Caught in Between

by JKing88

AU where engaged couple, Sonny and Paul, move to Salem together and befriend a struggling Will Horton. But their relationship begins to unravel when they both secretly develop feelings for Will. Rated M for smut. Warning for dub con/borderline non con in the first chapter and attempted non con in ch 37.

44. Chapter 44

Will looked into EJ's eyes, trying not to panic, trusting EJ to know what to do.

EJ glared at the small boy standing behind William. 'How can someone so small cause so much damage,' EJ wondered. Taking a deep breath EJ was prepared to lift his own gun when he realized he left it by the safe, 'No!'

Ian, unconcerned with EJ or anyone else, reached out to grab Will's bandaged hand squeezing hard, enjoying the harsh breath Will exhaled from his nose. 'It's so cute that he tries to be brave. Let's see just how strong he is now.' Pulling on Will's hand, forcing him to back up, Ian smiled serenely at EJ.

"Put down the gun," EJ said rationally, holding his hands in the air. "Just move away from William and we can talk."

"No," Ian said simply. "I don't want to talk." Eyes searching over the rest of the room's occupant's Ian told EJ, "I already have what I came for. There's no need to talk."

"You don't know what you're doing," EJ tried to explain, "You have no idea what's about to happen."

"No," Ian said softly sounding pensive. "I think you have no idea what's really happening."

Paul, standing stock still, watched helplessly as Will stood in front of that monster. 'I have to do something.' Just as Paul was about to take a step Sonny grabbed his wrist, gesturing quickly to the gun EJ left nearby.

Sonny, heart racing tried to move towards the gun when another person came and stood beside Will.

Ian, eyes locked on EJ, shrugged slightly, "I learned from last time not to be alone."

Zach, the IT guy Chad found and hired to help them, the one who was working with Ian the whole time, calmly stood with a gun in his hand. At first he pointed it at Will's face before sharing a look with Ian and walking further into the room moving the gun from person to person.

Sami, one hand covering her mouth, face awash in horror, tried to stay calm, 'My son. My son.' Angrily wiping the tears from her eyes Sami asked, "And what exactly did you come for? Will?"

"Of course," Ian told her face morphing into a sneer, 'This is the reason Will is the way he is. Why he's so dirty and impure.' "I have some unfinished business with Will. He would know," Ian pointed his chin at Chad, smiling at Gabi sweetly. He almost sympathized with Gabi. She was willing to do whatever she had to in order to be with the one she loved. 'If only she wasn't such a slut too.'

Chad, shoving Gabi onto the couch and standing in front of her, hoping to shield her from harm, hissed, "I stopped you once I'll stop you again."

"No," Ian smirked, "It wasn't you that stopped me. And I don't think Neil is coming this time." Anticipating what was to come next Ian pulled Will closer to him, until he was pressed entirely against Will's back, "Don't even think about it."

Chad, halting his movement, seconds away from taking his chances and attacking, "Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave Will alone?"

"Because I don't want to," Ian snorted, "I am so sick and tired of people telling me what to do."

"What, like your parents," EJ offered, "Your doctor's? Growing wearisome of everyone telling you how crazy and sick you are? I talked to your mother you know. You left your medicine at home."

"I'm not crazy," Ian hissed. "I'm not." Inhaling and exhaling, trying to calm himself, remembering one of his nicer doctors explaining how to center himself. "I'm doing this because Will clearly didn't learn his lesson."

"Will didn't need to learn anything," Paul said slowly, lifting his hand to Sonny's, trying to catch Will's eyes. "The only one that needs to learn a lesson here is you."

"No," Ian shook his head, looking at Paul with a tender look in his eyes, 'He's so perfect.' "No, Will needs to learn to stay away from you."

"I don't want Will to stay away from me," Paul insisted trying to stay calm but finding it difficult. "I want Will with me all the time. I love Will."

Ian, face twisting, gripping Will's hand harshly, "No you don't. You want to sleep with him. You think he's pretty and fun but he isn't anything real. He, he ensnared you with his stupid, slutty charms. You don't love him. It's impossible for you to love him."

Sonny, subtly looking at the gun a few feet away, brought his eyes to Ian's. 'Why is he doing this? What did Will ever do to him?', "No it's not. Loving Will is the easiest thing we've ever done."

