Burton heard the shot and felt his heart immediately start to race faster as he ran towards the house. He past the car but was pulled back by the officer behind him.

"Sir we have to wait until they come out," the officer said firmly. "My men have surrounded the place and…"

"But that's my…son…" Burton insisted. "I have to go and se…"

"Sir we have to wait until they surrender," the police Officer insisted.

"But he could be dying!" Burton yelled angrily.

Nick felt the bullet graze past his side and rip a small opening in the soft flesh before it exited and lodged itself into the wall behind him. He felt his body slam into the floor and the burning pain of lead starting to enter his bloodstream. Help me, Nick's mind yelled in agony. He moaned into the gag and closed his eyes to block the pain.

"What the hell?" Sam yelled as he rushed to see if Nick had been killed. "Please tell me you are not dead. Why did you charge me," Sam mumbled in anger.

"But I thought you wanted him dead?" Marty asked in a panic.

"No I uh…" Sam said.

"There are cops everywhere outside man, what the hell are we going to do?" Marty asked in a heated panic.

"Surrender," Sam said placing his gun on the floor.

"What?" Marty asked in shock.

"Obviously Franco cut us short on this one. If we surrender now we'll just get accessories to kidnapping."

"But…" Marty started.

"Then you kill him and be arrested for murder!" Sam snapped as he gently turned Nick over to spy the damage. He saw the red seeping into Nick's white dress shirt and immediately pulled it from his pants and lifted it to expose the wound.

"Only a surface wound," Sam said with a sigh. "Throw down your weapon and surrender already!" Sam snapped. "It's over." Sam applied some pressure to Nick's wound and whispered again, "it's all over. For all of us."

"Father no!" Cassie cried as she tried to breathe life into her father's lifeless body. "Please god no," she said as tears streamed down her face. "No," she said as she lay her head on his still chest and continued to cry. "Damn you Franco," Cassie cursed as she looked up at the police officer beside her. "Is it over yet?"

"Soon," he said softly.

Franco checked the few remaining bullets in his gun and frowned. His lifeblood was rapidly leaving from the bullet wounds he had already sustained, but he still refused to surrender.

"It doesn't have to end like this Franco," came the tired sounding voice of Detective Baker. "If you surrender this will all end peacefully."

"Yeah with me in jail!" Franco croaked out. "Go to hell."

"Franco…" Detective Baker started as Franco fired off another shot that just missed the Detective by a few feet. "Franco your father is dying, please for his sake surrender."

"My father?" Franco asked with a half sarcastic smile. "He's the one that turned me in in the first place."

"Franco listen…" Detective Baker started as few more of his men moved themselves into position around Franco's hiding spot.

Franco felt drowsiness starting to set in and knew shortly his life would come to an end. How the hell did I end up in this mess, he asked himself in anguish? If only Sam had…he started to reason in his mind. But the more he dwelt on it the more he realized that if he had not gone that night as his father had said then none of this would be taking place. "I guess he really did know better," Franco whispered as he brought his gun to his lips and kissed it.

"What's it to be Franco?" Detective Baker called out?"

"A blaze of glory!"

Sam heard the door slam open and then watched as the small room came to life with police officers and one very frantic Burton Fallin.

"Nick!" Burton said as he rushed to his son, still lying on the floor bound and gagged. "Get me a knife!" Burton called out as he gently pulled the gag from Nick's bruised mouth. "Nick?" He asked softly.

"Father," Nick said slowly as he opened his eyes and looked up at his father. "I'm sorry…"

"Shh Nick it's going to be okay," Burton said as he was handed a knife. He quickly cut away the tape that bound Nick's wrists together behind his back as a paramedic rushed to his side.

"Please give me a minute," the young man said looking at Nick's wound. A few minutes later Nick was all bandaged up and ready for transport. He slowly stood up and warmly embraced his father.

"Thank god you're alive son," Burton said firmly. "I thought I los…"

"It's okay," Nick said shaking his head yes. "I'm okay now."

"Let's go," Burton said putting his arm around Nick's shoulders and gently guiding him out of the house behind the officers taking Sam and Marty into custody.

"Franco Carlson is the one behind all this," Sam protested as he was being put in the police car. "He's the one who paid us to kidnap Fallin. Why isn't he being arrested?"

"Because you can't arrest a dead men," the Officer said firmly as he closed the door on Sam. Sam stared at Nick with a hollow glare.

"Dead?" Nick asked weakly. "Are you sure?"

