All of the officers were now down on the ground, my eyes leaving Calum's to find Captain Sutherland watching me with a calm expression.

"Nessa, are you injured?" He asked me, everyone shifting at his voice.

I shook my head, the mans hand still covering my mouth.

"Okay. I want you to stay there, don't move."

I nodded.

Then he looked over at Calum.

"Calum I need you to leave. Stand up, walk backwards and exit the building."

Calum shook his head.

"I'm not leaving her."

"Calum this isn't a request it's an order."

"I understand that but i'm not leaving." Calum said, his eyes trained on me.

"Calum." I tried to say but my voice was muffled by the hand covering my mouth.

With shaking hands I reached up and removed the mans hand, his arm putting pressure on my chest instead, securing me.

"Calum leave. I don't want you to see this." I begged.

"No. I'm not leaving." He said again.

"Calum, please. I don't want you to see if I-"

"You're not dying and i'm not leaving! You're my girlfriend and I'm not leaving you!" He then shouted and I nodded my head.

Calum then looked back at Captain Sutherland.

"Fire me after this, I don't care. But I won't leave."

Captain Sutherland sighed before turning to Officer Wilmington who was next to him.

"I need FBI, SWAT, and hostage to come down. We're going to need backup." He said quietly and the officer nodded before walking to an office and closing the door to use the phone.

Calum then looked at me again and then up at the man holding me.

"What's your name?" Calum asked him.

"None of your damn business." He shouted.

"Okay. Sir, i'm going to ask you to lower your gun, and let her go."

"I WANT OFFICER WHITE!" He shouted right in my ear making me flinch.

"Officer White is on vacation. What do you need from him?"

"HE RUINED MY LIFE! YOU ALL DID! AND IM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!" He shoved the gun even harder against my head as he screamed causing me to gasp.

"Okay, okay. I know you're angry and i'd be angry too, but we want to fix this. So tell us what you want."

"I want my life back!"

"Tell me what that means."

"I want my wife! I want my kids back! I want my house and my job and it all back! I want it all back!"

"We can help you, we can, but you have to let her go first." Calum said to him.

"You're all liars!" He screamed.

"I'm not lying, i'm not lying." Calum said and then went to get his phone. "You see my phone? Tell me your wife's number and i'll call her. I'll put it on speaker so you can hear. Okay?"

"DONT CALL HER I HATE THAT BITCH!"

I now realised this man was even more unstable then I thought, and I could die any second.

"Okay, i'm sorry. I won't call her. But tell me what it's going to take for you to let her go."

The man paused for a second.

"I want a million dollars."

I gulped.

"A million dollars?" Calum checked and when the man nodded he looked back at Captain Sutherland who nodded.

They were speaking to each other without words, but I didn't know what they were saying.

"Okay. We're working on that, but while we get it we need you to let her go."

"I'm not leaving till I get my money. And neither is she." The man spat before sitting down, taking me with him.

I shrieked at this and he slapped his hand back over my mouth.

Calum slowly moved so he was on his hands and knees, keeping his eyes locked on us.

His brown eyes then met mine and I tried to plead for him to leave with my eyes. I guess he got my message and shook his head no.

My eyes then looked above my desk to see the picture Eli and Cade had drawn for me and my heart broke in my chest.

I would never get to see them again.

I was supposed to take Eli shopping today. He was probably waiting for me right now.

Calum's voice then broke through my thoughts.

"Luke, I need you to go get my kids and take them to my parents house. Tell them Momma and Daddy will be home late tonight."

I looked back at Calum to see he had noticed what I was looking at.

"You're going to see them again." He nodded at me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as Luke slowly backed out of the room, his gun still drawn until he was out the door.

Once Luke was gone I watched as another officer moved into Luke's place.

I could see SWAT vans screeching up to the building outside and I crossed my fingers, praying they would find a way to get me out of this.

"Sir." An officer said and the man looked at him, turning his head away from Calum who then motioned for me to look at him.

Someone passed him a notebook and he held it up to me.

HOSTAGE IS HERE

I blinked as if to say yes.

He then flipped the page as they asked the man holding me what his name was so they could give him the money.

WE WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DO

I blinked again and Calum nodded before passing the notebook back.

Calum then looked back at me.

"I love you." He mouthed to me.

I blinked again.

