Deakins set Tom in his car seat in the back of Logan's car while Barek buckled Maggie in to hers. Logan sat in the driver's seat, gently rubbing his chest. Deakins came around to talk to him. "They took them to Berkshire Medical Center. Follow me. We need to get you and Maggie treated, too, and I want Tommy checked over."

Logan nodded. Barek came around and motioned for him to get out of the car. "I'm driving now."

He didn't have the energy to argue. When he got out of the car, his steps faltered, and she caught him. Helping him around to the passenger side, she eased him into the car and touched his cheek. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm okay."

She didn't believe him. Her eyes met Deakins' and he nodded. "Let's go."

Barek got into the car and started the engine, pulling around to follow Deakins.

"Uncle Mike?"

"Yes, bunny?"

"My shoulder hurts."

"We're going to take you to see the doctor right now."

"The same doctor that Mommy and Daddy went to?"

"Yes."

She settled back in her car seat and was quiet for the rest of the ride.

Deakins was pacing the waiting room in the emergency room while Barek watched him. "You're beginning to remind me of Goren, Captain. Will you sit down, please?"

He sat beside her. "Do you have any idea how close I am to keeping Logan and Goren separated?"

She laughed softly. "This wasn't their fault."

He shook his head. Across the room a doctor appeared. "Captain Deakins?"

Both he and Barek got to their feet and crossed the room to talk to him. He motioned them to come with him. "Mike has a couple of fractured ribs and a great deal of bruising, but his vest saved his life. He's going to be fine."

"What about Maggie and Tom?"

"Your detectives are a smart group of people. We would be in a difficult situation if Mike did not have power of attorney paperwork with him."

Barek explained. "In our line of business, you never know what's going to happen. Bobby and Alex take care of their children. They gave power of attorney privileges to Mike and to her father, just in case."

The doctor nodded. "That was very smart. Mike also gave me permission to talk to both of you before I bring you back to see them. Maggie has some facial bruising but nothing broken and her right shoulder was dislocated. I don't think there is any permanent damage. We've put her in an immobilizer and given her something for the pain. She's sleeping right now. The baby is perfectly fine and happy. He's playing with the nurses. They are both sweet children."

Deakins hesitated for just a moment. "What about their parents?"

The doctor sighed. "Their mother is in surgery right now. She lost a lot of blood but it could have been much worse. Did someone apply pressure to her injury in the field, after she was shot?"

"We found him across her body," Deakins answered.

He nodded. "He slowed the bleeding enough that we didn't lose her. Intentional or not, he probably saved her life. We gave her fluids and blood and rushed her into surgery. I think she'll be fine, but the surgeon will give you much more detail when he's done."

"What about Bobby?" Barek asked.

"I can't say much about him. He was...critically injured. Two bullets to the chest...his chest cavity was filling with blood and both lungs collapsed. The paramedics did an amazing job with him in transit. He...stopped breathing twice and went into cardiac arrest just as they were pulling into the bay. We got him back, but he was very shaky. We called LifeFlight and air evac'd him to Massachusetts General in Boston. All I can say is that he was alive when he left here, and that was an accomplishment. I haven't heard anything more." He pulled a pad from his pocket and wrote down a number. "Here's the number for the ER there. Call them. You can use the phone at the nurses' station. I'd like to know how he is, too."

"Oh, one more thing...a prisoner was also brought in...Nicole Wallace."

He checked his chart. "She is in surgery now, too. Critical but stable condition."

He stopped outside a cubicle and motioned for them to go in. Logan was sleeping. Curled up next to him, cuddled into the crook of his arm, was Maggie, also asleep. Tears filled Barek's eyes and she looked at Deakins. He squeezed her shoulder and went to the nurses' station. Tom was clapping and laughing with the nurses, and that made him smile. He dialed the series of numbers the doctor had given him and waited while it rang.

Massachusetts General Emergency Room.

"My name is James Deakins, NYPD. One of my detectives was flown in from Berkshire Medical Center and I want to check on his condition. His name is Robert Goren."

Oh, we were wondering who to contact about him.

Deakins heart leapt into his throat. "How is he?"

Critical. Does he have any allergies or medical conditions we should be aware of?

"No."

Date of birth?

"August 20, 1961."

Next of kin?

"His wife, Detective Alexandra Eames. Will you tell me now how he is?"

He is in surgery right now. I don't know any more. He wasn't doing well here in the ER. I've been here a long time, and I've seen injuries like his before. I can say it doesn't look good.

"Who do I talk to for an update? I'm at Berkshire Medical Center."

Give me your number and I will have them call you.

He gave her his cell phone number and thanked her. Then he turned to the nurses with a smile. "Is this little dickens giving you ladies any trouble?"

"Is he your little boy?"

"No. His parents are both in surgery. They are police officers and I'm their captain."

Tommy heard his voice and twisted around, looking for him. Spotting him, he leaned toward him with his arms out, a huge smile on his face. "Oh, he knows you!"

Deakins held out his arms and took the happy baby. He looked so much like his father, but, unlike Bobby, Tommy had no demons to haunt his life. He had left the presence of Nicole Wallace untainted, thanks to his big sister. He returned to the cubicle to find Logan awake. "Hey, Cap. Any word on Bobby and Alex?"

"They think Alex is going to be okay."

He held out his arms to Tommy. "Hey, Slugger. What about Bobby?"

Deakins handed the baby off to him. "No one knows yet."

Logan sat Tom in his lap, opposite the side where Maggie still slept. He kissed Tommy's head. "This kid is always so happy."

Deakins smiled. "His life has never been touched by anything to rob him of his innocence. Not even Nicole Wallace could do that, thanks to Maggie."

"Speaking of Wallace, did I get her good?"

"Not good enough. She's still alive, up in surgery now."

"Damn. Sorry about that."

"You did well, Mike."

He shook his head slowly. "No, I didn't. I let them down."

The captain leaned toward him, his eyes serious. "No, you didn't let them down. These kids are safe. Don't think for a moment that Wallace would not have harmed them, killed them, even, to strike out at Goren. You did what was most important to them, Mike. You saved these kids."

"But what good is that gonna be if he dies?" He looked down at Maggie and gently smoothed her curls. He didn't even want to imagine what damage would be done to this little girl if her daddy died.