OA-

I don't really know what I was thinking. Maybe I wasn't. But I could see in Sam's eyes that he wasn't going to quit, wasn't going to give up and put the gun down. I could hear Maggie talking to him, telling him to look around. That he was already famous. Something distracted him and for just a few moments, he looked away. In that instant I could feel myself flying forward, part of me wondering why I was taking such a dangerous risk, and part of me knowing I had to, that I had to try.

I hardly recognized the sound of the gun firing in the moment, maybe because all I could feel was pain. It was everywhere, crushing me, leaving me gasping for breath as I fell to the floor.

I could hear Maggie's panic, could sense her fear and was sure that was the confirmation that I was, in fact, a goner. She was trying to comfort me.

"It's okay, it's okay." I somehow make out as I watched her lips form the words.

"Hold on, OA. Hold on," she demanded as she pulled the vest open and relief flooded her face.

"You're okay. It didn't go through. You're okay, you're okay."

Hearing the vest had stopped the bullet was reassuring, though the pain still incredibly intense. Still, I hated seeing Maggie so worried, on the verge of crying. I couldn't help but attempt a joke.

"It's still gonna leave a mark," I managed to gasp between stabbing breaths.

She didn't smile like I had hoped. Maybe my difficulty making the joke rendered the joke useless.

Maggie-

I saw it in his eyes before he lunged at the kid, though I'm not sure how I know what the Look meant. I was calling his name as he began to charge. Then I heard the shot, saw OA go down and he pulled the gun from Sam's hand. The moments it took to get Sam on the ground and Hank to take over felt indefinite.

I was completely and utterly terrified. I heard someone talking as I tried to pull open OA's vest and realized it was me trying to offer comfort. I wrestle it open and am so relieved when his chest is covered only by his shirt and not a pool of red.

I told him he's okay, that the bullet didn't go through and he started to breathe a little easier, though the pain is evident on his face. I saw panic begin to subside, probably reflecting the emotions I was expressing myself.

I hardly believed my ears when he attempted a joke. Seriously? He does something incredibly reckless, stupid, and trie to joke about it not even two minutes later? But I can't say anything because I'm just too relieved. Because the worst didn't happen. Not today. Hopefully never.

A few hours later we walk out of the doctor's office, me just behind him mostly because I was too worried to leave him, scared to lose him, though I'd never admit that to anybody. Instead I explained how I didn't expect him to tell the the true extent of his injuries.

The doctor tells him he'll be fine, that nothing is broken and time will heal all wounds. It surprises me that I suddenly felt like crying. Maybe because I can't help but think about what could have happened. The doctor goes in another direction and I couldn't hold in the words any longer.

"What you did was stupid. You know that, right?" I say, a bit taken back by the anger I hear dripping from my words.

He's annoyed at first. I hear it and see it which makes me even angrier. How can he take this so lightly? Someone could have died. He could have died!

"Yeah," he says.

"An innocent bystander could have been killed." I want him to say something, to explain.

"I know-" he starts, but suddenly I can't let him continue because, as much as I need him to explain it all to me, I have more I need to say.

"No OA. You could have been killed!" How can he not see that!

"I know," he says again, but this time it's different.

It's softer, more apologetic, and I know that he does see. He does understand.

"I just acted on instinct," he continues.

"Instinct? Your instinct was reckless." I had to look away then, seeing too much pain, too many what-ifs in his eyes.

I can't stop the next words from flying out. "And it scared me. Don't do that again."

I'm on the verge of tears, emotions unchecked, still struggling to comprehend everything that has happened. The look he gives me, the raw, understanding look, tells me he get it because he's putting himself in my shoes, feeling what I feel just by imagining the roles had been reversed.

Sam's dad walks up behind us pulling us from the bubble we had just been in, the bubble that allowed us to say those things, to be honest. There's more to be said and I see it in the look OA gives me as he breaks eye contact to turn his attention back to the man. But it's too late now, the bubble has been popped.

