A/N: This chapter is very intense.

Later, Alison would remember what a perfectly ordinary morning it had been - at first.

Although it was still a week and a half until the first day of fall, subtle hints of autumn were already in the air. It was Tuesday of the fourth week of third grade for Daisy. Alison didn't have to go into the library that day, and she hadn't planned to volunteer at the school, so after watching her daughter board the bus on the corner of the street, she walked back home, where she poured herself a cup of coffee and then turned on the radio.

She just listened for a few seconds, too shocked to move.

"Guess what, Mama? Dee took her first steps last night!" Zoya told Elspeth over the telephone.

"That's wonderful, hon - and she won't even be a year old for a couple more weeks!" Elspeth replied.

Yuri appeared in the doorway then, looking a little pale.

"Come into the den, Elya." Was that a quiver she detected in his voice? "There is something on the television you must see."

"At first I thought it must be the Timothy McVeigh people again," Alison said to her husband. She'd just sat down with her cup of coffee when Alexei called her, anxious to make sure she was all right.

"Not this time." Alexei's voice was shaky, and he struggled to steady it. "I cannot believe that such a terrible thing could happen right here in the greatest country in the world. Who could do such a thing? Why would they do it?"

"I'm trying really hard to figure that out myself." Alison let out a ragged sigh. "I guess they just hate anyone who doesn't see things the way they do. It must have something to do with that business awhile back about Kuwait being invaded by Iran, or Iraq - whatever it was. I can't even remember now! All I know is, I'm scared."

"I am afraid too, Alisonka. I wish that I were there with you, but I must stay here and finish my work for the day."

"I know. The whole world can't just stop revolving because - or maybe it really is the end. Do you suppose so?"

"I do not know, Alisonka. Already there has been much suffering and death. I do not know how much longer it will go on." All was silent for a few seconds. "I love you, Alisonka. You believe in God. Please pray that - that it will come to an end soon."

"I will, and you pray too, Alexei."

Alison was glued to the television for the rest of the day, barely able to take in the scenes of burning, collapsed buildings, crying people, hopeless police and ambulance workers. Her usual lunchtime came and went. She wasn't hungry, anyway.

"Daniel's family is safe," Inna told her stepmother. Daniel had several family members who lived in New York City, and he'd been on the telephone with them all morning, going over the tragedy repeatedly, letting it slowly sink in.

"Thank goodness for that!" Elspeth, who'd been trying to reach the Roths for several hours, was hugely relieved.

"Helen saw the North Tower collapse," Inna went on. "She was on her way to the bank when it happened. She called Joseph at the synagogue right away. He told her to go home, if it was safe to do so. Rachel was at school. Classes were canceled for the day. Helen said it took both of them several hours to get home. The traffic was worse than she had ever seen. The whole city is in a panic."

"I'm sure it is!" said Elspeth. "Here's your father." She handed the receiver to Yuri, then went back into the den to watch the news some more.

Alison stood on the corner with several other mothers, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Daisy's bus. She couldn't get the images of destruction and carnage out of her mind, and she knew they'd haunt her for a long time to come.

Relief flooded through her when she saw the large orange vehicle pull up and come to a stop. The door swung open, and seconds later, Daisy appeared. To Alison, it felt like she hadn't seen her daughter in ages.

"We didn't do anything in school today, Mommy," Daisy said as she took her mother's hand. "We just watched TV all day. Some men flew an airplane into a tall building, and a bunch of people got hurt. Why did that happen, Mommy?"

"I don't know, sweetheart." Alison began to lead her daughter home. "Sometimes people do terrible things, and we just don't know why."

"Is there gonna be a war now?"

"I don't know." Alison had been wondering the same thing.

"If there is a war, will Daddy have to go away and fight?"

"I don't think so. It would mostly be men younger than your Daddy."

Daisy was silent until they were almost home. "I hope nobody's Daddy has to go fight," she said at last.

"I hope not too, sweetie," said Alison.

After dinner that evening, the Kolchins sat together on the sofa, watching the news.

"I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice," said President Bush.

"What's that mean, Daddy?" asked Daisy.

"It means the people who made those airplanes fly into buildings will be punished," Alexei told her.

"Who made them fly into the buildings?"

"A group called Al-Qaeda," said Alison. "They're evil men who want to take away our freedom."

Daisy's eyes grew wide. "Can they really do that?"

"No," her mother assured her. "Nobody can ever take our freedom away from us."

Daisy grinned. "I'm glad!"

"Me too, sweetie."

Alison was asleep that night when she was awakened by a soft knock on the door. She got up and opened the door to see her small daughter standing there.

"I'm scared, Mommy," said Daisy. "Can I sleep with you and Daddy tonight?"

"Of course you can." Alison helped her into their bed, and she was soon fast asleep.