Second Chances, Chapter 5:

"What was that? What happened?" Mal asked rushing under the tape and over to Hood.

"We have it under control."
"Like hell you do. That was gunfire. Now tell me what happened?"
"Best we can figure, the store owner got hit. We're trying to make contact but nobody's answering." Hood admitted.

"Dear lord." Mal prayed, "Leslie? Jake?"
"I don't know." Mal watched Rose go faint with fear as they stood, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

"She's going to be ok. They're going to be ok." Mal promised them as they tried to see inside the store from where they stood.

^^^^ 0o0 ^^^

"What are you doing?" D asked as he watched Leslie trying to give first aide to Henry.

"I'm just looking for something to apply pressure with."

"Come out of there, now!"

"He needs medical attention."

"Come out of there now." He ordered again.
"No." Leslie couldn't leave an injured man to bleed out to death.
"Leslie. Please do as the man says." Jake didn't like her being in the gunman's main sights.

"And let Henry die. Not a chance." Jake subtly moved closer to Leslie, but it wasn't fast enough. When Leslie didn't listen, D grabbed her from behind and pulled her off of Henry. Leslie was spun around and slammed into the corner of the counter before being pushed into the middle of the room with such force that she lost her balance and fell to the floor.

"Leslie!" Jake felt the blood pumping in his veins as he raced to her side and checked she was ok. Dusting herself off, her only thoughts were of Henry, bleeding to death behind the counter.

"Murdering someone is not a great negotiating tactic." She yelled

"Are you ok?" Jake asked her, afraid she or the baby had been injured.
"I'm fine." Leslie comforted him, but Jake's blood was still escalating. As the gunman turned around to see if Henry was awake, Jake rushed him, jumped the counter, grabbed his gun and knocked him out cold. Even though he was on the ground, Jake gave him another knock around the head a few times before flipping him over and tying him up.

While Jake was busy making D pay, Leslie stood up and grabbed the gun from the second gunman who didn't resist. She moved into position and ordered the third gunman to freeze. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

"Come on in Hood, the coast is clear." Leslie announced through the phone line. The disappointment of having Jake solve his case for him showed as he barged through the door followed by half of the force. Jake handed D over to the cops then went to make sure Leslie was all right.

"What were you thinking? You could have been hurt." He scolded her.
"I couldn't just let Henry die there."
"But you could risk your life?" He noted the small gash on her head and recalled the moment of horror as he watched her thrown into the stomach high counter top. "If anything had of happened to you…"
"I'm sorry, it's just a cops instinct I guess."
"You scared the crap out of me."
"I knew you'd back me up. Jumping the counter like that… very impressive."
"Don't change the subject." Jake kissed her and took a subtle touch of her belly.

"Well done Jake." Hood interrupted.

"I bet that hurt to say." He smiled.

"Don't push your luck…" Hood looked around at the mess they had created, "There's just one thing I don't understand."
"What's that?"
"Why did you pretend to be Leslie?"

"Walk a mile in each others shoes.. you know what it's like." Jake teased him, and as Hood walked off bewildered by his answer, Leslie couldn't help but laugh quietly under her breath.

"That was cruel."
"We could always tell him."
"Not yet." Leslie needed a little more time to get use to the idea, but after today she also understood where her limitations lay.

^^^^ 0o0 ^^^

"I'm so sorry about all of this." The second gunman, a nice young blonde apologised to Jake as she was walked passed him in handcuffs.

"It's ok Kelly." Jake confirmed now that her hood was off and he could see her face, "But do me a favour. Your parents have spent a lot of time and money trying to find you. They love you. When you get to the station call them, let them help. They're good people."
"Yeah." She admitted sadly, "I know."
"Kelly?" Leslie asked. "How did you know?"

"I noticed the tattoo on the back of her neck, and her hands were way too small to be a man's."

"She's going to be doing some time. How do you think her parents will feel about that?"
"It doesn't matter. They've found their daughter, the rest is irrelevant." Jake pondered, "She didn't fire any shots, and she handed herself in. I'm sure that will go in her favour."
"I'll see to it." Leslie promised as Mal, Rose and Des came in to see for themselves if everyone was all right.

^^^^ 0o0 ^^^

"Mum, Dad!" Kelly cried as her parents reunited with her in the holding cells.

"Oh my poor baby." Her mum cried.

"Don't you worry honey. We'll get a good Lawyer onto this and you'll be home on a good behaviour bond before you know it."
"I'm so sorry I put you through all of this. I never meant…"
"We know sweetheart. All that matters is that you are safe." He mum said, reaching through the bars to stroke her face.

^^^^ 0o0 ^^^

Hood decided that there was no imminent threat and left them there to catch up while he went to start the paperwork. He couldn't help but notice that Jake was still hovering around Leslie who sat at her desk finishing off her witness statement.

"What the hell happened in there Doyle?" Hood asked insistently, "Drew's face looked like hamburger."

"He got out of hand, I needed to protect the hostages."
"I saw what happened." Hood warned him,

"What are you saying?" Jake stood up taller.

"Something's going on with you. I know you can be reckless at times but that was something else."
"I'm not sure I like your tone." Jake warned him.

"Jake. Take a walk." Leslie warned him.

"I don't think so."
"Now. Go down to the second floor and get me a soda, orange. I'm dying of thirst here." Jake knew she was just trying to get him out of the way, but he did it anyway. After Jake left, Hood re asked his question. "Just drop it all right." She begged him.
"Something's not right with him Leslie, the way he wailed on that guy."
"He was just protecting the hostages."
"I saw the gunman man handle you. That was pure rage."
"I'm begging you Hood. Please drop it."
"What happened to him? To you? What did Becker do?"

"When Jakes ready to tell you, he will. Just cut him some slack."
"For you Leslie, I'll consider it, but one day soon he's going to go too far."
"I know" she whispered to herself as Hood did as she asked and walked off. The problem was, even knowing who he was she loved him for what he was. What did that say about her?