Title: Cut Like a Knife
Series: Accidental Destruction
Author: Quantara (aka Demelza)
Email: quantara@nzoomail.com
Date written: 17-18 August 2002
Category: E/G & E/M friendships, with hinting of E/M shipperness (how could I not have that?)
Spoilers: Everything up to, and including, The Silver Falcon and Revelations
Rating: R, just to be safe...for violence and profanity
Distribution: ff.net, GFW, and my site (http://demelza.hostme.co.nz/ds/) Anywhere else? sure, just let me know. ;)
Disclaimers: All Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Characters here within this story are Copyright to The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Television. No infringements of these Copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission. All new characters are my creation and may be used as pleased.
Author's Notes: Somewhere between a dream and a memory...what? oh, wait, wrong story....heh. Anywho, I know it's pretty uncommon of me to write a canon style fic (quick, someone mark it on the calender!!) but this is my attempt at writing an Elisa/Matt friendship fic, with only hinting at shipperness between this duo. It was really hard for me to write this story without having Elisa and Matt sharing a kiss at least once in the story, so I substituted with exchanges of looks instead ... oh, and other things one won't mention, 'tis for the reader to discover. ;)
Dedication: For my older bro, Nikki, who was so kind to let me borrow his walkman so I could sit down with some good music and plan this story out Friday night, and this story is also dedicated to Angie and Bee, forever thanks for your continuous inspiration ladies. :)

Dark storm clouds settled on the horizon high above the streets and the ever-busy lives of the city dwellers below of the Manhattan State of New York, Detective Elisa Maza took in a long breath where she stood in the clock tower above the 23rd precinct. On their perches before her were the stone statues of Goliath and his clan. Gargoyles. Protectors of the city she had called home all her life.

Knowing it was time when the clan would be soon waking; the detective took two steps backward, inadvertently stepping up against a human wall. She turned around, startled, to see her partner, Matt Bluestone standing there. She smiled up at him and he smiled back. Wordlessly, she turned around just in time to see the 'stone statues' begin to crack and roar to life, their stone shells flying from them in a fierce velocity. The smile on Elisa's face growing wider still. I could never get sick of this sight.

She watched Goliath, standing tall as the large expansion of his wings wrapped around him like a cloak, and then as he stepped down from his perch, smiling out along his clan. He turned to her, "Elisa, what a pleasant sight to greet us as we awaken. And, Detective Bluestone." Those last two words coming out sounding as though they had been uttered in slight resentment.

But, shaking it off, so sure she'd heard wrong, Elisa stepped over to him, "You guys all sleep well?" she asked, smiling up at him, before looking around at the others.

"Aye lass, 'twas a pleasant sleep," Hudson, the eldest of the clan, replied. He wore a broad smile as he turned to the trio. "Just ye remember lads, Bronx and I are watchin' the telly tonight."

"Yeah, yeah," Broadway replied, rubbing his large belly. "I'm starved."

"I bag the left over pizza!" Brooklyn hollered, charging between Elisa and Matt as he headed for the kitchenette inside, quickly followed by Lexington, Broadway, then Hudson and Bronx.

"They're in a hurry," Elisa commented, laughter in her voice as she looked up at Goliath, though soon noticing his eyes were fixed on Matt, a glare furrowing his brow.

Getting the hint, Matt rose his left eyebrow slightly at Elisa before heading into the clock tower, but he stopped momentarily, turning back to her. "I'll see you downstairs," he said, then left.

Hearing Goliath let out a long sigh, she turned to face him, "That was, kind of rude," she told him.

"I desired not to speak with him," the lavender gargoyle replied.

"Then next time, ask him to leave," Elisa said back, surprised that he had even done what he had.

Goliath looked down at her, pausing for a moment. "He left, did he not?"

"Only after you glared at him."

He crossed his arms across his chest, "I did no such thing."

