Okay, first things first: I am super-incredibly-sorry that this chapter is, like, two months late (and I don't really have very good reasons for it, other than finals and birthday parties and MUN conferences).

This chapter is... well, you'll see. I hope you'll like it!

There's plenty of (maybe obscene) language in this chapter; I'm sorry if that's something you're offended by.

I don't own Person of Interest.

T+0 HOURS... SECONDARY ASSET

Shaw is on the floor, and she fucking hates it.

She hates being stared down at by Martine-sure, she admires her skills, but nobody has control over Shaw. Especially not Samaritan's blonde puppet. She hates that she had to see Root screaming as she went out and dodged those bullets. She hates her position at the moment.

Basically, she's really pissed off.

She hears the clang of the elevator doors shut, and for a moment it almost sounds like a gunshot (and she wonders if Root thinks the same thing, because Shaw is most definitely alive right now). Martine stares down at her, and for a moment Shaw thinks that she's going to kill her.

Then she puts one hand to her ear in a gesture Shaw knows means she's talking to Greer or Samaritan or whoever the hell she gets her orders from.

Martine cocks her head and purses her lips. "You know, I really wish I could kill you."

"I do too." The words are a struggle for Shaw (shot in the iliolumbar artery, she won't stay conscious for long), but she relishes every word.

But out of the corner of her eye, she sees a flash of brown hair.

Long, curled brown hair.

Pale skin.

Black leather jacket.

Oh, no.

T+0 HOURS... ANALOG INTERFACE

"Oh, Shaw," Root mutters. "You really, really need to stop trying to die."

I had to crawl through fifty yards of air duct.

She takes out the two guns she'd stolen from the car (really, it had been too easy-it was as if Harold wanted her to go down there and save Shaw) and smiles. Deja vu, indeed.

Martine's back is turned, her gun pointed at Shaw. She seems to be... speaking to her.

From her vantage point, Root can see that Shaw is struggling to move her mouth and talk back to Martine. Martine cocks her head and raises her gun so it's pointed at Shaw's head nosheneedstogosaveShaw.

Root starts walking down the corridor-shecan'tletherselfbeseen-just as Martine lowers her gun.

False alarm.

She wants to go back, but Shaw sees her first.

The change in her expression is minute, almost imperceptible. Her eyes narrow slightly, because she will never stop being so Shaw, no matter how hurt she is.

The Machine's voice rings in her ear-two of Decima's lackeys are coming down the hall, fast.

Root hears Martine turn around and Shaw's still on the floor and sheneedstogorightnow.

Guns blazing, Root goes out into battle.

T+0 HOURS... SECONDARY ASSET

Damn it, Root.

Shaw tries to get up as Martine leaves her. Dimly, she wonders why Martine left her alone at all-Shaw can see the outlines of two people walking down the hallway, and she's pretty sure they aren't John or Fusco or Finch.

Pass me a gun, you idiot.

With every second, more and more blood leaves her body (she has about two more minutes before she can't move at all, four before she faints). She knows she can't handle a gun, but goddamn it. She isn't going to lie here and die, and she's not going to leave Root alone in that firefight.

But for a split second, Root turns around and looks at her. Her eyes say everything that she can't-Shaw knows that she won't survive if she stays here, but she can't leave Root alone.

She can't.

But she can't die on her either.

Root mouths four words, and Shaw knows exactly what she says, even though her vision is getting blurrier.

Do you trust me?

And Shaw knows that she does, because she knows Root has... feelings for her (no matter what, she's not going to admit that Root loves her, and the feelings are reciprocated-she's spent too much time denying her emotions for that. Shaw doesn't feel anything).

With all her strength (because it doesn't hurt Shaw-she doesn't feel pain; or at least, that's what she tells herself), she manages to lift her body up. The blood from her wounds streaks across the linoleum floor as she drags herself to the elevator.

Her body feels heavier and heavier, and she has to relegate to attempting to move with her entire body on the ground. The elevator doors are open, the grate closed. She releases the latch holding it down (that had held Root back) and pushes it up enough for her body to get through.

(One more minute before she can't move at all, maybe less if she moves more).

Through the grate, she can see Root's body fall to the ground.

PROBABILITY OF ADMIN SURVIVAL: 42.49%

PROBABILITY OF PRIMARY ASSET SURVIVAL: 28.93%

PROBABILITY OF SECONDARY ASSET SURVIVAL: 32.98%

PROBABILITY OF SECONDARY ASSET SURVIVAL: 26.75%

PROBABILITY OF ANALOG INTERFACE SURVIVAL: 0%

OBJECTIVES:

RESCUE SECONDARY ASSET: COMPLETE

PROTECT ALL ASSETS: FAILED

SIMULATION DISCARDED.

RETURNING TO REAL TIME...

You thought Root would listen to the Machine? In my opinion, she was probably really pissed about the Machine not saving Shaw, so she wouldn't have listened to her anyhow. Once Shaw's in her line of sight, she looses all semblances of sanity because she can't loose her again. So the situation wasn't even really plausible.

Or at least, that's my opinion.

At first, this chapter was going to be a continuation of the last one, but I decided writing this was more fun during Spanish, I think. I get a lot of my best ideas during Spanish.

Hm.

But yeah, I hope you enjoyed it! My medical terminology is probably wrong, just saying. I just searched up an artery that seemed close to where Shaw was shot.

Also: I have no idea what from the episodes after If-Then-Else I'm adding in. I might use certain parts of the plot and discard others. I don't know.

R&R, maybe?