Chapter One

John and Dorian walked into the station together with John carrying his morning coffee. He placed it on his desk and was about to shrug his jacket off when a news story suddenly appeared on the screen looking urgent. A news reporter was now on the screen with a serious expression upon her face. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the news reel when they heard what it was about.

"Breaking news: Governor Smith and his daughter were in a head on collision last night in Los Angeles after the governors press conference on rising crime in California. Both drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead on the scene whereas the governor is in critical condition in a coma. Little is know about Katherine Smith's condition, but we do know she is stable. The man who rammed into the governor's car was Eric Malcolm, one of the gang members of Insyndicate. Here is the footage our street cams revealed for us."

The newswoman disappeared from the screen and the footage of the crash appeared in her place. Dorian glanced up at John and was shocked by the fear and paleness upon his facial features. He found this unusual for John. John stared at the screen mortified by what he was witnessing feeling a panic course through his body when he saw the picture of Katherine and Andrew appear on the screen as the report continued.

"Katherine." He mumbled softly with a worry in his tone sprinting out of the office pushing others out of the way disappearing down the stairs.

Dorian watched him curiously before running after him becoming concerned suddenly. He pardoned himself as he hurried past the disgruntled officers and synthetics John had plowed through a moment ago. Dorian finally caught up to him outside in the parking lot grabbing onto his arm to stop him from going any further.

"John, what is wrong? Where do you think you are going?"

"Let go of me now." John ordered him through gritted teeth.

"I will once you tell me the importance this Katherine is to you." Dorian assured him not stepping back from John's threatening tone.

"She's my best friend and her family is a close family friend for a long time." John explained in frustration ripping his arm out Dorian's grasp running a hand through his hair turning away from him. "Now leave me alone and let me go."

"You don't even know which hospital she's at and I can give you that information for I have just ran a search for you finding the address."

John turned around facing him knowing he really had no idea which hospital she was at and was slightly surprised that he was actually doing this for him. He began calming down some feeling less stressed at the moment. He took a deep breath calming down.

"Thanks, Dorian…" he told him continuing to walk to his car.

Dorian grinned a little following after him getting into the passengers seat.

John and Dorian walked down the hall of the hospital searching for the room the head nurse had told them. They found the room at the end of the hall only to have John freeze halfway within the doorway. His expression softened from the sight he saw with a tinge of worry creasing in his eyebrows. Dorian glanced at his partner not noticing yet what troubled him. He watched his partner slowly walk over to her bedside and stop once he made it beside her. John gently brushed her hair out of her face looking down at her sleeping figure. He quietly sat in the chair by her bedside taking her left hand carefully in his hand. Once John sat down, Dorian realized suddenly why he seemed so troubled when he first saw her as he walked into the room. She was missing her right arm and almost all of her left leg. Dorian averted his gaze turning his attention back to his partner. He couldn't recall a time seeing him act in such a manner before. It was new and slightly concerned Dorian.

Katherine's eyes began to flutter opening some once she has com slightly out of consciousness. She glanced up at John drowsily due to the morphine they had given her.

She was surprised and happy to see him smiling lightly. The smile faded away slowly as she looked down at saw her arm and leg missing. Katherine sat up and began hyperventilating not wanting to believe this was happening. She covered her mouth with her good hand and burst into tears clenching her eyes shut shaking her head lightly.

"No… No…this isn't happening! John… John…"

John quickly pulled her into a hug stroking her hair on the back of her head whispering soothing things into her ear. He rubbed her back with his free hand holding her close to him protectively. He gently kissed the side of her head glancing over at Dorian before back at Katherine.

"Sh, Katie… it's okay…it's okay…you're gonna get through this… just calm down…I'm right here…it'll be okay…" John whispered into her ear soothingly.

Katherine nodded lightly burying her head into his shoulder continuing to weep. She gripped onto his jacket with her only hand scared that he would let go and leave her alone.

"Please don't leave me," she murmured into his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere…I'm going to stay right here with you." He turned his head towards Dorian then. "Dorian…can you check the governor for me…please?"

Dorian nodded his head slowly and turned around walking out of the hospital room heading towards the nurse's desk. He stopped in the middle of the hall when he was receiving a transmission from Captain Maldonado.

"Yes, Captain?" he inquired looking around the hospital floor stepping out of the way of doctor's and nurses.

"Are you and John at the hospital?" she inquired sitting at her desk with a stressed expression upon her face.

"Yes, John and I are at the hospital. What is the matter, Captain? You sound troubled."

"I'm sending some men over there for protection detail for the governor. I need you two to make sure nothing happens to Katherine at all costs. Insyndicate has put a hit on both of them for some reason and I need them both alive."

"Yes, Captain. I will pass the message on to Detective Kennex once I get information on the governor's condition. He's with Katherine right at the moment."

"I figured he would be with her...how is she doing?"

Dorian remained silent for a moment looking back at the room feeling pity for Katherine after having seen her reaction to the news. He sighed and looked down at the ground away from the door.

"She just woke up…she's lost her right arm and her left leg….she's not reacting well to the news…"

"Oh, God…well just let him know what's going on and we'll work on getting the bastards who did this…keep me posted, Dorian."

"I will, Captain." He told her ending the transmission heading the rest of the way to the nurse's station.