Chapter 20

"No," Jamie whimpered over and over again in between gut-wrenching sobs as Eddie sat bleeding from her chest right across from him. The blood was an electric shade of red that glowed bright as it spread quickly and evenly in every direction, replacing the muted heather-gray of the sweater she wore. "Blood," he blurted out as if trying to make the only other occupant in the room see that she was in trouble. Eddie's body jerked with each effort she made to draw air into her lungs as wide terrified eyes implored him for help. "She can't breathe!" Jamie howled. He struggled to get to her with the heavy chair and all until a pair of strong hands clamped down onto his shoulders to still him. All he could do was stare in horror while the air swirled around her twitching frame with none of it flowing into her.

Astonished by all that he had accomplished so far, Noble let out a low whistle as he observed the distressed blonde. "That's a lot of blood, man. You know, I've never shot anyone before," he commented proudly.

"J," Eddie cried when she was able to draw in a painful breath. It had taken her several minutes to realize what had happened after the sharp crack of the gunshot left her holding her breath and she waited for the fiery pain of the bullet wound to set in. When none came, she opened her eyes to see the snide grin on Noble's face while Jamie's screams erupted behind him. Seconds before he pulled the trigger, Noble shifted his aim, firing over her right shoulder into the bar behind her. And while Eddie thanked God she hadn't been shot, she realized this was another element to Noble's sick, maniacal game in which Jamie was trapped in his own worst nightmare, envisioning everything Noble described because of the drugs altering his perception. "Don't listen to him, Jamie! Honey, look at me!" she begged when Jamie's agonized sobs drew her attention away from the heartless man in front of her.

"No, man, really. It looks bad!" Noble turned and pointed to Eddie, as if really concerned about a gunshot wound. "Listen to her, man! She's in horrible pain!"

"Shut up, Sanfino!" Eddie screamed while turning back to her husband. "I'm fine, Jamie! Please, honey! Please look at me!" she urged him in a voice much stronger than she was actually feeling as Jamie's head dropped to his chest and he cried softly, mumbling nonsensically as he imagined his life without her in it. Eddie's heart was breaking with each whimper. She thought that if he just looked her in the eyes - if she could connect with him - he'd see that she was alright.

But Jamie couldn't look at her. All he saw was his wife bleeding out, the energy and light that made her uniquely Eddie fading as she died a horrible death right before his very own eyes. At that point, the nausea that had settled deep within him became unbearable and he quickly lurched to one side, losing the meager contents of his stomach.

Noble grimaced in disgust, taking two quick steps back to avoid any splatter. "Whoa, disgusting! You okay buddy?" He took up a spot on the other side of the table, clear of the nasty mess and continued with the cruel commentary, hoping to send Jamie further into the nightmare he'd painted for him. "I know this is a lot of blood to take in, but you're a cop, man. I'm sure you've seen worse, especially in a place like New York."

"Shut up!" Eddie screamed as she watched Jamie take deep, gulping breaths, his face a horrible shade of green as his stomach continued to roll. "Jamie, I'm right here!"

Noble ignored the hysterics, thrilled that he was successful yet again in making someone see exactly what terrified them the most. "This is all on you, man. That's probably why you're feeling so sick. You could have stopped this." He piled on the guilt that he knew would eat at Jamie so easily. "She's dying, barely able to breathe now," he added sadly as he slapped the side of Jamie's head to get his attention. "Just look!"

"Stop it! Jamie!"

Every time Jamie heard Eddie's voice in his head, they were deafening cries of pain and pleas for help, painful to hear because there was nothing he could do to help her. Her words hung in the air, just more fingers pointed back at him for causing all of this...he knew there was no way he would ever get over this when she finally died.

"Don't listen to him. I'm fine, Jamie," she swore. "Please!"

"Come on, buddy. You shouldn't be around to see her like this," Noble said, concerned that the blonde would destroy the images he had placed in Jamie's head. He leaned over to cut at the bindings around Jamie's arms and legs; it was time to leave this place anyway and head to another location where the young officer had managed to leave an indelible impression on the Sanfino family.