Elisa shook her head, "Why do I even bother? Just, ask him to leave next time," she said, not giving him half a chance to say anything else before continuing. "What was so important you wanted to tell me anyway, that he had to leave?"

"I merely wanted a chance to discuss this case you and he are working on. As to whether or not you require the clan and my assistance with anything this evening."

Touched at the gesture, she smiled slightly. "Matt and I have this one covered, but thank you."

A frown creased Goliath's brow, "You and Bluestone are working a lot without need for our assistance of late."

She let out a soft sigh, looking up at the big guy, her raven hair blowing about her face. "Please, don't do this Goliath."

"Do what?" he asked back.

"Treat Matt like you're doing. I don't understand why you're so upset about our working together."

"It is not that, I am just concerned, that is all."

Elisa shook her head again, "Concerned for no reason, Goliath. And over nothing. Matt and I are working longer shifts, even well after work hours because we're *trying* to make sure Dracon never gets out of jail. We're cops. It's what we're paid to do. Keep the bad guys in jail where they belong."

"Is that not what we try to help with?" Goliath asked, and she let out another sigh.

"It is. But Goliath, Matt and I are fine. And we know if we ever need backup, you guys are always gonna be our first call. Okay?"

A silent moment, and he hesitantly nodded.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Detective's Squad Room
A short while later

"Everything okay partner?" Matt asked as Elisa sat down on the other side of their joint desks.

"Yeah," she replied, looking back at him. "I'm, sorry about Goliath though."

"It's okay," he said back.

"He just wanted to talk in private, that's why he was being so..."

"It's okay, really, Elisa."

She looked at him, appreciating that he wasn't bothered by what had happened. If only you knew the half of it though.

He smiled slightly, "Can I ask you something, though?"

She nodded, looking down at her report from the other night, "Sure."

"Is, there...something, going on between you two?" Matt quietly asked.

She instantly looked at him. "What? No. There isn't."

"Just curious," he said, shrugging.

"Yeah, well don't, please. I've had as much 'just curious' discussions today to last me a lifetime. First my parents wondering why I can't make dinner tonight. Then the captain asking why we still haven't come to a resolve with this Dracon business. Now this from you."

"I'm...I'm sorry partner."

Elisa let out a breath, "Let's just forget about it," she told him, pausing for a short moment. "So, are we gonna try get Glasses to talk?"

Matt nodded, "What have we got to lose?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, in the Clock Tower

"Broadway, Lexington," Goliath called out over to where his clan were busy munching on some thing or another they had chosen to eat for breakfast. The two youngsters looked up at him, finishing what was in their mouths as he approached them. "I would like the two of you to carefully watch Elisa and Bluestone tonight."

They looked at each other, and Broadway nodded, "Sure."

"I thought Elisa and Matt didn't ask for our help?" Lexington asked, but Goliath crossed his arms across his chest, and he instantly knew better than to question what their leader had asked them to do. "Now?"

"Now," Goliath replied, standing where he was until they rose from where they were seated and headed out of the clock tower.

"I dinna think Elisa will be very happy about this," Hudson commented, receiving a steely glare back. "Be it on your head then lad," he muttered, turning his attention back to the television set.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Office of Tony Dracon
Later in the Night

"You've got three seconds to tell us what we wanna know," Matt told Glasses in a firm tone of voice.

Glasses, standing with his hands balled into fists at his side, glared at Matt, refusing to reply or give the officer any kind of satisfaction in thinking he had any control over him.

Elisa stepped up to him, though receiving a glare of her own from Matt. "Come on, we just want to know what Tony's planning. And we know he's planning something, you wouldn't have gotten out on four thousand hours community service otherwise," she told Glasses.

He stared back at her. "If the boss was planning something, he'd be here himself."

Matt let out an angered groan, instantly grabbing Glasses by the collar, "You don't seriously expect me to believe that, do you!?" he said through gritted teeth.