Hearing what he had to say, how thankful he was that OA saved his son, I wish it didn't change anything. I wish I could still be mad at OA, because being mad was so much easier than what else I was feeling: hurt, sadness, doubt, so much more I can't even put into words.

As the man walks away, headed toward the second floor to be with his son, OA turns back to me. I see the tears he's trying to hide that match my own and, while there are so many things I was to say, need to say, I know I can't. Not now. So I do the only the I can: I hold his gaze and shake my head trying to tell him everything without words. For now that's all I can do.

I guess it's enough because he turns a little so he's half facing me and holds out one arm, cringing just a little for lifting it too high. I just look at him, but he keeps it raised.

"Don't make me stand like this all day," he jokes lightly.

I scoff and roll my eyes, though I can't help but walk to his side for a hug. He sighs in relief, and I do as well as I remind myself for the hundredth time that he's alive. The worst didn't happen. Not today. Hopefully never.

We head toward the exit of the hospital. Despite the pain he must still be in despite the pain relief meds he was given, he holds the door for me.

"Does this mean you'll do my paperwork for me?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Pfff, no," I respond in fake disbelief. "Getting shot definitely doesn't get you out of paperwork. Suck it up, buttercup."

He pretends to scowl but I see right through it. "Buttercup? Come on! I can hardly move!" he whines, though I know he's just messing with me.

I shrug. "Guess you should have been more careful," as I slide into the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition. "In fact," I continue as he closes the passenger side door behind him, "I think you should have to do mine for at least a month for all that unnecessary worry and stress."

He looks at me, mouth open, eyes wide. "That's a terrible idea. Honestly..." It's his turn to look at me in disbelief as he shakes his head.

I pull out of the lot and turn left instead of right which leads to the JOC. OA looks at me, eyes smug, a smile on his face that says he won, thinking I'm taking him home. But not yet.

"We're not going to your place, jerk. You at least owe me lunch. If you hadn't gotten shot I would have been able to eat hours ago. And it will cost you a milkshake if you think I'm going to finish today's paperwork without you, but don't expect it tomorrow. You've got to start pulling your own weight around here!" I give him a look that says, 'don't even bother trying to argue.' He just smiles and shakes his head as I pull into a small diner.

We fall in sync with each other as we walk to the door and I am, again, thankful to have another day, nother meal, with my partner. The worst didn't happen. Not today. Hopefully never.

OA-

I wasn't sure what I expected from Maggie, but the waiting room heart to heart was not on the list. I have to say, the annoyance I felt at the start faded away as quickly as it came when I realized this wasn't about me doing the wrong thing. It was out of fear that she had lost me. How easily I could put myself in her shoes, imagine what she had been feeling to understand why she was reacting so strongly. It's justified. Every word.

It was her last words that touched me the most. I could hear them on repeat in my head.

"And it scared me. Don't do that again."

I can't imagine watching her get shot. I pray I we will never be in a situation that leads to that. And seeing the tears that threatened to fall combined with my own emotions was nearly too much for me as well.

I didn't know what else to do but hold out my arm for a hug. She didn't accept at first,

of course not, but a joke later she was hugging my side. That's when I knew we were okay. The last of the fear I was holding dissipated and I could completely breathe again despite the pain in my chest.

As we arrived at the small diner and I was told I was buying lunch, I couldn't even argue. We were both here, both alive, and she did offer to do my paperwork for the day. Not that I'd ever actually let her do that though I still bought two milkshakes. If for no other reason than to see her smile. After all, we have reason to celebrate. The worst didn't happen. Not today. Hopefully never.

AN: Okay, so who completely flipped out at last nights episode? So much emotion and tension. CRAZY! I just watched it for the first time and will probably watch it many more because there is so much to learn about the characters from the episode. It's always hard getting into the heads of these two, but I hope I did it well. I feel like something was needed after that scene in the hospital, and this is what I came up with. Let me know what you think!