Bang! The shot was of a sniper's gun. Square between the eyes. There was only one of them left. Tee dropped the gun and Dee watched him fall to the ground. Abby ran over to the fallen terrorist.
"He was dead before he hit the ground," she told the remaining militant. Dee just nodded. Up onto the roof burst five snipers and two ran over to Dee, handcuffing him, one over to Tee, one to Abby and another Dave.
"Ma'am, we need to get you and the hostage downstairs," the man told Abby. She nodded and watched as two pushed Dee out in front of them and down the stairs, followed by Abby, and then Dave, and lastly, the body of Timothy Daniels, age 16.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby glanced at the man she had seen earlier with his son after the first gunshot. The boy was hugging his father, sobbing into his shoulder. The parent was on one knee, holding the child closely as tears stung his own eyes. To Abby's surprise, she felt them in her own eyes as well as she watched the grieving father and son. She walked over to him and noticed Dave had the same idea. The man looked up and straightened up, wiping his tears.
"I'm Dr. Dave Malucci, sir. I was in the building with your daughter. I... I saw it happen," Dave sighed, reluctantly.
"You did?" he asked. Dave nodded. Abby closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"It's a great tragedy, sir," she knew that was an understatement to him, but she didn't know what else to say. How had she intended to comfort the man when she didn't even know the lost daughter he was grieving for? Luckily, Dave was there and he knew.
"She was a very brave student, Mr. McAlester, one of the bravest in there."
"Really?" pride shown beyond the tears in Mr. McAlester's eyes. The boy didn't say anything. He just hugged his father, as if afraid he would leave him, too.
"We are both very, very sorry for your loss," Abby told him. He looked up at her.
"Thank you," he told her, "I can tell you mean it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter yawned. He didn't like being cooped up in his own workplace. Someone knocked at the door.
"Nurses don't knock," Carter was puzzled, "Most of them, anyway. Come in!" he called. A frail woman entered, her brown hair falling lightly on her shoulders.
"Dr. Carter," she nodded.
"Ms. Morgan," Carter remembered her.
"I... I wanted to apologize, both on my behalf and Dave's for dragging you into this. You didn't have to go... Do you know why it never worked with Dave and I?" she asked him.
"Why?"
"I didn't need him. He was never there when I needed him. And when he found out I was... Sick, he... He was there even less time when he should have been with me more. But he was just scared. He's a scared little kid, Dr. Carter, though he'll deny it when you tell him that."
"Don't I know it!" Carter rolled his eyes. Carter knew that instead of sick, Jenna wanted to say something else. He had seen patients tell their family before. He knew Jenna was dying.
"Tell Dave... I had to do something," Jenna told him, "And give him this," she handed him a letter. Carter nodded.
"I will."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter never saw Jenna Morgan again. He gave Dave the note. Dave read it through and nodded.
"I thought she'd do something like that," he whispered and dropped the note onto Carter's bed. When Dave left the room, Carter picked up the note.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dave, I am going back to Idaho to live with my parents. I'm in my last few months, so I probably won't see you again. I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry it never worked between us and I'm sorry you could never find the time to be with me. Good bye, Dave," Carter sighed. Poor Dave. He looked like he had been expecting this, but he definitely didn't look happy about it. Was if possible that Dave, Dr. Dave Malucci, really cared about this woman? Carter laughed.
"Yeah, right!" he sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you sure you want to do this, Abby?" Luka asked her. Abby looked back at him and nodded, "OK. Do you want me to..."
"No, Luka, you can stay here. I'll be fine," Abby told him in a whisper. Luka nodded. Abby stepped out of the car and entered the building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Visitor to see you, Johnson," the officer said. Denis, alias Dee, stood up. He saw Abby and looked puzzled.
"So, how are you doing?" she asked.
"What are you doing here?" Denis grunted.
"I just thought you'd like to talk to someone."
"Why would I want to talk to you?"
"I don't know. The others are dead. I just thought..."
