The horrible sound of the gunshot was still ringing in his ears as Yakko knelt on the ground, cradling his limp, unconscious brother in his arms as warm ink soaked his gloved hand.

No, no, no… this isn't happening… it can't be…

"Someone help!" he screamed, cursing himself for going so far across the lot. "Please, help me!"

Luckily he caught the attention of a few interns who were working late. One ran back inside to call for help while the other stood nearby, clearly shocked.

"What… what happened?"

Yakko clenched his teeth and glared at him.

"What's it look like!" he yelled. The intern gulped and didn't say any more.

A barely audible moan suddenly reached Yakko's ears, and he quickly looked back down.

"Wakko?" he asked urgently.

There was no response. Struggling to control the panic welling inside, Yakko placed a hand on the side of his head and ruffled the fur.

"Wak, can you hear me? C'mon, open your eyes… wake up, please…"

Wakko moaned again and his eyes fluttered open; only a little, but it was better than nothing. They slowly focused, then brightened slightly in recognition.

"Y-… Yakko…" he murmured hoarsely; it seemed to be taking all his strength just to talk. Yakko tried to smile and nodded.

"I'm here. I'm right here, it's gonna be okay."

He silently hoped that the last statement wouldn't turn out to be a lie. It didn't take a doctor to tell him that his little brother was severely injured, maybe even…

Yakko quickly shook his head to banish the thought.

Stop it! It doesn't matter how bad it is! He's not gonna die!

"It… hurts…" Wakko rasped as his eyelids drooped. Yakko carefully shook his shoulder, terrified that if they closed they would never open again. A twinge of hope rose as he heard the faint sound of sirens.

"Come on, you gotta stay awake. Help's coming, okay?"

Not seeming to hear him, Wakko shuddered and coughed, then looked up with hazy, brimming eyes.

"Yakko…" he whispered. "I… I…"

Fighting back the tears he was afraid to let fall, the eldest Warner gently stroked his brother's hair.

"Shh, easy…"

Wakko winced, then took a ragged breath and leaned closer.

"I…I'm… s-sorry…"

He trailed off with a shaky sigh and closed his eyes; as his labored breathing slowed, Yakko started to panic. The sirens were louder, but still a distance away.

"No! Wake up!" he yelled. "Don't close your eyes, stay with me!"

Suddenly, he heard the loud volume of his voice and froze in horror as it triggered the memory of the fight and all the awful things they'd said… what he'd said… in anger. And now there was a very real chance he could never take it back.

Yakko let out a strangled wail and tightened his arms around his baby brother, pulling him closer.

"Please… I didn't mean it," he sobbed, rocking slowly. "Please, God, don't leave me."

…

Dot paced the floor of the tower, trying to keep her hands from trembling. The sirens outside were still going and she had no idea what was happening. She kept looking at the door, waiting for her brothers to come back in and getting more frightened by the minute.

Finally, she decided she was going to see for herself and hurried to the door. But once she opened it, her heart dropped to her feet. Police cars were parked in the lot and officers were everywhere. She started to look for Yakko and Wakko, but a car pulling up near the tower and a man quickly getting out interrupted her. Recognizing Danny, she immediately slid down the ladder and her eyes widened when she saw his grim look.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "What's going on?"

He clenched his jaw looked at the ground.

"S-something happened," he said shakily. "I'll explain on the way, but we've gotta get to the hospital!"

A sickening feeling started in Dot's stomach as she instantly jumped in the car.

"What're you doing?" she snapped. "Go!"

Caught off guard, Danny shook his head and got in too, punching the gas. As he drove, Dot clutched her seat anxiously. One or both of her brothers was in trouble. Were they hurt, or even worse?

"What happened?" she demanded.

Danny glanced at her, then took a deep breath.

"The hater got into the lot again. I don't know how, but somehow he got a toon gun and… he went after your brothers. Yakko's okay, but…"

Dot felt sick as the implication of his words sank in. After gulping hard, she managed to speak again.

"H-… how bad?"

Danny glanced at her uneasily, and she could tell he was considering not telling the truth. Finally, he sighed heavily.

"It's not good."

