"How's JR?" Ruth asked breathlessly, dropping her coat and bag on the nearest chair in the break room.

"He's fine," Joe told her, his voice clipped, and yet, she could tell by his eyes how relieved he was. "He's already been checked out, and Dixie is sitting with him."

"Where am I needed?" Ruth asked, as they walked towards the surgical unit.

"I need you to scrub in," Joe told her.

"Who's hurt?"

"Greenlee and Babe are the only ones to sustain real injuries," Joe told her, as they walked towards the surgical unit. "Kendall was being checked out in cube 3, Zach's with her and he's fine. She's just a little shaken up. She's probably done by now. Leo refused treatment, but he doesn't appear to be hurt. He just wants to stay with Greenlee."

"What are the injuries?" Ruth asked.

"Babe was shot in the stomach," Joe informed her, "but the bullet has traveled and she lost a lot of blood, her heart stopped twice already. I'm not sure there's much they can do for her, but Phillips is prepping her now."

Ruth's mouth tightened. "That's…" She didn't know exactly what she was supposed to say. Did she pity Babe? She wasn't sure. She pitied Babe's son, her grandson, that much she knew.

"What about Greenlee?" Ruth asked.

"That's what I need you for," Joe explained. "Dr. Wendt informed me that the bullet traveled to her heart. She's stabilized, but they need to go in. And since Thomas is on vacation, and Wilson hasn't been answering his pages, there's only one doctor in town who can perform this surgery."

"Is David here yet?" Ruth asked.

"No, but he's on his way."

Ruth nodded. "What's wrong?' she asked, glancing sideways. Joe sighed.

"Can't get anything past you, huh?"

"Nope," she replied. "Care to share?"

"I don't like the idea of sending David Hayward in to do surgery on his sister-in-law. Especially not when his daughter is in another operating room probably dying. It doesn't seem right, and if he isn't focused…"

Ruth gave him a sharp look. "David Hayward is a lot of things," she told him. "But most of all he is an arrogant surgeon with good reason, and he loves that brother of his. Greenlee will be in the best hands possible."

"You're right," Joe told her, nodding his head. "I know that. But I don't know what this will do to him. Babe's probably going to die and he won't be there."

"He has his family," Ruth told him. "He has both his brothers here. He has more than he had for Leora." Joe looked down, visibly shaken. Without a doubt, the night Leora Hayward died would always haunt him. He knew it must haunt David too. Who knows what kind of ghosts this night would awaken?

David didn't even bother to say sorry to the disgruntled nurse he'd almost trampled over. He sped with accuracy down the corridor to the surgical waiting room. He scanned the room, bypassing JR and Dixie, Kendall and Zach, Derek, Tad, Erica and Jack, before focusing on his brother, head bowed, sitting between Bianca and Maggie.

"Leo?"

Leo looked up, and David could tell he'd been crying. Leo managed a half grin, before it fell.

"What's wrong?" David asked.

"The bullet's in her heart," Leo told him. 'It's going to be you isn't it?" He looked hopeful. David grimaced, looking down at his hands. When Joe had called him to tell him to come to the hospital, he wasn't sure why. He knew his privileges were in the process of being reinstated, but he didn't know what the emergency was. Then Maggie had called to tell him both Babe and Greenlee were shot. He knew it had to be one of them, and now he wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel.

"How's Babe?" he asked. Maggie looked away, and Leo's face turned stony, but Bianca looked him in the eye.

"The last I heard she was being prepped for surgery with Dr. Philips," she told him. She wasn't sure how much more she should say.

"That quack?" David practically sneered. Philips having a medical license made as much sense as Lavery running a multibillion dollar corporation.

"Joe didn't say much," Bianca continued. "I'm not even sure what type of surgery it was."

"You're going to do it right?" Leo snapped, practically pleading. David cleared his throat, stalling, not exactly sure why. He hadn't wanted to operate on Babe. He had been dreading that, killing another daughter. But Greenlee… how could he look Leo in the eye ever again? Bridget?

