Jay could make out bright lights above him and muffled voices. There were two figures moving around him. He had on an oxygen mask now, and his chest was real tight. He blinked a few times, hoping to clear his vision and get a better look around him. The paramedics didn't waste any time getting him loaded up and on the way to Med when they arrived, but Jay didn't remember any of it. Apparently some time had lapsed. He glanced over to see Hailey holding his hand and looking at something behind him.

Sylvie reached over and placed her stethoscope on his chest, shaking her head with a concern look. "His 02 stats are not improving. He's got diminished breath sounds on the right. We might have to intubate before we get to the hospital."

Jay tried to look back at her, causing the mask to pull on his face. He reached up and tried to pull the mask from his face with his right hand not being held by Hailey. He regretted the movement instantly as a sharp pain spiked from his side. He let out a loud groan before allowing his arm to fall back to the bed. Hailey jumped and moved in closer, not even realizing he had woken up. Sylvie reached down to secure the mask back in the appropriate spot on his face.

"Hey don't move. We are on our way to Med." Hailey said as she reached up to cup his face. He did his best to smile at her from behind the mask, but it was getting harder to breathe. Hailey wiped quickly at a tear that tried to sneak down her face. She was trying to stay strong for him.

She tried to stay focused on his face, and not look at the red gauze pads sitting right below his ribs on the right side. Sylvie had cut his jeans from his right leg, and tightly wrapped gauze trying to slow the bleeding. But gauze had been replaced several times already in both areas. She squeezed his hand and watched as his eyes roamed around the ambulance. His eyes were getting heavy again, the blood loss was definitely taking a toll on his body. Each blink slower than the last.

"Stay with me Jay. It's going to be ok. You still owe me a long weekend on the couch watching movies."

Jays eyes met hers. He could tell she was scared. He tried to speak but all he could get out was a gurgled sound with each breath. Another sharp, stabbing pain came from his chest, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut and wince. He tried curling in on himself before he let out a deep wet cough that decorated the inside of the face mask an awful red. Hailey panicked when she saw the red from inside his mask. Sylvie was leaning forward and gently pushing him back on his back, as she placed her stethoscope back to his chest. She glanced quickly to the monitors, before looking to the front of the ambulance.

"How much further?"

Violet yelled from the front seat. " Less than a minute. We are right around the corner."

Sylvie grabbed gauze and pulled down Jay's face mask, trying to wipe the blood from his face. Jay pulled back, and tried to move away from Sylvies hands. "I know Jay. Im sorry." Sylvie replied as she replaced the mask.

He let out more wheezing breaths as he looked back up at her. He was cold. Very tired. Hailey was pleading with him to stay awake. Sylvie glanced up again to the front of the ambulance, relieved to see the glowing sign for Med.

Will had just walked out of a treatment room and was signing into a computer to start a patients discharge paperwork. He glanced down at his watch, more than thankful to see it past 11. It was the end of a long shift, the most excitement from the day coming from removing a bb from a 5 yr olds ear. He would never understand the fascination children had with sticking things in random places. But at least the bad guys seemed to be taking the night off. He planned to stop by his favorite fast food restaurant on the way home, and go home to shower and pass out in his bed.

He signed the last of the paperwork and was walking towards the doctors lounge when he saw Maggie jump up from her chair with the ED phone pressed to her ear. She was looking frantically around the ED, before making eye contact with him. Her face dropped, causing him to stop in place, watching as she turned to find April approaching the desk.

"Where is Dr Marcel and Dr Choi? I need them in Baghdad. We have incoming 3 minutes out."

Before April could answer Dr Choi came out of a nearby treatment room. " Right here. What have we got?" he asked as he put on gloves from behind the desk, and started walking towards the ambulance bay. April and Maggie followed close behind.

"2 gunshot wounds. One to the thigh with an exit. One to the chest without an exit. They are worried about blood loss. He's critical." Maggie slowed and grabbed Ethans arm, causing both him and April to stop. Maggie leaned in with barely a whisper. "It's Jay."