'Not you too Sonny,' Ian thought desperately shaking his head. "He got you too. He got all of you."

"Mommy, Daddy," called Johnny and Allie, little Sydney toddling behind them on the stairs.

Everyone froze in horror. EJ took a step towards the sound of his children, focused on protecting them, keeping them away from this monster when Zach pointed his gun towards the door.

"Will," Johnny screamed jumping the last two steps, thrilled to see his big brother again. "You're home! I can show you the new cars Daddy bought me!" Johnny ran towards Will only to halt at the last second hovering just inside the entrance to the room. "Will," Johnny asked softly taking in the scary man holding a gun to Will's head. Johnny, turning his face so his good eye was on Will, lips beginning to tremble held out his arms standing protectively in front of his sister's.

"Hey," Will turned his head to his siblings and tried to smile, "Um everything's OK Johnny. Why don't you go back upstairs?"

"No," Ian chuckled, "Why don't they stay?" 'If this is what it takes to get my point across I'll do it.'

Gabi, tears in her eyes ashamed and horrified by what she had done, crawled over the back of the couch and walked to the children instinctively knowing that Ian wouldn't hurt her. 'I helped him he won't do anything.' Grabbing Johnny's hand Gabi smiled brightly, "Let's go play upstairs, like we used to."

"Daddy," Johnny asked quietly looking between his parents scared and not knowing what to do.

"It's alright son," EJ nodded trying to give him a reassuring smile.

Gabi, ushering the children up the stairs, tried to calm her racing heart. 'Oh my god, what did I do to Will?'

"Don't want them being around Will," Ian remarked casually, watching them go up the stairs, "I don't blame you."

"William is not the problem here," EJ jeered. "I swear if you go anywhere near the rest of my children…"

"Aw," Ian cooed, cutting off EJ. "So it's not just Will you love? And here I thought he was special. Well, I already found out what was so special about him the other day actually. But you already know all about that." Seeing the blank faces staring back at him Ian rolled his eyes, "He's a whore that's what's special about him."

"No one is sleeping with William, certainly not me," EJ said evenly, attempting to school his face into something confident, "Only Narita and Kiriakis."

"No," Ian argued, "No. I know you did. I saw you. You snuck into their room and carried him away. You held him, this morning, while he was naked. You've fucked him, I know you have!"

"Listen here you little fucked up weirdo," Chad interrupted, "But the only people who have ever slept with Will are those two." Chad pointed to Sonny and Paul. "And they are happy together and in love. And there is nothing in this world that you can do to change that."

Will, silently watching everything, trying not to wince at the hold on his hand, "I didn't sleep with EJ or Chad or Neil or anyone else. I told you before."

"Why would I listen to you," Ian screamed, "Everything you say is a lie. Everything about you is a lie. You try to look so sweet and innocent but you're not. You're, you're just dirty and wrong."

Will, head aching, Ian's voice pounding in his ears, "I'm not." 'He needs help. Why didn't his parents ever get him help?'

Noticing the pain Will was in Ian smiled before releasing Will's hand. Gun still pressed into the back of his skull Ian lifted his free hand and jabbed Will's temple, arm catching Will when he fell forward in pain. "Feel that," Ian asked, leaning over Will, mouth pressed to Will's ear, "That's exactly what you deserve. I told you to stay away. I told you."

Paul, making a wounded sound, wanting to pull Will away, "Stop it. Don't touch him."

Laughing, joyous smile on his face, Ian told Paul reassuringly, "Don't worry. He likes it. He likes being touched by men. It doesn't matter to him who or where or when or how." Pulling Will upright Ian lifted his hand to Will's mouth playing with the stitches, "Isn't that right?"

Wrenching his head away Will struggled in Ian's hold, "No."

"I told you before," Ian grabbed the back of Will's neck, "You don't get a choice."

Sonny had seen enough. 'There's no way in hell I'm letting that sick freak hurt Will anymore.' Disentangling from Paul Sonny took a step towards the gun, hoping that Zach was too focused on Will to notice.

EJ, keeping his eyes on William the whole time, "Get your hands off my son," EJ ordered through clenched teeth.

