Bill had walked her in and helped her get through the paperwork and bureaucracy. But then, the moment came. They asked if she wanted to view her father.

In truth, she didn’t. She had no interest in seeing what he looked like now. But something inside her told her she should. That it was important. She simply nodded.

“You want me to come with?” Bill asked her.

Those blue-grey eyes turned toward the doors where they would lead her to him. To say she was nervous was an understatement. But she turned back to him and shook her head. “No. No...I...I think I need to do this myself.” She said, those eyes a mixture of sadness and fear.

Bill nodded and took her shoulders in his hand. “Listen. You need me at all, you just call. I’ll be out here. Okay?”

She tried on a brave little smile, but it quickly faded as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face to his chest. “Thank you.” She whispered.

Bill placed a hand at the back of her head, returning the hug, a small kiss placed at the top of her head. “You go on now. Say goodbye.”

She pulled back and looked up at him as if trying to draw strength from him. Finally, she took a deep breath and started toward the door.

The doctor lead her down a long, winding corridor. That non-descript, antiseptic tile seeming to go forever. Every step feeling weighed down, as if her feet were fighting her. But why? Why the hell was she feeling this? What did she expect would happen? Why had she come here? What did this achieve. If she hadn’t the state would have disposed properly of him. She didn’t need to be here, so what the hell was happening?

The room was cold. Blues and whites. A line of refrigerated hatches along the walls. Suddenly the thought of that filled her with dread. This room full of death. Empty vessels waiting to be dealt with. She tried to think of more pleasant things. To push the thoughts out of her head. But they came surging back, not letting her off easily.

The doctor looked at her and then gripped the handle. As she yanked, Kara’s eyes slid shut, the creaking sound of the table extending out echoing in the otherwise quiet room. Slowly her eyes opened and looked down.

There he was. Her father. His skin pale. Lifelessly grey. His lips a cold blue. The last time she’d seen him, he had long shaggy brown hair. All that remained were a few silver tufts here and there. He looked thin. Too thin. His flesh clung to his ribs and she could see liver spots and scars throughout his chest. His long, gnarled fingers thin and in dire need of a manicure. A scraggly beard hung from his pointed chin. Age may have given him wrinkles, but there was no mistaking that face.

Kara swallowed hard. And then looked up to the doctor. “H….how?”

“Complications from an overdose of Oxycodone, cocaine and a mixture of alcohol. His heart just...couldn’t handle the stress.” The woman answered.

Kara shut her eyes. She wasn’t sure why the tears came. But there they were. Maybe it was the image of him...this sad, little, old man in a rathole apartment dying alone. Nobody to love him. Nobody to beg him, please, stop. Nobody and nothing in the world to live for. That was how the man who had given her life had left the world. And It broke it her heart.

The doctor watched her a moment, that clinical, fake expression of remorse upon her face.

“Can...can I have a minute alone with him?” Kara asked.

The doctor nodded. “Of course.” She stepped away and out of the room to give her privacy. The door creaking as it shut.

Kara’s eyes opened and now her grief was replaced with something else. Her voice shook. “You son of a bitch. You stupid...idiotic son of a bitch. What the **** were you thinking? Huh?”

She glared down at him with tearful eyes. “Now I’m supposed to take care of you? Give me one good reason why I should, you piece of ****!”

Her face screwed up then and she fairly growled. “Why.”

Her breathing escalated. “Why?!” Her voice echoed in the room.

Kara’s hands gripped his arm and squeezed, the rage in her eyes softening. “Why wasn’t I good enough?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she sniffled. “I know you missed her. I know you wanted her back, but why wasn’t I good enough for you? Why couldn’t you love me?” She asked him, her body shaking with silent sobs as she clenched her teeth.

“I’m sorry….I’m so, so sorry.” Kara managed. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”

She sniffed and wiped her eyes, taking in a deep breath and letting it out, shuddering. She took a moment to just stare down at him. Her breathing finally evening out. He was so tiny. So frail. He was so distraught, so lonely, so afraid. All her life she could see it, but couldn’t put the words to it for her own anger. What a miserable, horrible life he must have led. No friends, no loved ones. Everyone pushed away, hurt before they could get to know him. Even his own daughter.

No. It wasn’t anger now. It was pity.

This was why she had come.

This was why she had to be here.

Kara blinked a few times as the realization hit her. Silent with her father for the last time. Finally, she whispered. “I forgive you.”

The words almost burned in her throat, but they were out. “I forgive you.”

