I shook her desperately, tried to wake her, but her arms only slid from her belly and her head lulled to the side.

My eyes widened in panic. Is she even breathing!? Oh my god that can't happen! "No!" I whispered baffled. "I'll get you out, everything will be fine, don't be scared." I coughed again, then I grabbed her with my hands below her knees and her spine and pulled her up. She didn't even tried to hold on to me and so I almost tumbled over. I pressed her body closer to me and tried not to think about why her arms and head slumped. I straightened up and shifted my weight so her head rested against my chest. "Hang in there Sweetheart, you hear me? Please hang in there!"

With my beloved girlfriend in my arms I staggered towards the hallway again. The entrance door wasn't far away. I had to save her. Jules had to stay with me. The acrid smoke hit me like a hot wall and my eyes started to tear instantly because of it...or was there another reason for them to tear up? I couldn't tell.

I could practically feel the heavy fumes accumulating in my lungs and I felt the urge to gag and cough. I tried not to fall over while doing just that, so Jules wouldn't be hurt. I had to stay upright... until this bout it was over. Meanwhile the staircase caught fire too and the flames had reached the upper floor. The wall as well as the handrail on the other side was ablaze. I had no other option, I had to go through it, to get us out alive.

Protectively I pressed Jules even closer to me and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I don't let something happen to you." I whispered and imagined that she would answer.

Then, I quickly stepped forward down the stairs as fast as I could. I turned Juliet away from the licking flames, which wanted to hurt her. I burnt myself even more in return, but I took it without really feeling the physical pain. I stumbled one time and almost tumbled over, but I caught myself by leaning on the smoldering handrail. I flinched in pain but eventually made it downstairs. My head was throbbing and everything was spinning. I had to rest against an untouched part of the wall, so I wouldn't pass out, but the escape was so close now.

"Almost there Jules! You can wake up now." While I staggered forward towards the just breaking dawn, I called her name repeatedly. "Juliet, please say something!" Louder and louder, but she didn't respond. She stayed absolutely still in my arms. From the booming, vibrant flames I stumbled out into the noise of the attendant crowd, who breathed in collectively as they saw us. Jules still hadn't answered and I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. Two steps, then I sank to my knees and screamed out: "JULIET!"

I held her close to my chest and laid my burning, sooty forehead against her still face. Black tears dripped down upon her skin and dried instantly in the heat. Shadows fell over us while I kept on croaking out her name. my voice dry and raspy. Hands wanted to grab her, but I cried out and kept them at bay with my fists. The hands retreated and I smoothed softly over Juliet's hot and dry cheek. The beautiful blonde tips of her hair were now singed and black. I stroked them out of her eyes and kissed her with cracked lips. "Please wake up. Don't leave me. I love you." I whispered to her constantly and rocked her in my arms. "Please Jules, please wake up!"

The hands tried to reach her again, tried to take her away from me and my head snapped up abruptly. A fireman looked down on me sympathetically and said something, but I didn't understand him. A deep and dangerous growl came from my chest, while I stared at him with so much rage, that he stepped back with upheld hands. I hugged Jules' body closer, buried my face on hers and begged her to stay with me.

"Spencer!"

A familiar voice. The voice, that belonged to the familiar face from before. Slowly I raised my head again. "Lassie..." I croaked. Behind him stood Chief Vick, who tried to look brave and professional, something both she and Lassiter could achieve . Behind her Gus. He didn't even try. His lips quivered and tears glistened in his eyes. Sympathetic tears is what he would say, but I wasted no thoughts on that.

"I..." Speaking started to hurt and I had to cough very hard when I tried. "I can't..." Again the urge to gag. "She's not..." I looked down to Jules, who laid in my arms. This time my voice broke for a different reason. She looked like she still was in a deep sleep. Like she just hadn't recognized yet what had happened. Like soon she would yawn and wonder where she was... but she didn't. If she was still breathing then it was so shallow by now that I could neither see nor feel it.

"I know. Let them help her. They can help."

Lassiter knelt down next to me. I have never experienced him being so gentle to someone. Especially to me of all people. I was so perplexed that I stared at him in disbelief. Then I looked back down to my sleeping Jules and up again to Lassie, Chief Vick and Gus. They nodded. I should trust them.

"O-okay." I spoke trembling and laid my girlfriend to the ground, very carefully and slowly. The grass was wet, from dew or the water from the hoses, I couldn't tell. It was cold, but I supposed that it would do her good 'cause she still was burning up. With my fingertips I wiped some soot from her soft cheek and kissed the clean spot. Only for her ears audible I whispered a low 'I love you' before Lassiter took me by my shoulder and slowly pulled me backwards.

