Chapter 13.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Cate once the fight began. She felt herself move around Tiny Tim, circling waiting for the first move to be made and it was; Tiny moved in for the first strike which Cate blocked and made her own move which Tiny caught. Pulling Cate's arm, Tiny pulled Cate towards him so that he had a clear shot at her which he took punching her straight in the gut knocking the wind out of her Cate doubled uncontrollably over to which Tiny again used to his advantage bringing his right forearm down onto her back sending Cate sprawling to the floor. Coughing Cate started to pick herself up just too late as she was kicked clear across the floor into the far sidewall of the arena slamming her back into the Perspex. Cate watched dazed as Tiny threw his arms into the air cheering himself for what he had just done. Pushing herself up into a seated position Cate slowly got her breath back just as Tiny came over and swiftly grabbed her around the throat dragging her up off the floor Cate's back pressed into the wall. Struggling for air Cate writhed in his grasp trying to loosen his grip to no avail as Tiny just laughed at her pitiful attempt bringing her closer to him and laughing down her ear before quickly slamming her back again into the Perspex with such force Cate was sure she heard something crack, she just wasn't sure if it was her or the Perspex, she had however managed to keep her head forward so that her shoulder blades and back took the brunt of the attack. Tiny released her after that and laughed again as Cate slid quickly down to the ground again gasping for air. Cate brought her legs up to her chest and then double kicked Tiny into his gut pushing him back away from her getting herself to her feet Cate managed to pull off a right handed upper cut before Tiny could retaliate from the kick. Shaking off the hit Tiny came back at Cate and hit her hard to her head knocking Cate to one knee, he followed this with another punch to the same spot sending Cate down to the ground again, Cate's head began to spin as blood from a now fresh cut above her right eyebrow began to spill down into her right eye making the vision in that eye blurred at best. Everything slowed down again as Cate found it harder to keep getting up just to be rewarded with another pounding, she looked around to see where Tiny was only to find his trunk like arms wrap around her lifting her up off the ground then tightening. Cate cried out in pain as Tiny began to squeeze, everything began to flash before Cate as the pain grew more and more intense and the difficulty to breathe became worse. The last few weeks and all that had happened flashed before her. Kelly's gravestone, Julie's tearful breakdown, Kris's anger and destruction, Jill shooting her, seeing Kelly for the first time, Kris being shot. Kris being shot, that did it, seeing Kris being shot replayed in her mind made Cate snap back, that and Tiny whispering in her ear.

'I got a message for ya sweetheart.' Tiny breathed heavily into Cate's ear as he squeezed his arms around her again, something inside Cate definitely cracked that time and now she was ready to respond.

'I don't have time for messages right now Tiny.' Cate managed to say between breathes, lifting her left leg up a little higher than it all ready was off the ground Cate brought it down hard onto Tiny's left knee, Tiny let out an agonising cry releasing Cate straight away who fell straight to the floor, once there Cate kicked Tiny again this time to the side of his left knee, once Tiny lowered himself over his knee wrapping his hands around it Cate lifted her legs up together in unison pushing herself up from the ground she kicked Tiny in the right side of his head with all the force she could muster, it was enough as Tiny lost his balance crashing down into the wall awkwardly then sliding down to the floor. Cate moved away from him trying to catch a breath, which she found unbelievably hard to do. Cate turned when she heard a cry from Tiny as he got to his feet beating his chest and crying out like a gorilla, his eyes seemed a blazed with rage as he looked down at Cate then began to run for her, looking behind Cate saw how close she was again to the Perspex wall of the arena this was not going to end well if she didn't think of something fast.

Back at the hospital Jill had finished explaining to Kris what had happened in the last day nearly two since she was shot.

'We have to get to Cate now!' Kris yelled trying to get up out of bed but aside from the searing pain stopping her Jill also pinned her down in her bed.