"No, no, no! What are you doing!?" Eddie asked in a panic as Noble manhandled Jamie.

"No," Jamie argued as Noble pulled him up by the arm, weakly pushing him away. "Wanna stay...with Eddie," he cried, swaying as he finally stood on his own two feet. He couldn't just leave here all alone, he needed to hold her and took his first wobbly step to approach her still and bloodied form.

"Yes! Jamie, I'm here," Eddie encouraged him when she saw him move toward her.

Noble reached out to steady the deluded man and prevent him from getting closer to his wife. "Not a good idea. It will only make it worse to see her laying here dead," Noble said, emphasizing the last word to make sure it reverberated in Jamie's head.

"I'm not dead, Jamie!" Eddie shouted as the tears began to flow again from Jamie's red, swollen eyes. She struggled against the duct tape holding her down, only managing to get the chair to scrape a few inches closer to the two men.

"Dead? No," Jamie shook his head, raising his arm to wipe at his eyes and runny nose. He could still hear her. She couldn't be dead, could she? he asked himself in confusion. She couldn't be dead. He couldn't give up on her. Maybe there was a chance he could still help her, if he just get to her...

"I'm fine," Eddie assured him as she watched him make additional attempts to get to her. His glassy eyes were searching her out; she was sure she was getting through to him now.

Jamie fought past the confusion, not understanding how he'd been grieving for Eddie one moment...but now? Now a hope burned deep in his heart and he took another shaky step toward his wife.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing Sergeant Reagan!?" Noble asked in an authoritative tone as he stopped his progression with a firm grip on his bicep.

Jamie frowned at Noble, stating the obvious. "Gotta help."

"No, you can't! This is a crime scene, Sergeant!" Noble told him, banking on Reagan being a stickler for procedure and following orders while Eddie continued to call out to him. "You have procedure to follow. Crime scene people have to take pictures and do whatever it is that they do, right? Take a look for yourself," he said while nodding to Eddie.

"Crime scene?" he whispered as his face crumbled again, riding the wave back down to depression.

"Jamie! No, don't listen to him! I know I got through to you! You heard me! I'm okay!" she stressed. "Damn you, Sanfino!"

"Your father, the Police Commissioner, would be pissed if you didn't follow procedure. You'll disappoint him again, you've already made a mess of things as it is. He'll take good care of Eddie for you."

Jamie shook his head sadly as he began to shut down and slid to the floor. There was nothing left for him to do now if his father and the department were stepping in...he'd failed her.

"No you don't, we got places to go, buddy. Come on now," Noble prodded him along.

Eddie began to panic as Noble picked up his knapsack, preparing to leave her behind. "Where...where are you taking him?"

"I told you already, a trip down memory lane," he said as he leaned Jamie up against the bar, freeing his hands of the despondent man to tear a piece of tape from the roll he'd left on the counter.

"What the hell does that mean?! Where?!"

"You'll have to figure it out on your own, sweetheart...but not for a while."

"No, please don't do this! Please leave -" Eddie pleaded as Noble slapped the tape across her mouth.

"Sorry I have to do this, but you probably won't stay quiet for long if I don't and I need a little time to get your husband out of here. Man, he's as high as a kite!" Noble turned to look at a wobbly, now eerily-quiet Jamie who seemed lost in some sort of trance, surely re-imagining all of the horrors he'd put in his head. He pulled Jamie's arm across his shoulders, mindful of the soiled areas of his shirt when he reach around his waist to help him out. Jamie fell into Noble, allowing him to carry most of his weight now that his body had no desire or strength to move. "Whoa! You're a lot heavier than you look, pal," Noble complained as he moved the other man along to the back exit. "Eddie, it was a pleasure," he threw over his shoulder. "Come on, Jimmy. I got our ride waiting for us," he said, leaving Eddie behind, her muffled screams doing little but causing her more heartache as she feared she'd never see Jamie again.

Well? Thoughts?

My apologies to the reviewer who is finding this a bit long. I don't know if it's good news or bad news, but I still have 6 chapters to post before this is all wrapped up, so there you have it. There is an end in sight. :)