This ones a little shorter. Ok, a lot shorter. But it was kinda just supposed to be from Carlton's view getting rescued. Hope you like it :). I did update sooner than last time.

Chapter 11: Rescue

When he regained consciousness once more, all Carlton could feel was the pain. A burning sensation, in his lower gut. The bullet, he thought. He strained to open his eyes and saw maniacal grin of his kidnapper, standing over him.

"How does it feel? Detective Lassiter? How does it feel to be helpless? Dying? They're not coming for you, they're never going to come for you." With those words, he leaned in with the scalpel and Carlton felt him cut the area where the bullet hole had gone in.

Carlton almost screamed, but contained in a grunt of pain. The sensitive flesh around his raw wound protested and he was dully aware of the pain signals getting sent to his vision was fogging up, he couldn't see or here anything clearly. He couldn't move. He was going to die, Carlton Lassiter was going to die and he was scared.

Suddenly, the pressure of the scalpel stopped. He heard "Freeze!" Juliet's voice. It was Juliet. He exhaled in relief, then let out an indistinguishable whimper. The pressure may have been gone but it hurt like hell. Through his muffled senses, he vaguely heard a gun go off close to him, then a series of shots and two thumps.

Juliet, he thought, a panic closing in on him. She couldn't be hurt, she just couldn't.

After what seemed like minutes, but was probably only seconds, Lassiter felt hands on him. Applying pressure to the wound, Damn that hurt, checking his wrist for a pulse. He heard shouts, could here the sound of wheels. The EMT's were here. Of course they were. Juliet would have had them follow her when they stormed the house if there was a possibility that he alive. Juliet had found him, she hadn't abandoned him.

As he was lifter onto the gurney and was being wheeled out, he felt small, soft hands slip into his own.

"It's alright, Carlton, I've got you." He looked up, blearily, and saw Juliet, walking beside him as the EMT's wheeled him to the ambulance. Her blonde hair, normally in a tight ponytail, was messy, her eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"I heard gun shots, I thought-I thought he had gotten you."

"He did," she admitted. "But I had a vest on. Shame really, I liked that shirt."

"Are you ok?" he demanded to know.

"Just a little bruised, I'll be fine," she said. "You're the important one here. They'll make sure you make a full recovery, you'll be fine, but right now you need to lie back."

They were loading into the ambulance and Juliet made to let go of his hand.

"Stay, please," Carlton almost begged. He didn't want to be alone, not after all this.

Her expression softened. "Of course, I'll stay as long as I can. Now rest."

Carlton barely felt the prick in his arm as the IV was attached to him. He felt the new drugs begin to take effect, but this time, he wasn't scared. Juliet was with him.

I just would like to restate that this is NOT a Lassiter/Juliet fic, not in the romantic way anyway. They are developing a strong emotional bond, yes, but not a romantic one. Shules is always my pairing :) Just wanted to clear things up.

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