Tori clutched her chest with her right arm whose arm happened to be bleeding as well. She attempted to roll over whilst nursing two gaping gunshot wounds. Her insides were on fire, her head spinning. She bit her lip and executed a sideways roll. It was then she finally had them in her sights.

"Mom…..Dad…." her voice was stifling, like she was drowning in a big ocean.

Even though she knew her voice was barely audible, their lack of response frightened her to her foundation.

"Mom?"

She and her husband remained motionless, covered in blood.

The movement of her diaphragm was very painful but she couldn't help it. The gentle sobbing flowed forward. Had she more energy at the moment, she could've screamed.

She drifted away as she began to hear the sirens.

When the police and ambulances showed up, the personnel couldn't believe the sight. They have seen home invasions before but the residence of Captain David Vega was a bloodbath.

A double-parked car at first was preventing from medical people from getting close enough to the house. When Jade caught wind of what had happened and arrived on the scene, she pitched the intrusive vehicle down the block where it landed upside-down.

Jade situated herself on the roof of one of the ambulances. From this vantage she could take in everything. She knew enough to stay back and allow the EMT's to do their job. Right now, Jade needed a miracle.

A stretcher is wheeled out of the front door. The body was in a long black bag. Jade overheard that it was Holly Vega. She never met her but Tori talked endlessly about what a great mom she is. Was. Angling herself to see through the window, Jade witnesses the zipper enveloping the face of Officer Vega. She lowered her head in reverence to her dead friend and his wife for 26 years.

"We got a live one here!"

Jade's ears perked up and she began to tear up when she saw Tori being wheeled with a breathing apparatus. She could sense the heartbeat. It was slow going but it was still pumping. Hers was too at the moment. Tori got wheeled into the ambulance doors right beneath Jade. She tried to get Tori to see her but she had her eyes shut.

The engine revved up and the red and white van sped away. Jade held her stance on the noisy, flashing vehicle. She was determined not to leave her side.

Trina picked the lock of her father's office in the lower levels of the police station. She spent the better part of an hour rummaging through papers and finding nothing. He either took the crucial stuff home with him or they are locked in one of these drawers.

Time was getting away from her. She knew that the shift had not yet changed at the clerk desk. The same bald man would be there, wondering what was taking her so long.

"Fuck it," she says under her breath. Trina grabs a flash drive sticking out of the computer and leaves.

Trina makes her way to the front and a hand rests on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She turns to see the man from before, only hardened in the face.

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly, thinking she was made.

"Something has happened; you need to go to the hospital."

Trina furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

He swallows before continuing. "Your parents and your sister were attacked tonight. Neighbors heard shots and caught glimpse of three unidentified gunmen."

She covered her mouth on the edge of tears.

"Your sister's in critical condition from what I hear."

"And my dad? Mom?"

He grips her arms as if to keep her grounded. "I'm so sorry."

Trina shakes her head. "No. That's not right. They told you wrong. They…" she began to sob. "No! They're not! They can't be!"

She races out of the precinct and finds out from one of the officers who recognized her as Vega's daughter which hospital.

"My parents are dead," Trina said trying to drive despite her hazy vision caused by her crying. "And my sister's all I got left. That's if she makes it through the night."

Jade storms her way in, the look on her face alone made security not hinder her. When she turned a corner, she bumped into Vega's partner, Rob Shapiro.

"Hey," Jade recognizing him but not interested.

"She's still in surgery. Don't worry, the best goddman surgeon in the world is in charge."

"Wait," Jade shaking her head. "What do you mean don't worry?"

"Jade…I know."

Her eyes widen in shock. "What?"

"I was heading back to the room I stayed at the hospital that day and I got sort of lost. I came across you two and you were…kissing. I didn't want to disturb you or make you think I was watching so I quietly distanced myself."

"I can't believe that you knew all this time." She thinks for a moment. "I can't believe that I didn't sense you there." She cursed herself for being so head-over-heels in that instance. Jade swore that she was going to allow herself to be more aware, even with Tori. She couldn't completely operate blind.

"Well, I didn't really know about you two being together like a couple until I heard about times when her father would try to arrange a get-together and she was busy. I noticed it always seemed to coincide with you being busy."

"That fucking explosion downtown," Jade grinded her teeth. "If it hadn't happened, I would've stopped those assholes."

"I'm afraid that was beyond your control."

"What are you talking about?"

"I checked the approximate time of detonation and when Vega's neighbors began hearing the gunshots. They all occurred within a matter of minutes from each other."

Jade was clenching her fists in rage.

"This was all arranged," Rob continued. "They targeted that house and everybody inside. And to ensure that you wouldn't get involved, they created a diversion on the other side of the city. Even you couldn't be in both place at once."

Her anger melted into sadness.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. You did everything possible. It was a trap."

"Yeah," Jade kicked a trash can, leaving a dent on the side and several yards down the long corridor. Luckily it was vacant. "A trap I stupidly fell for. That building was abandoned for decades. What the hell made me think that someone would actually breaking into it."

"Now that wasn't your motivation and you know it. You saw a wanton act of destruction and you acted. It can't be helped. Trust me, you're just compelled. That abandoned factory could have been the stage of a gang rape for all you knew. You have a good head on your shoulders…and a good heart."

"Well, my heart is fucking breaking right now. How much longer?"

"Jade, these things take time. I was shot, too. Not as bad but believe me the guy was trying to kill me. And the same woman who helped me is helping Tori. Let her. She really is terrific."

Even though he loved the redheaded doctor completely, Jade saw no hyperbole in what he said about her abilities.

Rob puts his hand on her arm in a comforting manner before leaving. Jade looks around, listening for minute rustling.

"Okay, show yourself!"

Trina Vega emerges from the open door of a supply closet. Jade's anger subsides into one of anxiousness.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Trina coldly snapped back.