Flying Under Radar (7)

Disclaimer: No infringement intended. Ever. ;o)

Thanks to the psychic shuffle function on my iPod, the soundtrack to the whole of the car crash scene after the actual crash is Coldplay's 'The Scientist'. Intro starts at 'Glancing around...'

Shorter chapter than usual this time, just wanted to keep the momentum of the story going, whilst The Early Hours has been racing ahead, with three chapters in one weekend I felt obliged to write some FUR as well.

CHAPTER SEVEN

A fresh wave of tears rolled down her face as she heard the voice in her head, familiar tones never to be heard again. But then she heard it again, calling her name!

"Jo!"

Scrambling to her feet, Jo sprinted towards the car, "SAM!"

Wrenching the door off of its broken hinges, Jo tossed it aside, intent only on reaching Sam. Ignoring the twisted metal digging in her side, Jo fought the seatbelt until it finally relinquished its hold on Sam, untangling it from her lifeless form. Only once the belt was fully disengaged did Jo look properly at Sam. Breaking down at the pitiful sight before her, Jo held Sam and wept bitterly, convinced that she had killed the love of her life.

"I'm so sorry Sam, it's all my fault...It's alright, I'm here now...I've got you..."

Shifting back into consciousness, Sam's eyes fluttered open, looking straight into Jo's distraught expression.

"Jo..."

Breaking down completely, Jo buried her head in Sam's shoulder, holding her in a fierce embrace. Pulling away suddenly, Jo looked Sam in the eye, "How could you do that to me! Why didn't you take your belt off when I told you! I thought I'd lost you!" anger giving way to relief, Jo felt herself melt as Sam covered her hand with her own.

"I'm sorry Jo, I just didn't know what to do..."

"No, it's me that's sorry Sam. I'm sorry I didn't explain, I'm sorry I didn't stay with you, I'm sorry I shouted..." Jo leant forward and brushed her lips against Sam's in a chaste kiss, "and I'm SO glad you're alright. I don't know what I'd've done if you'd been hurt."

"What about the other driver?" Sam asked.

"I haven't actually got around to checking yet," Jo admitted guiltily, "I was focused on losing you- well not losing you... to be honest, I just didn't care, he deserves what he gets, but you... you deserve so much better."

Ignoring the blush that blazed across her cheeks, Sam climbed gingerly out of the wrecked car, shocked by the devastation of the scene before her.

Leading Sam over to the kerb, Jo's training kicked in, and she was all business.

"Sam, I want you to sit here and wait while I go and check on the doorman. You blacked out for a while back there, so don't bother arguing with me. If you feel at all worse, call me, I'm just gonna be over there."

Carefully approaching the totalled Mercedes, unsure of what kind of state she'll find the driver in, Jo fitted the battery into the radio she had retrieved from the police car. Finding the driver unconscious, but with no obvious injuries requiring urgent medical attention, Jo radioed for an ambulance, and after trying the door of the car, requested a team of fire-fighters to cut the casualty from the vehicle.

Finally arranging for uniform to secure the scene and traffic division to take over the crash scene upon arrival, Jo checked the driver for vital signs before making her way back to where Sam was resting.

Returning to find Sam holding her head in her hands, Jo began to flap.

"Sam, does your head hurt? Can you hear me Sam?"

Looking wearily up at Jo, Sam smiles sleepily. "Calm down Jo, I'm fine, just a bit tired."

"Well I still want you to get checked out when the ambulance gets here, you took a bit of a battering in the crash."

"Honestly, I'm fine!" Sam insisted, resting her hand on Jo's shoulder to reassure her. "How's the driver?"

"Hmm? Oh him? He's unconscious but nothing obvious wrong with him, so nothing I could do for him, just gotta let the paramedics look after him when they get here."

Sitting down next to Sam, Jo felt her companion shiver in the chill night air, the adrenaline wearing off and the cold creeping into her bare skin. Wrapping her arm around Sam, Jo was gratified when Sam rested her head on Jo's shoulder, their previous disagreement forgotten as they sat and waited for uniform to arrive.