This picks up about where the last chapter left off, but goes in a slightly more whumpy direction - and, as explained earlier, may become slightly OOC or AU - but not on purpose…

I have decided to post this in shorter sections so you can let me know if it's going horribly wrong. Hopefully I can still fix it…

We need to back up a little bit so we can get a good run at this new section.

I hope you like it.

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John's eyes drifted... unfocused. Talking with Finch was distracting and comforting. As he considered what Finch was saying, he was glad to have a reason to ignore the fact that he was feeling weaker, detached - that his body was slowly fading.

"John- you have to understand... that whether you like it or not… you are not alone."

The ice-pale blue eyes lost their fight and slid closed.

"John?" Finch's first panicked thought as John lost consciousness was that he'd allowed himself to become too distracted from his ministrations. That he'd eased up on the life-saving pressure he was putting on John's wounds.

He hadn't.

The problem was that he had no way of knowing exactly how much damage the bullet had done on its terrible path through John's chest. The external bleeding had all but stopped, but there could be more damage inside. Plus he was still very cold. They were doing everything for John that they could under the circumstances. Whether it would be enough to save his life remained to be seen.

Finch felt John relax slightly. He was encouraged - perhaps John's condition was stabilizing a bit. But then he noticed John's breathing. It was suddenly much shallower - almost gasps - with odd, uneven spaces between. A surge of adrenaline flooded him and his now bloody fingers immediately sought the artery in John's throat only to find nothing. John's heart had stopped.

"Hey!" Fusco called over his shoulder. Concentrating on the treacherous roads, he'd been oblivious to everything going on in the back seat. "How we doin'? Wonderboy still with us? He gonna be okay?"

Finch's wide, panicked eyes met the detective's in the rear-view mirror. "No! We have to stop. Now, Detective. I can't find a pulse!"

Before Fusco could respond, or even move foot from gas to brake, the gloomy interior of the car was suddenly flooded with extremely bright light. The night was split with a sound like thunder. It took the two men a second to recognize what was happening. A helicopter was descending over the road, keeping pace with them, it's spotlight tracking their location.

Fusco hit the brakes - sending the car into a skid and very nearly running it off the road. Only a last minute, expert correction kept the car from slamming into a snow bank. When it came to a stop, the helicopter landed as close as possible on the road in front of them.

Two people emerged first: a paramedic from one side, and Root from the other. Finch slid, as quickly and gently as possible out from under John and got out of the car.

The paramedic approached him with a thunderous look on his face. "I don't know who you think you are - but this is not how this works! This woman shows up with a suitcase full of money and a gun and tells us to come out here or else? Who do you think you are?!"

Finch had turned to stare at Root while he listened to the man, but now he faced him. He was desperate to get this man - who could, just possibly, save John's life - into a more cooperative mood. "Please believe me when I tell you that I did not authorize her actions - in fact, I completely disagree with her methods..." At these words he glared at Root who smiled innocently back. Then he tried to explain. "- but not with her purpose... We desperately need your help. A man-"

"Two men-" Fusco emphasized.

"-is dying…" Finch continued, ignoring the interruption. "A good man. A man the world cannot afford to lose." He met the paramedic's gaze franticly. "Please... I can't find a pulse!"

The other paramedic also exited the helicopter. He had, apparently, already bowed to the inevitable because he was carrying a large case of equipment in one hand and a backboard in the other. He strode purposefully past his partner towards the car. Fusco met him and began reporting everything they knew about the conditions of the two men.

"I told you, Benjamin." Root murmured sweetly from where she stood still holding a gun on the first paramedic.

Ben threw one last glare in her direction and went to join his partner.

"Thank-you." Finch told him sincerely as he passed.

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Let me know how we're doing so far…
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