Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Seven

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�DALE!�

Dale jumped, banging his head on the underside of the car he was currently under, working on. He pushed himself out, holding his throbbing head as he glared at the man who had just scared the shit out of him.

�What the fuck, Harvick?� He growled, getting up off the ground, wincing when he felt a bump forming. �Trying to give me brain damage?�

�Shut the fuck up!� he yelled at his crew who were busy laughing, and not doing a very good job of trying to stop.

�Dale, I think you better call Dakota.� Kevin Harvick told his long time friend, and Dale�s head jerked up, having never heard that kind of tone from Kevin before.

�What�s going on?� he demanded, nearly running out of the garage towards his motor coach to get his cell phone, which he had mistakenly left there earlier that morning. He walked in and turned to Kevin who was behind him, not liking the look on his face.

�Kevin, what�s happened? Oh god, did something happen to Dakota?� he demanded, turning to run towards the back to grab his phone but Kevin stopped him.

�It�s not Dakota. It�s IreLyn.� He swallowed hard, past the huge lump in his throat. He�d hardly believed it when Delana had come running in the garage in tears a few minutes before.

�IreLyn? What about her?�

�Dale--� Kevin paused to get his own emotions under control. He had truly liked IreLyn, no matter what had been said about her. He had agreed with Dale all along with everything that had gone on, and had believed that she and Brett would some how find their way back to each other. Now though, that was impossible.

�She was killed in a car accident earlier today.� He croaked out. He lunged forward to catch Dale when he saw him sway unsteadily on his feet and lead him over to the nearby chair.

�No.� Dale whispered, not wanting to believe it. �No, it can�t be.�

�I-I�m sorry.� Kevin looked up at the ceiling, trying to blink back the tears that were threatening.

�Oh god.� Dale buried his head in his hands as he tried to process the news. He couldn�t. �I gotta call Kody.� He jumped to his feet and hurried to the back. He saw that he had a number of voice mail messages, but ignored them and quickly dialed her cell number. Once he punched in the numbers, he paused in hitting send. He didn�t know if he could do it. He knew Dakota had to be going through hell right now, but what if she didn�t know yet. He didn�t want her to find out like this. But then again what if she didn�t know? He didn�t want her finding out any other way either.

Taking a deep breath, he hit the button and waited for her to pick up. He heard her pick up, but was unable to really hear her through all the background noise. �Baby, you there?� he asked. He heard some shuffling around, then the background noise faded and he was able to hear her more clearly.

�Hey, yeah, sorry about that.� He frowned, unable to really decipher anything from her voice. Tears filled his eyes as he cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to do this.

�Where are you?� he asked, stalling just a little.

�The airport. I can�t talk long, I�m getting ready to board.� She told him, her voice tight and he could tell she was stressed. Now he just needed to figure out why she was at the airport. Did she know, and was on her way to Colorado, or had Teresa sent her on an �errand�, which wasn�t unusual.

�Um, where are you going?� he asked, still not wanting to just come out and tell her that her best friend had been killed. He wanted to be there with her when she found out. But she was in North Carolina, and he was on the other side of the country in Las Vegas.

�Didn�t you get my voice mail? I�m going to Colorado.� His heart dropped at her words, and was about to say something when she spoke again. �IreLyn was in a car accident today. She�s in serious condition, and I need to be with her.�

Dale was stunned into silence. �Dale? Honey, you there?� she asked.

He finally found his voice. �Uh�what?�

She sighed softly. �Damn, I didn�t want to have to tell you like this. Apparently Logan tried to kidnap her or something. The truck they were in went off the road. Logan was killed and IreLyn is hurt pretty badly. She�s not in critical condition, but it is serious.�

Dale sucked in his breath. �But�Kevin told me she was killed.� His voice was shaking.

�What? Oh shit! You really need to listen to your voice mails.� She scolded him. �Apparently the press got the information wrong. They are reporting that IreLyn was killed, but it was Logan.�

The relief that surged through him would have driven him to his knees if he hadn�t already been sitting. IreLyn was alive. She wasn�t dead. She was alive. ALIVE! He felt like jumping up and down, screaming it at the top of his lungs.

�Oh, baby, I�m so sorry you had to hear it like that!� Dakota couldn�t imagine how she would have reacted if she hadn�t gotten Kristin�s phone call first. Kristin had told her everything that was going on, and not to listen to the news because they had the story wrong. The family was going to release a statement that IreLyn was alive, but held off until they knew for sure that IreLyn really was going to be okay. If there was any change, Kristin promised to get a hold of Dakota right away.

Dale suddenly jumped to his feet. �KEVIN! SHE�S ALIVE!� he yelled, tears of happiness streaming unnoticed down his face. �Oh, shit sorry!� he apologized, realizing he had just yelled in his wife�s ear.

�It�s okay. Listen I�ll call you later, they just called my flight.� She told him.

�Alright, I�ll probably beat you there. I�m headed to the airport now myself.� Although he believed Dakota, he desperately wanted to see IreLyn with his own two eyes, just to assure himself. That, and he needed to be with his wife.

�Okay. We�re meeting at the hospital. I�ll see you there. I love you.� She told him.

�I love you too.�

Dale immediately started dialing another number after ending the call with Dakota. He frowned when he got Brett�s voice mail. He only hoped Brett was better about checking his voice mail than he was.

�Brett, it�s Junior. Listen, I don�t know if you�ve heard or not, but apparently there is a news report that IreLyn was killed. It�s not true. She was in an accident today and is in serious condition, but she�s alive. I�m on my way to Colorado now. God, I hope you get this message. Call me as soon as you possibly can.� He hung up then raced out the door, not bothering with packing.

***

Brett, Kevin and Marshall all sat together in silence on the plane as it took off down the runway. As luck would have it, Marshall had a show in a nearby city and was able to meet them at the airport. He and Kevin both knew that if there was ever a time when Brett would need them, it was now.

�Have you talked to Lissa?� Marshall asked quietly, not wanting to disturb Brett who was staring out the window, having not said a word since meeting at the airport.

Kevin shook his head, running his hand through his hair in distress. �I keep getting the damn voice mail.� He muttered. �What about Kristin, any luck?�

�None.� Marshall sighed, yet at the same time he hadn�t expected too. Kristin, Lissa and the rest of the family were going through hell right now, and the last on their minds was calling himself and Kevin. Although he wished they would call Brett.

�I can�t believe they haven�t called him.� Kevin spoke Marshall�s own thoughts out loud. Brett sighed and turned away from the window to look at his two friends.

�They may have.� He told them, his voice wavering. He was barely keeping it together, and they all knew it. �I left my cell at home. I-I can�t hear them say the words. Not yet.� He whispered, looking down at his hands. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back to rest on the seat, tears slipping down his face. He knew he was going to face reality when they landed in Colorado, but he wasn�t sure how. He�d been barely living the past four months without her. Now, how in the hell was he going to survive the rest of his life without IreLyn?

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Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Eight

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�Oh God�� Kevin said to himself, sitting up straighter as a sudden realization hit him.

�What?� Marshall asked, immediately alerted by the tone of Kevin�s voice.

Kevin glanced over at Brett and saw that he was still staring blankly out the window, paying no attention to either Marshall or himself. He turned and looked at Marshall, the distress clearly evident in his blue eyes.

�On the news report, they said that there was another person in the truck with IreLyn�� Kevin said quietly and trailed off when he saw the understanding immediately in Marshall�s eyes.

Both men immediately reached for their cell phones but put them back after not being able to get a signal from the air. �Damn it!� Marshall hissed as he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

This was quickly turning into the longest of all of their lives.

*****

Two hours later, Brett, Kevin, and Marshall walked through the airport surrounded by heavy security so that they would be able to move through without being mobbed by fans and the media.

They were just about to the exit when Kevin noticed a familiar figure walking a little ways ahead of him. �Lissa!� He called out as he rushed forward to catch up with her. The relief that he felt knowing that she wasn�t in the car with Lyn was overwhelming. Yet at the same time it was heartbreaking not knowing if Kristin had been the one with IreLyn.

Lissa turned around when she heard his voice and Kevin saw the tears in her eyes. He immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against him as she seemed to dissolve against him. After a few moments, Kevin pulled back. He framed her face in his hands and leaned forward until his forehead rested against hers.

�I�m so sorry to hear about IreLyn.� He told her, his voice gruff with emotion.

Lissa pulled back enough to be able to look at him. She closed her eyes and leaned into his comforting touch as he gently brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.

�Are you doing okay?� Kevin asked when Lissa didn�t say anything. She seemed to be holding up all right, but it could have all been an act to hide what she was truly feeling.

�Yes, but I have to get to the hospital. I just got in from New Mexico�I was there on business when I got the call. Will you please come with me?� Lissa asked before she could even comprehend that she was doing so. But even after she realized what she had said, she didn�t regret it. Despite all the arguing that they�d done and not seeing each other the last few months, Lissa knew that she still loved Kevin and she wanted him there with her.

�Of course I will.� Kevin answered, then felt his heart drop as he realized that it must have been Kristin, who had been with IreLyn and was now in the hospital, which was why Lissa needed to get there. He looked over at Marshall, not wanting to have to tell him the news.

Lissa followed his gaze and noticed for the first time, Brett and Marshall standing a little ways away. She was relieved to see them there as well.

�Will she be all right?� Kevin questioned, not wanting to hear, but needing to all the same.

