A gunshot comes out of nowhere. The bullet hits her on the shoulder, she screams as she falls to the ground close to Jim. In disbelief, Jim freezes, not knowing if the person who shot her is friend or foe.
"Jim?"
He relaxes, it's Manus. sitting up, he is a little light headed and has to take a few deep breaths before he can speak. Slowly, he stands, his arm suddenly reacts to the deep slash under his fingers and he winches with the pain. Yet another injury, he thinks.
Manus, Carlos and another guest approach him.
"Jim, you hurt?" Carlos asks him, whilst Manus deals with the Simons.
"Yeah," he sighs painfully.
His eyesight is a little blurry, he can just make out Carlos in front of him.
"We've got her," he smiles.
"Oh, Jim, why do you always end up getting injured in one way or another?"
That is not Carlos, it is a feminine voice. One that, for the past few months, he has only heard through a phone.
"Callie?" Jim asks.
"Yeah, it's me," she replies, "c'mon, follow me."
She holds his hand and guides him towards blue flashing lights, his vision is beginning to improve already and he is able to make out his car among other police cars and an ambulance.
"Why is it that every time I return here, you're always in a bad way, and with a knife?!" Callie asks him, smiling, "You hit your head?"
"Yeah," he breathes out, glad that she has returned.
He turns to her and watches as she tends to the wound.
"Jeff is still at the precinct," she tells him, "and before you ask, I noticed that detail you put on me; that is how I found out about you going after the killer."
"I didn't expect her to have a knife," Jim tells her, trying to sound as innocent as he can.
Something cold touches the edge of the cut and he winces.
"Don't be such a baby," she scolds him, playfully, "like you did with that damn snake bite."
"Hey, that actually really hurt," he retorts in the same manner, "how bad is it?"
"Well, you're gonna need stitches for sure," she assesses, "c'mon, we need to vacate this for the killer."
Rhian Simons is handcuffed to the ambulance trolley, a gauze pressed to her left shoulder. Jim moves so they can load her in, and is approached by Colleen.
"That's the last time you go in alone Longworth," she tells him firmly, "understand?"
"I need to get him to the hospital," Callie interrupts, before leading Jim away.
"Not a chance," he whispers to Callie.
The wait at the hospital was quicker than they expected, so Callie was able to get Jim's wound sewn up and they were out within an hour. They pick Jeff up on the way back from the hospital and as soon as they get home, all three collapse on the sofa. It's three in the morning and they are all exhausted from the day, Jeff tells his mum about the kidnapping, and pretty much explains the whole case to her. Jim, meanwhile, has fallen asleep between them, in the comfort of Callie, Jeff and strong painkillers.
"I'm sorry for everything mum," Jeff apologises.
"Let's just deal with one thing at a time," she replies.
They both lean on Jim before drifting off to sleep.
Unbeknownst to them that they are being watched…
*****The end.*****
A/N: Thank you to all those who have made it this far, I really appreciate all the reviews and comments.*Fingers crossed*, I will be writing another one soon, but I have a lot of work at the minute, so it may be a few weeks.
Thanks once again, Han.
