Hello, everyone. It has been a long time since I last submitted a story here. I'm posting a new one today, but sadly it's not LOTR as usual. Maybe later, when my plot bunnies have all returned from playing as extras in 'The Hobbit' movie.

I've enjoyed watching Flashpoint for a couple years now. It is incredibly good! It has heart, it deals with people. For an action tv-series, Flashpoint has rendered me to tears more often than Hindi movies! It is so real and emotionally intense. Please watch the series, for those who haven't. It's gonna change your life, like it changes mine.

Now, let's get on to the story.

SUMMARY : Sam has to face his demons as he tries to talk down an armed and angry young woman who has taken people hostage in a supermarket.

It was near midday.

Amid blaring sirens and flashing cherry lights, the three black SUVs came to a complete stop by the main entrance of Campbell's, a chain supermarket downtown. Almost simultaneously, the doors opened and six dark-clad figures came out, their movements fast and smooth as they took position behind the vehicle to strategize.

"Alright, guys. Let's go through this again," Ed said in his usual cold tone of voice. "We have five hostages, all employees. One subject, a young lady armed with a loaded gun. She's obviously mad at the store manager about something and it's our job to find out what it is before she hurts anyone."

"Maybe she's a pissed customer," Spike suggested. "I always feel like shooting someone when they run out of my favorite yoghurt drinks."

The entire Team One gave their computer wizard a telling look.

"What?" Spike protested. "I love my yoghurt drinks!"

Parker rolled his eyes, saying, "I wish I hadn't heard that but you could be right, Spike. She's possibly a disgruntled customer. Now let's find out more about this young lady. Her name, her age, where she's from. Winnie?"

"Yes, Sarge?" her voice sounded clear on their headsets.

"Any more info on the subject from your end?"

"Not yet. All we have is what the 911 caller had told us. The subject is female, young, and highly agitated. She keeps demanding to see the manager, Erik Greely, or she'll start shooting."

"Have you got hold of Mr. Greely?"

"I've tried his cell phone but it went straight to voice mail. The unis have been to his house. No one's there, though."

"He could still be inside the store somewhere, hiding," Raf said.

"You think he knows her?" Jules wondered.

"A displeased girlfriend, maybe? I know some women who would go Scorpio on their men just for messing with the toilet seat," said Sam, raising his eyebrows at his own girlfriend, eliciting a dark scowl from her, to which he responded with a foolish grin, "I'm just saying."

"Okay, that's a possibility too," Parker said, trying to hide his smile. "Spike, I need you to dig deep about this Erik Greely guy. Find out what's his connection to the subject. Also try to get eyes inside, see what we're up against. Do what you do best."

"On it." Spike was already back inside the SUV, bending over his computer and typing rapidly.

"Raf, you're with me. We take the black wall and contain the rear exits," Ed stated, rushing off with his MP5 up and ready.

"I'll cover the white wall," Sam responded in anticipation, while Jules announced that she would go talk to the bystanders crowding right outside the cordoned area.

"The customers who manage to escape are still around. Hopefully they can tell us more about this angry young woman."

"Do that, Jules. I'll see if the subject will talk to me," Parker said, pulling out his phone. "Patch the call through, Winnie."

But the phone inside the store just rang and rang with nobody answering.

"Okay, looks like she doesn't want to talk." The Sergeant was frowning now. "Spike? Eyes?"

"Seconds away, boss."

"The back exits are secured," came Ed's voice. "No one will come through here. Sam?"

"Same with the front. Main door is the only access. Subject is contained."

"Boss, I've got the feed on their CCTVs." Spike's voice was so enthusiastic they all could imagine him beaming from ear to ear. "Subject has rounded the hostages inside the manager's office near the south end, next to the home appliances aisle. I'm sending her still image to your PDAs."

"One witness I just talked to is a cashier who just finished her shift when the subject entered the store," Jules was saying, walking back towards Parker. "The angry young lady is a former employee. Her name is—"

"Michaela Walsh," was Sam's somber statement, throwing the rest of the team into surprised silence.

