A/N: Well that was certainly one-sided. Apparently almost everyone wants to see Root admit her feelings for Shaw. Thanks in advance for reading this and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks also go to t3l4m0n for betaing this chapter.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

Two loud gunshots filled the air. Their explosive roar drowning out Sameen's cry of surprise and pain. Blood flowed from her chest from the two bullet wounds centered near her heart.

The number, that Shaw was protecting, stood behind her. His head tilted slightly as he admired his shot like the consummate professional that he was. Focused on watching his so called protector, that had done more to hamper his mission than anything, he barely heard the outraged cry behind him.

Root hastily took in the scene. Sameen lying on the floor unmoving in a pool of blood, the man whose number they had gotten and mistakenly assumed needed protecting from a cartel hit squad whom it turned out was hired by the cartel to find out who was responsible for their recent loss in shipments, stood over her holding what Root instantly recognized as Shaw's own weapon.

The man had barely turned his head to ascertain the latest threat before he took a bullet to the carotid artery. The arterial spray of blood arced like a morbid fountain across the empty cellar in the abandoned house. Instinctively he clapped a hand trying to stem the flow of blood even though he knew it would do no good.

Root blacked out for a moment and then came back to her senses. She was kneeling in the pool of blood left by Sameen. The sky blue blouse she wore had been ripped off her back and torn to shreds in an attempt to hastily stem the escaping flow of blood. Several feet back her weapon lay on the ground. Completely out of ammo. Not far from it was the man who shot Shaw already dead. Blood no longer flowed from the wound on his neck. Too much had already been lost through the two rounds that had turned his head inside out and the three remaining rounds that had left his heart looking like Swiss cheese.

Root could barely hear a voice speaking calmly in her ear over her own anguished cry. She paid little attention to it, except for "ambulance on way. ETA 3 minutes."

"Sameen! Do-don't you dare die on me!" Tears flowed freely from Root's eyes smearing her mascara into a messy multicolored river. Her hands were shaking, though if it was due to how tightly her hands were pressed against her shirt holding it in Shaw's wounds or from the abject terror that gripped her at losing the person closest to her. "Please." She managed to choke out as her head fell upon Shaw's chest "I…I don't know what I'd do without you."

She continued to sob. Unaware of the presence of anyone else till a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders and pulled her away from Sameen. Root struggled against the hold and flailed violently as she tried to escape. It was not till she was several feet away and someone else, dressed in the standard paramedic uniform, had knelt by Shaw's body that she even managed to hear someone saying "Ma'am you need to stop struggling. I can't help my partner save your friend if I'm busy restraining you."

That took the fight out of her in an instant. Root relaxed and hung limp in his grip. When the man let her go she collapsed onto her knees staring fixedly at Shaw.

When they loaded Sameen onto a stretcher and took her out to the ambulance Root numbly followed. Outside she was barred from riding in the ambulance alongside Sam. Thankfully Reese was there to give her a lift. On the way the Machine kept Root abreast of what was happening in the emergency transport.

"We're losing her!" Was screamed out with a loud alarm blaring in the background.

The Machine quickly cut the connection but it was far too late for Root.

Root's heart seemed to freeze in her chest and she dove inward far away from the goings-on in the rest of the world.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

"How long has Ms. Groves been like this?" Finch asked quietly.

"It's been a good three hours now. Ever since the car ride." Reese replied equally quiet as he stared across the room at Root.

Root sat stiffly in the chair Reese had placed her in. The light haired woman stared fixedly at the floor a good ten feet away, though she did not truly see it. She had not spoken or moved since she had heard Sam flat line. When they had arrived at the hospital Root had made no move to get out of the vehicle. Initially worried that he would need to carry her Reese had taken Root by the hand and found that she would move automatically, solike a child he had led her from his vehicle to the Operating Room waiting area. He'd placed her in a seat near the doors so that she would be the first thing anyone exiting through the doors would see.

"I…knew she felt strongly about Ms. Shaw, I just never expect it to be this strongly." Finch replied as he clinically observed the woman who had once kidnapped him. "By all appearances she has gone completely catatonic."

"Any idea how long before she snaps out of it?"

