Jessica remembered as a young girl, she would play cops and robbers with some of the children in her neighborhood.

 Whenever possible, she would play the 'cop' as for the robbers' main job had always been to be stealthy, sly and quick, none of which Jessica ever managed to achieve.

Now, as an adult, she was playing a live version of the game, and she was achingly aware of her inability to be any of the qualities she had lacked as a child. But, when seeing George, Bret, Brad, and the two other cops being tied up in a line against an adjacent wall to where the door stood, several large men with their backs turned to her, she felt all the insufficient qualities in the game not matter as she switched roles.

Brad had seen her; she knew since his eyes widened then quickly shot away from looking directly at her to the man approaching them his focus suddenly strapped to the approaching bulky figure.

"Well," one of the men was saying pulling a knife out that he thumbed looking to the imprisoned group," I suppose we best get this done nice and quick like."

"Which means none of your damn cutting fetishes Murph, help me get rid of them quick before boss man gets mad and decides we can be here when he calls them police guys, "The man approaching Brad had pulled out a gun frowning to Murph and his knife.

"We can't just shoot em bam once and be done with it! They be fightin over these drugs see, deal went bad. No one goin' to sit there and each get shot to death like good little piggies," Murph grinned," They need bled a little first. Had a bit of a fight first. And you have to do it when they living, bodies bleed different once they dead."

The other man was distracted by Murph's crazed look and he looked disgusted," Fine. But make it quick, I don't want anything to do with it."

"Man Murph you a freak," laughed a different man," but I'm not against it."

Jessica's whole body was shaking, heart thrumming in her chest as she focused her breath to stay slow and steady though her mind raced, she moved on instinct.

And promptly reached up and pulled the fire alarm that was at the entrance, eyes never leaving Brads face.

The alarm sounded, distant from the wind on the roof, but it was enough to cause the advancing men to pause.

She wasn't sure what else she had been thinking would happen, as for even if an alarm sounded no help would be there to help them until much too late. But the momentary distraction was all she needed to do anything to keep them from doing anything to Brad.

Jessica hadn't realized Alex had managed past her and was already downing one of the men by kicking him in the back of the knee and then doing a mean looking blow to the back of the meaty neck resulting in the form crumpling down to the ground.

The only problem had been the other 3 remaining, one on Alex right the other two on his left. They quickly went to move for him, and Jessica found herself grabbing her heel in a vain attempt to incapacitate the man.

"What the hell ya think you doin bitch?!?" yelled the one she had jumped to wielding her heel as a weapon that she thrusted down to his shoulders.

It failed to do much but anger him it seemed as the sharp end tore skin and made blood flow down the side of his head.

"Okay hoer, you want to play?"

He growled making to grab her, but Brad had jumped up and shouldered him down, kicking him across the face several times. His arms were still tied behind him, straining against the rope that had been wrapped around his arms, and this made it so the other bulky man was able to grab him from behind, the first staggering to his feet as Brad was pulled away.

"Run Jess!" He shouted before her view of him was obscured by the man standing in front of her, raising a shiny metal object.

Jessica had grown around guns of all sorts all her life, and she had seen many shot on shooting ranges and occasionally hunting trips or protecting farm life. Even she herself owned a rifle. But never had she been on the receiving end of the barrel.

"No!"

Breath was lost to her with the shout of that single word as she found her eyes quickly shut the sound of the shot registering only after she realized the man was pulling the trigger. 

The thought of watching the bullet heading to her frightened her, but then her fear grew immeasurably realizing she had only closed her eyes after the trigger had been pulled and briefly, she wondered if she had been shot without yet feeling it.

A gasp came and suddenly something heavy fell on her, that she quickly realized to be another person as her eyes flew open and she saw the blood-spattered ground beneath her.

"Oh god, no Brad!" she grabbed the body on top of hers, heart in her throat as she looked in terror upon the pale face staring back at her, realization setting in, and her relief briefly lived.

"George!"

He sputtered, tears at the corners of his eyes as he looked up to her, white shirt staining red.

"J-Jess."

"All of you back down and raise your hands, or I will shoot!" The lady officer had somehow become unbound and was shouting for the men to raise their hands above their heads.

Alex was untying Brad and Bret was staring at her with a strange look on his face. But Jessica could feel little care to anything else as the breaths became rapid of the young man in front of her.

"We," her voice cracked, and she tried again wavering as she reached for George," Someone call an ambulance! Oh god, someone- now! He's been shot!"

"Sorry," he gasped, and his breath gurgled. She Pressed her hands to the wound, shaking her head eyes watering," I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm"

With every struggled apology she responded," Don't be your fine, you're going to be fine, don't be sorry don't be sorry."

Jessica pressed her hands to his chest, blood gushing out between her fingers, and she couldn't take her gaze away from his wide-eyed gaze, tears gathering and rolling down his face as his breaths turned more rapid and shallow, the rose to his cheeks gone.

She felt him slipping away as sirens sounded outside, her hands were cold with the wind and the wet cooling blood covering them. George's skin became a waxy pale color and his eyes became distant as his breaths became deeper and slower, they stopped.

Brad settled his calloused hands on her trembling shoulders, and she stopped the mantra of words that had continued to pour out her lips without her notice.

Gasping she leaned into Brad thankfully, realizing that there were shouts in the distance, and the large men had been all subdued laying face down while both the officers held guns at the ready awaiting an alleged backup.

Her eyes focused on the open distant gaze of the young man who had been her charge for so long, who dreamed of owning his farm and serving his communities as best he could. All at once every redeeming quality of the young man cam to the forefront of her mind, completely overwriting the strange and violent behavior he had presented just a couple of days prior.

"I'm not angry, I forgive. I'm sorry," and with that she tore her eyes away from the face lost of color and vacant eyes and turned to Brads warm shoulders with great big heaping sobs, everything that had lead up to this night all catching up with her at once, and she felt herself crumble into his embrace welcoming his support and calming voice.

"I've got you Jesss, I've got you now," he murmured holding her tight as her sobs grew to wails and she clung to him with her bloodied hands.

Jessica knew that never would the image of George's empty gaze leave her mind, but she also would have Brads unwavering support and love for just as long, and never again did she wish to lose that.