Episode Nine

Flashback - Febuary of 1994 - Bowen House

"You're prettier than the lady on the news," 8 year-old Jamie said as he sat on the couch watching the news with his mom.

Elizabeth Bowen smiled at her son and gave him a quick hug. "So, you think I'm pretty?"

"You're the prettiest!" Jamie said. "No one's even close!"

"Not even Maria?"

"Mom!" Jamie said, making a face. "She poured green jello down my shirt yesterday!"

Elizabeth laughed. "Good thing you're shirt was green, too, huh?"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "She's not my friend anymore."

"You'll get over it," Elizabeth replied, smiling. "You two are too good of friends to stop all of a sudden." A whistling sound from the kitchen drew her attention and she stood. "Time for Cocoa!"

"Yay!" Jamie cheered as he started to stand.

Outside, tires screeched on the street and Elizabeth turned towards the front windows just as they shattered and glass went flying. Jamie screamed and dropped down to the floor. The sound of gunfire filled the room. Finally it quieted and Jamie raised his head. "Mama?" he said softly, looking around. He saw her after only a second and crawled over to her. "Mama?" he repeated, tugging at her arm. He looked at her chest, stained red with blood. "Mommy?" he said, starting to cry. "Mommy wake up! Mommy!"

*All alone now,* a voice said harshly as the sun filled livingroom suddenly darkened.

"Go away!" Jamie yelled, now a teenager again as he frantically looked around the room, one hand still clutching his mom's arm. "Mom please, wake up," he pleaded, shaking her again.

*We're gonna have some fun.* The livingroom disappeared, replaced by a dark alley. *Come on, get in the car.*

"No! Leave me alone!" Jamie screamed as he stood, and turned around in a circle, trying to see the speaker.

*No one's coming,* the vocie continued as strong hands grabbed him from behind. Jamie felt the speaker's breath on his ear as the man spoke again. *Just you and me.*

"No!"

Present

"No!" Jamie screamed, eyes open but unseeing as he struggled..

"Jamie!" Mike yelled, shaking his son. "Wake up! It's me! It's dad!"

Jamie's eyes finally focused and he stopped struggling. "Daddy?"

"It's okay," Mike said, brushing Jamie's hair out of his eyes. "Your safe now."

Jamie took several deep breaths, tears running down his cheeks. "It was mom..." he started, his voice harsh. "The noise... and the blood..."

Mike closed his eyes and nodded. "I figured."

"It was worse," Jamie said, trying to calm down. "When she wouldn't wake up, it got all dark. And I heard his voice... and he kept saying no one was gonna help me..."

"Who?" Mike aske,d not understanding what his son was talking about.

"The man... he kept saying I was all alone, and no one was going to help me. Ever."

"You're not alone," Mike said, rubbing his thumb over Jamie's eyebrow like he used to do when Jamie was little. "I'm here, and no one can hurt you."

"You couldn't stop him," Jamie whispered, not even fully aware of what he was saying. "He hurt me."

"Who?" Mike asked again.

Jamie closed his eyes for a second, then snapped them again, a panicked look crossing his face. "What did I say?" he asked, suddenly fully awake.

"What happened?" Mike asked, pressing. "When you were mugged, what happened?"

"I got mugged," Jamie replied quickly. "What do you think happened?" he asked, a scared look in his eyes.

"Something more than being mugged."

"I was mugged," Jamie repeated firmly. "I was just mugged."

"I want to believe you, Jamie, but I don't," Mike said. "Tell me the truth."

"It is the truth," Jamie said. "Dad, I swear, I got mugged. What? Do you think I threw my wallet away so I could lie to you?"

"No. I'm sure you were mugged, but something else happened and I want to know what."

"Nothing happened," Jamie repeated, but not as firmly.

"Jamie..."

"I can't dad, please don't make me," Jamie pleaded. "I can't..."

Mike was quiet for a long minute, looking at the pain on his son's face. "Okay, you don't have to tell me."

"Thanks."

"But I want you to see someone."

"What?"

"A doctor."

"I don't need a doctor."

"I'll feel better if you get a full check up. And see a counselor. I won't go to the doctor's appointment or try and find out what happened. I just want to know that your okay. Please," Mike asked. "I need to know your okay."

Jamie slowly nodded, knowing he really did need a doctor. "Not today, but soon."

"Of course not today," Mike replied. "What a start to your birthday, huh?" he aked.

"Can I just sleep through the rest of today?"

"Nope, you know Laurie is throwing you a big bash at the diner."

"Uncle Laurence hates it when you call him that," Jamie said, trying to shake his tense mood and bad memories.