�I�m not sure. I didn�t get a whole lot of time to talk to Kristin when she called so I really don�t know all of the details yet.� Lissa told him. She saw Kevin�s eyes widen in shock as she swayed on his feet slightly.

"Did you just say that you talked to Kristin?� He asked after a moment and his voice finally worked for him.

Lissa looked at Kevin, confused by his strange behavior. �Yes, she was the one who called me.� Lissa told him once more.

�But�Wasn�t she in the truck with IreLyn?�

�No, it was Logan.� Lissa said to him, seeing the genuine shocked that crossed his handsome features.

�Logan?� Kevin wondered out loud as a fury like he�d never known surged through his entire being. After all that Logan had done to all of them, he was still alive and IreLyn was gone? He was absolutely stunned. And god, how was he ever going to be able to tell Brett this?

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Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Nine

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Lissa and Kevin made their way over to where Brett and Marshall stood. She nodded to both of them, not missing the looks in either of their eyes. Marshall stepped forward, but before he could say anything, Kevin spoke up.

�It wasn�t Kristin.� He told the other man, seeing the immediate relief, then confusion. He glanced at Brett then took a deep breath before adding, �It was Logan.�

Brett�s entire body jerked as if someone had just sent a jolt of electricity through him, and next to him Marshall stiffened at the man�s name. �What?� Brett whispered, his eyes had taking an eerie gleam to them.

Lissa back up a half a step away from him, having never seen him look so�dangerous. She glanced at Kevin before back at Brett. �I don�t know all the details. As I told Kevin, when Kristin called me she didn�t have a lot of time to talk. Listen, I don�t mean to be rude or abrupt, but I need to get to the hospital now.�

Before she could say anything else, her cell phone rang. She turned away to answer it. Kevin and Marshall immediately looked over at Brett, both wondering if they should say anything or do something. Seeing the look on his face, they decided to leave it alone for a few minutes.

Lissa hung up and turned back towards them. �That was Dakota, her flight just landed. I�m going to wait for her, if you want to go ahead to the hospital. Dale�s already there.� She told them.

�Why the hospital?� Kevin asked the question they were all thinking. Lissa looked at him as if he�d lost his mind.

�Because that�s where everyone is.� She responded, confused by their odd behavior. She turned to Kevin. �I�m going to go meet Kody at the gate. We�ll be right behind you. Please let Kristin know we�re on our way.�

She wanted to be with Kevin, but at the same time she had to talk to Dakota. She was sure Dakota had more information than she did, and she had detected something in Kristin�s voice, and wanted to talk to her about it in private.

�Thank you for coming.� She said sincerely as she looked up at Kevin, knowing they would have time to talk more later. With a small smile, she turned and hurried back through the airport.

***

Kristin tuned everyone around her out. She hadn�t even really heard what the doctor had said to the rest of the family. All she could think of was the letters that she had found. She felt chilled to the bone. When she had gotten the call from the state police, she had nearly freaked out, thinking her sister had gone through with it.

She was more than grateful that her sister was still alive, but there were so many unanswered questions. Everyone wanted to know what IreLyn had been doing up on that mountain to begin with. It wasn�t anywhere near the house. It wasn�t en route to any of their normal destinations.

She hadn�t told anyone, but Kristin knew why IreLyn had been up there. She knew what her sister had been about to do, when Logan interrupted. The police had told them someone saw Logan forcing his way into the truck, so there was no confusion as to how she had ended up with Logan.

Kristin dropped her head in her hands, breathing deeply as she tried to sort everything out. Her sister was the strongest person she had ever known. IreLyn had always been her hero, the person she looked up too. And she was never one to give up.

But that�s what she had done. She�d given up, and Kristin wasn�t sure what to do. She needed to tell someone, she knew that, but then again saying it out loud would only make it that much more real.

She jumped and was startled out of her thoughts when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, her eyes meeting Dale�s blue ones. �They�re here.� He said softly, nodding towards the door.

She turned her head and watched quietly as Kevin, Marshall and Brett made their way slowly into the waiting room.

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Chapter One Hundred and Ninety

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"What happened?" Lissa asked as she and Dakota rode in the back of a taxicab to the hospital " I haven't gotten a chance to really talk to Kristin yet...which under the circumstances is completely understandable."

Dakota sighed as she looked down at her hands and then at her friend. "I don't know everything either. All I know is that IreLyn was parked at a scenic point on Alpine Mountain, which is odd in itself because that is no where near where you live or even close to being en route to anywhere she normally goes. But who knows? Maybe she just needed to really be away." Dakota paused and looked out her window, seeing that they were getting close to the hospital finally. The ride there seemed to take forever.

"Apparently Logan followed her there and forced his way inside the truck and held a gun on her. There are witnesses that saw him doing it. I don't know for sure if he was driving or if she was, but control of the truck was lost and they crashed." Dakota looked over at Lissa, seeing the shock and sadness on her face.

"She must have been terrified." Lissa commented, knowing full well what it was to be face to face with Logan.

"I can't even begin to imagine." Dakota stated as the cab came to a stop in front of the hospital.

"When you talked to Kristin, did you sense something... in her voice?" Lissa asked Dakota after the paid the cab fair and were walking into the back entrance of the hospital where they were most likely to avoid the media that was swarming around.

"Of course She was upset about IreLyn, but there seemed to be something more. I just can't quite put my finger on it.

"I didn't really realize it when I was talking to her, but now that you mention it...yeah, she did sound...different." Dakota agreed. Much like Lissa, she was beginning to wonder if there was much more to the story than what they knew.

******

The instant Marshall saw Kristin, he rushed forward and pulled her into his arms, giving all the comfort and support that he could. He felt tears burning his eyes as he noticed her trembling. He tightened his hold on her, never wanting to let her go again.

After a few moments, Kristin pulled back and looked at him as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Thanks so much for being here." She whispered as she glanced at Brett and Kevin before turning her attention back to Marshall. She was grateful that he was there despite everything that they'd gone through in the last few months.

"I'm so sorry to hear about IreLyn." Marshall told her, his voice sincere. He drew her back into his arms as tears filled her eyes and she trembled against him again.

"We saw Lissa at the airport. She and Dakota are on their way here." Marshall told her after she'd calmed down again and had pulled away from him.

"Oh good." Kristin was immensely relieved to here that her friends were on the way. She really needed them there. "I was going to go upstairs, but I think I'll wait until they get here so they can come too."

"Upstairs?" Marshall questioned in confusion. Wasn't the morgue usually located in the lower levels of the hospital?

"Yeah, that's where she is." Kristin answered, bewildered at his questioning it. Then it suddenly hit her. "Don't tell me you guys heard it on the news?"

"Yeah. Why? What's going on?" Marshall questioned.

Kristin sighed as she again cursed the press for fucking the story up and putting people through needless hell because of it. "You all better sit down."

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Chapter One Hundred and Ninety One

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Dale, who was standing near by, shook his head as the three men took a seat. Obviously Brett hadn�t checked his voicemail, and all this time the three men had believed IreLyn to be�he shuddered not even able to finish the though. He knew how he�d felt until he�d talked to Dakota, he could only imagine how Brett was feeling.

Kristin took a deep breath then looked directly at Brett, knowing this would have more of an impact on him than anyone else, although they all would be affected. All the anger and animosity she had felt for months towards Brett had disappeared. Just by looking at him, it was obvious he was still very much in love with IreLyn, and this news had been horrific for him.

�They reported the news wrong on the radio here, and before we knew it and could fix it, word had spread all over the country.� She started to explain. �Mom and Dad are trying to clear things up even as we speak. We were going to do it sooner, but we�ve been a little preoccupied.�

�What are you talking about?� Kevin asked, not understanding where this was going, and he knew Brett and Marshall were just as confused as he was.

�First, Logan is dead. They think he was killed instantly.� She told them, wanting to get that out of the way, knowing that once she told them about IreLyn, everything else would be forgotten.

�Lyn�� Her voice cracked as she remembered just how close she had come to loosing her sister. �Lyn is alive.�

Marshall and Kevin�s mouths fell open as they stared at her in shocked silence. Brett on the other hand reacted in fury. He lunged to his feet and grabbed her by the arms before anyone could move.

�That�s sick! Is this some sick joke?� he nearly screamed, the despair in his voice nearly doing Kristin in as tears sprung to her eyes. Marshall and Kevin were now on their feet, but Dale got to Brett first. He pushed him away from Kristin and made the other man look him in the eyes.

�She�s telling you the truth. I left you a voice mail to let you know, and so did Kristin and Kody.� Brett stood completely still taking in Dale�s words, breathing hard. Then before their very eyes, he crumpled. Dale was barely able to stop him from hitting the floor as Brett�s knees buckled.

�Oh my god.� Kristin turned as she heard the scared gasp and found Dakota and Lissa standing there. Dakota�s eyes were wide and filled with fear, while Lissa had tears streaming down her face, her hand over her mouth.

�Is Lyn�?�

Kristin shook her head and hurried over to her friends. �No, no, there�s no change. She�s stable, but still in serious condition.�

�But�then�what?� Lissa stuttered looking at Brett.

�All this time Brett, Marshall and Kevin thought that she was�they heard about the accident over the radio.� She knew by saying that both Lissa and Dakota would understand.

�Shit.� Dakota murmured as Lissa rushed over to Kevin, who immediately pulled her into his arms and held her tight, his eyes closed.

Before going over to Dale, Dakota put her hand on Kristin�s shoulder. �How are you holding up?� she asked softly, seeing that Lissa had been right. Something was off with Kristin. She had a bad feeling that there was more to this story than they knew.

