Chapter Forty-Six: Facing Down The Enemy

Staring down The Barrel

Han lounges on the couch as Lisa continues to curse at the new wrestling match as the wrestler she was rooting for gets pinned under a scary looking guy. Shawn tosses him a bag of chips just as his cell goes off. Excusing himself he answers it, talking rapid Japanese while heading into the kitchen. Dom comes in and kisses Lisa on the head.

"Hey why don't we get out for a while, I hear Furious 7 Is in theaters. lets go see it." He whispers to her. She looks up at him

"If we see that without Katie she'll kill us." She smirks already getting up. "Lets go, Han you want to come?" She says. Han waves his hand at them shaking his head.

"Nawh I'm ok, you two have fun." He says watching them as they head to the front door, Bryan opening it and entering. The two ask him if he and Mia wanted to go to a movie before the party and he nods, heading back out with them, leaving Han and Shawn alone. Shawn comes back into the room while he disconnect the call, sweeping his eyes over the couch to find Han the only one. "The others went to see furious 7 you can still catch them if you want." Han says grabbing the remote and changing he channel, stopping at the movie Fried Green Tomatoes and props his feet onto the coffee table. Shawn shakes his head and grabs his keys.

" You and those weird old movies. I'm actually going to go head off to hunt down something to get Katie, See you at the party." He says and in fifteen minutes as his car speeds down the street Han finds himself home alone with his thoughts. He turns his attention back to the movie and watches as Kathy Bate's character whispers "To Wanda" and rams her car into a car that had stolen her parking spot, laughing as she did. His stomach growls forcing him to get up ad wander into the kitchen for something to eat, maybe one of those hot pockets Shawn had been eating earlier. He opens the freezer and finds the box, the empty box. Tossing in the trash he goes to the food cupboard and riffles through it for the box of raisin brand he knew was in there somewhere. The front door opens and slams making him laugh.

"What'd you forget Shawn? You're wallet?" He says as he pours himself a bowel going to the fridge to get the milk and pouring it too in his bowel. He takes a bite full, crunching the flakes as he heads back to the living room. He freezes as he sees the person resting against the back of the couch, the bowl nearly falling from his hands. Leaning against the back of the couch like he belonged, like he owned the world was none other then Takashi, picking dirt from his nails. At Han's Approach he looks up, a wicked smirk on his lips as his eyes fall on him.

"Well look at you, all healthy and alive." He says. Han just leans against the door frame needed the support as his legs turn to jello. He takes another spoonful, grateful for the milk against his otherwise dry throat.

"What are you doing here Takashi?" He asks, looking at his former business associate, not much about him had changed, maybe he was a little less muscular but other then that he still looked the same as he had six years ago. Takashi's face twists in anger.

"I'm not stupid, I knew you would never turn yourself over to me, willingingly, so I came here, were you can't hide from me." he says and with that he draws a gun from his waistband. Han's blood freezes, his breath caught in his throat as he stares down the barrel of the gun.

"Takashi lets talk this out like civilized men shall we?" He stutters, his tongue feeling thick in his mouth. Takashi regards him with a cold glare, Flicking his fingers cocking back the hammer. The clicking running through Han dumping ice water and adrenaline in his veins. He has just enough time to duck, the loud back as Takashi pulls the trigger ringing through the house. Dropping the cereal it spills onto he floor as Han bolts up the stairs, Takashi hot on his heels, another shot rings through the house, the banister in front of Han Exploding as the bullet tears through the shiny wood. "S**T!" Han hisses as he runs down the hall, Slamming his door shut behind him, locking it, praying it would stall D.K for a few. Dropping to his knees in front of his bed and pushes aside the blankets, digging around until his hands hit the metal box underneath, just as he pulls it out pounding on the door erupts.

" You can't hide from me Han, At least die with some dignity!" The Former D.K Yells pounding on the door again. Han ignores him and quickly clicking in the code for the metal box, its clasps springing open revealing the 9mil glock. Han snatches it up, check to make sure there are bullets and spins around, just in time to duck as Takashi shoots the doorknob, splintering it rendering the lock useless. Takashi kicks in the door and laughs at the Sight of Han holding the gun in his shaky hands. "Really Han? Do you honestly think you can get a shot on me?" He says, a cold smirk on his lips. They both knew Han's aim wasn't the best.