"Too soon to tell. If Ms. Shaw successfully makes it out of surgery then it may be as soon as we receive the news. However…." Finch paused as he contemplated his next words carefully.

"…if Shaw doesn't make it, then we will probably lose her forever." Reese finished his voice tinged with sadness. He knew all too well the hardship of losing someone close to you. Knowing what he did about Root he felt sorry for the woman. Especially since while physically and mentally strong enough to survive Shaw's death, mentally he doubted the woman would ever recover given her past and the relationship she had been developing with Shaw.

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Several hours later Root had still not responded to anything going on around her. It was not until a doctor came out specifically looking for her that there was any indication of life from the woman.

"Ms. Groves?" The woman said hesitantly. Her gloved hands were caked in blood and her eyes were tired as she looked around the room.

Root barely lifted her head and whispered out. "Here." Before staring fixedly at the doctor lost once again in her thoughts.

The doctor walked closer to Root and knelt down. Looking the seated woman in the eyes she gave her a tired smile. "Ms. Shaw is out of surgery, and she should be fine. It'll take her awhile to fully recover, but she's through the worst of it."

Root's eyes brimmed with tears and then in a move that her two associates did not expect she flung her arms around the woman and hugged her tightly. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She managed to get out sounding rather choked up.

(Sameen Shaw's Hospital Room)

'This was not supposed to happen.' Root's head rested on folded arms as she stared at the comatose Shaw. Her eyes were swollen red and itched from near constant crying. Reaching a hand up Root brushed a strand of hair off of Sameen's face.

The former assassin had been out of surgery for a day now. She was still fast asleep from the anesthesia she had been given. Her complexion was almost parchment white and her hair hung limp around her eyes. The normal stoic expression she always wore was missing. In its place there was a look of peace, or at least as close to peaceful as Sameen ever let herself become.

Root had only left Sameen twice over the period of time since coming out of her own induced catatonic state. Both times had been from a need to relieve herself and to make an attempt at freshening up.

Reese had stayed for a while, but even with his lack of social skill he quickly realized that the last thing Root wanted was company, sohe had quietly made his departure only to return briefly with some items he had liberated from both women's homes.

"I killed him Sam." Root whispered quietly. Her throat hurt saying something so simple, but she pressed on feeling a need to confess to the sleeping woman. "The instant you went down I couldn't stop myself. I…I just…could not let that smug bastard stand there admiring his shot before going for the kill. I…just remember screaming and screaming with your blood over my hands even as the paramedics tried to make me move so they could help you. If it wasn't for them…"Root trailed off into silence as her hands curled tight around Sameen's blankets and a fresh wave of tears threatened to come forth.

The unconscious woman gave no outward indication that she heard what Root was saying or was even aware of the taller woman's presence. The machine monitoring her heart rate continued beeping at the same slow and steady rate as the woman breathed quietly, lost in the void of sleep.

Sniffling back her tears Root looked up at Sameen. Where before her eyes were lost in sadness and despair there was a newfound determination in them. Reaching out she clasped one of Sam's hands in both of hers. "I won't let this happen to you again Sam. I don't know what I would do without you in my life." Taking a deep breath Root mentally prepared herself for what she was going to say next. Opening her mouth to speak she was interrupted.

"Ms. Groves." Finch's calm voice came from behind her. "Maybe you should get some sleep. You've been here for the last several hours. I can watch over Ms. Shaw."

Root bit back a rather nasty retort. 'The man means well. His timing just sucks.' Letting out a sigh Root wiped at her eyes with the back of a sleeve. Turning she gave the man a tight smile. "You are right Harold. Shaw will still be here when I wake up, and when she does." Root paused as she got to her feet. "The last thing she needs to do is bark at me for nearly killing myself from fatigue." Her balance was shaky, but somehow Root managed to make it over to a chair set up beside the hospital bed.

The lounger was meant for patients - well enough to get out of bed -to relax in. While not originally intended for visitors to sleep in, the hospital staff knew all too well that more often than not it was used for that purpose. To that end they would turn a blind eye to those using them unless the patient was obviously mobile and needed a chance to get up and move about to avoid bedsores.

