OK, this is your warning. This chapter is very sad, and I'm pretty sure this story is just gonna get worse before it goes better. My friend Sierra gave me all these tragic ideas today, so if you want to threaten anybody, threaten her, LOL. Or me, doesn't matter. But this is your only warning.

Chapter 21

"Thank you guys all for coming," Stephanie said, looking at her family of Bohemians. They were at the Life Café, celebrating. "As you know, we have an announcement to make." She smiled broadly, as Roger put his arm around her waist. "Today is Glory's first birthday and we found out yesterday that she is negative. But she and Aida are both spending time with Jennifer's parents, who are very much enjoying their granddaughter and bonus granddaughter."

The Bohemians cheered and Stephanie wiped away tears that were falling down her cheeks. After a moment, Stephanie regained her composure. "And I guess we'd just like to thank you guys for always being there for us."

"Aw, Steph, of course we are," Maureen said, getting up to hug her. "That's what we are— we're a family."

Stephanie nodded as a waiter brought out drinks for them, and they laughed as they partied and hung out together, laughing and talking about everything.

"That was a great party," Stephanie said, as she walked back to the loft with Mark, Jennifer, Roger, and Collins, Maureen and Joanne close behind them, with their arms around each other's waists lovingly.

"Yeah, it was," Collins said, as he hugged her close. "Congratulations, Baby girl, we're so happy for you."

"Thanks, Collins," Stephanie said, and she wiped away more tears that had escaped from her eyes. "I'm so happy she's negative. This is the best day of my life— besides our wedding and her birth and meeting Roger and— oh, I don't know. It's just one of the best days ever. Ever since I met all of you, I've never been happier."

"We're so glad to have met you, too, Baby girl," Collins said.

Stephanie had no idea her euphoria would be so short-lived. A man dressed in completely black clothes, wearing a face mask, stepped out of the shadows of a nearby alley and pulled a gun out of his jacket. Stephanie froze and had but a few seconds to think.

"Guys, get out of here," she said loudly, referring to Jennifer, Mark, Maureen, Joanne, and Roger. All but Roger quickly took off running. "What do you want?" she asked the man.

"Stephanie, go," Roger demanded. "You don't want to be here. Go!"

"No, you stay, broad. I want some of your fortune, bitch," the gunman said. "Give whatever money you have with you now, and no one gets hurt."

"Now hang on—" Collins began hotly, stepping protectively in front of Stephanie, but the gunman pulled the trigger and Collins fell to the ground.

Stephanie didn't realize she had screamed until Maureen and Joanne were beside her in a flash. She fell to her knees beside Collins, horrified; Maureen and Joanne made to as well, but Mark and Jennifer held them back. Roger took off running after the gunman after glancing once at Stephanie to make sure she was OK. She was splattered with blood, but unhurt.

"No, don't touch them!" Mark exclaimed. "You two are negative, and we intend to keep that way. Come on, we need to get help!"

And before anyone could think to stop him, Mark had spun around and was off running. Maureen, Joanne, and Jennifer followed close behind.

Stephanie took Collins' hand and tried to hold back the tears, but she couldn't. "Collins, talk to me," she said tearfully. "Talk to me, Collins."

Collins slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. He was crying.

"Baby girl…" he gasped. "Are you… are you OK?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Stephanie stammered, squeezing his hand.

"Where'd the… gunman go?" Collins asked.

"I don't know; Roger went after him," Stephanie sobbed. She saw Collins close his eyes again. "No, don't close your eyes, Collins," she demanded, squeezing his hand firmly. "If you do, you'll…" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"I know, Baby girl," he said, opening his eyes again and looking up at her. "But I'm not gonna…"

"Yes, you are," Stephanie said firmly, looking into his warm brown eyes, which were now filled with pain. "You will make it, Collins. I won't let you die! Not here, not now!"

"I'll try not to, Baby girl…"

Stephanie looked over her shoulder and saw Mark, Jennifer, and Joanne coming back. Stephanie looked back at Collins again and spoke to him. "The ambulance is coming, Collins," she said, laughing tearfully with relief. "Hang on, OK? Hang in there." More tears squeezed out of Collins' eyes and he took in a ragged breath. "You guys, do they know where we are?" she asked.

"Yeah, we told them the alley a block east of the Life Café," Mark said. "Maureen's out there, waiting for them. She said she'd flag them down by whatever means. Where's Roger?"

"He ran after the gunman," Stephanie said. "God, I hope he's OK…" Collins suddenly groaned and let out a moan of pain. "Collins," she said to him, as she felt him go limp. "Collins, hang in there, buddy, please…"

"But Baby girl… he's calling me… he's telling me… time to let go…"

"Who, Angel?" Stephanie asked him.

Collins' head fell to the side and he closed his eyes once more. Stephanie gritted her teeth and clenched his hand harder.

"Collins," she screamed, and when she got no response, she knew he was gone. "COLLINS!"

