“Why don’t you just get it over with?” Sebastian Vaughn questioned. “If you want to shoot someone, then just shoot me. I’m the one that started all of this. It’s my fault,” he said as he stepped toward the man with the gun.

“Stay back,” the man demanded.

“Sebastian, shut up!” Jesse Martinez cried. He started to get up from the floor, but Sarah Mulberry grabbed him and pulled him back and stared into his eyes pleadingly.

“Don’t,” she whispered softly. He stared at her, then back at Sebastian.

“Sebastian, please . . .” Jesse said.

“No, it’s okay,” Sebastian responded. “This is all my fault. If he wants to shoot somebody, then let him shoot me.” He stared into the gunman’s eyes. “Shoot me,” he demanded as he held his arms out at his sides and made himself the target of a mad man.

“I said stay back,” the gunman repeated as he waived the gun at Sebastian.

“Just shoot the son of a bitch already!” Devon James cried. “Jesus Christ! Get it over with!” She yelled as he latest contraction took hold of her. She winced and threw her head back in agony.

“Try not to get excited,” Gage Matthews informed her.

“There’s a man waving a gun around,” Devon reminded him, “you try and stay calm!”

“I know, baby,” Gage said, “but think about the baby.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Devon interjected, “I am thinking about the baby, unlike you that’s all I’ve ever thought about.” She stared at Gage and shook her head. “Just leave me alone,” she said as she pushed him away. “Just get away from me.”

Gage Matthews stared down at Devon James in silence. “I can’t do that,” he finally said. “I’m not leaving you and I’m not leaving the baby . . . not again,” he said softly.

“Now’s the time you decide to have a backbone?” Devon questioned.

“I came back for you, didn’t I?” Gage questioned.

“It’s too late,” Devon informed him.

“It’s never too late,” Gage said softly as he stared into her eyes.

Devon James paused and stared at Gage Matthews in silence. “Oh God,” she said as the latest contraction tore through her. She reached up for Gage Matthews and grabbed him by the arm. “Don’t ever leave me again,” she said.

“I won’t, I promise,” Gage said to her. He turned to glance at Sebastian Vaughn and the man holding the gun. “We have to get her to a hospital, she’s having a baby,” he said.

“No one goes anywhere,” the man responded, “not until I’ve had a chance to think.”

“That’s a good idea,” Szymon Skubisz said from where he was sitting in the corner. He slowly got to his feet. “Let’s think about what’s happening here,” he said. “You’ve already killed one person,” he explained, “let’s not add another murder to the list of charges you’ll be facing.”

“I didn’t mean to kill her!” The man with the gun yelled. “I swear the God, I didn’t mean to kill her!”

“Of course you didn’t,” Szymon said softly. “I believe you, but you have to believe me right now. Put the gun down and back away from it. I swear to you if you do that, I will help you. I’ll tell everyone that this was an accident.” He stepped forward slightly. “Just put the gun down . . .”

“No!” The man yelled as he stepped away. “Stay back! Don’t come any closer,” he demanded.

“Szymon, stop!” Cayden King yelled out. He shook his head, pleading with Szymon to back off. “He’ll shoot you,“ he explained. “Just let him think,” he said softly.

Szymon Skubisz glanced across the room to where Cayden was sitting. “What do you care?” He questioned. “You’ve made it painfully clear that you no longer care about me. So what if I get shot?” He questioned.

“You think I don’t care?” Cayden questioned. “Can you honestly stand there and believe that I don’t care if you live or die?” Tears came to Cayden’s eyes. “Answer me!” He demanded.

Szymon Skubisz shook his head and glanced away. “I don’t think you do,” he said softly.

“You son of a bitch!” Cayden cried as he got to his feet.

“Cayden, st-stop!” Elijah Montessori called out, trying to grasp his friend’s hand to pull him back to the floor. He was too late.

“After everything we’ve been through! Look at me!” He demanded as he took a step forward. In the next moment, Cayden King heard a loud bang and a sharp pain in his abdomen. It was as if time had come to a screeching halt. He glanced around the room at all of the shocked faces staring back at him and then the floor came crashing up to meet him.

He fell onto his side then slowly rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. In a single moment, the silence ended and Cayden King heard Szymon Skubisz yell at someone.

"You son of a bitch! What did you do?"