Hey all! Thankies for all the previous reviews, I sincerely appreciate them and hope that you continuing enjoying these tidbits.

This chapter is set just after Carmen goes on the raid with matt, Cory and Mac to find the guys who blew up her and Flack's wedding. The previous chapter ended with Seamus Gunn pointing a gun directly at Carmen's chest and firing. So I wrote two options for the next chapter, this is the one that didn't make it into the story.

The Forgotten Pages – Part Two: The Way That She Died

And though time goes by
I will always be
In a club with you
In 1973

James Blunt – 1973

The doors to the emergency room were thrown open as Flack raced through the corridors of the hospital. His heart was hammering in his chest as the sound of his wet shoes slapping the tiles echoed through the empty hallway. He'd heard the call out over the radio, he's literally stopped breathing when he'd heard the words "Officer Down." repeating over the air waves. Somehow he'd already known it was her. Erupting through another set of double doors he came face to face with Carmen's mentor and their long term friend. Flack took one look at his face and he knew…

Mac was struggling to keep his face passive but he couldn't hide his glistening eyes away from Flack. It suddenly occurred to Flack that Mac had been crying… and Mac didn't cry. His fists were clenched by his sides, a show of restraint…

It hit him like a truck, he suddenly found himself overwhelmed as he began to piece the puzzle together.

"Mac?" he begged.

Mac shook his head and Flack found himself beginning to crumble. The back of his hand pressed to his mouth as he muttered the word "no" over and over again. He couldn't breathe; it was as if his air supply had been completely cut off. His knees buckled, Mac reached out and clasped the other man's shoulders, Flack leaned against Mac clutching his arm for support. Hot salty tears were leaking from his eyes and trailing down his cheeks, as he clenched his eyes tightly together, trying to block out the emotions he was drowning in.

"I'm sorry Don… I really am…" Mac's voice was breaking as he spoke quietly.

Don's chest heaved with deep; gut wrenching sobs as the older man held him tightly. There were no words Mac could say so he simply held on to the younger man as he broke down. It took Flack a few minutes to regain control of himself and stand back on his own two feet. His once vibrant eyes were dull and lifeless as his gaze met Mac's.

"I need… I need to see her." He stated, before swallowing hard and jamming his trembling hands into the pockets that lined his Armani suit.

Mac nodded grimly before gesturing for Flack to follow him. Each step closer to the door at the end of the hallway felt like it took a lifetime. Part of him felt compelled, driven by the need to know that there hadn't been a mistake; it really had been her who'd caught a bullet to chest. The rest of him didn't want to know, it wanted him to go back to the apartment, crack open the bottle of JD and wait for her return. She couldn't be dead he reasoned. They were getting married in a fortnight.

Mac's hand was on the door handle, hesitating before he pushed it open.

"I'll let you have a few minutes." Mac's voice was gruff as he diverted his gaze from the scene inside.

Flack found himself unable to speak instead he pushed past the former Marine and stepped into the tiny, badly lit room. He heard the door click shut behind him as Mac removed himself. Flack was left utterly alone in the silent private hospital room.

Flack's eyes were on her face as he stepped up to the cold, metal gurney laid out in front of him. His footsteps were slow and each one caused a deep stabbing pain to radiate in the center of his chest. His fingers brushed her wavy auburn locks away from her face. Her skin was barely warm under his touch, there wasn't enough heat to give him the hope he so desperately craved.

His eyes took in the expression on her beautiful features. Her head was tilted towards him, her lips parted slightly and her intense forest green eyes closed. One of her arms rested across her stomach and the other lay palm open on the gurney. He remembered her this morning, watching her breathe as she lay in exactly the same position as she did now.

He found it hard to believe that she looked so peaceful as he caught sight of the blood that was splashed all over clothes. Someone had buttoned up her blouse, but he could still see the ragged hole in her pale skin. The hole in her chest, right above her heart was the final nail in the coffin so to speak.

His heart broke as he clenched his jaw tightly, the back of his hand pressed to his mouth as tears dripped from his face and onto her lifeless lips. He braced himself on the gurney as his chest constricted before her name rolled off his tongue.


Wish I had known that
What seemed so strong
Has been and gone

"Carmen wake up." He murmured, his hand resting on her shoulder as he shook her lightly. "Please Carmen wake up."

She didn't respond to him at all. She simply lay there motionless and absent.

"Please…" he begged, shaking her harder. "Please Princess wake up."

Carmen's head rolled onto her shoulder, her cheek pressing against the freezing cold metal of the gurney. She didn't even stir at the dull thud the action had created.

Flack choked, withdrawing as his body wrenched against the wave of antagonizing pain that was rushing through every fiber of his being. Her words were in his head as she spoke softly.

She'd said she'd always be there, she promised she wasn't ever going to leave him again.

Carmen was gone, her empty corpse was laid out in front of him and the pain…

Jesus Christ the pain was killing him.

His hands were on the dormant life support monitor that was unplugged and resting on a trolley next to the gurney. It hit the wall with a humongous crash as pieces of metal and wiring exploded from it, showering the floor with its debris.

Flack's head was in his hands and he found himself screaming her name incoherently into his hands, cursing her for inflicting this anguish upon him.

Somewhere behind him the door was thrown open as his knees gave out. Strong arms encircled his body and as much as he tried to fight, he found himself unable to break free. Tears blurred his vision as his body sagged against Mac's. The older man cradled him like a child as Flack sobbed into Mac's chest pleading for him to find away to bring Carmen back.