Shortly after the second game started Natasha walked into the pool hall. She stood by the door looking around not wanting to be there. Danny happened to look towards the door and spotted her. He momentarily stared at her questioningly. Albert caught the look on the younger man's face and turned in the direction. He smiled when he saw his daughter pleased that she came.

Tasha spotted her father and Danny and took a deep breath before proceeding. She really didn't want to be here, but couldn't say no to the phone call no matter how hard she tried. As she walked towards the group she saw Albert walk towards her. He smiled and said, "Thank you for coming sweetheart. Where's Jason," he asked looking towards the door.

She glared at him and said, "He can't witness this. He's sitting across the street waiting for me. Why did you call her?"

"I called her because you weren't answering my calls," he said. "She's my wi…"

Natasha cut him of, "EX-wife, not wife. And I didn't answer the phone because I have nothing to say to you."

Albert sighed "I just called because my friend needs help," he said.

"I'm not here because of you OR your friend. I'm here because mom insisted." she said. Tasha stormed past Albert towards Danny and Gerald.

Danny looked at her momentarily surprised to see the brunette. Thinking quickly he turned to Gerald and said, "Would you mind if someone else fills in for me?"

Gerald stole a quick glance at the new comer and raised an eyebrow. "If you want," he finally said.

"Great, alright then," Danny said stepping back from the table. He held the cue stick out offering it to Natasha but she walked past him and snagged one off the wall. Danny racked the balls to start a new game.

"Well, well, well. Never thought I'd get a chance to play you," Gerald said.

"You know how it is; the circuit doesn't give us much chance to socialize with the other players. Plus I've been busy and haven't had much chance to stick around afterwards," she replied.

"You know each other," Danny asked surprised.

"You could say that," Gerald replied.

"Great just great," Danny muttered under his breath. He was starting to understand what it felt like to be a mark.

"What do you say, best 2 out of 3," Gerald asked.

"Fine whatever," Natasha replied.

"Ladies first,' he offered stepping back from the table. Tasha nodded and stepped up to break.

The pair settled into a steady rhythm, each player finding the other pleasantly challenging. "Rumor has it you've gotten engaged," Gerald said conversationally.

"This is one time where the rumors are true," she replied.

Albert felt a twinge of pain; it hurt that the daughter he still loves can be so cruel. He shoved his ache deep down, now was not the time to let his emotions get the better of him.

"Well then congratulations are in order," he said giving his colleague a smile.

Danny pulled Albert aside to talk privately. "Who is this woman," he asked.

"She's my daughter," Albert said.

"Did you call her to help me," He asked. At Albert's nod Danny said, "What makes you think she can beat this bloke?"

"She plays professionally. My guess is Gerald here is also a professional player," Albert said. "That reminds me, I don't ever want to see or hear of you trying to con my family again."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she was your daughter," Danny said. "Look it won't happen again."

"It better not," Albert said before turning to walk back to the table.

After the last game the players shook hands and Gerald said, "Good game, it was nice playing someone that offered me a good challenge."

Natasha said a quiet thank you before turning to leave. Gerald pulled out his wallet to pay back the money he won from Danny the day before. Albert stepped up to his daughter and placed a hand on her arm. "Thank you," he said.

Natasha glared at him as she tore her arm away from Albert. Without saying a word she stormed out of the pool hall leaving Albert standing in his place, watching her walk out of his life. He sighed and turned to walk back towards Danny when they heard tires screeching outside. Danny, Gerald and Albert looked at each other in horror and ran outside to see what happened.

Running into the intersection they pushed their way through the crowd to find Natasha lying on the ground blood covered her face and seeping out of her wounds. "Oh God," Albert gasped as he dropped to his knees. "What happened," he asked Jason.

"She ran out into the street…" he began as he worked on her wounds.

"I didn't see her," the driver said.

"That's ok, it wasn't your fault," Jason said.

