Title: Desperate Measures
Chapter 8 – Clash of the Titans

Damn it! Donna curses herself as she watches Ed's entire frame seize and his facial expression stiffen. "No I didn't mean…Ed I didn't mean that."

"Yeah…yeah I think you did," he manages in a soft tone, his fists tightening to keep heated emotion at bay. "Let's go and end this and then everything will go back to the way it was – before."

"Ed, wait…"

"No, Greg's right, lets to the barn and wait her out. If she wants to come for us she can get us there," he pauses as he turns to leave, Donna hurrying to him and taking him by the arm and turning him back. "Donna, it's okay," he states in haste as he gives her a weak smile. "I'm glad you're okay," he admits softly and her eyes instantly water once more. "Please don't."

"Look I'm upset and frustrated and…"

"And wanting this to end and I get that."

"Yes I want this to end…this stupid nonsense with Ida. Not us. It wasn't fair to say that…not after all you did to help me and I'm sorry," she insists. "It was spoken in rash anger."

"I know," Ed nods, offering her a tight lipped smile; her brain not buying his false bravo for a second. "Let's go."

And before she can say another word, Ed pulls back the curtain, locking eyes with Wordy, who he is sure heard all that but knows enough to not say anything about it at the moment. How could he? He would know in that instant, Ed's heart would have been crushed, despite the fact that Donna had quickly tried to justify the rash statement. But it was out there, in the open and there was no taking it back now.

"So what's the plan?"

"We head back to the barn and…and wait it out I guess," Ed looks over at Greg who nods.

"I've already talked to Tom, told him to get set up there and will brief you two on the way there. Let's go."

Ed and Donna follow after Greg; Sam, Jules and Wordy taking the other darkened SUV, all heading back to the SRU headquarters with no sirens on. Donna glances at Ed in the front seat and can only curse herself once again for her false statement. Of course she didn't mean it, he was so much more to her, but he had pushed and she reacted, her mind feeding off her hatred toward Ida Logan; letting the person who ruined her life dictate her actions toward the person who saved it.

But as she starts to ponder just what exactly Ida's capable of, her stomach literally lurches. If she ever took Ed…I know she'd…I can't lose him…I can't I lo…I just can't, her mind stops as her eyes instantly water. She shakes her head, praying for the vile images to fade and then looks at his tense frame in the front seat and inwardly cringes. Damn it Ed…I'm so sorry, her mind chants over and over again.

"Donna?" Greg's voice breaks her thoughts, making Ed look back in concern.

"Yeah…I heard," she replies with a strained tone, looking at Ed apologetically. "I'm not surprised she did that," she sighs as she looks at the picture Greg had texted her of Judge Farnsworth's body. "She's evil…pure evil. Anyone in her grasp suffers before meeting a very slow and painful ending. She takes great pleasure in that."

Ed feels his face wince at her tormented words and although he had only seen snippets here and there of ill-fated victims displaying the Logan handiwork, he knows Donna's words are truthful and if he was to be kidnapped by them to get to at her it would be game over – for both of them.

"Well we'll hafta make sure that it doesn't come to that," Greg assures them. "I personally think it will go down fast and then she'll head for the plane or at least try to."

"And do we have a backup plan?" Ed dares to inquire, his mind feeling Donna's intense gaze on him from the back seat.

Donna's mind drifts back to the apartment before she had managed to get to the doorway and into the hallway – her ultimate freedom. She had purposely bypassed things her two attackers who had taunted her with regards to Ed's demise.

'After your death, we're gonna get your husband…and he'll be forced to stare upon your dead body while we slowly carv…'

She quickly jolts herself back to reality as she looks down and notices her short finger nails trying to un-embed themselves from the soft flesh of her palms. Donna tries to push away the thought of Ed being caught and concentrate on Greg's plan of keeping Ida's men at bay while the other team swoops in to capture the Irish mob mistress and put her out of business once and for all.

Her eyes drift to the band of gold on her finger, her right hand absently playing with it as she looks up and sees Ed's head twisted around watching her. "I'm…sorry," she mouths with a heavy frown and his eyes drop to the band of gold, his head lifting with a small frown and nod.

