It was supposed to be a peaceful negotiation.

Supposed to be.

However, halfway in the roads upstate, Captain Bowers already saw that there's one vehicle missing from their line. How could she not? The car is the star. Aston Martin. Not to mention that the one who's driving it is accountable for this very situation.

She's pretty sure she's the only one who noticed since she's the only one who gives enough attention to Jared at this point. Her best friend, James Vasquez, has died loving and protecting his only child. And now that she's the only one left to watch over his carbon copy of a son, she would've made everyone stop and look for him. But she chose not to.

He's intelligent, that's a given. Heck, even when he's a teenager he always knew what to do. And now he's one of most talented cops. There's no space for doubt. For a moment, Kate knew they had to keep moving. Jared wouldn't have parted if he knew that he would be needed there when there are so many of them escorting the fin. If he took his own way, fine, as long as he saves Drea.

When they got to the exact location where the call was traced, they saw a two-storey cabin. Not exactly looking isolated as it should but more like designed to be a safehouse. The walls are strongly built and they can guess that it's fully air-conditioned. And since this is Kathryn Fitz's facility, there might be a secret shenanigan that leads to an underwater tunnel they will use to drive away the fin. 

There's just so.much going on right now.

NYPD and NSA got out from their vehicles first, with firearms ready. They are obviously not letting this go without safety... or better yet without a fight. Robert Vance and a few of his men were instructed to go out while Bowers and her officers were helping unmount the fin from the truck. They left a few other men guarding Michaela, Zeke, and Saanvi back in the parking because it is not advisable for them to show up. Especially Saanvi. 

The moment they walked in front of the pretending-to-be-shitty cabin, they thought no one's gonna answer to them, that's why all of them immediately threw eyes everywhere. They're probably walking into a trap and there are landmines around here. Probably some snipers are around the area or agents are aiming their grenades at them already. In the middle on checking upon everything, Vance caught something else.

"Where is Jared?" He asked as he looked back on the parked cars where Michaela and the others are. He had failed to notice that he's gone quite a few moments ago, causing Bowers to simper at him.

"NSA Chief but minus the observance," she mumbled. 

"Wait, you knew he bailed?" 

She glared at him. "He didn't bail, Vance. He took another road. For whatever reason it is, let him be. He is old enough to take things into custody." 

Vance could only scratch his bald head while muttering a few  bad words to himself. This situation is probably gonna blow up but who knows? Three minutes in front of the cabin and they can't do a move unless anybody from inside shows up to get the ransom. And yet no one is coming out, because they're coming over.

Probably three military trucks caused a scene because the harsh driving made all of the gooey dirt fly in every direction. The first one stopped on its tracks, followed by the second where a blonde military boss went out from, and the third where more armed men followed her. 

"I wasn't expecting visitors," she giggled mischievously and decided to not beat around the bush. "Give me the fin."

Vance stood tall in front of everyone else. "Give us Drea first." 

The woman laughed as if she was the most powerful here. She is, but it doesn't make sense. 

"Give me the fin first and you can have Drea. You can have the whole house if you want."

She was speaking assertively. Not asking or requesting. Bowers knew she had to pick a side and so when Vance looked at her, she nodded. It might be ludicrous for them to take such unplanned and messed-up decisions but they have come prepared, too. If getting Drea inside that property would be a challenge then so be it, the fin is no big deal now anyway.

So with a quick gesture, that tailfin was transferred in one of the other team's trucks. Kathryn made sure it was the real thing before finally having it sealed inside the truck. They were just about to ask her again about Drea, but then a gunshot sound from not far echoed to their place. 

Something is happening. And this is what they're here for. NYPD got the call to search the cabin while NSA followed Kathryn's men who took the din with them to make sure that they aren't with Drea. Meanwhile, Bowers, Michaela, Zeke, and the other police officers ran to where the shots have been fired. 

As they arrived near, the gunshots increased. There's an Aston Martin parked horizontally on the straight road and that's where the exchange of fires are originating. Three men standing against the driver of the said vehicle and in a blur, there was only one who fired a shot back before being boomed down. 

Thank God I brought medic. Bowers said at the back of her mind as sirens wailed in a distance.

----------------------------

Drea is crying. She's still crying. It's been three damn hours and she's already getting dehydrated.

