Parts 1 & 2

"How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face…"
-W.B. Yeats

*Part 1

The grey ribbon of highway stretched out in front of Melissa, seeming endless in
appearance.  She found long drives relaxing, allowing her time to clear her mind and
refocus her thoughts.  Glancing back over her shoulder she couldn't help but smile at her dog, stretched out in peaceful sleep.

"Rest up baby, you have no idea what you're in for," Melissa whispered with a soft
chuckle.  "Of course, neither do I."

It hadn't been that long ago that Melissa's life was typically normal.  Motivated by a
family of volunteers, she had decided to train her new German Shepherd puppy, Kona, as a search and rescue dog.  News of their Urban Disaster certification was featured in a local paper and caught the attention of a young filmmaker named Jacob Rubio.  Jacob worked closely with all the members of the search squad to film a documentary on the program for his master's project, a documentary that would forever change Melissa's life.

Two weeks into filming, the group found themselves aboard a military transport plane, headed for the devastation that had once been the World Trade Center.  Melissa had found comfort in Kona's calm nature, stroking her soft fur seemed to soothe them both during the long flight.  Ground Zero was not the ideal place for your first recovery mission, but teams were needed, so off they flew, Jacob capturing it all on film.

The images of those days in New York were permanently etched in Melissa's mind, often haunting her dreams.  Kona had found survivors in the rubble and when the days seemed  bleak, Melissa did her best to remember the looks on the faces of the people Kona had saved.  She had only seen the completed film once; the memories were just too painful for her.  It was that simple fact that plagued her mind during her lengthy drive.  How was she ever going to get through tomorrow night if she couldn't sit through a film?

As part of a special tribute to the documentaries of 9/11, the governing body of the Hollywood Foreign Press had personally invited Jacob and the search team, dogs included, to attend the Golden Globes awards show.  Throughout the broadcast, they would introduce different films, and acknowledge the people behind them.  Jacob had titled his documentary "Silent Heros" and despite being a school project, it was garnering critical acclaim.  The idea of seeing footage from the film was weighing heavy on Melissa's mind and she was glad she had Kona with her to calm her shakey nerves. 

Their drive came to an end some hours later.  Comfortable in their hotel room, Melissa and Kona climbed into bed for the night; one of them blissfully unaware of what waited for them the next evening, the other, afraid to close her eyes for fear of the dreams that awaited her.  It was going to be a long night indeed.

*****

The morning of the awards show began as most every day did for Melissa and Kona, up early and out for a jog.  They had just completed thier wilderness search certification and Melissa had found that she, more than Kona, needed to be in better shape.  They met up with some of the other team members at the hotel and a few of the wives talked her into going with them to the salon to prepare for the evening.  First tending to Kona, grooming her and making sure she was ready, she left her in her teammates care and then went to the salon.

Standard dress for Melissa was nothing more than jeans, sweatshirt and running shoes, her long blonde hair generally pulled back into a simple ponytail.  There was no one in her life to worry about impressing, so she figured she might as well be comfortable.  After all, if someone where to fall in love with her, shouldn't it be for the person she was inside?  She had to admit though, the remnants of the little girl in her still loved getting dressed up.  Shopping for her outfit had been a challenge.  She was certain that the other people that would be walking down the carpet hadn't had to worry about picking a formal that hid dog hair.

It had taken her several weeks to find an outfit that she was comfortable in, camoflauged dog hair, and was dressy enough for a televised award show.  Looking in the mirror, she hardly believed she was seeing herself.  The salon had styled her hair into an easy cut she could simply blow dry and push back behind her ears, it suited her and did a nice job of framing her face.  For her outfit, she had settled on a pantsuit that was a bit on the wild side for her.  The pants were black and hugged curves she didn't realize that she had.  The jacket had a 'tails' shape to it, longer in the back, scooping gradually up in the front.  It was white, long sleeved with a V-neck, and completely covered in white sequins.  The front meeting only briefly at 4 small hooks, creating a flattering hourglass effect on her tall frame.

Melissa jumped when the phone rang in her room, the bell staff letting her know that the car was there to pick them up.  She picked up Konas red search and rescue vest, running her fingers lightly over the small pin attached to it.  Breathing a heavy sigh, she put the vest on Kona, grabbed her leash and made their way to the waiting car.

*Part 2

The limo pulled up to the carpeted entrance to the awards venue and Melissa was sure she had never seen so many cameras in her life.  Jacob left the car first and proceeded to offer Melissa a helping hand as she followed.  The crowd quieted a bit as the squad made their way out of the car, erupting loudly as the last team emerged.  The entire squad stood there dumbstruck, certainly this couldn't be for them, the flashbulbs and screams were normally offered up to celebrities and there was no shortage of those this evening. 

Before they could adjust to their surroundings, the stars began coming up to them;
Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams…all
offering handshakes and hugs to both handlers and dogs.  The press took photos and the entertainment shows even did a few interviews.  Melissa could feel the stares from the crowd but what she didn't know was that one set of eyes was following her as she made her way down the carpet.

Inside, the sqaud was seated at the same table and, much too soon for Melissa, it was time for their portion of the tribute.  Ben Affleck had been asked to introduce it and Melissa was happily distracted by the smooth tone of his voice as he spoke.