"Okay so Tom's on the inside and says that all but one door is locked down and Spike has confirmed the elevator is secure," Greg tells them as he brings the SUV to a stop in the underground parking lot, Wordy in the stall right beside him. "Stay alert, Spike only found one bug but that doesn't mean there aren't more."

Ed gets out first and then looks at Donna and frowns; her complexion was still pale and tense but her expression one of that ready for a fight. "Here," he hands her his gun, drawing an arched brow from Greg. "To hell with CQB," Ed growls as he turns and heads for the elevator. Donna takes the gun and gives Greg a small shrug before the two of them head for the elevator after Ed, the rest of team one in tow; guns drawn and ready for action.

As soon as the elevator doors open, Donna's plan is to take Ed aside and once again try to explain that her words were spoken rashly, but that plan is rendered moot as both Spike and Tom call her name, each vying for her immediate attention and Ed's taken by Greg.

"Okay Spike's got news and I have a plan so talk to him and then come and find me."

"Okay," she nods, looking past Tom for a few seconds and watching Ed turn and follow after Greg, both of them disappearing into the team one meeting room.

"You okay?" Tom inquires.

"Fine," she replies flatly, looking at him with a sullen expression.

"What is it?" Tom asks softly, the two of them standing a few feet away from Spike.

"I think I just signed my own divorce certificate," she groans as she turns and heads toward Spike, not giving him opportunity to ply her with tense questions. "So you got good news?" She asks weakly. "I really need some."

"I do. Greg told us what happened, are you okay?"

"I will be when this is over. Please tell me you found them Spike," Donna implores as they head for the small computer room that had literally become his second home for the better part of the week.

"I found the originals," Spike declares as he shows her the computer screen.

"Y-you did?" Donna asks in surprise. "No…I mean I know you could but…thank you," she finishes in a softer tone.

"Well we still haven't been able to trace it to the originator, a hacker I think my friend has identified as Miles O'Leary. Heard of him."

"Yeah he's the one that gets Ida…well whatever she wants that can't be taken by brute force," Donna frowns as she looks at the original documents on one screen and the amended ones on the others. "And you are sure that no one can…"

"This is a locked server," Spike assures her. "Plus I have saved and made hard copies of each," he points to a file with a small flash drive sitting on top. "Once this is over we just need to go down to Immigration and present it and then have them reinstate you back to…"

"How it was before," she finishes with a thick swallow.

"You okay?" Spike asks softly.

"Yeah…fine," Donna replies with a tight lipped smile. "Spike this is great."

"Yeah and then you and Ed can have a real wedding," he looks up with a small sheepish smile. But before he can say something else, a knock is heard and Tom pops his head in with an anxious expression.

"Spike lock that away someplace very safe," Donna directs as she turns and heads for Tom. "What happened?"

"They got to your apartment."

"What? Does Ed know?"

"No…not the one you have together…yours."

"Mine?" Donna asks with a growing frown. "How bad?"

"Fire Department is there now," Tom relates with a pained tone as he looks at her miserable expression. "You knew Ida would pull out all the stops right?"

"So after this is all over, I have no place to go?"

"What do you mean?"

"After what I said trust me, it's over."

"You sure about that?" Tom counters.

XXXXXXXX

"Miles is everything set up?"

"Just waiting on your command."

"Liam are you in place?"

"Miles, you cut the power, we're already inside," Liam relates. "Ida…I'll see you in Belfast."

"Miles…the time is now."

"Mr. Lane is mine," Liam's voice hisses. "Ryan the pleasure of killing Mrs. Lane is yours. Mickey you know what to do."

"Dìoghaltas" [Revenge.]

XXXXXXXX

Wordy slowly heads over to Ed whose tense gaze is fixed on the window, staring absently into the darkening night sky. Ed notices his best friend's reflection and looks up with a small frown. "You heard what she said back in the ER?"

"I did," Wordy pauses with a heavy sigh. "And I heard what she said afterward. Guess you are both still in the think before speaking phase."

"Maybe it's for the best. Spike found everything and she'll be…maybe she just wants space," Ed lightly groans as he shakes his head. "Damn Ida…if I had gone about things the proper way and asked in a normal setting then…"

"Okay but you can't take that back and after this…"

"She can go back to her apartment to think and…what? I can at least offer her that right?"

