Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Hello And Goodbye •|| EVERYONE ||• [Intrusion Pt. 9]

Prompt: Everyone is in the safehouse, thinking things are over. They could not have been more wrong.

Clodagh turned off the engine, and the group stepped out into the cool night air. It was eerily quiet, save for the rustling leaves and their heavy footsteps crunching the gravel path.

Before they could even get inside, the sound of another vehicle approaching had everyone on edge. They turned toward the driveway, weapons instinctively at the ready. Relief washed over them when they recognized the car—it was Reece's.

Reece jumped out of the driver's seat, his face smeared with sweat. He rushed to the passenger side, helping Shibhon out. She was bloody, her clothes torn, but her expression was hard as stone.

Behind her was Tris, who cradled a small bundle—a baby wrapped tightly in a blanket. Reece and Shibhon hurried toward the safehouse, and Clodagh was the first to meet them. She gently took the baby from Tris, murmuring soft reassurances before giving him a brief, comforting hug.

"What the hell happened?" Autumn demanded, her eyes darting between Shibhon and Reece.

"We ran into trouble," Shibhon said flatly, brushing past the group and into the safehouse. She set her bag down with a heavy thud. "Some men spotted us when we went to get Tris and the baby. I... handled it."

Her words hung in the air like a storm cloud. Winter, Charlotte, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.

"You handled it?" Charlotte echoed, her voice trembling. "What does that mean?"

Shibhon turned to face them, her eyes sharp and unflinching. "It means they're dead."

Charlotte recoiled, her hand flying to her mouth. "Dead?"

"I didn't have a choice!" Shibhon snapped, her voice rising. "They would have killed us—and the baby. So I killed them first."

The room fell silent. For those not involved in the earlier ambush, the weight of Shibhon's confession was crushing.

Mia, unfazed, stepped closer, her voice calm but firm. "You did what you had to do. None of us are judging you for that."

Charlotte looked like she wanted to argue but bit her tongue, her protective instincts clashing with her fear.

"Is everyone else okay?" Reece asked, his voice tight.

"We're fine," Clodagh replied, but her tone was grim. "We were ambushed on the way here too. They're not letting this go."

Reece's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, the sound of more engines roaring in the distance made everyone freeze.

"They're here," Azalea said, her voice low.

The group sprang into action. Autumn grabbed weapons from the van and began passing them out. She turned to Winter, Charlotte, and the others who weren't as experienced in combat.

"You're staying inside with the baby," she said firmly.

"But—" Winter began to protest, but Autumn cut him off.

"No buts. You're staying here." Her voice softened as she cupped his face. "Please, my sweet. Let us handle this."

Reluctantly, he nodded, his hands shaking as he took the baby from Clodagh.

Outside, the air grew tense as the group faced off against the approaching cars. Five black SUVs screeched to a halt, their doors flying open as armed men poured out.

One man stepped forward, dressed sharply in a suit that seemed out of place in the rugged woods. His face was cold, his voice colder. "I told you I'd come for you," he said. "I don't break my promises."

"Neither do we," Autumn retorted, her rifle steady in her hands.

The man smirked, then turned to his men. "Kill them."

Gunfire erupted, loud and unrelenting. The group took cover behind trees, rocks, and the van, returning fire with deadly precision. Azalea fired her crossbow, taking down one man with a single shot. Mia and Clodagh worked together, their movements coordinated and efficient.

Autumn moved like a seasoned fighter, her sharp eyes scanning for threats. She picked off enemy after enemy, her focus unwavering. But in the chaos, she didn't see the man aiming at her from the side.

The shot rang out, and Autumn staggered.

"Autumn!" Winter's scream cut through the noise as he ran out of the safehouse.

"Get back inside!" Mia yelled, but Winter ignored her, reaching his wife just as she crumpled to the ground.

Marjorie followed him, trying to pull him back, but she too was caught in the crossfire. A second shot hit her, and she collapsed into Reece's arms.

"No!" Reece's anguished cry echoed as he lowered Marjorie to the ground. Her lifeless eyes stared up at him, and he choked on his sobs. "Marjorie, no..."

Winter held Autumn close, tears streaming down his face as he realized she wasn't breathing. "Autumn, please," he whispered. "Don't leave me. Please..."

The battle raged on around them, but the group was shaken. Shibhon, distracted by Vivian's scream, turned too late and was shot in the side. She fell to her knees, clutching her wound, just as another bullet found its mark—this time hitting Vivian, killing and silencing her instantly.

"Vivian!" Shibhon's scream was one of pure anguish as she watched her girlfriend collapse. Rage consumed her, and she pushed through the pain, grabbing her weapon and firing with reckless abandon.

Mia and Azalea, spurred by the losses, fought harder, their shots more precise. Clodagh managed to flank the mafia boss, her blade finding his side, while Azalea followed with a crossbow bolt to his chest.

Tris delivered the final blow, his arrow piercing the man's forehead. The boss fell to his knees, his eyes wide with shock before collapsing.

The remaining men, seeing their leader dead, scattered into the woods.

As silence fell, the group slowly regrouped, their breaths ragged and their faces pale. But the victory was hollow. Autumn, Marjorie, Vivian—they were gone.

Winter refused to leave Autumn's side, his sobs quiet but heart-wrenching. Reece sat beside Marjorie, his hand clutching hers tightly. Shibhon knelt by Vivian, her tears mixing with the blood staining the ground.

The battle was over, but the cost was unbearable. And as the survivors stood amidst the wreckage, they realized this fight had taken more than they ever imagined it could.

[A/N: Just to be clear, this hurt to write too. Happy ones will come after though, promise. :)]