"You don't have to do this",another voice soared in the room and a pissed James turned to stare at the man standing by the door.

Marcus stood cautiously by the door and Mikaella felt relieved that he was there.

"Daddy!" Kylie screamed wriggling in James' arms.

"One more step and the kid gets it. Don't tempt me!"James shouted placing the nozzle of the gun on top of Kylie's head.

"Look, man. She's just a kid. Leave her and her mother and take me instead. I can get you cash, ten million, twenty-any amount you want",Marcus reasoned taking another step into the house.

"Not another step!"James shouted pressing the gun on Kylie's head harder and Mikaella cried praying that her kid wouldn't get hurt.

"Money? You think I want money from you? You should have let her die maybe then my family wouldn't be dragged into this mess. You are so clueless, aren't you? I'm not here for money and I don't want to do this but Leonardo has my family! It's a good thing you came, you are supposed to die too for saving her. You dragged me into this mess, Marcus!"

And Marcus looked dumbfounded, as if he had no idea who the guy was.

"Leonardo? Leo sent you to do this? I get it, he has your family. He's threatening them but do you think you'll have the courage to face your kids after this? She's just a kid, man. An innocent kid who has nothing to do with all of this-if Leo wants someone to blame then kill me instead. I'm the one who let Mikaella live. I'm the one-

"Just shut up! Shut up all of you! I'll let you go then what? My family dies for your mistakes, is that it?"

"No...if you let her go, if you let them live. The police might help you save your family. You don't have to be a murderer! You are not a murderer, if you were, the two men unconscious outside should have been dead"

Marcus seemed to have gotten through to him because James put Kylie down with trembling hands. Mikaella could feel herself giving in to the light, the blood, she was coated with so much blood that her hair had begun to stick to her face. She smiled grateful that even if she couldn't make it, Marcus and Kylie made it.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry"James said pointing the gun to Kylie who was running to where Marcus was.

Like a flare gun, like a popped balloon, the sound of a bullet escaping a gun resonated in the room.

"Daddy!"

Kylie shouted and Mikaella blacked out.

xXxXxXxX

When she came to, she could hear all the sounds come at her at once. The sound of beeping machines beating in rhythm with her heart beat, people speaking from afar, someone over the speaker calling nurses to the operating room. She blinked first feeling the sharp pain attack her head.

Blurred images appeared and when she finally opened her eyes wide, she clearly made out the faces of the people staring down at her. Roman was by the right side, his eyes filled worry before he shouted at someone by the door to call the nurse.

"R-Roman?"

"Shh, you don't have to speak, Mick. The doctors is on his way"

And everything that happened earlier came to her mind and she panicked. James pulled the trigger. James shot her daughter. Where was her daughter? She panicked trying to look around the room but the dang tubes restrained her to the bed.

"Roman? Kylie. Kylie she. James he-he shot her!" She cried.

"H-hey, relax. She's okay. I'll let you see her after doctor checks up on you",Roman assured and it did nothing to calm her down.

The doctor arrived seconds later with a bunch of nurses by his side. They checked her vitals before they pulled Roman aside and talked to him about her condition. Even though they thought she couldn't hear them, she heard the doctor mention that after running tests she seemed alright and that it was a mild concussion.

After the doctors left, Roman returned to her bedside taking her hand in his.

"I thought I lost you again. I thought I lost both of you",he said sweetly.

The door opened and Seth entered having Kylie in his arms. Tears of happiness escaped her eyes, her daughter was alive with no scratch.

"Mommy",she squealed and Mikaella reached out for Kylie's hand.

"We went to pray for you and daddy",Kylie said and only then did it hit her that Marcus must have probably been hurt with the whole James situation.

"Marcus he-he shielded Kylie from an incoming bullet. He had surgery to stop the internal bleeding but he's still in critical condition, Mick",Roman said.

Although her memory was back, although she was supposed to hate Marcus, she simply couldn't. Believe it or not, she cared about him, she loved him too and to hear that he was dying was heart wrenching.

"Can I see him?"

"Mick, I don't think you're in the right state to visit him"

"You should listen to dad, mom. You almost died and I don't think any of us were ready to lose you again",Seth spoke this time around and although she felt nice that he had called him mom after all these years, she had to see Marcus.

"I'm perfectly fine. Do this for me, Roman. I remember everything now. I remember our life together and for the sake of the love we share, I'm begging you to let me see him"

Shocked at first, Roman agreed and the nurses got Mikaella a wheelchair so that she could visit Marcus. For the sake of the love we share, she hadn't said that to manipulate Roman into letting her go. Far from it, she was thinking more clearly than she had in eight years.

She loved Roman, she always would and at the same time she loved Marcus. It seemed selfish of her but her heart felt that way. She was Roman's Mikaella and at the same time she was Marcus' Ruby.

The machines beeped one after another, he had tubes running into his mouth and into his nose. He looked weak as if he had had enough of this world. Enough of the suffering.

She placed her trembling hand on his cheek, hot tears running down her cheek.

"Don't do this to me, Marc. You can't give up now not after everything we've been through. Remember when Kylie got hurt or when I got sick, you said you would always be here to take care of us. Our little girl is waiting outside for her dad to wake up. Please, wake up. Are you mad at me for what I said at the station? I was angry, you were right, I was angry at you and I said things I shouldn't have. Kylie needs you in her life. She needs her Superman to rescue her from bicycle accidents, monsters under her bed and so much more. We love you, Marcus. We-she can't live without you"

And the machines around beeped even louder, his body shook and a shocked Mikaella called the nurses.

"Take her out of the room",the doctor instructed and a nurse pushed Mikaella's wheelchair out of the room.

All the while she peeped through the windows watching Marcus shaking on his bed as if life was ebbing out of his body.