Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, although I wished I owned Jesse. I do own Becca, as well as the assailants.

Chapter Seven: The End of All Things

Steve was in the chief's office when the call came in. He picked up the line in the chief's office, and listened. Katherine told him everything, and his face went as white as a sheet. He hung up, and turned to the chief.

"Chief, I need to leave, now. I don't have time to explain why."

The chief could tell something was wrong just by looking at Steve's face.

"Okay. Go," the chief told him.

Steve didn't need to hear anything else. He grabbed his jacket, and car keys, and bolted out of the office.

At CGH, the firemen were working to douse the fire, as well as break down the door to the car garage. Inside, Jesse knelt beside the collapsed form of Becca, when he heard a cracking sound above him. He looked above him, but was unable to see anything. The cracking got louder, and he realized what it must be.

"Mark, Amanda, get out of the way!!"

Mark pulled Amanda out of the way, and Jesse pulled Becca to the side as his back started screaming from pain. Just as a fiery beam fell to the floor right where Amanda had been laying. Outside, the fire fighters were making headway. A few minutes later, the door fell to their blasts. Once inside, the firemen turned on their lights and began to search for the trapped victims.

Mark was beside his coworker, when he thought he heard a voice calling. He quieted Jesse and Becca.

"Listen you two."

They heard a faint voice calling,

"Hello in there! Can anyone hear me? Hello in there!"

"Someone's calling us Mark," Jesse said.

Jesse stood up, took a breath, and called out.

"We're over here! Help!" Jesse started to cough and couldn't continue. Becca managed to take a slight breath, and continued the call,

"We've got someone that's injured! Help!"

"We hear you! Keep talking so we can find you!"

Jesse kept calling out, and within minutes the firemen reached the trapped victims. One immediately knelt down beside Amanda, and placed an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. Another fireman radioed for an ambulance, as the others tried to make their way out. Mark, Becca, and Jesse were all handed oxygen masks. One of the firemen carried Amanda, while Mark, Jesse, and Becca made it out on their own. Jesse exited pushing Becca in her wheelchair. As the group made it out, the ambulance pulled up. The EMTs jumped out, and placed Becca on a stretcher.

"Dad! Dad!"

Mark spun around to be met by his son.

"Steve! Over here!"

Steve pushed his way through, and finally got to his father.

"Dad, are you okay?"

"Yes, just a little startled."

One of the EMTs came up to the two, and addressed them.

"I am sorry sir, but we need to take the doctor in for testing just to make sure that there isn't any smoke in his system."

Mark turned back to his son.

"I've got to go. I'll be fine."

With that statement, Mark turned back to the ambulance, and climbed in. The ambulance soon sped away, leaving Steve to watch the departing vehicle. Seconds later, his radio crackled to life. A hushed voice was emitted from the object on his belt.

"Steve, it's Sheryl. Don't say a thing, just listen. I think we may have found the guy you want. From where you are, walk a block south. You should be able to see me."

Steve took off, walking briskly. He reached Sheryl minutes after her call.

"Steve, look north of you, do you see the car?"
"Yes, what about it?"

"I've got men surrounding it, hidden of course. They say that there is a man inside with a video camera, taping what is going on. He matches the description to a "T" of the fourth member of the Crocs. Do you want to take this arrest?"

Steve didn't even have to think about it for a minute.

"Certainly."

Steve drew his gun, and put on a bulletproof jacket. He moved forward, closely followed by Sheryl. Within minutes the pair reached the car. Steve went to the driver's side, and leveled the gun at the driver's head.

"Lieutenant Steve Sloan, LAPD. Step out of the car, hands above your head!"

The man looked at Steve, and reached for the door. He opened the door with one hand. The other hand was at his side. Sheryl questioned this peculiar sight, until she noticed the gun in the man's hand.

"Steve, look out!" Sheryl shouted just as the man raised the gun. Steve dove out of the way, as Sheryl raised her gun and fired at the man's arm that was holding the gun. Steve got up with a pair of handcuffs in hand. He cuffed the man, while reading him his Miranda Rights. The two partners directed the man into a police car. Sheryl climbed in, while Steve left for the hospital.

When Steve arrived at the hospital, he acquired Becca's room number, and made his way to the room of the young teenager. Once there, he knocked, and entered.

"Ah, Steve. Where were you?" Mark asked his son.

"I've got some good news, dad. But first, is Amanda going to be okay?

"She'll be fine. She inhaled some smoke, but not a dangerous amount."

"Good. Well, my good news. Jesse, Dad, we've got him. We don't have to worry anymore about being injured by the Croc member."

"What do you mean Steve?" Jesse asked.

"After the ambulance with you all left for here, Sheryl radioed me to say that they had found a male that fit the description of the fourth croc member. We advanced on his car, arrested him, and Sheryl took him down to the station for questioning."

"So, you're saying that we don't have to be worried about getting injured by him anymore," said a voice from the bed.

Jesse turned to his coworker, smiling.

"Welcome back Amanda. How are you feeling?"

"Okay. So, is it true?"
"Yes, Amanda. Everything will be fine now."

Amanda smiled.

"Okay, you need your rest. We'll leave you alone," Jesse told her.

The four left, and went into the hallway.

Two weeks later

"Your honor. We the jury find the defendant, Michael Stevenson, guilty on all charges."

The courtroom erupted into cheers. One group, sitting in the first row, was especially happy. Steve and Jesse were patting each other on the backs, as Amanda and Becca were hugging each other. Mark was standing, looking pleased.

After the hearing, the five left the courtroom, heading for the car.

"Well, he's finally behind bars. Good work Steve," Mark congratulated his son.

"Thanks, dad."

The five headed to the Sloan's beach house. Once there, they all got out of the car, and made their way into the house. Steve collapsed onto a couch.

"It's finally over. I'm so glad."

Becca wheeled over to a closet, removed a game, placed it on her lap, and wheeled back over to Jesse.

"So, Uncle Jesse, do you want to finish the game of Life that we were in the middle of when Steve called? Or do you want to start an entirely new game?"

Jesse laughed, along with Mark. Jesse took the game, went over to the table, and sat down. He looked at the others.

"Well, what are you all waiting for? Do you want to play or not?"

The other four made their way over to the table to begin a game of Life.

"This game has no shootings, car crashes, or robberies, so it can't be real life," Steve pointed out as he made his way to the table.

Everyone erupted into laughter, a perfect ending for such a trying case for all of them.

The End