"Melody-"

"He'll kill us, and I really want my smoothie on the roof."

He froze. He just kept staring at me, not even blinking, and I was sure that was why a tear came out of his left eye. They must have been burning with how long he kept them open.

"Liam, you looking at me like that is freaking me out." Still nothing. "GO-"

He kissed me hard and I didn't like it, not at all, but I kissed him back.

"If you die I will never forgive you, wife. Never," he said when he broke away, pulling off his suit jacket and placing it over me.

I didn't answer, just nodded...but I hoped to God he would forgive me. I waited until I saw him leave before I broke out into tears, sobbing for the first time in so long.

"Ugh...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I whispered over and over again, Ethan, Dona, and Wyatt on my mind.

LIAM.

9:17 AM.

I was on fire...or at least, that's what it felt like. My whole body ached, but not as badly as my leg did. I was now one hundred percent sure I had broken it, but that was nothing in comparison to the excruciating pain in my chest with each step. Limping forward, I saw Melody, saw the piece of glass, and I saw the relaxed expression on her face like she knew... No. No. She wasn't going to- BANG.

"UGH!" I hissed, falling onto my back as the bullet went through my shoulder. Shit! I had taken off my jacket, which had also doubled as my bulletproof vest.

"You know, Callahan, this was all a little too easy for my liking," he said, bending down over me. "But then again, everyone who you've faced so far wanted power, they wanted what you had; I, on the other hand, don't give a damn. I'm here to watch it all burn."

Every moment I wasted with this cocker was a moment away from her.

"My father spent his life building this. Melody spent her life building it, and for what? This city will move on when you die. The people you've protected will find new bosses. What is the point?"

"Ugh!" I hissed, my teeth clenched together as he pressed down on my leg.

"Those are just a few of the questions I wanted to ask my father, but the old man just had to die. All that talk of me being strong and he croaks, damn hypocrite-"

"I don't give a fuck!" I pulled out the knife at my side and reached over, stabbing him in the shoulder before rolling away, lifting the gun up, and shooting into his chest.

He flew back, and I knew I had hit his vest. Twisting onto my elbows, I pushed myself up off the ground. "You got daddy issues? Get in line!"

He laughed, pushing himself off the floor, pulling the knife out of his shoulder, and dropping it. Turning to me, he also dropped the gun in his hands before raising them. "Let's fight it out, man to man. I can see it in your eyes: you want to beat the shit of me, right? Let's see if you really can, with that golden spoon hanging out of your mouth-has daddy's favorite ever even been in a real fight? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE...no, the Callahan fucking happy-go-lucky fam-"

"You know that part in the movie where the villain makes his grand speech about why the hell he's so fucked up and does bad things?" I cut in before lifting the gun. "I hate that part the most."

BANG.

The bullet hit his neck and he fell to his knees.

Turning from him, I tried to move back toward her, but I couldn't. Everything blurred together and before I could stop myself or brace for the impact, I was on my stomach.

"CHICAGO PD!"

Of course...now they come. There were very few things you could count on in this Chicago; the Cubs always won the opening game, the city was always windy, and the police could never get their asses anywhere on time.

9:24 AM.

I could hear them over me, but I couldn't open my eyes, they felt so heavy.

"He's losing a lot of blood here Jerry!"

"ETA four minutes!"

"How's his leg looking?"

My wife...what about Melody?

MINA.

11:57 AM.

"Talk to me, please," I whispered, reaching out for his hand, but he pulled away from me, turning his head. Since he had woken up, he hadn't said a word or even opened his eyes. He just sat there in silent, agonizing rage, and I wasn't sure what to say to him. I didn't know how to fix this.

"Neal..." Again I reached out to touch his thigh, but he grabbed my arm, gripping tightly.

"Just go." His voice was stern and stiff, nothing at all like the man I had married. "Take the kids and go."

"No." I pulled my arm away.

