Upon a Midnight Clear (Legend, Colorado 2)

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"I… I'm not sure I'm ready for this… for us," she stammered. "Not that we're an us, or anything," she added quickly. She didn't want him to think that she was assuming they were about to begin a relationship. For all she knew, he was interested in a one-night stand. "It's just that I've got a lot on my plate right now… with my dad and everything. I'm not going to be in town that long, and I'm not looking for a fling. I just…"

He put his index finger to her lips. "It's all right," he whispered, pulling her in to him. "You should know that if I was looking for a fling, I wouldn't choose Harold Risson's daughter." That's right, he realized. He wouldn't. So what was he doing here with her if he wasn't looking for just a casual friendship? Perhaps, just perhaps, it was because he knew that Kim Risson was special.

Tony smiled sweetly and slowly pulled away from her. "I know you've been through a lot recently. We'll take it as slow as you want. There's no rush."

Except for the fact that she planned on heading back to Florida as soon as her father left the hospital Their time was limited, and they both knew it. Tony kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her. "I just like being with you." He leaned over and looked into her eyes. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Why do you look so sad?"

She sighed. "I don't know. The holidays always get me down, and with all that's happened in the past few weeks…"

"This Christmas will be better," he said, hugging her close. "I just have a feeling."

Kim was practically humming as she walked down the hospital corridor. She felt like a teenager in love. She glanced at the Christmas tree some of the hospital staff were decorating in the waiting room. Maybe her mother had been right. Maybe this was a magical season.

It had certainly been a magical night. She and Tony had talked for hours before finally drifting off to sleep in each other's arms. She had woken at four, found her shoes and socks, given Geena a pat good-bye, and slipped out without waking Tony.

After knocking on her father's door, she quietly walked into his room. He was sitting in bed and smiled when he saw her. "Kim," he said.

"Hi, Dad." She went over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You seem like you're feeling better."

He nodded. "They're moving me out of critical care today."

"That's wonderful," Kim said.

He smiled. "Kim," he began. "I've been thinking. I… well, I feel like I've been given another chance. Another chance to make things right again."

Kim nodded.

"I'm sorry for never writing you back. Those letters that you sent me… they meant a lot to me," he said, struggling with every word. "I just couldn't bring myself to write back to you. If I did, our separation would become real. Instead, I made myself believe that it was just like when you wrote me from camp. That I'd see you again before I even got

a chance to write you…"

"Oh, Dad," Kim said sadly, keeping an eye on the EKG machine. The last thing she wanted was to upset him. "We both made mistakes. I never really understood before what stress you were under… all the pressures from your job. I know it wasn't easy for you. I just… well, I was a child. All I knew was that my father wasn't around. I didn't—I couldn't understand why. But I do now," she said, thinking about the little girl who had died. The little girl he had tried to save.

"I want you to know… I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. But I never stopped caring about you."

She nodded, touched by the sincerity in his eyes. She blinked back tears as she said, "I know that, Dad."

He nodded, blinking back tears himself. "I was sorry to hear about your mother."

Kim nodded.

"I loved her. I know she didn't think so, but I did. I just… I had a hard time showing it."

Kim glanced at the floor. She wasn't ready to discuss her mother with him.

"When you and your mother left, a part of me died. I… I couldn't deal with it…" He looked at her and wiped away a tear.

She smiled weakly and gave his hand a squeeze.

Harold swallowed. As if embarrassed by his display of emotion, he shook his head slightly as he glanced at the dock. Suddenly he barked out, "Oh, for Pete's sake."

"What?" Kim asked, taken aback.

"Oh, Tony Hoffman was supposed to come here this morning at eight," he said, as if disgusted.

Kim checked the clock. It was already eight-thirty. Kim felt slightly guilty, realizing that there had not been an alarm clock in the living room. She wondered if he was still asleep on the couch.