If she didn't escape, maybe things have been a lot kinder to Jared. He wouldn't be in the isolation room now if it weren't for her.

She stood behind glass, watching him get checked by the doctors. When they walked out the room, she wasn't the first first person they talked to. It was Michaela instead. Luckily. Because had it been her, she would've just crumbled in fear and panic in front of them and never really get what they're gonna say. 

"Sweetie, you're soaked in blood," Daphne appeared behind her, handing a bag of fresh clothes. Beside her is Leo who is still trying to offer her a bottle of water that she just won't take. Lucky for them that their trials have come to effect now. Drea has calmed down a bit and she's starting to realize her state. Plus, Michaela directed to her straight after the doctors talked to her.

"Hey," Mick hugged her without hesitation. "Jared is fine. They took the bullet from his shoulder and the blood transfusion has gone well so we just have to wait for him to wake up." 

"He's gonna be okay..." Michaela assured her as she rubbed her back. Drea paused from crying. Thank god she did. And then decided to put on the clothes that her mother had brought for her. 

Her eyes are heavy already. They're tired from crying. She is extremely exhausted by now but she had to wait for Jared to open his eyes or she will literally go insane. 

After a few minutes of changing her clothes, she went out from the washroom and is immediately greeted by Zeke ad Grace, carrying a bunch of foods with them. Her plan was to ditch it and say "no thanks" but she knew better than that. She needs this. If she wants to last longer, just in time until Jay wakes up, she needs her strength. So she ate, and she was accompanied by her parents and friends.

Right after that, she came back to the same window where she was waiting earlier. Jared is still in the isolation facility but will later be transferred in a private room per her request. She also told everyone that she will be staying the night because she has literally no plan to leave his side. She doesn't even want to blink. Every now and then she finds herself in the verge of tears even though she is sure he will wake up. 

It was terrifying. Earlier, she already made peace with death because either way she will end up like that if her escape plan doesn't work out. But then Jared came in the picture and used himself as a shield for her. He fought with a single damn gun and yes, he survived the bullet but what if he didn't? She already told him to not go, not give her mother what she wanted, and still he did. What if he died in the process? These tears aren't only because he almost died but he didn't listen to her. She wants to hit him so bad. She is so frustrated. The fin is in the enemy's hands now. What else do they have? She risked her life for that and now Jared is in the same spot because they tried to get her back. 

An hour passed and she's quite left alone. Her parents sneaked home to get her some supplies for her stay here. A bed, pillows, and a lot of other stuff. Michaela is nauseating and she can't blame her, she's pregnant. Grace and Ben had to go back to their children, and Saanvi and Vance had to watch over their lab. Only a few operatives that her mom and dad left for her are here together with some concerned workmates from the precinct. They told her that the crime scene is being taken care of. Out of the six perpetrators that tried to shoot her dead, one is dead—the one that shot Jared. The other five are severely injured due to Jared's nearly perfect marksmanship. He intentionally hit their arms and legs but the one he wasn't able to control anymore was shot right on the head.

While he was being transferred, a nurse handed her a plastic bag of what Jared wore earlier. It's basically soaked in blood and not neatly folded yet. She plans to have it taken back home later when her mom comes back. 

"The room is settled now, you can go to him." Said Jared's attending doctor. She silently thanked him before walking toward the room. She thought she'd be the only one to be there, but as she approached the place, Kate Bowers' figure clearly stood in front of the door.

Drea licked her lips as she stepped beside her. "Captain..." she muttered. This is the first time she saw the woman since everything that has transpired. Drea isn't sure whether to thank her or to apologize. After all, she became involved with the dilemma of her abduction and the shootout that followed.

Kate spared her an intimidating glance then she looked over again to the glass that let them see Jared from inside the room. It left Drea more quiet. Cap is a better talker than silent. This is frightening her already.

"How many times would you lose this thing huh, Mikami?" Her boss asked her. She didn't get it at first until she felt a light contact to her skin. Bowers is holding a closed journal, green in color. She can swear that she knows that.

It's hers.

"What-- How did you--" she slowly looked up at her, not knowing what to say. When she was handed the thing, she was sure that it's hers.

