Chapter 18:

Myles pressed the brakes and the van slid a few meters before stopping completely, just barely avoiding hitting the ambulance as it span out of control on the icy road. He heard the gasps from behind as Tara obviously stumbled from her seat, his eyes widening when Sue rushed outside. He cursed loudly before pulling his gun and following her.

"Jack!" She shouted, running towards the ambulance.

"Sue, stop! He might still be out there!" Myles called and then ran after her, realizing that she couldn't hear him.

She opened the passenger door and tumbled backwards as he fell outside. She tried to hold onto something but he was too heavy and the icy road was too slippery. Two strong hands stabled her and they both lowered Jack to the ground. Sue's hands shook when she checked to see if he was breathing. Her heart ached in her chest; she didn't know what to do. She couldn't imagine being without him, tears clouded her vision and she laid a hand against his chest, a sob escaping her lips when she felt it moving up and down.

Megan's eyes opened slowly when someone shook her. Her eyesight was blurry but she recognized the woman who stood next to her. "Don't move. You're pretty banged up." Tara said, glancing at the other side of the ambulance where Myles and Sue were still trying to rouse Jack.

"He was standing in front of us." She whispered, tugging Tara's coat.

Tara's eyes widened. "Can you tell me how he looked like?"

Megan closed her eyes and Tara thought she passed out again when she finally spoke. "Dark long hair, tall like…Bobby, long rain coat. He had a rifle." Her eyes closed again and Tara shook her.

"Don't close your eyes. We called another ambulance." Tara moved closer, suddenly noticing the blood stain that spread next to her shoulder and smeared on the leather chair. "Megan did he hit you?"

The woman in front of her winced. "I don't know…" She mumbled, her eyes closing despite her best efforts.

Sue rested his head in her lap, not caring about the cold ground. She stroked his face and willed him to open his eyes. She swallowed when she felt the bruise that began to form at the side of his head and pressed her hand to his heart, the strong, steady rhythm providing some comfort. She forced her voice to stop shaking when she spoke. "You're going to be fine, Jack. We'll get you to a hospital and you'll be out of there in no time…"

Her head bowed down, she failed to see the second ambulance arriving and couldn't hear Bobby when he shouted, rushing towards them. He startled her when he touched her shoulder and she saw the pain in his eyes and the relief to see that his friend was still alive.

Myles looked at the scene quietly, a third ambulance arrived at the scene and he watched when they uploaded Megan on the stretcher. Bobby and James were already on their way to the hospital, taking Sue with them. He leaned against the surveillance van, hidden from view and then sank to the ground, his hands covering his face. It was too close and they were two minutes behind, he swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and closed his eyes. A soft cough startled him and he opened his eyes, surprised to see Tara in front of him.

"You'll get cold, Myles." She said.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care right now. Tara, we need to find him. He's playing a game and he's winning."

Tara frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Megan said he was in front of them. He could have killed them. I want to know why he didn't." He was startled by the sudden anger that took control of him. "It wasn't supposed to happen!" he bellowed.

Tara stared at him; her eyes seemed to be the only thing that calmed him down. "Let's go to the hospital. Once we'll know what's going on with them we'll get back to the office. Maybe our latest searches were more successful."

Bobby sat in the waiting room, his fingers tapping his knee as he looked around him. He swallowed the nervousness that took hold of him. Megan was sleeping in her room and he was relieved to know that she was alright. A bullet grazed her forearm and she had multiple scratches and bruises, but she will be alright. He felt tired and confused. The utter fear he felt when they reached the scene was consuming and the relief he felt, knowing that she will be alright seemed to confuse him even further. He felt that he couldn't lose her…he only just found her.

His thoughts drifted to his partner for that shift. James was furious and worried as he rushed towards the driving seat and checked on his friend. The moment he looked in his eyes he knew that she will be alright and that thought was comforting. James stayed by her side as the doctor took care of her while he watched from the doorway, still waiting on some information about his best mate.

Jack will be alright. He regained consciousness at the ambulance and Bobby was relieved to see his eyes when he opened them. He waited for Sue to come out from his room to see if she needed anything before he left. He needed to get to the office; there must be something he could do. He sighed when his mind drifted to his best mate again. Jack suffered from a concussion, his head hitting the window when the ambulance slipped on the road. Like Megan, he also suffered from bruising, the result of the ambulance hitting one of the street signs.

He closed his eyes. It wasn't supposed to be Jack.

Megan was his partner; he was supposed to be with her on that call. If it wasn't for his car…he didn't know if he would have acted differently. He didn't care. All he cared about was that his best mate took a hit for him.

A hand on his shoulder startled him and he raised his head to see Tara looking at him. She sat beside him on the chair and he welcomed the feeling of her arm on his shoulders. "How is Jack doing?" She asked softly.

"He's fine. He has a light concussion; I think he'll get out of here by morning." He said, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"And Megan?"

He didn't answer at first, overwhelmed with relief as his mind seemed to finally grasp the idea that she was alright and that he will take her to his place tomorrow no matter how much arguing she will make. He moved a hand in his hair and took a breath. "She'll be fine."