If he said anything after that, Dot didn't hear it. She stared straight ahead, not seeing anything. Shock seemed to numb her senses so that she barely noticed the tears filling her eyes. After what could have been hours or just a few minutes, the car stopped and they were at the hospital. Dot jumped out of the car and ran inside as Danny tried to keep up.

The minute Dot entered the waiting room, what little hope she had left disappeared. Kay was sitting beside Yakko with a hand on his back, and Dot could see tears in her eyes. As for her brother, he sat without moving, his shoulders slumped and his head in his hands. He had only looked this helpless once before. Yakko's ears twitched and he looked up. His dull eyes widened and he quickly stood. Dot felt her throat tighten and ran over. She was instantly pulled into a hug.

"What's happening?" she whimpered.

Her brother hugged her tighter, and his voice shook slightly as he spoke.

"I…I don't know. They're not telling me anything."

Dot bit her lip and nestled closer; the fear in his voice scared her even more. She heard Kay sigh heavily as she stood.

"I'm so sorry for this," she said softly. Danny hurried over and put his arms around her as she pressed into his chest.

Dot felt her throat tighten, but she quickly forgot when she heard a door open. Yakko looked up and quickly let go. Dot turned and saw a middle-aged woman with short graying hair and wearing a nurse's uniform enter the waiting room, her face uneasy.

"How is he?" Yakko asked anxiously. The nurse bit her lip.

"He's holding on so far," she said. "But I'm afraid we're going need more time than we thought."

Dot couldn't stop herself from whimpering as she clutched Yakko's arm. The nurse looked at her and smiled gently, her eyes kind and full of sympathy.

"We'll let you know as soon as he's out of surgery," she said. "But I can assure you both that your brother is in good hands."

After she hurried back through the door, Dot closed her eyes.

"What… what if…" she whispered.

She felt Yakko hug her gently.

"He's gonna be okay," he said, but she could hear the tremor in his voice.

Footsteps came from behind, and then Kay spoke again.

"I have to go report this," she said softly. "Is there anyone you want me to call?"

Dot suddenly felt angry; who was there to call? Their parents were gone, their brother was fighting for his life, and because of the same person. A person who should have been stopped years ago! She whirled around and glared through her tears.

"Like who?" she snapped. "Mom and Dad?"

"Dot," Yakko said, but she just turned and pushed past him, storming over to the side of the room. As she stared at the wall, clenching her fists, she heard her brother's voice.

"Sorry," he said tiredly. The monotone in his voice was frightening.

"It's all right, I understand," Kay replied shortly, her voice sounding strangely tight. "You have a right to be mad. I'll be in touch."

Dot heard rapid footsteps walking away, then Danny spoke.

"She didn't mean to sound like that," he said quietly. "She's scared too. Call if you need anything, okay?"

There was the sound of more footsteps walking away, then Dot felt a hand on her shoulder.

Her throat tightened and she turned, letting her brother hug her. For once, he didn't say anything. Finally, he let go and sat down again with a heavy sigh.

Dot slowly pulled herself onto the chair beside him and gazed down at the floor. Even though she had been very young, she could still feel a faint memory of another night when they were waiting just like this. Her mind reeling, Dot looked down at her feet and found herself focusing on the contrast between the white fur on them and the black on her ankles.

Black and white, black and white, black and white…

She kept chanting the words over and over in her head, if only to avoid thinking about her other brother hanging between life and death behind the door. She looked up when Yakko inhaled sharply. She followed his look to the small TV in the waiting room. A reporter was talking on screen.

"… police sources suggest that the shooter was the same perpetrator of the sporadic attacks on toons over the past few days. We also have it on good authority that the injured toon is now in critical condition. We're trying to get a name, but the Burbank police insist that…"

Dot looked at Yakko; his jaw was clenched in anger. He pulled a remote out of his hammer space and slammed his thumb onto the power button, turning the TV off.

"Don't they have anything better to do?" he growled fiercely, then got up and started pacing. "Instead of jawing on, they could help look for the guy!"

Dot looked down again; he looked so angry that it was scaring her. She focused her attention on her feet again.

Black and white, black and white…

Suddenly, a hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Dot?"

She looked up to see Yakko looking at her, the anger in his face replaced with concern. She blinked and realized that her face was wet with tears.

