Aidan turned around looking at her father, aghast at what he said. "What do you mean dead?" She backed away looking at the three people who looked back at her sadly. "I…I saw him the other day he was fine. We argued about me being late for a meeting at school," she paused and looked down. "But I don't work at Whitney do I?"

"No Aidan you don't," Austin shook his head.

Pam watched the young woman as she went through the emotions of hearing that once again her favorite uncle was dead. And it broke her heart more to see Aidan go through it again. Aidan had always been Ralph's favorite niece, especially when Pam found out they could not have kids, and Ralph treated Aidan like his own whenever she visited. Her niece had taken it hard when she heard her uncle was dead.

Pam winced as the memory of that night came flooding back. M'Lynn and her family had come over for dinner and they were waiting for Ralph, when Bill came in. By the look of him she knew something terrible had happened. That was when Aidan came in from the kitchen, just in time to hear Bill say Ralph was killed. When the young woman heard that she fainted from the shock, hitting her head on the buffet and ending up in a six hour coma.

Pam shook off the memory as she watched Aidan step back from the group. She could tell it was it was going to overwhelming for her niece, and hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of that night.

"NO, he isn't dead! He can't be…" She backed up further shaking her head until she nearly tripped over a chair but caught herself and sat down, placing her head in her hands. "I just talked to him….he can't be dead," she said the last part in a whisper and she started to cry as she realized this world was not as perfect as she thought. "I killed him, it's my fault… if I hadn't…"

M'Lynn sat down next to her daughter, and her father continued "No Aidan it wasn't your fault. Why would you even think that? The bastard that did…"

"Is in jail," Pam spoke up cutting Austin off. "It is over, I forgave him a long time ago. Calling him names won't change anything."

He stood up looking at her "Well he is one. He killed your husband Pam doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It does, but I am doing what Ralph would have done. Besides, Tony was his friend as well as someone he mentored…"

Hearing Tony's name Aidan looked up. "What about Tony?" she asked.

Pam looked at Austin and M'Lynn, wondering if she should tell them about the man. Seeing Austin shake his head, afraid that telling her would put her over the edge and cause her serious problems, Pam shrugged. "Nothing Aidan," she said softly.

Aidan wasn't convinced. "Tell me Pam. Nothing can be worse than hearing Ralph's..." she said, pausing as she tried to hide back the emotions she was feeling.

"Aidan, I don't think..."

"Damn it, tell me."

Aidan's parents frowned. "Aidan Micah Onyxsard, you have no right to speak to your aunt that way," said M'Lynn.

"Then she needs to tell me about Tony, because I'll keep asking until I do. Why the hell are you being so stubborn …" she said, only to receive a slap to her face from her father.

Austin, realizing he raised his hand in anger when he should've remembered she had lost her memory of what happened, started to give her a hug, but the young woman brushed it off.

"No don't touch me…" she said and stared in shock at her father. In all her memories of her father , there wasn't one where he struck her like he just did. This was too much nothing was like she thought it was. It was like she was standing on soft sand in the middle of a storm that slowly yet steadily washed her foundation away. She needed to get her feet back on solid ground, put everything back in focus.

When her father tried again to move towards her Aidan shook her head touching her struck cheek. "Not now Dad, I…I'm sorry…" she whispered then closed her eyes pushing back the tears that threatened to pull her even further over the edge. "I'm sorry I can't take this right now…" She mumbled standing up continued. "I'll go into my... uh, the guest bedroom, and rest some. Then maybe you'll be ready to tell me what happened to Tony."

M'Lynn nodded. "Maybe dear, but I do agree you do need to rest first. You've already had a jolt to your system having to be told about your uncle's death again," she said quietly. "Just lie down for a while, and we'll call you when dinner's ready."

Aidan just nodded and headed to the bedroom. When she entered, she looked around. Instead of the room being decorated with her art, it was designed in simple rose and blue colors. Aidan smiled softly, realizing that Pam had decorated the room in Ralph's favorite colors. She then looked at the wall and noticed a picture. Walking closer, she took a closer look. It was a dedication photo, and apparently at Whitney High. She saw Pam, her parents and her next to someone, presenting Pam with a plaque. Looking above Pam's head, she realized what it was for. "Ralph Hinkley Memorial Library," Aidan said softly, grabbing the picture. She knew that Ralph had wanted to expand the library, but the process had been slow going. Apparently, in this time, the money had been raised and it was dedicated in Ralph's memory…

She closed her eyes. Oh Ralph, she thought with a frown as she sat down on the bed. Her father's comments still rang in her ears - that Ralph died. Aidan still couldn't believe what she heard, but realized that was this reality. Her parents were alive, but Ralph died - and Pam was hesitant to tell her how.

Laying down on the bed, she started wondering why Austin didn't want Pam to talk about Tony. How was he involved in Ralph's death? Was he caught in the crossfire of a gunfight and Ralph dove in between him and the gunman? Aidan didn't know, but she realized that she needed some answers and soon, because she needed to know what happened and why everyone was so reluctant to talk about things to her. Tears started forming in her eyes as she looked at the picture again. She closed her eyes, trying to think of a way to get Pam to tell her what happened. Aidan got about half way before she fell asleep, tired from the tears and shock of finding out that her uncle - and godfather - was dead.