The sun was bright and warm on the back of James' neck. He had been standing there for at least an hour. He was as still as the stone he stared at. This was a grueling task he loathed and loved. Before his brother died, James had promised to stop by at least once a year. They both had a good laugh when the cracked lips made the broken bodies last request. Stopping by seemed so casual and well, normal. Something they hadn't shared in years. Something the cancer took from them.

James looked around and wrapped his arms around himself. Despite the warm day, there was a chill that was settling permanently into his chest. Before he could stop it, his body shook with a heart wrenching sob. It bubbled from his belly and roared out his mouth. Desperately he tried to stop it but it just continued and was soon kept company from the bitter tears that streamed down his face.

His heart broke all over again - a pain he had dismissed since the day they put Jeremy in the ground. He swore that when the last flower faded, so would the pain and the memories. He had done everything just as he planned. He packed up the pictures and locked away the memories. Except for this one day a year, Jeremy never existed. Or so he thought.

The more he remembered, the more he wept. The memories washed over him and crashed into him bearing into his chest and echoing among the granite. James fell to his knees and his face fell to his hands.

"I'm sorry Jeremy. I'm so sorry..."





After some grunts of pain and determination, Annie was secured into the passenger seat of Sarah's car.

"I just have to dash into the post office and send off half of my paycheck then we are going to take care of that nest you call hair."

Annie responded with an eye roll that was almost seizure inducing.

"I am so glad you are grateful for my honest opinion, Annie. You sure can dish it, but damn if you can't take it." Sarah ended her good natured ribbing with a wink.

Annie shifted trying to get comfortable and finally found a position leaning against the window staring at the world as it flew by. In order to try and avoid the major construction, Sarah had taken Stewart Road. As they wound around Annie gasped.

"Sarah! Pull over! Pull over!"

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Sarah slowed down and pulled past the iron gate. Before she put the car in drive, Annie was pulling at her door and swearing as pain shot up her leg.

"Hand me my crutches."

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"Hand my my fucking crutches, Sarah."

Sarah slipped out of the car with her usual grace and came around the back and stopped in her tracks. She knew that truck. She knew that man or at least she thought she did. She squinted and craned to see across the graveyard.

"Sarah! Crutches! Please!" Annie was pleading now.

Annie awkwardly maneuvered across the uneven ground. She bit her lip to stop from crying out at the pain, almost tasting the metallic crimson. Not once did she take her eyes of the slumped figure.


As she neared him she froze. She wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to know. She just stood and stared. Daring the form to move. Daring him to breathe. A silent prayer passed her lips. She begged and prayed, stared and hoped. She could feel the burn rising in her throat.

"Please" she whispered. "Please God, no. Please."

Annie layed there, fuming that Becky would do this to her. Didn't she know that she wasn't interested in James? This would be the third time this week that Becky had arranged for James to be her watch dog all day. Annie had always hated it when Becky tried playing Yenta. In her anger, Annie scratched at Moose's ears even harder, sending his foot into an involuntary spasm and causing a rapid thump-thump-thump of his hind leg on the floor.

"You're momma sure is difficult. Isn't she Moose? But God love her, I'd be quite a mess if it weren't for that woman. You too, boy. Why you would still be imprisoned in that mean old man's shed if she hadn't insisted on paying for your mangy ass. I guess we are both damn lucky then. Aren't we boy? Annie paused and chuckled at herself. "It has barely been a week and I am already talking to myself."

With a sigh, Annie closed her eyes and slowly drifted to sleep on the coat tails of the few happy memories she had.




"Hey Becky, it's James."

"What's up? Why aren't you at the house? I thought you were going to sit with Annie today?"

"I... I can't. Something came up. I'm really sorry Becky, but Sarah is taking my place today."

"Okay, as long as someone is there. God knows what that woman will try to do on her own if no one stops her."

"Yeah."

"Are you okay, James?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Look, I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Alright, talk to you tomorrow."

Becky hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. "What in the hell has gotten into that boy now?" Becky wondered to no one in particular. With a shrug, she pushed herself away from the desk and picked up a file. She had work to do and enough problems of her own. She certainly didn't need to go borrowing any trouble.



