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Ephraim jumped over the small group, taking a bullet from Caroline’s gun in his leg before it could hit its intended mark. Caroline screamed in pain as she turned to face the intruders.
Eric stormed in, aiming a crossbow at Caroline. He pulled the trigger, sending the arrow flying through the air. It hit her in the heart, slamming her backwards, but not before she managed to pull the trigger one last time. Ephraim dove over her falling body, taking the bullet in his chest that was meant for Eric.
He saw Eric flinch as he expected the shot to complete its aim into his head.
“Fuck,” Eric muttered unsteadily, taking in the scene. Men and women stormed the house as Eric helped Ephraim to his feet.
“It’s Chris. ” Ephraim ran half stumbled back to the group. Eleanor was fussing over Chris’s body. He could already see that Chris was unconscious and loosing far too much blood.
Eric dropped by Chris' side. “I need a medic!” he yelled.
Another man dropped next to Chris. He opened a backpack and began securing the wounds. “Two in the shoulder, one in the back, one in the stomach, one in the leg and the last one on the side of his neck.
Madison reached up and took Ephraim’s hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze and sighed with relief that he couldn’t smell her blood. Chris had saved their baby.
Ephraim watched helplessly as the boy who'd become his son lay dying on the ground. There was nothing he could do to save him. “Joshua’s been shot!” Jill’s voice broke through his pain.
He reached out and yanked a very pale Joshua from the middle of the chaos. He was covered in blood, from the smell of it Chris’s blood. His eyes ran over the frightened little boy. “Where?”
“My tummy hurts,” he cried. “Is Chris going to be okay?” His chin wobbled.
“I hope so. ” Ephraim yanked the vest off the little boy and sighed with relief. Joshua had a hell of a purple bruise on his stomach, but no penetration.
“Looks like the vest saved him,” Eric mumbled as he poked his finger into the vest where the bullet entered. “He needs to go to the hospital as well. ”
“Chopper’s here. ”
“That was quick,” Madison said through sobs.
“When two Sentinels are in danger we don’t play around. I’m just sorry it took so long to get here. We had a false alarm in Boston. We were halfway there when your calls for help came through. We double checked the situation in Boston by phone and found out that it was bogus. ”
“A trick to divert you,” Eleanor guessed.
“Yes, ma’am. I do apologize,” Eric said.
She waved him off. “Just get my grandsons to the hospital and you’re forgiven. ”
“He’s packed up, let’s move him out,” the medic said.
Several men moved in. “I’ve got him. ” Ephraim scooped Chris up, ignoring the pain that shot throughout his body. It wasn’t as bad as it could be since he'd overfed. His wounds were already healing.
He looked at the men evenly who were still reaching to take Chris. “He’s my son. ” They nodded and moved back as he ran with Chris in his arms to the waiting chopper. Eric ran behind him carrying a crying Joshua.
Ephraim held Joshua in his arms while they strapped Chris to a board and started an IV. “He needs blood!” the medic yelled.
Eric held out his arm. “Take it! It’s our blood he needs anyway! If they give him human blood it will kill him. ” The medic nodded his agreement. Ephraim and Joshua watched as the medic attached an IV from Eric to Chris.
“Ephraim!” Madison yelled over the sounds of the chopper. He turned to see her healthy and well. “We’ll meet you there!”
He nodded.
“I love you!” she yelled.
“I love you, too. Be careful. ”
“I will. ” She turned.
“Oh, Madison?”
“Yes?” She turned back.
“When this is all over and Chris is better be prepared to have the spanking of a lifetime for not listening to me and scaring the hell out of me!”
Her mouth dropped open to argue, but she only nodded. It was the smartest thing she’d done all day, except for agreeing to marry him of course. He watched her as the helicopter rose.
She went back towards the house. There were dozens of Sentinels running around now. He knew his family would be safe. His eyes moved to Chris. His color was coming back.
“It’s the blood. It will help heal him quickly. My blood is stopping the bleeding, see. ” Eric pointed to a still white bandage on Chris' neck. The bleeding was stopping. He just prayed it was enough. He couldn’t lose Chris.
A loud steady beep went off from one of the machines they had Chris hooked up to.
“Shit, he’s coding!”
Ephraim heard Chris’s heartbeat sputter. “No! Chris, no!”
“Clear!” The medic shocked Chris.
His heart flat lined.
Epilogue
“Dad?” Ephraim looked up from his infant son. Joshua strolled into the nursery and sat down in the other rocking chair.
“What’s up, little man?” he asked, gently rocking the baby in his arms.
“Nothing, I just miss Chris. ” He looked around the baby’s room and frowned. “Whose idea was it again to go with a teddy bear theme?”
Ephraim chuckled. “Your mother’s. ”
“Figures. Mom’s always been partial to teddy bears. She used to buy me clothes with teddy bears all over them. ”
“I’m sure you looked cute. ”
“I did,” he agreed, giving Ephraim a grin that would one day make the girls melt at his feet. Ephraim knew that day was coming soon. At eleven the kid was already too damn good looking and charming for his own good.
Jill walked into the room. “Madison is asking for you, Dad. ”
He nodded.
It was funny how quickly and eagerly Jill and Joshua came to regard him as their father. Joshua easily made the adjustment to place Madison from sister to mother. Jill hadn't. She was too old for that change and saw Madison as a sister and friend, but still allowed Madison to adopt her. She said it just felt right.
“Do you mind taking little Marc Christopher for me?” He stood up and carefully handed his son over to Jill.
“Of course. ” She smiled at the baby. “Hey, baby brother, you are so cute. ”
“Of course he is. After all he’s named after me,” Chris said as he walked into the room. He messed up Joshua’s hair on his way to his youngest brother.
“Hey, little man. Did you miss me while I was out on patrol?” Marc gurgled and grinned hugely. “That’s what I thought. ” He kissed the baby's head.
“Well?” Ephraim asked.
“Nothing to report. Quiet as a church. How did your patrol go?” Chris asked as he rubbed the ugly pale scar on his neck.
“Fine. Nothing. Are you still sore?”
“Yeah. The muscles are tight. ” Chris winced.
“You know I’ve been waiting for you all night,” Joshua complained.
Chris’s lips tugged up into a smile. “I can see that. ”
“Let’s go, I only have a half hour before I go to bed. ”
Ephraim cleared his throat. “More like you were supposed to be in bed an hour ago. It’s ten. ”