Disclimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

A/N: Thanks so much for the nice words on the last chapter, I always love reading them. I'm sorry for taking forever to update but since it was based on one of the episodes, it took me forever to find time to sit and re-watch it for dialogue but I hope you like my version, I modified it a bit.


"Emily?" Kendra called into the phone, looking at Mike and Aaron, hearing a shot in the distance in her phone. "EMILYYYYY."

24 hours before

"I can't believe that Hannah is willing to throw it all away for Damien." Aaron sighed as he made himself a cup of coffee, Emily putting the finishing touches to her make-up.

"She loved him Aaron and love makes you go to the ends of the earth for that person." Emily didn't know much about Hannah Wells or what was really going with her under Aaron's command but she knew how passionate she was and she could see in her eyes how much she loved Damien, the same way she loved Aaron.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost you like that." He left the coffee mug on the counter and went to her in the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe.

"That's not going to happen to us Aaron."

"I know I just."

"Don't." she came to stand in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him to her. "Their jobs are dangerous and it's a risk they were willing to take, even if that meant something could happen to one of the two of them." She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Come on, we have to get going." She knew that she'd only have time to grab a coffee on the go so she quickly poured herself a cup and she and Aaron were quickly out the door.

Kendra woke up in her bed, sprawled diagonally in her sheets. Her head was pounding and she was trying to remember what had happened the night before until the voice reminded her.

"Kendra, good morning." Their interaction was awkward to say the least but one thing had led to the next and she and Trey Kirkman had found their way to her place and into her bed.

"So where are we on the Defence Budget?" Kirkman asked both his senior Staff as he entered Aaron's office.

"Sir, we have a congressional consensus."

"Seven hundred and twenty six billion." Budgeting wasn't easy, specially dealing with that kind of money but it was a key topic in Kirkman's term and Congress was putting a large dent in their plans.

Kendra called Trey when she realized that he had forgotten his wallet on her coffee table and she agreed on waiting while he came to get it. She kept getting ready when she heard sounds coming from her kitchen.

Trey walked up the stairs and an uneasy feeling came over him when he realized that her front door was opened. He pushed it in slowly and walked inside, taking in the sight of her trashed living room. "Kendra? Kendra?" He made his way further inside her place and still he couldn't find her, his feeling of dread intensifying.

He noticed the glass door broken in, like they had used a round object or even a crow bar to make entry. He grabbed the first thing that came under his touch and mounted the stairs. When he saw the bathroom door closed when all the other ones weren't, he knew immediately that she wound be in there so he slowly pushed the door open and found her on the other side with a baseball bat, ready to defend herself.

"Is there anyone I can call?" He gave her a once over to make sure they hadn't touched her.

"I'll text Emily, it's ok you can go." She assured him but one look in his eyes and she knew that it wasn't an option for him.

Emily was growing increasingly frustrated as she paced Aaron's office. "You know that pacing the floor isn't going to make her appear faster." Aaron chuckled.

"Not funny Aaron. Someone BROKE INTO Kendra's place. How can you be so damn calm?"

"I'm not calm Em but you're nervous and scared for the both of us." He stood and walked to her, taking her by the arms. "Let's just be thankful Trey's with her right now and that the police are doing their job."

"Yeah, what was Trey doing there?" Her train of thought was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She answered it and gave a quick, I'll be on my way before hanging up. "That was Kirkman, she's in the Oval office with Trey." She didn't even give Aaron the chance to answer her before she was out the door, franticly trying to reach her friend. "Oh my god, you're ok." She squeezed her in a tight hug before looking her over.

"I'm fine Emily, just a little freaked out." She sat back down in the couch.

"What's important is that you're both fine. Kendra, do you need anything else?" Kirkman put a cup of tea on the table in front of her and took a seat, Emily sitting to her left and both Trey and Aaron standing behind the opposite couch.

"No I'm fine, thank you sir." She was freaked yes but it wasn't the first time she would be threatened like that, being an attorney for the President of the United States. They were joined by detective Peneta who gave them an update and made her recount the events. When Trey told his side of the story, Emily couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she looked at Kendra, who only had eyes for Trey. She was going to get that story out of her.

