Chapter 5

The sun beat down hot and humid through the bank's windows as the bank's temperature rose degree by degree as the hours passed by. Charlie's head rested against the warm window by the banks door as she sat with her tailbone aching from the marble floor. She has been sitting like this for the last four hours, her arms resting on her knees and her expression a neutral one of boredom and indifference. In front of her the gunman paces the length of the bank, scowling at the whimpers from the tellers and unfortunately placed customers. James Anderson was twenty eight, recently lost his job and was in the process of declaring bankruptcy. The bank had declared a foreclosure on his house two days ago, officially taking away everything from him. Charlie understood desperation, had seen it often enough to know that James Anderson didn't plan on walking out the bank which only made the situation more dire. He had nothing to lose. Casualties would be a mere inconvenience him.

He hadn't shot her in the first 30 seconds after she had opened the glass bank doors, which was promising, it was also his fatal mistake. She sure as hell didn't look like a hostage negotiator, average height, toned build and long honey hair, most would mistake her for a wrong place wrong time bystander. She carried no weapon or badge, no comm, no vest, she had even left her sunglasses with her supervisor before walking in. She was the complete image of non-threatening. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and her voice carried a lilt of boredom as she sat down against the glass windows of the bank and felt her heart rate slowly reaccelerate as the adrenaline slightly faded from the lack of immediate danger. There's always a risk with her job and she knows it, knows it better than anyone who's a bystander to her position. She's all too aware that each situation she walks into could very well be her last. She's accepted it. She set out into this job knowing that she could change the course of lives if she intervened and the chance to kick evil in the teeth is just a bonus.

The four hours had passed slowly, the temperature rise in the bank making Charlie's tank top stick to her skin. The hostages in the bank kept shooting her pleading looks, begging her to do something and she could only look back in indifference. Her indifference kept them alive. One wrong move and the automatic Anderson held would put holes in them before they could even think to move.

This needs to end, his pacing showing no signs of slowing as he starts to pace away from her. A red dot appears on the back of his head as Charlie's sniper lets her know that her team is prepared to move and she moves her left hand to her knee and makes a fist and immediately the red dot disappears.

She knows the pre outlined plan. Wait till he gets close enough and then tackle him and dispose of the gun. James Anderson had come into the bank looking for the manager, only the manager was on vacation. It's only a matter of time before he picks a new target to blame.

He starts towards her and she flexes her legs subtly, readying them for the leap. He's closer now. She needs to make sure he doesn't pull the trigger when she tackles him. She needs to make sure he's aiming at her if he does. Her legs are shaky but ready and she inhales deeply when he takes his fifth step, prepared to get shot in the next ten seconds. She hates getting shot. He takes another step and her legs start to shake from the adrenaline surge. He takes the seventh step and she leaps.

The automatic comes up three seconds late and she tackles him to the ground, elbowing him in the chest as he struggles to get his sidearm free. She struggles desperately with him, grabbing the knife strapped to his leg and stabs him shallowly between his ribs, taking his moment of surprise to kick his automatic across the room, ignoring the terrified cries of the people around her. She knows the exact moment SWAT breaches because the entire bank shakes as the trample of boots surround her but she doesn't stop fighting as he tries to reach his sidearm. She gasps harshly when his elbow hits a soft spot on her shoulder and she grasps the gun between her shaking hands, curling herself into a ball as she rolls away from him, the gun coming up to aim at him as she steadily grips it while the SWAT agents surround them.

They push James Anderson face down on the marble floor and Charlie sighs with relief as she slowly lowers the gun she's holding, taking deep breaths to steady herself.

"Greyson!"

Charlie turns towards the voice of her supervisor Steve Derrick and allows herself a small smile as he charges through the bank towards her. He stops just before he collides with her and assesses her from head to toe.

"I didn't get shot this time." She says cheekily and he glowers at her as he calls over the medic.

"I fine." Charlie protests as the medic ushers for her to sit in one of the chairs.

"You're bleeding everywhere. Sit down and let them do their job. Too much paperwork for me if you die on my watch."

