Jackson collapsed down to the bed, his eyes flowing with tears. He cursed out loud his hands throwing things about as his pent up frustration seemed to have got the best of him. Why couldn't he just do something right? All he wanted to do was protect her and yet he didn't know how too. Every time he thought what he was doing was right, one look at her face and he doubted it. He swore loudly his head falling to his hands, he was so goddamn tried, every time he would try and fall asleep his mind was plagued with nightmares surrounding her. His eyes wanted to close but his mind wouldn't let him. He was practically crying tears of blood all the time and yet he was completely lost on what to do. How to be there for her without actually being a risk to her life. He sighed again his head picking up from the depth of his hands as he grabbed the gun that lay on the side and beginning his trek down to the front of their base for another meeting. He stood in front of them all, the sleepiness apparent in his eyes that were red and tearing. They flicked through the notes that they had compiled on Jin, Jackson turning to a board and placing pictures on them connecting them with string and placing notes he had worked on the previous night. He turned back to the boys, tidying up the duplicate information into another file just in case before talking them through what they had found, what they needed to find and the best course of action they could find. He sighed as he turned back to study the information knowing that ultimately they had missed something. There was something he couldn't quite put his finger on yet it held the key to making all of this mess make sense. He looked towards the photo of the man clad in black, staring at it as he deliberated on where they were currently at. "Did you find anything on this guy." Youngjae looked up. "We tried, everything came back negative. I honesty think this is some ghost story we are dealing with Jackson. It doesn't seem right." Jackson hummed in agreement leaning back into the table as he looked on. "I think he's the key to all of this..." the boys looked up at him. "Somethings not right. I don't know what exactly but we need to try and find something out about him. Try hacking into Jin's phone. See if you can retrace it back so we can work out who is in on this and hopefully who this guy is." The boys nodded as Jackson took a breath pausing as someone burst through the doors, their eyes meeting those of their chief. "We have a mission..." he started Jackson looking at the board one last time turned his attention to his boss.

Jackson and the boys stood getting ready less than half an hour later in black suits whilst connecting their ear pieces. Mark picked up the file as Jackson slipped a gun at the back. "Can't believe they are asking us to protect the president." Yugyeom shook his head. "What's more crazy is the fact that the north agreed to this." Bambam looked up tying his shoe laces. "You don't think this is a set up right?" Jinyoung turned pulling his blazer up. "What for them or for us?" Youngjae sighed. "It's best to be prepared for anything but even if this was a set up, it doesn't make sense. They both have too much to lose if this doesn't go right." Jackson nodded. "Youngjae is right, it wouldn't make sense to meet just to plot against each other. There is something that chief isn't telling us and that's fine, our prime job is to keep the president alive everything else goes out the window with this one. Bam I want you and Youngjae as our eyes, keep an eye on the entire thing whilst the five of us guard. Mark stick with me, and I want Jinyoung close up. Yugyeom and JB stay close but you will be behind the first set of doors. Stay sharp and if you pick up on anything tell us." The boys nodded at each other as Jackson placed his hand out, the other boys placing it on top of each other as they did their ritual before any mission. Jackson patted Mark on the back as he and the boys walked out.

Jackson saw Irene from the distance. "Hold up..." he spoke trailing off as the boys nodded at him. He quickly jogged up to Irene who's eyes widened. He stood in front of her eyes searching hers desperately seeing the same amount of tiredness in her eyes. He looked at her. "I've got a mission." He started as Irene's gaze lowered. "Seems pretty standard, so hopefully I'll be back soon." She nodded whilst looking at his shoes, her heart skipping a beat at the way he looked dressed in a suit. She heard him sigh, taking a step forward and planting a kiss to her forehead. "Bye Babygirl." He whispered taking a final step back and leaving in defeat. Irene's eyes flashed up. She had wanted to say something, anything to him. Even if it was her usual stay safe that had become a ritual between them whenever he would go for a mission, yet the words fell short dying on her lips as she watched his shoulders sag as he continued to walk away. Irene rubbed her temples, turning back herself to continue her walk to the medical cube.