Kirkman excused himself for a talk with Trey and the girls were let go so they could go one with their day.

"I'm really sorry Kendra." Emily walked behind her as they went into the cafeteria.

"You know what my mind keeps going to?"

"Where?"

"Every hang up I've had in the last six months, every time something got lost in the mail."

"Well my mind would be going there too but it doesn't mean there's a connection."Emily was trying her hardest to rationalize it all.

"I know Ritter is chasing down a lead but it's my home. What if they had found me?" Kendra was looking at the food but nothing looked good to her right now, her stomach still in knots.

"Ok, let's talk about something else. Something that is none of my business." Emily whispered as she walked around Kendra.

"Let's not." Kendra knew what Emily was doing but she wasn't going there.

"What it's Trey, it's a big deal." They were whispering.

"It is a big deal." Kendra replied as Emily chased after her. "It's been three months since I've been with anyone and I manage to hook up with Kirkman's brother right before someone nearly patty hearst's my ass?"

"Oh yeah I agree the timing's not great but." Emily put a piece of croissant in her mouth, swallowing her thought. "You think that could be a thing?"

"It was one night." Kendra insisted.

"There could be another one." Emily countered. "I mean he's smart and he's cute."

"Don't let Aaron hear you say that." Kendra smirked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh don't worry, he has nothing to worry about and I have no reason to stray." Her lips curved into a smile, her mind giving her images of a very naked Aaron. "Anyways." She shook the images of Aaron from her mind to give Kendra her attention. "Plus, you know where to find each other."

"Yeah, I'll be hiding in the bathroom with a baseball bat and he'll be trying to bash me with a candlestick. It's the beginning of a very great love story." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Look, take the day if you need to. No one expects you to be here after what happened."

"It's what I expect of myself. I'm an advocate not a victim and i'm not going to let anything change that. Kendra walked around Emily, leaving her standing in the middle of the hallway. Emily sighed and made her way towards Aaron's office, hoping to find him there.

She was disappointed to find it empty and was about to leave him a note when he walked in.

"Hey, everything ok?" He asked when he saw the worry on her face.

"I wanted to talk to you about Kendra, I'm worried about her."

"Rightfully so. It's pretty scary what happened to her."

"I just wish that we could do more for her. She's scared and she's trying to hide it."

"Whatever you want to do I'll support you." He ran a hand against her arm as she closed her eyes, trying to think of something.

"What if I offered her to stay at my place?" She suddenly said. "That could work."

"If you're up to having a roommate that would work. She won't have to worry about anything while they check her place out and make sure that she can go back."

"Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea. I'll run it by her."

"Hey, are you okay?" He grabbed her by the elbow.

"Yeah I'm good. I got to get this ball rolling." She pulled away from him and left his office. He looked at his watch and cursed under his breath, he was late for a meeting with Kirkman.

Their day was busy and Emily was never able to catch onto Kendra to be able to make her the offer. She finally found her in her office, staring off in space.

"Hey, you okay in there?" Kendra wasn't all that chatty right now and Emily couldn't blame her.

"I can't wait for that nightmare to be over." She suddenly snapped out of it.

"It'll be over soon enough but in the meantime, I had an idea."

"Crash on my couch." She didn't give Kendra the time to answer before she continued. "You'll wake up with a backache so bad, you won't be able to think of anything else." She chuckled.

"I'll go home and get a couple of things." Kendra didn't even miss a beat, feeling that for the time being it would be the best and easiest solution.

"The idea is to keep you away from home." Kendra nodded, knowing that she was right. "I'll go after work." Emily offered.

"You sure?" Emily offered her hand up and smiled.

"Yeah I'm sure. You need to relax and not stress anymore than you already are, I've got you covered." Kendra handed her the keys and Emily left, having a few more things to take care of before leaving for Kendra's place.

She found Aaron in his office much later during the day, his suit jacket on the couch and his tie half way undone.

"You look like you had a rough day." She said from his doorframe.

"Yeah, I'm about ready for it to be over." He huffed. "How's it go with Kendra?" She walked into the room and leaned against his desk.