They said their goodbyes to Rose and she called Gerry to ask him to run the bar while she was away. He, of course, wanted to come with, but she needed him there. The bar had been closed too long as it was.

Kara climbed up into Bill’s truck, all nerves and jitters. She forced a smile over to him, and just looked like she was barely holding herself together. He reached across and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s okay. Breathe, kid. Breathe.” he said quietly, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’ve got ya.” He smiled before turning the ignition, the old truck cranking to life.

She never appreciated him more than at this moment, she thought. Bill Finnegan was more than just a good father, he was a damn good man. The best parts of him had been passed down to his son. The kindness, the generosity, the sense of humor...that earnest desire to make people happy that so endeared the big goof to everyone he met.

Bill turned to her after backing out of the driveway, throwing the truck into gear. “Why don’t you try and get a little shut eye. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day. You’re gonna want that rest. Trust me.”

“Okay, I’ll try.” She agreed. The past 2 hours had been such a hectic mess, she didn’t realize how tired she actually was. She yawned and leaned against the door pillar. Bill reached into the backseat, pulling up a jacket and handed it over. “Here. It makes a good pillow.”

She smiled and curled it beneath her head, eyes sliding shut. “Thanks, Dad.” She muttered.

Bill glanced over at use of the name a frown crossing his face. Poor kid, he thought. She’d not had an easy go of it in life and things just seemed to keep popping up in the way of her happiness.

Kara tried to slip into a peaceful sleep. Images in her head from the first day she’d met the Finnegans. She’d seen a boy sitting out on his front lawn, playing by himself. Just a skinny little thing, he had blue eyes and brown hair. Her father was, of course, drunk again, passed out on the living room floor of their *****y little house.

Clad in a dirty, oversized Mickey Mouse t-shirt that hung off her tiny frame like a shroud, and pants that had once been jeans, but she’d cut off at the knee. Her brown hair in a messy ponytail, she smiled down at the boy, not daring to speak just yet.

He slowly looked up at this...girl, he supposed it was, though she was unlike any he’d ever seen. The two just stared at each other a moment before she gave him an awkward little wave. Gerry looked at her tiny, dirty hand. The girl had been playing around in a construction site, running around and climbing the dirt mound in a solo game of king of the hill.

He gave her a little wave. This brought a bright smile to her face. “Hi.” She said. “Whatcha doin’?”

Gerry looked down to his Star Wars figures, Chewbacca was currently flying around in an X-Wing fighter, trying to not get shot down by Cobra Commander in a TIE Fighter. (He didn’t have all the figures, alright?!) He held up the TIE Fighter. “Playin’ Star Wars.” He said in a quiet little voice.

“Wanna play?” He asked her holding the toy up to her. Anna looked at it like she had handed him the Holy Grail. There weren’t a lot of toys in her house. And those that WERE there were broken, and busted up. Barbies with irreparable haircuts and the like. Not that it mattered because she didn’t like them anyway. She saw other boys around with their toys, but most of them were older or just didn’t want to play with a girl.

She took the TIE in her hands carefully, and accidentally pressing one the buttons at the top that ejected the wing pylons . The wing fired off onto the ground. She jumped, shocked, her eyes going wide. OH NO. Oh, hell, she broke it! She stared waiting for Gerry to yell or throw a fit. Instead he got to his feet and lifted his X-wing.

“Oh no! You got hit! Now you gotta spin it like this!” He showed her with his toy and ran away from her making noises like a spaceship out of control. Her face lit up and in an ecstatic ear-to-ear smile. The pair of them played on his front lawn for the next 4 hours, taking turns being the good guy and the bad guy and chasing each other. Gerry eventually ran inside to bring out his Millennium falcon for them to TRY and heft up and fly with their tiny arms.

The little girl was ecstatic. She’d found her first friend. Someone who actually WANTED her around. It didn’t hurt that he had awesome toys that he let her use. For the first time in her young life she felt like she belonged. And Gerry would never know what that meant to her.

What. A.  Weekend.  Kara stepped into her apartment, a dazzling, joyous smile on her face.  Had that REALLY just happened?  Had something she'd wanted for most of her life just become a reality?  That smile, that laugh, those eyes and...she had to admit...that body.  Most of all it was just...Gerry.  Everything that he was, everything that he wanted to be... she loved.  Was that weird to say?  It's not like it was too soon.  It had been 27 years!  Granted there was that whole...19 year gap.  But she'd carried that torch long enough.  This was her time now.  Things were finally going to start going right.

