Storiesonline.net
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                             Deciding Moment
                              by John Smith

Copyright© 2008 by John Smith


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Description: It is a deciding moment, in your relatively young life, when you realize that the influences of your parents / home life growing up, and the decisions you make as how you want to run your own life, collide in the most unexpected ways.

Story has been reposted with many edits!

Codes: Mf rom cons
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Prelude

It is that deciding moment, in your relatively young life, when you realize that the influences of your parents / home life growing up, and the decisions you make as how you want to run your own life, collide in the most unexpected ways.

As with most of my friends (at least I know this now, but at the time had no knowledge of it), I had a very poor way of figuring out the opposite sex. This was due, in part, to my upbringing. I was always taught to respect, with utmost dignity, the feelings of others. That one facet, to me, translated; what I desired sexually, girls had no interest in.

At least that was my attempt to rationalize the fact that I never got over the junior high experience. We moved as soon as I was out of my eighth grade school year. So all of those horrid experiences stayed with me. The laughter, the belittling, the cruelty. I wanted to make it better, but those kids never grew up in my mind. Maybe it was just a cruel fascination with making myself feel miserable, but I wanted to have something better come out of that. After all, that was when I had really discovered girls and that I liked the way they looked.

In fact, that was the real problem. I liked the way those girls looked. Somewhere deep down in my mind I knew, just knew, that if I could get one of them to like me back, then life would turn around for me. I could finally let go of all the hurt and pain that I had received from those kids (now in my mind) teasing me about never kissing a girl, never getting the one I liked to dance with me. I could laugh at them. Somehow it didn't make any difference that I never saw those school kids again. They were stuck in my head and I needed desperately to slam the door (in my mind) on them.

Here is the real dilemma of course. The first year in my new high school, I didn't even know where the junior high was. By the time I found out, I had also been told by all those around me, how immature those children were. We were all the 'older and so much more mature' high schoolers, after all.

By the time I was in my third year of high school I knew plenty of kids, that is kids in high school. A few of them even had sisters that were in junior high. I tried to visit as often as I could, but the guys would tell their sisters to go away. I couldn't win.

Then I graduated; and, as someone had put into law, I became an adult. My fantasy of actually having any sort of budding friendship with a girl had just been taken away. At 18, I could go to jail for such a thing and be condemned by society for the rest of my life.

Drowning my sorrows in college was about the best I could do. I moved out of the house, one good plus on my part. That first semester, a computer class was one of my saving graces. I met several friends who opened the avenues of the World Wide Web for me. Sure I knew about the porn, doesn't everyone? These guys knew all about the newsgroups and how to get into ones that didn't show up on a lot of servers. While these guys were into some things that, when I found out, made me back off from them; it did allow me my first bit of pleasure. I found pictures of girls that looked like they were in junior high. Now if they were or weren't really didn't matter a whole lot. I loved those sweet innocent looking faces.

I ended up filling half my laptop's hard drive with pictures.

Then it happened. The second year of college. One of those guys from that computer class was busted. Some of the images on his hard drive got him into a lot of trouble. I went to my apartment, sick to my stomach that day. I couldn't, just couldn't delete all those pictures. What on earth was I going to do?

Three days later I found out the problem. Some girl had borrowed the guy's laptop and 'found' the pictures by accident. The laptop was almost ruined when she vomited, after a snuff victim and accompanying sound, came onto the screen. That guy had degenerated a lot further than when I knew him. I couldn't blame anyone wanting to find out more about that guy. It was just sick. On the other hand I knew that what I had would get me into trouble. The fact was, I never wanted to hurt anyone. Any picture that looked like it was forced in any way I never wanted to look at. All right, it's true. A lot of the girls were partially or totally nude. But that was it. Nothing sexual was going on in those pictures.

It did give me a reason to believe I could save my skin. I also got a very good encryption program. One that another guy that I had met in the computer labs turned me on to. It wasn't a commercial product. It had no public keys. This was one the government didn't want people using any longer, as they would have to spend a lot of time breaking the code if they wanted in. That suited me fine.

Now you suspect that that lulled me into a false sense of security, but no. I guess I was a bit paranoid. I built a special hiding spot in my car, to stow my laptop. I didn't like to take any chances. To further distance myself from anyone I knew from that computer class; I gathered my college units together, took an associate degree and left the school. I had all summer, I told myself, to figure out what I was going to do.



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Chapter 1



That deciding moment was four months after I had left college. Eighty-seven days after I had started what seemed to be a dream job, at the time. Three days before my probation period was up. I would soon be looked upon as a full employee, with benefits.

I was on my lunch break, but I also needed to go to the bank. The closest branch was downtown. It also had two distinct advantages. The first being that there was a park across the street; parks always had an attraction for young girls I had found out. The second reason, and much more practical, was that the bank had its own parking lot. In a downtown location, that was a premium. If I wanted to eat, as well as stand in line at the bank, this was the branch to go to.