"I know the others are dead!" Denis seemed angry, "I was there when each of them died! First Melissa, then Jason, then Tim! Poor Tim. He was a good kid. We all were. Until Jay found us. The thing that kept Tim going was his sister, Melissa. He loved her with all his heart. But then, because of Jason, she died. And Tim just couldn't forgive him. So he shot him."
"He was only sixteen..." Abby shook her head sadly.
"You tell me these things as if I don't know them! I know damn well how old he was, better than you! Who do you think you are, huh? Some sort of superhero? You didn't do this out of your own freewill. You did it out of pity. Well I don't need your pity! Why do you feel sorry for me, anyway? I almost killed your friends!"
"But you made the right choice in the end," Abby told him, "And you didn't kill my friends. You didn't kill anyone. But you're right, you could have."
"I assisted in a takeover of a school. I deserve this. I'm scum!"
"You're not scum!" Abby declared, "Just because you made a mistake you think you're scum! Now, let me tell you something, I would agree with you if I didn't know that you are the one responsible for saving Dr. Malucci's life! You may be a prisoner, you may be a terrorist, you may even be a little annoying, but you are definitely not scum!"
"You know, coming from you, that's the strangest thing I ever heard. I don't even know you! Or even your name!"
"Abby," Abby told him, "My name is Abby Lockhart. Call me when you get out of here. If you need a friend..." Abby stood up, nodded, and left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby sat in the passenger's seat of Luka's car.
"So, how'd it go?"
"I can't believe I just did that!" Abby put her head in her hands, "I said he wasn't scum!"
"Maybe you meant it!"
"That's just it, I *did* mean it! And I have no idea why! Ever since it happened, I lie in bed at night and I just think how messed up those people are! Anyone who could hurt a child... And yet, I denied he was scum to his face," Abby couldn't understand it. Luka tilted her head up for her to meet his eyes.
"Do you know what, Abby?" Luka asked, "I love you."
"What?" this caught Abby by surprise. Of course she loved him back, but he said it at such an awkward time.
"You're so sweet. I don't know!" Luka shrugged.
"C'mere!" Abby told him and she pulled him into a kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a cloudy day and it suited the mood. Everyone stood there, looking at the cold, black box. Everything was silent, even the wind seemed to stop and listen. The priest took his place.
"We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of Claire Marie McAlester..." Carter stared at the ground. He had insisted on coming. He looked across from him and saw Luka with his arm around Abby. A few feet away stood Dave, quietly listening.
"I don't think I've seen Dave ever that quiet," Carter thought to himself. He saw Claire's father, holding her little brother's hand. As the priest finished, Carter, among with others, walked closer to the coffin to pay their last respects. A young face cold and still. Mr. McAlester came, but the boy stayed away. A tear fell at the sight of his young daughter, even younger than Tim had been. He drew in a quivering breath and looked away. Where was a single white rose in Claire's coffin. Carter walked over to Mr. McAlester and his last child.
"Mr. McAlester?" he asked. He nodded.
"You can call me Nick," he told him.
"Nick. I'm Dr. John Carter, I was the substitute when it all happened. She was a very sweet girl. I hear she'd lost her brother?" Carter knew it must be a sensitive subject, but he wanted to know.
"Ye-Yes. He was beaten to death two years ago, when he was sixteen. Authorities say now, it was Jason Leary who did it. Funny."
"What's funny?"
"It's funny they find out that he did it two years later, after he killed my daughter as well. Her mother was also shot that same day when she went to pick up our son. Poor Charlie. Poor Miranda. This is my last born, Joey. Joey, say hi to the nice man," Nick told him.
"Hello, Dr. Carter," Joey whispered. He was shy, Carter could see. Carter smiled, weakly.
"Hi, Joey. I hope he has a brighter future," Carter said.
"So do I. Maybe he'll become a doctor," Nick shrugged. Carter nodded.
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. McAl- Nick. I really hope things turn out better for you and your son in the future."
"Thank you Dr. Carter, your sympathies are much appreciated," Carter turned away and was about to leave when he turned back and gave Nick and Joey McAlester one last smile.
