Chapter 24:

"Nina Cobalt, NYPD open up!" Mac screamed, banging on the dingy apartment door. He repeated himself a couple more times, then prepared to kick open the door.

"Why do they never just open up?" Allie whispered,

"That would make our job too easy," He replied, throwing himself against the door-forcing it open." Each of them observed the visible area of the apartment quickly, feeling the scene was safe, they lowered their guns and began looking some more. "Did you hear that?" Mac was suddenly tense and his gun back in position, he made his way toward the noise he'd heard-in the bedroom. "Follow me." He directed quietly.

Once they'd located the bedroom and opened up, the events that unfolded weren't like any they'd of ever expected. "Nina Cobalt, you're under arrest for the murders of Shin Yang and Spencer Yeats." Mac stated monotonously to the woman lying in a white nightgown on crimson blankets. The woman got out of bed and came to Mac, hands behind her and together. Mac clasped the cuffs around her and Allie began reading Nina her rights,

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can't afford one…" She rattled on, and Mac was so used to it his tuned it out. Why isn't she fighting me? Most murderers fight me when I arrest them… Something isn't right here. The thought lingered in Mac's mind as he neared the apartment door, when suddenly a gunshot was fired. He fell to the ground before he could comprehend what had happened. He heard to more shots fired, and then saw a body jump over top of him and dash toward the running Nina. It's not as bad as last time; at least I'm, still conscious. He thought as he got on his speaker and called for backup and then called for an ambulance on his cell phone. "Allie," he called once off the speaker and phone. No answer. No… No no no. His heart began racing and fear clutched his throat, he felt himself gasping and a sick feeling in his stomach. He called her name again, and still no answer. His hand gripped his leg-where he'd been shot. I know I shouldn't move until the medics get here, but I have to know if she's okay. As he pulled himself up and allowed his vision to clear- only to get hazy again by the tears of fear that had worked their way into his ducts. His eyes darted around the room, and to his relief, he didn't see her anywhere. She must've been the one that jumped over me. Good girl. Another gun suddenly went off, and Mac once again was on the ground.

"Flack!" Allie yelled seeing him striding up the hallway, "Take her back to the station," She shoved Nina to him, "I have to go back there, Mac's hurt!"

"What?" Flack yelled, grasping onto Nina more tightly than necessary. "How bad?" Concern laced his every word,

"I don't know!" Allie screamed, tears flowing freely down her face. "We were taking her to the car, someone shot at us-hit Mac- I shot the guy that shot him and Nina's leg."

"Is the guy you shot dead?"

"He shouldn't be, I aimed for the leg. I didn't see him very well." She explained, hardly able to be understood. Mac went down; I shot two shots, and ran after her." Flack nodded,

"Go, watch Mac. He'd want that. I just hope it's not as bad as last time." Flack shoved Nina a bit and then proceeded to pull her down the hall. Allie dashed back to the apartment. The sight was scary-like one out of a movie- with Mac on the floor and a man at the other end of the room.

"Hey, bitch, what was that for." The man on the other side of the room asked regarding his now injured leg.

"You shot my partner, you son of a bitch!" Allie screamed at the man, kneeling at Mac's side. She noticed the most blood was coming from a shot in his right upper chest. She pulled off her light sweater and pressed it to the wound.

"You're pretty hot for a cop." The man in the corner said, eyeing her in her fitting black slacks and black tank top. "I thought you guys had to dress more… Professional." He smiled slyly.

"Well, there's a hole in partner's chest right now! Dress code kind of goes out the window in this case. You don't say another word to me, or I'll shoot you again. Trust me, I'm a good shot, this time I'll make sure to put a bullet in your head instead of your leg." She felt liquid washing over her hand. "Hold on Mac." She whispered, seeing the blood had soaked her sweater and was spreading across his chest and her hand. She quickly undid his shirt to use it as a new rag, and took his pulse with one hand as she pressed with the other. "Hang in there, Mac. You'll be okay, you have to be, you're my best friend." She didn't know what to do, and she was on the verge of hysteria. She knew the ambulance was coming-Flack had told her- but she felt like she could do something to help more than what she was. She leaned over him and gave him a little peck on the forehead, grabbing his hand as she did it.

