Title: "Revelations: Part 7 of 14"        

         "I think you just need to keep on driving and don't worry about her name." That was what the guy had said. Patrick had been sitting inside of the back seat, just listening to the conversation. At that moment, though, he had had enough. Who did this guy think he was? He was invading on Patrick's girl. Patrick didn't care what Erica thought; she was still his girl until he was through with her.

         Patrick shoved his way out of the driver's side door, and quickly circled the car. It was dim outside, but he could see somewhat of this guy's face. Enough so, to where he would know where to speak.

         "Hey, how it's going? My brother was just asking you a question. Now why can't you give him a straight answer?" Patrick was trying to hold back his anger for as long as he could.

         Matt never noticed the other three getting out of the car. Theodore was coming up behind Patrick, while Karl came up behind Matt. JJ, reluctantly, made his way to about the middle grounds between Patrick, Matt, and his car.

         Matt tried to see the guy, Patrick's, face. He couldn't make it out. But suddenly, he could feel Erica shaking. She was trying to hold back tears. She uttered the words, "Patrick, no!"

         Patrick? The guy who she had just dumped? It was all starting to make sense rather rapidly for Matt. And now, they were all around him. But worse, under his arm, he held the girl who had just caused a major catastrophe in a Balmore's life. The only thing he was able to say was, "So you're Patrick? I . . . "

         "I don't give a DAMN about who you are! I am Patrick Balmore, and you are a piece of shit! You're holding my girl. And NO ONE holds my girl!" Patrick was screaming at Matt. He didn't give Matt a chance to reply, though.

         It came unexpected in the dark. Patrick swung a right hand at Matt, and connected with his chin. The arm that was around Erica quickly went to his jaw in pain. He tried to throw a punch back at Patrick, but Patrick had already started another punch. Straight punch, right to the side of the mouth of Matt. Matt swung wildly with his left hand, and landed a glancing blow off of Patrick's shoulder.

         "You've done screwed yourself now, prick! I was going to take it easy on you!" Patrick looked past Matt.

         Matt tried to take advantage of Patrick's talking. He reared back to punch Patrick, when KA-BOOM! Karl slammed an unopened can of beer across the back of Matt's head. The impact alone of the exploding can knocked Matt dizzy for a second. Patrick's punch to Matt's jaw helped enforce the dizziness.

         Not knowing what to do, Erica backed away, screaming at Patrick to stop. She screamed, and she screamed. Right before Matt fell to the concrete, Karl mumbled, "remember a few weeks ago, kid?" as he grabbed hold of Matt's arms and pinned them behind his back. Now Matt was helpless, as a bloodthirsty and revenge seeking Patrick stood before him. Theodore stood off behind Patrick, holding that sly grin across his face. And, not really knowing what to do, JJ paced slowly back and forth beside the car.

         As blood began to run down the side of Matt's face, Patrick put his face into the face of Matt's. Speaking in choppy sentences, he said, "Now how's that? You don't mess with Balmore's. And, you never, ever take one of their girls."

         Erica hollered at Patrick. "I hate you Patrick! You're lying! I'm not yours. I never will be so stupid again!"

         Patrick veered his sharp gaze towards Erica. "You don't know a single thing about real life, bitch! Shut your mouth unless you want more of the same!"

         Hearing what Patrick had just said to Erica, Matt was enraged. Suddenly, he kicked the shins of Karl, causing Karl to scream out in pain. Matt flew towards Patrick, landing a solid right in the face of Patrick. Patrick grabbed his face, but was able to block the next punch that Matt threw. He then followed up with a punch to Matt's gut, which took the wind out of Matt for a second. Patrick was still holding his face where Matt had hit him, though, when Matt came back at him. Matt came down with a hard punch to the lower neck of Patrick. Patrick seized the open target, and threw two punches right into Matt's chest. Matt staggered, but was about to return a punch. Suddenly, those two large arms grabbed his own arms, and squeezed them behind his back. He was pinned, and Patrick was coming back at him.

         Patrick looked at Matt, and saw Karl holding him tight. That meant Patrick had the open shot. He reared back to throw the punch, but someone suddenly grabbed his arm. Patrick jumped around quickly, only to see his big brother, Theodore, smiling.

         "I'll take it from here," said Theodore. He reached in from his back pocket, and pulled out a pair of gloves. He slid them onto his hands, covering his knuckles, and then started to walk towards Matt.

