Slipping
Annaleise Marie

Part Three: Death and Recovery

AN: I love you guys. Your feedback made me so happy. :D

I'm sorry about not sending out individual replies to all of you, but I lost track of who I had and

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I don't remember standing up. I don't remember leaving the van, and I don't remember running across the parking lot. But suddenly I was being forcibly restrained by Felix and Demetri as Jane and Alec broke down the door to the bank. Demetri was yelling something about me not wearing my vest and other gear, but it was like I was hearing him from underwater. It wasn't important. What was important was ten yard away, in the bank. My mind was spinning. I couldn't breathe. Was I underwater? I wasn't even sure about that anymore.

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RPOV

"You sick mother fucker!" I spat, and in my peripheral I could see flecks of blood leaving my mouth. Fuck.

Don't try to be a hero, Emmett had always told me. If you're ever in one of these situations, don't try to be a hero.

Fuck that, Emmett. Fuck.

The second James was up on the desk chair, focused on disabling the camera, I had kicked it out from under him. If I was going to die anyway, I wasn't going without a fight. The phone hit the ground, the cord disconnecting, as James hit the floor. The gun hit the ground, misfiring somewhere to my right. I grabbed it, scrambling to my feet and landing a kick square in his stomach as he tried to get up.

I'm not a great shot, but at point-blank range, anyone can hit a target. I wasn't even aware of raising the gun, or pulling the trigger. I was running on adrenaline and instinct. This fucker had tormented my husband, threatened by life, and my family by extension, and for what? For his own amusement, as far as I could tell. And he had knocked out at least two of my teeth and I hate dentists so that shit just didn't fly.

The bullet entered his throat, and his blood sprayed my pants. I jumped back, not wanting any part of him on me, before raising the gun once more as his hand came to his throat.

Which brought us back to the present as the main door burst open and Jane and Alec came rushing in. I had met them at bureau functions, but at the moment I couldn't recognize them. It didn't matter.

What mattered was that this fucker died.

I pulled the trigger again, just as Jane and Alec raised their weapons.

I've never seen three bullets enter someone's skull simultaneously. Even in the most far-fetched action movies. I saw his skull blast apart, pieces of flesh and bone and pulpy-like brain matter separating and landing feet away from his body before I sunk to my knees, heaving and losing what was left in my stomach from breakfast.

I was exhausted, emotionally bankrupt. I couldn't stay conscious anymore. I fell into blackness as Jane ordered the rest of the team inside.

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EPOV

The next three shots ripped through the air at the same time moments after Jane and Alec entered the building. They were too close together. James had to have caused one of them. At least. Who else had been shot? Jane? Alec? Or was it the finishing blow to...

I might have been screaming. I wasn't sure. I was underwater and my voice was muted, taking too long to reach even my ears. Felix's hands gripped my upper arms, one leg hooked around the front of my left one. Demitri had me from behind, his arms around my middle, one foot stilling my right one while the other was anchored behind him, countering my weight.

Jane was yelling something from inside, and the rest of her team rushed in. Was it Rosalie? Alec? Had they gotten James? Who was going to be coming out in a body bag?

Everything suddenly returned, like someone had suddenly attached A/V cords to the world, as Felix and Demetri released me. I heard Heidi and Cornin's choppers overhead, Laurent making announcements over the megaphone, the clamour of the crowd that was gathering just outside of the area roped off by Jane. I was lurching towards the door, grabbing the frame to stop myself as I came face-to-face with Alec.

Alec.

Alec, who was alive. Alec, who had the limp form of my wife in his arms.

I wasn't sure how it happened but she was suddenly in my arms and I was sitting on the ground with her held against me. I don't remember if I sat down or fell. It didn't matter. I think I was crying. That didn't matter either.

I had lost. The one time it really mattered, I had lost.

So I didn't believe it when I felt her move. It had to be my mind playing tricks on me. I wanted to believe it, but that was probably what was causing it and I think I started crying harder.

