Cam POV

I could've panicked.

I could've screamed.

I could've run around like an idiot

I could've shouted every curse word known to man in a slew of frustration (in Farsi of course. Or you know what, screw it. I'd do it in English).

I even could've silently asked the universe why it had to pick that moment to absolutely ruin everything once again and why Universe did it have to be ME; what did I do to deserve this?

I'm happy to say that I did none of these things (except maybe the last one. I was highly considering it those first few seconds).

Instead I immediately ( unfortunately) pulled away from that mind blowing kiss and turned back-to-back with Zach, squinting through the curtain of black and the mass of people (doing exactly the aforementioned what not to do) to try and find a glimpse of my attackers. I felt an arm on my shoulder and went to grab it and flip him over, but was stopped by a voice whispering in my ear,

"Relax Cam. Just Grant and I. Macey and Preston are on your other side and Liz and Jonas are behind you"

I dropped my hand momentarily reassured by my best friend's voice.

"Not exactly my chosen flank, but they'll do." I murmured back. I felt the vibrations on my back of Zach's halfhearted laughter.

"Cam?" Another voice came to me amidst the panic.

"Cam, Jonas and I are gonna go investigate the circuit breakers to see what cut the power off. It could be an accident." Liz ended optimistically

Yeah right.

"Alright. Go ahead guys. Cam and I will make our way outside to do some investigating as well. You guys hold to fort here." Said Zach.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? If someone's coming to get us, wouldn't it be safe for Cam to stay in here with us?" Macey asked.

"If the COC comes to take Cam she has a better chance in daylight. Someone could easily grab her in all this panic, shrouded by darkness, and we'd never know it."

"Alright Zach let's go." I said. "Don't worry Mace. I trust Zach." I smiled a bit at that though I doubt she could see it.

"Alright Cam. Be careful." said Bex. "Hey, maybe I should come with you, ya know just in case?"

"No, stay here with Grant. We'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Because—"

"Bex"

"Fine. Good luck Cam. Be safe."

"See ya soon Camster." added Grant.

I felt Zach grab my hand and guide me toward the side emergency exit, the only one unused at the moment due to its lighted sign being out of commission.

We slipped through into the broad daylight.

"It burrrrnnnnss us." I muttered as my eyes slowly adjusted to the deafeningly bright light.

"Yes, it's certainly bright out my precious" Zach retorted already adjusted and scanning our surroundings.

I quickly adjusted as well and looked around at the small space between the two buildings which created a thin alleyway. I was certainly filthy and damp but seemingly uninhabited.

"Come on Cam." He said as he walked down the alley to the front of the building. I followed as quietly as I could, peeking out from behind him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and I released the breath I didn't know I'd been holding in.

And then it happened

I don't know why I turned around at that moment. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe the spy in me just unconsciously sensed it. I'll never really know. But what I do know is that when I did I came face to face with for agents. You heard me. Not goons. Real agents.

Zach must've heard my sharp intake of breath because he turned around an instant later.

I barely had enough time to mutter "shoot" before the first punch came flying.

I don't know how long Zach and I fought them for. It seemed like hours, but in reality was probably less than 20 minutes. And we fought. Fists and kicks were flying; I barely had time to parry a blow to my left before a kick came to my right. It was moments like these where I was so thankful to have Zach with me than any other operative. Not just because he was my boyfriend, but because he was really, really good(e). He fought with a detached ,calm demeanor ,completely focused on the fight. With every blow he sent the enemy reeling with his quick and deadly accuracy. And we were even more deadly together. When I moved, he moved, when he went over, I ducked under all without saying a word. to the other. If was as if we were entirely in tune with one another, mentally and physically in sync. Together we were a lean, mean, fighting machine.

But it wasn't enough.

After probably about 20 minutes we were both becoming seriously spent and we still had two agents up and running.

"Cam" he breathed out. "You have to run. RUN."

"I'm not leaving you. I'm tired of running. You'll never take them on your own.'

"They want you ,not me."

"You don't know that."

That was it. We were cornered.

The agents shared a look and smiled menacingly at us slowly advancing.

Zach turned to me a look of panic in his eyes.

"Dammit Gallagher Girl… you have to run." he said, the look of panic subsiding, being replaced by of of determination. I knew what he was going to do, and I couldn't let him. I wasn't going to have him sacrifice himself like that. But before I could reply we were interrupted.

"She's not going anywhere"

We both whipped our heads around at the same time. On my left obscured by the shadow was the dimly made out figure of a woman. But I knew that voice.

"T-Tina?" Why would you? What are… what are you doing?" I sputtered in fear and confusion.

"I'm doing my job. Oh why hello Zachy! You're mother sends her greetings." She smiled patronizingly.

We turned to look at eacho ther at the exact same time again wearing identical masks of shock. Then Zach's gaze turned steely.

