Author's Note:The memories/flashbacks in this story are basically missing scenes from Echoes of Affliction, but if you read this and haven't read that one, you won't be completely lost :) It will just seem more mysterious at first!

Steve rummaged in the bathroom drawer, looking for his comb. He was about to go pick up Evie and take her out for a drive to the end of the strip. Steve didn't think it was much of a date, but Evie liked to sit and talk underneath the stars. He figured he would do whatever she liked. She had definitely done plenty for him.

"Dad, have you seen my comb?" Steve asked Nicholas, who was just passing by the bathroom door.

"Have you checked your pocket?" Nicholas asked.

"Huh?" Steve turned to check the back pocket of his jeans and saw the comb. "Oh. Forgot I put it there."

"You and Evie got a date?" Nicholas watched, as Steve looked in the mirror and combed his hair.

"Sort of. Just a drive, but you know how she likes to sit there and stare at the sky at night. I wouldn't be surprised if she brought a telescope one day."

"Son, you say that, but you like driving out there too." Nicholas grinned.

"Yeah, I guess it's nice." Steve put the comb back in his pocket. "Plus, she could ask me to take her to the Moon, and I'd do it."

Nicholas chuckled. "Better watch it. If she stays out there staring up at the sky, she just might think of that!"

Steve knocked on Evie's front door, and her mom answered, a smile on her face.

"Hi there, Steve," Irene said.

"Hi, Mrs. Bailey," Steve greeted her. "Is Evie ready to go?"

Evie appeared next to her mom. "Hi!" she said. "I'm all ready to go. Mom, I won't be late," she added, turning to Irene.

"You two be careful and have fun," Irene said, as she waved to her daughter and Steve.

"Have a nice night, Mrs. Bailey," Steve said, as he waved back, and then got into the driver's seat of his car.

Evie slid in next to Steve and leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I've hardly seen you all week," she said.

"Just been busy with work and school," Steve said, as he started the car.

"Me too with school, but it sure feels good to be a senior, doesn't it?"

"Sure. It's cool." Steve pulled the car onto the road. "Hey, want to stop and grab milkshakes before we drive out there?"

"Sure. Sounds good, sweetie." Evie smiled.

Steve opened the door to the local floral shop. It wasn't a place he usually went, but he wanted something special for Evie. He was going to surprise her with flowers and ask her to be his girl again. He felt like he was ready for that. Steve knew he still had a long way to go, but he was feeling like there was a chance he could recover from his experiences.

Steve stepped inside the shop. He saw a clerk at the desk and noticed her name tag read, "Mary."

"Hello," Mary said. "How can I help you?"

"Um, I'm thinking about getting my girlfriend some roses. I guess roses anyway. I wouldn't know what else to give her," Steve said, looking at the flowers on display.

"Special occasion?"

Steve shrugged. "Kind of. She's just been real good to me, and I want her to know that."

"Then, you should try a pink rose." Mary smiled. "It's a way to show appreciation."

"Oh, it's so beautiful out here tonight," Evie said, staring up at the stars, as she sat next to Steve on the hood of his car.

Steve was staring at Evie.

"What?" Evie asked, noticing Steve's eyes on her.

"I'm just thinking you're the one I think it beautiful."

Evie giggled, but still felt tears in her eyes. "Aw, you're so sweet," she said, touching his cheek.

Steve pulled Evie close to him and placed his lips on hers. Evie kissed back and pulled him closer, both of her hands in his hair. She lie back, and Steve kept his lips locked with hers, his hands holding her hips.

After several moments, Steve broke the kiss, and he rested his head against Evie's chest.

"You're an amazing kisser, Steve," Evie said, wrapping her arms around him and laying her cheek on top of his head.

"Only cause I'm with you, baby," Steve said, as he turned his eyes to the sky, then sat up. "Hey, isn't that a constellation you were telling me about once when we were here?"

Evie smiled. "So you were listening." She sat up next to Steve. "That's the Big Dipper."

"I love you, Evie." Steve smiled at her.

"I love you too." Evie turned to look at Steve. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How have you been doing lately with, you know, everything you're still trying to deal with?"

"All right, I guess. Better, I think. I talk to Laura every week, and she's been able to help me understand a lot."

"So you think you've been feeling better?"

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, what happened..." Steve trailed off, shaking his head. "That's never going to be okay, but maybe soon it won't affect me as much, you know?"

"That's a good way to think about it, sweetie. Do you..." Evie looked away, back at the constellation. "Do you still have the flashbacks?"