As Jackson reached the boys they passed him a solemn look as he climbed into the car, slamming the door shut behind him, as Bambam sat up front driving. His eyes turned out of the window seeing her momentarily pause to watch the car, before hesitantly walking away. He closed his eyes taking a final breath before trying to focus himself on the mission at hand.

Hours later Jackson stood with mark and Jinyoung in silence as they stared at the North Korean army guards. Jackson nodded to one, the devices they had on each other enough to kill if need be. The silence was annoying, staring at each other or the walls was not something he took particular pleasure in doing. He sighed swinging around slightly as Mark and Jinyoung looked at each other similarly bored out of their minds. Jackson's stomach rumbled loudly as they all looked at him suppressing the laugh. Even the north party seemed to find it amusing as Jackson passed them a sheepish look. "There's a good place around here that does instant noodles.." Jackson looked up at who he assumed to be the captain. "Really? Will you take us there?" Jinyoung resisted the face palm. This was Jackson for you, always making friends even when the situation required something completely different. The soldier laughed slightly. "You have balls asking that." Jackson laughed. "I like to live on the wild side." The soldier smirked. "We will take you after the shift."

And that's exactly what they did, sitting on opposite tables the north and the south enjoyed a meal in each other's company. When they returned the meeting began to drag. Jackson touched the ear piece. "Bam is everything alright in there?" "Yep, seems normal." Jackson nodded, loosening his tie slightly as he looked around. "What a joke.." he mumbled Jinyoung slapping his ass telling him to shut up, Mark laughing at the two.

Two hours had passed the sides now leaving after ensuring that their ambassadors were well on their ways home safely. Jackson stood in front of the North Korean soldier. "It was nice to meet you." He said extending his hand as the other recuperated the action with a smile. "You too captain." Jackson smiled, the smile falling as gunshots were heard loudly. Jackson pushed the soldier down ensuring he was safe before standing, seeing an unmarked car speeding towards them. Jackson rushed towards it, Mark and Jinyoung following up shortly behind him as his feet slapped against the floor violently, his hair breezing as he moved. The sweat trickled from his forehead as he moved forward, a gunshot piercing his side. He momentarily stopped faltering on his feet before running after the car again, another bullet hitting him. He continued trying to get this car to stop, the driver becoming reckless as he attempted to get Jackson of his trial by swerving into him. Moving just in time he managed to keep on its tail, before another car seemingly joined the chase, trying to squash Jackson in between. Jackson ran faster, jumping over the hood of the car and rolling off it, another two bullets entering his body. He lay on the floor blood oozing out of him as the boys reached him. Mark forced JB down to stay with him telling him apply pressure as the best he could as he ran after Jinyoung who followed the car as best as he could. Jackson could faintly hear JB and yugyeom calling him. Bambam and Youngjae joining as they tried their best, each getting covered in their captains blood. Jackson's eyes felt heavy despite the words screaming at him to stay awake. He couldn't. He was tired.

Irene sat at her desk, restless. Her heart couldn't pin point as to what this feeling she was getting, whether it was her sixth sense or not, but something was not right. She felt physically sick to her stomach yet the reason unknown. She blamed it on the fact that she hadn't received much sleep but this feeling was different. It was as if her body was trying to prepare her for something completely unsettling. She was so angry at him for everything, but when she looked at Youngji and the state she was in she began to understand that maybe she was blowing it out of proportion, she meant something to Jackson at one point and she had to learn to make her peace with that, she had to stop hurting herself through her expectations. But regarding the other issue she didn't know what to think. Her past was a sensitive topic, for her and for everyone around her, he invaded her privacy but she knew that his intentions were not malicious, all he wanted to do was know her better, he needed to know what he was dealing with and she couldn't fault him for that. She wasn't angry. She wasn't. She was just hurt. Everything people were saying to her was going in through one ear and out the other. She was anxious for some reason, the girls turning to watch her in concern. She swirled around in her chair, waiting. Waiting for this discomfort to pass and hours later it still hadn't gone.

