CHAPTER 16 – MISTAKES MADE

Finch called Dr Meghan on the way, when he got to his place, she was now pulling up.

"Hurry, help me get him out, he's lost a considerable amount of blood."

"Then we should get him to the clinic."

"Not right now, he insisted that we avoid them, some people are after him, no means by his fault at all, and they'll look into every emergency facility because they know the extent of his injuries."

"Well I'm going to do my best, but I figure I'll have to leave and get more supplies depending on the severity of his wounds."

"That's fine, just stop the bleeding and get him stable."

Meghan removed the bullet from his leg first and then the one to his right hypochondriac region just on the rib. She wasn't sure yet. But she was sure that the rib was fractured as well. After cleaning up and leaving john sedated with some strong enough drugs to take the edge of the pain, she found Finch and quickly gave him an update.

"Harold, you really need to stop worrying. For now he is stable, he lost a lot of blood, but he'll recover, I'll return later with two pints of blood. His rib is fractured; the bullet grazed it from the way it was lodged, the wound to the leg was a clean shot, no main artery was hit, however john needs at least 3-4 weeks to begin to heal properly, that means he has to do little work or he will tear the stitches right out. I will stop in once a week to check up on him. Is that understood?"

"Yes Dr. Tillman, I'll see to it that john is troubled very little."

"Good, I'll be back, around midnight on my way home."

"Thank you Dr. Tillman for everything,"

"You're a really good friend to him Harold, he's lucky that he has someone that cares so much about him."

He said nothing as he escorted her to the door.

Carter couldn't shake the sinking feeling within her. She may not have done it directly, but she did betray John and his trust, it wasn't an emergency when she asked to see him, it had been her own inquisitive mind, wanting answers, wanting to believe him, and now she had more proof than ever that john really was a good guy, but after today, she wouldn't think herself worthy of his trust, or being his friend more importantly his feelings.

John had been through a lot, he lost someone he loved very much a long time ago and it took him a long time to start to change into the man he was today, but she had nearly gotten that man killed and she could never make up for such a terrible mistake in judgments. All she wanted for him now was to get better, to live, she would never try to contact him again, but first she had to know if he was alive and well. She'd give it a few days then ask Fusco to find out.

"Carter in my office," her captain called.

"Sir you called?"

"Agent Snow here says that you did outstanding work and…"

"And nothing, nothing we did was outstanding, gunning down an unarmed man, who may not have been the right man, further more he deserved me grounding his nuts and decking his face and if you want to suspend me that's fine."

"Its nothing sir, she just doesn't like the way that we operate or handle dangerous people who are a threat to our national security, maybe in the future her opinion of us will change as I hope we do continue to work together."

"Gladly agent Snow, anytime you need a favor just ask,"

"Thank you sir and thank you detective Carter,"

She steups in reply turning her back to him,

"I'm sorry about that agent Snow if you will excuse us I'd like to have a word with my detective."

"Carter I don't know what crawled, up your butt, but these are good guys we're working with and if we have them on our side, we can get a lot more work done when we catch those really difficult cases. Inspite of your behavior and attitude today, I'm not suspending you, you will however go see an anger therapist twice for one month."

"I'd rather you suspend me sir, I'm not going to talk to a shrink."

"I don't care I'm making it mandatory, you do it or you will do desk duty until you're ready."

"If I was a man you wouldn't give a shit," she mumbled

"You want to speak up detective?"

"I said if I was a man you wouldn't give a shit."

"Maybe, but we'll never know," he said flippantly and she wished she could smack that look of his face.

When Carter got home, she started ripping her apartment apart, piece by piece. Even when Taylor got up and inquired about her behavior she just ignored him, he eventually went back to bed. By midnight she sat on her sofa, bottle of vodka in hand, feet propped up under her chin as she stared down at the pile of little wireless devices that had been planted in and around her home. Eight in total, How could she have been so stupid.

