Author's Notes: This chapter picks up after Sam is safe and goes to the end of the episode before the One Year Later scene. There will be a third chapter that deals with the immediate aftermath of the crisis. Hope you enjoy. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and its respective networks. I am making no money off this story and it is for entertainment purposes only. However, this particular story is my creation and should not be used without my express written permission.

Hand on My Back; Voice in My Ear

Chapter 2

Sam was safe. Sam wasn't injured. Sam hadn't been killed. Her family was intact. She hadn't become a wife and a window in the same day. Sam was safe…

Jules had to let the litany of reassurances run through her mind on continuous play. Her heart was still pounding and her emotions completely raw from hearing the explosion and not being sure if Sam had survived or not. Her fear had been so profound that for once even hearing his voice in her ear hadn't alleviated it completely. Those fears wouldn't be erased until she could lay eyes and hands on him in person. Perhaps not even then.

"Okay Jules." Again Greg's voice was in her ear, bringing her back to the situation at hand. There would be time to process her own emotions later when the crisis was over. "Let's just cut to the chase, all right? We gotta find that last bomb. Let's nail who this guy is."

She knew he wasn't talking about discovering his identity because they knew without a doubt that it was Faber but about going deeper and getting into his head to figure out where he would have put the last bomb. She took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm getting mixed messages."

"I'm with you." Again, she got the double meaning in his tone. He wasn't just agreeing with her assessment but also as a gentle assurance that he knew what she was going through and that he had her back. She could almost feel a gentle pressure there as if his hand was on her back supporting her emotionally.

"The manifesto's all about fighting back against forces of control, like he's on some twisted mission to help people. Free them from government, or whatever."

"Yeah but if you're gonna help people, you don't kill their children." At his words, Jules once more flashed to the little boy in the street and the fearful faces of the children she'd rescued from the daycare. The truly innocent victims in all this; no way could Marcus justify their involvement in his plan, not even as necessary collateral damage to spur a people into action. "This is about Marcus being in control."

"He doesn't wanna feel like a victim anymore," Jules postulated. "So he shows Holt, beats him at his own game. Shows the word he's in control, he's the boss."

"This is about Marcus being in control." Sarge repeated. She knew it was with purpose. In order to figure out the plan, they had to get into his head. She was glad Sarge was going to do that because it wasn't a place she wanted to visit even in theory. "All, I'm Marcus. I'm gonna reduce my world to black and white. Two kinds of people: the strong and the weak." There was a pause, but Jules could almost hear the wheels turning in his head before he continued. "Jules I think I know where the last bomb is. I think it's right here."

No, no, no. Not another teammate, scratch that, not another loved one in jeopardy. Hadn't they already suffered enough? Surely she misunderstood him. "The bomb's right there in the stadium? How can you be sure?"

"I'm not, but wouldn't it explain why Marcus didn't have the location of the last bomb?"

Son of a… It wouldn't have been hard for him to figure that with multiple bomb sites and such mass casualties, there would be a need for a large space to contain the overflow. Practically every major catastrophe told the same story. A central location filled with both the authority figures he hated and the victims he didn't want to be numbered among any more. It was a tricky maneuver, not one he could have fully planned for ahead of time. She adjusted her ear piece. "Yes, and he wouldn't have known it himself until about an hour ago when they mentioned the triage on the news."

She could almost picture him looking around the stadium, assessing the situation. "Jules a lot of these people can't be moved easily. It's gonna take a lot more time than we might have." That meant evacuation wouldn't be effective; he didn't have to say it for her to know it was true, but she didn't want to hear what he had to say next. "Best chance is finding that bomb, and defusing it."

Again there was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Planting a bomb took time, especially the ones they'd been dealing with all day. Since he'd only had an hour to work with, that could only mean one thing. "Okay, Boss, if this is a last-minute target, he still could be there. You watch yourself!" On a good day, her tone could be considered insubordinate but in the light of the losses they'd sustained that day and how close she'd- they'd- come to losing Sam as well, she knew he would see it as the concern it really was.

"Okay, just send me a photo." She'd sent him the video so she knew he knew what the target looked like. More than likely, he was giving her a task to give her something to do.

