CHAPTER FOUR

Silver held Annie close next to her, she was once again in Annie's bed – almost in the exact same spot that she had been two weeks previous when she had found Ethan trying to confront a weeping Annie. At least today she didn't have to half support – half drag Annie to her bed – at least today she didn't have to fall backwards onto the bed with Annie's weight on top of her. At least today she didn't have a claustrophobic episode.

She had stopped by the Wilson home and the housekeeper had told her that both Annie and Dixon weren't home. But the housekeeper said that Silver could stay and wait if she wanted. Silver had decided to go up to Annie's bedroom and wait for her best friend there. She didn't want to see anyone else in the Wilson family that day – she just had a strong feeling that Annie needed her. She was shocked that Annie wasn't home waiting for her.

The feeling that Annie desperately needed her didn't stop.

Two hours had gone by and when she walked out of the connecting bathroom she found Annie crawled up in the middle of her bed – looking like a lost little girl. Silver had walked over and got onto the bed and wrapped her arms around Annie – simply holding her best friend.

At some point – Silver didn't know when – they ended up facing once another – brown eyes looking into blue eyes. Silent. Not a word had been spoken between the two best friends. Silver promised herself that she would get to the bottom of this. For the reason why Annie's spirit was in so much pain.

Annie sat straight up in the chair opposite the couch – the couch where Mrs. Taylor was sitting with a class of vodka in her hands – the vodka bottle was in the center of the coffee table – half empty. "Mrs. Taylor; you don't know me – but my name is Annie Wilson …."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "I don't aim to buy anything." She took a drink from her glass.

"I'm not here to sell anything." Annie shook her head. "I'm here about Silver."

"What mess has Erin gotten herself into now." Jackie snarled.

"None." Annie said in shock.

Jackie snorted through her nose, "If Erin is in trouble and needs me too bail her out – than you can just go on back to her and tell her that I'm not doing it. I'm no longer in the business of raising her or …."

"Mrs. Taylor." Naomi said in a forceful voice. "Erin ISN'T in any trouble."

At Naomi's voice, Jackie's head turned too face the teenager. "Hello Naomi, it's been simply ages since you have been around. Erin isn't home right now – but you are free to stay until she returns." She smiled kindly.

"Mrs. Taylor – Erin and I aren't best friends any longer – matter of fact we aren't friends anymore." Naomi said in a tight thin voice.

Fire suddenly came into Jackie's eyes, - she leaned forward and suddenly tossed the glass into Naomi's face – vodka ran down Naomi's face – and she had to blink her eyes as vodka and raw salty tears fell from her eyes.

"Get out you home wrecking whore!" Jackie spat in Naomi's face.

Annie's body suddenly stiffen and her eyes squeezed shut. Silver just tightened her hold around her best friend. Silver's leaned forward until her forehead touched Annie's. She could feel Annie's pours opening even more and wet sweat that was not her own met her skin. Her blue eyes just stared into Annie's closed ones - she tried to will them to open – for Annie to finally tell her why she was so upset.

After Naomi had left – Annie tried to get over the shock at seeing how angry Jackie Taylor had been at Naomi. Jackie had ripped Naomi too shreds for her role in the breakage of her marriage to Mel Silver. Jackie had accused Naomi for stealing Silver away from her. Jackie had stood to her feet and jerked Naomi up from the chair and yanked her to the front door and tossed Naomi out.

Jackie had walked back into the living room and sat back in her place – leaning forward she picked up the bottle filling the glass to the top. After setting the bottle back onto the table she leaned back. She took a long drink of the vodka – allowing the liquor to run smoothly down her hot throat. She looked at the two teen agers across from her - "I'm sorry – would you two like a drink?"

"We aren't legally allowed to drink, Mrs. Taylor." Dixon said in a calm voice. "But thank you anyway."

Jackie shrugged. "I wouldn't have told anyone. I'm not that kind of mother." She tilted her head sideways, "I have never seen you two around here before – how do you know Erin again?"

"We go to school with her, we just moved here in the middle of September. Our father, Harry Wilson is West Beverly Highs new principal." Dixon said.

"Harry Wilson ….. he went to school with Kelly. Matter of fact he and Kelly were good friends – I had always hoped that they would have gotten married." Jackie said in a far away voice. "Last I heard he moved to Kansas."

"That's where he met my mom." Annie said with a gentle smile.

"I'm adopted." Dixon quickly said before Jackie could say anything about the difference of skin colors. He didn't want to get into it with Mrs. Taylor – especially when she was so obviously drunk.

"Mrs. Taylor ..." Annie began.

"Ms. Taylor." Jackie snorted through her nose. She took another long drink from her glass. She leaned forward and emptied the bottle in her all ready half filled glass, liquor spilled over onto her hands. "Shit!" Jackie stormed. She leaned back and looked towards the hallway "ERIN GET YOUR ASS IN HERE WITH ANOTHER BOTTLE!" Jackie's face turned ugly … "GOD DAMN GIRL, I SAID GET YOUR ASS IN HERE NOW!"

"Silver isn't here Ms. Taylor," Annie said in a freaked out voice. "She's living with Kelly and Sam now."

