Thank you.

Continuing to look up at Leo Ryan can feel his fingers brush aganst her own and it brings a small warmth to her. Turning her hand over Ryan catches Leo's fingers gentily in her own and intertwines her fingers with his. Just knowing he was close helped her not feel so scaired. Hard on the outside she was, but deep down she had fears of her own like the next person.

"Thank you for coming Leo. It...means alot."

Turning her head a little so it was resting against the pillow comfortably closing her eyes. It was to hard to keep them open.

"Miles, I know your here somewhere. I'm sorry I gave....you quite....the...the...scare. I...scared myself, but..I wanted to do what was right. I told Roth the bet was off, I told him it was over so...so Leo wouldnt get hert, but he didnt listen. He wont stop, not till he gets whats owed to him."

Ryan fades in and out of coutiousness from the meds babbling here and there. Repeting some things the police needed to know, and some than maybe no one needed to know.

But in a final moment before sleep over took her Ryan gave a squeeze to Leo's hand taking in a deep breath and gives a little quiver.

"I....thank you Leo."

Finally Ryan feel into a deep sleep as the mids kicked in to help her sleep.

Consistently staying at Jeff's side Katie never left it now. Not to eat, not to sleep, since her talk with Jason this was her new post. Katie new the time was coming, and it would come all to soon, but she wouldnt move, she would wait, Her hand in Jeff's staying close.

"I"m here Dad, I love you. I'm here."

Closing her eyes and leaning her head on Jeff's shoulder as she sat in the chair facing the bed Katie says a not so quick prayer for him. She didnt want her day to die but she new it would happen. She just didnt want him to be in pain anymore. She prayed God would keep him comfortable, and give him peace in his last moments.

Fingers

Leo's eyes flicker as he suddenly realizes that Ryan is awake. He thought he'd get away with slipping out again without her knowing he'd been there. For a split second, he feels like bolting. But his soft spot is too big for that. He didn't know what to think right now. He didn't know what Ryan really thought about him, and he didn't know where they stood or anything. He just knew that he'd been terribly upset... still was. But here Ryan was, helpless and hurt, and if he was mad at her, it just made him feel guilty now.

"I... Miles called me," he answers lamely. His stomach turned a little.

Silent, he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. Looking down, he sees Ryan's fingers move, and his chest contracts. He felt rotten and he didn't know what to do. But there really was no point in making her feel worse right now... not in her condition.

Moving a step closer, he takes a hand out of his pocket and reaches it down to brush her fingers with his own. "Get... better, okay?"


Gunner wanders through the grass, the cool blades surrounding his bare feet. His pantlegs are rolled up above his ankles as he carefully picks his way around twigs and leaves, the moonlight guiding his strange patterns. He's the only one present out behind the apartment building, in the grassy lot.

Silently spinning, he lays his head back and stares up at the sky, his arms outstretched. Something about it felt good. As if it was a safe haven. The feel of the grass on his feet, the cool night air, the vast array of stars... it all felt... familiar.


Jeff writhes in bed, his sheets soaked in sweat as his fever raged. He mumbles in his sleep of no peace. Becky is there and mops his brow, but he doesn't wake. He hadn't woken since that morning, and he was only getting worse.

Standing, Becky takes the bowl and cloth to go get some fresh water. Passing Katie, she gives her a grim look. It wouldn't be long now.

Smile

Hearing voices Ryan trys to pull herself out of the fog she had fallen in. Her mind was cloudy on what happened, but she new last she was at her race and Miles had been there so more than likly it was him coming into the room.

Turning her head finally it take much effort with the drugs to have controll of what she did. Still keeping it on the pillow Ryan slowly opens her eyes. Bringing the face that looked at her slowly into focus Ryan was a little surprised to see Leo staring back at her. Not even relizing anyone else was in the room.

A small smile spreads across her lips very small as the one side was a little puffy. Her eyes were glossy from the medication but she did her best to get some small whisper out.

"Hey! You...came. Why...how did you..you...know I was here?"

Ryan winces a little as a wave of pain hits her but as soon as it had come, it was now gone. Still looking at Leo Ryan doesn't turn away her eyes glued to him. Maybe if she took the energy to look away she wouldnt look back in time and he would be gone.