Finch said nothing settling instead for an inward sigh as he watch Root get comfortable in the chair and then fall asleep a minute later. Taking up Root's vigil he pulled a hardback book out of his briefcase and began reading, his mind halfway paying attention to the book and the other half on the room's other occupants.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

"I can walk myself to the car." Shaw said gruffly. Draped in a hospital robe - overtop some clothing Root had brought from her home - Sameen Shaw was not thrilled at having to be wheeled out like some weak person incapable of taking care of herself.

"You should know well enough that you are still not as strong as you were before getting shot. I rather make sure you got out to the car safely, but hey, if you want to run the risk of injuring yourself right after you got out of the hospital Sam, then go right ahead." Root said cheerfully and somewhat smugly since she knew Shaw would not take the chance. As she pushed the shorter woman's wheelchair down the ramp and to her car Root felt a sense of relief that the former assassin was on the road to recovery.

A week had passed since Shaw had woken up. The grumpy woman had made life difficult for the hospital staff whom were unused to having a patient perfectly capable of reading their own medical chart and criticizing their notions that she needed to spend far more time in the hospital than was necessary.

Root had stayed near the woman the entire time and had found the whole spectacle far more amusing than anticipated. While she was rightly concerned about Sameen's health she had the Machine's assurances that the dark haired woman would be better off discharged from the hospital several days early, soit was with Her help that Root had broken into Sam's apartment, since the woman had changed her locks since the last time Root had broken in. Certainly no need to tell the woman that Root had posed as Sameen's lover in order to get the spare key from the apartment manager.

Shaw had bought some new clothes since the last time Root snooped around. The daily stress of saving people taking a heavy toll on the already durable garments. She had grabbed a pair of black jeans, a low-cut white tank top to serve for outer wear. The real fun was going through the shorter woman's meager collection of intimates. Root had rather enjoyed pawing through the collection to see if there were any risky or embarrassing choices that she could have brought for the woman, but sadly she could find none. 'Sam just doesn't have a taste for the finer things. Perhaps I should take her out shopping at some point to correct that deficiency.' She had finally settled on a simple pair of white high cut panties and a black bra.

'If she wears it then I can certainly enjoy the view for the car ride, and if she doesn't…' Root smiled as she felt a familiar heat flare up down below.

It was no surprise that Sameen Shaw was less than thrilled when Root showed up at her room with a black duffel bag full of the clothes she had picked out for her. The woman had unzipped the bag taken one look inside and given Root a cold hard glare.

Root had actually felt a slight chill run up her spine. Having gotten little sun during her stint in the hospital Shaw was now a very pale shade of white that made her eyes stand out like little black pools of mud that threatened to suck you down like movie quicksand. The pale pink of her lips looked almost like tender skin that had been revealed after the upper layer had been violently torn off.

"I'm going to have to change the locks again." Shaw had grumbled as she pushed past Root and into the bathroom.

"Feel free to yell out if you need any help putting that on." Root called out cheerfully. "Oh, and don't hesitate to ask if you need help taking it off." She said a moment later her voice husky with desire.

Shaw had been about to close the bathroom door when Root said that. Her back stiffened and her grip on the duffle tightened, then she had turned around and glared at Root once more. "I'd sooner ask Finch for help." She said coldly before slamming the door closed behind her with enough force to rattle the medical chart hanging from the white board against the opposite wall.

The moment the door was closed Root's heart tightened in her chest. So far she had told Sameen that she had taken care of the man who had shot her. The woman had been un-phased and simply thanked Root for doing it. Seemingly satisfied in hearing the man was not going to be trouble anymore and not bothering to ask why Root had reacted so strongly.

A part of her wanted to elaborate, but somehow she just couldn't. Root had fidgeted and mussed with her phone during the ensuing silence and had been grateful when a nurse had shown up shooing her from the room so she could examine Sameen.

When they reached Root's new vehicle - liberated from a man who had parked it in short term parking before boarding a one-way flight to Mexico -Root glanced down bemusedly at Shaw.

"You are evil." Sam said simply through gritted teeth as she stared jealously at the sight before her.

The onyx black muscle car had been painstakingly restored after sitting in a garage for nearly two decades gathering dust. It had a manual transmission and leather seats that were brand new since the old ones had been chewed through by various small animals that Root felt uncomfortable even thinking about. It would have been a crime to let such a beauty sit lost and forgotten at the airport for an owner that did not truly appreciate it until such a time as someone stole it or stripped it of parts. So Root had picked the door open and snagged the car keys from underneath the driver side sun visor and driven it out less than an hour after it was parked.