"Goddamn it, Mina! GO! LEAVE!" He screamed, his chest puffing up and down like a bull. "I can barely look at myself and I can't stand for you to look at me too."

"Why wouldn't I look at you, Neal? You're my husband, aren't you?"

He didn't answer, just turned his head from me. "Mina...please."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to beg him...but instead I got up, kissed the side of his head, and walked out. Shutting the door behind me, I took a breath and leaned against the door. Just as I was about to slide down, I felt Sedric's tiny little hand tug on my shirt.

"Mommy?"

"Hey, buddy." I bent down in front of him, cupping his cheeks.

"Can we see Dad now?" he asked. I glanced over at Nari, who kept staring at the door. Reaching over, I pulled them both into a hug.

"Not yet, buddy. He's very...tired."

"But he said I could talk to him whenever." He tried to push away.

"Sedric!"

We all jumped when we saw Helen grinning widely and running toward us. Behind her was Cora with baby Darcy.

"Sedric, I missed you!" Helen wrapped her arms around him, but Sedric tried to pull away.

"Why? Are you going to put makeup on me again?" He frowned.

"No, we are going to paint your nails. Come on, Nari!" She linked arms with both of them and pulled them away.

Nari dragged her feet "But my dad-"

"Nana says a girl should always have her nails done, it says she takes care of herself. You don't want Uncle Neal to think you aren't taking care yourself do you?" she replied, totally defeating Nari.

"Your daughter is smart," I said tiredly to Cora, who smiled proudly.

"I know, and I take all the credit."

We both laughed, but it was short-lived. She looked over my shoulder. "How is he?"

"In shock." As anyone who loses a limb would be.

"Give it time...he might lash out and push you away, but it's honestly the last thing he wants. Take it from me. The more we say 'leave me alone', the more we mean 'don't let go.'" The image of her undergoing cancer treatments flooded my mind. I hadn't been part of the family then, but I had seen how much she and Declan had suffered.

"Cora. Mina." Evelyn came toward us, her eyes red. God only knew how painful the situation must have been for her.

"Evelyn he's going to-" I started to say, but she cut in, taking a step back and trying to remain composed.

"I've gotten a jet ready. We need to have everyone back in Chicago as soon as possible. I've already spoken to the hospital about Neal."

"Is it over?" Cora asked.

Evelyn opened and closed her mouth before saying, "Brace yourselves, ladies...I'm not...just..."

"Evelyn, you're starting to scare me. What's going on?"

"Please just get ready to leave and make sure the children don't see or hear any news. I'm going to get Ethan, Wyatt, and Donatella."

Both of our instincts were the same...we pulled out our cell phones. The moment we did, we wished we hadn't, because it was like the ground had opened up beneath our feet.

It couldn't be true.

I wouldn't believe it.

Never.

TWENTY-FOUR.

"Sticking with your family is what makes it a family."

~ Mitch Albom LIAM.

"Mr. Callahan? Mr. Callahan, can you hear me?"

I muttered something, my eyes snapping open only to snap shut again.

"Mr. Callahan?"

"Yes." Fuck that burns.

"Yes?"

"Yes...I can...hear...you," I managed to say.

"That's good." The lights above me were doubled before finally blending together as the room stopped spinning. Turning to the right of me and then to the left, all I saw were doctors and nurses.

"Do you remember what happened, Mr. Callahan?"

Emilio...bullets...explosion...glass!

"Woah, Mr. Callahan, lay down-"

"My wife? Where is my wife?" I asked, trying push against him, ignoring the pain in my shoulder.

"Mr. Callahan right now we want to focus on-"

Grabbing him by the collar, I pulled him close to me. "WHERE. IS. MY. WIFE?"

None of them answered me and I struggled to get back up, but everything became dizzy again. Glancing to the left of me I saw them...they were drugging me.

"Stop!"

"Mr. Callahan, we need you to relax right now. Just breathe."