It's Friday. The day of the concert. Avery and Megan are in their hotel room, eating breakfast that they ordered from room service.

'So what did you do when I was meeting with Mike yesterday?' Megan asks. 'I guess I should really start calling him my dad.' She adds with a little laugh.

'You don't have to rush into that. It will take some getting used to.' Avery reminds her, having told her the same thing last night.

'I know.' Megan shrugs. 'But I want to do it.' Megan nods, understanding. 'So, what did you do?'

'I just went for a walk, went to see the guys at the 118, visited somewhere I haven't been able to visit because I moved.' Avery replies. Megan goes to say something but Avery stops her. 'I'd rather not go into that right now.'

'That's fine.' Megan nods. They both finish off their breakfasts and start getting ready for the day. 'What time is the concert?'

'Doors open at 7:30, but we have fast track passes so we can go in any time after 7.' Avery replies.

'Why don't we head out for a few hours, come back at about 3ish, have some food, get ready and leave at about 6?' Megan suggests.

'Sure.' Avery nods.

'So, where should we go?' Megan queries. 'You know L.A. better than I do.'

'There are a couple of places we could go.' Avery thinks. 'There's one place I want to take you to first, though.'

'Where?' Megan asks.

'You'll see when we get there.' Avery smiles slightly.

.

An hour later, Avery is leading Megan through the cemetery her brother is buried in.

'Why are we in a cemetery?' Megan questions. 'Is this where your mom's memorial is?' She adds, remembering that Avery's mom was cremated.

'No.' Avery shakes her head. 'She didn't get a memorial stone. We're here to see someone else.' They continue walking until they reach Ollie's headstone.

'Who's Ollie Forrester?' Megan asks, reading the name. Avery turns to Megan and sighs, tears in her eyes. 'Ave?'

'My younger brother.' Megan looks at Avery, shocked.

'You had a younger brother?' Megan asks, shocked. 'Owen and T.K. never mentioned him.'

'That's because they don't know.' Avery shakes her head. 'So please don't tell them.'

'I won't.' Megan assures her. 'It wouldn't be my place anyways.'

'Thanks.' Avery smiles slightly. 'Jason knows about him, obviously.'

'Why don't you talk about him?' Megan asks.

'It's a long story, so I'll give you the short version.' Avery says. 'He was born when I was 11 so I was still living in New York. My mom moved us to L.A. a year later. Now I know that was because she didn't want dad and T.K. to know. She would always tell me that it would be another reason for them not to want anything to do with me.'

'What a bitch.' Megan blurts out.

'Tell me about it.' Avery laughs slightly. 'Anyways, it was about a month after he turned four. I was 14, not far off from my 15th birthday.' She continues. 'It was a freak accident. He sustained a head injury and had a massive brain bleed. There was nothing to be done.'

'Ave, I am so sorry.' Megan sympathises, taking her best friend's hand. She clocks the flowers and trucks Avery had left. 'Did you leave those?'

'Yeah.' Avery nods, wiping her tears. 'It was his favourite toy.' There are a few minutes of silence. 'Come on, let's go.'

.

It's 7:15 pm. Avery and Megan are arriving at the concert arena - The Staples Centre. Megan had told Avery that Mike was a medic on shift during the concert.

'Since we have the fast track passes, we need to go in through the' Megan starts, looking over the tickets, 'north entrance.' She finishes, handing Avery her ticket. Avery looks around at all the signs.

'Over there.' Avery points to the north entrance sign. They walk over and join the short queue.

'This is crazy.' Megan mumbles.

'Hopping on a flight last minute to meet your bio dad is crazy, this is nothing.' Avery laughs. 'And trust me, I know crazy.'

'True.' Megan giggles. They move forward in the queue and a few minutes later, they're at the front.

'I just need to scan your tickets please.' The security guard says. They present their tickets and she scans them. 'Ah, you're some of our winners from the tickets we donated to the fair.' She realises, noting the tickets' serial numbers and they nod. 'These are your wristbands, you have to keep them on until you leave.' She hands them some wristbands. 'Drinks bar is on the left, the gift shop is on the right. You are seated in the upper left so take the stairs over there.' She points to each area as she talks them through where to go. 'Enjoy the concert.' She adds, smiling.

'Thanks.' Both Avery and Megan say together. They put their wristbands on as they walk through the door and grab themselves a bottle of water each before heading to their seats. When they sit down, Avery looks around.

'We have pretty good seats.' Avery states. 'I'd have thought they'd be crappy seats given we didn't actually pay for the tickets.'

'Technically, you paid $4.' Megan points out and Avery laughs.

Soon enough, the lights go down and almost immediately, the arena fills with the music to "Golden" and the lights from phone flashlights. Megan looks at Avery who is screaming along with the crows. She shakes her head laughing. Throughout the first half of the concert, Harry sings a multitude of songs and has some moments of being the dork he is and, as Avery had told Megan earlier in the day, "the king of crowd entertainment".

