Page 4 of Annika's Aurora

Annika.

Like a coward, he’d disappeared from her life. He’d left for boot camp the following morning, unable to face their blame and his shame. After all, he’d killed their son, her brother.

Fifteen Years Ago

Logan was momentarily stunned.Unsure ofhow long he sat therewithatrickle of blood runningdown the side of his face,he blinked, triedto focus,andlooked around.What the fuck just happened?It came to him in a flash.The truck. The impact.

Christ!Annika!

He called her name,gettingno response. He turned his head, a wave of dizzinesswashing over him.Willing thenauseaaway,he looked overatthe passenger seat.Jamie wasslumpedbeside him.His eyes were closed, and he was covered in blood.Logan reached out a trembling hand to shake his friendawake. Nothing.Slowly, his eyes moved to the rearview mirror. HespottedAnnika’s shoulder. Shewasn’tmoving.

He had to get to her. He tried to open his door, but itwouldn’tbudge. Instead, he climbed out the window.Swallowingthe nausea that rushed up his throatwith everymovement, hewent toAnnika’s door.

Shelaypronetotheside, red discoloring her golden hair. He cried out her name,but when there was noreaction,heyanked onher door.Fuck,the damn thingwouldn’topen.

He had to get to her,had to know.

Please don’t be dead.

Reaching for her through the window,he pulledher closer to him.He stroked her face, pushing her hair out of the way.Pleading with her to open her gorgeous blue eyes, he ran atremblinghand down her throat,prayingfor a pulse.There! Was that it?Christ,he hoped so.It was faint,just a tiny beat under his fingertips,but it gave him hopeand spurred him into action.

Hestruggledto the back of the jeep,fighting his way through the tall grasses thatthreatened to wrap themselves around his anklesandhamperedhismobility.

Thankfulhe’dleft the top off, he climbedup behind herandgrabbed her under her arms. Hepulled,but shewouldn’tbudge. She was trapped.Something wasblocking his attempts to saveher.

Franticand near tears, hepaused tostudythe back seat.The blood from his injury was running into his eyes, blurring his vision;withhis armhewipedsome of it away. Blinking to clear his muddled mind, he studied her position again.Everything looked clear around her,so whycouldn’the get her out.

Shit! The seatbelt was still holding her.Imprisoningher.

He tried thereleasebut nothinghappened.Figuring the thingmust be damaged,he reached for thepocketknifeAnnikahad given him last Christmas. Flipping open the blade,he hacked through the beltthenpulledher up and out of her seat. He jumped off the back of the jeep with her in his arms, grateful to see herchest moving with herbreathing.Placinghergentlyon the ground a safe distance away,heturnedbackto get Jamie.That’swhen he noticed the flames.

The fuel tank must have been punctured. There was gas everywhere,and something had ignited it. Before he could blink, the engine block was completely engulfed.Atrailof fire followed the path of gas leadingunder the car. It was only a matter of time beforewhat fuelwas left in the tank exploded.

He raced to Jamie on the passenger side butcouldn’treach him because of the tree. The flames were spreading quickly. Too quickly. Licking at Jamie.

Heclimbed up on the running board andleaned through the windowbesideJamieas best he could,his knifegrasped in histrembling hand. Logan sliced Jamie’s seat belt, ignoring theheat from the flamesburning his hands.

He had to get Jamie out;Annikaneeded her brother.It was a mantraset on repeat inside his mind.Hedidn’tcare what happened to him as long as Jamie was safe.Annikacouldn’tlive without her twin.

Come on, you fucker. Cut faster!

The explosion caught him unaware,sending himflying through the air. He landed on the ground, dazed.Someonescreamedhis name.

Annika.She ran to him and started hitting him everywhere. He glanced down at himself in shock. He was on fire! She was trying to put the flames out with her bare hands. He quickly pushed herawayand rolled back and forth on the ground smothering the flames. He crawled toherand together,they got to their feet. Her eyes wide with shock as she stared at the jeep.

Jamie! Hestartedto go back for Jamie,butAnnikagrabbed him, preventing himfrommoving further.Her lips were moving, but hecouldn’tmake out the words.His ears were ringing from the explosion, atinny soundbuzzingin his ears.Still, he struggled against her hold, desperateto get to Jamie.

Annikagrabbed his face,forcing him to focus on her.Her blueeyes imploring him, pupils wide withtrauma, nearly obliterating thecolor.Through thedronein his ears, her wordspenetratedslowly. “You can’t!He’sgone! Don’t make me lose you too!” That last bit sunk in deep. That and her tears.

He tore hiseyesfrom her tortured onesand looked to the jeep. It was fully engulfed. Christ!He’dfailed.He’dpromised to always protect the Northrups, had joined the Navy to do just that. Andhe’dfailed to save his brother. The best manhe’dever known.

Logan sank to his knees, his grief overwhelming. Annika was right there with him, her arms wrapped tightly around him. He gathered her close, and together they sat in the weeds holding each other tight as they helplessly watched as Jamie burned.

Present Day

Logan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear the memories that haunted him. If he had just moved faster, shaken off the shock and dizziness faster, maybe he could have gotten them all out. But he didn’t, and Jamie paid dearly for his failure.

So, he’d hidden from the only family that had ever mattered to him. Filled with guilt and remorse, too ashamed to face any of them, he’d stayed away. They called, texted, and emailed constantly in those first few months but he’d ignored them all even as each message ripped his heart out. He’d been too much of a coward to reply, but he’d saved them all. The little folder on his computer still taunted him every time he turned on his computer. Eventually, the contact dwindled until finally ceasing. He’d grieved all over again.

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