Was it john or was it Snow? And how long had they been there? How long had they been listening to her private conversations, watching her. She felt sick to her stomach, the pounding in her head and the voices grew louder, she drank deeply from the bottle trying to drown them out to no avail. She got up and retrieved her cell phone; she took her Sim card and memory card and dropped it into a bowl of water.

~~ LIBRARY~~

Meghan showed up exactly at midnight, once she had attached the bag to john, she promised to be back to change the bag in the morning. After she'd left Harold sat watch over john, he couldn't believe how close he'd come to losing john, john wasn't just an employee or a number to him anymore, he was his friend, and he cared about john. He would have to do more to protect john if necessary and that meant keeping detective Carter away from him.

Once john recovered fully he'd send him on a vacation and then he'd see about detective Carter.

~~ 1 week l8r

Carter and Fusco were on their usual beat, following up on leads, they stopped at a diner to get something to eat.

"Fusco can I ask you something…?"

"Sure thing, what's on your mind?" he asked biting into his sandwich with zeal.

"Have you heard from your friend? Do you know if he's alright?"

"Carter I told you to leave that alone,"

"I know and I am, I just want to make sure that he's alright that's all, I swear."

"Okay, I'll let you know later and after that you are never to bring up or mention his name ever again, I still can't believe you walked him into a trap."

"How do you think I feel… just find out if he's alive and tell him again how sorry I am, that's it I swear."

"So did you find a new place yet?"

"Still looking, I really like where I am but I can't stay there anymore."

"Why don't you send Taylor to stay with your mother if you feel that unsafe?"

"Lionel, Taylor is my responsibility, I provide for him, I can't just ship him to my mother and have her take care of him while or just because, my mother has her own life to live."

"He could stay with your sister_?"

"I'd rather drag him to work with me or lock him in a cell, than have him spend a day with her."

"You need to let that issue with your sister go Carter."

"Lionel, you're my partner in work, not in life, and I'd like to think of you as my friend as well, If you have something to say I'll listen, but don't tell me how or what I should do with my sister."

"But you've forgiven me about the whole knowing john before."

"You and I are not blood related, Lizzel and I are and her betrayal is worse than yours."

"Carter, sometimes you're a little too stubborn."

"Says the man who swears he's never going to eat another donut, who swears to go on a diet to play more sports with his kid, yeah right talk to me Lionel when you learn to keep up your end of the deal."

"My things are different." He started to protest

"Patato, potato," she said with a small smile, her first in a long couple days.

~~ 2 weeks L8r~~

Harold had hired someone to help Reese in his recovery, they cooked his meals and change his wound dressing as necessary, and Meghan would be by to check in on him later.

"Finch,"

"Mr. Reese?"

"How is it with the numbers?"

"These last couple cases have been relatively easy, the cops and Fusco handled it well."

"How long again before I can get back to work?"

"A while Mr. Reese you need to heal."

"Where's my phone?"

"Locked away,"

"Can I have it?"

"Why do you need it?"

"I just do- don't make me leave this bed Finch,"

"Okay fine, stay where you are." Finch said disappearing and returning with the black instrument.

"Thanks, I needed to get back to my game of chess; you could learn a few moves on this Finch."

~~ 3rd week~~

Carter finally got word that john was well as can be and recovering. She breathed a little easier and actually managed to sleep for more than 4 hours in a night.

Her search for an apartment wasn't even going anywhere, between working long hours, going to see a shrink and other stuff, she'd given up looking, the last nice place she saw was listed all the way in Rochester, Monroe and she couldn't uproot Taylor from his current school.

Collecting her mails later that day, she received an invitation in the mail to Lizzel wedding; she ripped it up without a second thought. As she reached her front door she nearly dropped the pile of mail at the sight of a bouquet of flowers leaning against her door. She looked around cautiously before approaching, hand on her gun, she picked the card from it…

"One… two… I'm thinking of you," it read. She picked up the flowers and entered her apartment. She threw it in the bin.

"Taylor you here…?"