"The truth comes out," her head whipped up at the sound of Danny's voice.

"What are you here for? Are the paramedics almost here?"

"Yeah, they're close. I'm here to pick up that asshole." He motioned to the man in the corner of the room, still attempting to get on his feet. "Hank Crite, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of a police officer," Danny walked over and cuffed him. He left the room just as soon as he'd appeared. Allie hadn't even gotten a chance to see that the man who had shot Mac was the man they'd interrogated weeks earlier. She heard the sirens as her hand gripped Mac's. She felt movement in his hand, and glanced down. His eyes were blinking open,

"Mac," She stayed close to his body, "its okay, you're going to be fine. An ambulance is on the way. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." She had to choke back her own tears to speak.

"Allie," His breathing was labored, "How bad?"

"You were shot in the leg and chest, but you'll be okay, I know it. I have medical training, remember. This shouldn't be life threatening. You'll be okay, you have to be." She tried to smile, but it broke sooner in less time than it stayed.

"Tell Cayden he's a good kid, and he's going to be a great cop someday." He squeezed her hand,

"No," She retorted, "You're going to tell him that when we're at the hospital tonight."

"Allie," He ran a thumb over her hand, "Maybe this sounds crazy, but these last couple months with you have been fantastic. I know it's one sided, but last time I was shot I almost died. I realized that unsaid feelings are some of the worst regrets; I don't know I guess what I'm trying to say… Allie," His breath got short and strenuous again, "I glad to have met you and your boy, and I lo-" Just then two paramedics burst through the door and motioned Allie to move. She did, and stomached the worst feeling of her life when she saw Mac on that stretcher being lifted and ran out to the ambulance. Did he just? Was he about to say… No he couldn't have, I must just be wishfully thinking again… Like a teenager. I should text Cade and Lindsay.
 She texted Lindsay first to find out what hospital Mac would be at, and then texted Cayden that she was going to pick him up early from school. I shouldn't even drive really. She debated with herself, but decided it would take her mind off things. She went a little faster than she normally would all the way to Cayden's school. "Mom," Cayden said worriedly when he saw her in the office of his high school, "What's wrong?"

"Get in the Avalanche, Cade." She said, I'll explain,

"Avalanche?"

"Yeah we need to go back to the lab and get my car," Once they were on the road, Cayden couldn't stand the tension he felt between he and his mother.

"Mom what happened?"

"Mac and I went to arrest somebody this morning, long story short, Mac was shot. We're going to return this and get my car and then we're going to the hospital." Cayden's face turned grey and sullen instantly, and his voice lost the zest and eagerness it always had.

"Will… Is he going to be okay?" He tried to keep his voice strong, but Allier heard it faltering.

"He should," Fresh tears started, and she blinked them away so she could see the road, "but there was a lot of blood."

"Mom, didn't you have like nurse training when you worked at the old folk's home? Shouldn't you know this stuff?" His voice was raised and angry.

"Don't test me now, Cade." She snapped suddenly, "Based on the injuries he should be fine, but there was just so much blood and his voice was so… raspy and quiet, I… I keep telling myself that. He has to be okay…He has a life. He's a good guy, he has great career, great friends in the team, you love him… I love him." The sentence seemed strange to vocalize, but she knew it was the truest thing she could say regarding him. Cayden's features took on a sudden victory, but only for a moment.

A/N Sorry it's taken me awhile (AGAIN) to update. More family issues have occurred and I entered a writing thing elsewhere. This chapter...Started how I wanted it...Then took a major turn! I'm shocked myself, honestly. You know the drill, please share with me your own thoughts :)