Kristin managed a weak unconvincing smile. �I�ll be better once I get to see Lyn.� She answered honestly. The doctors were in the process of getting her settled into her own room, and once they were finished then they would be allowed to see her, although they were keeping her sedated. The family had been informed that they would most likely keep her asleep for a couple days, to give her body time to start healing.

�We�re going to talk soon.� Dakota told her seriously, then moved towards Dale who was standing nearby waiting for her.

Kristin nodded with a sad smile. �I�m going to need too, soon.� She replied softly to herself. She turned and walked over to Marshall, right now needing his comfort more than ever before. The past couple months just fell away. All that mattered was the guys were there now. And most importantly, Brett was there.

Dakota looked at Brett, who was now sitting in the chair, his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking. She closed her eyes and silently sent up another prayer of thanks. They were all truly blessed, and had been given a miracle. IreLyn was alive, and with Logan gone and Jean-Claude in prison, they were all finally safe and sound.

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Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Two

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After being able to see her sister for a short time, Kristin went back to the waiting room where everyone else was waiting. She walked over to Brett first knowing that he, out of all of them, needed to see IreLyn next. She was surprised when he stood up and pulled her into a tight hug before he turned and walked slowly to IreLyn's room. She watched as he hesitated outside the door for a split second before going inside. She really hoped that in the end, things would work out for IreLyn and Brett again.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Kristin stepped over to where Dakota and Lissa were sitting with Kevin, Dale, and Marshall.

"How is she?" Dakota asked immediately. She held her breath, as did all of them, waiting for Kristin's answer.

"No better." Kristin stated, knowing that it was going to take time...a lot of time before they saw any significant improvement in IreLyn, but it was frustrating waiting. "No worse either...which is good." She added a moment later. Then she turned her attention specifically to Lissa and Dakota.

"Can we talk?" She asked, not being able to wait any longer. She knew that she could talk to Lissa and Dakota about what she knew with out them telling anyone else or being judgmental.

"Of course." Dakota answered as Lissa nodded her head in agreement. Then after telling the guys that they'd be back in a little bit, they left with Kristin.

"We need to go back to the apartment." Kristin told them as they walked through the hospital. "I hope you don't mind, but there is something that I think you both need to see."

"No, that's fine." Lissa replied. Both Dakota and herself easily seeing that whatever was on Kristin's mind was bothering her a lot and they wanted to do whatever they could to help.

They arrived back at the apartment a half-hour later. Kristin picked up the papers and the notes that IreLyn had written and gave them to Lissa and Kristin without say anything...she quite honestly wasn't capable at that moment.

"Oh my god..." Lissa gasped in shock a few moments later after having read and then re-read the notes. She couldn't believe it. She knew that IreLyn was depressed, but she never, ever imagined that it went so deep. She glanced over at Dakota, who was just staring at Kristin in disbelief, her face pale.

"I found this earlier today," Kristin began, her voice shaking. "Everyone wondered what she was doing up on that mountain..." She trailed off, pausing a moment before she was able to go on any further. "I never thought that Lyn would just give up like this. Hell, if that wasn't her handwriting on those notes, I still wouldn't believe it."

"Does Brett know? What kind of impact will this have when she wakes up? What will her frame of mind be?" Dakota wondered out loud, her voice tinged with despair for her friend. She couldn't even begin to imagine what had been going through IreLyn's mind when she wrote those notes. How close had she actually come to doing it? And what part, if any, did Logan play in all of this. There were so many unanswered questions!

"Brett doesn't know yet. Hell, up until just a short time ago, he thought that she hadn't made it. I think that he does need to know, but I can't tell him yet...and I don't even know if it is my place to tell him. No one else knows, except you two." Kristin answered as she sank down on the couch behind her and laid her head in her hands. She felt heavily burdened carrying this all around on her shoulders. She didn't hate IreLyn for it, but she wished that things could have been different.

"Well, maybe the best thing to do is to just play it by ear and see how she is when she wakes up. Maybe once she knows that Brett is here and he still loves her, she'll totally turn around." Lissa said, trying to be optimistic about the situation. All they could really do right now was hope.

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Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Three

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IreLyn kept her eyes closed and breathing even. She didn�t want to face reality�she knew what it held. She felt like screaming out loud, knowing full well that neither she nor Logan had succeeded in doing the one thing she wanted.

Her entire body ached, but she welcomed the pain. The physical pain took away from emotional pain she had been trying to escape from. She knew it wouldn�t stay away forever, and didn�t know how she would deal with it, but for now, she could ignore it.

She also knew full well who was in the room with her, holding her hand. She had to fight not to yank her hand out of his grasp. Something inside her was cold�and dark. His presence there didn�t help, in fact it only made it worse. She wanted to lash out at him in every way possible, but to do that, she would have to let him know she was awake, and for her, that wasn�t an option.

She knew she would have to face him and tried to prepare herself for that, but it was just too soon. She didn�t know if she would ever be able to look him in the eye again, but she knew she absolutely could not right then.

She heard the door open, and nearly sighed with relief when she heard Dakota�s voice. She fought not to cringe when she felt Brett�s lips brush the back of her hand before he stood up, to allow Dakota some time alone with her.

She stayed perfectly still, even after she had heard the door close, signaling that Brett had left the room.

�It�s safe now, you can open your eyes.�

Her eyes snapped open when she heard Dakota say the words, and she found Dakota standing across the room, her arms crossed over her chest. IreLyn tried to find the words, but found that they failed her.

Dakota shook her head as she stepped forward. �I could see the tension in your body when Brett was in the room, yet when the door closed, you immediately relaxed. Besides, I�ve lived with your for how many years, I know when you�re faking.� She came over and sat down. IreLyn gave her a small smile, nodding, eyeing Dakota wearily.

�How are you feeling?� Dakota asked softly.

�Sore as hell.� IreLyn croaked out.

�I can imagine. You gave us all quite a scare.� Dakota told her. �In fact, I�m sure Brett, Marshall and Kevin have had a few years drastically taken from them. The news got it wrong, and reported that you had died.�

She frowned when she didn�t get as much as a bat of the eyelashes from IreLyn. If Kristin hadn�t shown Lissa and herself IreLyn�s notes, Dakota would have said it was the shock of everything that had happened, but now, she knew better.

�What happened?� Dakota asked finally, after a few moments of silence. She wanted nothing more than to take her friend in her arms and promise her everything would be okay, and that she had a reason to fight, but the dead look in her eyes held her back. Her worst fears were confirmed. IreLyn had given up.

IreLyn took a deep breath. �One moment I was by myself, the next Logan was in the truck. I don�t remember much after that.� She mumbled, keeping her eyes downcast.

�What about before?�

IreLyn flinched slightly, knowing exactly what Dakota was referring too. �I-I don�t remember.� She whispered taking the cowards� way out...again. She wasn�t ready to talk to any one about what was going on, not even Dakota.

�I don�t know if you�ve heard, but Logan is dead.� Dakota told her. The only response she got was a slight nod.

�You know Brett�s going to be back in here.� Dakota told her, rising to her feet. She paused when IreLyn sent her a panicked look, only to quickly cover it up.

�I know.� She said dully.

�You�re going to have to talk to him.� Dakota pushed, trying to get some kind of reaction�any kind of reaction. Seeing IreLyn like this was scaring the hell out of her. Obviously she�d been up on that mountain for a reason, and Logan had interrupted her. For the first time ever, Dakota was thankful to Logan for being there when he was. Although she�d nearly died, she was alive. There was no doubt in Dakota�s mind that if Logan hadn�t shown up when he had, IreLyn would have succeeded on her own.

But she hadn�t succeeded�and now she was only a shadow of her former self. She may still be alive, but looking at her and talking to her now was like something had indeed died inside of her.

Yes, IreLyn had survived the ordeal with Logan�but would she survive living?

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Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Four

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�How ya doing?� Kevin asked Lissa when she sat down beside him with a weary sigh. She had just come out after seeing IreLyn for a few minutes. It had to be one of the most heartbreaking and frustrating moments of her life.

After seeing the notes that IreLyn had left, both Lissa and Kristin realized that they should have been something like this coming. They way that IreLyn kept herself almost completely isolated from everyone else should have been their biggest hint. Then again when they did see Lyn, she always assured them that she was completely fine�she was very convincing. But still, they both felt that they should have seen how far gone IreLyn was.

Lissa rubbed her tired eyes before looking over at Kevin. �I�m fine�� She trailed off, sighing again.

�But?� Kevin urged her to elaborate, knowing that she needed to talk about what was happening, even if she didn�t think she did.

�I�m just worried about Lyn.� Lissa told him, knowing that that was all she could tell him at the moment.

Sensing her distress, Kevin put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Lissa sighed inwardly as she rested her head against his chest, the steady beat of his heart lulling her.

�IreLyn is going to be fine.� Kevin said, although he had a feeling that Lissa�s worry for Lyn went much deeper than her injuries from the accident.

�Yeah.� Lissa agreed, trying to reassure herself more than anything. She fell silent, continuing to sit there with Kevin, her head still resting on his chest.

A short time later Kristin came out of IreLyn�s room and sat down with Lissa, Kevin, and Marshall after having spent some more time with her sister. �They just gave her another shot so she�s going to be out for a while. I�m going to run back to the apartment for a while. There are some things that I need to do. You�re both welcome to come along if you want to shower or whatever.� She offered Marshall and Kevin, knowing that they�d come straight from the airport.

