Mac continued speeding down the streets of New York, glancing back at Jo every couple of minutes to

make sure she was okay. Finally he arrived at the hospital. He swung the truck into a parking spot. He

jumped out of the truck and quickly carried Jo into the hospital. "I need some help over here please" he

started yelling. A doctor and two nurses quickly ran over with a gurney. Mac laid her down on it. "What

happened?" they asked. "She's been attacked" replied Mac. "What's her name?" asked the doctor.

"Jo..Jo Danville" he replied. "Okay Jo, I need you to stay with me okay" he said. She shined a light in both

of her eyes. "Definite concussion" he said. She started to cough up more blood. The doctor immediately

lifted her shirt and looked down at the bruising with dismay. "She's displaying signs of tension

pneumothorax, we need a needle thoracotomy and a chest tube, come on let's move people" yelled the

doctor.

"What's happening?" asked Mac. "She's going into respiratory distress, we need to get her in the

O.R. now" he replied. The worry on Mac's face was now very prevalent. They started wheeling her down

the hall. Mac ran alongside them and held tight to Jo's hand the whole time until they reached the

double doors. "I'm sorry sir, but you're going to have to wait here" said the doctor. "Please, sir" said the

doctor.

It finally took some coaxing, but Mac finally let go of her hand and allowed them to take her down the

corridor and out of his sight. He sat down in one of the waiting room chairs, put his head in his hands,

and almost completely broke down. It wasn't too long before he heard footsteps and looked up to see

his entire team racing toward him. "Mac, what the hell happened? Flack called me and said something

happened to Jo but wouldn't elaborate!" exclaimed Lindsey. "I can't believe I just let her walk home

like that" said Mac. "Mac, what happened?" asked Lindsey again. "She… she, um, was attacked" said

Mac.

"How bad?" asked Lindsey. "It's not good" said Mac. They all turned around when they heard the sound

of footsteps heading toward them. "Jo Danville" he said. Mac stood up. "How is she doctor?" asked

Mac. The doctor sighed. "I wish I had better news Detective Taylor" replied the doctor. "Detective

Danville sustained 3 broken ribs, a punctured lung, a dislocated shoulder, a bruised sternum and spine,

and a pretty severe concussion, along with numerous other abrasions and contusions. Mac noticed the

look of disdain and concealment in her eyes.

"What aren't you telling me Doctor?" asked Mac, inquisitively, knowing all too well what the doctor was

holding back , considering the state that he had found Jo in. The doctor sighed. "We also did a rape kit

and it was positive for semen" replied the doctor. At that moment it felt like the room was spinning and

Mac felt that he might throw up at any moment. Don had to guide Mac back to his chair. Lindsey started

sobbing and Danny took her in is arms and held her. Flack, enraged, punched the wall, as the others just

stood there completely speechless.

Mac regained his composure somewhat. "Can I see her?" he asked anxiously. Dr. Madison could tell that

Mac was in an emotionally vulnerable state. "Of course, but only for a little while; she's in recovery

room 108" replied the doctor sympathetically. "Thank you" said Mac. He turned to his team. "You all

should go back to the lab and analyze the evidence, and Don please call Jo's family, they must be

worried sick, but please don't give them all the details" he said. "Yeah sure whatever you need Mac"

replied Don. Lindsey embraced him and then she, Don, and the others went on their way.

"I hope you get your guy" said the doctor. "Me too" said Mac as he headed down the hallway towards

Jo's hospital room.

He reached her room. His hand shook as he reached for the door handle. He took a deep breath and

pulled the door open. As soon as he entered the room and saw her, a mix of emotions began to course

through him. He was angry at the man who did this to Jo, angry at himself for not insisting that he take

her home, and completely heartbroken, as he saw her laying there. She just looked so lifeless and the

pallor of her skin was a ghostly white whereas she looked like a fragile porcelain doll. Her face was

extremely swollen from the beating she had taken and Mac could hardly keep himself from breaking

down. He walked over to the bed, pulled up a chair, and took her hand in his and whispered softly to

kept thinking to himself if only he had protected her better, then none of this would have

happened. After a while, though he wanted to be near hear, he just couldn't take one more minute of

seeing her lying their helpless and beaten down. He made his way from her hospital room towards the

chapel to do the one thing that he hadn't done to often since Claire died, pray.

