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Mom and dad had talked for a long time about the current situation, and dad was supportive, understanding, and thoughtful.  Later that night he was eating chocolate ice cream from the bucket at the kitchen counter when he should have been sleeping though.

Sammy's neighborhood was quiet, like it was every morning.  She realized that there was the faintest tingle to the air, and she had focused her attention on it, trying to figure out what it was.  Like a breeze, just blowing in a place in her perception.  She's so intent on the sensation that she doesn't see the car heading for her at terrible speed.

OOC: Sammy needs to make a Reflex Save DC 10 and a Fate Roll (straight 1d20 roll)

Roll 1: Reflex; Roll 2: Fate (1d20+2=15, 1d20=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1471416/)

The car stuck Sammy broadside, and then in the back of her mind she knew what that odd feeling had been.  The motion of high speed objects around her.  Like sonar, only that revelation came a few seconds too late to help her this time.

OOC: Sammy needs to make a Toughness Save DC 12

Oh cr@p, I'm going to die, and I have time to think about it!!!  Toughness (1d20+6=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1471424/)

Colin comes racing around the corner, and sees the moment.  In his mind it's the end of a friend's life.  There is a moment when he feels like he can see everything that has ever happened to her laid out in one direction, and everything that every will fanning out from where she stand right now.  It's just a matter of moving the right threads he thinks.  But to do that, he needs more time.  That's when he realizes everything is standing still.  The car, Sammy, everything.  He steps off his bike in a kind of daze, and it hangs there, like it's frozen in one of his photographs.  There is a silence to this moment that is ear splitting.  He walks over to where Sammy is.  Picking her up he shifts her over a few feet and sets her down.  He can feel the quivering of the threads of fate, he knows the world is about to snap back into motion.

VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CRASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The car shoots past Sammy and Colin, jumping the curb it crosses a yard and slams into a house, stopping a few feet past the front wall.

Sammy isn't sure how the car missed her, she knew it was coming right at her.  Then she's aware that Colin is standing next to her.  His attention is focused on something a few yards away, and she turns to look also.  Her eyes come to rest on his bike, riderless.  Then, it falls over.

Colin has clearly been crying. His eyes are read and he looks awfully tired, and out of breath.

"Are *pant* you *puff* all right?" His voice is coarse, as if it's been drained away as well.

He hugs her. "I was so *pant* afraid. I saw you... I don't know *pant* how I managed it. *pant* I don't care. *puff* What matters is that you're alive and well. God and Great Spirit. All at once. The Blackbird told... But I couldn't accept it. So I... Oh Sammy. I would have never forgiven myself. Thank you, world. Thank you."

Then he seems to calm down a bit, and lets her go.

"Maybe we should check on that guy. Three at once is no coincidence." He's not sure he's making any sense, but that's the best he can afford at the moment. He realizes he's shaking, and he sits down beside his bike.

Sammy resists the urge to climb to a safe place somewhere inside of Colin's skin and just not come out for a while.  She even keeps herself from clinging helplessly to him.  Stunned by what has just happened, she stares back in forth between where she was standing *I was going to die* and at the car that crashed into that house *I should check, the house might burn down, what if someone is inside.  That car almost killed me.* and to Colin, now sitting on a curb and looking very shaky.

Her hands shake.  She dials 9-1-1, and without waiting for a reply, asks the dispatcher to send an ambulance, a fire truck and probably a police car too, because a car has just crashed into a house.  She gives the address.  She doesn't know if anybody is hurt, but it doesn't look good.  She can go for a closer look... she doesn't hang up, but starts walking toward the car.  *It's safe, I don't need to breathe.*

She says to Colin and the dispatcher both, "I'm going to go check the driver and see if anybody was in the house."

Colin looks helplessly at where his bike lies on the sidewalk. He feels cold now, really cold.

I need a chocolate. I need some rest. I need to understand.

He saved her. Unless he's living in a dream of wish fulfillment and she lies bleeding somewhere and his brain is not allowing him to see her and created another, more comfortable reality for him. That would make sense, someway. Or, he stopped time. He cheated death. He cheated.

'You only have the resources to save two' he said. 'You must choose' he said. God and Great Spirit, what have I done?

He looks around frantically for the Blackbird. He's still utterly confused and he desperately needs guidance.

Blackbird, did I cheat? Is something horrible going to happen because of what I've done? Is someone else going to be struck by a car when he shouldn't have? Is death going to chase Sammy until she finally dies horribly because she wasn't meant to survive, and I messed with things? Please tell me. I only tried to help. Tell me I haven't broken anything.

Sammy walks to the car.  The driver is unconscious, the airbag and seatbelt having saved them from serious harm.  A few people have come from nearby houses to see what has happened.  Sammy finds the house empty, obviously no one was home, early risers.

Colin hears the beat of wings, and the black bird touches down on the handlebar of his bike.

Nothing broken.  You've reached beyond yourself and summoned up power.  The world heard your call, and it's spirits aligned with you.  You will make a fine Spirit Dancer.

