WARNING: Sensitive topic regarding vehicle accidents and death. Read at your own risk.

xxx

When Larry, Nick, Rebecca and I got home, they went up to bed, as I sat on the couch...thinking of my dad...The memories of before he died, tortured me, cause I miss him so much. I loved him so much, and now he was gone. I let out a sob, and as a tear silently slid down my cheek, I didn't do anything just let them fall. Closing my eyes, a dream that I never had for a long while came again.

It was my birthday, my fifteenth birthday to be exact and my father had promised to take me out on a trip with him for a few days as we never spent time together as much. I was happy that I got to spend some time with my him.

I had noticed that lately he would complain about having chest pains, and right in that moment, that was exactly what he was having and it gave no indication of letting up anytime soon.

The light banter that we were having eased off and the only sound that could be heard was the truck's engine and the slight wind that came in from the open window.

To ease my mind I glanced out of the window, trying to see the shoulder, but with how heavy it was snowing it surprised me on how dad could still see the road, but then again, he had been driving since before I was even born so I guess it was natural for him.

I hadn't the foggiest idea on where we were but it was somewhere extremely hilly and it wouldn't have surprised me any if the drop was more than twenty feet. My heart skipped a beat at the thought but my mind was brought back to the present when a blinding light was shone in driver's mirror and dad cursed, putting up his hand to attempt to block it out.

"What the hell is this idiot doing?" Dad asked no one in particular as he watched a dark coloured pick-up truck speeding past us and when he had just cleared us he had decided to be a douche and cut us off.

I gasped, clenching the armrest and the door as dad had to slam the breaks on, but with it being air brakes it didn't do barely shit and add in the horrible weather and road conditions we were soon finding ourselves in a vehicle accident. Losing control of the truck, it made a ninety degree turn, allowing it to jack-knife and before we could comprehend what had happened the idiot that had caused it got crushed underneath us as the truck lost grip of the road and landed on the driver's side. A horrible crashing sound resonated in my ears and the truck slid.

Dad was saying something but I couldn't hear him. Not in that moment anyway. When we stopped I opened the window with shaky hands and manoeuvred myself in such a way so that I could see where we were, what I saw terrified me. We were almost teetering on the verge of staying where we were or pummelling down to almost certain death.

And all I could think in that moment was; 'God...please don't let us die.'

But I knew that wasn't going to happen as I took a quick look at dad and frowned when I saw that he wasn't moving. "D-dad?" I squeaked out. He gave no indication that he heard me. Terror settled in the pit of my stomach and with shaky hands undid my seat-belt, bracing myself as gravity took hold, stepping onto the dash and then on dad's seat, I shook his shoulder.

"D-dad?" I tried again. He barely made a sound, but at least he did. His breaths were coming out in snagged breaths. "What...what's wrong?"

"Che-st." He murmured so low I could barely understand him. "I...I love yo-u and...your mot-mother a-a-and brother very...much."

And with that he went completely limp. A strangled cry escaped my throat as I frantically shook him. "Dad! Dad! No. Stay awake. You-you've got...you've got to stay awake."

This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening. This could not be happening. Sobbing and fumbling to find his cellphone in his duffel, it took me a few minutes but I found it and within moments I had the emergency operator on the other end and before I knew what was happening, it all seemed so surreal, I was being pulled out by emergency personnel. Flashing blue and red lights took up the entirety of the road behind us.

I had somehow managed to get out that dad was still in the truck, not moving. Sitting on the back of the ambulance shaking from either the cold, adrenaline, or the fear I had absolutely no idea but when they brought dad out and onto the awaiting stretcher and what made my breath catch in my throat was the body bag he was then being put into.

Reality set in.

And I screamed bloody murder.

"Kayleigh! Kayleigh!" I shot my eyes opened and gasped, as my uncle shook me awake. I was sweating. "I heard you screaming from upstairs...whats wrong?"

I shot him a look and he knew perfectly well, why I was screaming. His eyes filled with tears as he sat down right beside me on the couch and pulled me into his arms, he was caressing my arms, and comforting me in anyways as I possibly could. After about half-an hour, I told my uncle to go back to bed, and that I would be fine...just stay up." he didn't say anything just nodded. When I knew for sure he was out of ear shot, I put my face in my pillow, and let out a heart-wrenching sob.

"I can't keep doing this..." I whispered to myself. "Dad wouldn't want this..."

I wiped my tears and looked at the clock, it read 9:30am, I yawned as I realized that I was really tired, and being to lazy, I cuddled up with one of the sheets that lay beside the couch and wrapped myself in it. I yawned again and quickly fell asleep. This time no dream, stirring in my mind.