"Uh…yeah, that's her name," Jules replied, puzzled. "How do you know that?"

"The still image Spike just sent us. I recognize her. I knew her."

"How did you know her, Sam?" Parker asked. "Is she a friend?"

A short pause, and then, "She's Matt's baby sister."

"Matt?" Ed was quick to ask. "As in…your best friend Matt?"

"Yes."

This time, the silence was longer as everyone digested this new revelation. Sam had to swallow a few times before he could speak next, "The last time we saw each other was at Matt's memorial service. She was fifteen then."

"That would put her about twenty years old now." Turning to Spike, Parker covered his mike and whispered, "See if you can find out more on this girl."

Spike nodded and immediately went to work, his fingers a flying blur over the keyboard. The Sergeant then continued, "So, Sam. What's your take on this? You have any idea why she's doing this?"

"I can't say, Boss. I don't really know her anymore. I've lost contact with Michaela and her parents soon after I left the field."

"Why's that?" Raf asked, slightly taken aback when Ed shot him a piercing glance.

"Why do you think? I shot dead her brother. I killed their only son. When I came to deliver the news of Matt's death, Michaela was so mad she punched me in the face. For a small slip of a girl, she got a mean right hook," Sam replied with a soft chuckle but Jules, the person closest to him, could detect a hint of sadness and guilt in his voice.

"Michaela Jane Walsh. She turns twenty next month," Spike supplied data through their headsets, "Lives with her mother, Norma Walsh, outside town. Her father died two years ago."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Sam. "Frank Walsh is dead?"

"Yeah, it was a heart attack."

Leaning against the wall, Sam closed his eyes and lowered his head. He had to bit his lip to keep himself from moaning out loud. "What…what about the older sister, Melanie?"

"She's married, lives with her family in Vancouver," Spike resumed reading the data on his computer screen. "Michaela is clean, no criminal records. But her finance doesn't look so good. Her bank account is very low, she's behind some bills. She finishes high school but never goes to college. Has been working with the store for almost a year now."

"Until yesterday, when she got fired," Jules added what she had learnt from her talk with the store cashier.

"Fired? On what reason?" Ed wanted to know.

"Attitude issues. Truancy. The co-worker said Michaela has been missing from work, on and off. Sometimes a full week straight. The manager, Erik Greely, finally decided to let her go."

"That doesn't sound like her at all," said Sam, his head shaking. "She used to be a straight-A student, a hard worker. She aspired to be a surgeon."

"What could be her problems then? Is she into drugs or something?"

"No way, Boss. Not Michaela."

"Sam, you said it yourself. You don't know her anymore. She might be a different person now," Ed gently rebuked.

"Michaela is not into drugs, I can guarantee that. She's a good kid, okay?"

"Fine, so she could be in other kind of troubles. Spike?"

"Yeah, Boss?"

"You got anything else on her, any problems she's currently facing with? A boyfriend perhaps?"

"Working on it."

Jules rushed back towards the watching crowd. "I'll go talk to that cashier again. We might get more answers from her."

"Winnie, try calling the store one more time. Let's see if I can make her pick up." Grabbing a bullhorn, the Sergeant then refocused his attention to the gaping main entrance. "This is the police. I'm Sergeant Parker from the Strategic Response Unit. Michaela Walsh? We know you can hear me so please answer the phone. We need to know if everyone's alright."

No response. The phone kept on ringing.

"Let's talk, Michaela. Let us help you," Parker tried again, only to get the same result.

"This is not getting us anywhere," he sighed, shaking his head. "Guys, we must find out what has really ticked this girl off, what pushes her to react this way. We know she got fired from her job but is that enough to make her grab a gun and threaten innocent people? There could be a lot going on behind all this."

"Umm…Sarge?"

"Go ahead, Sam."

"Let me go in and talk to her."

