'Out of the way!'

Multiple paramedics pushed the stretcher into the long hallway of Gotham General. A female doctor ran up to them, inspecting the person lying on the stretcher, covered in blood.

'What happened?!' she inquired.

'Man, forty-nine years of age, was found by his employer with multiple shot wounds to the chest at Wayne Enterprises. His blood-pressure is very low. We have to get him to surgery', one of the paramedics urged her.

The doctor nodded, looking down on the wounded, unconscious man.

'Get him to the IC. We have to be quick', she turned to the paramedics.

'Get in contact with the family as soon as possible. I can't rule out a possible death when he is like this! He might go into cardiac arrest if we don't hurry', she told them.

…

Diana watched her stepmother as she paced across the room, the phone to her ear. Judging from her expressions, nothing good had happened. After her dad hadn't shown up from work, she began to fear for the worst.

Liam beside her held a gentle grip on her hand, whilst she only seemed to tighten her hold on him. She was scared.

'Yes, I understand. Of course. We'll be there as soon as possible. Good day, sir', with that she hung up, her tearful eyes looking at the both of them.

'Gabriel's in the hospital. Apparently after work, two men shot him. They fear he might not make the night.'

Diana's heart dropped into her stomach at those words. Her mouth became agape. She fought back her tears but buried her face into her hands to sob quietly. She had already lost her mother, was she going to lose her father too?

'This can't be happening…' she choked out.

A masculine hand on her back made her turn her head upwards, finding Liam's blue eyes. He looked from her, to her stepmother.

'Should I drive you there?' he asked.

Rochelle nodded. 'I'd appreciate that very much', she offered a very weak smile.

…

'Dad!'

As soon as the nurse had pushed open the door, Diana stumbled in, taking a seat at her father's bedside. She took his hand in hers, tears filling her eyes. His dark, tired eyes met hers. Her eyes briefly went to his bandaged up chest, a faint patch of red seeping through.

'Sweetheart?' he asked.

She gave a faint nod, biting her tears back. She didn't want him to die… 'Who did this to you?' she asked softly.

He ran a hand down her cheek, a soft yet worried look on his face. 'Crane sent those men after me…' his breathing began to stagger and the heart monitor beside his bed started to make loud, beeping noises.

'D-dad?' Diana choked.

There was no response. The nurse came towards her.

'He's going into cardiac arrest! Miss, you have to leave', she called.

Diana's eyes went wide. 'No! I can't leave him -'

'I understand but you can't stay', the nurse cut her off.

Before she knew it, her stepmother took her by the forearm, dragging her out of the hospital as multiple paramedics and doctors entered the room. All the while, she kept screaming and crying. She didn't want to lose her father!

…

Hours seemed to tick by and Liam could only watch Diana with guilt as she paced the bleak, white hall outside the room where her father was. Her step-mother beside him had her head buried in her hand, sobbing.

The tension had because unbearable for her after she had been forced out of the hospital room. She was terrified and rightfully so. He knew very much the feeling of losing his father. It was the type of pain he would never wish upon anyone, especially not her. Not after all she had gone through.

'This is all my fault.'

Both looked up at Diana's words.

Liam frowned. 'Why would you say that?' he asked.

She sobbed quietly. 'Crane sent those men to kill my father. I'm willing to bet he did this as revenge for me leaving him', she almost whimpered.

Rochelle stood up. 'Sweetheart please … don't blame yourself for this', she urged her.

Diana shook her head, tears in her eyes. 'I-I…if I hadn't escaped this wouldn't have happened', she choked out.

Before her stepmother could answer, the door of the hospital room opened. One of the doctors exited, taking off his mouth cover.

'I'm truly sorry, Mrs. and Miss O'Connell…but we couldn't save him', he apologized.

At that moment, Diana felt like her whole world came crashing down on her. No…they were wrong…she had barely gotten to know her father again after those three years…he couldn't be dead…

She took a step back and another. Guilt filled her. Hadn't it been for her…he wouldn't have died. Adam had died because of her, Richard and Sylvia had died because of her…and now her father…all because of her…

She looked at her stepmother. 'I-I'm sorry', she sobbed.

She turned on her heels, running through the long halls of the hospital, tears spilling from her eyes. She ignored Liam calling after her, and pushed open the doors of the hospital, allowing the rain to soak her from head to toe as soon once she got outside.

She sank through her knees, to break down completely. This was all her fault … hadn't she tried to escape Jonathan … this would've never happened.

Frustrated, she tore off her ring; the one Jonathan had given her, and threw it across the parking-lot. Afterwards, she dug her hands into her hair, sobbing.

'You shouldn't have killed my dad … not to get to me!' she sobbed to herself.

'Diana?'

She looked up, her eyes meeting Liam, his blond hair soaked by the rain. 'It's-it's my fault -'

'No, it's not.' He cut her off. Taking hold of her arms, he pulled her up, grasping her shoulders lightly. 'This is Crane's doing. For whatever reason he did this, his goal is to hurt you, you know that', he told her.

'M-my dad shouldn't have paid the price for that!' she argued with him.

'I know, I know. And believe me, I know the grief you're feeling', he paused to let his hands cup her cheeks; 'but don't blame yourself for this. I can't bear to see you get torn down because of him', he almost whispered.

