i hear ya...even though its not pretty im kinda fond of my face....lol 
I would not fire it until you fix that.LOL
Don't worry about firing it without the crossbolt in it, the gun isn't going to blow up or anything so crazy. They are there to ensure there is no damage to the stock after prolonged firing over the course of years. Inspect the inside of the stock, and if there's no cracks or other obvious problems, ensure the action screws are tight, and fire away!
The only problem you'll have is finding 18 gauge shells
