He knew she was in trouble but he couldn't get to her quick enough. This wasn't the first time he'd stolen a helicopter to get to her but this time he had a feeling of certain dread that he wouldn't make it. He flew over the field and saw a lone figure in the distance, lying prone on the ground, still aside from the gentle breeze ruffling her clothes.
He felt the panic rising in his chest as he landed the chopper; this was his greatest fear when he first got the call from Bill telling him that she was missing. He had walked away from CTU six months before, determined to try and live a normal life, to try and make things work between him and the woman he thought he loved. But it hadn't worked; he was too damaged to live that kind of life. The only person that had understood that was now lying in a pool of her own blood in the middle of nowhere.
He jumped out of the chopper and ran towards her, falling to his knees by her side. She stirred when he called her name, struggling to open her eyes. His relief at finding her alive was short lived for he knew for certain that she would soon be gone. The fragility of her life was hanging in the air between them and he felt an overwhelming need to hold onto her and never let go. She was the last thing between him and his certain spiral into a despair that could only end in the kind of misery that he couldn't begin to imagine. And he'd already experienced misery that most would not have survived. But he had survived it and the main reason for that was her.
Tears fell from his eyes, tears borne out of the imminent loss; yet even now she was the one trying to comfort him. She gently stroked his face and told him she loved him. He knew that if he told her how he really felt it would sound unbelievable; how can you tell someone how you feel as they take their last breath? He didn't want her to think him a coward; after all wasn't it only cowards who spoke the truth when there was no longer a reason to lie? If he asked that question out loud she would probably tell him that was exactly what she was doing, telling him how she feels now there was no reason not to. Yet the truth was that her reasoning had been purely and simply to protect him; to protect him from having to make another difficult choice in his life; to protect him from having to walk away from her rather than hurt her.
He leant forward and gently kissed her; taking in the taste of her, taking her breath and mingling it with his own in the hope of keeping a part of her with him. He didn't want her to leave, wanted to go with her. He traced her lips with his own wishing that he had done this sooner, wishing that he'd been able to show her what she meant to him.
Her breath was stilling, her body now slack in his arms. The air around them was full of unspoken words; he may not have heard them but he felt them, he understood them now better than if she had spoken them. He lay down beside her, pulling her towards him as she took her final shallow breath.
She was gone.
He lay holding her for an indeterminable amount of time; not wanting to let go of her, not wanting to let go of what she meant to him.
Eventually he knew he would have to get her out of there, he had to take her someplace where she could be at peace. He slowly moved, not wanting to let her go but did so momentarily to position himself to carry her body. He lifted her into his arms, holding her close to his body and carried her towards the waiting helicopter.
Just as he reached the helicopter he heard the sound of a sniper shot and felt an instant burn in the middle of his back.
His legs buckled and he fell to the ground, never letting go of her. His body sank lower as he felt pain transcend through his chest and travel down his body. The pain was a comfort to him; a reminder that he was alive but only for a moment.
He lay on his side looking at her as he realised he would soon be joining her. He heard the sound of others running towards them and pulled her body closer; not wanting to let them take her from him.
His thoughts turned to memories; of the first time they met; the first time she put her complete and utter faith in him; the first time he was terrified for her; the first time he realised how imperfectly perfect she really was; and now, the first time he held her in his arms safe in the knowledge that she would be with him for eternity.