"Knocked Down"

"OH SHIT!" Bobby yelled, as a few more 'warning shots' were fired, and grabbed his guns as well. Jack, Jeremiah, and Alex, the ones not packin', ran to the dining room table, where, conveniently, there were 4 handguns, and a sawn-off shotgun. Bobby had been reloading them the night before. Alex took the shotgun, she was partial to it, she supposed. Just then, someone shot the front door, a kicked it in. Needless to say, despite he was armed with an AK, he went down rather quickly. Alex took the intense risk of getting herself shot, running to get it, until Angel pulled her back. But she got the gun. She quickly ran upstairs, figuring she could take a sniper-type position. 2 guys rushed in from the back, but Angel took one out, Jerry got the other. Alexis took Angel's room's window, and took out a guy in front. She ran to the top of the stairs.

"It's clear from my view! It clear!"

"Yeah! It's good back here!" Jeremiah yelled from the back entrance of the house, with Bobby.

"Over here's good!" Jack shouted from the front, with Angel. "Hey, that one outside! He's still moving a bit! Wanna question him?"

"Yeah! Bring him on in, Jack! Angel go with him." Bobby yelled.

Jack goes outside, kicks the gun away from the wounded dude. But he's got another. Under him. He pulls it out, points it at Jack, who's got his gun pointed at him, and pulls the trigger.

"AAH!" Jack shouts. He'd been shot. Angel shot the guy, then ran to his brother.

"MAN DOWN! JACK!"

Bobby, Alex, and Jerry all run out of the house, as fast as they can, Alex sliding to her knees, scraping them both, probably, but that's not the matter at hand. "Oh my God! Bobby, call an ambulance! They shot him in the ribs, I think! GO!" Alex is screaming, crying. Bobby pulls out his cell, dials 911.

"My brother! He was shot! We need an ambulance! Help! Get us a fucking ambulance!"

"Ahh!" Jack is yelling, wincing in pain.

"Jack! Oh my God, Jack, HOLD ON! There's an ambulance coming, Baby, HOLD THE FUCK ON!" She's putting pressure on the wound to try to help and stop the bleeding. The ambulance appears soon, and they take Jack.

Jeremiah, Bobby, Angel, and Alex sat in the waiting room. No word about Jack. Everyone's eyes are red, yeah, they had been crying. You tend to do that when you don't even know if your brother is alive. Alex sat back, her head against the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut. Tears flowed out of each.

"It's my fault he was shot. I led them here. He was trying to protect me. Seem's like he has ever since I got here. He took care of that bastard who came by the other day. He took care of me when I had that horrible dream. He never even asked why. And how is he repayed? With a bullet to the ribs. My God. My fault. Just like it always was."

Jeremiah says nothing. Until, "What dream?"

"Last night. I had a bad dream. Really bad." She turns to face Jerry. "REALLY, bad. I was crying, sweating, making, I don't know, noises. Jack helped. He woke me up, carried me upstairs, let me take HIS bed. Was willing to stay there, I didn't wanna be alone. And..."

"What?"

"He held me when I was scared. He lied there with me, I needed..I don't know..solace. You get that?"

"Yeah, yeah, I do. Angel and Bobby wouldn't, but I do. So, you really like Jack?"

"Yeah. If anything, he's still my best friend, I guess. And I really like him. Which is weird cuz I've only known his for like 3 days. But still, God, I hope he's ok. I don't think I can handle just waiting anymore."

Angel hadn't heard the rest of the conversation, but heard the last part. "Me neither." Angel, tough guy, and he was in pain. You could see it in his eyes. Bobby's too. Bobby, the oldest, strongest, toughest, the Michigan Mauler, and he was tearing up. He was so afraid. He could lose his brother. Jack was too young.

So there they sat, silently, awkwardly, lost. They had had one of those rare moments, only heard about, where you literally lose track of time, and don't know whether you've been sitting here for a few minutes, or half an hour, or even 2 hours. But at one point, a doctor came out, and walked over to them.

"Jack Mercer's family?"