Ian, huffing, gun moving so it was pressed into Will's back, bothering his stitches, hand holding onto the waistband of his pants in the back, "That's not going to happen."

"Just let him go," Sami demanded, eyes watering, "Just let him go. He hasn't done anything to you! Why are you doing this?"

Zach, moving closer to Sami and pointing the gun in her face sighed uneasily.

Ian looked at her sadly, "I can't. Not now." 'Not until this is finished.'

"Yes you can," Sami urged, feeling desperate. She didn't care that there was a gun in her face. 'If I have to for Will I would. I'll do whatever it takes for my son to be safe.'

"I can't," Ian stated firmly. "I know too much now. It's amazing really how much you people talk when you think you're safe. I know everything."

EJ, eyes drifting between William and Samantha shook his head at Samantha. 'No, don't do this.' He knew that steely, determined look on her face. 'I'll find a way to save everyone.'

Finally glancing away from Will and Ian Chad noticed Sonny inching further from Paul. Seeing the metal glinting off the table Chad knew he needed to keep Ian and Zach distracted, "Like what," Chad questioned, trying to keep a brave face.

"I know what Will here did when he was 14," Ian shoved his gun into Will's back harder, "Isn't that right? Was that before or after you started sleeping with your step-daddy, Will? Did you do it for your mommy or because you were jealous?"

EJ, realizing what he was talking about, 'Oh god,' "How many times do we have to tell you? We've never slept together. And I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right," Ian snorted, fingers on Will's waistband slipping inside his pants. "Is that why you were with him this morning? Is that why you would hug him or touch him constantly?"

"If I ever slept with EJ you would have seen," Will stated, back straightening when he felt Ian's fingers inside his pants. "If you've been watching you would have seen us."

Ian, eyes looking around the room, noting that Zach was still attentively guarding Sami, fingers mindlessly trailing the top of Will's ass admitted, "I can't look everywhere at once. You must have done it where no one could see."

"You know that's not true," Will argued, mind whirling, trying to think of something to get out of this. 'Just, just get him alone. He can do whatever he wants to me just make sure everyone else is safe.'

"That doesn't mean anything," Ian denied. "I know you're a whore. It doesn't matter when you slept with him. I know you did."

"What does it even matter," Will questioned, trying to twist his hips away, hating Ian's hands on his skin. "Why do you care who I've slept with before? I only sleep with Sonny and Paul now."

"It matters because you aren't good enough," Ian panted, pinching Will's skin to get him to stop moving. "You aren't good enough for them."

"You don't get to tell us that," Sonny interjected. "You don't know anything about Will."

"Yes I do," Ian smiled at Sonny fondly, "I know everything. Everything he ever told you the past few days I know. I know who he had a crush on and I know all about his happy childhood. I know he hates taking his medicine and whines at you until you do what he wants. You deserve better than him, than some stupid pathetic whore."

"Don't call him that," Paul yelled, "Don't ever say that again. There is nothing wrong with him! He's perfect. He's perfect and Sonny and I, we love him."

Ian, looking at Paul sadly, "He's corrupted you. I heard you; you said he was in your veins. He's like a virus. He latched onto you and now he won't let go. But that's OK; I'm going to fix it. Then you'll see."

"If you heard that then you heard what else we said," Sonny blinked frustrated tears from his eyes. 'We promised him we would protect him and now look what happened.' "We said we loved him and we were going to spend the rest of our lives with him."

"No, no," Ian said simply, "If I wasn't here you would spend a few more days with him before he got bored and moved on to someone else. That's how he is. But you don't deserve that. You deserve to be happy, with Paul. Will tried to ruin you but I'm not going to let him."

"Just stop it," Paul shook his head, wanting to reach out and comfort Will, wanting to take him into his arms and never let go.

"I know what else you said to him," Ian admitted, "I know what he calls you. What he called you in the shower. What he called you while you were naked in bed. I know how sick he really is. What he makes you do."

Sonny, looking at Will's face, hating to see the humiliation spreading across it, "Shut up. Just shut the hell up."

"Did you really think he was thinking of you when he called you that," Ian mocked darkly. "That you were who he wanted. It was him," Ian looked at EJ, "Or his real one or his uncle or any other father figure he's ever had."