She heard shouts become audible as Jinyoung and Mark neared. She looked around for her husband standing up from her desk and accidentally crashing into it, a glass globe breaking against the wooden floor. She looked up now worried as she searched for her husband not seeing him there. Barging through as the boys laid a body on the bed. Irene's eyes began watering as she choked on her sob. "Jack!" She called out. His body was soaked in his blood, his skin becoming paler by the second, the sweat dampening his hair. She pushed the doctor out of the way shaking him. "Jack get up! Get up right now.." she sobbed grasping his shirt tightly as she started doing CPR as he continued to crash, the machines frantically going off as Jinyoung turned away from the scene tears slipping from his eyes as the rest of the boys remained in a similar state. Irene grabbed the defibrillator, shouting clear before pressing down. He moved up with the electric current the machines still going frantic as she tried over and over again. Her frame collapsing against the rails of the bed as cried, her words became more incoherent as she sobbed, an apology apparent in between them as she begged him to come back to her. Her head hung low as she gripped onto him praying. Her heart regaining hope as the monitors began beeping in a more coherent rhythm. She shouted to get the surgery room open following the bed in. Wendy stopped her. "Rene we know you want to be in there. But family can't, I'll be in there with him okay. Both me and Suel will be in there, nothing will happen to him okay." Wendy wiped at Irene's tears as Irene  nodded up at her. Wendy offered her a smile taking charge as Irene's feet pushed her back collapsing down to the floor. She looked at her hands that were now layered in his blood, letting out another choked sob as she continued to cry. She should have said what she usually said to him, as she sat there blaming herself for his condition. Mark and Jinyoung sat on either side of her as Irene continued to cry, Jinyoung bringing her into his arms as she grabbed his arm crying into him. Mark hugged her from the other side, his cheek resting against her shoulder as they sat waiting anxiously for some news. The boys managed to clam Irene down after they let her download, praying she got what she needed out of her system. She had never been this scared. Despite the shit that life had thrown at her, the way that fear gripped her in that moment suffocated her. She leaned out of Jinyoung's arms resting against the wall with her legs pulled to her chest. "What happened?" She whispered hoarsely. "We were guarding the president and as we were leaving two cars started shooting at us. Jackson is the fastest out of us all, and he was going after them. They kept shooting at him but he was hellbent on catching them. The second car pulled out trapping Jackson as they tried to essentially squash him but he jumped on top of the car and managed to not be crushed. He collapsed to the floor and then me and Mark went after the car." Irene took a moment to process the information. "Was it Jin?" She questioned hearing Mark let out a breath of frustration. "It was an unmarked car-" "That's not what I asked. I asked if it was Jin." "Yes it was." Irene sucked in a deep breath, her mind registering the words Jackson had said the previous night when he said that she was unaware of what Jin was truly capable of. She wanted to slap herself. Why couldn't she have just listened to him? Regardless of the hurt and pain this man always talked sense and she stood there fully disregarding it and the work he was doing to keep her safe even if she didn't necessarily agree with his course of action. She heard the doors slide open, her eyes looking up to Wendy's who smiled at her brightly. "He's fine Rene." Irene closed her eyes, her heart receiving some form of comfort as she stood, the boys following pursuit. Moments later he was wheeled out, Suelgi taking off the face mask with smile to Irene. "We told you not to worry Rene.." Irene offered them a smile. "Thanks." She whispered the girls smiling at her with tears. "You always save us Rene. You've done that from the moment our lives entangled, it was nice to finally give something back to you." She smiled pulling the two girls into a hug. She broke away moments later turning to her husband, who remained pale. She gulped slightly taking small steps towards him. She grabbed a chair, before holding his hand in her own looking at him. Mark squeezed her shoulder. "We will be back in the morning." He whispered as she nodded, passing the boys a smile as the girls left her alone.

She moved his hand sightly as she held on watching him in silence, her hands brushing some of his hair away from his eyes as she lowered her head, her eyes never faltering from his form.

TBC

Authors note:
Hope you enjoy this one. Let me know what your thoughts are. Things have gone a bit crazy 😜 lmao it's about to get worse. Hope your all enjoying the plot. Lots of love and best wishes stay safe xx