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There Is No Answer |
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Feedback: Yes, please. (But no flames.)
Written September 11, 2002
Disclaimer: Trilogy, MGM, and the Mirish Corporation own The Magnificent Seven characters. They aren't mine (::pout::). The only purpose of this story is for entertainment. No money is being made.
Description: This story is a tribute to the hero's of September 11, 2001. You did a great deed for your country when it was needed, when most would have crumpled under the horror of what happened. Many of you died that day. But you live on in our hearts and memories. Also, this story was inspired in part by a song, "The Innocent" sung by Good Charlotte, Goldfinger & Mest. "The Innocent" was written shortly after September 11, and the song has stuck in my mind as a symbol of that day. The lyrics will be posted after the story.
Thanks: Well, I'd like to thank all the people that reacted with amazing courage on that day. God Bless each and every one of you. But I'd also like to thank Rhonda, for betaing my fic.
Running. Screaming. Debris everywhere. Clouds of ash and smoke so thick it turned the day into night.
That's what JD remembered most vividly. Although it was now a year later, he remembered it like it was yesterday.+ + + + + + +
JD yawned as they stepped onto the sidewalk that Tuesday morning. Team Seven had been in New York for a series of meetings with the N.Y. office. Their flight back to Denver would leave that afternoon, and they had decided to go out for breakfast on what was supposed to be their last day in the city.
Chris hailed a cab. Buck, Vin and he would take one cab, while JD, Josiah Nathan & Ezra would take another. JD looked up into the sky as another yawn escaped his lips. The World Trade Center loomed not too far off in the distance. They had visited the buildings yesterday during a break in the meetings. Only Josiah and he had gone all the way to the top. It was such an awe-inspiring feeling to look down on the world from such a high perch. He glanced at his watch and looked to Chris who was just about to step into the cab, thinking it was too bad the others had missed such a sight. "Good Lord," JD heard Ezra drawl.
JD turned to the Southerner, wondering what had happened. But Ezra was staring up, into the sky. JD looked around and saw that Chris had paused with one leg in the cab. Buck and Vin were also looking in the direction that Ezra stared. Confused, JD looked. His breath caught in his throat. There was a fire on the top of North Tower of The World Trade Center.
Chris looked away first, looking for confirmation of what he'd just witnessed from his friends. "Did you see that?" he asked.
"It was a plane," Nathan said, not able to take his eyes off the tower.
JD's eyes were drawn to Nathan. "A plane?" he asked. Chris stepped out of the cab, shutting the door as the driver got out to see what was happening. JD's eyes drifted back to the ghastly scene. "Are you sure it was a plane?" he asked again, not quite believing. There was no answer from his friends. He looked around to see that others were standing, staring; the reality of it registering on their faces. It seemed like hours had passed to JD, but it had really only been a few minutes, when as he looked on another plane slammed into the south tower. The explosion sent up a mushroom of smoke.
JD staggered, blinking his eyes, as if that would make it go away. He felt Josiah put a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. He heard Vin let out a hiss of breath he'd been holding. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Chris start walking. Nathan followed. Soon, by some unspoken agreement to help, the members of Team Seven found themselves heading toward the World Trade Center.+ + + + + + +
JD didn't remember too much after that. Just the screaming and running as the south tower collapsed and the debris that surrounded them as they ran for cover. Memories pop into his mind every now and then, but he doesn't speak of them. He's not sure if they really happened. Like the memory of Buck grabbing a little girl as Chris helped her mother to run. There are memories of Ezra and Nathan helping an elderly woman along, after the cloud of smoke had cleared somewhat. To JD it appeared that both men had tears in their eyes. And there was Josiah, praying with those who needed prayer while Vin helped a young man who had fallen. But, JD has never asked any of his friends about these vague memories, and none of them have spoken of them.
The only other thing about that day that JD remembers clearly is checking into their new hotel the next evening, after having worked almost non-stop at Ground Zero. They were tired and dirty; so dirty JD was surprised not to have heard Ezra complain about his dry cleaning bill.
JD stood at the door to his room, the key card hovering above the slot. Tears welled in his mournful eyes, spilled over and cascaded down his cheeks. He let the key card slip from his fingers. It fluttered to the ground. His knees buckled, giving out and he slid to the ground, leaning forward against the door as sobs racked his body. He felt a hand on his shoulder, knew it was Buck, and it only made him cry harder.
JD squeezed his yes shut, trying desperately to block out the terrible events that he had witnessed. "Why?" he asked, and the question came out as a choked whisper. "Why?" he repeated, louder this time, wanting an answer to this question almost as much as he wanted to forget.
Buck drew JD away from the door, as the others looked on silently. Buck swallowed hard, trying to fight back his own tears. He clutched JD to him as the first tear breached his eye. "There is no answer," Buck finally said.
END
The Innocent
Written by John Feldmann, Benji & Joel
The start of Armageddon
So many friends are missing
And now we stand together
And we don't know why
We don't know why
Hate has turned to others
And we don't know why
We don't know why
We don't know why (Don't know why)
Will any of us
I don't know why |
Commments to: cheeky_little_minx@msn.com