When You're Gone

Rose scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could, the sound of the gun going off echoing through the still, quiet night. "Oh God," she said in a terrified whisper as she got to Mack's side. The bullet had found its target mere inches about Mack's heart. From the orange glow of the streetlights she could see a dark stain spreading steadily from where the silver bullet had pierced Mack's body.

A look of surprise had been etched onto his handsome face. He did not seem to hurt, or perhaps he was trying not to scare her by crying out. Rose pulled her phone from her purse and dialed an ambulance. "It's gonna be OK, Mack," Rose said as she hung up the phone. Kneeling beside him, she abandoned her bag and took him into her arms, cradling him as gently as she possibly could.

Mack reached up and cupped her face in his hands. "Oh Rosie, did he hurt you?" Rose could only stare at him. "Did he hurt you, Rose? I swear to God, if he so much as looked at you the wrong way I'm going to hunt him down and kill him. Tell me if he hurt you."

"No sweetheart, he didn't. He just pushed me. I'm not hurt at all. I promise you that. And even if he had there's no way I'd let you go after him. He just put a bullet in your chest and you're worried about me. Why?"

"Because I love you, Rose. That's why. I don't care if we're not together or if you don't understand why I tried to protect you from him. You've always been the person I would do anything for, the person I love most in the entire world. You're my other half. And never, ever would I let some guy get away with hurting you. Ever."

Rose didn't know what to say to this. "There's an ambulance on the way. They'll be here soon. They're going to make you all better again. Don't worry, Mack. Everything is OK. Everything is OK." She moved one hand to his hair, running her fingers through his curly locks.

"And if they don't get here in time it's not going to matter, Rose. Because if I die right here, right now then at least I'll be in the arms of the woman I love more than anyone or anything else." He smiled weakly.

"Oh Mack, don't talk like that. You sound so morbid. I don't like it. Please don't say things like that. It scares me. It really does." She continued running her fingers through his hair, working through the tangles. Her other hand pressed Mack closer to her.

"Tell me you love me, Rose," Mack whispered to her, still holding her face in his hands. "Please. Tell me you love me. That's all I want. Just say it."

But she couldn't. She couldn't tell him that she loved him, even though she did with all of her heart and soul. "Shh," Rose soothed. "Shh. It's all right. It's all right."

The ambulance arrived in a whirl of sirens and flashing red and blue lights. One of the paramedics spoke to Rose. "You'll have to go in your own car, miss. We'll be at San Angeles Memorial. He's in good hands with us."

Rose shook her head firmly. "He's my fiancé. I'm not leaving him. If you have a problem then you'll have to take that up with his father, Andrew Hartford. I'm sure he'll be on my side."

"It's on your head," said the paramedic. "Hop in. We got to get going." Rose did as she was told, holding Mack's hand as soon as the standard tests had been completed. Mack's eyes were closed now. Rose could not remember being more scared in all of her life.

The doctors on call at the emergency room were able to stabilize Mack almost immediately. They removed the bullet and stitched him up and then came and reported to Rose. "It's all up to him now, Ms. Ortiz. We've done what we can but he's lost a lot of blood. The wound is too fresh for us to give him a transfusion. But he's got an excellent chance. He's young and strong. Either way we'll know tomorrow morning."

Rose nodded her appreciation. "Thank you so much. I'm sure you've done a wonderful job. I've called his father and left a message saying what happened. May I go and sit with Mack now?"

"We're moving him to a private room right now."

One of the nurses came out then and beckoned Rose to follow her. The former pink ranger did as she was told, traipsing down many long corridors after the nurse. She shuddered lightly. She hated hospitals. Rose especially did not like that she was here for a possibly dying Mack.

"He's right in here, dear," said the nurse as she opened one of the doors off the hall. "I'll just leave the two of you alone. There's a nice little chair for you if you'd like."

Rose nodded once more. "Thanks." She went inside, frowning at what she saw. Rose's eyes misted over with tears. Mack looked like only a shadow of himself, only a mere ghost. He was pale and there were deep purple bruise-like circles under his eyes. She hated to see her vibrant fun-loving Mack like this.

Rose moved the padded red chair over to Mack's bedside. "Oh Mack. Oh sweetheart." She took one of Mack's large hands in her own. It was cold. Absently she pressed it to her face, staring down at this pitiful ghost of the man she loved.

And supposing Mack didn't make it? Then his death would be on her hands, would be all her fault. He'd followed after her, thinking he would be the shoulder for her to cry on. If he hadn't followed her he'd be safe at Will and Ronny's wedding reception.

"You are not supposed to care about me anymore, Mack. We broke up five years ago. Get over me. Move on with your life. Do not ever try and save me again. All it ever does is get you into trouble."

She looked down at him with sad, hurting eyes. Her heart was breaking just by staring at this broken down Mack. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry, baby. Please believe me." Rose leaned down and planted a kiss on Mack's forehead. "Don't you dare die on me, Mack Hartford. It's not supposed to end this way. Not for you."

Rose rearranged the thin hospital blankets over Mack, trying to make him as comfortable as possible. When that was done she took out her cell phone again and left a message on Ronny and Will's answering machine telling them that she and Mack were at the hospital.

She caught a look at herself in the small round mirror hanging on the wall across the room. She looked awful, and even though her appearance should have been the last thing on her mind Rose couldn't look away. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot from all the tears she'd shed. Her once yellow dress was now torn and smeared with dirt and what looked horribly like Mack's blood. Her shiny black hair had escaped from its neat bun wand was in tangles.

Rose buried her face in Mack's chest.

"Rose," said a soft, unfamiliar voice. "Come on, Rose, stop hiding. This is very important and I can't stay here for very long." Rose felt oddly comforted by this voice. It sounded motherly. She looked up to see a woman with light blue eyes and curly light brown hair. She seemed to be emitting a fain glow.

"Who are you?" Rose asked quietly. This other woman looked vaguely familiar but Rose couldn't place her.

"Think," said the visitor. "You know who I am, Rose. Just think for a moment. The answer will come."

"Serena Hartford," Rose said slowly after several long minutes. "But you're supposed to be…" Rose shook her head. "I must be dreaming. I'm dreaming, that's all."

"You have to save him, Rose. You have to save my little boy. He's my only child. He's too young to die, Rose. You have to save him. Please promise me you'll save my son."

"If the doctors can't do anything more, I doubt I can save him, Mrs. Hartford. In fact, I'm sure I can't."

"Tell him you love him, Rose. Just hold him and tell him you're here for him, that he needs to wake up. He'll listen to you. He'll fight for you."

"I don't want him to fight for me, Mrs. Hartford. Fighting for me is how he ended up in this mess."

"Tell him you love him," repeated Serena.

"Thank you," whispered Rose.

"From one Mrs. Hartford to another."