Author's Note – Wow your guys are truly wonderful. Thank you all so much for the amazing feedback on the latest chapter. And for the first time in a while here's a quick update.

This is the penultimate chapter. It's scary that my first fic is now at an end. There is a sequel for those of you who didn't know. It's called "The Day That Never Comes" and I'll be working it soon enough I'm sure as I'll miss my little AU-verse. So here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Nobody's Fault But Mine

Chapter 23 - ...And Justice for All

Lucas had gone straight back to the station after being checked over by the EMT. He watched as Vincent and the others were booked in and locked into their cells overnight. Then frustrated and angry over being double crossed by Chief of Police Aaron Mercer, Lucas had taken charge and had done what Mitch just couldn't bring himself to do. He had reported the chief and watched as Aaron Mercer was escorted from his office by the Police Commissioner and the uniformed officers at his side. Lucas met the man's eyes as Aaron Mercer refused to acknowledge the surprised and accusing stares of anyone but Lucas himself. With his hands now in shackles and his shoulders hunched over in shame he was now but a mere public spectacle.

Tired and weary from the slight ache of his bruised head Lucas sat at his desk. He had agreed to write up the report relieving a disgruntled Mitch from the task. But as Lucas logged onto his computer his head wavered from the events spiralling around him. The words "Domestic Disturbance" played at his gut as it always did due to nature of his own past. But as Tina rushed over to him with a piece of paper saying that a call had just been received regarding his own apartment he felt sick to his stomach. He pulled himself up on shaking knees frozen in shock but only for a split second. He bolted, ignoring co workers and brushing past any obstacle that got in his way. He jumped into the first available patrol car and barked his orders.

By the time Lucas arrived at his apartment block the EMTs and officers had already arrived on site."What's the status?" he called to one of the uniformed officers stationed at the entrance as he raced over to him.

"Gunshot victim, possibly fatal. Suspect's been apprehended," the man replied matter of fact-ly not seeming to pick up on the look of despair and desperation Lucas knew he wore.

Lucas raced up the stairs, trying to push the unthinkable thoughts that were already swimming through his head. No. Not again. He couldn't fail her too. He searched desperately through the officials as his panic escalated.

Finally Lucas found her. She was huddled in a thick grey blanket as a medic checked her over. Her eyes immediately met his, they were wide and scared, and she broke down as he made his way over to her. He gathered her up in his arms, letting her bury her face against his chest. He held her so closely as he felt her fear mingle with his own as her body trembled. All he could think was how close he had come to losing her. How he hadn't been there to protect her like he had always promised he would be.

"It's ok baby," he mumbled into her matted curls. He watched as Antonio Garcia was being dragged down the hallway in handcuffs. The man's black eyes met with his own, and despite his arrest and his injuries, his lips twisted into his signature sneer.

"It's over now Peyton," he said watching Antonio Garcia out of the corner of his eyes until he disappeared from view. "It's over now and you're safe."

Peyton moved to look at him, "how is he? They pulled him from me and there was so much blood. He saved me. I didn't even see him."

She wasn't making sense and Lucas could only answer with a simple shake of his head. He was more preoccupied that she seemed to be in shock and shaking like a leaf to what she was actually trying to tell him. "Ssh," he tried to soothe her. He tried to reassure her with his words and the strokes of his hand but she only seemed to grow more agitated.

"Mitch was shot Luke." The words hit him hard. Once again that night Lucas felt his world crash down around him.

-- --

Once at the hospital Lucas sat feeling completely useless in the waiting area. He discovered that his partner had already been admitted to hospital and he was in critical condition. He was informed by the operating surgeon soon after that Mitch had needed to be rushed in for emergency surgery to repair the damage done to his lung. In a daze he had called Mitch's wife to inform her of the news.

After what seemed like an eternity he stepped into Peyton's room. His girlfriend lay amongst the white blankets. It stung at him that she looked so small and vulnerable. The attack had dented her confidence somewhat after she had been his strength and salvation for the past few weeks.

Peyton turned to the direction of the door as she heard his steps. She offered him a smile trying to reassure him that she was ok. "Hi," she murmured.

"Hey baby," Lucas crossed over to her and gently pressed a kiss to her tender head. He was careful to be gentle as the welt at the side of her head looked angry and painful. He folded her into his arms and she snuggled against him. Both just needed to be close to each other and some of the anguish dispelled.

"Is there any news?" Peyton asked sitting up after they had broken apart from their clinch. She was wearing a mixed expression of guilt and anxiety.

"Not yet," Lucas said with a shake of his head. "He's in surgery right now." She nodded in recognition but as she bit her lip in apprehension he knew she felt responsible. "He's in good hands Peyt. The surgeon operating is one of the best in the city. And he's a fighter. We just need to have faith."

She rested back against the pillows and Lucas took her hand. "I was so worried about you Peyton," he told her. "I thought it was you. That I had lost you and I never want to feel like I did then."

"I know," she kissed his knuckles. All she could truly remember from the attack was how the entire time she had fought back against Antonio was that she kept thinking that was it. That she was going to die alone at the hands of a madman. That she was never going to see Lucas again. "I don't ever want to be a victim again," she stated with resolve.