It's about halfway through the concert.

'Are we all having a great time?' Harry shouts and the arena erupts with screams and cheers, but it clearly wasn't enough. 'Pfft, what was that?!' Harry scoffs, causing everyone to laugh. 'I said,' he continues, 'are we all having a great time?!' He shouts once more. This time, the screams and cheers are even louder. 'Better.' He nods, walking across the stage. 'Now-'

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gunshots start filling the arena. Everyone starts screaming and panicking. Security scrambles on stage to get Harry, the band, dancers and backup singers to safety whilst everyone else starts running, desperate to get out.

'What-' Megan starts to ask.

'Gunshots.' Avery states before she can carry on. 'We need to get out of here.' Everyone is pushing and shoving each other.

'Everyone's going that way.' Megan tells Avery, trying to get Avery to move as she is standing completely still.

'No.' Avery shakes her head.

'Avery, we need to get out of here.' Megan states.

'No, I mean, it's no use going out that way. It will be too hard. We've got more chance of being trampled to death than being shot if we go that way.' Avery tells Megan. 'I've been here before, there's an exit on the level above us.' She adds walking off. Megan does her best to keep him. Gunshots continue to ring through the arena and they see people start dropping to the floor. Avery freezes and puts her arm out to stop Megan. 'That came from over there.' She says. Discreetly pointing in the direction she's talking about. Megan turns, trying to find an exit.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Avery is shot multiple times. She falls back against some seats, clutching her stomach before standing and trying to stay that way. Her vision goes blurry. She can barely see but can hear and feel everything.

'Megs.' Avery says quietly. Megan turns around and sees Avery clutching her stomach, blood seeping through her shirt and all over her hands.

'Avery!' Megan rushes to and grabs hold of her friend as she starts to drop to the floor. 'Help! Somebody help!' Megan shouts as Avery drops to the floor. On instinct, Megan kneels beside her and places her hands over the wounds and applies pressure. More gunshots fire. 'We need to move.' Megan mutters. 'I gotta move you Ave.' She crouches and looks around to find better cover. She finds some seats that she hopes would be out of the shooters' vision and pulls Avery towards them. Avery groans in pain as Megan drags her. 'I'm sorry, shit, I'm sorry.' Megan apologises. 'This will have to do.' She returns to kneeling beside Avery and resumes keeping pressure on the wounds. 'Come on Avery. Please, please, please. You're gonna be okay, just stay with me. Okay?' Megan cries as she tries to keep pressure on the wound. Avery looks at her whilst gasping for air. The colour has started to drain from her skin. 'Everything's gonna be alright. You're a fighter. You hear me? You have to fight this.' Megan tells her, trying to keep her calm. 'Help! Somebody help us! Please!' Megan shots, looking for someone that could help but only seeing people flee the arena. She looks back at Avery and sees that she's starting to lose consciousness. 'Come on, Avery. Stay awake.' Megan shouts, lightly tapping her cheek. What seems like hours is only minutes. Sirens can be heard and the gunshots have stopped. 'Come on, Avery, help's coming, okay?' Megan sobs as Avery starts to lose consciousness. 'Just stay with me.'

'!-' Avery gasps.

'No, save your energy, Ave. Just stay awake.' Megan tells her. Avery's eyes slowly shut. 'Avery!' Megan gently shakes her.

'Megan!' Megan looks up and sees Mike.

'Mike! Avery was hit, please, you have to help her!' Megan cries as he runs over to them with his medical kit slung over his shoulder. It was clear he had gone against protocol as he didn't have a police escort. Mike kneels down beside Avery and starts checking her injuries by cutting off her shirt.

'How long ago did she lose consciousness?' He asks Megan, checking Avery's pulse.

'Literally just as you came.' Megan tells him. 'Is she-?'

'She's alive.' Mike nods, looking at her. He returns to helping Avery but keeps looking back at Megan who is looking down at Avery and crying.

Meanwhile, in Austin, Owen and T.K. are on shift when Carlos comes running in. He runs up to the common area where they're all eating.

'Woah, what's wrong?' T.K. stands up, walking over to his boyfriend, sensing something was wrong. Owen does the same.

'Have you seen the news?' Carlos asks them.

'No.' They both shake their heads.

'Why?' Owen asks.

'There's been a shooting at the Staples Arena in L.A.' Carlos states. Owen and T.K. rush to the television and put the news on, knowing that that's the arena Avery and Megan are at. Everyone follows them.

'What's going on?' Judd asks as they all crowd around the television.

'Approximately 45 minutes ago, a shooter opened fire at the Staples Arena in L.A. during the Harry Styles concert. Details as to how many shooters or how many injuries and fatalities there are still unknown.' The news anchor relays the information.

