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Epilogue

"He's going to live." a voice said, breaking through my cloud of memories.

Looking up I saw Jerry. He held his hat, his head bowed to his chest. His massive shoulders sagged and I could tell he was trying to cry.

"Why..." I croaked out. "Why...How? How could this happen?"

"You haven't heard?"

I shook my head, putting my focus onto AJ. His head was bandaged...his arm in a sling and a million other things were wrong...and yet I almost expected him to sit up and tell me to stop fucking sniffling over him.

"John tampered with the equipment and he fitted the safety devices wrong. The moment the car crashed everything malfunctioned."

"Why did he crash?" I whispered. Leaning down I let my lips fall against AJ's frozen face...a face usually so full of different emotions.

"Faulty breaks. John did something with them on the last pit stop. That's why AJ came out so far back."

I nodded, an inner rage boiling.

"He's going to get what he deserves Kris."

I looked up at him, my gray eyes icy.

"He's going to burn in hell for what he did." I said flatly. "Can you give me a minute?"

Jerry nodded, walking out to where practically the whole NASCAR organization was gathered. I took AJ's undamaged hand in my own, bringing it to my lips.

"I can't lose you." I whispered. "I can't."

____________________

"And now in first place we're happy to present this check and trophy to Krista Hemmings!" the announcer said loudly.

I stood up, my red chiffon dress clinging to my body. Lifting the bottom I headed up the stairs, my head held high.

Every driver from NASCAR was present at the Awards Ceremony. Eight men had come and went before me with their speeches and tearful thanks. Now it was my turn.

"Thank you." I said to the gentlemen, taking the check. I stared at it a moment...the numbers meant nothing. Nothing mattered at the moment except for what I wanted to say.

"As you may have noticed...only eight speakers have been on this stage tonight." I began looking around. "Ten are supposed to be recognized...and ten will be recognized."

The crowd got silent as all eyes turned towards me.

"I'd like you all to give a huge round of applause for the other first place champion here tonight, my fiancée, AJ McLean. Come up here sweetheart!”

He smiled at me as he wheeled up the ramp propelled by the standing ovation. We both knew he had a long road ahead but he had said it best when he had first opened his eyes after being in a coma for an agonizing week.

"You're still here." he had said groggily.

"Where else would I be?"

"I'm going to be hell to be around."

"So? What's new?"

He had cracked a smile and with his free arm he had grabbed my hand, placing it over his heart.

"It beats for you. As long as you're near me I can even cheat death."

And I had cried...cried not for anguish but for the most important feeling of all:

Love.