"What are you talking about," Sami asked turning to look at EJ, hoping and praying that EJ would do something and save her son.

"Your precious little son," Ian announced with a leer, ignoring Will's pleas to stop, "Likes to call them Daddy." His hand gripped Will's butt tighter.

EJ, not as surprised as Sami or Chad, 'I already suspected as much.' "It doesn't matter what he calls them," EJ proclaimed, "As long as they take care of him." 'Don't react now. Once William is safe you can deal with it. Do not react.'

Will, absolutely mortified, closed his eyes, 'There's nothing wrong with me. They said there was nothing wrong with me.'

"Just another thing that makes you awful," Ian whispered in Will's ear.

"You are out of your fucking mind," Chad blurted out, seething, hating the things Ian was spewing, hating the entire situation. He could see what Ian was doing to Will, where he was touching. "Just stop talking! No one is listening to you. No one believes you. And get your fucking hand off of him!"

Ian, blinking, looked down at his hand and pulled it away sharply, never even realizing what he was doing. Face morphing in anger Ian dug his gun into Will's back, stitches pulling painfully, "See? See what I mean. He's awful. He tricks you. He keeps trying to do it to me. But I won't let you, I won't."

"I'm not doing anything," Will argued, crying out almost certain that a few of the lines had been pulled out. "It's you. You're the one that can't control himself."

Ian, pale face turning red in anger, "No it's not. It's you. It's only you. It's because you're a slut, I know it is."

"Fine," Will forced out turning away from his family and boyfriends, not wanting to see their reactions but knowing he had to try. "You're right. I am." 'I have to do this.'

Ian, eyes widening in surprise, gun held in front of Will's face precariously, "I am?" 'Does he finally believe me?'

"Yes," Will nodded ignoring the pained sounds behind him. "I-I am everything you said. And you're right, about everything. I did sleep with EJ and Chad and Neil. And, and loads of others." 'You can do this.'

"I knew it," Ian said smiling openly, gun hanging loosely in his hand, "I knew it."

"And I was getting bored," Will swallowed, trying to look demurely at Ian. 'Don't get sick.'

"You were lying to them yesterday," Ian breathed looking at Will in amazement, "You don't love them, do you? Slut's like you can't love anyone."

"That's right," Will said, doing everything he could so he wouldn't give himself away, "It was just a game to me. And now I've set my sights on someone else."

"Who," Ian asked swallowing heavily when Will stepped closer to him. Dark eyes fixed on Will, his youth and inexperience showing.

"The only man in the room I haven't slept with yet," Will stated slowly, hoping he didn't look as sick as he felt. "Well, one of," Will added when he remembered Zach.

Ian, standing completely still, pale skin splotching with red, didn't know what to think. No one had ever said they wanted him before. Ian spent his whole life at home, away from others. His parents said it was the other children's fault for not seeing how special he was. The only people besides his parents and doctors he ever talked to were online, about Paul. About how nice Paul was and cute and talented. How Paul deserved someone perfect. 'Not someone like me,' Ian thought to himself watching Will Horton's big blue eyes blink at him enticingly. 'Never someone like me.'

Will, licking the stitches on his lips, praying this would work, "You um, you were right, about that night. Your game. I did want to play. I do. But I don't want to play with anyone but you."

"With me," Ian whispered, skin prickling. 'No one has ever wanted to play with me before. Ever.'

"Uh huh," Will nodded his head tentatively reaching out his hand to touch Ian.

Sonny, stunned by what he was hearing and seeing tried to calm the nausea rumbling in his stomach. 'He's just pretending. Will loves you and he's only doing this to distract Ian.' Making sure no one was watching him Sonny reached the table with the gun.

Paul breathing heavily could feel his fingertips shuddering in rage. It didn't matter that he knew Will was lying. Just hearing those words, seeing Will touch anyone else, especially someone with a gun someone that wanted to hurt Will that did hurt Will, made Paul want to erupt.

Zach, rolling his eyes at the situation, "Dude, that's not what you're here for."

Ian, almost in a daze, breath hitching feeling Will's hand rub up and down his stomach, barely heard Zach, "What?"

"And weren't you just saying he was a whore," Zach laughed, "Can we just get out of here already? You can get fucked on the way."

