All of a sudden, the door came down and a loud "POLICE" was heard. Spencer turned towards the door and officer after officer came in the door, guns drawn and bulletproof vests on. John quickly holstered his gun and ran to Natalie's side. He quickly worked to untie feet and hands, but before he got through untying her feet, he heard shooting.
He looked up from Natalie and saw that Truman really had snapped. He had a look in his eyes of complete desperation. He was shooting at all of them, every single one of his officers, and they were doing everything they could do to not fire. He made eye contact with Bo, gave a nod. Bo gave a nod to his men, and they started to engage. John untied Natalie's hands and feet and pulled the tape off of her mouth. He tried to wake her up, but couldn't. the shooting continued, and he checked her pulse, it seemed normal. The only thing he thought was that she needed medical attention to undo whatever the drugs had done to her.
He quickly looked up and saw the department had cornered Truman. He was still shooting at them, but they had him in the corner by the stairs. If he were thinking straight, he would have made a different choice, but all he could think was that she needed to get medical attention as soon as possible.
"I'm going to get you out of here" he whispered, "C'mon Natalie, just make it to the hospital"
He wrapped her arms around his neck and picked her up and started towards the door. He barely made it three steps.
It was like he watched it all happen in slow motion, even though he didn't truly understand how it had happened.
Truman's eyes, in a search for a target that would ensure his freedom, saw him taking Natalie. He adjusted him aim and the shot rang out. It hit Natalie on her right side.
Suddenly, he had her back on the ground and was yelling for an ambulance. He put pressure on her wound, but she was bleeding a lot.
"Stay with me, Natalie" he begged of her, "Stay with me"
Gunfire continued behind him.
"John" Bo yelled, "take cover"
"Call for an ambulance" John yelled back.
"We have a man down" Bo said into his radio, "all available units, report to the Palace rooftop, we need one ambulance and manpower"
"Hang in there with me" John whispered to her face, "hang in there Natalie"
He heard more sirens mixed with the gunshots.
"You hear that, Natalie?" he said, "the ambulance is coming. Help is on the way" he said, "you gotta make it, Natalie. You gotta hold on for me" he said, "I'm not going to lose you like this, not now"
He heard a yell behind him and the shooting stopped.
"Bag and tag that gun" Bo ordered behind him, and then he switched to the radio, "Palace Hotel, we are going to need a second ambulance"
Spencer must have been shot. That's the only reason the shooting could have stopped.
"Bo" he said, "she's still bleeding"
"The ambulance is on the way" Bo said, "Just keep pressure on it"
John nodded, and he heard the ambulance getting closer. He could hardly breathe.
"I'm right here, Natalie" he whispered, "you just stay with me, okay? Just don't leave me just yet" he tried to breathe, "just don't leave me" he whispered again.
They had been through so much. They'd been to the brink of death before, and they'd come back. Of course, this was different. This time, he knew what he was losing. This time, he wasn't losing the idea of her, but actually losing her, actually losing out on the type of partner she was, losing out on all the ways she made his life better.
He'd lost her before, and it had nearly been his undoing. He'd gone off the rails. He'd seen her life in danger before, when the tornado ripped through the church. He'd sworn he'd never let her go again, would never let her get hurt again, sworn it would be different if she'd give him another chance. And he'd let her down in every way imaginable.
He reasserted his strength, applying pressure to her gunshot wound. She was still bleeding, and there was no exit wound. Every second she waited for an ambulance her odds of living through this went down.
He found himself making all those silent promises again. It would be different. He wouldn't let her down. He'd be there for her, the way she'd been there for him. She'd never come in second to a case ever again.
"Hang on Natalie" he whispered. It was a plea. It was a beg. It was the only thing he could think to say.
"Paramedics" he heard behind him.
"John" he heard Bo's voice.
"She was shot, I'm keeping pressure on the wound" John said, not looking up.
"You did good" the medic said, "you have to let us work now"
John waited for the medic to kneel down next to him before he let go, but he didn't go far.
"She was drugged, that's why she's out" John said.
"We're going to need to get her into surgery" he heard.
They made quick work getting her onto the stretcher, and John kept his eyes on her the whole time. When they started down the stairs, John followed, not looking behind him, though he was sure he heard Bo calling his name. Whatever it was, it could keep until she was in the clear.