"Of course. I should've known she wasn't done ruining my life yet. How silly of me to believe she was REALLY dead," He said coldly.

"I don't understand Tina? Why are you doing this? We-we're sisters."

"While I can't deny we we're both Gallagher Girls you are certainly no sister of mine Cammie darling." She spit out the word like venom.

"Gallagher Girl. Get behind me. When I tell you, run." Zach said calmly stepping in front of me.

"Oh how sweet Zachy! Trying to save your precious girlfriend, how chivalrous of you! Too bad she won't make it."

Then the agents converged on us.

"RUN!"

Run.

I remember when all people used to tell me was to run.

I remember how all I used to do was run.

And then after I foolishly did, how all they told me was to stay.

I remember the girl I was then; the girl who wanted to stay, but didn't know if she could afford to stop running either.

The girl who thought time and time again that maybe she could stay, but then realized it wasn't quite time yet to stop running.

So I kept running. And then just as quickly I stopped running. I was tired of running.

Ahhh how this brings me back to my first chapter. How simple my life was at that moment. For once, I thought I could be normal. I was thinking about how maybe after a whole four years I had really stopped running for good.

Was it really just 5 hours ago I was thinking those things. How naive I was! How foolish!

Because once again it seems that it really wasn't time for me to stop running.

And once I realized this I really wasn't all that surprised.

Before I turned to run one last thought crossed my mind:

I wonder if it will ever be time for me to stop running.

My hair whipped out behind me as I ran like the wind. But I wasn't fast enough.

I heard, rather than felt the dart whiz through the air as it pierced my ankle. Time seemed to freeze right then, and I stopped short in surprise and looked back unable to move. My gaze first landed on Tina's proud grin, than at Zach, his frozen expression mirroring my own horror.

"CAMMIE!" he shouted in desperation.

"Tina?" I managed to say but it came out as a strangled whisper. Black spots danced before my eyes and I stumbled, leaning against a wall for support. I fought to stay awake as I felt my body getting heavy, oh so heavy and all I wanted to do was –

"Sleep my dear Cammie. Go to sleep," she said soothingly her voice like soft velvet enveloping my senses. Yes... sleep. I just...need to take a quick nap for a few minutes that's all. Then everything will be okay.

"GALLAGHER GIRL" a voice shouted calling from my deep trance and I saw someone struggling out of the corner of my eye. But it was too blurry, and my head was spinning too fast...so I slumped down to the ground. I felt the tendrils of sleep close in on me, luring me in to its dreamless arms.

"Zach…"I mumbled helplessly, unable to stop the lulling tide of sleep calling me, threatening to pull me under ; the black waves crashing at the edges of my consciousness.

I was completely unaware now of the shouts and commotion around me. But right before I drifted off ,I heard an unfamiliar voice whispering in my ear.

"For the record, my name is not Tina. The real Tina is taking a nice little nap in the police station's closet. Doesn't a nap sound nice Cammie. I'll bet it does. My name is Colleen, Cammie. Colleen Maxwell. And you killed my brother. Prepare to die."

At that moment I felt an intense furry of emotions: anger, sadness, frustration, guilt betrayal, a whole of them raged in me.

And then I felt numb.

And then there was nothing.

A.N.

OMG guys. I passed 100 reviews! For me, that's a milestone! ;-) I want to thank all of you who took the time to review sooo much! You guys always say such great things and it really brings a smile to my face when I read them. SO thank you!

YAAAAAAAAAASSSS!

Okay then.

Hey ya'll. I'm back again, long time no see. This chapter was really…difficult to write for some reason unbeknownst to me. Anyway… I'm finishing this at 11:00 at night (when I should be in bed) because for some reason I always feel more inspired at night. My brain is so peculiar…

SO on another note did any of you catch the references in there? There were 2 I believe (Well, three lines from 2 different books/movies. One is from a book/movie and one is from a different movie that I totally love).

The second one mentioned is actually not a direct reference but if anyone catches the similarities please review or PM me the real quote. I'm really curious to how many of you will catch it. And if any of you do I'll be seriously excited. Seriously. I love when people catch my references (because in real life no one really ever knows what the heck I'm talking about)

If you did catch either of them REVIEW.

SHOUTOUTS!

GallagherGirls13BYE (our very own Colleen)

hannahslye

tobyequalshottness

mahiGirl

Captain Hook the Ninja

Guest (6 times! It was hysterical reading all your comments in order. Love you girl XD)

Kat (guest)

ALSO! I actually did the thing I told myself I'd never do, and in a fit of inspiration (I have no clue where it came from) I wrote a follow-up chapter for my one-shot (now two-shot) I'll Always Come Back. Please give it a look if you're interested because it was my first piece of work here on FF and I'm actually pretty proud of it. I hope the follow-up does the first chapter justice!

As always please send me any feedback, favorite, follow and of course R&R

Love ya,

Courtney