We take Nicole to a nearby hospital, and she is rushed to the operation theatre soon after. Luckily, having Mark's presence here with us proves to be beneficial because we don't require having to call an additional officer for documentation purposes. He takes care of the paperwork needed to be done prior to the operation, as it would be treated as a police case.

Mark steps out and goes with the doctor when he informs us about the possibility of requiring a blood transfusion because of the excessive amount of blood that Nicole has lost due to the injury.

The rest of her family arrives shortly after they are informed about the incident. Nicole's mother seems pretty devastated as she keeps crying, sitting on the bench with Francis and Charlotte beside her. I can see that they are worried too, but at the same time, I am glad that they are trying to keep it together and be courageous enough to give support to their mother.

I don't know how much do they know about what happened there, but from the small smile that Charlotte is flashing in my direction right now, I could say they might know nothing. Because she wouldn't be giving me such reaction if she would have known that I am the one primely involved in all this mess. They are unaware of who I am and what is my actual reality. I am sure they probably wouldn't even want to see my face if they'll know the whole truth.

I sigh and look away. I wish I could go and speak to them but I really don't know what do I am supposed to say to make them feel better in this situation. They just want Nicole to be safe, and my words are not going to bring that satisfaction in their hearts, which they would get on seeing her be fine again with their own eyes. So, I don't try to take initiative on that idea and turn to face the door of the theatre where Nicole is being operated.

I am too scared and tense that I don't even know what to do. I wish I could be there in the room and see what Nicole is going through. Being outside here and waiting is really hard, and being unsure of what's going to happen is starting to wreck my nerves now. No, I am not going to let my mind wander in that direction. Nicole is going to be fine.

"Your face looks pretty bad, dude." A voice catches my attention, and I turn to find Colby standing behind me. "You should go get first aid." He says, looking at my face. "I can stay here and watch if that's what troubling you?" His vision darts between Nicole's family and the door in front of us.

"No, I am fine." I shake my head and say. He brought Millie and Martha to the hospital at the same time when we arrived here with Nicole. They are in a room just below our floor getting medical aid. I went to check on them a few minutes ago. I am thankful that they haven't got any serious injuries, just a few scratches. "You stay with Martha and Millie, okay?" I tell him, putting my hands into my pockets and looking back at the door with the red lamp glowing over it.

"But.." He begins again, but I cut him off.

"I said I am fine, Colby. You don't need to worry."

"Okay, let me know if you need anything?" He purses his lips and says. He tries to take a step back to go, but then stops and looks at me.

"I had something to tell you..." He says slowly, looking into my eyes.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"Chris, I was there that day when you had that conversation with Richard."

I frown and look at him as he hesitates. "I was about to enter Richard's room. I was looking for my dad, and that's when I heard your argument with him. I heard everything." My body goes rigid when I realize what he is talking about. From the expression he is carrying right now, I can very well understand that he is implying the day when Richard revealed the truth about the accident to me.

He lowers his gaze as he speaks. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"No...it's okay. At least I know that I have a witness to his confession now." I half-smile and interrupt him before he could feel guilty about it.

He looks at me in disbelief. I guess he was assuming me to get angry with him but I don't find a reason to do that. It wasn't his fault at all. "I wanted to talk, that's why I tried calling you afterward, but you didn't pick up. I went to your place, but I couldn't find you there. I didn't know where you were." He sighs. "So, I decided to ask Max, but I got to know that he wasn't there in the city, too. I tracked down your and his location and found out that you both were in San Diego and when Richard told me that we needed to hurry to get here thereafter, it all just made me suspicious." He looks at me and says. "I didn't know what was going on until I found you guys in that house."

I look at him and then I remind myself he is the reason why we were able to get out of that place. He helped me and I should be grateful to him and here I haven't even apologized to him properly. "I need to apologize for not believing in you..."

He shakes his head. "You don't have to. I know what you have been through." His face covers with an instant rage, which I didn't expect as he looks at me. "Richard fucking deserved to die for what he did to you."

I am at a loss for words after what he just said. I don't know if I should be happy about Richard's death because I have a much bigger thing to worry about. I look back at the operation theatre, feeling my chest tighten, and then turn towards Colby again.

"You know you are a great man." He smiles when I look at him, and I see the genuine expression on his face. "I guess I should go now." He states, assuming that we don't have much to talk about at this moment, and then turns to walk away.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling exhausted. Then suddenly I feel a hand over my shoulder. When I turn around, I see Colby still standing there.

"Nicole is going to be alright." He looks into my eyes and convinces me.

I don't know what to say, so I just nod. I know he is just trying to console me, but I can't bring myself to have peace until I know Nicole is out of danger, so I pace around after he leaves. Francis and Charlotte come in a while to check on me. I just tell them not to worry about me, but to look after Mrs. Johnson.

I glance at the operation theatre again. I don't know how I fail to notice Mark standing next to me until my eyes catch him staring at the door, just like me. We stay there in silence for a moment, after which he speaks. "I didn't mean what I said back there. I was trying to keep him engaged until the backup arrived." I study him and realize that he is talking about how he tried to exchange me in return for Nicole with Max. I almost forgot about it. I don't know if he is truly saying that or just pretending to cover up. Honestly, it doesn't even matter what he thinks about me because I know already that he hates me.

