Incest/Taboo Lady in Red

School was scheduled to reopen Wednesday morning, one week after the attack. Steve had managed to cut off his bandages by himself that morning and limped to the shower to prepare for the day. He was doing his best to soap up his upper body when he felt hands stroking his back! He swung around in surprise to find a naked Gwen standing behind him.

Trying to remain cool, he slowly ran his gaze over Gwen's body. His eyes lingered on the Y created where her long legs came together. Then he moved on to enjoy her full breasts and hard nipples.

"Do I look okay? I'm pretty nervous about you seeing me like this," admitted Gwen. "Am I too heavy or something?"

"You're incredible! I can't believe how beautiful you are, Gwen. Your body is perfect!"

"Thanks! The nice thing about us being naked is that I can actually see how much you appreciate looking at me. It looks like Little Steve enjoys the view. He's looking right at me!" laughed Gwen as she began soaping Steve's shoulders and chest.

The shower lasted until the hot water ran out. Steve and Gwen washed each other carefully and thoroughly. "That's got to be the cleanest I've ever been, Steve. I don't think you missed a single square inch of my body. Now you have to dry me off."

As he finished toweling Gwen dry, Steve pulled her naked body to his and kissed Gwen passionately. Gwen was facing the door so she saw it swing open and Kate suddenly stop in shock. Behind Kate, Gwen could see her mother watching from the kitchen. Kate was frozen in place until Gwen motioned with her hand for Kate to close the door. Twenty minutes later, Steve was bandaged, dressed and seated at the kitchen table. Gwen was upstairs getting dressed.

"I'm sorry about opening the door this morning," apologized Kate as she sat down at the table. "I thought you'd still be in bed and I could get some clothes from my closet before you woke up. I didn't think about Gwen being in your room. I guess it's hard to shower with a bad arm?"

"You opened the door this morning?" asked Steve nervously. "When was that?"

"Gwen didn't tell you? She saw me and motioned for me to close the door. You guys were all romantic ... and naked. Mom laughed at me when my face got all red after I closed the door."

"Your mom?" repeated Steve. "Kate, Paula, I am so sorry that happened! It's Kate's room and she certainly should have access to her stuff. I'm a lot better now. Maybe I should go back and live with Uncle Joe."

"And how would you navigate the stairs to his apartment?" demanded Paula as she placed a big plate of bacon, sausage, eggs and pancakes in front of Steve. "I warned you both that the lock didn't work on that door. Kate needs to knock first, but you and Gwen have to think about your actions a little more. This is all new to you both. You have to go slowly and carefully. Think about the rest of us in the house. Ted and I don't allow the kids, or anyone, to catch us in embarrassing situations."

"Mom! Not you and Dad! I don't even want to think about that. Gwen and Steve are young and good looking. You and Dad are old and shouldn't even be doing that stuff anymore," reasoned Kate.

"I'm only forty-two and I can still turn heads! Your father and I certainly are not too old for romance and sex. We're just wise enough, and experienced enough, to keep it behind closed doors. Actually, I wouldn't mind if a little more of the romance part was in the open. Steve and Gwen are reminding me of how we were before we had three daughters to worry about."

"You and Dad were like me and Steve?" asked Gwen as she entered the room and took a seat. "You were a senior when you met Dad, weren't you, Mom? How long did you date him before you made love?"

"That is none of your business! Your father was a senior in college and came back to Sparta to watch a football game his cousin Jim was playing in. Jim introduced us at the dance after the game. Your father was so mature and good looking. I fell in love with him that first night, but I didn't tell him for a long time. He thought he had to work hard to get me to fall for him, so he came back to Sparta every chance he had to court me. It may be hard to believe now, but he was very romantic back then."

"So you fell in love at first sight, too? When Steve sat down at my table at the mall that day, my heart stopped. I had trouble breathing. I just sat and stared at him for a long time."

"I didn't notice since I was totally lost by that time," admitted Steve. "I was in love before I even sat down at the table that day. I can't explain it, but I knew that the incredibly beautiful girl sitting there was the one for me. That's why I asked you to go to the dance with me, and I refused to take 'no' for an answer. I can't tell you how hard I worked to win that game. I would've played defense if I had to!"

"I was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and big pants that day. Why did you even take a second look?"

"Gwen, you don't seem to realize just how beautiful you are. I've never seen your equal, and I've seen some gorgeous women, two of whom are in this room right now. You could've been wearing potato sacks and you'd stand out."