"Sometimes. But it helps that I understand what they are and why those memories are there. I think it helps that my dad and me are okay too. I really needed him to be beside me with all of that." Steve reached for and grasped Evie's hand.

"I know you know this already, but I'm so glad you got everything out in the open." Evie squeezed Steve's hand.

Steve took a deep breath. "Me too. I mean, I'm not saying it's not still tough, but facing it has taken the edge off a lot of the pain."

"So there's light at the end of the tunnel."

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. Once I stopped keeping so much to myself, it definitely did get less overwhelming. I'm still working on looking at myself in a better way. It's sure been a hard couple of months."

Evie nodded. "I know. But it'll get easier over time." She gave Steve's hand another squeeze.

"I hope so. But I don't know about easier, just maybe not as painful and maybe where I don't think so much about everything that happened."

"It won't affect you forever, baby. Not once you work through all of it."

"I'm glad you think so cause I'm not so sure yet. I don't know how much you can even heal after something like that."

"Good night, Dad," Steve said, as he passed Nicholas' bedroom on the way to his own.

"Oh, hi, Son. How was your date?" Nicholas asked.

"It was good. I think Evie and me are doing okay." Steve came all the way into the room. "Actually, Dad, I was wondering something."

"What's that?" Nicholas tilted his head, listening.

"Evie said some things. Not anything bad. It's just it almost seems like she might think that since I have been talking to Laura and-" Steve shook his head, sighing.

"Come sit down, Son." Nicholas gestured to a spot next to him.

Steve sat beside his dad. "I think Evie might believe things that I just don't about, you know, what happened to me."

"What do you mean?"

"She was asking me how I'm doing, which is fine, but then, she said things that make me think she believes I'm going to be just healed or something. Like it won't always affect me somehow."

"I'm sure she's just trying to encourage you. So what are you wondering then?"

"If I should be doing better than I am. I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't still hurt, you know?"

Nicholas rubbed Steve's back. "That's okay. I think, from what I can see, you're doing a lot better than you were, right?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I am. I mean, I'm coping better. Not having the flashbacks as much. Not feeling bad about myself or stressed and panicky all the time. Even sleeping better."

"See? You're healing. Don't second guess that, and I'm sure Evie doesn't expect you to be where nothing ever bothers you anymore."

"I hope not cause that seems crazy to me. I can't erase memories or feelings like these. They're always going to be there."

"I know, Son. And maybe that's what you should tell Evie."

"Thanks, Dad. You're doing better too." Steve grinned.

"I should hope so!" Nicholas patted Steve's shoulder. "I think me and you are doing great. It's late. We should both get some rest. You still been having nightmares?"

Steve stood to his feet. "Sometimes. I've been able to get back to sleep though without too much trouble."

Nicholas pulled back the covers of his bed, as he remembered a night just months ago when Steve had come to him panicking after nightmares he hadn't expected.

Nicholas felt someone shaking him. "Hmm?" he mumbled, his eyes still closed.

"Dad, help please!" Steve pleaded, and Nicholas' eyes popped open.

"What's wrong, Son?" Nicholas sat up, and he could feel Steve shaking, as he pulled his son down next to him.

Steve clutched his chest with one hand, breathing heavily. "S-scared, Dad," he managed to say, his voice stuttering.

Nicholas wrapped an arm around his shoulder and guided Steve's head to rest against his chest. "Just breathe slow. I've got you. You're safe."

Steve's breathing slowed down, and he felt himself begin to relax. He took in one deep breath, then another.

"Were you having nightmares?" Nicholas asked, keeping his arm around Steve.

"Yeah. About Clara. I was fighting her and-and she wouldn't stop..." Steve paused, hearing his voice shake, and closed his eyes against tears.

"Shh." Nicholas secured his other arm around Steve. "You're safe now."

"And then I saw her next to me... and she was dead."

Nicholas rested his head on top of Steve's. "I'm so sorry, Son."

Steve buried his face in Nicholas' chest. "And then you were there, and I called for you..." He choked on a sob. "But you couldn't hear me."

Nicholas held Steve tighter, pulling him even closer. "I'm here now. You're safe. I promise."

"Remember I'm still here, if you need me," Nicholas said.

"I know that, Dad. I promise I do. You tell me all the time," Steve said.

"I don't ever want you to forget it. That's all. Good night, Son."

"I'm glad Mr. Coleman finally got this place up and running," Soda said, as he rolled out from under a car and tossed a wrench back into the toolbox.