"Why didn't you go along with the backup?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow.

"I was desperate to get there. I wanted to make sure if she was okay. That's why I couldn't stop myself from reaching for her." He looks at me and says.

"You knew where she was?"

"I had the tracker on her bracelet. I couldn't overlook the fact that she could be in danger since she showed up telling me she was with you." He states, narrowing his eyes at me. And I know he is just trying to give one of the other reasons why he doesn't like me.

I turn my gaze away from him and look straight. I know I am worried and frustrated and it's none of my concern. I shouldn't be having this conversation with him right now, but I can't help myself from questioning about what he fucking did. It's the thought that has been troubling me since I discovered about Max's being his son.

"How could you do that to your family and them?" I turn to look at Mark in disbelief and ask. "He was your son. Don't you feel even a bit of regret for what you turned him into? He became a criminal because of you. He was led into that path because of your lack of affection." I say, feeling angry at what he did to his son. Max may not be the innocent one here, and I am not trying to defend him in any way, but what Mark did to him is definitely wrong in my eyes. I don't know where Max is right now. I know he has been arrested, but there is a possibility that he could have been stopped by a hospital because of his injuries. He was shot twice, so he definitely would need medical treatment. Maybe even an operation if I'd be more specific.

"You abandoned his mother and him when he was just three-year-old? What father does that to their child? He was your responsibility, after all. You shouldn't have brought him into this world if you were so fucking unsure of raising a kid." I snap, looking at Mark.

He looks taken aback by my allegations as he speaks. "I loved my family more than..." He begins to reason and then suddenly stops, realizing that he doesn't have to do that. He glares at me. "Who fucking gave you the right to talk to me like this? You are no one to question me about my family matters. It's none of your business."

"Yes, I know. But what you did has eventually affected Nicole. And everything that concerns Nicole is my business. You almost got her killed...do you even realize it?" I feel the anger rising in me, but I try to keep my voice low as I look back at his wife and children, who are still sitting there. I don't know if he has even told them about this. I look back and remind myself that we definitely wouldn't want to put on a show in the middle of a hospital and that too in front of an operation theatre with an operation going on in there.

Mark understands that as he glances back too, before turning to me. "You have no fucking idea what you are talking about." He eyes me up and down in disgust and seethes. "Look at yourself. What the hell were you thinking when you went there? You thought you would go there alone like a hero and magically save Nicole and get out of there without a fucking single scratch?" His sarcasm feels like a fucking slap on my face. But as much as I hate it, I have to admit that he is right. I went there just as much clueless as I am right now. I pull down my gaze and clench my jaw when I don't find a response for that.

Mark finds his victory in my silence as he continues. "I would say it was pretty idiotic of you to do. The thing is, you didn't even know what exactly you were doing. It's because of me she is still breathing." He stands in front of me now and says, looking eye to eye. "You are the one responsible for this state of her. If you want to hear the truth, then listen. If it hadn't been for you, Max would have never found her. And all this would have never happened."

"So basically you are the reason why she is here fighting for her life...You fucking almost killed her, not me, Christopher." I look at him in disbelief. I feel like I should say something to defend myself, but deep down it's known to me that every word that is bombarding out of his mouth is fucking right. I can't deny the truth that if it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't have been in this situation. "So fucking don't try to blame this on me."

I swallow hard when Mark sighs and shakes his head. "She was stupid to fall in love with you." He then looks at the room in front of us and turns to me. His voice sounds hoarse and I can see that he is trying to fight back tears. "She decided to help you at the cost of her own life. She took a bullet for you, Christopher. Have you taken a moment to think about it?" His eyes then bore into mine with a strange kind of fury as he pokes his finger into my chest.

"You should be laying there instead of her." I clench my jaw, feeling like his finger would pierce through my skin, and aim straight to crush my heart. I know there is no point in arguing with him because he is absolutely correct in all his reasons. So I just look down at his finger before staring back into his eyes.

"You owe her your life, Christopher." He pulls his hand back and then crosses his arms. "She is suffering because of you....and if you feel even a bit of remorse for what you put her through, then you should understand it by now."

The guilt already begins to make its way through my heart as he says the next line. "If your conscience is still alive, then you should realize your mistake."

My eyes widen in shock. I know what he is trying to imply by all this, but I still find myself asking, hoping that he would say something else. "What do you mean?"

He takes a step closer, and his features soften now as he looks at me. "If something happens to her, then you have to live the rest of your life with that blame over your chest....but if she survives, then you should be thankful to God that he has given you a chance of redemption."

"I..I..don't understand..." I move away from him and say.

He surprises me when he places his hands over my shoulders. He looks into my eyes, pulling a concerned look on his face, and it scares the shit out of me because it's so unlikely of him. "Listen, I would help you get out of this. Nobody would find a trace of your involvement in whatever fuck happened. You would be free just how my daughter wanted and just how I promised to her. I am a man of my words and I would always keep my promise, especially to her. I am ready to help you, Christopher. But this would happen only on one condition." He says in a low tone, and it sends a wave of terror down my spine. I am well aware of where this is going.