         Patrick stepped out of the way, and began to rub his cheek a little. He watched, as Theodore started to do what he had always done best when he was younger.

         Matt, through the blood that was trickling down his eyebrow, saw Theodore approaching. He could guess who it was, now. He had put the puzzle together. He was messing with the whole Balmore and Associates clan.

         Theodore looked at Matt. Shaking his head, he sternly said, "You know, a young kid like you has a lot to live for. Well, maybe not you, but other kids in your age bracket." Theodore laughed a little, and Karl piped in with a few lines of laughter himself. Theodore picked back up. "But you see, when you start messing around with Balmore's, you throw any chance to a future right out the door. I proved that to everyone while I was growing up, and my little brother is proving that to people while he is finishing growing up."

         The agony on Matt's face was starting to show. His eyes were tightening, but he was trying to hear what Theodore was saying. Anything at all would work, just so he could take the pain coming from the vice grip on his arm out of his mind.

         "Do you know what you have done? Do you, you little prick? You stole my little brother's girlfriend. I can't believe someone would even been seen talking to whatever slut my brother dating at the time. But you? You go out and flat out steal her! Now... that doesn't sit well with the Balers. What do you have to say for yourself?"

         Matt tried to speak, but as soon as he tried to utter a word, Karl tightened his grip even harder on Matt's arms. That took the energy out of even speaking. And so, Matt couldn't even get a response out.

         Theodore glared at Matt. "You won't even respond to me. What, do you think you're better than I am? Do you think that my brother wasn't good enough for Erica? Is that what you think? Is that what you think, you little prick?!"

         Matt could do nothing but groan a slight groan. Theodore grabbed Matt by his collar, and raised his gloved fist high in the air. He was about to come down with a strike that would knock Matt unconscious at the very least.

         When suddenly...

         "Don't touch him," an unknown voice rang out.

         Theodore stopped in mid stride of his punch. Who has said that? He looked to Karl, but Karl only shrugged his shoulders.

         "Who said that? Patrick? JJ? Did you'll say that?" Theodore looked around to the other two.

         "Wasn't me," said Patrick, still holding his cheek.

         JJ lowered his head, and, while shuffling a rock on the road, replied, "It wasn't me, either."

         Theodore took his attention off of Matt, and walked back a few steps. "Who said that?" he hollered.

         There was no response.

         Theodore hollered out again. "Who said that?!" He was turning a circle, looking all around him. He was caught by surprise, though, when the voice reappeared from the direction of the alley.

         "Theodore Balmore."

         Theodore turned, and saw the dark silhouette in the shadows in front of the alley. It didn't register at first. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

         Walking further out of the shadows, the person began to speak again. "I think you would know me. I think you know me quite well, actually."

         Listening closely to the voice, Theodore tried to decipher it. He didn't want to walk close to the person, for he wasn't sure if they were carrying a weapon or not. Instead, he kept his distance, and tried to find out what all this person was and what he could be holding. "I know you? I think not. Anyone who likes to hang out around trash and a stupid alley... " Theodore stopped in mid sentence.

         "Then think a little harder. Surely the concussions haven't affected your memory bad enough to not remember me." In the darkness, a cigarette was lit. Theodore only caught the flash of a lip ring, before the lighter was put out.

         And suddenly, pieces started falling together for Theodore. "Wait, wait! It's... it's you."

         A cloud of smoke cut through the darkness surrounding the shadows. "Is it?"

         That sly grin crept up on Theodore face. He responded, "It's... well, if it isn't Lint, "The Zero," Douglas. The poor kid from the alley. Nice to see you've moved up and past that." The sarcasm was strong enough to be cut.

         Off to the side, at the realization of who it really was, Karl released Matt's arms. Matt fell to the curb below, his body hitting like dead weight. Erica, shaking from having to witness the fight just moments earlier, went to his side to try to help him. Patrick saw this, and started making his way towards the two.

         From the shadows, the person, Zero, spoke up. "Tell him to stay where he is, Theodore."

         A look of shock came over Patrick's face. No one ever told him something like that. He looked to Theodore, but Theodore was nodding in agreement with Zero. Patrick was angered, but more importantly, confused.

         From the shadows, Zero walked out. Holding the cigarette in one hand, he had the other hand in the side pocket of his blue jeans. Taking a small drag from his cigarette, Zero asked, "So what are you doing here, Theodore? And what is the cause of all of this?"