"Tom told us…well they just set fire to her apartment. Looks like a lot of smoke and water damage."

"What?" Ed asks in disbelief. "Does she know?"

"He's going to tell her now."

"And ours? I mean…mine," Ed sighs. "Whatever."

"Yours," Wordy re-emphasizes, "is okay. It was a two pronged attack but hers took the brunt because there was still an officer by yours from earlier today and stopped it before it happened. The two would be arsonists at your apartment were killed in the crossfire."

"On top of everything…now she's really stuck," he huffs as he turns and looks back outside, willing Ida's goons to show themselves and get this all over with.

"Is she?"

"Wordy you heard her…she wants out. I'm a husband on paper only and that's it," Ed confesses with a somber tone. "I hafta honor that."

"But…"

"I hate this waiting. I'm almost tempted to go and just call out Ida personally and take her down," Ed interrupts, not wanting Wordy to try to talk him out of his already made up mind.

"Yeah like she'd let you get that upper hand," Wordy correctly reminds him.

"I just hate this," he admits in truth as he turns back to his best friend. "Donna has had so much to deal with and I just complicated it all."

"You saved her life."

"She doesn't want this Wordy…she told me tonight; you heard her."

"Okay stop and listen to me for a second. You backed her into an emotional corner and she responded…probably the same way you would have if she did that to you. But you also tried to lord it over her with the whole listen to me because I'm your husband line. I mean come on…that was spoken rashly to don't you think? The two of you are the same. Now I get that you were bo…" is all Wordy mentions before the lights first off flicker and then quickly bathe them in darkness, Ed's fingers instantly fumbling with his head set.

"Boss?"

"Yeah Eddie, they're here…okay Team One just like we planned," Greg's voice is heard.

"I can't see…guys they cut the feed…now we're blind," Spike's excited voice next heard over the headset. "I think they're already inside."

"What the hell? How did..."

"Spike, I want you here with me right now. Sam I want you and Jules to cover the main…"

Already dressed and ready for the fight, Ed and Wordy grab their MP5's and head for the entrance to the meeting room, the darkness casting odd distorted shadows on the walls around them; every flicker was something to aim at – ready to fire.

"Donna!" Ed states as she hurries toward him, wearing a vest and ready for action.

"Tom and Rachel are with Sam and Jules near the entrance. Gary and Richard are going to see Greg and spi…" is all she manages before a loud explosion is heard and felt one level below, making them wobble on their feet, Ed's arms shooting out to steady his wife.

"What the hell? They're already inside!" Ed hisses.

"Tom!" Donna calls into her headset.

"They're inside…repeat, they're inside," Tom hisses. "Sam! Behind you!"

"Jules look out!"

"Rachel to your left!"

"Greg, the wall!"

"Spike, take that side!"

"Brace yourselves!"

Gunshots are heard, followed by loud footsteps heading up the stairs, the elevator buzzer starting to sound as well. Ed pulls Donna in one direction just as the window behind them explodes, forcing Wordy in the other direction; glass shards spraying them all.

"Where are you Mr. and Mrs. Lane?" Liam's angry voice growls over the speaker system, forcing both teams to freeze in place. "Time to come out and play."

"I'm going after him!" Ed states in anger as he pushes himself upright and charges for the door, only to be pulled back by Wordy.

"You can't…"

"I see you Constable Lane! Can you see me?" Liam taunts as he rushes up the stairs with two other men before them. A grenade is quickly tossed into the air, sending all nearby occupants scrambling in opposite directions – the ploy Liam had wanted.

"Kill Mrs. Lane," Ed overhears, his mind snapping to attention. "Boss!"

"Spike and I are holding two off down here, but we're in a crossfire. Sam…"

"Jules behind you! Boss, the main entrance is blown wide open. I called for backup but…Tom look…out…" is all Sam manages before another loud explosion is heard.

Knowing that his team can handle themselves, Ed looks up and sees Liam and grits his teeth. "Liam!" Ed shouts through the haze as he charges after him, heading toward a darkened smoky hallway. The pounding in his ears, coupled with the incessant dinging from the fire alarms was forcing Ed's head to continue to pound. But as he thinks about his wife in the hands of Liam O'Malley or Ida Logan, he knows he has to push past any momentary mental pain and focus on taking him down for good.