"I'm heading at Kendra's place to grab some of her things and I'll come meet her back here in a little bit."

"Do I get to see you tonight?" He pulled her to him.

"I was thinking of spending a quiet evening with her, try to get her to unwind a bit."

"Alright." He was disappointed but she had a point. Kendra was in a fragile state of mind and it would probably be good for her to have a friend that could concentrate on her. "I'll see you in the morning then." He leaned down and kissed her before he released her arms and let her go, a few things still needed his attention before he left for the night.

"Love you."

"Love you too." He watched her go before he returned to the file on his desk.

About thirty minutes later, he ended up in Kendra's office with Mike to give her an update on her case. Mike barely had time to get a few words in that Kendra's phone rang. She raised it to show them Emily's name on the screen and she answered it.

"Everything okay Emily?" Kendra had a bad vibe ever since she had given Emily her keys but she balked it up to her own nerves. Girl, you have more shoes than me. Emily's laugh put Kendra more at ease. I'm almost done, I'm on my way. Kendra heard a pop and suddenly the feeling of dread had returned.

"Emily?" Kendra called into the phone, looking at Mike and Aaron, hearing a shot in the distance in her phone. "EMILYYYYY."

"Kendra, what happen? What did you hear?" His ears were ringing with what he thought he had heard through the phone and Kendra stood there in fear.

"A shot. We need to get her an ambulance." Aaron scrambled to get out of his office.

"Slow down Aaron." Mike was quick to get a hold of him as he called from an ambulance. "You're not driving." He knew Aaron wasn't thinking straight right now and he didn't need the National Security Advisor to the President to get in a car accident. They were driven to the hospital where they would meet the ambulance. They arrived before the ambulance did and Aaron started pacing, his nerves getting the best of him.

"What's taking so damn long?" He hissed between strides.

"I'm sure she's going to be here soon." Kendra mumbled from where she was sitting, her conscience weighing heavy on her.

"The two of you need to keep good thoughts, I'm sure that she's okay." They looked up when they heard the ambulance bay doors open.

"Em" Aaron was the first to make it to her, Mike and Kendra hanging back as they walked her inside and towards a trauma bay. "Em are you okay?"

"The bullet just grazed her but we're getting her checked out just to side with caution." The paramedic told him. He heard the words but there was too much blood seeping through the bandage for his liking. They switched her from the gurney to the bed and left them alone while they waited for the doctor.

"Talk to me, tell me what happened."

"I was grabbing some clothes for Kendra to bring to my place because she was swamped and I called her for something stupid and it just happened. I never saw it coming." They were interrupted by a nurse who came to get Emily changed into a gown before the doctor came to check on her.

Aaron went outside the room to give her some privacy and he went to give Mike and Kendra the little update he had.

"It's all my fault." Kendra kept repeating under her breath. "It should have been me."

"Stop it right there Kendra, there's nothing you could have done."

"If we had figured it out before, we could have prevented it, I shouldn't have been so stubborn."

"We caught him Kendra, it's over." Mike gave them the news, Kendra letting go of the breath she was holding.

"So she's really okay?" She finally stood up from her chair.

"Yeah she's okay." He rubbed her arms up and down. "I'll go back to check on her." Both Mike and Kendra nodded and Aaron retreated behind the curtain to check on Emily. He was barely there a minute when the doctor came.

"Alright, let's take a look." He took out all the tools to remove the bandage made by the medics and he inspected the wound under constant hisses from Emily but he finally looked up at them. "Alright so it's just a graze but it'll require some stitches." Emily groaned out loud, making Aaron chuckle. He knew Emily wasn't scared of needles but didn't particularly liked them. The doctor made her lie down and placed everything he needed. He cleaned the wound as much as he could and then made three injections to be able to numb the area. He waited a few minutes before he started the sutures. Emily cringed at each time even though she couldn't actually feel the needle poking through her skin. Aaron sat next to her and held her hand for support even though he knew his girl had it. It didn't take more than fifteen minutes until the doctor finished and the nurse applied a fresh bandage and a sling over it, Aaron helping her sit down.

"Thank god you're okay." Kirkman let out a breath as he walked into Emily's room.