"Leo, I…" he started, focusing somewhere on Leo's left ear. "You know I haven't performed a surgery in a couple of years, right? I… I just got my arm out of this sling. There could be complications." Leo stood up, and David grimaced again at the height difference. He squirmed, but finally was forced to look his brother in the eye. He didn't like this feeling, he didn't like not being confident.

"I want you," he said simply. "You're the only one I trust enough to save her."

David nodded, searching for the right words, but was saved by the most unlikely of sources- A Martin.

"David may I speak with you?" Joe asked. David nodded curtly, and the two walked a few feet away.

"Your privileges have been reinstated," Joe told him. "And you're currently the only cardiologist in town who's answering his pages. Are you up for this?"

David gave him a bitter smile. "Joe please," he practically purred, although for once his confidence was sheer bullshit. "Are you serious right now?"

"Dr. Wendt has agreed to perform the surgery, if you talked him through it, "Joe offered. "If your arm isn't up to it."

David practically snarled, and Joe noticed the change in him. "That idiot? I'm surprised he knew the difference between her heart and her liver. He's not touching Greenlee. I'm doing this surgery."

Joe nodded curtly, and David sauntered towards the locker room, to grab a pair of scrubs. Wendt- was Martin actually serious? David shook his head, and almost felt a smile on his lips. This was what he was born to do. And he'd live a fiery eternity in hell chained to Tad Martin before he let some degenerate "doctor" harm Greenlee. Joe looked to Leo, nodded, and then followed David. Bianca squeezed his hand.

"David's the best Leo," Bianca told him.

"I know," Leo responded.

"Do you think we should have told him more about Babe?" Maggie asked. Bianca sucked in her breath and shook her head.

"I just can't believe she…" she trailed off, glancing sideways, realizing this wasn't exactly a welcoming audience. "I don't think so. He doesn't need to handle all that and there's nothing he can do anyway. The bullet isn't in Babe's heart and Greenlee needs his help more."

Maggie nodded her head in agreement, pushing down her retorts. Leo didn't need that, but one of these days she'd tell Bianca exactly what she thought about her obsession with Babe. Bianca glanced away, and caught her sister's eye. They had hugged before, but Kendall had told her under no uncertain terms, Leo needed her more.

"Zach really, I'm fine," Kendall told him, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"You're not fine," Zach told her. "You got held at gunpoint and your business partner is having surgery. You don't have to be fine after that."

"Are you fine?" Kendall asked pointedly.

"Of course," Zach replied. Kendall scoffed, shaking her head. She lost some of her smile when she caught sight of JR. 'C'mon," she murmured, taking Zach's hand and leading him towards JR and the Martins.

Tad looked up when he saw Zach and Kendall walking towards them.

"Hey," Kendall said. JR looked up and stared at her.

"Hey." They all fell into an awkward silence, not really knowing what to say.

"I'm glad you're all right, Kendall," Dixie said, breaking the silence. Kendall looked at her, giving her a sad smile.

"Thanks to my husband," she replied. "And Derek." She paused. "And you JR." JR smiled ruefully.

"Yeah well, I brought Babe to Pine Valley so-"

"Oh come off it," Kendall said, rolling her eyes. "I brought Michael Cambias to town, remember? It's not your fault your wife is a soul sucking succubus." JR stared at Kendall. She wasn't being overly friendly, but she wasn't dutifully thanking him like it was some obligation either. He grinned- it was enough.

"Are you really okay?" JR asked.

"I will be," she told him. "Once Greenlee is out of surgery and we can all put this whole nightmare behind us." JR nodded.

"They're not very hopeful about Babe," he told them.

"Good," Kendall snarled, and JR knew he couldn't exactly blame her. They all fell into another awkward silence.

"Tad?" Zach asked curiously, staring at the man. "Do you have a black eye?" Tad looked up and scowled.

"Yes."

"How'd you manage that?" Zach asked, fighting back a small grin. Tad jabbed his finger towards JR.

"This one punched me when I wouldn't let him go upstairs to help you," he explained.

"Good thing he did," Kendall commented.