Gwen got up from her seat and walked over to Steve and sat on his lap and kissed him hard on the lips. "Did Dad say things like that to you back then, Mom? Was he a silver tongued devil like this guy?"

"I don't think he was quite as smooth as this young man of yours, but he was very good," laughed Paula. "Steve seems to be the gold standard for romance minded men."

As they approached the school that morning, Gwen began to fidget. Kate seemed slightly agitated as well. Gwen parked the car in a handicap area so Steve wouldn't have as far to walk. The kids were talking in hushed tones as they walked through the halls. When they reached their homeroom, Coach Watkins was seated in Ms. Walker's chair. When the bell rang, he spoke to the students in the room.

"As you all know, Ms. Walker was badly injured last week in the terrorist attack. She's expected to make a full recovery and hopefully will return to her teaching duties in the near future. I'm going to take attendance now and then we're reporting to the auditorium for a special program."

The assembly lasted about half an hour. The students were told of increased security measures and asked to always report any unusual activity. The principal explained to the students that the FBI was confident that the sixth terrorist, the one that sent the remote signal to detonate the bombs, had fled into Canada to escape capture and prosecution. Then he thanked the fire and rescue squads, the police, and the hospital staff. He explained that anyone that felt the need to speak with one of the available grief counselors would be quickly accommodated.

Then the principal singled out Gwen. "I cannot stress enough how important the quick thinking of Gwen Anderson was in preventing even more pain and suffering. She risked her life to disarm the bombs, and then had the presence of mind to call an emergency room doctor for help. Then she passed out phone numbers for other students to call for immediate first aid measures. I've been assured that more would have died from that attack if not for the prompt assistance rendered by the brave students that remained in the building to help their classmates.

"The events of that day cannot be discussed without mentioning Steve Hammer. Everyone in this room knows the decisive action he took to save many lives, as well as the very building in which we stand. I do not want to recount his efforts of that morning as we are here to heal, to move forward. We're fortunate to have such quick thinking, capable students in this school. We are the Spartan Nation and we're Spartan proud!!"

It took a few days, but school returned to a new normal. Basketball season resumed and the first home game was difficult. Everyone that entered the gym couldn't help but think about the violence and death that took place there. The floors had been sanded and refinished so there was no sign of blood, but most people had seen the video and knew where the pools had been.

Gwen and Steve were elevated to celebrity status. More precisely, they became school royalty. Students, and even teachers, deferred to them during school and at after school events. Steve healed rapidly and moved back in with his uncle Saturday afternoon. The Anderson family assured him that they wanted him to stay, but he felt he needed to get back home.

Gwen had been joining him for morning showers and had easily made him cum several times. She had declined any reciprocal efforts from Steve, except to allow him to caress her firm breasts and suckle her hard nipples a few times. He felt disloyal to Ted for enjoying Gwen so much in Ted's home. The Anderson's treated him far better than he deserved. Of that, he was certain.

By the following Monday, 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' was well on its way to becoming a huge hit. The video was seen my millions and hundreds of thousands bought and downloaded the song. Once again, Amber Stahl approached Gwen and Steve for an interview.

"I know you're going to be at the mall Saturday to promote your "Lady in Red" line of clothes. Since all the profits go to the hospital, the station has no problem doing a segment from Macy's featuring an informal interview with you two. Naturally, I'm going to be the one asking the questions. You guys have done wonders for my career. The station wants to move me up but won't as long as you both are in Sparta.

"They're afraid that if they move me, they'll miss the exclusive features you've been granting me the last few months. Now that you have a hit song and your clothing line is being promoted all over TV and the internet, the station doesn't want to lose you. They've given me a raise and a promise to move up once you guys are in college.

"I'd like to do fifteen minutes with you two. It will be live, with a few seconds delay in case something unacceptable is blurted. It's going to be during the eight o'clock hour and the network may rebroadcast it during their morning show if it looks interesting enough."

Saturday morning found Lisa, Kate, Gwen, Amber Stahl and Amber O'Leary setting up at Macy's, well before the normal opening time. Amber O'Leary had arranged to have a piano delivered to the area the kids were using. She felt confident that fans would be asking Gwen and Steve to sing since they had a hit song. The girls were shown their changing room, while Steve once again was given a glorified closet.

