"Doc?" Lightning calls. he receives no answer so he gets out. he pulls his boxer on and frowns, stepping out of the bathroom. "Doc? guys?" Lightning asks. he pokes his head into Reds and Macks rooms, but they're empty. he creeps towards his and Docs room and his eyes widen. "wh-" Lightning starts. Doc screams at him around the gag in his mouth, trying to get up. he's unsuccessful since he's tied to both Red and Mack. all three are beat up pretty good and Doc is trying to focus on his young lover through his black eye. he winces when the younger is hit in the back of the head and he drops to the floor, moaning. Mack gives a muffled cry for the younger. Doc growls lowly, shouting muffled curses at the man standing where Lightning had once stood.

"oh shut up old man!" Chick hisses, hitting the older man across the face hard with whatever he'd hit Lightning with. Doc drops his head forward, trying to blink away the stars in his vision with a small groan. Red whimpers quietly, clenching his eyes shut, he doesn't want to see his friends being hurt. Chick huffs and walks out of the room, dragging Lightning out of the way so he can drag Smokey into the room. "stupid heavy ass old man. none of you idiots were supposed to be here, but I guess it'll feel a little better for you guys to hear him die." Chick smirks. Smokey groans quietly, his head bleeding as Chick drags him into the corner. "stay here." he huffs, dropping him. he turns, grabbing Lightnings legs to drag him off. the younger moans lowly, head falling to the side as he's dragged off. immediately Doc is shouting around the gag again, struggling to get free. Red swallows and looks at him. he actually doesn't have a gag, having managed to silently convince Chick he was mute, which wasn't very hard. he's 99% sure Chicks never even heard him talk. Smokey groans from the ground and both Red and Doc look over.

"Smokey?" Red calls quietly. Doc turns his head back some and look at him. Mack mumbles something. Red looks at Doc. Doc says something Red can't understand and nods his head aggressively towards Smokey with a grunt. "I'm working on it." Red says. he flinches at shouting in the living room.

"leave me alone!"

"shut up! you cost me my fucking career McQueen!"

they can hear Lightning screaming and shouting. he finches again when theres a loud crash and a whimper. the younger man gets quiet in the other room.

"I'm going to get real up close and personal Doc." Red mumbles, leaning towards him. Doc leans away giving muffled words, eye brows furrowed. "just sit still and hush." Red hisses quietly. Doc sits still trying not to squirm when Red bites down on his gag and jerks it down. they're all actively trying to ignore the obvious fight happening in the other room until they can get free to help. its not easy, Lightning is screaming at the top of his lungs for Chick to leave him alone, for someone to help, for Chick to stop hitting him. Doc winces when Red finally manages to get the gag out of his mouth. he's gotten a little to close to Docs face with his own.

"jesus christ." Doc snaps after a moment. "finally. don't lean towards me like that." he grumbles.

"I was trying to help. it's not like I was going to kiss you." Red says. he struggles a little. "I can't reach Smokey." Red mumbles, trying to reach with his leg.

"my pocket knife is in my back pocket. I was using it at Cotter Pin earlier. its closer to you Red, see if you can grab it." Doc mumbles softly. Red nods reaching back some and Doc yelps. its an unusual sound coming from the older man. "in the pocket! thats not my pocket! in the pocket!" Doc hisses, face going bright red. Red flushes and pulls his hand back.

"s-sorry." he mumbles, trying again. "got it." Red mumbles.

"watch your hands." Doc mutters.

"it was an accident." Red glares. he feels the knife out some before flicking it open. Mack yelps. "sorry." Red winces. Mack gives some muffled complaints.

"I'll patch you up later Mack. Red, try to cut the rope." Doc mumbles softly. "Smokey." Doc calls quietly. Smokey groans softly, shifting a little.

"Smokey! get up!" Red calls slightly louder. he doubts Chick can hear him over the fighting.

"h-huh?" Smokey mumbles.

"Smokey get up the kids in trouble." Doc hisses. Smokey lifts his head a little, hisses, and drops it back to the floor mumbling.

"I got it!" Red grins jumping from the bed. he quickly gets the other two free and Doc kneels beside Smokey. he shakes the man hard, but all Smokey does is moan lowly.

"get up!" Doc hisses, smacking the man across the face. Smokey gasps and jerks up, eyes snapping open. he looks confused, wincing as he rubs the back of his head.

"what happened?" Smokey winced, getting up.

"he's got the kid we have to-" Doc starts. the room immediately drops in temperature at a gun shot. its immediately followed by several more and loud screaming.

"oh god." Red manages.

"boss!" Mack shouts.

"Monty!" Doc shouts, scrambling up from the floor. he grabs one of Smokeys guns, from the dresser and runs out of the room with the other three following, though Smokey is sluggish. Red grabs Macks hand gently and pulls him to the back gently.

"Red you okay?" Mack ask quietly, not wanting to make too much noise. Red looks away, making sure Doc and Smokey are still heading down the hall and not paying them any attention.

