I arrived at McGrath's earlier than I planned. I'm surprised that I don't see Summer anywhere in the bar.

I see Gus tending the bar, so I approach him. "Hey, Gus. Have you seen Summer? She should be here by now."

"I haven't seen her tonight," was Gus' quick reply before moving to serve the man next to me.

I hate that Summer walks these dark streets alone. I get an uneasy feeling, and chills go down my spine. I decided to give her a call. It's too noisy in here, so I go outside to call her.

I press her name in my contacts and wait for the ring. She has the "Playtime" ringtone for when I call. She's so damn adorable.

I hear the ringing in my ear, but for some reason I hear the same ring coming from the alley. What the hell? Who would be hanging out in the dark, grimy alley? I have a terrible feeling and get that chill again, so I end the call. The ringing stops. The other phone's ringing stops, too. Coincidence?

As much as I want to run down the alley, I don't want to barge in on someone's private conversation. Instead, I press Summer's contact again. My heart stops when I hear the phone ringing in the darkness. This time I run towards the sound of her ringtone panicking.

I drop to my knees when I see Summer's body covered in blood. I immediately check for a pulse. It's weak, but it's there.

I pull Summer into my arms. "Oh, my God, Summer! Stay with me, Baby. I have you."

I desperately dial 911. After the first ring, the operator answers, "911, what's your emergency?"

I scream, "Please! Send an ambulance to McGrath's Pub located on Locust Street. My girlfriend is lying in the alley covered in blood." 

"I'm dispatching emergency personnel to your location. Is your girlfriend breathing?"

I lean down to Summer's mouth and hear her faint raspy breaths. Thank God!

"Yes, she's breathing."

"Good. Sir, can you tell me what kind of wound she obtained, gunshot, knife wound, beaten?"

"No! I have no idea? All I see is her blood!" I yell.

People start to surround me, but I hardly notice. My main concern is Summer. Thank God I hear sirens.

"Sir, emergency personnel are close to your location. Please stay on the line till help arrives."

"Yes, I hear the sirens approaching, " I say as I breathe out a sigh of relief.

I turn my attention to Summer. "Help is on the way, Baby. Hold on. Please, Summer, don't you dare leave me," I beg.

I feel hands on my shoulder pulling me back.

"What the hell, get your hands off of me!"

"Sir, I'm an EMT. I'm here to help. Please move away."

I reluctantly let Summer go and allow the EMTs to take care of her.

"You have to save her."

"We will do everything in our power to save her."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gus struggling to get through the crowd.

"Rain!" 

He pushed through and rushed to me. He looks down at my bloody shirt and hands.

"Shit! Are you alright?"

"It's Summer, Gus, and it is horrific. Someone attacked her, and there's blood everywhere. The EMTs are working on her." I break down.

Gus' eyes go wide with shock and disbelief.

"Did you say that someone attacked Summer?"

I nod as tears begin to stream down my face.

Police are there attempting to move the crowd to make room for the EMTs and stretcher. Gus and I watch in horror as they place the love of my life into the back of the ambulance.

Gus looks at me with tear-filled eyes. "Come on. My car's out front."

I blindly follow Gus to his car, and he tears out of the parking spot, driving towards the hospital. We pull into the Emergency Entrance right behind the ambulance. Gus swings his car into the nearest Emergency Room parking space, and we both jump out of the car, running to the entrance as the EMTs roll in Summer. They communicate her condition to the ER doctor.

"Female, approximately thirty years old with stab wounds to her torso. Blood pressure 85/58."

The EMT continues to shout out other details of Summer's condition. After hearing knife wounds, I didn't listen further. Instead, everything blurred as I collapsed onto the hospital floor.

The strong scent of smelling salt assaults my senses. When I come to, I see a nurse in front of me waving that disgusting shit in my face. I notice Gus sitting next to me in the hospital waiting room along with Kelsey. I can see her crying into Gus' shoulder. It's then that I realize where and why I'm here, Summer.