Elisa placed her hand on his shoulder, "Bluestone. Back off," she warned. "Roughing him up solves nothing." Not taking any more of it, she pushed him away from Glasses, her left hand lingering on his chest for a moment, "You need to watch it," she warned, turning back to the other man. A stern, 'You'll never break me' look on his face. "You're wanting us to believe you that Tony's got nothing planned, so why not let us in and we can see for ourselves."

"The only way you're getting through these doors is with a warrant."

"Piece of..." Matt began, but was stopped by Elisa once again.

"Just let us in and show Detective Bluestone and myself proof that Tony isn't up to anything," she told him, but he was as adamant as he was stubborn, and shook his head. "Glasses, you know me, and you know Matt, if there's something going on in there....how about we make a bargain with you?"

"There isn't anything going on in there, that's what I've been *trying* to tell you."

"Then what do you have to lose?" Matt asked at Elisa's side. She looked at him sideways, nodding slightly, then turned back to Glasses, waiting.

There was a pause of silence, and he swallowed hard. "I want immunity," he said, pausing once more. "But you won't find anything in there, I swear."

Elisa extended her hand, "You've got a deal."

Glasses shook her hand, weary of Matt, then proceeded to open the doors and motioned for the two officers to enter the room. "Like hell," Matt said, standing firm where he was and waited for the other man to go in ahead of them.

Both officers followed Glasses into the large room, something similar to a large conference office, except with several small desks, rather than one large oval one, were scattered from one end to the other. They had barely stepped into the room when Pal Joey approached, his brown hair slicked down like usual.

"Boss told us on no uncertain terms are those two allowed in here," he sneered at Glasses, then glared at Elisa and Matt in turn.

Glasses motioned for them both to stop, and then he stepped over to his comrade. "This is just so we can prove to them once and for all that we have nothing to hide, then we'll be rid of them for good," he told the other man, but Pal Joey shook his head. "Just two minutes, that's all they need."

Matt half grinned in Elisa's direction, who rolled her eyes at the argument she knew was about to ensue. "Boys boys boys, you don't want Detective Bluestone and me to arrest you now, do you?" she asked them, taking a step forward.

Pal Joey glared at her, "Shut up Maza!"

"Don't you tell her to shut up!" Matt snarled, when Pal Joey yelled out something to the other guys in the room, simultaneously reaching a hand round to the back of his pants.

Instantly realizing this wasn't a good thing and what was going to happen next, Elisa herself went to reach into her jacket for her gun when she felt a sudden blow to the back of her head. Everything went blurry and her head felt a sudden rush, a splitting headache followed and her legs gave out beneath her and she fell and hit her head on the ground.

The room grew dark as she tried to focus her vision, but her eyes drifted shut and she was out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Not long later
Outside

"Look down there!" Broadway shouted to Lexington as they landed on the rooftop of the building next to the one they had watched Elisa and Matt enter a short time ago. Two of Dracon's bigger goons were laughing as they left the building; both were carrying items familiar to the two Gargoyles that for certain belonged to their human friends.

Not even thinking twice, filled with fear for their friends, the duo glided down to a lower level, being sure to stay out of sight, but close enough so they could hear what was being said.

"No weapons, no jackets, no boots..." the first goon laughed, opening the large dumpster and tossing Elisa's gear inside it. His buddy did the same with Matt's gear, looking curiously at his friend, as though he didn't understand what was really going on. "You numbnuts, didn't ya pay attention to Gress and Mandez!?"

"Mandez," Broadway muttered, knowing that name from somewhere.

"I was eatin', Lyle!" The other goon shouted back.

Lyle wound his arm around his friend's neck, his other hand touching his shoulder, "Jeb, Mandez and Gress got orders from the boss that we gotta dispose of Maza and Bluestone. Getting rid of their gear is just one step..."

"And what's the other?" Jeb asked back, still dumbstruck.

