Angel had been asleep when he heard the knock on the door, Kira and Nikki having been in the dinning room talking. He was knocked out on the couch; the beating down of the door had startled Bobby in a chair across the room. Groggily he had lifted himself to his feet, Angel not being one of the fastest after a deep nap. What was waiting for him at the front door, he hadn't expected.

"Hello officers…" Leaning against the doorframe, he grinned slightly, he had never seen these faces before. They made him miss seeing light bright Lt. Green. One of them cleared their throat, opening his mouth to speak.

"We're looking for the brothers of," he looked down at a clipboard in his hand, the younger officer beside him looking nosily into the house, "Jeremiah Mercer. We were told there are three of you guys, would any of them be home?"

It took Angel awhile to reply, he had so many thoughts running through his mind.

Why would police be asking for them?
Why would they ask for them, by Jeremiah's request?

Could Jeremiah be in jail? And if so did he need bail?
No…if he was in jail he'd probably be in there a good while before he asked for their help. Plus they just saw him no more than three days ago, and that wasn't a long enough time for anything to have…happened?

"Right, I'm one of the brothers. Third oldest," he extended a hand and the younger officer quickly reached out to shake it. He eyed him coolly; the kid was pretty high-strung for an officer, "Angel Mercer." A high-strung officer could never be good…

The older officer nodded, clearing his throat again before actually coughing into his hand.
"I'm Lt. Ashby," he motioned to the kid as something else caught his attention, "This is Officer Skit, and do you think we can come in? This may take awhile…"

Angel simply stared at him for awhile before turning around to the sound of Kira's voice.
"Let them in Angel…" she disappeared back through the living room and he stepped aside to let the two men in uniform into the Mercer home. He was getting tired of letting cops in, especially since they had just busted a bad one not that long ago.

"Let them in…this aint her damn house," he mumbled following the two into the living room where Lt. Ashby sat on the couch and Officer Skit stood there looking about nervously.

"Can I get you two some coffee?" Of course it was Kira, being the polite one, she had no choice after all, Bobby and Nikki were glaring, and so was Angel. She understood why they were all upset but it wasn't as if they could just jump the two and send them on their way. Obviously there was something important they had to tell the Mercer boys. Once she had the nod of approval from the lieutenant she went back into the kitchen, pulling Nikki along with her.
"What are you doing, Kira?" A frustrated Nikki exclaimed, snatching her arm back from Kira, and heading back for the living room.
"Nikki, we're guests, and obviously they want to talk to those of the Mercer family, which neither of us—"
"We basically are Mercers K—"
"Basically and are, those are two different words, completely different meanings. Give them some privacy Nikki…"

To her surprise Nikki actually listened, though it was with stubbornness, she settled with leaning against the counter, watching Kira make coffee while at the same time straining to hear what was going on in the living room.

Bobby leaned back in the reclining chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest before actually speaking to the old man that sat on his mothers couch. He wasn't exactly thrilled to see another cop so soon, he felt they had left their mark strong enough at the interrogation after Victor Sweet's…disappearance.

"So, lt. Ashby…what's the news? This is Bobby by the way," Angel pointed at the oldest of the Mercer boys, slouched in the chair.

The man looked up from his previous gaze to his twiddling thumbs.

"Well you see," he started quietly, voice hoarse from probably a cold, "Around ten o'clock this morning, we got a call in from an old woman that lives across the street from your brother Jeremiah, you see at first we thought nothing of it, the old lady calls in about dogs running around the neighborhood, then finds out the owner was behind a tree, which is why she couldn't see them. With that aside though, it seems she was a witness to a shooting, right in front of her house…actually right on your brothers front lawn."
Bobby slowly sat up, leaning forward in his seat, no longer glaring at the policeman but actually intently listening. Angel looked up as Kira once again entered the room, with a cup of coffee for both men; upon glancing at him, questioning if either him or Bobby would like one as well, he shook his head no. He looked back to the lieutenant as he continued.

"She explained that a black SUV with no license plate had been sitting out in front of your brothers house for one too many days. She's considered the nosey neighbor on the street, which fits perfectly because she said she watched everyone's house all day long. The old lady is sickly, and doesn't get out very often. She said as soon as she saw the car door open when the girls were out playing she called the police. Next thing you know she's calling us again, even though we were already on our way, yelling that the oldest of your brothers two girls had been shot—"
"Daniela?" It was Jack, having come downstairs from probably a nap as well. He rubbed his eye lazily, and looked between his two present brothers.

"Uh, yes…I believe that's what her name was. Daniela Mercer. She's in the hospital right now, critical condition. Your brother wished for us to contact you all as soon as possible, explaining that you three were the only family he had other than his wife and other little girl."
He paused to look at Bobby, they all assumed the pause was for Bobby to say something, but he didn't. He just sat there, staring out the window.

"Well, thank you officers," he said quietly, ushering the two out the door. The coffee had went untouched, and Kira quickly gathered the two cups up to wash them out, Nikki rushing to the door to see if she could find out what they had been talking about.
"Wait, we need to ask you three a few questions," the lieutenant protested, placing a hand on the door Bobby had been planning on slamming in there face.

"You can ask them later," he said quietly, closing the door and locking it. He turned to look at Angel and Jack, Nikki peeking in the background.
"So…are we going to the hospital?" Jack asked quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. He was afraid, afraid that Daniela may be dead. This was too many people to lose in one year.

"Of course we're going to the hospital…grab your coat. Angel, tell Kira we're leaving and we may be bringing Jerry and his family home so cook more than usual. They might be staying awhile…"

Angel simply nodded, going through the living room to the kitchen, where Kira waited patiently.

