AN: Sorry it took at least a month to update. I got writers block, then there were exams and Beta convention and everything got chaotic, but I'm back, the chapter is short , but hopefully you will all like it.

Abigail and Sabrina burst into the hospital lobby two hours later with red faces as if they had run a marathon. Abigail muttered something quite rude about the hospital parking. Sabrina ran up to the desk.

"Please, ma'am, can you tell us where to find Mr. Riley Poole?" she asked the lady. The woman was about thirty five with red hair. She looked up from the magazine she was reading.

"Poole, yeah sure, he was in that car, right?"

Abigail and Sabrina exchanged glances. "What car?" asked Abigail cautiously.

"You don't know about the car accident?" She whistled. "It's a bad day for the Poole family then, isn't it?"

"Will you tell us about it?" inquired Sabrina.

"Hey Linda! These folks didn't here about that odd accident, the one where the driver of one of the cars disappeared. And the man they pulled out of the debris who was muttering about some kind of a driverless SUV. Can you believe it?"

Sabrina looked at Abigail. "Ian," she whispered. Abigail nodded.

"Can you tell us where to find Riley's room?" she said.

"Yeah sure, Linda'll take you up, room 313."

"Thank you," gasped Sabrina. The nurse led them to the elevator. They went up to the third floor and got out, leaving the lady behind to go on to the fifth.

Abigail and Sabrina walked slowly down the hall. They stopped at the corner, afraid to turn. "He'll be all right," said Abigail quietly. Sabrina nodded. They turned the corner and saw Ben pacing outside room 313.

"Ben!" cried Abigail, running up to him and hugging him. "Ben, is he alright?"

"I-I don't know, they won't let me in," Ben said. "He was still breathing when they brought him in though." The sentence hung in the air. A young man walked out of the room without warning.

"Oh," he said, surprised. "Who are you?"

"How is he?" Sabrina asked, ignoring him.

"Will he be okay?" said Abigail, pushing past him.

"I suppose you're Ben and Abigail Gates, I'm Jack Beckman, and I'd ask how you are, but I'm not sure I want to hear the answer." He paused. "I have good news and bad. Riley will live; he is an extremely lucky man. The bullet missed any vital organs or arteries. He lost a lot of blood, but he will recover fully. It won't be long before he regains consciousness."

Abigail and Sabrina had already run into the room to see Riley. Ben pulled the doctor aside. "What's the bad news?"

"It's not for you as much as for Riley."

"And?"

"His parents have been in a horrible car accident. His mother was killed instantly; his father is still in a coma. I'm sorry, Ben."

Ben took a deep breath. "What about his sister?"

The doctor looked bemused. "What sister?"

Just then, Ben's phone rang. He looked at it and checked the number, he didn't recognize it. He waited painfully for a message, hoping, hoping it was some salesperson.

The ringing stopped, there was one new voicemail. Trembling, Ben pressed one and held the phone to his ear. He heard only two words, in a voice he would recognize anywhere.

"Hello, Ben." That was it; the line went dead, replaced by the false sounding voice.

"If you would like to save this message please press 7. If you wish to delete this message, press 2. For more options…" Ben shut the phone.

"Dr. Beckman…"

"Please, call me Jack."

"Jack, then," said Ben. "I want you to keep a close eye on Riley. Don't let anyone see him without me or the two people you just saw. I don't care what he says, but try to watch out for him, he hates being babied, but I think he'll understand under the circumstances."

Jack nodded. "You're worried they might come back." Ben looked at the doctor, confusion written on his face. "You're afraid Riley's would-be killers will find out he's alive and finish the job." Jack put a hand on Ben's shoulder. "I'll make sure he's safe," he promised.

"Thank you," Ben said. He then took out his phone and dialed his parents.

"Ben?" asked his mother. The sadness was obvious in her voice, as though she had been crying before she picked up the phone.

"Mom! He's going to be alright! He's going to make it!" cried Ben. He heard loud crying in the background and realized that Abigail must have left Amelia with his parents.

"Mom, let me get home and take care of…"

"Don't you dare think about it Ben! I want you to be there when Riley wakes up?" demanded his mom.

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing! I can take care of a child you know, even if it's not for a very long time." Her voice was gone.

Ben stared at the phone in disbelief. "My mom hung up on me!" he marveled. The man grinned.

"Let's go check on your friend," he suggested. Ben nodded. He walked through the door with only one thought in his head. Riley would be okay.