'I'll call Avery.' Owen states.

'I'll do Megan.' T.K. adds. They both get out their phones and attempt to call the teens.

'What's going on? What's this got to do with Avery and Megan?' Marjan queries as they all sit down.

'They're there.' Carlos states. 'They won some tickets at a fair booth.'

'Shit.' Judd exhales. He continues watching the news.

'Voicemail.' Owen puts his phone down.

'Same here.' T.K. says, also putting his phone down.

'They might have dropped their phones trying to get out.' Mateo says.

'Let's hope so.' Judd nods. 'Has anyone told Jason?' He asks, knowing how close Avery and Jason are and that he's now friends with Megan.

'Crap.' Owen rubs his face. 'I don't want to tell him over the phone but he might've already seen the news.'

'I did.' They hear. They turn and see Jason running in. 'I'm sorry, I saw and didn't know what else to do. Where to go. I couldn't just sit at home.' T.K. stands up and walks over to him.

'It's okay.' T.K. assures him. 'Have you heard anything from them?'

'No. I tried calling them as soon as I saw the news but kept getting voicemail.' Jason shakes his head. 'You?' T.K. simply shakes his head. Owen sees that Jason is shaking.

'Jason, sit down.' Owen points to a chair. 'You're shaking.' Jason nods and sits down. Paul walks off to the kitchen. 'I'm going to go radio dispatch and get us taken out of rotation for the rest of the shift.' He walks off to his office.

'Ave knows the arena.' Jason states. 'She'd have found a way out of there, she's gotta have.' Paul returns with a glass of water.

'Here.' Paul hands Jason the glass of water.

'Thanks.' Jason smiles slightly. Owen returns.

'We're out of rotation for the rest of the shift.' Owen informs his crew.

'I'm going to try and call Chimney, or someone at 118.' T.K. states. 'If they're working they were most likely dispatched. It's a long shot that they are working, let alone there but it's worth a go.' T.K. gets his phone out and dials Chimney's number. He walks out of earshot once Chimney picks up.

'You said Avery has been to the arena before?' Marjan asks.

'We've been to a few concerts and events there.' Jason nods. 'She's gotta have gotten herself and Megan outta there.' T.K. returns. 'Any luck?'

'He's working and there.' T.K. nods. 'He hasn't seen them but he's going to keep an eye out. Pretty much everyone is being taken to Angels Memorial. He told me he'd ask there when he next takes a patient in.'

'Angels Memorial?' Owen asks and T.K. nods.

'It's where she was taken after the Quarry accident and when she had her last psychotic episode.' T.K. tells his father.

'Yeah, I remember.' Owen nods. 'I'll try and give them a call and see if I can find any information.'

Back in L.A., Mike had discovered that Megan had also been shot. The adrenaline was masking the pain. He had gone between helping the two teens until help arrived to take Avery away. She is critical but alive. Mike stayed to help Megan until more help could arrive.

The paramedics wheel Avery into Angels Memorial ER. Dr Ethan Willis is waiting for them alongside Angus Leighton and Jesse. Avery has an oxygen mask on and a pressure dressing on her abdomen and they've also hooked her up to saline.

'Straight to centre stage.' Willis states. 'ORs are full at the moment.'

'This is Avery Strand. She's 17. Dr Leighton started treatment at the scene. Three GSW's to the abdomen. No exit wounds. She has a pressure dressing on. She was unconscious on arrival.' The paramedic starts handover as they wheel Avery to centre stage. They do a rundown of her obs. Once they're in centre stage, they transfer her over to the trolley and Angus and Jesse work on hooking her up to the hospital's monitors and oxygen supply whilst Willis checks her injuries.

'Obs?' Willis asks as he lifts the pressure dressing. Blood starts pouring out of the wound so he presses it back down.

'BP bottoming out, SATs are dangerously low. She's tachycardic, resps are high.' Angus states. The alarm starts beeping. 'V-fib.'

'Leighton, intubate.' Willis orders as he starts compressions. Angus nods and starts setting up for intubation. 'Jesse, do we have any O-Neg left?'

'Right here.' A nurse runs in and hands over two bags to Jesse.

'Put it through the rapid transfuser.' Willis tells Jesse.

'On it.' Jesse nods, already going to complete the task.

'Defib!' Willis orders. He steps back as a nurse attaches the defib pads. He resumes compressions.

'No meds needed for intubation.' Angus shakes his head as he puts the tube down Avery's throat. He secures the tube and starts bagging.

'Charge to 200.' Willis tells Jesse since he has finished putting the blood in the rapid transfuser.

'Charging.' Jesse presses the button. 'Clear?' Everyone stands back.

'Clear.' They all confirm.

'Shocking.' Jesse presses the button and the machine delivers the shock. Willis checks Avery's pulse.