"Come on Takashi, It doesn't have to be this way, Why do you even care if I'm alive? No one in Tokyo but my friends know! and it's not like I plan on ever coming back!" He says, cursing himself at how frightened his voice sounded. Takashi's face screws up in blind rage.

" You thought you could keep your side deals from me, I trusted you, I vouched for you, got my uncle to let you in, and you betrayed me. What's worse, my Uncle was the one who discovered it, because of you and that A*****e Gaijin I lost Everything. Do you know what my uncle did to me?" He rants, his voice taking on a hysterical note. Han doesn't trust his voice but shakes his head, his arms growing tired from holding the gun tightly but he didn't dare lower it. " He kicked me out, He took the business away from me and threw me on the streets like I meant nothing, All because of you and that cowboy." He says spitting onto Han's carpet.

" I'm sorry D.k I really am" He says, truly meaning it. He never meant to screw over his old partner, he only needed the money to survive and keep the garage running. Takashi's face flashes with Hysterics

" Only my Friends get to call me D.K" He hisses, his eyes narrowing to slits. Han blanches. " See maybe if I bring back your dead body, then my Uncle will take me back." He says a harsh smile on his face. Just then Han ducks, charging Takashi, hoping to knock the gun from his hands. A loud ring goes off as white hot pain slices into his right side. He screams in agony and staggers back, his hands flying to his side and coming back wet with dark red blood. He Tries to suck in breath making pain lance through his body. His legs turn to jello and he staggers back more, dropping to his knees as breathing becomes suddenly difficult, like trying to breath through a straw. He looks up at Takashi with a stunned look, as a dark vicious light enters Takashi's eyes. " Good Riddance." He says, striding over to him to finish the job. Some how Han had managed to keep hold his gun and quickly with blurry vision he raises the gun and fires, relief flooding through him as he sees Takashi's gun arm fly back as the bullet buries itself in his shoulder, making him drop the gun. Cursing in fast Japanese Takashi turns and staggers out of the room, fleeing the house.

Han tries to stand but the pain is too much making and he can only manage to slump to the floor again, his back against his bed. He puts his hands against the wound and presses, trying to stop the flow of blood, but the blood was coming to fast and soon his hands are slick and sticky with it. his breath comes in shallow gasps, a ringing starting in his ears, was it a phone? no he soon realizes it's the fast beat of his heart as it worked overtime to try and supply his body with much needed blood, trying to replace what he had already lost. He looks down at his side and gently takes it away from the wound, wincing when he sees the ugly ragged and raw hole the bullet left, no doubt it was still floating around inside. he tastes copper in his mouth and coughs, blood pouring out of his mouth, one of his lungs must have collapsed. His vision blurs and suddenly exhaustion overcomes him, his arms dropping to his side like a ton of bricks. HIs head feels like a bowling ball and is too heavy to hold up, he lets it loll to the side. Images of Katie flash across his closed eyelids. At least she was safe, thank god she hadn't been here. Thank god the others weren't here, he didn't know what he would have done if the others had gotten hurt because of his stupidity. And with that thought the last on his mind he lets the creeping blackness overtake him. soon there was only darkness.

************

Katie Jumps out of Mazda, not bothering to wait for Twinkie to come to a full stop. She runs to the front door of the house which was wide open as a cold dred fills her. Skirting to a Halt in the entrance she takes in the scene. there was a bowl of Raisin brand knocked to the floor and splatters of what looked like blood trailing to the front door, she follows it to the stairs and sees that the banister was busted, almost as if a gun had been fired. Twinkie was suddenly behind her.

"Holy s**t is that blood?" He says, but Katie doesn't hear him. She tears into the house.

