Buck looked at Chris and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Chris arched an eyebrow and answered, "What's with you and JD? Why have you taken a sudden dislike to him?"

"He asked me that also. I'll give you the same answer I gave him, I haven't taken a dislike to him."

"Okay, then tell what the problem is. You act like you can't stand JD, why?"

Buck sighed and said, "Have a seat." Chris sat and Buck continued, in a soft voice, "Can't you see who he reminds me of?"

Chris nodded and had known that this was what was bothering Buck. He just wanted Buck to admit it. "I know. He reminds me too."

"I don't mean to act that way toward him, it's just hard to see him and know what I'm missing."

"I understand, Buck. Don't you think that everytime I see a child Adam's age or a kid that resembles him, it hurts me? It always reminds me of the son and wife I had."

Buck nodded as he blinked back tears, "JD reminds me of Eric. Only an older version. It hurts to think about the son I lost, it hurts to think of what Eric would be doing today. He'd be thirteen now."

"I know, Adam would be ten."

Buck nodded and sighed, "I know I shouldn't take it out on JD. I know that he doesn't know who he reminds me of."

"The only question is, what are you going to do about it?"

"I guess I need to apologize and explain, huh?"

"Apologize, yes. Whether you explain and how much you explain is up to you." Buck nodded and looked at the first couple of customers walking through the unlocked doors. "I'll take care of it later, after we close. Right now, we have a job to do."

"That's right. Go ahead and get to your position, close to the jukebox."

"Right, Boss," Buck said, giving a salute, before he took off. Chris just shook his head, wearing a small smile, as he walked to his position on the right side of the room.

Everything was quiet at the bar, until midnight and all of the customers had left. JD was wiping down the bar, while everyone else were doing their own chores to close down, when the bel over the door dinged. JD looked up and said, "We're closed...." That was when he noticed the gun in the man's hand and the three other men behind him. JD looked around, 'Where are the bouncers when you need them?' Just then Chris, Vin, Buck, Nathan and Josiah walked out of Orin's office, followed by Orin and Ezra.

"What can we do for you?," Orin asked the four men.

The first man pointed his gun at Orin and answered, "The first thing you all can do is to all go and stand at the bar. I want everyone there!" After a few minutes, Cassie, Li-Pong, JD, Ezra, Julie, Alan, Mister and Misses Travis, Chris, Josiah, Buck, Vin and Nathan were all standing in front of the bar. The man smiled and said, "Good."

"What is it that you're wanting?," asked a cold-voiced Chris Larabee.

The man gave a slight smile and said, "I should think that should be obvious. But, I'll tell you anyway. We're here to finish the job that we didn't complete the last time."

"Ah, so you are the guys that shot this place up and tried to kill Brother JD," Josiah said.

"So, you're not as stupid as you look," sneered the man holding the gun, causing his three cohorts to laugh.

Everyone was silent at that, not knowing how Josiah was going to react. They were all surprised when all he said was, "That's more than I can say for you."

"Why, you sonofa...,"started the gun-toting man. Before he could finish his rant, Nathan spoke up, "Why don't you just tell us all what you're going to do. Or, are we to guess?"

The man looked at his cohorts and shook his head, turning back to Nathan. "You don't listen too well, do you? I told you, we're here to finish what we started the last time."

I know what you said, I want to know what you plan to do. Kill us all?"

"Ah, good question. As a matter of fact, yes." Everyone gasped at the coldness in that statement and Chris said, "Like hell!"

"Enough with the talking." The man turned to the tallest of his partners and said, "Bring that girl here. If I'm not mistaken, it's JD's little girlfriend." The man nodded, walking over to Cassie.

The man grabbed her arm, as JD grabbed the other one. "NO! I won't let you hurt her!," shouted JD.

"Let go, boy," sneered the man that was holding Cassie's left arm.

"No," said a stubborn JD.

"Okay, have it your way," the man said with a shrug. With that said, the man hit JD in the stomach, causing him to lose his breath and wrap his arms around his stomach. The man dragged Cassie tpo where the other men were and said, "Here she is."