Lyle grinned sadistically, "Next, we throw 'em into that cell down in the basement...then, after several hours in that dark, mud filled, rat infested pit...we're gonna make sure no one ever sees 'em alive again."

"Son of a..." Lexington and Broadway both muttered, but Lexington pulled Broadway back when he went to go after the two guys. "We have to tell Goliath, we can't go in there alone."

Broadway nodded, and then Lexington touched the ear-piece in his ear, the small radio crackled in his ear for a split moment, then he began, "Goliath, they've got Elisa and Matt, they're...they're going to kill them."

'Don't go in, wait until Brooklyn and I have arrived, those monsters will not get away with this. We're on our way now.'

"Affirmative," Lexington replied, getting an odd look from Broadway. "What?" he asked back, but his attention was quickly drawn back down into the street where the two goons were laughing as they went back into the building. "I just hope Goliath and Brooklyn get here soon."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Elisa's eyes painfully opened, she could feel her arms being strongly gripped and a strange feeling suddenly swam over her. A strange sense of reality that her mind questioned, but she soon discovered she really was standing when the goons holding onto her shoved her forward and she landed flat on her stomach in the several inch, thick mud and slosh that was beneath her. Without hesitation, she tried to rise to her feet, when the sound of a fist impacting into someone's stomach and an eerily painful groan filled the air. Matt, she thought, turning over so she was facing the other direction. She was in a small dark room, she quickly discovered, and just out of the doorway two goons were holding onto Matt. Pal Joey was there, sniggering as he lay punch after punch into her partner's stomach. "Stop it!" She screamed, so surprised that her lungs ached as they did, when Pal Joey turned to look at her, malicious intent in his eyes.

"Now why in *hell* would I do that?" he asked back, laughing as he turned to Matt and punched him hard in the face. "Throw him in there with that stupid bitch!" He ordered the goons, who merely nodded and tossed Matt into the cell with her.

He landed on top of Elisa, the wind being knocked out of her and she was forced to lay back in the slosh beneath them. "Matt..." she breathed after a moment, Pal Joey standing in the doorway, cigarette in hand.

"Oh, word of warning...those rats in there...they like to nibble on toes," he said, munching his teeth down in a fake bite, then laughed as he stepped backward, motioning for the door to be closed.

Darkness fell on them, and Matt let out a groan.

"Matt..." Elisa said again, her lungs aching still as she tried to regain every bit of air in them that she could. He lifted his head from her shoulder, shaking like anything as he looked down at her. "You okay partner?" She asked, he nodded, and painfully sat up beside her, his arms winding around his stomach as he tried to breathe. She sat up next to him, one hand on his back. "What the hell happened?" she asked, but he shook his head, he didn't know either. Then it hit her, and she instantly looked over her shoulder, remembering now that she had seen Glasses sitting in the mud and slosh at the back of the cell. "You, this is *your* fault!"

"Hardly!" Glasses shouted back at her, "You two were the ones who wanted in there so badly! And I get thrown in here 'cause I *thought* we were tryin' to protect the boss's interests!"

"This isn't our fault," Matt breathed, stomach aching as he lifted his head to look over at Glasses.

"Easy Matt," Elisa said to him, he nodded, looking back at her. "There's no point arguing over who's fault it is, we're all in here. And we have to find a way out before..." she shook her head, never wanting to utter those few words she knew only too well that Tony Dracon was capable of getting his men to do. She looked at Matt, wondering why in hell Pal Joey had thrown them into the cell without their shoes and socks, and jacket. Her answer came when she heard a rustle in the water, quickly followed by a squeak. "Oh god, rats..."

"I hate rats," Matt mumbled, grabbing hold of Elisa's hand tightly. "I have this um, phobia..."

"You and me both," she muttered, looking at him sympathetically and gently squeezing his hand back to let him know she wasn't about to let any of the little suckers get near either of them while she was on watch.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Broadway looked up toward the sky when he heard the noise of Goliath and Brooklyn coming in for landing. He went to say something when Goliath stepped over to the ledge where Lexington was keeping an eye on what was going on down below. "They said they're down in some cell in the basement," the young gargoyle told him, "They said they were going to make sure no one ever sees them alive again."

