Title: On the edge

Spoilers: Endgame

Summary: What happened after the shooting? Post Endgame. MS

Disclaimer: I do not own Without a trace or its characters, but the plot is mine.

Author's Note: This was my first fic ever, not just Without a trace but in general. I apologize for any mistakes; English is not my first language and when I first started writing, I did not have a beta. I am currently in the process of reading through this story again, painful though it might be (this was my first story after all, written at the ripe age of 15), to edit some of the worst grammar and spelling mistakes. Any changes you might notice (if anyone actually re-reads this) can be attributed to that fact. 08/04/09

Chapter 1

He tried to move and groaned. His whole body ached, especially his head. 'What the hell happened?' He wondered. Slowly he forced his eyes open only to shut them again as everything became blurred. Carefully he lifted his hands to his head and felt blood trickling down his face.

He desperately tried to remember anything, but it seemed like his whole memory of the last few minutes was gone. 'Apparently I hit my head somewhere, so I guess that's why I don't remember anything.' There was no need to push further, because he knew he wouldn't remember much more.

So he forced his eyes open again. Again, everything became blurred, but this time he didn't flinch. Slowly, he recognised the outlines of cars parked across a street, he saw people standing around the car and he saw shattered glass everywhere.

And suddenly it hit him with full power: The traffic light. The van. The guys with the guns.

He shifted a little bit and felt a sharp pain in his left arm. When he looked down there was a dark red spot on his suit. Blood. A lot of blood.

"Fuck." He hissed as he noticed the searing hot pain shooting through his upper arm.

A bullet had hit him, but it seemed like it had gone through. He had been shot before and because of that he knew how bad it hurt to have a bullet in your body.

When he looked up again there were people everywhere, some were screaming, others were just looking at him, frightened. 'How about getting help?' He thought. 'Standind around and watching doesn't help anyone.' He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but found that his throat was dry, so he only managed a croak.

'Damn it! There are people everywhere and I don't even manage to say 'Help me'. Well, maybe someone already called an ambulance. They can't all be that stupid and just stand there and watch.'

Again he shifted and again something hit him with full power: Martin.

He was driving the car when these guys appeared and started shooting. Where was he? Was he okay?

He looked left and saw Martin lying there in his seat, covered in blood. Much more blood than the stain on his suit.

"Martin." He croaked and coughed.

"Martin." His voice grew stronger and again he said, "Martin."

"Martin!" He was yelling now.

He sat up quickly, maybe too quickly, because again he felt a sharp pain in his left arm. ignoring it, he turned and saw the people still staring at him.

"Somebody call an ambulance! My partner was shot!" He yelled.

Nobody was moving.

"Come on, why are you all standing there and not helping!" He was getting angry now.

Suddenly a man came running toward the car. He leaned down and looked at Danny worriedly. He examined his head and said "You shouldn't move. Your head wound looks nasty."

"Yeah, and I was shot, but I don't care right now!" He hissed. "Just help me get out of here!" He shot Martin a worried glance. He was extremely pale and his chest was only moving slightly.

"I am a doctor and I have to tell you that-"

"Look," Danny managed to say through clenched teeth. Again he was getting angry. "I really don't need a doctor right now. My partner was shot and he's dying, he needs a doctor, so just help me get out of this fucking car!"

The man looked at Martin and on his face Danny could see an extremely concerned look as he saw the large amount of blood on Martin's suit.

"OK." He simply said.

He got up and tried to open the door. Glass shattered and Danny had to turn away quickly to avoid being cut. Finally the man managed to open the door.

He took Danny's hand and helped him get out of the car. His legs were weak and if it hadn't been for the doctor he would have fallen to the ground. He grabbed the door and tried to steady himself.

Finally he managed to stand still and walked around the car to help Martin.

When he got there the doctor had already opened the door and was looking at Martin's wounds.

"We have to get him out of there. I called an ambulance and it should be here any minute, but he needs to lie down so we can put pressure on these wounds, or he'll loose too much blood."

"OK." Danny said. Martin looked really bad. He was scared that maybe, if the ambulance didn't arrive in time, it would be too late...

'You must not think that.' He told himself. 'Martin is going to be OK.'

The doctor grabbed Martin's shoulders and dragged him out of the car. Danny walked to his side and took his legs. The sharp pain in his arm returned but again he ignored it.

They lay Martin down on the street and the doctor unbuttoned his shirt. Danny looked at him and again, an extremely concerned look appeared on his face.

"He's going to be OK, right?" He asked.

The doctor turned to look at him. He saw the fear, pain and an almost pleading expression on the younger man's face.

"Right." He answered, although he wasn't sure if the man would even make it to the hospital. Two bullets had hit him, one in the chest, one in the stomach. Although the bullet in his chest seemed to have missed his lung and heart – if it hadn't, he would've been dead by now – he had lost a lot of blood.

The bullet in his stomach seemed to have caused more damage. The placement of the entry wound hinted at internal injuries, possibly to the liver, spleen or kidneys. All of these things could be live threatening. But none of this did he tell the young man at his side, who was already freaked out and scared for the life of his partner.

Danny looked down at his friend. "Hey, man, you hear that? You're gonna be OK." He was on the edge of tears. Martin looked so vulnerable, so weak. Never before had he seen his partner in such a bad condition.