"Good," said the gun-toting man. He ran the barrel of the gun up and down her cheeks and asked, "Are you willing to die for your lover?"

Before Cassie could answer, Evie Travis cried out, "No! Please don't hurt her!"

The man just laughed and told Evie, "Shut up."

Chris knew that something had to be done, him and his men could not let these people die. He looked at Vin and met his eyes, Vin knowing instantly what Chris had planned. Vin gave a slight nod and started his part of the plan. He was to cause a distraction. "Hey, Braindead with the gun!"

The man turned away from Cassie and looked at Vin. "You talking to me?"

"Who else?," Vin asked with a snide smile. The man walked upto him and told his three cohorts to keep an eye on Cassie. He smiled at Vin and slapped him in the face, causing his head to jerk to the side. The only response he got was a smile from Vin. Chris knew that the time was now or never, while the four men were distracted. He signaled to Nathan, Buck and Josiah to do as he did. They jumped the three men standing guard and got their guns before anyone knew what was going on.

The fourth man pointed his gun at Vin and said, "Drop the guns. Now, or I shoot him."

"Think again," Vin said as he punched the man and ducked. Chris took the shot and hit the man in the arm, causing him to drop his gun. "Orin, call the police. We need to get rid of this trash." He turned to the staff and asked, "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah," sighed Alan.

Julie and Li-Pong agreed, as did JD and Ezra. Out of the corner of his eye, JD saw the man pick up the gun and aim it at him.

"Hey," he started. Before he could finish, there was a shot and JD felt a burning pain in his shoulder. He held his left hand over the gunshot wound in his left shoulder. Vin hit the guy in his kidney, causing him to drop the gun, which Vin pocketed.

"You'll be okay, JD. The wound's not life-threatening," Nathan told him as they heard sirens getting louder. A few minutes later, police swarmed the bar as paramedics swarmed JD. They transported him to the hospital with Cassie going along, as the police started taking statements.

The next morning, everyone showed up at the hospital to visit JD and were allowed into his room. "Hello, Mister Dunne. How are you this fine morning?," Ezra asked.

"Oh, I'm fine. Except for the fact that I'm in the hospital again with another gunshot wound," JD replied dryly.

"Well, yes. But you will be going home soon," said Ezra.

JD nodded, "Yeah. They wanted to keep me until tomorrow because of the surgery they did to get the bullett out. They want to ward off the infection."

"Well, that's good. You won't be here long," said Julie. JD nodded in agreement. They all talked for a while, before they were told that they needed to let JD rest and could visit later. Everyone, except Buck, walked out of the room. Buck told the nurse that he'd be out after he told JD something. When Buck laid on the old Wilmington charm, she relented and told him to try not to be too long. He turned to JD and said, "You know how you came and asked me why I didn't like you?" At JD's nod, Buck continued, "I want to explain the way I've been acting." He paused for a moment before going on, "Chris's wife and son were killed in a fire when Chris and I were away on assignment with the Navy SEALS. My wife and son were staying with them that night and were also killed. Chris and I didn't know what to, we blamed each other....blamed everyone. We played the "If Only..." game. If Only we hadn't had that assignment, if only this, if only that. It was bad for a long while. Nathan, Vin and Josiah helped pull us out of the dark hole we had crawlin into, and we helped each other. You remind me of my son, you look like an older version. Everytime I see you, I'm reminded of who I lost. Reminded of what my son could've been. I know that I had no right to treat you the way I have but when I met you all of the memories came rushing back. My son, Eric, would've turned thirteen last month and....I'm...sorry for the way I've been treating you."

JD felt tears well up in his eyes and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He couldn't imagine what kind of pain Buck was in but he could understand the way he'd been acting. He put a hand on his arm and said, "Don't worry about it. I understand."

Buck wiped a tear off his cheek and said, "Thanks."

"I would like to be friends. If, it wouldn't be too painful of a reminder for you," JD quietly said.

Buck nodded and gave a small smile, "I'd like that. I realize now that the reminder you are is not a bad one. I need to remember my son, and I like to think about what he'd be doing now. So, friends?"

JD smiled and shook Buck's hand, "Friends."

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