AN: Alright, here is the next chapter. There's one or two more left in this story. This one goes back in time just a little so you can see things from OA's perspective before everything goes down. Enjoy!

OA-

I approach the fourth safe house on the list preparing for another confrontation, but see no signs of life. I'm thankful because the last two ended in firefights with more of Ahmad's men. Of course, that also means Maggie probably isn't here. Still, I have to check.

I take the opportunity after checking each room in the house to change my clothes because they got a little bloody at the last house. I also wash my face and hands in the sink upstairs.

I am about to grab my backpack off the floor as I finish drying my hands, but the sound of a vehicle approaching pulls my attention to the street in front of the house. I make my way to the window and peer outside just as the vehicle stops. A door opens and I can hardy believe my eyes when it's none other than Maggie herself. What's even better is she appears to be unharmed. We briefly make eye contact and whatever held me frozen in place dissipates allowing me to make my way down the stairs and through the front door quickly. All the worry I felt for her, wondering whether or not she was even alive or if she was hurt seemed silly as I see her before me now.

I run toward her but she seems to freeze as I get close. Still I throw my arms around her and feel her gently wrap her arms around me, too. Slowly I start to put together pieces of this strange puzzle that I didn't want to think about. Like why she got out of the back of the vehicle. She wasn't driving herself and no one got out with her so she wasn't a prisoner. And why is she so hesitant and sad? Then I see men start to get out of the car.

Finally I have to pull away enough that she is still in my outstretched arms, but I can look into her eyes. The pain I see there makes it too hard to say anything other than her name which ends up coming out as a question.

"I'm sorry, Omar," she says loudly like she wants the others to hear. At that moment I know something is terribly wrong- more than I already knew. Then she whispers four words I couldn't wrap my brain around.

"Make it look real." She is begging with her eyes, but the words don't make sense. Then she raises her gun and I feel the shock written across my face.

I hear the pop of the gun, feel the impact, but nothing is more painful than the betrayal I feel as the bullet Maggie shoots tear through me. I fall to the ground and do what I can to stop the blood that's seeping from my shoulder. Maggie walks closer to me and I become even more confused because tears are pouring down her face. So why is she raising the gun again? And why tell me to make it look real when it clearly is? All I can do is stare at her as she shoots again.

I jump at the sound and close my eyes waiting for more pain though feel nothing. Then I realize I'm the biggest fool in the world. This is Maggie we're talking about. Her words finally sink in as I understood what she meant by her words. Make it look real. So I do. I lay there, holding my breath though it's hard with the intense pain in my shoulder, eyes closed, still. From where they stand by the car, it looks like she shot me in the head after shooting me in the shoulder. No one will come to check it out. At least, I hope not.

To my relief, I hear the vehicle pull away not long after. I sit up slowly, pressing my right hand into my left shoulder trying to stop the bleeding. I can't afford to lose any more blood so I stand, doing my best to keep from falling back to the ground, and make my way back to the house where I can do my best to clean my wound.

Maggie may have shot me, but by doing so she saved my life.

Maggie-

Shooting OA was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, even if it was just a shot to the shoulder that I knew he'd survive. The only thing worse was the look in his eyes when he thought I'd gone rogue. It was just a flash, right before I pulled the trigger, but it was there. I'll never forget it.

The second hardest thing was walking away from him when all I wanted to do was help him. But I couldn't turn back, especially after this all allowed me to learn the next attack planned so quickly. Now I could get out of here, could find OA and leave. I'll report the plan to the CIA, and never have to come back here again.

Unlikely, but a nice thought. I'm sure I'm stuck helping until we end it all, though I'll be much safer with backup and protection. But how do I get out of here? I sneak my hand up my back under my jack and thumb the phone. OA. I have to call him as soon as I can.

Not more than ten minutes later, we're pulling onto the road leading back to the compound. I think about sneaking away long enough to contact my partner, but know that would look strange to Ahmad, who will want to talk to me immediately. So I lead the four men back to the office where I know Ahmad will most likely be.

"Ahmad," I announce as I enter the room.

He turns to look at me, and then carefully at the group behind me. He's checking to see if I did it or not. He nods in approval and walks to me smiling. His arms wrap around me.

"Very well done, Maggie," he says in his strong accent. "I'm so pleased to hear you were able to do the job. You will come back for the meeting where we discuss the next job. Until then, do what you please."

He's dismissed me, so I waste no time standing around. On my way out the door I hear him calling angrily for Michael. I don't know what is about to happen, but it doesn't sound good and I hope it isn't pleasant.

I make my way outside and walk to the furthest of two storage sheds. Once safely out of sight and after making sure I wasn't followed, I pull the phone out of its secret hiding spot. I can't risk speaking yet, so I type a message.

'Ok? Still pineapple. Mischief managed. Looking for out.'