Moving her fingers twords Leo just a little Ryan wanted to keep his hand in her to know he was really there. It must of ment he still cared right? But her just had no strangth to reach out her hang.

A minute or two

Those waiting are all on alert as the doctor comes in to explain about Ryan. Miles and Axel get to their feet, while Leo remains seated, his shoulders drooping.

Once the explanation is done, Miles gives a nod, "Thank you, doctor. Appreciate all you've done." He turns to Leo, who had undergone a quick sobering up by Axel before arriving. "You coming?"

Leo shakes his head.

"Well then why did you even come?"

"Just bug off, alright?"

"Look, Ryan cares about you," Miles states flatly. "She told me things, Leo... No matter how it got to that point, she does care, and I dare say came pretty close if not all the way to falling in love with you."

Heat rises to Leo's face. "Yeah, but if it hadn't been for a stupid bet, she never would have given me a second glance. I came to see if she was alright... so now I know."

Miles glares at him. "So help me... if you don't get in there, I'll drag you."

Leo grits his teeth, but gets to his feet anyway. "Fine. Three minutes, then she's all yours." Scuffing his feet on the tile floor, he heads down the hall to where the room is. Once there though, he hesitates. He didn't know if the sick feeling in his stomach was from his bar outing, or his emotions. Eventually, he enters the room, quietly walking to the bed. There were so many tubes and wires... Leo hated hospitals.

With his hands tucked safely in his hoodie pockets, he approaches, not really knowing what to feel. Ryan looked asleep. He didn't want to wake her. Maybe if he just stayed in here a minute or two, Miles would leave him alone.

Protection

Her eyes were close, and Ryan felt so cold but feeling Miles hand in her own brought comfort knowing her friend was there close to her. She hurt but felt nothing at the same time it was a very strange and terrifying feeling.

Once at the hospetil Ryan is rushed into the ER. The bullet didnt have an exit wound so it was still inside of her. They would have to do surgery to get it out, not to mentil a blood transfustion from the amount of blood she lost.

Sometimes doing whats right comes with a price when you try to make up for the wrong and the time goes by as the life of a friend hangs in the balance. Would she be ok? Had much damage been done? How slow time can go by as the worry in a room can continue. Not hearing a word could mean good or bad and those who cared where left in the dark the agonizing seconds that passed seemed long than than the last.

Finally three hours last a tall blond woman exits the ER. Her scrubs showed she had cleaned up a little but had just returned from doing something extensive. First going to the nurses station the woman leans over to one of the computers looking at a few things before turning to the nurse. After the nurse gives a nod to the small group of friends the woman gives them a smile before walking over and extending her hand.

"Good evening gentlemen, I am Dr. Fuller, I took care of your friend tonight."

Thought Dr. Fuller's eyes had a soft calming warmth to them they also held a seriousness to them for the situation.

"Let me start off by saying that the surgery went well, and we were able to find the bullet and remove it. Ryan was very lucky that the bullet wasnt a few more inches to the right or it would of pierced her heart."

Taking a seat across from the men, Dr. Fuller lets out a small sigh as she looks each of them in the face for a long moment. Ryan had been that close to death, and it could be a hard thing to handle at first.

"Ryan lost alot of blood and again she is very lucky. She has a very rare blood type that is almost impossable to find. But earlyer in the day we happened to have a blood drive and that was one of the blood types we encountered. The Lord was definitely watching over your friend today for more than one reason and in many ways."

Dr. Fuller gives a nod as she thinks to herself for a moment and lifting up a thanks in her own find for the hand that had guided Ryan. It was obveus a higher power had other plans for her and it was not her time.

"Ryan may have some complications with her right arm but it's nothing to worry about at the moment. Though she will have to refrain from moving it for a while. She has a few bruses, and she is going to be quite sore for a while but the biggest worry we have right now is that her body with accept the blood we used and not reject it because it was not a family members."

Letting out another small sigh and standing Dr. Fuller gives a smile again before continuing with her final words.

