Ramifications: Day 8

Word Count: 48,037

Summary of Events:

Dom met with the Executive Board of the Shelter and discussed his parentage and the million-dollar donation from his parents; funds from which they all agreed should first be directed at the roof. Lachlan, due to a tip from Justin, found another drug transfer being undertaken by Club Brisbane and attempted to get some drugs from it, which he managed to do in spite of being stabbed. Dom and Bethany were woken by Lachlan running into a wall and Dom worked to stop the bleeding while Bethany called an ambulance — news of the summons causing Lachlan to get agitated . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"The more Dom tried to get Lachlan to lay down the more Lachlan resisted, becoming increasingly violent in his struggles until suddenly Dom saw Lachlan had a knife in his left hand.

Dom struggled to grab a hold of Lachlan's wrist to get the knife out of his hand. He was impressed by the quickness of Lachlan's reflexes to the point that he became more than sure that Lachlan was anticipating his every move somehow.

"Dom!"

He didn't glance up at his wife's cry, lest Lachlan take advantage of the distraction and get the knife into him. He needed to get his hands on Lachlan's hand, or even find some way to pin his arm down.

Lachlan continued to be faster than Dom, even in Dom's efforts to grab elsewhere on Lachlan's arm until finally Dom was able to seize hold right about the middle of Lachlan's upper arm.

The next thing Dom felt was a searing pain in his ribcage, while Bethany uttered a practically ear-splitting shriek.

Dom reeled for a moment before clutching for the handle of the knife, which was still embedded into his flesh.

He pried at Lachlan's hand, but Lachlan's narrow fingers had a fast grasp around the handle and, despite the lack of mass about his bones, Lachlan managed to throw another jab at Dom that punctured, but not half as far as the first one, mostly because Dom exerted opposing force on the blow before he successfully slammed Lachlan's hand to the floor, pried the blade free, and threw it toward the back door.

Pain throbbed in Dom's ribcage, and he felt like blackness was clawing at his brain, trying to tear his consciousness from him. Every breath was blinding pain.

The first thought that came to his mind was one of Jesus' many statements from the cross: that God would forgive His crucifiers because they didn't know what they were doing.

Dom turned his gaze to Lachlan's face, where he saw cold rage.

"I forgive you," Dom whispered. "You don't know what you're doing."

"I know well what I'm doing," Lachlan swore. "I'm getting out of here."

"No," Dom replied. "Not unless you're going peaceably in an ambulance. I won't let you die."

Lachlan's expression changed suddenly to one of cold fear. "I don't want to die."

"Then lay still," Dom said. "You're going to the hospital to get your wounds tended and that's all."

As if desperately trying to locate something, suddenly Lachlan clutched at his chest before swearing. His body relaxed and he stared at the ceiling.

"What?" Dom asked.

"I lost something," Lachlan replied.

"Important?" Dom asked.

"It's none of your business," Lachlan replied through his teeth.

Dom looked up at the sound of the door opening and watched as the paramedics bustled in.

Slowly releasing Lachlan, Dom straightened. "Take him first."

The paramedics looked somewhat confused.

"He's been bleeding longer," Dom said."