"Yeah mom, just playing a video game, already did my homework and I also made dinner."

Dinner, the boy could only make Mac and cheese, which meant he would have made a salad on the side for her. She smiled at the thought. She went to her room, changed out of her work clothes and entered her shower. By the time she came out, Taylor was putting his Xbox away. He followed her to the kitchen and took a seat at the table, watching as she filled a plate with his gooey Mac and cheese and salad.

"Mom…"

"Taylor…" she replied popping the cap on her beer.

"A couple of my friends and other kids from school are going to a concert can I go?"

"Can you go?"

"Yeah- I've been saving up my money, I can afford the ticket."

"Really…?"

"And you should let me go, because this term I've kept my grades up, I have done all my chores on time, I even cooked you dinner."

"Should have known something was up when you supposedly cooked dinner?" she said trying to keep a stern face.

"Mom come on, I promise I won't get into trouble, I'm not going to drink or smoke, I'm not going to ride with strangers and I will stay in a group at all times."

"Break it down for me,"

"Okay well it's at the Webster Hall and it's in Manhattan125 East 11th Street, on the 1st December and three of the biggest teen stars are going to perform Khalil, JJ short for Jessica Jarrell, and she's super hot and Aaron Fresh. It's like only a 30 minute drive, and we're going with one of the school bus, and Mr. Thomas the bus driver will be driving, he's like one of the safest drivers we have and we have all chipped in to pay him for his time. Concert starts at 6pm and finishes by 10pm. I'll be back, home promptly before 11pm; I even have cab fare just in case. I swear I'm not going to any after party, I just really want to see JJ, and she's to die for. Oh and I will call when I get there and when I am leaving just to keep you updated."

"That's like in eight days, how long have you been planning to go to this concert?" she asked forking salad into her mouth and chewing slowly.

"Three months when I found out they were coming to Manhattan to perform."

"How much does a ticket cost?"

"$40…"

"And the drivers fee…?"

"$25 dollars a head and it's going to be twenty five of us so it was split even.

"How much did the new clothes cost?"

"G-ma … I mean grandma bought them for me when we went to the mall two weeks ago."

"How much is your emergency cab fare?"

"$50 dollars…"

"Are you going to eat and drink nonalcoholic things while there?"

"Yeah I got money another $50 put away for refreshments."

"Well then I guess sense you went through the proper procedures you can go, and you better do everything you said you wouldn't because I find or smell alcohol, cigarette or any legal substances on you I'll kill you myself."

"Mom I'm handsome not stupid, you think I don't know what I can get away with when it comes to you."

"Oh so what you're saying is that I am easy, I'm a sucker when it comes to you?"

"Pretty much, stern but still a sucker, you love me way too much to see me unhappy, just like grandma."

"I'm going to tell her what you said."

"She knows, how do, you think I got her to buy me my new threads… so I'm off to bed now going to call Ayla and tell her I'm going."

"I knew all this was about a girl, what about JJ?"

"Oh I still love JJ, but Ayla is right now and right now is way better to have than a fleeting fantasy."

"What do you know about now and fantasies?"

"Mom I'm not ten, I'm fifteen and a half, I have kissed a girl before, and it's much nicer to do it in person with someone you can actually have than dream about it.

She shut her mouth lost at how to reply and just nodded her head as she went back to eating.

Reese knew he was a handful to handle, but Finch should have still checked with him first instead of trying to send him to some bloody place in called Phuket in Thailand for a week to finish his recovery.

Twenty six freaking days was how long he had been recovering, he felt better, he was walking without the assistance of the wheel chair, the cane was just to help him keep balance, and his side was better, slight pain, but he had experienced worse. And his x-ray had shown his rib was pretty much healed from its slight fracture. He didn't need any more time recovering, he needed to be working, he felt more useful working and he could keep his mind of her if he was working.

But Finch was and always has been good to him and he didn't want to seem ungrateful for all he had done for him, maybe he should go away for the week. He sought Finch out who was intensely focused on the computer screen in front of him.

