9 pm, Sunday
Katie was laid on her back in the ambulance. The EMT's were trying desperately to stop the major bleeding that was coming from her waist. Her eyes were fluttering open and shut slowly and she could barely make out any objects. All she could do was think.

What happened??
Who was that??
Am I going to die?

I'm going to die.

She began to mutter something. An EMT put their ear up to her face. "Miss? Can you hear me??"
Katie blinked and stared at the EMT, muttering "Am I gonna die?" The EMT looked at her partners then turned to Katie who began to mutter something again, barely audible.

"T-tell Tuukka, not to- worry, tell him.. Tell him I, tell him I l--"

She stopped speaking and everything slowly faded into darkness. The last thing she remembered hearing was a distressed voice shout, "we're losing her!!" before completely blacking out.

---

Milan's POV- 12:45 am, Monday

I looked over at Tuukka who was in the window seat next to me. Poor kid. He hadn't said a word for the past 40 minutes after he told us about what happened to Katie and none of us really knew what to say or do. His hair was all disheveled and he had been in the same position for the past 20 minutes. He sat with his palms against his temples and his elbows on his knees, leaning forward.

"Tuukka."

He didn't respond.

"Tuukka. Look at me."

He looked up with the most pained eyes I've ever seen on a man. "I can't believe I'm not there with her," he croaked. I handed him a water bottle and he took it with his left hand.

"There's nothing you could do about it, Tuukk. I'm sure she'll be alright."

"What if she's not? She got stabbed in Southie. Southie."

"I know."

"She's been in there for 3 hours now, Looch. I'm not a doctor but it sure as fuck sounds like something is seriously wrong and it kills me that I'm not even in the same fucking country as her." His eyes began to get red and he shut them and he covered his face with his hands, his elbows still on his knees. "I should be there for her."

I nodded. I had no idea what to say to this kid. "Well... We'll be landing in about an hour. There's nothing you can really do now except try to think positive." I paused before adding, "I'm sure if she was here she'd tell you to stop worrying, and to trust some of the best doctors in the world."

Tuukka nodded, forced a smile a bit and leaned back in his seat. He looked out the window into the dark night sky.

We're fucked, I thought to myself. Our star goalie is a love-struck nervous wreck. We get in at 2:30 am and our game is at 7 tonight. Everyone's tired and pissed off and worried. There's no way we're going to get a shot at this.

I was shaken from my thoughts as Tuukka began to speak again slowly.

"I just.. feel so bad. I was there for the marathon, but this time I wasn't. I wasn't there."

"I know. Does she know it was you, yet?"

"No. I don't know how or when to tell her."

"What do you think her reaction will be?"

He began to ramble, speaking his thoughts without a barrier "I don't know. I don't see how it'd be a negative one, but I don't want her to think I'm sounding cocky by saying "oh i saved you", yanno? It's getting me so worked up because it's like walking on eggshells. But it's worth it 'cause I l--"

I waited a few seconds. "You what?"

He shook his head after a few moments and said, "nothing." He put his headphones into his ears and I took it as a signal that he was done talking and just wanted to attempt to calm himself down.

---

Notes

:(
a very solemn chapter indeed.

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