She was barely conscious of the fact that her cell's battery died somewhere around hour 3 of the trip.  Kara pulled her phone out, glancing down.  "Ah...crap.." she muttered, moving over to her purse and fishing out the charger.  

Bill and Rose seemed pretty happy about how everything was working out, too, she'd noticed.  All throughout breakfast and the car-ride home, Rose had this sly little grin on her face.  Kara was just convinced that Ginny...who had apparently ALSO gotten lucky that night, was just glad the focus wasn't on her.  That seemed like par for the course for the ginger girl.  Kara didn't understand what her hang ups were about sex.  It was a perfectly natural thing.  So, she had herself a good time.  Whatever, get over it, Red!

Her screen lit up, showing that the phone was, indeed, plugged in.

And good for her, too!  The little blonde she'd snagged was  a hottie!  Kara might not have swung that way, but she knew a knock-out when she saw one.  Ginny would probably never be one of those girls she could sit and gab and trade stories with.  They were too different, she mused.  Kara was too much of a free spirit and Ginny was...nervous.  Sort of fastidious and proper, despite her enjoyment of a certain series of novels that were basically poorly written S&M smut.  At least she was friendlier to her.  She seemed to genuinely root for her and Gerry as a couple.  That, she could appreciate.

The phone completed its boot-up sequence as Kara reached her fridge, looking for something...anything that hadn't expired.  She was not the best at keeping order in her home fridge.  At work, she was like a hawk, but home?  Not so much.  She grabbed a jug of orange juice and twisted the cap off, sipping right from the container because screw you, she was an adult and if she wanted to drink right from the carton in her own house at 9 PM, she damn well would!

That was when her phone lit up like the 4th of July, notifications sounding off.  She stepped over with a quirked eyebrow, glancing down at the screen.  There were several missed calls...Something must be wrong.  She checked the number...she didn't recognize it at first, but there were about 7 calls from it...from the police.

Immediately, her heart dropped.  The bar.  It had to be the bar.  Oh, God...her entire life was tied into that place...if she lost it, she didn't know what she'd do.  It had been the one thing that was truly her's most of her adult life!  The one thing she could point to and say with pride "This is mine."  Could it really just be gone.  That was when the phone rang.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when it went off.

For a long moment, she just stared, trying to will herself to pick up.  If she did, then it was real.  With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and brought it to her ear, pressing the green button.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Kara Aimsley?"  the voice asked.

Oh, God.  Oh, God...that tone.  Oh no....

"Y-yes."

"This Officer Hester with the Dallas Police dept."

Her hands trembled, tears began to form.

"Ma'am..."  the voice said.

Here it came.

"I'm sorry to tell you this..."

No, no no no...

"...but your father's dead."

Kara's eyes went wide.

And suddenly everything felt numb.

7 beers and 4 keepers later, Gerry and Bill returned to the cabin.  After locking down the boat and storing the fish for a bit, he returned inside.  The girls were all in there, playing Cards Against Humanity, a glass of Rose's famous home-made Sangria beside each of them.  Kara perked up upon seeing Gerry.  She MIGHT have a been a little drunk.

"The Great White Hunters returneth!" She proclaimed for all to hear.

Bill entered just as they all let out a drawn out "woo".  He shook his head and gave Gerry a nudge with his elbow. "Boozehounds."  he said derisively before stepping in.  "Hello, ladies.  And what are we doing here?"  He said leaning down and smooching Rose's cheek.  She reached back, a slightly inebriated smile on her face as she clung to him.  

"Playin' a card game."  She said.  Her smile faded quickly and she looked back at him, then.   Super serious.  "It's filthy."

He snorted and peered over her shoulder at the cards.  "...Michael Jackson's spotted p-"  His eyes snapped up, looking at each of them.  Kara and Ginny giggled.

"Ya'll need Jesus..." he said, shaking his head and walking off into the kitchen to grab a beer.

Gerry pulled up a chair.  "I'm in next round."
__

The game continued late into the night, Bill and Rose heading off to bed around midnight.  That was when they just decided to switch to a drinking game, playing a little "never have I ever".  Gerry learned quite a bit about his sister's surprisingly debaucherous college years.  Ginny turned beat red multiple times, of course, but the more she drank, the more comfortable she got.  By 2:30, Ginny was out like a light, curled up on the couch with her head on Kara's lap.

She glanced down at the snoozing redhead, grinning.  "Aww...look at sleeping beauty."  she said quietly stroking her hair gently.

