Hey everyone! Thank you for all the reviews they really brighten my day and make me want to keep writing. So, since I should be studying for my history exam I am posting another chapter hehe . Please let me know what you think, thank you. Enjoy! P.S. I also really like Clic before Ric went nuts. Unfortunately even though I was a Clic fan he is going to continue to be a jerk for most of the story. Sorry if that upsets anyone.

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Sonny was looking over a file when Claudia came down the stairs. She seemed even more agitated than before. He smiled reassuringly at her, but it did nothing to calm her down. She was holding something behind her back and Sonny was becoming more and more nervous.

"Sonny I need to tell you something," she said when she reached the desk. She took a gun out from behind her back and put it on his desk.

"Where did you get-"

"I hired Ian Devlin to kill you and instead he shot your son. It's my fault and I know it means nothing, but I'm sorry I never would have sent him if I knew Michael was going to be there. And please don't hurt Johnny he had nothing to do with it," She stopped and looked at him. His face was calm and he wasn't looking at her.

"Ric knows that's what he's been holding over your head isn't it?"

"When I got pregnant I hated Ric, but I thought you would kill me and my brother. I had to sleep with him to keep his mouth shut. Sonny none of that matters just do what you know you have to!" Claudia screamed her eyes surprisingly dry and void of any fear. They were filled with acceptance, remorse, and another emotion Sonny couldn't or maybe wouldn't identify.

"If you know what happens next why are you telling me this?"

"A lot of reasons it doesn't matter."

"It does to me!"

"When John was little, only six or seven, Daddy tried to kill him and I thought there was no redemption from that. Hurting a child is unforgivable. Michael is suffering and it's my fault. He doesn't deserve anything that happened to him. And you," Sonny's head jerked up and he looked deep into her eyes. "When you were a bastard it was so easy to look at you and lie every day, but after the baby died you…you have been so caring and so wonderful…you have given me more than you will ever know. I want to give you something, but the only thing I have to give you is the revenge you crave…the revenge you deserve," A single tear trailed down Claudia's cheek. Claudia looked deep into his eyes and picked up the gun. She placed it in his hands and raised it to her chest. "Make it slow," she seethed. "Make it hurt," Sonny tightened his grip on the gun, but Claudia didn't let go.

"No," Sonny said shaking his head. "I…I can't do this," he said trying to pull the gun away.

"Sonny, emotions that aren't even real are clouding your judgment!" Claudia smiled through her tears and pulled the trigger. The force of the shot threw her backwards to the ground. An angry red stain spread across her chest like wildfire. She was still breathing, but barely.

"No!!" Sonny shouted running around the desk and kneeling beside her. "Max!!" he shouted. Max, however, had entered the room the minute he had heard gun shots. "Call an ambulance," he said his voice strained with emotions he couldn't even begin to comprehend. He pressed a blanket to her chest to slow the bleeding.

"Why are you doing this?" Claudia struggled to say.

"Honestly Claudia I don't know why I want you to stay, but I do. Please give this whatever it is more time," Sonny smiled. Claudia laughed and then struggled to breath. Sonny let out a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding when the wail of the sirens got closer.

"If…if my…brother-"

"Save your strength Claudia I'm not going after Johnny."

"No he'll… go after… you. Tell him…tell him… I killed myself to be… with the baby. I don't want him… to hurt you."

"Don't worry you just hang on," Sonny said looking up when the medics came into the room. They quickly started working on Claudia trying to stabilize her. Sonny refused to let go of her hand until he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Michael. Sonny got up and followed his son to the other side of the room.

"She…"

"Did you shoot her because of what she did?" Michael said quietly so no one else heard.

"You know?"

"Yes, I don't think like you dad. I have forgiveness. She had no control over what Ian did when he got there. And I know she isn't a very nice person and she's done plenty of other horrible things, but I like her and Morgan likes her. You like her. The Claudia that did all those horrible things and was responsible for my shooting died when her baby was conceived. She could have taken revenge on Kristina and she didn't , because Kristina is your daughter. I don't want you to kill her. I want you to give her a second chance. But it might be too late," Michael said looking at his stepmom.

"I didn't shoot her. I couldn't do it so she did," Sonny said in a tortured whisper.

"What?"

"She was holding onto the gun with me and I tried to pull it away so she pulled the trigger. I couldn't kill her and I don't know how to feel about that."

"You should feel good," Michael said putting a hand on his father's shoulder. Sonny looked at his son pride swelling in his heart.

"You are a much better man than I am," Sonny said watching them lift Claudia on the gurney. He moved to go with them, but Michael put his hand on his arm.