Calum stretched his neck before adjusting his aim at the guy behind me.

I watched as he was passed an ear piece and put it in before pressing it as he listened to what was being said to him.

His eyes flashed up to me.

"She can do that." He then said into the earpiece.

Calum then looked at me and used one hand to grab his chin and tilt his head as far as he could to the left. He then made a gun with his fingers.

I knew what he was telling me to do.

They were going to shoot the guy holding me at gunpoint but I had to move my head so they wouldn't hit me.

I tilted my head to the side the guy moving
his gun along with my head.

I looked at Calum and he seemed to be listening to something.

He gave me the "little more" sign with his fingers and I kept going until he held up his hand for me to stop.

"Stop moving!" The man keeping me captive yelled at me and my eyes went wide as I looked up at Calum.

I froze and Calum nodded at me before looking back at Captain Sutherland.

"Ron we have your money." Captain Sutherland said and the man holding me looked at him.

"I want to see it." Ron said and Captain Sutherland held up the check.

Ron leaned forward to see it and that's when Calum gave me three fingers and began to
count down.

Once he hit one I ducked as I heard the bullet rip through the front window and air and hit the man holding me.

I screamed as I flung myself forward and Calum caught me, quickly throwing me under him so any stray bullets wouldn't hit me.

His chest was covering my head and I could hear gunshots and shouting for a few more seconds until it stopped.

Calum took the silence as a sign to go and grabbed my body before running.

I clutched onto Calum and as he ran I looked behind me to see the man who had held me hostage, slumped against the wall and riddled with bullet holes.

I closed my eyes and hid my face in Calum's neck as he ran straight to an ambulance.

He jumped in the back and set me on the gurney before moving back to look at me.

His eyes met mine and I could see tears in his eyes.

"Oh my God, Ness." He then hugged me back to him, crushing my body to his.

"Calum." I breathed into his neck, my heart shattering in my chest.

I didn't even have time to cry and come to terms with the fact that I was safe because police officers and EMTs surrounded me.

"I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay." I kept telling everyone, but all they told me was that I was probably in shock and that the realisation just hadn't hit me yet.

Calum insisted I be taken to a hospital in order to be checked out by a trauma specialist.

Captain Sutherland rode in the ambulance with  us and when we got to the hospital they made me lay down on the gurney so they could take me to an evaluation room.

"But why her? She wasn't who he wanted so why did he take her hostage?" Calum spoke.

"Officer White wasn't there so he said I would have to do instead." I responded and they both looked at me.

Calum stepped up to me.

"I know it hasn't hit yet but it will, so until it does just lay down and try to rest while they monitor you."

As I laid there on the bed the SWAT and hostage people came to talk to Calum and Captain Sutherland.

They went out in the hallway and as I laid there and stared at the ceiling I decided to go for a walk to clear my head.

I went and opened my hospital room door and looked to see Calum and the others down the hall so I left and began to walk around the hospital until I found the paeds floor.

I walked until I found the window that showed all of the newborn babies, and stood in front of it, looking at the sweet little things sleep or kick their feet.

I leaned against a pillar and stared ahead.

My day had been like something out of a movie.

But it wasn't anything new.

I had been shot at before, I had shot someone before, but I could never tell Calum about that.

He could never understand why this wouldn't effect me.

I smiled as one little boy kicked his leg in the air.

"There you are."

I turned my head to the left to see Calum walking towards me.

"If you love me you won't make me go back to that room. I'm not traumatised, i'm not in shock, i'm just tired and I want to go home."

He nodded.

"I won't make you go back then."

"Thank you."

"But you have to understand...i've never seen or experienced anything like what I did today. And while you may be fine now, i'm not. I could've lost you forever today and that's not something I want to imagine. I saw you almost die today, so please understand where i'm coming from."

I nodded.

"I'm sorry that i'm not a sobbing mess right now, and i'm not saying I won't be tomorrow but for now i'm okay. I'm alive and not riddled with bullets so please just take me home so I can see Eli and Cade and hug them because I honestly thought I would never see them again."

"Yes." He nodded and I took his hand before letting him lead me from the hospital.

Captain Sutherland drove us to Calum's home where the lights were on and his parents car was in the driveway.

We walked up the drive and he opened the front door, walking inside as I trailed behind him.