"Finch I'll go, but in the future ask me before you make any decisions for me."

"Agreed Mr. Reese, you are due to depart tomorrow morning, one of my people will pick you up at the airport and take you to the house. It's secluded and private, you will not be disturbed and when you get back in a week's time, you'll be ready to jump right back into work."

~~ Friday Nov 30~~

John sat back in the small craft enjoying the view from high up. It amazed him still at the enormity of Harold's wealth, the man had a private jet, a cargo plane, fleets of cars and boats and lots of houses scattered all over the world. He'd also spoken to Lionel and given him a different number to reach him at just in case as he'd asked him to also keep a watch on Carter, because Snow would quit yet.

He'd tried to ask without seemingly prying how Carter was. And Lionel had kept his answers short and to the point.

~~ Nov 27~~

Carter stopped at her door to pick up yet another anonymous gift left with a note…

"Three… four… shut the door," was all it said

She gritted her teeth as she threw the gift wrapped package in the bin without opening it. She called out to Taylor who shouted that he was on the phone.

~~ Nov 28~~

Carter walked into the precinct, steeling her features to not betray her worry and anxiety, that she had a stalker or that she was losing sleep over it, as she sat awake with her gun in her hand pointed at the door.

"Carter you look like you had a rough night," Lionel said as he took his seat opposite her.

"You could say that… so what's on the agenda for today?"

"We got to go question that guy, um-mitchpik or something so, said he knows who killed Mrs. Cuenca."

"Really…?'

"Yeah- thing is I don't think he knows jack, I think he has the hotts for you, asked specifically that you come to."

"If he was filthy rich he'd stand a chance as it is, daddy lives on old age pension."

"Come on Carter, you're not getting any younger and this could be your last chance to grab you a sugar daddy, since you keep shooting down the others."

"Whatever Fusco, when you get you a woman, then we can really trade insults. Come on let's go, get this thing with pik over."

Carter usually would have driven, but she let Fusco drive them, her cell vibrated that she had a message. She hit the read button…

"Five … six… please don't think I'm on kicks," it read sent by anonymous. The life and color drained from her immediately which didn't go unnoticed by Fusco.

"Bad news_" he said motioning to her phone.

Carter didn't really hear him, till he touched her shoulder…

"Hey Carter you okay?"

"Y- Yes…"

"Was it bad news?"

"What was bad news?" she replied

"The text, you looked like you had just seen a ghost."

"No, it wasn't, it was a message from my sister, she- she wants to see me tonight." She let the lie roll of her tongue easy like that.

"You should Carter, you guys should really try and patch things up besides I've been invited to the wedding and I don't want to have to use the work cover for you."

"I'm not going, I tore the invitation up weeks ago, and you don't have to make any excuses for me."

"God, you're sometimes as hard headed as he is."

She smiled; she knew who he was talking about.

As it turns out Mr. Mitchpik, did give them a valuable tip that turned out to be the lead they needed. Now if they could only find the guy, who had gone into hiding.

~~ Nov 30th~~

It was late evening, Harold sat at his desk doing his usual, the machine beeped that it had a new number. He was stunned at whom the new number was and she was at a critical risk level, both as in danger and as a serious threat.

He didn't really think much of it, Detective Carter did work in a high risk job and a lot of things could happen, that was the risk with her job and she was aware of it. None the less he would call Fusco and ask him to keep a watch on Carter.

Carter knocked on the front door of a, Ms Boyd… "Good day ma'am I'm detective Carter of the NYPD, is there someone by the name of Ken Nickie here?"

"Ken's my daughter's boyfriend, they are at the_"

"Carter, he's running and he's set the damn dog on me, you gotta go after him," Fusco screamed into the ear piece above the dogs loud barking, Carter took a split second to decide to chase him on foot, Fusco would need the car. Thank god she was wearing her comfortable boots.

She spotted him in front of her ducking through a neighbor's yard, she kept pace, pushing it, dammit... later she was going to be terribly sore.