Gerry glanced over with a grin, two beer bottles in his hand.  "You two bonding?"  He handed her the bottle and clinked his to her's.  He turned and looked out the window as he took a swig of his bottle.  

"Hey."  He said turning those blue eyes on her.  "What do you say we grab some more beers, some s'more stuff, and we go outside and build a fire?"

Kara's eyes widened excitedly.  "Yes.  Yes! Awesome, let's do that."

"You're into it?"

"I'm into it, dude.  I'm gonna grab a hoodie, meet me out there?"  she said, carefully slipping out from underneath Ginny, laying her head on a pillow.  

Gerry grabbed a bag of s'more stuff and a six pack of beers, moving outside to the fire pit.  He gathered firewood and started setting up the fire.  He'd just got a good blaze going when Kara came walking out, a green zip-up hoodie over her t-shirt and shorts that showed off her long, strong legs.  In one hand was an acoustic guitar.  She put on a big, excited cheesy grin, bouncing.  "Look what I fouuuuuuund!"  She said in a sing song voice.

"Oh, dear god..."  Gerry chuckled.  "Where did you find that?"  

"It was in my room!"

"That was my grandpa's."  He said, smiling, as memories came rushing back.  Nights by this very pit when Pops would play old ballads.  "Red River Valley", "El Paso"...sometimes he'd play "Rainbow Connection" while Rose would sing.  Those were amazing nights, Gerry recalled, as a warm smile widened on his lips.  "Can you play?"

She looked down at the guitar and shrugged.  "I dunno.  You tell me."  She said with an arrogant air, throwing the strap over her neck.  She wiggled the fingers of her strumming hand as if she was about to do something really impressive... and immediately started sloppily playing random notes, super aggressively, a rock star sneer on her face like she was rocking his world.

When she finished and raised her fists triumphantly, Gerry nodded putting on a show of being impressed, slowly clapping like it was the greatest thing he'd ever heard.  Kara put her hands together and bowed her head in thanks.  "Yes, yes, bathe me in your adoration!  I taught myself, you know?"

Laughter erupted between the two of them as she stepped over sitting on the stone bench beside him.  "No.  I can play, yeah."  She grinned and strummed, he fingers finding a chord.  

"This one goes out to guy I know named Gerry.  Ger-bear, wherever you are...this one's for you." She said with theatrical wistfulness.

Her head bobbed as she played a soft sweet little melody.  Her voice finally came into play.  Sweet, low, a little raspy, but definitely pleasant.

"Shadows grow so long before my eyes
And they're moving across the page
Suddenly the day turns into night
Far away from the city
Don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait"

Gerry smiled over to her, the brunette's stunning blue eyes closed as she focused on the sweet, slow little ballad she played for him.

"Ooh baby I love your way....everyday
Wanna tell you I love your way...everyday
Wanna be with you night and day"

He blinked, watching her just soothingly own the song.

"Moon appears to shine and light the sky
With the help of some firefly
Wonder how they have the power to shine, shine, shine
I can see them under the pine
Don't hesitate
'Cause your love won't wait..."

Her fingers moved expertly across the neck of the guitar, not a single note or chord out of place.  Gerry'd never heard her sing like this.  They'd done a karaoke night or two, but she was mostly a Joan Jett, Bonnie Tyler, or Pat Benatar kinda girl.  This...this was a nice surprise.  Those smokey blue eyes opened to look at him, a little grin coming to her lips as she sang to him.

"Ooh baby I love your way....everyday
Wanna tell you I love your way...everyday
Wanna be with you night and day..."

As the song came to a close, he realized she was staring right at him.  Not singing for him, but singing TO him.  Their eyes meeting, locking.  And in those eyes, he saw love.  Real, fiery, unconditional love.  Part of him didn't believe he deserved it.  Not from someone like her.  She looked at him as if to say "It's your's anyway."  The corners of his mouth twitched into a happy smile as Kara strummed the final chord, returning the smile up at him.

"Wow..." he said quietly.  "That was...that was great."

She looked down at the guitar demurely, brushing her hair behind her ear.  "Thanks."  Those blue eyes turned up at him again, setting his heart pounding.  She had a way of looking at him that just leveled him.  Gave him a wonderful pain in his stomach.

"I didn't know you could sing like that."  He said with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah...I don't really do it for just anybody."  She nodded, chewing lightly on her lower lip.  For a long moment the two just sat there in front of the fire before she scooted closer and leaned her head on his shoulder.  Gerry wrapped and arm around her waist, resting his cheek against her head.  Kara's face was a  mask of contentment.  There with her favorite person in the world, in the most peaceful place she'd ever been, on a perfect summer's night.