�Yeah, and I think you both still have clothes there if you want to change.� Lissa said and then blushed as she remembered all the times that she and Kevin had spent together there before everything went bad. She felt a wave of heat pass through her as she looked up at Kevin and saw the way that he was looking at her.

�Thanks,� Marshall said. �I think we�d both appreciate that.� He responded for both Kevin and himself.

�When are Dale and Dakota coming back?� Lissa asked as they all stood up to leave. Dale and Dakota had gone to see her parents, who were doing everything that they could to support IreLyn�s parents as they prepared to hold the press conference to clear things up concerning their daughter.

�They won�t be long.� Kristin answered after glancing at her watch. �I�ll call them on the way and let them know where we�re at.�

�Should we see if Brett wants to come along too?� Lissa questioned as they began walking to the door. Despite the hell he�d put IreLyn through, she still felt bad for him and didn�t want him feeling any worse than she knew he already did. Plus, much like Dakota, she and Kristin had noticed how IreLyn was when Brett was around. And although she felt that Brett spending time with IreLyn was a good thing, she also knew that IreLyn wasn�t ready to see him.

Kristin hesitated for only a split second before she nodded her head and turned around, going back into IreLyn�s room where Brett was. She returned a few moments later with Brett following behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Five

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once back at the apartment, Lissa and Kevin went off to talk privately, and have a few moments together. Kristin smiled after them, knowing in her heart everything would be okay for them, and she was glad. Not only because Lissa and Kevin belonged together, but also because may seeing them together would help erase some of IreLyn�s guilt she was holding on to.

�I�m going to take a shower.� Marshall told her, feeling rather grimy after the long plane ride and the time in the hospital. She nodded.

�That�s fine, you know where it is.� She blushed at his knowing grin.

He smirked at her as he drew her closer to him. �I also know that your shower fits two.� He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. He knew that wasn�t going to happen, but he succeeded in his main goal. She laughed before pulling away and swatting playfully at him.

�Yeah but it�s a tight fit�� she cut herself off, her face flaming when she realized how those words sounded. �Oooh, you know what I mean!� she continued to blush as Marshall laughed.

After a moment he calmed down and took a deep breath, looking deep into her eyes. He saw the sadness there that he longed to take away, and although he knew he could help with some, only IreLyn could help with the rest.

�We need to talk.� His voice was gruff as he reached out and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ears. She bit her lip and looked down, nodding.

�I know.� She whispered, then raised her eyes to meet Marshall�s. �But later, okay? Please?� her eyes pleaded with him to understand. He gave her a reassuring smile before leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips before turning and walking down the hallway to where he knew the shower was.

After letting out the breath she had been unaware she was holding, Kristin turned to go into the kitchen. She paused when she walked in the doorway and found Brett standing over the counter, his shoulders hunched over.

�Brett?� she called, wincing when she saw him jump.

�I-I�d forgotten.� The sadness in his voice nearly bringing tears to Kristin�s eyes.

�Forgotten what?� she asked as she moved further into the kitchen. Brett, at that moment, turned around, and Kristin's eyes widened when she saw what he had in his hands.

�Through all this, I�d forgotten these had been sent.� Brett held up the annulment papers. �She signed them.� His voice cracked.

Kristin nodded. �I know.�

�Just this morning.� He went on, as if he hadn�t even heard her. Suddenly he lifted his head, his blue eyes boring into hers, wet with unshed tears, and a pain that nearly unbearable to look at. �What was she doing?� he asked.

Kristin looked confused. �She was setting you free, like you wanted, I guess.� He shook his head, that not having been his question.

�No, what was she doing up on that mountain?� he demanded, his entire body shaking with fear. He needed to know Kristin�s answer, yet at the same time, he didn�t want to hear it.

�I�ve gone over it so many times in my head, Kris. That mountain is no where near here, so what was she doing up there in the first place. At first I thought Logan had forced her to go up there, but then I find out that he forced himself in the truck on the damn mountain. So again I ask, why was she even there in the first place?� His heart pounded as he waited for Kristin�s reply.

Kristin looked away, struggling with this decision. She knew Brett would eventually find out, but she didn�t want to do it this soon, and not like this. He had already been through hell and back that day, and to add this on top of it�it would almost be like loosing IreLyn all over again. She knew he would immediately put all the blame on himself, hell a lot of people would. But she didn�t. The only person she blamed was herself. She should have seen just how bad her sister was, but she hadn�t. What kind of a sister did that make her?

She looked back up at him, prepared to lie and spare him the pain for just a little while longer, but the pleading look in his eyes stopped her. Biting her lip, she reached in her back pocket and pulled out the two pieces of paper she had put there earlier. Taking a deep breath, she held them out to him, then stood nearby after he had taken them, knowing he was going to need somebody, anybody after reading those heart stopping words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Six

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Victoria frowned, her hands clenching into tight fists as she watched Lissa and Kevin walk into the apartment building behind Kristin, Brett, and Marshall. She cringed when she saw him place his hand low on her back as they stepped the door. It made her furious that he had wormed his way back into her sister�s life when she was so vulnerable. How Lissa could be so blind was really beyond her.

Driving her car a little further down the street, Victoria found a space to park and got out. She walked around the side of the apartment building, somehow knowing that they would be out on the balcony that came with each apartment. She ducked behind a tree as she looked up at the fourth floor where the apartment was. She soon found that she was right and her eyes narrowed as she watched Kevin and Lissa.

***

�Wow, I can see why you like it here so much.� Kevin commented as he walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned against the railing. The view of the mountains from there was breathtaking. On that particular day, there was a storm building and the dark clouds on the horizon made the mountains look very menacing.

�Beautiful isn�t it?� Lissa replied as she followed his gaze. She never tired of looking at the mountains and usually spent a lot of time out on the balcony looking at them. They all did.

�Kevin,� Lissa began after several minutes of silence had passed between them. She paused when he turned around and she saw the look in his eyes as he held his hand up to halt her words.

�No, please hear what I have to say first.� Kevin said as he walked over and sat down in the chair across and facing the one that she was seated in. He spoke again before Lissa could say anything.

�These last few months have been hell.� He told her as he raised his eyes to meet hers and Lissa saw the sincerity shining there. �I think that we can both agree that we only wanted to be there for each of our friends. I know that what Brett did was wrong�his treatment of IreLyn was inexcusable, I know that. But he is my friend. I known him for several years and I needed to support him any way I could. I know that he wouldn�t hesitate to do the same for me. Our fighting accomplished nothing�except to add on to the tremendous amount of guilt that IreLyn was already feeling.� He paused when Lissa gasped out loud as it hit her that IreLyn�s bedroom was right next to hers and with the walls not being very thick, she�d probably heard almost all of the arguments that she and Kevin had had.

�I didn�t want to fight with you, Lissa, but I did. It was wrong, and for that, I apologize.� Kevin finished as he leaned forward and tenderly brushed away the tears that were spilling down her cheeks.

�I�m sorry too.� Lissa whispered. She was so sorry for everything. Not only had their fights torn Kevin and herself apart, but also she hadn�t even stopped to think of the impact it was having on IreLyn. �Can we try again�do it right this time by supporting both IreLyn and Brett?�

In reply, Kevin leaned closer until his lips touched gently against hers in a kiss that was slow, but full of all of the promise that their future held.

*****

Kristin burst out the door behind Brett after he�d suddenly bolted from the apartment after seeing the notes that IreLyn had written. Because he�d caught her off guard and it took her a few moments to realize that he�d fled, he was well ahead of her; already down 3 flights of stairs before she even started the first.

�Brett, wait!� She called, hoping that he would stop, but her efforts were in vain. By time she�d gotten out the front entrance door, Brett was no where in sight.

Kristin sighed, figuring that Brett just needed some time to absorb all of this. That she could certainly understand. Kristin turned to go back inside, but stopped when she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and felt rage flow through her when she saw Victoria sneaking back to her car.

It took everything that she had in her to keep herself from charging forward and demanding to know what the hell Victoria thought she was doing there�Not that she didn�t already know. Victoria had obviously seen Lissa and Kevin together and she was not happy about it.

But after all that she �d been through that day, Kristin honestly did not trust herself to not completely snap. Turning again, Kristin went back inside and up to the apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Seven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�Is that Brett?� Dakota asked as she and Dale pulled up to the apartment building. They watched as Brett ran to his car and sped off.

�Yeah it is. Hang on.� Dale swerved back into traffic and started following his friend, having not liked the look on his face. He hoped he was wrong about the look, but something inside him told him he wasn�t mistaken. �What�s going on?� he asked.

�Hang on.� She told him before turning back to the phone. �Marshall, its Kody, is Kristin there?� she asked, chewing on her lip.

�Does Brett know?� she demanded as soon as she heard Kristin pick up. She could feel Dale�s questioning look and knew she had some explaining to do. She had ever intention of telling him what was going on, she just hadn�t had the opportunity.

�I had to tell him, he new something was going on.� Kristin cried running a shaking hand over her face. She honestly didn�t know how much more of this she could take herself. She was reaching her own breaking point. �He ran out of here before I could stop him. I don�t know where he�s going, or what he�s planning!�

�It�s okay, we�re right behind him. We�ll keep an eye on him.� Dakota assured her. Kristin sighed with relief, tears spilling down her face.

�Thank god.� She whispered. She had just gotten back in the apartment herself, and was ready to go get her keys to look for him herself, when Marshall came out with the phone.

�I�ll call you back and let you know what�s going on.� Dakota promised.

