Chapter Text
He'd screwed up.
He knew the mystery man was still out there, even though there'd been no sign of him since the attack on Ellis. There was still a police car stationed outside, but Adam knew they weren't infallible. He hadn't checked in with the officer on the way out, because he'd just meant it to be a quick grab for the rest of the groceries.
He hadn't been paying attention like he should, because he was home.
The attack was quick, while he was bent over getting groceries out of the trunk. The guy was careful to come up in his blind spot, and though Adam caught him and turned it wasn't fast enough. The knife meant for his gut still ended up in his side, pushed in deep and pulled right back out to maximize the blood loss.
Adam was hit with a wave of disorientation, losing all the strength in his legs as the man grabbed the gun off Adam's hip. He reached for it, at least tried to, as the man stepped back.
Adam staggered, fell. The man, the one from the picture in Roman's backpack, tucked the gun into the back of his jeans. Then he stood there, enjoying the show.
Morgan.
"Sorry, friend," the man rumbled. "But I can't have you interfering. Now just lay there and die quietly so I don't have to waste any more time with you."
He was going after Morgan.
He tried to move as the man entered the house, didn't manage it until the door shut behind him. The unlocked door was another screwup on Adam's part. Another way he'd failed to protect the very best thing in his life.
He pushed himself to his elbows.
He was having trouble breathing. His heart was racing, matching the warm wetness pouring out of his side. Even on a warm L.A. night, the rest of him was so damn cold. He could barely think, and the man who wanted to hurt Morgan had his gun.
He pushed himself to his knees.
The world spun, nearly sending him back down. But he didn't have time for that, because Morgan needed him and he'd screwed up. If that meant his death, he'd accept it.
But not hers. Never hers.
He staggered to his feet, one hand pressed against his side. He knew it wouldn't stop the bleeding, but slowing it down might give him a little more time.
If it would help Morgan, he needed every second he could.
#
When their mystery man lunged at her with a knife, Morgan's life didn't flash before her eyes. It already had earlier, specifically the bit where she and Elliot had been at a grocery store while he explained the physics of milk.
Specifically, its destructive potential if you applied enough force.
Fingers already tight around the handle of the milk bottle behind her, she swung it as hard as she could into the side of the mystery man's face. There was an explosion of white, but it was enough that the mystery man stumbled sideways and out of immediate lunging range. Morgan heard something hit the ground that she hoped was the knife, but she didn't have time to check.
She ran.
The front door was closer, but she only had a few seconds until Mystery Man collected himself enough to block her way again. Still, she headed for it. Adam was out there, and if there was even the slightest chance he was still alive she needed to—
The mystery man was too fast, slamming her into the door and plunging the knife into the cheap wood next to her ear. "Bitch, I am trying to be reasonable, here, but if you do not stop being difficult I—"
She didn't hear the rest of it, because she grabbed his junk and twisted as hard as she could. He yelled, sagging against the door, and she pushed free. She caught sight of a gun on the ground, thought about grabbing it just so he couldn't use it, but if she stayed in arm's reach like this there were enough terrible things he could do to her.
She bolted for the kitchen, aiming for the sliding doors. If she could double around, get to the road...
Somewhere behind her, the mystery man yelled "He's gonna get pieces of you instead!" There was a breaking sound as the knife was wrenched free from the door. "Little ones."
Heart pounding, Morgan shoved the curtains aside and struggled to get the latch free. It took too long, her fingers numb, but she finally pushed it open just as she heard footsteps behind her. He was close, he was too close...
Two gunshots cut through her terror.
She turned as the mystery man's body fell, revealing Adam just now lowering his gun. He met her eyes, silently asking if she was okay, and in that exact moment he was the best thing she'd seen in her entire life.
Morgan nearly burst into tears right then and there, fully ready to lose it now that it was safe to, but holy shit that was a lot of blood all over the side of Adam's shirt and leg. He wavered, trying to stay standing, and a fresh wave of terror filled Morgan's heart.
Between one breath and the next, he collapsed.
"Adam!" The name was torn out of her as she ran toward him, dropping to catch him just fast enough to cushion the last little bit of the fall. She scrambled to get the cell phone out of his pocket, hands shaking as she dialed 911 and held it to her ear. Her other hand grabbed a dish towel that had been knocked to the floor, pressing it hard against the terrible red wetness soaking Adam's side.
The inside of her head was a drumbeat so loud she had no idea the words were coming out as a desperate murmur. Stay with me stay with me stay with me...
Adam coughed like even that hurt him. "I'm sorry," he managed. "I should have—"
"The only thing you will have to be sorry for is if you die on me," she snapped, tears streaming down her cheeks as she waited for the call to connect. There was so much blood. "We talked about this."
"I'll try." His hand moved, far too slowly, to cover hers. His voice was rough, each word a struggle. "But if I can't—"
"Don't." Her voice wavered, broke.
He shifted just enough to look up at her, a world of pain and love in his eyes. "If I can't," he repeated, the words barely a murmur now. "I don't regret it. Not one second."
Her heart broke into a million pieces. "I love you," she whispered, voice wet. "Always and forever."
His hand tightened on hers. "I love you, too."
His eyes slid closed as the call finally connected. In the distance, she heard sirens.