A/N: I'm glad that you are all enjoying this story. I am really enjoying writing it. I have decided that I'm gong to sort of write this like a soap in the sense that I'm going to leave you hanging a lot. I hope you are all okay with that. Not only are the first couple chapters going to go from Cole's POV to Starr's, but also from present to flashbacks. Without further ado, here is the next chapter.

Starr rushes into the hospital looking around for someone, anyone, that can tell her what the hell is going on. She spots Marty sitting in the waiting area and runs up to her.

"Marty, what happened? Where is he? Is he okay?" She can't even think straight.

"He's in the OR, they are operating on him right now."

"How bad is it?"

"I'm not sure. They really didn't tell me much. Just that he was shot in the abdomen and he had lost a lot of blood."

"Oh my God! But he's going to be okay, right?"

"I don' know sweetie. I hope so." Marty takes Starr into her arms and holds her for a couple seconds.

Langston walks up with coffee in her hands. "Starr, you finally made it."

"Yeah."

Langston hands Marty a cup of coffee, "thank you."

"No problem." She looks at Starr, "do you want me to get you anything."

"No I'm fine. I just want to know what happened. I mean who did this? Where was he?"

"All I know is that he was down on the docks and he got shot, nothing more."

"The cops don't know who did it?"

"No, honey. Eli just said that he found him lying on the ground bleeding."

"Eli?"

"Yes, Eli. He found him and called 9-1-1. I just thank God that he was walking by at that time or else… well I don't even want to think of the alternative."

"Wait. What about the police officer that was assigned to him?"

"I really don't know. John is looking into it."

Langston looks around, "well he might have ditched him like you did yours."

"How do you know that?"

"We called him when no one could get a hold of you. He told us that you flipped out on him and told him not to follow you."

"Yeah, well I just wanted to be alone."

"Where were you anyway?"

"I was um…."

Marty interrupts her. "Oh there is the nurse that was helping with Cole's surgery."

The nurse walks up. "Dr. Saybrooke, I just came to give an update about your son."

"Yes, yes, yes. Is he okay? Is he out of surgery?"

The nurse looks at Starr and Langston before she says anything. Marty notices, "Its fine, they can hear. This is Cole's girlfriend."

"He's still in surgery. Like I said before, he lost a lot of blood. We had to give him 2 transfusions. That is all I can say. I just came out to update you. It is going to be about another hour or two."

Starr looks at the nurse, "He is going to live, right?"

"We are doing everything in our power to help him. I'm sorry, I have to get back."

"Oh my God. This can't be happening."

Marty turns to Starr, "Hey, he's strong, and he has a lot to live for. It would take a hundred bullets to keep him away from you and Hope. You two girls are his world."

"Yeah, I hope so… wait, Hope. Where is she? Was she with Cole!"

"No. I actually had Hope. Cole said he had to go out earlier and he dropped her off with me. When I got the call, your mom met me here and took Hope back to your Aunt Dorian's."

"Oh okay… Wait, where was Cole going?"

"I don't know. He said that he had to go take care of something."

"None of this makes any sense. Who would do this to him?"

"I don't know. John is on it though. You know John, when he sets his mind to something…"

"Yeah, I know."

(Half hour later)

Starr, Marty, and Langston have been joined by Nora and Matthew. They are all sitting in the waiting area. They haven't heard anymore news. Starr is going crazy out of her mind when her cell phone goes off for the third straight time in the last half hour. For the third time she looks at it, hits ignore and puts in back in her bag. She suddenly feels as though she is starting to suffocate and knows she needs to get out of there. She feels like everyone is looking at her, judging her, like they know. She gets up, "Um I'm going to go to the chapel."

Matthew stands up, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. I just want to be alone right now."

Starr runs off to the chapel.

Starr enters the chapel and sits in the front pew. She looks up at the cross in front of her and just starts to cry. "Oh, God. Please, please, please, let him be okay. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I love him so much. I need him to be okay. I need him… I just, I just need him. I love him so much. I'll do anything. Please, just let him live."

Someone sits down next to her, she looks up and it is Langston. She falls into Langston's arms crying.

After about 2 minutes or so Starr calms down and sits up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose it on you."

"It's totally fine. I'm your best friend that is what I'm here for."

"He can't die."

"He won't."

"You can promise that?"

"No, but it's like Dr. Saybrooke said, it would take a hell of a lot more than one bullet to take Cole away from you and Hope."

"It should be me," Starr whispers.

Langston looks at her shocked, "What?"

"Nothing." Before Langston can say anything else Starr's phone rings again. She looks at is and screams, "ughh!" and throws her phone to the ground.

"Whoa, what was that about? Who keeps calling you?"

"It's no one."

"It's obviously someone. Is it your dad?"

"No… it's James."

"Oh. Well why don't you just answer it?"

Starr snaps at Langston, "Cause I don't want to talk to him, Langston. Cole is in surgery; James is the last thing on my mind right now."

Langston puts her hands up, "Okay… sorry. You want me to talk to him for you?"

"No," Starr replies quickly.

"Starr, what's going on? … Where were you earlier?" Starr is avoiding eye contact. "Were you with James?"

"I… I didn't mean it. It just happened…. I don't…"

"Starr, what are you talking about? What happened?"

"Langston… I slept with James."