The sniper on the building across from New Amsterdam got up from his perch and gave a wave to them to signal all clear.
The plan had worked. Max knew the roof would have the best sight lines for the sniper and once they realized the bomb was not real, the sniper was clear to shoot without fear of explosives going off. It took them long enough, but he was grateful it was over.
The second Martin had fallen, Sharpe had broken into a run again. He ran straight at Max who now stood and caught Sharpe as she cashed into him. Encircled in each other's arms, they hugged. They did not know for how long, they did not care. They held the other tight trying to not ever lose them again.
Eventually, the SWAT team entered the rooftop and assessed the situation. The perp was down and somehow still alive. Instead of calling for an ambulance, they just carted him downstairs.
They pulled their attention back to each other.
"What were you thinking?" He asked.
"What was I thinking, what were you thinking?" She retorted. "Trying to save my life but risking yours, not very smart."
"But heroic," he gave her his half smirk.
"Dumb. Heroic but dumb."
"I'll take it." He gazed into her eyes and she locked his gaze with hers.
"I'm so glad you're okay. Thank you." She said a little sappier than she wanted.
"I would never let him hurt you. I did have to convince him several times you were a murderer, but—" he trailed off.
"Hey," she hit him hard on the arm.
"I didn't believe you were, but I needed him to believe it." Max defended himself but she wasn't buying it. "Hey, I took a beating for you."
Sharpe had not noticed it yet because she was so overwhelmed with finding him alive that she had not noticed the bloody cuts on his face, swollen cheek, and black eye. "Max," she said trailing off as she cautiously touched his wounds, inspecting their severity.
"Maybe you can sew me up after this?" He asked.
"Of course, I can." She pulled him in for another hug resting her cheek on his chest. Her hand reached up to hold the back of his head when he winced. She pulled her hand away to see it stained with blood.
"Oh yes, that too." Helen shook her head at Max's cavalier nature of disclosing his injuries.
"Any more I should know about?" She asked hoping the answer was no.
"I think that covers them all."
"Oh and before I forget, Iggy fought me really hard not to leave your office. He's worried you'd fire him for letting me go." Helen smiled and bit her lip, but Max just pulled her back in for their hug placing a kiss on her forehead. They left soon after, hand in hand, Helen led Max down to the ER to fix him up with a lot of stitches.
The next day, Max and Helen decided to go visit their new patient, Martin Hornsby. He had been rushed to surgery and was ironically saved by the same doctors he held hostage the previous day. Martin Hornsby now lay handcuffed to a hospital bed waking up for the first time since his surgery.
"Hello, Martin," said Sharpe as she walked into the room with Max right by her side. His arm was on the small of her back as they entered, supporting her in this interaction. She gave Max a look which he read and let her continue in while he waited in the doorway. This was a conversation she needed to have on her own.
Martin could not speak as he was still intubated. Dr. Sharpe knew this and was glad she would not be interrupted.
"I'm here, Mr. Hornsby. I am here and your wife is not. This is the reality we live in, but you need to hear it. Your wife died and I was her doctor. However, I did not kill her, Martin. She chose to die. She decided to stop treatment. I guess she did not tell you. And I am very sorry for your loss, nevertheless, she chose to spend her last dying days with you Martin. She did not want the drugs anymore, did not want to see you wasting away at her bedside. She knew you needed to work, and she did not want you wasting anymore money on treatments that only caused you both pain. She wanted to spend her last days living the best life she had left, with her husband.
It is really sad because she loved you very much, but she would not recognize the man that sits before me. She would have been very disappointed in what you have become. And now you get to think about that for the rest of your life behind bars. I am not a murderer, Martin. I vowed to save as many lives as I could, I just wish I could have saved you both. I'm sorry."
Dr. Sharpe turned away from Mr. Hornsby who was left in shock, tears welling in his eyes at the sad truth he did not know and would have to now live with forever.
Max met her at the door, "Feel better?"
"Not really. This was all just a sad sad circumstance. No one wins here."
"I'm just glad it's over," Max said as he put his arm around her shoulders and escorted her away from the man that set out to kill only 24 hours earlier.
Today, was just another day at New Amsterdam. Another day to save lives.