A/N: The prompt for this one is "Don't let me down." Set this one in May 2021. Right this minute for all I care. The sooner the better.
Anna had been shot. The woman he had loved for decades had been shot by that murdering psychopath "Peter August." He hadn't adequately protected her; he was standing too far away to throw himself in front of her.
"Anna... Oh, God no. Anna!"
Another gunshot rang out as Valentin threw himself to the ground beside of her on his knees. That shot came from a different gun - Jason's - and struck the intended target in the head.
Valentin fumbled through his pockets to find his cell phone. As he dialed 911 on speakerphone, Valentin looked over Anna's body, trying to determine the extent of her injuries. The bullet had pierced through her side, and though he didn't want to move her to look, he didn't see an exit wound.
Valentin tried to keep his voice calm and stutter-free while he relayed the information to the dispatcher. Valentin's fingers checked for a pulse on Anna's neck and found one - fainter and faster than he would have liked, but it was there, and she was breathing. Her skin was pale and clammy to his touch.
"You're probably going into shock." Valentin mumbled. "Come on, Anna. We were just finally starting to connect like normal people... Like friends, maybe even a chance for more. Did you feel that, too?"
He flung his jacket to the side and ripped his shirt off in one pull, letting the buttons fly carelessly. With adrenaline pumping hard through his system, he ripped it quickly into shreds, which he began stuffing and packing into the bullet wound to stop the bleeding. He applied pressure to the wound with his hand firmly, aware that he was probably causing her more pain, but it was better than letting her bleed out in front of him.
"Don't let me down, Anna." Valentin practically screamed at her. "After everything you've been through, you can't die because of your piece of shit, wannabe Cesar Faison nephew! Don't let me down, damn it! Do you hear me, Anna?!"
"Yeah... You're yelling." Anna's voice faintly replied.
"Thank God. Oh thank God." Valentin sat back on his heels, nervously raking one hand covered in Anna's blood through his hair and staining it and part of his forehead red. The other remained on her wound. "Stay with me. Please."
"Trying."
"Keep talking to me." Valentin said, fervently trying to keep her conscious. He tucked his suit jacket around her to keep her warm. "The paramedics are on their way."
"Peter?"
"Not about him."
"Dead?"
"I don't know." Frankly, Valentin didn't care either. Without moving his hand from the bullet wound, he turned and craned his neck, looking back where Jason was standing over Peter's unmoving body. "I'm not sure."
He had to keep her talking, and a probably dead Peter was certainly not the topic he needed. "What has Emma been up to lately?"
"What?"
"I'm trying to keep you with me, honey."
"Got the lead in 'Our Town.'" Anna replied weakly.
"That's great. She'll be wonderful." Valentin could see the life behind her eyes fading. "Anna? Anna! Where are the damn paramedics?"
"Is she out?" Jason appeared behind him.
"I think we're losing her." Tears stung at the backs of Valentin's eyes.
Jason squatted down beside Valentin, checking Anna's pulse again. "She's still with us for now. But she needs help. Fast."
"Valentin?" The voice was quiet and hoarse.
With a start, Valentin woke up in the chair by Anna's bedside. Despite the exhaustion of the evening, it had taken him hours to fall asleep in it; the torture device they called a chair made it clear that the hospital did not want its patients to have long-term visitors.
Valentin quickly moved forward and closer to Anna's bedside. "Hey. I'm here."
"Why do you look like a doctor?"
Valentin looked down at his clothing. "Oh. That. An orderly was kind enough to give me a scrub shirt. I used mine to pack your wound, so I came in here shirtless."
Anna cracked a small smile. "Sexy."
"It was my favorite shirt, too..." Valentin said, reaching for her hand. "So, you better pull through and make it worth my while."
"Did you get hit in the head?"
Valentin gave her a confused look. "No, why do you ask?"
"Blood... On your head and in your hair."
Valentin swallowed hard. "No. That's yours."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"For bleeding after being shot?" There was slight amusement on his face. "Don't be ridiculous."
"What of Peter?"
Valentin averted his eyes, then sighed and looked back at her. The least he could do was look her in the eye. "Dead... Jason killed him."
Anna's eyes closed and she nodded. A tear slid out underneath her eyelashes, and Valentin knew that even after all Peter had done, some small part of her would always grieve for her nephew. Just like he would.
Valentin brought the back of her hand to his lips and pressed his lips to it. "I'm sorry."
"It had to be done..." Anna softly squeezed his fingers. She couldn't talk about Peter anymore. Not yet. "You saved my life, didn't you?"
"No. The doctors did that."
"You gave them something to work with." Anna pointed out.
"True." Valentin gently caressed her knuckles with his thumb. "Are you in any pain?"
"No, I think they're pumping plenty of drugs into me."
"Well, enjoy that feeling while you can... Trust me."
"You should get home. Get some sleep."
"Nah, this is a luxurious chair. I can't bear to leave it."
Anna smiled slightly. "It or me?"
Valentin chuckled softly. "Busted."
"I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm glad you're okay...ish. I know it's hard, but... We are all safer now. You should get some rest. Stop being on alert, and let your guard down just a little." Valentin said, lightly kissing the back of her hand again and setting it on the bed. "I'll watch over you."
"Okay... I'll try... Don't let me down." Anna said, cracking a smile.
Valentin half laughed at her recycling his earlier pleas.
"Never."