"We will not let that happen," Goliath told him, placing his hand on Lexington's shoulder. "We will rescue Elisa and Matt, and not let them stay in the clutches of these madmen any longer."

"What are we going to do?" Broadway asked from behind, "They'll have that place guarded like a fort."

Goliath smiled back at him, "When has that ever stopped us from rescuing our kin?"

Broadway didn't say anything back, but knew he was right.

"Come, let us rescue our friends," Goliath said, getting a nod from each of the trio, before he climbed onto the ledge and expanded his wings, instantly pushing himself off and gliding downwards. The trio following shortly behind him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I'm not stupid, you moron!" Glasses screamed at Matt where the two of them stood in a near face-off. He swung his fist out and punched the officer squarely in the face, hitting him just above the eye on his left brow and sending him to the ground. "It ain't my fault we're down here!"

Elisa rushed over to Matt, crouching down beside him, "Damn it, Glasses, this isn't our fault either you know!" She shouted back at the other man, helping her partner get to his feet.

Matt stepped backward, leaning up against the wall as he touched his brow; it was wet, but not from mud, this wetness was as sticky as it was warm. Blood. "Son of a..." he went to curse, but Elisa stepped right up to him, trying to see his cut in the darkness. Their faces were inches apart, and she let out a soft sigh, lightly touching the area near the wound. He immediately winced.

"You wiss," she joked, "This'll teach you these guys don't take too well to being called stupid."

"Yeah, well that just makes it that much more true," he winced once more as she blew on the cut.

"You're the one who's stupid!" Glasses sneered, and Elisa shot him a glare.

"Be it true or not, you're gonna need stitches when we get out of here," she said to Matt, voice lowered.

He laughed slightly, "Don't you mean, if, we get out of here?"

She looked up at him, her hand lingering on his shoulder for a long moment, "We will. I know we will."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Goliath landed on the balcony outside Dracon's office, he didn't hesitate for a moment as he walked up to the glass window and used his arm to smash it open. The trio landed behind him and they walked into the room, seven of Dracon's goons were there, their guns immediately trained on the gargoyles.

"You're not welcome here, you beasts!" One of them shouted, his build was an equal mass to Goliath, even though he wasn't anywhere as tall as the lavender gargoyle.

"Where are you holding our friends!?" Goliath demanded, eyes flaring as he walked up to the man and took the gun from him, crushing it in his talons as though it were merely a clump of clay. "Where are they!?"

The door to the gargoyles' left opened and Pal Joey stepped inside, his sleeves rolled up, his knuckles red from hitting Matt, and a wide grin was stretched across his face. "Why, if it isn't the gargoyles. Get them boys!"

Three of the larger goons immediately went rushing for the trio, while the other four went after Goliath, trying to wrestle with the gargoyles, and though they could never, try to win.

Goliath threw the four of them off him straight away, sending them flying hard against the far wall, while Lexington ducked from the one that was coming after him. He swung his tail out as the man went passed him and sent him spiraling to the ground, landing in a loud thud on his back. His wind knocked out of him. Brooklyn kicked the goon that came after him hard in the groin, while Broadway effortlessly grabbed the one that lunged after him by the collar and tossed him across the room, sending him into the large potted plant against the far wall.

"To hell with this!" The biggest of the seven men shouted, running out of the room, quickly followed by the other six men.

"Give up, tell us where our friends are!" Goliath roared, eyes flashing white again as he looked in Pal Joey's direction.

"Give up?" The man laughed, "Oh, pity, unlike those cowards, I was born with a spine," he said, instantly reaching behind his back and pulling out his gun. He trained it on Goliath, shaking his head. "You might have scared those cowards off, but not me! You're unclean. Vile beasts, and I'm going to rid this world of you!" He shouted. But just as he pulled the trigger, Goliath leaped out of the way, and the bullet went over Lexington's head by a mere inch, blasting a hole in the far wall as it impacted.

