Disclaimer: I do not own Wildfire or any of the characters from the show - no copywrite infringement is intended.

"Congratulations, Kris!" Dani hugs me the moment I get off of Wildfire. The whole family is there – Matt, Jean, Pablo, Ken Davis, Dani and Junior. All the people that mean the world to me.

"It seems so unreal… Wildfire and I just won the Kentucky Derby. How surreal is that?"

"Baby, you did great! That's my wife – winner of the Kentucky Derby!" Junior is so proud of me – it isn't a first with this group, but I feel so loved and appreciated. Every time he calls me his wife I just want to melt.

Junior's wife – why does the wedding seem so cloudy? I remember it like yesterday, marrying the man I love surrounded by our friends and family – and yet it doesn't seem real. But the truth is on my finger…

"Sshhh! If they weren't watching me win a few minutes ago, there is really no point in telling them now!" As I glance down at my left hand I begin to worry. There is no ring, no tan line, no indentation of where my ring should be. "Junior, where's my ring? Did I take it off before the race," I whisper in Junior's ear my worry.

"Don't worry, love…" he begins to trail off, as I am passed around the group for photos. I see him talking with Matt, a worried look on his face. What is wrong? Why don't I remember where my ring is? Why is the wedding so foggy? Why can't I get a straight answer from anyone?

"Dani, I need to leave. Something is wrong," I yell, as I pull away from her and rush across the paddock to Wildfire and Junior.

In my mind I hear fervent demands that I wake up, that I return, but where am I returning to? The voice sounds so familiar, almost like Junior's voice, but it can't be. He is right in front of me. Plus the voice in my mind is so sad. I have never heard Junior that sad before, and yet I can't help but think that he is begging me to return to him.

"Junior!" I yell frantically, reaching towards him through the crowd of fans and well-wishers. "We need to leave, something is wrong. I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling I am not supposed to be here." He is so far away, I can't reach him, and yet a moment ago he was right in front of me. What is going on? Why do I keep hearing voices of those I love begging me to return? Why does riding Wildfire frighten me? Why do I keep thinking this is a dream? And if it is a dream, how do I wake up? These thought keep running through my head as I try to reach Junior. As I push past the last reporter in the crowd and see my family standing before me with worried glances on their faces I trip – losing my balance, falling. I don't hit anything though, I just keep falling…

"Junior," my voice barely raises above a faint whisper, and yet he instantly responds as if he was waiting for me, as I knew he would be.

"Kris, baby, are you awake? I'm right here. Please open your eyes, please," the desperation in his voice is barely contained. He reaches over my head to press the call button, his eyes never leaving my face.

"Junior," this time my voice is a little louder and more urgent. I know this is where I am supposed to be, and yet it is so hard to speak let alone open my eyes as he is urging me to do.

"Kris! I love you baby, open your eyes, please," At this time the doctor and nurses are running in. The noise is frantic and Junior is staring intently at Kris, waiting for her to say or do anything. "She said my name. She said my name twice." As he glances back at the doctors my eyes open for the first time. The light is so bright I struggle to open them beyond a sliver, all I can see is dark spots and grey areas.

"Ms. Furrillo? Kris? Can you hear me? I am Dr. Ambrose," As I struggle to focus on the woman standing before me, she takes my hand in hers. "If you can hear me please squeeze my hand?"

My eyes are adjusting to the light and I am finally able to make out the shape of the woman before me. She is young, probably only a few years older than me, if at all. I grasp her hand as she directs the nurses that followed her into my room.

"What happened?" I squeak out – my voice obviously not returning as fast as my vision.

"Kris you were in an accident. You fell off Wildfire when you went for a ride with Matt after the Tucker Stakes." What? I married Junior after the Tucker Stakes! I don't understand.

"I don't understand… We were married. I raced and won the Kentucky Derby…" My voice trails off as I try to piece together what has happened. Everything is happening so fast. My voice is tired and strained. My heads aches with a fierce pain beginning at the back and streaking towards my forehead and radiating down my body. I feel so weak.

"Kris – we haven't gotten married yet. I was on my way to Alaska when you fell. I raced back, but you have been out for a couple days. We didn't know if you were going to wake up again…" His voice fades out, leaving behind the unmistakable sound of desperation and sadness.

I cringe as I hear the truth from his mouth, and yet, hadn't I known that what I was experiencing before was a dream. Too perfect, too surreal to be my life. And yet it was so wonderful. As I stare at Junior I realize how serious my condition must be. He has dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes are beyond wrinkled. Tears are streaming down his face as he buries his head in my hands, placing kisses I can barely feel on my fingers. I cannot understand what has happened, but looking at Junior before me I know that everything will be ok because he is there – my knight in tainted, dirty armor, but knight just the same.

A/N: Ok – So I hope you all like the way my story is progressing. Sorry it took me so long to write another chapter. I worried over waking Kris up now or writing a few more chapters with her in a coma… Honestly I'm not sure I made the right choice, but as soon as I started writing it just came out this way. I know this chapter is not as long as I originally promised, but I think it turned out well. Please review and let me know what you think – please don't be afraid to send constructive criticism.