"I don't know son," Burton said gravely. "But when I left things didn't look good for Reno either. But let's get you to the hospital. You ne…"

"I need to see if Cassie is okay," Nick said quickly. "Please take me to see her now."

"But son you ne…"

"I'll drive myself," Nick said stubbornly.

"I promise I'll bring him to the hospital as soon as we talk to…"

"Judge Fallin this really isn't a good idea," the young paramedic said. "He should be going straight to the hospital now."

"I know," Burton said with a frown. "Tell him that," he said gesturing to Nick as Nick got inside the car and closed the door.

Burton got into the car and closed the door. For a few minutes both father and son sat in the silent car and stared out the front window.

"Nick I…" Burton started.

"Father can we please just go," Nick said softly.

"Yeah," Burton said as he started up the car and headed towards the Carlson residence.

They finally arrived at the Carlson residence to see it swarming with cops, paramedics and the county coroner's team.

"What the hell?" Nick asked quickly. "What happened?"

"Looks like hell has broken loose," Burton said as he stopped the car and got out, Nick right behind him. They watched as the EMS team brought out a stretcher with a black body bag on it, zipped up and then placed it inside the first coroner's van.

"Who…" Burton started.

"Franco Carlson," Detective Baker said grimly as he walked up to Burton and Nick. "You must be Nick," he said with a firm smile. "Glad one of you lived."

"What happened?" Nick asked with a frown.

"Franco Carlson decided to go out in a blaze of glory," Baker said sarcastically. "Did a number on Reno and Cassandra."

"What happened to…" Burton started as Nick rushed past him into the house.

"Cassie," Nick said in a panic as he pushed past his father and headed down the well-lit hallway. He reached the office to find a team hovering over the now dead body of Reno Carlson.

"Cassie?" Nick said softly as he watched them zip the black bag closed.

Cassie looked up with angry eyes and glared at him. "He's dead because of you," she said in a tormented whisper. "He's dead…because…" she said as she slowly stood up and walked towards him. "He's dead because of you!" She cried as she pounded on Nick's bruised chest.

Nick winced in pain as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "Cassie I…" Nick started.

"If you had only talked to Franco from the start…" she said through broken sobs.

Nick heard the words and immediately felt guilt starting to build. He looked up at his father and frowned. Burton returned the sad stare and then walked up to one of the coroner's working on Reno's paperwork.

"How uh…how did he die?" Burton finally asked.

"Heart attack," the man said looking up.

"Was there ah anything…"

"No Sir I'm sorry," the man said with a sad smile. "He went fairly quickly. Forgot to take his meds tonight. I guess he was too caught up in the struggle to remember."

"Yeah," Burton said looking back at Nick who was still trying to calm Cassie down. "Or he wasn't reminded," Burton said under his breath.

"Why didn't you just talk to him?" Cassie asked angrily.

"Cassie I'm sorry," Nick said softly. "But Franco…"

"Would be alive if you had talked to him. You wanted him dead!" She said as she pulled away from Nick. "You never cared about my family."

Burton walked up to them and stood behind her. "Cassie your father…"

"Came to you for help," Cassie said turning around and glaring angrily at Burton. "If you had helped him in the beginning they'd both be alive. I hope your title was worth it!"

And with those cold cutting words Cassie turned and followed the gurney that carried the body of her dead father outside.

Burton and Nick exchanged worried frowns. "I can't believe this all ended like this," Burton said softly as he went and stood close to Nick. "I honestly didn't think that thi…"

"Neither did I," Nick said quickly. "But the only one to blame here is Franco."

"I know," Burton said looking down. "But I can also see why Reno did what he did."

"What? If he had turned Franco in from the start they would both still be alive."

"His loyalty was to his son Nick," Burton said looking back up at him. "And I uh can relate to that."

"He…" Nick started, only to be interrupted by a paramedic touching his side.

"I think you need to have this attended to," he said seeing the blood starting to seep from the quick bandage.

"Okay," Nick said meekly. "I'll see you at the hospital," Nick said to his father.

"Right," Burton said watching Nick leave with two paramedics.

Nick reached outside to see the doors close Reno into the coroner's van. He locked eye with Cassie for the last time as she got into her car and followed after her father.

"Sorry," Nick whispered into the air as he watched the car leave.

"Sir we really need to get you to the hospital."

Burton stood in the office of Reno Carlson after the police and paramedics had left and just listened to the silence. He closed his eyes and pictured his last few minutes with Reno Carlson. But Reno wasn't at fault for trying to protect his son. 'Blood is thicker than water', he mused silently. "I would have done the same for Nick," he mumbled out loud into the still air.

