"Make a choice Bolt!" shouted Lijah Harmon as he rode up to the wedding party.

Jeremy's attention was called away from his new bride as he heard his oldest brother Jason shouting at Lijah and his three sons.

"Harmon! You have no business here! Get out, now!" Jason said angrily.

Inwardly Jason was afraid, though. Two weeks earlier an accident at the logging camp had taken the life of Lijah's son, Will. Jason had been fearful ever since then that Lijah would come to Seattle looking for revenge.

It really had been a stupid accident. Jeremy had begun teasing Will about his wife's cooking. Josh soon joined in with the fun. Before long, Will was in the lake trying to locate his lunch-pail. By the time Jason heard the log coming down the flume, it was too late. Will was hit squarely in the chest, killing him instantly. Both Jeremy and Joshua blamed themselves for his death. Jason had worked hard over the previous two weeks convincing them that it had only been accidentóno one was to blame.

Now, Lijah had come to town to seek his revenge. Jason was certain it was not a coincidence that he had chosen to show up at Jeremy and Candy's wedding reception.

Jeremy stood beside the reception table, Candy at his side, getting ready to cut the cake. When he heard the heated exchange between Jason and Lijah, he started over to them. Candy was frightened by the appearance of Harmon and begged Jeremy not to go, but he did anyway. Joshua followed behind him.

Now, the three Bolt brothers stood in front of the angry, embittered, grief-stricken man. Lijah and his sons remained on their horses. They would need a fast getaway when their task was finished.

"I weren't talkin' to you, Jason Bolt!" Lijah shouted. "I be addressin' that young brother of yours!"

Jeremy took a step forward and Jason glanced at him nervously. He knew Jeremy would not back away, even if his safety were in danger.

"That's me you're lookin' for then, Mr. Harmon," Jeremy answered.

"Make a choice, Bolt!" Lijah continued to taunt.

"Look, Mr. Harmon," Jeremy stepped forwardó Jason placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him. "I'm sorry about Will, I really am. It was a stupid accident..."

"I didn't come here to discuss my boy with you! My boy's in the ground forever and it's your fault!"

"Wait a minute!" Joshua spoke up. "I was there teasing Will, too, it wasn't just Jeremy."

"Shut up! The young one is the one who started it!" Lijah removed the gun from his holster and pointed it at Jeremy. Jeremy swallowed hard; he could hear Candy in the background calling out his name.

"Lijah!" Jason spoke quickly. "Put that gun away, this won't settle anything!"

Lijah ignored the eldest Bolt and looked with intense hatred at Jeremy. "I said make a choice!"

"I don't understand..." Jeremy answered baffled. If the man was going to shoot him, then why didn't he do it?

"Who can you live the rest of your life without?"

"What?" Jeremy answered, confused and incredulous at the question posed to him.

"I have to live the rest of my days without my boy...that grieves me to the bone. Now, you get to choose who you are going to grieve for forever!" Two of Lijah's sons snickered as they listened to their father threaten Jeremy; Job Harmon sat quietly watching his father.

"Lookit...I said it was an accident..."

"How would you like to live without one of your brothers?" Lijah waved the gun around and leveled it at Jason and Joshua each.

"No, p-please, this was my f-fault..." Jeremy intervened quickly, panicked at the notion of one of his brothers being hurt or killed at the hand of this obvious madman.

"Or," Lijah continued. "Maybe someone else?"

Jeremy was uncertain at first as to what Lijah meant. His heart leapt into his throat as he realized that Lijah was referring to Candy. Jeremy saw Lijah move the pistol in Candy's direction.

"No!" shouted Jeremy. He ran as fast as he could over to Candy and pushed her out of the line of fire.

"No!" Job Harmon shouted at his father. Job knew that he, his father and brothers had come to Seattle to threaten the youngest Bolt brother. Murder was never something that he thought his father had on his mind, though.

Job pulled his pistol and pointed it at his father and fired. Lijah slumped over and fell to the ground dead. Unfortunately, Job fired too late. Lijah had already fired his weapon.

The pain from the bullet as it ripped into Jeremy's chest was excruciating. It felt like an intense fire burning next to his heart.

Jeremy heard Candy scream. He remained conscious long enough to be aware that she was cradling him in her arms and crying hysterically. He glanced down at his chest, his white dress shirt was now soaked in bright red blood. He tried to say her name, but could make no noise. Nothingness soon encompassed him.

000

"He wants to see the preacher," explained Allyn Wright to Jason, Joshua and Candy. "He is barely conscious, but he wants to see Reverend Gaddings."

"No!" Candy exclaimed. "No, I won't have this!" She ran to the examination area. She slowed her stride as she reached the curtained area. She took a deep breath and walked around the curtain. Jason and Joshua along with Allyn, were close behind her.

They saw Jeremy lying on the table, pale and barely conscious. He was mumbling his request for the preacher to Eleanor, Allyn's nurse.

"He'll be here soon, Jeremy," Eleanor answered.

"Jeremy?" Candy said softly as she walked up to him. She choked back her tears. She didn't want to show her fear to him, but he looked to her like a man that was near death.

Jeremy looked up at his bride. His eyes were dull. To Candy, they looked as though little life was left in them. Jeremy seemed to look right through her as though she wasn't even there. Candy looked quickly at Jason and Joshua; they were standing on the opposite side of the bed.

"Jeremy," Jason said evenly. "Can you hear me?"

Jeremy turned his head towards the sound of his big brother. "Jason?"

"Yes, Jeremy, I'm here, so is Josh..." Jason took his youngest brother's hand in his and held it tight.

"Can you see her too, Jason?" asked Jeremy.

"See who, Jeremy? Who are you talking about?" replied Jason.

"Momma," Jeremy answered, searching Jason's face. "C-can you see her? She's here Jason, I can see her...over by the window...in the br-bright light..."

Jason's heart sank and Candy began to weep--Jeremy was dying.

"Jeremy! Mother is telling you that you're going to be all right!" Jason explained emphatically.

"She wants me to go with her. Jason..., can I go?" Jeremy lifted his head slightly off the pillow, straining to get closer to Jason. "I want to go...I'm t-tired, Jason...so tired...I don't want to c-cut any more trees ...I want to stay with Momma for a while....rest..."

"Jeremy!" Candy called his name loudly. She reached her hand to his face and turned him towards her. "Jeremy, today is our wedding day...please fight, please fight to live. Please don't leave me..."

Jeremy gazed at Candy, his eyes suddenly brightened. She held his hand tightly and squeezed it.

"I love you," he murmured to her. "I always will..."

Candy cried out his name as she felt his grip go slack. He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

000