I hit send, replace the phone, and lean back against the shed with a sigh. I can't be too careful with wording since the phone could still be found. I'll need plausible deniability that it's anything against them. Mischief managed comes from a movie we watched together one night with Kristen and Ian. I know he'll remember because we use the phrase occasionally after finishing a case where we pushed the boundaries a bit more than we should to get the job done. I think he will get the rest. I only hope he's fine and understands what I did and why.

After double checking that no one is coming out toward me, I remove the phone again from my pocket to see if he's responded. He has.

'Yes, you? Out how? Return to where I fell?'

I'm glad to hear he's okay. I'm not sure yet how I'm getting out, but know I'll have to go tonight if I want to get out. He wants me to return to the house where I shot him. Seems as good an idea as any. At least this way we will find each other. I quickly type a response.

'Okay, yes. Dark. Dentist joke. Yes.'

OA-

The buzz in my pocket pulls my attention from the wrap I've just finished putting on my arm. I check the screen and see a text from Maggie.

She's still in trouble. I get that from pineapple. Despite that, she's worried about me. I may have a bullet wound to the shoulder, but at least I don't have some psycho and his huge group of followers watching my every move.

Mischief managed must mean she's finished her operation. I couldn't be more excited to hear that. And she's trying to figure out how she'll get out of there. I need to know if she's okay and how she plans to get out. We also need a meeting place. I respond quickly and anxiously await her reply.

I'm relieved when I get another text saying she's fine. I only hope she's not lying. The next part references a joke I told her after a particularly hard case to try to cheer her up.

"Hey, Mags, when's the best time to go to the dentist?" I ask her wagging my eyebrows.

She narrows one eye slightly and raises the opposite eyebrow.

"A joke? Really? Are we five?" She's acting annoyed but I can already see her relaxing.

"Come on, just guess!" I say faking a pout.

"I don't know. What?" she asks with an eye roll.

"Tooth-hurty. Get it? Two thirty?"

She scoffs, but I'm still rewarded with a smile. It's almost completely real, too.

So she'll come early this morning around 2:30. That's good. That gives me time to figure out a plan for when she arrives. I have this rusty old car I "borrowed" that we can take as far as we need to. Really, we just need to get to the airport and board a plane, any plane, to get as far from here and Ahmad as possible. Then we can worry about getting back to the U.S.

I send one more message, just one word, and then get to work.

'Careful.'

Maggie-

I hear someone coming as soon as I send that last text, so I tuck the phone away carefully and walk around the side. Thankfully it's no one particularly worrisome. I make my way back to my bunk and lay down in my bed. I feel like I haven't slept for days so I decide to take a quick nap before whatever meeting this is I'm expected to attend. It will be good to go. I'll learn the details of the attach.

I barely drift off when a noise pulls me back to a conscious state. My eyes snap open, but it's too late because a hand covers my mouth and one arm pushes down on my chest with the weight of an entire body. I instantly start to fight, scratching at his arms and face. I don't know what he wants but it can't be good. Then his head is by my ear and he's whispering to me.

"Because of you, Ahmad no longer trusts me. But I'm onto you and I'll promise you this: I'll kill you. I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do. I'll wait until you least expect it. Right when you think you're safe, that's when I'll find you. You're dead."

Then Michael's gone.

XxXxXxXxX

The meeting takes place just as the sun is starting to set. I couldn't have planned it better myself. After the confrontation with Michael, I made sure to have everything ready to go so I could take off right after the meeting. I stashed a backpack behind the shed with everything I need. Everything I have.

The meeting provides more detail than I ever could have guessed. Apparently every U.S. Embassy and Consulate within five hundred miles of here are going to be targeted with the guns we bought in New York, along with bombs and some other weapons. They will first capture some higher level officials to use for live executions to display how dangerous they can be. After that, they will move to the states with their practiced and perfect strategies, hitting as many important places as possible starting with the White House. Those are some big plans, but for some reason I feel like they can make anything happen.

We were given our teams and target and told our travels to the locations begin at dawn. I notice Michael isn't here. He must not get a team. He must be in more trouble than I realized. Good.

When the meeting ends it's nearly midnight. I guess it will take me about two hours to walk to the safe house where OA is waiting for me. I don't want to wait any longer so I head for the door to get my bag. I'm just about to the door when I hear my name being called. It's Ahmad. He's beckoning me closer.

I walk over to him and he grabs my arms near the shoulder tightly in his hands.

"You are dependable and care about our cause. After tomorrow, you will come back to me and stay with me." The way he's looking at me gives me the chills. "You are beautiful and will have beautiful sons to take over for me when I'm old."

I want nothing more than to laugh at him and this preposterous proposal, but I know I can't refuse, so I just nod.

"Anything for you and our cause," I reply as careful as possible to seem pleased and honored.

