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I'm sorry the update it took so long, but I had some kind of writer's block and catched a cold for the second time within three weeks now. I'm really getting sick of being sick :-(

9 - Revelations

John and Joss sat at the couch for a while, just staring in each others eyes and smiling. Both of them seemed just like the happiest people on earth.

John didn't knew how he deserved the love of such a wonderful woman. He always thought of himself as a monster who's fate would to be alone until death. Ever since he started to help Finch with the numbers he felt of it as a way of redemption for the horrible things he committed during his time at the agency. He knew Joss had a rough idea of his past and still, she felt for him.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" John asked with husky voice while caressing her cheek.

Joss felt the butterflies in her stomach as his eyes darkened in passion. Her brain was right before melting. In the very last moment she mentally slapped herself to become aware of the fact Shaw could come back every moment. "I think we should wait for this until you can move without pain again, because there will be a lot of movement." Her voice was teasing.

"Oh, I don't think so. There's no need for me to move my body to make you happy." John whispered with a sexy low voice and grinned at her suddenly burning cheeks.

"Big words for a man who's lying helplessly in front of me." She stole a quick kiss before getting up. John growled as she got out of reach, but otherwise she wouldn't have been able to keep a clear head. A quick look back almost made her relent. He was laying there pouting like a little kid but his muscular torso only covered by a ragged and half-open shirt. They had to remove his jacket to be able to treat the wounds which ended in cutting it off him to not injure him further.

"First of all we need to call Finch to let him know we're ready to get back to the city. We assured him to get back as soon as you're up and ready to move." She told him while getting Shaw's phone out of the kitchen. "By the way, he said he figured out another alias of the man behind the attacks."

John took the phone Carter hold out to him. "Is that so? You mind telling me the name?" He was already dialing Finch's number.

"Michael Sanders"

John's reaction was instant. His entire body stiffened visibly and he grabbed the phone look on his face became frozen with a mix of surprise and . A second later he had his expression under control again. Without another word he finished typing Finch's number hectically.

Joss stood in front of the couch with quizzical look as she listened to John's part of the conversation. His reaction showed her he definitely knew the name and she was eager to know how John was connected to this man and what everything had to do with her.

"Finch, you need to get us out of here, now." John sounded very determined as soon as Harold answered the call.

"Mr. Reese, it's good to hear your voice, are you…"

John cut him off. "We don't have time for talking, we need to get into another safe house as soon as possible."

"Well, I think I can arrange Detective Fusco to pick you up, but it will take another half an hour for him to get to the cabin."

"That's too long, we can't take this risk. We'll use Shaw's car."

"May I ask why you need to leave this immediately? Did something happen?"

"Later, Finch. We need to get safe first." He disconnected the call and was about to get up as he realized it probably won't work without help. John looked at Joss who just stood next to the couch table with folded arms. "We need to get away from here." He stated.

"Yeah, I understood so much. But why?" Joss wanted to know and her tone implied she wouldn't move until he told her. She had never heard him talking like this to Finch and his sudden change of mood seemed odd.

"I know who's following us and it ain't gonna end well if we don't get out of here now." He managed to sit up himself which resulted in a painful grimace and beads of sweat on his forehead.

Joss let out a curse and sat down next to him to stop him from hurting himself more. "John, tell me the whole story or I will stay here." She stated and crossed her arms - no way they were escaping without her knowing what or who they could face.

John glared at her and growled. "You're bluffing." Joss just sat back and made herself comfortable. "Watch me." He cursed his injuries which stopped him from just giving her a fireman's lift and carry her to the car himself. But he couldn't risk anymore delay in getting away.

"I know this name back from my CIA days. Michael Sanders was like a ghost. I never met him, but I still remember the name the agents gave him: The Cleaner. He was known for getting rid of failed agents. I actually thought it's been a fairy tale to scare the new ones, but obviously it's not."

"But why did they try to kill me then? Was it because of my encounter with Mark Snow?" Joss wondered. She couldn't imagine Snow reported anything about her back to Langley, because it would have meant he couldn't catch Reese on his own.

"I don't think you're their ultimate goal… I'm so sorry, Joss. They're probably after you because they found out about our connection. I'm responsible for this whole mess…" John's voice became quiet and he buried his face in his hand. "I won't be able to forgive myself if anything happens to you because of me. I should've never get this close to you." He whispered.

