"Deadly Revelations"

Disclaimer:
Don't own the characters...well, you know the drill...

Burying the Past

The next morning, Tommy had gone for a walk in order to clear his head after the events which had transpired over the past couple of days. As he usually did when he was upset, he found himself sitting alone in the park under the shade of a willow tree. God, what could Kira have ever done to derserve that? She was so young...She had her whole life ahead of her...Hell, she wasn't even out of high school...His mind raced with thoughts about Kira and what had happened to her the previous day. A few moments later, Tommy had been so absorbed in thought, he didn't notice someone approach him from behind.

"You okay, Dr. Oliver?" came the voice of Conner McKnight from behind him. Turning to see who had addressed him, Tommy replied "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, Conner...Just thinkin'..." Knowing fullwell what Tommy was thinking about, Conner finished for him "About Kira?" A smirk mingling with his somber expression, Tommy asked "Conner...My daughter was just murdered yesterday...What else would I be thinkin' about?" Understanding Tommy's anger and snappy attitude, Conner sat down next to him on the plush green grass; resting his back against the trunk of the tree as he replied "Yeah...Listen, I was wondering if I could ask you about something...If it's a bad time, I understand..." Smirking ever so slightly, Tommy turned to Conner and replied "You can always ask me about anything, Conner...You know that..." Sighing slightly, Conner hesitantly added "Well...You keep saying how Kira was your daughter...Well, how come you guys never told us about that?" Not expecting that question-though, deep down, he knew he should have-Tommy sighed heavily and replied "Well that's because up until the day before yesterday, I never knew she was...Though, I guess I sorta got the feeling she was on the first day of school when I first saw her..." Confused, Conner asked "What do you mean?" Thinking a moment, Tommy decided to tell Conner the entire story of what had happend seventeen years ago. "Well, see...When Kira was born, Kim, my wife, decided that even though we'd been married for a couple of years, that she just wasn't ready to raise a child yet so one night she took Kira and told me that she was taking her to a reputable adoption agency...Foolishly, I believed her..." Still somewhat confused, Conner asked "Shouldn't you have?" Shaking his head, Tommy looked up from the patch of grass he had been studying and replied "Come to find out, no, I shouldn't have...The other day when Kira came to me and told me that her mother-adoptive mother that is-told her that I was her father, I found out that Kim never took Kira to any adoption agency...Instead she just left her on some random doorstep..."

Blown away by Tommy's story, Conner just sat there in silence a few moments. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why didn't she ever mention this?..." Conner asked after finally finding his voice. Smirking to himself, Tommy replied "Well, she told me that she didn't know about any of this until the day before yesterday..." Silently, Conner just nodded his acknowledgement and understanding. A few minutes passed by before Tommy spoke again. "Well I better go...I got a lotta work ahead of me..." Understanding what he meant, Conner simply stood from his position underneath the willow tree. "All right, Dr. Oliver...See ya later..." Nodding, Tommy replied "Yeah...see ya..." With that, Tommy simply walked off toward his jeep. Starting the jeep, Tommy took off in the direction of his house. Just as he walked in, he heard the phone ring. Making his way into the kitchen to answer it, Tommy picked the phone up on the third ring.

"Hello?" He asked a somewhat heavy tone to his voice. Listening as he answered, the woman on the other end of the line replied "Dr. Oliver? It's Kristal Ford...Kira's mom..." Immediately, Tommy's heart sank. Shit!...One of the last people I wanted to hear from right now...Tommy thought to himself as Kristal answered his question. Knowing that he shouldn't shun her just because Kira was gone, Tommy replied "Oh, hello, Mrs. Ford..." Half smirking, Kristal replied "Dr. Oliver, please call me Kristal...Anyway, I just heard about Kira...I'm really sorry...I know how hard that must have been for you..." Half smiling half heartedly, Tommy replied "Well, thanks, Kristal but it wasn't your fault..." Nodding, Kristal added "Well, listen, the reason I called was just to let you know that if you'd like, Jonathon and I can take care of the arrangements..." Shaking his head, Tommy replied "No, Kristal, Kira was really my daughter, even though I respect that you and Joanthon consider her to be your daughter...I'd rather make the arrangements if it's all the same to you..." Understanding where Tommy was coming from, Kristal replied "I understand, Dr. Oliver...It's fine with us..." Sighing slightly, Tommy replied "Thanks, Kristal..." Kristal simply replied "No problem...".