"I know." Root said simply though her usual smirk. 'That's what you like about me…I think.' She mentally added feeling far from certain. "Once you are all better though, then I might consider letting you take it out for a spin."

That got Sameen's attention. Root could see the woman's eyes widen and pupils dilate in their reflection at the thought of getting behind the wheel of this powerhouse.

Root's stomach once more knotted up for an instant as a feeling of delight at making the shorter woman smile went through her.

They drove in comfortable silence each woman lost in her own thoughts.

Root felt somewhat perplexed. This was now the second time that her stomach had knotted up in regards to Sameen. It was not normal for her. She cared little about the happiness of others. Few cared little about her, so she saw no problem returning the favor to them, yet Sameen Shaw was a puzzle.

Theirs had been an uneasy partnership at first. Both women working together for the sake of the number while keeping a close watch on the other always ready for the double cross that they were certain was coming, yet had never occurred. It was perhaps after their third mission together that Root had let her guard down around Sameen. That had earned her a bullet in the shoulder and apparently the trust of Sameen Shaw. Why Shaw had shot her there when she could have simply killed her was something Root had thought over time and again during her time spent recovering.

That action had seemingly paid off the unwritten debt that had existed between them since Root had attempted to torture the former assassin for information. They had let their guard down more often around each other and they developed a friendship. At least something that passed for one between a dark haired beauty who claimed to barely even feel emotions and a light haired beauty who was closed off emotionally.

Root found herself opening up around Shaw. The shorter woman's presence cutting through the barriers she had erected to protect herself after the death of her only friend Hanna and from the self-inflicted emotional exile from the rest of humanity from all that she had endured in life before turning sixteen. The kindred soul she had found in Sameen had done much to helping her heal. Probably the reason why the Machine had insisted she work with the frustrating woman in the first place.

In a way their friendship had mirrored the one between her and Hanna. Minus the flirtation of course. Though Root really only ever used it on Sameen and felt that had Hanna not died she would have flirted with her all in good nature of course.

'Unless…' a part of her whispered quietly like a lover in the ear of their distracted significant other. Shaking her head she put it aside for the moment and drove Shaw home. She would be dropping the woman off and leaving her temporarily since Root needed to stop at her own place and pick some things up. The taller woman had volunteered to live with Shaw for the next several weeks to make sure she did not strain herself too much.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

That night while in the shower Root found her thoughts focused on the dark haired woman she was watching over. She was puzzled why she cared so much about the former assassin. Not since the death of Hanna had she cared about someone who was not directly related to her.

'Perhaps you have feelings for her.' The voice from earlier whispered seductively in her mind.

'Sure she's a good friend. Probably closer than Hanna ever was.' Root countered.

'Sure.' She could hear the mental eye roll. 'Considering how you showed no interest in anyone while growing up, aside from Hanna, I'd say you care about her more than as a friend.'

'That…' she started off weakly before falling silent.

'Please, you are totally into her. Why else would you have been so worried about her earlier.'

'Because she's my friend.'

'Then why do you constantly flirt with her?'

'Because it is fun to tease her.'

'Then what about how much time you spend with her?'

'Last time I checked people usually spend time with their friends.' Root was getting tired of the questions. She began washing her legs while waiting for the voice's next question.

'Fine then, you obviously care nothing about her.' The voice said tiredly. Seemingly tired of arguing with the hacker. 'One last question then. If you really are just friends with Sameen, then give me a description of her.'

Rolling her eyes Root moved her way up her body continuing cleaning up. 'Let's see, long sleek legs that are pure muscle and look killer in heels…the few times she bothers wearing them. Long sleek black hair the color of night that obviously gets washed regularly despite her indifference towards her appearance. Strong jawline with perfect straight white teeth.' Root's breath hitched as she soaped up her chest. Feeling much hotter in the shower than she had earlier.

'Go on.' The voice, sounding suspiciously like Shaw's when she was trying to play Root, practically purred and Root imagined the woman wrapping her arms around her body.