Macy's opened its doors at seven. Kate and Gwen began the day in evening gowns while Lisa modeled a bikini. Steve was dressed in a tux and was able to go without a sling on his arm. His shoulder was still stiff, but he had gained a lot more mobility in his arm. He walked with a slight limp, but that injury was rapidly healing. Steve recognized quite a few of his classmates that stopped in, including Charlotte.

"Billy's coming home tomorrow! He said to say 'hey' and to stop in and visit him when you get a chance. He's going stir crazy and can't wait to get back to school. The doctor's think he'll make a complete recovery and even be able to play football next fall."

A few minutes before eight, Amber Stahl explained to those gathered that she was going to do an interview and asked for their cooperation. As her cameraman counted down, Amber smiled to the kids as they went silent.

When the broadcast began, she explained to the audience how Gwen and Steve were launching a new line of clothes designed by Amber O'Leary, daughter of the governor. All profits were to benefit the building fund of the local hospital that did such an amazing job treating and caring for the victims of the recent attack.

She spent a few minutes discussing the gowns that Kate and Gwen were wearing. Amber O'Leary was asked about her designs and how she became affiliated with Steve and the Andersons. Lisa was introduced and received a round of applause from the very appreciative males in the audience. Just before going to commercial, Amber told the viewers that Steve had agreed to sing for them after the commercial.

"What are you going to sing?" asked Gwen. "How come I didn't know anything about it? Do you expect me to 'improvise' again? I'd like a little warning about things like this."

"All you have to do is sit next to me and look beautiful. Amber asked if there was anything special I'd like to do this morning and I came up with this song. I'm going to sing it to you, Gwen. All I ask is that if you don't like it; wait until we're off air to say anything, okay?"

The cameraman signaled to Amber that they were ten seconds from going on air, so Gwen ended her questioning. "As promised, Steve Hammer has agreed to entertain us with a song. He'll be performing an old Elvis Presley tune. He tells me that his mom used to sing it to him and he always liked it. This is his television debut. Ladies and Gentlemen, Steve Hammer."

Steve sat at the piano with Gwen next to him. He smiled at her and then began playing the piano. After a few bars, he began singing "Wise men say, only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you."

Gwen was stunned as she listened to Steve deliver one of the best love songs ever written! His voice was strong and rich and his emotion was obvious to all. Sighs erupted from the girls in the audience and Kate and Lisa had tears running down their cheeks.

None of the surrounding distractions affected Steve in any way. He continued to watch Gwen and sing as well as he could. Time seemed to stand still for Gwen as she listened to her boyfriend profess his love for her on television. She imagined her heart exploding as she listened. How could she have ever found such an amazing guy?

As Steve played the last note, the camera swung back to Amber Stahl. She was caught on camera trying to wipe tears from her eyes. "If anyone has ever heard that song done better, I'll eat this microphone! Our time is up for today, but you can be sure we'll be hearing a lot more about "Lady in Red" clothing, and their singing. Thanks everyone!"

As soon as Amber signed off, people rushed to speak with Gwen and Steve. Gwen noticed that the size of the crowd had greatly increased. Questions were flying at her so fast, she was unable to decipher them. Girls were all around Steve, asking him dozens of questions at once. Finally the manager of Macy's, the same fellow that gave Gwen and Charlotte a new change of clothes after the attack, took control and backed the fans off the small stage. He then established an order for the attendees to ask questions.

Most of them were directed to Steve and Gwen, but Lisa and Kate fielded a few questions as well. At nine, the manager called for a fifteen minute break. The girls and Steve all changed and returned for more promotions of their product. Lisa looked stunning in a low cut gown, while Kate caused some commotion when she entered in her modest bikini. Then Gwen glided onto the stage wearing a red robe. When she removed it to reveal a matching bikini, audible groans were heard from the males in the audience.

Steve had to chuckle when guys tried to flock around Gwen. Cameras on cell phones were taking stills and videos constantly. Kate had her own entourage of younger guys. Lisa attracted a large share of the girls present as they asked questions about her gown and how much it would cost to buy one like it.

"I feel like the Maytag repairman here," complained Steve as he wandered around sipping on a soft drink. He was wearing board shorts and shirt that looked quite sharp and matched Gwen's bikini nicely. That fact seemed to go largely unnoticed. Both Gwen and Kate were doing a great job of promoting the swimwear line. They smiled and turned to strike a pose whenever someone requested it.