�Thank you.� Kristin sank down in a nearby chair, her legs shaking and unable to support her any longer.

�Kris, you sound completely frazzled. Talk to Marshall, please. Tell him what�s going on and let him be there for you.� Dakota urged. Kristin nodded and glanced over at Marshall who was standing nearby, worry and concern etched on his face.

�I will.� Kristin promised.

�I�ll call you in a little while.� Dakota said before hanging up.

�What the hell is going on?� Dale demanded, unable to wait anymore. Dakota sighed heavily as she leaned against the door.

�First of all, don�t think I wasn�t going to tell you about this, because I was. We just haven�t really had the time to talk about it.� She explained, continuing after he nodded in agreement. He couldn�t dispute with her on that face, from the time they had both arrived in Colorado things had been beyond chaotic.

�This morning, Kristin found a couple notes from IreLyn. One was to all of us saying she was sorry she wasn�t strong enough and that this was the easiest way, and that she loved us. The second was to Brett apologizing for ruining his life. Both of these were with attached to annulment papers. Papers she�d signed.�

�Oh Jesus.� Dale whispered, not having to be told what all this meant. He stared at the car in front of them, his heart dropping. �Brett knows.�

Dakota nodded following his gaze, her heart going out to the man driving in front of them. She honestly couldn�t not even begin to imagine what he was going through right now. Her eyes widened when she realized where they were headed.

�Oh shit!� she exclaimed, bolting upright in her seat, fear and panic slicing through her.

�What?!?� Dale jumped, her sudden movements catching him off guard. He glanced over at her, the look on her face sending a chill through him.

�He�s going to Alpine Mountain.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Eight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kristin slowly let out the breath that she�d been holding as she hung up the phone and then turned to Marshall. Before she was able to say anything, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against his body.

Kristin let out a ragged sigh as she clung desperately to him. She tried desperately to hold back the fresh tears that were threatening, but her efforts were useless. Letting Marshall support her fully, she let go, her hear wrenching sobs shaking her entire body.

Marshall continued to hold her close while he talked softly to her, rubbing her back and offering what comfort he could. When she calmed down several minutes later, Marshall took hold of her hand and led her over to the couch. After they�d sat down, he said nothing, but looked her in the eye and let her know that he wanted to know everything that was going on and he knew that she needed to talk about it. It was only a few seconds before Kristin opened up completely and told him everything.

When she finished, For a few moments Marshall could only look at her, his eyes wide with shock. He had no idea that things were so bad for IreLyn. He knew that Brett had hurt her deeply, but he never imagined that she would do something so drastic�he had no idea how shattered she really was.

And now Brett had found out and had taken off like a mad man. He was very thankful that Dale and Dakota had pulled up when they had or who knew where Brett might have gone or did. He only hoped that with the new day in just a few hours, they would all get the fresh start that they all so desperately needed.

�Marshall, about us,� Kristin began after several minutes of neither of them saying anything. She opened her mouth to continue but stopped when Marshall placed a finger gently over her lips to silence her.

�Let�s start over�no more fighting. I think we can both understand why you felt the need to stand behind IreLyn and myself with Brett. The fighting got us no where�maybe even made things worse, not only for us, but also for IreLyn especially.�

Kristin nodded, agreeing completely with all that he�d said. �And while I still don�t condone what Brett did, I am able to forgive him for it. I know that he�s sorry. Logan just knew all the right buttons to push with Brett. It was too much all at once for him to handle. I know that Brett deeply regrets everything that has happened�He loves Lyn so much still.� Kristin paused for a moment and looked away for a moment before turning her attention back to Marshall.

�I want to make this work between you and I. I think that we can make it happen�I know that all the right feelings are there. I can assure you that I will support Brett in anyway that I can. I need to know that you�re going to do the same for IreLyn.� Kristin finished and sat back as she waited for his answer.

Marshall gave her a reassuring smile as he reached out and tenderly caressed her cheek. �I wouldn�t be here if I didn�t want to give IreLyn my support.� He said softly. �And I know that you�ll be there for Brett. I�ve already seen that numerous times today.�

�Thank you.� Kristin whispered as a tear slid down her cheek. Anything else she may have wanted to say was put off when Marshall leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft, but passionate kiss.

******

Lissa paused in brushing her hair when she heard the soft groan coming from the shower behind her just after Kevin turned on the water and it hit his body. Taking in a deep breath, Lissa set her brush down beside the sink and looked in the mirror, focusing on what was behind her. Through the smoky glass of the shower door, she could make out the outline of Kevin�s body. She watched him, her breath caught in her throat as he soaped his body and she imagined running her hands over his wet, muscular body. It only took that one little thought to push her to the edge.

Without giving it much of a second thought, Lissa reached over and pushed the lock into place on the door before she quickly stripped her own clothes off.

Kevin spun around in surprise when he heard the shower door open. He nearly forgot to could breath when he saw Lissa and the desire burning in her eyes.

�There room in there for me?� Lissa asked as she stepped in, not caring if there was room or not. They would make room.

Kevin stepped aside and let Lissa under the stream of hot water coming from the shower before he moved forward again, his body gently pushing her against the shower wall. He groaned loudly when Lissa stood up on her toes and tangled her fingers through his wet hair as she drew his mouth down to hers, their lips meeting in a rough, soul shattering kiss.

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Kevin pulled her tight against him, holding her still with one hand, while the other moved up her body to take hold of her arms and hold them captive over her head.

Breaking the kiss, Kevin�s brushed his lips down the line of her neck. He moved down, his desire further heightened, hearing the passionate moan that came from her when he captured one hard peak of her breast and then the other in his mouth.

Continuing on his fiery trail, Kevin let go of her arms as he dropped down to his knees. With one arm still around her waist, he pulled her closer, while he picked up one of her legs with the other and draped it over his broad shoulder.

Lissa was barely able to keep herself from crying out, but she was unable to stop the whimper that escaped her when she felt his mouth and tongue on her. She searched desperately for something to grab onto when she found herself immediately spinning out of control as she teetered dangerously on the edge. At the last second she found a handful of his hair and grabbed on tight to it as her orgasm hit hard, it shaking her to the very core of her being.

Kevin didn�t even give her a chance to catch her breath before he lifted her up in his strong arms and held her up against the wall. He immediately made their bodies one, but held still, nor did her allow her any movement as he tried to hold on as long as he could. A loud growl escaped him as he felt her inner muscles tightening around him and he knew that there was no holding back.

Lissa gasped, her fingernails digging deep into his shoulders as he slammed forward, burying himself deep inside her. It was only a matter of moments before they had both reached the point of no return. Kevin�s mouth crashed down on hers to swallow her cries of pleasure as she did his as they reached an earth shattering climax together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Nine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dale and Dakota both held their breaths as they watched Brett take another sharp turn nearly on two wheels. If he kept this up, Dakota was sure she was going to have a heart attack before it was all over. As it was, when she got her hands on Brett and made sure he was okay, she was going to kill him!

�Oh my god!� she breathed, covering her eyes when she saw Brett swerve dangerously into the other lane, narrowly missing the on coming car.

�What the fuck is he trying to do?� Dale yelled, hitting his fist against the steering wheel. Dakota shook her head as took a much-needed deep breath. She didn�t want to voice out loud what she thought he was trying to do.

Again, the both cringed as Brett�s car went too close to the edge, where there was no guardrail and a nearly ten thousand foot drop off. Dale growled deep in his throat as he watched his friend.

�That�s it. It�s time to end this shit!� he exploded, downshifting and pressing down hard on the accelerator. Dakota squeezed her eyes shut as she held on to anything. She knew these roads like the back of her hand yet still wouldn�t risk driving the way Brett and Dale were.

Dale got right up on Brett�s bumper, careful not to accidentally bump him and send him careening over the edge. �Where�s the look out spot?� Dale asked through clenched teeth.

�A little ways up.� Was her only response. A few minutes later, although it was dark, they could clearly see the area they were looking for up ahead.

�Alright, hang on.� He warned her, thankful there was nothing coming the in the opposite direction, as he swung the car to the left and pulled up a long side of Brett. He glared over at Brett, and no words were needed as Brett started to slow down and pulled over at the look out point, Dale right there with him.

Both men jumped out of the car and rounded them simultaneously, in each other�s faces before Dakota could even unbuckle her seatbelt.

�What the fuck was that?� Brett screamed, feeling as if he just couldn�t take anymore. Obviously Dale and Dakota had been behind him the entire time, but he�d been too wrapped up in his own guilt and misery to notice. It had scared he shit out of him when he�d realized Dale was along side him. �Have you lost your fucking mind?�

Dale took a step back, his eyes wide. �Have I lost�?� He shocked Brett, Dakota and even himself when he suddenly swung, his fist connecting with Brett�s jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.

�DALE!� Dakota yelled, jumping in front of Dale, pushing him back a few steps before turning to kneel down next to Brett who was still sitting on the ground. He kept his eyes down, knowing he�d never fight back. Besides he deserved any kind of beating he got.

Dakota shot her husband a look when she sensed him stepping closer. �Just stay back!� she hissed. �I can�t believe you just did that! Or that little stunt back there!� she waved her hand towards the cars.

�But�� he started to defend himself, but she cut him off.

�But nothing! This isn�t a racetrack Dale! You could have gotten one, if not all of us seriously injured or worse! Then to hit Brett like that!� the look she shot him let him know she was not happy�with either one of them at the moment. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and silently counted to ten trying to calm his anger. When that didn�t work, he decided to count to one hundred.

