Brian was jolted from his nightmare by the shrill beep of Liz's alarm clock. For once the beep was a welcomed relief as he blindly reached for the clock. The light that seeped from around the curtains haloed Liz's sleeping form and Brian pulled her to him. She mumbled incoherently as Brian kissed a trail down her face and his hand caressed the side of her body. Liz smiled as Brian kissed and bit her lower lip, her arms snaking around his neck and pulling his naked body to hers.

He kissed her deeply as a weight settled in his stomach and Liz wrapped a leg around his waist, inviting him as her hands danced in his messy hair. His dog tags clicked together with every movement of their bodies. The sound was slowly drowned out by the moans that Brian evoked from Liz's lips. Her breathing quickened when Brian rolled onto his back, taking Liz with him and making her straddle him. Brian savored every moan that she made as he raked his nails down her stomach, leaving red scratches as he let her use him for her own release. His hands masterfully messaged her chest as he ran rough thumbs in circles around her hardened nipples. She moaned in pleasure as he rolled each hard bead between him fingers, gasping in surprised as Brian pinched gently. Each sound like music to his ears.

Brian bit down on his lip as he groaned and her pace quickened. He sat up, wrapping his arms around Liz as she moved against him and her breathing grew heavier. He felt himself teetering on the threshold of his own release as she rode him hard and her nails dug into the naked flesh of his back. He sucked a hardened bead into his mouth and bit gently. He plunged over the edge, cursing as he felt her spasm around him, crying his name. Brian held her close to him, panting into her naked flesh as they both trembled slightly.

"Liz?" His breathing steadied as he felt her hum a response into his neck." I...," He hesitated," I love you." He whispered the words as though speaking them to loud would cause them to be lost. Liz leaned away from him, her brow furrowed as she searched his face for a trace of a lie, not totally believing that he meant it. His face was set and his eyes hopefully, as he bit his lip nervously. A grin graced Liz's face as she kissed him, pushing him back on the bed, feeling him slide from her, spent.

"I love you too." He smiled into her kiss as he buried his hands in her flaming curls, the weight still there. "You need to get dressed." She spoke between kisses, the alarm clock now reading 8:00 a.m. Brian gave her his puppy eyes as she got off him and playfully threw his clothes at him as she tugged a night-shirt over her head.

"What about you?" He asked as he stood and tugged his pants on.

Liz swallowed a lump in her throat. "I have today off. I always do...every year. It's my moms death day." Brian's face fell as he sighed and walked over to her. Taking her in his arms, the feeling making her feel warm and safe.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"No." She spoke into his chest, inhaling his scent." I'll be fine, just a few errands and a cemetery visit."

"Alright." He released her and finished dressing. "If you need anything, and I mean anything don't hesitate to call me. Okay?" She smiled as he nodded already feeling as though she needed him. He kissed her again, long and with all the feeling he could muster before leaving. The weight in his stomach heavier as the door clicked shut behind him.

Brian entered the cage as Lieutenant Valasquez entered and yelled for everyone to suit up. The clock read 9:05. He walked towards Brian, an air of urgency in his step.

"Gamble you too. T.J. is sick we need another." The command was there and Brian was itching to get back in the field. He was dressed in ten and in the van, Jim giving him a pat on the back, and a nod as Valasquez began his quick brief.

"We have a hostage situation inside a bank. We do not know how many hostages. We do not know how many gun men. But shots have been fired, and screams have been heard. Street, you will lead your team in through an access in the roof, it will drop you into a storage room. Same as all other banks. From there you will be given directions. Helmets on. Lets do this."

9:30 a.m.

The access was small. It barely allowed for the few S.W.A.T. members to shimmy in. The drop was quick, and luckily quiet. Jim lay on his stomach by the door with Brian standing above him. A compact mirror stretched out and Jim held up two fingers to indicate he had two gunmen in sight. Jim pulled the mirror back and Brian crouched next to him. Jim whispered into his mic.

Brian heard the crackle as the orders came in and they eased the door shut. The gunmen were both turned away and Brian quickly ducked out of the room and behind a desk. It was a dance that he and Jim had done a dozen times before. All bank branches had a similar layout within their respective corporations. It only differed when you got to credit unions. He scoped the room quickly, they had about twenty people face down on the floor, a man lay bloodied his head in the lap of a women with flaming red hair.

Brian felt his heart stop as a gun was pointed in Liz's face. She held her hands out and shook her head as the man yelled gibberish in her face. Her palms were stained with blood and tears streaked her face. She kept repeating he's dead as the gunman continued to yell. Brian's finger was held poised over the trigger, waiting for the order. Jim waved and got Brian's attention as Valasquez's voice spoke in his ear telling him to hold his position.

It happened in a matter of seconds. A gunman panicked and pulled his trigger, spraying bullets. Brian squeezed his trigger at the same time Jim did. Hitting his target as hostages scattered and he lost track of Liz. He ran from his position pushing through the crowd of panicked people. Liz lay a few feet from the body of the man who's head had laid in her lap. Brian felt his whole world go out from under him as he slid across the blood slicked floor.

Liz held her hand over a wound in her chest close to her heart. Brian threw his weapon down as he knelt next to her, putting pressure on the wound as blood seeped between her fingers and into his hand. Her eyes looked at him in shock as the color began to fade from her cheeks and her mouth opened as if to speak. He felt the tears stinging his eyes. As he told her to hold on, begged her to hold on, as her breathing began to slow. Her bloodied hand touched his cheek before falling away, her eyes fluttering shut as her labored breaths became shallower before they ceased altogether.

Jim stood over Brian as he held her body and tears flowed freely from his eyes. He felt his world fall out from under him.