Chapter 1

"Maria…" Tony muttered under his breath as he watched the young woman run for the locked doors of Underworld. The bitter smell of burning fuel assaulted his nostrils as burning flames danced around them, licking at the putrid atmosphere, testing the air, before engulfing everything they touched. He still held Carla by the collar of her neck, as she screamed and fought to get away, watching as Hailey ran to help Maria force the doors open, as Robbie just stood there looking on in a fit of blind terror, glancing from the burning building, to Tony, to the two women now struggling with the bolted doors of the burning factory.

The two shots Tony had fired had been warning shots, although that hadn't made any difference to the crowd of people who'd gathered outside, watching as events unfolded before their eyes – some of whom were now trying to force the factory doors open from the opposite side.

As there was a residing crash of splintering and shattering glass however, and the outside voices became louder and much more clearer as they began to break through Tony gripped at his chest; sharp, searing pain shot through him, coursing through his jaw, left arm and back, and he slackened his grip on Carla slightly, allowing her to get away.

With this he watched as he sank to his knees, as his ex-wife and Robbie ran over to assist Maria and Hailey, as they still battled with the bolted doors of Underworld. Tony watched as precious seconds ticked by, and a few rays of golden, orange light broke through the cracked window pane before he slumped backwards, writhing alone and helpless upon the cold, hard floor. As the crushing pressure against his chest increased and his breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, he turned his glassy gaze to look upon Maria, and once again realised just how much he loved her… he hadn't meant to get her embroiled in all this.

The wee little man he'd almost come to look upon as his own during those few precious months they'd spent as a happy family needed her… the memory making Tony smile slightly, despite the pain, as he recalled what he'd now come to look upon as the happiest time of his life. He hoped she at least would get out of this alive.

As there came another sound of the snap and crunch of splintering wood however he saw Maria suddenly turn and glance in his direction as the doors were finally forced open. As Robbie, Hailey, and Carla all disappeared through the gaping gap into the outside world which it created, something within Maria – as she turned and saw Tony writhing in pain – appeared to stir however. She remained routed to the spot, suspended in time as her eyes locked with Tony's for several long seconds, and he tried desperately to force the words out from his breathless throat, words which refused to come; for her to get out whilst she still had the chance.

By now Tony could already hear the unmistakable and eerie creaking of the broken roof as it began to give way under the strain of the searing heat which it was now being subjected to, and he realised immediately that it was going to cave in. Even so Maria still didn't move, her gaze was drawn to Tony, firmly fixed upon his pale and pain contorted face. Voices were by now appealing to Maria to get out also, but the young woman still appeared oblivious to them, her gaze still transfixed upon Tony. Then Tony, despite the crushing pain to his chest and seeing that the woman he loved was in danger, was finally able to muster three heart wrenching words, words which he'd wanted her to hear every day since his initial incarceration for Liam Connor's murder, and which he hoped she'd believe.

"I love you…"

He had no idea how she'd heard his whispers above the roaring and the rush of the angry flames – futile to even his own ears – but these words had appeared to shake Maria from her transfixed state, and she was suddenly at his side.

"Tony?" She asked, her soft and faintly reassuring tone music to his ears as she bent down beside him. "Tony, we need to get out of here, are you alright?"

"My… chest…" Tony heaved, feeling the crushing pressure against his chest wall with increasing discomfort, and fearing that if the heart attack didn't kill him he'd suffocate first.

"Alright, just lie still." Maria soothed, stroking his clammy cheek and torso affectionately. "Come on Tony, just concentrate on taking one breath at a time. Stay calm. I'm here now."

"No…" Tony choked, teeth grinding together with the effort of speech however. He shook his head, and Maria could tell that his strength was waning. "You've got to get out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere." Maria insisted, stroking the sticky locks of hair away from Tony's forehead, which was slick with sweat. "Just hang on in there, help'll be here soon."

Suddenly however Tony let out a weak and stifled cry with this, as he gripped his chest in pain, eyes wide with fear and pupils dilated. "It hurts Maria." He sobbed, beginning to close his eyes wearily, but she grabbed his hand, pulling him into her lap and her warm embrace – not wanting to let him go and fearing that if she didn't do something to let him know that she still loved him, to let him know that he still had something left to live for that he'd give up.

"Come on, stay with me Tony." She pleaded, shaking him gently by the shoulders.

"It's time to say goodbye." He whispered.

"You're not going to die!" She exclaimed, tears cascading in huge sobs down her own pale cheeks, surprised by the force of her own words. "I won't let you!"

"I already am…" He sighed weakly, and the young woman could tell that at the moment the thought of losing and having to say goodbye to everything he'd ever regarded as precious in his life pained him even more than any of the physical pain he was currently experiencing.

"I'm dying…" He confessed sadly, as much to himself as to her. "My only comfort is knowing that you are here with me… I've wanted so long for you to look at me the way you used to, without hatred in your eyes."

He smiled slightly, as though this thought brought him some comfort.

Maria searched around in her mind helplessly for something else to say which might give Tony the will he needed to fight; to fight for love, for their life together, for her, and then she remembered her beautiful little boy… the child she knew without a doubt Tony loved like one of his own.

"Don't give up," She begged, "think of little Liam, your little man. He's already lost one daddy, don't make him lose another."

"I'm so tired Maria." He coughed, before letting out a tiny, helpless whimper. "I'm tired of fighting. It's time to end this now… and I don't want to go back to prison."

"But I love you." She sobbed, choking back the tears as she hiccoughed, and struggled to catch her own breath.

"And I can die happy knowing that…" He smiled. "But I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"You can't give up now Tony." She implored him, still sobbing. "You can't leave me to face this all alone."

"You've managed perfectly fine without me the last few months." He grimaced, reminding her. "You're capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for."

"I've missed you every day." She confessed. "I know what you did, and I really wanted to hate you for it, I tried so hard to be angry with you, but the more I tried the more I realised how much I love you… I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"I don't want to go back to prison." Tony repeated, mumbling almost feverishly.

"You have to Tony." She sighed, stroking his dark locks soothingly, and wiping the sweat from his brow, complexion now an unhealthy bluey grey. "That's something we can't change. I know I haven't been there for you at all recently, but you won't be alone this time. I'll visit you every visiting day, every day if they'll let me."

"It's no good Maria." Tony shook his head weakly, eyes already beginning to close as his breathing became more raged. "Just… know… that… I… love… you. Say… goodbye… to… little… Liam… for… me. Good… bye."

He squeezed Maria's hand weakly, his grasp strong for a second but then his grip suddenly slackened, his eyes closed, and his head lolled.

"Tony?" Maria sobbed, shaking him vigorously, and calling his name in a futile attempt to get him to respond to her. After receiving no response to her desperate pleas however she realised that he'd finally lost consciousness – fearing the worst, wracking sobs escaped her as she choked with grief over Tony's motionless body, until she noticed the subtle rise and fall of his chest and ribcage, growing weaker by the moment. Then she heard a loud crack above them and looked up just in time to see a large crack appear in the roof of the factory above their heads.

Realising what was about to happen she immediately got to her feet in some alarm, now clear in her mind of what she needed to do to save the life of the man she loved.

"I'm not giving up on you Tony!" She exclaimed. "I'm not going to let you die!"

With surprising strength she then heaved his limp frame into her arms, and, with all the remaining strength she could muster, dragged him towards the by now open doors of Underworld.

It was then that the roof caved in on top of them.