Take me down to the river bend, take me down to the fighting end. Wash the poison off my skin, show me how to be whole again. LINKIN PARK
I'm feeling somewhat cheated that there were no Jo/Kate declaring their love for one another in the finale, or at least Kate telling Jo she wasn't pretending. This chapter is sorta my way of dealing with that. For now anyway - what going to happen for Jo and Kate for here is still undecided...
Slowly Jo crept out from her sanctuary, steadying herself on the side of the car as she did so, her trembling legs barely able to support her. She could feel the blood rushing in her ears, her heart pounded hard and fast. She scarcely dared to breathe, a tightness crushing her chest.
Two figures lay motionless on the cold ground, Jo froze, trapped in fear's icy clutches, staring blankly at anything but the two bodies that lay on the ground. She couldn't stay here, all she wanted was to turn and run but she forced herself to keep looking. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she started to take stock of the scene. She prayed that she would see some sign of life, things should not have ended this way. The first figure remained motionless, eyes wide and empty, gazing up at the sky, devoid of life. She choked back a sob as she looked across to the other figure. At first there was nothing, only the howl of the wind and the distant sounds of the city. Jo's stomach clenched into knots, the pressure in her chest tightened as the anguish took over. No, please no. She took a few timid steps closer, then she spotted it. The slightest rise and fall of a chest, accompanied by faint strangled gasps of breath. Kneeling down, her shaking hand met pale skin as she felt for a pulse. She found a light flutter, weak and thready, but there. A small spark ignited in the darkness that threatened to consume her, a darkness she'd been ready to give in to. Now every light flutter she felt under her fingers was a glimmer of light and strength. For Kate, she'd try. If she could save Kate then maybe there was something to live for after all.
The knot in Jo's stomach loosened slightly, and she let out a shuddery gasp of relief. Then she saw the blood. The once striped jumper now stained a deep crimson. Even in the dim light of the Lorry Park she could tell this was bad. Oh god there was so much blood, the sticky, metallic smell filled her nose and she had to force herself not to gag. Fighting every desire to panic and run, Jo forced herself to think, she needed now more than ever to keep a clear head. The backup and surveillance must have been a bluff on Kate's part, otherwise they would have long since been here. They were completely alone and Kate desperately needed help. So, it came to her, to save the woman she'd lured here to die. The woman, who in those fleeting moments, was gradually becoming more than a work friend. The woman she loved.
No matter what happened now, she was going to do all she could to save her. Now she had another chance, she would not give in to cowardice. Whatever the OCG could torture her with, she knew now nothing could be worse than loosing Kate. She couldn't let anyone else die.
Jo fumbled for her phone, but her trembling hands struggled to process the command. "Come on!" she screamed into the wind, words filled with fear and anguish. "Come on!" Finally, she managed to pull the phone out of her jacket pocket. She punched the number in without thinking, words tumbling out of her mouth as she fought back tears. She finished with the exact address in the most authoritative, still a police officer, tone she could manage and a final plead to come as quickly as possible, before leaving the line open and placing the phone on the ground next to her. There wasn't time for countless questions about why and the details of what happened, that could wait. Kate lay bleeding out in front of her and there was nothing she could do to help.
Jo hastily shrugged off her soaking wet jacket, she knew it wouldn't do much, but at least it was something. She pressed it hard against the wound in Kate's stomach. Kate stirred slightly, a pained frown crept across her face and she groaned in protest as Jo continued to apply pressure. Jo's heart leapt at the sound, it wasn't much but at least Kate was still responding to pain. It meant there was still hope, still time. "Shh," she whispered, with every ounce of calmness she could muster. "It's going to be okay, the ambulance is coming," she flustered. Kate's eyelids fluttered slightly, opening just a crack. Jo forced a smile, trying to give her Colleague some reassurance and hide her fear. Though it did little to comfort Kate, her eyes were glassy and filled with pain, her skin unnaturally pale and clammy. "Just hang on Kate," Jo begged, "you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay". Kate only managed a faint whimper in response.
Distant sirens rang out, growing rapidly louder. Jo's brow furrowed slightly, it had only been a minute, maybe two, she knew the Ambulance response times in this part of the city weren't that fast. Her heart dropped, sinking to the pit of her stomach. Someone knew they were here, but she had no idea if this 'someone' could be trusted. There was nothing she could do to protect Kate and with that thought Jo's final barrier came crumbling down. She couldn't hold any of it in anymore. Fear, frustration and anguish took hold, months of repressed feelings burst through the cracks and Jo gave in to a flood of tears and choking sobs that racked through her body. "I love you Kate," she flustered into the dark. Oh god they were coming, they were coming and she couldn't do anything. "I love you."
In that moment, flashing blue lights and wailing sirens rounded the corner, tyres screeched and the smell of rubber eating concrete filled the air.
Car doors slammed and heavy footsteps approached. Jo tried to shield Kate as best she could as she turned to look at the approaching figures. She was met with a wall of AFO's, clad in black, weapons raised.
"I'm unarmed!" Jo cried, "but she's hurt, I can't show you my hands because I need to keep pressure on the wound." Silent seconds followed, Jo didn't dare to move, paralysed by fear.
After what felt like an eternity, a brief hand signal and the AFOs lowered their weapons in unison.
Jo let out a choking sob of relief, gasping for breath that she didn't realise she'd been holding in.
"Who is hurt?" came a shout from behind the wall of black.
"It's Kate." Jo replied shakily, scarcely able to get the words out between her trembling cries. Adrenaline and fear were no longer enough to keep her going, Jo could feel her strength fading, her arms grew weak.
Suddenly she found Steve Arnott kneeling next to her, "I got this, move over!" he commanded.
With no fight left to give, Jo crumpled backwards, falling to a heap in an icy puddle. Moments blurred, she had no idea how long she lay curling on the ground shaking uncontrollably, her breaths coming as strangled cries.
"Joanne Davidsion." Ted Hastings stern voice echoed through her, sparking some kind of awareness. "I'm arresting you on conspiracy to commit murder. You do not..."
Jo closed her eyes; she knew the rest. She put up no resistance as two Uniformed Officers hauled her to her feet, handcuffed her and led her towards the cars. Silent tears spilled down her face.