Sinister laughter filled the air, and Pal Joey walked over to Goliath where he was still on the ground. He aimed the gun at the gargoyle's chest, "This time, I *won't* miss," he said, snidely. He brought his second hand up to keep his other hand steady, when the gun went flying through the air as Brooklyn kicked him really hard up the ass, sending him falling flat on his back. "Shit!" he hollered.

Brooklyn was on top of him in a flash, talons gripping onto the man's collar, "I should kill you for what you've done to Elisa and Matt..." his eyes flashed, but he soon felt Goliath's hand on his shoulder and he let his grip of the man go. He rose to his feet, turning to his leader.

"He will take us to Elisa..." Goliath told him, before reaching down and grabbing Pal Joey by the collar, then setting him down onto his feet. "If they are dead...I will personally tear your heart out of your chest."

Pal Joey quickly nodded, fear in his eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"We're all gonna die, and it's all your fault, Maza..." Glasses sobbed, "I don't deserve to die!"

Elisa shook her head and looked up at Matt where they stood side by side. "How's the head?" she quietly asked, he shrugged slightly, letting out a low sigh. "We'll be out of here soon, don't you worry."

He swallowed hard, "If we...don't make it out of here..." he began, but she put up her hand to stop him.

"We will, Matt. We're not going to die down here. I won't let us."

"But if we don't make it, I...I want you to know, you're the best partner...I've ever had."

She smiled faintly, the back of her head stinging. "Same here, partner."

He smiled back, leaning his head against the wall once more.

Elisa looked up at him a moment longer before casting a glance over to where Glasses was. He'd started pacing now, back and forth, chanting over and over, 'We're gonna die, we're gonna die'. She rolled her eyes, wishing like hell he'd shut up, when the sound of gunfire rang out. One, twice, several more bullet shots went off in the distance, and she smiled to herself. Calvary's on the way, she thought to herself, when suddenly the door opened, a fiery red haired man stood there. Sinister smirk on his face.

"Mandez..." Glasses exhaled, voice trembling.

"Shut up," the man replied, pulling a gun out from his belt and pointing it in Glasses' direction. "Don't make me blow your fucking brains out."

"Ray Mandez," Elisa breathed quietly, voice barely audible. She moved her hand from in front of her to her side, and intertwined her fingers with Matt's. Mandez had a bad reputation for sadistically torturing both men and woman alike, and there was no way in hell she was going to let that happen.

"Why, if it isn't Detective Maza...or, can I call you Elisa?" he asked. She didn't reply. "I heard your friends are on the way down to...rescue, you...so, I thought I'd kill you both before they got here."

"You bastard," Matt spat, feeling Elisa squeezing his hand tighter.

"Heh," Mandez laughed, scratching his chin. "That's, really, quite funny...coming from you...brother..."

"Brother?" Elisa blurted out.

"Yes, brother...but, you know what, just because his father fucked my mother doesn't mean I'm *not* going to kill him...hell, it just makes me want to even more..." he replied, raising his gun and then pulling the trigger.

Matt jolted back, hitting the wall hard as he was hit, he slid down to the ground, and Elisa dropped down to his side, taking him in her arms when a sudden brightness filled the room and she looked up. Mandez had vanished. "Come on Matt, don't you do this to me..." she begged, clutching her partner close to her.

He laughed slightly, looking up at her, "I should have known he was behind this..." he breathed out, coughing. "I don't want to die, Elisa..."