Joy and David gasped and stood up to see me while Eli and Cade stood up from where they were playing legos on the floor.

"Momma!" Eli shouted and ran towards me at top speed.

I dropped to my knees and took him into my arms when he reached me, crushing him to me.

I closed my eyes and held his head by mine, his arms wrapped strongly around me.

I then felt Cade's little arms wrap around me as well.

"You didn't pick me up today." Eli sadly said into my ear.

"I know baby, i'm so sorry." I squeezed my eyes shut. "I wanted nothing more than to spend the day with you."

"Luke picked me up from daycare. That means something bad happened."

"But everything's okay now. I promise you."

"Okay." He said and I squeezed him to me.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too, Momma." He moved back to smile at me and then gave me a kiss.

I then hugged Cade who was whining for me to hold him, and I hugged him closely as well before looking up at Calum who was watching us so sadly.

I picked up Cade and stood up, Joy coming towards me to hug me.

"Were so glad you're safe sweetheart."

"Thank you."

Then David hugged me.

"Glad you're safe, Nessa."

I then looked at Calum.

"I'm going to go change."

He nodded and I took Cade with me to the back bedroom, Eli following along with me.

The two boys sat on the bed while I changed into new clothes before I went to wash my face.

As I was walking back into the bedroom I heard what sounded like crying from the living room. But I hadn't heard this type of crying before.

Furrowing my eyebrows I walked out of the bedroom and down the hall to see Calum on the sofa in the living room, his parents on each side of him as he sobbed into his hands.

"I almost lost her." He cried. "He had the gun to her head and she looked so scared and in a second he could've just killed her. He could've killed her!"

My heart broke.

"I know honey, I know." Joy rubbed his back.

"I can't lose her. I just can't." He continued to cry.

"She's safe now Calum." David said. "She's home and she's safe and you saved her. You made sure she got out of that situation alive and unscathed."

"That doesn't matter, she was held at gunpoint. That gun was against her head and just like that I could've been all alone again. I can't lose her. She's all I have besides the kids."

I wiped away the tears that were falling down my cheeks.

"And she's not even fazed by it. She's fine! But i'm here losing it."

I knew I needed to step in and so I exited the hallway, Joy and David looking up at me as I went towards Calum. David moved aside so I could sit next to Calum.

"Shh. Calum it's okay now." I went to hug him and ended up in his lap, his arms around me as he cried. "It's okay, it's okay."

"I've never been so scared in my life." He held onto me tighter.

"I know." I threaded my fingers through his hair. "But it's over now. I'm home and i'm okay. We're both okay. It's over, Calum."

"I can't lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

It hurt me to see Calum upset to the point where he was crying. I had never seen him like this ever.

Closing my eyes I just held onto him while he got all of his emotions out.

I continued to shush him and stroke his hair until he seemed to have calmed down for the most part.

I moved my head back and placed my forehead against his.

"I love you so much." I told him.

"I love you more." He looked into my eyes and I gave him a partial smile before hugging him again.

Joy had her hand on my back and after a minute I felt the kids climb up on the couch next to us.

"Daddy why are you crying?" Eli asked him and Calum moved his head from my chest to look at him.

"I'm just really happy that we have Nessa." He said to them as he wiped is tears away.

"Me too!" Eli smiled. "Daddy it's okay to cry. That's what you always tell me and Cade."

Calum laughed at this.

"I know bud. Come here."

Eli moved in to hug Calum's side, the little boy smiling up at us.

I placed my hand on Eli's cheek and stroked his cheek with my thumb.

"Did you know you're my favorite Eli?" I asked him and he laughed at this, Cade climbing up to us to get in on the action.

I pulled Cade in between me and Calum and he leaned his head against me, Calum smiling at this.

"We're okay." I gave Calum a smile and he matched it before taking my hand in his.

"I love you." He looked at me with all sincerity.

"I love you too."

Once emotions had lessened Calum asked his parents to stay the night so they weren't driving home in the dark, and so Calum set them up in the living room while I went to bathe Eli and Cade and dress them in their pajamas.

I sent the boys out to say goodnight to their grandparents and then they ran back to me so I could put them to bed.

After rocking Cade to sleep I went to kiss Eli's cheek and then made my way to Calum's room.

I got in bed and a few minutes later Calum came in and closed the door.

I watched as he came to get in bed and when he got in next to me I gave him a sad smile.

