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The Senator scared her shitless Every ti down at the ht We are different at the fort," she ad It’s not right"

Bill sighed "I was gonna ask Katarina out to disco night I actually asked her out for a beer e got back frorinned at hi her My wife died a year ago, so…" Bill shrugged "You knohat I mean"

Jenni actually didn’t, but she nodded anyway She felt no reuilt But then again, she had pretty ure that in this world, you gotta just take your chance at happiness So I got up the guts to do that Besides, I guess we are all walking around with so at these people I mean the fort hasn’t been a cake walk, but we sure as hell had it better than these folks"

Jenni slowly ate, looking at the people around her They wereon what rey

"This ru over the fort," Jenni started slowly as she stirred her h Can’t Notice how the high and htys live up on the second floor? That shit won’t ith us I can’t see it happening"

"The hed softly "I know"

They fell into silence for a fewhere, I have been thinking a lot about the first day," Jenni said at last

Bill looked at her curiously

"My children died," Jenni said, her gaze straying to the playground where too-thin kids played with stifled energy "I didn’t fight to save , I just ran I wanted to get away, survive I know that much But I ended up outside of my house, with the front door closed and Mikey…"

Bill touched her hand gently, trying to soothe her

"I heard hi ‘Moo back in" There she had said it Admitted it She had ad large, inky, and horrible broke inside her

"There is nothing you could have done," Bill said softly

Jenni tried hard not to cry as she ran her hand over her long hair "I know that, but I didn’t even try I didn’t knoas even happening, but when I heard those horrible noises, I didn’t move I just stood there" She looked around at the people, noting that A "How can I possibly ever one out and rescued people You’ve done a lot"

Jenni sighed, wiping a tear away "I just…Bill, uilt, but sometimes, especially now, I feel I should be the one who died"

Bill enfolded her in a big bear hug, holding her tightly "Jenni, you’re a good girl You’ve done lots of brave things Just because you didn’t act the way you wished you had that doesn’t make you a bad person Hell, it’s damn lucky any of us are alive It all went to shit so fast"

Jenni snuggled into Bill’s waruilty"

"Well, don’t You got a fine boy waiting for you back at the fort and Juan loves you soet these people to a good life You deserve it as ruff kiss on the cheek and let her go

Jenni forced a s been at the fort and not here"

Bill frowned at her "Jenni, stop that"

Jenni pouted at him then said, "Seriously, Bill What if I was supposed to die that day? What does that say about ot a second chance" Bill shook his head "Or maybe you were supposed to survive that day so you could help rescue all these people"

Jenni considered this "You think so?" Her dream returned vividly to herto do with our lives, then maybe this is what you were supposed to live to do"