As always…characters aren't mine…not trying to make money with them…you know the drill…

This is a flashback within a flashback: Matthew Wheeler was giving Regan some advice about Hallie, and it triggered this memory about a time when he made a very special promise to a dying Dan Mangan.

Flashback: Matt's POV:

"Um…are you praying or sleeping?"

The voice penetrated Matthew Wheeler's hazy brain, and caused his lolling head to jerk up. Opening his heavy eyelids, the wealthy businessman saw his son Jim standing at the door to his study.

"Dad?"

"Hmmmph? Oh, sorry about that Jim. I must have dozed off while I was…working in here."

The red headed young man gave Matthew a warm grin.

"You work too hard. Come on, it's getting late, and everyone else has already gone up to bed."

He opened the door wider to indicate that he wanted his father to follow him out of it.

"You go on ahead, son. I have some things I need to finish up, here."

"Anything I can help you with?"

Matthew was touched.

Trying not to let on that his heart had been melted by Jim's thoughtfulness, he simply waved the twenty-year-old off with a casual, "Nah, you go on up."

It wasn't that he didn't think Jim could help him. On the contrary, he knew his adopted son was probably the most level-headed and business minded college student he'd ever known. Yet, he thought it best not to involve Jim in the paperwork he was currently working on, because it dealt with Dan Mangan's medical information. The increasingly grim reality of their young friend's illness was something Matt didn't want his son to have to worry about tonight.

"Are you sure?" Jim checked again.

Suddenly, a loud shriek interrupted their conversation.

It had come from the back guest room, down the hall.

The same room Dan had been staying in since his immune system had become too weak to handle the damp air of Mr. Maypenny's old cabin.

Matt felt his adrenaline kick in, fear gripping him.

Without another word, he clambered from the room on Jim's heels. His heart pounded in his chest and his stomach lurched.

Lord, please let Dan be okay, he prayed fervently. He raced down the hall on trembling legs.

As he entered the bedroom behind Jim, he immediately understood what was happening and reached out to stop his son from touching the young man who was writhing on the bed.

"He's…he's just dreaming," Matthew breathed out with a huge sigh of relief. But, the feeling quickly turned to concern, as he watched Dan struggle violently with an imaginary attacker.

This can't be good for him, he thought.

"Jim, speak softly to him over on that side, and I'll see if I can wake him from over here. Try not to startle him," Matt said quietly.

But, they didn't get a chance to put their plan into action.

Before either man could move, Dan gave another shriek of terror and shot out his fist to shatter the water glass sitting on the nightstand beside his bed.

The sound of the breaking vessel jolted Matt into action, causing him to leap forward and subdue Dan's fists so that he wouldn't cut himself further on the jagged shards.

"Jim, quick! Help me hold him down… and keep him out of the glass!"

For a brief moment, Jim hesitated, causing Matt to wonder if it was because seeing Dan fight like this was bringing up painful memories from his own past. He knew the young red head had been physically abused by his stepfather, the same way Dan had suffered beatings when he was in foster care.

But, despite his initial reticence, Jim surprised Matt by quickly moving to comply with his commands; he took over Dan's left arm and pinned him gently to the mattress.

"No!" Dan wailed. "Please! Stop! Luke, stop it! Let us go!"

"Shhh," Matt tried to console him. "Dan, it's alright. Wake up, now."

"Hallie!" Dan's voice cracked as he strained it to its maximum volume.

The young man's rapidly moving eyelids suddenly flew open, and his chest began to heave with ragged breaths while he tried desperately to shake himself of his nightmare.

"Dan. Dan, listen to me. Everything is alright," Matthew said gently. "You're safe. You and Hallie both. You're safe."

Poor kid, he must have been dreaming about those horrible Cowhands kidnapping him and his girlfriend at the Glen Road Inn.

He was reluctant to release his charge's arm before he knew for sure the battle was over.

Jim held on in the same manner. His eyes had been tightly shut as if he had been trying to make this frightening scene go away by simply refusing to look at it, but now he was starting to blink them open again.

"Dan. Can…can you hear us?" Jim tried to illicit a response.

"I…I…"The young man was still trembling and gasping for breath.

"It's okay, son," Matthew soothed. "It's okay."

He slowly relaxed his hold as Dan began to grow limp in his grasp, and Jim began to sit up to take stock of the damage that had been done.

"You…you've cut yourself, Dan," Jim panted. He dropped his friend's wrist and pointed to the bloody fingers on Dan's other hand.

"I…huh?" The look of confusion and hurt on Dan's face broke Matt's heart.

"Don't worry. They're tiny cuts. You did it when you knocked your water glass over. It's okay. We'll get that cleaned up in no time. Just let me just take a look to make sure there aren't any shards stuck in your skin…"

Matt reached out to inspect Dan's fist but was shocked when the young man jerked away in fear.

He noted the nineteen-yea-old's dark eyes were still glassy and they didn't seem to register any recognition.

He's not fully awake yet, Matt thought glumly.

"Dan, it's okay," Jim now comforted from beside him. "Let Dad check your hand."

The younger boy shook his head blindly and suddenly tried to stand up, but he didn't get very far before exhaustion and fatigue made his weak legs buckle beneath him. He would have sat down hard on the floor if Jim hadn't quickly reached out and pulled him back to land on the bed again.

"No!" Dan bellowed, pushing his friend away with surprising strength. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"