Note: Anything in italics are thoughts. Please read as so.

TARGET

Jack and Vivienne are leaving the Courthouse when a shot rings out from above. Vivienne reaches for her weapon and crouches down. The impact from the bullet sends Jack face first to the ground.

'What the hell? Something's hit me hard. Pain…sharp pain…my shoulder…my back. I'm falling. Can't catch my breath. The pavement's coming up fast. Ouch..my face, that hurt! What's happening? Thi si not good.

Why's everyone screaming? Someone help me, I can't move. Is that blood on the pavement? Am I bleeding? Viv, I can't speak. What's she saying? It hurts. I can't breath. Vivienne, I can't hear you. I'm scared. Am I dying?

I can see the sky now, so blue. She's pressing my chest. Not so hard, it hurts so much. I can see her tears. Sirens. I must be dying. More faces. Are they talking to me? I'm tired now. Just need to sleep. It's getting darker, I'll just close my eyes.'

"Jack!" Viv shouts as Jack hits the pavement with a sickening thud. She is looking around all the rooftops trying to see from where the shot came. It's no good, she can't see the shooter. People around her are running and screaming, with the exception of Jack. He's lying on the pavement, face down, perfectly still. She freezes for an instant, and stares at him, before jumping into action. She moves towards his head and feels for a pulse, while dialing 911 on her cell phone. She can see where the bullet entered his body, just below his right shoulder. A pool of blood is forming under him.

She rolls him over and is horrified to see the exit wound in his chest. She presses hard on the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Don't you die on me, Jack Malone! Not here! Just hang in there," she begs as she looks deep into his frightened eyes. His gaze is fixed skywards, as he fights for breath.

It's not long before Vivienne hears the sirens and the ambulance pulls up. The paramedics rush over to the pair and Viv steps back as they get to work.

"He's bleeding out," one of them tells the other. "Call ahead. Tell them we're coming in fast, okay?"

"What's his name?" the paramedic asks Viv.

"Jack. Jack Malone," she replies.

"Jack, can you hear me Jack? Open your eyes for me, Jack," the paramedic asks Jack.

"He's lost consciousness. His pulse is very weak. We gotta go now," he says to Viv, as he and his colleague lift Jack onto a stretcher and hastily load him into the ambulance.

The journey is a blur. Thankfully, they are only a matter of minutes from the Mercy Hospital.

They stop and quickly wheel Jack into the Emergency Room. They are met by a number of medical staff. As an array of orders are shouted around the Trauma Room, Vivienne stands back and tries to keep out of the way. Amid all the activity, her cell phone rings.

"Johnson," she answers, staring at a bloodied Jack.

"Viv, it's Danny. Where are you? I thought you and Jack were coming straight back," he says.

"Jack's been shot," Viv says abruptly.

"What?" Danny asks, not believing his ears.

"I'm in the E.R. at Mercy Hospital. They're working on him now," Viv informs him.

"How bad is it?" Danny asks with great concern.

"It's bad, Danny. It's bad," is all Viv says.

"Okay. Em, we'll be right there, okay?" he tells her as he hangs up.