"Ken, stop or I will shoot you." she shouted giving chase, he was a strapped man, he worked out a lot, he was a lot of muscles, he would tire soon she knew and she had to be close to get the hold on him.

"Ken, why you running?" she shouted trying to get his attention.

"Like you don't know?"

"Well if you did it then face it like a damn man, I hate running,"

"Not my fault you can't keep up."

"I can keep up, but when I run, I get sweaty and when I get sweaty I get angry and when I get angry I get trigger happy,"

"What you gonna shoot an unarmed man, in the back, that's murder,"

"You're the murderer, I am doing my job."

Her legs were burning, she needed to take a break soon and she knew that Ken needed to stop soon. He busted into an old dilapidated building a couple seconds in front of her, when she entered she stopped and listen and thankfully tried to catch her breath. She could hear his rapid footsteps heading up; he was possibly going to the roof tops.

"Fusco where the hell are you…?"

"I'm on South ave."

"Get your ass over to the Old Camden high school, he's heading up top and I'm going up to, most likely the roof, hopefully there are no fire escapes, but the buildings are close enough for him to attempt to jump over. Just in case call for a bus and possibly the fire department, this guy is too heavy to make these jumps easily and I just know he's going to be hanging on the side of a building for dear life." Muscles feeling relaxed she started up the stairs two at a time.

Fuck this was like a major work out, when she caught up to him, she was going to thump him twice in the body for making her work so damn hard today of all days. Minutes later she burst out onto the roof. She scanned the area quickly. He was up here trapped at least she hoped so. She closed the door.

"KEN!" she yelled taking deep breaths to bring her heart and breathing under control.

"Ken, I know you're up here and there is no way down." She moved slowly, stealthily to the first air duct. It was clear

"Ken, give your-self up, there isn't many places up here to hide." Still nothing, she moved over to another air duct keeping her eye on the door direction slightly. She stopped as she heard feet start to run and waited as he made a mad dash, he was running straight at her. She took his weight full on, she hit the ground and gravel with a loud whack as he pushed her aside she recovered and didn't hesitate to fire a shot away from him, causing him to change direction and head to the edge of the roof.

"Ken stop, just give it up, I'm tired and you're tired."

"How did you know it was me?"

"Evidence… why'd you do it…?"

"She was old and sick she was going to die anyway and I just hurried it along for her."

"Why?"

"Because she wasn't going to leave a damn thing for me, she was wasting her money on those crack pot supernatural stuff, she would have left me with the mountain of a debt to pay, I have done everything for that woman, but I have always been a reject to her, the foster child, I was the only one that cared about her, but it wasn't enough, her own children knew she wasn't worth the trouble."

"You still didn't have to do it."

"I would have ended up homeless and broke, I thought with the house I could sell it and get something for me and Kat."

"Kat's your girlfriend?"

"Yeah- but the witch didn't like Kat either, she was horrible to her."

"She was a bully then?"

"A bully I can beat up, she was worse, I would do it again if I had to, and so I am not letting you take me in,"

"So what do you think is a solution we can agree on?"

"I'm not going to jail that's clear, so my solution is I'm going to jump, you can't stop me."

"But I have to try,'

"No."

"So what about Kat…?"

"What about her?"

"Don't you want to say goodbye to her."

"I can't now, she'll understand."

"Do you want to call her?"

"How…?"

"You can use my phone." She said reaching slowly for her phone and throwing it towards him, where it landed just short. It would buy her a few more seconds. He climbed of the ledge and walked four steps and picked up the phone.

When he turned away for those brief seconds to get privacy, Carter used the opportunity to move towards him fast, he was so surprised by her that it was enough to keep him rooted as she knocked his foot out from under him, getting him on his back, she straddled him.

"Ken Nickie you're under arrest for the murder of Mrs. Delia Cuenca, you have the right to remain silent, and you have the right to an attorney…" she said continuing to read him the riot act. After he was secured in handcuffs, she moved away and dropped to her knees, just as Fusco and two fire officials came bursting through the door.

