In all the confusion surrounding Alex's death, Isabel could understand that she and her friends didn't remember to celebrate the occasion, but she could not figure out the link. «But what does this have to do with your nightmares? What do Alex and your mom have in common?»

Kyle stood, staring down at the body.

Isabel's mind raced. They kept getting closer to the solution to the puzzle, but she would have to force it out of him. «We're trapped in here because of you, Kyle. What is it you won't remember? What is it you refuse to accept?»

He dropped to the floor beside the body, with tears welling in his eyes. His own body heaved with convulsions.

Isabel was frightened to see her friend in such a state. He was in total breakdown. This was worse than anything she could have experienced in the real world, since it wasn't truly her friend Kyle doubled over in front of her. She was witnessing the mental manifestation of Kyle's breakdown. It was pure emotion being released without restraint. Nothing in life could ever come close to the pain she felt emanating from his body. His face twisted in agony.

Looking up at Isabel, he finally let out sobs for the years of repressing a single, seemingly minor, memory. «I carried her duffel bag to the car," he cried.

«What?» she asked, confused.

Suddenly, the sobs stopped and Kyle grew very still.

«We were leaving for school," he explained with a few rogue tears rolling down his face, «and I saw her bag. She told me she was going away for a while, but she never let on that it was for good. The bag was almost as big as me, but I picked it up and carried it for her. She said I was her strong, big boy.»

Isabel was moved to tears by the recollection.

«I helped Tess take away Alex's body," Kyle finally let out the truth, «and I helped my mom abandon her family.»

Dropping beside him, Isabel held on to her friend. «You had nothing to do with it, Kyle. You didn't cause Alex's death. You didn't make your mom leave. Both things would have happened whether or not you were there.»

«But I could have stopped them," he argued, sobbing. «I could have stopped Tess. I could have stopped my mom.»

«No, Kyle," Isabel soothed him. «You didn't have the power to stop either of them. You were just an innocent bystander caught up in it all.»

«But-"

«No!» she said firmly. «You were the victim.»

«I couldn't have stopped them?» His voice was childlike. It was the first time his mind was beginning to embrace the concept.

«No," Isabel pressed. «You were just a little boy. Even if you had realized what was going on, you couldn't have done anything about it. Just like if you had realized Tess was killing Alex, you couldn't have stopped her. You didn't have the power in either situation. There was nothing you could do.»

«Nothing?» his voice continued in a child's tone.

«Nothing.»

Alex's body began to fade. They both watched it intently, both contented and just a little sad to see him go away.

«I'm so tired," Kyle said with tears flowing freely once again.

Isabel pulled him up onto the bed. «Get some rest.»

Kyle lay on his bed, curling himself into a ball.

Isabel took the covers from the foot of the bed and gently draped them over her friend. She stroked his hair as he began to look relaxed for the first time in a while. «It's going to be all right, Kyle. Everything's going to be all right.»

In the Evanses' living room, Max watched as Jason started a rousing game of Jenga with Michael. The pair were crawling around on the floor picking up the pieces they had spilled out of the box and were carrying on like they were the ones who were old friends.

«I've never seen Michael warm up to a child so quickly," Max said as Maria came over to him.

«I've never seen him warm up to anyone so quickly," Maria agreed. «So, what's the kid's story?»

«Too long to go into," he replied.

«Gotcha," she said. «I think I'll join in the game.»

Max continued to watch as she plopped herself on the floor beside Jason. For the first time that afternoon he was actually glad that he had brought the boy along. Considering the mood he and Liz had been greeted with yesterday, Max suspected this was probably the first bit of fun Jason had experienced in a while. He was also glad to have brought Jason for slightly selfish reasons as well, because the boy was providing a minor distraction for him to keep

his mind off all the many frighteningly different things that could possibly be going wrong in the other room.

He continued to be amazed by how quickly Michael and Jason had bonded, although he suspected he shouldn't have been too surprised. Michael had spent years being roughed up by his foster father, Hank, all the while Max and Isabel were ignorant of the abuse. Somehow, Max suspected that the common bond between Michael and Jason was subtle enough that the pair would be naturally drawn to each other without realizing why. Max made a mental note to ask Michael about it some other time, then scratched it right off his mind when he remembered that Michael was never really big on those touchy-feely conversations.

Feeling silly standing in the doorway watching his friends playing, Max went over to join them on the floor. His mind wouldn't be even partially on the game, but at least it was a way to pass the time. The four of them settled into one of the quietest games of Jenga any of them had ever played. Three of the players kept an ear out to hear if they were needed in the other room while the fourth sensed the tension and remained mostly quiet out of respect.

Once Jason had finished placing the rows of rectangular blocks on top of one another, they took turns removing a block from the middle of the stack and placing it back on top. They went around the circle twice before Michael knocked it over, though Max suspected that the fall was on purpose since Jason was next and the tower was already leaning. That is not the Michael Guerin I know, Max thought. But then again, I've never really seen him interacting

with kids. Maybe there's a fun uncle in there for my son after all.

Game play continued as the tower was rebuilt and they started again. The game still didn't take anyone's mind off Isabel and Kyle, but it did allow them to get more into it as the minutes passed. In fact, they were so engrossed in the game at one point that they didn't notice they were no longer alone.

Isabel and Liz had entered the room, stopping to watch them for a moment.

«Good to know I was missed," Isabel said quietly as she saw the game players on the floor. Glad Max didn't have to interrupt his baby-sitter, she thought as she noticed the young boy with them.

Liz let out a cough to discreetly announce their presence, but it was unfortunately timed with another fall of the Jenga tower and all four players bursting out in near riotous laughter.

«Good morning," Isabel said loudly from the doorway in a slightly annoyed tone. «I'm so glad that while Kyle and I were in there fighting for our lives and his sanity, you guys got to play some fun party games.»

The look of relief on everyone's face was quite evident as Max was the first up to embrace his sister. The rest of the gang followed, although Jason stayed behind on the floor feeling somewhat out of place.

«Are you okay?» Max asked, squeezing tightly.

«Fine, I think," she said, stifling a yawn. «Surprisingly well rested, in fact.»

«How's Kyle?» Maria asked.

«Resting comfortably," Liz said cheerily.

«He was still sleeping soundly," Isabel added. «We decided he needed the rest, so we didn't bother to wake him.»

«Yeah," Liz agreed. «He's kind of taken over your room, Max. Sorry.»

«Giving up my bed is the least I could do for him," Max replied. «Considering all the things he's been through.»