[Inside the hospital] [Waiting area]
Nolan came inside after doing a quick report on the situation.
Alex glanced down at himself, at the blood smeared across his blazer and dripping from his gloves. His smile curved, wry and almost weary. "Guess I should've packed a change of clothes." He took off the gloves and held up his hands. "Never thought I'd leave a bar dressed for a horror movie."
Nolan huffed out a breath, half a laugh, half the release of pent-up tension. "You're ridiculous. But… seriously. Thank you. She'd be gone if not for you."
Alex shrugged lightly, as if the night hadn't nearly claimed a life. "I told you, I don't like bad odds. Besides, she still owes Tim that beer."
Nolan shook his head, almost smiling despite the weight of it all. "You're insane. But I owe you too. We all do."
[A few minutes later...]
Alex came out of the washroom after cleaning the blood from his hands. He then leaned against the wall of the waiting area and took out his phone.
Angelina's name flashed on the screen. His thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before he hit the call button. He didn't want to make her worried anymore.
The line rang once, twice, and then her voice broke through as though she'd been waiting for this call the whole time.
"Alex, where are you? They said something about two injured cops... is everything alright?"
He could hear the anxiety in her tone. He didn't even have to ask if she was worried.
"First, sorry for making you worried and yeah, I'm fine," he said, trying to sound more casual than he felt. "I'm still at the hospital. Two cops got hit. One was critical, and I knew something about field medic, so I helped her out and... Well, we are at the hospital." He glanced down the hallway toward the ER doors, where Lucy had disappeared.
"Is she okay?" Her voice wavered.
Alex exhaled slowly. "She's still in surgery. Lost a lot of blood. It's too early to tell, but the surgeons are doing their thing. They've got her for now. I think I'll wait here till she wakes up."
There was a long pause on the other end. Then, softly, Angelina spoke again, the anxiety fading into something a little lighter.
"Alright, I'll stop worrying about you then… but you better call me once you know how she's doing, okay? And, Alex?" Her voice softened, the words wrapped in sincerity, "Despite all this, you did a great job. I'm pretty sure anyone in your place would have simply run away. But you helped... You're a great person. I'm glad I'm in love with you."
A warmth spread through his chest, and for a moment, the tension of the night lifted just enough for him to smile. "I'll call you. Don't worry about me," he replied, his voice low but steady. "And I'm glad I have you in my corner."
After a few more exchanged words, they ended the call. Alex slipped his phone back into his pocket, the weight of the night still heavy but somehow manageable now. He had always been able to compartmentalize things—he wasn't new to high-stakes situations—but something about the way Angelina cared for him, the way she spoke, made everything feel a little less cold.
Nolan came back to the waiting area a few minutes later. He had his phone pressed to his ear, likely speaking with someone about the scene or the aftermath. When he noticed Alex, he gave a quick nod.
"You good?" Alex asked.
Nolan put his phone into his pocket. "Yeah. It's been a hell of a night, but yeah." He glanced down at the floor, his eyes momentarily distant. "I didn't think... I mean, I didn't think she'd make it." His voice faltered for a second before he recovered. "But I guess I keep repeating the same thing. So, I'll stop with that for now, even though I couldn't help but get worried. Seven other cops got shot and three didn't make it. It's a mess out there."
"Gang war or terrorist?" Alex asked.
"Gang war. A nasty one. We managed to stop it, but... Haaa..." Nolan sighed as he slumped down on a chair near the wall.
Alex quickly opened his status window and checked on Chloe. She's exhausted but not in danger. 'Phew! Looks like she's doing well.'
...
[Approx. 4 hrs later]
Tim's surgery went well; they took out the bullet, and he'll be alright.
Alex stood from his chair as the lead surgeon emerged, a tired but relieved expression on his face. Behind him, a group of nurses moved about, some stopping to grab more supplies.
The surgeon wiped his forehead with a sleeve, his eyes scanning the waiting area. When he locked eyes with Alex, his posture straightened slightly. "She made it through the worst of it," he said. "We've stabilized her. She's out of danger, but she'll need some time to recover."