"I'm your son that means I'm the best of you. You didn't shoot her dad, that means something," Sonny nodded tears in his eyes.

"Sir are you coming with us?" the EMT asked. Sonny nodded and rushed after them. Michael watched them go and sighed. He picked up Claudia's cell phone from the coffee table and dialed Johnny's number.

"Hey sis you ok?" Johnny answered.

"It's Michael."

"Where's my sister?" Johnny asked getting really nervous. Michael hesitated.

"Hospital, you better get down there it doesn't look good."

"What the hell happened!?"

"She shot herself," Michael said looking at the dark red stain on his father's carpet. The line went dead and Michael put the phone down. He looked at the stain one more time before leaving the house to go to the hospital.

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Johnny rushed into the hospital and over to the nurses' station. Epiphany was reading a file and looked up as he ran to her.

"My sister was hurt is she here yet?" Johnny asked. Before Epiphany could answer the elevators opened and the gurney carrying Claudia was wheeled out. Johnny felt like his heart hit the floor. She was barely breathing and there was blood everywhere. He moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't you die Claudia, don't you dare die."

"Sir if we're going to save her we need to move now," an EMT said. Johnny nodded and kissed his sister's forehead. They wheeled her away and Johnny tried to keep the tears from falling. He looked over and saw Sonny with Claudia's blood all over him.

"YOU!!" he seethed rushing towards him. He grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the wall. "You did this!" he shouted.

"No… I couldn't, she wanted me to even told me about Michael, but I couldn't do it," Sonny said not even trying to fight Johnny off.

"Then who pulled the damn trigger?"

"She did," Sonny said closing his eyes at the memory. When he opened them again Johnny swore he saw tears in the mobster's eyes.

"She had better live."

"Johnny!?" Olivia shouted coming off the elevator. Johnny released Sonny and turned towards her. "Why are you here?" she looked at Sonny and saw the blood staining his clothes. She looked back at Johnny. "Oh my god Claudia?"

"She tried to get Sonny to shoot her. She even told him about Michael and when he still wouldn't do it she did," Johnny put his head in his hands trying to control his emotions.

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Four long hours later Robin came out of the operating room to inform the group of Claudia's condition. Sonny and Johnny stood up quickly worry clear on both of their faces.

"She's alive, an inch lower and she would have died instantly. She's not out of the woods yet, but I think she's going to make a full recovery. We are moving her soon you can see her one at a time," she turned to go, but looked at them again. "And if you plan on upsetting her don't even bother going in there," She fixed each and every one of them with a stern look.

"You can leave now," Johnny said to Sonny.

"Did you not just hear what Robin said?" Michael asked not sure if he was amused that it took Johnny all of three seconds or upset that he was denying his father access to the woman he- his wife.

"If she sees you she's going to get upset," Johnny said to Sonny, ignoring Michael.

"I did not shoot her. She knows I'm not going to hurt her," Sonny said frustrated.

"We don't know that. You were with her when she tried to get you to kill her. Seeing you will upset her maybe because she thinks you might change your mind or because you didn't do what she wanted. I'm not doing this to be an ass Sonny. I'm just looking out for my sister and I know how she thinks. If she asks for you I promise I will call you," Johnny said as Sonny put his head in his hands. Sonny finally nodded and left with Michael. Johnny turned to Olivia.

"Oh I have no illusions about how your sister feels about me. So, I am not going in there with you, but I am going to wait out here. Johnny it's hard to see the person you love so close to death and when you get out of there you are going to need someone to tell you its ok. Alright?"

"Thank you," Johnny said kissing her passionately. Robin came back out and motioned to Johnny.

"You can see her now," Robin said.

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Johnny walked into his sister's hospital room and felt sick. She had been here plenty of times, but this time it was almost her last. She had tried to get Sonny to kill her, and from what Johnny understood, when that didn't work she shot herself. How had she become so depressed and nobody noticed? Nobody was looking, a small voice in his mind said. He sat next to her bed and held her hand. Johnny brought it to his lips and kissed it softly. Things were going to change. Claudia was slowly becoming aware of her surroundings and felt a hand grasping her own. She hoped it was Johnny's. She really didn't want to see Sonny right now. She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Johnny," she said weakly. Johnny smiled at her.

"Hey."

"John Sonny didn't do this, I –"

"Shhh, I know. It's ok just relax. I'm sorry Claudia. I didn't see how much pain you were in. You have taken care of me my whole life now it's my turn to take care of you. I love you, we are going to get through this together," Johnny said. Claudia weakly squeezed his hand. Her eyes began to close and she fell back asleep.