Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's getting close to the scene that I've imagined in my head from the moment I decided to do this sequel. Again it's a shorter chapter but I wanted to be able to at least post something before the weekend gets here. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: The show Flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and the networks that air the episodes. Since the show has ended, our only way of getting new Flashpoint is through fan fiction. This story is my attempt to help fill the void, and the only profit I make is the warm fuzzy feeling reviews give me. Anything that does not come directly from the show is my own creation and should not be used without my permission.

The Re-Education of Jules Callaghan

Chapter 11

"It's really not fair, you know."

Ed Lane smirked slightly from where he was leaning against the wall watching the training that was going on. He glanced down at the woman who had joined him. "Suck it up, Sabine. You lost fair and square and you know it. Pay up."

Donna folded her arms across her chest. Her expression tried to look annoyed but it didn't quite make it to her eyes. She nodded. "I will. My team will take its month of doing Team 1's portion of monthly cleanup just like everyone else. I still argue the fair and square though. Putting both Sam and Jules together for the competitions is an unfair advantage and you know it."

Ed laughed. "What's unfair about it? I'm sure you got the same memo from Holleran that I did; pick two of your best teammates to participate in the challenges and the training to follow. I simply did as I was told. If my best happens to be supremely superior to everyone else's, then how is that unfair? Besides, it's not like it's the first time they've represented Team One and I've never heard you complain before."

"That was different." Donna argued. "Those other times they weren't dating as well. They were good before but as a couple they are unstoppable."

"They've always been unstoppable." There was no mistaking the note of pride in Ed's voice. Then he paused a moment, folding his own arms. One of his eyebrows rose in question. "Wait a minute, now things are making sense to me. You expected them not to be at their best today. I'm right, aren't I? You thought you actually had a chance this year. That's why you made the suggestion of the monthly inventory, isn't it? And our own little side bet. Which don't think I've forgotten about, by the way. You owe me fifty dollars, don't forget."

Ed enjoyed watching Donna squirm as she contemplated what to say. If any of the other team leaders had complained as she had, Ed would have sounded much more defensive and upset. He knew, however, that Donna cared too much about both Sam and Jules to be really upset, her current grousing was mostly in jest and not in serious complaint. Still, he wanted to see how she got out of this one.

She sighed. "They've been through a lot in the last few months. Yeah, they've done an amazing job recovering from everything that happened but how could they not still be affected? It's a testament to how tough they both are that they've done as well as they have. I know both of them well enough to know they wouldn't let what happened keep them down but I know what reality is like. I've been there. I think back to right after my wedding to Hank and everything that happened and I know I wasn't at my best for months afterward. Hell, I still wake up in cold chills some mornings from dreams where things didn't go as well as they did. Yet I've watched them today and it's like nothing bad has ever happened to them."

Ed nodded. "I know and normally I would agree with you but I've watched both of them like a hawk- not just today but for the last couple of months - and I'm telling you; they've been amazing. Especially Jules. I don't know; maybe because she had so little control over what happened to her, it's made her more determined now to take full control back. She's a rock star. I think today proved that, to everyone who had their doubts and to herself. Complain all you want; Sam and Jules showed the rest of these guys, including your teammates, how it's supposed to be done. So, pay up."

Donna grinned in spite of herself as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the money she owed Ed. Then she returned her attention to the training area where Sam and Jules were now acting as subject and hostage respectively. She frowned. "I won't make the mistake of underestimating them again but do you really think that's a good idea? I know what happened in that apartment that day. Isn't putting Jules in the role of a hostage just asking to bring back bad memories?"

Any other time seeing Sam holding Jules tightly against his body would have seemed almost natural to Ed. Not that the two were big into public displays of affection; if anything, the two showed remarkable constraint when they were around each other at work. It was just that despite Ed's doubts at the beginning, he couldn't deny that the two belonged with each other. They just looked perfect together and their love for each other was obvious to anyone who knew them well. If anything, recent events had only made that more obvious. He had to admit that the scene playing out in front of him currently seemed wrong even to him. It was a training exercise, not that different from a thousand other training exercises. There had even been more than a few times that a training exercise had put him in the same position that Sam was currently. Yet seeing Sam with one arm wrapped tightly around Jules's waist holding a gun to her temple put a knot of tension in Ed's stomach that refused to be ignored.

He'd been the one staring through the scope of his Remy that day as another man, a man that at the time he didn't know the identity of, had held her in a similar position. He'd been the one to make the shot that killed the subject, praying the whole time that a sudden movement didn't put Jules in the bullet's trajectory.

