Chapter 7: Stefano's Demise

{A/N: As I said I was bored back then}

Chadsworth DiMera entered the mansion soaked from the rain. He had been visiting with Melanie since he had moved back into the mansion things have been just touch and go with his father. He wanted him to know that he still had a son that loved him. The mansion was unusually quiet for this time of day with the exception of his father's music. It had been strangely dark as well, hearing the music Chad had known his father was awake and in the study. As he stepped further into the house he had a terrible feeling. The young man found himself drawn to the study, he looked inside and a fractured image of a man lying on the floor had caught his attention. He rushed into the room and got closer to the man fearing the worst. He pushed passed the doors and to his horror he found a bullet riddled Stefano DiMera bleeding out on the floor. The realization that he was going to lose his father cut him like a knife.

"Dad?" he said confused but the last diabetic shock replayed in his mind.

He had just recently come back to the mansion, before that he spent two years avoiding this man since he found out they were father and son. Two years and now there was a chance that they would not have any time left. The boy had already lost his mother, to lose Stefano was not an option, he couldn't take not having a family again.

"Dad!" he shouted. And proceeded to stop the bleeding with his shirt.

Stefano looked up at his youngest son and was filled with absolute worry. He did not want him to get mixed up in his demons from the past and tried to push him away. The hurt in the boy's eyes had been all too familiar, it was the same kind of hurt that lead him to become the man he had been all these years and he had not wanted Chad to follow in his footsteps.

"Leave me." demanded a bloodied Stefano weary.

Frantic, for fear of losing the only father he ever had, Chad couldn't feel anything else but numb looking at his father with a pool of his own blood surrounding him. For years he had followed everyone's advice and distanced himself from a man that had loved him and cared for him ever since he found out he was his son and before hand he had stood up for him when DA Woods, the towns hero for his many convictions in up holding the law, blamed him for the death of his mother. This man and his daughter Lexie stood up for him and they had turned out to be his true family. Lexie was dying of a brain tumor and now here was Stefano, his father, dying from gunshot wounds.

"I gotta get you to a hospital." he said in tears but he was trying to be strong for Stefano.

Outside DiMera Mansion...

Kate had been standing outside the mansion fighting herself with the prospect of going in. Stefano had hurt her in more ways than one with the company but she had known it was only because she hurt him when she slept with Ian. He had done so much for her and Lucas and for her to just lose her temper of something as trivial as Titan it wasn't necessary. She pulled a gun on him but she had no intention of killing him. She loved him more than anyone despite his antics and in most cases because of them. This should not have been a surprise to her. Realizing she loved him more than her own pride she stormed into the mansion. If he was hurt she could never forgive herself if she left him alone. She had a terrible feeling as she entered the mansion.

Inside Stefano's Study...

The study was open and Chad was trying to keep a bullet riddled Stefano from bleeding to death. The poor boy was doing his best alone with his only dying parent. He had already lost his mother due to an unfortunate accident on his part, he refused to lose his father. Kate had been horrified at what she stumbed upon...

"Oh my God." she said in shock.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she rushed to his side. Chad looked up at her he was trying so hard to save a man that Salem wanted dead.

"Chad call 911." she instructed.

Happy to see Kate he tried his phone and found it was dead. The house lines were down and Stefano's cell had been dead. It was as if the universe wanted Stefano to die in his mansion. He went off in search for a phone leaving Stefano in Kate's care.

The blood had been coming out in steady streams making him light headed. Kate had not wanted Stefano to lose consciousness. She held him close despite their problems she had still loved him.

"Katherine why are you here shouldn't you be home with Ian McAllister the man you love so much?" asked Stefano.

Kate sighed.

"Stefano let's not do this okay." she said "You've been shot"

"As I recall you came here for just that purpose." he replied.

Kate let the tears roll down her cheeks. She did not really want Stefano dead. She was just upset and out of control.

"Stefano wither you choose to believe it or not I do love you and I always will." she said sorry.

"If you love me so much then why did you betray me with Ian?" he asked.

Kate couldn't come up with a definite reason. She had not intended to hurt him it just happened and she couldn't cope with losing Stefano when she realized her error.

"What difference does it make?" She asked as the tears continued to come down.

Stefano sighed.

"I'm dying." he said emotionless.

Kate had been saddened by this and could no longer hid her sorrow.

"Don't say that…you are not dying...you have so much to live for…your grandchildren…your sons…Chad and EJ…What about Lexie she still needs you." she said.

"They are better off without me…as it would seem…I have not been much good to any of you." he said accepting his thoughts on his failure as a father and husband.

Kate looked him in the eyes.

"Any of you?" she asked sadly "Does that include me?"

Stefano gripped her hand and gave her an apologetic look. Like so many times before he kissed it and Kate could see the regret in his eyes.

"I often hurt the people that I love." he said looking her into the eyes.

Suddenly a sharp pain went through him and he seemed to black out from the force of it. Kate was suddenly frantic as she tried just as Chad had done to stop the bleeding.

"Stefano….Stefano open your eyes." she said frantic.

He did not respond as he had slipped into shock. Kate had been trying desperately to get him to awaken. Chad had arrived with an ambulance team. He had managed to get hold of a phone and called them before Stefano got worse any worse but none were too sure he would pull through. His chances of surviving had weighed heavily on Kate's mind. She could do nothing but worry and hope for the best.

"How is he?" asked Chad afraid.

"He's slipped into shock." replied Kate hurt.

"We'll take it from here." said one of the EMT's.

They got Stefano on a gurney and put him into the back of an ambulance. Kate and Chad rode with him. Stefano seemed to be stabilized as they made their way to the hospital. Kate had looked down and found that Stefano grabbed her hand.

Stefano looked directly at her as they continued.

"I love you, Katerina." he said out of it.

The machines went haywire once more and he slipped out of consciousness once again. Chad had felt his father grab his hand and then he released them both. Once at the hospital he was rushed off to surgery. Kate and Chad sat in the lobby and tried to see if they should contact anyone about his condition. Chad was in no mood to talk to anyone. Kate didn't want to disturb Lexie with this news and that left EJ, she did not know what was going on between him and Stefano but he had been his son.