"Ed!" Donna shouts as she watches him disappear into the smoke after Liam, feeling a hand on her arm pulling her back just as another shot rings out. "Wordy, we have to…" her voice is cut off by another round of gunfire, Wordy quickly pulling the shield in front of them so stave off the hail of gunfire.

"We're pinned down!" Wordy is heard over the headset.

"Tom, I need you up here! Wordy and I are pinned down."

"Copy that. Rachel…cover Jules and keep that entrance clear. As soon as backup arrives come and find me."

"Some backup has arrived at the south entrance!" Spike's voice is heard just as another shot rings out.

"Tell them to go to the front and meet Sam! Anyone hit?" Greg asks in concern.

"Sam, but its not bad," Jules voice is heard next.

"Boss I'm okay but the three of us need backup up here."

"Copy that Sam. Donna, how's Ed?" Greg inquires in haste.

"He's gone after Liam," she looks at Wordy just as another 'ping' is heard off the shield.

"I hear them by the stairwell!" Richard's voice is heard as heads toward them, emerging through a small hallway and heading for Liam. "I'm going to help."

Ed ducks just as Liam turns and fires at him, forcing Ed to fall back behind the nearest corner wall for cover, waiting for a few seconds and then reemerging only to fire back in return. Ed hears a small scuffle a few meters ahead through the haze and chances to leave his spot and head for the sounds.

He reaches the area and sees Liam fighting with another SRU officer; Richard from team three. Just before Liam is able to fatally shoot Richard, Ed lunges at Liam, taking them both to the floor in a jumble of arms and legs, guns clattering to the ground and Richard only shot in the leg, but able to crawl to safety. The two team leaders now take a tumble down a small set of stairs, resting on the first landing with a hard thud.

Liam's lips try to offer a mocking laugh but as Ed's body slams into him and they roll down the stairs, his mocking snicker turns into a heated curse.

"Damn you Lane!" Liam growls as they both rest on the first landing a few seconds before he tries to kick at Ed.

Ed's body rolls to the right, causing Liam's leg to miss and land in the open space beside him. Ed rolls onto Liam's leg, only to utter an angry groan as Liam's fist lands hard on his injured thigh. Ed swings to the right with his fist, clipping Liam in the jaw and forcing his head to snap backward.

Ed rolls onto his stomach and pushes himself to his knees, wanting desperately to find his gun that he heard land on the floor after they had stopped on the stairs; the smoke and dim lighting impeding his search. Ed gets to his feet only to watch Liam make a dive for a nearby gun. Ed pounces, but mis-calculates and before either of them could stop the motion, they were once again tumbling down the second set of stairs, landing at the very bottom with heaving chests and pounding heads.

"Your wife…she's as good as dead…" Liam taunts with a heavy pant, forcing Ed's fist to tighten at his sides.

"So…are…you."

"Let's finish…this then," Liam challenges.

XXXXXXXX

"Richard's been shot!" Tom's voice is heard over the headset. "He's on the first landing of the inner stairs."

"Guys I'm okay," Richard insists.

"I'm on it," Donna leaves Wordy's side and rushes for the stairs, Wordy in tow. But just before they reach the top, two men come out of the shadows and their rescue is delayed.

"Time to die Mrs. Lane," Ryan glares at Donna as he rushes toward her, Wordy being distracted by his own attacker.

Donna's already weakened frame slams into the wall behind her, knocking the wind from her but not for a second dampening her determination. She quickly brings her knee up and clips Ryan in the groin, making him yelp in pain, the gun still in her hand coming up and busting open his lip. Donna twists herself, pulling out of his grasp but not making it very far as Ryan grabs the back of her sweater pulling her back against his frame.

"Ida wins," he growls as he pushes the gun to Donna's head and prepares to fire.

But before the Irish henchman can deliver any kind of permanent blow, Wordy's thick fist slams into the side of his head, making his head snap back and Wordy pull him away from Donna. But just as he does, the second man counters, grabs Wordy's arms and pulls him back. However, just as the two of them were about to gang up on him, a shot is heard from behind coming from Richard's gun and the man on Wordy's back falls to the ground, another shot – this time from Donna's gun and Ryan was taken down for good.

