Chapter 39

"Chloe!" Tara cried as she watched the fragile girl tumbled to the floor, blood pooling from her right leg. She forced herself to return her attention back at Don. Her outburst had temporarily distracted him from her and she snatched the gun from his hands and before he knew what was going on, Don had a gun pointed between his eyes.

He froze, then cautiously reached back for the tire wrench he had but Tara pressed the gun against his cold skin. They heard more footsteps rushing down the hall, before long Braden and Joel appeared, both out of breath. "What happened?" Braden gasped for air.

"I'd like to know the same thing," Bobby glared up at them, kneeling beside Chloe, pressing his hand against the gunshot wound on Chloe's leg. "You two arrest that bloke, we'll get Chloe to the hospital."

"Yes sir," Joel answered. He and Braden pulled out their guns and pointed them at Don, Joel cuffed him and they dragged him down the hall. A few moments later they could hear the car ripping out of the drive with the sirens blaring.

"Tara, call Jack and tell him what happened."

"O-okay," Tara stuttered. With a shaky hand she reached for the phone on the desk and dialed Jack's number. When he picked up the phone she passed along the news.

"What did Jack say?"

Tara's eyes were wide as she watched Bobby try to stop the bleeding. She knelt beside them. "H-he said the closest h-hospital is about an hour away, o-or somethin' like that."

"Tara." Bobby waited until she met his eyes with hers. "Chloe's gonna be alright."

"Daddy…" Chloe whispered. "My leg hurts."

"Shhh," Tara held Chloe's cheek in her hand, "don't talk."

"We need to get her to that hospital," Bobby said quietly.

"Keep pressure on it," Bobby pushed on the gas pedal harder.

"I am, Bobby. Just drive." Tara bit back.

He let out a breath, "Sorry Tara. I'm just…scared," he admitted.

"Me too." She whispered.

"We're almost there, just a few more minutes."

"'Kay," Tara nodded.

He wrapped a free hand around her arm, attempting to give at least a little comfort. "Just a few more minutes."

…"the bullet hit her bone…the damage is pretty bad, we're going to need to put a splint in her leg… I'm not sure she'll be able to run ever again…we'll know more once the cast comes off in a month or two"…

Tara officially hated hospitals. The doctors' voice rang through her head, over and over and over. It sounded like a broken record. How can someone take that away from a little girl? Not being able to run…it was a horrible possibility. A lone tear ran down Tara's check. She wiped it away angrily.

Sue covered Tara's hand with her own, but she didn't speak; words would not lessen the harsh reality of what had happened. Lucy entered the hospital room and knelt in front of Tara. She spoke softly, "We found a hotel just a few blocks down in this little one horse town, you can rest there."

"I'm not leaving Chloe."

"You need to sleep…Don is in jail, he can't hurt you."

"What about Greg? Did they find him?"

"No, not yet."

"Then I'm not leaving."

"Tare, there'll be a guard, two even, outside her door at all times. You have nothing to worry about."

More tears fell. "I can't, Luce, I'm sorry, but I just can't leave her alone." Tara's shoulders began to shake as the sobs came fast and hard.

"Get Bobby," Lucy signed to Sue, who nodded and slowly stood up. When he came, Lucy left too, leaving them alone.

"Hey." Bobby whispered as he slowly sat down next to Tara. She nodded in response. He wrapped his arms around Tara and felt his shoulder dampen from the falling tears. "Shhhh, it'll be okay, shhhh," he coaxed. Bobby ran his hand down her hair and kissed her on the forehead. "I promise."

A/N: thank u for the reviews - and threats :) anyways, you got your way - i didn't kill chloe, although i had thought about it but i sorta enjoy life and a friend of mine would have not really enjoyed the idea of having chlo' die...but, now could u please review this chapter? thank you very much:)