"What?" I breathe, almost wanting to escape from here before getting to hear him say it.

He squeezes my shoulders and then says the most dreadful thing that I would have ever anticipated in my life. "You need to leave my daughter alone and get out of her life forever. It's the only path for your redemption, Christopher."

I push his hands away from me immediately and take a step back in horror. "No...I can't do that. I can't leave her."

His eyes grow big, and he lets out a sigh of frustration. He runs his hand through his hair and looks around as if he is trying to keep himself from screaming. "You fucking don't understand. Haven't you done enough damage to her by now? She wouldn't be able to live if you'd be around you." He stands in front of me and says through gritted teeth. "Can't you see it by now? You are a fucking threat to her life? You are killing her."

I shake my head, suddenly feeling too suffocated by his presence and his harsh words. "I love her. Please don't do this, Mark." I beg him.

He clenches his jaw. And from the nerve popping on his forehead, I can see he is very pissed. "Ask yourself a question, Christopher. Is your love for her greater than her safety? Is it important than her life? Would you rather want her to stay alive than die under the clutches of your love?" He barks over my face, fuming in anger.

He keeps glaring at me, waiting for my answer, and I look at him, trying to replay everything that he has said. Before he can speak again, the doctor comes out of the theatre interrupting us and we both turn to look at her. We must have really lost the track of time that we didn't even realize it had been over two hours by now and the operation is done.

Charlotte, Francis, and Julia- Nicole's mother rush towards us as soon as they see the doctor stepping out.

"It's a miracle that she was able to make it through even after such an excessive blood loss. You guys are lucky." The doctor says with a smile, and a wave of relief washes through my body. I turn and watch Francis, Charlotte, and Julia's eyes fill with tears. I can see they all are so happy as they pull together for a group hug. When Charlotte looks at me, she grabs my arm and pulls me towards them. I smile awkwardly as I hug them. Even though I am really stressed, this hug right now proves to relax my nerves a bit.

"She is out of danger but there is still time for her to regain consciousness." The doctor speaks again when we pull away and look at her.

"Thank you.." I say, being thankful to her for saving my Nicole.

"And there is something else too that I want to talk about." She says hesitantly to me and I frown. But before she can enlighten me more, Mark steps in. "I am her father, tell me." He says authoritatively and I move back. Yeah, he is her father, and he has every right to know about his daughter before me. The doctor glances at me for a brief moment and then turns to Mark and leads him to her room.

I don't know what she wanted to talk about, but it just makes me more anxious as I watch Mark and her disappearing down the hallway. I hope there aren't any complications after the operation and that Nicole is going to be fine.

I sigh and then see that Mrs. Johnson and her kids are still standing here. From their faces, I can say that they are really exhausted from all the worrying they did in the past couple of hours. So, I walk towards them and say. "You guys should go home and get some rest. I'll stay here."

Francis looks at me and frowns. "Are you sure? I can stay with you."

I shake my head and say. "No need for that. Mark would be here anyway. You should go."

They look at each other and then finally seem to agree with me. Julia looks at me and mouths a quick thank you. I know she hasn't been in a state to talk much after everything that has happened. I smile at her, not saying anything, and then watch the three of them as they lead their way down the hallway.

A weird silence engulfs me as I try to get some time to myself standing there in the middle of an empty hallway. I move and lean against the wall, resting my head on it as Mark's words drum in my head wildly. I don't know how but my eyes close involuntarily and within no time the past few months begin to flash in front of me like a movie reel. Every snap that passes through my eyes seems to have Nicole in it. These few months with her had been the best time of my life, and I know I could never bring myself to forget it.

Of course, there had been so many unforgettable memories with her-All that still brings warmth to my heart when I think about them. But as much as I try to keep the bitterness away, I can't seem to ignore the most brutal part of it. I can't seem to ignore the pain that I made Nicole go through on our journey together. Since the day I stepped foot in her life, she has done nothing else than to suffer for my doings.

I can't thank her for being that one hell of a woman in my life- the woman that I fucking love so much. It still feels like a mystery to me that how she was able to keep up with my shitty ass. I wonder how she bore with my fucking mood swings, terrible nightmares, horrifying anger, and my so fucking jealous-ass without getting a single crease over her forehead. She definitely deserves a medal for doing all that and still not wanting to run away from me, pulling her hair like a madwoman. I am sure if it had been some other woman, she would have done that way more before. Not that I ever wanted anyone else other than her.

A smile appears on my face, thinking about it, and it sinks just as quickly as it came when I am kicked back to the harsh reality.

She took a bullet for you, Christopher. You should be laying there instead of her.

Mark's voice haunts through my mind as I snap open my eyes, watching the last visual of Nicole slumping to the ground in my arms, very alive in front of my eyes. Fuck! I gasp in horror, looking around, and sigh when I find myself still in the hospital hallway. That felt fucking real.