Shock

Matt and Ronnie ran down the corridor towards the sound of shots being fired. Matt was quicker than Ronnie - skidding to a halt as he pulled the door open. Ronnie reached him, not quite as out of breath as he had feared. His heart pounded as he waved towards the door.

"Five shots Matty."

"Yeah." Matt stepped into a now eerily quiet courtroom. He felt sick as he realised Jimmy Valentine's son had got his revenge. A middle aged woman screamed as Matt scanned the room looking for Alesha. The normally calm and respectful courtroom looked like a scene from a horror was then Matt realised the gunman was also dead.

"Kate?" Ronnie fought the nausea before heading over to his young friend. The crown prosecutor stood still, her right arm firmly wrapped around her waist as her face drained of colour.

"He shot Partridge, twice I think before just randomly shooting. Then he shot himself." She could feel herself shaking as Jake gently eased her into a sitting position.

"Kate." Jake was clearly as shaken as his wife was. He frowned as he saw the sheen of sweat form on her forehead.

"Luv, you've been hurt." Ronnie stated calmly as the Judge began ordering medics and police swarmed them. Suddenly there seemed to be uniform officers everywhere Ronnie looked. Partridge's barrister looked aghast as someone covered both dead men with what looked like bed sheets.

"Nah, just winded I think." Jake and Ronnie exchanged glances. Both knowing how the Manchurian woman would never admit she was hurt. Jake gently prised her arm away from her side. She winced as the adrenaline seemed to seep from her small frame.

"Kate." He gasped as he saw the crimson fluid leak across her white blouse. Alesha called for a paramedic as Matt and Jake set about trying to stem the blood. Kate became paler as Jake held her. Ronnie pushed a cloth he had acquired onto the wound. Kate gasped.

"Sorry luv." Ronnie glanced at her face before looking away. He had seen more shooting victims than he cared to count. It always haunted him. "Press hard, stopbthe bleeding. Only a flesh wound."

"Ssorry." She slurred as Jake ordered her to keep her eyes open. He kissed her forehead ignoring the blood now smeared seemingly everywhere. Minutes passed as paramedics reached her. An oxygen mask placed over her face seemed to help as the paramedics worked. Jake didn't let go of her hand, determined to stay with her. He frowned as the paramedic inserted what looked like a large bore cannula into her left arm. Kate didn't even wince; just kept looking into Jake's eyes.

"I'm fine." She sighed as morphine was fed into her arms. "Don't worry."

Jake looked away, almost in shock as Ronnie appeared at his side.

"Go wiv Er Son." Ronnie squeezed Jake's shoulder as a uniformed officer approached them. Jake nodded as the paramedics ushered him and Kate out of the room. Matt turned to see Alesha holding her abdomen.

"You ok?"

Alesha nodded. "Fine. Didn't expect that to happen. Partridge?"

"Dead."

"Completely and totally." Ronnie stared at the dead body. "And I ain't no doctor but I think the bloke who shot him is too."

"Valentine's Son." Alesha stated as the uniform officer nodded

"Sir."

Ronnie sighed, feeling incredibly guilty that Kate had been hurt and the young man he had known as a boy had killed himself. He shook his head.

"It's all on cctv. IA will be informed." Ronnie spoke calmly as Alesha frowned. "What?"

"He knew that." Alesha paused. "That was the plan. An eye for an eye." Ronnie sighed knowing she was right. There was no way the courts nor MIU could come out of the situation unscathed. Matt hugged Alesha as Ronnie watched the forensics team remove the bodies. His thoughts darker by the second.

"Why kill the bloke standing trial? I don't get it."

"Covering his tracks? We knew someone had paid Partridge to do it."

"And then shoot him self?" Ronnie shook his head. "I dunno. I really don't."

"Hospital." Alesha decided as both men looked at her. "Calm down, there's eight weeks left until this one arrives." She touched her baby bump. "Jake and Kate are going to need us."

Xxxxxxx

A/N epilogue soon