Toasty here,

Ok so I felt guilty about leaving it how it was, it was just a bit too cruel really and for that I do apologize. I'm walking a thin line here otherwise Steeles might just tell you all where I live and wear the pitch forks are kept! Oh and kill Tina, which would just be unbelievable cruel not to mention wrong so :P

Back to my point, here is another chapter for all of you, thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI New York, there is no way in hell I would let Stella leave, contract expiry or not!

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The whole Angell family was situated around a table in a fancy Manhattan restaurant, the atmosphere was alive and buzzing, every day chatter floated through the fancy cuisine yet the Angell table stood silent. Everyone knew what was about to happen and no one could stop it, that is apart from the man who then began speaking.

"Tis a shame your wonderful friend Lindsay could not make it tonight," Lucian smiled over at Jess as she shrank that bit further back into her chair. The noise was deafening her ears and her head was swimming in an aquarium of pain. Everything was thudding around and only one thought stood clear in her mind 'I need you Don'.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make," Lucian called and Jess mentally cried but refused to let the tears surface to reality. She knew exactly what it would be, the worst moment in her life and it would be the end of her life. She would have to accept, her father and family would shame her forever if she did.

"Jessica Angell, would you marry me?" The world stopped. All thoughts crashed into one, her vision became blurry. Would it all be worth it in the end? Could she live her life without Don? Could she live it accepted by her family but with Lucian? The thoughts jumbled into a massive blur, children with bright Irish blue eyes danced around, followed by silent weeping children with Lucian's strong black eyes. The image of tears slipping down her cheeks and Lucian stormed around a fancy town house settled her mind- adrenaline can give you one of two things. For some, it's a flee instinct and for others it's a fight. The bravest man in the world could still flee from a situation, that's what Jess did.

The world past in a blur, no destination was in mind but sure enough she ended up at Don's apartment door. The elevator was engaged and so she took the stairs, 2 or 3 at a time they bounded behind her. The world was still spinning when she reached his door, adrenaline made sure the exhaustion barely registered and the bruises from hitting the stairs were unnoticeable to her mind. The door opened in a few seconds, no where near quick enough.

Don appeared, dressed for a night on the couch and his face lit up like a spot light when he saw her, before it dropped. She hadn't spoken to him since she'd rejected him, how much she'd wanted to say yes to him. It had hurt more then being stabbed a thousand times saying no, it would have hurt more though to have said yes and then for it all to be ripped apart by life.

Maybe it was better, trying to stay away from him but she knew in her heart it would never work. Once you meet your soul mate, you can't let them go no matter how hard you try. A soul mate is so much more then a lover, your souls are entwined and from the moment you were born your life becomes a quest to find your other half. Most never find them; they didn't even know they could. There are some though, you find them and stick with them forever but then there are the soul mates that life tries to pull apart. Yet even life can't break the bond formed by soul mates.

Pulling all her inner strength, Jess pushed herself forward onto his lips, cherishing the warmth she felt and the comfort she was given as his arms wrapped around her. Never had she been loved like Don loved her, never did she want to be loved by anyone other then him again. In a funny way, he'd turned her upside down but there was no going back.

"Jess," Don breathed, pulling back slightly to look at her glowing face. Her smile stretched from ear to ear, her eyes sparkled with emotions, emotions for him. The lift tinged open and before either noticed them, Frankie and the rest of the Angell gang (bar Mitchell) were standing guns loaded. Don and Jess didn't even time to react before Frankie fired straight into Don's shoulder. With a stagger, Don fell to the ground as blood poured out the wound, Jess could only stand in shock before ducking and grabbing Don's gun from his hip holster.

"Jess, don't!" Don stammered but couldn't do anything to stop her and she stood up and turned on the gang. Her father and Lucian had joined them, Lucian's hand held a gun aimed straight for Don's forehead.

"Twitch at that trigger and I'll shoot till you drop dead," Jess hissed at him, her glare burning into his midnight black eyes. Everything inside her screamed for her to shoot him, kill him downright dead. Another told her to make sure they were all dead on the floor, but neither won out. Instead she continued to stand there, gun aimed.

"Jessica, put the gun down and be a good girl," Lucian muttered angrily, sweat beading on his forehead. His hands were shaking and the gun wavered slightly. Frankie's stood firm and level, right at Don's chest.

"I'll die defending him," Jess replied, spitting the words out at them, hoping her brothers, her own blood could see how much they were killing inside. Burning flames smothered her rational thoughts; all she could see was red.

"Any of you move… I'll shoot," Don managed to cough out, his voice wheezing. Blood was pooled around him, his eyes looked heavy and his hand was violently shaking each way.

"I'll kill you Flack! I will, if I have to take down my sister to do so then that's a damn shame!" Frankie growled, his fingers creeping towards pressing down the trigger that would certainly end Don's life. He was shaken up; it was miracle he hadn't already blacked out.

"I'll kill you first," Jess replied defiantly, all rationality was gone, saving Don was the only thought she could understand. All she could feel was the desire to save her and Don's life, nothing else mattered, she'd fight to the death.

"Jessica, he'll die of blood loss before you can die getting out of here. I won't let you escape. I don't want you to die, be with me forever Jessica; you can easily forget that pathetic excuse of a man, live Jessica!" Lucian still was as pale as a sheet and his hands were sweating, drips ran down the gun and onto the floor. She daren't look behind her but from the lack of noise it was clear Don had passed out. His breathing was becoming laboured, he didn't have long left.

"Please, daddy! Don't do this to me!" Jess pleaded to her father who for a second met her eyes, before turning away and looking at the ground. Tears formed in her eyes, hot sticky tears that threatened to spill out.

"Jessie," Don whispered, his face whiter then New York snow, eyes shut tight and his shirt blood stained, crimson pooling around him. "Jessie, run, please."

No longer could the tears stay locked away and they fell freely, leaving trails down her face.

"Jess, do as your little lover says, run," Frankie smirked. He moved the gun from Don's dying body and moved it to Jess's. He laughed harshly at Jess's tears before shooting a clean shot into Don's leg, a cry of pain came from his lips and Jess whimpered, trying desperately to keep herself together. To not fall to her knees and break into a fit of sobs.

"I-I-can't d-do that," Jess whispered, clutching the gun so tight her knuckles burned white. With one shot she had Frankie on the floor, blood pooling out his thigh. The gang shot into action but Jess did too, firing low and blind. For a moment, all that could be heard were bullets raining down before deadly silence.

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The bleeping of a heart monitor machine awoke Jess, her eyes refused to open for a few moments before a blinding light filled her vision. For a few seconds, everything was a blurred shape before small things began to take shape. Beside her bed, a vase of red roses sat still and dainty, 3 cards stood all reading 'get better soon' or something to that extent. Lindsay stood; tear stained, beside her bed.

"Linds!" Jess croaked, her voice thin and weak. Lindsay's face lit up like a child at Christmas and she rushed so she was holding her hand.

"Oh Jess! Everyone was so scared!" Lindsay cried, tears surfacing and spilling over. Jess smiled weakly and then looked around her room, fear evident on her face.

"Don? Linds what happened to Don?" Lindsay's head fell to the floor and the tears fell faster.

"I'm sorry Jess; I didn't want you to ever know… oh Jess…"

Toasty here,

Ah, this was the big action chapter, the climax it's been reaching towards! So I hoped it lived up, please don't kill me for the cliff hanger! Let me know what you guys think!

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