"On the way where," Chad asked hurriedly, seeing Sonny had reached the gun.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Zach sneered. 'God, this whole situation is just creepy. This is not what I was brought on for. I'm supposed to be doing tech work. I just wanted a desk job not pretend to be a Dimera thug. As soon as this is over I better get a raise.'

"How do you even know him," Sami questioned, closing her eyes, unable to watch her son doing or saying any of these things.

Ian, shaking his head slowly, put his hand over Will's stopping his movements. "He came to me. When I got here. To assist me."

EJ, gritting his teeth, said, "Why would Victor Kiriakis give you a Dimera employee?" 'Was he planning to pin the whole thing on me?'

"What," Ian asked, lost, "No, Victor didn't give me anyone. Victor found me online and sent a plane to pick me up. He told me to do what I needed to get Paul away. It was the other one."

"Who's the other one," Sonny wondered, nervously holding the gun behind his back. 'I have no idea how to use this thing. And I can't risk hurting Will.' Catching Chad's glance Sonny hoped he understood the question in his eyes.

Zach, opening his mouth to answer, was cut off with a sharp glare from Ian, "Shut up. You don't need to know. No one needs to know." Ian's face fell; he hated having to be rude to Sonny or Paul. 'Can't they see I'm doing what's best?'

Will could see the look on Ian's face changing from nervous to angry. 'No, no stop it. I can do this.' Will, desperate to get Ian complicit again wrapped his arms around his small frame. "Shh, it's OK. They don't need to know. They don't need to know anything. Don't worry about them."

Ian, shaking trying to control his emotions, "No. No I know what you're trying to do. It's what you've done to all of them. It won't work on me." Lifting his gun back up to Will's temple Ian said, "Stop it."

Will, clinging on to Ian, leaned down to put his head on Ian's thin shoulder, "I'm not doing anything. It's just you. I-I want you. I want you to take me away from here and teach me my lesson."

"No," Ian whined, confused and feeling out of control, "You're bad and I don't, I don't."

"I'll go with you wherever you want to go," Will added speaking into Ian's neck feeling him shiver. "You can do whatever you want to me. Let's go. We can go now."

Ian shook his head back and forth, "No. No that's not, this isn't, no. You don't want me, you're just lying. You always lie."

"You said I wanted everyone," Will whispered, "And right now I want you. I need you. I don't need anything else."

"Ian," Zach blurted out, moving away from Sami, completely fed up with how out of control this situation had gotten. 'We were supposed to get Horton and get out. He definitely shouldn't have trusted an unbalanced kid like Ian.' Standing in front of Ian and Will Zach lowered his gun slightly to yank Will away from Ian.

Chad rushing to Sonny took the gun out of his hand as soon as Zach's back was turned. 'I'm not going to hesitate this time.' Putting the gun to the back of Zach's head Chad hissed, "Let him go, now."

Will, arm in Zach's firm grip, tried to breath evenly, looking into Ian's dark confused eyes, shivering at the intense look, 'Oh god. I'm never going to forget his eyes.'

Zach, cursing his stupidity, kept his hand locked around Will's arm, 'Fuck, I'm not cut out for this.'

Ian aiming his gun at Will's head again told Chad, "Go ahead, shoot him. I don't care."

EJ, rolling his shoulders back, proud of his brother, marched to Chad's side and wrenched the gun out of Zach's hand, "Get away from my son." Hand steady and voice firm EJ held the gun near Ian's head.

Ian throwing his head back and laughing, "So protective. But then again I doubt I'm the first person you've tried to shoot. It's a theme for your little family isn't it." Looking at Will's face Ian smiled sweetly before quickly moving his gun down slightly and firing, barely missing Will's shoulder, bullet wedging in the wood floor.

Paul, shouting, ran for Will only to be caught by Sami. Sami held his arm in a surprisingly strong hold as Paul tried to free himself.

Sonny, jumping at the gunshot, moved towards Sami and Paul. Putting his arm around both of them Sonny tried not to cry. 'It's going to be OK. He's going to be fine.'

Will, letting out a short shout, trembling, looked down at the bullet in the floor. 'Oh god, that could be in me. Oh my god.' Turning wide, watery eyes to Ian Will whispered, "Wh-why?"