Gerry sniffed out a laugh.  Kara's eyes turned up to him.  "What?"  She asked.

"That song's gonna be in my head for a week."  He said with a chuckle.

"Oh, is it?"  She asked mischievously, sitting up and taking the guitar again.  

Gerry looked at her with a concerned expression.  "Oh no."

"Gerry...have you not heard?"

"No!  No, don't!"

She started playing erratically.  "AH B-B-BIRD BIRD BIRD!  THE BIRD IS THE WORD!  HAVE YOU HEARD?  ABOUT THE BIRD?  WELL EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE BIRD IS WORD!  AH B-B-BIRD BIRD BIRD!"

Gerry lifted his fists to the sky dramatically.  "NOOOOOOOO!"

Kara leaned in front of the mirror, finishing up her make-up.  The whole day she'd been getting guilt pangs, but the more she thought about it, the less it bothered her.  After all, Gerry had made it pretty clear that nothing was going to happen between them.  She was single, and a devastatingly handsome man WANTED to take her out.  She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled, finally satisfied, when the knock came at the door.  One last check of her lipstick before she hustled over to the door.

Danny stood on the other end, a white collared shirt open three buttons down with a navy blue pinstripe blazer on top.  His chiseled jaw shaved smooth and graced with a grin as he looked her over.  "Wow."  He said simply.

Kara blushed, red spreading over her sun-kissed skin.  She wore a sleek black dress that hugged her curves, a short, black cardigan covering her arms and shoulders.  A necklace decorated her long slender neck.  A smile crossed her lips as she stepped aside.  "Right back at you."  

Danny stepped in the two sharing a brief embrace, his lips pressing to her cheek.    "How's it going?"  He asked her, stepping inside.

She stepped aside and let him come in.  "Good!  Great to have a night off for a change."

"Aren't you the boss?"  He asked her with a chuckle.

"Yeah, dude, but I leave that place in anyone else's hands for too long and that bitch'll burn to the ground."  She said playfully.

Danny laughed and looked around.  "Your place...it's..."

"It's a ****hole."  Kara deadpanned.

"What?" Danny chuckled.

"You and Gerry both.  Total bull-**** artists."  She shook her head with a faux accusatory look thrown at him.  "I dunno, I'm thinking about getting a nicer place.  I mean...I've got the money, it's just..."

Danny watched her, having a feeling he knew exactly what she was waiting for.  He decided to throw her a bone and change the subject.  "Well, what do you say we get going?"  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gerry stood at the bar, hard at work.  A lot of the concert crowd had spilled over into the bar.  Tonight he was working the Shane.  And...how to describe Shane?  Every happy, dumb, douchebag coworker you've ever had.  Gerry was slinging drinks while he flirted with anything with two legs and a pair of breasts.  Gerry was in the weeds, a particularly redneck-y guy whistling for his attention.

"Yeah, I'll be-" Gerry started.

"YO!  Let's go!" the Redneck shouted.

"I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!  SETTLE THE **** DOWN!"  

Tonight was already bad enough, but these people and his "help" tonight were just exacerbating everything.    He finished with the customer in front of him, a dozen more demanding his attention.  Where the hell was Shane?  

Oh.  Right.  The dopey blonde kid with the surfer boy good looks and hair in front of his face was chatting up some redhead.  "Shane!"  Gerry called out.  

No response.

"SHANE!" He tried again.  

Nothing.

"HEY *** HOLE!"  He called again.  That one got his attention.  Shane turned to him and opened his arms as if to say "what the hell?"  Gerry gestured to the customers.  "Play hide the needle on your own time!  Let's go!"

Shane reluctantly moved on to do his job.  Yep.  This was going to be an awful night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kara sat in Danny's rented black Chrysler 300.  She leaned back in the seat, watching the streetlights pass in the window as Danny talked.  "So, there I am, 40 meters over a raging river and they've got me all...strung up for the jump.  Heart is POUNDING in my chest.  I'd never done anything like it in my life, right?"

She turned to him with a smile, listening.

"I'm thinking 'something horrible's gonna go wrong' and I'll end up that dumb tourist who got killed bungee jumping on his first try."  He smirked.

"How'd you do it?"  She asked with a shake of her head.