With that, Kristal and Tommy said their goodbyes and hung up the phone while Tommy made his way into the living room where he sat down on the sofa with his head in his hands. God...How could this have happened...To Kira of all people...I'd defy anyone to name one enemy Kira has...Well...That the public is allowed to know about...But, even Mesogog wouldn't stoop that low...Tommy thought to himself as his mind returned to the events of the previous morning. Eventually, Tommy had gotten around to making the arrangements for Kira's service.

After spending the rest of the day on the phone, Tommy hung up the phone for the last time and looked out the window of his den. Seeing that it was getting dark, he turned to his clock and saw that it was getting late. Deciding he'd had enough for today, Tommy stood from his desk and made his way up the stairs and into his bedroom. Changing into his pajamas, Tommy climbed into bed. Once again, he found sleep to be next to impossible. Finally, a few hours of his mind racing with thoughts of Kira and what had happened and tossing and turning, Tommy finally managed to find a restless sleep.

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A few days later, Tommy had taken a seat near the back of the chapel, a few rows away from Kristal and Jonathon Ford. The service had been pretty simple. They'd decided just to stick to the basics, the usual "We are gathered here to bid farewell to Kira Ford who has been called home by the Heavenly Father..." type service.

At the end of the service, Tommy stood with the rest of the congregation as the pallbearers carried the casket outside and placed it in the back of the hearse. Climbing inside the jet black limosuine, Tommy simply sighed as he watched the hearse pull away from the church as the limo began to follow it downtown to the Reefside Cemetary.

At the graveside service, Tommy watched they slowly lowered the casket into the ground. Soon, the others who had gathered at the gravesite slowly filed out to their cars and left for home while Tommy lingered around for a few more minutes. Staring at her headstone, Tommy silently read the engravings on the front. Kira Nicole Ford. October 3rd, 1988-October 20th, 2005. Devoted and loving daughter. Finally deciding he'd had enough, Tommy turned to leave.

Driving home, Tommy couldn't help but think about what had happened to Kira. God, I still can't believe somebody would actually wanna hurt Kira...She couldn't make an enemy even if she triedTommy thought to himself as he tried to figure who could have done that to someone like her.

Meanwhile, back at the Ford house, Kristal and Jonathon had just gotten back from the funeral. "God, I never thought I'd have to go to something like that for Kira..." Kristal commented more to herself than to Jonathon. Without realizing it, Jonathon commented "Well, I'd rather lose her like this than to that bastard, Tommy..." Clasping, his hand over his mouth, it was evident Jonathon hadn't meant to let that slip.

Slightly glaring at Jonathon, Kristal asked suspiciously "Jonathon, what do you mean you'd rather lose her like this than to Tommy?" Trying to cover for his mistake, Jonathon quickly replied "Nothing...It's nothing..." Looking over to the corner of the room, Kristal noticed that Jonathon's rifle was out of it's usual hiding place in the linen closet down the hall. Oh my God...Please tell me he didn't do what I think he did...Kristal thought to herself as she pieced two and two together.

Sighing as he read the fear written on her face, Jonathon knew that she'd figured it out. "Look, Kristal. I had to do it. And trust me, I never meant to kill her..." Tears stinging in her eyes, Kristal replied "Jonathon...How could you...She was our daughter for God's sake!...Maybe not genetically but God damn it, Jonathon, she was our daughter! How in the hell could you do that!..." She cried out, now knowing for certain what had happened.

Approaching his wife, Jonathon soothed "Kristal, please..." Cutting him off, Kristal backed up with rage written in her deep blue eyes and on her face as she shouted while indicating the door. "Out!" A confused expression taking over his face, Jonathon asked "What? Kris, what are you talking about?" Glaring at Jonathon angrily, Kristal continued "Get out of my house!"

Anger written in his chocolate brown eyes, Jonathon turned back to face her before storming out of the house. "You will regret crossing me, Kristal Rose Ford...Mark my words..." He hissed, rage written in his voice. Trying to brush off what he said as a bluff, Kristal made her way into the kitchen to call the police to inform them of what she'd just found out. However, she first called someone else.

After three rings, the man on the other end of the line answered "Hello?" Fighting back the tears stinging in her eyes, Kristal replied calmly "Tommy? It's Kristal...Kira's mom..." Swallowing hard, Tommy thought to himself Great! One of the last damn people I wanted to hear from right now...Calming down, he replied "Hey, Kristal, what's goin' on?" Sighing slightly, Kristal continued "I'm calling because...I know who killed Kira..."