         Standing up straighter, Theodore replied, "It's none of your business what I am doing here, and what happened out here is to none of your concern. It was a family issue."

         Zero quickly responded, "What happens right here is my business. What happened to Matt, is my business."

         Getting angry, Theodore said, "You haven't changed, and you will never learn. What is my business, it has nothing that concerns you. Even if it happens on your front steps, it doesn't concern you. I'm a level above you, and you don't intertwine with my affairs."

         Blowing a last cloud of smoke out, Zero flicked the cigarette off. It landed in a burst of sparks, and came to a stop right at Theodore's boots. Theodore looked down at them, and then glared back up to Zero.

         Staring coldly into Theodore's eyes, Zero said, "Your internal affairs are of no concern to me, unless it deals directly with me. That's something you never understood."

         The two had an ice-cold stare locked between each other. Neither was moving, and neither was daring to blink. From the silence, Patrick spoke up. "Theodore, what are we waiting for? We out number this prick four to one! Let's take him out like we took out that other punk over there."

         But Theodore didn't respond. Instead, he kept the glare straight on Zero. Zero, likewise, returned the glare. Patrick looked back and forth between the two, and was unsure of what to do. Finally, without taking his eyes off of Zero, Theodore replied to his brother. "No. No Patrick."

         Confusion swept over Patrick's face. He didn't have any idea why his brother was turning down a fight to someone who was obviously challenging him. Something wasn't right. This wasn't the Balmore way.

         "Theodore?" Patrick was confused.

         "No," shot Theodore. Without taking the stare off of Zero, Theodore spoke up to those who were with him. "Karl, Patrick, we're leaving. JJ, start the car."

         Karl was just as confused as Patrick was. The both looked at Theodore and Zero, and were left in confusion. JJ, totally enwrapped with what was going on, was slow to get back to the car. He was confused, but it was a different kind of confusion.

         Something that he couldn't, and wouldn't, explain to the other guys.

         With the others already in the car, Theodore spoke to Zero, this time with his voice lower. "Just remember, just like in the past, I always win. And just remember that there will be a next time. A next time, when things will end like they should of for you a long time ago."

         Zero kept his glaze hard on Theodore, and spoke back to Theodore. "And you just remember, I was the one person who you couldn't control. The least you could, and will ever, be able to forget."

        Taking his steps backwards until he reached the car, Theodore's eyes didn't detour off of Zero. As he slowly opened the passenger door and slid in, the sly grin crept back over his face. The grin turned into a snarl, though, as the car started to make it's way forward, and out of view of Zero and Gilman Street.

* * * * *

         Inside of Matt's apartment, Erica and Zero had brought Matt into his bedroom and laid him down. Matt was near the point of unconsciousness, but Zero had said that all he needed was a little rest, and he should be doing better. Erica was applying a gauze bandage to his face in order to stop the bleeding that he was suffering. Zero sat in the bedroom chair, his head down in his hands.

         Matt opened his eyes slowly, looking up at Erica. He tried to speak, but all he could get out was a mumble. His jaw was still hurting pretty badly from the punch that Patrick had laid in on him. Erica just tried to smile, and said, "Don't worry, you don't have to say anything. Just try to get some rest." With that, Matt smiled a lopsided smile, and closed his eyes.

         From across the room, Zero looked over at Matt as he lay in pain. He watched as Erica replaced bloody gauze, and continued to try and help reduce any swelling. He watched as Matt raised his head up, and then lowered it back down, and tried to rest. Well, maybe Matt could rest. But Zero couldn't.

         His head went back down into his hands, burying his face and images of his thoughts. "This could have been avoided." His hands mumbled his voice and caught Erica off guard. She had not heard him speak since they had arrived in the house. He had merely sat there in the chair, and thought. Thought about each and everything that had just happened.

         Holding gauze in place on Matt's face, Erica turned to Zero. "How could it of been avoided? Patrick and his brother and friends caught us both off guard. There was nothing that Matt could have done. He was out numbered." The sorrow showing in her face, she turned back around, and repositioned the gauze on Matt's face.

         Zero raised his head up, and looked across to Erica. "I was in the alley while it happened."

         Erica looked back to Zero with a puzzled look across her face. "I don't understand."

         Taking a deep sigh, Zero started the story. "I've been going through some . . . times . . . in my life right now. The alley is where I go when I need to get away and be alone with my thoughts."

         But Erica broke in, "But, there was no lights coming from the alley. There wasn't anything. What were you doing in there?"

