Chapter 19

"Mommy! Help me! Mommy!"

"Micah! Open the door! Open it!"

"I can't, mommy, it's too hot!! Please! Come get me!"

"Jason! Let go of me! Get Micah! What the hell is wrong with you? Get him!"

"Mommy!!!"

"Micah! Open the door! Jason, let go!! Let go!! How could you...?"

"Micah!!!"



"Micah!" Madison sprang up from the bed, still in the panic of her nightmare. Dragging half the bed clothes with her, she ran for the door.

Richie bolted out of bed and caught her just before she grabbed the knob. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her close. He could feel the terror and anger rising up from her. "No! Let go of me! If you won't help Micah, I will. Let go! How could you...?" She broke down sobbing.

"Shhh, baby. It's okay. I'm right here. It's okay."

"Richie?" She had calmed down a little becoming aware of where she was.

Richie let go just long enough to pull on a pair of sweats. He then wrapped her gently in the sheets, scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the living room. Sitting down on one of the couches, he cradled her in his lap. He soothed her, gently stroking her arms and hair, and kissed her forehead and waited.

There was a knock on his door and Richie instinctively knew who it was. He put Madison down on the couch and got up to answer it. "It's okay, baby," he assured her again, "I'll be right back."

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Jon was concerned.

Richie sighed, "yeah, I think she had some nightmare or something." He stepped back allowing Jon to come in. Leading him back to the couch, he picked Madison up into his lap again. She was still recovering and Richie just held her and rocked her gently.

"Hey, hon. You gave us quite a scare. Are you okay?" Jon was sincere. He had come to love Madison for he saw what effect she had on his best friend. "It might help you to talk about it."

Madison nodded but was silent for a few more minutes.

"Micah was my son.....is my son." A sob escaped her. "When he was eight, we were on our way to my sister's house for my nephew's birthday party. It's about a thirty minute drive and the freeway was packed with people heading to the stadium for the big game."

Madison leaned into Richie and pulled the sheets around her tighter. "He was showing me the pendant and talking about secrets when I heard a screeching. Then....the sound of metal crumbling. I've never heard a sound like that before. A huge truck had rammed into us."

"We were pushed several hundred feet and had crashed against the guard rail. Jason, my husband, screamed at us to get out of the car. I did, but Micah's door was jammed. Before we could do anything, the car burst into flames." She was shuddering. Richie hugged her tighter and stroked her back soothingly.

"He was screaming, pleading for us to help him. Before I could reach the car, Jason pulled me back. I screamed at him to help Micah, but he kept saying it was too late, too dangerous." She was now shaking almost violently. "How could he? How could any father even think about his own safety before his children?"

"He was so small, so helpless. He depended on us to take care of him, and we didn't. Oh god, Richie! We just let him die!" Madison buried her face into Richie's shoulder and cried for long minutes.

Both men sat in silence knowing that nothing they could say would take away the hurt and the despair. Jon thought about his four kids and Richie's thoughts drifted to Ava. They knew she was right. Nothing, not even the force of nature, would stop them from trying to save their children. They wondered how she got the strength to go on.

Jon got up and got a bottle of water from the mini bar and unscrewing the cap, offered it to Madison. "Drink some of this, honey," he told her gently. Madison had run out of tears and was now leaning into Richie with soft hiccupping sobs. She took the water from Jon. "Thank you," she smiled weakly, "I'm sorry to wake you like this."

"Don't be." Jon stood and kissed her forehead. Saying good night, he left knowing she was in good hands.

Richie carried her back to bed and held her close, still soothing her. "Don't blame yourself, honey. Some things are just out of our control."

"I know. But we didn't even try. I let Jason hold me back. I can still see Micah's eyes...questioning...pleading..." A tear trickled down the side and Richie gently wiped it away.

"Micah knows how much you loved him. He knows you would have done whatever you can to save him. I'm sure he doesn't blame you. Don't let your last memory of him be that one."

"The pendant," Madison looked at him, "I promised him I'd find out what the secret was. I have to...I promised."

"We will. I promise."

She lay for a while, enveloped in the warmth and safety of his arms, the terror and the pain slowly dissipating.

"Richie?"

"Yeah, darlin'?"

"Make love to me?"