One more sweep with his eyes before he too turned and left the blood stained room. He took a deep breath of the cold night air before getting into his car and speeding towards the hospital.

"He's been what?" Lulu asked anxiously into the phone. "Okay I'll be right there."

"What is it?" Brian asked as she hung up the phone and ran to her closet to get dressed.

"Nick's been shot and Burton is heading towards the hospital."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know. I'm heading there now," Lulu said in a panic.

"So why do you have to go?" Brian asked crossly.

"Because he's a friend and co-worker and he's been shot!" Lulu said firmly. "I'd understand if you had to go."

"Yeah but…" Brian started.

"End of discussion Brian," Lulu said as she quickly pulled on a pair of dark pants and a sweater. "I'll be back shortly," she said as she grabbed her coat and keys and rushed to the stairs.

"No you won't," Brian said with an angry stare.

"Well it's just a minor wound but we would like him to stay her overnight so that the antibiotics can work into his system," the ER doctor finished telling Burton.

"Can I see him?"

"Of course," she said with a warm smile.

Burton turned and headed for the hospital bed Nick was lying in. "Hey," he said walking up to him.

"So do I have to stay the night?" Nick asked looking up at his father.

"Yeah. But you can leave first thing in the morning. They just want to make sure no infection sets in."

"I still can't believe that Cassie blamed me," Nick said sadly. "I mean if Franco hadn't…"

"Nick, Franco is the only one to blame here," Burton said firmly. "Remember that."

"Yeah but I can't help feel that I contributed in some way."

"Yeah I know," Burton said heaving a large sigh as he sat down at the foot of Nick's bed. "But why didn't Reno turn him in in the first place?"

"Why didn't Sam try to stop Franco in the first place?" Nick countered.

"I guess everyone is a bit responsible," Burton said looking out the window. "They had all just dug themselves such a deep hole that they couldn't find the way back out. Cassie too."

"What?" Nick asked in shock. "All she did was come for our help."

"Why didn't she go to the police before? Why did she wait until Franco was there in the middle of a heated discussion?"

"You think she had something to do with her father's and brother's demise?"

"Well she is now the sole heir to the Carlson fortune. All that he had left to Franco is now her's. That's a mighty temping offer."

"She wouldn't do that," Nick insisted. "She loved her father."

"Money makes people do strange things Nick," Burton said looking back at him. "I mean how well did you really know her?"

"Not well enough I guess," Nick said looking down.

"Are you tired?" Burton asked.

"Yeah," Nick said looking back up.

"Okay well I'll just let you get some sleep then and I'll be back in the morning, okay?" Burton said standing up.

"Can you bring me something different to wear?" Nick asked sheepishly.

"Yeah," Burton said looking down at Nick. Then he leaned in close and hugged him tightly. "Thank god you're alive Nick."

Nick heard the warm words and felt his father's tight embrace. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer of thanks that he indeed was still alive. Then as quickly as it started it was over.

"I'll see you in the morning," Burton said softly. "Night son."

"Night dad," Nick said watching his father leave.

Burton headed for his car in silence. Even his thoughts weren't as active as they had been in the past few hours. Nick was alive and that was all that really mattered to him. He knew it was selfish with Reno's death and all that transpired tonight but he really didn't care. Nick's alive. How good those words felt when a few hours earlier he actually contemplated life without his son.

Then he thought about Franco Carlson. How did things get so bad with Franco that he had to resort to such violence to solve his problems? Was it parental neglect? But he was a grown man, Burton reasoned inside. Surly he could have come to a peaceful solution to his own problems. But what if Reno had paid him no heed except in extreme circumstances and even then just to bail him out? did Reno ever spend quality time with Franco? Do I? Burton stopped his thinking as he reached his car. He turned around and looked back up at Nick's window and sighed. Do I spend quality time with Nick? He didn't answer for he knew that he too was more than lacking in that regard.

He was pulled from his mental tirade by a car coming to a quick halt. Burton looked at the dark hair woman that got out of the car and stopped to stare at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Is he okay?" Lulu asked softly.

"Yes he is," Burton said with a firm smile. He gave her one last quick look before getting into his car and heading for home. Things have to change between us Nick, Burton said inside. Change for the better.

Lulu reached Nick's room to find him lightly sleeping. She quietly walked into his room and spied the IV bag he was hooked up to.

Nick heard movement and slowly opened his eyes. He saw Lulu's warm smile and returned one of his own. "Isn't it kind of late to be here?" He asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Lulu said quickly.