When he reached the chapel, he was thankful that there was no one else besides him. He slipped into

one of the pews and just sat there for a second in silence, unsure of where to begin. "Well God here we

are again, I know it's been quite a while, but I figure now is as good a time as any, so here it goes." said

Mac."I've never fully wanted to admit to myself that I need anybody, but I do, I need her, Jo is

everything to me. I don't know if I can go on living without her, so all I'm asking is that you watch over

her and please don't take her from me. I know everyone says when it's your time you gotta go, but Lord,

this isn't Jo's time, she's got so much more living to do, so just please let her live, amen." finished Mac.

He got up and headed back towards Jo's room and was stopped by a nurse. "I'm sorry sir but visiting

hours are over, you'll have to come back tomorrow " she said. " I'm afraid that's impossible, because I'm

not going anywhere " said Mac. " Sir please, I don't want to inform security" she replied, but Mac

wasn't backing down. "Well I'm afraid I must inform you…." He was stopped short. "Is there a problem

her nurse Johnson?" asked doctor Madison. "Yes Ma'am, I'm afraid there is, this gentleman is refusing

to leave after I've already explained to him that visiting hours are over

"Well I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, Nurse Johnson, but Detective Taylor is a good friend of mine,

not to mention a decorated officer of the NYPD, and I authorized it" replied Doctor Madison. "Oh, I'm

so sorry Detective Taylor, I will bring you some blankets and pillows" said Nurse Johnson racing off down

the hall. Mac turned to Dr. Madison. "Thanks Samantha" said Mac. She put up her finger and gave him a

stern look. "Mac, don't you ever pull something like that again" she said perturbed. "What?" asked Mac

taken aback. "I am a highly respected professional and I don't want to lose that respect by being

presumed to play favorites and let friends become exceptions to the rules" said Samantha

Mac was about to say something else. "Wait, let me finish." But under the circumstances I can

understand why you need to be here with your friend" said Samantha. "You love her don't you?" she

inquired. "I can see it in your eyes" she continued.

"Yes, very much" replied Mac. At hearing this Samantha smiled. "Which is why I've mad the exception"

she replied. "Now I'll be in to check on you later on" said Samantha. "Thanks Sam" I appreciate it" he

said. "No problem Mac" replied Samantha. With that he took off down the hall to Jo's room.

He once again pulled his chair close to the bed. He took her hand in his and caressed it. "Jo I don't know

If you can hear me, but I might never get another chance to say this; I love you so much, I have ever

since the first day I met you and I can't believe I how much of a fool I've been to wait this long to tell

you" he said. "I don't know what I'd do without you, so you have got to pull through for me and for Ellie

and Tyler; they need you, I need you" he continued.

" I am so sorry that this happened. It's all my fault, I…I shouldn't have given you a choice. I should

have insisted that I drive you home, and none of this would have happened, I'm so sorry." He said

sobbing.

Then he felt a slight squeeze and then an extremely weak voice. "Don't you dare do that Mac Taylor"

said Jo in a barely audible whisper. "Jo, thank God" he said delicately stroking her cheek. "Don't you

dare blame yourself, this isn't your fault" she continued, clearly in pain.

"I…I shouldn't have been so stubborn when you offered me a ride home" she continued. "Jo, we could

go round and round all day with this, but you need to just rest, now I'll go get the doctor" said Mac. "But

don't you need my statement?" she managed with a painful grunt. "You don't need to worry about that

right now Jo okay, just please get some rest" said Mac soothingly. "J..John Curtis" she said grimacing in

pain. Mac's facial expression then changed from that of concern to sheer hatred. "What?" inquired

Mac, though he had heard full well what she had said. "It was John Curtis, he jumped me, I never heard

him coming" said Jo."I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch" said Mac angrily. At that moment, the doctor

walked in. "Everything okay in here?" she asked.