Alex exhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. "That's good news."
The doctor hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I have to ask, though... who exactly pulled the bullet out of her? Because, with the level of precision involved, it was practically miraculous. I've never seen someone extract a bullet from a wound without causing further damage to the surrounding nerves. The way it was done, it's almost... beyond my understanding."
Nolan stiffened slightly but quickly recovered. He met the doctor's gaze. "I don't know who did it. They were just a civilian who happened to be there. But they saved her life." He added quickly, "How's she doing? Can we see her?"
The doctor's eyes flicked between Alex and Nolan, clearly sensing the unspoken tension in the air, but he nodded. "She's unconscious right now, due to the heavy anesthesia and the blood loss. She should be up in about three to four hours."
"Alright, we'll wait," Alex said.
...
It was just past 5 AM when Chloe walked into the hospital. She had finished her emergency night shift and came as soon as possible after hearing about Lucy. But she wasn't expecting to see Alex there, covered in blood.
He saw her as soon as she entered and stood up.
"Hi!" Alex said with a smile. He didn't seem surprised to see her, like he'd been expecting her all along. "You alright?"
Chloe narrowed her eyes as she stopped before him. "Yeah, I'm good. But what are you doing here?"
Nolan, who had been standing beside Alex, opened his mouth to explain, but Alex cut him off before he could say a word.
"She knows about me," Alex said, his tone dry.
Chloe's gaze flickered between the two men. "You saved her?" There was no sarcasm, just a blunt question. She noticed the blood on Alex, no injuries, Nolan beside him, and he wasn't in handcuffs. So, the only conclusion she could reach was that he saved them. And she also read the reports about five dead shooters with five perfect head shots. Now everything became clear.
Alex met her eyes. "Yeah. That's what I've been doing. Saving lives." He looked down at his hands, which were still faintly stained with blood despite his best efforts to clean them. "She got hit in the stomach. The bullet went right through her vest. I slowed the bleeding, got it out, and kept her stable until we got here."
Before she could say anything more, a nurse approached.
"She's awake," the nurse said, looking at the trio with a small smile. "You can go in now."
"Thanks," Alex said, turning to the others. "Let's go."
Without a word, they followed the nurse down the hallway to the room where Lucy had been taken.
Inside the room, Lucy lay on the bed, her face pale but her eyes open. She looked exhausted.
"Hey," Lucy whispered, her voice raspy. "I made it."
Nolan smiled, stepping closer. "You did," he said softly. "You're tougher than you look."
Lucy half-smiled, her eyes drifting toward Chloe. "Chloe... you came?"
"Of course I did," Chloe said, her voice unsteady despite her best efforts to sound composed. "How are you feeling?"
Lucy's lips curled into another faint, pained smile. "Like I got hit by a bus. But I'll live." Her eyes shifted back to Alex, narrowing slightly. "Thanks for saving my life."
Alex nodded. "Yeah. I know a few tricks." He looked at the tubes connected to her hand and then at her bandaged tummy. "You can thank me later."
Lucy chuckled weakly. "Maybe I will."
"I'll hold you onto that. Well, I should get going. It's been a long night, and I could really use a nice bath," Alex said as he softly patted Lucy's left hand. "You take care, alright."
Lucy nodded, "I will..."
He then looked at Chloe. "So, I'll see you tonight? Or, maybe wait a day or..."
"Tonight is fine," Chloe said instantly.
"Okay. I'll see you then..." With that, Alex left.
Lucy and Nolan looked at Chloe.
Chloe noticed their glance. "What?"
"I knew it," Lucy said in a weak voice and a little smile.
"Wait! That's Alex Wilson. You are dating Alex Wilson?" Nolan asked in confusion.
Chloe cleared her throat, "Yes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll check on Tim." She quickly walked out.
"She's blushing," Lucy said.
"Yup!" Nolan nodded.
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