Sitting on the floor of the convenience store waiting for the ambulance the Agent in charge had insisted on calling, Peter looked at Bryan… managing an awkward grin.
"You ok?" he asked the trembling boy
"Yeah…" he shot him a wan lopsided smile… "You're the one bleeding."
"Still?"
"Again…" he gestured to the gaping knee… the torn bandage flapping by one piece of tape "That looks nasty"
"Doesn't feel so great either…" he touched it cautiously…wincing as his fingers brushed the bruised flesh around the wound… they sat quietly for a long moment. Peter studied Bryan. The scene from minutes ago played through his head in slow motion. Walker raising the .45 … aiming straight at his right eye…Bryan throwing himself at the old man's back in a desperate flying tackle… that caught both men completely off guard… the explosion of the weapon discharging next to Peter's ear as the three of them hit the floor in a tangled heap… just as the S.W.A.T. sniper's shot buzzed overhead. Peter maintained enough presence of mind to snatch the gun out of Walker's shocked fingers before the man could regain his composure. By the time a dozen agents and PD charged into the building the situation was under control.
"Some night…" the kid sighed wearily "are all your nights like this?"
"No… nope…" Peter chuckled shakily… "You sure you're going to be ok?"
"Yeah…" he sighed "my mom's going to be mad… she tells me keep my head down and stay out of trouble"
"Well …" Peter shook his head "jumping him was risky… stupid really…you shouldn't take risks like that… but overall you handled all of this really well actually, and you did save my life…Thank you."
"Thanks." The kid might have blushed as he ducked his head.
"How old are you Bryan…?"
"Seventeen…" he shivered… "I should call my mom."
"You should." Peter clapped his shoulder…
"She's really not going to be happy about this"
"You can tell her you were a hero tonight… if you think that will help."
"Thanks…"
"Take care" the kid stood up a bit unsteadily
"You too."
"If you are ever considering the FBI for a career…" he looked at the young man seriously "I'll find a place in my division for you" Bryan's eyes lit up like Christmas… Peter chuckled again… then sighed, his gut clenching as he thought of the man that expression reminded him of.
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Elizabeth rocked her son… cuddling him close…waiting. Diana called several hours ago to tell her Peter was safely back in FBI hands… She said he was being taken to the hospital… Elizabeth fought her fear… that meant he had been hurt… and she had no idea how badly…Then he called.
"Hey hon" His voice sounded pained but strong and she melted into the chair with relief… clutching her baby…
"Peter! Are you ok? Diana said they took you to the hospital…" he hesitated
"I got a little banged up… but I'm ok honey… a couple of stitches and an ice pack and I'll be catching my flight home."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure" she could hear the smile "I love you hon"
"I love you so much…" her voice hitched
"How's the boy?"
"He'll be happy to see his daddy."
"I can't wait to hold him." he sounded tired … but he was ok… alive and safe and coming home and for one moment everything was right in her world… Then he asked the question she had been dreading
"Hon… Neal?" his voice trembled "Walker got to him… I don't know how bad… have you heard… anything?"
"I'm here with him right now, honey…"she shuddered as she glanced at the bed… she couldn't tell him how things really stood… "His doctor said Walker didn't do much damage to him." which was true…she didn't have to tell him how it seemed like Neal was just slipping away… she just hoped the relief flooding through the phone wasn't headed to heartbreak. She needed to say something so she added "He's worried about you."
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Peter wondered how Clarence Walker felt now… former regional director of the NSA and he was taken down by a 17 year old gas station attendant. The thought made him grin…despite the pain as his injuries stiffened. A young doctor quietly stitching up the long ugly gash in his bruised knee looked up and smiled…
"I take it the local anesthetic is working then?" he said
"It is." he chuckled "I was just thinking how lucky I am tonight."
"Well I have to agree.." the doctor shot him a reproving look "for a man your age who just jumped out of a moving vehicle, then was tackled in the middle of a gun fight you're in pretty good shape… keep the ice on that shoulder… the bruising there is nasty and there is quite a bit of swelling…" he turned his eyes back to his task "15… 16 …17… all done" he finished the stiches and stood up to recheck the butterfly bandages on Peter's temple.. " I wouldn't suggest trying that again…. How's your ear… still ringing?"