'Taunt washboard abs that…' Root's train of thought became slightly hitched as she noticed that her hands had begun kneading her breasts. 'Fuck…' She dropped her hands with an annoyed groan and turned the shower water to cold.

The voice was now laughing at her and seemed to take delight in the mischief it caused her.

'I would suggest telling Sameen how you feel. Especially after today.' The voice grew somber before trailing off into silence.

Finishing her shower Root ignored the urge that had grown between her legs, deciding that she would at least spite the voice by ignoring the urges in her body.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

The month that Root watched over Shaw was one of the longest of her life. Fully aware of her feelings for her temporary roommate it was becoming difficult to refrain from using her showers to relieve some of her frustration.

Root had debated on finding a time to tell Sameen how she felt about her, but finding the right moment was difficult. More than once she had been on the brink of telling her only to have the moment ruined.

Finally on the last night of her stay in Shaw's apartment Root decided it was now or never.

She had gone to the painstaking trouble of cooking up a meal for Sameen. Inexperienced at cooking steaks she had slightly burned them much to her chagrin. Then of course the mash potatoes were undercooked and the broccoli overcooked. Red with embarrassment Root could hardly look the other woman in the face as she set the food down before her.

"I see you ran into a little trouble cooking." Shaw said amusedly. As she cut into her steak.

"I wasn't fully familiar with how your oven and stove worked. I at least deserve credit for getting it edible at least." Root said with a small smile.

There was silence as the women ate. Well Shaw ate and Root picked at her food nervously. Finally it got the best of Shaw. With a grumble she grabbed the woman's hand forcing her to stop picking at her food.

"Okay either tell me what is going through your mind, or stop thinking because you're beginning to get on my nerves." Shaw gave the taller a woman an exacerbated look as she waited for Root to speak.

Sighing Root leaned back in her chair. Bracing herself for the likely blow up she looked Sameen in the eyes. "Sam, I've been giving it a lot of thought lately, and there is something you should know." Pausing Root took a sip of her water to wet her suddenly dry throat as she worked her courage to continue. "When you were lying there so close to death…I was beside myself with grief. Normally I don't really care about other people, and it took me a little time to realize why the thought of you dying caused me so much pain. I've come to a realization while staying here, and I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you." Pausing Root picked up her glass to take another drink.

Rolling her eyes Shaw waited till Root was drinking before grumbling "Yeah, I love you too." Then picking up her fork and knife she nonchalantly started eating again, purposefully ignoring the sputtering and gasping Root who was looking at Shaw like she had grown two heads.

"What…but…how…I…never!"

Looking up from her plate Shaw smirked at the embarrassed woman. "Surprisingly even when I'm under anesthesia I am still sometimes aware of what is going on around me. That and you talk in your sleep. So for the last two weeks you've been moaning out 'I love you Sameen.' At least once a night."

"Wait so you knew?"

Smiling Shaw replied "I kind of enjoyed seeing you squirm trying to decide when you were going to tell me."

Rolling her eyes Root got up from the table went over and kissed Shaw. Which the recovering woman willingly indulged her.

(POI-POI-POI-POI)

A/N: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed this. Feel free to give me feedback. Suggestion and recommendations on what I can change or improve upon are always welcome. Below are your options for the next chapter. Thanks again for taking the time to read this. And enjoy the rest of your night.

1. A date important to Root comes around. While she is wanting to celebrate Sameen Shaw could care less. Understandably irritated at having Shaw seemingly ignore their anniversary Root decides to take steps to ensure her love realizes how important this day is to her. (Based off a set off photos I found - and cannot locate at this time - depicting Root and Shaw living together…minus the blood at the end)

2. Root crosses a heretofore unwritten line. Having somehow managed to obtain some risqué photos of Shaw's back in college –that Sameen was positive were all destroyed - Root has some fun teasing the woman. Hurt and seeking revenge Shaw turns to the Machine and tells her that she cannot trust Root anymore after this stunt. So unless the Machine reveals one of Root's more embarrassing secrets then their partnership is done. Suffice to say the Machine blinks and the secret she reveals gives Shaw ideas.

3. Shaw has a nasty habit of eating when she's stressed. Despite her usual training regimen the former assassin believes that she is putting on weight and that her crush Root will no longer find her attractive.