"Hey, don't worry! When the storm passes, it's like a new, sunny day," Carter told them and went to his jeep. As he drove away, the gray clouds above him began to part.
"He was dead before he hit the ground," she told the remaining militant. Dee just nodded. Up onto the roof burst five snipers and two ran over to Dee, handcuffing him, one over to Tee, one to Abby and another Dave.
"Ma'am, we need to get you and the hostage downstairs," the man told Abby. She nodded and watched as two pushed Dee out in front of them and down the stairs, followed by Abby, and then Dave, and lastly, the body of Timothy Daniels, age 16.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby glanced at the man she had seen earlier with his son after the first gunshot. The boy was hugging his father, sobbing into his shoulder. The parent was on one knee, holding the child closely as tears stung his own eyes. To Abby's surprise, she felt them in her own eyes as well as she watched the grieving father and son. She walked over to him and noticed Dave had the same idea. The man looked up and straightened up, wiping his tears.
"I'm Dr. Dave Malucci, sir. I was in the building with your daughter. I... I saw it happen," Dave sighed, reluctantly.
"You did?" he asked. Dave nodded. Abby closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"It's a great tragedy, sir," she knew that was an understatement to him, but she didn't know what else to say. How had she intended to comfort the man when she didn't even know the lost daughter he was grieving for? Luckily, Dave was there and he knew.
"She was a very brave student, Mr. McAlester, one of the bravest in there."
"Really?" pride shown beyond the tears in Mr. McAlester's eyes. The boy didn't say anything. He just hugged his father, as if afraid he would leave him, too.
"We are both very, very sorry for your loss," Abby told him. He looked up at her.
"Thank you," he told her, "I can tell you mean it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter yawned. He didn't like being cooped up in his own workplace. Someone knocked at the door.
"Nurses don't knock," Carter was puzzled, "Most of them, anyway. Come in!" he called. A frail woman entered, her brown hair falling lightly on her shoulders.
"Dr. Carter," she nodded.
"Ms. Morgan," Carter remembered her.
"I... I wanted to apologize, both on my behalf and Dave's for dragging you into this. You didn't have to go... Do you know why it never worked with Dave and I?" she asked him.
"Why?"
"I didn't need him. He was never there when I needed him. And when he found out I was... Sick, he... He was there even less time when he should have been with me more. But he was just scared. He's a scared little kid, Dr. Carter, though he'll deny it when you tell him that."
"Don't I know it!" Carter rolled his eyes. Carter knew that instead of sick, Jenna wanted to say something else. He had seen patients tell their family before. He knew Jenna was dying.
"Tell Dave... I had to do something," Jenna told him, "And give him this," she handed him a letter. Carter nodded.
"I will."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carter never saw Jenna Morgan again. He gave Dave the note. Dave read it through and nodded.
"I thought she'd do something like that," he whispered and dropped the note onto Carter's bed. When Dave left the room, Carter picked up the note.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dave, I am going back to Idaho to live with my parents. I'm in my last few months, so I probably won't see you again. I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry it never worked between us and I'm sorry you could never find the time to be with me. Good bye, Dave," Carter sighed. Poor Dave. He looked like he had been expecting this, but he definitely didn't look happy about it. Was if possible that Dave, Dr. Dave Malucci, really cared about this woman? Carter laughed.
"Yeah, right!" he sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you sure you want to do this, Abby?" Luka asked her. Abby looked back at him and nodded, "OK. Do you want me to..."
"No, Luka, you can stay here. I'll be fine," Abby told him in a whisper. Luka nodded. Abby stepped out of the car and entered the building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Visitor to see you, Johnson," the officer said. Denis, alias Dee, stood up. He saw Abby and looked puzzled.
"So, how are you doing?" she asked.
"What are you doing here?" Denis grunted.
"I just thought you'd like to talk to someone."
"Why would I want to talk to you?"
"I don't know. The others are dead. I just thought..."
"I know the others are dead!" Denis seemed angry, "I was there when each of them died! First Melissa, then Jason, then Tim! Poor Tim. He was a good kid. We all were. Until Jay found us. The thing that kept Tim going was his sister, Melissa. He loved her with all his heart. But then, because of Jason, she died. And Tim just couldn't forgive him. So he shot him."
