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Disclaimer- see Part 1 "That's Karma For You" - Part 31 That air was still in the Oval Office as the silence reigned after the horrible gunshots. The First Lady sat shaking and rocking back and forth, "My baby..." she whispered as Leo tried to comfort her through his own tears and pain. 'No, this can't be happening' he thought. Zoey was on the verge of hysterics in Charlie's arms. Toby had stopped his prayer and sat staring at the phone in disbelief, silent tears forming in his eyes. He dimly heard CJ's sobs coming from next to him and he reached over and took her hand. Josh held Donna's shaking body in his arms, feeling his own body weaken at the shock and loss. He turned and saw Sam across the room. Sam still stood, however his eyes were vacant, his body trembling. Josh wasn't sure if Sam were breathing or if he would ever breathe again. And the President remained on his knees in front of his desk, grasping the edge, tears steadily falling from his eyes. "No..." he kept repeating over and over. With the dead connection Butterfield and Miller each grabbed their cell phones and made frantic calls trying to find out what the hell had happened. The seconds became minutes and still no sounds, no words,...no answers. Then with a loud bang the doors that led outside were thrown open and three Secret Service Agents stood there. Everyone in the room turned to them and soon their eyes riveted on a blanketed figure between them. One of the Agents quickly removed the blanket to reveal a very pale, very shaky, but very much alive Caitlin. "Oh God," the First Lady said as she rushed and pulled her daughter into her arms. The President got off his knees and wrapped his arms around both wife and daughter. "Thank God." he said through his tears. "Thank God." Zoey ran from Charlie's arms and joined her family. Everyone began to let out sighs and laughs of relief. She was alive and she was safe. Leo stood up, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. "What happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "We heard Caitlin's voice and then the gunshots. We thought..." he refused to finish the thought. One of the Agents that brought Caitlin in spoke up. "Sir as soon as the first gunshots were heard, we knew we had to move. Agent Johnson coordinated a rescue attempt going through, as idiotic as it sounds, the front door." The President turned to the Agent keeping his arm around Caitlin. "How did you manage to get in without them noticing." He asked in disbelief. "That's where your daughter came in sir." The Agent continued. "She saw us at the door. She knew what we were trying to do. That was when she stood up and began talking to Grant. She soon had his attention, that of his accomplices, and of everyone else in the room. Her last cry sir was not directed towards Grant. It was directed towards us, telling us to make the move. The gunshots you heard were from an Agent's gun as he took Grant out." The First Lady tightened her hold on Caitlin and Zoey, the President kissed Caitlin's forehead giving another silent prayer. Sam watched the scene fighting the urge to push them all aside and pull Caitlin into his arms and never let go. He contented himself for now with soaking up the sight of her. He did notice something though, she stood there, not leaning on her parents, not really seeing. The Agent talking continued, "As soon as the shots went off, the other two men dropped their guns and surrendered. We got Caitlin out of there right away and brought her straight here." Suddenly Caitlin spoke up in a soft, emotionless voice. "Olivia, Rachel...everyone else?" "They are all being taken care of now. No injuries other than the one casualty." Butterfield said professionally after he finally got through to his contact out at the bank. The President turned to the Agents and began thanking them. The FBI and Service left the office to take care of the rest that needed to be handled. The Senior Staff remained in the Oval Office unable to leave just yet. They all stood up wanting to talk to Caitlin but she moved away from everyone. She looked around the room at all the concerned eyes looking back at her. Her eyes met Sam's and she wanted to rush over to him but stopped as she glanced down at her hands for the first time. They were stained, stained red. Blood. Tommy's blood. It was on her hands and her clothes she dimly realized. It seemed so long ago since she held Tommy's dying body she would've thought the blood would be gone. Now she wasn't sure if it ever would be. Then she felt it. All the panic and fear she had surpressed since she walked into that bank this afternoon. It all mercilessly assailed her. She knew she was about to break down, but she couldn't, not here, not in this Office, not in front of all of them. The room became silent as they noticed for the first time the blood that covered Caitlin and the way she was staring at it. "Caitlin," her mother said softly, "Let's go upstairs so you can shower ok?" 'Yes' Caitlin thought. 'Shower, wash it away, wash it all away and forget.' But she couldn't forget, she couldn't forget Tommy, he deserved more. Abbie moved to put her arm around her daughter and lead her upstairs but Caitlin gently shook her off and said hoarsely "No." She backed up and then stared at everyone. She had to make them understand what happened. "His name was Tommy" she continued. "He was in the Naval Academy. He was going to be third generation Navy in his family." Her statements were choppy but she had to get them out. "His grandfather died in World War II." She choked back a sob and when Leo went to put his arm around her she moved back again. No they couldn't touch her, she had to finish, they had to know. She looked towards Sam. "He has a girlfriend." She said "They were high school sweethearts and he was in DC to buy her an anniversary gift. He had to stop at the bank to get the money." The tears were free flowing then. She knew she wasn't going to last much longer. "The family needs to know. He died..." she sobbed, "he died protecting me. He was a hero." She turned to her father. "That's what they need to hear right? That he died a hero, that his death wasn't in vain, wasn't for nothing." Sobs wracked her again but she continued. "But that's not true. He shouldn't be dead." Her final control broke. "He shouted be dead!" she shouted finally letting her eomtions take over, crying uncontrollably. Sam couldn't take anymore. He felt like he was dying watching her in so much pain. He had to do something. Sam rushed over and pulled Caitlin into his arms. He didn't know if she'd push him away but he was desperate to try and ease her suffering. Caitlin didn't pull away though. She clung to him as if he were her life preserver and released all of her pent up cries of fear, anger, and anguish. And when her legs wouldn't hold her anymore, Sam sank to the floor with her, rocking her gently, telling her it was going to be ok and to let it out. She was safe now. TBC
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