"A bit" it would take a while to stop, he was sure. A .45 going off three inches from your ear did a number on the ear drum… still… it beat the alternative. He grinned again as he remembered Bryan throwing himself at Walker's back in a flying tackle just as the old man took aim at Peter's face… he bet it burnt Walker up to know that not only had he been captured by a high school junior working to pay for community college…but the kid had saved his life too… knocking him down just before S.W.A.T took him out. Instead he was led away in cuffs, charged with kidnapping and three counts of attempted murder… Peter knew there would be more…When the agent in charge of the scene told him they found a 223/ 5.56 rifle in Walker's trunk...he wasn't exactly surprised…
Jerked back to the present by the doctor pressing gently on his shoulder… trying not to flinch he studied the man's face.
"So what's the verdict?" he asked tensely "can I get out of here tonight or are you going to keep me?"
"I think you are good to go… get plenty of rest… elevate that leg… keep ice on it and on your shoulder…" he nodded gratefully and started to get up. The doctor lay a restraining hand on Peter's good shoulder… "I'm going to put a brace on you knee, then you can go."
"Good can we make it fast…" he couldn't control the grin "I have a plane to catch"
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Elizabeth sat rocking her son promising the sleeping child his daddy was coming home soon. She looked at the young man in the bed… he slept fitfully, his head turning back and forth as he murmured in his sleep… bits and pieces of his past surfaced… Pain she had never heard him mention…memories that he had kept hidden… she tried not to hear… to respect his privacy but… it was heartbreaking when he cried out repeatedly
"Mom please just look at me! Can you even hear me!?"
"Please … how can I prove I love you!? I'll do anything!" and worst of all
"DONNY!" I'm Sorry… I'm so sorry! I destroy EVERYONE…I'm so sorry!"
She shifted so she could stroke his face
"Neal… sweetie wake up?" he jerked in his sleep as if she struck him and stifled a cry. Elizabeth pulled back in surprise… she had tried several times to wake him since Peter called 4 hours earlier with no response. She wasn't sure he was awake but it was something "Hey? You with me?"
"I'm… here…" he whispered Elizabeth shuddered with relief… he sound weak but at least he was talking to her now.
"Good" she smiled "I was starting to worry"
"Sorry…" he hesitated…look around…fear in his eyes…clearly wanting to ask about his friend, but instead he looked away "always… hurt people…I want to protect…"
"Neal… Peter is ok… he'll be back soon…"
"I… hope so…"
"No… I mean he's on his way home." the relief in his eyes was incredible but his next words chilled her to the core
"It would… be better… Elizabeth… if… when he… comes back…you take …him …home…" he spoke the rest with frightening clarity though it was barely a whisper "it's time to let me go" She opened her mouth to answer. Even though the same thoughts had crossed her mind before she saw him, she knew exactly what would happen if they left now, and she couldn't live with that
"We aren't going to leave you… and you aren't going to leave us either." he opened his mouth to answer but a familiar voice broke in
"You bet you aren't" Elizabeth was on her feet in an instant wrapping him in her arms as if she would never let go… stepping back she surveyed the damage… he didn't look to bad… a cut over his left ear… a brace on his right knee… moving stiffly…scrapes and bruises… and the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in that moment. She threw her arms around him again… melting into his chest, breathing him in.
She caught a glimpse of utter relief in Neal's face… a flicker of a smile, before the darkness settled back over his eyes and he turned silently back to the wall.
"Neal." Peter unwrapped Elle's arms from his neck gently. "I meant that Neal… you are going to stay with us right?" the younger man nodded vaguely. The smile flitted across his lips again but he remained silent. The agent ruffled his friend's hair… "We got him, Neal… Walker is locked up" he tried to reassure the kid. "He's not going to hurt you or anyone you care about ever again… It's over" he made Neal look at him "it's finally over…get some rest and get better" the dark head bobbed… blue eyes drifting closed.
"You…really ok?"
"I'm fine" those blue eyes popped open shooting him a suspicious worried look "a few scrapes and bruises…that's all, I promise… I'll be stiff for few days but I really am fine"
"That's good" he relaxed then… asleep in an instant.