This time Charlie glowers at him as she sits her protesting tailbone down on the chair, barely covering the wince that crosses her face at the ache that goes through her. The medic prods and pokes her and she tries to keep some pretty colorful words from escaping her mouth.

Finally he stands up and turns to face Steve who is keeping a close watch on her.

"Well?" Steve asks him.

"Bruised ribs, split lip and a nasty headache."

"See I'm fine!" Charlie gets up and tries her best not to sway at the lack of adrenaline.

"C'mon lets go outside and I'll get you some juice and we'll go through your statement for the local police."

Charlie sighs exhausted, but knows it has to be done, wearily accepting the hand the Steve hold out to her to pull her on her feet.

They go through her statement in under an hour when Steve leaves and then comes back looking troubled.

"What's up? Charlie asks him, not liking that guilty look on his face.

"A domestic case just got called in and the guys are asking for you."

Charlie masks her expression but winces internally. She hates domestic abuse cases. They remind her far too clearly of her own past.

"Let's go then."

Steve shakes his head, "They can call another negotiator and you need to go home."

"I need to go do my job." She stares him down and eventually he relents.

"Fine, but you're changing first and you're going to eat something while I drive you there."

Bass parks his Mercedes and gets out, pulling on the bulletproof vest from the backseat and sliding the comm into his ear before jogging across the street, scowling at the overeager young rookie detailed to keep the public off the premises.

"Sebastian Monroe, FBI."

"Let him through!"

Bass steps aside from the rookie as Steve Derrick jogs away from the command station to meet him.

"It's good to see you Bass." Steve claps him on the shoulder and then steers him toward the command center.

"What's the situation?" Bass asks.

"Domestic abuse, the father has locked his kids and wife in the apartment with him. He's on drugs right now, arrested several times for possession of cocaine and heroin. We're trying to decompress the situation before he gets too agitated.

Bass scans over the many men suited up in SWAT gear and the monitors. "Are we sending a guy up there to talk the situation down?"

Steve barely glances up from the monitors, "Already done."

"Well where is he then?"

Steve points to the tiny figure on the screen and Bass nearly trips when he sees who Steve's pointing at.

Charlie.

Bass watches her in the monitor, her back leaned up against the apartment door, her arms leaning on her knees. She looks utterly bored, but it's the purple bruise and cut on her lip that grabs Bass's attention.

"What the hell happened to her face?!"

Steve looks surprised by his outburst but answers regardless, "She had a bank situation this morning, look a couple hits to the face to avoid getting shot."

Bass tries to control his breathing as he watches the monitor with Charlie on it. Took a couple hits is a downplay from the mess he sees on her face, her cheekbones swelled as her face is a smatter of crimson and violet.

Steve stops what he's doing at takes in Bass's expression with a curious look. "Bass, I know Washington sent you down here to help out on our bank heist case, but this isn't it. Go back to your hotel room, get some hot food, settle in because god knows how long you're going to be stuck here."

Bass's eyes don't leave the monitor, "I'd like to stay."

"Do you know who she is?"

Bass tears his eyes away from the monitor to look at Steve. "Of course, I read through her file on the flight here. She's impressive." He keeps his voice indifferent, trying to downplay the underlining emotions.

Steve rolls his eyes, "Impressive is an understatement. Top in her class, youngest on the force and has the highest number of cases resolved. Along with being the only female hostage negotiator in this city she has the respect and influence to get things done when she doesn't like something."

"What are you saying?"

Steve sighs and glances at the monitor, making sure Charlie's still okay before looking at Bass again.

"What I mean is she is not going to take it well when I tell her that Washington sent someone to assist her on a case that she's been leading for the last two years. Let's just say she's not going to be pleased. And when Charlie is not pleased she tends to do everything in her power to make you regret the decision. She'll most likely try to get you sent home before you can even start."

Bass smirks and shakes his head, "She doesn't have that kind of clearance."

Steve shrugs, "Maybe not, but she has the friends and influence to make it a possibility."

Bass looks at the monitors again, "I'd like to stay until it's resolved and then I'll leave and let you tell her with me far away."

Steve studies him for a moment and Bass swears that Steve can see right through him, but he just shrugs again and turns back to the monitors.