"From the looks of Antonio's own injuries you fought back. You stopped being a victim a long time ago Peyt. You're a survivor."

Peyton smiled back at him. "Yeah I did try to hurt him. I really wanted to hurt him." He noted that that twinkle had returned back to her eyes as had their burning intensity. She was the Peyton he knew and loved once again despite what had happened to her mere hours earlier.

Lucas saw the operating surgeon appear at the door and let out a huge sigh of relief when they were told that Mitch was now out of surgery. The surgery had been a success and now his partner just needed to rest and recuperate.

"Thank God," Peyton whispered as she nuzzled back into Lucas's arms. Mitch had given her a gift, he had saved her. She felt the relief spread through her. "Does he have family? Mitch, I mean, does he have family?" she asked then.

"He has a daughter."

"Why don't you try getting some sleep now that we know he's going to be ok," he stroked her hair back from her face. "You need to rest." He was settling her back into bed again now, arranging her pillows and tucking in her blankets. He would always just take care of her.

-- --

Once Peyton had fallen to sleep Lucas went to see Mitch. He knocked at the door and his partner turned to face him. He didn't look good; that was the first thought that crossed Lucas's mind. He was pale and haggard as he lay propped up uncomfortably. The wound at his side was now covered and tapped by a gauzy white bandage. He didn't sound good either. He had an oxygen mask covering his mouth to help his breathing. But he was much improved from the state he had been in when he was first rushed to the hospital.

"Cheer up," Mitch jested with a low rasp as he lowered the mask from his face. "We got the bad guys." Clearly he was feeling better as his keen mind had already kicked back into gear.

Lucas grinned at the acknowledgement of that victory as he pulled up a chair. "Yeah no more Antonio Garcia roaming the streets thinking he's infallible. We did good."

"When I get out of here we'll have to celebrate."

"It's a date," Lucas said with a grin.

"How's she doing?" Mitch croaked.

"She's going to be ok. The doctors wanted to keep her in overnight for observation. But she's going to be fine."

"That's good," he wheezed. Mitch's speech was becoming laboured as he grew more and more out of breath.

"She's going to be fine because of you," Lucas said then. "Thank you Mitch."

"It's been quite a day huh," Mitch said after a puff of oxygen. "We take down the bad guy, discover the chief of police is corrupt, you get a beautiful girl..."

"And you take a bullet," the younger man finished for him.

"All in a day's work," Mitch chuckled. "I still can't believe of all the girls in New York City you fall for the one dating a gangster. Nice work rookie."

Lucas brushed off the jibe and threw him a serious look, "so what about you old man? Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, the doc said I'll be out of action for a while. But hey I get paid to sit at home watching bad day time TV so it could be a lot worse."

"I called your wife," Lucas confessed then and Mitch's eyes met his. "She said she'd try to make it."

"I know," Mitch uttered his eyes dulling over with discontent. "She called about a half hour ago. Said she couldn't take the time to fly over but that she was glad I was going to be ok. She told me she wasn't going to even tell Sophie, she thought it would just upset her unnecessarily."

"I'm sorry Mitch." Lucas didn't know what else to say. The knowledge that Mitch wouldn't get to see his own daughter saddened him. He felt a pang of guilt somewhere in the depths of his core about his own father too and the way he had left him in his our hour of need.

"Look after her Lucas." That caught Lucas's attention. "Peyton I mean. If she's the one then put her first. Not the job. If there's one thing I've learnt from Aaron Mercer and my own mistakes it's putting your loved ones ahead of the job. The criminals come thick and fast, the ones we love don't."

-- --

The following morning Lucas came to take Peyton home after returning to the apartment to shower, tidy the mess from the struggle and get her a fresh change of clothes. He presently helped her gather her few things from her overnight stay. She shed her hospital gown in favour of jeans and a sweater. She was eager to leave and had joked that if she never saw the insides of the hospital again that it would be fine with her.

They walked hand in hand. "I just need to make one stop," he said as they walked in the direction of the Cardiac ward. "Can you give me a minute?" he asked giving her hand a squeeze and planting a kiss at her temple.

"Sure, I'll meet you in the parking lot." Peyton offered a smile of love and reassurance as she watched the man she loved walk into the room his father occupied.

"Lucas," Dan uttered as an astonished smile trailed its way across his lips. "What a nice surprise."

"You're looking well," Lucas responded to the fact that Dan was sitting up. He was now clean shaven and wearing his own pyjamas.

"Can you give us a moment?" Dan threw his request to the prison guard sat presently at his side and deep engrossed in a cross word puzzle. The pot bellied man pulled himself begrudgingly from the chair as he adhered to the request. "Five minutes Scott. And I'm right outside."

His father waved off the guard before turning his attention to Lucas. "I'm glad you came back to visit me son. It means a lot to me that you would give me a second chance. That's all I want, a chance to show you that I have changed."

"Did you really mean it? About wanting to make amends?" Lucas asked him.

"Yes son. I meant it. Every word of it."

