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A broad shoulder blocked her way. Two strong arms held her tight and black hands firmly soothed her back.
In the same moment they had seen the DI getting up and ultimately when the window pane had burst into fragments DC Nkata had known that Barbara would try to run to him. He had watched her closely all the time they stood there unable to do anything. Probably it was only minutes but it felt like hours. She just stood there, constantly moving her fingers, nervously biting her lips, the staring eyes in her pale face never leaving the scene inside the bank. Her eyes never looked away from their boss. They had heard the shot at the watch. They had heard someone shouting inside. Then they had seen Lynley getting up, they had heard the other shot, heard the glass, seen the pane bursting. They had heard a third and a fourth shot. They had seen his left side jerking backwards.
Barbara had shouted his given name after the second shot and kicked into gear but Winston had been there to prevent her from blindly running between the lines. The special forces would know what to do and she should leave it to them. Shouted orders were heard and feet in heavy boots trampled on asphalt. The special forces were in action.
In Winston's arms Barbara only struggled for a moment then she buried her head into his chest and let the tears flow. She only heard what was going on around them. Another window broke into pieces, the armed officers stormed into the bank, more shots were heard, more orders, more boots, thumping sounds and angry shouting from inside the bank. Barbara was not sure if one of it was Tommy's. Then she felt that Winston turned around to have a better view. When his grip loosened he allowed her to have a look herself and both saw Lynley finally coming out. Winston stepped to the side but they ignored him anyway. Barbara was unable to move.
It was a surreal scenery like from a film. On wobbly legs Lynley stepped out of the smoke across the glassless frame and the glistening fragments of the pane. His clothes were stained with blood. His haunted eyes looked around searching and scanning the scene. His left arm hang useless at his side. In his right hand he carried a weapon, gripping it at its barrel and holding it up to show everybody that he was not aiming at anybody. Before more uniformed officers had approached him he loudly said his name and rank.
"DI Thomas Lynley, Metropolitan Police officer."
"He's our guv!" Nkata confirmed from behind and the officers around Tommy let him move on freely. Barbara could not say anything. Her whole body was shaking.
"One hit his thigh, one hit into his chest, four bullets left in the cylinder, Sir." Tommy went on when he reached the two higher ranks at the sat phone. He handed off the old revolver with his eyes now fixed on Barbara. "Be careful with it, it's an heirloom."
The addressed officer was speechless. The other one called towards the ambulance. "Officer wounded."
"Ah, get lost!" Tommy barked at the two medics who tried to treat him. "I'm okay." He never stopped on his way and never broke eye contact with Barbara. Sensing he was not needed either Winston took another step away from her. Both his superiors were pale but like iron to a magnet they were drawn to each other.
"Say it again." Tommy hoarsely whispered still two steps away but still going.
"Tommy!" Barbara croaked. Silent tears were streaming down her face. With one step she closed the last distance and their bodies pressed into each other.
His lips immediately crushed onto hers and they exchanged a shamelessly desperate kiss.
Barbara opened her lips as soon as she felt him and accepted the challenge to invade each other's mouth. Their tongues were twisting. Their noses dug into their faces. Their teeth even clattered against each other. His right hand in the small of her back pulled her body against him. She moved her hip against his. Barbara felt an inappropriate desire and did not at all care that her blouse probably was soaked with the blood from his shirt when she pressed her chest into his. While her lower body softly ground into his her hands ploughed his hair, stroking his ears and neck, burying her fingers in the hair in his nape and pulling his head firmly towards her face. "Stupid fool!" she eventually groaned a curse between light kisses when they broke their encounter for a second to regain some air. "Barbara!" he moaned into her open mouth before they went on with another intense kiss. Years of pent up emotions flowed into it and the tension of the previous situation washed over them like an unbound emotional tsunami.
Unbeknownst to the two Winston had waved towards the driver of one of the ambulance cars to roll forward a bit. The DC had seen where the cameras stood behind the police lines and the couple should not be found in the evening news.
When the first monster wave of adrenaline filled desire ebbed but they still hesitated to let go, their rough-gently bitten lips parted between a few more soft kisses and Barbara finally opened her eyes again. She felt him leaning heavy against her, steadying himself with his arm on her shoulder.
"Are you insane?!" she asked. "You stupid man! Have you ever thought what-" Her voice died in a sob.
"No." he croaked. Tommy's face still was pale while she felt that hers must have become a burning red. He gave her a smile somewhere between apologetic and forced. His glazed eyes were miles away. Almost thinking that he believed he had made a mistake with that kiss Barbara took a small step backwards. Her hands slid onto his chest and under her right one she felt his heart beating as fast as hers did. Her hand was wet with his blood. Her eyes widened.
"It hurts so much." Tommy breathed. Then his eyes rolled back and his body slumped down. The two medics who had patiently waited in the background were there in an instant and gently pushed Barbara to the side so they could do their work. When he had gone down she immediately had knelt next to him.
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