Bass stands next to Steve and takes a close look at Charlie through the screen noticing something alarming to him.

"Where is her gun and vest?!"

"Over there," Steve cocks his head to the glock and bulletproof vest sitting on one of the tables around them.

"I mean why she isn't wearing it." Bass is frustrated at the lack of protection around her and is trying hard to reign in his anger.

"Bass you're new to this team so I'm going to forget that you're questioning what I'm letting my guys do. Charlie never wears a vest or carries a gun when she enters a situation, it only makes her more of a threat if she does. That's one of the reasons she's so good at her job, she isn't perceived as a threat so she doesn't have to act like one."

"So what happens if she can't get him to come out of the apartment?"

"Then when we prepare to breach we'll bring her gun for her so she isn't unprotected. But Charlie is damn good at what she does, breaching is last resort."

Bass nods and starts to pace the length of the monitors in nervousness, watching Charlie's every move. Bass can hear the man inside the apartment yell through the sound machines Charlie had stationed and he watches her flinch slightly before relax against the door again as the sobs of the children inside echo through the door. There's a crash as though a lamp was through against a wall and he watches carefully as Charlie's hands clench into fists even as her face remains impassive as she calmly asks if he's alright in there.

Bass watches this routine go on for the next two hours, the husband threatening his wife and children as he throws things and screams and Charlie's calm answers. Bass catalogs every time she flinches and tenses, those small details sticking out to him.

Suddenly he hears her voice come over her comm, "Steve, he's coming out. Does Drake have him in his sights?"

Suddenly a red dot appears on her forehead for a moment and Steve rolls his eyes, "Yes Charlie he has you in his sights. We're ready whenever you are."

Whenever you are turns out to be another twenty minutes of eternity until finally the apartment door opens, the man on the other side looking shocked to find Charlie leaning against the steel railing, her arms crossed against her chest looking bored.

He takes an unsteady step forward and Charlie keeps her position, not even blinking when a red dot appears on his forehead.

"Turn around and place you hand on the wall." Charlie's voice is calm with an underlining tone of steel as she watches him slowly turn around. She approaches him slowly and sidesteps when his leg kicks back towards hers, shoving him roughly into the wall and Bass distinctly hears a crack before a mumbled fuck from the man.

"You make another move without my say so and I'll make sure you won't be walking again." Her voice has lost its calmness and is now weary and menacing. A complete change from the Charlie he had just spent three hours listening to.

One of the guys jogs up to the complex, taking the stairs two at a time till he reaches her, assessing her before leading the guy down the stairs and to the awaiting police car.

Charlie looks exhausted.

"Steve, I need you up here. Bring a medic and Jaime too."

Bass watches Steve tense before him and the medic start at a run towards the apartment, a man jogging after them wearing worn blue jeans and a grey t-shirt.

Bass watches the medic brush by Charlie as he heads into the apartment as well as the other man, but Steve stops when he reaches Charlie. He looks concerned and then Charlie nods slowly as her and Steve make their way down the stairs. Steve walks Charlie all the way to one of the waiting ambulances and Bass can finally see her in person for the first time in three hours not over a monitor. She looks like hell.

It's more than just the bruises on her face, it's the way her shoulders are slumped and she looks utterly defeated despite having just resolved a situation with no casualties. Steve leaves for a moment and comes back with an oversized sweater that swallows Charlie, her knee bouncing as she leans her head against the door of the ambulance.

Bass sees Steve coming towards him and he doesn't even try to pretend he wasn't watching them.

"I'm taking her home. We'll talk tomorrow."

Bass sees Charlie shuffle towards the parking lot where Steve's truck is parked and looks back at Steve,

"Is she going to be okay?"

Steve grimaces and then shrugs, "No, no she's not."

Babes! I know it's been forever but life has gotten so crazy! Anyway this is Chapter 4, get ready for shit to hit the fan in the next chapter. Thank you guys for faithfully sticking to this story and for the wonderful reviews. I absolutely love them! This chapters so long to make up for leaving you guys for so long!

Review are loved!

Xx