"KRISTINA!" Ethan yelled as she tumbled from the stage and tried to get to her through the throng of people rushing out. When he finally got to her, Robin and Steve were using anything to try and stop the bleeding. Sonny was holding Alexis back and Dante and Michael were pushing people back. Sam and Jason stood by, ready to do anything needed. Carly and Olivia were staring down from the stage in horror. Patrick and Matt were checking Mrs. Bauer. "Kristina." Ethan dropped to his knees and held her head. "Oh, jesus, Kristina."

"Ethan, give us some room!" Steve commanded, pushing him back. "We need to stop the bleeding."

"Ethan, come on." Johnny pulled him back. "Let them help her." Johnny grabbed him.

"She's got to be OK." Ethan declared. "She's got to be." He turned to see Patrick and Matt look at each other and step back from Mrs. Bauer. Patrick grabbed the table cloth off of the closest table and draped it over her body.

"Over here!" Robin called out when the paramedics came through the crowd. "I've got a young female who's had taken three gun shots to the upper abdomen." Steve told them.

"Pulse?" The paramedic asked as they began to strap her to transport her.

"Thready." Steve answered. "We need to get her to the ER and we need to get her there now."

"I'll call ahead have an OR prepped." Patrick called out.

"Matt, you get in this ambulance with me, you're the best surgeon I got for this." Steve commanded. The paramedics worked with Robin and Steve to get Kristina on the gurney and prepared to get to the hospital.

"We're losing her!" Robin called out as they strapped her down on the gurney. She had been monitoring Kristina's pulse and started to begin chest compressions. "Beginning CPR." Alexis cried out.

"Bag her." Steve grabbed the paramedic's blue bag and started to count it out with Robin. "We've got to get her there, NOW." Steve commanded again. Robin climbed onto the highest rung of the gurney and continued to press on Kristina's chest while the paramedics and Steve began to run the gurney to the elevator that Patrick held.

"They've ready and waiting." Patrick told him.

"We'll meet you at the hospital." Alexis called out.

"Come on." Sonny pulled Alexis to the stairs. "It'll be quicker this way."

It was hours before they saw Steve, Robin or Matt again. The family was crowded in the waiting area and was spilling out of it. Alexis sat with Sam and Sonny, wringing her hands. Jason was standing with Michael and Dante, leaned against the far wall. Lulu sat numbly next to Ethan and Johnny sat across from him. Molly and Morgan were sitting at Carly and Olivia's feet.

"Alexis." Steve and Matt approached the family, wearing blue scrubs covered with blood.

"How is she?" Alexis asked, raising.

"She made it through surgery." Steve told them. "We all know she's a fighter and right now, she's fighting hard. It was touch and go for a while in there but she came through. Dr. Hunter did most of the work, he can tell you more."

"The bullets were lodged in Kristina's chest and upper abdomen. We were able to retrieve the bullets and fix the damage that was done. There was a lot of internal bleeding and swelling. The miracle is that she made it through surgery. We nearly lost her twice on the table." Matt told them honestly. "So right now, we need her to stay unconscious and let her body start healing. We have her heavily sedated to keep her out, and like I said, she needs that right now. There is no way that she will wake up in the next few hours. I suggest you all go home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow, fresh and ready for the wait. It could be a long one."

"I agree with Dr. Hunter." Steve told them. "None of you will do any good for Kristina here right now. You will be most likely here a long time tomorrow."

"Can we see her?" Alexis asked.

"I don't think it will do any good right now for you to see her. She is still in recovery and going to be moved to the ICU soon. It would take a long time for everyone to go in one at a time." Matt answered honestly. "If anything changes at all, we will call."

"Thank you." Sonny told them. "We appreciate your hard work."

"OK everyone, you heard the doctors." Sam announced. "I know we will all be back here at some point tomorrow, so let's get going."

"Sam's right." Alexis spoke up. "Let's go home and get some rest." They started to stand and straighten. Hugs were given and prayers said. Lulu turned to hug Dante and Johnny turned his back to help Molly up and when he turned back towards Ethan he was gone. Johnny looked around and met Jason's knowing eyes.

"Ethan." Ethan was staring intently through the glass at Kristina. "You shouldn't be here." Steve sighed, touching the man's shoulder. "It's restricted."

"I'm not leaving without seeing her." Ethan turned to look at him. "Please mate, give me a couple of minutes with her."

"I can't authorize it." Steve shook his head. "Because I didn't see you and can't guarantee that a nurse could come back through here in seconds." He turned his back and heard the door open and close with a whoosh. As Epiphany rounded the corner, he smiled widely. "Epiphany, could I get your help over here?" He tried to turn her away.

"Did you let that sorry looking Australian in to see Kristina Corinthos?" Epiphany demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Steve shook his head.

"Good. I won't have to." Epiphany sighed. "It would ruin my reputation if it got out."

Ethan carefully approached the bed where Kristina laid, hooked up to countless machines that were eerily beeping. He looked down at her pale face and closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached out and touched her hand, which was so cold it had him scared.

