[b]Buck Bradley - MEC - Farren[/b]

Buck froze.

The sound of the gunshot echoed through the halls of the medical center.  [i]Farren.  Dean.[/i]  The names raced through his mind in a sudden panic.  If something had happened to them while he wasn't at their side...

He saw John racing past in the distance, heading towards the sound of the shot.  Say what you wanted to about the guy, Buck thought, he had guts.  Buck considered joining him for only the briefest of moments.  Whatever trouble was out there, two of them would stand a better chance against it than one.  But Buck's responsibility now lay with the young mother and her child.  They were his greatest concern.  Greater than his own safety.

As quickly as he could he took off to where he knew they should be.  He had heard John ask Farren to take the old man to his room - had witnessed her oblige.  He was almost certain the gunshot hadn't come from that floor, but he wasn't willing to bet his or their lives on it.  When he reached her room he froze.  There was Farren.  Slumped against the door with her eyes closed.  "No..." he whispered to himself, panic rushing through him.  "No, NO, NOOOO!!!" he screamed as he raced to her side.  He dropped his newly acquired sledge hammer and knelt by her side.  He looked around for any sign of injury.  There didn't seem to be any.  "Please," he pleaded quietly.  "Please be alright."  He reached out his large hand to stroke her hair.