"Oh, it was an accident." Jenna's voice was silky smooth; she had gone into full court mode. "That makes everything so much better." Eric winced slightly. He had already guessed that Virginia was used to being in a court, and there was a reason that he had tried to keep her from speaking. The woman was going to rip his partner a new one.

"Honestly, I've never heard of such irresponsibility in the FBI. Not only did you allow the thief to take a hostage, but then you fired at a civilian...." 

"Back off!" Eric finally snapped, hating to see the way that ever word cut into his friend like the bite of a whip. 

"Back off? Back off?" Jenna's laugh was harsh and cutting. "Oh, isn't that typical law enforcement. Something goes horribly wrong, a man ends up in a coma with no guarantee that he is ever going to wake up again, but it is all going to be ok, because it was done by an FBI agent. That makes everything ok again, and anyone who tries to say otherwise is going to be threatened by another FBI agent." Jenna's voice had risen to a volume suitable for court, and it was starting to draw attention again. There were a few people who were suddenly finding reasons to loiter elsewhere, while others had gathered around. Some even were nodding in response to Jenna's statements.

"Is everything alright here?" Jamie wasn't the only one to have missed the approach of the security guard. Several of the observers flinched, while others hurried away. Jenna was too professional to even begin to appear guilty, but Jamie could practically feel the growing tension radiating off her shoulders. Ultimately she would back down, she couldn't risk being removed from the hospital, but she would fight until it was obvious she couldn't win. It was in her nature.

"Of course, sir..." she replied, but, suddenly, another familiar voice interrupted the proceedings.

"Is that you in the middle of this crowd, Ginny? Why am I not surprised?" An entirely average man pushed his way through to the center, coming to stand next to Jenna. He pushed a strand of dirty blonde hair away from his face, before looking curiously between his best friend's girlfriend and the FBI agent.

"Derek," Jenna said, clearly pleased to have an ally. "This is the FBI agent who shot James."

"Is that so?" Derek asked, his eyes narrowing to a sliver. Several of the people who had gathered behind Laurel took and unconscious, fearful step backwards.

Jenna, suddenly realizing that her status in this hospital was under threat from an entirely different source, whirled back towards the agent. "You'd better expect to take full responsibility, Miss Shaw. If I don't see the full incident report sent to Gibson Dunn by the end of the week." Eric winced again. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher was as well known for being completely ruthless as it was for being the most prestigious law firm in Southern California. "And if you forget to dot even a single 'I' or cross one 'T', I will take this all the way to the supreme court if I have to, and it won't only be your job you lose."

"Far better to tender your resignation now," Derek said, his smile as sharp as a shark. "If you don't, your life will be hell."

"Is that a threat?" Eric asked, his hand reaching down to touch the handle of his gun. The security guard moved forward again, fully prepared to step in between the two if the conversation got any more heated. 

"No," Derek replied, his voice intense. "Simply a statement of fact. Come on, Ginny." He grabbed on lightly to Jenna's arm, pulling her away from Laurel and Eric. "Let's go find somewhere else to wait, away from these government pigs."

Together they pushed past the two FBI agents, ad moved towards the ring that had surrounded them, the crowd quickly parting way for them. The people in the back had already peeled away, no longer interested now that the possibility of a fight breaking out had been thoroughly squashed. 

Jamie was frozen, peering around the corner at the retreating backs of the two people he cared about most in this world. Jenna's heels clicked authoritatively, and for once Jamie didn't mind that Derek was pressed in a little closer to her than was strictly necessary.

He didn't know what to think. He had been so certain that it had been the robber that had shot him. The good guys weren't supposed to make that kind of mistake. They were supposed to save lives, not ruin them. A brief, blinding flash of anger passed through him, and the light overhead flickered slightly. But the anger vanished as quickly as it came, as James saw the face of the woman who had shot him. He could blame her. Nothing could stop him from blaming her if he wanted to. But did she deserve it? That was a much harder thing to decide.