Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, although I wished I owned Jesse. I do own Becca, as well as the assailants.

Chapter Three: The Shots Heard Round the House

Steve ran forward to catch his father.

"Dad!"

Steve caught his dad, and sat down in the hallway. It was then he saw the dagger in his dad's leg. He knew enough not to remove it. He made sure his dad was okay, and looked around to see if anyone was in the hallway. He didn't see anyone. He took out his cell phone, and called his house. Back at the Sloan's house, supper was ready and waiting.

"Where are they? They were supposed to be here half an hour ago." Amanda asked, pacing around the room. Then, the phone rang, and Rebecca picked it up.

"Hello? Sloan residence, Becca speaking."

After a pause, she handed the phone to Jesse.

"It's Steve. He wants to talk to you. He said it's urgent."

Jesse took the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jess. Listen carefully, and then get over to Community General as fast as you can. I was waiting for dad so we could go home together. I saw him coming down the hallway, then, suddenly he pitched forward. I caught him, and there's a dagger in his leg. I haven't removed it yet, but I can tell dad's in pain. You've got to get here now, Jess. I'm counting on you."

With that, Steve hung up, and then Jess did, slowly. He stared at the phone, and then looked up at the expecting faces of Amanda, his niece, and Sheryl.

"Uncle Jesse? What is it?"

Slowly, he formed the words.

"It's Mark. He's been hit."

"Oh no! Not him!"

"Uncle Jesse, we've got to get to Community General now."

Jesse stared at her, and then the four of them rushed to put dinner in the frig, and took off for CGH. When they got near, Jesse gave Beck his cell phone, and asked her to call Steve. Amanda, who was driving, told Beck Steve's cell number. Becca dialed, and Steve picked up.

"Hello?"
"Mr. Sloan? It's Becca. We're near the hospital."

"Beck! Good. Now where, exactly?"

"We're pulling into the parking lot."

"Okay. We're on the second floor."

Once Amanda parked, Jesse got Beck out of the car and put her in her wheelchair. She handed the cell to her uncle so that she could steer herself. They followed Steve's directions, and got to the second floor. Amanda went and got some gauze other items to bandage Mark's leg with. They all sat down on the floor, and Jesse helped Beck out of her wheelchair. Steve kept his father's head up, Jesse knelt and put his hands on the hilt of the knife, after he put gloves on. Sheryl put her hands on Mark's leg, one on either side of the knife. Amanda was ready with a cloth. On "3", Jesse carefully pulled the dagger out and Amanda pressed the cloth onto Mark's leg. Amanda then lifted Mark's leg slightly so Beck could take the tape and wrap it around the cloth. Sheryl went to get a wheelchair, and they eased Mark into the chair. Jesse picked Beck up and put her into her chair, and the two of them followed their four friends. They pushed Mark into a room, and then parked the chair beside the bed. A nurse walked by, and stopped in front of the room.

"What are you do-. Oh. Dr. Travis. Is that Dr. Sloan?"

"Yes. He had an accident, but he's going to be okay. We'll be spending the night here."

"Okay. I hope the doctor feels better."

She left, and they helped Mark onto the bed. Steve stayed, and the rest of them went to the doctor's lounge to sleep. Sheryl had to leave to return to her home. Beck fell asleep in her wheelchair, Jesse and Amanda collapsed into chairs.

The next morning, Rebecca woke up early, and it took her a bit to figure out where she was. She saw her uncle and Dr. Bentley, and then remembered what happened last night. She left a note for her uncle, and made her way to Dr. Sloan's room. She saw about two nurses in the halls, but they paid her no mind. She found Dr. Sloan's door shut, so she quietly knocked. Steve answered.

"Come in."

Rebecca opened the door and wheeled in. She shut the door as Steve looked up.

"Oh. Hi Beck. Come on in."

She wheeled over to Dr. Sloan's bedside.

"Has he woken up yet?"