         Running his hand through his spiked hair, Zero replied, "I was in darkness while in there. I will sometimes light a fire to give me some light. But tonight . . . it wasn't to be. I had to be alone, totally. No fire and no distractions."

         Erica was still slightly confused. She had just briefly met this man just over an hour earlier. She knew nothing of his past. In fact, she didn't even know what his name exactly was. "I'm sorry, I haven't even introduced myself yet. My name is Erica Storm. I had just met Matt at Lucky's Bar earlier in the night. I'm the reason he is like this right now."

         Understanding of how Erica felt, Zero said, "It wasn't your fault. It was the Balmore's and their friends. You have done no wrong to Matt. In fact, you probably have done him a lot of good. I've known him for about half of a year, and I've come to greatly appreciate the kid myself. He'll be there for you when you need someone to talk to.

         "And I am Zer . . . my name is Lint. Lint Douglas."

         The pause and restart of the names confused Erica. She knew she had heard him called Zero. What was the Lint Douglas name? "I'm happy to officially meet you, Lint. I could have sworn your name was Zero, though."

         Looking up to the ceiling, Zero slowly tried to explain it to her. "Well, you see... Zero is a name that Lint Douglas goes by. It is a name that I go by, went by, listen to... I don't know anymore. It stems back from my childhood, a way of rebelling against someone. Others had originally gave me the name when we were fourteen. But instead of letting if affect me, I gladly accepted the name. It drove them crazy. You see, they... one person in particular... hated me, and most probably still hates me. And I, likewise to him. Doing anything to him that would take away enjoyment of him making fun of me while growing up, I jumped on it. And so, that was where the Zero name came from.

         But, Lint Douglas is my birth name. At least, it is the name that I was told was my birth name at the orphanage."

         Erica turned back to Matt to reposition the gauze, but was listening very intently to Zero as he spoke.

         Zero continued. "But now, I wonder if the name of Zero really serves a purpose any longer. I had thought that, with Theodore out of my life, that the name of Zero served a purpose no longer. With that, I was ready to just drop it and be Lint Douglas. With Theodore back in town, for reasons that I have no idea of, I am in a moment of not really knowing.

         I'm sorry. I know this bores you. There are more important things in this room right now. Specifically, the kid who lays by your arm right now."

         As Erica listened to Zero talk, she found herself becoming sloppy with applying the gauze. She noticed her mistake quickly, though, adjusting the gauze to where it was supposed to go.

         But still... listening to Zero, Lint, Zero --she would still know him as Zero, just because that was what Matt knew him by-- she felt sorry for the man. The same kind of sorrow that she felt for Matt as she helped him.

         "No, no. It doesn't bore me at all." Erica looked at Zero, and broke a half smile towards Zero. Zero looked at her in the eyes, but only put his head back down in his hands.

         This would continue for another hour.

* * * * *

         The night had fallen to 3:30. The engine of Zero's Blazer cut through the silence of the still, quiet night. Inside, he and Erica contemplated if it was safe to leave Matt alone for an extended period of time, even if it was to just take Erica back to her home.

         "You're certain he will be OK? I didn't want to leave him on his bed, asleep, not knowing. You are certain, Lint?" Erica looked across the seats to Zero, but he kept his attention and focus straight ahead.

         "He'll be ok. There is nothing seriously wrong with him that sleep will not help cure and comfort him." Taking his look from off of straight-ahead, Zero turned just for a moment to look at Erica as she looked towards him. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but Zero turned his vision back towards the road. There was something in her eyes. It was a look of concern; honest concern. It brought back memories. He needed to just keep his eyes straight ahead for the rest of the drive. Take her home, and then go home himself.

         "Take this right up here." Erica pointed towards the sign for Target Lane. Zero turned onto it, the street's lights all out as the inhabitants were all most apparently asleep. One light flicked on as Zero's slightly noisy Blazer drove past it.

         Erica smirked a little. "Don't mind them. They'd wake up if a pin dropped downstairs in their house. I don't really like them anyway." She was looking at Zero again. Zero could feel it. He didn't want that eye contact again, though. Not now. Maybe later.

         "Lint... Zero... how did you meet Matt?" She was looking at him. Zero looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see that sparkle in her eyes.