"Why do you think I keep doing it?" Mike replied, glad to temporarily get the fear and pain from his son's eyes. "Come on, it's almost morning, get dressed and we'll go check out your big present."

"Big present?" Jamie asked, shoving back all of the earlier conversation. "What is it?"

"You'll see," Mike said as he stood and headed for the door, smiling.

"Come on, give me a hint, Dad!"

"Nope."

"Come on! Just one little hint!"

Mike just laughed as he exited the room and closed the dor.

Jamie rolled his eyes and slowly stood up. He yawned and glanced at the clock, which read 5:15. "And here I planned on sleeping till noon," he grumbled.

He grabbed some clean clothes from his dresser and left his room to go shower and get dressed.

Brady House

Summer grumbled and muttered as Matt dragged her down the stairs. "Mattie, oh beloved brother of mine, it's only 10:00 on a saturday. I wanna sleep the day away!"

"Not happening," Matt replied as he pushed her into a chair. "You've gotta wake up, get on your shoes and stuff, and go with me to the mall."

"Why?" Summer asked. "Not that I'm ever not up for a shopping trip."

Matt rolled his eyes. "I forgot we were invited to Jamie's party today."

"Party?" Summer asked, confused.

"His 16th birthday party."

Summer nearly choked on her orange juice. "Today's his birthday?!"

"Yup."

"Why didn't anybody tell me so I could get him something?!"

"You haven't known him that long, Sums, he doesn't expect you to get him anything. but I've known him for three years, and all the Montoya's will kill me if I don't get him something. So you gotta help me find something quick. The party starts at noon."

"We're going now!" Summer said.

"What about breakfast?"

"Who cares? We can get fast food at the mall! AFTER we get him presents!" Summer said as she ran upstairs to get her shoes and purse.

Matt groaned. "I HAD to wake her up, didn't I?" he asked himself.

Virginia's Diner - 12:20

"Why am I not surprised that they're late?" Laura said haughtily.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" Summer shot back, getting irritated. "Ooh, their 20 minutes late, the world's gonna end!" she mocked.

Maria snickered. "Horrors."

A car engine was heard in the parking lot, and they knew it wasn't a customer, since a big sign hung in the window stating 'Closed For A Private Party'. Everyone lined up in front of the counter, smiling just as the door opened and Mike and Jamie came in shaking snow off their heads and jackets. "You couldn't have gotten mom pregnant so I'd be born in the spring or summer, could you? No, you had to arrange it so I'd be born in January, when it's so damn cold we freeze walking from the car!" Jamie complained.

"Can you go a single year without saying that?" Maria asked.

Jamie looked up and smirked. "Not really, Miss Always Had A Perfect Spring Day Birthday!" he joked.

"Happy birthday, kid," Laurence said as he gave his nephew a quick hug. "You look worn out."

"Woke up at 5:00 and couldn't get back to sleep if I tried. Especially after dad mentioned my 'big gift'," Jamie said, his grin growing wider.

"What is it?" Summer asked.

"A jeep! A black, hard top, four wheel drive jeep! It's practically brand new!" Jamie said, gesturing his friends over to the window so he could point it out. "I can't drive it by myself until I get my liscence in a few weeks, but with my learner's permit I can drive it as long as Dad or another liscenced adult is with me."

Mike smile at the happiness in Jamie's voice and leaned against the counter. 'Thanks for the loan, Laurie. I'll pay you back."

"Forget about it," Laurence replied. "Every 16 year-old needs a good car."

Mike snorted. "I'm not gonna forget $7,000 dollars, Laurence. I'll pay you back. it might take me 10 years, but I'll do it."

"How long did you save for that thing, Mike?" Pilar asked.

"Since he was 12," Mike replied, chuckling. "And I STILL had to borrow money to pay for it!"

Near the windows, the teenagers had all settled into a single booth, all squished in together. Laura was sitting in David's lap right next to the window, then Diego sat, grimcing everytime Laura let out a giggle and told David to 'Stop it!', and next to him was Matt. Across from them were Maria at the end of the booth, then Summer, and then Jamie.

"I just about killed Matt this morning when he told me it was your birthday," Summer told jamie. "I had no idea!"

"Hey, you've only known me a little while, it's no big deal."

"Still, I felt bad!"

"Don't, I'm just glad you came," Jamie replied, smiling.

"Does that mean you don't want the present I got you?" Summer asked.

"I didn't say THAT!" Jamie replied, making everyone but the oblivious Laura and David laugh.

End Of Episode Nine