Parker hesitated. "You wanna go in?"

"It might help calm her down if she sees a familiar face."

Ed didn't fully agree. "No offense, Sam, but wasn't she mad at you because of her brother? She might just shoot you on sight."

"She won't hurt me. I know how to talk to her, help her see reasons."

"Can you do this, Sam?" Parker earnestly asked, "The last time you brought Matt into a negotiation…"

"Darren Kovacs, I know. I wasn't objective. This one's different, though."

"How's that?"

"She's my best friend's sister. I promised Matt to look after her if something happened to him, but I didn't. Look, this is my chance to make it up to them both. I can't afford not to be objective now."

There was one moment of thick silence as the Sergeant deliberated, before he reluctantly agreed. "Okay, Sam. Okay. Try and talk her down. But the instant things turn ugly…"

"I'll back away and you can take over, I swear on this."

"Alright. Sam, you talk her down. But not without Raf covering you. I'll take Sierra," Ed curtly said, already running towards the front of the building.

Within a minute, the entire team had regrouped. Jules was relating the additional info she had gathered. "The cashier told me that Michaela's mom has Alzheimer. She has no one else but her daughter to care for her."

"Hence, the missing from works," Parker remarked as understanding dawned. "Her mother's sick and needs looking after. She's broke, she just got fired. So she just snaps."

"Is this why she keeps demanding to see the store manager, to get her job back?" Raf wondered.

"Let's go and ask her," said Sam as he handed over his MP5 to Jules, who gave him a concerned look. He returned that look reassuringly. No words were exchanged, yet that seemed to appease her somewhat.

"Now, Sam, I don't need to tell you what to do," Parker said, his gaze intense. "But…be careful, alright?"

Looking at each of his team member, Sam nodded. "Always."

"Raf, shield up," Ed reminded before rushing away with his rifle, "I'll set up sierra perch."

Seeing how Sam's face clouded over by those words, Parker soothed him, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Throwing a last glance at Jules, Sam turned and headed for the store entrance behind the cover of Raf's shield. The Sergeant watched them go, praying that there would be no repeat of 'Darren Kovacs' inside the supermarket. "Spike, keep your eyes in, mainly on the subject. Do not lose sight of her, you hear me?"

"Copy that, boss," was the quick reply.

"Directions, Spike?" Sam asked as he and Raf carefully made their way inside, stealthily moving past rows of silent aisles.

"Last aisle to your left, home appliances. First room, the one with the glass wall. Careful, guys. She's facing your way and will immediately see when your turn the corner."

"Copy."

They halted next to shelves full of cooking ware. Sam peered around a steam cooker to see a red-haired young woman standing in the middle of the office, waving a .380 about like a woman possessed.

"Sierra in position," Ed's voice sounded like final warning in their headsets. He was somewhere deep in the store, always ready to do what he had to do to protect the hostages and his fellow team mates.

Sam patted Raf's shoulder in signal, and the duo resumed their careful approach. As Spike had predicted, the young woman instantly noticed them.

"Stop!" she yelled. "I don't want any of you here. Get out now or I shoot them. I swear I will!"

The hostages, four women and a male teenager, cringed in terror. Sitting in a tight cluster on the floor, they held each other in fearful embrace.

"Michaela?" Sam halted, and then slowly inched closer. "Michaela, please. Can we talk?"

That threw the young woman off. She stared at Sam in disbelief. "Sammy?"

Raising his arms to show that he meant her no harm, Sam smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's me."

"Wh…what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here, Michaela? Can you tell me what's this all about?"

Her hand that was holding the gun trembled. "Go away, Sam. Just leave me alone!"

"You know I can't do that. But I can help you, if you would let me."

"I don't need your help!"

"You're looking for the manager, Eric Greely, aren't you?"

"Yeah. So?"

"We're looking for him too. So far, he's nowhere to be found. We'll keep looking, I promise. But first we need to know what you want from him."