"I'm okay," Nick replied as he fully awakened.

"Good," Lulu said with a smile. She pulled up a chair and sat down and just looked at him with a soft stare. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, neither speaking, neither knowing the right words.

"So how did it all end?" Lulu asked.

"Badly," Nick said with a sigh. "Too many people died."

"Sorry," Lulu said sadly. "Want to talk about it?"

Nick looked at her and at first shook his head no.

"I understand," she said as she made to get up and out of the chair.

"I just don't understand why Franco didn't just reason with his business partner from the start," Nick said staring straight ahead.

"What?" Lulu asked, quickly sitting back down.

"And what about Sam? If Sam knew that Franco had such a bad temper why didn't he try to stop Franco from going in the first place?" Nick asked, turning his gaze to hers.

Lulu knew she didn't know the players or even the game that ended with no winners tonight. But Nick was making an attempt at talking about the ordeal and inside she knew she had to give him the chance to open up. She wanted that and hoped he did to. There was still some nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that she wanted more from Nick and this was wrong. But she pushed that voice further into the back of her mind and asked her questions to make him talk to her more. That was what she wanted.

"Why didn't Sam reason with the partner?" Lulu asked.

Nick looked at her with a surprised glance. "Never thought of that," he said softly. "Why didn't Cassie?"

"Maybe she didn't want to," Lulu said.

Nick looked at her and suddenly felt a sinking feeling starting to develop inside of him. "What if she used me to cement a deal that would make her head of her father's empire?"

"She wouldn't do tha…" Lulu started.

"I was just a means to an end," Nick said sadly as he lay his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes in sorrow.

Lulu heard the crushed words and reached out her hand and touched his. Nick felt the touch and didn't pull away. It was several hours later when Nick finally fell fast asleep and Lulu stood up to leave. She bent down and tenderly kissed him on the cheek and stood back up. "See you tomorrow Nick," Lulu whispered as she finally left his room.

Burton arrived the next morning to find Nick sitting in his bed, eating breakfast and watching the press conference that Cassie had called. The press conference announcing her as head of the Carlson empire.

"Think she'll need a lawyer?" Burton mused as he walked into Nick's room.

"I think she used me to get what she wanted," Nick said sourly as he pushed his bed tray away and pushed himself to the edge and stood up. "And I think this plan was drawn up a long time ago. She just waited for the right time and means to make it happen."

"You don't know that Nick," Burton said with a frown as the press conference wrapped up. "I don't think she wanted her father to die like that."

"Then she didn't do much to stop it," Nick said bitterly as he took the bag from his father's hand and headed for the bathroom.

"And what if she comes to us for legal help?" Burton asked as Nick reached the door.

"I'll just tell her I don't do hostile take-overs," Nick said firmly as he closed the door to the bathroom. He leaned against the door for a few minutes before getting dressed for the day. In no time they were away from the hospital and in the parking lot of Legal Services of Pittsburgh.

"So about that supper we never got to have," Burton started.

"Sounds great," Nick said with a smile before he got out of the car. I'll call you later."

"Good," Burton nodded as he watched Nick walk past his BMW and into the back door of Legal Services. He then turned his car and headed back into the downtown core.

Nick walked past his car and tried to clear Cassie from his mind. I was just a means to an end, he said bitterly. He tried to erase her face from his thoughts and tried to focus on the day before him. He was looking forward to dinner with his father and was thankful that he was finally shown that his life was worth much more to his father than a mere title or money. They way it should be, he said inside. I wonder if Cassie feels the same. I wonder if she really is in mourning over the loss of her father? I guess I will never really know what she really wanted.

Cassie sat in her office and raised a glass of champagne to a picture of Nick. "Here's to you Nick Fallin," she said with a smile. "I could not have accomplished all this without you."

Nick felt his heart start to beat a bit faster as the doors opened and Lulu's smiling face was the first thing he saw. He quickly exchanged a warm smile with her before heading straight to his office. He gathered up his briefcase and files for the day and turned around and bumped into Lulu.

"Sorry I ah…" Nick started.

"Here is your first case," she said handing him the file.

"Thanks," Nick smiled as he took the file from her. "What's the deal with…" Nick started.

"Mr. Jenkins is a…" Lulu started as they both turned and headed out of his office and back into the crowded waiting area of Legal Services.

THE END

**Dear readers how did you like my first Guardian story? Please let me know as this will encourage further writings! You guys rock! Thanks!**