She touched the side of his face, forcing a smile, "You're not going to, Matt...I'm gonna get you out of here. We're going to get out of here," she told him back, helping him settle better so he was lying in her arms. She held onto him tight, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek as the sound of a man screaming rang out in the air, a deathly, blood curdling scream. "Goliath, we're in here!!!" she screamed out, hoping like hell it was Goliath out there, and not Mandez torturing any of Dracon's men, more tears flowing down her face now. In her arms, Matt's body went limp, and she held him tighter to her, begging God to not let him die. "No, no, no..." she wept, hearing the water splash around her as Goliath came running in. "Don't die on me, Matt...don't you dare die..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Manhattan Central
Some hours later

Elisa sat barefoot and without her jacket in the hospital waiting room, her eyes closed, head resting in her hand as she sat sideways in one of the hospital's plastic chairs. Her head was throbbing and her eyes stung from all the crying she'd done. In her mind, the only thing going through her mind was the same question. Why? Why couldn't she have stopped Mandez from shooting Matt? His brother, his own flesh and blood.

She could remember asking Goliath when he'd came into the cell what he'd done to Mandez, but he told her the scream was from Pal Joey. She cursed in her mind, begging to know how in hell that son of a bitch had gotten away. If Matt died, she swore to herself that she would hunt Mandez down until he was behind bars. Or dead. She didn't have any preferences of the two, but swore he would get what was coming to him sooner or later.

"Elisa?" A voice asked, and she opened her eyes, instantly looking up to see Doctor Felix Brandagh standing there. "He's out of surgery," he told her as she swung her feet down from the chair and stood up in front of him. "We had to remove his spleen, the damage...if we didn't Matt wouldn't have made it."

"Were you able to get the bullet out?"

Doctor Brandagh looked at her, "Yes. But not without some complications."

"What...what kind of complications?"

"The bullet...went right through, and was lodged in his spine. We fear there may have been some spinal damage done. He may never walk again."

She swallowed hard, shaking her head, desperately not wanting to believe that. "When can I see him?"

"He's being taken up to ICU, he needs his rest...but, if you want to sit with him, we can make this one exception."

"Thank-you."

He nodded, "Listen, Elisa...it might be a good idea to call his family."

Elisa could feel her stomach start to fall, continuously fall. "I tried, there wasn't anyone home. I'll get word to my captain, she'll send someone around to make sure they know."

Doctor Brandagh placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a sympathetic look, before walking off.

She stood there, so helpless. So angry. Her reality seemed to spin around her as she begun walking, headed for the elevator to make her way up to the ICU.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Elisa walked down to the cubical where Matt was in the intensive care unit, she could hear the various monitors beeping, the sound of the machines that helped the patients breathe who were unable to do so on their own. Dread hit her, and she readied herself to find Matt with various tubes and wires going into his body, a machine helping him to breathe. But, as she wound that corner, she saw him lying there peacefully. He had a drip attached to his arm, a heart monitor tag connected to the middle finger of his left hand, and an oxygen tube up around his nose, a couple other wires, but that was it. She sighed relief and stepped up beside his bed, staring down at him.

"Why'd this have to happen to you?" she quietly asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I'm going to find the bastard that did this to you, I don't care who he is...I'll find him and...I swear to God I won't rest until he's behind bars. I promise you, Matt. I promise," she whispered those last two words, then bent over and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I'll be back later," she said, gently brushing back the hair on his forehead.

She had just stood up and was heading out when Matt very softly said her name, his voice barely audible. She turned around and saw him looking back at her. She stepped back over to him, placing her hand over his, "Hey...how are you?" she quietly said back, caressing his hand gently.

He swallowed hard, blinking once as he did so. "Feel like...a bus hit me..." he smiled faintly back at her.

"Well, pretty close to it," Elisa replied, running her thumb over his knuckles, soothingly. "You get some sleep, okay?" she said, and he nodded slightly.

"Don't...kill, him..." he breathed, eyes serious as he looked up at her.

She swallowed hard, "I won't," she replied, before leaning over and placing another kiss on his forehead. "I'll come back later," she whispered, smiling down at him before walking out of the cubicle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *