The first sign Michael had that something was wrong came on the Saturday before spring break.  As usual, the teenagers and their friends were out at the park, enjoying a game of baseball.   Molly was coming around the last leg of an easy homerun when she tripped.  Molly went sprawling, barely catching herself in time to keep from smacking her face into the dirt.

Michael ran out onto the field, Jereem and Hannah right behind him.

"Are you okay?"  Michael asked concerned, as he held out his hand for molly to pull herself up. She said nothing for a moment, then struggled to her feet without taking Michael's hand.

"Must have been a pothole."  Molly said.  Michael blinked.

"No, it was pretty-"

"I said it was a pothole, Michael!"  Michael paused.  Molly didn't usually get this angry over a simple fall.  He decided to let it pass and nodded.

"Okay."  He said.  Jereem looked over at Molly, his brow furrowed.

"Molly."  Jereem said.

"Yeah?" replied.

"You fell last week... when you were in PE at school."  Michael nodded.  The Bearess had actually taken a tumble down the stairs on the way to the field, and had to sit out the entire period... and for Molly to do that, it had to have been something of a tumble.

"It happens to everyone, Jereem."  Molly said, an edge to her voice.

"how many other times have you fallen?"  Jereem asked quietly.

"None of your business."  Molly said, face pale with anger and pain.  She walked towards the sidelines, ignoring both Jereem and Michael.  Michael looked after his girlfriend in confusion.

"She really bit your head off.... why?"  Michael said to Jereem.

"It's probably nothing."  Jereem said.  Michael looked over at Jereem.  "You know how Molly hates to look stupid."  Jereem continued, in response to Michael's unsaid question.  Michael nodded.

"I see.  Well, maybe tomorrow we can talk about it.  She should be calmed down by then."

Molly sat on the bench, hands clasped tightly together.  It couldn't be, not after all this time....  She tightened her grip, in order to make certain nobody could see the tremor that had started.

The next day, Michael, Hannah and Jereem waited for Molly at the base of the apartment.  Late last night, Molly had called the others and suggested a hike  up on the hills surrounding the city.   Even after the war, little had been built on the hills, as they would be natural targets for anyone trying to bypass the defenses of the cliff face, making it a perfect area for hikes, with lightly wooded trees mixed in with rocky slopes and grass.  Michael had  been surprised at Molly's  choice, given the problems that she had had yesterday, but decided not to say anything.

The day started out well enough.  The four friends headed for  the beginning of the foothills sloping up from the city, in an area where there was little construction.  Molly, for  some reason, wished to take the more difficult  slopes,  scrambling up rocky, treacherous slopes, while the others puffed along in her train.

"Trying  to show us all up, Molly?"   Michael asked, with a light voice.

"You need more exercise, Michael."  Molly called back as she headed up another slope.  Behind the two, Jereem made his difficult way.  Unlike Michael, Jereem wasn't even trying to keep up with Molly.  Michael occasionally heard snatches of a whispered conversation between Jereem and Hannah.  The only thing Michael could be certain of was that it concerned Molly. 

"Hey Molly, wait!"  Michael called again.  "We're leaving Jereem and Hannah behind."

This time, Michael saw it from the beginning to end.  Molly was trying a difficult move, when her leg... just gave out.  It didn't slip or have the ground shift under it, it just suddenly crumpled, as if the muscles decided to give up.  Molly gave a cry of pain and fear as she tumbled from the outcropping, rolling and bouncing over the ground as she headed back down towards Michael.  Michael ignored his own footing and lunged for his girlfriend, getting her by the straps of her coverall, and tried  to dig his  other hand  into the dirt as they both began to slide for an edge. 

"Hang on Molly!"  Michael shouted, as he realized that they weren't going to make it.  The edge of the 12 foot drop came up as Michael tried to figure out how to keep either one from landing wrong, a broken leg being eminently preferable to a broken neck, when he felt two pairs of hands grab him by the belt and  shirt.  Michael stopped trying to hold onto the dirt, and then grabbed Molly with his free hand.  With Jereem's and  Hannah's help, the four stopped  just short of the drop.  Molly turned, face  pale, and then tried to get up, before her leg gave out again.   This time, she couldn't disguise the cry of pain, and grimace that ran across her face, and sat back down, pale and sweating.  For a moment, she didn't seem to see Michael or the others.

"No! No! No!.... It's not fair!"  She snarled/sobbed pounding the ground with a fist.  For a moment, Michael thought she was going to start crying on the spot.  More  importantly, the rocks on the ground  were cutting her knuckles.  Michael grabbed her hand  and pulled it  to him, gently but irresistibly.

"Molly... what is wrong."

"I-I just-"

"No Molly."  Michael said forcefully.  "You did not 'just fall', and I think you know what is wrong.  So tell us."  Molly refused to look at him.  Michael said nothing, just  waiting.

"Molly."  Jereem said.  "You think you have it again, don't you.  WE should  probably tell-"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"  Molly screamed, literally screamed at Jereem and followed it  up with a torrent of abuse.  Michael  looked at Molly, stunned.  He  hadn't even known she knew half of those  words...  and there were a few he didn't know.  Hannah looked outraged, but Jereem said nothing, letting it wash over him.  As Molly continued, Michael listened to her  voice, hearing the undertone of raw panic in it.

            Finally, he put his hand  over her mouth, stilling her in mid shriek. 

            "Molly."  The bearess stopped and  looked at Michael, her eyes still wide.  "What is wrong."  Molly looked down at the ground.  Michael sighed.  "Maybe you should apologize to Jereem...."

            "She doesn't need to,"  Jereem said.  "I know why she's upset." 

            "Why?"  Asked Hannah.  Jereem said nothing, looking at Molly.

            "OK..."  Molly said  softly, her voice devoid of emotion, exhausted by her outburst.  Michael put his arm around her and looked at Jereem with a question in his eyes.

            "Well."  Jereem said.  Now that Molly had given him the ok, he seemed uncomfortable.  "A lot of this actually happened before I met Molly... but she and Ms. Cunningham filled me in on most of it."  Michael looked over at Molly.  Jereem saw his look.  "You didn't need to know Michael, it was over and..."  He trailed off as Molly hunched in on herself.  Michael gave her a comforting squeeze.