Bridge

Kyle swallows hard and reaches over, taking Hope's hand in his. He looks into her eyes, emotion filling his own. "I... I don't know if I can do this. But... you're right. Prayer's the only way I'll ever know what I'm supposed to do. I just wish I knew what God wanted from me."

He sighs, but gives her hand a squeeze. "I don't know what I'd do without my shadow." A little grin surfaces. "I feel like that cartoon of Peter Pan where he wants to stick his shadow back on... except I don't need to... 'cause you're always here."

He can't help the love that shone in his gaze. "Thank you."


"Yeah, yeah...." Gunner waves Hope off. "You want to help alright," he mumbles as she walks away. "You and Reese."

Looking back to his computer, he tries to concentrate, but its very hard. All he can see is that red truck. All he can hear are the sounds from his nightmare. For one of the first times, he felt on the verge of being out of control, and he didn't even really know why.


Rick nods and moves from the small table to the bedside instead. "Yeah... let me see how he's doing."

"Be nice if... y'all... talked as if I were here," Jeff mutters weakly.

Rick chuckles. "Your sense of humor is in tact. That's a good thing."

The exam is brief and Rick suggests that Jeff be left alone to rest for a while. For now, he was stable. All they could do was wait. Hooked up to an iv, it doesn't take Jeff long to fall asleep, this time peacefully. He doesn't even wake when others come and go later on to check on him, or to spend the night in the small room...


"K...Katie?" Jeff mumbles groggily, trying to get his eyes to focus in the dark bunkhouse. He knew it was sometime in the middle of the night, but didn't know the hour. "Katie?" he asks a little louder. Though feeling physically alright for the circumstances, mentally, he felt dizzy. Nothing seemed quite real. His emotions felt... strange. "Katie are... are you still here?"


Gunner sits bolt upright in bed, sweat pouring down the sides of his face. His own scream shatters the silence in his apartment. Covering his face with his hands, he rocks back and forth, trying to rid his mind of the horrific images.

It had been his nightmare again... but this time, for the first time in over twelve years, he had seen more - much more. He'd seen his parents' faces... he had heard their voices. And he had heard his own voice, arguing with his father. They'd been driving down the dark road, the streetlights flashing in the windows. Voices had gotten louder and louder. Gunner had been dead set on whatever his point was, and he hadn't given up, even when his mother had tried to stop the fight. One last word, one more smart remark, and Gunner's father had turned around in his seat to respond. The crash of glass and metal reverberated in Gunner's ears before everything went black.

"No!" Gunner's fist slams into his mattress. "No!" It couldn't be true. It couldn't be. No...his parents couldn't have died because of him... it wasn't possible. He'd spent all his life looking for the culprit... all his life...

He raises eyes to stare across the room and he sees himself in the mirror. A horror fills his veins like never before.

It had been him.


...It was hours later. A steady rain was pouring down, and thunder rumbled in the clouds. Gunner walks numbly up the path to the porch, soaked to the bone, cold and shivering as rain runs down his face. He had walked. He didn't even know how long it had taken him.

Once reaching the door, his finger hovers over the doorbell, but he stops, turning back around. Another turn makes him face the door again. Finally pushing the bell, his hand shakes from the cold. It was late... very late. He knew he was waking up Hope. But it just didn't seem to matter at this point.

When the door eventually opens, he stares at her, searching her eyes. He swallows hard, finding it very hard to overcome his pride.

"I... um..." He stops again, feeling heat in his face through the cold. "I went looking for a bridge."

He shrugs lamely. "I...don't know why I came here instead."