Strong arms wrapped firmly around the hysterical brunette, dragging her to her feet. ”There’s nothing you can do.” John whispered, struggling to speak through the tears. ”She’s gone.”

Jane shoved him back fiercely, causing him to land heavily in the sand. ”She’s not!” Jane insisted, ”She promised.” She sank to her knees, the fight draining from her body as Maura’s blood soaked into her pants. Scooping Maura into her arms, Jane rocked her gently. ”You promised.” she whispered between the kisses that she placed in Maura’s hair.

Tag offered a hand to John, helping the older man to his feet. ”Come on.” he whispered, ”We should give them, her, some space.”

John brushed himself down as he watched Jane. ”It’s too open here.” He said, looking around quickly. ”She’s too exposed. They could easily shoot her.” He made to try and pull Jane away once more, but Tag held him fast.

”I don’t think she cares.” he told him.

-/-

Tag and John sat in the back of the cave in stony silence. The day had been going so well, Maura had pointed out some wild asparagus growing just on the edge of the tree line. They had gathered much before Maura lost her footing and tumbled down the incline onto the beach. Despite the risks, they had all laughed as Maura picked herself up and stood on the sand laughing as she brushed her clothes down. Then she wasn’t laughing any more.

John wiped his eyes again. He really had grown to like the doctor and her blatant honesty that was so much like Elaine’s.

They stared into the flames of the fire, the total waste of life this trip had garnished weighing heavily on them both. Tag got to his feet, reaching for the pack. He pulled a hooded sweater and held it in shaking hands.

John looked up briefly, nodding his understanding as Tag stepped into the frigid night.

As he walked through the shrubbery, his heart pounded. He felt as though he were walking into a lions den holding a zebra leg. As he reached the tree line, he paused, dropping low and peering gingerly along the beach. Jane hadn’t moved, not an inch. She sat less than six feet from the relative safety of cover.