'Are you crazy!' Jill yelled back. 'You've only just woken up you can't go anywhere Kris don't be so foolish, Cate has protection with her she'll be ok.' Kris couldn't argue, as much as she wanted to, there was no way she was going to be able to do anything, just moving herself the way she did was excruciatingly painful.

'But what if she…'

'Cate's going to be fine, we both know that, she's strong.'

'Stronger than all of us.' Tiffany agreed coming swiftly into the room hearing the commotion outside the room after calling Charlie.

'We can't lose her too Jill, we just can't.' Kris said her eyes filling with tears as she put her head back feeling useless.

'She'll be all right Kris, just concentrate on you now and getting better.' Tiffany instructed as Jill looked helplessly down at her little sister knowing she couldn't yet tell Kris what she wanted to, not until they were all back together and the fighting was shut down.

'Why haven't they shut down the fight!' Julie demanded in a tone only Marcus could hear.

'I don't know Julie.' Marcus simply replied as he watched Tiny beat his chest roaring at Cate beginning to rush towards her. Marcus desperately wanted to go and stop the fight and pull Cate out but he just couldn't looking away for a moment to the blacked out windows above the arena Marcus quickly snapped his view back to the fight when he heard an almighty crash.

Tiny had come rushing at Cate who's only thought was to stand and push as hard as she could at just the right moment. Waiting for Tiny to be practically on top of her Cate swiftly stood up grabbing Tiny using his momentum against him Cate managed to lift and toss Tiny through the Perspex, the top half of the Perspex walling was the weaker part, Tiny being the size he was forced the Perspex to break under his weight as he went through. Cate stumbled back after he'd gone through managing to just about stay standing as the MC came on over the loud speakers.

'Fox wins! Fox wins!' It was all over Cate thought as she fell to her knees still having trouble breathing deeply. 'With Tiny Tim being knocked out of the arena literally and in no way getting back up again after that Fox is our winner, congratulations team Roth, you are the new holder of the Ultimate Fights.' The MC carried on talking but Cate wasn't listening she concentrated on just trying to stay conscious when all of a sudden strong arms again wrapped around her looking up she saw Marcus and Julie pulling her to her feet and practically dragging her out of the arena back to the changing room. Placing Cate up on the padded bench she began to really struggle for air, Marcus went straight into action knowing what the problem would be. Pulling open her waistcoat and shirt and lifting her t-shirt Marcus unfastened the Kevlar vest, the affect was visible straight away as finally Cate was able to breathe.

'Take it easy Cate, we don't want you hyperventilating on us.' Marcus said with a broad smile trying to comfort his friend as she coughed and gasped for the much needed air. Blood was visibly seeping from under Cate's bandages from her knife wound, again. Marcus felt around Cate's ribcage seeing what other damage had been done with every painful intake of breath he knew there was some serious damage. 'Looks like he's either cracked or broken some of your ribs obvious bruising all over, the cut above your eye will need cleaning and stitches.' Marcus said looking it over making sure it was the cut above the eye causing the blood spill and nothing else. 'Sit up for me Cate.' Doing as she was asked Marcus checked her back for any visible damage, running his hand across her shoulders Cate flinched and gasped again in pain. 'Sorry, you're going to need so many x-ray's when we get you to the hospital.'

'Not that many.' Roth said as he entered into the room dropping an unconscious Julie to the floor. Marcus turned and began to move towards Julie when Roth spun around kicking Marcus in the side of the head sending him crashing to the ground, out cold.

'Marcus!' Cate called out as she watched her friend crumple down to the ground. Making a move all too slow for Roth, he backhanded her across the face sending her crashing towards the floor off of the bench. With her back to Roth Cate slipped her hand under her t-shirt to fasten her Kevlar vest again into place and just in time as Roth grabbed her by the collar of her shirt forcing her to look at him.

'You took my lady from me.' He said in a calm menacing tone before punching Cate in the face. Shaking off the hit she looked at him with a grin.