Ian, panting, dark eyes locking onto Will's scared face, "I'm sorry, but I have to. Until they move away." Rapidly firing the gun again this time even closer to Will than the one before Ian smiled. Craning his neck to look into EJ and Chad's faces Ian said, "Move away. Now."

EJ and Chad glanced at each other quickly before taking a single step back. Guns still held in front of them the Dimera brothers watched as Will took a timid step towards Ian. EJ, narrowing his eyes tried to calculate the risk. EJ stated calmly, "You're not taking him anywhere."

Zach, moving towards Will's other side and turning to face the room, 'I do not get paid enough for this shit.' Holding onto Will's elbow Zach started walking them backwards towards the door. 'Enough. We're getting out of here.'

Ian, one arm holding onto Will's waist, gun pressed to Will's forehead, "Yes, I am." Taking a step backwards and pulling Will with him, using him as a shield. "I'm taking him far away where he won't be able to hurt anyone anymore. Everyone will be much happier without him."

Will, hands placed on Ian's chest to steady himself, almost tripped and fell if it wasn't for Zach's hand. 'Oh god. I don't, I can't. Please EJ. Just try. Just do it. I can't. I'd rather be shot than go with him.'

"Who was it," Chad questioned, "Who helped you if it wasn't Victor? How could you find someone?"

"I didn't find anyone," Ian bragged, "They came to me. Seconds before I got on Victor's plane. They already knew. They gave me everything I needed. Money, weapons, access to anything I wanted to know with Zach's help. And now that's going to get me out of here."

Paul and Sonny moved closer to Chad and EJ, dragging Sami between them, all three fraught with worry. Sami, tears flowing down her cheeks, hung limply between her son's boyfriends. "EJ, EJ do something," she begged.

EJ, feeling Samantha's words wash over him, tried to think, 'I can't shoot at him, not when William's there.' Licking his lips EJ asked, "Who leaked the original picture? You, Zach?"

"No," Zach shook his head, "Not me."

"Stop trying to distract us," Ian hissed, "It's not going to work. You don't ever have to worry about Will again. You'll get a new toy to play with. I'm sure he's easily replaceable." Looking at Paul, 'My sweet, sweet Paul.' "And now you can be with Sonny. Everything will be back to the way it was, the way it should be. You'll thank me," Ian insisted. "You'll see."

"EJ," Will said quietly, "EJ, just do it."

"No," EJ shook his head, "I can't, William. I can't." 'I can't hurt him. I can't risk it.'

"You have to," Will cried, 'Oh god, he won't do it. He loves me too much to do it.' Bracing himself Will took a deep breath and pulled on Ian's shirt, causing him to stumble forward the gun against Will's forehead slipping slightly as Will painfully crushed his lips to Ian's.

Ian, stunned, felt his knees weaken, eyes closing automatically, moving the gun out of the way to kiss Will harder. Awkwardly pressing his lips to Will's, the stitches tickling his skin, Ian's breath caught, 'Oh, my first kiss.'

Knowing he had shocked everyone, especially Ian, Will felt Zach attempting to haul him away. Combined with Ian's weight practically crushing him Will let himself and Ian tumble to the floor, hoping EJ or Chad would take the opportunity he had given them.

Chad, taking no time at all, aimed his gun at Zach and shot, hitting him right in the stomach. Zach fell to his knees, hands over his stomach, blood gushing over.

Ian, landing painfully on top of Will, hand locked tightly on his gun moved so it was pushing into Will's stomach. Ignoring Zach's screams of pain entirely Ian looked at Will with a betrayed look on his face, "You, you are, you are a whore." Almost crying Ian bit his lip, "You, you kissed me." Face contorting in rage, emotions switching in a blink of an eye, Ian sneered, "I hate you. I hate you!"

Chad looked at EJ incredulously, 'Why isn't he shooting?' Raising his gun again Chad was stunned when he felt EJ's hand stopping him.

Paul and Sonny held Sami tightly, 'Oh god,' they all thought together, holding their breath.

Will, mouth stinging, head hurting painfully where it smacked the floor, nodded his head, "I know you do." Looking at Ian now, Will almost felt sorry for him. 'There's something wrong with him, with his head. He's not normal.'