Bobby sighed and hit his head lightly against the wall, only stopping when Nikki came to stand beside him, her hands on her hips.
"I'm coming with you guys," she stated bluntly, obviously intent on going whether they warned against it or not.
"No, you're not coming. This has nothing to do with either one of you. Go back into the kitchen with Kira. I'm going to need you too—"
"No, you don't understand…I'm going, Bobby. I'm just as much apart of this family as Angel and Jack are!"
"Nikki don't start this shit! Not right now!"

Nikki recoiled, stepping back as Bobby raised his voice, it was something he didn't do with her. Bobby didn't yell at her, didn't really yell at anyone, not like this at least. The worst part was, he didn't even apologize.
"Now don't ask…don't demand again. I'm not trying to exclude you, Nikki…I'm trying to protect you. We don't know what's going on, Daniela is in the hospital. Hell she could be dead right now," he glared at her as she opened her mouth to speak, "and I understand that you feel you can handle it, but we don't need you at the hospital. We need you here, at the house, getting it ready for Jerry, his wife and Amelia. Do you understand?"
Nikki nodded grudgingly and turned to leave, entering the kitchen as Angel exited.

"So…what'd Angel tell you?"

Kira turned to look at Nikki who leaned against the wall, seemingly pouting over something.
"He explained that something had come up and Jerry's family would be staying with us. He wanted me to cook for them as well, assuming that I was already planning on making dinner tonight…which I wasn't."
This answer didn't please Nikki; she found it irritating that Kira was so laid-back about everything. Willing to just sit at the house and wait, all the action was going to be at the hospital obviously! It was as if Kira didn't even want to see if Daniela was okay, like she didn't even care! If she did care why was she okay with just sitting at home doing nothing but…housework?

"You didn't ask what the problem was?"
"No…there was no need to. It's something important," she said quietly, placing pots and pans on the stove, and pulling ingredients from the cabinets and fridge. It was funny how Kira still knew where everything was, having watched Ms. Mercer work around the kitchen for hours at a time during all seasons.

"How do you know it's something important?"
"Because I know how Angel is when something bad has happened. Because his voice changes, and he doesn't give me that usual smile. Because his dark eyes don't shine, and he keeps his distance from me. That's how I know it's something important and if the boys don't want to tell me then so be it. I'm willing to simply do what I've been asked, because either way I'm helping out."

Nikki glared at Kira as she moved around the kitchen like Ms. Susie Homemaker. She made her sick with that 50's crap she tried to pull once she was in a house. All she needed was the dress; the apron and some hairspray, not to mention a short haircut, preferably flipped and she would be set. Turning away she headed up the stairs, the boys had already left. She had only wished she could've gone with them.

The ride to the hospital was a silent one, the boys were thinking, more so hoping and praying that once they arrived at the hospital, it was all good news they were going to here. They at least wanted to hear that Daniela hadn't died on the way there.

They wasted no time getting out of the car, rushing up to the glass sliding double doors of the twenty story children's hospital they were surprised to see Jerry and Amelia sitting there in the waiting room, waiting for them Jerry had explained.

"What's the damage Jerry?" Bobby sighed, giving a tired smile to Amelia.
"She was shot in the shoulder Bobby. The doctors say that it's a good thing that it went all the way through, it means they won't have to retrieve the bullet and risk the chances of her losing more blood than she already has. She's in critical condition," he croaked out, to tired to do anymore crying, yet too anxious to stop talking. He sat down as Angel put a hand on his shoulder, pulling Amelia to his side to hug her, " they said she was in hypovolemic shock, whatever that means. She's drifting in and out of consciousness, the bullet only definitely hit the bone on its way through, but it didn't go completely through it. The doctor said she should be alright, we're only lucky she got here so soon, there's still a possibility there though that she won't make it. It's hard to tell, he said the pain could've been too much for her heart…it could stop…"

Jack took Amelia's hand, leading her off down the hallway to probably entertain her. Bobby sat down beside his brother, leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath.
"Who did this Jerry…?"
"Come on Bobby," Angel said quietly, sitting as well.
"No, not come on. Jerry, you were keeping secrets last time, you better not be keeping secrets again…"
"Really Bobby!? My daughter is in their Bobby! She's thriving, Bobby, trying her best in there! And you're accusing me of being the purpose of it!?"
"Don't start acting all high and mighty like I don't have a fucking reason to question you! If you don't fucking know then that's all you had to say, Jerry! I definitely think its a little odd though that this unanimous guy would be at your house, camped out and shoot your little girl! Do you not think that's weird, Jerry!? Maybe you're forgetting something! Someone you promised to pay off but didn't!?"
Jerry didn't say anything, he stared at the glossy linoleum floor, white, the traditional color of the hospital. He rocked slowly back and forth in his chair, face in his hands, he bent over.

"Amelia knows his name Bobby…Daniela does too…but what can I do? What do you want me to do? Amelia is in shock as well, she won't speak, and she won't cry, she just stands there, staring. And Camille…" he let it trail off, shaking his head and groaning, as Angel rubbed his back.

Bobby was now officially frustrated, he hadn't meant to make Jerry feel that way; it was simply the fact of the matter. There was a possibility that Jerry could have been hiding something, even though what they had assumed last time was wrong, there was no room for basing things off of past errors. He had to figure this out the best way he could with no evidence to go on. The police sounded like they had nothing too, and there was probably another bad cop that had something to do with this, another stupid Victor Sweet out there that was messing with the wrong fucking family. If he could take out Sweet, who said he couldn't take out this idiot?