"We recovered it from the passenger seat of the car Jared used. I don't know why it's with him but I'll be damned for being the one to return it to you. Again."

Her eyebrows creased. "What do you mean?" Then she started studying Bowers' face. Just then did Drea realize that she really does look like someone she knows.. or met somewhere.

She smirked as she shot her eyebrows up. "New York Police Department. Brooklyn. Black designer backpack? Ring any bells?" 

Her mind started rekindling old candles that's been shut in the dark a long time ago. The last time she lost this diary was when she tried to take her life at Brooklyn Bridge. She tried to find it everywhere but...

"Officer... Bowers?" she asked in sheer surprise. Kate gave her a smile, confirming her identity. Drea's whole being shook at the realization but the woman just tapped her shoulder twice and uttered some words before leaving.

"I told you, you should know how fate works." 

She didn't quite understand that, took her some time to move on from those words. Until she was inside the room and sitting on the couch next to Jared's bed, she still tried to put the pieces together. Why was her diary with Jared? Where did he get it and why? And more importantly, fate? What does she mean? Yes, maybe it really is fate that bound Officer Bowers to return the diary to her again now as her Captain, but why did it feel like she was trying to say something else? 

Drea stared at Jared. The sight of him and the million questions in her head now copied the feeling of peace even though there's a war happening between her neurons. Her feelings tell her to go closer to Jared and hold his hand, talk to him while waiting for his eyes to open once again, yet the diary incident leaves her careful. Why is it with him? What does he want with it? Probably not anything bad... but still, why would he get it from where it originally was?

She let out a heavy breath, thinking that maybe instead of staring and thinking, she can do something a lot more productive. She collected Jared's clothes and started flattening them to fold. His coat and shirt are both so bloodsoaked to even be flat but she made sure they were neat. Both his pants and socks were still stained with his blood. He lost so much.

The pants could still be folded nicely due to the ironed wrinkles that decided its shape. Drea ran her palms over the thing that's placed on her lap and then she felt something bump with the joint of her finger.

Something is in his pocket, a coin or something. And since she is aiming for this to go to the laundry machine, she fished from that pocket.

It's not a coin...

The memories she treasured so much suddenly played a flashback in front of her eyes as she stared at the thing she found inside his pocket. A half--heart pendant with the engraved letter S on it. Her eyes widened and her hands shook again, but she controlled it, just long enough until she was able to fetch her diary and quickly switched through the pages until she found the pocket waiting at the back cover.

She placed her hands under the open space and tilted the journal so that the chain would land on her palm.

Her pendant.

In her left hand is the pendant that she found in Jared's pants, and on her right hand is the one given to her. The size, the color, everything matched. She just had to do one thing.

She raised both pendants and put hers on top of the broken line. When she pushed it down, it stuck with the other to form a perfect heart.

And then the world stopped for what felt like forever.

Her eyes started producing fluid again, and her chin and hands began to shake. The recollection of everything that has happened that one day when she felt completely safe came back to her like violent waves that approached her shore. 

"You're pretty. I will marry you someday."

"Are you hungry yet? Let's go to Subway!" 

She stood up, her footsteps leading her to him as she cried silently. Her shaking hand found its way on Jared's cheek and despite the mix of surprise and pain and frustration, she managed to let out a laugh between tears. She laughed until she finally gave it up and just cried in she doesn't know—joy? Surprise? Sadness, maybe? She isn't sure, but feeling it all at the same time while having him beside her felt right. It felt like all her pieces were coming together finally.

She rested her head on the crook of his neck, letting her tears fall down on the pillow. When she was finally able to swallow the lump in her throat and wipe her tears, she looked at Jared and smiled again.

"It's you..." she whispered, feeling serene. Her hands framed his face as she slowly dipped her head to kiss his lips slowly and tenderly, followed by a sweeter one put on his forehead.

She's a storm of happiness right now.

Not until someone knocked on the door just in time to ruin the moment.

Outside the room stood another woman, a little smaller than her but is definitely beautiful. Her hair is darker and laid back straight. Dressed with a simple shirt and cardigan.

Drea quickly went there even when her eyes are still sore. She opened the door just to be nice to the visitor who said the words that completely broke her heart.

"I'm Lourdes, Jared's wife. Can I come in?"