"Sis?" her brother asked softly. Dot tried to reply, but nothing came out. All of a sudden, she was sobbing uncontrollably. Yakko sighed and sat down, then wrapped his arms around her until the tears finally stopped.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffled as she drew back. "If I didn't... you wouldn't have…"

Yakko shook his head.

"No, it's not your fault," he said dully. "It… it just…" He trailed off and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders started shaking, but no sound came. Dot slowly reached over and touched his arm, but she couldn't think of anything to say. So instead, she looked back down at her feet and focused on mentally chanting her mantra as her eyes burned. Maybe if she didn't cry, everything would be okay.

….

For some reason, Yakko couldn't stop thinking about the old yellow blanket he used to have when he was little. Whenever things felt too scary or overwhelming, he would pull it over his head and it somehow soothed him. All the problems would seem to disappear. Even though he was twelve years old now, he found himself wishing he still had it.

He looked over at his sister; she'd been staring down blankly almost the whole time. Tears were in her eyes, but she didn't cry. He opened his mouth, hoping to say something encouraging, but for once there was nothing to say. Yakko let out a sigh and looked up at the clock. His heart fell: it had been almost four hours and there was still no news on Wakko. How much longer could it take?

Suddenly his ears pricked as the door to the waiting room opened and the nurse who spoke to them earlier came out, followed by a doctor. Dot instantly grabbed his arm tightly, and he could feel her shaking. Placing his hand on hers, Yakko took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice from trembling.

"I-is he okay?"

The nurse smiled slightly and the doctor placed a hand on his shoulder before speaking.

"Well, he pulled through surgery, but it's too soon to know. He's still unconscious, but you can go in if…"

Both siblings jumped up, making the doctor smile. Leading his sister by the hand, Yakko did his best to keep up a calm demeanor as they were led down the hall. However, his resolve quickly evaporated when he saw Wakko.

He looked so tiny and weak lying in that bed, his unkempt hair no longer hidden by his cap, which sat on the table nearby. Ink flowed through the IV in his arm and a small oxygen feed was helping him breathe. Dot clutched Yakko's hand tighter.

"You can stay with him," the doctor said quietly. "But please come get me if anything changes. I'll be back to check."

After he closed the door, Dot immediately hurried over and sat down at the bedside, gently taking her brother's limp hand. Yakko walked over to the other side of the bed, keeping his eyes on the heart monitor. The spikes were very slow, but at least somewhat steady. He slowly sat down too, looking from the monitor to Wakko.

As the hours ticked past, no one spoke. The only sounds were the beeping of the heart monitor and Wakko's heavy breathing. Yakko couldn't stop watching, afraid that it might stop again. As long as he lived, he would never forget that horrible feeling of his brother's life fading away. If help hadn't come in time… the thought was too horrible to bear.

"What happened?"

Yakko blinked and looked up to see Dot looking at him with wide, curious eyes.

"Uh, what?" he stammered, pretending he hadn't heard. His sister sighed impatiently.

"What happened?" she repeated. "When he got hit?"

Yakko clenched his teeth and his head fogged, a sickening pain rising in him at the memory.

"I… I'm not sure," he said out loud. "I didn't really see it."

Dot frowned at him.

"What?"

Yakko groaned inwardly as he realized how lame that must've sounded.

"I, uh… I mean… I don't really wanna talk about it," he stammered.

His sister frowned suspiciously at him; Yakko braced himself, knowing she was about to push further, but at that moment a knock came at the door and the doctor who spoke to them earlier entered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," he said quietly. "But can I have a moment with your brother?"

Dot immediately glared and was about to protest when Yakko laid a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You sure we can't stay?"

The doctor smiled sadly but nodded.

"I'm sorry, but it's hospital procedure."

Dot watched in disbelief as Yakko nodded reluctantly. This was completely unlike him. The doctor placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'll call you as soon as I'm done."

Yakko nodded again, then turned back to Dot. She looked at him with what she was sure was a glare.

"C'mon, sis," he said, ignoring her frown. With no other option, she sighed and followed him out. In the waiting room, she sat beside him and crossed her arms.

"Okay, what was that?" she demanded. "I figured you'd yap on till the guy gave up."

Yakko let out a sigh and placed his arms on his knees.

