#3 Young and Reckless in Chicago

Chapter 12: The Bigger Picture

Corin was leaning over Kelly, her hand wrapped around his neck. She was choking him, completely unaware. Kelly's eyes popped open as he began to try and scream. Corin's eyes were glazed over as Kelly tried to pull her hands off of him. He tried saying her name but it came out in a croak. Kelly pried her cold fingers off his neck, pulling her out of the trance. As she was pulled back to reality, tears gathered in her eyes. Corin jumped up, she was wearing her tank top with bootie shorts. She ran into her bathroom, crying, and locked the door. She wrapped herself in her robe and then called the one person who understood this.

"Corin," croaked Kelly as he knocked on the door. He was still having trouble breathing.

All he could hear was the love of his life crying. After only five minutes Kelly heard keys bang against the front door of the house. After the person entered Kelly could hear them heading towards them. Then, Jay appeared in the doorway, look panicked with Erin behind him.

"Where is she?" asked Jay, analyzing Kelly's neck.

Kelly pointed to the bathroom. Jay knocked on the door, talking to Corin. Erin sat down on the bed next to Kelly. He let his hand fall from his neck to let Erin look at the marks. He had Corin's nail tracks and finger marks showing around his neck. The bathroom door finally opened and Jay slipped inside, relocking it behind him. He saw his little sister, wearing her bathrobe, while leaning against the bathtub crying. Jay sat next to her, and pulled her into his lap in a brotherly way. She cried into his chest, clinging on for dear life.

"Corin. What happened?" asked Jay, holding his sister.

"I don't know Jay. I-I had an episode. I thought he was one of... them. I was in a glazed world," explained Corin through tears.

"You had a PTSD episode."

"I know that Jay! I know. Okay?"

Corin was pacing back and forth clenching and uncleanching her fists. She was relieved the kids weren't home, they were over at Will's house for the night besides Skylar who was at Justin and Regan's. Corin turned and faced the door like she was facing all her fears. Jay realized what she was thinking about.

"Corin, Kelly's okay. I saw him when I walked in. He wants to see you," calmly soothed Jay.

Corin walked up to the door and knocked on her side, getting Erin's attention. Erin and Kelly both sat on the bed, now looking at the door to the bathroom.

"Erin. Erin is he okay?" asked Corin, her voice shaky.

"I'm fine baby," croaked Kelly, his voice slowly getting back to normal.

Corin felt tears spring out of her eyes and hit her cheeks. She unlocked the door and opened it slowly. Kelly stood up and walked towards her cautiously. She stared at his neck seeing what she had done to him. He wrapped her in a hug, then kissed her on the forehead. She felt as if he was holding the pieces together.

"I need help Kelly."

"And you're gonna get it."

Jay and Erin left while Corin called the doctor. He gave her the okay to take the leftover PTSD meds she had from her previous round while she waited for the prescription to go through. Kelly went to sleep, trying to get a few more hours of sleep before shift. He was working from 5.am to 9pm so he could have tomorrow, his anniversary, off. Corin laid on the couch watching tv, unable to sleep. When Kelly got up for shift in the morning he saw Corin still awake, laying on the couch. As soon as he came down stairs she headed up to their room to get ready. She had to work today as well as Kelly. As time passed, Kelly realized he had to get to work. Corin had just come downstairs, dressed for duty. He leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away. Kelly was shocked, but he just said his goodbyes then left. Corin felt tears run down her face once again.