Agent Down

Cassidy spun on her heel to face Sapphire, and the small grin on her face instantly faded away. Sapphire's shoulder was bleeding. Heavily. Her body was shaking, her blue eyes still and wide with shock.

Cassidy dropped to her knees in front of Sapphire, hands reaching out and instinctively placing pressure on the source of the bleeding. The sudden rush of pain snapped Sapphire out of shock, her hands grabbing fistfuls of Cassidy's sweater. Cassidy felt her stomach flip. That last gunshot had missed her, but hit Sapphire instead.

"Sapph, please, listen to me." Cassidy was trying to sound confident, trying to stay calm for Sapphire, but she was failing miserably. "I need to try and stop the bleeding. I need you to put your hand where mine is, okay?"

"Okay." Sapphire answered weakly, her hand releasing Cassidy's sweater, arm crossing over her chest as she placed her hand firmly over the gushing wound.

Cassidy searched her pockets for her knife, fingers shaking and fumbling and she unsheathed it. Without hesitation she cut away at the sleeve of her sweater, the old worn fabric easily giving away under the sharp edge of the knife. "Okay, Sapph." She whispered, gently wrapping the sleeve around Sapphire's shoulder, under her armpit. "I'm going to tighten it. Don't be afraid to hit me when it hurts. On three, okay?" Sapphire nodded. "One, two, three." Cassidy pulled on the end of the fabric, pulling it tight against Sapphire's wound. Sapphire let out a sharp scream, her good arm only clinging to Cassidy's body tighter, her face pushing into Cassidy's shoulder. As soon as Cassidy tied the sleeve to keep it still, her hand moved to cradle the back of Sapphire's head and pull her closer. "I'm so sorry, Sapph." She choked on her words, moving her head so she could leave a kiss hidden in Sapphire's messy hair. "I'm sorry."

Sapphire managed a weak smile. "It's ok. I didn't want it to hit you." Her breathing was shallow, rushed.

Sapphire's words hit Cassidy like a punch to the stomach. She shifted herself, resting Sapphire's head on her chest. "Sapph, try and match your breathing with mine. It'll help control the bleeding if you slow your heart rate." Cassidy took deep, slow breaths, listening closely to Sapphire, praying that the others would find them soon. She heard Jack move, feet gliding nearly silently over the pavement to the end of the alley. Then she heard the distant buzzing noises of engines.
But the feeling of Sapphire's grip on her sweater loosening made every other thought fly out the window.

"Sapph, Sapph! No, Sapph, stay with me." Cassidy begged, firmly gripping Sapphire's chin. Her blue eyes were hidden behind closed eyelids, her knotted hair falling over her face, her breathing slowing dangerously. "Sapph, please! Stay with me!" Tears blurred Cassidy's vision, her hands shaking as she held Sapphire closer.

"Who are you?" Jack's voice demanded, pulling Cassidy's attention away from Sapphire. She had forgotten about the engines she had heard.

"Easy there, Jack. It's just us." Relief flooded Cassidy's mind as she saw that Jack was pointing his gun at Ace as he left the ship, followed closely by Tech. Once Jack heard the voice, his arms dropped.

"Ace!" Cassidy cried out. "Tech! Hurry! Sapph's been shot!"

Tech broke into a sprint, his boots skidding along the pavement as he dropped to his knees. Cassidy carefully laid Sapphire down on the ground, watching as Tech checked her pulse and breathing. "She's breathing. Very shallow and slow, but she’s breathing, that's good." He inspected her shoulder, trying his best to not disturb Cassidy's makeshift bandage. "Good job, love. She'll be okay, I promise."