When a kid tied to hold Kate in what Steve felt was an inappropriate manner, Steve started over to straighten the kid out. Fortunately, the manager of the store was overseeing everything and quickly moved the kid away from Kate. She had seen Steve headed her way to rescue her and grinned and then winked at him.

Every hour they would change outfits, never wearing the same thing twice. Macy's had several clerks selling the outfits and then taking orders when the supply ran out. By day's end, every item in stock had been sold. Steve was shocked to hear that all the men's swimsuits had been sold as well. Not surprisingly, the tuxedoes were slow movers. Amber had anticipated that and had contacted rental stores. She was getting strong interest from them. A lot of guys would be renting a 'Lady in Red' tux for their prom.

Paula and Ted stopped in to watch the proceedings for a while. "I was watching when you sang that song to Gwen this morning. I was sobbing like a teenager. I have trouble believing just how good you are. Is there anything you don't do well?" asked Paula.

"I hope that's a rhetorical question," kidded Steve. "I really hate to reveal my weaknesses."

"I'm beginning to think that Kryptonite is the only thing that could weaken you," replied Paula somewhat seriously. "I'll say it again. You're an amazing young man."

After the day's activities were finished, Gwen was chatting with Amber Stahl and Amber O'Leary when Lisa bid everyone goodbye. She was going to drive directly back to school to study for tests she was taking Monday. Steve was showing Kate a few notes on the piano when his phone vibrated. He had a text from Lisa asking him to meet her in the rear of the store.

Curious, he went out the back door to see what Lisa needed. He was able to make out Lisa's head by a black sedan and walked over to speak with her.

As he neared Lisa, a man stood up with a gun in his hand. He had been crouching by the car so Steve wasn't able to detect him. Steve looked at the man and then back at Lisa. He could now see how badly frightened she was. Her lip trembled and her hand holding her phone shook.

"So it's the hero," greeted the man, showing a heavy accent. "I give you choice. You let me tie hands and get in my car, or I shoot you both."

"You let her go and I'll let you tie my hands and I'll leave with you," replied Steve calmly. "If you don't let her go, I'll kill you right here."

"Such a scary guy!" laughed the man. "You do not tell me. I tell you. Give me your hands now."

"Lisa, back away from us. As he ties my hands, you run away as fast as you can. That's the deal, you miserable bastard."

"I want you, not whore. Give me your hands and she can leave," responded the man as he held out a heavy duty plastic tie.

As the man secured the plastic strip on Steve's wrists, Lisa hurried away. He held the gun to Steve's head, opened the car door, and motioned for Steve to get inside. Steve sat in the passenger seat and the man quickly took another plastic strip and ran it through the one on Steve's wrist and around the grip on the door, effectively rendering Steve's hands immobile. Then he jumped into the driver's seat and sped off.

Gwen was still chatting with both of the Ambers when Lisa called Gwen's cell. "A guy with a gun just took Steve! He threatened to kill me if Steve didn't go with him! We have to call the police!"

"Where are you?" demanded Gwen. "Can you come around to the door by the shoe department? We'll let you in."

"Yes, I'm almost there. Hang up and call 911! Have somebody let me in. I'm at the door now!" cried Lisa.

"Kate! Go open that door for Lisa. I have to call the police. Some guy with a gun just threatened to shoot Lisa and made Steve leave with him!"

The police began streaming into the parking lot within minutes. Amber Stahl quickly called her news director and once again set up her equipment to broadcast. Her cameraman had left hours earlier, so she was on her own.

The police questioned Lisa and soon put out a bulletin for the dark colored sedan. They combed the parking lot for any possible clues as Lisa repeated her story to investigators that arrived on scene. Amber Stahl asked Gwen if she was up for an interview and Gwen quickly nodded.

Amber had the camera on a tripod as she stood in front of it with Gwen. The voice in her ear told her she was going on in ten seconds. She counted down and turned to Gwen.

"What can you tell us about this situation, Gwen. What has happened here?"

"A dark man with a heavy accent and a gun stopped my sister, Lisa, in the parking lot of the Sparta mall a short while ago. He demanded that she text my boyfriend, Steve Hammer, telling him that she needed him outside. When he went out to see what Lisa needed, the gunman told Steve he had to submit to having his hands bound and to get into the gunman's car or he would shoot both Steve and Lisa.

