"It's her or you."
His first thought was that he couldn't let Jo die, then of his secret. When caught between the two he chose Jo. There was no doubt in his mind, Jo had to live and if she learned his secret in the process then so be it.
"Shoot me." He said as he stepped in front of Jo to act as a shield.
"Henry no!"
But it was too late. Shots were fired. He felt a bullet rip through his thigh and then another through his stomach. He heard Jo's cry of pain, she must have been hit too. He was falling backwards and then Jo caught him and lowered him to the ground. He watched the owner of the gas station fall to the ground where he didn't move again. His vision blurred and Jo's voice seemed far away. He could hear her calling for backup and an ambulance and then her desperate cries pulled him back into focus. His injuries were fatal, he could feel the life draining out of him.
"Henry! What the hell? What were you thinking?"
"That I couldn't let you die." He groaned.
"You'll be okay though, won't you?"
"I'm sorry Jo, one of the bullets nicked my femoral artery, I'm bleeding out."
"No, no, no. How do we stop it?"
"Jo, call Abraham please."
When she started to protest he silenced her with a look.
"Please, Jo."
Within in a minute it was Abe's voice coming through the phone.
"Abe's Antiques how may I help you?"
"Abe it's me." He gasped for breath, he could feel his life beginning to slip away once again.
"Henry what's wrong? Do you need me to pick you up?"
"Give It ten minutes then meet me at the usual spot, the detective is watching me die, you'll need to walk her through what will happen next, she'll call you again when I'm gone, and just in case..."
"Henry don't..."
"It's okay Abraham, she will know soon enough, I love you son."
"I love you dad."
The phone clicked and he could see the look of disbelief in Jo's eyes.
"Jo, I'll explain everything when I can. When you write you're report I was never here. I will die and then my body will disappear. Call Abraham he will explain what he can."
"What? No Henry don't die, I can't lose you too."
"You won't, when you can, go to the shop. I'll see you then."
"Henry stay with me!"
He listened to her cries as his vision faded black, then the kaleidoscope of his life rushed through his mind and he was once again swimming in the river.
Jo watched as the life faded from Henry's eyes. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't lose someone else that she cared about. She could hear sirens in the distance as sobs began to form in her chest. But then something strange happened, the weight in her arms was gone and like Henry had said his body was gone.
No, was she going crazy. Was she hallucinating, she still had his blood on her hands, didn't she? But then she remembered the throbbing in her own arm where a bullet had nicked her. The blood on her hands was hers. Henry had said to call Abe. She scrambled to find her phone, but before she could find it, paramedics were surrounding her and her vision was fading to black.
When she finally woke up in the hospital her mind was reeling. But she kept it to herself.
Over the course of the next week she finished off the case, and avoided the ME's lab. She knew Henry was alive because the report for the death of the gas station owner was signed by him.
She could have called, should have called him, or Abe, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. There was a part of her that knew Henry had been there with her at the Gas station but the rest of her still couldn't believe it.
She had nightmares about it. Every night she saw his eyes lose their spark if life as she held him in her arms and every night she would wake up screaming for him to live.
That night on her way home, she lost herself in her thoughts and after walking quite some time she realized she hadn't been going home. Instead she found herself in front of the antique shop.
"You know Jo, if you want to know what happened at the gas station all you have to do is ask."
Henry's voice came from behind her. She turned to him and she could see the look of concern on his face.
"Come inside?"
She nodded and he led her in through the antique shop to the apartment above.
She stood and watched as he removed his jacket, underneath his sleeves were rolled up and his fingers fumbled as he removed his scarf and placed it with his coat. He then turned to her, his face unsure, hands clasped behind his back, he almost looked like a child being admonished for something he had done wrong.
"I apologize that you had to witness one of my deaths Jo."
Relief flooded through her, he really had been at that gas station and she wasn't going insane.
"Henry I-"
"Henry is that you? I just made tea would you like some?"
Abrahams voice interrupted her.
"Yes please. And pour a cup for the detective too Abe."
"He's your son?"
It was the first question that popped into her mind. Out of everything that she could have asked in that moment it seemed like the most important thing. She had seen the interact with each other and even though they had originally told her they were just old friends, they had always seemed closer. She had seen the father son relationship between them but she had assumed the roles were reversed. She had never pictured Henry as the father, but now that she knew the truth, their relationship made more sense.
Henry nodded with a smile on response to her question.
"It's a long story, but if you would like to have a seat I will tell you the most important parts." He said as he led her into the living room.
AN: Hey I hoped your joyed this quick one shot, it was written after New York kids Aired. I'm still a little unsure on the ending so review and let me know what you think. If you're following my other stories don't worry I haven't abandoned them and hopefully I should be updating them soon.
~Ma