Under Cover

My back hit the ground and the wind was knocked out of my lungs. I was in a daze for a moment until I saw the man try to run past me. With a rush of determination I grabbed my gun from it's holster and turned onto my stomach, taking aim before firing my weapon. The man let out a yelp as he fell to the ground holding onto his bleeding rear end.

“You bitch! You shot me in the ass!” he yelled.

“You shot me first, asshole!” I shouted back as I saw Harry run around the corner, immediately forcing the weapon from the man and cuffing him. I rolled onto my back once more, struggling to breathe as the pain hit me.

Harry’s POV

As soon as the other squad car arrived I passed off the purse thief to Liam who happened to be in it.

“That bitch shot me.” The man huffed as we forced him into the car.

“You’re lucky that’s all she did.” I snapped as I rushed back to Charlie who looked a bit panicked.

I immediately opened her police jacket and shirt, seeing that the bullet had been stopped by the vest but I knew there would be a nasty bruise there tomorrow.

“You’re alright. It hit the vest. Just breathe.” I tell her as I unstrap the vest so she could breathe easier.

“I’m starting to think I have some really bad luck.” She laughed a little as I kept a hand on her shoulder to keep her from sitting up until the paramedics got here.

“Well he could have shot you somewhere else without the vest. I would say you’re pretty lucky. Plus you shot him in the ass after being shot yourself.” I chuckled. “Were you aiming for it?”

“Maybe.” She smiled, easing my worries about how she would handle getting shot.

I figured a rookie would be terrified. Hell, even I was. The first time I got shot I had a panic attack and I wouldn’t go out on the streets again for a couple days after, but she seemed to be taking it like a pro.

I stayed with her as the paramedics looked her over, calling Jensen to let him know she was alright because he had heard about it and was trying to get ahold of me. I could tell he was sort of like a father figure to her and he cared for her as well so I made sure he knew she was doing okay. Though he did give me an ear full about doing my job of keeping her safe.

“Jensen, you know how she is. She’s stubborn and she took off before I could even say anything.” I said over the phone.

He sighed.

“Whatever. Just make sure she goes home. Knowing her she’ll probably try to get back out and work.” he said.

“I got it. I’ll see you later.” I said to him before hanging up.

Charlie carefully stepped down from the ambulance, rubbing the sore spot on her abdomen that was already bruising. Sure the vests kept the bullet from piercing flesh, but it still felt like getting hit by a rock at eighty miles per hour.

“Alright. Let’s get going. We have an asshole to book.” She said.

“You mean I have an asshole to book and you have a couch to sit on for the rest of the day.” I tell her.

Her brows furrowed and a small, very adorable pout formed on her lips.

“I’m fine, Harry.” She argued.

“No, you’re not. You need to go home. Captain’s orders.” I said.

She sighed, knowing that she couldn’t disobey an order from him. Thankfully she didn’t argue when I took her to the station to get changed then drove her home to the familiar house where her parents used to live. I guess it had been passed on to her after her father disappeared and her mother was moved out.

“Do you need anything before I go?” I asked her.

“No. I’m fine, Harry… but thank you.” She said with a soft smile as she carefully got out. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She shut the door before I could argue with her and I smiled, shaking my head as I watched her walk to the door. I waited until she made it inside before finally taking off to get back to work.

Charlie’s POV

I walked into the familiar building that I has been visiting every morning before work, letting out a soft sigh when I saw my mother sitting in a chair in the corner of the room as she watched the birds through the window.

“Charlie? I didn’t expect you to be here this afternoon.” Lucy, one of the kind women who took care of my mother and other patients said to me.

“I got off work early. How is she doing?” I asked her.

“As good as usual. She’s been asking for Tom though.” Lucy said, making my heart ache.
I nod and walk over to my mother, quietly pulling a chair over to sit next to her and carefully sitting down as I winced.

“I already told you. I’m not talking until I speak to my husband.” She said stubbornly.

“Mum… It’s Charlie. I’m your daughter.” I said to her as I reached over to hold her hand.

“Charlie? I would never name my daughter such a name.” She furrowed her eyebrows.

“It was dad’s idea… but he said it was to name me after grandpa Charles so you went along with it.” I explained to her.

“My father’s name was Charles.” she said.

“Yes, it was. He used to watch me quite a bit while you and dad worked.”

I loved my grandfather and dealing with his death was hard on me because he was the one who practically raised me. He went to every school event or sports game so I would at least have someone there to support me when my parents couldn’t make it. Even when he got older and his aches got worse.

As I watched my mother’s expression I could tell that she remembered her father but she still couldn’t quite grasp the fact that I was her daughter. It killed me that she didn’t remember me, especially when my dad disappeared and I needed her there for comfort. She didn’t even know what happened to him. She just thought he was caught up at work and she was being held against her will at a treatment center she didn’t belong at. She looked over at me after a moment and I could see a slight fear in her eyes which I knew meant she was about to have another episode.

“Who are you? Where is my husband? Tom!?” she yelled, frantically searching for him.

“Mum, calm down. It's Charlie. Your daughter.”

I tried to calm her but she just screamed at me not to touch her. A few nurses rushed over to hold her down as they sedated her and got her into a wheelchair. I bit my lip as I saw her slump into it before they took her back to her room. I quietly followed and stood next to her bed once she was lying down asleep.

“I miss you… so much.” I whispered, my voice breaking as I leaned down to kiss her head. “I love you, mummy.”

I set the flowers I had brought her in the vase on her nightstand to replace the wilting ones I had placed in there a few days prior. I took a deep breath then headed home to the empty house that still caused me so much pain.

Notes