"I would suggest maybe trying to contact her family so incase her body dosnt accept the blood, we have some backup. Other than that you guys are free to go in and see her if you like. She is pretty doped up from the meds right now, and might be out of it, but your more than free to go in. Just try not to ryler her up to much so she doesn't tear the stitching and her body dosnt stress out. Stress could cause her body to reject the blood as well."

Feeling the quiet around her Ryan lay in the bed. Her body felt numb from the medicine, and her mind was almost blank. She couldn't really think about much at the moment everything seemed so foggy. A soft breeze could be felt under her noise as the tubes pumped oxygen. The soft beeping sounds of masheens echoed in the quiet. A gauze bandage wrapped around Ryan's shoulder, patway down her arm and her chest the mark bore from the sugary. Closing her eyes to stop the room from spinning one would think she was asleep, but she was very much awake.

Sit tight

Miles remains quiet, just letting Ryan ramble, and not really knowing how much was true or just her making things up. It didn't matter though - as long as she was still alive, there was still a chance.

"Shh... it'll be okay, Ryan... I'll make sure Leo knows, alright?" Blood oozed between his fingers as he continued the pressure on the wound. "I'll tell him... he doesn't think you hate him, okay?"

Once the paramedics arrive, Miles is pushed to the side, and stands helplessly watching until he's approached.

"Um, I..." He tries to sort through all of the rapid questions. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. There was a fight over a bet and Ryan got shot." He shakes his head. "She's got brothers? I think? I don't know." He blinks, then nods. "Yeah, I'll ride with her." He glances around at the empty spaces where people had been - they'd all fled at the sign of trouble. "At this point, I'm the closest thing she's got." And that really wasn't saying much.

Once he's in the ambulance, he finds his phone and dials Leo, but gets his voicemail. "Dang it, Leo... where are you? I'm on the way to the hospital with Ryan. She got shot, Leo. It was Roth. Call me or show up, would ya?"

It isn't long before the hospital is in sight, and Miles follows the crew lamely until they get inside and he's separated from Ryan. Standing numbly in the waiting area, he doesn't even remember that his t-shirt is stained with blood. He doesn't want to go home and change... no, he would stay and make sure Ryan would be okay.


Leo hears his phone go off in his pocket, but he ignores it, taking another sip of his beer.

Ron quirks an eyebrow, having realized that Leo wasn't going to call anybody to pick him up. "That could be that friend you need to drive," he hints.

Leo smirks and rolls his eyes. "Whatever." Finishing up his beer, he sets his money on the counter. Hearing the laughter and talking going on behind him just made him feel worse. It was time he got out of here. "Thanks, Ron. See you later."

"I hope not," Ron mentions under his breath as he watches Leo walk slowly to the door.

Getting into the fresh air seems to revive a few of Leo's senses, but getting to his car, he just leans on it a moment, trying to decide if he really should drive or not. Sighing, he pulls out his phone and listens to whatever Miles had to say. When he hears the message though, his blood runs cold and he stands stunned. Ryan? Shot? But... He swallows hard as his heart begins to race. He couldn't think very quickly at the moment, and he tried his best to figure out what he should be doing. Finally, he dials a number to the only one he could really trust to help him in a situation like this. "Axel?"

"Leo? Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, yeah... I need a ride. To the hospital."

"Are you okay?"

"It's not me, it's Ryan. Just please..."

"Okay, okay, where are you?"

"Um.... I'm down at the bar."

Axel sighs. "Great, Leo."

"Please, Axel! I... I don't know if I could drive myself there or not, but I want to go. Ryan got shot at the races and I want to go find out if she's okay!"

There's a pause before Axel makes up his mind. "Sit tight, I'll be right there."

Questions

Moving in and out of cautiousness Ryan can hear everything going on around her though her body felt cold. Hearing Miles voice though Ryan trys her best to stay with it but the lose of blood was making it so hard to stay awake and even make seance of anything.

Opening her eyes just a little a glassed far off looked staired up at Miles as she tried to focus on one of the two images she saw of him. Her words were mumbled but she new that she had to try and stay contous as long as she could talking, was the best way. Though there was a lack of knowing what should be said and what shouldn't.

"I...I tried to telAl Roth the bet was off. As soon as I..."

