A/N I do not own John McBain or any of the other OLTL characters. All others are my own creation. Please don't sue cause I am broke and have nothing to be sued for anyway.

Chapter 7

When he got no answer John knocked on the door again a bit louder. When there was still no answer or any movement inside he began to worry. Taking out a small kit from his pocket he proceeded to pick the lock. Getting out his gun he went into the dingy little room cautiously. Sweeping the room, gun at the ready, he noticed that Shelly was lying in bed sleeping. He smiled a bit to himself realizing that she hadn't opened the door because she was asleep. Holstering his gun he walked over to Shelly on the bed intending to wake her up.

When he got to her noticed that she looked wet and her hair was damp and matted on her head. Thinking that she had taken a shower recently he reached a hand out and grasped her shoulder lightly to shake her awake. When he touched her skin he was shocked at the warmth of it. Placing a hand on her forehead he felt the heat emanating from her. She was burning up with fever! "Shelly? Shelly?" he called trying to wake her. His first aide training telling him that fevers were sometimes caused my injuries he pulled the blankets away from her. Looking her over he noticed that she had a large dark red stain on her shirt that looked like blood. Gently pulling her shirt up he saw that it was indeed blood and that she had a bandage around the stomach.

Not knowing what else to do he took out his phone and dialed 911. Just as he started to speak he heard Shelly say something. Turning around to see if she was awake he was stunned to see that she was indeed awake and aiming a gun at him.

Shelly woke when a man took out a phone to call someone. Her body on fire and her thoughts muddled she had one thought, 'No one must find her.' She had to stop him from calling anyone. Removing the gun from under the pillow was difficult but she knew it was necessary. Aiming the gun at him she recognized him finally but didn't lower the gun. "Put down the phone." She commanded, her voice raspy and strained.

"Shelly I need to call an ambulance. You have a really high fever and..." John said not putting down the phone.

Cocking the gun she said again, "Put down the phone."

John swallowed hard at the steel in her voice, shut his phone off and put it on the table. "Why don't you want me to call an ambulance? You're really sick Shelly you need help."

Weak from blood loss and burning with fever Shelly's strength was waning. The gun trembled in her hand and slowly lowered as she sank back down on the bed. John went to her in time to hear her say, "Too dangerous... They'll kill me if they find me." Her eyes drifted shut again and it seemed as if she had passed out again.

John leaned over her and touched her face, almost jumping when her eyes snapped back open and she looked at him, "Promise me... promise me you won't take me to the hospital." When he hesitated she said again more urgently, "Promise me, Please!"

Knowing that it was a bad idea and that he was probably gonna regret it but seeing how important this was to her he said, "I promise."

"Thanks," she sighed and lapsed into unconsciousness.

John stared at her in confusion. He knew she needed medial help but she wouldn't go to the hospital. Taking out his phone he called the only person he knew he could trust to come and not tell anyone. After speaking for a minute he hung up the phone and went back to Shelly. Lifting her shirt again he gently peeled off the bandages to get a look at her wound. Worried when she didn't wake up at all he finished taking off the bandage and looked in shock at the bullet wound in her abdomen. It was infected, that much he could tell. That was probably why she had the fever but that opened up a whole new can of worms starting with 'who shot her and why?'

Going to the bathroom he got a cloth and some cold water and began to mop her brow with the cold water hoping to bring down her fever. That is what they always did in the movies so he figured he would give it a shot. He wasn't a doctor and there was only so much he could do. He refused to believe that Shelly might not make it. To find his sister only to loose her again was unthinkable. He did this over and over until he heard a knock on the door and, "Hey John it's me."

John went to answer the door gun in hand not wanting to take any chances. Seeing that it was only Michael, his or rather their brother, he put away the gun and practically dragged him into the room.

"What's going on? What am I doing here?" Michael asked John the minute the door was shut. "Are you ok?"

"It's not me. I'm fine. It's her?" John said motioning to Shelly. "Remember when I told you we had a sister and that I was going to find her? John asked him.

Michael looked at John for a second stunned, before going over to Shelly. Looking up at John he said, "This is her?" At Johns nod Michael looked at Shelly in wonder before bending to carefully touch her head. Surprised at the fever burning through her Michael looked at John quickly before taking out his medical bag and examining her. When he got to her stomach he let out a sound of horror. "She's been shot!" Turning her over gently he looked at her back and cursed.

"What?" John asked anxiously.

"There is no exit wound. The bullet is still in there. We need to get her to a hospital John." Michael said seriously.

"We can't. Someone is after her and she is afraid that they will kill her if they find her." John said just as seriously. "You're going to have to take the bullet out here Mike."

"John, she needs a hospital. I can't take the bullet out here. I didn't bring any anesthetic. I wish you had told me she had been shot. I can't dig a bullet out of someone with out anesthetic! And especially not her." Michael said adamantly.

"Just do it." Said Shelly and both John and Michael looked at her face in surprise. She was awake again and looking at them with unfocused eyes.

"How long have you been awake?" John asked, worried that she had heard him tell Michael that she was their sister. He didn't think she was ready for that information yet.

"Since some one looked at my back. Whatever you need to do just do it. I'm not going to the hospital."

"But..." Michael protested. He didn't want to be cutting into anyone especially his own sister with out at least numbing the area.

"Look I don't know who you are but just do it. If you don't I'm gonna die." Shelly told him matter-of-factly. She knew in her gut that she could trust this man, just like she knew she could trust John. She also knew that he would do it and braced herself for what she knew was coming next.

Michael could tell she was serious about not going to the hospital and mentally groaned. She was as stubborn as John and she was right if he didn't take that bullet out she would die. Thanking god he at least had brought antibiotics and antiseptics he started laying out his supplies. Having John hold her down he removed the bullet, again surprised when she made very little noise. Looking up into her face he saw that she had passed out again. Injecting her with antibiotics he said to John, "She'll be ok but what the hell happened to her? Who shot her?"

"I don't know. I found her like this, this morning." John said, pausing before saying, "She doesn't know who we are."

"She seemed to know you," Michael said.

"That's not what I meant. I haven't told her who we are to her yet." John said looking down at Shelly, "I wish I knew what happened to her and why she ran in the first place."