Sharon rudely interrupts, and proves she's in NO mood for apologies as she throws Haleigh into the altar. The Chaplain's body slumps over her, dripping what little blood is left in his veins onto her shirt, the buttons of which have torn open to reveal Haleigh's battle dress uniform underneath. The sudden blitzkreig serves as a wake up call and Sharon wastes no time rubbing salt in the wounds..... Haleigh's brow crinkles with anger... this is the SECOND time today that someone has insulted her services.... but Haleigh has little time to retaliate as Sharon unleashes a sonic SCREAM that blasts the pews forward and GRINDS into Haleigh, blowing her hair back and assaulting her eardrums... She shuts her eyes tightly, her ears begining to BLEED.... but that's hardly the worst of it.... as she begins to tremble... and the overwhelming and conflicting emotions brought on by this confrontation trigger another attack..... every metal object within a CITY BLOCK rattles and takes flight, soaring towards Haleigh as if by magnetic force.... and EVERY SCREEN in the entire CITY flickers on..... sharp meta objects begin to slam through the stained glass windows of the cathedral.... and swirl around haleigh like a glistening vortex.... but Haleigh is oblivious... as she is forced to relieve another childhood memory... as is the REST of New York.... everyone in sight range of a TV can watch along.
I open my eyes, to see Patrick leaning over me in the tent. How did he sneak in without waking me up? We can hear my mother and Jeff outside, moving around the camp, making breakfast. It's already warm outside, as it was all night, and I take a moment to pull on some cutoff shorts underneath my severely oversized Chicago Bears football jersey. We listen quietly to our parents for a moment.
Jeff: “So, uh... Stavros left eh? Too bad... I mean... I'm sorry, ya know?"
Ma gave a slight laugh. "Don’t be, I'm not. It's been over for a while... his taking the company to the next level just signified the end of a long, drawn out ordeal. We should've never... but oh well. I was more surprised about you and Wanda finally calling it quits."
There was a short pause, and Patch and me look at each other, wondering if the adults knew we were eavesdropping. Patrick's parents had split up a couple of years ago, to everyone's shock but their own. Patch was wary about the whole thing but I secretly hope Ma and Jeff will end up together... Jeff was a good man, and had been like a father since before I could remember. He took me on the camping trips he took Patrick on, and made sure I had a positive father figure in my life, something that Stavros had given up on trying... and Jeff had always taken special care of my mother since the accident.
Jeff: “Well... ya know... she was never the same... after Hunt died. None of us were... but I guess cause he was her little brother... she felt she should have been able to protect him. She never let herself move on... she never let me help, either. We stayed together for Patch's sake... but he became a man sooner than we realized... and wanted us both to be happy... so I guess its just you and me now."
Lara [after a pause]:"Yeah...I guess you're right."
I step out of my tent, dragging Patrick out with me. Ma and Jeff are staring into each other's eyes meaningfully. I speak up, as I am known to do in these kinds of moments.
"Ma... I didn't know you liked your eggs scorched."
My mother snaps out of it, quickly stirring the eggs and cursing under her breath. She shrugs, though she was blushing softly at being caught, and dumped the contents of the skillet onto my plate. "Good thing you do, darlin'." She says, as I settle down at the picnic table at their campsite as Jeff passes me a fork and the pitcher of sweet tea. Jeff quickly tried to cover by changing the subject before either of the kids could comment.
Jeff: “Wearing your dad's old jersey, eh?"
I nodded. "Yeah... it's great to sleep in... 'specially on hot summer nights... breezy and breathable, ya know? Listen, uh... Patch and I are gonna go down to the spring and swim a while... you two... find something to do without us... we'd like some quality US time."
Lara: “Be safe."
"We will."
Jeff: “No, she means be SAFE."
Lara: “Jeff!"
Jeff [innocently]:"What??"
I giggle quietly and take Patch's hand, pulling him away. He asks why were in such a rush... but I don't tell him that I want the adults to be alone as much as I want US to be alone. We've been camping out here before, and it takes little time to get down the dirt cliff to the freshwater spring. The sight is picturesque, and every time I come I get a new snapshot. This year I've got a new camera to try out, and the picture clarity has been amazing so far. It'll be a nice addition to my obsession. By the time I turn around, Patch is already shirtless, and it seems to be only a fraction of a second before I am too. The warmth of his arms around me seems even more intense than the heat. Soon, everything is as it should be, and there is nothing between us. It makes no difference that we snuck away from camp just last night to make love in the moonlight. His appetite for me is as insatiable as mine is for him, and neither of us really cares about getting caught. I pull away and jump into the water, which is about five feet deep and crystal clear, straight down to the bottom. He follows shortly and makes a point to splash.
