The Chase Page 0,66

and Tom were rolling.

They were through.

She was on the floor of Zach's garage. The concrete felt as cold as ice, and she pressed her cheek against it. She stretched her whole body out on it, soaking up the blessed chill. She wanted to kiss it.

Instead, she scrambled to one elbow and looked at Tom. The garage light was on; she could see him. He was all right, his eyes just opening, his chest heaving. She kissed him.

"We did it," he whispered, staring at the ceiling, then at her. His voice was awed. "We did it. We're actually alive."

"I know! I know!" She hugged and kissed him again, in an agony of joyous affection. "We're alive! We're alive!" She was wildly exhilarated. She'd never known how good it was to be alive until she thought she was dying.

Tom was shaking his head. "But I mean-it was impossible. Nobody could have lived through that fire."

"Tom-" She stopped and stared at him. "But, Tom-it was an illusion. You knew that-didn't you?"

"Uh." He gazed around, then puffed his cheeks sheepishly, for a moment looking like Michael. "Actually, no."

"You didn't believe me?"

"Well-"

"Then why did you go with me?"

He looked at her, then, with eyes that were green and gold and brown like autumn leaves swirling on a pool. "I wanted to," he said simply. "Whatever happened, I wanted to be with you."

Jenny just stared at him a moment. Thunderstruck. Then she whispered. "Oh, Tom!"

And then she was in his arms, sobbing breathlessly. Just his name, over and over. She thought her heart would burst.

I could have lost him. I could have lost him forever. All his brave goodness-all his love for me. I could have lost him ... I could have lost myself in Julian's darkness.

Never again, she thought fiercely to herself, clinging to Tom as if something were trying to rip her away. The shadows have no power over me anymore. It was as if the fire, the great cleansing fire, had scorched all the dark thoughts out of her. Burning away the part of her that had responded to Julian, that had craved his danger and wildness. Taking that part like a sacrifice. Now that Jenny had come through the fire, she felt purified-renewed. A phoenix reborn.

But the strength that she'd gained from fighting Julian was still with her-that hadn't changed. She was stronger than ever since she'd come through the fire. And she could love Tom more because of her strength. They were equals. They could stand side by side, neither eclipsing the other.

And she knew now that she could trust him to the end. She only hoped he knew the same thing about her-or that she could prove it to him. She was happy to spend the next few decades trying.

Tom's grip on her hand changed. He'd been holding it bruisingly hard; now he turned it over and pulled back to look.

Jenny lifted her head from his shoulder.

"It's gone," Tom said wonderingly. "The ring."

"Of course," Jenny said and nipped his chin. Nothing could surprise her now. Everything was going to be all right. "It's gone-because we won. I'm free. Know anybody who wants one girlfriend, low maintenance, good sense of humor?"

"God, Jenny." His arms tightened rushingly. "Nope, guess you'll have to put an ad in the classifieds," he said into her hair. "Oh, Thorny, I love you."

"You must, you called me Thorny," Jenny said, blinking away tears. "I love you, too, Tommy. For always and always."

Then, in the midst of her euphoria, she thought of something.

"We've got to get the others, you know-oh, my God!" She had just looked at the mural photograph on the wall.

It was on fire.

"You stay here!" Tom was on his feet, whipping off his jacket. He reached for the metal handle of the door in the picture unerringly.

"I'm coming with you!" Jenny shouted back. She grabbed his hand as he pulled on the handle. "You never go anywhere without me again-"

The darkness snatched them up, sucked them in. Deposited them in fire.

It wasn't as bad this time. Jenny put her head down, clung to Tom's hand, and made her legs run. It'll be over in a minute, she told herself as the agony surrounded her. Over in a minute, over in a minute-Then it was over. Cool air was around them. Dee, Zach, Audrey, and Michael were in a row, staring at them, reaching out to catch them as they tumbled in.

"You see?" Jenny gasped to Dee, who was nearest. "All in your mind."

"Oh, God, you're