squad car. When she came back to the front of the vehicle, Davidson had regained his
feet. He looked sheepishly at the ground obviously embarrassed at being downed by a
woman half his size.
"Everyone's a threat Davidson, no matter how harmless they look. Don't forget it. It'll save your life some day."
"Thanks. That was a stupid move on my part."
Maybe he does have some promise, Sam thought to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam stepped into O'Grady's for a drink after work. She met up with several other female
cops from local precincts. She sat relaxing at a table regaling her fellow officers with the story of her rookie being taken down by a woman half his size. Christi joined the group
at the table. Sam nodded politely then went back to her story. Christi was a dispatcher
that Sam had dated a few months ago. They'd had fun together and enjoyed some intense
sex but when Christi began to press for more Sam stopped calling. Sam had made it clear
from the start that she was only interested in a casual friendship and was not girlfriend
material.
Christi sighed when Sam turned back to her story. She'd hoped if she gave Sam some
space they might get back together. Sam had been the most incredible lover she'd ever
had. She truly cared for her and wanted a relationship with her beyond occasional
recreational sex. She'd known Sam's reputation when they met but had always hoped she
would be the one to win Sam's heart. Christi was drawn out of her thoughts when
laughter erupted around the table. Unable to resist she made her way over to Sam.
"Hey Sam, how goes it?" She asked as she slid into the seat next to her.
"Hi Christi. You know same old, same old." Sam said with a polite smile.
Christi leaned over to whisper in Sam's ear. "What do you say we blow this joint and go back to my place?" She ran her hand up the inside of Sam's thigh.
Sam stopped her hand from going any higher. She really did like Christi; she just
couldn't give her what she wanted. As tempted as she was, she knew if she went home
with her now she'd expect more than just casual sex. Sam sighed, wondering if she was
even capable of love. She enjoyed being with Christi but after a few dates had felt
trapped when the woman pushed for more.
"I'm sorry, no." she told her as gently as she could.
Christi pulled way but not before Sam saw the tears in her eyes. She quickly left the bar.
Sam watched her leave and sighed. I tried to tell her I wasn't girlfriend material.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam sat in the passenger side of the patrol car. She'd told the rookie he could drive for
the day. It'd been pretty quiet so far, one domestic disturbance and several traffic stops.
The radio suddenly squawked to life. Sam picked up the mike, "Dispatch, this is 107, go ahead."
"107, we have a 10-32 at Mercy Hospital's ER. 10-30 Respond 10-39." Advised the
dispatcher.
Sam glanced over at Davidson; he looked scared and excited at the same time.
"10-4 Dispatch 107 is 10-17." Sam responded. "You heard the lady. Hit the lights and siren and let's move it!" Sam told the rookie.
"So they have someone in the ER with a gun?" Davidson questioned excitedly as they raced to the hospital.
"Yes. And once we check out the situation, you're going to call for back up."
The patrol car slid to a stop outside the ER ambulance bay. Sam and Davidson entered
the ER cautiously. The desk clerk called out as soon as he saw them. "Over here, he's
holding Dr. Connolly in the trauma room."
"Can you tell us what happened?" Sam questioned the clerk.
"The guy just barged into the trauma room where Dr. Connolly was and started
screaming. He pulled a gun and forced everyone out of the room except the doctor. I
think he's her ex-boyfriend." The frightened clerk told Sam.
Sam looked down the hall and could see several people gathered outside the closed door
to one of the trauma rooms. "Do you know his name?"
"Only his first name, Keith."
"Is there any other way into that room?" She asked the clerk.
"Yes, there's a trauma room next door with a connecting door."
Sam heard a strident voice coming from down the hall. She knew they didn't have much
time. These types of situations went bad fast. She turned to Davidson, "I'm going to
check this out and clear those people away from the room. You control the crowd and
don't do anything 'til I come back."
She quickly made her way down the hall. "Alright people, you trying to get killed?
Move away from the door and clear this hall." She glanced into the trauma room. A
small slender redhead dressed in scrubs and a lab coat was standing against one wall, a
tall husky man stood next to a gurney in the middle of the room. He was pointing a gun
directly at the frightened doctor. Sam could see he was sweating profusely and the gun
was shaking in his hand. He continued to rant at the woman opposite him. Sam hurried
back down the hall to Davidson.
"He's not going to last much longer, I've got to get in there." Sam had seen these situations before and they usually ended up with a dead hostage and gunman. "We don't
have time to wait for back-up. I want you to go into the trauma room next door and
cover me. You should be able to see in the door. Don't come in 'til I tell you."
"But..." Davidson started to protest.
"Just do it!" Sam demanded.
She hurried back down to the trauma room door. As quietly as she could Sam stepped
into the room. The doctor became aware of her first then the gunman.
"Get out of here, I'll kill her!" He screamed.
Sam never moved. She glanced quickly at the terrified doctor trying to see if she was
injured. She locked eyes with the woman for just a second, trying to let her know
everything was going to be ok. She turned her attention back to the gunman.
"You don't want to do that Keith. Whatever the problem is we can work it out. Put the
gun down." She said calmly trying to defuse the situation.
He seemed momentarily stunned she knew his name, but quickly started to rant again.
"It's all her fault." He gestured wildly with the gun toward the trembling doctor. "She made me a laughingstock and now she's going to pay for it."
Time seemed to slow as Sam saw his finger tighten on the trigger. She felt her heart
thump in her chest and knew in that split second between one heartbeat and the next that
she'd never stop him even if she fired on him. She didn't know what made her do it but
she launched herself between the doctor and the gunman. She saw the flash of the
weapon's discharge. The shot slammed into the shoulder of her bulletproof vest and
knocked her back into the doctor. In slow motion she saw the connecting door slam open
and Davidson run in with his gun drawn. The gunman managed to fire again before
spinning to face Davidson with his gun raised. Davidson shot him in the chest at almost
point blank range. The gunman's second shot had gone low catching Sam in the groin
below her bulletproof vest. The pain was excruciating as her body hit the ground hard.
Everything after that was a blur. She faintly heard Davidson calling frantically over the
radio. "Officer down, Officer down!"
She felt herself being lifted up and cradled in strong slender arms and pressure being
applied to her wound. Her eyes struggled to focus on the face above her. She gazed into
the most amazing violet colored eyes she had ever seen. It was the doctor who'd been