Prologue:

Long Time Waiting

Nine hours had passed since the shots had been fired at the bar. The sun shone through the windows of the hospital, it was a beautiful day in New York City. But no one in the little waiting room noticed; there was nothing but darkness in there.

Jess sat curled up on the uncomfortable plastic chair, her head resting on Don's shoulder with his suit jacket over her upper body. She hadn't been injured; she only had a few cuts and scrapes from the glass. Her hands had been cut up the worst where she had landed on them.

Don sat with his head leaned against the cold wall, his head was sore from a gash over his eye. It had been stitched up, but now the painkillers were starting to wear off. Otherwise, he was physically fine.

Adam, Stella, and Sid had very similar injuries to Angell, a few cuts and scrapes, the bruises and stiffness would come in the next few hours.

Mac, Sheldon, and Josh were farther away and had been lucky enough to avoid injury. They had been checked out at the scene and stayed to process. A person doesn't open fire on a cop bar and get away with it.

Lindsay paced back and forth the floor. Her blouse covered in her husband's blood and her jeans soaked with her own. When the shooting began, Danny had taken her to the ground with him where she landed on glass and cut her right knee badly enough for stitches. The rest of the scrapes she received were minor.

They came out of the shooting unharmed; except Danny. He was the only person who caught a bullet; a slug landed in his back. While he was conscious at the scene, he lost a lot of blood and had been in surgery for a long time…nine hours. Nine hours his family had been waiting for news as whether he would make it or…well no one wanted to think it but the unspoken possibility was there.

"What is taking so long?" Lindsay asked. She stopped pacing and took a seat; she asked the same question every half hour to break the silence which led to Stella going down to the nurses' station for an update only to receive the same information "He's stable and still in surgery, please be patient" which led to Lindsay resuming her pacing.

"Okay. Come with me, Linds." Jess rose from her chair and grasped her friend's cold hand, "Trust me." She escorted Lindsay out of the waiting room; with everyone right behind her. She led Lindsay down the hall and made a right continuing until they reached the hospital chapel.

"Jess, I'm not…" Lindsay whispered, "I'm a scientist. I don't think I can sit in there and pray to a God I don't know exists."

"Trust me. I spent a lot of time in hospitals as a kid. This is the most hopeful place you can find." replied Jess. "And we need hope."

Lindsay nodded her head and everyone went in to sit, to wait for news, and to hope.