At the beginning of Chapter 13, "Emotional Turmoil", I posted an author's note that said I write to escape. That fire fighters, EMS providers, paramedics, and police officers bring home baggage from their calls. I said that they appear tough and strong because they have to and that their families have to be their support system. I am very proud to be part of that support system. Never more-so than when I say my husband and my son fill several of those positions that I named. One of the most difficult times as a supportive family member is when there is a fatal call. My son had his first this week and it involved a drunk driver. That led to a lot of emotions for him and for myself.

Three hours before show time, all of the talent was gathered in catering for a mandatory meeting. Mumbles and grumbles filled the room. Rumors had filled the hallways and the new Head of Security had not been seen yet. Seth and Roman were seated in the front row. Dean had come in and sat down with them but had popped up and lunatic-paced out of the room several minutes prior. Roman's knees were starting to bounce anxiously. He texted MiraBeth a couple of times but didn't want to appear too worried.

Vince McMahon took the podium in the front of the room, clearing his throat. "Things are changing around here. It was my intent to introduce to you the new Head of WWE Security at this time, but for now I will explain the new procedures that we are implementing as of now." As Mr. McMahon talked and papers were passed out, Roman heard nothing. Where was MiraBeth?

Dean appeared in the doorway and began to frantically wave at Roman. Roman slowly stood. "D*mmit, man! Come on!" Dean shouted. Vince looked at Dean. "There's an accident in front of the arena. MiraBeth has taken charge of the scene." Dean took off down the hall with Roman racing after him. As the men hit the arena entrance, the mass of wrestlers that had filled catering were piling out behind them.

The carnage was visible from the arena entrance. A car was overturned on its side. Another appeared to have rolled over completely and was once-again on its tires, its roof crushed. A third vehicle had massive front-end damage. This was where they observed MiraBeth, frantically working to remove the driver. As they started across the parking lot they could see her movements were quick and decisive. She wasted little time, deflecting the blows that the driver was sending towards her as she used some sort of tool to cut him free of his seat belt, grab his shirt and yank him from the van. She half-drug him away from the crushed heap of metal and behind another vehicle a few seconds before flames erupted through the van.

Roman and Dean reached MiraBeth first. "Keep him down. Try not to hurt him any more than he already is." she ordered. They nodded. She ran to the car that was on its side. More wrestlers were reaching the accident scene. She held up her hand, requesting that they remain in the parking lot. Now Roman could see that the tool in her hand was something that looked like a hammer. It was a tool that was made for punching out windows and cutting seatbelts, an emergency tool that she had been carrying in her backpack that was still on her back. He watched as she removed the windshield of the car and checked on the occupants inside. She did not move them because that would be dangerous. MiraBeth had 911 on her phone and was relaying vital information to them. She quickly and concisely described the names and ages of the victims, the locations in the vehicle, visible injuries, and pulse rates for each. This information was relayed to the first responders and to the hospital to which they would be transported later. At a later time, this information could prove to be crucial in answering the question of whether they were improving or declining. When she was ready to move to the last car, she gestured to someone and had a couple of people come over to continue to keep them calm. Roman was surprised to see Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole step up. Why does that surprise me? They make their living talking. This is right up their alley. They are the best people for this job. She couldn't have chosen two better people.

The third car was the one with the smashed roof. The doors were crumpled. MiraBeth took her backpack off and was trying to figure out how to get into the car to the victims inside. Sirens were finally screaming in the distance. Roman kept the man pinned to the ground as he watched MiraBeth pull a stick of some sort out of her pack, fling it out, and then work it into the crumpled door. Using her body, she began to lever the door open. Randy Orton ran over and grabbed ahold of the bar, using his muscle and weight to help pop the door. He stood back and covered his face as he got a glimpse inside the car. MiraBeth grabbed her gloves and reached for the passenger. "Sweetie, it's okay. You aren't alone." she crooned. MiraBeth slid her hands around the young man's neck, holding his lolling head still. Randy watched as the young man's eyes started to roll. "Stay with me, honey." He watched the youngster try to focus on the source of the voice. He listened to her comfort the stranger. He fought tears as he watched her comfort the man as he took his last breath. "It's okay, hon. I know it hurts. You fought a good fight. It's okay." Randy wiped tears from his own eyes as he watched her close the young man's eyelids.

"I hurt." MiraBeth looked at the young man in the backseat.

"We are going to get you out. You have to hang on." She reached her hand between the front seat and the doorframe to touch the man's shoulder.

"Why? Why did he do it?"

"What, honey?" she asked softly.

"The man in the van. He flew past us and turned around. He did a U-turn in the middle of the road and came straight for us. He hit us and that car. We couldn't get out of the way." The man couldn't help but cry. Firefighters were surrounding the car and setting up to cut the roof off. MiraBeth knew she was going to have to move her arm. "Why? Why?"