"just in case something happens." Red mumbles. Mack looks slightly confused, until Red leans forward and gives him a quick kiss, before walking after Doc and Smokey, flushing. Macks jaw drops and he watches Red go. he immediately goes after him to say something, but ends up pausing to catch Smokey instead. Doc pauses.

"you three stay behind me." Doc warns. "and watch out." he mumbles.

"just be careful Hud." Smokey mumbles. Red and Mack nod in agreement, Red carefully putting Smokey behind him. he has no doubts the older man can handle himself, but he's a little slow at the moment, trying to recover from the blow to his head. they creep forward quietly. when they get to the living room, Monty is beat to hell and clutching a pistol in both hands. he's still pulling the trigger repeatedly, despite the fact Doc is positive the clip is empty by now. he's trembling and screaming, the gun pointed at Chick, laying on the ground. there's a growing puddle of blood around him. Lightning stops screaming but is still staring at Chick with the pistol clutched in his hands. Doc immediately stuffs the gun he'd snatch into the waist of his pants and inches towards Lightning. he wants to be careful so as not to startle the younger, in case the guns not empty, just jammed. he doesn't want anyone else getting hurt.

"Ligh-" Red starts. Doc silences him by raising his hand. Red swallows watching Doc inch closer. Mack inches up beside him, this is no time for him and Red to get into whatever feelings these are and he knows that, but of course if something happens to either of them, Mack wants Red to know, he's not alone in his feelings. Red still got a small blush brushing across his cheeks and his eyes are focused on Lightning. Mack doesn't want to say anything and draw attention to thm so he just slips his hands into Reds silently, watching Doc. Red looks over at him slightly, but Mack doesn't glance at him, just squeezes his hand gently and keeps his focus on his boss. Doc has inched from the hallway entrance almost to the couch, where Lightning is standing around three foot in front of it.

"hey baby." Doc says carefully. Lightning doesn't move to look at him, just flinches. "shhhh. shhh. its okay. its okay." Doc soothes. Lightning opens his mouth to say something, but all that comes out is a whimper. "I know." Doc murmurs. his voice is soft, like he's trying to soothe a caged animal.

"Hud be careful." Smokey says quietly. Doc nods at him a little.

"hey, why don't you give me that? huh?" Doc asks softly, gently reaching for the pistol. Lightning flinches, holding it tighter. "okay. okay. thats okay. just hold it then. yeah, you know its me. right? s'Hud, Doc." Doc says softly. "I just wanna get the gun from you okay?" Doc asks, reaching once more for the gun. Lightning swallows, finally looking away from Chick to look at Doc, who immediately pauses in his reach for the gun. Doc smiles at him. "hey." he smiles.

"D-Doc?" he manages after a moment, voice cracking. his throat is raw from the force of his screams. Doc nods slightly watching him carefully. now that the younger has recognized him, he's slightly less cautious, but he still doesn't want any one hurt. he holds his hand out, palm up, trying to control the trembling of his fingers.

"yeah. can I have the gun?" Doc asks with a small smile. Lightning swallows hard and turns back to Chick.

"I took the safety off this time." he mumbles. Doc nods slightly, following his gaze.

"yeah, I see that. you did a great job, you got him. you emptied the clip. there's no more bullets in the gun, so why don't you give it to me, huh? so I can give it to Smokey, its gotta be cleaned now." Doc says, watching him.

"cleaned." Lightning mumbles. Doc nods. Lightning swallows hard. "what if he gets back up?" Lightning asks. Doc looks over at Mack, whose crouched beside Chick. the younger man looks at Doc and shakes his head with a small frown.

"gone." Mack mumbles.

"there's no worry of that now kid. he's dead. you got him." Doc assures gently. "he's not getting back up." Doc soothes. Lightnings chin quivers.

"I-I told him t' stop. told him not t' hit me... I-I told him to stop." Lightning says tearfully.

"I know. it's okay. its self defense." Doc assures.

"I-I didn't mean to. I-I didn't..." Lightning whimpers.

"I know kid. come here." Doc murmurs.

"I WARNED HIM!" Lightning shouts angrily. Doc steps back slightly.

"I know you did, but it's over now. it's okay. come here to me." Doc says, gently.

"a-all I could see...." Lightning tries, tears streaming down his face. he inches back over towards the younger man carefully.

"what?" Doc asks softly. he's inched close enough Lightning is in arms reach now, but he doesn't get any closer without the younger saying its okay. he wants the younger to take the time he needs to realize whats happened, to realize he's okay, that Chicks dead.

"I told him to just leave me alone." Lightning whimpers.

"I know you did." Doc assures gently. "he won't do it again. he's never going to hurt you again. come here. let me hold you." Doc murmurs softly. he wants the younger to close the distance between them, he doesn't want to get too close and the younger lose his mind at him.

"be careful, I only count 8 in him." Mack warns.

"if its the one from under the coffee table, it only had 9 in it. he probably missed once." Smokey says.