"Okay" Ricky said as he entered the waiting area. "I'm done, you guys can see her now."

"You should go first" George said to Anne softly.

"I don't think I can" Anne replied taking a sharp intake of breath.

"She needs you, you're her mom."

"I know, but… God, I don't know if I can see her like that."

"I can go in first" George offered.

"Okay" Anne replied as she blinked back tears. "That might be for the best, I'm going to go to the cafeteria- Grace, Ricky do you want anything?"

"No thank you" Grace replied gazing into the distance.

"I'm all set" Ricky added taking the seat next to Grace.

"I can't believe this" Grace said once George and Anne both left. "I can't believe this happened- first to Jack and now to Amy."

"Do you have any idea why he attacked Amy?" Ricky asked angrily.

"No, well, he did say something-"

"What!? What did he say?"

"He said he was going to shut her up."

"Shut her up? What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know Ricky. I'm so sorry."

"It isn't your fault Grace. It isn't your fault."

"I should have tried harder to stop him…"

"Hey" he interrupted "I know you Grace, I know you must have done everything in your power to help Amy."

"I did" she cried. "I did I really tried…"

"Thank you. Hey, Ben was the one who called me, he said he was going to ride with Amy in the ambulance. Where did he go?"

"The police are questioning him."

"Oh" Ricky said dryly as his face drained pale. "That's good, that's good that the police are involved because maybe they'll be able to catch him-"

"They will be able to catch him" Grace interrupted."They have to. He's hurt too many good people, people I care about…"

"Her face is all messed up" Ricky said fighting tears. "And she's so pale. God, I want to kill that son of a bitch."

"I know" Grace said sympathetically. "But Ricky, you can't do anything, Amy needs you."

"Yeah, she needed me tonight too. Where the hell was I?"

"Ricky, there is no way you could have known…"

"I should have been there. I should have protected her. God, I just hope she knows."

"Knows what?"

"How much I love her."

"She knows" Grace said as she took his hand in hers. "She knows and she loves you the same way."

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"Hey sweetheart" George said with a shaky voice as he sat next to Amy. "I hear you made it through surgery like a trooper. That doesn't surprise me. God, you're so strong. I'm so proud of you. I don't think I've told you that in a while, but it's true. You're so young, and you're such a good mother. That's why you have to keep fighting. That little boy needs you. I need you. God, we all need you Amy" he said breaking down. He paused for a moment and scanned the room, and then is eyes landed back on Amy. "God, I'm so sorry sweetheart. I'm so sorry you got hurt like this. I'm so, so sorry."

"George?" Anne said standing from the doorway. "I think I'm ready to see her now."

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