Act Of Remembrance

A/N: I didn't want to keep you all hanging too long so here is the next instalment! Enjoy!

Chapter 14

Steve's arms were aching and he didn't know how long he could hold on for so he decided that he had better try to help himself while he waited for Mike. Cursing his stupidity in allowing himself to get into this situation in the first place Steve tried to swing himself sideways so that he could get a foot up onto the railing and haul himself over but it wasn't as easy as it appeared. The swinging motion and the height that he was up just served to make him feel dizzy but he knew that the only alternative was grim so he persisted and on his fifth attempt he managed to get a foot hold against the railing. It then took whatever strength he had left to push himself upwards towards the roof top edge. Next came the hard bit. He would have to let go of the railing and reach up to the edge instead. So closing his eyes and feeling the fear of falling drain him he took a leap of faith and letting go with one hand he reached up and grabbed the edge with first one hand and then both. Thankfully still managing to maintain his foothold he then pushed himself upwards again. He was shoulder height above the edge when he started to feel confident that he would make it but as he got one full arm over the edge disaster struck and his foot slipped. Now hanging more precariously from the concrete edge Steve felt himself losing his grip and knew he was in serious danger. With his strength running out he feared that this was it and as his arm slipped further he let out a panicked yell just as an arm reached down and grabbed him.

"I've got you!"

Looking up Steve saw Mike's worried face and with Mike's added help from above he managed to regain his foothold and within minutes he had managed to get over the top as he rolled down onto the rooftop and lay for a few seconds on his back on the concrete breathing heavily, relief flooding his body at his last-minute rescue.

Immediately Mike was kneeling down beside him, his heart also beating wildly. Mike had caught sight of Fernandez' jump and waited for Steve to follow but when he had seen Steve miss his mark his heart had almost stopped. Seeing the young man he cared for like a son dangle precariously from the railing and knowing how exhausted he was Mike's heart had filled with dread. Mike had never climbed as many flights of stairs as fast in his life and when he had reached the rooftop he caught sight of Steve managing to get himself up. Feeling temporarily relieved, the emotion hadn't lasted long as he had seen Steve slip and heard his panicked yell. Rushing over he had thanked God he hadn't been too late and was grateful that he had been able to help him up and to safety. Now that Steve was out of danger, Mike felt drained aswell by the emotional torment and the exertion that it had required. But he also felt a second emotion. Anger! Mike was mostly angry with himself for allowing Steve to talk him into pursuing Fernandez when Steve had clearly not been up to the task but also he was angry at Steve! Angry because he had persistently failed to confide in him and angry at him for risking his own life so recklessly despite all the people who cared for him.

"Are you ok?" Mike asked worried despite the rage and the anger and annoyance that was building inside him.

Steve nodded still trying to calm himself down after his very close call.

"Yeah ... I think so ...Thanks for the help"

Steve rolled himself gingerly to one side and stood up shakily with Mike standing up too and holding his arm to keep him steady.

"What happened?"

"I lost him Mike ...Sorry! But he's wounded. I think I got his shoulder. Didn't you meet him on the way up?"

"No ... but then I was little bit preoccupied! I meant what happened with the jump?"

"I don't know. I guess I just misjudged it." Steve answered and the casualness with which he answered only made Mike's anger reach fever pitch.

"YOU MISJUDGED IT?" Mike yelled.

Taken aback by the anger in Mike's voice Steve didn't feel up to a full-blown argument so he again nodded and hoped that Mike wouldn't take it too much further.

"Yeah!"

"DAMN IT STEVE! I've seen you make jumps like that a dozen times in all the time we've known each other! You could have made that jump in your sleep! SO WHAT HAPPENED?"

Starting to get riled by Mike's attitude Steve felt his own stubbornness and anger rise too.

"Well I guess if I could jump it in my sleep the fact that I was awake must have been a factor in my near miss then!" Steve said sarcastically.

"Don't you use that tone with me! You could have been killed!"

"Don't you think I know that? What do you want me to say?"

"You weren't up to this and you know it! Damn your stubbornness Steve!"

"Aw come on Mike! STOP TREATING ME LIKE A CHILD !"