"I don't know, hon. I really don't know." She squeezed his shoulder. "I do know that there are a lot of people here to help you and want to get you out of here. Can you hang on for a few minutes?" MiraBeth pulled her arm from between the seat and the metal frame, preparing to step away from the car and out of the firefighters' way.

"I will try." he promised. "Ma'am? Ma'am? Will you do something for me? If I…If I don't make it, tell my mom it wasn't our fault. Tell my mom I love her. Tell my mom I tried." Tears washed down the boy's face.

MiraBeth stuck her arm back into the back seat and reached for the young man again. "I promise you that these men will do everything they can to get you out. You have to continue to fight to hold on. Then you can tell your mom yourself." She squeezed his shoulder again. "I promise not to forget a thing you said." Pulling her arm out, she took a step back.

"How do you do this?" Randy asked her.

MiraBeth shook her head. "I can't think about it yet. Not here. Not in front of his friends."

Randy backed away. The man that Roman and Dean had been watching had been restrained on a gurney so Roman was approaching MiraBeth. Randy grabbed his elbow and shook his head and led him over to the group of wrestlers gathered on the edge of the parking lot. "I just watched her hold on to a man and comfort him as he died. Then she's promised another kid to remember what may be his dying message to his mother. She's trying to keep him fighting for his life. I say with all due respect, that woman has balls."

"She's had command of the accident scene since shortly after it happened. She was in the arena getting ready to go to catering when she heard something. She headed for the arena doors and said she was going to check something really quick. The next thing I heard was her shouting to 'call 911' and the door slamming." One of the backstage security guards explained. "I called like she told me to and then I came out here. But it was so bad… I didn't know what to do… How to help…"

"None of us do." Seth Rollins told the man. "This is something she knows. We have to listen to her."

"MiraBeth has seen worse than this. This is her wheelhouse." Roman agreed. "That doesn't mean it's an easy pill to swallow."

"Our new Head of Security knows what she is doing. She isn't a cream puff." Dean said.

Slowly MiraBeth walked over to the group. "They have the patients loaded and on the way to the hospital. I have to give a statement to the police, so I'll be a little late getting inside. I am sorry about missing…"

"We are very lucky to have someone like you who is willing to be in charge of our security." Big Show's voice carried over everyone's heads. Murmurs of agreement filtered through the crowd. "I think Vince had your handouts. We can look over them and have a meeting tomorrow. Somehow I have a good feeling about these changes." He slapped Roman on the back and headed for the arena.

The other wrestlers followed until only Dean and Seth remained with Roman. The former Shield members waited together until MiraBeth was done meeting with the officers. Then the foursome walked in together. "Are you okay?" Seth asked quietly.

MiraBeth walked beside Roman, getting closer all the time until she was finally bumping hips with him. Roman dropped an arm around her waist. She tucked her face into his side and wrapped her arms around him. As they reached the arena doors, Roman felt his shirt getting wet. He motioned to the other guys to wait. They closed in around her as she lost her battle for control. Roman was holding her up off the ground as she sobbed. Dean and Seth were caressing her back and head as she mourned the latest tragic loss of life and senseless injury that she had witnessed.

"Why?! Why?! If he was so angry, so depressed, so… ARGH! Why did he have to try and take out INNOCENT people? He took his van and AIMED at them! He purposefully rammed them and hurt other people. He didn't know them. He hurt them and killed people just because he was miserable. Why? Why? WHY?" Pain and anguish laced MiraBeth's raw voice.

Roman clutched the sides of her face and force her to look up at him. "He was a selfish *ssh*le who didn't give a d*mn about anyone else. That's the only answer I can think of. But if you can rapid fire those questions at me, I can rapid fire a slew back at you." She blinked up at him with huge doe-like eyes. "Why does someone like you care so much for other people? Why do you feel it necessary to walk into the middle of carnage like that? What makes you different from everyone else? Other people stand back and gawk. You walk right into the middle of it and do something, do the right thing. You know what to do and how to do it. Why? How? How do you know which one to go to and who to help first? You get it right, MiraBeth. And you know what to say, the right thing to say. How? It's a freakin' gift. It's amazing, wonderful, and downright scary to watch." He pulled her tight to his chest.

"What Roman said." Dean said, touching the back of her head.

"I concur. You are an amazing woman." Seth agreed, touching her shoulder as he reached for the arena door.

Roman whispered into MiraBeth's ear, "I am not losing you over this. You are incredibly strong."

"Do you really think so?" The hopefulness in her voice tore at Roman's heart.

"Babe, never ever doubt that. You've had a boyfriend who's been on the road more than he's been with you and you've made it work. It takes an exceptionally strong woman to cope with this lifestyle. A female police officer? Another example of an exceptionally strong woman. Both of those wrapped into one hot body? Dddd*mn! I am one lucky man." He whispered the last into her ear, hoping for a smile. While she didn't smile, at least the tears stopped and she was no longer so frighteningly pale. Roman opened the door and escorted MiraBeth inside.