Bright lights. Familiar voices.

They were heralding me back to life.

My mind spoke again -- or was it them?

"Open your eyes" -- my brain refused to let my body obey. Pain shot through my head repeatedly. Hot pain. White hot.

My eyes slowly opened. I could see shapes at first, but no figures. Then figures without detail.

"Try to focus", I heard a voice say.

I tried.

"Are you with us?"

"Not really." But I was slowly getting there.

They were coming into focus now... the two of them.

Two of them?

Two familiar faces.

Two sets of beautiful blue eyes.

My thoughts -- "I must be dreaming." "Thank God this can't be real."

They were clearer still now, looking down upon me, worry written on their faces. I'm sure mine echoed back a similiar sentiment.

"Hey," the younger one said after a few moments... "you're okay?"

"I guess," I nodded.

"I'm Nick," he whispered.

"I know."

"We called the police... they should be here soon." And I remembered suddenly. It came spilling back in a huge wave of emotions.

That guy. That gun.

The shots. That body.

The police?

My life was over.

"Everything will be okay," the older one spoke now, reaching out and taking my hand in his. I doubted he was right but I nodded and tried to smile.

"I'm Mary," I'd finally gathered the courage to talk. I had nothing intelligent to say.

"I guess you know I shot him." I motioned awkwardly to the body lying on the floor only a few feet away.

"I'm Brian." He smiled weakly. "From the look of things I'm betting you had your reasons."

I heard the sirens. My heart nearly stopped. There was his hand again, warmly taking mine and holding it tight.

I tried to sit. To quick I guess. The world spun around me and I wretched loudly, the two blondes jumping swiftly out of the way in attempt to avoid the mess that thankfully never came.

I laid back down as Nick wiped the hair away from my eyes.

Pain again. Red hot pain. I gasped and felt another hand.

"Hold tight, they're here."

I was lifted gently onto a stretcher and taken out the doors into the cold January night and to the waiting ambulance. I watched from the back as they wheeled the body out to the coroner's van. Blue and red lights flashed in the distance. My mind still blurry. My head still throbbing. My heart... still broken.

They were there beside me. The two of them. They said they wouldn't leave until they were sure I was fine. I wasn't so sure I'd ever be 'fine' again.

They were very sweet... and very helpful. I owed them. If not for Nick walking in when he did, I would still have been standing inside holding that gun, staring down at that body... that blood... my murder.

They signed autographs for fans as they waited outside for the police to finish questioning me.

This certainly wasn't how I'd ever anticipated meeting my idols.

I was finally done. Finally free.

No prison.

Just awful, horrible memories.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Nick asked before boarding his bus to head off to another place and another time.

"Not sure forever... but okay for the moment."

He hugged me gently.

I smiled. Grateful.

"I'm glad we were here," Brian leaned over and touched my bruised cheek gently before giving me his own sweet version of a bear hug.

"Me too."

They boarded their bus and drove away. Away from all of it. Leaving my alone again.

Alone.

Five months later.

An empty gas station convenient store.

Aisle five.

Blood stains barely visible in the cracks of the tiled floor.

Now only memories...