'No luck.' He continues with compressions and Angus continues with bagging. 'Charge to 250.'

'Charging.' Jesse announces. 'Clear?' Once again they all step back.

'Clear.' They all confirm.

'Shocking.' Jesse presses the button and the machine delivers a shock for the second time. The monitor shows asystole as Willis checks her pulse again.

'We've lost her pulse. Push epi!' Willis commands as he resumes compressions. Jesse takes a syringe of adrenaline from the resus cart and pushes it through the IV in Avery's hand. 'Charge to 300.;

'Charging.' Jesse starts. 'Clear?' Everyone steps back.

'Clear.' They all nod.

'Shocking.' Jesse presses the button to deliver the shock. Willis shakes his head, rechecking her pulse and seeing that she's still in asystole. He returns to doing chest compressions.

'Another of epi.' Willis tells Jesse. Jesse pushes another round of epi into the IV. 'Charge to 300.'

'Charging.' Jesse presses the button. 'Clear?'

'Clear?' Everyone nods as they stand back.

'Shocking.' Jesse presses the button and the shock is delivered. Willis checks Avery's pulse and looks at the monitor which shows her heart rate is back but still fast.

'We got her back. She's tachycardic,' Willis nods. A nurse takes over bagging for Angus and he stands at Willis' side. Willis takes one more look at the wounds.

'My guess is that a bullet grazed the aorta or worse. This girl is lucky to be alive.' Willis states. 'Pressure dressing is soaked through.' He changes the dressing as quickly as he can. 'Let's keep her hooked up to the defib just in case. Her numbers still aren't looking good.' He says, looking at the monitor. 'Are any ORs available yet?'

'None!' A nurse shouts.

'Damn it.' Willis mutters.

'What do you want to do?' Angus asks him.

'I need to check if a bullet did hit the aorta.' Willis states.

'You can't do a thoracotomy in the ER!' Angus exclaims, knowing exactly what Willis is thinking.

'The hell I can't.' Willis glares at him. 'You're gonna help, I need all the help I can get.' Jesse helps them both gown and glove up and prepares Avery for the thoracotomy. Once that's done he hands Willis a scalpel. A few minutes later, the opening has been made.

'Leighton, put your hand in and find the aorta.' Willis tells Angus. Angus does as he's told.

'Found the aorta, definitely an aortic injury.' Angus nods.

'Clamp it.' Willis hands him a clamp.

'If we do that and don't get to an OR in time, she'll die.' Angus states.

'Clamping the aorta is the only way to get her stable enough to go to the OR.' Willis replies. 'We need your hands. Clamp it.' Angus takes the clamp and using his free hand guides it into the body and clamps where his hand was. He removes his hands and disposes of his gloves. They both look at the monitors. 'BP is holding. For now.'

'What next?' Angus queries.

'Get a central and femoral line in. Hook her up to an ECG.' Willis tells him and he nods. A few minutes later, he's attached her to the ECG and as he's doing the femoral line, he hears Mike reassuring Megan who is now being brought into centre stage.

'She's my daughter.' Angus hears Mike say.

'What?!' Angus shoots his head up from Avery.

'She's my daughter. I found out a few days ago. DNA test confirmed it.' Mike tells them, but more so at Angus. 'Concentrate on treating Avery.' Mike tells his brother as they transfer Megan over.  'These two are friends.' Angus nods and continues treating Avery, whilst Mike turns his attention to Megan who has Doctors Leanne Rorish and Mario Savetto working on her. Once the lines are in and fluids and meds are being pushed, Willis looks at the monitors.

'Okay, she's as stable as we're going to get her.' Willis states. 'OR has just become available, let's go before we lose her again.' Angus, Willis, Jesse and some other nurses prep Avery for transport, going as fast as they can.

'Is that Avery?' Megan asks, trying to get up. Mario and Mike hold her down. 'I need to see her, please?'

'Guys, wait.' Mike tells Willis and the team that is taking Avery up to the OR.

'She has a clamp on her aorta, make it quick.' Willis tells Mike quietly as they stop. Megan looks at Avery and sees the wires and tubes coming out of her. Mike turns to Megan.

'They're taking her up to the OR. They'll take good care of her.' Mike reassures his daughter.

'Let's go.' Willis nods at his team and they continue taking Avery up to the OR.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What do you think will happen next?

If you're a fan of Code Black, you'll know that Rob Lowe played Doctor Ethan Willis. Since you're reading this, you'll also know that Rob Lowe plays Owen Strand. Dharma and myself wanted to include a Code Black crossover in order to further both of our stories. We are aware the actor has played both roles and we didn't forget about this. Just imagine that Rob Lowe isn't attached to Code Black for the sake of this story 😂

Remember that Megan belongs to DharmaWinter so don't forget to go and read her story "Addicted" for Megan's perspective on this :)

Let me know what you think!

Much love