A light tap on the door woke Annie. She opened her eyes only to be blinded by the sun glaring through the open curtains. She reached down for Moose, but only felt empty space where his head usually was.

"Come on in. Doors open." Annie steeled her face so James would not be able to tell that she really was uncomfortable. That would only lead to the awkwardness that ensued when he tried to adjust her pillow and ended up grazing her cheek, causing Annie to gasp in pain. James had recoiled like she was some grotesque monster and his face fell an impossible shade of red.

"Well look who's awake. Sarah gracefully made her way across the room and easily stepped over the crutches that lay in her path.

Annie's heart sank and it showed on her face.

"Wasn't really expecting me today, were you?"

"well, I, um... Annie stammered. "No, not really."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are definitely stuck with me today. But hell, at least I can cook. Made you a fancy grilled cheese sandwich. I didn't wake you up for breakfast since you looked like you were actually getting some sleep."

Annie cursed Becky in her mind for telling others she wasn't sleeping at night. And here she thought she was hiding her nightmares well.

"Thanks" was all Annie could manage.

"Look Annie, I know you don't like imposing on other people, but we all love you and just want to see you get back on your feet. Besides, today the day you are getting that rats nest you call hair washed." A warm smile spread across Sarah's face. "And I know just the place to go. But first, some lunch. Then we will master the art of getting you into a car. Enjoy the sandwich. I'll be back in a few and we'll head out."

Sarah walked out of the room and again managed to ease through the obstacle course that was sprawled out in front of her without even a glance toward her feet.

Annie's eyes flew open, revealing the ugly snarl that bore down on her like a hawk after it's prey. She tried to scream but a large hand quickly stifled her cry. She could feel the clammy fingers digging into her cheek, pushing so hard her gums ached as they were caught between the hand and her teeth. She tried to move but found her limbs as heavy as tree stumps and even less useful. The face loomed closer and pair of dry cracked lips pressed against hers. The smell of whiskey and rot invaded her nose and stuck to the back of her throat. Annie stifled a gag. A dry hot voice whispered into her ear.

"I told you I would come for you. I told you you couldn't hide from me. Now look at you, stupid bitch. Just as useless now as you were then. The sad part is you wont enjoy this nearly as much as I will."

Hot tears ran down her cheeks, the only part of her that was able to flee. Her sobs were stopped by that massive hand that replaced the pungent breath and cracked lips. The grip on her throat grew tighter and panic shot through her core. She tried to scream, she tried to move, but she was glued to the sweat soaked mattress. Everything was getting dark and the laughter became muffled. Her lungs burned and her chest ached. Everything was closing in on her.


With a gasp, Annie woke but couldn't move. She was frozen where she lay. Moose began his well rehearsed routine and gently licked at her hand. Slowly she looked around the room and recognized the familiar tv screen. It had been a week since she was released from the hospital. With the help of Becky, Annie had filed all the appropriate paperwork with the sheriff and Trent was promptly found at the bar and arrested. It took some convincing, but Becky had also convinced James that Annie would be perfectly content living in her spare room until she could get back on her feet... literally. Of course she had let loose one of her famous laughs at her own joke sending even James into a fit of laughter.

Annie reached down and scratched Moose behind the ear, encouraging the whimper of delight that came from his throat. Even though Moose was Becky's dog, he had barely left Annie's side since the day Becky and James got her situated in the small room at the back of Becky's house. There were flowers everywhere, like a garden had thrown up all of it's roots and send the blossoms spinning into her room. She was still struck by the kindness of people she only knew as coworkers and aquiantences.

Annie adjusted her pillow and groaned at the pain that shot up her leg. She held her breath until the burning subsided and slowly exhaled. The sun was just starting to peek through the curtains telling her Becky would be in shortly to deliver the next round of medications before she left for work. At least then, she might be able to get some sleep. The nightmares only happened at night, when the house was quiet and it was just her and Moose to fend them off. There was something about the sunlight that even the memory of Trent couldn't compete with.

"Good morning Sunshine! Becky's voice announced her arrival as the door swung open. "I brought you something special today."