"Emmett," I heard her whisper. This was too cruel. Wasn't it bad enough that I had lost her? And Emma... This morning, Emma had a mother. How was I going to explain this to her?

"Emmett," she whispered again and now her hand was touching my face. I squeezed my eyes shut. Why was this happening? Was I going crazy.

"Emmett!" she shouted, and I felt her hand make solid contact with my face as she slapped me. "Snap out of it and say something! You're scaring the shit out of me!"

I almost laughed because that was just so Rosalie.

I opened my eyes and her blue ones were staring into mine, looking concerned. My heart started thudding. I had thought it had stopped, I hadn't noticed it in so long. Maybe it hadn't been that long. It couldn't have possibly been more than five minutes, right?

Rosalie was looking at me, sitting up, her hands running comfortingly though my hair.

"Rose," I croaked. My voice was sore. I guess I had been screaming.

"Jesus Christ, after everything I've been through today, you felt the need to scare me, too? What the hell, Emmett?" she demanded, but it didn't cover the relief in her voice.

She was alive. I couldn't be imagining this to this extent, right?

She slumped against me, her face buried in my neck and her warm breath ghosting over my collar. I felt warmth spreading across the fabric and I remembered that she was still bleeding. I would have to let her go soon to get medical attention.

I couldn't imagine letting her go. Ever. Not if I lived another eighty years. I'd have to, because Rosalie will do what she wants and not put up with me shadowing her around, but that didn't mean I wanted to. And I definitely didn't now.

"I killed him," she muttered. I did laugh at that. That strange, relieved, desperate laugh that I was so used to hearing on the other end of the phone, the laugh that I never would have imagined would come from me.

"Atta girl," I said. "Christ..." I just couldn't think of anything to say.

When Renata, our on-site paramedic, finally came to take her away from me to decide how serious the wounds on her face were, I reluctantly let her go, seeing Laurent approach with her, looking at me like he needed to say something.

"So, she killed him," he said. "Jane saw it, Alec saw it, and the ballistics will show it..."

"What are you saying?"

"She'll be tried," he said slowly. "She'll be found innocent, because it was in defense, and even before James cut the video, there was enough evidence for that, but she'll still have to stand trial, as it is."

"God," I groaned. He crouched down beside me, grinning conspiratorially.

"Keep your mouth shut about what happened. I've already convinced Jane and Alec. I'm going to disappear some evidence. The second bullet. As far as the ballistics report is concerned, the gun misfired into his neck, and Jane and Alec shot him. Rosalie won't be implicated."

I wanted to thank him. Trials are hard on the victims, even if they're not the ones actually on trial. After all this, Rosalie shouldn't be subjected to that. I couldn't find the words, though, and before I had the chance he was standing up again.

"No need for thanks," he said as if sensing my struggle. "You can just buy me a beer when we all go out to celebrate a successful takedown." He glanced across the parking lot to the ambulance, where Renata was inspecting Rosalie. "In a few days, of course. I figure you two will need a bit of recovery.

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3rdPOV

Victoria was bustled back and forth by the crowd, everyone trying to get closer to see what had happened, or trying to fight their way out of the throng when the shots were fired.

The blonde girl came out alive, which only meant one thing.

Sure enough, a half hour later, a stretcher was rolled into the bank and then back out, a large form covered in a white sheet being towed on it.

She turned, keeping her face expressionless, and walked from the crowd.

Detective Emmett McCarty and his pretty little wife...

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AN: Sorry to anyone who was fooled by the chapter title. It is, however, accurate. XD And who says you can't have a cliffhanger as a chapter title? Pfft.

But we have a happy ending, right? Right? :D Totally worth it, right? /prompts for feedback.

So as you can see, I left the ending open for a bit of a relatively-canon sequel. Thoughts?

It's the last chapter. If you have been lurking about, waiting for a time to say something, I would love to hear from you this time around. What were your thoughts on the story as a whole? :3

I love you all, and I'll see you on the flip side!