"Steve told the gunman that he would kill him if he harmed Lisa, but if he let Lisa go, Steve would agree to being bound and leave with him. As he secured Steve's wrists, my sister was able to flee the area. She is unharmed but pretty shaken.

"We called the police immediately and they are doing their best to find the gunman and Steve. The man had a heavy accent, so I would guess that he may be connected to the recent terrorist attack. The fact that he wanted Steve, the man that single handedly killed five terrorists in that attack, leads me to conclude that the two situations are connected."

"What do you expect to happen now? Do you think the police will be able to bring this to a quick conclusion?" asked Amber.

"What do I think will happen? When that man threatened my sister in front of Steve, he signed his own death warrant. Steve will kill him. I have no doubt," replied Gwen calmly.

"With his hands tied and the other man carrying a gun? You believe that Steve will somehow kill the man and escape?" asked a surprised Amber.

"Yes, I do. Steve is a very capable man and very dangerous to killers, rapists, and bullies. He's got Navy SEAL blood coursing through his veins. He absolutely loves me, and my family. As I said, when that man pointed a gun at Lisa, he may as well have placed it to his own temple and pulled the trigger. Steve will not allow that man to live. His only chance is to turn himself into the police as soon as possible."

"That's the situation here. We'll try to speak with the police and get that report to you as soon as possible. Stay tuned to Channel 5 for the latest news on this possible bizarre twist to the recent terrorist attack," reported Amber as she signed off.

It was destined to be a very long night for the Anderson family and their friends. Amber O'Leary called her father to see if he could help. He promised to do everything he legally could to help Steve. The she called her fiancé, Brad Hunter, and explained to him what had happened.

Lisa was beside herself with worry and guilt. She apologized to Gwen numerous times. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have texted Steve. I was so scared I didn't know what to do, so I did what the guy told me. I should have known better. I put Steve in danger! Gwen, I'm so sorry!"

"This is not your fault, Lisa! Steve will be okay. You had no choice. Who has a better chance of survival with that nutcase, you or Steve? Of course it's Steve. He'd trade his life for mine, yours, or Kate's without blinking an eye. That's one of the reasons we love him so much. Now you have to have faith in him. He saved you and now he has to save himself, and he will. I know he will."

It was midnight by the time Ted and Paula herded their daughters into their family home. Even at that hour, Diane, Will, and Stephanie stopped in, knowing that no one would be sleeping until they received word on Steve.

Kate turned on the TV at five AM to find out how the news was handling the abduction. She was amazed to see what looked like Steve's life story being shown. The clip covered the river rescue, the championship game, the Lady in Red dance, the inauguration of the governor, the shootout with the terrorists, the songs from the memorial and ended with Steve singing to Gwen the previous day.

As the clip ended and the station went to commercial, Kate noticed that Gwen and Lisa were standing behind her. Lisa was crying uncontrollably and Gwen was angry.

"That almost sounded like an obituary! Steve is not dead and he will not die any time soon!" spat Gwen in the direction of the television.

Gwen's resolve was going to be tested far more than she could have dreamed. The weather turned bad with a blizzard blowing through the mountains to the north. It was bad enough to drop eight inches of snow in Sparta and make travel difficult. Sunday wore on with no word from the police. By Sunday night, the Andersons were too weary to stay awake, so they went to bed hoping for better news the next morning.

School was cancelled because of the snow covered roads, so Gwen spent the day with her family again, waiting for the police to call with news. Governor O'Leary called around noon to speak with Gwen and promised that every asset of the state would be pressed into service to find Steve. By afternoon, the roads were cleared and Paula's parents arrived to offer their support.

The Andersons, with Diane's family and Gwen's grandparents, were seated in the living room quietly talking when the phone rang. Paula was sitting near it and answered. She listened for a period of ten or fifteen seconds and then responded with a "Yes, Sir," and handed the phone to Gwen.

Everyone in the room listened intently to Gwen's side of the conversation. "Mr. President! Thank you so much! Yes. It's been difficult, but he'll be okay. I know he will. I appreciate that, Sir! Yes, he is. Thanks so much for calling!"

After she hung the phone up, Gwen turned to her family and managed a weak smile. "That was the president. He said that he has Homeland Security and the FBI working on Steve's abduction. He told me that Steve was an exceptional man and would survive this ordeal and that we needed to stay strong and keep our faith in Steve. I'm going to vote for him next election."