�Brett,� Dakota said softly as she put her hand under his chin, making him tilt his head up to look at her. �Are you hurt?� she asked, seeing a red mark forming which would later be a nice bruise, but nothing too major.

�No.� he replied dully.

�Good. Now, just what the hell were you thinking?� she demanded, all the softness gone from her voice and eyes, as it was her turn to let him have it. �Were you trying to get yourself killed?�

Brett scrambled to his feet, looking from Dale to Dakota and back. �What?� he was thoroughly confused.

�You nearly ran off the damn road four times, and had to swerve not to hit at least three cars.� Dale yelled, stepping forward, giving up on trying to contain his emotions. It wasn�t that he was angry with Brett, although he was, but it was more that he was scared. Brett had honestly scared the living day lights out of him, and for that he had lashed out.

Brett shook his head, trying to remember. �I�I didn�t realize.� He mumbled. Both Dakota and Dale could see he was telling the truth. Before either of them could say anything, Brett walked over to the guardrail and looked out into the dark night sky, his entire body trembling.

�This is where she was.� His voice was wavering, and Dakota looked helplessly over at Dale, not knowing what to do. Should they let Brett work his way through this, or should they step in.

�This is where she was going to take her own life�because of me.� The last part came out so softly, they weren�t sure they heard him correctly until he broke down in front of them. Dakota felt tears stinging her own eyes as she rushed forward to pull him into a hug, gently rubbing his back as he clung to her and cried. Dale stood close by, his head down as tears filled his own eyes at seeing his friend in such pain.

Dakota pulled back a little to look at him when heard his tears quieting. �Listen to me. Everything is going to be okay.� She promised him, hoping she was telling the truth. �Lyn was going through a very rough time, and we can�t just jump to conclusions. We don�t know for sure that�s the reason she was up here.� Brett snorted with disbelief, and to her own ears her words fell flat, but she knew she had to try.

�It�s going to be up to all of us to help IreLyn now. And that includes you.� She told him firmly. �She needs you, and going off and getting yourself killed won�t solve anything. It will only make things worse for everyone.� Her eyes pleaded with him to listen to her.

�We�re going to help you through this,� Dale spoke up, putting his hand on Brett�s shoulder. �I promise you. But you can�t go running off like this anymore. Please.�

Brett looked up and over at Dale, having never heard that tone from his friend before. It was then he realized just how badly he�d scared him. �Alright.� He said, wiping his eyes.

�Come on, let�s go back to the apartment. Kristin is worried sick about you.� Dakota told him. �It�s late and everyone needs some rest. Tomorrow, we�ll go back to the hospital and start brand new.� She smiled at Brett. He nodded but didn�t return the smile as he headed towards the car.

�Oh no, wait!� Dakota�s voice halted him. �I�ll drive.� She informed him, daring him to argue with her.

Dale nodded. �I�ll meet you back at the house.� He said, but Dakota stopped him as well.

�You can follow me.� She told him. Not only had Brett scared her, but so had Dale. She knew he was more than capable of handling himself behind the wheel of a car, but as she had said, this wasn�t a racetrack. She wasn�t trying to be bossy, but she needed them both too cooperate with her for her own peace of mind.

She had yet to allow herself to really think about IreLyn and the letters, knowing that when she did, the dam would break. She was struggling to keep all her wayward emotions inside, but just like everyone else, she was near her breaking point.

Dale saw the look in her eyes and nodded, easily seeing how hard she was trying to keep it together. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight for just a moment. �I�ll be right behind you.� He promised. �Be careful.�

She gave him a wary grin. �You too.�

Dale then turned towards Brett, wincing when he saw the bruise forming, just able to make it out by the headlights on the cars. �Man, I�m sorry about that. You can have a free shot at me.�

Brett held up his hand. �It�s forgiven, don�t worry about it.� He said as he turned to the car. He paused after opening the door. �Yo, Junior.� He waited until Dale turned to face him.

�I just may take you up on that offer someday.� A ghost of a smile flickered across his face, but it was gone just as suddenly as it appeared. He leaned his head back against the seat and let out a weary sigh. He was so mixed up inside, he honestly didn�t know what to feel or how to act. And although his closest friends surrounded him, he didn�t know whom to turn too. The only person he really wanted was out of his reach�possibly not wanting anything to do with him any longer.

Tears stung his eyes and a lump formed in his throat when it hit him. He was now feeling how IreLyn must have felt for so many months. The guilt that exploded through him was more than just emotional. It was a physical pain.

Wrapping his arms around himself, he tried to curl into a ball as he kept repeating silently to himself, �I�m sorry IreLyn. I�m so damn sorry.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Two Hundred

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�So have you talked to your sister lately?� Kristin asked Lissa the next morning while they fixed breakfast for the guys before they all left for the hospital. Dakota glanced up from her cup of coffee, her eyes wide at hearing Kristin�s question. She had a pretty good idea where Kristin was going with this.

Lissa glanced up from the omelets that she was making and sighed, also having a feeling as to why Kristin was asking. �Not really since that night she stopped by wanting to celebrate after Mom told her that Kevin and I had broken up.� She rolled her eyes and paused for a moment, her eyes then narrowing as she could just imagine the fit that Victoria would have if she knew that Kevin and herself were back together.�

�Why?� Lissa demanded to know. �Did she say something to you or something?� Quite frankly she was tired of Victoria meddling in her life and accusing Kristin of things that she was no way responsible for. For whatever asinine reason, her sister did not approve of her friends or Kevin. She never had. That was just too bad though because there was no way in hell that she was going to give any of them up just to appease Victoria.

Kristin finished putting the cinnamon rolls on the baking sheet and placed them in the oven before she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with Dakota. She took in a deep breath as she tried to figure out how to word what she wanted to say.

�I think I know where Logan got the pictures that he sent to Brett.� Kristin stated finally. She knew that she had her friend�s attention when Lissa spun around and looked at her expectantly.

�At first I thought that he had somehow stolen them from IreLyn, but then I remembered that she threw them away a couple of years ago. So I�ve been wracking my brain, trying to make sense out of all of this and it suddenly hit me this morning.�

�What?� Lissa demanded, having a feeling that she wasn�t going to like what she was about to hear.

�Lissa, you took the pictures of all of us that day on your camera. I know that you gave the copies to IreLyn, but what did you do with the originals?� Kristin questioned her, hoping that her words were coming out right. She didn�t want Lissa to think that it was her fault for having the pictures.

�I kept them.� Lissa told her, still not quite understanding what Kristin was getting at.

�Do you know for a fact that you still have them?�

Lissa thought about her question for a moment before answering. �Well, I don�t know for a fact that I still have them. I haven�t even thought to look at them in quite a while.�

�I think that Victoria took them and gave them to Logan.� Kristin finally voiced her suspicion out loud.

Lissa leaned back against the wall as she absorbed Kristin�s words. While she hated to think that her sister would do something so low, she really wouldn�t put something like that past Victoria. But in their situation, it didn�t quite make sense. �But why? Why would she do that? What would she have to gain from it?� Lissa wondered out loud, mostly to herself.

�You and Kevin breaking up.� Kristin answered. She felt bad for Lissa as she watched the realization suddenly hit her and she slid down the wall to the floor when her legs refused to hold her any longer.

�Victoria knew that you would take IreLyn�s side and Kevin would take Brett�s. That would lead to you and Kevin fighting and your eventual break up.� Kristin paused for a moment, seeing the tears running down Lissa�s cheeks. She couldn�t even begin to imagine how Lissa felt, being betrayed by her sister like that.

�I don�t know for sure that is what happened�just a hunch that I have.� Kristin added after a moment.

Lissa looked up at Kristin, the deep hurt in her eyes obvious. �Of course that is what happened!� She cried. �How the hell else would Logan have gotten the pictures?�

Kristin just shook her head and remained silent. If she ever came face to face with Victoria, that bitch would regret all the hell they went through because of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Two Hundred and One

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�Are you alright?� Kevin asked softly, having noticed that Lissa had been extremely quiet all during breakfast. They were now getting ready to leave to go see IreLyn. Brett, Dale and Dakota had left just minutes before, and they would be leaving as soon as Kristin made a quick phone call to her parents.

Lissa sighed heavily and shrugged. �I don�t know. I don�t know how I feel at the moment.� She answered honestly.

�What happened, baby?� he put his arms around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him as they sat on the couch. Now that he thought about it, all three women had been very quiet during breakfast.

Lissa took a deep breath and wiped away the lone tears that had escaped. �Kristin believes it was Victoria who gave Logan the pictures that started all this shit.�

Kevin�s eyes widened in surprise and he pulled away a little to better look at Lissa. At first he didn�t know what to say. He didn�t want to believe that Lissa�s own sister would be that, well, evil.

�Um, what do you think?� he finally asked.

Lissa looked down at her hands, chewing on her bottom lip, allowing a moments silence to pass by before answering, �I think she�s right.�

She looked up at Kevin. �I don�t want Kristin to be right on this, but I believe in my heart that she is. See, I was the one who took the pictures of IreLyn. I gave her copies, and I had the originals. I�m almost positive that IreLyn got rid of her copy years ago. So where else could Logan have gotten them?�

Kevin shook his head, trying to put it all together, and find some way to clear Victoria, not for her sake, but for Lissa�s. �But how can you be sure you still have them?�

Lissa�s lips curved into a sheepish grin. �I know I have them. I can�t help it, I�m a pack rat, and I always have been. Not with everything, but with pictures, I just can�t bring myself to throw any of them away. You should see my parent�s attic. It�s filled with boxes upon boxes of old pictures. I didn�t bring any of them with me when I moved, so they are all still there�where Victoria has perfect access to them.�

�Shit.� Kevin muttered as he began to realize that Kristin was right. �Lissa, I�m so sorry.�

Lissa�s head dropped as she struggled to come to terms with what all this meant. She felt numb, but when knew when that numbness wore off, it was going to be horrible. She still couldn�t quite comprehend that her own sister could do this. But she couldn�t lie to herself and pretend that all this wasn�t because of Victoria.

