"Love, Hurry up we are going to be late." Junior hollered up the stairs. Frustrated she could hear him throw himself down on the couch and flip on the TV. Rolling her eyes at the boyish antics she knew he was making she finished clipping her earrings and slowly walked down the stairs. He sat on the couch with a black tux on and a rose in his left hand. She sighed and he looked up.

Smirking he replied, "Bout damn time!" She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, this night was going to be perfect and nothing could change that. Slowly they greeted in the middle of the room and Junior took her into his arms and kissed her.

"Come on Love, were gonna be late as it is, and you looking like that man…. Let's just go." Kris smiled then, and as they walked out hand and hand, she realized this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Placing her head against the toilet seat she let the contents of her stomach fill the bowl. Tears sprung to her eyes as she lay on the cool tile in agony, with a scream caught in her throat. Her mind wandered in a million directions, what if she had forced him to stay, begged him. He would have given in; he would have done anything for her. Cruel fate had given her a chance to change the future and she had ignored it. She lied on the floor counting the tiles on the ceiling. Her mind drifted to their house they had shared together, would she ever be able to return to it?

Sleep seemed to elude her as she tossed and turned in bed later that night. It had been so long since she had felt alive. Hell it had been so long since she had actually felt anything. The moment that plane went down her whole life had changed. She could feel a sting of pain in her stomach and felt the tears teeter down her face. The numb feeling that had preceded the accident had slowly turned to pain.

Kris stumbled out of bed and went into the bathroom. Staring at herself in the mirror, she didn't even recognize the person she saw. Her normally shiny and vibrant brown eyes were puffy and red from crying. Her long dark hair was matted and twisted about around her head making her look like Medusa. Wincing at the vision in the mirror she returned to her bed and to the constant tossing, turning, and nightmares.

As the wind blew her hair around shadowing her face like a blanket, she stood still in the midst of the field. Not an emotion was present on her face as she listened to the priest, as he spoke of the dearest diseased. Another one of her most cherished loved ones was gone.

Slowly as the progression faded away, she remained still. The words of remembrance were still impressed in her mind. She felt her eyes swell with tears as she gazed upon a field of dead willows. Now like her loved one, they were gone. Only to be seen in her memories and her dreams.

She took her time walking over to her car, and looked back at the blue tent in the midst of the field. She knew now that her memories would be tainted by this image. In this very field they had met when long stemmed flowers and tall green grasses had rolled across the land. This was where they had met and became friends, then lovers. She lingered for a moment and then turned and drove away.

Kris jerked awake at the memory of his funeral. She couldn't escape him. The nightmares were haunting her and there were signs of him everywhere. It seemed as if everyone everywhere had something to say some measly sympathy to give. Nothing would ease the pain; nothing they could say would change the fact that she had lost the love of her life.

Getting up to feed Jason, she couldn't help but think about the days events. As she walked down the hallway the picture on the walls seemed to be taunting her of all the dreams they had made, of all the dreams that were now lost.

She needed an escape that even her friends could not provide. Like her they were all hurting too. She suddenly felt sick again. Sitting down in a rocking chair she quietly hummed a lullaby to Jason as he fell into a peaceful slumber. How she wished that sleep would come that easily to her. Placing him back in his crib she slowly snuck out of the room.

"Do you ever wonder what life will be like ten years from now? Where will we be then, what will we be doing, will we still have this love?" Kris asked.

He smiled, that cute crooked little I know it all smile and she felt herself inwardly sigh. After all he was everything she had ever hoped for and more. He looked up at her then, straight in her eyes right down to her soul and smiled an even bigger smile while sipping his coffee. Damn those beautiful brown eyes, she thought, as she cursed him silently still waiting for an answer.

"Well..." She replied, hesitant for his answer now.

He smiled again still remaining quiet, knowing exactly what button he was pushing and how to push it. He seemed to laugh quietly at her, somehow knowing how anxious she was for the answer. She sat silently just watching and waiting. Waiting.

"Of course love," he replied. She smiled again now with more ease. The waiting was over.

Waking with a jolt, she tried to clear her mind of the memory. She had found comfort for at least part of the night. Rolling over to look at her alarm clock, and the empty bed beside her, she sighed again wishing that the night was over.

"Five o'clock," she whispered "Only two more hours." It seemed more of a commitment than a statement. It was at that moment she realized how truly lost she was without him, how truly lonely she was now that he was gone. Fighting back tears, she closed her eyes and let sleep overcome her again.

It was the Breeder's Invitational and she was on Wildfire. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, could hear it in her ears. "Focus Kris" she told herself "breathe". She could feel him move underneath her, could feel his need to run. She smiled remembering how Dani had once told her that she and Wildfire were on a link. "Do you want it boy?" she asked him already knowing the answer, "Me too!" she whispered in his ear. As the gates opened and the horses lurched forward Kris closed her eyes and relished in the feeling. Quickly the sound of her heartbeat faded, and Kris could faintly hear a buzzing noise, pulling her focus away.

Waking to her alarm clock, Kris knew then what she needed to do, and a single word slipped from her lips,

"Wildfire".