"In the fifteen months since the tragedies of September 11th, we have become a changed nation.  A nation of people united in political awareness and concern for our future.  As children we were taught that if we needed help, we could always count on firefighters and police officers.  As adults we saw our childhood lessons lived out in technicolor on every television covering rescue efforts in New York and Washington D.C.  We have come to realize that Heros come in all shapes and sizes.  One student filmmaker followed the work of Heros we weren't taught about as children.  For most of us, our dogs were pets, faithful companions who would bring back a ball knocked into left field.  The dogs you're about to see are faithful companions who not only will bring back a lost ball, but who bring back lives nearly lost.  On call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and funded solely by private donations, they are our nations 'Silent Heros…'"

The house lights dimmed as selected clips of the documentary ran and Melissa felt instantly sick.  They had started with the inflight briefing they received on what to expect upon landing.  The scenes of the search followed and Melissa had to close her eyes, even when her teammates tapped her to tell her she and Kona were featured.  She was wrong to come, she knew that now, she should have stayed home.  Fighting the urge to run out, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes again, focusing on the dogs and their hard work.  The clips ended a few moments later with a short quote from Melissa, covered in dust, sitting with Kona and telling the camera "we will always search with the expectation that there are survivors, but we live hoping that whatever we find will help bring some kind of closure to the families of the victims."  Melissa swallowed hard in her chair, reaching down to rub Konas ears, more than ever fighting the urge to bolt from the room.  Thankfully the lights came back up and Bens smoothing voice returned to the microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Hollywood Foreign Press, it is my distinct priviledge to introduce to you, a few 'Silent Heros'…" 

The squad stood up, as they had been instructed to do prior the broadcast and the room burst into applause, but no one planned on the whole room standing.  Much to the surprise of the searchers, the room full of Hollywood's elite gave them a standing ovation that stretched so long that the broadcast cut to a commerical.  The group was moved and Melissa was very proud that the hard work of the dogs had been recognized, but she still felt sick.  The familiar signs of an impending panic attack started, the heat flashes across her face and her heart began to race.  Not being able to wait any longer, she excused herself as everyone started returning to their seats, trying to walk as calmly as possible from the room. 

The safety of the hallway was unexpected, just merely getting out of there seemed to start the relaxation process.  Leaning against the wall, Melissa closed her eyes and started to focus on her breathing as her therapist had taught her, deep breathes that filled the lungs, exhales that emptied them.  She had hated therapy, but she was looking for anything to help her get past those memories.  As it turned out, the part that helped the most was listening to the therapist tell her what she already knew, that it would just take time.  She felt the attack subsiding about the same time she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" the man said in a soft and gentle tone.

"I'll be fine," she said, still leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. "Thank you."

"Well, until the color returns to your cheeks, why don't you come over here and sit
down," he said, "I'll get you some water."

Melissa merely nodded and the man guided her over to a pair of chairs and steadied her arm as she sat down.  He returned moments later with two glasses of water.  A smile crossed her face when she realized he had placed one cup, the wide mouthed plastic variety, down in front of Kona.

"You've made a new friend," she smiled.

"I was hoping to make two," he smiled in return.

She gave Kona a quick pat on the head and while still looking down at her said, "I'd say you are quickly on your way to a successful ending."  Melissa paused briefly and, realizing she had no idea who she was talking to, lifted her head to see the person who had shown her so much kindness.  Looking into the most amazing set of eyes she had ever seen, it was a forced effort to continue to speak.  "I'm Melissa, by the way, and this is Kona."

"I know," he said with a grin that stopped her heart, "I saw…the um…the clips" he paused briefly before adding, "I'm Hayden."

"I know," she laughed, "I saw your movie."

"Smiling suits you," he said in earnest, noticing that Melissa blushed slightly.

"I'm feeling better," she said, "if you need to get back inside."

"Are you kidding?  My mom would ground me if she knew I left a lady in distress."

There was that grin again; she hoped that her staring wasn't obvious, but his smile lit up
his entire face.

"Well, not really," he added, "but it's best to wait until a commerical break.  You'll know because the lobby suddenly fills with people needing to stretch their legs."

Had Melissa had on socks, he would have knocked them off.  He had a confidence about him that was undeniable, but yet a boyish charm that couldn't be overlooked.  Melissa nodded mostly, afraid her voice would deceive her and she would squeak a reply.

"Are you planning on going to any of the after parties?" he asked, a slight hint of hopefulness in his tone.

"We've been invited to the one thrown by the big wigs of the Foreign Press, but I was thinking of just going back to the hotel," she answered honestly, regretting it the minute the words left her lips.  She saw the look of disappointment cross his face.

"I understand," he said, "too bad your date couldn't talk you into it."

Melissa could see him fishing as clearly as if he'd actually been holding a pole, casting a line in the direction of her heart. 

"Oh, there is no date," she clarified.  "It's just me and Kona tonight.  How about you?"

"I'm here with my brother, not the worlds best dance partner," he joked.

Just then the doors opened and people began to gather in the lobby, apparently taking advantage of a commerical break.

Standing and offering his arm to her, Hayden's tone turned serious.  "May I walk you both back to your seat?"  It was an offer that she was not about to turn down.

"If you change your mind, maybe I'll see you later," he said as they approached her table.  "If not, it was really nice to meet you Melissa," he stopped to bend down and pat Kona, "and you too Kona." 

"Thank you again," she replied, "for staying with me."

"That was my pleasure," and he smiled as he walked away.

"Ok," Melissa thought, "so maybe coming wasn't so bad after all." Given a choice of staying home and watching sitcom reruns, or having a conversation with Hayden Christensen, time with Hayden won hands down.