I didn't like how strange people manhandled my angel immediately touching her and bending her head back. I wanted to struggle again, but when Lassie and Gus finally pulled me up to my feet, I hadn't the strength for it. My knees buckled and I swayed. Gus held me upright, so I wouldn't fall.

An eager, young medical assistant appeared between me and my sight of Jules. He held up an oxygen mask, which he wanted to pull over my mouth and nose. At the same time he concentrated his eyes on my temple, which still pounded like hell for some reason. I refused to hold still while my view was obstructed. "No! Jules!" I protested shortly. "Take care of her!" After that I couldn't take a breath anymore and started to cough wheezy and heavily again.

"Give him a minute!" I heard Lassie say and wondered if he was the only one who had defended me until now.

The irritating cough got worse and I struggled to get some air into my lungs. Desperate I supported myself on my knees to choke up soot. I felt a soothing hand on my back, drawing circles while I was coughing. When it was over, I glanced up. "Gus?" My best friend looked mournful and tried to say something without the shiver in his voice, failing miserably.

"It's okay Shawn, you− you got her out."

"She didn't move." I said with a scratchy voice. "She..." I got out before I had to bend over again to choke up the heavy soot in my lungs. "She was still in our bed." I narrated. "She didn't even..." Now my voice broke miserably and I felt desperate tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't stand on my feet anymore and sank down to my knees. I stared disbelievingly at the wet, muddy ground when I spoke it out loud. "She didn't even wake up." Shocked and in a daze I turned around towards Gus, grabbed him by his collar and pulled him down to me. I realized the meaning of my own words and stared at him in absolute horror. "She Didn't. Even. Wake. Up!" I stressed again and didn't notice that my voice got shrill, raspy and louder.

I wasn't able to look him in the eyes anymore. I could already see the truth, which was becoming clear to me. I whirled around towards the place, where I had laid down Jules in the grass. Motionless, breathless. "Oh G−" I wanted to say more, but suddenly my stomach turned and I vomited right in front of me on the lawn. It felt like everything flowed out of me. Soot, food, tears, love. Everything poured out until I felt completely empty.

Not my Jules! Why my Jules? I needed her! I can't live without her! I love her! She can't be... No! I didn't even dare thinking about it, but there was no stopping the truth. No! No! No! Hands touched me, tenderly, carefully. Not hers, so it didn't help to ease my pain. I was still on my knees, my hands on the ground and I choked and cried at the same time. I can't live without her! My thoughts only circled around that one sentence and then... a cough. Raspy, choked, rough, painful and beautiful all at the same time.

My head shot up and I looked towards her. It was her cough, wasn't it? Her painful dry throat, which made that blessed sound. Please, let it be true! One of the doctors moved aside and I saw her. Bent to the side and doubled up, her eyes tightly squinted and she was coughing heavily.

Oh my God, she is alive! On all fours, because my legs were too weak to carry me, I crawled over to her. Only towards her. I didn't see the other men, who crowded around her and held her while she was coughing. I pushed them aside until it was me again, who was kneeling beside her with filthy, muddy knees, pulling her up on my legs and holding her close.

Oh what a feeling of joy when I felt her arms move this time as she wrapped them around my body and hugged me back. All the while she was coughing and gasping, until her throat was sore. Her breathing was flat and wheezy when she tried to calm down again. "Oh God, Thank You." I whispered towards the sky, rocked my love in my arms and kissed her face everywhere I could.

I started to cry, when she was finally able to open her eyes. I kissed her dry lips. Firm but short enough not to steal her breath again. She blinked against the light and looked at me confused. "Shawn?"

She croaked out my name and it never sounded so strained but wonderful at the same time. I laughed through my tears, leaned my forehead against hers and kissed her again. "Yes Jules. I got you. Everything will be fine. I got you." She looked right into my eyes and smiled at me weakly. Then her glance drifted towards the ruin next to us, which was completely seared but almost extinguished. Her eyes widened in shock and she looked confused and alarmed.

"Shawn? What happened?" Her voice was frightened and low.

I just shook my head softly, laid my face against hers again, covering her view to our former home and calmed her. "Shh, don't bother. You're okay." I shivered when I realized how unbelievably lucky we were that she was still alive, and I hugged her closer to me. Only to feel that she was actually real. "You're okay." I repeated over and over again. "Everything's fine, you're okay." And when I raised my head and saw her tears, she whispered with a strong voice:

"I love you."

And I smiled, kissed her and whispered back: "I love you too."

Please review!