"Summer?" I croak out.

The nurse holding the smelling salt answers my question. "She was rushed into surgery. As I told your friends, we'll let you know when she gets out."

I look at Gus. "I need to call Summer's mom."

"Kelsey already did. She's on her way.

I look down and see Summer's blood staining my shirt. "I can't let Valerie see me like this. She will freak the fuck out."

Kelsey lifts her head off Gus' shoulder. "I can go find a scrub top for you to wear."

"I would appreciate it if you would; thank you."

Kelsey gets up and hugs me before she walks away and disappears behind the double doors that separate the ER from the rest of the hospital.

When she returns, she hands me a man's scrub top. I go into the men's room to change. When I see my reflection, I am surprised by what I see.

My eyes are red and swollen, and my blood-stained hands are shaking. I pull off my shirt and throw it in the trash before I wash my hands. I tug on the borrowed scrub top and leave the restroom.

I see Valerie running through the ER entrance with pure panic in her eyes. She sees me, and within seconds we are embracing and crying, supporting each other. Gus and Kelsey join us. The four of us stand in the lobby of the ER sobbing without shame.

It's been three hours since Summer's surgery started. Doctors, nurses, and several other hospital personnel who work with Summer stop by to check on Summer's progress. Every time we reiterate, there's been no word.

I'm finding it difficult to look away from the doors that Summer's surgeon will come through after her surgery to give us an update on her condition. Every time a doctor comes out, I jump, only to see them walk up to another family.

Once again, the doors open. Immediately Kelsey jumps up. The rest of us follow.

The doctor comes over. "Summer Dalton's family?"

"How is she?" Valerie speaks up while holding onto my forearm as if her life depended on it.

"She's stable. We gave her blood to stabilize her blood pressure. She was extremely fortunate that her wounds missed her vital organs. I'm expecting her to have a full recovery."

My heart fills with hope. "When can we see her?"

"She's currently in recovery. Once she's assigned a room, you're welcome to see her. I'll make sure that the nurse informs you when we transfer her from recovery to her room."

"Thank you for everything," I say in appreciation.

He nods at us before disappearing behind the doors that he appeared from moments before.

Valerie and I are in Summer's hospital room. She has been sleeping since arriving from recovery. We sent Gus and Kelsey home with promises to keep them informed of Summer's condition. We're holding Summer's hands. She looks so pale and weak that it's breaking my heart. Her breathing is steady, and the nurses assured us that she's doing well. While their words help, seeing her like this is hard for Valerie and me.

Valerie fell asleep with her head on Summer's bed and Summer's hand in hers. I can't sleep. I can't take my eyes off of Summer's angelic face. I'm not sure how long I've been gazing at her when I see her eyes flutter open.

"Summer?" I excitedly say.

"Rain?" She barely speaks above a whisper.

I'm about to lose my shit hearing her sweet voice.

I kiss her hand and feel tears overtake my eyes. "Summer, how are you feeling?"

"Tabitha." She breathes out, and her attached machines begin to alarm as her blood pressure and heart rate rise.

The alarm wakes Valerie. "Summer!"

Nurses enter the room and push me out of the way to insert medication into Summer's IV to calm her down.

Tabitha? I'm sure that I heard Summer say Tabitha before the nurses sedated her.

Did fucking Tabitha do this to my Summer? Is it possible that Tabitha's more psycho than I ever imagined? Anger and guilt consume me. If it weren't for me, Summer would've never been on Tabitha's radar. Summer wouldn't be lying here in a hospital bed by the hands of that lunatic bitch. I'm disgusted with myself, thinking that Tabitha was nothing more than just a little bitter about my relationship with Summer. Could I have prevented the attack on Summer? My head's spinning.

I feel a small hand on mine. "This isn't on you, Rain." I look up and see Valerie looking at me with nothing but love and understanding in her eyes. I cry uncontrollably.