Disclaimer: I do not own the characters......yada yada yada. They can sue me if they want, im broke anyway. Please feel free to criticize, I can always use it.

An Unforseen Event

Amy didn't even see it coming. She didn't notice the tiny glint of metal in the sunlight as the defendent, a boy, merely sixteen, pulled the small pistol out of the pocket of his jeans. To her he just looked like a very troubled boy, lost in thought, eyes cast down and staring at his shoes. It didn't surprise her, many of the teens who came into her courtroom held that very same look on their face when she passed her sentence.They didn't like having their future in someone elses hands. All they could hope for was that she saw some regret or remorse for their actions and gave them a break. But some of them didn't deserve a break.

" Mr. Barkley, you should realize how very lucky you are. Considering the crime that you have committed and your age, you should be lucky that your case is still in the juvenile court. I am sentencing you to DCF until your eighteenth birthday with the reccomendation that you be enrolled in anger management classes. I hope that you have learned your lesson." Amy closed the case file in front of her. The boy's eyes for a faint second glimmered of anger and hate as he raised his head in acknowledgement to her verdict.

Adjourning the court session she turned around and headed towards her chambers feeling a sense of dread ebbing at her mind. Amy did not know that the young boy had a gun. She didn't know how desperate he was to find a way out. Her mind never even registered the sound of the shots fired from the gun. Blinding, soaring pain awakened her senses, first in her upper arm, then in her back. Staggering towards the door she toppled onto the floor, images of her family floating in front of her vision, her subconscious giving into the blackness. It beckoned for her to come closer, blackness overtook her body, and the last thing she attempted to mutter was a feeble 'sorry' that died on her lips as she sank into the swirling black abyss.

* * * *

*The phone rang.

" Hello? Yes, this is Maxine Gray........"

For the second time in the last year and a half Maxine picked up the phone unaware of the sadness and despair that laid on the other end. Her sturdy, rock-solid personality crumbled as she dropped to the floor. Coworkers and bystanders alike stopped what they were doing. Maxine Gray never cried in front of them. Maxine never showed fear or weakness. They knew that something was wrong, horribly wrong. She was shaking, crying into her hands.

" She's......She's....why?..ohh god why?"

" Maxine!What happened?Tell me!?!" Sean yelled as he bolted out of his office.

" Ohh god not two? Why both of them?" she choked out through the flood of tears that would not cease.

" Back off people, this is none of your business" Sean ordered. Viewers scurried away to their offices left wondering what was going on.

" Maxine? Come on, get up and tell me whats wrong. You shouldn't be here, i'll drive you home. We can talk in the car if you would like." he knelt down beside her offering to help her up.

" Not home, to the hospital, I have to go." she murmered as she got up. She rushed to find her coat, fumbling for her keys.

" Maxine I said i'll drive..."

" Fine lets go" she was halfway out the door by the time Sean had his coat.

She sat in the car wringing her hands nervously. This was wrong. This was just utterly and despicably wrong. Things were not supposed to be like this. Maxine wondered why fate always screwed her over. First Vincent and now this. What did her family ever do to them. Family. She would have to call Peter and Jilian. They needed to know, it wasn't fair if they didn't know. What about Vincent? She would have to call him and Carol as well. They're three thousand miles away. Him and Amy were always so close, he'll probably fly out the minute he finds out. Maxine hoped that Carol would too, she was part of the family, and Maxine needed all of the support that she could get.

Vivid images danced about in her head recreating what had happened. The thoughts brought a fresh set of tears to her eyes. She could just picture the whole thing happening in slow motion, one frame at a time Cold shivers ran down her back thinking of how Amy suffered. Amy always loved the law and now it had gone and fucked her. Damn the system, damn everyone. Hell with rules and boundaries, all they do is make a mess of everything. The god damn system doesn't work, Maxine thought. Rain had begun to fall and the thunder rumbled as the car rolled along the street. It was going to be another dreary day. The sky looked much like Maxines heart felt, very heavy and dark. There was just to much pain and heartache there.When was it all going to stop? The burden was to much for her.

"Ohh Amy...." she whispered as she looked out the rain streaked windows. What was she going to do now?

Please R and R....I may leave this as a stand alone story or if you want to find out what happens to Amy please review and I will write more. Thanks.