"I hate you," Ian sobbed, shaking uncontrollably, "Why do you do this to me? Why?"

"I don't know," Will whispered, "But it's OK. Just get up and I'll help you. You'll get help. Just let me go."

"No," Ian shook his head rapidly, "No, I can't. I don't need help. They just want to drug me and lock me away. I won't. I won't. I can't. I just wanted to make things right. I wanted them to be happy. I hate you. I hate you!"

Flinching Will moved his hands and gently pushed Ian away from him. Sitting up Will drew Ian into a hug, 'He's lost and scared.' "It's OK. It's OK." Putting Ian's head on his shoulder Will rubbed his back, "We'll call the police and they'll get you help. No one wants to drug you or lock you away. They'll see you need help. Just put the gun down."

Ian wept into Will's shoulder, body quivering, "No one's ever held me or touched me like this. They're all afraid of me. I just tried to make them happy. I wanted to make things right."

"It's OK," Will soothed, eyes wild, thinking rapidly. "It's OK."

Ian, gun clanging to the floor when he let it fall from his hand, wrapped his arms around Will rocking back and forth, "I hate you. I hate you."

Will nodded uncertainly, "Everything is going to be fine now." Adjusting himself and Ian Will sighed in relief when he felt Sonny and Paul kneeling behind him.

Paul, watching Will hold Ian couldn't help but scowl. 'I don't care if he needs help. He hurt Will.' Putting his hand on Will's shoulder, finally, finally touching him, Paul tried to pull Will away.

Sonny, heart beating out of his chest, held onto Will's shoulder tightly. He couldn't believe what Will had done. How he had gotten Ian to let go of the gun. But now he needed Will as far from Ian as possible.

Will, leaning into Sonny and Paul's hands, felt tears sliding down his face, hand gently patting Ian's back. 'Oh god.'

EJ, gun still trained on Ian, watched the proceedings patiently.

Sami, almost falling to her knees when Sonny and Paul ran to Will's side, righted herself before walking over to them, kicking the gun away. She wasn't stupid. She knew better than to touch it; with as many crimes as she's committed she knew rule number one was to not touch guns that weren't yours. Putting her hand on EJ's forearm Sami whispered, "Do it, EJ. It's the only way to be sure."

EJ wanted to do it so badly. All he had to do was take a few steps forward and shoot. 'He deserves so much more than being shot. Not after what he tried to do to my family,what he did to my son. He ruined William's life. He sliced his back and his lips and his side. He tried to touch him. He doesn't deserve to live.'

Will, with Ian clinging to him, closed his eyes, and asked Ian quietly, "Who was it? The one that helped you if it wasn't Victor."

Ian, sniffling, dark eyes lined red and face covered in snot, pulled away to look at Will. 'If he's such a bad person why is be being nice to me now?' Ian hiccupped while looking into Will's blue eyes, "It was-" Cut off by a loud bang, Ian, eyes wide and confused slumped forward into Will's lap, bullet entering the back of his skull and never leaving

Will, blood spraying his face and neck, screamed as he shoved Ian off of him. Gasping in horror Will looked into Ian's lifeless eyes. He was dead.

Paul, pulling Sonny and Will backwards, heart lurching into his throat, "Holy shit. What the fuck?"

EJ jumping in surprise looked toward the front door where he saw the person he least expected.

"Elvis, I did not expect this as my welcome home party, I must confess," lowering his gun, wiping it off with a cloth, Stefano shook his head as he looked at the carnage in his entryway. Smiling grimly at the stunned faces surrounding him Stefano asked, "Did you miss me?"

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Author's note:

Well Ian is dead. Zach is dead. And Stefano is now officially in the mix. Plenty of questions still need to be answered but for the most part things will be smooth sailing for everyone for a while. Also, Ian did not reveal that Gabi was assisting him. Probably will be important.

Remember when Chad pointed a gun in Ian's face and Ian said Chad wouldn't want Will covered in brain matter? Stefano doesn't have that problem.

Please review. I had a lot of trouble getting this chapter together. So many things to do and I'm not sure it actually came across the way I wanted it to. If you ever decide to write a stand off do yourself a favor and do not have 9 people in the room. Save yourself the grief.

PS please do not ever google gunshot wounds to the head. Just don't.