"You need to fight and come back to me Kristina." Ethan bit out. "Your family is all here and you need to realize how important you are to all of them. And to me." He added. "You are so important to me that I'm not willing to hang around here without you. Come on Krissy, fight." He begged her. "Don't you dare give up. I don't think I can make it without you love." He squeezed her hand and leaned down to kiss her forehead carefully.

"Did you see her?" Johnny asked when Ethan reappeared in the hallway after everyone else had left.

"She is so pale." Ethan answered him. "She's so little and pale and cold." His voice broke.

"She's little but she's strong. And she's got a warm heart that will beat until it can't beat any more." Johnny grabbed him hard. "Don't you dare give up on that. She won't make it if we don't believe that she's going to." He gave Ethan a shake. "You came to Kristina when you were sick because you knew she was strong enough to fight for the both of you. Now, you have to believe it again."

"Ok." He knew Johnny was right.

"I'm guessing you saw Kristina?" Jason asked from behind them.

"I did." Ethan nodded. Jason waited for more, staring. "She looks so little in that bed and feels so cold. But she's a survivor and she'll claw her way back." Ethan told him.

"I've left guards. Ethan is the only one I've said that can go in, outside of the family." Jason told them. "Are you staying?" Jason asked.

"No." Johnny answered for him. "He's going to go home, get some sleep and he'll be back tomorrow. I am making him." He said authoritatively.

"How are you?" Lucky asked when Ethan and Johnny came into the Haunted Star. He had filled Luke in and they were waiting for him there.

"I'm fine." Ethan answered eyeing Luke. "Got another glass?"

"I've got a whole bottle." He sat it in front of Ethan. "How's Miss Corrinthos?"

"She's strong and she's going to make it." Johnny answered for him. "Can I have one of those too?" He watched Ethan pour the liquid into a glass then easily toss it back and repeat the motion. Twice.

"You get the glass." Luke sighed. "Cowboy's been telling me what he knows. Want to fill in the rest Dodger?" Luke asked after Ethan had slowed his repetition.

"It was going so well. Kristina got up there and told her story. We were dancing on the terrace when Olivia came to get her. She got up on stage and then the woman that I assume was Keifer's mother got up to give her a cheque. She insisted it went to Kristina and when she came forward to get it the woman shot her." Ethan replayed it in his mind, swigging his drink. "The blood showed up on her dress and Kristina just looked shocked. No one knew what happened and before anyone could do anything, the whack job put the gun to her own head and pulled the trigger."

"Steve and Robin kept her alive until she got to the hospital then she went into surgery. They were able to get the bullets out and repair the damage but she did flat line a couple of times on the table." Johnny told them so that Ethan didn't have to. "So now, she just has to make it through the night."

"That little girl has been through so much." Lucky sighed, sipping his ginger ale.

"Too much." Johnny agreed.

"Why does this crap keep happening to her?" Ethan demanded. "None of it's because of her or her father. This stupid Bauer family has tried to kill her so many times and they just keep breaking her down."

"And she's going to pick herself back up and shake herself off just like her father." Luke assured him. "He always does."

"And, that was the last of the Bauer's." Lucky reminded him. "Both of Keifer's parents have tried to kill her and neither of them succeeded in killing anyone but themselves."

"Is that the official police word on it?" Luke asked.

"It's open and shut. The same as Warren Bauer's shooting." Lucky shrugged.

"Now, do I have to sit outside your door to make sure that you don't go back to the hospital tonight?" Johnny asked.

"Nah, mate." Ethan told him.

"Cause Lucky and I will be here to stop him." Luke interjected. "I know you care about that little girl but you aren't going back there tonight because you're going to collapse if you keep it up."

"He's right man." Lucky told him. "I know that they aren't letting her see anyone tonight and you'll be better to her tomorrow if you get some sleep. And aren't hung over to boot." He took the glass out from under Ethan.

"Go to bed Ethel. I'll call you tomorrow to check in." Johnny stood up.

"Thanks Mate." Ethan stood up with him and headed the other way.

"We'll be out here keeping watch Dodger, just so you know." Luke reminded him. "I wasn't joking."

"I'll remember." Ethan made his way down the hall and through to his room. He walked in and looked around glumly. His eyes fell on the picture of him and Kristina. He thought back to the night that they had taken it. It was when he was hiding out with her and he had noticed that on the hours of pictures that had flashed by on her computer screen there hadn't been one of him. When he pointed it out, she grabbed her camera and leaned in to take one. They had ended up taking several with funny faces and many of them had made it on the screen saver. In this smiling one, her hair was pulled back, she had a shiny clean face without any make up and she was wearing a sweatshirt. How had he ever missed she had gone and grown up on him, he wondered. His finger traced her face through the glass and sighed, putting the picture down. Stripping down, he crawled into bed and said his prayers for the first time in a very long time. He laid there tossing and turning for nearly an hour before he got up, got dressed, and snuck off the boat.