Chapter 113

"Krista, look at me, sweetheart. You didn't do anything wrong. I need to come and touch you, will you be afraid if I do?"

She looked up at him and shook her head 'no'. Holding out her arms to him she wanted to be held and comforted by the man she loved. "I am so sorry, Albert, I guess I thought you were my father for a bit there. Did I say anything that...well...anything bad?"

Hurrying to take her into his arms and hold her close to him he whispered, "No my precious love you didn't do anything wrong. Your father was a bastard and I'd kill him now if the man weren't already dead. Krista, honey he hurt you bad, sexually when you were only thirteen didn't he?"

"How did you know?" she gasped, trying to pull away. She was sure that if Albert knew he would hate her like the other men in her life had when they found out.

"No, Krista, don't pull away from me. I love you and I'm your husband." AJ cradled her in his arms and gently rocked her as he tried to explain that only sick and twisted people could do that to and innocent child. "I love you, Krista, and you need never be afraid to come to me and tell me anything."

"But he made me do such bad things and that will make you hate me!" she sobbed into his chest.

"What happened to you wasn't your fault, sweetheart, but that of an evil man. He hurt you
because he enjoyed doing it and made you think it was you fault."

"I had to keep him from hurting Krystal, that is the only reason I let him do those things to me! He told me I was bad."

"He lied to you, my darling, he was the one at fault while you were always the innocent child being
abused," AJ held her close as she sobbed her heart out.

"But at least he didn't hurt Krystal!"

"How can you be sure he didn't hurt Krystal too? Have you two ever talked about it to each other?" he continued to rock her. "Chances are if he abused you, he did the same to Krystal."

"NO! No! I protected her! If he hurt her then what I did was all for nothing!" she tried to get to her feet to run and hide.

Holding her close to him, "Sssshhhh, it's alright, sweetheart. Lets get undressed and go to bed. It's been a very long day and we're both tired. We'll see Tom and Krystal tomorrow and maybe you girls can talk, but right now you and the twins need rest. Do you want me to leave the light on?"

"Albert, you don't hate me?" she whispered, almost afraid to believe that he still loved her.

"Krista, I could never hate you! I love you far too much! You are the love of my life and the mother of my children. Never believe I feel anything for you other than love," he kissed her tenderly.

"I love you too, Albert," she sighed as she finally relaxed against him. Krista was so emotionally exhausted from what she had just been through that she could hardly lift her head off his shoulder.

AJ decided it might be best to leave the light on just in case she had a nightmare or woke up in a strange place and it set her off again. Holding her gently and whispering his love for her as he caressed her back, he finally felt her breathing grow slower and guessed she had gone to sleep.

He eased them both down into the bed and just held her, knowing that it would be a long and restless night for him. The deep love and worry he felt for Krista wanting to care for her and their children. There was the worry over the transplant and now the desire to kill again. Only there was no one to kill. The man that had hurt her was long dead and gone.

To be continued…