Chapter 11

Despite the late hour, a large crowd had assembled to watch the police and fire activity after the bombing, hoping to catch a glimpse of the heroic efforts. Detectives and firefighters were huddled together in groups, waiting for word that they could go in.

Sue knew there was a lot going on, but it all was quiet for her. The harsh shadows caused by the bright lights made it virtually impossible for her to read what was being said.

Even when they were standing in front of her, it was a strain for her to understand what was going on. Though they'd only been there for a short time, Sue's head was pounding from concentrating so hard.

Jack was huddled with Diana and other members of the DCPD at the table just outside the Command Center van. Always intense when it came to a case, he was even more so when it came to situations involving his friends.

Sue remembered Lucy telling her of his steadfast determination to find her when she was missing with Dan Malone. She got to witness his drive first hand when they were threatened and forced to hide out in West Virginia.

His compassion for others was what made him good at his job. And one of the reasons I fell in love with him, Sue admitted quietly to herself, smiling shyly as she watched him work.

Unfortunately, what made Jack a great agent caused problems for Sue when he forgot to keep her in his line of vision when he was talking to someone else, or when too much was going on that she got lost trying to read lips. Always taught to take care of herself, she didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so she tried to follow along as best she could.

However, when it was evident she was missing more of the conversations than she was getting, Sue slowly slipped away from the group. Jack has a job to do, she sighed as she found an out-of-the-way place to stand on the other side of the van. He doesn't need to baby sit me, just because I can't keep up.

For several minutes, Sue stood alone watching the activity around her, hoping that she'd soon see Myles and Hannah coming through the door unharmed. A tap on her shoulder told her someone had found her hiding place.

"Sue," Lucy asked, when she got the blonde's attention. O-K YOU, she questioned, her brow furrowed with unease.

"Yeah, just worried about Hannah, Myles, and Bobby," Sue bluffed, not wanting to cause any concern.

"Me too," Lucy nodded in understanding.

Turning back to the devastated building, both women stood in silence, lost in their own thoughts and prayers for their friends inside. Movement at the corner of the building, away from the activity, caught Sue's attention causing her to stand up a bit straighter as she looked trying to figure out what it was.

"Did you see that?" She asked, glancing at her friend whose confused expression told her she hadn't.

"I think it was a dog over there by the building," Sue muttered concerned.

Before Lucy could stop her, Sue was already hurrying across the street. Peering around the debris where she'd last seen the furry creature, she prayed that she would find it before it got hurt.

"We have to find him, Lucy," Sue pleaded when Lucy finally caught up with her. "He could be hurt."

"Sue, there's a bomb in the building." Lucy grabbed the other woman's arm to get her attention. "We shouldn't be this close," she insisted, but her friend missed her plea, her eyes instead searching for the animal in the debris.

"Here, boy. I won't hurt you," Sue called, peering around the edge of a toppled newspaper stand where a small grey puppy was hiding. "You can't be here, boy. You might get hurt," she cooed as she bent to gently pick up the puppy.

With the shivering canine wrapped tightly in her arms, Sue turned to show her friend. However, the terrified expression on the black woman's face wiped the smile of triumph from hers.

"What…" Sue started, her question dying on her lips when she realized the ground was shaking. The women screamed in unison when a large chunk of brick and concrete fell from the building, landing just inches from them.

Before Sue could react, she felt a strong arm tighten around her waist, lifting her off her feet as she was pulled back from the building. She didn't have time to register what was happening before she was set back on her feet a safe distance away, the puppy still held tightly to her chest.

Seeing Lucy set down unharmed beside her, Sue turned to thank her rescuers, only to shrink back at the fury on the tall Hispanic man's face. From the uniform he and his partner wore, she knew they were among the firefighters/paramedics waiting to go in the building on a rescue mission. Beyond that, she couldn't tell as he began berating them for what she assumed was being too close to the building.

"I'm sorry, but I can't understand you when you yell. I'm deaf," Sue interrupted, hoping she wasn't talking too loud to draw unwanted attention. I don't need Jack finding out about this, or he'll never let me out of his sight, she thought. "But if she look at me and talk normal, I can read lips," she continued a little timidly when he abruptly stopped talking, his face suddenly changing from anger to disbelief.

"An F.B.I. agent that's deaf," he scoffed, looking down at the ID she wore. "Tell me another one, sweetheart."

"I'm not an agent, but I do work for the F.B.I…and I am deaf," Sue insisted, watching the thinly veiled emotions playing across his face as he took in what she said . She'd seen it all before, anytime someone learned she was deaf, and steeled herself for the look of pity that was sure to come.

"I guess she's deaf too," he asked instead, nodding his head toward Lucy.

Typical, Sue thought with a disappointed sigh. Just because I'm deaf, it means everyone else around me is too, she groaned trying to force a smile as she glanced over at her friend.

Normally, when people find out she's deaf, they tended to talk around her, instead trying to communicate through her hearing friends. This time, she was being asked to speak for her hearing friend, and though slightly amused, Sue couldn't help the flash of embarrassment she was sure her friends felt when they were asked to speak for her.

"Actually, no I'm not," Lucy replied, saving Sue from having to respond. "But I do know some sign if you'd like to try talking to us in a more civilized manner, since you obviously haven't mastered the spoken language yet," she snapped, fire dancing in her dark eyes as the man's eyebrows shot up.

"Uh…" the man stammered, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to form words, but nothing would come out. The returning rage was evident on his face as he obviously didn't like being knocked down a peg or two.

"What I think Gabe here is trying to say, deaf or not, you shouldn't have been that close to the building," the tall black firefighter beside him finally spoke up, his hand on his friend's arm as he silently warned him to back off.

"From the sounds of things, the second bomb was real," Lucy stated almost questioningly. but already knowing the answer.

"Second bomb?" Sue caught only part of what her friend had said, suddenly realizing what had happened, her mind flashing to those still inside. "What about the bomb squad? The people still inside?"

"Don't know," the second man explained as Gabe responded to a call on the radio. "They haven't said anything, other than to confirm the second explosion," he shrugged, pointing to his radio.

"We've got to go, Shaw," Gabe turned after signing off. "That was command. They've got someone down in the Command Center."

"Who?"

"Didn't say," he responded tersely, turning on his heal.

"Listen, we've got to get back to work," Shaw glared at the first man, before remembering he had to face them. "Please stay over here. We can't be spending all night rescuing the two of you, okay?" he smiled slightly to take the sting out of his words, before hastily running off after his partner.

"Was it something I said?" Sue asked confused. The two men had talked so fast, and coupled with her headache from trying to concentrate, she'd missed most of what they said.

"Something about the Command Center," Lucy explained briefly.

"Jack!" Sue cried, her heart sinking into her stomach as she thought of the stress he was under, and of what it could do to his heart condition.

Both women rushed around the Command Center van in time to see their two rescuers disappear through the door with a large portable first aid kit. The breath she didn't know she was holding rushed out in a puff of air when Sue saw jack standing next to D and Donna just outside, all three obviously safe.

"Jack!" Sue called out nervously as he turned in her direction when she approached. Her joy at seeing him all right soon faded, her footsteps faltering as she took in the grave expression on his face.

"What is it?" Sue asked concerned, when she got close enough.

"Tara," Jack responded solemnly, his hands rubbing comfortingly up and down her arms as if he wanted to hold her, but couldn't allow himself to let go.

Sue's mouth dropped open as she stared at him, praying she'd read it wrong. Turning, her gaze fell on the prone Tara just inside the van door as the paramedics began working on her.

"Oh, my God," Sue gasped. What else could go wrong? she wondered vaguely as she sent up yet another prayer for her friends.