"The President of The United States calls you?" marveled Paula's mother. "He knows you and Steve, and called to offer his support? You kids are incredible! With the whole government working on this, Steve should be rescued any minute!"

That was destined to be the highlight of the day. No good news was forthcoming. Once again, the family retired for the night hoping that the next day would be better.

Gwen was up early, only to find Ted sitting at the table sipping on a cup of coffee. "The police found the car the guy abducted Steve in. It was in a garage a couple miles from the mall. They think the guy had a different car stashed there and stole the one he used to abduct Steve. That's one reason they haven't found him. They've been looking for the wrong car."

Gwen decided to attend school rather than wait at home. Lisa had not returned to class and was becoming extremely depressed. At school, kids were supportive and kind to Gwen. She had difficulty concentrating in class, but it helped the time go faster.

That afternoon, shortly after she returned home from school, Gwen answered the doorbell. Standing on her stoop was Amber O'Leary, along with Brad and Jason Hunter.

Gwen flew into their arms and hugged the two men tightly. Somehow she identified with these tall strong military men and she felt safer just seeing them.

"I'm so glad you came! Lisa needs some cheering up. She feels responsible for Steve being abducted. She needs men that think like Steve to explain to her how men are and how Steve was glad to risk his life to save hers. Come on in. I'll get Lisa."

Lisa came down the stairs when Gwen called for her. When she saw Jason she ran to him and hugged him as hard as he could as she sobbed into his chest. Jason held her and rubbed her back as she cried.

"It's my fault. I was afraid of the man and texted Steve like he told me. I was such a coward. Then Steve never even acted nervous. Steve just told the guy that if he hurt me, he would kill him. Then he agreed to be tied up and go with the guy if he let me go! It's my fault!"

"I know you're upset, but I won't have you disrespecting Steve like this," stated Jason firmly. "He made his choice, the same choice any man would make. He was honored to have the opportunity to help you. He could do nothing less and still be a man. He doesn't need or want your pathetic self pity. He needs friends that are strong. Can you stop thinking about yourself and think about Steve?"

Gwen was shocked at Jason's harsh words to Lisa. She had hoped that he'd help Lisa through a difficult time and now he was brow beating her. To Gwen's surprise, Lisa stopped crying and stepped back from Jason.

"What can we do to help him? I want to help him any way I can. You're right about me. All I could think about was what I had done and not what a brave, selfless thing Steve did to protect me. He deserves better. That's why Gwen is his girlfriend. I don't deserve a great guy like that until I get my head out of my ass and start thinking straight."

"That's why I'm here, Lisa. I'm going to remove your head from that dark place and show you that you do deserve a great guy, and that great guy is me! I'm here for you."

The phone rang and Gwen answered it. She listened intently, asked a few questions and then hung up. "They think they found the car used after the guy switched in the garage. It's way up in the mountains, not too far from Big Bear Ski Lodge. The car was over a cliff and blown to pieces. They've recovered two sets of DNA. One is Steve's!"

Paula, Kate, and Paula's mother had entered the room in time to hear Gwen's statement. Brad broke the silence. "That doesn't mean that he's dead! Hell, I bet the FBI could find my DNA in that rental car I just drove here. The fact that they only found DNA is a positive thing. He might be walking back right now."

"They had a blizzard up there a couple days ago. There's two feet of new snow and the temperatures have been in the teens with a strong wind since then. Steve must be in that weather, trying to survive after blowing that bastard to hell. He'll need help!"

"I have some connections," declared Brad as he headed out of the room. "Let me make a few calls and see what I can find out."

Ten minutes later, Brad came back into the living room. "I called in a few favors to get this information. They found body parts all over the wreckage, but none were Steve's. They did find blood on some of the wreckage that was Steve's. They feel it's possible that he's alive and on foot in the Burns National Forest. Amber's dad tried to send the National Guard in with helicopters and other equipment, but couldn't because there's another blizzard bearing down on the area right now. They can't risk more lives, so they have to wait it out. They think it'll be clear by the weekend, or maybe Friday and they'll go in then."

"Steve's been through one blizzard and he has to go through another one?" asked Gwen incredulously. "This is not acceptable! I'll go up there myself and look for him. I have good boots and a warm coat. I can take a backpack and..."

"You're not going up there, Gwen, but I sure as hell admire your spirit and determination. This is extremely dangerous. I spoke with Amber's Dad and he's sending a helicopter here as we speak. Jason and I will be dropped off where the wreckage was located and we'll find Steve for you."

