The Calm Before the Storm (Jay Halstead)

Chapter 15

Cassie's P.O.V.

I shut my eyes for a second as I felt blood splatter on my cheek because I turned my head slightly. When I opened my eyes I saw the man on the ground. A gunshot wound straight to his head. The door opened but I didn't take my eyes off of the man.

I felt someone grab my shoulder causing my to turn. I looked at Jay who had a concerned look on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I lightly nodded my head "Come on, let's get you cleaned up" He lead me out the room.

I stood in front of the sink and mirror that was in the locker room. I finally cleaned the blood off my face. I looked at myself in the mirror and let out a shaky breath. I couldn't stop thinking about the man. He was going to surrender, I know he was. He had a daughter, and now he's gone.

"Hey"

A voice pulled me away from my thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

I turned around and brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear "Yea, I'm fine. I gotta get back to the 31st" I tried to smile as I walked past him and walked out.

~

"Liz you should talk to someone" Nathan said.

We were in our locker room after work getting ready to leave.

"Nathan" I said sighing "I don't know how many times I have to tell you I'm fine"

He closed his locker "Doesn't matter how tough you are. You just witnessed someone get shot a few feet in front of you. Close enough you got blood on you. Doesn't hurt to talk to someone" He turned around and walked out.

I stared at a picture I had in my locker. It was of Jay and I. Maybe he's right. I closed my locker and walked out.

After getting home and eating some dinner I sat on the couch. Kelly was on shift so it was just me tonight. I sat on the couch thinking. I could still see the mans face, and I don't even know his name. I stood up from the couch and grabbed my bag. I grabbed my keys and headed out of the door.

Once I got to Jay's place I knocked on his door. He opened it almost a minute later.

"Hey, come in" He said stepping aside.

I walked in and put my bag down. I turned around to face him. He closed the door as he held onto his beer "Everything okay?"

"Not really" I said shaking my head "It's about today. I can't get that man out of my head"

We walked over to where the couch was "You did go through something traumatic" He said putting down his beer in the table.

"Nathan suggested I talked to someone. So I am" I let out a sigh "I can't get him out of my head. I know what he did was wrong but he was just confused"

"Still doesn't justify what he did"

"I know that but-"

"Cassie" Jay said grabbing my hand "None of this was your fault. He had a gun to your neck"

"I know. Who shot him anyway?"

"I don't think that matters"

I looked at him "It does to me"

"I did"

"What? How?" I asked.

He was beginning to look confused "There was an opening between the blinds"

I took my hands off of his "He was going to surrender. He was going to hand the gun over to me" The tone in my voice was beginning to change.

"Cassie he had a gun pointed to you. He was going to shoot you"