"I suggested they reverse roles. Let Jules play the subject and Sam the victim. Jules simply rolled her eyes and reminded me that it would be too comical a sight given their height differences. If it were anyone other than Sam playing the subject, I would have put a stop to it even if it made Jules mad. The truth is, she trusts Sam and she can handle the situation with him there. She's okay."

Donna didn't look as certain but didn't say anything as they watched the scenario being played out. Sam and Jules had already had their turn as negotiator and Sierra and had performed - as they had all day long - flawlessly. Getting to act out of character and play the subject and victim for most of the teams was the fun part. She just couldn't believe either Sam or Jules could find this situation anything less than awkward and painful.

"You might as well just go the hell away." Sam told the Team 6 officer currently attempting the negotiation. There was an edge to his voice those who knew he weren't used to hearing. He sounded scary and dangerous. "You can talk until you are blue in the face but I'm not letting her go. I'm never letting her go. Back off or I'm putting a bullet in her head and then one in my own."

Usually these kinds of training exercises were all about the negotiation. Helping the negotiator improve his or her skills so that when faced with a real world similar situation, he or she could do everything possible to successfully talk down the subject and avoid having to resort to blood shed. This exercise was different. This time the training was all about when words failed. It was designed to help bridge that communication between negotiator and Sierra. Words were always preferable and were used until it was obvious they were going to fail. This exercise was one of those times; the negotiator had to recognize when words wouldn't be enough and in order to save the hostage and maybe even themselves, a Scorpio call would have to be made.

"Sir, you know we can't leave. Why don't you put the gun down and let the lady go. No one has to die today."

Almost as if he wasn't listening to the negotiator, Sam leaned forward and whispered something in Jules's ear. Jules's expression stayed impassive. She seemed almost as bored now as she usually did in these situations. Sam gave no indication what he'd expected as he straightened. He returned his attention to the situation at hand, as if he'd said nothing to Jules. "Yeah? Well, I think you're wrong. I think someone is definitely going to die today, maybe even a lot of someones." Sam warned.

This was it. This was the moment that the call would be made. Obviously since it was a training exercise, paint balls were being used instead of bullets and shoulder shots were being made instead of head shots to avoid injury. At any second a splatter of red would be covering Sam's shoulder indicating a kill shot and a successful if not preferred end to a situation. That was what should happen but it wasn't what played out in front of them.

From the moment the drill started, Jules had affected an almost bored look on her face. It was the one she typically wore during such drills. While such training exercises within the team could sometimes last for hours and it would be easy to see how someone could get bored standing there not being able to do anything for that length of time, Ed suspected that boredom was the last thing on Jules's mind. He'd always thought it was because Jules couldn't stand the thought of passively standing by when she should be fighting back. After learning everything that she'd been through, he wondered if it was that she just couldn't stand the idea of even being a pretend victim.

Suddenly though, before the negotiator could even think the word Scorpio, Jules's bored look turned completely blank, almost as if she wasn't even aware of being in the room anymore. Then just as quickly, Jules attacked.

Ed had seen Jules and Sam spar together numerous times. Despite the size difference, they were usually pretty evenly matched. The winner of such bouts were never easy to predict and could go either way on any given day. This time however, it was obvious Jules had taken Sam by surprise. The first blow was her elbow straight to Sam's solar plexus. Sam folded over, the wind knocked out of him so completely he wouldn't have been able to fight back if he'd wanted to. The attack didn't stop there. Almost immediately Jules grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder. With no mat beneath them, Sam landed hard and continued to lay where he'd fallen, too stunned to react. She followed him down, her knee pressing solidly into his chest and her fist drawn back to strike.

Gasps of surprise filled the room. Ed and Donna both took a step toward the couple at the same time. Jules stared down at Sam, her blank expression turning to horror as Sam let out a low groan of pain. Her arm which was still in a posed position ready to strike began to shake. Before Sam could recover or anyone could reach her, Jules rose from her kneeling position over him and fled the room. Donna stopped and looked at Ed, silently asking if he thought she should follow. It took Ed a moment to realize what she was waiting for but he finally nodded. Donna started to follow her as the others gathered started to murmur. Ed started toward Sam.

"Quiet." Commander Norman Holleran stepped forward, attempting to silence everyone. "Well, now, that certainly took everyone by surprise. Just like I figured it would."

That stopped everyone in their tracks including Ed and Donna. Holleran continued. "We can't always count on a victim remaining calm or still during a negotiation. We always have to be prepared for one to try to save himself or herself, even if it poses more of a risk to both the victim and responding units. If that happens, it could be disastrous to attempts to successfully bring the situation to a close. That's why I asked Constable Callaghan to play such a victim. I must say she played the role extremely convincingly."

