Jason's pov
We were at the funerals for all those kids. Max was crying in front of the girl's grave the one I saw crawl out of the fire only to get shot in the head. I shudder. That must be his sister. Adeline knelt on her knees beside Max. He looks over at her and bursts into another round of sobs. They hug. Kimmy hugs me. "You're not a murderer." She whispers, my hands are shaking. "Those kids... All those kids... I couldn't save them. They're all dead, Kim." "You did everything you could. You saved Addy and Max." It just kills me. Poor Max... Poor Addy.... All the parents of these kids.
*later*
Kim's pov
I made a casserole for Carl's family and brought it to them. Addy hasn't stopped crying since the funerals. I knock on the door and the teary face of his mother opens the door. "I made a casserole." "Thank you." She whimpers. "And tell Jason thanks for saving Max... I know he tried to help he rest of them but.... He tried his hardest." I fight back my own tears. "I've tried talking to him but he doesn't believe me."
Jason's pov
I check the mail as Kim pulls in the drive. I hug her tight. "How's Adeline?" "Not so good baby. She won't come out of her room." She bites her lip worried. "I guess I'll get started on dinner." "I already ordered pizza." "Oh." She goes inside and I flip through the mail, it all being junk. My phone rings so I sit on my tailgate and answer it. "Hello?" "Hey. Is this Jason Aldean?" "Yeah, who may I ask is this?" I counterask, fixing my prosthetic leg since it is coming loose. "You're being honored." My eyes go wide. "Honored? Honored for what?" "Saving those two kids after that massacre." A lump rises in my throat. "M-M-Massacre?" "Yes. The media is classifying it as a massacre." God that's horrible. I get details for the being honored thing then I go inside. I'm glad to see Adeline out of of her room. The pizza guy gets here and we eat dinner. I hug Adeline. "I'm so sorry sweety. I wish I coulda done more." "It's not your fault dad. You did everything you could." We go to bed. "Hey Jason did I ever tell you I had a sister." I shake my head. "Her name was Madeline." I glance over at her. Had? Was? "What happened to her baby?" "She was kidnapped and killed. That's why I named Adeline so similar to my sister. But see it wasn't our parents fault that they couldn't save her. So it isn't your fault about those other kids." "I can't stop thinking about it..... If I stopped 'em... Before I came home..... They wouldn't have come after Addy.... They wouldn't have been able to hurt those kids." I fight back the tears and lay down. Kim stares down at me, still standing up. "Are you gonna be okay?" I sigh. "I don't know baby girl. I just don't know."
*the next day*
I woke up, hearing Addy cry down the hall. I walk down there and she was curled up in her bed, sobbing. I sit beside her and rub her back. "There there Adeline. It'll be okay." "No it won't! Carl's dead!!!" She sits up so I pull her into a tight hug as she sobs loudly. "Poor Max.... Daddy he lost his baby sister. By protecting me... She died!" My eyes go wide. "That's not your fault baby!" I say, shocked. She wipes her eyes and looks up at me. "Then it's not your fault either!" I sigh. "Sweetie it's way different. Those guys were after me so it is my fault." "No it isn't daddy those men were evil. That doesn't make it your fault." Whatever. I'll agree with her to ease her mind. "Ok baby you're right. Let's go get some breakfast."