Joss stared at the man she used to know as a tower of strength and now sat in front of her injured and broken. He blamed himself for getting her into danger and her sadness turned into anger. "Now stop wallowing in self-pity and listen to me." She could see he reacted to her words but didn't look at her. "I know you tend to treat me like I am a fragile woman who needs protection from the big bad world. But let me tell you this once and for all: I've been in the Army and saw what happened out there. I also am working for the police now since more than eight years and took care of myself ever since."

She wrapped her hands around his face and forced him to look at her. The hurt in his eyes just before he closed them made her swallow but she continued. "I know you didn't want to put me in any danger but you need to understand that I am going to get myself into danger willingly if I need to protect you and it won't be your fault." Joss got closer to his face. "I love you, John, every part of you. I knew it won't be easy but I'm not risking to lose you without being happy first."

Finally his eyes opened again and her heart almost broke. There were teardrops hanging at those long lashes around his sea blue eyes. She could see the love he felt for her and reacted instinctively. Her mouth captured his into a kiss that made him feel her love.

"I don't know how I of all people could deserve you." John said after their kiss with a raspy voice, their faces only inches away from each other. Joss was already opening her mouth to continue with her speech, so he quickly ended: "But I'm glad you've chosen me." He smiled brightly at her and cleared his eyes from the tears. Not his usual cocky smirk, but a real, honest smile.

"Don't you ever dare to think again you wouldn't deserve me or get me into danger." Joss leaned her forehead on his. "Because I won't let you get away with it."

The sudden sound of gunshots ripped through the air and both of their heads jerked up immediately. "Shaw!" Joss exclaimed. "Help me up, we need to get out of here." John demanded.

Joss didn't ask any questions and stabilized his good side so they could move towards the door. On the way out Joss grabbed her gun she placed at the couch table earlier. Like this she could defend them or at least try to scare some attackers.

Just as they passed the door and got their eyes used to the dark, a person came running towards them. Joss prepared to shoot at everything that moves but a well-known voice stopped her. "Hey, calm down. Are you always this kind of trigger-happy?"

Shaw was appearing and there were no obvious injuries. "Shaw! Are you all right? We heard the shots." Joss asked while they moved towards Sam's car, a navy blue sedan. John had become very quiet since he was forced to keep moving. "Yeah, I saw some shapes moving throughout the woods near to the cabins and chose to let them know we're not defenseless."

Together the women somehow maneuvered John's tall figure into the backseat and took places at the front seats with Shaw driving. "Shaw, there's something else we need to tell you, we finally know who's after us." Joss began and Shaw nodded as a sign to continue. "It's CIA, they probably wanted to get me in order to lure John out. The guy who's after us, Michael Sanders, is some sort of cleaner at the agency, someone who takes care of former employees."

"Damn, seems like your past caught up with you, Reese. Let's make sure this Sanders won't succeed in doing his job. I'll get us back to Manhattan, Finch already prepared a safe house in case we would need it." They drove away from the cabin and headed towards the main road which led back to the city.

"John, how are you doing back there?" Joss asked after a few minutes, she grew worried because he didn't say a word since they got out of the cabin.

"Just peachy…" He murmured and tried not to show how much the short way to the car exhausted him. While he felt his fever has gone down earlier, the moving didn't do any good to the wound in his abdomen. The painkillers were wearing off way too fast in his opinion, but this only meant Shaw didn't give him anything too strong that would make him dizzy and he was thankful for it.

Shaw looked at him through the rear mirror. "You'll have hang on for about one more hour. As soon as we arrive you'll be lying flat for the next few days and we'll get you some strong pain medication."

"Yeah, whatever…" He was too tired to talk about this now.

So they continued to drive in silence. Joss regular checked on him to make sure he didn't get unconscious. Just as they got around a corner Shaw began to curse. About four cars appeared in front of them, parked across the street, and a few people in dark suits were standing behind them with guns aimed at the arriving car. There was no chance they could brake through this barricade so Shaw slowed the car down.

John became aware of his surroundings as he realized the change of speed and adrenaline started to pump through his veins. He managed to get a glimpse at the men waiting for them and his trained eyes picked out one of them. The only one who stood there self-confidently without a weapon in his hands but a smile on his lips.

He must be Michael Sanders, or whatever his real name was. John has been living with the thought of getting murdered by his own people for a long time. Mark Snow has been pretty close to succeeding. But after that he didn't think he would still be on the list. Obviously he had been wrong.

Shaw parked the car and lifted her hands so their opponents could see them. Carter followed her lead. John on the other hand did something unexpected. He opened the car door and climbed out of the car without letting out a single sound. He held himself upright by using the car door as support.

"So, you must be the famous John Reese."

Yep, another cliffhanger. I'm sorry, well, not really ;-)