She knew her mentor well. Knew he believed in words as the greatest weapon in their arsenal. He could and would use his weapon if needed, but he considered it a failure on his part if he had to. That meant that sometimes he kept negotiations going long after they should have reasonably been abandoned for a more lethal option. She had to make sure that he knew upfront that would not work in this case. "Now, listen, I don't think talk is an option, okay? He's not gonna wanna be psychoanalyzed, especially by a guy in uniform. You are everything that he hates."

"Yeah, copy that." There was a note of resignation in his voice but it wasn't enough for Jules. She wanted to be there, to shake him, to remind him - not for the first time, thank you very much- that he wasn't invincible and that they all needed him.

She increased her speed. She couldn't do anything behind the wheel of the car. She had to get to the stadium, had to be able to be useful. So much had happened that she'd been powerless to do anything but react. She wasn't sure what she thought she'd be able to do once she reached the stadium. Her leg would prevent her from doing much at all. She listened to the chatter in her ear; the realization that Faber would want maximum destruction and that would mean a dirty bomb. All those people were at the stadium either to help or to be helped; they had trusted that after seeing the worst, they were now safe. Instead, Faber had led them to what he hoped would be their doom, like lambs to their slaughter.

She pulled up at the stadium with an SUV pulling in almost directly behind her. She hoped it was Sam; she needed to see him, needed the further reassurance that he really was okay after such a close call. Even if they didn't have time for anything other than a look, she needed him. But it was Ed. She held on to the door frame as she got out of the car. "It's taking way too long."

Ed informed Greg that they were on scene and that the evacuation was a mess. And it was. Chaos that didn't even have a hint of being organized. It was only moments later that Greg announced he'd found the bomb in the top level of the catwalk. Jules was right behind Ed as he announced he was on his way up.

"Negative, Negative. Ed, this one's definitely dirty. I need you to clear everyone away and get everyone out of range."

Jules's stomach turned as Greg explained to Spike the nature of the radioactive material connected to the bomb. Though they had suspected that Faber would make this one a dirty bomb, the confirmation raised the stakes. It wasn't enough to just clear the building, they had to get everyone upwind and a safe distance in case they weren't successful in defusing it. When he said the timer was set for three minutes and forty seconds; she knew they didn't have much time. At best there was no way to clear the building itself let alone the whole area. It seemed so hopeless.

And then a second SUV pulled up and Sam emerged. Even from a distance, their eyes immediately sought each other out and locked. There was so much she needed to say to him, so much she needed to hear but it would have to wait. There were innocent lives that needed protecting. When he mouthed the words I'm sorry and I love you, she smiled and nodded. Those words would be enough, at least for now. Once again, she had to put the pain in her leg aside; there was no time to waste getting the worst of the injured loaded into ambulances, police cars, any available vehicle. She barely paid attention to Spike giving Sarge directions on how to defuse the bomb. Once again she found herself cradling a small child in her arms as she carried an injured boy to a police car. Then she turned and went back for more victims.

She was relieved to hear that it didn't appear that this bomb had any anti-handling devices. Perhaps they would catch a break defusing it before the timer ran out. Then a gun shot filled her ear. Sarge was under fire, presumably from Faber. She looked up from evacuation attempts as Ed called for Sam and they ran in to the stadium. As she assisted another victim into an awaiting ambulance, she heard Greg grunt in pain; she knew that sound perfectly. He'd been hit by one of the gunshots. Please be in the vest, she prayed silently. His confirmation that the vest had stopped the bullet didn't ease her worry considering there was still rapid gun fire going on around her.

This time when he cried out in pain, she knew the bullet hadn't found his vest but actually hit him. Unbidden tears slipped down her cheeks as she willed Sam and Ed to get to him quickly. At the same time she cursed her own inability to help. More gunshots and then another hoarse cry of pain from Sarge. Jules leaned against the back of an ambulance and buried her head in the crook of her arm She didn't even try to stem the tears. Earlier she'd only had her fears and silence that suggested Sam hadn't survived the blast. This time she could hear every painful moment of what was happening to her mentor and friend.

She could hear his desperate condition as he talked to the subject. "Marcus? Marcus, listen to me. I know I'm not gonna try to talk you down, and I'm not gonna try to talk you down because I know you don't care. Oh, you tried to hurt those around me. You killed kids, you killed people I love, and I know you don't feel any fear anymore because your message is already out there. That feels good doesn't it? Your will, your messages will live on. Mission accomplished."