"I just let go.  All my worries, all my hold-ups.   I decided that I didn't want to waste anymore opportunities to experience something great.  If I'm going to have any kind of life worth living...I have to actually live it."  

That made Kara smile.  It was a damn good motto.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two wannabe cowboys decided tonight was GREAT night to start brawling.  One flat out coldcocked the other.  Gerry rolled his eyes and let out a disgusted sound.  "Shane!"

Once again, his back up was indisposed.  Gerry grit his teeth and moved around the bar quickly.  The two burly cowboys grappled each other.  Gerry grabbed the nearest from behind and caught an elbow to the face for the effort.  He could taste the blood in his mouth as he stumbled backwards.  When he realized who he'd hit, the cowboy immediately tried to apologize.   Unfortunately, Shane saw the action and vaulted over the bar, knocking bottles and glasses to ground.  He plowed into the cowboy, tackling him to the ground.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny and Kara sat at the table of a VERY classy restaurant.  Her fork scooping up another bite of lobster tail as they talked.  "I dunno.  I love the bar, and it's not like I'm qualified to do anything else."  She said with a shrug.

"Did you ever get to try college?"  Danny asked her.

"Community college."  She said. "When I got clean, I went and tried a few classes.  Wasn't really for me."

Danny nodded, chewing on the immaculately prepared ribeye they'd brought him.  "I can understand that."  He said.  "You ever think about getting out even for a vacation?  See some of the world?"

Kara considered it a moment.  "I always wanted to, but...man...that ****'s expensive."

Danny chuckled "So I've heard."

"Oh, right.  Mister 'my job pays for me to see awesome things' over here."  She said with a grin.  "What about you? Ever think of settling down."

Danny flashed that smile again, those green eyes alight.  "No.  Haven't met the right girl yet."

"Ow."  she said, feigning offense.

He laughed.  "Let's get through the first date before I go deciding if I'm going to toss my life out the window and have a dozen gorgeous babies with you."  

Kara recoiled, a wide-eyed stare at him.  "A *dozen*?!  Good lord man.  Keep that thing away from my womb."

The pair laughed as the waiter came and refilled Kara's champagne glass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gerry was talking to a cop, his lip swollen.  Most of the bar having cleared out after the fight.  He'd had to pull Shane off the cowboy, but by that time, he'd already thrown punches.

"Look, Officer...it was a stupid mistake.  I tried to break up a fight and the guy though he was getting jumped.  Shane saw him hit me and got the wrong idea."  Gerry tried to explain.

"Well, you know that guy wants to press charges."  he told Gerry.

"What?  On US?"  Gerry asked incredulously.

"It happened in your establishment, involving one of your employees, so yeah."  The officer nodded, finishing his write up.  He looked up to the exhausted, frustrated Gerry.  "We'll be contacting your employer in the next few days as we work this out.  In the meantime, I suggest you control your employees.   Have a good evening."  He handed Gerry a citation and took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Danny was laughing as Kara continued a story.  "So, then Gerry gets on-stage and he just BELTS out 'What A Wonderful World' to this crowd.  And, like...FULL ON Louis Armstrong, gravelly voice and everything.  Amazing." She said.  "And there's this old black guy who just leans out behind me, hearing this giant white dude rumbling away at the microphone and he just goes 'Daaaaaamn....cracka got some pipes!'"  

The two of them busted up laughing.  The date has been much more fun than Kara anticipated.  But it didn't escape Danny's notice that her stories were all about Gerry.  The last 4 she told were about him.  He smiled across the table to her, reading her face a moment.

"So...on a scale of 1-10...how in love with him are you?"  He asked her with a knowing grin.

"What?"  She asked.

"I'm not blind, Kara."  He said with absolutely no malice in his voice.  He just smiled.  "You only talk about him, and when you do...you light up in the most beautiful way."  He said.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't be talking about-"

Danny held up a hand.  "I don't mind.  I mean...I had my suspicions when we were all together...but I wanted to be sure."  Those green eyes watched her as she moved her dessert around with a fork, not making eye contact.  "So...how long?"

Kara sighed, taking a deep breath and thinking.  "Um...10?"

"10 years?"  He asked with a quirked brow.  He knew full well Gerry hadn't been back that long.

"No.  Since we were 10."  She said bluntly.  "I never gave up hope that some day he'd come through that door again and make everything okay."

Danny frowned watching her.

"And then he does and, good news!  He's married!"  She said, her expression souring.  "It was like a kick to the face.  I'd waited for him for...19 years.  And I get him back, and all he can think of is getting away from me again."