�Why?� Kevin asked. �Why would she do this?�

�Kristin has a theory on that as well. And unfortunately, I agree with her on it as well. It�s a well known fact that Victoria has never accepted Kristin, IreLyn or Dakota as my friends. For some reason she never liked them, although I was never sure why. I think she thought I could do better, although in her eyes, no one is ever good enough.�

�Anyway, then I started seeing you.� Lissa looked him in the eyes. �She was furious, even more so than my mother. Actually if it weren�t for her manipulative ways, I don�t think Mom would have had any kind of problems with you, but obviously Victoria got to her first.�

Kevin swallowed hard, his anger building towards a woman he�d never even met. In the time that he and Lissa had been together, whenever he had come to visit, Victoria had always come up with excuses to not get together when Lissa called her.

�That still doesn�t explain the pictures.�

�She knew what those pictures would do to IreLyn and Brett. And she also knew that I would side with Lyn, while you sided with Brett. Her ultimate goal was to drive a wedge in between us.� Lissa�s eyes filled with tears.

Kevin sat back in shock at hearing her words. He hated to admit it, but it made sense.

�And we let her win.� Lissa whispered. �We played perfectly into her schemes.�

Kevin instantly sat up, and made her look at him. �Hey, listen to me. It may have worked for a little while, but look at us now. We�re back together, and I can promise you this. No one will ever come in between us again, not if I have anything to say about it.�

Lissa smiled at him as he leaned forward and sealed his promise with a heart stopping kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Two Hundred and Two

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IreLyn woke up; her eyes fluttering open as a soft moan escaped her at the pain that rushed through her at just the slightest movement of her body. She instantly closed her eyes again and forced herself to remain still when she recognized the presence in the room with her. She cringed inwardly at the very thought of him being there. And if him being there wasn�t enough, he was touching her�holding her hand and brushing his fingers across her cheek.

�Lyn?� Brett asked anxiously when he saw her eyes open, but close again immediately. He frowned slightly when he got no response from her. He knew that she was awake. Her body was tense and it hadn�t been just a few moments before. �I know you�re awake. IreLyn, please.� He pleaded, his grip on her hand tightening. He got no response from her.

Sighing deeply with regret, Bret lowered his head and rested it on her shoulder, being careful not to apply much pressure because he imagined that she hurt all over. He let his tears fall, now knowing full well how she had to have felt for all those months. He again berated himself for the way that he had treated her. She hadn�t deserved it. The only thing that she was guilty of loving him.

He couldn�t blame her for hating him. Hell, he hated himself for the hell that he put her through. God, he had put her through such hell that she�d been ready to end her own life because of him.

He knew that he didn�t deserve her, but he could only hoped that somehow she still loved him and would forgive him because he still loved her�more than anything, ever. And he wasn�t sure how he would be able to make it without her in his life.

Or would she be better off without him now? He had to stop pitying himself and start thinking about what was best for IreLyn. And maybe what would be best for Lyn would be for him to just walk out of there and not look back. He could tell that his presence was not wanted�.and he couldn�t fault her for not wanting him there. Would it be best for him to leave and go through with the annulment like he�d originally planned? Was that what would be best for IreLyn?

Brett let out a shaky sigh. His emotions were so jumbled, he didn�t know what to think or do. �I�m so sorry, Lyn. You have to believe how sorry I am.� He whispered gruffly against her arm, not lifting his head.

Brett�s eyes flew open, his head jerking up when IreLyn very abruptly yanked her hand out of his. He glanced at her and was taken aback at the lifeless eyes staring back at him. No longer was there any kind of spark in those green eyes that he�d loved so much. There was nothing there. She might have been alive, but her spirit was dead.

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Chapter Two Hundred and Three

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took Brett a moment to find his voice as he continued to look into those eyes that would haunt him for the rest of his life. �IreLyn�� He started but stopped when she jerked away from him, only to gasp in pain.

She closed her eyes and grit her teeth against the pain that was going through her body. When she opened her eyes, there were tears there. �Get out.� She whispered, her eyes like green ice as she glared at the man she had once loved more than life itself.

�Lyn�� he tried again, but was cut off again.

�I said get out. I never want to see you again. GO!� The last word would have been yelled if she could have gotten her voice to cooperate. Brett stood to his full height next to her, a look of determination in his eyes�the look she knew all too well and had to bit her lip to keep back the scream of annoyance.

�No.� he said defiantly. �I�m not leaving, not yet. Not until we talk.� His tone pleaded with her to give him a chance, but she wasn�t listening.

�I have nothing to say to you. And you have nothing to say to me that I want to hear.� IreLyn hissed, forgetting herself and shifting in the bed, only to cry out in pain as she collapsed back against the pillow, trying to catch her breath.

Brett immediately moved closer, reaching out to her, wanting to help anyway he could. �Don�t touch me!� she cried as he laid a hand on her arm.

She lifted her eyes to meet his, and what he saw there took his breath away, and broke his heart. �Haven�t you hurt me enough already?� she whispered. She looked away and refused to look at him again as he stood there in shock.

She was right and he knew it. He had caused her more pain in the short time they had been together than most people endured in a lifetime. She deserved better than that, better than him, and walking away now was the least he could do for all the hell he�d put her through. Ignoring the pain in his own heart he nodded stiffly as he cleared his throat and took a deep breath so his voice wouldn�t shake.

�You�re right. I�ll have the annulment papers filed immediately.� He said hoarsely, his blue eyes burning with tears. �Good bye, IreLyn.�

He turned and walked away, every fiber of his being praying she would stop him, but as the door closed behind him, he knew it was over�once and for all. And it was all his fault.

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Chapter Two Hundred and Four

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�You okay?� Kristin asked Lissa as they walked out of the apartment to the car where Kevin and Marshall were waiting for them. She glanced at her friend and saw the tears glittering in her blue eyes.

Lissa paused I her steps and gave Kristin an apologetic look. �I�m so sorry Kris.� She whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. It was really beginning to hit her what Victoria had done�to all of them.

�For what?� Kristin demanded, although she knew full well. This revelation about Victoria had been devastating for all of them, but even more so for Lissa. Kristin could only imagine how Lissa felt trying to fathom her own sister being responsible for such turmoil in their lives.

�You�ve done nothing wrong.� Kristin firmly assured her friend, who didn�t look so sure.

�But she�s my sister!� Lissa nearly cried, still feeling accountable for all that had happened. �I should have known that she would do something like this, but I didn�t. And that caused problems for you and Marshall, Kevin and I had problems, and both Brett and IreLyn�s lives have been destroyed. How am I not supposed to feel responsible when I could have spared you all such hell!�

Kristin sighed as she looked away, knowing full well the guilt that Lissa felt. She felt the same way with IreLyn. Even though she wasn�t directly responsible, she still felt to blame. She should have seen how deeply depressed that IreLyn was and insisted that she talked about, got some help, or something

Pushing those thoughts back, Kristin looked back at Lissa. �Yes, but things between Marshall and I are fine again and I know that things are good with you and Kevin.� She said, smiling knowingly, which made Lissa blush and smile sheepishly. But an instant later, her smile faded.

�And things will be good for Brett and Lyn again. Things were bad for them long before those pictures came along. It�s just going to take them some time.� Kristin said, knowing what was going through her friend�s mind. She knew that she was trying to assure Lissa just as much as herself.

Lissa opened her mouth to reply, but Kristin stopped her before she was able to do so. �I�m sure Kevin and Marshall are having a fit for it taking us so long to get out to the car. Let�s get going and go see IreLyn. I know she�s going to be happy to see that things are going well for us and Marshall and Kevin again.�

�Okay.� Lissa agreed, anxious to see how IreLyn was doing, as was Kristin. *****

Dale glanced at Dakota when they saw Brett emerge from IreLyn�s room from where they were seated in the waiting room across the hall. Just one look at Brett was enough to tell them that things were not good.

Brett paused outside the door, leaning against it for a moment as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. Then he turned and began walking toward the exit, totally oblivious to the fact that Dale and Dakota were watching him. But really at the moment he didn�t care. He just needed to get out of there.

�Brett!� Dale called as he immediately jumped to his feet and took off after Brett. He could easily see how agitated Brett was and he was not going to allow a repeat of the previous night. He cursed violently under his breath and picked up his pace, nearly running to catch up with Brett when he didn�t stop.

Dakota sighed as she watched Dale go after Brett. She knew that Dale was more than capable of handling Brett as long as he didn�t let his temper get the best of him. She didn�t think that he would again though�the dark bruise on Brett�s jaw would be enough of a reminder.

Rising to her feet, Dakota walked over to the door leading to IreLyn�s room and went in, needing to make sure that her friend was all right. She wasn�t really surprised to find IreLyn staring blankly at the wall when she stepped in. Seeing that IreLyn wasn�t aware of her presence, Dakota softly cleared her throat to get her attention, not wanting to scare her.