As the ambulance drove up, Jennifer and Mark pulled her back, away from Collins, so the EMT's could load him into the ambulance. Roger suddenly returned, breathing hard. Stephanie went over to him and suddenly broke down. She sank against him, crying freely into his chest. Roger clung to her, tears in his eyes, his eyes blazing with anger.

"I didn't find him. He got away. Easy, Baby, easy…" he said.

"IT WASN'T HIS TIME, DAMN IT!" Stephanie screamed, and she hit Roger in the chest with each sentence she spoke. Roger rocked her back and forth comfortingly nevertheless, taking her rage as it came. "He shouldn't have died! We should have fucking done something! Why did he have to die? That guy wanted ME, for God's sake! I SHOULD HAVE DIED!" Stephanie's voice cracked. When she spoke again, it came back as barely a whisper. "I should have died…"

Roger rocked her back and forth more as she cried. Tears escaped his eyes, too. Roger looked up helplessly at the other Bohemians. There were no dry eyes. "Stephanie, look at me," he said, but she didn't. "Look at me," he repeated, more firmly, and Stephanie did. "Listen to me, Steph. Collins died to save you. I know that wasn't how it was supposed to be... how we wanted it to be... but that's how it is. No matter what, we'll get through this, OK? But for now, you and I, Mark and Jen, we have daughters to get home to and take care of, OK? Let's just go back to them. They need us, now more than ever."

Stephanie nodded. "Somebody needs to go with them, though," she said, indicating to the waiting ambulance.

"We know this is hard for you," one of the EMT's said, "but can one of you come with?"

"We will," Maureen and Joanne said, both to Stephanie and Roger and the EMT's.

"We'll take your car back to the loft, Jo," Roger added. She nodded and smiled tearfully.

The EMT's nodded as well, seeing that the two women were not to be parted, and Maureen and Joanne got in the ambulance and were gone.

Stephanie, Roger, Mark and Jennifer went back to the loft and drove to Jennifer's house to get Glory and Aida. Mrs. Dawson noticed the looks on each of their faces when she answered the door, and she frowned slightly.

"Are you guys OK?" she asked. She looked at Jennifer. "Jen, honey, what happened?"

Jennifer looked at her mom with tears in her eyes. "Can we… can we come in to talk about it?" she stammered. "It might be best if we all sat down."

"Yes, of course," Mrs. Dawson said, and she let them in.

"Where are Aida and Glory?" Jennifer asked.

"In the living room with... with your dad," Mrs. Dawson replied, and she followed Jennifer and the Bohemians into the living room. Jennifer and Stephanie immediately went over to Mr. Dawson and picked up their daughters.

"Hi, Dad," Jennifer said quietly.

"Hey, sweetie," Mr. Dawson said, hugging her and looking confused. "What's going on? You're early."

"There was a family emergency," Jennifer explained. "Collins was shot and killed by a gunman."

"Oh my God," her parents said together. Mrs. Dawson's hand flew to her mouth and Mr. Dawson put his arms around her comfortingly, as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Jen, I'm so sorry," Mr. Dawson said. "When did this happen?"

"About fifteen minutes ago; Mo and Jo went with the ambulance," Jennifer replied. "We have to go get them from the hospital soon."

Mrs. Dawson let go of Mr. Dawson and hugged her daughter and granddaughter. "I'm just glad you're OK," she said.

Jennifer nodded. "I know," she said. "The bastard was after Stephanie's fortune, or at least some of it. I guess he knew her from her smack days. We'll never know, because he got away."

Mrs. Dawson looked at Stephanie sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, Stephanie," she said. "And you know, about your parents that day… I was only doing what I thought was a good thing."

Stephanie nodded solemnly, but didn't say anything. Her stomach felt like it was at the base of her throat, and she thought that, if she opened her mouth, she would be sick. She just didn't feel like giving Mrs. Dawson a true answer yet, with all that had happened back on hers and Roger's wedding day. She didn't feel like she was quite ready to forgive Mrs. Dawson for what she had done.

Her cell phone went off and she answered it. When whoever was on the other end hung up, she looked at her solemn friends. "That was Mo and Jo," she said. "They got Collins situated. We should go pick them up and make preparations for his funeral."

"Why don't we drive you," Mrs. Dawson suggested, "or, at least, some of you? It would save a trip."

"OK, some of us can go with you," Stephanie said, "but we have to get Jo her car back. They went in the ambulance."

"OK, that's no problem," Mrs. Dawson said. She put a comforting hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "Are you gonna be OK, Steph?"

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, I'll be all right," she said, smiling at Mrs. Dawson.

I was crying in second period as I wrote some of this. Please review and thanks. I'll update ASAP. I updated faster than I thought I would this time, but I don't know about next time. I've got part of chapter 22 written up already. It will probably be up sometime next week, maybe sooner.

Until next time, lots of love,

Renthead07