Tara squeezed his shoulder and grinned at him. "I think you finally met your match, Bobby."

He snorted. "I know her for a week." He laughed. "And she drives me insane."

Tara shrugged her shoulders. "I bet you're driving her insane too."

They leaped into silence and Bobby leaned backwards in his chair, pulling the petite woman to rest against his shoulder. He spoke softly. "I should have been there."

He felt her shaking her head. "Don't go there, Bobby Manning, you can never know."

"She was my partner."

"It could have been James and You. I don't think it mattered to him that much." She said. "Myles said he's playing with us."

Bobby nodded his head. "He's winning."

"We can't let him." he heard the determination in her voice. "We're going to the office. Lucy's coming too."

Bobby nodded his head. "I'll go with you."

"Don't you want to wait for her to wake up?"

Bobby chuckled. "She woke up when the doctor bandaged her forearm and threatened her not to sedate her. I think she gave her a double dose just to spite her." Tara laughed. "I don't think I want to be here when she wakes up." Tara rose to her feet and Bobby pulled her to a hug. "You're a good friend, Tara." He mumbled to her hair and felt her smiling.

"Myles is waiting in the car." She said and he nodded his head.

"Just let me tell Sue that we're heading there."

Jack's head was throbbing and his eyes were sensitive to the bright light. The doctor ordered him to dress and he obliged, pulling the scrubs on his bandaged body. The doctor left him for a moment and returned with Sue following him. He smiled and pulled the blanket tighter, turning to the doctor as he spoke.

"You seem to be doing just fine, agent Hudson, I would like to keep you here for the remainder of the night just to keep an eye on you and if you'll have some company in the next 48 hours then you could go home tomorrow morning."

Jack nodded his head and Sue smiled. "I'll keep an eye on him."

She approached him and touched his shoulder, caressing it softly. Jack smiled and then paled when he heard the heart monitor beeping, indication that his heart rhythm was going upwards. The doctor raised his eyebrow curiously and Sue gripped Jack's shoulder. "What's going on? Jack, are you in pain?"

Jack swallowed. "I'm fine, Sue, it's normal." He admitted.

"Normal?" Sue looked at the doctor. "He had a heart attack a few years ago. Maybe the accident…"

"Sue, I'm fine!" He signed and spoke at the same time, his eyes pleading her to drop the subject, his face now flushed.

She gazed at him for a while and then glanced at the doctor who smiled at her. "I suggest we let agent Hudson rest for a while. If anything like that will happen again let me know." He nodded his head and left the room, grinning at Jack's embarrassed face.

He sighed and looked at her, smiling tightly at her upset features. She turned away from him and he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers together. He pulled her closer and reached his hand to her chin, raising her head and meeting her eyes. She swallowed and shook her head. "What happened?" She asked quietly and he sighed again.

He motioned her to seat beside him and she obliged. Content when he took her hand in his. He smiled sheepishly and started talking, signing some of the words he knew and never letting go of her hand. "It's normal, Sue." He assured her. "It happens every time you walk into a room, every time I see you smile at me…when you touch me, I lose my ability to breathe and my heart is beating so fast and I'm so happy just knowing that I have the permission to touch you." He traced a line across her cheek, his finger hot and burning against her cold face. "And I feel so humble when you let me kiss you…"

He leaned towards her and she met him half way, their kiss wild and frantic as he tried to pour everything he felt into their touch. He heard her moaning against his lips and pulled her closer, her upper body covering his, his mind spinning from the contact. His hands moved lower, pulling the sweater she wore just a little bit so that he could touch her skin. He groaned; it felt like fire under his fingers, he felt like he was going to burst into flames.

Sue allowed her mind to slip away for a moment, trying to keep up with his frantic pace. She could have lost him tonight and he could have lost her. She moved her hands, lowering them from his face to his chest, reeling from the response she evoked. She poured her heart into that kiss, accepting and returning it with equal ardor. Her head was spinning and she sighed when he broke the kiss, moving to kiss her neck, teasing her to oblivion.

She whispered his name in a breathless sigh and he pulled her to him, hugging her fiercely. She rested her head against his shoulder and breathed deeply. His hands remained buried under her sweater, drawing small circles on her back. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of keeping her in his arms. He raised one of his hands and caressed her hair, grinning when she raised her head and looked at him, her eyes bright.

"Sue, I love you." He spoke and signed. "I have for as long as I remember us. I know that this room isn't one of the most romantic places, but I'll make it up t…" He stopped talking when she kissed him, surrendering to her touch. She moved lower, mimicking his early actions as she kissed his neck gently. He moved restlessly beneath her, hissing her name.

She raised her eyes to him and was once more surprised with the way they darkened as he looked at her, a smile on his lips. She signed to him. "I LOVE YOU." He grinned; surprised he could understand her in his state and then pulled her down for another kiss.

Bobby opened the door and was about to speak when his eyes registered what was happening in front of him. He raised his eyebrows and grinned before leaving the room quietly. Tara sent him a questioning look and he shrugged his shoulders. "I'll leave her a message at the nurses station."