"HAN! HAN WHERE ARE YOU? ANSWER ME!" She screams running up the stairs. Han's Car was the only one in the driveway and she already knew the others weren't home from the text Dom had sent her earlier. "HAN!" She screams as she sees a bloody handprint on the wall. She runs down the hall to his room and her breath hisses out of her when she spies his busted door, dangling from the bottom hinge with a jagged hole where the door nob was meant to be. "Han?" She whispers. Sudden Terror grips her making her so afraid to open the door, terrified of what she might see on the other end. Twinkie rushes the stairs and once again appears behind her. Taking one look at her frightened face he pushes past her and throws open the door. What she sees inside makes her Scream.

Han slumped against the side of his bed, blood pooling around him from an unknown wound. Katie flies into the room and drops to her knees beside him, not caring about the blood she was kneeling in. She takes Han's head in her hands and turns his face to hers, Pressing her shaky fingers to his neck. beneath her fingers she just barely feels a weak pulse, his heart struggling to beat as she then spies the small jerky movements of his chest. Twinkie comes to knee on the other side of him and she turns to eyes to him, Tears streaming down her face as ice seeps into her.

" Twinkie he's barely breathing." She says, her voice taking on a hysterical whine. She stares down at Him, Gripping his shoulders she shakes him lightly as Twinkie steps away, 911 Already dialed on his phone. "Han open you're eyes, do you hear me Open them, come on wake up." She whispers, her tears blurring her vision, she wipes them away, leaving a streak of Han's blood on her cheeks. "Han you can't do this to me, Don't you die on me, I need you, I Still love you you idiot!" She hisses, shaking him harder. Suddenly a groan of absolute agony escapes his lips and his eyes flutter and slowly open half way. His eyelids so pale she could see the veins in them. "Ha-Han?" his glazed over eyes slide to her bright green ones and she sees dull recognition enter them.

"Katie? What, what are you doing, s'not safe, Taka-" his words fail him He tries to sit but gasps in pure pain and slumps back down, Katie looks down at his side and sees a gapping wound on his side, more blood oozing out because of the sudden movement. She puts her hands on his shoulders to keep him from trying again.

"Don't try to get up, Twinkie's calling for help ok, Please just hang in there Han Please, For me." She cries. Han's head drops and she takes it in her hands turning it to face her. "Han please."

"So tired," was all he is able to get out before once again passing out.

"Han? HAN?" She presses her fingers to his neck again and screams when no pulse beats under her fingers. "TWINKIE HE"S NOT BREATHING!" Just then Dom comes tearing into the room, Bryan right behind him. Apparently the others had just gotten home, Twinkie had Explained everything to them. Dom Drops to Han's other side and gently takes Katie's hands away from Han's face and neck.

"Katie I need you to go with Bryan and wait for the ambulance ok? I can't help Han if you are right here. Katie do you hear me, God Damnit Katie GO WITH BRYAN!" He yells. But Katie doesn't hear, She stares at Han as everything inside her starts to shut down, the pain of possibly losing him overcoming her and sinking its claws deep inside her heart. She faintly feels Bryan picking her up and dragging her away. Her eyes never leaving Han's unnaturally still form until she was out of the room. Noise and commotion swirling around her as Bryan takes her down stairs. It was only when she feels the heat of outside does she realize Bryan was talking to her.

"Katie, Katie can you hear me? The ambulance is here, ok Han is going to make it, Come on lets go to the hospital." She blinks up at him and finally notices she was in the back of his skyline. She jumps when the sirens of the Ambulance finally reaches her ears. She turns her head to see the EMT's Carrying Han out of the house on a stretcher. To quick for Bryan to stop her she jumps out of the car and rushes over to them.

"Wait I'm going with you!" She shouts to them reaching the truck. One of the EMT's Looks at her with a frown as the other puts an oxygen mask over his face.

"Miss only family can be in the ambulance. "She informs her with a sad look in her eyes

"She's his fiancée." Twinkie says coming up behind her and taking her hand showing it to the woman "See" He says pointing to the Claddagh ring she always wore on her ring finger. The women sees it, gives her a tight nod and moves over for her. Turning to Twinkie, Katie sees him Wink and he helps her in.

"You can thank me later, just be with him now, We'll see you at the Hospital." He says she just manages to say thank you before The Lady slams the doors shut, and they whisk away to the hospital, Han's life in the balance

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