         While looking straight ahead, Zero took a deep sigh to respond. "Nearly a year ago, I had to leave Berkeley unexpectedly." He did not want to get into the whole saga of exactly why he had left. The explanations of being accused for murder in his very hometown seemed a bit much to tell the girl on just his first night of meeting her. Luckily, she did not ask why, but rather, seemed content to know more about the past of Matt.

         Looking around at the road he was on, though, something struck Zero from out of the blue. "I used to live in this part of Berkeley. In fact, it was apartment 9 of the apartments right over there." Zero pointed to his right while continuing to drive straight ahead.

         Erica looked over in the direction he was pointing, recognizing the apartments instantly. "Oh really? Those are considered the upstanding grounds over here."

         Zero sighed slightly. The upstanding grounds, a place he had lived at briefly during the spring of 1999. "Yes. This is the first time I've been back over here. First time in almost a year."

         Erica shook her head in understanding, glancing back over at Zero, before looking back to the apartments. "How come?" she asked.

         Again, the situation arose of why he had left. If he hadn't of mentioned the apartments and continued his train of thought on Matt, he wouldn't of been faced with the question he was trying to avoid. Instead, he gave her the truth. "I'd rather not get into that right now."

         Erica gave an understanding nod of her head, smiling a little towards him. "Understood."

         Zero knew he should get back to the original discussion of how he had met Matt to begin with. Almost instinctually, he glanced over at Erica before continuing the story. She was looking at him intently, obviously wondering how the story concluded. Or even began for that matter. But there was something in her eyes that made Zero slowly turn back around to his forward view. She had the same look in her eyes as his past love, Karen, who had since moved on and away. He logically figured that that story should never be brought up to Erica, though.

         Continuing with the story, Zero said, "But when I came back last year, my apartment there had been repossessed. I was without a place to live. So, using what little money I had, I signed a lease for an apartment back at the Gilman apartments. Some might look down on them, but they're home to me."

         Interjecting into what Zero was saying, Erica quickly spoke up. "You may not believe me..."

         It was then Zero who interrupted her. "You haven't given me a reason to not believe you, yet."

         With her mouth still slightly open, teetering on what she was about to say before Zero had spoken, she closed it quickly. Opening it slowly, while cocking her eyebrow just slightly, she responded, "Then . . . Matt felt, I think, that I would look down upon him if I found out he lived there. Actually, he couldn't be further from the truth. There's a stereotype that follows people that live where I live around. But I try to get out of that. People should make their own choices. If that where he wants to live, then more power to him."

         She was right. She had a good head on her shoulders; Zero had already figured that out. Lucky for Matt. "Agreed."

         Realizing that she had interrupted the whole story that she had originally asked Zero to tell her, though, she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. So how did you meet Matt?"

         Shaking his head slightly, Zero responded. "It's no problem. How we met was, I had been living there for about a week, and I just happened to randomly cross paths with him on my way out. He was skateboarding in the parking lot behind the apartments."

         Zero tossed her a quick glance, as she was looking, and listening, intently on what he was saying. "Uh-huh," she piped in.

         About to pick up where he had left off, Erica chimed in. "Take this left right up here."

         Zero nodded, and turned onto the street.

         While looking on at the houses they were passing -nice, large houses that surely cost more than Zero would ever dream of making-, Zero continued on with the story. "I used to do that, but have never gotten another board since I broke my last one. It had been forever, though, so I asked if I could use it for a minute. He obliged." One large house caught Zero's attention as he drove by it. It was the former Kit residence. Oh the memories that came back to Zero as he returned to this neighborhood.

         He was brought back, though, by Erica's viewpoints on the whole aspect of skateboarding. "Yeah, you'll remind me of that type. I mean, you know, not to stereotype you or anything. Good grief, and just after I said something about it..."

         Zero piped in quickly, though, to make sure she knew it was perfectly okay, as well as to finish off the rest of the story he had been telling her off and on. "Oh, I understand. He asked me if he knew me from somewhere. He said I looked familiar. I told him I didn't know. Possibly from wrestling, but that was the only thing I could think of."

         Erica slapped her hands together, raising up in her seat and turning completely around to Zero. She pointed her finger at him in a typical excited fashion, blurting out the words as she said them. "That's it! I was thinking the same thing. You are one of those wrestlers. My dad watched it a few times on Public Access. I remembered seeing you on there a few times" A large smile had came over her face.

         Zero knew it wasn't as large or grand as she had thought it was, though. Opening his mouth, he needed to explain it to her. "It's not that big of a deal. I'm on hiatus or something to the extent of that, right now. Contract in peril. But essentially, it's my job, like how everyone else has a job. But it doesn't make me any different than anyone else."

