The sun has risen by the time anything else happens. She is sat in the med room, staring blindly into space when the door cracks open.
"Alright?" He walks in just as she is twiddling the ring around the shoe lace it hangs on. He smiles when he sees it but she doesn't comment on it.
"Should I be?" She asks jokingly.
"It's gonna be alright Em. We're gonna get Kazim and take him back to Bastion so he can do his time."
"You seem pretty sure of yourself." She said.
"I just know everything's going to be alright. Perfect in fact, you're wearing my Mum's ring and we're going home."
"Calm down, its round my neck not on my finger." He looks hurt but then lightens up again.
"Well, we'll see about that won't we?" He says cockily.
"Neal, go back to Newport. Find someone who deserves you." She says softly, he just smiles that smile that makes her stomach flip. Then, Killian appears at the door and he shuts up as Emma lifts her collar to hide the ring and stands with her back to both of them.
"Alright Swan? This is all looking ship shape."
"Packed most of it in the med bag, Sir. Just in case." If Neal notices anything he doesn't mention it, then Killian tilts his head towards the door at Neal, suggesting that he leave.
"Sir." He says, grudgingly before she hears his footsteps and the creak of the tattered metal door as it shuts. He starts talking to her again but it's still in his Captain voice. He's talking about tactics for the mission but she chooses to give him the silent treatment rather than scream in his face like she's dying to do when there's only a door between them and the rest of the section.
"You okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She asks sarcastically. There's a long pause before he speaks again.
"I have a son. He's part of my life. Of course I wanted to tell you but the right moment never came up."
She almost lets out a whimper but holds it in. "You really hurt me."
"Emma, I care about you. A lot."
"Well you sure have a weird way of showing it. You screwed up Jones." The raise of his eyebrow gives her the hint. "Sir." She adds. He steps towards her, caging her in against the ledge.
"In that ditch, when the thunder…" She cuts him off before he could continue.
"Frightened the life out of me."
"Exactly. A lot of things flashed through my mind. I thought it was the end."
"So did I." She doesn't look at him, staring out of the window instead.
"I turned… and looked at you." She turns her head back to face him. "You're all I wanted." He was going back to Killian again and she felt more at ease. "I want you to be the last thing I see." He says in a whispered, breathy voice. Her mind couldn't quite process what he was saying so she says the first thing she can think of that would mean something.
"Ditto." She whispers back. His eyes lock with hers and then suddenly he is leaning into her, wrapping his arm around her back and pulling her against him before he presses his lips to hers in a simple chaste kiss that left her reeling and craving more. She couldn't take it anymore. Ensuring he would be quiet so that the others didn't hear, she presses her lips back onto his with more desperation than the last one. He reciprocates her passion quickly after the initial shock has passed. They pull away from eachother just enough so that their foreheads still touch. They both smile, only to be swiftly interrupted.
"Boss! Target's on the way!" Graham shouts.
"Never a dull moment." Killian smiles a sad smile which she returns and he turns to the door.
"They will stop the truck, we await instructions." Habib says, coming off his radio.
"Right everyone prepare, kit up!" Killian shouts. Emma emerges moments later fully kitted up with a look of serious determination on her face. He turns to look at her.
"I'm ready, boss." She says simply. Killian nods, she then looks at Neal who suddenly looks terrified.
"Hey, we're going to be fine. What happened to Mr Positive?" She asks, approaching him.
"Nothing. I'm just worried about you Em." He says honestly.
"Got eyes on the truck sir!" Dave shouts from the furthest window. "It's approaching the first checkpoint." He says. They watch as the truck is stopped and the ASF soldier inspecting the back gives a thumbs up and the barrier is lifted. "Sir, they're letting it through!" Habib is immediately on the radio speaking to the soldiers on the bridge.
"We're going to lose him!" Rob says as the truck crosses the bridge. Then, Habib raises his voice and seconds later the second barrier is lowered. After breathing a sigh of relief, Dave informs the others that it's been stopped.
"Right guys, listen in. We're together and we're in one piece. That is how we are going to leave after we have identified Kazim. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir!" They all say clearly.
"I am proud to serve alongside each and every-one of you. Rob lead out." He says before moving to the door. He turns to Emma once more before making his way out of the bunker, the others following with Emma in the middle of the group, as protected as she could physically be.
This is it. Is all she thinks as they move to the bridge.
Her heart rate quickens as they walk apprehensively toward the bridge. Neal is behind her and she can feel him moving closer with every step. Normally she would tell him to back off but right now she is focused on one thing and one thing only. The truck waiting at the other end of the bridge. As they approach, the ASF nod to all of them and they nod back.
"Right of the bridge, boss." Rob says over comms. Killian turns his head and watches a man stood on the river bank who is clearly staring at them.
"Positions." Killian replies simply. The section split to either side of the bridge as far as they can then the rest position themselves on the bridge itself, guns pointed at the truck. "Cassidy do not take your eyes off that man." He continues. Neal stops and turns to face the man on the river bank. She continues up the bridge with Killian in front of her and Dave and Jeff behind her. They approach the van and Killian stops at the rear of the truck, she approaches in the same way and they both show the Pashto sign of respect before she begins looking around at the passengers including men, women and children.
"Movement on the ridge, Sir." Graham's voice comes over the comms. Jones crouches and looks around the truck to the top of the ridge. "At least 3 bodies. Unidentified item in cargo, could be a weapon. Eyes on, boys."
Emma's heart is racing in her chest. She is still staring at the people in the back of the truck. He was in there somewhere. He had to be.
"Swan?" Killian's voice interrupts her thoughts. "Anything?" He asks, desperately. She simply shakes her head and continues searching for anything out of the ordinary. But she sees nothing. With a deflating feeling she turns to him and shakes her head, recognising none of the passengers as Kazim.
"No, Sir." She remembers the men on the ridge and a small glimmer of hope rises in her. Killian waves the ASF soldiers to let the truck go. They move to the safe point next to the bridge so they are not in the open and vulnerable to gun fire. She is about to duck behind the sand bags when a shot rings out and a terrible pain goes up her leg, she screams out and her leg gives way.
"Swan's hit!" Comes Neal's voice over the radio and then he's standing over her grabbing her legs and another pair of hands wrap under her shoulders and lift her. They lie her back on the ground, safely behind the sandbags and Killian's face comes into view. She screams again as someone starts putting pressure on the bullet wound in her leg as it gushes blood. Gunfire is all she can hear, from both them and the men on the ridge by the amount of bullets being fired. She can hear Dave close by ordering a medical evacuation chopper. She tries to protest but her voice won't come. She won't let the mission down because of one tiny bullet in her leg. Suddenly, the gun fire stops and she hears running footsteps on the ground approaching their position.
"They're down, Sir." Rob says as the men gather around Emma and some place their guns on the sandbags to keep an eye out for more insurgents. The pain in her leg starts to numb as she begins to lose focus and lets her head fall back on the ground.
"She's losing too much blood, Sir!" Someone says, she can't focus enough to figure out who.
"Med-evac is 2 minutes out, Sir."
"Keep putting pressure on the wound, Cassidy." Her eyes start getting heavy as she feels someone lift her into their arms and she starts to fade in and out.
"Stay with me, Swan." Is the last thing she hears before the darkness pulls her under.