The girl closed her eyes briefly before replying. "The bastard fired me yesterday."

"Yes, we know that. Now you want him to give you your job back. Is that right, Michaela?"

"I don't care about the stupid job!" she practically screamed. "Just give me my last paycheck. Is that too much to ask?"

Parker and Jules exchanged looks. "Now we're getting something," the Sergeant said. "Sam, keep her talking. Ask her what really happened, pull her down to yellow."

"Any news of Greely yet?" Sam whispered back.

"Still nothing. We'll give you updates as soon as we get it."

"Copy." Taking a deep breath, Sam then motioned Raf to move another step closer to the office door.

"Stay back!" Michaela shouted, raising her gun and aimed it at them both.

"Okay, okay. We're just gonna stay here, is that alright?" Sam placated, automatically reaching for his side arm but he didn't draw it out. "Michaela. Mickey?"

"Don't call me that! Just…just stop calling me that. I'm not a little girl anymore."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's been too long since we last met."

She reluctantly lowered her gun. But from where he stood, Sam could see that the safety was off. He moved no further, not wanting to risk freaking her out any more than she was. "You've changed."

She shrugged. "So do you. You're a police officer now, huh?"

"Almost five years."

Her gaze was sharp and accusing. "Right after Kandahar? After Matt?"

Sam swallowed. "Yes."

Biting down a sob, she turned her face away. Sam gave her a moment before he softly spoke, "Michaela? You said something about a paycheck. Tell me, what really happened."

"They fired me. He fired me," she replied. "Okay, I get it. I skipped work several days, but Eric doesn't need to cut off my entire pay."

"Is he authorized to do that?"

"He said it's company policy. That's bullshit! I deserve to be paid for those days I toiled for, at least. But he…he is so…so uptight. So self-righteous! He told me that I'm a nuisance, an inconvenience to others. He deducts from my pay the OT paid to those staffs covering my place. That's not fair! He can't do that, but did he even listen to me? No. Instead, he had me escorted out of the building as if I were a thief!"

"I hear you, Michaela," Sam said, his gaze never leaving her pretty yet distressed features. "I can understand why you're so angry with him. Look, we're doing all we can to contact Eric Greely right now. I'm sure he has lots of explaining to do, especially if his action is against regulations."

"I don't want him to explain anything, I just want my money!"

Parker suddenly chose that moment to speak, "Sam, we've located Mr. Greely."

"Good. Where is he?" Sam asked in return, his voice low.

"Actually, not good. The guy's dead."

"Come again?"

"He was killed in a car accident this morning. They just tracked him down to the hospital morgue." The Sergeant briefly hesitated. "Sam, you need to break this gently to Michaela or she might escalate."

Sam sighed. "Copy that."

When he raised his gaze, he found the girl staring intently back at him. "What is it? What's going on?"

"We've found Eric Greely."

"So, where the hell is he? Get him here now!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. In fact, it's downright impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"I have bad news, Michaela. Eric died. He was in a car crash."

"What?" She gaped at him in disbelief. "No. No, I don't believe you."

"It's true. He's dead. He couldn't answer to anything anymore so why don't you put the gun down. Let the hostages go, so that we can talk."

"No! Don't you dare tell me what to do!"

"Michaela, listen—"

"Why would I listen to you!" With that outrage cry, she raised her gun again. "Tell me why I should listen to you when you were the one who caused all this, Sam. Tell me."

When he didn't immediately answer, she screamed, "TELL ME!"

Ed's finger was firm at the trigger. "Sam?"

"Stand down, Sierra," was Sam's reply. The team leader didn't acknowledge, so Sam added, "Trust me, Ed. I got this."

A full heart beat later, Ed acquiesced. "Sierra copy."

Turning his full attention to the girl once more, Sam drew a collective breath before he began speaking. "What do you mean that I caused all this, Michaela? Would you mind explaining that?"

"Do I need to explain?" She scoffed without humor. "My brother's dead. You were there, didn't you?"