"He was only sixteen..." Abby shook her head sadly.
"You tell me these things as if I don't know them! I know damn well how old he was, better than you! Who do you think you are, huh? Some sort of superhero? You didn't do this out of your own freewill. You did it out of pity. Well I don't need your pity! Why do you feel sorry for me, anyway? I almost killed your friends!"
"But you made the right choice in the end," Abby told him, "And you didn't kill my friends. You didn't kill anyone. But you're right, you could have."
"I assisted in a takeover of a school. I deserve this. I'm scum!"
"You're not scum!" Abby declared, "Just because you made a mistake you think you're scum! Now, let me tell you something, I would agree with you if I didn't know that you are the one responsible for saving Dr. Malucci's life! You may be a prisoner, you may be a terrorist, you may even be a little annoying, but you are definitely not scum!"
"You know, coming from you, that's the strangest thing I ever heard. I don't even know you! Or even your name!"
"Abby," Abby told him, "My name is Abby Lockhart. Call me when you get out of here. If you need a friend..." Abby stood up, nodded, and left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby sat in the passenger's seat of Luka's car.
"So, how'd it go?"
"I can't believe I just did that!" Abby put her head in her hands, "I said he wasn't scum!"
"Maybe you meant it!"
"That's just it, I *did* mean it! And I have no idea why! Ever since it happened, I lie in bed at night and I just think how messed up those people are! Anyone who could hurt a child... And yet, I denied he was scum to his face," Abby couldn't understand it. Luka tilted her head up for her to meet his eyes.
"Do you know what, Abby?" Luka asked, "I love you."
"What?" this caught Abby by surprise. Of course she loved him back, but he said it at such an awkward time.
"You're so sweet. I don't know!" Luka shrugged.
"C'mere!" Abby told him and she pulled him into a kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a cloudy day and it suited the mood. Everyone stood there, looking at the cold, black box. Everything was silent, even the wind seemed to stop and listen. The priest took his place.
"We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of Claire Marie McAlester..." Carter stared at the ground. He had insisted on coming. He looked across from him and saw Luka with his arm around Abby. A few feet away stood Dave, quietly listening.
"I don't think I've seen Dave ever that quiet," Carter thought to himself. He saw Claire's father, holding her little brother's hand. As the priest finished, Carter, among with others, walked closer to the coffin to pay their last respects. A young face cold and still. Mr. McAlester came, but the boy stayed away. A tear fell at the sight of his young daughter, even younger than Tim had been. He drew in a quivering breath and looked away. Where was a single white rose in Claire's coffin. Carter walked over to Mr. McAlester and his last child.
"Mr. McAlester?" he asked. He nodded.
"You can call me Nick," he told him.
"Nick. I'm Dr. John Carter, I was the substitute when it all happened. She was a very sweet girl. I hear she'd lost her brother?" Carter knew it must be a sensitive subject, but he wanted to know.
"Ye-Yes. He was beaten to death two years ago, when he was sixteen. Authorities say now, it was Jason Leary who did it. Funny."
"What's funny?"
"It's funny they find out that he did it two years later, after he killed my daughter as well. Her mother was also shot that same day when she went to pick up our son. Poor Charlie. Poor Miranda. This is my last born, Joey. Joey, say hi to the nice man," Nick told him.
"Hello, Dr. Carter," Joey whispered. He was shy, Carter could see. Carter smiled, weakly.
"Hi, Joey. I hope he has a brighter future," Carter said.
"So do I. Maybe he'll become a doctor," Nick shrugged. Carter nodded.
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. McAl- Nick. I really hope things turn out better for you and your son in the future."
"Thank you Dr. Carter, your sympathies are much appreciated," Carter turned away and was about to leave when he turned back and gave Nick and Joey McAlester one last smile.
"Hey, don't worry! When the storm passes, it's like a new, sunny day," Carter told them and went to his jeep. As he drove away, the gray clouds above him began to part.