Danny leaned back in his chair, sympathetic eyes staying on her.  "That must have hurt."

"It killed me."  She confirmed to him.  "And I'll admit...I lost my head.  I did something stupid.  I threw myself at a married man.  Tried to get him to leave her then and there.  To give up and stay with me."  Kara sighed.  "I regret that.  It was low, it was wrong, and I wish I could take it back."

Danny nodded, neither condoning nor condemning.  He lowered his eyes, thinking.  "Why isn't he trying to leave this time?"

"He can't go back."  She said.  "Don't ask me why, because I', not even sure I understand it.  He can't go back to her and she sure as hell isn't looking for him, so...I'm hoping he comes around."  Her face scrunched up and she sighed, annoyed. "You know, a guy willing to honor his marriage even in the face of it being OVER should be a good thing...but it's just frustrating as hell to me."  She chuckled.  "Maybe there's something wrong with me."

Danny snickered.  "That's got to be frustrating."

She shook her head.  "You have no idea."

Danny reached across the table and took her hand gently, giving her a squeeze.  "If you ask me...you two are perfect together.  And if it's meant to be...it *will* be.  I think he'll come around."  He smiled.  "If he doesn't, he's a fool."

Kara couldn't stop the grin that came to her face.  She just laughed.  "God...some day, you are going to make some woman feel like a ****ing queen.  I just hope she appreciates it."

Danny grinned, it was his turn to blush.  "What do you say we get you home?"

Kara nodded, looking at him affectionately.  "Thank you for this, Danny."

"Anytime, Aimsley."

Kara stepped up on the makeshift stage in the bar, tapping the microphone.  A packed house stood before her, a band setting up behind.  "Test...test....you guys hear me?"  She asked, her voice amplified over the crowd.  They responded with wild cheering.

"Alright!  Ladies and Gents, welcome to McAvoy's!  I want thank you all for comin' out and plunking your hard earned money on my cheap watered down beer!  Woo!"  The crowd cheered at that, raising their bottles along with Kara.   She beamed over the gathering, a big smile on her face.

" Now, I'm sure most of you know this, but tonight is a special night here.  Tonight we welcome back a fan favorite to McAvoy's Pub...Ladies.  Gentlemen.  Mostly Ladies.  Please, give a warm welcome back...to our bartender and my best friend...Gerry Finnegan!"  Kara gestured to him as he stood behind the bar offering an awkward, embarrassed wave as the crowd went wild.  He, of course realized that they would have cheered if they showed them a rusty shovel at the point, but the thought counted,right?  "It's his first night back slinging drinks, so tip well, tip often, but most importantly, have a great time!"

She introduced the band and stepped off-stage, moving over to her tall friend, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek.  Gerry was pouring a drink but grinned over to her.  "Welcome back, Go."  She said, kissing his cheek again.  

It was a busy night, and the pair of them were running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  Several people talked to Gerry and congratulated him.  People she was certain he didn't even know.  Lots of them women.

That, she was not too happy about.  Gerry was pouring a shot for a girl named Gwynnifer...this blonde 22 year old with a tramp stamp that had a bit of a...loose reputation.  And her name was Gwynnifer.  Who the hell names their kid Gwynnifer...  ****ing obnoxious name.  Kara side eyed the living hell out of her popping the cap off a bottle before handing it over with a smile.  

"So, like...what do you bench?"  Gwynnifer said in flirtatious tone.

Gerry considered that a moment.  "It's been a few weeks, but, uh...last time I was....uh...was at the...the...****."  He shut his eyes and then popped them open.  "The gym I was hitting around 230, 240?"

The girl leaned forward on her elbows, her arms pushing together her cleavage as she looked him over.  "Mmm...it shows."

"Oh, thanks!"  He said sincerely.

"Thank you.  Those arms are just...wow."  She said with a grin, really laying it on thick.

Kara rolled her eyes.  She wanted to go over and slap the **** out of precious little Gwynnifer.  Instead she just cupped her hands.  "Hey, Ger bear!  Gimme a hand over here!"

Gerry glanced over to Kara.  He smiled to Gwynnifer.  "Excuse me."

He made his way over to Kara who just discretely stepped over to the cash register with him.  "Dude...fair warning...LOADED with HPV."

Gerry chucked.  "What?"

"Your girlfriend over there.  She's basically just a walking crabs infestation."  Kara glanced up at him, raising her brows.

"In that case I'll c-cancel the w-wedding."  