"So this all about me? Is that what you mean?"

"You did this to us, Sam! Because of you, my Dad lost all hopes and became an alcoholic. He stopped going to work, he simply stopped living. He continued on drinking till the day he dropped dead of a heart attack. My Mom is so wallowed up in sorrow it affects her mind, and now she can't even remember her own daughter. My beloved sister got so fed-up with this pathetic family she got a new one of her own and took herself away as far as she can be. I had to sacrifice my dreams to make ends meet. And where were you? Having fun playing police as if you haven't done anything wrong, as if you haven't ruined our live!"

Sam let her ranted on, even though her every word stabbed through his heart. He knew that by keeping her focus on him, her attention would be dragged away from the hostages. And so he endured the tirade, no matter how terribly it hurt.

"Michaela, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? You don't even understand what the word means, Sam," she shot back. "How could you just stand there and say you're sorry when you look so dashing wearing that uniform, so strong and healthy, while my brother is an ugly rotting corpse six feet under! Have you no feelings? Have you any idea what we've gone through, what I've gone through?"

"I can relate to what you're feeling now, Michaela. I understand your anger and your pain."

"Oh, you do. Really? Then tell me why our life is a living hell while yours is all rainbow and sunshine. Tell me why we're still in mourning while you've clearly forgotten everything."

"I never forget. I never ever will," Sam softly said, pushing himself away from Raf's shield.

"Sam," Raf hissed, surprised by his team mate's unexpected move. "Get back behind the shield."

"Michaela, my life changed the day Matt died," Sam continued, putting up one hand to tell Raf to stay back. "I loved him. He was my best friend, the brother I never had."

"And yet we were told that he was killed in a friendly fire. Literally," she barked a short laugh. "Matt was shot dead by his own best friend!"

As Sam inched closer, he kept his eye on Michaela's gun. The hand holding it was trembling, but at least it was pointing away from the hostages. "Matt wasn't even supposed to be there, but somehow he was. I had the order, I took the shot. It never crossed my mind that he would be anywhere near. When we got down to identify the bodies, only then we realized that Matt's was one of them.

"At the time I still couldn't grasp that Matt was dead, that he had died by my own hands. It was on the third night when I was suddenly jerked awake. I glanced at Matt's bed next to mine, saw that it was cold and empty. And then it hit me. My best friend's gone. I killed him."

Sam bit his lower lip, clearly troubled with what he was about to say next, "For a long time, I…I just sat there, trying to come terms with what I had done. I sat in the dark…for hours…with a gun shoved up my mouth."

Ignoring the sharp intake of breath sounded in his headset, Sam continued, "I waited and waited for the courage to just…just pull the trigger. But I couldn't do it. I just couldn't."

Michaela stared at Sam, a hand covering her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears. She tried to say something but no words came out. Sam's confession had shaken her terribly.

"One thing stopped me from taking the easy way out, Michaela. It was my promise to Matt," Sam added. He was now standing in the doorway, only a few feet separating him from her. "Actually, it was our promise to each other. We promise to take care of each other's sister if something happened to either one of us. Matt would take care of Natalie, and I…I would take care of you."

"Stop talking, Sam. Just stop, okay? I don't want to hear any more…" She openly cried, backing away with the gun still up. Her arm was wavering, pointing dangerously at the petrified hostages.

"Please, Michaela. Put the gun down. Let the hostages go," Sam pleaded, inching slowly forward.

"No, they stay! I want to settle this, once and for all."

"Then settle it with me." With those words, Sam stepped right in front of the gun, using his body as shield.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Parker asked, sounding anxious.

"I killed Matt. I took him away from you, causing you pain," Sam kept talking, his attention only on her, totally oblivious to anyone else. "I broke my promise, I forgot about you. I did this to you, Michaela. So shoot me."

Sam continued his approach until the muzzle of her gun was pressed flat against his chest, just above his body armor. "Shoot me."

