It's Not Over

Chapter 29

Nick's POV

We were all treated for smoke inhalation. Liv for the gunshot and Amanda for a concussion. The fire department managed to isolate the fire and put it out before spreading too much. Still the squad room, and most of the floor was destroyed. Worst of all, nobody knew where the masked men disappeared to.

Amanda's POV

The smoke poured under the door, we were all trapped. The door to the interrogation room swung open smoke blew in. Bam, bam, bam. Over and over. Before I knew it everyone was dead.
"There, now nobody will look for you."
The masked guy grabbed me and pulled me out of the smoke filled floor, down the stairs and into his car.

I woke up in the hospital sweating. Right away I realized I had a pounding headache. Nobody's here. Did that really happen? Just as I began to panic the hospital door opened.
"Oh thank god" I said upon seeing Nick. "How is everyone?"
"They'll live" he said.
The thoughts of what had just happened came back to me. So did the guilt.
"Amanda I know what you're thinking and you need to stop."
"Everyone could've died. Nicole she's never gonna be able to get over what they did to her."
"Come on, let's get out of here"

"You want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to say."
I sat cozied up in a blanket on the sofa.
"Well, on the bright side I get a few days off work. We can go get frozen yogurt or something."
"I don't want to go anywhere."
I never wanted to leave this sofa. I just wanted to give up on everything at this point.
"Come on Amanda don't beat yourself up."
"You can't be involved with this anymore. Any association with me puts a target on your head."
"I can't leave you alone."
He sat down next to me.
"I just don't want to lose anyone else. I can't lose you."

Nick's POV

"You won't. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
She laid her head on my lap.
"They're still out there. Waiting. Planning. I'm scared."
"I know you are, but we'll catch them. I promise."

She fell asleep a short time later. It was weird seeing her asleep so peaceful. I stroked her hair and looked her over as she laid sleeping with her head on me. Seeing all the old bruises, the scars just brought me back to the past.
"He took a lighter to my hands and feet. Every time I passed out from the pain he'd wake me up." I remembered her telling me.
The scar across her face from a whip. She had told me both Jeff and Caleb used them on her often.
All of this just made want to hold her tighter. Pretty soon I was sound asleep too.

Screaming woke me a short time later.
"You're okay" I repeated while shaking her.
Finally she woke up panting. She looked at me and started crying.
"What was it about?"
"Everyone was dead!" she cried.
"It was just a dream. Everyone's alive, home, probably sleeping."
"A dream, that's all." she told herself.
She laid back down and drifted off into another restless sleep.

Amanda's POV

By morning I was exhausted. The last thing I wanted to do was go out for breakfast, but that's exactly what we did.
"I know you don't want to go out, but you can't do nothing all day."
He was right. If I sit here and do nothing I'll drive myself crazy. Apollo jumped on the door begging to come with.
"Not this time boy."

We met Fin and Olivia for breakfast at some new restaurant. I guess we were discussing something about what was to happen to the fire damaged floor. I don't know I was too distracted by my pounding headache.
What was gonna happen now? Everything burned down. What were we gonna do? I found myself wondering instead of listening.
"Well, I think you should all do yourselves a favor and get as far away from me as possible."
I stood up prepared to walk out.
"Amanda wait."
"Those guys are still out there, and as long as you are associated with me you're all targets."
Before anyone could say anything I walked out. I wasn't scared nor sad just frustrated. Why couldn't they just leave me alone?
"Amanda."
I turned around to see Nick.
"Look I know you're upset but..."
"Just leave me alone right now!"
"Okay, alright."
He gave up arguing.
"I'm going home. I want to be alone."
I hailed a taxi and rode back to the house.

"Not now Apollo"
I pushed the dog off me, but he was so eager to greet me.
"Apollo auf!"
Finally I got annoyed and locked him up. I heard a knock on the door. Dammit I said I wanted to be alone.
I went to let him in.
"Why are you knocking? Don't you have a k..."
There in front of me stood a man in all black holding a gun.