Ryan takes in a deep breath from the pain she felt as she gave a shiver under Miles hand.

"..as I started falling for Le...Leo I called him and told him the bet was off. I....gah...would guess that, that was what love felt like but...only intensified and I didn't want to mess that up."

Closing her eyes for a moment Ryan can feel herself slipping. She was so tired, and everything was starting to get quiet around her. One might thing she had passed out again. But starting to talk away proved she wasnt though her voice was becoming softer.

"But Roth wouldnt take no I guess, and came looking for his money. I should of just given it to him...now....now...I lost Leo, my money and the race. Now...he's"

Ryan coughs as a bit of blood runs down the side of her mouth, the sirens could be heard in the distance drawing closer, and finally Ryan stops coughing.

"He's gonna think I hate him forever now, and he'll never really believe I cared so much. He was my dream, the one I thought I'd never find."

A tear rolls down Ryan's eye as she looks up at Miles again. Her mind thought about everything and nothing at the same time. Images of Leo flashed through her mind from over the last few months of working with him, getting to know him more, and spending time with him.

"I feel so cold Miles. I..."

Ryan wanted to say so much more but it took so much stranth just to talk and soon the paramedics where by her side with Mile.

"Excuse me sir let us though please. Give us room."

Things were chaotic and hectic for the next few moments as they worked on Ryan and didnt there best to stop the bleeding for now. So much blood had been lost.

Taking Miles to the side the one paramedic looks him over as well the blood that stained on his cloths was hard to tell if it was his own are Ryan's.

"Sir are you ok? What happened? Are you related to her? Does she have any family in the area to contact? Do you want to ride to the hospital with her?"

Hang in there

Leo twirls the empty shot glass in his hand, staring down at the polished bar. His hair was a bit matted, and his hoodie hung loosely on him, looking like he'd slept in it the night before. "Gimme another one, Ron."

The bartender quirks an eyebrow as he cleans some glasses. "Leo, I've only seen you a few times, but I know you don't usually go for the hard liquor."

"Just shut up and give it to me."

Ron shrugs and does as he's asked. Sliding the shot to Leo, his eyes look across the room to where a blonde woman sits on the knee of a man who is the center of attention at a loud table. "Oh, I get it. That your girl?"

Leo scoffs. "No."

"Saw you two together at-"

"She's not my girl!" Leo downs the whiskey, wincing as it burns his throat. "She just... did me a favor."

Ron's eyes widen.

"Not that kind of favor," Leo retorts, going back to his beer. "It was stupid anyway. I don't know what I was thinking." Resting his elbows on the counter, he runs a hand over his face. "Besides, she doesn't really care about me anyway."

"Her?" Ron points.

"No, not her." Leo rolls his eyes. "Just the girl of my dreams who turned out to be a nightmare instead."

"Oh, one of those."

"Look, she's not like that."

"You just said-"

"I know what I said!" Leo shoves his empty beer bottle to the side. "Just stop trying to figure it out... I don't even know the answers. Just... give me another beer."

Ron cocks his head. "You driving tonight?"

"So what?"

Ron frowns.

"Alright, I'll call a friend. Come on. I'll be out of your hair as soon as I empty the bottle."




It wasn't strange to hear shouting, and even a scream now and then. But the chaos that ensued before the race wasn't normal. It was a rough crowd, but violence wasn't something that was tolerated. But tonight - everything seemed to break loose, and for what? Money.

When the shots are fired, everyone scatters. Miles looks around quickly, trying to figure out where it had come from. Like a shockwave, people were spreading out from a point where he could just see Ryan's car.

Shoving against the flow of panicked people, he muscles his way through, finally spotting only a couple people left, kneeling over Ryan's body.

"Ryan!" Miles sprints to the car, sliding down on his knees next to her. "Oh this is not good... Ryan... Ryan, can you hear me? Somebody call 911."

"Dude, you want them here? That's - "

Miles whips around and grabs a guy by the collar. "You call 911," he hisses, "or you're gonna be the next reason the ambulance needs to come."

"Alright, alright!" The young man dials, giving brief directions.

Miles puts pressure to Ryan's wound with his hand. "Come on, Ryan... hang in there."