Everyone tensed, expecting tragedy to strike at any moment. For those long seconds, silence reigned as Sam and Michaela stared into each other's eyes; his gaze was determined while hers was full of torment.

She then promptly broke into heart wrenching sobs. "I can't," she cried, lowering her arm to drop the gun. "I can't shoot you, Sam. You're like a brother to me too. Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

Near tears himself, Sam gathered the weeping girl into his arms and held her tight. "Shhh…don't be sorry. It's okay."

With the subject now unarmed, Raf rushed into the office and collected the gun from the floor. He then quietly ushered the hostages out of the room, which they all gladly did without any fuss.

"What have I done?" Michaela wept, her face buried against Sam's neck. "I didn't mean for it to go like this. I just wanted to scare Eric, to make him give me my pay. But now he's dead so what am I to do?"

"It would be alright, Michaela. You'll see," Sam soothed her. "We'll face this together, okay? I've abandoned you once, I won't abandon you again. This I promise."

Just then, Sergeant Parker and Jules arrived at the scene. Sam's significant other looked extremely relieved to see him unharmed, yet her brown eyes were deep with concern as she gave him a once over.

Parker's smile was kind as she addressed the distressed young woman, "Hi, Michaela. I'm Sergeant Parker. Thank you for not firing the gun. I'm sorry, though. You need to come with us."

She started to panic. "But…my Mom. I…I need to get back to her…"

"We have officers at your house right now. Your next door neighbor still sits with her," Jules assured her. "Don't worry. We won't let your mother be left alone."

"Go with Officer Callaghan, Michaela," Sam gently told her. "It's gonna be okay."

Reluctantly, she nodded and disengaged herself from Sam's embrace before letting Jules lead her away. After the women were gone, Parker asked Sam, "How're you doing?"

Sam was surprised to find himself badly choked up. Shaking his head, he turned around and started walking. "Give me a minute, Sarge."

The sergeant sadly watched as the young officer moved slowly down the long silent aisle, shoulders drooped and head bent low. Whatever demons that Sam had faced just now, he had survived it with cool mannerism. But it obviously didn't leave him emotionally unscathed. So Parker let him take his moment to gather some composure. There would be lots of time later to chew the blond head off for taking such a dangerous move.

Turning off his radio, Sam kept walking until he found the most secluded dark corner he could find. His legs had already turned rubbery, and his chest was heaving from barely contained sobs. Leaning heavily against a rack filled with gardening tools, he broke down and let the tears fall free. He cried like he had never cried before. Crying for Matt, Michaela, her parents. For himself.

Only minutes had elapsed but the next thing he knew, he was kneeling on the floor with his face in his hands. Years of combat training plus his skill as a long-range marksman had strengthened his sharp perceptiveness of his surroundings, which at present enabled him to sense the slight change in the air as someone came to stand behind him. Without turning around, he knew who it was.

"That was a huge risk you took," Ed's calm voice broke the silence.

Of course, it was Ed. The team leader had taken sierra perch somewhere in the store. Nothing escaped his watch. He and he alone had witnessed his team-mate's ultimate melt down.

In other circumstances, that would have embarrassed Sam greatly. Only right now he just didn't really care. He was already spent, unable to feel anything else. Choosing not to reply, he wiped the trace of tears off his face and sat on the floor, his knees upraised and his back against the shelf.

Undeterred, the team leader added, "What made you so sure she won't shoot you?"

Sam simply shrugged, which caused the other man's eyes to widen. "My god, Sam. You wanted her to shoot you."

"It's a lot less than I deserve, right?" Sam finally responded, "I abandoned her. I should have protected her but I ran away. I was such a coward. I am a coward."

"And this comes from someone who just moments ago stood directly in the line of fire." Ed was shaking his head. "She could have killed you. I could have killed you. You were completely blocking my shot. Seriously, Sam, I would have taken her out if you were not in the way."

