The ambulance arrived a minute later and rushed her to the hospital. She was in shock barely clinging to life, her pulse thready, BP 60 and palpable, her skin was cool and pale.
She was taken immediately to the O.R. A very angry and bewildered Hardison ran in a few minutes later. He found Eliot and Winnie, and shouted at the hitter. "What the hell happened, you were supposed to keep them safe!" He lunged at Eliot who was strangely passive, Winnie intervened. "It wasn't his fault, he told us to stay down but Parker got up a bit too soon. We didn't know she had a gun."
"He's right, it was my fault Winnie, I should have known, I should have protected you both better and I failed." Eliot slunk to a chair hung his head low and covered it with his arms. Hardison sat next to him, "Hey man, I'm sorry." Hardison pulled him up and the two men embraced all was forgiven.
Chloe came running towards Eliot. "Oh my God are you alright? I came from my break and they told me. What were you guys up to?"
"Please Chloe not now." Eliot begged. She didn't pursue it once she saw the concern on his face instead she got him a towel and scrubs and pointed him in the direction of the men's shower.
Late into the night exhaustion set in, Winnie and Hardison took turns sleeping, but Eliot stayed awake waiting for news. At around 2 a.m. the surgeon came to see them. "We stopped the bleeding, she is in critical condition, the bullet hit her small intestine, her bowel is perforated and her kidney suffered a severe contusion. She lost a lot of blood, but as she continues to stabilize, she will recover and be good as new.
"Can we see her?" Eliot asked. "She is unconscious you can go in one at a time but only for a minute, she needs to rest. He accompanied them to the ICU. Hardison went first the Eliot. He approached her reverently, and took her hand. He bowed his head and said a silent prayer for her. The doctor and a nurse came in to care for her and politely told him time was up. He nodded, then smoothed her hair out of her eyes they way she always did to him, wiping a tear as he left. He brushed past Hardison and Winnie who were waiting outside the room for him.