"Not yet. But I'm not giving up hope. Actually, I think he's asleep, not in a coma."

"Well, that's good."
Beck paused and looked at Steve.

"Lieutenant," she began.

"Steve. I've told you to call me Steve. Please."

"Um, okay. Steve, take this as advice, not as an insult please."

He looked at her.

"What?"

"Well, you look like you haven't slept in 2 or 3 days. Steve, you need to go to bed."

Steve turned and looked at her. There were bags under his eyes, and he looked dog tired.

"Steve, you should really go to bed."

Steve sighed.

"Okay. I'll go to bed on one condition," he said.

"Sure. What?"

"Well, I've never really been on this side of the bed. Usually, I'm the one in the bed and dad's the one sitting in a chair beside the bed."

He sighed again, looked at his dad, and then back to Beck.

"I'll go to bed if you promise to wake me when he stirs. Do you promise?"

"Yeah. Steve, thanks. You need to sleep. Believe me."

Steve went over to the bed, plopped down, and fell fast asleep. Rebecca turned her gaze to Mark.

"Doc. Please wake up. Steve needs you. He hasn't slept since yesterday night. He stayed up all nigh with you and he's about to fall apart. I made him lay down, and he's out like a light. Please Doc Sloan. Please get better."

She put her head down on the bed, and started sobbing. Soon, she felt a hand on her head, smoothing her hair. She figured her uncle had come in, and it was him.

"Don't cry Rebecca," someone said.

Rebecca stopped crying.

"That's not Uncle Jesse," she thought. "It sounds like Doc Sloan."

She lifted her head up, and found herself looking at the awake Dr. Sloan.

"Hello Rebecca."

"Hey Doc. Um, could you excuse me?"

She went over to Steve and started shaking him.

"Hey, Steve! Hello! Wake up! Your dad's awake!"

She shook him more.

Rebecca, let him sleep." Mark said.

She turned around and looked at Mark.

"But he told me to wake him up when you woke up."

"Well, why don't you just let him sleep. He looks like he really needs it."

She thought.

"Okay. But when he wakes up eventually, I'm not taking the blame," she said as she wheeled back over to the bed.

"That's quite alright."

"Doc, where's your pager?"

"Why?"

"I want to page Uncle Jesse and Dr. Bentley."

"Oh. It's over there."

She went over and got the pager.

"Doc, how do you work it?"

Mark took the pager, and paged his two colleagues. Over in the doctor's lounge, Jesse woke to the sound of his pager. Amanda awoke a few seconds after him. They were both being paged to go to Mark's room. Jesse looked over to where Beck was last night, only she wasn't there.

Amanda. Becca's not here."

"Jesse, relax."

She picked up the note.

"She's fine," she continued "she just went out. Let's go to Mark's room. I'm sure Beck will be fine."

The two went to their friend's room, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice said.

They opened the door, and saw Rebecca at Mark's side, and Mark was awake.

"Mark! You're okay!" Jesse exclaimed.

"Yes."

Amanda looked around.

"Mark, where's Steve?"

Mark and Beck looked at each other and grinned.

"Turn around and look in the bed," Becca told then.

Jesse and Amanda turned, and saw Steve in bed. Amanda giggled quietly.

"Mark. He looks so cute!"

Steve stirred, and opened his eyes.

"What's all the noise?" Steve asked as he sat up.

Morning, Steve," Amanda said.

"Oh, hi Amanda." Steve answered groggily.

Steve looked over at his dad, and saw he was awake.

"Dad!" he exclaimed. "You're awake!"

He then turned to Rebecca.

"Beck. Why didn't you wake me up like you promised?" Steve said, a little disappointed.

"I tried. Honest I did. Your dad woke up fully, and told me to just let you sleep."

"I did Steve. You looked like you really needed to sleep," Mark told his son.

Steve rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up more. He looked at Beck.

