[Update: 11/2017 - The beginning parts of this story are going through revision to bring the narrative into a voice I would use now, not the terrible one I pretended was good when I started this. There won't be any changes to the subject matter, only grammatical/pacing/tone issues.]

This is my new venture. I better explain it before I start, as to put any confusion to rest.

I'm going to Tarantino this one. This chapter is the near-end of the story (not the actual end, but close). So, I'm going to present this chapter, and then work from the beginning towards it, to create a bit of suspense. I've never written in this style, so this is me branching out once more! Be nice if you hate the way I'm doing this, but... I hope you'll all enjoy it. Hooray for trying new things!

Once again. I'm going to start at the near-end, and work from the beginning starting next chapter. Don't get mad at me, for this is kind of gorey and I rated it M for safety (even though I don't think it'll need it)

ENJOY!

PS: Derek and Angie's conversation is in italics

Sound was non-existent, for she had screamed herself nearly deaf. Angie could feel her lips moving, breath expelling from her mouth – she was still screaming his name repeatedly though he did not hear her. At that time, her mind reverted back to when they had that fateful conversation just a few days ago – the conversation which had become a reality to them both. The words he had said to her spun through her mind, as she willed herself to try to get to him, her heartbeat pounding in her eardrums.

I couldn't imagine not fighting back, just sitting there at a time like that…

Angie tried rising to her feet unsuccessfully, her left leg throbbing where the bullet remained inside of it. The pain fired through her whole body as she put weight on it, immediately collapsing back down on the ground with a hopeless cry.

Time seemingly stopped. If she could just get to him, she could save him - get him to open his eyes once more. She needed to get there.

Of course I'd fight back… especially if someone I loved was in any sort of danger.

Letting the injured leg hang limp, Angie dug her fingertips into the cold tile, crawling towards his unconscious form. Neither he nor the man were moving, despite her constant wailing screams.

Tears poured from her eyes and wet the tile under her, making her hands slip as she tried to pull herself forward, fighting to get to him before it was too late.

So you're saying that if it's a choice between you and them…

"DEREK - PLEASE DEREK, WAKE UP!" she shouted, barely able to get the words out through her fit of sobs.

…you take the bullet?

Grappling against the tile, she used the toes from her uninjured leg to propel herself forward, pulling herself the rest of the way with her arms. She shook uncontrollably, having seemingly cried out all the strength in her body, but adrenaline pressed her forward… only ten feet separated them now.

Derek's light brown hair fell over the top of his head, ends resting on the tile in a small pool of blood - the gash on his forehead was still open. She never took her eyes off of him though her own leg bled the same way, desperate to find any signs of life as she willed herself to reach him.

Absolutely I take the bullet – no questions asked.

Forgetting the pain momentarily, she pushed with her left leg and shrieked instantly, the sensation of her mistake like a knife that had raked down every nerve in her leg. She gripped the gaping wound momentarily and considered giving up, realizing that it wasn't an option - she had to press on despite the blinding pain.

The pain didn't matter now – nothing mattered now unless he was alive.

"Derek, say something!.. PLEASE?!"

You seriously mean that? You would put yourself in that position?

Angie rolled back onto her stomach, gripping onto the tile once more as she grit her teeth together, trying to move through the searing pain. She was closing in on the body of her doctor. Her best friend. The man she had fallen in love with.

When you love someone, and their life is at stake…

The man who had taken a bullet for her, the woman he loved as well.

Angie stretched her arm out as far in front of her as it would go, her fingertips grazing his hair… she was so close…

"Dammit, Derek, stay with me…"

She pulled herself next to him, looking at his face as hands instinctively reached to touch it, though he was still and his eyes remained closed. Summoning what little strength she had left, she pulled herself up and put all her weight onto her right leg as she threw every bit of her 120 pound frame into rolling that bastard off of him. Once she had managed to move him away, she noticed that Derek was in fact, still breathing. However, relief turned back to indescribable horror as she laid her eyes on the giant pool of blood that had stained the middle of his scrubs – directly around the center of his spine.

Angie laid back down on the floor, positioning her face right next to his, where she begged him to open his eyes, to be okay.

"Derek – please, don't do this… please…" she sobbed, her hands rubbing his face, waiting for a sign - any sign that would wake her up from what had become a living nightmare.

"I-I, love you.. Derek… I love you… s-so much… please, wake up…"

She pulled herself back up into a sitting position, careful not to yell in his ears.

"SOMEBODY, HELP! PLEASE! … PLE-EASE!" she shrieked, returning back down to examine his unconscious form. Angie laid on her stomach next to him, holding his head in her arms as she cried for help, her face pressed tightly against his. She kissed his skin repeatedly in between the blood-curdling screams. Together they had witnessed their share of horrific events, but they paled in comparison to this. Never had she lost it like this before...

I just always figured you do whatever it takes to save their life... including give up your own.

…because she had never known the feeling of what's its like to lose everything.

Okay. You'll see how this came about, starting next chapter.

See you then :)