A/N: Wow, okay. Post-Unforgivable. I'm feeling kinda lost not having such a beast of a fic to think about. I'm hoping to get together my next long-ish story soon. My beta Lysh would be glad to hear that she'll have loads of editing to do. I hope :P Anyhow, this is a little something that was inspired by Kathiann's fic, To Protect You. Go read it if you haven't. Go. Now. I can wait. Then come back and read mine *big grin* I might continue with this, but we'll see. Huge, massive, gigantinormous thanks to Tracie for being kind enough to read this and like it. *hugs*
Spoilers: I guess you can say second season, but really, not a whole lot here.
Warnings: Character death, mild crime scene violence.
Disclaimer: You know that part in the opening credits it says 'Created by Bruno Heller'? Yeah, I'm not him.
Prologue
Two shots.
Then silence.
Time stands still for only a second.
Lisbon flies up the steps.
Gun drawn, heart pounding in her ears.
She turns the corner.
Cho and Rigsby, both at her heels.
The far door on the right is the only one open, just a sliver.
She hears nothing as she barrels in.
The first thing she sees is a man on the floor.
One she doesn't recognize.
Face down, blood pooling from a single gunshot wound to the head.
Then the other.
One she does recognize.
She feels her throat tighten.
She is being watched.
Cornflower gaze.
He sits, tucked away in the corner of the room.
A 9 mm in his hands, trained straight ahead.
Never breaking eye contact.
With her own weapon still drawn, she slowly kneels down beside the body closest to her. Free hand, fingers pressing against his neck.
No pulse.
Repeat motions.
Second victim.
Her colleague, her friend.
Same result.
She hangs her head, saddened.
The loss of a good man.
She straightens, holsters her firearm.
She could hear Cho and Rigsby do the same.
They remain at the door as she approaches him.
He looks confused, scared.
She tentatively reaches out and covers his hands with her own.
He grips onto the revolver stubbornly.
It still doesn't take much effort for her to free it from his grasp.
She passes the gun backward and Cho takes it away.
A call for an ambulance.
Body bags.
The sirens, faint in the distance.
None of it mattered.
Her hand cups his cheek before she could process her actions.
She gently kneads away the lone tear that escapes his eye.
Pulls him towards her, cradling his head into her chest.
A whisper of a kiss against his temple.
"Sam saved me…"
Strangled.
"I know."
Reassured.
Louder wails.
A red and blue light show through the open window.
TBC