"And what would that be, besides your horrible cooking? I'm starting to think that you are in cahoots with Trent and he hired you to finish me off."

"Annie DePiere! Don't you even say that. Why if I had half a chance I would... well I would pull that man's testicals through his nose!"

Annie stared at Becky with wide eyes and instantly fell into a fit of giggles causeing both women laugh until tears ran down their faces. It was a natural and unstoppable reaction whenever Becky was trying to think of something horrible to say. She wasn't nearly as good at it as she used to be, but this whole situation had her coming back into it nicely.

"Besides, I'm not the one making breakfast this morning."

Before Annie could protest, Becky punctuated her statement with a wink, spun on her heel and quickly headed out the door.

"Have a good day! Becky sang out to Annie over her shoulder. "I'll be back some time after dinner."

“Here you go Annie. A cheeseburger in the form of broth and jell-o! If those go okay, we will see about getting you some crackers.” Becky’s enthusiasm permeated through the room and Annie couldn’t help but stretch her swollen face into a smile.

“Thanks Becky. You really are a great friend. You always have been.”

Her mind flashed back to when they were kids in grade school. Becky was always the pretty blonde that was popular with everyone and anyone. Even though she had more friends that you can shake a stick at, Annie was always Becky’s number one. When it came time for Annie to start wearing bras, it was Becky that convinced her mom that it would be too much for a girl to handle going shopping with her dad for undergarments. When Prom rolled around, Becky used her own money to buy Annie a dress and carefully crafted a head-full of curls to match. Becky had always been there for her always being more of a sister than a friend. That is until Annie started dating Trent. Sure everything was great at first, but Becky was always leery. The two hadn’t really spoken since the night Becky told Annie that she saw Trent out with another girl. With the flair of an angry teenage girl, Annie vowed never to speak to Becky again. That is until today.

“Hey Becky, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, Annie. Shoot.”

“Well, um, did James really bring me in?”

“Yes, he certainly did. When I heard it was you coming in, I went straight to the ER to wait. In fact, I think half this hospital was down there waiting for you, not that it is that hard when there are only 50 people working in this building at one point in time.” Becky let out a laugh at her own joke. “I have never seen him like that. To be perfectly honest, I think he likes you, Annie. He hasn’t been gone from this room for more than two hours at a time.”

Annie’s face grew hot and she cursed under her breath. It all made sense now. How could she have been so stupid? Here she was thinking they were nothing more than friends and he was harboring feelings for her. She couldn’t handle another relationship right now, especially now.

“Annie?” Becky’s timid question brought her out of her thoughts and back to the room. “Did Trent do this to you?” Becky was only rewarded with silence. “Well, the police have been in and out waiting for you to be awake enough to talk to them. Too bad for them you have me for a nurse. I’ve been keeping you good and comfortable.” Becky winked with her usual exaggerated flair. Realizing she wasn’t going to get an answer, Becky sighed. “Well hun, you don’t have to tell me. I know. And you better believe he isn’t going to lay another hand on you. So help me God.”

Becky turned and left before her mouth got away from her.

Annie’s lips ached with dryness and pain. She slowly moved her parched tongue along the roof of her mouth in an attempt to create some moisture. She slowly moved her fingertips, inhaled sharply at the pain. Slowly she reached up to her face where her fingers found their way to her chin. Finding it barely swollen, she moved to her cheek and nose. She gasped as each stitch revealed itself. If she counted correctly, there were at least 25 if not more snaking their way from her ear to the bridge of her enlarged nose. Tilting her head to the side she cracked her eyelids and stared at the slumped form breathing slowly next to her. His arms were gently folded across his chest and his dark brown hair danced across his forehead. A hint of a smile crossed her lips as her eyes fell on the worn and tattered hat that rested on his knee as peacefully as the man who wore it.

She shifted awkwardly, trying to adjust her aching back only to realize the damage was far worse than she had suspected. Her leg revolted sending out an angry pain to warn her not to move further and caused her to involuntarily yelp. James shot upright, sending the chair he was resting in tumbling backwards into the wall. Neither was sure who was blushing more.

“Hi.” James turned and even darker shade of red.