It was Amber's turn to gasp. "You're going to go out in a blizzard? I thought you just said that they won't risk more lives to look for Steve in this weather."

"They won't order anyone out, but Jason and I are volunteering. It'll be a walk in the park for us. We grew up in Vermont so we're used to snow and bad weather. And we're trained for this by the United States government. They'll have all the gear we'll need on the chopper."

"That's why I fell in love with you, Brad! You're so masculine, yet so compassionate. You've volunteered to be dropped off in a blizzard to help a guy you've only met once. I know you brothers will look after each other and won't have any problems, but I love you even more for doing this. My husband-to-be is a real man and I'm extremely proud of him."

"You're going with Brad to look for Steve?" asked Lisa with awe. "You'd do that for a person you only met once? Why?"

"There are several reasons, really. He's very important to you, so he's important to me. I know you love him, although he's your sister's boyfriend. I also know that some women have a tremendous capacity for love and I'm hoping we'll find him, and that'll make you fall in love with me. Then there's the matter of how he took out those terrorists and saved hundreds of lives. He sure as hell deserves all the help we can give him. And I like the way he and Gwen sing and dance. How's them reasons?"

"Jason, I was falling for you already. That you'd risk your life for Steve is pretty much going to seal the deal as far as I'm concerned. Steve told me that you were one of the good guys. As usual, he was spot on in his judgment. He's amazing, and you remind me of him an awful lot. Just know that I really, really appreciate what you're doing," said Lisa as she reached up and kissed Jason briefly.

The sound of a helicopter landing near the house quickly changed the mood. The two men began pulling their coats back on. "Just a minute! You two can't leave before I thank you for what you're doing for Steve, and for us. If you bring Steve back to me, I'll forever be in your debt and will love you with everything in me. Please be careful, but bring him back to me!" cried an impassioned Gwen as she hugged and kissed each man on the cheek.

Everyone was surprised to see Amber Stahl on the lawn videoing the helicopter landing. Then she swung her lens toward the group stepping out of the house. "Gwen, can you tell me why that helicopter is here and who these two men are?"

The men headed for the chopper, but Gwen stopped near Amber and responded to her question. "Those two men are Brad and Jason Hunter, US Army Rangers, or soon to be, in Jason's case. They've volunteered to be dropped into a driving blizzard in sub freezing temperatures to locate and return with Steve Hammer. That's the kind of men they are, and I thank God that we have friends like them!"

Brad Hunter hurried back to Gwen with a small phone in his hand. "Take this, Gwen. It's secure and the only time it'll ring is when I call to tell you that we found Steve. Keep it close and wait for our call."

Paula, Kate and Paula's mother had silently watched and listened to the entire exchange between the girls and Brad and Jason. "My God, your girls really attract some gorgeous men! Look how they carry themselves and the courage they show. You put Steve in with them and you could take on an army. I don't know how Steve could survive a crash and a blizzard, but if anyone could, it's him. If he doesn't Gwen will never be the same. Men like him don't come along very often."

"Grandma, Steve will be okay. He's the toughest, smartest, strongest guy I've ever seen. He's practically a Navy SEAL and those guys laugh at blizzards. It's another day at the beach for Steve. You just wait and see!" stated Kate with great conviction.

Gwen returned to school Wednesday with high hopes that Steve would somehow be found. She wore the phone Brad gave her on a small chain around her neck. She explained to anyone that asked what the significance of the phone was. Wednesday evening found Gwen and Lisa losing some of their optimism, but determined to stay the course. Thursday came and went with no news of any kind, except that a major winter snow storm was passing to the north and dumping a lot more snow in the mountains. Gwen had never listened to weather reports with so much concern.

By Friday, Gwen was extremely tense. Charlotte spent the morning trying to comfort her and keep her spirits up. Gwen tried to be stoic and strong, but fear was weighing heavily on her. It was mid afternoon in a study hall with Ms. Summers. Gwen's phone suddenly rang.

Everyone knew the significance of the phone ringing. The room became silent as Gwen removed the phone from her neck and answered it. Charlotte found herself holding her breath as she watched her best friend. Gwen never said a word after answering. She sat in a daze and nodded her head. Then she gently set the phone down and broke into huge sobs. Both Charlotte and Ms. Summers hurried to Gwen's side.​