�You know I wouldn�t pass you up for the world,� Jenai said.
�I didn�t think you would come with being sick and all.� She shrugged then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. �You look awful, Babe.� She looked at him. �Why don�t we get take out and go back to my place?� She shrugged again. �C�mon.� They got up and left the restaurant. Jakob drove them back to his place after stopping at Stefano�s for some take out.
Jenai laid down on Jakob�s sofa and he looked at her. She pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and covered herself up. She just wanted to sleep. When she slept she had no worries. She went into a dream world where she was happy and in love. She loved that world and wanted to stay there. There wasn�t a chance in hell in that happening though. She woke up just as she began to believe it was real. Then she would be reminded of the life she was actually living and how much she was hating it. She wanted to go back to the world where Brianna, Alexis, and Callen were still alive. The world where she, Brianna, and Marty were on the beach and still a family. The world where Nickolas wasn�t a cop and they were happy together. The world where Justin never got a chance to break her heart. The world where she never saw her sister murdered and lived with the nightmare in trying to remember what happened. She wanted the world where everything was ok. She wanted the happy place she couldn�t have now.
All her dreams weren�t happy though. She still had the nightmare of watching Brianna and Alexis get raped and murdered. The nightmare of not knowing what happened or what led up to it. The nightmare of everything involving that night. She wanted the nightmare to be over. She wanted all the nightmares to be over so she could be happy again. She had the nightmare of finding Callen�s� body in the bathroom. She had the nightmare of not being able to have children. She wanted it all to go away so she didn�t have to deal with it.
�Do you want some pasta?� Jakob asked.
�I�m not hungry,� Jenai said.
�You should eat something.�
�I don�t want anything, Jake.�
�Not even a little?�
�No; I just want to sleep.� He walked over and picked her up off the sofa. He carried her over and laid her on the bed.
�Get some sleep then.� He kissed her forehead and covered her up. �Close your eyes and dream happy thoughts.� She gave a little grin and did as he requested.
�Grab her,� the guy demanded, as Jenai started running, but grabbed from behind. She was pushed to the ground and handcuffed, then pulled up to her knees. She looked up and saw Jakob beside her at gunpoint. She looked in front of her and saw her sister, Brianna, and her sister�s friend, Alexis, both lying on the ground covered in blood. �You�re next, Sweetie.� He kissed her and she bit his bottom lip. �Damn it.� He hit her. �You little bitch.�
�Go to hell,� Jenai said.
�After you,� the guy said.
�Leave her go,� Jakob pleaded.
�Not a chance,� the guy said. �You can watch.�
�Don�t you hurt her!� Jakob yelled and there was a gunshot. �JJ!� There were sirens in the distance and a lot of talking, as Jenai reached for Jakob.
�Let�s get out of here!� the guy yelled.
�JJ, hang on please,� Jakob begged. �Don�t leave me.�
�Jakob!� Jenai yelled sitting up.
�Jenai,� Jakob said rushing to her. �What�s wrong?� He took her in his arms.
�Why won�t it stop? Why can�t I remember what happened?�
�I don�t know, but you will.�
�I only remember the same thing over and over. I can�t remember anything else. I do remember hearing the sirens now, but that�s it. I still can�t see his face.�
�It�ll come to you.�
�I want to know, Jake. I don�t want to live with this anymore.�
�And you will know I promise.�
�I want this nightmare to stop.�
�Why don�t you let me tell you what happened? I can tell you everything that happened except who it was.�
�No I have to do it on my own.� She looked at him. �I want to do it on my own.�
�It�s been nine years, JJ, almost ten. You can�t possibly remember it on your own.�
�I can and I will!� She got out of bed and got her stuff. �I just need to be alone and time. I can do it.� She opened the door.
�I know you can, but let me help.�
�I don�t need your help damn it! I don�t need anybody�s help!�
�Jenai!� She walked out and slammed the door shut.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�I can�t wait until this baby comes,� Kristin said.
�Me either,� Kevin said. �It�s what we�ve been waiting for.� She smiled and kissed him.
�Remember how we agreed on Avery Jo if it�s a girl?�
�Yeah.�
�Well I was thinking about it and I�m leaning more towards Brianna Marie; ya know after JJ�s sister.�
�That�s nice and I think Jenai would like that.�
�I was thinking about it a lot since JJ said she can�t have children.�
�I know. I want to help her, but I have no idea how. She always talked about having a family of her own since she was a little girl and now she won�t get that chance.�
�There are other ways, Kev; surrogates, adoption��
�JJ didn�t want any of that. She wanted to have it naturally and experience it all for herself.�
�It is a wonderful feeling.� He grinned. �If she does want children and considers a surrogate, I�ll be glad to do it for her.�
�That�s sweet of you.� He kissed her forehead. �I�m sure she�ll appreciate the offer.� Kristin nodded.
�Nick�s in love with her ya know.�
�Yeah; I figured that much out on my own.�
�He hasn�t come out and said it, but you can tell. He�s so worried about her and cares about her so much.�
�Yeah he does.�
�It�s sweet to see someone like Nick show so much concern for Jenai and he hardly knows her. I tried talking her into telling Nick about her condition, but she refuses.�
�That�s how stubborn she is. Doesn�t want any help or support from anyone.�
�Well she�s been with you since she was eight.� She laughed.
�Ha-ha. Are you saying she inherited her stubbornness from me?�
�Pretty much and it�s not inherited, because you�re not blood related.�
�It doesn�t matter, because she�s still my sister.�
�Right.� They heard a car door shut.
