A/N: I don't own Blue Bloods, CBS, or any other known entity. The title for this story comes from the song "Never Again" by Justin Timberlake, which I also do not own. This story is going to have a few darker themes (as will become evident in the next few chapters), so be forewarned. Also, this story will focus (at times) on just about every family member (as in a family member being the focus of the chapter). I hope to have quasi-regular updates, but I never make guarantees because life gets busy. And I also have not completely abandoned my other chapter stories that are in progress right now on my profile, but my muses for them have hidden behind the one for this story. And as this note is turning into its own novel, I'll conclude with my hope that you guys enjoy the chapter and please review.

Prologue

Her fingers ran through the short tufts of hair that were sticking out in various directions. She closed her eyes as she smiled slightly, thinking of him being upset if he saw himself right now. He didn't care much for being disheveled.

But, he wasn't exactly in a position to worry about that right now.

She shook her head as her hand continued to stroke his hair, reassuring herself that he was, in fact, there before her. He was still alive. He had survived, made it through, come out to the other side.

Albeit barely.

Tears welled up behind her eyes as her fingers kept moving along his scalp. Normally, his hair was soft, but right now it was matted by the blood caked within it. She knew Linda would come by shortly, and maybe she could convince her sister-in-law to clean it up.

Then again, the bandages were in the way…

Erin closed her eyes, swallowing. She couldn't stand sitting here, knowing there was nothing she could do for the man before her. She couldn't make him wake up, which meant that there was nothing she could do to try to help the emotional fallout that was bound to happen in the aftermath.

The ventilator clicked on again.

Every time she heard it start, she knew it was breathing life into the man before her. But it did less to comfort her than the beeping of the heart monitor beside her. The heart monitor meant his heart was beating on its own, even if his lungs couldn't breathe without help. The blood pressure cuff clicked on, too, and she found herself anxiously awaiting the response.

98/64. Still too low.

Her eyes drifted up toward the fluid bags hanging above the bed, wishing for them to take over and raise his blood pressure. Though, too high, and it wouldn't do him any better, either. She kept praying that things would end up being okay as she sat on his bed, stroking his hair. She tried not to cry.

He didn't need that right now.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts, followed by Linda walking in. She gave Erin a sympathetic smile before hugging her. Erin sighed, squeezing her sister-in-law gently. The family had decided to rotate shifts, rather than having everyone crowding in the room. Erin's had ended, the next one was beginning.

"His hair needs some washing, huh?" Linda asked softly.

Erin nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.

"Tell them to give me about 15 minutes, please?"

Erin nodded again.

Linda patted her sister-in-law on the shoulder gently. Erin gave her a small smile before turning to the man in the bed. She gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, whispering, "I'll see you later." She stood up, nodded at Linda, and left the room. She almost made it off the unit before the tears fell down her face in a heavy rain.

Erin somehow found her way through her tears into the nearby waiting room, finding her father waiting there. Frank stood up to meet her in the doorway. "How's your brother?" he asked softly.

"The same," she replied quietly.

Frank sighed softly, nodding slowly. "And, you?"

Erin looked at him in response.

He nodded again, reaching forward and hugging her. She hugged back to him tightly, burying her head against his shoulder. He rubbed her on the back, barely keeping it together himself as he held his middle child in his arms.

Henry made his way back into the room, finding the two of them standing there. "Please tell me…" he started.

"No change," Erin interrupted, turning away from Frank's shoulder to face her grandfather.

Henry sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "Never thought I could actually be glad to hear that."

Frank said nothing, keeping his arm around his daughter protectively.

"Blood pressure's still low," Erin said. "He's on the ventilator with the dozens of IVs…" Her voice trailed off as tears threatened.

Frank gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Who would do this to him?" Henry asked.

"He has plenty of enemies," Erin commented softly. "Any one of them could've gotten to him."

Henry sighed, shaking his head. "Linda with him right now?"

Erin nodded. "She asked for a few minutes."

Henry took a drink from the coffee he procured.

Erin bit her lip quietly, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"We'll get whoever did this," Frank said gently, hugging his daughter close.

But no one dared to venture if the perpetrator would be arrested for assault or murder.