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shoots_kneecaps400. Injured
As their trap closes on him, a jumble of thoughts and emotions rush through his mind: anger, disappointment, betrayal, even a flash of fear. He should have known better than to trust Carter -- he knew how persuasive Snow could be, and still he let his guard down... If he survives this as a free man, Finch will have every right to tell him 'I told you so.'
But that's a pretty big if.
Even though he knows Snow so well, the first shot surprises him. For a split second, the only thought in his head is "I thought you wanted me alive!" But the pain -- and it's a familiar pain -- spurs him into action. In seconds he's shot the lights out and evened the odds a little, but Snow's shooter still manages to hit him a second time. Even as he escapes and heads for the stairs he knows it's bad.
Pain lances through his gut with every step, and he isn't really sure his leg's going to support him all the way down to the street level. But he has to keep moving -- if he stops or falls, he knows he's a dead man.
He's a dead man anyway, that little voice in the back of his mind says. But all those months of trying to drink himself to death are past, and he really wants to live, now. So he brutally silences that voice -- sounds too much like Snow, anyway -- and keeps going, step after agonizing step.
He doesn't expect a rescue attempt -- too far away, too dangerous. He only turns the earwig back on because Finch at least deserves to know what happened to him. He's pretty sure Snow had any cameras in the parking structure disabled, so Finch is in the dark.
And, he grimly admits to himself, he doesn't want to die completely alone.
He hears the fear in Finch's voice as his employer tells him Carter sold him out. He also hears the sound of traffic rushing by at a rate that indicates Finch's usual caution has gone completely out the window.
A part of him is suddenly filled with hope, but mostly he's terrified that Finch will expose himself to Snow and he just can't let that happen. He tries to warn Finch away, and he's disturbed by how hard it is to speak clearly. Everything is just so much effort...
Except now Finch is nearly here, and he's got to keep the man safe. He'll never be able to forgive himself if something happens to Finch because of him...
The pain starts to fade into a kind of numbness, and he knows that's a really bad sign. But between that and the fear-spurred adrenaline, he manages to make it down the stairs to the street.
When the black sedan screeches to a halt in front of him and Finch rushes towards him, he can see the fear in his eyes. He practically falls into the shorter man's arms and though he's aware of Finch's physical limitations, he's just too weak to hold himself up anymore. And when Carter rushes out of the parking structure behind him and he feels Finch's arms tighten on him, he suddenly realizes the fear he saw in Finch's eyes was for him.
The sense of relief when Carter decides to let them go makes him even more light-headed than the blood loss already has, and the last things he remembers for a long while are Carter helping him into the car and telling them to go, and the worry in Finch's face as he glances in the rear-view at him before speeding away from there. He wants to say something reassuring, but the darkness swallows him whole.
* * *
When his eyes flicker open again, he knows some time has passed. It's just something about a serious injury that brings that kind of awareness to someone with his training.
For a split second he attempts to sit up, but the pain that skewers him makes him quickly rethink that. Even so, he lets out a grunt of pain, and is instantly answered by a startled shuffling of papers and a softly whispered, "Mr. Reese? John?"
Hearing that voice speak his name again, hearing the concern in that tone -- it brings back the memory of Finch's face and the fear in his eyes. All he wants to do is tell him it's all right, and to thank him for saving his life.
All he has energy for is a hoarsely whispered, "Harold..."
But Finch leans further into his view and smiles, and he can see the honest relief in that expression. He's pretty sure he smiles in response, though that could just be the drugs. And as he sinks back into unconsciousness for a while, he's pretty sure he hears, "It's going to be okay, John. I'm here."
---------------
Muse: John Reese
Fandom: Person of Interest
Word count: 811 per WordPerfect
Crossposted to LJ "theatrical_muse"
As their trap closes on him, a jumble of thoughts and emotions rush through his mind: anger, disappointment, betrayal, even a flash of fear. He should have known better than to trust Carter -- he knew how persuasive Snow could be, and still he let his guard down... If he survives this as a free man, Finch will have every right to tell him 'I told you so.'
But that's a pretty big if.
Even though he knows Snow so well, the first shot surprises him. For a split second, the only thought in his head is "I thought you wanted me alive!" But the pain -- and it's a familiar pain -- spurs him into action. In seconds he's shot the lights out and evened the odds a little, but Snow's shooter still manages to hit him a second time. Even as he escapes and heads for the stairs he knows it's bad.
Pain lances through his gut with every step, and he isn't really sure his leg's going to support him all the way down to the street level. But he has to keep moving -- if he stops or falls, he knows he's a dead man.
He's a dead man anyway, that little voice in the back of his mind says. But all those months of trying to drink himself to death are past, and he really wants to live, now. So he brutally silences that voice -- sounds too much like Snow, anyway -- and keeps going, step after agonizing step.
He doesn't expect a rescue attempt -- too far away, too dangerous. He only turns the earwig back on because Finch at least deserves to know what happened to him. He's pretty sure Snow had any cameras in the parking structure disabled, so Finch is in the dark.
And, he grimly admits to himself, he doesn't want to die completely alone.
He hears the fear in Finch's voice as his employer tells him Carter sold him out. He also hears the sound of traffic rushing by at a rate that indicates Finch's usual caution has gone completely out the window.
A part of him is suddenly filled with hope, but mostly he's terrified that Finch will expose himself to Snow and he just can't let that happen. He tries to warn Finch away, and he's disturbed by how hard it is to speak clearly. Everything is just so much effort...
Except now Finch is nearly here, and he's got to keep the man safe. He'll never be able to forgive himself if something happens to Finch because of him...
The pain starts to fade into a kind of numbness, and he knows that's a really bad sign. But between that and the fear-spurred adrenaline, he manages to make it down the stairs to the street.
When the black sedan screeches to a halt in front of him and Finch rushes towards him, he can see the fear in his eyes. He practically falls into the shorter man's arms and though he's aware of Finch's physical limitations, he's just too weak to hold himself up anymore. And when Carter rushes out of the parking structure behind him and he feels Finch's arms tighten on him, he suddenly realizes the fear he saw in Finch's eyes was for him.
The sense of relief when Carter decides to let them go makes him even more light-headed than the blood loss already has, and the last things he remembers for a long while are Carter helping him into the car and telling them to go, and the worry in Finch's face as he glances in the rear-view at him before speeding away from there. He wants to say something reassuring, but the darkness swallows him whole.
When his eyes flicker open again, he knows some time has passed. It's just something about a serious injury that brings that kind of awareness to someone with his training.
For a split second he attempts to sit up, but the pain that skewers him makes him quickly rethink that. Even so, he lets out a grunt of pain, and is instantly answered by a startled shuffling of papers and a softly whispered, "Mr. Reese? John?"
Hearing that voice speak his name again, hearing the concern in that tone -- it brings back the memory of Finch's face and the fear in his eyes. All he wants to do is tell him it's all right, and to thank him for saving his life.
All he has energy for is a hoarsely whispered, "Harold..."
But Finch leans further into his view and smiles, and he can see the honest relief in that expression. He's pretty sure he smiles in response, though that could just be the drugs. And as he sinks back into unconsciousness for a while, he's pretty sure he hears, "It's going to be okay, John. I'm here."
---------------
Muse: John Reese
Fandom: Person of Interest
Word count: 811 per WordPerfect
Crossposted to LJ "theatrical_muse"
