Chief Constable Giles and Inspector Brackenreid looked around the corridor. The bolted door, the still fizzing and corroding carpet, the smashed chandelier covered in blades. They could see the two remaining rooms were clear but it was the locked one that was drawing their attention.

"Doctor Ogden must be in that room. Possibly even Murdoch," Giles concluded. "There's nowhere else they could be."
"But if Doctor Ogden followed Gillies, where did he go? He's not going to be in a room locked from the outside, is he?"
"Good question," Giles nodded. "But we need to check if she's in there at least."

Brackenreid frowned; it made sense, but something was telling him that at the very least they would be wasting their time or worse, it would be another trap.

"Doctor Ogden!" Giles called, rapping on the door. "Doctor Ogden, are you in there?"

On receiving no reply, Giles reached for the bolts and shunted the first aside.

"Sir, I don't think we..."
"She could be unconscious," he explained as he pushed the second bolt back.

Brackenreid frowned again. He had no firm reason for doubting what Giles was doing, but something told him that it felt wrong.

"Sir," he began more forcefully. "I really don't think we..."

He was cut off as Giles pushed the door open and a white cloud of gas poured from the room. Coughing violently, Brackenreid staggered back, a handkerchief snatched from his pocket to cover his nose and mouth. His eyes were stinging and watering as the gas continued to fill the corridor, before dispersing surprisingly quickly. Rubbing his now bloodshot eyes, he looked down to see Chief Constable Giles crumpled on the floor.

"Sir!" He cried hoarsely as he knelt at his side.

A brief check revealed to his great relief that Giles was merely unconscious. He had no idea what the gas was, but his throat felt raw and his eyes were still watering. They were falling like flies and now alone, far from feeling afraid, Brackenreid was angry. Looking around the corridor for a clue as to their disappearance, his eyes were drawn to a light switch. A previously unnoticed pale pink arrow appeared to have been drawn on the wall pointing to it. He smiled; it had to be Doctor Ogden's lipstick transferred with a finger perhaps? Flicking the switch, he watched in astonishment as a panel of the wall slid back and to the side.

"Right then, Gillies," Brackenreid growled as he readied his shotgun.

His eyes widened and he broke into a run as the sound of another shot rang out, clearly coming from the secret room.

oOo

It had all happened in slow motion and yet everything was a blur in his eyes. The last thing Murdoch remembered was Gillies swinging around to face him, his gun now back in his left hand, his arm extended in his direction. It would be the end, or at the very least a lingering painful death by exsanguination. On instinct he closed his eyes tightly and looked away. When the shot came, it was a few moments before he realised that he wasn't hurt. Had he missed? The gun was in his left hand, after all. Slowly, uncertainly opening his eyes, he saw James Gillies slipping slowly to the floor, the gun slipping from his limp grasp. Trembling and pale, Doctor Ogden held a still smoking standard issue police revolver, her dress, hands and, to some extent, her face covered in a spray of blood.

"Julia?" Murdoch whispered tentatively. "Julia? Are you all right?"

Slowly she turned unseeing eyes toward Detective Murdoch as she continued to tremble, tears slowly forming and welling in her eyes, as if springing to wash the blood from her cheeks. Turning her eyes once more, she looked at Gillies, lying on the floor, still breathing, but deeply unconscious from the severity of the overwhelming pain of the point blank shot.

"Julia?" Murdoch spoke again, this time his voice more urgent than before.

Doctor Ogden took in a deep breath as if she had suddenly awakened with a start from a terrible nightmare. Staring at the gun in her bloodied hands, she seemed suddenly to shake out of her trance into the present. Turning quickly, she ran immediately to Murdoch's side, throwing her arms around him, burying her now tear-stained face in his chest.

"Oh, William!" She breathed, sobbing with a variety of emotions ranging from relief and exhaustion to a release of fear and, to her surprise, even some guilt.
"It's all right," he replied quietly, scarcely believing it himself as he placed his free arm comfortingly across her back, pulling her closer.

Lost in the warmth of her scent, and hearing only the gentle sobs of relief of the woman in his arms, Murdoch didn't hear Brackenreid racing down the stairs. It was only when he heard a faint groan off to his right that his attention was drawn away. Realising that Gillies' gun still lay near his hand, Murdoch looked up alarmed at the possibility that he may be waking already, but his apprehension turned to sheer joy as he realised that the source of the sound was Constable Crabtree.

"Julia!" He ran his fingers down her cheek gently. "George is alive!"

Raising her head, Doctor Ogden turned bleary tear-filled eyes toward Crabtree. Turning briefly back as she realised she couldn't clear her vision with blood-stained hands. Already, Murdoch held a clean white handkerchief in his left hand bringing a laugh to her lips.

"Really, William, your jacket is over there. How many handkerchiefs do you carry?"
"I will always have one on hand should you need it," he smiled. "Now, please, if you could pass me my lock picking tools, I can free myself while you tend to George."
"Of course, William," she smiled as she wiped the few spots of blood from her cheeks and as much as she could manage from her hands.

"Murdoch," Brackenreid called urgently as he ran over, barely stopping to glance at Gillies on the way. "Are you all right? I'll get his tools, Doctor, you take care of Crabtree."
"Thank you, Inspector," Doctor Ogden forced a smile.
"I'm fine, Sir," Murdoch replied quietly.