�You okay?� Dakota asked when IreLyn turned her eyes in Dakota�s direction. She was surprised at the tears that she saw glittering in hr friend�s eyes. It seemed like a good sign in the way that IreLyn was showing some kind of emotion.

�Yeah.� IreLyn replied quietly as she watched Dakota walk over and sit down beside her.

�What happened?� Dakota asked, knowing that it would do IreLyn a world of good to talk about what she was feeling.

IreLyn shrugged slightly. �I told him that I never wanted to see him again�pretty much the same way that he told me the same thing.�

Dakota remained silent, not quite sure what to say. She knew that IreLyn wouldn�t be so quick to forgive Brett, but hearing IreLyn actually speak the words made it very real�very final.

�He has made me feel so low and so worthless.� IreLyn continued at seeing the surprised expression on Dakota�s face. �And as much as I know that all the things that he said to me aren�t true, I can�t get those thoughts out of my mind no matter how hard I try. And I�ve convinced myself that it is all true and having him around isn�t going to help me think otherwise.�

�I understand.� Dakota said compassionately, knowing that if she�d been in IreLyn�s shoes, she�d most likely have done the same. She did, however, still hang on to the hope that someday Brett and IreLyn would be able to make things work between them. She knew that Brett still loved her and as long as one of them still had feelings, there was always hope.

�I can�t forgive him�not right now. Maybe someday I can�but I doubt that I�ll ever be able to forget.� IreLyn told Dakota as she looked away and closed her eyes as they burned with tears once again.

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Chapter Two Hundred and Five

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Lissa lifted her head off of Kevin�s shoulder when she felt him stiffen suddenly. She looked around, and then inwardly groaned when her eyes landed on her sister, who had just walked in the waiting room. She knew she was going to have to face her sister sometime, but she was not ready to then. She shot a pleading look over to Dakota, sighing with relief when her friend immediately got to her feet and blocked Victoria�s path.

�You need to leave.� Dakota said sternly, not beating around the bush. Much like Kristin and IreLyn, Dakota had never liked the woman standing in front of her, and even more so now. She was just glad Kristin had gone to the cafeteria to get drinks and wasn�t there at the moment.

Victoria looked down her nose at Dakota, rolling her eyes. �Excuse me.� She snapped. �But I�m here to see my sister.� She looked over at Lissa, a slight shiver of dread running through her when Lissa refused to look at her, and everyone in the room was glaring at her.

�No,� she told herself. �It�s impossible; there is no way they know.�

Dakota crossed her arms over her chest, not backing down. �I think it�s pretty obvious that your sister doesn�t want to see you. Now leave.�

Victoria�s eyes narrowed. �I�m not leaving until I talk to my sister.� She hissed. �And no one is going to make me leave!�

�Wanna bet?�

They all turned around and found Kristin standing in the doorway. Dakota grinned and took a step back, knowing that it would be best to let Kristin handle this one. Although she would stay close by in case she was needed.

Kristin moved fully into the room, never taking her eyes of Victoria, who had the decency to look a little worried. Whenever she and Kristin had gone back and forth, it was always her who had started, or initiated, things between them. This time, however, it didn�t seem Kristin was going to have a problem starting it.

�You�ve got a hell of a lot of nerve showing up here, after what you�ve done.� Kristin told her, her voice eerily calm.

Victoria swallowed hard. �I don�t know what you�re talking about.�

Kristin crossed her arms over her chest. �Man, Tori, you must be really pissed off. I mean, all that trouble you went through, and your little plan didn�t even work.�

Victoria clenched her fists at her side, breathing hard. �What plan?�

�Why your plan to break up your sister and Kevin, of course!� Kristin exclaimed. �Don�t tell me you had another plan working as well.�

�I am rather curious though, did you approach Logan, or did he approach you?� she asked.

Victoria knew it was useless, but she continued to try and deny it. �I�m telling you I don�t know what you�re talking about.� She was about to say more, but was cut off when Kristin was suddenly in her face, their faces inches apart.

�You know damn well what I�m talking about, bitch!� Kristin hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. �And your little scheme nearly got my sister killed!� It took all the strength inside her not to physically hurt the woman in front of her, but reminding herself that no matter what, this was Lissa�s sister is what stopped her. Lissa was going through enough and didn�t need to witness her sister getting her ass kicked.

Victoria�s eyes widened at Kristin�s words and took a step back. She glanced around the room, seeing the hatred and contempt on all the faces around her�except her sister. Lissa continued to not look at her, feeling sickened at the sight of her.

Although she�d had her reasons for wanting Lissa and Kevin apart, and a bonus was having Kristin and Marshall break up as well, she had never ever meant for anyone to be physically hurt the way IreLyn had been. Even Logan�s death weighed heavily on her mind. She may be a bitch and cold hearted, but she wasn�t completely without feeling, and had truly felt remorse towards IreLyn.

�I�m sorry.� She whispered, looking down. �I-I never meant for anything bad to happen to IreLyn.�

�Never meant�what the fuck did you think was going to happen after sending those god damn pictures?� Kristin yelled, the anger taking over. Marshall quickly moved beside her, placing a comforting hand on the small of her back.

�I knew things would be bad, hell I planned them.� Victoria confessed, glancing over at her sister from time to time, who had dropped her head into her hands. �But I never imagined something like this happening.�

�Why?� Dakota asked, speaking up. �Why would you do this? It�s one thing to not like or approve of your sister�s boyfriend�but this was too extreme!�

Victoria nodded. �I know, but all our lives I�ve felt that Lissa could do better and be better than she was allowing herself to be. And dating�him, was the last straw.� She waved her hand in Kevin�s direction, catching his glare and quickly looking away.

�I took it upon myself to �help�.� She paused when Marshall snorted in disgust.

�Get out.�

They all turned to look at Lissa who spoke quietly for the first time. She raised her eyes to meet her sisters; her own filled with loathing and determination. This was too much. Knowing her sister had done this was one thing, but hearing her admit to it was another. If she stayed in the room much longer, she might not be able to hold herself back from the rage and violence that was threatening to overtake her.

�Lissa I��

Lissa immediately came to her feet. �I said get the fuck out! What you did was appalling, and I want nothing to do with you ever again.�

Victoria stared at her in shock. Never had Lissa ever spoken to her in such a way. �But�but I�m your sister.�

�Wrong.� Lissa snapped. �I have three sisters. Kristin, Dakota and IreLyn. You, well, you�re nothing to me anymore. Now leave!�

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Chapter Two Hundred and Six

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lissa jumped when she felt Kevin�s arms wrap around her from behind and he pulled her close against him. She sighed and closed her eyes as she rested her head against his chest, drawing strength from him.

�You okay?� He asked quietly, noticing how she was trembling as she watched Victoria walk away. He felt bad for Lissa and wanted to there for her in anyway that he could.

Lissa tipped her head back and looked up into his eyes, thankful that he was there. �I�ll be fine. It�ll take a while, but I�ll be fine.� She answered truthfully. What Victoria had done hurt like hell�No doubt it would for a long time to come, but she knew that eventually the pain would lessen.

�I�ll be right back.� Lissa told Kevin as she moved out of his arms. She walked over to where Kristin and Dakota were standing and wrapped her arms around them, pulling her friends into a tight hug, which they immediately returned.

�Thank you.� Lissa told them, wiping the tears from her cheeks as they moved back. Kristin and Dakota brushed away their tears as the three of them looked at each other and smiled. Finally it seemed as though the nightmare was over and that everything might be all right.

*****

Kevin groaned heavily as Lissa raked her fingernails up his chest before she tangled her fingers through his hair and deepened the depth of their already intense kiss. He pulled back, gritting his teeth against the overwhelming sensations flowing through him as she opened her legs wider and lifted her hips to meet his, allowing his thrusts to sink deeper.

Lissa�s fingernails dug into his skin as she felt herself rapidly soaring to the edge. �Oh god, Kev-� A gasp cut her words off as she suddenly flew over the top, her orgasm hitting her in hard waves of all-consuming pleasure. An instant later, Kevin followed her.

Kevin propped himself on his elbows, keeping most of his weight off of her as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers as they took a few moments to regain control over their breathing. He spoke after a few minutes.

�I love you.� He told her, caressing her cheek before he tenderly brushed his lips across hers. Lissa opened her mouth to reply, but Kevin stopped her.

�Lissa, when I said that I�d never let anything or anyone come between us again, I meant it.� He began as he gazed down at her, their blue eyes locked. He smiled, feeling her heart pounding just as furiously as his own.

�But that�s not good enough. I want to take it one step further�make my promise to you�official.� He said as he reached down to the floor where he�d purposely discarded his jeans easily within his reach. It took him a moment to get what he wanted out of the pocket, but finally he had it in his hand. He took in a deep breath as he turned his full attention back to her. This was the moment that he�d been anticipating all day. All of the emotions running through him were nearly overwhelming.

�Please marry me.� He asked, unable to wait any longer.

Lissa gasped in shock at his asking and at the beautiful diamond ring before her when he opened the box that he held in his hand. She began trembling as tears immediately filled her eyes and spilled over to her cheeks.

�Yes.� Lissa whispered, finally getting her voice to cooperate enough with her. Tears burned her eyes all over again as he slid the ring on her finger.

�I love you.� She told him, giving him a watery smile just before he pulled her tight against him again, sealing their promise to each other with a deep, soul-shattering kiss.

Book Fourteen of Once Upon a Dream
2002/2003 K&K Productions

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