They exchanged a nervous look before looking back to Will, who was still standing at the other end of the ED, looking up from his phone and back at them.

"I've got him," Ethan told Maggie before taking off to run the rest of the way to the ambulance bay.

"Maggie, Crockett is upstairs in radiology." April said as she ran off behind Ethan.

Maggie hurried back over to the desk to page Dr Marcel. Radiology could wait. He was needed downstairs.

"Maggie what's going on? Do you need me to stay?" Maggie looked up to see Will on the other side of the desk looking back at her. These sorts of conversations would never get easier. Maggie sighed heavily as she came around the desk to stand next to him. She paused for a moment looking up at him. The ambulance would be there any second, she had to tell him. " Will. It's Jay."

Will looked from her, to the pager in her hand, before looking towards the ambulance bay and back at her. Sirens could be heard pulling in. The events of the past few minutes were running through his mind. The odd look she first gave him, the even scarier look his colleagues gave him before running outside, Baghdad. How? Nothing made since. The last text he got from Jay on his lunch break, his brother was finally done with a case and headed home to enjoy a weekend off with Hailey. He wasn't working. He responded with the only thing his racing mind could process. " What!?"

Before Maggie could respond, Ethan and April came running back into the ED with Sylvie and Violet pushing a stretcher, followed by Hailey.

"No!" Will took off towards them before Maggie could grab him. As he got closer he couldn't help but stop, not believing what he was seeing.

"He's lost a lot of blood. In and out of consciousness. O2 states are at 86 and steady declining. Diminished breath sounds on the right. Exit wound in his leg, but not his chest." Syvlie called as they rolled the stretcher into the treatment room and next to the hospital bed.

Will walked into the room and stood at the end of the bed as they transferred. Hailey stood at the door. Jay was eerily pale. His left leg still wrapped with red gauze. He glanced up at Jays chest as April worked to cut the rest of his jeans off. Maggie tossed a gown to the foot of the bed. The bed was already turning red under him. Jay was still wearing his mask. Wills stomach fell when he noticed it was stained red.

"Let's get a quick xray," Ethan called as he listened to Jays breathing. " And i need the ultrasound. The wound in his thigh has to be close to an artery with this amount of bleeding."

Jays jeans and boxers had been tossed to the side, and gown thrown partially over him. April had just finished inserting an IV. Jay was squirming away from her touch. Maggie helped Ethan roll Jay to his left side to place the board for the x ray. Jay let out a groan as he was placed on his back. His whole body ached. Whatever little breaths of air that were a struggle before, were worse now. He was really fighting to stay awake. He closed his eyes to focus on breathing.

The xray clicked above him. He opened his eyes and made eye contact with Dr Choi.

" Hey buddy, we're going to take care of you. Stay awake for me. Do you know where you are?" Ethan was attempting to keep him awake while looking at the images from the xray on the big screen. He exchanged a look with Maggie and she darted out of the room for a thoracotomy kit and chest tube.

"Hos….hospital." Jay attempted to respond between breaths.

"That's good Jay."

Jays eyes roamed around the room before landing on Will. He tried to say something before everything started to get fuzzy. Monitors were starting to beep around him but sounds were muffled. Maggie placed the kit on the bed in front of Ethan. He was smearing the antiseptic wash on Jays right side when he noticed Jay's eyes slip closed.

"Come on Jay stay with me," Ethan said as he rubbed Jay's sternum.

Jay didn't realize he had closed his eyes. He was really out of it. He tried to take a deep breath, but only ended up choking on blood. The more he coughed, the tighter his chest got. The mask only felt like it was suffocating him more. He reached up and pulled it from his face, before looking over at his brother again.

"Will." He tried calling for his brother, but it only caused more coughing and more red decorating his lips. Will grabbed gauze from the stand next to the bed and jumped forward grabbing his brother's hand, while wiping his face. "I'm right here Jay. You're going to be fine." Will grabbed the mask and replaced it back on Jay's face. "You have to leave this on. Itll help." Jay was shaking his head no and squirming more. Letting out short breaths.

"Will you can't be in here." Ethan said as Crockett ran into the room out of breath.

