~*~Chapter Twenty-One~*~

Marty arrived at the hospital in Taos with Julius in her arms. "Mommy, I'm scared," the little boy murmured as Marty clutched him against her chest.

His mommy looked traumatized and she hadn't said much on the way to the hospital. She had blood on her hands and clothing. At first Julius had worried that she was hurt like his daddy, but Marty had assured him that she was not.

"It's okay, baby," Marty said gently to her son. "The doctors and nurses are going to fix your daddy. He's going to be okay."

She hoped it was true as tears stung her eyes. Julius needed his daddy, despite all the unsavory things Victor had done. Julius loved Victor... and Victor loved his little boy. It wouldn't be fair if Julius lost his father now.

John was by Marty's side. He was supporting her when she nearly collapsed. She was unsteady on her feet as she followed the gurney containing Victor's lifeless body. The paramedics had done everything they could to save him in the ambulance. Now that they had reached the hospital, they were taking him into surgery.

"I'm sorry. You can't go in there..." a nurse warned Marty as they stood outside the operating room.

"But I am a doctor. I need to..."

"Marty, you need to stay out here with your son," John told her gently.

"Alright," she said in defeat.

"Marty," Todd spoke as he approached her. "You need to sit down. You're going to collapse."

Marty was still weak from the birth of her daughter and everything she had gone through since she had been kidnapped. Seeing Victor shot had been far too much for her. She was on the verge of mental exhaustion.

"Todd's right, Marty. We need to make you more comfortable," John insisted.

When Marty protested, Todd lifted her into his arms, Julius and all. John lead the way toward an empty waiting room where Todd gently deposited her onto a couch. She glared at him as he carefully set her down.

"John, I want you to arrest Todd for shooting Victor," Marty demanded.

"You don't mean that, Marty. Todd and I came to Taos to rescue you, so you could return to your little girl. All Todd was trying to do was to help you. He loves you -."

"I don't want to hear this," Marty said angrily.

"The gun went off during a struggle. Todd didn't mean to shoot Victor," John reminded. "You've been through so much, Marty... too much. I think Todd should take you back to Llanview to be with your little girl... and I will stay here with Victor."

"No!" Marty cried out. "I'm not leaving him!"

"Alright then," John said with a heavy sigh as his gaze collided with Todd's. He could see the hurt shining in Todd's eyes. This was certainly not the reunion Todd had dreamed of with the woman he loved.

"I'm going to call Vicki and let her know that Marty's alright," Todd stated.

He turned and left the waiting room as tears stung his eyes. Marty hated him and blamed him for Victor's injuries. She hadn't even asked about their little girl. Had she forgotten their life together and all that they had shared? Was Victor and the child in her arms all that mattered to her now?

~*~o~*~

"Marty, I understand that you're hurting ... but Todd has been through hell, too. You've been missing for days... and he nearly lost his mind. He has hardly ate or slept since the day you were taken," John stated.

Marty glared at John as she hugged Julius in her arms. "Stay out of it, John!" she hollered. "You have no idea what happened with me and Victor and how I feel for him! You have no clue at all."

"I am sure I don't... but I do know Todd loves you... and he risked his life for you."

"I don't want to talk about Todd right now. All I can concentrate on is Victor. I don't want to lose him. I can't."

Marty buried her face in her son's blond hair and cried. As Julius fell asleep in her embrace, tears dried on her cheeks as she stared down at his little face. Would Victor survive? Or would Julius lose his daddy? If Victor died, how would she ever tell their little boy?

~*~o~*~

"We found her. Marty's alive," Todd said on the phone to his sister.

"Ohhh thank God, Todd. I've been so worried," Vicki spoke with relief. "What about Victor? Did they take him to jail?"

"No," Todd said with a heavy sigh. "There was struggle over a gun and Victor got shot. We are at the hospital right now."

"Good heavens!" Vicki gasped. "Is he... is he going to survive?"

"I don't know, Sis, but it doesn't look good," Todd answered. "Look, Vicki... I need you to come here... and to bring Summer Rose."

"What?" Vicki gasped in disbelief.

"Marty isn't taking this well... and she needs her baby girl. I think once she sees Summer, she'll be okay. Can you please bring her?"

"I don't know, Todd. I can come, but I don't think it would be a good idea to bring an infant."

"Marty needs Summer Rose," Todd insisted.

"Alright, Todd. I will get on the next flight... and I will bring the baby."

"Thanks, Sis. I will see you soon."

~*~o~*~

Marty sat in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity holding Julius. John stayed with her, never leaving her side. When the Taos police came asking questions, John answered to the best of his ability. After awhile the police went away, and a doctor came in to talk to John and Marty.

"Is Victor okay?" Marty asked urgently. "How- how is he?"

The doctor just shook his head. "I'm sorry," the doctor answered. "I'm afraid the news isn't good."

Little Julius sat up on Marty's lap, suddenly wide awake. "Did ... did my daddy die?" the child asked in a voice full of sorrow.

A sob tore from Marty's throat, hearing her son's words. Looking away from the doctor, she saw Todd standing in the doorway. She didn't wait to hear what the doctor had to say. She thrust Julius into John's arms as she jumped up and approached Todd. He winced as she began beating on his chest. "You did this, Todd!" Marty screamed.