Hostage - Chapter Six - Final Chapter!!!!

Title: Hostage

Author: GalaxyDuster (aka Sara)

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own the regular ER characters... obviously.
Spoilers: References to 13x18 - Photographs and Memories. (This happens the next day.)
Content Warning: Nothing more than your standard ER gore; drugs, violence & language.

Chris looked at Neela with an expression of pure astonishment. He did not lift the knife, nor did he move. He simply stared at her.

Ray went from shock to paralysis to horror in a matter of seconds. "Neela, what the hell are you doing up here?!" He managed to ask.

Neela jabbed her finger in Chris's direction, her face twisted into a blend of anger and determination. "I'm not going to allow this," she vowed. "He's not taking you anywhere with him."

Chris appeared to finally collect himself. He absently tapped the blade of the knife against his thigh, deciding how to handle the new complication. "I believe I instructed you all to not follow me," he told Neela, his tone surprisingly neutral.

"I don't give a rat's ass what you told us," Neela snapped.

"Neela." Ray's eyes were so wide that Neela half expected them to roll right out of his head.

"Neela, is it?" Chris rubbed his chin for a moment, still contemplating the situation.

"I don't think that's really important right now." Neela's tone was menacing.

"You're right, it's not," Chris snickered. His hands were starting to shake. He took a deep breath and sighed it back out, shaking his head. "You really shouldn't have come up here."

Neela moistened her lips, her breathing getting heavy as she realized the severity of the situation she had just put herself into. She struggled to keep hold of her determination. "You don't need him anymore. Go off in your helicopter and leave us alone."

"Actually, the police are much less likely to try to shoot me down from the sky if I have a hostage on board. They're probably even less likely to try if I have two hostages on board," Chris added with a laugh.

"You're not taking him with you," Neela repeated.

Chris's mildly amused expression faded away into a scowl. "So you've said, Neela. And I'm wondering just how it is you think you're going to stop me." He took a single step toward her. Neela felt her pulse start to jump.

"Stay away from her," Ray growled suddenly, moving toward Chris at record speed.

Chris quickly jerked the knife into a ready position, his gaze darting between Ray and Neela as if he expected them both to suddenly jump on him from opposite sides. "Don't move!" He warned them.

Ray stopped in his tracks, lifting both palms in the air. "Just take it easy. Take it easy! Be cool! Now isn't the time to freak out."

"Now is the perfect time to freak out!" Chris snapped, looking angrily between them. It was obvious that he no longer felt in control of things.

"This can't continue," Neela said, also lifting her hands in placation. She felt a new surge of desperation wash through her. She could hear a helicopter approaching from the distance.

"Nobody is changing the plan," Chris said angrily. "The plan is not changing!"

Neela swallowed hard. She knew they had run out of time to argue. "Look, maybe it would be best if we all took a deep breath right now and thought this through rationally, ok?"

Chris turned to look at her. Neela held his gaze and nodded. Behind him, she saw Ray slowly dip a hand into one of the pockets on the front of his lab coat.

"Don't try to talk me out of this," Chris warned her.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt – including you," Neela told him. She glanced discreetly at Ray, who slipped one of the packaged syringes out of his pocket as carefully as possible.

He looked completely terrified, she thought.

"If you don't want to get hurt, all you have to do is what I tell you to do," Chris said, breathing quickly. "The both of you are going to get on that helicopter with me, so I can get out of this city. It's really not that difficult of a plan to understand."

Ray's hands shook as he managed to quietly remove the wrapper from the outside of the syringe.

Neela bit her lip.

"The helicopter is on its way," Chris continued. "I highly suggest that when it gets here, both of you get on board without any trouble."

The helicopter's rotors chopped loudly as it drew nearer to the hospital. Chris looked straight up into the sky, where the aircraft had started to make its descent.

Neela felt her pulse pound heavily as Ray pulled the cap off of the end of the needle. She could see his hands shaking even from several feet away. She braced herself, knowing just what he was about to do.

Chris looked back down from the helicopter abruptly, seeming to realize that something wasn't quite right. He looked at Neela first.

Ray took advantage of the opportunity. He lunged forward blindly with the syringe.

Neela winced inwardly as the needle made solid contact with the back of Chris's neck, piercing him all the way through the skin and muscle. He let out a high-pitched scream, reaching wildly behind himself.

Ray threw both of his arms around Chris's neck, attempting to pull him to the ground. The needle was flung out onto the rooftop, out of sight. Neela realized that Chris still had the knife in his hand.

"Ray, watch out!" She screamed, running up to them as they struggled against each other. Chris was attempting to slash behind himself with the knife, apparently hoping he would connect with Ray's face somehow.

She didn't even think. Neela reeled back and kicked Chris's hand with her full weight. The knife went flying.

"Auugh!!!" She screamed, kicking him again for good measure. Ray had managed to tackle him to the ground. Neela jumped on top of Chris, pinning him entirely to the pavement. Ray quickly pulled the man's hands behind his back. Together, he and Neela rolled Chris onto his stomach.

"Get off of me!!! Get off of me!!!" Chris screamed, attempting to thrash. Ray held him tightly against the ground by both arms.

Behind them, the helicopter was landing. The wind kicked up around them. Neela felt her hair flying all around her face. She looked at Ray, breathing heavily. Chris had stopped moving, apparently resigned to capture. She let out a nervous laugh.

Ray smiled back at Neela, looking incredulous at what they had just managed to do. He did not let his gaze slip from hers, even as the helicopter pilot jumped out onto the roof behind them.

The police suddenly burst through the doorway to the roof in droves, swarming the entire area around them. Several officers ran to Ray and Neela's position, securing Chris with the proper restraints. Neela half-listened as they read him his rights. She was still staring into Ray's eyes.

He stood up first, taking a deep and shaky breath. Neela stood a moment later. The officers continued to mill around them.

"Neela," Ray said softly, tilting his head to the side. He simply smiled at her.

She felt her eyes burning. He was safe, she thought.

He was safe.

"Ray," she murmured, smiling sweetly around her tears. She bit her lip again, walking slowly to where he stood.

"You… I couldn't have done this without you," Ray whispered, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders. He stared down at her with an expression so serious, she had no choice but to look directly into his eyes.

An instant later, his hands were sliding up into her hair, drawing her closer as he leaned down and rested his lips against her own.

The sensation ran through Neela like pure electricity. Her fingers dug into his arms as she returned the kiss so deeply, so sweetly, she was almost sure she would simply melt away right then and there. She didn't care who was watching. She didn't care that someone was laughing right behind them. She simply let herself be lost in that moment, when all she could feel was pure love and happiness.

Ray continued to kiss her slowly, just a few moments longer, before gently pulling away. He did not open his eyes for a moment as he straightened up. When he finally did, Neela could see the emotion burning in them.

She couldn't even find words, she thought. This was it. This was everything she wanted. She reached out and grasped his hands, never more sure of anything than she was at that moment.

"Let's go back inside," Neela said softly, hoping to match his gaze with all of the emotion that she felt welling up inside.

Ray smiled at her slowly, feeling as if he'd just been given… everything.

"Yes. I think that's an excellent idea," he replied, gripping her hand tightly.

They turned together and headed back into the building.