See told you I would be quick :) And I kept my promise for once! I feel like it was cheating though considering I was almost finished this chapter when I posted the last bit. Also as I have split some chapters up the story is looking like it will be about 24 chapters! So stay tuned? Anyways onwards with the story!

Chapter 19

…Can't run forever …

Tom sprinted after the Lawrence, who was surprisingly fast for a slightly overweight middle aged bloke. He had lead him onto the street outside and continued to change directions around corners never giving Hanson the chance to pause and take a warning shot in his direction. Tom had only run about 300 metres when he suddenly felt like he was unable to go any further. His breathing was so heavy but he still found he was unable to draw in enough oxygen. 'This is pathetic'. He felt himself unintentionally slowing down. 'You're a joke Hanson, can't even chase down a fucking 50 year old man,' came a taunting voice in his head as his legs gave up on him and he found himself leaning against the alley wall, head hung between his arms, heaving.

'God am I really this unfit' he thought even though he realised his inability to stay upright on his own probably had more to do with the lack of sleep and liquid diet over the last few weeks, combined with the blow to his abdomen that he had just endured. Even after accepting that when he saw his partner jog around the corner to find him in such bad shape, he didn't think he had ever felt more pathetic.

He soon found he was incapable of standing any longer and he felt his body hit the cold concrete as he rolled onto his back, causing him to feel slightly winded, making breathing more challenging. He then proceeded to inelegantly slide down the wall until he sat unmoving on the floor. He found himself wishing the ground would swallow him up, even though he thought he couldn't sink any lower, he had hit rock bottom. Truthfully he thought he was there weeks ago and before that years ago, but today he had been proven wrong again. Finally the punishment he had been inflicting on his body had caught up with him, he couldn't escape what he had been running for any longer. He needed to face up to it, but he already knew that. It was just he wished this humbling reminder could have waited until after they had wrapped up the case. As he could deal with disappointing himself, he had done that loads of times before, but today he had let everyone down.

Hanson looked up momentarily to see that Doug had almost reached him before returning his eyes to the floor willing his surrounds to stop spinning.

"He got away," was all he could manage to get out between ragged breaths, he then inhaled deeply before daring to continue, "Where's, Mathew," he managed before stopping again, instead needing invest all his energy in preventing himself from starting to dry reach as a result of the nausea he was feeling. As he was pretty sure his partner had not seen his performance moments ago and he was going to make sure he didn't experience an encore.

"I cuffed him to the… wait, never mind about him! Are you ok? Did he break a rib or something back there?"

"No," Tom said staring at the ground wishing more than anything that he did have a broken rib, at least he would have an excuse for the pitiful state he was in.

Doug continued obviously still confused, "Then what happened?" God Tom wished he didn't sound so worried. It only made him feel worse.

"He just got away," he admitted regretfully after deciding there was no point in trying to salvage his dignity, he was way past that.

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As they arrived at the chapel after dropping Mathew downtown they were greeted by their irritated Captain. It seemed word had travelled faster than they thought. They were really hoping they would be the ones to tell him the bad news.

"He was three metres away! There was no way I could stop him even if I did know he was planning to get his gun out!" Doug said outraged at Fuller's latest remark.

"Captain he's right, I acted on my own," Tom said standing solemnly.

"Doug you are his partner and partners have to take responsibility for each other's actions, the good and the bad. And disregarding that I cannot forgive the fact that you are with him every day, you had to know better than anyone that him being in the field was a bad idea. But you were selfish enough to put numerous lives in danger by keeping it to yourself,"

"Are you kidding, this is like de ja vu, I'm not his keeper, he should have come to you about his issues, he is not my responsibility," Doug spat, the feeling of resentment that had presented itself to him a few days ago still strong.

"I don't want to hear it," he said coldly.

Hanson was becoming frustrated with how his Captain was treating him, he should be the one getting in trouble not Penhall! He deserved to be punished for his idiocy so why wasn't he the one being yelled at?

"Can you not talk about me like I'm not here Coach!" He let out irritated. "And besides you know I can put my personal issues aside, I am fine to be working, Penhall had nothing to tell,"

"I used to think you could separate you're personal and work life but after these last two weeks I don't think so anymore," he said finally acknowledging Tom, clearly disappointed in his officer and his own misjudgement of the situation. Hanson tore his eyes away from Fullers stare, feeling ashamed. The disappointment he saw was worse than any anger or punishment he could have received.

"I've been thinking of putting you on desk duty after this case, and after today's performance Tom you have done nothing but convince me it would be the right thing to do,"

"But Sir the case isn't over!" he protested in frustration. Doug could tell his partner desperately wanted to make up for his stuff up and Doug found it easy to understand how Hanson felt.

"I don't want to hear it Hanson, because it is over for you" Fuller said loudly over Tom, which only frustrated him more.

"Sir just let us get this creep," Penhall volunteered hoping his input might sway their Captain.

"I am done talking about this, so you can both leave," Fuller said, again ignoring their pleas. The officers both erupted in protest, "Now!" he barked managing to be louder than both of them without much effort.

With that Tom stormed out, "Where you going?" Doug called as he followed him out the door.

"Does it matter," he said dashing around a corner before Penhall could respond. Doug looked back at Fuller, and they shared a mutual look of worry. Toms exit had caught the interest of Judy and Ioki who then began to listen to what Doug had started to say.

"Sir, I've never seen him lose control that bad on a case before, I couldn't believe he pulled out his gun like that, Tom would never usually overlook a major detail like that the guy used to be a cop and would recognise it. And when he tried to chase him down he barely made it one block before I found him emptying the contents of his stomach onto the pavement. I'm really worried about him Cap'n," Doug said almost forgetting to take a breath.

"I know, so am I" Fuller replied sincerely, surprised at how quickly their fiery conversation had turned into this. "Just let him cool off before you talk to him ok?" he suggested not really knowing what else to say.

Tom was already half way home as he continued to replay the events of the afternoon. He recalled the desperate feeling he felt about needing to get away from Jump Street, before he suffocated under their judgmental looks and thoughts. He was already feeling embarrassed and didn't think he could stand them analysing him for a moment longer. He had stuffed up cases before but none so badly simply because he had allowed too many other things to be on his mind, because of his carelessness. Even though he had replayed what he had done wrong over in his head several times already he allowed his mind to drift back to the beginning again not because he wanted to punish himself but because he didn't want to think about what he was going to do next. As truthfully, being stuck behind a desk and being out in the field filled him with the same sense of dread.

Please let me now your thoughts!

And don't forget to check back next week if you're still interested to see how it pans out for everyone! ;)

(I'm thinking about one chapter a week is more realistic while I'm at uni!)