"Uh, I'm fine, Mr President. You didn't have to come."

"She's good to go Mr President." The doctor closed her file.

"Thank you so much." The doctor nodded and took his leave. "My chief of Staff gets shot the only place I'll be is at the hospital."

"The bullet just grazed me."

"Thirteen stitches sir." Emily gave Aaron an angry look while Kirkman gave her a mortified one.

"Thirteen too many." He assured her.

"What happened to the shooter?" She asked Mike.

"Fred Archer. We took him out." He confirmed much to Emily's IU*U

"If something had happened to you, I." The president trailed but Emily cut him off.

"It didn't."

"I don't want you to worry about anything other than getting better. Take whatever time the doctor gave you Emily." Kirkman insisted.

"I'm fine to come back sir." She argued but Kirkman wouldn't have it.

"That's not up for discussion Emily. I don't want to see you in the halls of the White House until that sling comes off. I'm sure Aaron will be on my side on this."

"I'll make sure she rests sir."

"That's not fair. I don't need a babysitter." She was getting pissed.

"Just a voice on your shoulder." Tom laughed. "Come on Emily. I know it's not in you but just take it easy and come back one hundred percent."

"Fine." She gave up.

"Come on, let's get you home." Aaron helped her off the exam table as Kirkman left. He helped her back into her shirt and they returned to the waiting room where Mike and Kendra were still waiting.

"Oh my God I'm glad you're okay. I'm really sorry about all this, it's all my fault."

"Stop it Kendra. Nothing that happened is your fault so I need you to stop blaming yourself." She rubbed her arm with her good one. "Tell you what. Take my keys and make yourself at home, I need to be babysat it seems." She handed Kendra her house keys.

"I'll make sure she gets there okay." Mike said.

"Thanks Mike." Emily smiled at him.

"And I'll bring this one to my place." Aaron added.

"Call me as soon as you get home." Emily requested.

"I will but please take it easy and listen to the doctors orders." Kendra insisted.

"This one won't let me do otherwise." She pushed herself into Aaron's frame.

"Good." Kendra hugged Emily one last time and they all went their separate ways.

The drive was mostly quiet and Aaron knew that part of that was because Emily was angry to be forced out of work. She argued that she felt fine and even though he knew that was the truth, he wanted her to take it easy a little bit.

Aaron guided her through his door, mindful of not touching her arm. They had stopped briefly at her place after deciding that Emily would stay with him while she healed and Kendra found her bearings while her house was still considered a crime scene.

"You okay?" He asked as they made it to his room.

"I was okay at the hospital Aaron." She sighed. She really didn't want to be coddled but Kirkman had forced her to take the time off that the doctor suggested and Aaron had agreed with him.

"I know Em but please take the few days, get used to that new accessory." He let her sit down on the bed while he changed into a pair of jeans and a black long sleeve.

"Fine." She relented. She tried to get out of her clothes and gave up doing it on her own.

"Let me." He gently removed her good arm from her sleeve and guided her stitched up one through the other after having removed the sling. She decided that it would be easier if she was dressed in her casual clothes while she was off so Aaron found a loose v-neck shift and slipped it on. He let her take care of her pants and only helped her pull them up properly against her waist. "I was so scared that I'd lost you." He cupped her cheeks.

"Aaron, I'm okay." She could see the fear that was lingering in his eyes. "It's just a graze."

"Move in with me." His heart was pounding and his brain was screaming at him to do it.

"It's classic post-disaster acceleration." She chuckled.

"I'm serious Emily. I know it's fast and it looks like I'm doing this because of what happened today but it's not." He smiled at her. "I've been thinking about this these past couple of weeks and I want us to move in together."

"You'r crazy Aaron." She laughed.

"Yeah, about you." He leaned down and kissed her. "What do you say Emily Rhodes? Feel like being crazy with me?"

"Yeah." Her heart was fluttering with Aaron's enthusiasm. It took everything in Aaron not to pick her up from the floor and kiss her senseless but they spent the rest of the evening in bed, Emily finally falling asleep from exhaustion.


A/N: So I finally made it. I really hope you liked it and please take a few seconds to review before you go, I love reading your thoughts - Sarra