"Look, the guy's a doctor," he said in a strangely quiet voice. "He knows what he's doing."

Dot stared at her oldest brother, puzzled by how weird he was acting. He seemed almost… guilty.

"What's up with you?" she asked incredulously. Her eyes widened when he glared at her.

"What do you think?" he muttered bitterly. "I haven't slept all night, my brother's barely alive, and I'm sitting in a hospital with no idea where the guy who did this to him is."

With a heavy sigh, he slumped and pressed a hand to his forehead. His shoulders shuddered a few times, and then he shook his head.

"I-I'm sorry."

Dot sighed and scooted closer to her brother, leaning against him.

"It's okay," she said softly.

Yakko wrapped an arm around his sister, and they both watched the door. After what felt like hours, it finally opened and they immediately stood. As Dot headed over to the side of the bed and sat back down, the doctor caught Yakko's eye and motioned to the hall. Unease immediately filling him, he stood and followed, giving Dot a reassuring smile. But he couldn't help wondering why the man wanted to talk to him alone, unless the news was too upsetting for his sister. Yakko bit his lip and decided to get the question out of the way.

"So what's going on?" he asked softly. "Is he…is he gonna…?" The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but I still can't say for certain. His condition is very unstable. We'll have to see if he makes it through the night. You and your sister may stay if you want, but if it will be too difficult…"

Yakko clenched his fists; he knew the doctor was just trying to help, but he still felt angry at the implication that he couldn't stand being with his brother.

"Hard or not, we're all the family we've got and we stick together," he said in a slightly fierce voice. "So just do your job and let me do mine."

To his surprise, the doctor simply nodded and stepped aside.

"Someone will be on call."

Yakko smiled despite himself.

"Thanks."

He watched as the doctor nodded and walked away, then sighed and went back into his brother's room; to his disappointment, he was out again. Dot looked up from her seat beside him.

"What's going on?" she asked. Yakko considered not telling her what the doctor said, but then he saw the serious look on her face. He sighed and knelt beside her, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"It's still bad, sis. The…" he stopped and tried to gulp down the lump in his throat. "The doc says it can go either way."

Dot bit her lip and looked down for a while, then looked up with wide eyes.

"But… we can still stay, right?" she asked anxiously.

Yakko smiled slightly and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," he said. "Guess you're up for it, then?"

Dot glared at him.

"Of course I am, you moron."

He couldn't help chuckling softly at that.

…

The Burbank police station was finally winding down after a hectic night. A sergeant cracked his back as he stood from his desk. His commanding officer in Minneapolis had told him to expect much more excitement when he transferred here but he never would have guessed that his first assignment would be a toon shooting, much less one where the victim was just eight years old.

Poor kid… not much older than my youngest. God only knows what his family's going through.

He sighed as he headed to the hall, suddenly eager to get home to his own family. A light caught his eye as he passed one room, and he hesitated to look in. A young woman was slumped over a desk strewn with papers, her unkempt hair spilling over her face. The officer shook his head and walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jolted awake, grabbing at some papers as they fell to the floor.

"I…" she muttered. "What, what's…"

"Ms. Nichols," the officer said gently. "You've been working at this all night. Your boyfriend has called and he's very worried. Leave it alone for tonight."

The girl looked up at him, and the man swallowed when he saw her wet, red-rimmed eyes and the deep pain that seemed to scream from their depths.

"How… how can I?" she whispered. "I… I left before… shouldn't have…"

The officer frowned slightly in confusion, then decided her strange words were due to exhaustion.

"You're not gonna be much help if you put yourself in the hospital," he said. "Go home, get some rest."

The young woman stiffened, then sighed heavily and stood. The officer quickly steadied her as she stumbled slightly.

"Do you need someone to drive you?"

She shook her head.

"No… I-I'll be all right. Thanks."

The officer watched as she picked up her bag and slowly walked out. He'd assumed Kay Nichols was just another one of those detectives who insisted on working at every possible lead, but after seeing her feverish, almost desperate work and her sadness just now, he found himself wondering.

Just how personal was this case to her… and why?

A/N: In response to the reviews for my previous chapter, I have brought a quick update and a chapter that turned out much longer than any others I've written. It may not have all the answers, but hopefully it helped a little. I'll update again soon, so don't worry!