Note: this story has been written for the Paint It Red monthly challenge - prompt: saving the world
Saving the World
"Whoever saves one life saves the world entire"
- Talmud -
"Lisbon".
She didn't even acknowledge his presence – her eyes still staring into space.
No matter how many times she had already done it. Shooting someone was the thing she hated most about her job.
Jane sat on the corner of the desk and gently tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her shell-like ear.
"You saved the little girl, Lisbon. This is all that matters".
She bit her lip – guilt and sadness both apparent on her face.
"A girl who's going to hate me for the rest of her life. With every good reason too".
"What else would you have done? Let the mother jump out of the window taking that poor girl with her?"
"I… don't know", she forlornly admitted, waving her hands in defeat.
He lifted her chin – warm blue eyes meeting watery green ones.
"You did your best, Teresa. You tried to save them both. Unfortunately the woman was too scared to trust you".
A sob finally escaped from her lips. Protecting people wasn't just another part of her job. It was her duty. She couldn't help feeling like she had failed once again.
Moments later she found herself being held against his chest.
"It's okay if you want to cry. I'm not going to tell anyone, I promise".
So cry she did – her tears soaking his vest.
Jane couldn't care less about his vest anyway. Not now.
"You cannot save the world, Teresa. Yet every single life you're able to save does count. Remember that".
"Yeah", she whispered softly, clutching the lapels of his jacket as if they had suddenly become her only lifeline.
A little girl still had her whole life ahead of her. Lisbon had made a world of difference to her, at the very least.