He watched the doctor as he returned from the car with a first-aid box in his hands. "Can I do anything to help him?" He felt so useless. Martin lay there, bleeding badly and perhaps suffering, and he did nothing to help him. He couldn't do anything to help him.

The doctor put a white cloth on the wounds and said, "Press these on the wounds. We have to stop the bleeding. He already lost a lot of blood."

Danny did as he was told. As he looked down he thought he could see Martin blinking. "Martin?" He said.

When there was no response, he repeated his friend's name. "Martin?" Slowly, Martin opened his eyes.

"Hey partner, good to see you again. How you feelin'?"

Martin coughed and looked at Danny, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Like shit." He whispered.

"Yeah, I thought so. You don't look too good either." Danny managed a smile.

Martin smiled weakly in return. "'Happened?"

"Remember the traffic light and the van?" Martin nodded. "Well, these bastards in the van got out and started shooting. Looks like they hit you."

"You okay?" He coughed.

"Hey, don't try to speak too much. I'm okay. We'll get you to the hospital soon. They're going to help you."

Martin nodded again. "'Kay." He closed his eyes.

The doctor touched his shoulder. "Hey, stay awake. I know you're tired but it's very important that you stay conscious."

Martin opened his eyes again and looked at the doctor, then turned around and looked at Danny quizzically.

"It's OK, that's..." Danny looked at the doctor. He didn't even know his name.

"I'm Peter, and I'm going to help you until the ambulance arrives. Do you understand that?"

Martin nodded, but again he closed his eyes.

"Hey, you heard the doctor. Come on partner, look at me." Martin's eyes fluttered open. "OK, good. Now look at me, that gives you a lot of reasons to keep those blue eyes of yours open." He grinned.

Martin managed a small smile. "I'm cold."

Danny threw the doctor a concerned look. Feeling cold was never a good sign. "I think there's a blanket in the trunk of the car. Doc, you think you could..."

"I'll go get it." The doctor replied.

Danny looked back down at Martin. He was in a really bad condition. His face was pale and his breathing was shallow. 'Please, let the ambulance arrive soon.' He prayed.

Peter returned with the blanket in his hands. Danny grabbed it and draped it over Martin's legs.

Suddenly he felt someone grab his wrist. When he looked down he saw Martin looking at him.

"Don't leave me." He pleaded. The naked fear on his face was obvious.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with you. OK?"

"'Kay." Martin relaxed a bit and some of the tension faded from his face.

"Danny?"

"Yeah, partner?"

"Could you... could you please tell... tell Sam that..." Danny had to lean closer to hear the words; he was hardly whispering. "I'm sorry... for everything that happened. I didn't mean to hurt her. I never meant to... Just… just tell her that I'm sorry and that... that I..."

Danny felt tears creeping up in his eyes. "That you love her?" He asked.

Martin nodded. "Yeah, tell her that I love her. Will you?" He looked at Danny expectantly.

"Of course I will." Tears were now trickling down his face.

"And tell Jack that he was a great boss, and tell Viv that it was an honor to meet her... and you know that you're my best friend and the best partner I've ever had..."

Suddenly Danny realized that he was trying to say goodbye. "Hey man, you're not going anywhere, so don't you dare and say goodbye to me." He took Martin's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I won't ever let my partner die, especially not like this, you understand?"

Martin nodded weakly. "'Kay."

By now, the ambulance had arrived. The EMTs started working on Martin and Danny had to step back. They put an IV into his arms and checked his vital signs. One of the EMTs went to the ambulance and returned with a gurney. Martin was put on it and they proceeded to push him into the ambulance.

Danny stood there watching them, motionless. He hoped his partner would be OK. He had to be OK.

"Danny."

Martin had his eyes wide open and was looking around, obviously in search for his partner.

"Can I ride with him?" Danny asked the EMT next to him.

"Danny." Martin repeated pleadingly.

"Please." Danny said.

The EMT looked at Martin, then turned to look at Danny and nodded. "OK, but you have to let us do our job." Danny nodded, got in and sat down next to Martin. He grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Hey partner, I'm here. I'll ride with you OK?"

"Danny."

"Yeah, I'm here partner. You're gonna be okay, and when you get out of hospital you're gonna tell Jack and Viv and Sam what you just told me yourself. Understand?"

Martin nodded and closed his eyes, his grip on Danny's hand tightening almost imperceptibly. The ambulance drove off and the EMT in the back contacted Martin to a heart monitor. Almost immediately, the steady and reassuring beeping sounded through the back of the vehicle. Beep beep beep beep...

Suddenly, Martin's grip on Danny's hand loosened. "Martin?" Danny's voice held a hint of panic.

Beep beep beepbeepbeepbeep

"Martin!" He was nearly yelling by now.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Tears started rolling down his face.

A/N: So, did you like it? evil grin I already finished writing chapters 2+3, but I thought ending it here would be more thrilling. So, if I get enough reviews I think I'll post them tomorrow... or on Thursday? It's up to you, so PLEASE REVIEW!

08/04/09 ^^Demanding, wasn't I? lol So, I think I got the worst of it. Still not completely happy with it, but I haven't watched the show in years, so this is merely a 'cleansing' process while I consider actually writing (and publishing) something again for another fandom.