Wow, I wasn't expecting so much good feedback. Thank you so much for letting me reviews, it really helped me to find motivation to write the next chapter! I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, English is not my mothertongue, I do my best!

He had been staring at his hands for hours now. He'd washed them again and again, even when all the blood was gone. He had lost Darien, he couldn't even think about losing Rachel too.

He shouldn't have let her go, he should have done something, should have told her what she meant to him, he should have made sure she had returned to her room safely.

He couldn't stop turning this mess in his head. He couldn't stop playing it again and again, like a horror movie without an end.

'We heard a gunshot, what-?' Tex ran towards Tom and stopped abruptly when he saw Rachel lying on the floor, with Tom's hands covered with blood on her chest. Rios who was just behind Tex came to his side and kneeled next to Rachel and checked her pulse.

'I got a pulse, but we need to do it quickly.' He gently lifted her on the side. 'The bullet didn't get through. She needs surgery.' He took off his own jacket, torn it off, passed it around her and tried to tight it but Tom didn't move his hands. He glanced at him but he still didn't react.

'Captain?' He insisted.

Tom was pressing hard on her wound, his look locked on her face. The doc could see in his eyes he was chocked and had lost his cool. Tex approached him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

'Tom, you have to let go.' He finally came back to his sense and got up with a hard look on his face.

'Block all exits. I want nobody getting in or out. Find me who did this, NOW!' He ordered.

Green had arrived just in time to hear Captain's orders. Lt. and Tex nodded then ran towards the reception room.

Even if it'd happened a few hours earlier, some memories were blurred between panic and adrenaline. They took her to the nearest hospital, both aware that it was her only chance to survive. He still didn't know who to thank -luck or any god- for the fact that this hospital was the most sophisticated one in the area, which had remained in good state to take care of this kind of trauma.

Having to let go of her hand and watch her leaving from behind two hinged doors was much harder than he had imagined.

'Captain Chandler.' Rios called him for a second time, putting him out of his thoughts. Tom quickly stood up on his feet, trying to not appear too panicked.

'How is she?' He almost didn't dare asking.

'She's stable. The bullet didn't hit vital organs, just some muscle and two ribs. But I must be honest, we almost lost her; she went into cardiac arrest during the operation.'

'Can I see her?'

He nodded. 'But she's still unconscious and she probably won't wake up until hours. Actually, it's up to her now.'

'Thanks, doc.' Tom said. Rios saw all the emotions in his look, his blue eyes piercing his soul. He knew he really meant it.

He led him to the hallway in which was Doctor Scott's room and then let him some time alone. He stayed a few minutes standing in the corridor, unable to move or walk to the room. He was afraid of what he would see inside, he wasn't sure he could take it anymore.

After two deep breaths, he moved forward and opened the door slowly. There she was; laying on that bed, looking so fragile and pale, her left arm in a sling. He approached carefully, took a chair and came to sit on her right side, quietly. He ran his hand across his weary face, relived to see her alive. He stared a few moments at her chest, slowly rising and falling. He saw a clip sensor on her right index, linking her to a monitor with regular beeps incessantly ringing in his head.

He wanted to touch her, make her feel he was right here with her; he needed the touch but he was afraid to hurt her. He gently and carefully imprisoned her hand between his, and lowered his head to rest his forehead on the top of their linking limbs. He felt tears coming up, a sob going through his body like a tsunami destroying everything in its path. He tried to contain it somehow, but let some tears streaming down his cheeks. He couldn't let go; he had to be strong, now more than ever, for her, for them. He looked up and swallowed the sob, inhaled deeply then looked back at her. He suddenly felt an immense wave of guilt, for everything he had done or hadn't done, said or hadn't said. Everything.

'Come one, Rachel.' He whispered. 'You have to wake up, there's still so much things to live.'

TBC...