He nods and says, "Go. Prepare for tomorrow. A day of victory!"

He turns back toward the table and his map of locations so I make my way out of the building and toward my hidden bag. I get to the shed and move away the plywood I used to cover it, but to my surprise, it's not there. I let go of the plywood and turn to look for it when I'm whacked in the back of the head. I fall to the ground but roll to the side as another blow lands where I had just been. I glance up and it's Michael with my bag.

"I knew it," he sneers. "Leaving so soon?" He pulls out a knife and throws my bag behind him. He slowly moves toward me pushing me back closer and closer to the side of the shed. I know if I don't make a move now, I'll be forced against the building and will have a much harder time getting away.

I fake a lunge to the left and, as he slashed his knife in the air, I take off to the right, running as hard as I can knowing my bag is a lost cause. I can hear him following and when he realizes I'm faster than him, he starts yelling, announcing that I'm trying to flee. Member of the terrorist cell start pouring out of buildings and start to follow me trying to catch me. I know I won't make it at this rate, especially as Ahmad appears and yells for them to get me no matter what.

I cut through a few prickly bushes, feeling thorns cut my exposed skin as I run, and head for a run down truck outside a small hut. The door opens much to my relief, and I climb inside. I send a silent prayer when the key is in the ignition and the engine turns over on the first try. A few men are closing in so I throw the vehicle into drive and press down as hard as I can on the gas. The vehicle launches forward, hitting two men hard. They go down as the truck moves forward.

I take off in one direction, lights on trying to make myself seen. I see a few other headlights turn on in my rear view mirror as terrorists begin to follow me. Suddenly, when I know I should be out of range, I turn off my headlights, make a hard turn to my right and hope they will continue in the direction I was originally headed instead of where I'm now going toward the safe house.

OA-

I hear a vehicle approaching shortly after midnight. I'm not sure what to expect, so I sneaked a look through the window and see just one person exit, though I can't tell who it is in the pitch black. I pull my gun and walk to the top on the stairs pointing it toward the door at the bottom.

The door slowly opens and I hear the smallest whisper.

"OA?"

"Maggie!" I make my way down the stairs as quickly as I can in the dark. I nearly knock her over as I run into her, but geab her in my arms to keep her steady.

She wraps her arms around my back and her face presses against the crook on my neck.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers quietly. Then I feel her start to shake and shudder, and I know she's silently crying.

I can only make out her outline, but I cover her cheeks with my hands and rest my forehead against hers. Then I tilt my head so my lips gently touch hers. She deepens the kiss immediately. It's rough and full of need, but it stops almost as soon as it starts and her hands are on my chest to keep me separated.

"I shot you!" she says.

"You saved me," I whisper, trying to pull her back into an embrace. She fights against me.

"I. Shot. You," she says again.

I sigh. How can she doubt herself so much?

"Were you sent to kill me?" I ask.

She pauses before answering. "Yes."

"Would those men have killed me if you didn't?"

"She hesitates again. "Yes."

"Did you actually kill me?" I ask again, still just barely above a whisper.

"Well, no, but-" she starts, but I cut her off.

"No, you didn't. And they thought you did. You. Saved. Me." I'll tell her over and over until she believes it. Forever, if I have to.

I hear a quiet sob and I wrap my arms around her again. This time she lets me, melting into me.

"You did what you had to do. I know that. And no matter what happened, or what happens next, you need to know that I, well, I love you. Okay?"

She freezes in my arms at my confession, but then she sighs in relief and I feel her nod against my chest.

"Let's go home," I say.

She nods again. I pull away, but keep hold of her hand. We leave the house, get into the vehicle I used, and we head for the airport.

Maggie doesn't say a single word for the first five minutes or so of the drive, but holds onto my hand tightly. Not that I mind. But suddenly, I feel her go tense.

"They caught me trying to leave. We can't go to the airport. They will look there, are probably closer to it than we are. There's a US Embassy four hours from here if you take 80 southwest. We should go there. We need to warn them about the attack Ahmad's planning and maybe they can help us."

She seems focused and determined, though I can tell she is still worried and feeling guilty about what happened. I quickly turn the car around and head for highway 80.

"Tell me about it," I say to her, needing to hear her talk. She starts to share, sharing every moment of her time. All the things she saw, did, witnessed. She talked about it all. And with each passing moment, I liked this place less and less and need her more and more. I just want to get her home.

AN: A huge thank you to Fabiana, Kensi jj, AilanGurl, jotchLIFE, and Whiz for reviewing last chapter. I'm sorry for any heartbreak last chapter caused, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it? Plot twists: I can't help them. Let me know what you thought!

Also, just in case you missed it and are interested, I added a second chapter to my story Hopefully Never even though I intended on it just being a one shot. And to those of you who checked it out and let me know what you think, you are amazing!