'She was never your lady Roth, just like you're no pirate.' Roth responded by hitting her again harder and dropping her to the floor.

'It takes a pirate to know a pirate.' Roth said as he looked down at Cate pulling a gun from the holster at the small of his back.

'I'm not a pirate Roth, maybe a Privateer but not a pirate.'

'You're certainly no Angel.'

'Tell me about it.' Cate sniggered.

'You took my Lady!' Roth yelled again.

'Oh God, this again didn't I just explain, she's not yours and if you want someone to blame for her leaving talk to Diane Matisse.' Cate said back wiping the trickle of blood from her lip on the back of her hand not moving to stand up staying on the ground where Roth still held his gun trained over her.

'Ah yes Miss Matisse. An extraordinarily insane woman, she asked me to pass on a message to you.'

'Again with the messages, you know you bad guys really pick the worst times to give these messages.' Cate quipped trying to buy herself some time to figure something out or at least hope that maybe Kelly would be here soon. Roth stamped down on Cate's knee causing her to cry out in pain.

'It's a message I very much agree with.'

'Terrific.' Cate said through gritted teeth.

'Vengeance is mine, so saith the Lord.' Roth preached before locking his aim and firing into Cate's chest twice. Smiling at a job well done Roth began to turn to leave the room.

'Roth! Hold it!' Kelly yelled as she rushed into the room seeing the people she cared for laying on the ground not moving.

'Why Miss Garrett, what a most disappointing surprise.' Roth said with a twisted smile. 'I'm afraid you're a little late, your friend here is gone.' Roth said pointing with his gun towards Cate who lay motionless on the floor.

'That's me Roth, always fashionably late to the party. Put the gun down.' Kelly sternly ordered pointing her revolver at him. Roth raised his gun looking at it then to Kelly smiling.

'Now where would the fun in that be?' Roth asked Kelly tilting his head to one side. 'Come now don't you want to shoot me? I have just slain your partner here.' Roth said again indicating towards Cate. 'Revenge seems to be the theme here Roth.' Kelly coolly said keeping her gun trained on him.

'Revenge and scripture, rather poetic don't you think?' Roth baited.

'What I think Mr Roth is that you should learn your scripture before you repeat it. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." King James Old and New Testaments.' Roth looked at Kelly baffled by her response. 'In other words it is the Lord himself and not you or I who shall choose to take revenge.' Roth was about to respond when his arm holding his gun was slapped down and he was slammed hard into the metal lockers not once but twice and then released as he fell unconscious to the floor.

'Nice distraction sis.' Cate managed to say before falling down to the ground. Kelly rushed over to her sister's side as the police came running into the room to cuff Roth taking him away.

'Call the paramedics!' Kelly yelled at them.

'They're all ready on their way, should be here any time now.' One of the police men said as they dragged Roth out of the room. Kelly picked up Cate turning her so that she lay with her head rested in Kelly's lap.

'Cate, Cate, wake up now, come on, talk to me.' Kelly urgently said gently shaking her sister trying to rouse her. Turning behind her Kelly saw Marcus on the floor, reaching over to him Kelly tried to wake him for his help but to no avail. 'Please Caitlin, please wake up, come on we need you, I need you just stay with me now help's on the way.' All of a sudden a Kelly felt someone place their hand on her shoulder turning she saw Marcus crawling along the floor around to Cate's side.

'Let's just check her over Kelly, Cate's strong she'll be ok.' Marcus assured Kelly as he placed two fingers to Cate's neck trying to locate a pulse, in Kelly's own panic she hadn't even tried that herself. Marcus took Kelly's hand placing it on Cate's throat covering where his two fingers were pressed, Kelly smiled to Marcus with relief as she felt the strong pulse under her young sisters skin. 'Strong and steady.' Marcus smiled as he got up to go and check on Julie who was beginning to stir, just then the paramedics burst onto the scene. Everything then seemed to go into slow motion for Kelly as the paramedics took Cate out of her arms and began to tend to her.

