Family Ties_Chapter 25_

"Silver!" Esmerelda exclaimed, "You're okay!"

Silver shook his head sadly.  "No," he said, "this is all taking place in you're mind.  We're still in the ambulance."

"Well, let me go back!" she said franticly, "I need to continue to heal you!"

"Don't worry about it," he said.  Esmerelda opened her mouth to yell at him, but he continued, "This is all taking place in nanoseconds.  When we go back, it will be like no time has passed at all."

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"To show you what you have to do." he sighed heavily and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Esmerelda…I-I'm sorry that I have to burden you with this…I…I don't know what else I can do, though…"

"Silver…don't be sorry.  I…I can handle it.  But…" she swallowed, trying to keep back her tears, "But you'll be there!  I won't have to do it alone!  You'll be there, and I'll help you!"

"Well…" he said, "you're right about not being alone…there's someone who can help you.  Her name is Blaze the Cat.  She's…my best friend.  When I first told her where I was from, she promised me that she'd carry on what I started if anything ever happened to me.  She can help you."

Suddenly, the figure of a purple cat appeared in front of them.  She was very beautiful.  There was something about the way Silver portrayed her that gave Esmerelda the idea that Silver liked Blaze as more than just a friend; perhaps because Esmerelda's mind was linked with Silver's so she was not only getting a mental picture of Blaze, but also picking up on some of Silver's feelings  for her.

Blaze's figure swirled and melted away, and Silver turned back to Esmerelda.  "I'll show you what needs to be done…"  Esmerelda nodded and here eyes seemed to zoom in on the hooded figure.  Silver told her his name, and what part he would play in this destruction.  He also showed her several others in several places on the timeline that would play a part in the downward spiral of the world; some were diabolical figures who were consumed by lust for money and power, and some were innocent people that had no idea what part they would play so many years in the future.

"So what needs to be done?" Esmerelda asked.  Silver sighed sadly and showed her several things that would save the future; bump into this person and make him late for his buss, tell this person she looks beautiful today, press the emergency button on this subway train at this date and time.  But that was the easy part…he then showed her people that would have to die if the fall of the future was to be prevented.

"But…" Esmerelda protested, "But they didn't DO anything!  They're just innocent people, living normal lives!"

Silver winced as if her words had physically stung him, "I know!  I…I know…"  Suddenly, Esmerelda was flooded with a sorrow and guilt unlike anything she had ever felt in her life!  Tears streamed freely down her face as she realized that she was feeling just a fragment of what Silver had to go through.  She threw her arms around him and cried into the tuft on his chest.  "Silver…I…I'm so sorry!  I'll make sure you make it out of this alive, and I'll help you get through what you have to do!  No one should have to do this alone!"

Silver held her tight and she could feel the love he felt for her, as she was sure he could feel her love for him.  Slowly, like waking up from a good dream, the place they were standing melted away and Esmerelda was left sitting back in the ambulance next to a wounded Silver.  His cheeks were wet with tears, as were hers, and she whispered as she continued to heal his wound, "I won't let you go, Silver…I love you."