A/N: Two more chapters after this and the fic will be coming to an end. I don't know if it'll end the way you think it will, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.
The flames are burning high and Elizabeth is sifting through the rubble trying to find her son. Her heart is beating fast, she could feel the heat seeping through her skin and into the very being of her soul. She had to find him. There was no way she was losing her son the day before Christmas.
It just wasn't happening. She shouts for him. She shouts as loud as she can, her voice aching as she coughs from the smoke she's taking in, but she doesn't care. She keeps screaming. She keeps calling out to him. Hoping that, wherever he is in the choas, he'll be able to hear her.
"Liz, I found a way in." Johnny says, climbing over rubble to get to her. "We've got to get in fast."
"Show me the way." Elizabeth says without hesitation, taking his hand when he holds it out to her. "Have you heard anything from him?"
"No." Johnny says sadly. "We'll find him. We have to."
Refusing to give up hope, Elizabeth shouts for him. She shouts loud and continuously, not caring if she loses her voice once this is all done with. She needs him to hear her voice. She needs him to hold onto her voice as his pull to keep fighting. As they push aside the debris, they both talk to him. Hoping that he can hear them. Neither of them are thinking past finding Jake.
Though they weren't sure how they were getting out of the fire, they weren't sure how they would get him out once he's found, they didn't know a lot, but they wouldn't think of it. They couldn't. All that mattered in that moment is finding Jake and getting him out. That's it. That's all they could focus on.
"Emma, I need you take Lily to your house." Jason says, seeing the fear in his daughter's eyes. "No matter what happens, you keep her there."
"I can't leave!" Lily exclaims. "I can't leave them now."
"I promise you...I will get them out." Jason takes her hands in his. "No matter what it takes, I will give you back your family."
"I love you, daddy." Lily throws her arms around Jason. "Please be safe."
"Go." Jason kisses her forehead, turning to Cameron once Lily and Emma walk away. "You should go too."
"No." Cameron says firmly. "You're going to need my help."
"Cam..."
"Don't Cam, me. That's my family in there." Cameron says, rolling up his sleeves. "Lets go."
Jason makes his way around the border with Cameron. They find an unattended spot where they could get through and search the back of the house for the cellar. Cameron used that pathway to get out of the house more than once and he knew that it would be the best bet in getting into the house.
"Ready?" Jason says, holding one of the handles while Cameron holds the other. "On three."
They open the doors, expecting flames to shoot out, but are pleased to find that the fire hasn't reached the bottom level of the house yet. Making their way inside, they can hear Elizabeth shouting for Jake. Fighting the urge to just run through the flames to get there, Cameron searches the cellar for the hidden doorway that leads to the second floor. Jason follows him, hoping that they can get to the second floor in time to save everyone.
"This way." Cameron says, pulling open the wall panel to reveal the passageway. "Don't ask."
Jason doesn't question him, he simply follows behind him, waiting to get to the fire hell that is blazing through the house. Finally breaking through to the second floor, Jason takes the lead, keeping Cameron behind him as they make their way through the rubble. Just another reason to hate law enforcement.
"MOM!" Cameron shouts, climbing over rubble, making sure to stay away from unsteady flooring. "MOM, WHERE ARE YOU?"
"Cam?" Elizabeth pushes her way to the door. "What are you doing in here?"
"Macho wanted to help." Cameron says, gesturing to Jason. "Where's Jake?"
"Johnny thinks he found him." Elizabeth concedes. "We're trying to remove the debris, but its pretty heavy."
"I'm on it." Cameron says, climbing over more rubble to get to Johnny.
"Why?" Elizabeth asks, stopping Jason from walking inside.
"He's my son." Jason says simply. "And you're...you."
"Thank you." Elizabeth says, letting go of his arm and showing him the safest way to get to Johnny.
Jason and Elizabeth start tossing away the debris, being careful to toss it out of the room and not inside for fear of piling it on Jake. They were all digging when they finally spotted Jake's arm and moved to dig the rest of him out. Being the nurse, Elizabeth moves them away to check his vitals and to make sure that he's not bleeding out.
"Jake, honey, can you hear me?" Elizabeth holds his face in her hands. "Baby, please, you've gotta wake up. Please."
