Once in a Lifetime

Helping the Hero

Jimmy's POV

I heard the gunshot and watched as my Karen was struck. It looked like confusion and pain hit her face at once as she slid down the wall, leaving a trail of blood before she slumped over on the floor.

"Oh my God! Karen!" I screamed as I sprung up from my seat, my head pounding from from where the bastard hit me. I didn't care that he still had a gun trained on me, I was going to my girl. I could tell that she had passed out, which was a blessing since I knew she had to be in a lot of pain.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Fallon," Kyle said menacingly. There was no way in hell his threat was flying with me; Karen needed me. But I didn't have to do anything. Turiq, Quest and Higgins all sprang into action as I reached Karen's side. They managed to disarm Kyle and tackled him to the ground as Frank unlocked the studio doors, allowing the police to run through the and into the studio.

The police took Kyle into custody and dragged him, kicking and screaming, out of the room. I was running my hands over Karen's head and neck, checking for any other injuries. I was pissed when I saw the bruises forming on her throat where Kyle had almost killed her earlier.

I looked up from checking Karen to see Miles grimacing as he was limping his way over to us while Higgins kneeled next to me. "Jimmy, Miles? You guys ok?" He asked, concern evident in his eyes. I just nodded to my best friend; I couldn't trust myself to say anything.

"I'll be ok. How is she?" Miles asked, sitting down on the floor with help from Frank and pointing to Karen.

"I don't know, but I'm scared," I replied, the last two words under my breath. I definitely was scared for the woman who showed so much courage to stand up against Kyle and got hurt in the process.

"She a friend of yours?" Quest asked, breaking my trance. I looked up and around at all the people whom I considered my family. "Yeah she is. We started dating today." I couldn't help it, I began to cry.

I knew everyone in the room could tell that all of the drama of the last fifteen minutes were taking a toll on me. Kirk didn't say a word, but he helped me to move out of the way so the others could help Karen. Higgins and Frank cautiously turned Karen onto her back, careful to not move her severely broken arm in any way.

I watched as Higgins took his jacket off and folded it before he gingerly placed it on Karen's stomach. He pressed down, trying to stop the bleeding. Patrick came running from behind the curtains with a splint. He skidded to a stop beside us and he and Quest carefully splinted Karen's arm.

I sat next to her head, feeling sicker and sicker as I watched the others trying to do all they could for my girlfriend until the paramedics arrived. I knew she was in trouble because the pool of blood below her was growing at an alarming rate.

Tears of anger, frustration and pain fell down my face. I felt a comforting hand on my back and when I looked up I saw Kirk behind me, trying to give me an encouraging smile. I knew the guys would be gentle with the brave young woman I was proud to call my girlfriend.

A soft groan caught my attention. I looked down to see Karen's eyes fluttering open. "Ji..Jimmy?" She asked softly, her head moving around to look for me.

I scooted closer to her head and took her good hand in mine. "I'm right here baby."

She turned her head so that she could look at me. I could see in her eyes the pain she was in, causing me to start tearing up again. "Are you okay? Is Miles okay? He hurt you guys," she said, basically ignoring her pain to make sure we were okay.

Miles scooted a little closer so he would be in her line of sight before replying, "I'm good sweetheart. I think we are all more concerned about you right now."

She nodded, her breath catching in pain. I squeezed her hand and said, "He's right hon. We are more concerned with you right now."

She nodded again, screwing her eyes shut tight, her body tensing up. She started to roll to her right side, trying to curl in a ball. "Hey, hey, hey, you can't move too much sweetie," Higgins said, still holding pressure on her wound. Turiq and Kirk helped to move her to her back again.

She started whimpering, her breaths coming in shorty raspy gasps. I continued to hold her hand as my friends continued to make sure she didn't hurt herself further.

We heard the doors open and I looked, letting out a sigh of relief when two paramedics came flying through the doors to the studio. One knelt next to Higgins and one beside me.

"My name is Alex and this is my partner Chase. What happened?" The medic next to Higgins asked as he started pulling supplies from his bag.

"Some guy took us hostage, almost strangling Karen here. He kicked her, then stomped down on her right arm, breaking it. He then shot Miles right there and hit Jimmy here over the head with his gun. Karen stood up against him and he shot her," Higgins explained as Chase put an oxygen mask on Karen. She was now breathing really harsh, almost like she couldn't breath.

Alex took over for Higgins and placed some kind of gauze or something on her wound. Karen had quit moving, which I think freaked me out the most.

"Okay, so that means you two get to ride with us to the hospital, since you guys will need to be taken care of too," Chase said, starting an IV in Karen's good arm.

Miles and I nodded as the two medics continued working on my girl. A moment later, I noticed that her eyes were closing. "Karen honey! Stay with me! Please stay with me!" I begged, my voice cracking with emotion.

Karen didn't say anything, she just looked into my eyes for a brief moment before her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she passed out. "Oh my God! Karen!" I screamed, hoping she would wake back up. But she didn't.

The medics began to work frantically on her, yelling the three words that still are haunting me. "She's not breathing!"