Annie tried to respond but found her mouth was still too dry to move enough to form even a single word. Thankful for something to do with his hands James poured water into a small pink cup and handed it to Annie. She gingerly took it and sipped the cool water.

“Thank you, James. How long have you been here? Hell, how long have I been here?”

“Four days since I, since we brought you in. I… I locked your truck for you.”

“Is it still at the station?”

“Yeah.”

The silence filled the room and both Annie and James become lost in their own thoughts. The knock at the door brought them both back.

“Oh Annie! I’m so glad to see you are awake! And you have a visitor although I don’t believe he should count as a visitor since he’s been here every day. Becky barely noticed the color flying back to James’ face and continued her tireless tirade. “I see you had some water. Is it staying down? If you are okay with that, we can see about getting you some real food.”

Knowing James was mortally embarrassed Annie cut Becky off with a request of a cheeseburger. With a laugh that could shake a giggle out of Scrooge himself, Becky took one last glance at the tall man standing quietly in his own misery, threw an exaggerated wink and headed out to order a food tray for Annie.
After what seemed like hours of painful silence, Annie braved turning James into a tomato again.

“Have you really been here every day?”

“Well, yes. Joey has taken my shifts and Jess and Sarah are covering yours. I just, I mean well I know you don’t have much by ways of family anymore with your dad being gone and all so, well I just didn’t want you waking up without anyone here. And really, I wasn’t the only one that has been here. You just happened to wake up on my watch.”

Emotions washed over her. She knew her coworkers liked her, but she never realized they cared for her enough to stand watch in a hospital room and keep her sleeping form company. She gulped back the tears that were pushing on the back of her eyes.

“Thanks for being here. But you can go. Really, it’s okay. I’ll be fine now.”

“Well, if it is the same to you, I might grab a burger for myself. I mean, if you don’t mind the company for dinner.”

“You know, I think that might actually be nice even though I doubt I will be getting a burger. After all, I did just master a cup of water. I doubt Becky will be so kind as to allow me a burger. Well, I guess if you won’t be too jealous of my unsalted beef broth and jell-o, I don’t care if you stick around.”

There was no need to answer. The smile that spread across James’ face was answer enough.

The pain swirled around her in the darkness. Silently she prayed she would sink back into the sweet comfort of black unconsciousness. Annie could hear voices around her but couldn’t name them. Light burned through her eyelids and the muffled voices throbbed in her head, echoing into every dark corner. Her throat felt hot and dry and her tongue seemed to take up all the space in her mouth while oozing the bitter taste of blood and days old saliva.
A steady beep kept time somewhere behind her head. Slowly, it started to make sense. She pried her eyes open braving the searing brightness. The pain instantly swept through her and she sank back into the swirling blackness.

“It’s a good thing you found her when you did, James. Do you have any idea who would want to hurt her?” Dr. Dratton asked, the strain of the day showing in his aging face.

James solemnly shook his head as he wrung his worn Budweiser cap in his hands, still tattooed with Annie’s blood.
“You guys did a hell of a job getting her here. You must have been going pretty fast. Doesn’t matter though, being in your care and all.” Dr. Dratton let out a heavy sigh and continued talking, despite James’ obvious lack of any real response. “Most of the lacerations are on her scalp and the one across her cheek should fade with time. Her leg will heal nicely. It was a clean break and the surgeons did a hell of a job patching her up. I don’t know who did this to that poor girl, but whoever it was sure was an angry son of a bitch.”

A heavy and comforting hand found it’s place on James’s shoulder. With a squeeze, Dr. Dratton made his way back to the ER where there were more patients to see.

James couldn’t bring himself to move. He just sat, glued to the small chair in the hallway outside Annie’s room. Every last bit of strength he thought he had was spent getting Annie to the hospital, alive. He knew he cared for her as a partner, but seeing her like that broke something inside him and made him ache in his chest. He hadn’t felt that way since his brother died. James shuddered and pushed the memories back into their cages and locked them away. If he started thinking about Brett now he would certainly start crying, something he had managed to avoid for the last two and a half years.

