I dedicate this chapter to my dear friend Maureen, aka maurbil. She's been a dedicated reader from the beginning! Thank you so much!

Alan's POV

Charlie was lucky enough to go home the next day. His injuries were not too serious. The surgery on his arm didn't last long and it was a success. Charlie was on so many pain killers he couldn't function properly. Don and I took him home while he slept the whole way. When we got him there, he seemed even more out of it than before. The doctor said after this dosage he could decide how much based on the pain he was in. The pain medication was mostly for his arm, which would be sore for quite some time.

Charlie walked dizzily. Don held onto his upper arm, trying not to hurt the stitched area. I doubted Charlie would feel anything if he did.

We were able to walk Charlie upstairs and into his room. He fell heavily on his bed, nearly asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. I was thankful for his medicine-induced stupor. Perhaps it would help him forget what had happened for a while. It would hit him soon enough when the medicine wore off. I feared for that moment.

I pulled Charlie's shoes and socks off, then tugged the blankets out from underneath him. I covered him lightly, leaning in to kiss his forehead.

Don was downstairs making coffee when I came down. He placed two coffee cups on the table and looked up when I walked in.

"Hey, Dad. Is Charlie settled?" His voice held a heaviness, a concern and a fear.

"Yeah, yeah. He's sound asleep."

I sat down and he poured a cup of coffee, then set it in front of me.

"Thanks." I took the cup gratefully. Though it was getting late, I still couldn't imagine going to bed. I skipped dinner, as did Don, but I still felt no hunger.

When Don sat down, he took a long drink of coffee. He looked up at me after taking his drink.

"I don't know. I just...I hate to think what's going to happen once that medicine wears off. I mean, I want answers as much as you do, but...I don't know. I don't want him to have to go through this."

"What did you do the first time you killed someone?" I hated the thought of my son killing people, but I knew he had. I had to learn to deal with it. I just kept telling myself it was either he kill someone or he gets killed.

He chuckled. "What I do best. I covered it up as much as I could. It bothered the hell out of me, but I finally just accepted the fact that what I did was justifiable. It was either him or me."

I nodded in agreement. Don saved lives by taking lives. It wasn't always the case, but it had happened that way several times before, sometimes when I didn't even know about it.

"He doesn't deserve this. It should never have happened," Don said, anger flaring in his eyes. I could tell he was talking about those who had put him through so much. Charlie didn't deserve it. So why him?

Silence filled the room. Don took a few sips of his coffee, as did I. We sat there for an hour, until my coffee finally got cold. I looked up and saw Don s taring into his cup of coffee, obviously lost in thought.

"Dad!" I heard Charlie scream. Don and I looked at each other and within seconds we were running up the stairs. Charlie met me halfway into his room when he launched himself into my arms, squeezing me tightly.

I wrapped my arms around him. He sobbed into my shirt, and I rocked him back and forth. Slowly, I moved us toward his bed. Don watched with a concerned look.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Charlie sobbed. I rubbed his back. We had finally made it to his bed. I motioned Don over with my head so he could help me lift him onto the bed. Don scooped Charlie's legs into his arms and I took his upper body. i sat down on the bed and Charlie lay across my lap.

"Calm down, Buddy," Don said as he sat down on the bed beside us. He reached out and squeezed Charlie's shoulder, his main sign of affection.

I couldn't help but connect tonight to the last nightmare Charlie had had. Was there a connection? I didn't know.

"I-I-I-I didn't mean to. I couldn't help it. You have to believe me," Charlie stammered.

"We believe you, Charlie," I said to comfort him, though I had no idea what he was talking about.

Charlie peaked out and looked at Don as though questioning if it was true.

"Yeah, yeah. I believe you, Buddy." Don caught on.

Charlie turned back and pressed his face into the front of my shirt. There were no more tears but he clung to me with an urgency that made me worry. As much as I love feeling needed, I didn't want it to be this way.

As Charlie's strength waned, I laid him down on his bed. He still held my hand tightly, but I could see him begin to drift off to sleep. Don looked over at me. I smiled at him, knowing he was worried about Charlie. I had a feeling he'd be okay now.

"Go to sleep, little boy," I said soothingly to Charlie. He closed his eyes and soon his even breathing told me he was asleep.

I sighed with relief, gently taking my hand out of his grasp. Don stood and walked out the door, but stood waiting for me in the hallway.

As soon as I was out the door, he spoke.

"You think that had something to do with that last nightmare?" I was surprised he had connected the two, though I shouldn't have been.

I nodded. "Yes."

"What about what's been going on? Do you think that might?"

I looked back over my shoulder to Charlie's sleeping form. When I turned back to Don, I nodded.

"Yes. Yes, I do."

Charlie's POV

I woke late the next morning. It was already eleven o'clock by the time I got out of my room. I was able to put light pressure on my ankle, so I didn't bother taking my crutches with me. My arm ached. I suspected that was what had awoken me in the first place. I vaguely remembered the doctor saying I could take pain medication as needed, so I decided that would be the first place to go.