"Yeah, the DX sure is bringing in a lot more business, being more than a little gas and service station," Steve said, as he let the hood slam shut on another car.

"That one done?" Soda started the car he'd been working on and listened for a moment.

"Yeah, just had to flush the transmission and add a little more brake fluid. Coleman told me he'd take me full time once I'm done with school." Steve wiped the grease off his hands with a rag.

"Of course he will, man." Soda shot him a grin. "Take a look at this one too, will you?" He gestured to the car he'd just turned off. "I ain't sure what else is going on with it. I keep adjusting everything, but it still doesn't sound right."

"Sure, man." Steve lowered himself down onto the creeper to slide up under the car. "Hey, you still going out with that girl tonight?"

"You mean Suzie? Yeah, I'm taking her out tomorrow night. You and Evie should double with us."

"Sounds good. I'll call Evie on break and see if she wants to go."

Nicholas sat across from Samuel at a small table in the back of a coffee shop. They had recently bumped into each other at the grocery store where Nicholas worked and had decided to meet for coffee.

"So, how you been lately?" Nicholas asked, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

"Pretty good. Still speaking at the church once in a while," Samuel said, adding sugar to his own coffee. "But it's been really busy over at the restaurant where I work. How about you?"

"I've been all right. Probably better than the last time you saw me." Nicholas shrugged. "Most of the time anyway. Me and my son, Steve, are still doing better.

Nicholas and Steve continued to grow closer, and he couldn't describe how thankful he was for that fact. Despite how much it had hurt him to face the problems, Nicholas believed their reconciliation started the second Steve confronted him about how he had dealt with the aftermath of the abuse he'd experienced. His son had shouted at him as his feelings finally erupted, making sure Nicholas knew those memories did matter. Those memories were causing him pain.

That moment was what both of them needed to begin being honest and deal with what had happened to Steve at the hands of a predator. Nicholas still didn't think he could ever fully make up for his own mistakes, but this father and son finally shared not only a traumatic, long-hidden past, but also the healing present and a bond bound by love.

"That's nice to hear," Samuel said, taking a sip of coffee. "Actually, I wanted to tell you something. I kind of felt like I intruded on your prayers those couple of times in the church."

"Well, you were there first!" Nicholas said, chuckling. "I think I intruded on your work time."

Samuel smiled. "It's just there was a reason I told you what I did the first time we met. A couple of reasons, really."

"You mean about forgiveness?"

Samuel nodded. "Your prayers struck a chord with me because I had a son, and I wish he was still here to forgive me."

"That was your third strike, man!" Soda yelled, as he gave Steve a high-five and picked up his bowling ball.

Steve sat down next to Evie, putting his arm around her. "Having a good time?" he asked, seeing Soda's ball knock down all but one of the pins.

Evie smiled at him. "Sure am. I like Suzie too. She's nice," she said, glancing over at Soda's date, who was watching him take his second turn.

Soda rolled the ball and knocked down the one remaining pin. Suzie then stepped forward to pick up her own bowling ball, and Soda watched her for a moment before he turned to look at Steve, who was sitting with his arm around Evie.

Soda had finished his prayer to the night sky just minutes ago and still held Steve, though he had noticed his friend's sobs were growing quieter. "I know there ain't anything okay about any of this, but if coming here tonight and talking helped, I'm glad I was here. I know that was hard, and I'll help how ever I can, buddy," he said.

Steve took a shaky breath, lifting his head, but still holding Soda's shirt in his clenched fists. "It did, but I don't even know what else could help," he said, staring out into the yard.

Soda reluctantly released Steve and wiped his own eyes, but still kept a hand on his friend's back. "I wish I knew."

Steve let go of Soda and stood up, running his hands over his face and wiping the tears from his eyes. "I don't know what to do, Sodapop."

Soda also got to his feet. "Well, it seems like you're finally starting to get all of this off your chest after a real long time of keeping it to yourself, so I'd say that's something."

"God, I hope so. I don't know how I ever thought I could forget." Steve leaned on the porch railing, feeling a warm blowing breeze.

"Maybe it was the only choice you had."

"Yeah." Steve nodded, then turned to look at Soda. "Mind if I crash on your couch tonight?"

"You know you don't even have to ask, man."

Steve looked away from Evie and saw Soda's eyes on him. "What, man? You should be staring at Suzie, not at me!" he said, smiling.

Soda couldn't help smiling back at his best friend.