“That stupid pis’ a shit, she’s been as’in for it for years. I figured I’d jus’ give dat bitch what she’s askin’ for.” The Jack Daniels on Trent’s tongue was evident in his words. The bartender at Jake’s had heard it time and time again. He knew Annie and liked her. In fact, he had often told her if she needed the extra cash, she could work a weekend shift or two for him. It was the same old story Trent had been telling for years. How he had “told her twice” and that she liked it. In all honesty, Ben would have loved to taken Trent out back and taught him what it was like to fight with someone his own damned size. He never did though. Times were tough and he needed this job. Despite his track record, Trent was in rare form tonight even for him. He was having himself a good old time and the wad of cash in his pocket made sure he kept having a good time. Ben never believed that Trent would really hurt Annie. Sure he shoved her now and then and got real nasty when she wouldn’t move fast enough for him, but he just figured it was all a show for the fellow patrons. Tonight was different though. Trent’s knuckles were raw and several of them continued to ooze as he knocked them against the bar, numb to the pain from the booze. Ben couldn’t help but say a prayer that it was a door and not Annie that was on the receiving end of those fists. With a shrug Ben decided it was none of his business if he didn’t see it himself. As if to punctuate his thoughts, Trent ordered another round. Nothing like getting shit-faced at four o’clock in the afternoon, he thought as he filled Trent’s glass to the brim.

James sighed as he lay staring at the dark ceiling. Nothing bothered him more than when waking before the alarm clock. Resigning to being awake early, he flipped the covers back and padded his down the short hall to the bathroom. Sliding into the shower, James tried to wash the usual feeling of dread out of his pores. He wasn’t due back at the station for at least two more hours. With a heavy sigh, James turned off the water and made his way to the sink. Wiping away the steam, he stared at the empty eyes that he saw before him. When did he get so, tired? Usually his green eyes sparked with mischief and passion for his job. James shook his head and finished getting ready. He might as well get to the station and try to lay down again and if he was lucky, catch a few more hours of sleep.

As the station came into sight, he could feel the pull of his bunk in the heaviness of his eyelids. He turned the corner and there sat Annie’s truck. Remembering his partner for the shift, he suddenly didn’t feel so sluggish and tired. Assuming she would be around back for her morning run, he started a plan for surprising her with breakfast.
James knew Annie had been having a rough go at the last couple of months, but just couldn’t put his finger on why. They had always been cordial and maybe even flirted a little but the relationship always maintained professional, sometimes almost even to the point of being stiff. It was a game for him, to see how often he could get her to laugh. Nothing beat the look of Annie laughing, especially if you got her going enough to the point that she would gasp and hold her sides while tears streamed down her face. That was utopia and James knew he had won when her face contorted with laughter and went three shades of red.
His good mood started permeating into the air. He had been keeping his eye on the corner of the building, expecting Annie to be rounding the at full speed, her head bobbing to the music from her ipod. Thrilled with himself that he had eluded her so far, James turned to sneak into the building and noticed a shoe sticking around the corner. So it seems he was the only one playing tricks this morning. And then it moved or at least he thought it moved. Maybe he was going crazy and seeing things, but he was sure he just saw that shoe move. Cautiously, he approached the corner, waiting for someone to jump out at him, making him the butt of their joke.

It was like someone sucker punched him in the gut. There was Annie laying in a pool of blood, her face swollen and bruised, her leg laying at an angle that made the back of his throat hurt. His eyes blurred with fear and anger. Suddenly he realized he was yelling. When did he become unglued in an emergency? James dropped his gear and pulled his cell out of his pocket.

“Annie, open your eyes! Come on sweetheart, open your eyes for me.”

His heartbeat thudded in his ears. Gently he roller her and put his ear above her mangled and bruised face trying to hear or feel something besides the banging of his pulse in his head.

“911 what is your emergency?”
“This is James Hatchet with MedStar Rescue. Someone has attacked one of our EMTs. She looks pretty bad and she isn’t responding. She is breathing, but it is pretty shallow. I’m going to need you to set off our tones and get PD out here as soon as you can. Better yet, have them meet us at Methodist.”
“Will do James. Let us know if you need anything else.”