Colin isn't sure, but he thinks maybe the Black bird smiled, before it launched into the air and flew away.

Colin looks at the blackbird until he disappears in the distance, and finally, from deep inside him, a sigh comes out.

Thank you, world, he says again. He'll have to think of something to celebrate. But now he has to check on the others. He takes out his phone, the phone he got the day he was hit by a bullet. He calls Sylvia first. (http://www.groovygamers.com/forum/index.php/topic,5596.msg175126.html#msg175126)

When Sylvia hangs up, and doesn't answer anymore, Colin can't help but feel that maybe he hasn't saved her after all. He shakes his head in sadness, and calls Sarah (http://www.groovygamers.com/forum/index.php/topic,5597.msg175145.html#msg175145).

Sammy sits down near but not immediately next to the wrecked car.  She disconnects from the 9-1-1 operator, and calls her mom.

"Mommy," she says, voice shaky.  She doesn't call her mother Mommy anymore, not unless something is really, really wrong.  "There's been a car accident.  A car almost ran me down.  I barely got out of the way,"  Feeling sick to her stomach, she stops and swallows hard.  "and the car plowed into a house.  I called for help, and the police and fire department are on the way.  The operator knows that I was the one who made the call.  I'm afraid I'm going to be pulled into the police station again.  Could you please call that lawyer?"

"Where are you?"  Sammy's mother's voice is a frazzled edge, and it's almost as though the answer to that question is the most important thing she can ever know.  After giving her mother the address, she tells her to hold on.  "I'm on my way sweetheart."

It's a couple of minutes before emergency services arrives.  Sammy's mom isn't far behind, and she finds her daughter to be with her.

The police take Sammy's statement, and one of them rides to the hospital with the driver.  There were a few witnesses that saw him try to run Sammy down.  They suggest she go to the ER, just to be sure she's alright.

Chris arrives.  Out of his jurisdiction here, but cops have cop friends and Colin figures one of the Oak Park PD must have called him.  Colin is slightly shocked when Chris hugs him like....like a man hugs his son he thought he might have lost.  "You alright...spor..."  His voice is a little thick, and he has some trouble getting the words out.  He clear his throat, "Are you alright Colin?"

Colin isn't sure what to do, he's slightly embarrassed, but the feeling of Chris' strong arms, of a father's arms around him... "I'm all right, Chris, it's ok, it's all ok now." he smiles. "Can we get a chocolate before I go back to school. I'm still a little shaken."

He looks at the ambulance carrying the driver away. "That man, I'm sure he didn't meant to kill Sammy. Somebody made him do it. It's kinda of a complicated story, but he shouldn't get charged or anything."

Sammy will go to the ER if her mom wants it.  Before she does anything else though, she points at Colin and says "Colin saved me.  I want to thank him."

She walks over to where Colin is standing with Chris.  "Excuse me," she says, not wanting to ruin their moment, but not sure how much time she'll be given to speak.  She wraps Colin in a big hug and holds him very tight for a moment.  "Thank you for saving my life... again."  She blinks a few times to chase away some tears that threaten to spill loose from her eyes.

Colin welcomes her in his arms and pats her back. "It's ok, windling, you're welcome. I didn't do anything, really. You deserved it. You'll do great things with your life. I just couldn't let it all go to waste." He keeps her tight for a moment too, as if he wanted to be certain she was safe for real.

Sammy takes a half step back.  She looks around at the officials on hand, then looks down at the ground.  "You'd better get away from me," she mumbles, "before the police drag you in for questioning too.  They'll probably somehow try to blame this accident on me or Donnie."

"We'll get you out of this too, Sam. Sarah and I have already talked with someone. She won't win. And believe me, if they take me in for questioning I know perfectly well what to tell them. These accusations are absurd and they'll know it soon.

Don't let her or them ruin your mood or your Christmas. You have to sing tomorrow. You have to enchant the world."

"You're so sweet.  I want to believe you. I'm wondering though if the world wouldn't be safer if I just sat this one out," she replies.  "But I still have to go on with the show."

"You do have." Colin says. "We can't let them win. Our victory is to live and be happy no matter what they try to do to us."

Sammy nods slowly.  "You are right."  She looks back over toward the EMTs.  "They want me to go to the Emergency Room and get checked out by a doctor, just to be safe.  Do you want to come with me?  Maybe we can find out more about Elrod... and about Torrance."

Colin thinks about it, but then he shakes his head. "No. And neither should you. You'd better stay away from Torrance until this story is over. Someone could see you, and what would they think? But I hope you get to see Elrod, and that he's woken up. I know it'll be difficult, but he should hear the story from you."

"They won't let me near him.  I was escorted out of his room and out of the hospital by the police yesterday, and was told to stay away from him.  My photograph is probably posted at the nurse's station and the main reception desk, just in case."

She hugs Colin one more time, then nods to her mother.  "I'm ready if you are."