"Tom!" Donna lightly gasps, her strained lungs heaving for air. "Status report."

"Sam has been shot but he's gonna be okay and he's with Jules and Rachel. Gary is with Spike and Greg and there's some solid…" his voice pauses as another explosion is felt.

"Damn they're ripping this place apart!" Donna shouts in anger as she picks herself back up. "Keep this area clear, I'm going after Ed."

"I'm coming with you!" Wordy calls out, the two of them turning and disappearing toward the stairs. They reach the top just as Richard flops to the ground.

"That's the second time this bitch has had me shot – and in the same damn leg!" Richard grumbles. "I'm okay…it's not bad," he frowns as he readies his gun. "Go help Ed, I'll stay here with Tom and cover."

Donna nods to Richard and then looks at Wordy. "Let's ends this."

"Copy that."

XXXXXXXX

"Donna…" Ed pants as he blinks his eyes a few times; willing his head to stop pounding long enough for his watery eyes to focus; the bits of smoke greedily attacking the determined team leader. Much to his horror he watches Liam raise his gun once more. Without waiting for directions from his brain, he quickly pushes himself up and charges for Liam, thankfully missing the bullet but only by a few inches. Ed kicks Liam in the stomach but Liam manages to roll away and grab Ed's grey pant leg and force Ed to stumble backward.

Ed, however, doesn't lose his footing and is able to quickly recover and upright himself once more. Liam, however, also driven on my heated rage and anger, manages to get himself semi-upright and while still on his knees fires off a shot in Ed's direction.

Knowing that Liam will come after him until he's dead, Ed turns and runs down another corridor, the opposite direction of the stairwell where he knows Donna would be coming down and Richard had just gone back up – injured.

"Where are you Ed Lane?" Liam taunts as he runs after Ed, pushing past the throbbing in his chest from some obvious cracked or even broken ribs and the shooting pains from his already injured thigh and side; blood seeping from both.

Ed heads for the end of the hallway, only to find a locked door. He tries to kick it open, but all that does is draw Liam in his direction and the door to not even budge.

"Oh sorry, that door is locked!" Liam calls out with a loud snicker.

Ed quickly scans the area around him, looking for anything that he can use as a weapon. He spies a small fire extinguisher and yanks it from the wall just as Liam rounds the corner.

"Ahh!" Liam's mouth offers a painful gasp as he's struck in the side of the head by the small metal canister. However, his fingers don't lose the gun, their iron like grip on them holding fast. Ed sends his right shoulder into Liam's frame, pushing him backward into the main hallway, hoping to draw some attention from any trailing SRU members. Ed turns and punches Liam in the jaw and then heads back toward the stairs, praying that if he goes up, Donna or Wordy will be able to cover him – that is if she had indeed neutralized Liam's threat directed at her.

Ed reaches the stairs only to hear a few shots coming from the top of the stairs, the same direction he had hoped Donna and Wordy would be coming down.

"Donna!"

"Your wife is dead!" Liam shouts with a mocking laugh as he fires off two shots, forcing Ed to duck for cover in the crook of the stairwell, but not able to get up it. "Hope you made your peace with god Constable Lane! Or maybe you're going the other way?" Liam snarls as he fires another shot into the wall, prompting Ed to quickly move from his spot and head back up the stairs, his next destination – upstairs and hopefully salvation.

"Ed!" He hears Wordy shouting to him. "Where…" is all he manages before his voice too is cut off by another round of gunfire.

Liam manages to catch up to Ed just at the top of the first landing, throwing himself at Ed's body and sending him into the facing wall; his fist landing on his back. Ed's lips offer a groan but before he sustains another hit, he turns and is able to counter by punching Liam in the gut, his hands immediately going after the gun.

"You'll never…win…" Liam pants as he and Ed remain in a locked and upright clash for gun supremacy; both titans faltering but neither of them yielding.

"We…already have," Ed huffs in return as he tries to keep Liam from firing off the gun; his body not wanting to sustain any more damage than it already had. Ed's heel comes down hard on the top of Liam's foot, making the angry henchman curse as he pulls back a little.

But Liam counters with another punch to Ed's tender and already wounded side, causing Ed's lips to gasp and his body to sag backward; another punch and Ed's lungs are gasping for air; the stitching starting to tear under the blood soaked bandage.

