Chapter 16 - Pain
A burning sensation travelled throughout her entire body. She fell back onto the wall. It was probably the only thing keeping her from falling.
Erin was still standing in shock as the rest of the Unit were crouching, hiding and pointing their weapons out of the window.
"Erin! Get down!" shouted Voight as he motioned for her to squat. She just stared at him like a deer in the headlights, still not moving an inch.
Adam had ran and crouched behind a wall as the first gunshot resonated through the corridor. He had thought Erin was right behind, following him and had no idea that she was still out in the open.
'What the hell is wrong with her?' he was very much annoyed.
He stood up from his position and ran towards her, dragging her by the arm. Knowing all too well, she's a sitting duck.
Everything happened too quickly for Erin. One minute, she's standing. The next, she being dragged away by Adam.
"Hey. What was that?" Adam asked. His eyes filled with concern. But she wasn't paying much attention to him for a matter of fact. She was too busy looking around.
"Where, where is she?" and she grabbed his arm frantically, demanding him to tell her.
"Kim? Don't worry, she's fine." he shouted against all the artillery.
Looking down at her vest, she saw a small hole. She'd been shot and was glad when she didn't see any blood. The adrenaline had numbed the pain in her chest and now was only slightly throbbing.
A few more shots were exchanged until a shot from Antonio's gun resulted in silence. They all stayed very still, in pin-drop silence. Not daring to make a sound.
'Thank God! It's over!' Erin let out sigh of relief.
As she stood up and headed towards the team, it had just registered to her that they hadn't noticed she was shot. If they had known, they would be all over her by now, making sure she was alright.
She winced in pain as the adrenaline had now started to wear off. The pain was unbearable with every breathe she took. Grabbing the nearby wall, her entire surroundings started to spin. Her head was pounding, her chest was burning and she felt something warm running down her torso. She heard Voight's footsteps getting louder and a hand yanking her. She looked up at him.
"Erin! What the hell were you thinking?" screamed Voight who was fuming in rage.
She didn't say a word. Not because she didn't know what to say but because it was excruciating to do so.
"I, I don't know." she managed to breathed out.
Just at that moment, she saw Kim staring at her. Concern was written all over her face. Only Kim and Adam were left as the rest of the squad hurried over to the suspect on the other side of the building.
"That's not an answer, Lindsay. It could've been much worse. You could've gotten shot!"
Kim had noticed something was definitely wrong with Erin as she studied her but she couldn't figure it out. Her face was extremely pale and she looked like she was about to pass out.
"Hank, I'm..." Erin began to apologise but couldn't as the pain increased tremendously. Shaking, she reached out and grabbed Voight's arms in order to keep herself from falling.
As she hold onto him, Voight was now filled with worry instead of anger.
"Erin?" he grabbed her shoulders to stabilise her and looked into her fazy eyes.
"I..." she managed to wheeze out as she collapsed to the ground with Voight still holding onto her.
"Erin!" Both Kim and Adam came rushing towards her.
Kim kneeled down beside her, holding her hands. "Erin? Erin? Wake up!" she pleaded.
Erin felt 2 fingers around her neck as Voight checked for a pulse then a sharp pain stinging her cheek had forced her eyes to fly open.
"Ruzek! Get the paramedics!" ordered Voight.
But Adam was too shocked and flustered to even move. He continued staring down at Erin with wide and bloodshot eyes.
"Adam! Please..." Voight begged and he ran out to get help.
This was the first time since his wife had died, he felt extremely vulnerable and scared. The tough exterior that he had so carefully put up had now came crashing down as he watched his daughter slip away. His heart skipped a beat as he looked down at his daughter, trying her hardest to breathe and failing miserably.
Kim was hysterical and was shaking like a leaf. She held onto Erin's hands close to her chest, muttering something that Voight couldn't make out over all the sobbing. He wanted her to keep quiet, to stop crying so that this whole situation doesn't seem as serious. That was his way of coping. Denial.
"Burgess. Help me take this off." Within seconds, they had her vest removed. The sight before them resulted in a gasp. Her shirt that was once grey, was now bright red.
"Oh god! No!" Kim screamed. She was freaking out and her heart was pounding in her chest. She just can't comprehend on what's happening right now.
Everything was going so perfect for the past weeks that they've been dating. She loves her all there is to Erin. She loves her dimples when she smiles, she loves the rush she get when she looks at her and she just loves how her hands fits in hers like it was made just for her. Being without Erin wouldn't be complete. She is the other piece that completes her. She simply can't live without her other half.