"WELL MAYBE I WOULD IF YOU'D STOP BEHAVING LIKE ONE!" Mike shouted back.

"BACK OFF MIKE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! YOUR CONSTANT FUSSING IS SMOTHERING ME!"

Both men stood staring at each other, out of breath and both shaking from the anger and from the fright they had both had. In that instant both men saw the hurt in the other one's eyes and realized they had said far more than they should have but they had crossed a line and Mike was the first one to speak.

"Alright! I'm going to do just that! As of this moment hotshot you're off the case! I'm putting you on forced leave and I don't want to see you back at the office until you get your head straight! NOW GO HOME!"

With that Mike turned and stormed off across the rooftop. Steve's jaw dropped when he heard Mike's words and he stared in disbelief as he heard Mike taking him off the case! Realizing he had said hurtful things in the heat of the moment he quickly tried to make amends.

"Aw Mike! COME ON! MIKE! You can't take me off the case! MIKE ! I'M SORRY! ALRIGHT? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET HOME?"

Mike just kept walking and didn't even respond. Realizing that Mike was just too mad to reason with right now Steve gave up and inwardly cursed himself for causing Mike to fall out with him.

"Nice one Steve!" he chastised himself, suddenly feeling drained as his earlier energy depleted and his adrenaline levels dropped.

Looking down and seeing that his handcuffs had come off his belt when he had rolled onto the roof earlier Steve bent down gingerly to pick them up and as he bent down dark red droplets of blood fell onto the concrete below. Startled by the sight and becoming slightly panicked again Steve became suddenly aware of a strong throbbing pain in his left side that almost robbed him of his breath. He hadn't been aware of it what with the adrenaline and then the argument with Mike but now it was making its presence felt, this time refusing to be ignored. Steve suddenly felt very weak and his legs buckled and he fell down on his knees. Pulling his jacket aside he saw the large bloodstain that covered his side and saw it dripping through the material of his shirt and realized that it was not just the simple crease he had hoped that it was! He was in trouble again and he needed to get Mike to come back. But how? When Mike was in that mood he could be awful pig-headed. Steve saw that Mike was almost at the stairwell door and knew he was running out of time. Pressing his left hand firmly against his side and biting back the groan that threatened to escape his lips at the agony that action had caused Steve called out to Mike again.

"Mike!"

Unfortunately with the pain he was in, it hadn't come out of his mouth as loudly as he wanted it to. Mike had heard him though as without looking back he had waved his hand at Steve in a gesture that told him that he was NOT interested in any further conversation at the minute. Starting to feel slightly woozy Steve felt he had one last attempt to alert Mike to his predicament before Mike had left the roof or before he possibly passed out so having one sudden clear lucid moment Steve thought of the one word that might save him. Mustering up whatever energy he had left he gritted his teeth against the pain in his side and shouted as loud as he could.

"HELP! ..."

Mike had stormed off angrily after their argument but the further across the rooftop he had walked the more his anger started to cool down. He had been extremely hurt by Steve's statement that the deep concern that he showed for his young partner was "smothering" him! However as he headed for the stairwell door he began to feel guilty for being so hard on the young man considering he had just been saved from certain death seconds before. And he had to admit that at times he did treat Steve like the son he never had and admitted to himself that it could be construed by Steve as treating him like a child. However still smarting from the heated words that Steve had used he reckoned it wouldn't hurt to let his partner stew for a bit and had continued walking. Even when he had heard Steve's initial shouted apology and heard him calling his name, he still felt that it was best to put some distance between them and allow the situation to cool down for the time being. However as he reached the door he heard Steve shout for help and froze on the spot! Help? Why was he asking for help? Mike had turned and looked over to where Steve had been and immediately alarm bells went off in his head. Steve appeared to be kneeling and leaning forward in some form of distress. Mike's gut instinct told him that something was seriously wrong and without further delay Mike ran back towards Steve, worry starting to tear at his heart at what he might find when he reached him.

Steve had watched helplessly to see if the word he had chosen had worked! Shaking his head to clear his vision a little he swore that he saw Mike stop walking and hoped that he wasn't just wishful thinking but as he felt fresh blood ooze through his fingers he shook with pure relief when he saw Mike turning and running back towards him.

