"Jesus Christ! What the hell?"

The brakes on the truck stopped screaming as the vehicle came to a halt. An amazing silence fell, broken only by the rumble of the truck's diesel engine. After a series of yips from Bumbles, Dick ground at the gearbox, finding reverse and backing away.

Leanne's car horn let loose a long blast. "Watch where you're going!"

The van with four boys in it squeezed past, their mother looking embarrassed.

Leanne's car horn honked again. "You too!"

The mother rolled down her window and waved in an apologetic way, as if by doing so she'd be forgiven for the terror she had caused. Once Dick had backed up far enough, Leanne got out of her car. She left the door open to keep him from escaping while checking her vehicle for damage. By some miracle, there was none. The truck had stopped a scant millimeter away from striking her.

"You are darn lucky, Mister" she said to Dick. "I could have died, you know." After retrieving Bumbles, Leanne closed her car door and allowed the truck to pass. "This is a city street," she said, scolding the driver further. "Slow down!"

Dick offered a mumbled excuse as Leanne soothed the frazzled dog. "Be quiet, boy. I'm okay."

She led Bumbles to the sidewalk where Anna had risen back to her feet, with Hank holding her for support. "What happened?" Leanne asked her dumbstruck friends.

Anna looked at Hank and then Leanne, swinging the whole of her head as if her eyes couldn't move in their sockets. She clung to Hank with fearsome strength as the mask of horror on her face disappeared. When she realized he wasn't going to answer Leanne, she released him and pointed up the hill.

"That stupid woman pulled in front of that stupid truck and its idiot driver, and almost got you killed!"

"Oh!" Leanne gasped. "I know! I mean, I didn't see it coming, but did you see how close he got?" Leanne became very quiet. She seemed to go into shock. "I almost truly died."

She grabbed Hank's other shoulder to steady herself as her knees began to buckle. Hank hadn't moved so much as a muscle since the ordeal began.

"Hey," Leanne said, shaking him a bit. "Are you okay?"

The truck belched smoke while shifting gears before going on its way. With an equal lurch, Hank entered this Reality. He bent low and wrapped Leanne up in his arms, raising her onto her toes. She peeped as he gave her a hug that rivaled the best of Rio's.

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"Oh God oh God oh God!" he said, running the words together. "I thought you were a goner!"

"It's all right, Hank. I'm okay," Leanne said. But her knees gave out when he released her, as it sunk in how close she had come to losing her mortal soul. Hank caught her before she fell, and used the warmth of his undying love to chase away Death's chill.

He buried his face in her hair. "I thought we lost you," he cried. "Oh my God. Are you well?"

Bumbles took a lap around the group before sitting beside Anna. He whined while Leanne pulled Hank's face from her shoulder and held him at arm's length.

"Wow," she said, sounding weak. "You're right. I need to sit down."

Anna sprang into action. She opened the passenger front door of the Bentley. "Sit here," she said to Leanne, guiding her to the car.

Leanne's breath came in bursts as she hyperventilated. She gasped while hanging her head near her knees, sitting sideways in the car.

To no one, she asked, "Where was I? What happened?"

"What?" Anna asked, confused.

"Was I in the car? When the truck came? Was I here?"

"You don't remember?" Hank asked.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Anna asked at the same time.

"I don't know," Leanne admitted. Her head hung so low that only her hair could be seen. "Where was I when it happened?"

Anna squatted in front of Leanne to get her to look in her eyes. "You were with us," Anna said. "Where you are. You were safe with us."

Leanne pleaded into Anna's nearly all black eyes for help with understanding. "I just don't remember what happened. I don't, and I think maybe I might have died."

Anna spoke with firm assurance to keep Leanne from slipping further into shock. "We all thought you got hit." Anna looked up at Hank. "Didn't we?" she asked.

"Everything's okay," he said. "Nobody got hurt."

"Are you sure?" Leanne asked sincerely, looking at him with her eyes shining wet. A single tear fell out. "Is everyone okay?"

"Everybody's fine, Itazura-sha."

Leanne grinned at Hank's gentle teasing as Anna used a sleeve of her kimono to wipe the tear away. "We're all fine," Anna said, squeezing Leanne's knee. "Everyone is here."

"And Bumbles is okay?" Leanne asked, struggling to stay focused. "And Rio?" She panicked, looking around. "Where's Rio? Is she here?"

"Bumbles and Rio are fine. Everyone is good."

Bumbles worked his way into the group until he got near enough to Leanne to try jumping into her lap. "Come on," Leanne said, inviting the dog up.

Bumbles put his front paws on the seat between Leanne's legs. He licked her chin as she laughed to keep from crying while mussing with his ears.

"Did you save me from that bad truck?" Leanne asked the dog, nervousness still in her voice. "Is everybody good?"

"Come inside for a while," Hank begged. "Let's make sure you're well."

Leanne sighed to calm herself. Her normally tan face was whiter than his. "No," she said. "I'm all right. It's just… hey!" she said, changing the subject. "I bought you that shirt."

"Yes you did!" Anna chirped, happy to talk about something else. She kicked up a heel in a comical way and flung her arms around Hank's neck, making sure the sleeves of her kimono flew about in great arcs. "Doesn't he look hot?"

Leanne agreed. "Sexy hot!" She then took a good look at Anna. "And you too! Damn Girl! You look gorgeous! Where did you get that outfit?"

Anna turned her goofy expression of love onto Leanne, talking at the same time as she. "I do? I do! I got it from Hank! He's my boo!"

She next flung her arms around Leanne, bending low to kiss her face. She made silly, slurpy smooching sounds until everybody laughed.