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 Four: Murder

Soon, the bullets stopped. Steve immediately took charge of the situation.

"Dad? How are you?"

There was a cough, then,

"Fine Steve."

"Amanda?" Steve questioned.

"Here, Steve. I'm winded and scared, but OK."

"Jess?"

He was met with silence.

"Jess?" he asked again.

He was met with the same response. Steve got up, and started to go over to Jess. His dad grabbed Steve's hand before he got any further.

"Steve."

"Dad, I need to see Jess."

"Steve, stop. There's blood on your hand."

Steve looked at his hand.

"Were you hit?"

"Not that I know of."

Then, Steve looked up and said,

"Beck!"

Steve rushed over to Becca, and knelt beside her. He started looking everywhere to find the source of her blood. He put his hand on her shoulder to steady himself, and he felt a warm sticky substance. He pulled his hand back and looked at it. There was more blood on his hand than before. He looked over his shoulder, and said to Amanda,

"Amanda! Could you get a towel?"

Amanda got up, but Mark called her back.

"Amanda, better make that two or three towels."

She went off, and Steve turned to face his dad.

"Why..."

He paused, and spotted Jesse, who was lying facedown on the floor. Steve started to get up, but his dad had other ideas.

"No Steve. No. Stay with Rebecca. I've got Jesse. Stay with Becca. She needs you."

Steve sat back down. When Amanda came back with the towels, Steve pressed the towel onto Beck's shoulder. The three people that weren't hurt helped get the injured unconscious ones to the car. Mark and Amanda put Jesse in Becca's wheelchair. Amanda wheeled him to the door as Steve picked Beck up. Mark and Steve walked together, Mark keeping the cloth pressed to Becca's wound. They rushed Jesse and Becca to the car, and sped off for CGH. As they left, the man that stood behind the bushed smiled. Revenge was sweet. At CGH, Amanda pulled up to the front door. Steve got out along with his dad. Steve reached back into the car, and helped his dad put Jess into Rebecca's chair. He then reached back in a second time and got Beck. Amanda sped off to park, as father and son rushed uncle and niece inside. When they burst through the doors, all they saw was mayhem. Susan passed by, and Mark grabbed her.

"Susan, wait."

"Unless you're a doct-" she said while she turned. Once she saw Mark, she said,

"Oh, Dr. Sloan. Yes?"

"Are there any open ORs?"
"Why?"
Then she saw Beck and Jesse. She gasped.

"Dr. Travis? And is that his niece? What happened?"

"To make a long story short, they've both been shot, and we can't afford to stand around here idling like this."

"Sorry. Hold on and I'll see if there are any ORs open."

They stayed in the hallway, and less than a minute later, Susan came rushing back with a gurney.

"We've got two open. If you'll put her on here, please."

Steve placed Beck on the gurney, and backed away slowly. Susan started to call over her shoulder for some help, but Mark stopped her.

"Susan. I'll do it."

"You sure? You just got out of the hospital yourself."

"Yes. And if we stand around here talking, we won't be helping these two any. I'll go scrub up and change."

Mark rushed off, while a young intern came over to the group.

"Do you need help?"

"Um, sure," Susan said.

She gave the wheelchair to him.

"Take him to OR 3. They're waiting."

"Okay, miss."

He rushed off, just as Mark came back.

"Where's Jess?"

"On his way to the OR. Dr. Sloan, here," she said, as she handed Mark the handles to Rebecca's wheelchair.

"Hurry and good luck."

With that, Mark raced off to the OR to try and help Beck. Amanda and Steve went to sit in the waiting room. 10 minutes passed, and an announcement came over the P.A.

"Dr. Bentley, Dr. Bentley. You are needed in pathology. Dr. Bentley to pathology."

Amanda looked at Steve apologetically.

"Sorry Steve."

She got up and headed for pathology, leaving Steve alone in the waiting room. Soon, a couple came in and sat down, looking very worried. The lady looked over at Steve.

"Are you okay sir? Who are you waiting for?
It took a minute for it to register that someone had said something to him.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"Are you okay? Are you waiting for someone?" she responded kindly.

"Oh. Um, yeah. A friend of mine and his niece are here in surgery."

"What happened, if I might ask?"

"Sure. We were eating dinner, and someone decided to use our house as a target practice for bullets."

The lady gasped.

"Both my friend and his niece were hit," Steve concluded.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were they hurt seriously?"

"Well, my friend's niece, Rebecca, was hit in the shoulder. She'll be fine. My friend, on the other hand, was hit in the mid-back. I don't know how he'll be."

