An: first Endeavour fic, written for a prompt I was sent. Please review x

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Morse looked between Thursday and the two men stood opposite them. Cassidy and Wheeler, two gangsters he wished they'd never met. Killers the pair of them, he knew it and he could prove it. They knew he could too. Both of them were pointing guns in his and Thursday's direction and he had a horrible feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"It's over, lads." Fred spoke calmly. "Nothing you can do now."

"What are you gonna do?" Cassidy asked. "An old man and college boy? You're nothing. You're on your own."

"We're not." Morse lied. "You're surrounded."

"Liar." Wheeler smirked. "You don't like following orders and this time you've got yourself and your boss killed."

Morse swallowed, it had been his idea that they go to the junk yard at night to see if they could find where Cassidy and Wheeler met. Now they were trapped. He remembered leaving a note for Strange, he could only pray to whoever might be listening that Strange had seen it and was on his way.

"You kill us and it's going to be a whole lot worse for you than its going to be already." Fred kept the calm tone to his voice, his face giving nothing away.

"You've got nothing." Cassidy glared but Morse noticed the way his hand that held the gun shook whilst he spoke. Morse swallowed hard again, this really wasn't going to end well.

He didn't know who fired, he guessed it was Cassidy. He just heard the sound of the gun…then felt the pain as the bullet hit his stomach. He was suddenly falling backwards till his back hit the floor.

"You idiot." He heard Wheeler say. "Let's get out of here."

Their footsteps echoed throughout the junkyard as they fled.

Fred dropped to his side. "Morse? You alright, Morse?"

"Sir…" Morse spoke through gritted teeth, his breathing fast as he tried to ignore the pain he was in. "Go after them…they can't get away. Not again."

"And leave you on your own? No, ta." He pulled off his scarf and pressed it to Morse's wound. The younger officer flinched and clenched his fists.

"Sir, they'll kill again…" His eyes opened and closed, he knew from the wetness of his shirt he was losing a lot of blood. This wasn't a good situation.

Fred heard the way Morse's voice was starting break as he spoke. "I've seen too many good coppers die, Morse. Not losing you too."

Morse closed his eyes unable to keep them open any longer, he felt drained. Like all the life in him was slipping away. His breathing became slower. Fred looked around, they were alone. Where were the others? Surely someone would've found the note by now? If not they'd told the officer on the desk where they were going…

"Come on now, Morse. Keep your eyes open…"

"Go, before they…"

"That's enough." Fred spoke sternly but Morse didn't fail to hear the concerned tone his superior was trying to hide. "I'm going to stay, okay? I'm going to stay with you. I'm not going anywhere. We're going to get you to a hospital and you are going to be alright."

Morse said nothing. He was still. Too still.

"Morse?" Fred shook the younger officer as the panic began to set in. "Morse?"

The screeching sound of breaks made Fred look up to see the others arriving. He looked back down at Morse, he was breathing but he seemed to be unconscious.

"Matey!" Strange ran from the car kneeling next to his friend. He struggled to believe the pale lifeless form was Morse.

"Cassidy shot him. We need to get him to a hospital."

"An ambulance?

"It'll take too long. Get him in the car."

Strange nodded and another officer appeared helping him carry Morse to the car.

Fred got to his feet and saw Mr Bright waking over to him.

"Is he…"

"Alive? He's still hanging on." Fred spoke. "Get everyone looking for Cassidy and Wheeler, I want them found. And I'd appreciate it if you would call my wife and explain the situation."

"Thursday…"

Fred didn't know what Mr Bright was about to say, whether it be an argument about his request or the fact he'd just ordered a superior officer to do something but he didn't care. "Just do it. For Morse's sake. Because if he dies…" He stopped himself finishing his sentence and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Mr Bright asked.

"With Morse. I promised I wouldn't leave him." With that he carried on walking and got in the car with Morse and Strange and they left for the nearest hospital. He sat in the back with his DC leaning against him, unconscious and losing blood. He only hoped they wouldn't be too late.