Chapter Five

Annie Blaisdell claimed she'd stopped waiting up for her children when Kelly had hit eighteen, but Peter knew better. Just because they were all older than twenty-one, didn't mean Annie didn't wait in her bedroom and listen for the sound of their feet on the creaky floor boards. Peter arrived home later than usual after staying late to get some extra paper work finished. He found himself feeling foolish.

He made sure to hit a couple of the creaky boards, alerting her to his being him, "Peter?" she called out, trying to sound as though she'd been asleep. He chuckled and pushed the door open slowly.

"Nice try mom, you lie as well as me."

She chuckled, "I take offense to that young man. How was your date?"

"I'll tell you all about it in the morning."

"Goodnight honey." Detecting a hint of sadness and annoyance in his voice she nodded.

"Night mom."

Saturday mornings in the Blaisdell house hold had always been something of a ritual when Peter was growing up. The kids slept in, while Annie made breakfast and Paul did early errands. However as they got older and moved out of the house it became more of a tradition that every Saturday one of the three children would come over and spend the day with their parents. When Paul left it became time with Annie. She adored it, she'd also turned it into an early morning, which her children didn't mind since most of them had to get up early anyway for their daily lives.

When Annie woke up at eight she heard the sound of the shower in the kids' bathroom. She smiled, knowing Peter would be hungry and headed downstairs to begin breakfast. By eight-thirty Peter was sitting at the table enjoying eggs and toast. "I'm telling you mom, she's absolutely amazing, and I could talk to her the entire day. She's funny and she's a psychiatrist, which is probably an irony in itself—and all I did was insult her.

"Peter, I'm sure it wasn't that bad, just tell her you're sorry, she's said she wants to see you again." Annie sighed, "What does she look like?"

"What?" He questioned with surprise, his mother had never asked that question before.

"Well sweetheart, normally by now you've described your newest girlfriend's every feature. Is she pretty?"

Peter laughed, "Mom she's absolutely beautiful! Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"

That's when it hit Annie as her son continued his rant about Alex; Annie realized this was the woman her son was going to marry. She'd met all his other girlfriends, and hadn't been highly impressed by anyone. Even Tyler, who she'd come to love as a daughter. If Peter could spend half an hour just talking about Alex as a person, then she was beyond beautiful, she was the soul meant for him. "Peter if everything you say is true, then you'd be stupid if you didn't try to at least talk to her."

"I know—I just don't even know where to begin."

She chuckled softly and squeezed her son's hand, "I hear sorry is a good place."

o0o

The bank wasn't too busy, Annie promised it would be quick, and Peter didn't mind he hadn't cashed his check from earlier in the week. He stood behind his mother, another older woman behind them. He looked around, feeling overly cautious than normal and that's when he noticed it. The man, standing in the corner, with indefinable features, even looking away: Peter felt his heartbeat catch, 'Oh god,' he thought. Kermit had told him what Alex had said. "Mom, when I tell you to get down don't hesitate, understand," he whispered in her ear.

"Of course," she whispered knowing better than to do otherwise.

Peter stepped up to the next window as if he was next and reached over and quickly wrote her a note, making conversation about the weather. Finally he slid her a note and made eye contact with her.

You're about to be robbed, don't hit the alarm I'm a cop I'm already calling for back up. Please do not panic and do everything the man says.

Then positive she was still looking he slowly put his badge where only she could see it. Receiving a nod from the teller he slowly pulled out his cell phone and began to dial.

"This'd better be important Peter."

"211 in progress no red and blue repeat no red and blue."

"How many?"

"The one for sure," he offered quietly so no one would hear him. He looked over at the teller, "Was this place built over a bunker?" She nodded slowly, "It's confirmed."

"I'll be right there."

Peter nodded and slowly began to make his way towards the door, knowing the minute he got closer the guy would chose to act. "THIS IS A BANK ROBBERY EVERYONE FREEZE!" Peter watched in horror as a man in the line grabbed the woman standing directly behind his mother.

"Get down!" Peter yelled instantly and watched his mother and everyone else hit the floor but himself, the woman and robber, as well as the creepy guy in the corner.

"SHUT UP!" the first gun man holding the woman screamed.

Hands went in the air, "You're the boss, I get it. I have to ask—why today? I mean surely by now everyone knows you're hitting specific places on specific days."

"I said shut up!" the gunman demanded again, shaking his gun at Peter, causing the woman in his arms to cry.

Peter shrugged, "See that's my biggest problem, I could talk all day long," He spotted Kermit out of the corner of his eye and said a quick prayer nothing went terribly wrong. "Tell me though, why? No one's ever in the bank on Saturday. So why today? Why this bank?"

"Why not?" the gunman grinned and flicked off his safety.

Peter realized he was suddenly way out of his league, Alex had been wrong, this guy wasn't on anything and he wasn't scared. "You already killed two in your last job. The guy you shot in the leg, he was a cop that alone will put you away for life."

Kermit slipped in stealthy and put a gun to the man in the corner's head.

The first gunman dropped the girl and whirled around to take a shot. Peter kicked out and nailed the man in the hand, causing him to drop the gun. The three bangs resounded; Peter didn't have time to register what happened as pain erupted from his left shoulder and chest. He cried out in pain and dropped to the ground.

"PETER!" he heard two voices cry before he descended into darkness.

The noise level rose another three notches as the SWAT stormed in, Kermit thrust his gunman at Strenlich who also entered, "Call an ambulance and put this guy into custody, the guy over there who is most likely dead is the second—if you go look in several of the offices you'll find a third guy up above the ceilings." Without another moment's hesitation he rushed over to Annie and Peter.

"Peter?" cried Annie.

"Annie its Kermit," he reached out and grabbed his surrogate mother into his arms, holding her for a moment.

"Peter?" she whimpered.

"He's been shot Annie, an ambulance is on its way, I need to get you out of here, Frank Strenlich is going to take you."

Strong hands helped her from the floor. "Come on Annie, everything's going to be fine."

"Chief, Alex Campbell's in my car…someone should probably tell her what's happened before she sees them carry him out on a stretcher."

Strenlich nodded, "I'll take care of her too."

Frank led her out of the bank, spotting Skalany over by a witness, he looked at Annie, "I have to go talk to Alex, can I leave you with Mary Margaret?"

Annie smiled patting her friend's hand, "Of course Frank."

Skalany smiled a warm greeting as she reached out and accepted Annie's hand, "I'll take her, Annie can I ask you some questions?"

Frank headed towards Kermit's car to find Alex sitting in the passengers seat looking terrified. He'd only met her once before when Karen had asked for his help the day Alex had moved into her apartment. He'd liked the younger woman immediately, he stepped over to the car and sighed, "You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Peter was in there—" she whispered.

He nodded, "Peter was shot, the EMTs are with him now."

She felt her resolve crack a little further, "Is he…"

"Not this time. Kermit sent me out with Annie to check on you. Karen's been called she'll meet us at the hospital. Why don't you let me drive you there?"

"Does this happen a lot?"

Frank wrapped a gentle brotherly arm over her shoulders, "It's a risk we're all aware of coming into the job. Come on, the sooner we get there the better."