He put his arms around me and pulled me into his chest.

"Please just let me hold you for a bit while I try to come to terms with what happened today."

I nodded and buried my head in his neck.

His chest was warm and I could hear his heart still beating out of his chest.

"You could've died today." He whispered.

"I know." I closed my eyes.

"I saw you held hostage with a gun to your head."

I nodded.

"I'll never get that picture out of my head."

I winced.

"I just don't understand why he wanted to hurt you. You're not the one he was mad at. You were just the receptionist."

"I was a convenient target."

"It's screwed up."

"I know."

"I just don't understand." He shook his head. "I just don't."

"No one does, Calum."

As I listened to his heartbeat I felt myself being comforted by the sound.

I placed my hand on the back of his neck and he moved his head closer, his nose touching my shoulder.

"Please don't ever leave me." He whispered. "I know we're so new and we're not married or anything but I love you so much and I need you in my life? Okay? I need you."

"I need you too. I'm not leaving. I'm here to stay as long as you'll have me."

"Well I hope you're ready for forever because that's how long I want you."

I smiled and pressed my lips to his cheek.

"That sounds good to me."

Calum moved his head so he could lock his lips to mine.

"I love you so much, Calum. I really do." I said between kisses. "Today was like the accident; just another bump in the road, but we're going to make it through this. I'm here for you and you're here for me, so please don't let this defeat us. We're stronger than this."

"I've just almost lost you too many times before and I can't do that anymore. I can't."

"Then we won't."

He nodded and pressed another kiss to my lips before allowing me to get comfortable enough to try and sleep.

I laid there beneath the blanket, my body pressed to Calum's and let my mind run over every single second of the day.

I could still feel the gun pressed to my head.

I could still feel it.

I had been shot at and held up at gun point, but never had I actually had a gun pressed against my head.

In those moments all I had been thinking about was that I would never get to see Eli and Cade again, and that Calum would watch me die.

He had already had one wife die on him. I didn't want to be the girlfriend that died on him as well.

I already almost had died on him when I drowned in the waterfall, and had given him a heart attack when I was in the car accident. Now this.

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt a tear hit my hand.

I didn't want Calum to see me cry so I slipped out of the bed and made my way to the bathroom.

I locked myself in the toilet room and sat on the floor, sucking in a sharp breath as I began to cry harder.

My heart ached for Calum.

I had put him through so much and if he even knew who I really was I would probably devastate the man.

"Nessa?" I heard his voice and the jiggle of the doorknob. "Baby, open the door."

My only reply was a sob.

I heard Calum sigh and walk away before I heard him rummaging through a drawer before  the doorknob began to jiggle again and then the door opened.

I looked up at him to see a screwdriver in his hand.

"Wha-"

"Eli's locked himself in here before." He sat down and tossed away the tool. "Now come here."

I moved into his arms.

"You can cry in front of me." He whispered into my ear. "Hell, I cried in front of you today. I'd rather you cry about this then act like nothing's wrong."

I nodded and allowed myself to breakdown in his arms.

"I know baby, I know." He rubbed my arm. "Today fucking sucked."

"He had the gun to my head." I sobbed. "I thought you would have to watch me die."

He squeezed me tighter to him.

One of the best attributes Calum had was that he was so comforting. He listened and he wanted to make me feel better.

"Is everything okay?" I heard Joys voice and looked up to see her there before moving my face back into Calum's neck.

"Oh sweetheart, I know today was awful."

I felt Joys hand on my knee.

"It was a horrible horrible day, and I wouldn't be surprised if you never even wanted to go back to that station, but the important thing is is that you made it home. You're alive and here and home with Eli and Cade who love you, and Calum who loves you and needs you more than you could imagine. So you cry all you want, because what happened to you was traumatic, and you have the right to cry."

Calum wiped away my tears with his fingers, both him and Joy staying there with me on the floor while I cried.

I wanted my dad to hug me and tell me i'd be okay, and I wanted Dawson to be here to hold my hand and tell me that I was a bad ass ninja bitch and would be okay, but they were in New York, and had no idea about me.

Though right now I had Calum and his family, and that was better than most people had, so I was thankful.

But it still hurt.

--

Long time no update but here we are!!!

I promise to be posting quicker!

Comment and vote!

Much love xx-m