"I knew you would, Ed." Sam's lips trembled as he tried to hold himself together. "But it's not her fault that her life turned to hell. It's mine. If it weren't for me, Matt would still be alive. So might her Dad. She could have gone to college, pursuing her dreams. She could be happy, but I…I took it all away."

Ed's face softened. "Things happen for a reason, Sam. If Matt didn't die, you wouldn't have left the field and joined SRU. Remember all those lives you saved, and those brilliant tactical ideas you came out with. If you weren't there, we might have had higher casualty counts on our hands."

Sighing, Sam said, "I am no hero, Ed. The real reason I left the field was because I lost all courage. I was afraid to face Matt's ghost. Heck, I almost took my own life."

"But you didn't."

"I almost did. I just lost it, Ed. I completely utterly lost it."

"Hey, look at me." Ed crouched down so that they were eye to eye. "You're one of the most courageous men I know, Sam. What you've gone through in Kandahar was no walk in the park. Shooting dead an innocent man, a best friend no less, can render a normal man to madness. Yet you move on, stronger than ever. You found yourself a different place to go, a different person to be. You help others in need even when you need saving yourself. And that took guts. You're no coward, so don't you dare think differently."

Ed squeezed the younger man's shoulder as he added, "Like I told you once before, you have to be at peace with who you are to get over that painful past. You have your full life ahead of you. This is not the time to look back. It's time to look forward. That girl, Michaela, she gets into troubles not because of you. It's the wheel of life. We simple humans don't have control of our fate. We just ride it out the best we can. Help her, Sam, like you did for others. Just stop blaming yourself because it won't bring her brother back. Matt would want you to be happy too."

Blinking back tears, Sam looked gratefully at his team leader. "You're so much like him."

"Who do you mean?"

"Matt. He was like an older brother to me, always ready to kick me in the ass when I did or said anything stupid. He watched my back, he kept me sane. Just like you." Sam managed a smile. "Thanks, Ed."

"Yeah, I already have one pain-in-the-butt kid brother. I can handle another one!" Ed laughed. He straightened and offered a hand. "Ready to get moving?"

Sam gladly grabbed it to pull himself to his feet. "Right, let's go face the shooting squad."

It was not exactly a shooting squad that greeted them when they emerged from the store, but close to it. Raf was grimly shaking his head, while Spike could barely control himself from smacking Sam upside the head.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, you numb-nut!" he grumbled. "Do that again and I'll put your nude pics on E-Bay!"

Grinning in return, Sam gave Spike a hug. "You don't even have my nude pics."

"I'm the computer genius, remember? I'll find a way."

Sam groaned and then turned to Parker who asked, "You're good?"

"Yes, Sarge. I'm good."

"Great. Let's head back to HQ for debrief. I've sharpened my sword and am ready to chop off a certain blond head."

"Oooh…" the rest of team emitted in mock horror, "Someone's in big trouble."

Smiling, the sergeant gave Sam a quick embrace. "Good job, Sam. It was damn risky but…good job."

"Thanks, Sarge. And I'm sorry for causing you any worries."

"Worries?" Parker shook his head. "No, I wasn't worried, not really. I have faith in you, Sam. So should you."

"That's what I've been drilling into that thick skull all these years," said Ed. He looked around at Team One before announcing, "Well, you heard the Boss. We've got to debrief. Let's move!'

After some more hugging and back slapping, they all headed for their vehicle. Sam caught Jules' eyes and asked, "How is Michaela doing?"

"She'll be alright. They've taken her downtown for statements. She will be charged for carrying firearm and taking people hostage. But at least she's alive, right? That's all that matters."

"Yes, it is." Sam nodded. "I'm going to help her, Jules. She has no one else."

"I know. We help her together," she replied. Her smile was tender and her gaze was fond as she mouthed at him soundlessly, "I love you."

"I love you too," he mouthed back, gazing warmly at her.

And, together, they got into the SUV and drove away.

THE END