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The clatter of feet echoed eerily down the long dark hall as Sarah and Derek ran hard, searching endlessly for a suitable place to hide. The two agents chasing them were far more determined than either of them had hoped and they both felt the warning signs of a burning sear through their already aching lungs.

Each turn they took only led to another, and another, and another, until they were both sure there would be only one bloody outcome to this wicked race.

Sarah's eye caught Derek's hand as he reached into the waist of his pants and she watched as he drew his .45 even as the fast-paced movement of his running made the vision of it seems slightly blurred.

No more unnecessary death, she thought, although she knew Derek walked a very, very thin line of what was necessary and what was easiest.

She looked forward trying not to focus on the scorching dryness of her throat as they continued to run and only barely caught sight of a small dark alcove up above, a large rotting hole in the dilapidated wall only just beyond the next turn.

Without thinking much, as the two of them began to make their turn, Sarah grabbed hard at Derek's unarmed hand and used the momentum of their pace to swing him into the small sliver of darkness, instantly joining him, pressing herself between his body and the remaining space in the hard cold wall that concealed them.

It didn't take long for the agents to pass them, completely unnoticing of their hiding spot masked in the shadow. Sarah breathed a small sigh of relief, letting out her haggard breath realizing how close they had come to bloodshed and was glad for the momentary escape.

She couldn't be sure how much time had passed though before she noticed exactly how tightly she was pressed to Derek, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she became aware of the increasing warmth from his body and felt the heave of his chest as his breath began to slow.

"We should double back before they realize what's happened," Sarah whispered, barely looking out into the empty corridor, purposefully evading Derek's staring eyes.

"Or maybe we should stay right here and let them pass again," he said as he adjusted himself, which ultimately pressed him to her even harder.

She closed her eyes once agonizingly slowly, before she forced herself to look to his face.

Innocence stared back at her as he said casually, "If we double back, we'd still have to cross the perimeter out in the open. After all, the car is on that side of the building."

She tightened her lips at his truthful remark and nodded once as she said awkwardly in agreement, "Ahh.."

He let his eyes roam over her face as she continued to pretend she was looking out into the hallway and wanted nothing more than to touch her soft looking skin, but knowing she wasn't his, that she would never be his, made it all too difficult to bear.

He looked away, joining her in her pretense of vigilance. "I'm sorry things worked out the way they did for you and John with my brother. If it's any consolation, I think he'd be really proud to have him as his son...I know I would."

Sarah looked at Derek strangely for a moment before answering, "I really don't want to discuss this right now…"

"Oh," Derek said with a hesitant tone in his voice. "I just thought-"

Footsteps and voices traveled back down the filthy hallway and Sarah quickly tucked her head back into the darkness, holding her breath as her and Derek remained absolutely still.

Derek couldn't help but stare as he noticed how close Sarah's mouth was to his and the undeniable feelings he had been building for her these past few weeks were quickly coming to a head. He internally debated whether or not to do something about, even though everything inside him told him it would be wrong, he couldn't help but wonder if this was his chance to see if she felt even remotely the same.

A clatter in the hall of the approaching men shattered his thoughts as the two of them stood frozen, waiting.

The agents weren't running as fast now, though they seemed to be moving at a jogging speed and the static of radio came every so often as they continued to report to someone of their situation.

"We've lost them sir….."

"I know….."

"They must have doubled back……"

"Yes sir…..We won't fail you again……"

The agents finally passed and were a good distance down the hallway as Derek gave Sarah a smug look of "I-told-you-so" and the two of them silently slipped back into the hall and continued on towards the car.