Dan's expression was convincing enough and Lucas continued to speak. "Then make things right by mom. She deserves that."

His father conceded to that fact, "and what about you son?"

"I'm not going to spend my time hating you any longer. I've spent far too much time doing that," Lucas told him. "What happened is done and we can't change the past. But I'm not ready to let you back into my life yet either. Maybe one day I'll wake up and I will be ready. I don't know. Right now this is the best I can offer."

Dan smiled and held out his hand and Lucas shook it. It was the best for now.

-- --

"Hi," Peyton said with a light rap against Mitch's door. "Can I come in?" she asked as he turned to face her.

"Sure," he shifted slowly into a sitting position wincing at the twinges of pain that tingled in his chest.

Peyton sat in the chair next to Mitch. "I just wanted to come and see you. I wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome." He gave her a gentle smile.

"And to say how sorry I am for thinking you were involved with everything that happened to Donnie. I was wrong and I'm sorry."

Mitch held up his hand and brushed off her guilty confession. "Can I give you some advice Peyton?"

"Sure," she replied uncertainly.

"Don't even think on it. It's past. Just go live your life kiddo. Find something you love and go do it. You got your life back so do something great and go after what you want. Trust me it's what I'd be doing if I wasn't old, divorced and grey."

Peyton smiled, "ok," she stood again and bent to kiss his cheek. "Thank you though."

"Go live your life Peyton." He patted her hand.

She beamed once again and began to walk to door but stopped in her tracks and turned back on her heel. "Can I ask you something?" He looked at her quizzically but answered her with a bob of his head. "How old is your daughter?"

"She's almost thirteen," he replied.

"Please don't think I'm trying to pry but Luke told me that your wife isn't coming to see you. It's just that your daughter deserves to know that you were hurt. And she would want to know that her father is a hero. I know I would. Maybe you should try to call her."

"Ok," Mitch chortled. "I can take advice as well as dishing it out."

"Get better soon," Peyton said. "And good luck."

Peyton stood just outside the hospital as she waited for Lucas. With her hands deep inside her jacket pockets as the chilled winter winds picked up and wiped through her curls. Despite the cold that prickled at her spine and the slight soreness located at her right temple she couldn't help but feel elation that spread through her. She was alive, free and about the start the life she always wanted with the beautiful blonde haired man who now took her hand in his.

-- --

As the sun rose on a new day Lucas stepped back into the station. He needed closure and he needed to see Antonio Garcia behind bars where he so rightfully belonged. Only then would his mind truly be a rest. He asked for Antonio to be placed into an interrogation room and he felt a sense of satisfaction as he watched the arrogant man now sitting cuffed to his chair as he stared blankly back at the camera. Some of the pride and audacity he possessed had been diminished as he realised his power structure had been broken.

"Good morning Mr Garcia," Lucas entered with his own boldness and took a seat in the chair in front of the man. "How are you enjoying your stay in prison?"

"I knew I'd be seeing you again," Antonio smirked. "How's your partner and my girl?"

Lucas was determined not to rise to this criminal's taunting manipulations. "Detective Cassidy is going to be fine. He's recovering in the hospital as we speak. And Peyton's going to be fine too."

"Well I'm glad," his blatant lie shone through his dark pupils. "I heard Aaron Mercer was reprimanded. What is the good old NYPD coming to when its highest officials are being paid off and it's rookies like you who are left in charge to run the show?"

Lucas smiled thinly, "it hurts doesn't it? You being outsmarted by a rookie detective?"

"You didn't out smart me." Antonio reclined in his chair as he gloated. "I almost killed her and you weren't even there to stop me."

Lucas clenched his jaw. He knew Antonio for the kind of man he was and he knew he wanted to goad him into a reaction. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction, not this time. "I'm going to enjoy seeing you sent down Antonio." He stood up and threw Antonio a look of contempt before exiting the room.

Lucas left a pondering Antonio Garcia and as soon as he had closed the door behind him he let the heavy pent up sigh leave his lungs. At that precise moment he was met by a tall broad shouldered man dressed in a dark suit who gave him a wide smile.

"Good morning Detective. I'm Agent Jessop," the suited official announced abruptly flashing his credentials in front of Lucas's gaze. "I've come to take Mr Garcia into our custody now."

Lucas opened his mouth as he was taken aback by the ambush. "I wasn't aware that the FBI had any interest in this case."

Agent Jessop gave an unconvincing smile before he continued in his explanation, "well we've been monitoring Mr Garcia's actions about the city for several months now."

"So you're just going to take him? Is he even going to go to trial?"

"Thank you for your assistance," the man showed him a wide white toothed smile. "Detective...?"

"Scott," Lucas bit back in exasperation. "What exactly do you want him for?"

"It transpires he had a lot of connections and will be greatly useful in our investigations." The FBI agent gave a nod before he turned the handle to the Interrogation room. "You can't win 'em all Detective Scott."

A/N – I hoped you liked the chapter; I really wanted to post it for you all so as not to leave you for too long. As always I am a perfectionist so I just hope I did it justice ;)