"Haleigh, I have something for you." he says, as he surfaces.
"I have something for you too." I say, giving him my most suggestive smile, wrapping my legs around him, and I can tell he is forcing himself to stay on topic. He lifts a fist out of the water, clutching a little black box that I can guess the contents of on the first try. "Oh, Patch...." I say softly, as my heartbeat soars. He opens the box... and my elation turns to dread at the sight of the large and beautiful diamond engagement ring. I stare at it for a second before looking up and locking eyes with him. "That's not your mother's ring." I say warily. I thought we'd TALKED about this.
"I thought you deserved your own." He delivers, which is a romantic notion, and nice... but won't change my mind.
"Where'd you get the money to PAY for that, Patrick? Hmm?? You used the sign money from the government program, didn't you?? CHRIST, Patrick. I thought you said you WERENT going to take that job. I thought we agreed." I say, half angrily, half pleadingly.
He wraps his arms around me to console me, pulling me close, giving me that look... the one he always tries to get out of jail free with... the one that melts my anger. His voice is soothing but can't steamroll my unease with the idea of this... program, or whatever he's involved with. HE doesn't even know what it involves. "Come ON, Baby. The money's a GODSEND... I'll only be involved with the project for a few years."
"DAMN IT, Patch, it's not ABOUT the money, I don't CARE about that." I say, vexed. I touch my forehead to his. When we were younger, we thought we could read each other's minds like this. "You know I'd stay in this sleepy old town and be dirt poor with you."
"Yeah, but you deserve more than that, Haleigh. I want to be able to give you everything you'll ever want." He whispers. I can't be angry with him anymore, but the feeling of impending doom is ever present.
"But all I want is you." I whisper back, pulling him into a hug, resting my chin on his shoulder. "Just promise me that you'll find out MORE about this program before you do anything else. I got a really bad feeling about it, Patch... and I can't accept that ring until I know."
"Okay, alright." He says, as he pulls back slightly. "Here... just keep it safe for me." He reaches up and unclasps my necklace, sliding the ring onto it and puts it back on my neck. The ring clinks when it slides down and runs into the cross I regularly wear, and it feels like he just hung an anvil around my neck, but I cave, giving him a tender kiss. At least he had the right idea. It's the thought that counts, right?
It was one of the last times Haleigh would ever spend with Patrick.... the memory was THE moment when Haleigh first felt her first love taken from her.... it was the memory that started the snowball of his disappearance... the begining of the end... and it was fitting that she see it NOW.... when the begining of the end of her and ZACH seemed imminent. But Something DIFFERENT happened now.... in her loss of control over her memories and her emotions... rage took hold of her.... but the ONE thing that kept her from completely melting down was the deeply ingrained survival instinct that had gotten her this far.... and she fought the dizziness.... and let the anger in. She POUNDED the podium back, sending the dead body of the Chaplain flying... and slowly stood up. The metal swirling around her was melting together, and as she glared at Sharon, it suddenly SPLASHED forth, scalding hot [as liquid metal usually is] splattered over her like paint and solidified instantly, creating a metal cast over the Silver Swan as Haleigh pulled her clothes off to reveal her Black Widow BDU, her fight face on....
"WELL..... from the sound of it.... I OUGHT to be thanking you..... you may have ruined my wedding.... but at least you saved me the trouble of filing for DIVORCE. I must, however, deny you your 'revenge', unfortunately.... but I've an idea.... seeing how Barnett is always pouring your blood on my hands.... now looks like a SPLENDID opportunity to just go ahead and DO what it is she is always accusing me of...."
her gravelly tone was challenging and fierce.... and this was the most lucid she had ever been following an attack... but this time.... it was because she was not FIGHTING the flood of emotions.... the flood of anger... THIS TIME.... she was LETTING it run its course.... little did SHE know that it would not be beneficial for very long... at her heartrate soared and her blood pressure rose.... soon she would find her vitals could not keep up with the demand and she would only hurt herself, and collaterally, innocent bystanders as well.... she needed help badly.... though she could not see it.... she felt more powerful NOW that she ever had... the swell of adrenaline had her at her peak... but the question was.... how LONG could it last.... and would Morgan and her friends reach her in time??