In truth, he was exhausted, mentally and physically, and felt he could easily sleep for a week or more. Every muscle in his racked body screamed out for attention and it was all he could do to lift his arm to take the lock picking kit from the Inspector's hands.

"Can I help?" Brackenreid asked.
"Please," Murdoch nodded before explaining the task as he had earlier with Crabtree.

Examining Crabtree while Murdoch freed himself from the manacle, Doctor Ogden sighed with relief to see that the gunshot wound was superficial and that he had merely aggravated an earlier blow to his head in the fall, knocking himself unconscious. Ironically, it had probably saved his life as Gillies had believed him to be either already dead or at the very least, to be dying.

"Doctor Ogden?" Crabtree said as he came to fully turning a confused expression upward. "Detective Murdoch?"
"I'm fine, George," he responded, slowly pushing himself unsteadily to his feet.
"Gillies?" Crabtree asked.
"Shortly to hang for all his crimes," Murdoch promised, his tone edged with anger and bitterness.

Steadying himself against the wall, Murdoch felt like he had the walking ability of a newborn deer. With an expression of concern for the sheer logistics, he looked over at the stairs and wondered how all four of them would manage to get out of the cellar with two incapacitated and himself still weak and unsteady on his feet. The question was answered almost immediately as the door opened revealing Jackson and the now revived Giles.

"Detective Murdoch!" Jackson called, relieved to see everyone alive, if not well. "We heard a gunshot."
Murdoch nodded. "Doctor Ogden shot Gillies. She saved our lives."
"Is he dead?" Part of Brackenreid couldn't help but hope that the answer was yes, but for Doctor Ogden's sake, he was relieved to hear that she had merely shot another bullet into his existing shoulder injury. "Well done, Doctor, that was very brave of you."
"Or very reckless," Giles commented.
"With respect, sir, if it wasn't for Doctor Ogden, I would very likely have two more dead officers. Don't you think we've had enough?"
"Point taken, Inspector. My apologies, Doctor. Your actions were certainly brave, but I was concerned for your safety. This is no job for a woman."
"I was frequently told the same about pathology, Chief Constable Giles and yet I am more than capable," she countered, tired of the constant well-intentioned but insulting remarks.
"Indeed, Doctor," he frowned, taking a deep breath. "Once again, my apologies."
"Right then," Brackenreid scowled. "Let's get this toe rag behind bars where he belongs."

Lifting Gillies' right arm Brackenreid smirked as he woke screaming with pain. Giles frowned his disapproval but said nothing.

"Come on you little bastard, I've got a noose waiting for you."
"Can't you see I've been shot, you imbecile?" Gillies pitch had raised somewhat in his agony.
"Shot you say?" Brackenreid laughed as he twisted Gillies arm up his back, the younger man's legs almost giving way as he did so. "No, can't say I'd noticed."
"Sir?" Murdoch began with a frown.
"Get to the hospital, Murdoch. All of you, Higgins is probably already on the way."
"Higgins, sir?" Murdoch raised his eyebrows. "You said that someone was dead... It's..."
"Not Higgins, but it was close. Doctor Grace saw to him."
"Doctor Grace is here?" Crabtree asked, still a little woozy from the blows.
"George!" Came a familiar voice from the top of the stairs.

Crabtree looked up, almost stumbling as he did. Already rushing down the stairs, Doctor Grace headed for his side. Crabtree had never been so grateful to see anyone in his life.

"You're hurt," she stated.
"I'll be fine," Crabtree smiled.
"You're so brave, George," she grinned offering her arm to assist him.

Crabtree had no response but a lopsided grin as he lapped up the attention from the pretty young doctor.

"Hospital, now, all of you! I'll brief you later, Murdoch, but for now get yourself looked at." He offered a good-hearted smirk. "I want you fit for work tomorrow."
"Sir," uncertain if he was serious, Murdoch nodded, then wished he hadn't.

It seemed that Gillies had attacked half of Station House Four. There would be quite a reunion at the hospital.

"Don't think I've finished with you, Detective," Gillies shouted, turning his head as he was pulled away.
"Really, Mr Gillies?" Murdoch raised an eyebrow. "Your father is dead at your own hands. There is no one to help you escape now. You are shortly to hang and I will be there to see it."
Gillies smirked menacingly. "I'm counting on it, Detective. Trust me, I'm counting on it."

Watching intently as he was dragged away, Murdoch couldn't help but wonder on his threat. Was there indeed someone else helping him? Could he escape again? Was there meaning in the comment that Gillies was expecting Murdoch to be present at his hanging?

He cast a reassuring glance toward Doctor Ogden; was she thinking the same thing? He wasn't going to ask; he would only risk upsetting her, especially if she heard the uncertainty in his own voice.

But, for now they were safe and he would make it his business to see they remained so. Walking over to where the others stood, softening his brow as he did, he smiled at Doctors Ogden and Grace and Constable Crabtree.

"The hospital?"

Crabtree gave a crooked smile in return. With a gentle squeeze of his arm, Doctor Grace steered him slowly towards the staircase. Taking each step carefully, Crabtree used the bannister to lean on as he ascended. Turning half way up, Crabtree was about to ask a question but closed his mouth as he saw Murdoch and Dr Ogden still in the centre of the cellar, their lips pressed together in a deep yet tender embrace. He smiled to himself; it could wait.

THE END

A huge thank you to everyone who read and/or reviewed this story. I really hope you enjoyed it. I have a couple of ideas in the pipeline, so please look out for more! Hugs Sas x