Albert reached out a shaky hand to brush Natasha's hair away from her face. Unable to say or think of anything he merely reached down for her hand and took it in his. Jason looked up at his future father in-law trying not to let his own emotions get the better of him. "She'll be alright," he quietly said. He was trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince the man kneeing next to his fiancé.

The paramedics finally arrived and took over caring for the young woman. Working quickly they started an IV line and bandaged her wounds. Next they secured her neck and head before placing her on the gurney. Within minutes they were off to the hospital.

Danny stood by watching the two men hover close to Natasha as the paramedics gathered the brunette up and placed her in the ambulance. He ran up to the men as Jason said something quietly to Albert before jumping into the passenger seat of the ambulance. As it drove off Danny hailed a cab and asked Albert which hospital they were taking her to.

On the drive to the hospital Jason called his travel agent and reserved 2 tickets for Tasha's mother and brother. Next he called his future mother in-law to break the news. He didn't want to tell her over the phone and make her endure a long plane ride but had no choice. In an effort to help ease her mind he called Andrew.

Albert and Danny ran into the hospital and looked around for Jason. Finding him he said, "How is she?"

One look at Albert and Jason could see the toll this was beginning to take on him, "I don't know yet, they're still working on her. I called Eileen and Andrew and told them what happened. I also bought a couple plane tickets for them so they didn't have to worry about that," he said.

Albert placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and quietly said, "Thank you."

Time dragged as the men waited for word from the doctors as to how badly Natasha was injured. A doctor finally came out with news, "She's hurt bad, her right leg is broken, she's had internal bleeding… She's going up to surgery now. A nurse will show you to the waiting room."

Albert and Jason thanked the doctor before following the nurse up to the surgical floor. Danny stayed behind to call Mickey. When the call ended Danny briefly contemplated joining Albert in his vigil. Feeling guilty about what happened he decided instead to drown his guilt at Eddy's Bar.

Mickey found Albert sitting alone in the waiting room, his head bowed and hands folded. He wasn't sure if his mentor was praying or simply trying to deal with his pain. Deciding to play it safe he cleared his throat to announce his presence.

Albert remained motionless a few moments longer before murmuring amen. He looked up to see who had walked in. "How is she," Mickey asked.

Albert sighed heavily, "Still in surgery," he replied.

Mickey closed the distance between them and sat on the chair next to Albert. "How are you," he asked.

"I'm barely holding together. If her fiancé wasn't here I think I'd lose it," the older man replied.

Just as Mickey was about to ask where Jason was, he walked in carrying two cups of coffee. He handed one to Albert as he sat down asking, "Any news?"

Albert thanked him before taking a sip; no, he shook his head. "Jason this is.." Albert began

"Mickey Stone," Jason announced.

Both men were surprised by the announcement, "How did you know that," Mickey asked.

Jason shrugged, "I just know."

Mickey gave Albert an incredulous look, "Mickey this is Tasha's fiancé, Jason," Albert said.

Both men shook hands, "It's nice to meet you," Mickey said.

"Nice to meet you too," Jason replied.

Once again time dragged as the men waited for word of Natasha's condition. Any time footsteps were heard they looked up expectantly but were disappointed to find someone walking by. Just as the men had given up hope on an update, the doctor walked in and sat down beside Jason. "Natasha made it through surgery but we have her in a drug induced coma. You can see her now," she said.

Albert slowly walked into ICU; his breath caught at the sight of his daughter lying in the bed. His heart ached looking at all the tubes and cables hooked up to Tasha. The fleet of machines quietly beeping and whirring frightened him; he came to close to loosing her. He sat down on the bed being careful not to disturb any wires and reached out with a shaky hand to brush his fingers along her cheek.

Jason waited just outside the door giving Albert some time alone. He wished Natasha wasn't so hard on her father, but knew he couldn't force her to be nice. He almost felt guilty for having gone to Albert the night Natasha talked to him at Eddy's Bar. Unlike Natasha, he had nothing against the older man, aside from disagreeing with his chosen profession. He briefly wondered what Albert would think if he found out what he did for a living. Maybe he'd tell the old man one day.