Jules shook her head. No, it shouldn't be that way. Marcus Faber couldn't win. His mission couldn't be accomplished. She wanted to scream at him much the way she'd screamed at Sam earlier. It would not end this way. It couldn't.

"Sorry…Sorry it didn't work out because I just stopped your bomb. And my team stopped your other bombs. Your message isn't going anywhere. Your message is going nowhere. You're done! You're done!"

Two more gunshots rang out and Jules closed her eyes, not wanting but needing to know what had happened. Without thought of the civilians around her or her injured leg, she started toward the stadium. The bomb was defused and she couldn't stay away. Dimly she heard Leah call her name but she ignored the newest member of the team. Greg Parker had always been there for her, a hand on her back and a voice in her ear when she needed it. Now it was her turn to do the same.

She knew it was bad as she heard Sam's voice call out. "We have an officer down! We need EMS to the upper level now! I repeat, officer down!"

She could count on one hand the number of times she'd heard Sam sound that panic stricken. If he was that bothered by what was happening, then things were truly grim. Every step she took, especially as it came to climbing the different levels. She had to stop every five steps or so in order to catch her breath against the pain. Every word she heard from the catwalk cut to her very soul, especially when Sam screamed out the need for a medic.

Forgetting the pain all together, she started to run the remaining way up the stairs. She could hear the thudding of footsteps running up behind her and moved out of the way to allow the medics to pass her. Steve was with them and he stopped and gripped her arm. "Jules, you okay? You're bleeding."

She glanced down to see that the bandage on her leg was now soaked with fresh blood. She must have opened the wound back up with all the moving she'd done. She bit back a groan of pain. "I'm fine. Please, you've got to save Sarge. Go."

Steve looked dubious but nodded. He took off after his colleagues. Jules watched him go, taking steadying breaths to get the pain to subside. She wanted to collapse on to the floor of the stadium when Dean pleaded with his father to hold on. With an agonizing groan of pain, she continued on, listening to Ed talk to Sarge.

"You did it, buddy, you defused the bomb. Are you trying to put Spike out of a job? Huh? I got you… I got you. They're on their way. We're gonna get you out of this."

"Jules." Sam reached her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. If she had to guess, Steve had sent him to check on her. "Come on Sweetheart, let's get you to one of the ambulances. It's time to get that leg seen to properly."

She shook her head. "I need to see him."

Sam cupped her face lovingly in his hands. She'd been through so much today; he wanted to spare her any more pain. How could he tell her that it didn't look good? "No, you don't. Please trust me on that."

"Sam, either help me or get out of my way. As much as I love you and trust your word, this isn't something you can protect me from."

Sam nodded. He could have carried her the remaining way; her slight weight was certainly nothing he couldn't handle. But he knew to do so would make her feel weak. Instead, he just made it so she could take all of her weight off her leg. Together they slowly made their way up to the catwalk. A hand that didn't belong to Sam gripped her shoulder and she looked back. Spike and Leah had joined them. She was almost certain that the look of horror and fear she saw on their faces mirrored her own expression. As a team and as a family, they made their way toward their injured leader.

Before they could even get close, they could hear Ed screaming for the medics. Spike and Leah passed the newly married couple, afraid they didn't have time to wait. Jules looked up at Sam, her eyes bright with tears. "Sam, get me there. Please."

Without her needing to ask again, Sam lifted her in his arms and increased his speed. Spike and Leah had stopped about seven feet shy of where the medics were working on Greg. Sam stopped beside them and lowered Jules gently to her feet. She took a couple of steps closer and none of the three tried to stop her. Steve had ripped away the Kevlar vest. He looked at his partners. "No heartbeat, we need the defibrillator. We've got to shock him. Come on Greg, we're not going to lose you today."

Steve placed the paddles on either side of Greg's chest and called "Clear."

Jules sank painfully to her knees, not even trying to hide the sobs. After two more shocks, Steve's partner shook his head. Ed screamed at all of the assembled medics that they weren't allowed to give up. It couldn't be over. Greg had to be okay.

Steve looked at Ed. "I'm sorry…"

"NO!" The ragged scream tore from Jules's throat. "Damn you Boss. Don't you dare give up on us. We can't lose you. Not now, not like this. You fight, do you hear me? Fight and live."

Steve couldn't bear the pain he heard in her voice. He told his partner to charge the paddles one more time and he shocked Greg again. He put his finger to Greg's neck. He looked back at Team One. "We have a pulse."