Sometimes I'm afraid when you go
Sometimes I'm afraid when you come home
Underneath it all ...
I think I'm afraid when there's nothing wrong.

Kelly sat back feeling helpless and Cate still made no effort to move or take notice when the paramedics called to her, trying to get a response from her.

But if I was fearless ...
Could I be your reckless friend
And if I was helpless ...
Could you be the one comes rushing in.

Kelly again felt a hand on her shoulder looking up she saw it was Julie who's eye were trained on Cate also as the paramedics continued their work checking over all of Cate, removing the Kevlar vest, giving her injections, running more tests, placing a brace around her knee and neck before placing her onto a stretcher.

There's something that I never told
When I find myself slipping off of my pedestal
I'm a fierce believer afraid to fall.

The paramedic turned to Kelly mouthing something to her but it was getting through, Kelly wasn't hearing him until Julie pulled her up off the floor and pushed her on after the paramedics.

'Go with her Kelly.' Julie had said the sound slowly filtering through. Following the paramedics through the back exit of the club to where the ambulance was parked they lifted Cate on the stretcher into the back of the rig when the paramedic turned to Kelly offering her his hand to steady her as she climbed in the back with them. The doors to the back of the ambulance slammed shut, someone banged on the doors giving the signal for the driver to move on.

But if I was fearless ...
Could I be your reckless friend
And if I was helpless ...
Could you be the one comes rushing in.

The sound of the sirens was deafening even through the ambulance Kelly wondered how the paramedic, who stayed with Cate throughout the journey to the hospital, could even concentrate on what he was doing. Still Cate didn't wake up.

Sometimes I'm afraid of the dark
I can't find the light in my heart
I can see my hand pushing away from you
Hard as I can

All too suddenly the ambulance stopped and the back doors swung open as if by magic. The paramedic who was driving was at the foot of the ambulance guiding the stretcher out as the second pushed it towards him helping lowering Cate down. He then looked back to Kelly who followed suit jumping down out of the ambulance following after them through into the emergency room. Kelly was stopped as they went through the swing doors of the ER examination room.

But if I was fearless ...
Could I be your reckless friend
And if I was helpless ...
Could be the one comes rushing in.

Sometimes I'm afraid when you go ...

'She's in good hands.' One of the paramedics said as he and his partner wheeled out their stretcher heading back to their rig. Kelly nodded thanking them for what they had done as much as she could verbalise it, the paramedics didn't seem to mind Kelly's current lack of vocabulary, they must be used to it Kelly thought later.

'Kelly!' she turned hearing her name seeing Jill running towards her, her blonde feathered hair bouncing along as she sprinted to her dodging past people in her rush. Instantly Jill threw her arms around Kelly as soon as she was able to.

'She's going to be ok.' Jill said into Kelly's ear as she looked over Kelly's shoulder into the exam room Cate was still in when they heard a metallic crash. Both Angels burst into the room to see what the problem was fearing the worst only to find Cate sat bolt up with metal dish's, medical trays and stands all over the floor.

'Are you crazy?!' They heard Cate yell. Kelly and Jill rushed past the doctors and nurses who were trying to restrain Cate.

'Cate, calm down you're safe here.' Kelly said trying to calm her wild sister.

'Safe? They damn near tried to electrocute me!' Cate called.

'We were about to attempt to shock your sister as we had lost her pulse.' The doctor explained straightening his glasses on his nose from there surprised skewed place they were seated after Cate's outburst.

'Doctor, the leads to the monitor.' A nurse pointed out where the leads were not properly connected. Cate fell back onto the bed again exhausted and in pain.

'I hate hospitals.' She said before passing out again.

Lyrics in italics from the Cyndi Lauper song 'Fearless' - all rights of that to her. I heard the song and had to include it in this fic. Never done that before but thought it suited.

Hope you liked R&R please... AJ5. x