I walked downstairs, not seeing Dad or Don. I assumed they were outside. I'd check on that later. I went into the kitchen and found the bottle of pain medication on the counter. I read the directions, making sure I remembered correctly how many to take. I took out two and swallowed them dry.

Feeling just a hint of panic, I went throughout the house, calling for Dad and sometimes Don. I wasn't sure if Don would be here, so I didn't call for him as much.

When I didn't find either inside the house, I went outside and walked around the house. The fear was rising in me. I could feel it in my chest.

I walked as fast as I could, which wasn't very fast considering my ankle. Adrenaline kept me going. I came full circle. They weren't there.

"Oh, God," I breathed, thinking of any possible case scenario. Jake must have escaped prison. Now he was out for revenge. He took them. I was asleep. I wouldn't have heard anything, under the influence of the strong Dopamine. It was the perfect plan.

I walked in a stupor inside the house. My throat felt tight and I was suddenly taken over by a dizzy feeling. I went down on me knees, hitting the hard wood floor.

A hand clamping down on my mouth. A knife cutting into my back. A gun pulled on me, held against my head. A sharp pain to my head as the barrel of the gun makes contact. Hearing the footsteps, knowing death was waiting. His evil laugh, echoing through my head.

I could faintly hear the door open and someone, or maybe more than one, was calling my name. Hands touched me and I cried out. It was them. It had to be. But I couldn't see. The images flashed through my head. I squeezed my eyes tightly against them, trying to make them go away, but they were still there behind my closed lids.

I clutched my stomach, overcome with nausea. I tried to breathe deeply to calm my racing pulse. But how could I be calm if they were here?

Don's POV

I was surprised to find Charlie in the living room when Dad and I walked in the door. We had just gotten back from taking a quick walk around the block. I recognized the signs of a panic attack and rushed to his side. Dad was rather panicky himself, but I was more concerned about Charlie.

I sat down in front of him. He doubled over. I noted the sweat pouring down his face, dripping off his nose and chin. He needed to calm down.

"Charlie? Charlie, come on. Come back to me here." I could see in his eyes that he couldn't see me. His eyes were empty, unfocused. He closed those same brown eyes tightly.

"Dad, get me a wet washcloth," I suggested.

"Come on, Charlie. You can get through this, Buddy." I tried encouraging him, though he made no sign that he heard me.

Dad returned with the wet washcloth. I pressed it to Charlie's face and neck. He seemed to feel it, but wouldn't open his eyes.

Five minutes passed with no change. I tried the next approach. Charlie was trembling severely. He needed to calm down.

"Charlie. Charlie, I need you to look at me."

His now open eyes wouldn't look at mine. I grabbed both sides of his head with my hands. I brought our faces close together until our eyes were aligned.

"Charlie, look at me. I need you to focus on me, okay?"

Charlie blinked and his eyes finally found mine. He calmed slightly, recognizing them as non-threatening.

"That's good. Eyes on me, okay?"

I grabbed his wrist and felt his pulse. As I expected with his quick breathing, his pulse was racing.

"Okay, Charlie, next I need you to breathe with me. Okay? Just breathe like me."

I breathed in through my nose then released it through my mouth. I repeated the process three times before he began to join in. I still held his wrist, stopping when his pulse returned to a normal rhythm.

"Good. Good job, Buddy."

Charlie blinked a few times and reality seemed to set in. He looked between me and Dad.

"You're okay," He said in a surprised voice.

"Yeah, Buddy. We're fine."

I looked over at Dad who seemed to have calmed. He leaned in closer and patted Charlie's shoulder.

"We're right here, kiddo."

Charlie sighed. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on Dad's shoulder.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," he said after a while.

"No, no. Don't be sorry. Are you okay?" I asked. Dad wrapped his arm around Charlie's shoulder and squeezed.

He nodded.

After several minutes, Charlie stood. I stood with him, taking hold of his arm. He smiled gratefully.

"Um. I'll be right back."

He walked toward the door.

"Charlie. Where are you going? You just had a panic attack. You can't go anywhere," I argued.

"I-I have to. I have to go somewhere. It's important. Please."

Dad looked at me. I was watching Charlie.

"I'll be okay, Don. I won't be gone long. Trust me."

I sighed, relenting.

"Okay. But if you're not home in half an hour, I'm coming after you, you hear me?"

He nodded.

"Where can we find you?" Dad had enough sense to ask.

"Lake Wood."

He closed the door behind him as he walked out.

I turned to Dad.

"Lake Wood?"

I realized where he meant. Dad must have too because he smiled sadly and nodded. I'd give him more than half an hour.

Charlie's POV

I rode my bike with some difficulty. It didn't take long to get where I wanted to go. I was surprised Don had let me go. Dad, too, for that matter.

I went to the exact place I wanted to go. Getting off my bike, I leaned down on the ground.

"Hi, Mom."