She had tried to put pressure on her chest but hesitated. Not wanting to hurt her.
"...darling." Voight muttered as he gently smoothed her hair. He took off his jacket to use it as a towel, pushing it onto her wound as too much blood had started gushing out.
"Ughhhh!" Erin screamed out in pain while she tried pushing his hands away but was too weak to do just that.
"My vest-" Erin wheezed but Voight stopped her from speaking any further.
"Shh...it's ok. You're good, kiddo." he said cupping her face in his hands. Trying his best to reassure her that she'll make it even when it was highly unlikely due to the amount of blood she's losing. He was taken back by how pale her face have become in such a short period of time.
Erin had thought that her vest had taken the hit but to her disbelief, it had went through the Kevlar. She must not have put the vest on properly today as she was too preoccupied on what had Jay said in the break room. Thinking back, she doesn't remember double checking the Kevlar like she always does before going in.
Voight and Kim could tell that she wanted to say something as she kept murmuring.
"I don't wanna die..." she groaned and a tear slipped down her face. She couldn't get herself to look at Kim who was crying profusely. The answer written on her face.
Upon hearing those words, Kim broke down even further. "You won't, babe. Please don't...Don't leave me..." Kim begged and kissed her hand that was now filled with blood.
Voight had thought that was unusual but more to the fact that it was never like Erin to have friends who are girls or to get close with them. Most of her friends were guys ever since she was younger. Leaving him worried much of her high school years. She just never got along with girls. They would always treat her differently because she wasn't like any them. She wasn't considered normal due to her upbringing and family history.
He had noticed Erin and Kim had been becoming closer over the past month and was glad that she've finally found a best friend.
Erin felt her eyelids grew heavy, threatening to close. She felt the urge to sleep. She was so exhausted now. But before she could do just that she gathered up all her energy and squeezed Kim's hands and finally looked her in the eyes, looking at the amswer. Then, turned back to Voight.
"Thank you." she coughed before slipping away.
"Erin! No! Stay with me!" he shook her lifeless body while Kim sat there in shock. Just then, paramedics came rushing in and pulled him off and gently pushed him aside.
"No!" Kim yelled. Her boisterous shout was matched with a death stare.
Still holding onto Erin, the paramedics tried to grab her arm, to pull her up from where she was sitting but she wouldn't budge.
"No. I'm not leaving her." her voice cracked.
"Ma'am..." the paramedics started to speak but was cut off by her screams as Adam carried her off the ground, pulling her away. The paramedics had to physically pry her grip off of Erin's as she was still holding onto her hands. She continued on kicking and screaming while Voight broke down in tears. He couldn't do anything right now.
'Why her?' He so badly wants to trade places with his daughter.
"Kim! Stop!" Adam cried out as she had began cursing and hitting him for pulling her away. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her onto his chest and they both burst into tears. He can't lose her. His best friend and sister. They may constantly be bickering but that's just their way of expressing their love for each other. He now feels guilty for failing to protect her, for not keeping his word of having her back.
The rest of the guys had started to walk back to meet up with Voight when they heard Kim screaming. They all looked at each other in confusion and ran as fast as they could.
All they can see were blood and tears. Kim and Adam were on one corner while Voight was on the other. Kim muffeld against his chest, sobbing louder with each cry. Adam's eyes were swollen and red, he was trying his best to stay strong for Kim but couldn't. Voight too was crying softly as he faced the wall. Not looking at anybody. This was the first time anyone had seen him broken.
'Where's Erin?' the guys thought.
Just then the paramedics lifted Erin onto the gurney, taking everyone by surprise.
"God. Erin." Jay muttered as they wheeled past him. Looking down at her pale complection, her shirt had been cut open, her body was covered in blood and wrapped up in bandages and was wearing an oxygen mask. None of them had ever seen that much blood before.
Antonio and Alan went over to Voight as Atwater tried to comfort his friends. Jay just stood in the middle of the room in a trance. Well aware of what's happening. He just couldn't get himself to move. He felt like a statue.
As he watched his friends, he can't help but feel guilty of how he had left things with Erin. He shouldn't have talked to her that way. She might not have known this but she still means the absolute world to him.
With that, he quickly rushed out of the school. Pass all the other cops, detectives, SWAT, firefighters and EMTs. Still holding his gun in his hand, he gave it to a patrolman. Telling him to hand it over to Voight.
Hoping this was all a bad dream, he started running as fast as he could with no clue to where he was headed to.