Matt was itching to get to Jenna. He needed to make sure she was alive. But of course, they had to go through all the safety procedures first and they felt like they were taking years.
He scanned the room. Samantha, Blake, Paige, him, and a few other cops he recognized as top notch workers. They were going to save Jenna.
When they were released, the group split into four cars. "Blake, turn on the sirens." Samantha ordered.
Blake nodded and flipped on the sirens. The other cars did the same and they sped down the streets to Jenna's neighborhood. "Blake, can we get Nicole and her team out here?" Matt asked urgently.
"Yeah. That might be smart." Blake whipped out his phone and made a quick call to his wife.
Samantha gave Matt a hard look. "She's going to be fine."
"You don't know that." He ignored Samantha's protest.
They pulled up to Jenna's house and Matt was slightly perturbed. Nothing seemed out of place.
"We go inside." Blake narrowed his eyes.
~~~~~
"But-but you're dead." Jenna pointed out.
Lanie Harmond, the previous governor's wife, gave a cold laugh, "Right. Dead. My husband knew that Raphael had no chance of finishing you off. We faked my cremation, faked the funeral. During that time, I was able to plot a way to get my son out of jail so we could finish you two off. Of course we knew that it would be virtually impossible to kill the Tanner man. But you-" Lanie laughed again. "I knew you would be easy to finish off."
Jenna felt a flaming hot rage bubble up. She stood up and ran to the vent, "I helped you! I saved your life when you fainted! And this is how you repay me!?" Lanie had faked her innocence on the fateful day when Jenna was abducted. She had fainted when they discovered that the governor and his son were involved in the weapon smuggling. Jenna, being a paramedic, went to help Lanie and almost got both of them killed.
Jenna got a glimpse of Lanie in the vent. If she was stronger she would rip off the vent and throttle the woman.
"Sorry honey. It's just how it works. Bad things happen to good people." Lanie stood so Jenna could see her face.
And the gun she was holding.
Jenna took a staggered step back. She raised her hands up in surrender. "Don't, please."
Lanie cocked her head, dropped the gun, then smiled evilly.
The screams resumed and Jenna sunk to the floor in terror.
~~~~~
Matt heard it as soon as Blake opened the door. The screams. He exchanged one glance with Blake and they took off towards the back of the house.
Samantha and the other cops followed suit.
Matt stopped short in the hall. There was a makeshift sheetrock wall up stopping him from getting any closer to Jenna's room.
The screams were much louder than before. Blake looked sick. "We need to get her out of there."
"Knock down this wall!" Matt shouted. He was terrified beyond words, for all he knew Jenna could be gone.
All five male cops started to slam down the wall. Samantha disappeared and came back with a hammer. Matt gratefully took it.
Eventually, they were able to create a small hole. Matt climbed through it and the rest climbed through after.
The small space between Jenna's room and the now destroyed wall was empty.
~~~~~
Jenna screamed when Lanie Harmond slid open the concrete door and ran in with her gun. She ran behind her bed.
"Jenna...come out now and I won't hurt you..."
Jenna whimpered. She could hear Lanie coming closer.
And closer.
Fear gripped her. Jenna couldn't move.
Soon, the end of Lanie's gun was settled on her heart. God, I love you so much. This life was good. Really good. Will death hurt?
"Stop!"
Jenna's eyes popped open and she registered the shout. Matt? She saw Lanie was distracted for a moment and she used the time to jump onto her and tackle her to the ground.
Lanie shrieked. "Get off me, you rat!"
"Police! Freeze!"
Jenna and Lanie froze.
This time Lanie used Jenna's sudden stop to roll over and pin Jenna down. She reached for her gun and aimed it at Jenna.
"I said stop!"
Jenna knew it was Matt. Then, Lanie was tackled from behind and knocked off Jenna. She lay there, eyes closed, praying to God, thanking him for sparing her life.
Matt pulled her up, "Let's get out of here."
Jenna turned to see Lanie fighting like mad to get out of Blake's hold. She saw Lanie reach for her gun, but was pushed out of the room before she could see anything else. Outside her bedroom, was a broken down sheetrock wall.
Matt pulled her outside and Jenna saw a sunrise coming up on the horizon. She looked up at the colors in the sky, fell to the ground, and wept.
God, I'm alive. Thank you.
"Jenna!" Nicole yelled. Nicole ran over to her and enveloped her in a hug. "Oh, I was so worried."
Jenna sighed. "I was worried too."
Nicole and Matt helped her to the ambulance. Nicole checked her out, then left hurriedly when Blake came out, dripping with blood.
Jenna shivered in the cool morning air. Morning air she never expected to feel again. She felt eyes on her and turned to see Matt staring at her. "What?" She was surprised she could even talk.
"Don't ever scare me like that again."
It was then that Jenna noticed how he was staring at her.
With love.
~~~~~
Matt held Jenna's gaze. His heart was still in overdrive, but knowing she was alive was more than he could ask for. Thank you Jesus.
"Why are you looking at me that way?" Jenna's voice was weak.
"What way?"
"Like-like you-"
"Like I love you?"
Jenna's mouth worked but nothing came out. She simply nodded.
Matt brushed Jenna's hair behind her ear, "Because I do. I love you."
Jenna stilled, then she smiled, "For real?"
"Of course." He waited in anticipation for what she would say next.
"So I guess saying that I love you too is assuring to you."
Matt stared at her, openmouthed. "You do?"
Jenna nodded fiercely, tears brimming. "I do."
Matt leaned forward and cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her, passionately. When they pulled apart, Jenna's eyes were distant. "What?"
"Remember Lanie Harmond?"
"Yeah, she died."
"No. They faked her death. She's the woman that you just saved me from."
Matt's stomach churned. This was new. He looked over and saw Lanie shoved into a cop car. "Interesting. Well, everything will be okay now. I really do mean that."
"I believe you. And I trust you with that."
Matt looked at the woman he loved. "Are you going to be okay?"
Jenna laughed, an empty one. "I want therapy."
He turned her into his chest, "Whatever you want Jen, whatever you want." He would lasso stars for her. He would quit his job for her. He would do anything for her.
Because he loved her.