Steve paused.

"What about you?"

"First of all, let me say I'm sorry. Then, my husband and I are waiting for our daughter to get out of surgery. She was in a car accident, and they don't know how she'll turn out."

"How old is your daughter?"

"She's 17. Why do you ask?"

"Oh. Rebecca, my friend's niece, is 16. This is the second time in three months she's been here because of an accident."

"What happened the first time?"

Steve took a breath, and then answered.

"She was in a car accident on her birthday. She was riding her new bike in the street, when a drunk came out from nowhere and hit her. She flew up and over the car, landing on the road with a thud. We found out later that the accident made her a paraplegic. And now this."

"I'm sorry Mr...."

"Oh, sorry. Sloan. Lieutenant Steve Sloan with the LAPD."

As they shook hands, she said,

"Ooh. A police officer. How nice. I'm Madeline Miller. That's my husband Harold."

The man didn't look up.

"Forgive him please. He's very close to Cassie, our daughter."

Steve smiled.

"I know how that is. My dad and I are really close."

"Steve."

At the mention of his name, he looked up. His dad was standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hi dad. Is Rebecca out?"

"Yes. She made it through surgery and she'll be fine. I need to wash and change, but you can go up if you want. She's in Room 324."

"Thanks dad."

Mark turned and left. Steve reached to get his jacket, when Mrs. Miller said,

"Your dad's a doctor here?"

"Yeah. Dr. Mark Sloan. Personally, I think he's the best this hospital has."

She smiled.

"Anyway, I'm sorry but I have to go."

He grabbed his jacket, and with a final wave to the Millers, left to go upstairs. When he got to Becca's room, he opened the door and went in. She was in the bed, with a bandage around her shoulder, and the rest of her arm was in a sling. The only noise in the room was that of the heart monitor. Steve sat down beside the young teenager.

"Oh, Beck. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through this."

Steve continued to apologize, and then he just started talking to her. After a while, his dad came to the door.

"Steve."

"Hmm? Oh, Dad. Yeah?"

"Jesse's out of surgery. You can go see him if you want."

"But what about Becca?"

"I'll stay," a familiar voice said from outside the door. Sheryl walked into the room, car keys in hand.

"I went over to your house, and saw that the windows were all shot out. I realized what had happened, and I came over here as soon as I could. You go to Jesse. I'll stay here with Beck."

"Thanks Sheryl," Steve said, as he got up.

He took one last look at Rebecca and then got up. He followed his dad to Jesse's room. Once there, Mark left his son alone for time alone with his friend. Steve walked over to Jesse's bed, and sat in the chair next to it. At first, Steve just watched his friend. Then, he talked.

"Come on Jess. Come on. We need you. You can't leave us like this."

Steve continued to talk to his friend until he fell asleep. The next morning, Mark was back in full swing. He was making his rounds and thought he'd stop by Jesse's room. He opened the door, and then the sight he saw made him smile. Steve was asleep on his friend's bed. Mark thought his son looked so cute like that. He checked Jesse's vital signs, everything looked good. He was getting ready to leave when he heard noises coming from the bed. He turned around and saw Steve moving.

"Mmmmh." Steve murmured.

Steve looked up at his dad's smiling face.

"Oh. Hi dad. You need somethin'?" Steve said sleepily.

"Oh, no. Just checking on Jesse. Steve, shouldn't you be getting down to the station?"

"Huh?"

"Sheryl called a few minutes ago, saying that you weren't there yet. She wondered if something had happened to you. The chief wants to speak with you."

He turned back to his son, who had fallen back asleep. Mark sighed, left the room, and came back a few seconds with a cup of ice courtesy of the ice machine. He looked at the ice, and then to his son.

"Sorry Steve, but you need to get to work."

He picked a cube up and went over to his son. Mark pulled back the collar on Steve's shirt, and dropped the ice cube down. Steve bolted awake, trying desperately to remove the ice cube. He finally got it out, and then stared at his dad.

"Dad! Why'd you do that?"

Mark was trying not to laugh.

"Sorry Steve, but you should get down to the station."

Mark stifled another laugh as Steve stared at his father.

"Ok, ok. But you could have woken me up another way."

Steve grabbed his jacket and car keys, and headed out the door. He got to his truck, unlocked the door and then climbed in. He started the engine, and then dialed the station. When they answered, he responded with,

"Lieutenant Sloan. Give me the chief, please."

"Right away sir," he heard on the other end.

He was soon connected with the chief.

"Sloan, good to hear from you. Where are you?"

"In my car on the way there."

"No, seriously. Where are you?"