I didn't know what time it was when I felt someone shaking my uninjured shoulder gently, I looked sleepily at the clock and gasped when I realized that it was 4:45pm. "Wow!" I breathed. 'I must've tuckered myself out...'I thought to myself, as I finally saw who was shaking me. It was Nick. He looked at me with a sympathetic look, and I knew that Larry told him.

"Yeah?" I asked, my voice was barely a whisper as I spoke. He looked at me, and sighed. "Oh Kayleigh!" He then came to me and gave me a hug. I wrapped my free arm around him and kissed his forehead.

"Shh...its okay Nicky." I soothed, and as I did so, my uncle came walking down the stairs, with his uniform on. He smiled at me weakly, but said nothing. He knew that I was still upset. I know I should let go...but how can I? how can I? I was so in my thoughts that I never heard Nick calling my name. not until I felt someones hands on my good shoulder. As I was pulled out of my thoughts I looked at Nicky, he smiled at me again.

"Are you coming to the museum tonight, Kay?" He asked, and I smiled at him and nodded. He gave me a hug, and went to put on his sneakers. Where it was a break away from school for about a week, Nicky has been spending more time with us. I got up slowly from the couch and walked over to get my sneakers on.

We walked in silence to the museum, and as we got in, I went to the front desk and laid my head upon the polished wood, and sighed. My uncle didn't bother me. As everything came alive, I didn't pay attention, not even when Ahkmenrah called my name.

I heard my uncle talking quietly to Ahk and Teddy, probably about my father.

I sighed, and got up from where I was and walked the other way...towards the loading docks, as I opened up the double doors, I fell down to the dirt covered floor, and wrapped my arms around my knees, and just let the tears slide. "Why is it more painful this time around?" I asked as I heard footsteps enter the loading area. I didn't know who it was until I looked to see that Ahkmerah was kneeling beside me.

I wiped my tears away from my face. "What is? the death of your father?" He asked and I nodded, and looked down to find a rock, and I started to fidget with it, trying to get my mind off what happened, five years ago. I wanted to share with Ahkmenrah what happened but part of me, was way to emotional to say anything.

Ahkmenrah seemed to sense that I was distressed, and knew that it was best not to push the subject any further. If I wanted to say what happened I'll do it when I feel that I am ready too.

He sat down beside me and took of his cape kind of thing and wrapped the both of us with it. We were being silent for about an hour or so, before my uncle came in. Ahkmenrah looked at him then me, I was ready to fall asleep, but as soon as I felt Ahkmenrah moving my eyes shot open, I was about to grab him, but as soon as I saw my uncle, I stopped. Ahkmenrah wasn't getting up anyways, he was adjusting himself so that he could be more comfortable.

My uncle was silent for a few more minutes. "Hey you two...I just wanted to see how Kay was making out Ahk..."He said quietly, and with that left, to get the museum back in order. Ahkmerah looked away from where Larry was standing, and turned his attention back to me. without any word spoken, he lifted my head, and studied my face, the look of pain and sorrow filled his, as I realized that he himself, had lost someone dear to him. I did not push him, for that was his story to tell, and not for me to ask. When he is ready to tell me, he would.

We met half-way as we kissed each other slowly, and passionately, for probably a few seconds or so, before breaking apart, and going back to being huddled so closely together. Ahkmenrah didn't say anything, but played with my hair, and holding onto my hand as he caressed it with his thumb, I started to fall asleep in his arms, but woke up again when a cold breeze hit my face. I sighed and looked at Ahkmenrah, he was looking at the sky, then he looked at me.

"How long were we down here for?" I asked, as I looked up at the sky, it was getting lighter and I knew that the sun would rise pretty soon, so without answering, Ahkmenrah, helped me up, and we headed off for his tomb, our fingers were interlace, and as we got to his tomb, he moved me towards him as I felt his arms drape around my front, rocking me back and forth as I felt his head rest on my shoulder, he sighed as he let go, and looked at me with his eyes.

"Kayleigh..."he whispered my name, I looked at him. "...if you ever need to talk about anything...I'm with you..."I smiled a small smile for him, I kissed his on the lips before speaking. "Same here."

We pulled each other into another embrace and held on for what seemed like hours, it was short-lived when My uncle and cousin came walking into the tomb. "Hey Kay...Ahk...its five minutes before sunrise."

We both nodded, and watched as the two left. We turned our attention back to each other, and said our good byes, and as I l was walking, I turned to hear Ahkmenrah voice again. "Please remember what I said kay? I'm here for you...and watch where you're going too...the shape that you're in you're bound to get hurt."

I had to laugh at this as I headed down to meet my uncle.