When Mike reached him he knelt down beside him and was horrified at how pale he looked. Not knowing what was wrong Mike wondered if he was suffering from delayed shock at his near death experience.

"Steve! Steve what is it? What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry Mike I thought it was just a crease. Honest!"

"What? What are you talking about? What crease?"

Steve lifted his hand and pulled the jacket material aside and revealed his bloodied side to Mike. When Mike saw the extent of the bloodstain and the stark realization that Steve had been shot sunk in, his heart skipped a beat!

"Dear God Steve! Why didn't you say something? Mike asked making sure this time that he kept his tone more questioning than hostile.

"It happened on the other roof. We kind of both fired at the same time. I thought it was just a crease. It hadn't bothered me until you left. When I bent down to get my handcuffs blood started dripping from it. "Steve explained and hoped that Mike wouldn't be further annoyed with him for keeping his injury concealed.

"Alright, alright. Let me take a look at what we're dealing with. Ok? You're going to have to lie down for me. And I need you to move your hand for me so I can lift your shirt."

Dutifully obeying his partner Steve lay down on the concrete and lifted his hand from the wound and immediately felt more fresh blood ooze from his side. As Mike tugged at the shirt material Steve winced and sucked in his breath. Through gritted teeth he spoke in a pain filled voice.

"Easy Mike. Easy!"

"Ok now. Take it easy! I'll be careful." Mike reassured the young man anxious to see the extent of the damage the bullet had caused but also keeping a very close eye on his partner, deeply concerned by the amount of pain he appeared to be in and the speed in which the blood seemed to have drained from his face. Before he had a chance to check the wound Steve grabbed at his hand.

"Mike ... I'm sorry for what I said. I was out of line. You were right. I wasn't up to it. I'm really ... sorry Mike."

"Now, now, we both said and did things we shouldn't have. Let's not worry about that now. We need to check you out and get you some help. Now try to lie still and let me see how bad it is."

Mike tore the shirt material and was alarmed at the amount of blood that was free-flowing from a nasty looking wound on Steve's side. Dismayed Mike quickly figured that his handkerchief was not going to be of use on this occasion. So having already rendered the shirt unusable Mike tore another section off the end and pressed it on the wound causing another pain filled groan to escape Steve's lips.

"Ok, ok now. I'm sorry buddy boy. But we have to stop this bleeding."

"Mike ..." Steve spoke shakily. "How bad is it?"

"Well, you were right, the bullet went past you but it tore a piece out of your side in the process. The good news is there's no bullet in you but the bad news is its bleeding pretty bad. We need to stop it before you lose too much!"

Then seeing the amount of pain and discomfort Steve was in he decided to try to lighten the mood.

"You know if I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to copy me you know!"

Steve looked at Mike confused.

"What?"

"Well that's exactly the same side and type of wound I got from the Cobras that time. Remember?"

Steve did indeed remember that incident very well. In fact it would forever be permanently etched in his memory as he had tried desperately to locate and rescue his partner. Steve chuckled as he realized that it was indeed a coincidence that they had both been shot in the same side causing similar injuries by different gang members but as his side burned Steve's smile faded and again he gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Mike ...it hurts!"

"I know buddy boy. I remember it only too well. Just hang in there. We have to get you off this roof! Can you make it down the stairs with my help do you think?

Steve nodded bravely and with Mike's help he was soon up on his feet. Having instructed Steve to keep the shirt piece pressed firmly to his injured side with his right hand he put Steve's left arm around his shoulders and with his right hand around Steve's waist they made their way as quickly as they were able to the stairwell. There were two dodgy metal flights of stairs down from the rooftop before they reached the first landing of apartments. As they made their way down Mike watched Steve carefully as every step downwards that his young partner took seemed to send a jolt of pain through his side. Bravely trying in vain not to alert Mike to the intense pain it was causing him he struggled on however as they came down the last flight of stairs onto the first landing Steve's head began to spin and blackness threatened to close in on him.

"Mike ... Mike I gotta sit down. I feel like I'm going to pass out!"