"That is where I am."

"Oh. Well, get down here now. Something's come up."

By the tone of his voice, Steve knew something was up.

"Chief, what's wrong?"

The chief sighed, and then said,

"Well, a couple called her about a half hour ago. They said they had found a body of a young woman on the beach."

Steve gasped slightly.

"Do you have a description of her?" Steve asked, a little afraid of what the answer would be.

"Um, yeah. Where is it?"

Steve could hear papers rustling.

"Ah-ha. Here it is. Um, female, blonde, mid-twenties, that's all we have."

Steve thought to himself, "Didn't dad said Susan hadn't come in today?"

"I'm in the parking lot now, so I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Okay, Sloan."

They hung up, and Steve parked his truck. He made his way into the station. He walked past the desk of a colleague, John. John stopped him.

"Steve, the chief's waiting for you."

"Yeah. I was heading there."

"Oh. Okay. Go on in then."

Steve walked to the chief's door. He was waiting for him, and Sheryl was seated in the chair next to the chief.

"Sloan. Good to see you. Come in."

"Morning Steve. Get enough sleep?" Sheryl asked with a smirk.

Steve walked in and sat down.

"As a matter of fact, yes, but don't get off the topic. Now, chief. Do you have a picture or something of the girl that was found?"

"Um, nope. Sorry Steve."

He thought, then asked the chief,

"Can I use the phone?"
"Sure. Go ahead."

Steve picked up the phone and dialed Amanda.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Amanda, it's Steve."

"Oh, hey Steve. What's up?"

"I've got a question. But first, let me put you on speakerphone."

Steve put her on, and then continued.

"I'm at the station right now, so the chief's beside me. Anyway, where are you right now?"

"In pathology doing autopsies."

"Great. Just where we need you. Listen. Is there a body there of a young female?"
"Hold on, let me see."

Steve and the chief could hear her lifting sheets. Then she gasped.

"I take it you found her," Steve said.

Amanda gasped, and had to force the words out.

"Um, yeah."

She took a breath, and then began again.

"Steve, it's Susan. Well, now we know why she didn't come into work today."

"Amanda, it's Sheryl. Are you SURE that it's your co-worker?"

"Yes. I'd recognize her anywhere."

The chief looked at Steve, and then said,

"Dr? This is the chief. Could you give us the shortened version of the autopsy? Just the basic essentials."

"Basically Amanda, how'd she die? In lamens terms too, please."

"O.K. Um....let's see. Ah ha. Here it is. Victim died of a single gunshot wound to the upper back, the bullet passed through the heart and out her chest. She died instantly."

The chief and Steve sat in silence. Then, they heard a sound from Amanda.

"Amanda? You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Then, what is it?"

"I was turning her over, and I found a note pinned to her coat she is still in. It's addressed to you Steve."
Steve looked at the chief, who nodded.

"Amanda. Put on a clean pair of gloves, so we can fingerprint it later, and then read the note to us."

"Okay, Steve."

The two heard rustling as she took off her bloodied gloves and put on cleaner ones.

"Okay," she said as she opened the letter.

"Mr. Sloan," she began, stumbling.

"'You thought that I'd go after you's measly friends and you pa.' Sorry Steve. His spelling is atrocious. 'Well, you was wrong. I's changed my method. You don't know who I's gonna kill or hurt badly next. It ain't gonna be you cuz I wants yous to suffer, like I's suffered.' It's signed 'Croc 4.' "

There was an awkward silence, and then Steve spoke.

"Thanks Amanda."

"Sure thing Steve."

They hung up. Steve told his chief,

"Well, this adds and interesting twist on things."

Back at CGH, Amanda was looking for her recorder. She knew she had had it by her, but it wasn't there anymore. She grabbed her car keys and headed to her car to get her other one. When she stepped off of the elevator on the doctor's level parking and headed for her car, she didn't notice the snarling face watching her. Amanda reached her car, and unlocked the door. She found what she was looking for, and shut the door, locking it afterwards. She was about halfway to the elevator when she was hit from behind. She collapsed onto the ground. A person came up behind her, smiling, picked her up and carried her to an awaiting truck. They drove till they found what they were looking for. They took Amanda out of the truck and after "prepping" her, took her over to the pool. They went up the steps, and dropped her in. After making sure she wouldn't wake up and go away, they left the pool area and sped off. About 20 minutes later, a car pulled into the driveway, and a middle aged woman got out. When she couldn't get in the front door, she came around back and in doing so, passed the pool. Something caught her eye, and she glanced in the pool. She then screamed.