Kara smirked and finished ringing up her customer.  "Yeah, yuk it up.  We'll see how hard your laughing when your swimming in gonorrhea."

The night wore on and eventually the bar cleared out.  Kara was paying the band and wishing them a good night while Gerry was counting down the register.  She waved to them as she was shutting the door.  "Night guys!  Thanks again!"

She shut the door and locked it, turning to Gerry and letting out a loud exhausted sigh, slumping against the door.  A smile crept onto her face.  She quickly went to the back of the bar, carefully hugging him from behind and peering around him.  "How'd we do?"  She asked.

Gerry glanced back at her, feigning annoyance.  "Now I gotta s....start over."  He said, making a show of rolling his eyes.  With a smirk, he laid down the huge pile of cash and the credit card machine settlement.  

Kara's eyes widened.  "Wow."  She said simply.  "I'll have to beat the crap out of you and bring you back once a month if this is the kind of night we get out of it..."

Gerry chuckled and nudged her with his elbow.  Kara laughed and gave him a playful shove as he moved past her.  She watched him walk away, her smile fading slightly.

Kara had pulled a chair next to Gerry's hospital bed and the two of them sat watching Spaceballs on a laptop she'd brought in.  Gerry had gotten the staff to bring the pair of them a couple bowls of ice cream.  

On-screen, Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet stood wearing a comically over-sized pith helmet version of his mask while his men ran giant Ace combs.  His subordinate, Colonel Sandurz turned to him.  "Sir?"

Dark Helmet turned to him with a megaphone.  "WHAT?!"

Sandurz jumps, startled before continuing.  "Are we being too literal?"

Still speaking into the megaphone, Dark Helmet answered, "No, you fool!  We were told to comb the desert, so we're combing it!"  Sandurz nods reluctantly as Helmet calls to his men...without the use of the megaphone.  "FOUND ANYTHING YET?!"

Two men, both white look up from their giant comb.  "Nothing yet, Sir!"

"How 'bout you?!"

Two other white men look up, "Not a thing, sir!"

The camera pans over to two black troopers using an afro pick.  "What about you guys?!"

One of the men looked up angrily and shouted, "WE AIN'T FOUND s***!"

Gerry winced as the two of them laughed.  Gerry had just finished his ice cream and set his bowl aside.  The wounded father glanced over while Kara was busy, still chuckling.  He reached over with his little plastic spoon and scooped up some of her ice cream.  Kara pulled her bowl away protectively, laughing.  "Nooooo!  Mine!"

"But...but I'm...I'm...hurt!"  he said pleadingly, popping the spoon into his mouth.

"Yeah, duh!  I'm taking advantage of it to GET this free ice cream."

"Knew it."  He grinned to her.

Kara smirked at him and then offered him the bowl.  Gerry held up a hand and shook his head, passing on it.  She kicked her feet back up and went back to watching.

Try as he might, Gerry just wasn't able to remember much from the day of the accident.  It came in flashes here and there, but nothing from the attack.  Kara had laid out the basics for him.  The fight, how Gerry had defended her, the beating.  Part of him was glad he couldn't remember.  If only his memory was the only thing he'd lost.  He turned his eyes to Kara.  "What happened to...to...uh..."  He squeezed his eyes shut.  He could see the name, hear it, but for some reason, it just wouldn't reach his lips.

"Tim?"  She asked with a frown.

"Yeah."  

She set aside her empty bowl and brushed her hair behind her ear.  "He's...here."

Even under his bandages, she could see his brow furrowed.  Her small hand touched his forearm.  "He's in protective custody until the hospital releases him to the cops."

"Then what?"  Gerry asked.

"Then, I'm going to do anything and everything within my power to put his ass away for a long time."  She said.

"Didn't get you in trouble?"  He managed.  

Kara shook her head.  "No.  He was about to murder you.  Plus, it's not like any jury would buy anything he has to say.  He's got a warrant out in Dallas, a record as long as my leg...Basically, they said I could have KILLED him and walked on self defense.  Son of a bitch is lucky I just shot him in the shoulder."

Gerry nodded at that, considering.  "Good.  That's good."  For a long moment, the two of them just watched their movie.  Gerry's mind was elsewhere though.  "You...you don't have to...stay...you know?"

She looked over at him.  "You want me to go?"

"No."  He said firmly.  "No.  But..."

"Gerry.  I'm right where I wanna be."

Kara adjusted herself in her seat and leaned he head against his arm, taking his hand, their fingers intertwining.