Two reminders: I don't own anything related to the WWE. If I did, I wouldn't have planned shows in Connecticut and Boston for the end of January 2015. Guess what? That's prime Nor'easter and Blizzard season! The same exact thing happened a year or two ago when Bon Jovi kicked off their last tour (before Richie Sambora left the group). They played a concert in the hotel/casino instead of at the arena because of the travel ban.

This chapter revisits events that happened with MiraBeth in chapter 13. It may be emotional. Just a heads-up.

Blizzard Juno slammed the northeast hard. The WWE superstars were stuck in the hotel for two and a half days, giving Roman and MiraBeth plenty of quality time together. There was lots of one-on-one passionate time as well as conversational time about future plans. MiraBeth had taken The Rock's words to heart, Roman needed to know what her worst memories were – the things that didn't make the news.

The couple sat on the bed facing each other. Roman held MiraBeth's hands. "I want to know. I know it was horrible, worse than I can imagine. Coming home to you and not knowing what you are reliving…that is what really bugs me. I need to know."

MiraBeth whispered, "Home? You think of it as coming home?"

He pulled her closer making sure their knees were touching. "Being with you means being home." His thumbs ran lightly over the backs of her hands. "I need to make your home a safe place."

Tears welled in MiraBeth's eyes as she ducked her head. Roman didn't move. He watched her take several deep, calming breaths. "It was put out as an accident with people trapped. The dispatcher said there was only one caller, something that usually tells us that it is minor. A huge accident gets lots of calls and the people are frantic. With just one caller and not much information, I was the only person that was sent to the scene." She shook her head slowly. "I looked at the massive mess of wrecked vehicles and asked for everyone to come. I didn't have to get out of my car to know it was bad, the worst that I had ever seen. I had my first aid kit and knew that wasn't going to do any good. Still, I put on my rubber gloves and headed for the first car. The driver was obviously dead. I made sure no one else was in the car and jogged to the next vehicle, a van. I could hear someone crying." Tears were rolling down her face now. "You know how you can hear someone crying and it gets fainter as you walk away? Well this was just like that except I was getting closer. The closer I got, the more faint the cries became. I was there as that person died, Roman. I was right there as they drew their last breath. I was touching their neck, feeling their pulse as it stopped.I felt sick. Then I saw the child in the backseat…" She trailed off at the memory. Roman continued to caress her hands. Taking a shaky breath she continued. "I couldn't allow myself to dwell on that, to mourn. I couldn't allow myself to feel sick, either. I radioed again, reiterating that this was a mass casualty accident and that the medical examiner needed to come to the scene, not wait at the office. Then I finally headed for the trickiest vehicle, the charter bus."

"You were still alone." Roman whispered.

"I was still alone, looking at a bus that was sitting crooked. The door was angled down and against a tree. Only the wheels on that side were on the ground, the others were in the air. The bus wasn't designed to sit like that…the passengers were going to start moving around and panicking. The bus could tip or slide. More people could get hurt. I had to do something for anyone who had survived. I headed for the door and saw a crack in the glass. I broke it and radioed that I was entering the bus. Finally…finally I heard sirens." MiraBeth closed her eyes and Roman knew she was seeing herself on the bus again. He shifted closer, draping her legs over his. "The driver was belted into his seat, but that didn't help. The impact had…anyway, I moved to the first seat. The passengers from the right side of the bus had fallen on top of the passengers on the left. I told them that help was coming and that they needed to stay as still as possible. We would get them out as quickly and safely as possible. They were still trying to maneuver off of one another. I could hear the moans and cries that were beginning to set in. Some were starting to wail. You can't imagine the sounds." She swallowed as the memories set in. Roman's hands moved to her back as he tried to keep her calm through the memory. "I heard the fire department arrive. They shared my concern about the bus sliding and they knew that an officer was on the bus. They wanted me off until they got it stabilized."

"You didn't get off."

"They needed help. They needed some measure of reassurance that help was with them and my uniform provided that. I had to bear down and focus, knowing and remembering that help was just outside. They were going to figure out how to keep us as safe as possible, I just had to buy them time which wasn't going to be easy. I waded into the mass of bodies…turning when I heard a shout. A female paramedic had gotten on with me. We didn't really talk. She had some neck collars, so I held a girl's neck stable while she fixed the collar. We didn't have the ability to really take a lot of vitals or anything. Triage wasn't happening on the bus." MiraBeth dropped her head onto Roman's shoulder. "We could hear the firefighters talking and planning. The men outside handed collars and splints inside. If we could move a patient without jostling the bus, we did. That usually wasn't an option. Time drug on as we heard the fire engines moving around. Then some chains came through the windows and were wrapped under the bus as well. They tied the bus off so it wouldn't slash couldn't move. There was equipment on both sides keeping it steady. Finally some of the other providers could safely board and help us in treating and removing patients. I had been on that bus for almost forty-five minutes because it takes time to plan and ensure that everything is safe. Forty-five minutes, Roman."

"I hear you. I hear you." he said softly.

"When I got home, I stripped into the washer. Everything, every stitch I was wearing. My boots will have to be replaced. There's no saving them, not that I could wear them again, anyway. It was just…"

"Hell. You saw hell." he said gently. "You helped the survivors through the worst night of their lives. You gave them hope when there was nothing to hold on to. I know it's something you want to forget and you never will." He framed her face with his warm hands. "Mira, when you need that beacon, when you need that port in the storm, I am right here. I want you to remember something." He looked into her eyes. "When you are in that place, when you are reliving and feeling so helpless and alone, I want you to focus on right here right now. Remember my face. Remember my arms. Know that I am here; I always will be. You are never alone. Never again."

Mirabeth's tears streaked down her cheeks. "Home." she murmured as she burrowed into his chest. The two sat there leaning on each other. Slowly MiraBeth raised her head to place a kiss on Roman's throat, right on his adam's apple. "This goes both ways. Remember me sitting right here, wrapped around you. Remember the feel of me against your skin. How much we need and rely on each other, no matter what. When things get tough out there…" she tilted her head back towards the snow-covered window, "we are solid. That should mean something."

Roman captured her mouth in a quick but passionate kiss. "That means everything. Home."