�That�s probably JJ.�
�She�s home early if it is. She usually spends all day with Jakob.�
�Well she�s not feeling well so Jakob probably sent her home.�
�Unless he pissed her off.� They laughed and the door opened. They looked and saw Jenai close the door. �Hey.�
�Hi,� Jenai said sitting on the chair.
�Are you feeling any better?� Kevin asked.
�A little,� Jenai replied. �I hitched a ride with this young girl who had a convertible and we drove around with the top down.�
�Who was this girl?� Kevin asked.
�Just some girl who was nice and gave me a ride,� Jenai replied.
�As long as you got home safe,� Kristin said. �That�s all that matters. Right, Baby?�
�Yeah,� Kevin agreed.
�Well I�m hungry�again,� Kristin said. �Do you guys want anything?�
�Nothing for me,� Jenai said.
�I�ll get you something,� Kevin volunteered.
�I can get it,� Kristin said. �I�m not sure what I want yet anyway.� She got up. �Do you want anything?�
�No thanks,� Kevin said.
�Ok,� Kristin said and they watched her go into the kitchen.
�Did the drive do ya good?� Kevin asked.
�Yeah,� Jenai said. �I feel much better than I did earlier.�
�Did you and Jake have a fight?� She shook her head.
�I just got mad, because he still insists on telling me what happened the night Brianna and Alexis died when he knows I want to do it on my own. I don�t even remember them being raped and murdered. I only know it, because it�s what Jakob told me other than that forget it. I only remember me being shot.� She sighed. �I don�t want help with it, because I know it�s there waiting to be remembered. I pushed it so far back after it happened that it�s taking a little longer to remember.�
�Nine years?� She just looked at him. �Since you don�t want Jake to help you did you think about hypnosis?�
�No and I�m not going to.�
�What about a therapist?�
�They�re for crazy people.�
�No they�re not. You�re psychologically depressed not crazy.� She sighed and got up. �Where are you going?�
�Out on the porch. If that�s ok with you and if you think it�s safe?� He grinned and got up, as she walked to the door. He walked over and looked out the window then looked at Jenai. �Is it ok?�
�Yeah.� She opened the door, but didn�t go out.
�I owe it to Brianna and Alexis to remember on my own. I hold the key to their justice. I�m the only one that saw the killer and I can�t even remember what he looks like.� Kevin walked over to her.
�What about the guy�s voice? Does it sound familiar at all in your�visions?�
She shook her head and said, �It�s like they�re using one of those voice thinger jiggers, but he�s not because he has a gun in one hand and he�s pointing at something with his other hand.�
�It�ll come to you.� She nodded.
�I just hope it�s soon.� She went to walk out, but stopped herself again and looked back at Kevin. �Is there anything new with Callen�s case?�
�I want to talk to you about that then.� She nodded just as Nickolas appeared at the door. Jenai looked at Nickolas a second then at Kevin. �We can talk about this later.� She nodded.
�JJ,� Nickolas said and she just walked by him out onto the porch.
�C�mon in,� Kevin said, as Nickolas did so and closed the door. �Keep that open.� Nickolas re-opened the door. �I want to keep an eye on Jenai.� Nickolas nodded and walked over to the sofa where Kevin was. �So what�s up?�
�Nothing,� Nickolas said. �I was just in the area so I decided to stop in and see how JJ�s doing?�
�She seems to be feeling a little better this afternoon.�
�That�s good.�
�Have a seat.� Nickolas went to sit down just as they heard gunshots and Jenai scream.
�Get down!� Kevin yelled, as the shots went through the windows.
�What�s going on?� Kristin asked stepping from the kitchen.
�Get back in there!� Kevin demanded getting up and running to his wife and pushing her back into the kitchen. �Nick, are you packing?�
�Always!� Nickolas replied getting out his gun.
�Get JJ!� Kevin yelled and Nickolas was already out the door.
�JJ!� Nickolas said crawling over to her. �Are you hurt?� She didn�t answer and just cried, as the gunshots continued. �Are you hurt, JJ?!� She shook her head no. �Stay down!� Nickolas looked over the banister quickly and scanned the area then started firing his own gun. He emptied his clip and quickly changed it, as the gun firing stopped. He looked just as a car sped off. He got the plates and the make before it was out of view and looked at Jenai. She was still on the porch and against the wall shaking with her hands over her ears. �JJ.� He went over to her and took her in his arms.
�Make it stop!� Jenai yelled through her tears. �Make it stop!�
�It�s ok, they�re gone,� Nickolas said.
�Make it stop, please,� Jenai pleaded.
�It�s over,� Nickolas said, as Kevin walked out. �They�re gone.�
�How is she?� Kevin asked bending down.
�Hysterical,� Nickolas replied.
�Did ya get a look at them?�
�No, but I got the plates and the make.�
�Good.�
�How�s Kris?�
�She�s fine just worried about Jenai.� Nickolas nodded. �I called for back up. What kind of vehicle was it?�
�A 2003 Chevy Silverado, plates Z-Y-T-3-9-7-4.�
I�ll call and have Miller run it through the computer and get the guys to be on the look out for it.�
�Maybe you should get Gia to run it through instead of Miller. If JJ�s right and he�s part of this then he�ll just lie.�
�You�re probably right. I�ll call Gia and make arrangements to get Jenai out of here. You get this mess cleaned up when back up arrives.�
�Yes, sir.�
�And get her calmed down.� Nickolas nodded and Kevin walked back inside.
CHAPTER 5
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