Ezra woke me up at 5 am to tell me about this, then changed his mind. Then he came back a few days ago and turned it around. Self-beta'd =)

Oh god.

Ohgodohgodohgodohgod.

VIN!!

I'm closest to him, although Chris is already bellowing for Nathan. My hands are dripping red and I can't stop the bleeding.

Please god, stop the bleeding.

Nathan is trying to pull me off...does he want Vin to bleed to death? Josiah is dragging me away from Vin and this is wrong.... It wasn't.... It didn't...no!

With a strangled sob, I woke up, heart pounding in my throat. I didn't have the strength to move yet, but I could see Vin slouched over asleep on the chair beside the bed. Blinking back sudden tears, I had to touch him, to make sure it was only a nightmare, to make sure he was real.

It took every crumb of strength I had to stretch my hand the four inches to where his hand lay on the bed. Always a light sleeper, Vin woke immediately.

"Ez! You're awake!"

He was hoarse and his eyes were red-rimmed. But he was alive, and I had gotten to him in time. "Are..." My voice was raspy. I swallowed a bit and tried again. "Are...you alright, Vin?"

He seemed taken aback. "Hell, Ez, of course I'm all right. What the hell were ya thinkin'?"

He glared at me, drilling into me with those intense blue eyes of him. I wanted to look away, but he has always expected more from me than anyone else and I could not bear to disappoint my lover.

"I...witnessed that...miscreant movin' surreptiously to get behind you," I tried to explain. "I could not...allow him to gain the...upper hand in our altercation."

"So ya jumped in front of that bastard Connors and he damn near gutted ya!" he snarled.

I'd never seen him this angry before. "I had to..." I faltered. "I couldn't let him..."

Vin pressed a kiss to my palm. "Ez, ya got hurt on account of me. That's 'bout the worst thing that ever happened ta me. How d'ya think that makes me feel?"

I swallowed hard and gathered what I could of my courage. "Vin, I would... rather die than allow... some grievance to befall you." I tried blinking away the tears that burned in my eyes and failed. "I cannot help but...value your life above my own."

He leaned forward and kissed me fervently. "Promise me ya won't do this again," he whispered against my lips. "I want yer word on this, Ez."

I wish I could lie to him, just this once. "I am afraid...I cannot give it."

"Damn it, Ez, ya nearly died!" he cried brokenly.

With gentle touches and soothing murmurs, I got him to climb into bed with me. He needed to rest and grieve, and I needed the comfort of my lover beside me. Eventually, we slept.