Everything went silent for a moment, only the sound of the house burning can be heard when Jake coughs, opening his eyes slightly.
"Mom." he says, his voice is hoarse. "What h-happened?"
"Its a long story, but we've gotta get you out of here." Elizabeth lets out a breath of relief. "Do you think you can get up? Does anything hurt?"
"Just my leg." Jake says, sitting up with Johnny's assistance.
"We need to get out of here." Jason says, looking up at what's left of the ceiling. "It won't hold for much longer."
"Dad?" Jake looks up at him, confused. "What're you doing here?"
"Keeping my promise." Jason says simply. "I told you I'd be here for you."
"We're going to lift you on three." Cameron tells Jake, sliding his shoulder under Jake's arm as Johnny slides his under the other. "Ready?"
"Go for it." Jake says, bracing himself for the inevitable pain that will start.
They're able to pick him up off the floor, using themselves as braces as they make their way over the rubble. Jason and Elizabeth wait for them to get out of the room before they make their exit, heading to the one place on the second floor that hasn't been touched by the flames. Cameron and Johnny get Jake into the passageway just before the roof breaks off, blocking Jason and Elizabeth from getting through.
"Mom!" Jake exclaims at the same time as Cameron.
"Get out!" Elizabeth shouts. "We'll find another way down."
"There's no other way!" Johnny shouts, his heart aching as he stares past the fire at Elizabeth.
"We'll find one!" Elizabeth promises. "I'll make it out...I promise."
"I love you!" Johnny says with conviction. "You better make it back to me!"
"I will." Elizabeth promises. "Get them out of here now."
Johnny reluctantly helps Cameron carry Jake out once the flames start spreading into the passageway. Jason and Elizabeth take a look around before turning to each other. They both knew the chances of them making it out of that house. The flames have overtaken each viable exit, giving them little chances of getting out unscathed.
"Any ideas?" Elizabeth looks at him questioningly.
"One." Jason glances around. "You trust me?"
"With my life." Elizabeth says without hesitation. "Tell me what to do."
Jason thinks quickly, finding the perfect out for her and guiding her over to it. They climb back into Jake's room, his window looks over the pool in the backyard, it being the best way for her to get out. The roof was going quickly, it would be mere moments before it comes crashing down.
"I'm gonna help you the window and I want you brace your feet against the wall, okay?" Jason says carefully. "Once you're set, I want you to push yourself as hard as you can away from the wall."
"What about you?"
"I'll figure out my way." Jason says firmly. "I'm going to help you push off, but I need you to use all the strength you have left to kick away from the house. You'll make the jump, I promise you will."
"Not until you promise me you'll make it out of here, too." Elizabeth says sternly, staring him in the eye. "Jason?"
"I'll always love you." Jason says, caressing her cheek softly. "But you have to forget about me right now and make this jump."
"That's not what I wanted to hear."
"Its the best I can give you." Jason says sadly. "You've started your life again without me...you can keep going. Just make it back to the kids and be happy."
"They need you."
"They need you more." Jason counters. "Liz, the place is about to fall apart any minute. Please...just do this for me."
Elizabeth shakes her head, knowing that her words would fail her, allowing Jason to help her climb out the window. As they hold hands, Jason is waiting for her to set her footing so that she can push away from the house and he can push while she pushes against his hands. Once she's got the footing, Elizabeth stops him for a moment.
"I'll always love you, too." Elizabeth says, staring into his eyes. "No matter what happens after today...that will always be true. It was always true."
"I know." Jason whispers, taking a deep breath. "Ready?"
"Ready." Elizabeth says, taking a deep breath and pushing as hard as she can against the wall and his hands, just as he's pushing against her hands to give her more force.
She flies through the air, bracing herself for the impact of the water, being swallowed into the pool as her body comes in contact with it. She gives it a moment before she pushes herself up to the surface, staring up at the window that she threw herself from, finding flames shooting out of it. Tears falling from her eyes, Elizabeth swims to the edge and pulls herself out.
"Jason." she whispers, staring at the window. "Please...please find a way out."
A/N: Thanks for reviews.
Let me know what you think.
-ROCkER