"You can't beat me Lane!" Liam angrily barks as he tries to punch Ed again. Ed's body instinctively pivots, making Liam's fist slam into the wall behind him and Ed to take advantage and punch Liam in the jaw. Another punch and Liam's body falls backward, his arms pushing out backward to keep him from falling to the ground or down the stairs. Ed, however, isn't about to give up and so kicks at Liam; this time making his bloody nemesis fall to his knees.

But instead of trying to wrestle for the gun, Ed turns and bolts for the top of the stairs, offering a quick prayer that as soon as he reaches the top of the main floor, Donna's or Wordy's gun will be trained and take out the revenge fueled man behind him and end this vengeful battle for good.

XXXXXXXX

"Tom, look out!" Donna shouts in panic, her mind racing as she hears Ed calling out, Wordy already having disappeared into the darkness, going to find another way to come up behind Ed and Liam and offer his best friend a final resolve to this nightmare.

"Richard…over here!" Tom shouts as the two of them head backward into the already battered team one meeting room.

"Where are you guys?"

"Greg, we're near the entrance to the meeting room. Where are you?" Donna asks with some relief.

"Coming up the main stairs. Where's Ed?"

"Wordy's gone to help…the second set of stairs near the back."

"Spike, go find Wordy. Donna I'm coming up with Gary. Sam, Jules and Rachel have secured the main entrance and reinforcements are here. We just need to end…" Greg's voice is cut off with another hail of gunfire.

"Jules!" Sam shouts.

"I got him," Jules calm voice is heard.

"Jules, you Sam and Rachel stay there for now, I'm going to help Tom and Richard. Gary with me," Greg directs. "Tom, we're on our way up."

Knowing her team lead would be in good hands, Donna heads for the stairwell once more, her gun ready, her heart racing that something terrible had happened to Ed and this valiant standoff would have been for nothing. With the smoke still making her tender lungs burn, Donna nears the stairwell, hearing an angry grunt and curse and backing up to await whoever was coming up the stairs first.

Liam grabs the end of Ed's boot, forcing him to slam into the stairs to his knees and curse as he tries to twist around and kick Liam free. Liam's gun fires a shot upward, forcing Ed to instantly lean back, the bullet whizzing through the air and embedding itself into the wall a few meters away.

Ed kicks at Liam once more, finally freeing himself and charging up the stairs, his lungs gasping for air but his brain yelling at him not to for one second fall back or he'd be dead – literally.

Donna ducks just as another shot behind her rings out but then turns to see Ed her beloved husband emerge from the smoke – battered, exhausted and about to be tread down by the raging madman behind him. She quickly aims her gun and prepares to fire, Ed looking up and locking eyes as the world around them starts to slow.

"Ed…drop!" Donna shouts as she prepares to fire.

But just before he can, Liam fires, his bullet grazing Donna on the shoulder, and forcing her to cry out in pain, the gun falling from her hand. Not wasting a second, Ed races for her, pulls her behind him and grabs the gun. He watches Liam start to utter something but fires; the bullet leaving his gun and embedding itself into Liam's heart – a very cold and calculated kill shot and the second insurance shot, coming from Wordy, hitting Liam in the back, his bullet riddled body slamming to the ground – dead. But at the same time a third shot is heard, forcing Wordy to turn around and watch another body fall to the ground dead and Spike emerge with a small nod.

And much like the calm before the storm, once the sirens had quieted, all that follows the carnage is a few blissful seconds of silence. Until that is broken by a calm voice.

"Team's…status," Greg's voice is heard over the headset.

"Boss…" Ed starts as he looks down at Donna.

"It's over…" Donna whispers in return as she looks up at Ed before literally collapsing in his strong grasp.

A/N: Okay I have been flamed in the past before for saying that I actually liked a chapter lol but I do like my tense action and hope you all did as well. So *deep breath* lol knew the battle would leave behind a few scars for both teams and hope you all liked it and it wasn't too choppy. Sometimes hard to write fight scenes and have each person having a bit of a say but still focusing on the main players of this story. Okay so think Ida made it to the plane hangar? Is she now gone for good? Can our couple recover from all this and get back to where they were before all this started? Hope you all liked this and please do review before you go and thanks so much!