December 24, 1995

"We can't call a doctor, Niall," I heard him say. His voice was strange. Like sound ricocheting down a hallway, it reminded me of an echo of the real thing. "Stay with me."

There was a heaviness pressed against my chest and I could feel the hands applying it shake with weighted determination. "Don't you die, you son of a bi-"

"Is she-" I sputtered, spittle drooling out of the corner of my mouth. "Ok?"

Choking, I had a hard time getting the last word out, my breathing irregular. I tried to get in more oxygen as Tyler yelled next to me.

"Jane get me more towels from the trunk!"

Warm, coppery, wet stained my fingers when I tried to touch the open wound below my armpit. I knew the cold in my chest wasn't good. I also knew staying on this concrete slab any longer was a death sentence for all of us.

We had to get Aoibheann (Pronounced: "Ay-Veen") and her mother to the hospital. I could hear the baby screaming somewhere behind me. While Tyler did his best to staunch the bloodflow on my chest, Jane was trying to revive his wife. Both of us shot, neither Tyler nor Jane could do anything to help Aoibheann. Her injuries weren't life threatening, but ours were.

Knowing she was alright wasn't as comforting to me as I needed it to be. I couldn't stand to hear her crying. A little more than a month old, and hell I hadn't even met her before today, but at that moment I knew she was already a fighter. I couldn't help but admire the little pipsqueak.

When I started to squirm under his hand, Tyler tried to hold me down. "What are you doing? Sit still, damn it!"

"We gotta get out of here, Ty," I reasoned hoarsely. "You know they'll be back. It's just a matter of time."

I leaned up on my bloodied palms and my vision wavered. "Shit!"

"Take it easy."

When he didn't fight me further, I knew we were in danger. Tyler would have put up an argument if he disagreed with me. And he'd never risk moving his wife in her state if he didn't have to. I hadn't lied to Tyler, though, and he knew it. Those men would be back. Gunshots or no, we had to move, and we had to do so now.

Hacking on my own fluids, I turned over onto all fours, and dragged myself towards Aoibheann's bright red body. She had a nick on her arm and some scrapes on her knees and elbows, but other than that, she was fine. Fine if you ignored the fit-to-be-tied temper tantrum she was throwing. Aoibheann was mad. Scooping her into my weak arms, I held her against me, gritting my teeth against the pain in my chest. "Shh-shhh, Aoibheann. Shh. It's going to be-"

"Cripes!" A bought of nausea flashed in my gut.

"What the hell are you doing, Niall?" Tyler yelled, running between his wife and I as I tried to steady Aoibheann in my arms. "You got her?"

"Yeah, I-" I started to say, my upper body swaying from the blood loss.

"I said," Tyler repeated, crouching down to stare into my eyes. "Do-you-have-her?"

Nodding my head, I coughed before answering. "Yes. Yes, I have her. Go! Get Vivian. Help Jane. Go!"

Moving towards them, Tyler left me with his crying daughter.

Struggling to my feet, it was all I could do not to pass out. Aoibheann gave me something to focus on. It was because of her that I somehow made it to the Town Car. She kept me moving, and probably saved my life, because otherwise I might not have gotten up.

"Come on!" I yelled to Tyler and Jane. "We gotta go!"

When they piled into the car, Tyler and Vivian next to me and Jane behind the wheel, I closed my eyes to pray. "Dear God, please get us out of here safely."

"Amen," Tyler whispered.

I didn't even realize I'd spoken out loud, but I guess I had.

Leaning forward, I tried to wipe a bloodstain from Aoibheann's brow but only ended up making it worse. I was bleeding everywhere and my hands were a mess of it. Frowning, I reached out to try again before Tyler leaned over to stop me.

"Looks like a cross," he said closing his eyes, and tracing the mark of my blood.

"I baptism you," Tyler began increduously next to me. "Aoibheann Niall Givens, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

"What did you just do?" I asked, too stunned to say more.

"If we don't make it out of this mess, I need to know she's been baptised."

"What?" I replied. "You just baptised her with my blood, Tyler! You gave her my name!"

"You saved her life! If not for you, she would be dead."

Shaking my head, I started to refute his words before he put his hand up to stop me. "You saved her life. With no hesitation, no second guessing. That bullet in your chest was meant for her, and yet you jumped right into it."

I didn't know how to respond. No one had ever honored me in such a way. To my disbelief, Tyler had one more gift up his sleeve.

"And I expect you to be her Godfather. No one else will ever be there for her like you will if something happens to me. Tell me you'll accept." He waited for my reply in silence as I worked to compose myself.

Too emotional to use my voice, I nodded my affirmation.

I was Aoibheann's Godfather.

I felt equal parts proud and scared to death.

She was my responsibility now. Second to her parents, true, but still.

Her brow was christened in my own blood.

For the second time in only a few minutes I found myself praying again.

"God help us."

Minutes passed and Jane was tearing up the gravel. When she hit a pothole, I pitched off kilter, jarring something loose inside my chest. I began to sway in my seat. When my arms went slack, and I started blacking out, I offered Aoibheann back to her father quickly. "Tyler," I slurred, panicking. "Take her, I can't hold-"

___

As Aoibheann stood before us, holding some strange-looking tropical plant in her arms, a vein in her mother's forehead fit to burst, I didn't know whether to laugh, or run and hide. In about five seconds the fur was going to fly.

In the end, I stayed.

All those years ago, on a cold Christmas day, Aoibheann had saved my life. And then moments later, before she could ever say my name, she took mine.

More precious than any material gift wrapped in ribbons and fancy paper, she gave me purpose.

And so, if need be today, I'll be here to stand up for her. Just like I did 24 years ago.

God help us all.