Chapter 12

Camden Residence

"I'm so glad to be back home and not in that stuffy hospitalk room." Lucy says as Kevin's arm wraps around her side.

"Me too." Sara says.

"Kevin and Ethan lead the girls into the front hall of the Camden house. As soon as Sara and Lucy enter they are greeted by two banner that say "Welcome home Lucy" and "Welcome home Sara" both also have "Love, Sam, David, Emma, and Maggie" written underneath them. The four adults enter the dining room where Ruthie, Sam, David, and Emma jump up to hug and kiss Sara and Lucy.

"Mama!" Maggie crys from her highchair. Sara goes over and gives her youngest a kiss and hug.

"Welcome home." Ruthie says to Sara and Lucy. Eric and Annie come into the room, put the rest of the food on the table and go over and hug the two girls.

"We missed you." Annie says. "Let's all sit down and eat. Especially you four." She says to Kevin, Lucy, Ethan, and Sara. Immediately everyone sits down as they all continue to talk to one another. Except Lucy who is unusually quiet.

Kevin leans over to her, "Are you O.K.?" He asks her.

Lucy sighs, "Yea I'm fine. I'll talk to you later about it. I don't want to ruin everyone's mood." She puts her hand into his and squeezes his a little. Her thoughts stray again 'What if it was Jeremy in that car and not Dylan. What if it was neither of them?'

Camden Residence (Later that night)

"Do you think that Dylan knows we are at Lucy's parents house?" Sara asks Ethan who is sitting on the bed beside her.

"I don't know." Ethan responds not wanting to worry Sara by saying yes. Sara moves into Ethan's arms.

"I just pray he doesn't find us or the girls." Sara buries her head in Ethan chest.

"Me too." He says softly stroking her hair, "Me too." He repeats falling asleep with Sara still in his arms.

Kinkirk Residence (Same night)

Kevin wakes up to find Lucy tossing and turning in her sleep.

"No...Stop...No...No...Don't...Please..No..." Lucy mumbles. Gently Kevin places his hand on her shoulder. "No!" She screams as she bolts upright. Franticly Lucy searches the room to be sure it was just a nightmare. "Kevin." She says her voice just above a whisper. She pushes herself against her husband and clings to him as if the monster from her dream can and will come back at any moment.

"Shh....It's O.K." Kevin says lightly rubbing Lucy's back, "It's O.K. love I'm here." The two of them sit like that until most of Lucy's tears stop. Kevin pulls away a little. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks her.

"He was there he was on top of me yelling and hitting. And I couldn't do anything I screamed and fought and yelled for you but no one helped and nothing I did was good enough. He raped me. And then you came in and the two of you were fighting and I heard a gun go off and he k...he killed you. He shot you right in front of me. And then I woke up. Thank goodness I woke up." Lucy says still shaking. "Kevin tell me you won't leave me like that, tell me he won't hurt you or me anymore, tell me it's all O.K." Lucy pleads.

"It's all O.K. and I will never leave you like that and 'he' will never hurt us. But I need to know who 'he' is. Is it Jeremy?" Kevin asks hoping that the monster that's in Lucy's dreams is some faceless creature that neither of them know. Something completely imaginary so it's memory can fade quicker. His hope shatters when Lucy nods her head against his chest. Fresh tears rush out of Lucy's eyes. Once her tears stop again Kevin pulls her back down onto the bed.

"Will you do something for me?" She asks him as if she were a child.

"I'll do anything for you." He replies sincerely.

"Hold me. All night. That way if this nightmare comes back I know you'll be here holding me, keeping me safe. And I'll know your O.K. I'll know he didn't really hurt you." Lucy sniffles and snuggles as close to Kevin as she can get.

"I promise I will stay like this with you all night. And all day tomorrow and all day everyday if you want me to." He says dropping a kiss on the top of his wife's head. Kevin feels Lucy starting to fall asleep. He runs his hand up and down her back and falls asleep himself. Little does he know that their slumber will once again be broken.