She studied him with tearful eyes, sobbing quietly. 'I-I hate him for doing this to me', she cried.

He offered a sad smile, pulling her into a tight embrace, which she gladly accepted. All the while, she buried her face into his soaked chest, tears in her eyes. She wanted him to stay with her. She didn't want to be alone …

'Please don't leave me', she pleaded with him.

He sighed into her neck. His hands ran over her back. 'I won't', he promised.

…

After hearing of how Maroni's thugs had taken care of Gabriel, Crane decided to make his way to the hospital. He remained in the far end of the parking-lot, a smirk on his face as he watched Diana storm outside. She dropped to her knees, obviously upset. A part of him felt a pang of guilt at seeing her this way, but that was quickly abandoned as she took off his ring and threw it away.

'You shouldn't have killed my dad…not to get to me!'

He tightened his jaw, anger bubbling up in his gut. If she hadn't ran away from him, this wouldn't have happened. It was her own fault.

'Ungrateful, little vixen', he growled.

His anger only intensified as the blond police officer emerged from the hospital and gently picked her up by her forearms. She looked at him only sadly, but he could clearly see she trusted him. It only added to his agitation and jealousy. How dare she to get close to another man?!

'You should just kill the boyfriend too. I mean, look at them!'

Crane's knuckles grew white at his grip on the steering-wheel, at seeing the blond young man lay his hands on her face, pulling her close to him.

He knew Diana cared about the young man and he knew that if he didn't act fast…they'd fall in love. But his attempt to get rid of him had already failed before. Perhaps he had to do it himself. He wanted to watch the life drain from the boy's annoyingly handsome face.

Growling, he started the car. He was far from done with either of them. He was going to make sure she got it into her head he didn't enjoy her disloyalty.

…

Shortly after bringing both Diana and her step-mother back home, the latter had asked him to stay a little longer. Her stepmother was a bit apprehensive, which he understood completely. Diana had argued against her, telling her she really needed to have someone her own age around her.

Sighing, Liam looked down on her. Both of them lied on her bed, with her soft sobs muffled by her nestling her face into his chest. He ran a hand down the small of her back.

He fully understood her need for a pair of arms around her, he truly did, but he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable around him.

He watched her sit up straight, rubbing her tearful green eyes. He put a hand to her side, drawing soft strokes.

'You can talk to me if you want to', he began quietly.

She exhaled deeply, putting her hand atop of his. He studied her saddened gaze.

'I feel like he's going to come through that door to tell you to get lost', she mumbled.

A soft smile painted his lips. 'I get why. I'd do the same thing', he shrugged.

She averted her eyes, wiping her stuffed nose on the back of her hand. He carefully sat up, allowing him to be only inches away from her. His hand remained on her side, drawing soft strokes on the fabric of her nightgown.

'Do you think he would've come around?' she asked.

He frowned at her. What was she talking about?

At his puzzled expression, she shook her head, focusing her attention on her hands in her lap.

'I-I'm sorry … I just …' she bit her bottom lip; 'I've lost so many people these months', she plucked at the laced edge of her clothing; 'my mom. Adam. Sylvia and Richard. And now my dad … all because of him', she mumbled.

He carefully lifted up his hand to tuck away a stray lock of her long hair, his hand staying on her warm, tear-stained cheek.

'I-I feel like I don't know how to grieve anymore', her eyes met his and he noticed how she moved closer; 'I only ever had one way of dealing with death in those seven months', she went on.

Before he could answer, she had pressed her soft, pink lips onto his. He let his eyes widen, turning his head to the side almost instantly. She gave him a confused, sad look. Fresh tears began to form in her eyes.

'I'm sorry', she choked down her sob, putting her hands on her head; 'damn it… what's wrong with me?'

Licking his top-lip, he watched her; she was tormented, confused and afraid. The man she had once loved was responsible for her father's death and that shook her entire world.

He put his hands on her fragile shoulders.

'I just want all of this to be a bad dream… I wish I had never met him', she whimpered.

He cupped her cheeks, pulling her closer so that their chests were touching. Part of him was letting his inner emotions take over. He liked her, even maybe more than liked her and to see her so upset broke his heart.

'Why do you keep on getting punished for trying to get better?' he wondered out loud.

Diana opposite him looked into his light blue eyes. Her heart beat loudly at his closeness, which she couldn't stand herself for. She didn't want to feel this way; she shouldn't have kissed him so suddenly…

He let go of her, and stood up. 'I should go', he sighed.

She took hold of his sleeve before he could walk away. She didn't want to be left alone at night. She felt too scared…

'Stay…please…' she pleaded with him.

He slowly removed her hand. No… he couldn't stay the night with her, no matter how badly he wanted to. He wanted to comfort her, to ease her fear if he could.

'You're confused -'

'I don't care!' she cut him off.

He remained mute.

Her bottom lip trembled. 'Please…I don't want to fall asleep all alone', she asked quietly; 'and my step-mother would probably feel safer that you're here…with Crane knowing where we live', she pleaded.

With a soft sigh, he gave in. 'Alright, but I'm going to ask your step-mother's permission first', he told her.

…

So…yeah…Gabriel died. How is this going to affect Diana? Is she going to want revenge for what Crane did? And what about Liam? What will he do?

Stay tuned ;)

Lots of Love,

~TheOneWithTooManyInterests