Disclaimer: As in all my stories, I own none of the characters, real or fictional mentioned in the film "Remember the Titans". The fiction I write is just that...fiction, a pure work of my overactive imagination written for myself and others to enjoy and critique alike. So please don't sue...if you do...good luck standing behind American Express, Visa and everyone else I owe!

Emma Hoyt Bertier sat quietly on the comfortable but worn sofa strategically situated in front of the flames blazing within the fireplace. The house was quiet an eerie quiet that instead of calming her it made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand readily at attention. She wondered aloud if life would always be like this. Sipping from a freshly poured glass of red wine, she smiled in spite of herself as she realized just how quickly life could change. The last two weeks had definitely proved that to her. Just fifteen days prior she had sat on that very couch nestled in the loving arms of her husband, Gerry. There they had cuddled and laughed and made plans for the future. A future that seemed so bright and happy. Now just 360 hours later she sat alone on that sofa. There was no Gerry. No laughter, no warm hugs, no excited chitchat about the future...all of a sudden there was no future. In mere seconds a drunk driver had shattered her dreams and changed her life forever. The unthinkable had happened and Gerry was gone forever. Sighing, Emma rubbed her tired feet as equally weary eyes diverted to the image in the corner. Gerry's wheelchair. Gerry's empty wheelchair. Julius Campbell, Gerry's best friend of ten years had offered to move it for her but she had declined. She knew it couldn't sit there forever but she wasn't ready for it to go. Not just yet anyway.

In the shadows of the silence she could almost hear his voice.

It was so strong and clear, saying, "You look tired, sugar. Everything okay?"

For a split second she thought she would turn around and he would be there. But he wasn't and sadly never would be again. The silence was killing her, she couldn't stand it. For the past two weeks it had been just the opposite. Day and night her house had been filled with friends, family and neighbors cooking meals, arranging the many flowers that had been sent, assisting with funeral arrangements, and taking care of her. Emma truly appreciated the help and the love and the good intentions but it had been suffocating. It was all too much and secretly so many times she had wished that they would all disappear...just pack up and leave. Now her wish had come true. The company and the well wishers were gone and she was alone with her thoughts and memories. She was by herself for the first time since her husband's untimely death and she had never felt so alone in her life. Preparing herself for another restless night, she walked over to the hall closet to retrieve a blanket. It would be another night spent on the couch. She couldn't bear to sleep alone in the master bedroom quite yet. It had been their marital bed, the place where so many times they had eaten breakfast together, watched television, made love and shared their hopes and dreams. Emma couldn't imagine one night there without him. It was too soon, she thought as she stood on her tip toes to pull down the blanket. As it clumsily fell from the top shelf of the closet, so did a few books and magazines. Emma cursed as she picked them up, briefly sifting through the material before putting it back in its place. Mostly there were Gerry's car magazines along with a few comics and vintage editions of Sports Illustrated. At the bottom of the pile was a large book Emma had never seen before. It appeared to be a photo album. Carrying it back to her makeshift "bed", she plopped down and opened the cover. In blue ink, beautifully scrawled in his trademark handwriting was Gerry's signature. On the next page was the first picture, a picture taken in 1970 at Hammond High. There was Gerry in full football dress, kneeling on the grass smiling for the camera. He looked so big...so strong...so invincible. Although the picture was slightly faded, the memory of that day in Emma's mind was as fresh as could be. They had just started going out, a couple of kids in love. He had given her his letter jacket and asked her to be his steady girl. It had been a magical time of innocence. Before T.C. Williams, before integration, before the Titans and before the two accidents that had claimed Gerry's ability to walk and his life, respectively. Still she couldn't help but to smile as she turned each page and found dozens of photographs all numbered and labeled into pockets of Gerry's neat little remembrance. It was as if he'd done it all on purpose, as if he had intentionally put his life together in pictures. From Hammond High to T.C. Williams, from the Special Olympics to their wedding day, before her lay a beautiful collage of her late husband's life.

"Oh Gerry...", Emma whispered into the darkness as a few tears fell onto the pages.

She looked at his eyes, his beautiful smile and once again it was like he was there with her. She could almost see and smell him again, hear the love in his voice as he said her name. The scent of his cologne filled her nostrils and Emma's eyes immediately opened.

"Gerry?"

But he wasn't there. The smell was coming from his pillow, the one that she cradled under one arm. Sighing from utter exhaustion, she allowed her body to relax and assume a comfortable position on the sofa underneath the covers. She wiped away one last tear as she took one last sip of wine.

"Good night, my love", she whispered.