"Beck, I'm sorry. I guess I should have asked, instead of accusing. I should know, especially since I'm a police officer."

"Steve, it's okay. You don't need to apologize."

"Mark, how do you feel?" Jesse inquired.

"I'm fine."

"Where'd Sheryl go?" Steve asked, as still tried to wake himself up more.

"She left last night. You must have really been out of it, or focused on Mark," Jesse said.

They continued to talk, until Jesse's shift started. The next day, mark was well enough to go home. When they got to the beach house, Steve took his father into Mark's room. Amanda, Jesse and Beck went into the kitchen to make dinner. In Mark's bedroom, father and son were talking.

"Dad, I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks Steve."

The two continued to char, as the other three were in the kitchen making spaghetti and meatballs.

"Jess, where is the spaghetti sauce?"

"Um... Oh. Check the cupboard above the sink, bottom shelf."

Amanda went after it, while Jesse grabbed Beck.

"Hey, Beck. I've got a job for you."

"Seriously? Cool. What is it?"

He directed her to the table, where a loaf of French bread was sitting. Beside it was a knife, a tub of butter, parsley, garlic powder and parmesan cheese.

"I thought you would say something like 'take out the trash.' Cool Uncle Jesse. Thanks."

She wheeled over, and started making the garlic bread. Meanwhile, Jesse and Amanda were making the spaghetti. When they finished, they all set the table. Jesse told Becca and Amanda to stay at the table, while he went to get his friend and his colleague. Inside the room where Mark and Steve where, the two were talking when Jesse knocked on the door.

"Come in," Steve said.

Jesse opened the door, and bowed.

"Dinner is served, sirs," Jesse said, putting on a British accent.

Steve looked at his dad, and then the two of them got up. They walked to the dinner table, following Jesse. When Steve saw the table, he gasped. There was a golden tablecloth on the table with a lace tablecloth overtop. There were candles on the table that cast a soft glow on the food. There was a basket of garlic bread, a pot of noodles, and a pot of spaghetti sauce. Amanda had on a nice dress, and Beck had on clacks and a nice shirt. She had let her hair down also. Steve and Mark were just staring. Amanda went over to Mark, and led him to the table. The others went to their seats and sat down (minus Rebecca who was already sitting down.) They blessed the food, and then dug in.

"This is really nice," Mark told his colleagues, son and Rebecca. "I really appreciate this."

"Well, dad, it's the least we could do to welcome you back home."

They continued to talk. Amanda then started to tell a story about Jesse.

"Well, it was a day where Jesse hadn't stopped or sat down in 36 hours."

"Why?"

Well, there had been a big accident, and Jesse was in the operating room for quite a while. It was the holidays, and the OR crew was a little understaffed. He had operated on 11 different people in the past 36 hours. He came out of the OR, and passed me in the hallway. His knees were shaky, and he looked as if he was ready to pass out. I went over to him, and led him to the lounge. I found some soup and stuck it in the microwave. I had him sit down at the table. I took the soup out of the microwave and set it down in front of him, gave him a spoon, and sat down myself. He stared at the soup, and then he fell face forward into it. His face landed in the hot soup, and that was enough to wake him up a bit more. His head popped up, and I had to hand him a towel to wipe his face off. It was so funny."

Everyone but Jesse started laughing.

"Uncle Jesse, is that true?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

That sent Becca into another fit of giggles.

"Cool. What kind of soup was it?" she asked.

Jesse sighed, and looked at his niece.

"Vegetable beef."

"Jess. You must have looked pretty funny."

"He did. He had veggie-beef broth dripping from his face, and all over his lab coat."

"Seriously Uncle J-" Beck began.

Without warning, bullets ripped through the windows. The gang got up and hit the floor. Rebecca couldn't get up, though. Steve spotted her, got up, and jogged to her. He pushed her down and onto the floor. The bullets came, glass flew everywhere, and the five stayed on the floor.