        Trying to restore a reasonable amount of maturity in herself, Erica agreed. "Oh, I agree. It's just that it's cool meeting someone from television, that's all!"

         "I suppose." Zero had never really looked up to celebrities or known nationwide figures. The only people who he enjoyed meeting were the various punk rock bands that came through Berkeley. Even them, though, did not really seem like a celebrity status. He had always thought of them as just normal people like he was.

         "It's this house right here." Erica's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned into her driveway. The house wasn't as large as some that were in the neighborhood, but was certainly nicer than most that Zero had seen while taking Erica home.

         Zero put the Blazer in park. She was almost home. The weird feeling in his head would soon stop, or at least Zero hoped so. He turned to face her, for the first real time in the night. He assumed he should go ahead and finish the story of how he met Erica. Hopefully him talking to her tonight would help ease her mind about what had just happened to Matt.

         "As for Matt... it basically started there, and we'd run into each other on occasions after that. Each time, we'd have some sort of conversation. It was three weeks before I even knew his name. But he seemed very humble, honest. In fact, I think the kid is actually starting to grow on me now. Seeing what happened tonight to him shouldn't have happened at all."

         Shouldn't have said that. Zero knew it was it came out. Erica's eyes lowered, staring into her lap. She put her hands together, recalling the scene in her mind of what had just happened hours before. "It was my fault. My entire fault. I should of known better. I knew Patrick would come looking for me later on. I should of known it would be as soon as tonight. I set Matt up for that without even thinking twice." Erica took a deep breath.

         Zero, feeling somewhat guilty for what had happened, tried to encourage Erica. "No. No, it was not your fault. You two did nothing wrong. A Balmore is nothing more than a hate filled human being. I see that Theodore's little brother fit into his mold perfectly."

         Zero had not found out why, exactly, it had happened. More importantly, how was it that Erica had set Matt up for this? "What was your link to them?"

         Erica hung her head, not wanting to look at Zero. She felt ashamed of what had happened. Zero took his finger, though, and raised her chin up to look at him. Not completely wanting to say it, Erica eventually forced herself to. "I had just dumped Patrick hours earlier. It was my fault."

         Zero shook his head. "No, still I say, it wasn't your fault. That is just how they are. Consider yourself lucky."

         How was it that Zero knew of them, by the way? Erica had always had a strong curiosity. It was starting to emerge in Zero's presence now. "Did you have a link with them? Or just know them?"

         Zero took a deep sigh, and lowered his head just slightly. Erica, acting as Zero, put her finger under his chin and raised his head up, smiling a little as he looked back her. He didn't smile, though. Maybe only the most distant of an expression. "... Theodore and I... have a history. Not exactly the closest one, but something that had a direct impact on my life. He was the originator of the 'Zero' name that I told you about earlier at Matt's"

         It was becoming a full circle. It surprised Erica. She glances at the dashboard clock, though, and realized what time in the morning it was. "I didn't know that.

         "Well, I would love to just sit out here and talk all night long. Anything to help ease my mind, cause I know I won't be able to sleep tonight. But I'm sure my father is worried sick right now. He looks after me probably too much. But I'm all he has left." She tried to throw a fake smile on. Zero saw through it.

         Zero looked at the clock. "Yes, it is getting rather late. I will see to it that Matt gets plenty of rest tonight, though." Zero half smiled, nodding towards her.

         This time, Erica did smile. A real smile. A real big smile. "Thank you Zero. Thanks for all that you have done tonight."

         And she reached across the seats, grabbing hold of Zero, and gave him a big hug. Zero, still thinking of how her eyes did in fact remind her of Karen, was reluctant to hug back. But as she held the hug, Zero reached around, and returned the hug himself.

         "You're welcome, Erica."

         She let go and scooted back to the passenger side of the Blazer. Making sure she wasn't forgetting anything (instinct?... she hadn't even brought anything), she opened the door and stepped out of the Blazer. Sticking her head back in, she smiled again at Zero. "Goodnight."

         "Goodnight Erica."

         She closed the door, and walked up towards the door of her house. Pulling a key from her pocket, she unlocked the door, and disappeared inside.

         Zero sat there for a moment, thinking back to all of what had happened in just the past six hours. Taking hold of the gear shifter, Zero put the Blazer in reverse, and backed out of the driveway, starting the drive back home.