"Well I didn't know she had a gun," Tad retorted. "Fatherly note of advice Zach- never teach Spike a right hook. It'll come back to haunt you."

"Excuse you?" Dixie retorted. 'I believe he learned from me."

"Oh yeah, Ms. Violence solves nothing," Tad snarked. "What'd he learn from you, how to hug bullies?"

"Violence does solve nothing," Dixie told him. "So don't even sit there and try to make fun of me for that. But he still learned from me."

"JR?" Tad asked.

"Actually, Hayley taught me," he confessed. He glanced away smiling, but lost his smile when he saw Jamie and Colby walking towards them. He stood up, hands in his pockets.

Hey," Jamie said, before breaking into a grin. "She's fine. She woke up." The wave of relief on the Martins and JR's face was palpable.

"Who? Who's fine?" Kendall asked.

"Amanda," JR told her. "Jamie found her locked up in the Chandler tunnels," he explained. "That's how we figured it out."

"Kind of a big clue," Colby added sarcastically.

"Anyway," Jamie said, shooting Colby an annoyed glance, "Dr. Ellison said she would be fine as long as she got some bed rest and rehydrated. They're going to keep her for a few days, but we can go see her."

"Yeah, definitely," JR agreed. "I'll be back soon," he said, directing it towards Dixie. She nodded warmly.

"Tell Amanda we'll be in to see her in a few," she told him. JR nodded, and the two brothers walked away. Colby crossed her arms over her chest, shifting awkwardly, as she watched JR leave. Once he was definitely out of sight, she turned to Kendall.

"So do we want kettlecorn or extra butter?" she asked, grinning.

"Extra butter always," Kendall replied, scandalized that Colby would get anything different. "Why are we getting popcorn?"

Colby replied. "For our front row seat to Babe's trial. And I'm going to have popcorn and junior mints, and it's going to be a sweet party." The rest of the group glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Uh Colby," Tad said gently. "Do you know what happened at Fusion?"

"Greenlee got shot right?" Colby asked. "That's what Jamie and I heard from one of the nurses anyway. She was passing by Amanda's room and… why? Is Greenlee not okay?"

"Greenlee, barring no complications, will be fine. But it's very likely that Babe won't live to see a trial," Tad said gently.

"Oh."

"What?" Tad felt his stomach turn, and the rest of the group froze. Kendall, Zach, and Colby could see her, but Tad and Dixie had to turn around.

"What did you just say Tad?" Krystal asked, her face a mask of anger, confusion and fear. "What did you say about my baby girl?" Her voice was getting hysterical, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Krystal," he said, standing up, reaching out for her. She recoiled.

"No," she screamed. "You tell me that you're a liar. Tell me that you're just a no good liar. My little girl, my baby doll-"

"Krystal," Tad said softly, stepping towards her. "Babe was shot and it's very serious. They're doing everything they can."

'She was shot?" Krystal asked, disbelievingly. Everyone else in the waiting area turned to look at her uncomfortably. 'Who would- what kind of bastard would shoot her?"

"Derek Frye," Kendall snapped. "Your innocent daughter shot at me and shot Greenlee. She's in surgery getting a bullet taken out of her chest, and let me tell you, if Babe somehow survives this, she better pray that Greenlee makes it too." Kendall felt a twinge of guilt as Krystal's face fell, and her whole body crumpled. She didn't even like Greenlee most of the time. But still, Greenlee didn't deserve what had happened, and Krystal pretending her baby stealing, friend murdering daughter was sweetness and light? She needed a reality check.

"Babe would never-" Krystal whispered, looking around at all of them- the minute she said the word never their faces had all changed from compassionate to angry. She caught sight of Adam storming in, her husband's face unreadable. "Babe-" she whispered again.

Dixie watched in horror as Krystal clutched her stomach, doubling over. She screamed out in an agony Dixie well recognized, had gone through before herself.

"My baby," Krystal whispered, shocked and afraid, "there's something wrong." Dixie reached out to touch her, watching as Krystal started to fall fainting. Zach's reflexes kicked in, and not for the first time that day, he found himself supporting an unconscious Carey woman.