Disclaimer: I own nothing...bummer...

A/N: COME ON PEOPLE!! GET WITH THE REVIEWING PROGRAM HERE!!! I'm getting rather discouraged by the lack of response after six chapters and now the seventh. Please, I'd like to see some form of support. ::Pleading puppy-dog eyes::

Tears fell from his eyes as he turned his face to the doctors standing all around him, but unmoving, staring in shock at the scene before them. "Don't just stand there! Help him!" Jesse screamed. The doctors seemed to be shaken out of their frightened stupor and they began rushing around, four of them rushing over to Brennan and two others running to get supplies and a gurney.

"Mr. Kilmartin, get out of the way." One doctor said urgently, gently pushing him away. Jesse stood and backed away, bloody hands held out in front of him. He backed into Lexa, who had been given a pain killer and had her ribs bound.

"Oh my God," she gasped, tears choking her voice. Jesse turned, his face a mask of fear and pain. Lexa saw the tears on his face as his gaze stayed frozen on his friend's blood on his hands. He looked up at her, his eyes wide, scared, helpless. He looked so lost. Lexa pulled him into her arms and held him. It took him a few seconds for realization to sink in and when it did he sobbed against her shoulder, his body shook and his eyes never left his hands. Tears slipped unchecked from Lexa's eyes as she watched Brennan's stretcher being whisked away to the ER.

Jesse sank into one of the chairs in the emergency room, completely unaware of the clean-up from Shane's attack going on around him. Several cops, a few of which had been on the roof top with them only a few days ago, were investegating the happenings. Brennan's crimson blood still covered his hands and he stared at them wide eyed and unblinking. Lexa finished answering the police men's questions and turned slowly, gingerly, painfully, towards where he sat. When her eyes fell upon him, her brow knitted into a concerned frown and she made her way over to his side. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He jumped at the contact and she felt his muscles stiffen, and then relax when he realized who had touched him. He looked up with the same fear in his eyes that she had beheld there just after Brennan was shot. Lexa gently helped him to his feet and put an arm around him.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She insisted softly, careful to lead him gently so as not to freak him out any more than he already was.

She took him to a sink and stood close by for comfort as he slowly washed the blood of his best friend down the drain. When the last red wave tumbled into the pipes, tears began to fall. Lexa pulled him into her arms and held him, whispering soothing words into his ear.

After a few minutes she used her sleeve to wipe the damp from his cheeks, took his hand, and led him gently to Shalimar's room. As they walked past the nurse's desk she instructed them as to where she and Jesse would be when the found out anything about Brennan.

Shalimar stirred and she felt a pressure on her hand. Her eyes flickered open slowly and she had to blink several times before her vision cleared. Lexa's worried frown swam into focus and she heard, as if from far away, her calling to Jesse. She felt his presence nearby as he came over in a rush. "Shal," she heard him say, but everything sounded so fuzzy, like she was hearing him through a thick layer of cotton. She blinked and her vision wavered, and then became clear.

"Jesse," she murmured hoarsely. Her eyes flickered back to her right, "Lexa." She felt Lexa tighten her grip on her hand. Jesse brushed a few hairs off of her forehead. Her hearing had become clear by the time either of them spoke again.

"Hey, Shal," It was Lexa's voice, not sounding nearly as cool and composed as she usually did. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired," she replied honestly. "Sore." She glanced around, trying to get her bearings. "Where are we?" She asked weakly.

"The hospital," Lexa informed her.

"What? Why? Why aren't we at Sanctuary?" She looked bewildered and kind of nervous. She pushed herself into a sitting position, grunting in mild pain.

"Hey, take it easy, you've been unconscious for over a week." Jesse said, there was something in his voice that made her lock her eyes on him.

"Jess, are you okay? You sound...I dunno...sad, scared, depressed."

"No, and all of the above." His eyes looked moist.

"What happened?" She asked, and then looked around. "Wait a sec. Jesse, where's Brennan?" She asked fearfully. When she got no answer, she gripped his hand. "Jesse?!" She gasped as a sharp pain shot up her side. She doubled over, clutching at the healing wound.

"Shal," Lexa said, loud enough to get her attention. Shalimar looked up at her, eyes wide and full of fear. "Brennan...He um... He went after Shane. He found out Shane was headed to the hospital and when he got here, Shane was holding one of the nurses at gunpoint. I tried to get him to let her go, which he did, but he grabbed me in the process, and broke my ribs with the barrel of his gun, then I got away from him and Brennan jumped him." She looked at Jesse to fill in the rest.

"Brennan was pounding on him, and he was winning too, a few more punches and that bastard would've been done. But he got a hold of his gun and just as he fired, Brennan broke his neck. But, um...he wasn't fast enough." He caught Shalimar's scared, tear-filled expression and continued hastily. "The bullet missed his heart by about a half an inch. That was this morning. He's alive, but they don't think he'll make it through the night." A tear trickled down his cheek.

"No," Shalimar whispered, tears falling down her pale cheeks, shaking her head in disbelief.

"He was gonna kill you Shal. Brennan saved your life; and probably the lives of everyone else here. The police say that, if he lives, Brennan won't face any murder charges. But...um...I guess it's a good thing you woke up when you did...He's in bad shape." Jesse said hoarsely.

"Dammit," Shalimar sobbed "God damn you Brennan!" She shouted, and then buried her face in her hands. "Why do you always have to be the hero? Why are you always the one risking your life? Why..." her voice failed her and she sobbed, letting Jesse pull her into his arms.

Suddenly a loud alarm rang out over the intercom system, making them all jump. "Code blue, room 348! Repeat: Code Blue, room 348! All ER doctors available respond immediately."

"Oh my God!" Jesse exclaimed and dashed toward the door.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Shalimar shouted in panic.

"That's Brennan's room!" Jesse called back. "Lexa! Stay with her! Make sure she stays put!" And then he was out of sight, running pell-mell up three flights of stairs to the ICU.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod," Shalimar whispered over and over again, holding her knees to her chest and rocking herself gently. Lexa put her arms around the shaking feral.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Please insert paragraph indents where my computer refused to despite how many times I tried to fix it... Also, The lack of reviews is discouraging. Please review. :Sad puppy-dog eyes:: Please?