Jackie stood to her feet suddenly and threw the glass against the wall to Annie's right side. Annie shrieked and Dixon suddenly stood up and wrapped his arms around his sister. He yanked her up and simply backed away from an angry drunken Jackie Taylor. "Time to get out of here, Annie, now." He hissed in her right ear.

Annie began to moan softly and Silver tried to understand what she was saying … it sounded like she was moaning her name …. why was the thought of her hurting Annie? Tears spilled down her checks as she realized that whatever was freaking Annie out so much had to do with her – and it was bad.

But she couldn't let Annie go yet – because Annie's finger nails were biting into her arms.

Annie stood her ground – even at Dixon's urgent whispers to get the hell out of the house – she stood her ground. She still had Silver's Christmas Wish to grant after all – and there was only a week a half left before Christmas day. She had to find a way to get through to Ms. Taylor.

"I'm Silver's be -" Annie began.

"My youngest daughter's name is Erin, young lady, and you better not forget it." Jackie snared as she stared deeply into Annie's eyes. "You have your father's eyes." She said with a nod of her head; "I can see that you also have his stubbornness."

"Mrs. Taylor the reason why I'm here is because I want to grant Si … Erin's Christmas Wish." Annie said.

"Oh and what is Erin's Christmas Wish?" Jackie asked lifting her right eye brow high.

"To have her family back." Annie said in a gentle and kind voice.

Jackie just barked in laughter. "That will never happen, the family is destroyed. All because my beloved ex husband – Mel, couldn't keep his dick in his pants." She grabbed the quarter filled bottle from the table and took a long drink from the tip.. "Did you know that it WAS Erin whom had walked in on her dear old dad fucking some woman off the streets. It happened at his office – she had gone there to ask something or another – I forget what it was – and she got to see with her own eyes what her father truly is and always will be."

Jackie looked into the bottle, "I blame myself really – after Mel cheated on me the first time – I should have just continued to walk away from him. I should have gotten full custody of Erin and never allowed him in her life." She took a long swig – her face had turned an ugly shade of purple and red as she lowered the bottle.

"Erin's life got destroyed due to Mel Silver – I will have his dick for this." Jackie stormed and threw the bottle against the wall behind Annie.

Annie began to cry out and shake uncontrollably. Silver prayed even harder for Annie to finally find peace. Just some peace from whatever was playing on her soul – peace for the rest of her life. Tears fell harder from her eyes – even if the peace meant that she no longer be in Annie's life. That Annie could no longer be her best friend.

"Silver --" Annie chocked out as she gripped Silver's arm even tighter.

"I'm here, Annie, it's going to be all right." Silver whispered.

"Silver – oh God no ..." Annie shook her head too and for.

Dixon gripped Annie's on the right forearm and dragged her from the room. They could still hear Jackie's screams as they rushed from the house – slamming the door behind them.

Annie never knew how she got home – she had turned numbed the moment that she got into the passenger seat of the van. She walked had numbly up the stairs and towards her room. She crawled onto her bed and wrapped herself into a fetal postion. She tried to wrap her mind and her soul around everything that she had heard – felt at Silver's mother's home. How could Silver had lived there without fallening compelty apart.

She felt lost and alone – afraid that she was on the verge of breaking down and never being able to be part back together. Suddenly she felt Silver's essance enter her soul – protecting her – being her strength – her rock.

Suddenly she felt Silver's soul cry out for help – she felt Silver start to pull away from her – too never return. She had to stop it – she had to protect Silver and keep her loved and safe with her.

Silver's soul suddenly felt warmth enter it –

Silver don't leave me.

You are afraid of me, I can't allow you to be in pain. Even if it hurts me to never end; if I'm the one that is causing you pain – than I need to rip myself from you.

No! That's not true Silver, you aren't the cause of my pain.

Than what is?

I can't tell you. But you have to trust me; I have to go through it too reach the other side.

How can I comfort you and protect you if I don't know from what?

I'm not in that much pain with you comforting me.

You called out my name – in fear – no it's not good that I'm with you.

What are you saying?

SILVER!

I'm sorry Annie, but I have to protect you.

Don't do this, Silver, it will destroy both of us.

Than ….

Have faith.

What has faith given me? A broken home, parents who hate one another, an ex best friend from preschool till eigth grade.

Faith has given you; me. And me; you. Faith has given you Kelly and Sammy, a protective home now.

That was luck – not faith!

Promise me that you will never me, Silver, no matter what.

I can't promise you that, Annie.

Do you trust me?

Of course.

Than trust me that what I'm feeling isn't your fault, that even through I can't tell you right NOW why I'm in pain – someday I'll tell you.

Ok.

I love you Silver.

I love you Annie.

Both best friends fell asleep in each other arms comforted in the knowledge that neither one of them were going any where. That they would be there for one another in the morning and for the rest of their lives.

END CHAPTER FOUR

Author's Note: This chapter had been the hardest one to write. I had to restart the chapter three times before I finally came up with the way I wanted to protay Annie's meeting with Jackie. I hope I did it justice.