"Sorry got here as quick as i could. Have you started the chest tube?"

"Starting now." Ethan said as April handed him the syringe with lidocaine. April came around to the head of the bed grabbing Jays right arm and pulling it out of the way. Crockett reached for the ultrasound, squirting a small amount of gel before placing it on Jays leg. Jay let out a small cry from the pain the pressure caused. "Sorry man." Crockett said as he looked at the monitor.

"Ok Jay this is going to burn. Try to stay still for me." Ethan said as he inserted the needle with lidocaine. Jay winced and Will squeezed his hand. Will tried to stay out of the way but was still by his brothers side.

"Count of 3 youll feel some pressure. Hopefully this will help you breathe some. 1, 2, and 3," Will looked away as Ethan sliced a small line in Jays side. The amount of blood that came out made him feel ill. Jay was really squirming as Ethan inserted the tube. Crockett reached over and held his legs down, while Will held onto his left arm and shoulder, April still had his right arm held tightly above his head.

Jay closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, thankful to finally be able to breathe somewhat better. O2 states came up a tad but were still low. Everything was still starting to blur from the blood loss.

"Let's get him prepped for surgery now before he declines. The bullet in his leg looks to have nicked an artery. He needs to go now!" Crockett said as he tossed his gloves in the trash and ran out the room towards the operating room.

Will ran his hand through Jays hair, watching as April got things ready to intubate him. Jays eyes cracked open and looked from her back to him.

"You gotta go up for surgery Jay. They are going to give you something here so you can go to sleep, to save time so they can get you to surgery quicker. Everything's going to be ok. I'm going to be right here when you wake up ok?"

Jay just looked at him, giving long slow blinks. He was very tired. Will looked to April who was watching them, waiting for the ok to go ahead and inject the syringe into his IV. Will sighed and nodded. He knew things had to get moving quickly. Will squeezed Jays hand as his eyes fluttered shut.

Ethan lowered the head of the bed and opened Jay's mouth to place the laryngoscope. Will chose to turn away and walk back to Hailey while Ethan inserted the tube. A bag was hooked up and the bed was ready to be transported to the operating room. Both Will and Hailey walked behind the group until they reached the elevator. Will watched the numbers above the door rise to the surgical floor above them.

Will let out a deep breath, fighting back tears before he turned to face Hailey. Maggie was walking up to them, and didn't stop until she wrapped her arms around Will. Will gladly accepted the hug. "He's a fighter." she said as she turned to give Hailey a hug.

Maggie gave them both a sad smile as she turned to walk back to her desk.

Will glanced over at Hailey. Her hands were stained red. She was barefoot and her red dress now had dark red blood stains. She had been crying, and was just staring at the floor. Will walked up and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"What happened Hailey?"

She sniffed and wiped at her face. Unable to look him in the eye. "We were at a restaurant down at the riverwalk. As we were leaving this man just….he um…..he just came up to us asking for money. He was on something. I don't know what happened Will." Tears were really falling now.

"We didn't have cash and he got angry. He shot Jay." Will wrapped both arms around her and held her tight. Letting her cry into his shoulder. Both of them stood there for what seemed like hours until Hailey finally pulled away.

"Come on Hailey. Let's get you cleaned up." Will was ushering her towards the doctors lounge when Maggie called out.

"Hailey, do you want me to call Hank for you?"

Hailey had totally forgotten about them. It was now past midnight. "No ill call them. Thankyou Maggie."

She followed Will into the room. It was empty and quiet this time of night. He reached into his locker and pulled out a hoodie and some sweatpants. "Here. They are probably a little big for you. But it's got to be better than that."

Hailey graciously accepted the items, and thanked him. Will went back rummaging in his locker before pulling out socks. She glanced down at her feet. She had no idea at this point when she ditched the heels. "Thanks Will."

" The bathroom is over there. I'll be out here when you're ready. Take your time. He's going to be in surgery several hours."

Hailey went into the bathroom. Will turned and sunk into the nearest chair. Saying a silent prayer for his brother who was fighting a few floors up.