Bobby looked up, then stands, as do the rest. "Yes, he's my brother."

"Ah. Well, we've been treating him for quite some time. The bullet had just grazed a rib."

Alex mouth was open, slightly, and her hazel eyes were full of fear, and pain.

"And...we almost lost him. He's very lucky."

Alex expression broke into a slight smile, though still sad, and the boys were happy as well. They had their brother! Jack was going to be alright.

"Thank you, Doctor. Can we see him?" Bobby asked.

"Yes, the anesthesia has worn off, and he's pretty much back to normal. He should be able to go home tonight, actually. He's a quick healer. I was looking at his file. He's quite the fighter, isn't he? He's certainly a survivor."

"Yes. Yes, he is, Doctor. Thank you. So much." Jeremiah shook the doctor's hand. Alex and the boys went through nervous laughs, and hugs, then headed back to see Jack.

"Hey, Jackie-Boy." Angel said, the toughness gone from his voice, he was just there for his little brother, whom he loved.

Jack raised his hand, to wave. "Hey."

"How you doin'?" Jerry asked, walking to the other side of the hospital bed.

"Man, I was shot. How do YOU think I'm doin? I'm...just, PEACHY." He said, teasingly. "And I wanna go home, I do. As soon as possible."

"OK, man, we'll see when you can leave.They said soon." Bobby told him. But Jack's gaze went to Alex, and met her eyes.

"Hey." he said softly.

She seemed a little nervous, but relieved. She gave Jack a slightly sad smile. "Hey." She went over to the side of his bed, where Jerry was standing, opposite Bobby and Angel.

"Don't blame yourself. It wasn't you. And I'm fine now."

"They were after me. I led them there."

"What else were you supposed to do? Rather have me shot than you dead."

"I"m sorry, anyway."

"That's ok. Don't cry anymore, alright?"

Alex nods. Jack turns to the rest of them. "That goes for you guys, too. I know you were crying. Admit it, you do love me."

"Yeah, we were all very on edge. But good to have you here, and alright." Bobby said.

So, yes, Jack being such the fighter he is, he got to go home the next day, recovering quickly from yesterday's 'incident'. The next night, he was upstairs in his room, when Alex entered.

"Hi." He smiled, remembering yesterday morning, but seeming to forget the aftermath, everything after that kiss. He made her smile, too, he seemed to brighten the moment for her, and Alex, in all her randomness and humor, sweetness, her shyness, yet still so open, and her mystery, seemed to make him do the same. "Back for more?"

She just smiled wider, closed hs bedroom door, sat on his bed, and kissed him once more. And again. And kept on doing that for a bit. Yeah. They made out. Until, well, let's just say, there was another time-losing moment, or whatever. It was late night. But for a moment, Alex stopped.

"What is it?"

"Are we gonna...?"

"Do you want to?"

Alex nodded after a second. "Do you have any...?"

"Uhh..I don't think so."

"Angel might."

"You really want me to ask my brother if he has any condoms?"

"No." She sayed, shaking her head, surely. "Hey, I'm very sneaky."

"No. They're all over in there. You'll be traumatized. It'll burn your eyes."

Alex laughed. "OK, but um..we need some."

"There's a drug store a few blocks down. You stay here. I'll run down there. OK?"

"You're awesome, you know that. The best."

"I know." They kissed quickly, then Jack ran downstairs, grabbed his hoody, and was getting ready to leave.

"Where are YOU going?" Bobby stopped him.

"I, uh, I'm gonna run down to the drug store. I'm outta cigs. Why? You need somethin'?"

"No, man. Go ahead."

"OK." He said nervously, then he took off. A few minutes later he came back, and ran upstairs.

"Hi!" he yelled as he ran, then was gone.

"Ah, quality time with your family." Bobby joked.

"A Kodak moment." Angel smiled, then they went upstairs, and each went to bed.

Jack ran into his room still wearing his new hoody, and kissed Alex again. They made out a little while longer, no sex, not yet, but Alex was now againt the wall, making out with Jack. But they had left the door open slightly, and that would come back to bite them.