"Carter you okay, are you injured?"

"Fine Fusco, just tired is all," she replied with a small smile.

"Sorry I took so long, but you did good talking him down Carter, you always do."

"I have to; you know I hate having to actually use my gun."

"Then you're in the wrong job Carter."

"You keep saying that Fusco."

"I'll stop when you realised that you have that gun for a reason. Come on let's get down from here." He said pulling her up and I'm buying you two rounds, you can't refuse me either."

~~ Dec 1st~~

Carter had the day off after yesterday's hard work, and she needed the day, she was sore all over, her body ached from being run over by the 'Ken Nickie' Mack truck, as well as all those damn stairs she had to climb and the 100 mile marathon he made her run chasing him.

She had awoken to her son cleaning, if only he could cook something else besides Mac and cheese.

"Morning sweetie…"

"It's after 12pm mom."

"Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"You looked really tired last night, don't you remember falling asleep sitting while eating Chinese."

"Oh yeah, yesterday was really hard, so you excited about your concert later."

"I am, is it okay if I go over to Paul's and get ready and it would be easier to meet everyone else at the school yard since he lives a few minutes away."

"Yeah, have a good time and remember you promised, I expect to see you home here within 11pm."

"Wouldn't dream of crossing you mom,"

"You better not."

~~ Dec 1st 10pm~~

Finch had just ended his call with Fusco, everything was fine with Jocelyn Carter and yet still her number kept showing up every hour in the last twelve hours and now he had another number, this time he was looking at pictures of Carter and her son Taylor.

He called Fusco once more.

"Detective Fusco, are you sure everything's alright with Detective Carter?"

"Yeah, she's home, she had the day off." He said annoyed

"And what about her son…?"

"The kid's going to some concert in Manhattan, should be on his way home now."

"Could you check on them please?"

"Why… did one of em' number come up?"

"Both of them, I'm afraid."

"Hang on," he said using his work phone to call Carter. Finch heard most of the muffled, but short conversation.

"She's fine and Taylor called and said he was on his way home, Finch just go, sleep or read a book, I know you're bored that john isn't there but I got a life to and I would like to get back to it."

"Thank you Detective Fusco and I won't call again unless it is a dire emergency."

Harold couldn't of course let it rest, the machine was never wrong, something was going to happen to either Carter or her son, and fusco could only do so much, john's expertise were what was needed for this job and john was half a day away.

Carter looked at her watch, 10:59pm and Taylor still wasn't home yet. When he walked through that door, she was going to ground him for a week. He knew she was very strict about the rules.

~11:45pm~

Carter was already in panic mode, Taylor knew better, so something was horribly wrong, she could feel it in her gut… she just knew it. She swore right then that if anyone had taken her son; she was going on a murdering spree. So help her if Snow was trying to get to john by using her son, she was going to skin him alive before john had a chance to see him. She called Paul's house number, his mother answered. The conversation was brief as Mrs. Hill confirmed that Paul was home and in his bed and Taylor wasn't there.

~12:20am~

Carter didn't know where she was going, but she just kept driving, she went to the school, the bus was there, where next she wondered. She tried his cell phone and got his voicemail again. She just kept driving round and round in circles as the minutes turned into hours.

~6:00am Dec 2nd~

Sunday morning Carter returned to her apartment looking a hundred years older. At her door sat yet another box much bigger, she picked the card up

"Seven… eight… don't be late," was all it said.

She pushed open her door and tore the wrapping of the box; she opened the brown box, her breath caught in her throat, inside lay a simple wreath, she removed it and with shaking hands she lifted the single sheet of paper.

"Come and get him Carter, but in return you need to bring something for me.

I'll send you instructions exactly at 7, be ready to move, time is short."

Do not involve anyone else, or there will be severe casualties."

S

So someone finally decided on payback for her, if only they knew that they chose to fuck with the wrong mother.