Someone To Run To

31

"What?" John asked. He was pretty sure he heard her, but he wanted to be sure.

"I killed him," Gina repeated. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her face contorted with pain. "This is all my fault. I should have never come back."

Alan would still be alive and well, shooting his handsome half-smile at everyone if he had never met her.

"You didn't kill him," John told her. "Ron did." He reached over and laid his hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner."

Gina looked down at the face of the man she had fallen so hard for in just a few short days. The rain was washing away most of the mud and she wiped the rest off of him the best she could. She laid her head against his. Her heart was shattered into pieces in an instant.

John just stared at her. There was nothing he could think of to say or do. Nothing was going to make her feel any better about the whole situation. All he could do for her was be there.

Suddenly, a loud gurgle pierced the deafening silence, then a harsh cough interrupted Gina's tears. Her head snapped up. He moved! Could she be so lucky? As if to answer her, Alan's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," he whispered.

Gina was overcome with joy. "Alan, you're alive!"

He winced as she squeezed him tightly. "Yes."

She bent down and kissed him on the lips. She didn't care if they were semi-covered in the mud. The rain had removed most of it. She was just glad he was alive.

Seeing the miracle before him, John called the paramedic back over and they checked Alan out right there on the ground. He refused to go to the hospital, so they hauled him back in the house. He was placed on the couch with great care.

Alan didn't like it when they all gathered around him, but he didn't complain. Gina didn't leave his side the whole time they were cleaning him up.

Maggie and the others came down the stairs to join them in the living room, all but Grace, and she had gone with George to the hospital.

After Alan was cleaned up and resting, the police disappeared from the house. John went into the living room where they were all gathered. His eyes fell on Gina.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "My secretary didn't try to get a hold of me or I would have been here sooner."

"It's okay," she said quietly. "Everything is going to be fine now." She ran her hand down the side of Alan's face. He smiled at her.

Alan had a huge headache and his brain was a little fuzzy, but otherwise, he felt okay. He locked eyes with John. "Thank you for helping her pull me out of my grave."

John chuckled. "Don't mention it. There was no way she was leaving you in there." Color flooded Gina's cheeks and he grinned. "I think you better keep this one, Alan." With a grin, he stood. "I better get going so you folks can rest."

"Thank you," Gina told him. "Thanks so much."

"You're welcome."

Maggie got up and showed him to the door. She came back a minute later and sat in the chair in front of the couch. Kate, Eva, and Giles were all sitting with their legs crossed on the floor.

"What happened?" Kate demanded. She had been dying to know since they brought Alan back in the house. She already knew what went on inside because she listened to Maggie give the police her statement.