Those that didn't know Jules as well chuckled nervously, commenting on how easily they'd been fooled. Ed didn't have to meet the Commander's eyes to know that Holleran had lied. He hadn't told Jules to pretend to attack Sam. The others might have been convinced and he was glad for Jules's sake they had been but he knew Jules too well. He knew how she fought; he'd seen her pull punches and what he'd just witnessed had been too real. Sam still hadn't even moved from the spot of the floor where she'd thrown him. Ed couldn't tell from where he was standing if Sam was just too winded to move or if he was seriously hurt.

"Okay, looks like we could all use a little break before we set up for the next scenario. Take ten." Holleran continued.

Ed glanced at Donna. He nodded toward the door, clearly asking her to check on Jules without having to say a word. Donna nodded. Ed continued on to Sam who was just starting to sit up. The young blonde alternated between rubbing his stomach where Jules had elbowed him and his head where it had contacted with the floor. He looked at Ed, his eyes reflecting a pain that went beyond the physical.

"Where's Jules?" Even though his voice sounded winded, there was no mistaking the concern.

"Donna went to check on her. Sam, what just happened?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't know. She must have had a flashback or something. When we first started she was fine. She wasn't even trembling. Then about the time we got to the part of the scenario where I had to threaten to kill her, I felt her tense up. I knew I couldn't break character, so I just leaned toward her and whispered that I loved her and it was all okay. I thought she was okay; I mean, she's Jules, and this was nothing. But then wham, she clocked me. Help me up, will you? I need to find her. She's going to be embarrassed and probably worried."

"Braddock, are you okay?" Holleran knelt beside them as well.

Sam nodded. "I'm fine, Sir. I'm more worried about Jules."

Holleran nodded. "I'm sorry. I never should have put the two of you in this situation. After what happened the day you were stabbed, I should have known it was too soon. I don't care how strong a person is; everyone can have a moment of weakness."

"Thanks for covering for her." Ed whispered so none of the others still in the room could possibly hear.

Holleran nodded. "The least I could do. I'm sure there's a logical reason for this and after she calms down a little, we'll find out what that reason was. I know that as do the two of you. And even if everyone in the room understands, human nature is still to talk. The last thing she needs is to be the topic of the water cooler conversation after this. Hopefully by making it appear to be apart of the training exercise, we can avoid that."

Donna returned to the room and joined the three men. She sighed. "Sorry guys. I checked the locker room but she wasn't there. I talked to Peter and he said Jules left. Said she breezed past the dispatch desk like he wasn't even there."

Ed frowned. "She couldn't have gone far on foot."

Sam snorted. "This is Jules we're talking about. Even on foot she can cover some distance when she wants to. And trust me, right now, whatever is going on in her head, she wants to cover a lot of distance. But she doesn't have to walk. All her stuff might be in the locker room but we've got one of those Hide-a-Key's on the Jeep in case of emergency. If she thinks about it being there, there's no limit to where she can go. We've got to find her. I need to make sure she's okay."

Ed didn't doubt that Sam needed to check on Jules. It wouldn't matter if he'd been seriously injured or not; Sam would push his own pain aside in his worry about the woman he loved. He was also pretty sure that once Jules really had time to think about what she'd done, she was going to be horrified that she lost control in front of everyone. What was going to scare her even more though was the fear that she had really hurt Sam in the process. It wouldn't matter to her the why it happened; only that it had and she was responsible.

It was something the two had in common; both Sam and Jules put the other's well-being ahead of their own. As much as Ed loved Sophie and would do almost anything for her, he sometimes felt like his own feelings for his wife paled in comparison to the devotion he saw between his teammates. It was a beautiful thing to see but also scary as hell. He reached out and gripped Sam's shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

"Don't worry, Sam. We'll find her."

Sam stared off into the distance, barely hearing Ed's reassurances. He couldn't think about Ed or Holleran or even his aching head and gut. All that matter was the fact that the woman he loved was out there somewhere, upset and hurt. He had to make sure she was okay, had to reassure her that he was okay so that she in turn really would be okay as well. He took a deep breath, biting back a groan of pain. "Yeah, let's do that."

"She's had a pretty good head start." Donna warned. "Do you have any idea where she would go?"

Sam shrugged. "If I had to guess, I'd say home."

Ed nodded. "Come on, I'll drive you."

- FP - FP - FP -

Across town, miles from Sam's intended destination, Jules pulled into a parking space and turned off the engine. She stared blindly out the windshield, a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks. The memory of the way she'd reacted in the training session kept playing through her mind like a broken record. The image of Sam lying on the ground so still and possibly seriously hurt refused to be ignored. She felt sick. Her stomach churned and her hands on the steering wheel were shaking. What have I done?