After parking, I went across the street and ate my lunch. The park was nice and it was a pleasant fall day. One of those that had clear blue skies yet was not too hot. I sighed, after I had finished my lunch. Not a single girl to be seen. Even though school had started, it was one of those many school holidays that no one else gets off. There had been plenty of other men and women who had filled up any place to sit and enjoy the park, but I wasn't interested in them.

As for my schooling, and much to my parents chagrin, I wasn't going back this semester. They had scheduled to be out of the country on an extended vacation with friends. Gone for two months in Asia, including remote parts of China. It coincidently coincided with the time I was going to be back in school! Imagine that. The good thing about that was that my mother couldn't just call and hound me about my decision about school.

Now it was banking time. I walked in and smiled. Only three people were ahead of me in line. After ten minutes there was no trace of smile. There were now still two people in front of me. One man at the counter was engaging two of the three available tellers in his problems. I tried to remain calm as I watched the minutes tick by, wishing I could have used the ATM for my transaction.

By the time the teller gave me my deposit slip, I was ten minutes late for work. As frustrated as I felt, my upbringing caused me to hold the door open for a woman entering the bank.

My nose cringed as soon as I stepped outside, smelling the exhaust of the diesel from the armored car that had just pulled up, right in front of the door. Having to now walk beside the smelly truck, I was just a bit more than agitated.

Half way to the parking lot and in the middle of the driveway, I heard the first pop. There was a yell. I turned and looked. Oh fuck! A robbery!

To this day I don't know how I heard, felt, sensed, smelled— I shouldn't have known. My head turned and I saw a girl on a bike coming down the sidewalk.

Another 'oh fuck' ran through my head. The combination of conditioning my parents had brought me up to have, along with my obsessive desire for junior high girls, made me react as I did.

I briefly saw her head turn towards me, as she had been looking across at the park, oblivious to what was going on next to her. Her eyes widened. She started a scream as I grabbed hold of her, pulling her down to the ground. My leg caught the edge of the bike, throwing me off balance. As my leg went up in the air, I felt a searing pain rip through it. With both hands on the girl and my leg in the air, I was in a bad shape.

My head hit the sidewalk.



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Chapter 2



I heard some strange noises and tried to place them. Nothing sounded even remotely familiar. My eyes didn't want to open. The harder I tried to get them to respond, the more my head hurt.

I woke, this time to talking. My eyes opened just a bit, but the light hurt.

"He's awake, Doctor."

"Hello. Good to see you back. Can you tell me your name?"

"John," I got out in a scratchy voice.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital?" I guessed from what I could see.

"Do you remember what happened?"

My mind tried to think and then nothing.

"Doctor, he's back," a female voice said.

"John, you gave us a little scare there. I'll not ask any questions unless necessary. How does that sound?"

"Ok," I said.

"The nurse is going to run a series of tests. You don't have to do much, but do try and stay with us."

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Two days later I was moved out of intensive care and into a regular room. My head still hurt like the devil. My leg was in a full cast. The only thing that I'd been told was that a bullet had done some damage.

I hadn't been watching TV in the intensive care room, but now that I was in a regular room the nurses would walk in and turn it on. I turned it off; I didn't want mind numbing trash bombarding me. I needed to try to remember what had happened. It wasn't all coming together.

A nurse walked into my room after I'd had lunch. She looked up at the blank screen of the TV and smiled.

"I've heard you don't want that thing on."

I instantly liked her. "That's right. There's nothing worth watching."

"Well there should be some entertainment later this afternoon," she said and then fed me my pills.

She left before I could ask what entertainment she was talking about.

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I thought I was doing pretty well, although it was rather depressing. I had started to remember my job. Two days ago, I couldn't have told you if I'd ever worked a day in my life.

As soon as I had that down, there was a flash, an image out of focus. I tried to bring it back to no avail. Then almost a half an hour later, another one, this time just a little clearer. It was frustrating. I wanted to scream, but knew that would only bring a nurse and drugs.

I was so concentrated on the third image to flash in my brain, that it startled me when I felt the bed move. I opened my eyes and there was an angel at the foot of my bed. Then the image that was in my head cleared and I knew.

"Oh, God!" I cried out. "NO!"

Tears clouded my eyes and I felt myself getting sick.

My head seared with pain as I turned it, vomiting all over the floor.

Somewhere in my brain, I registered a scream and it wasn't mine.

All I could do is say, "I tried, I tried, I tried," over and over again.

I heard scurrying and hands were on my head. I blinked several times, trying to clear my eyes.

"She's gone," I said sadly. "I tried. I really did."

"It's ok," the nurse said, and handed me a cup. "Drink this and rest."

My face was cleaned. I remember seeing a shot go into the I.V. drip tube.

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The next morning I woke to find a girl sitting on my bed. I was very confused.

"I'm not a real angel," she said.

"Ok." I replied, realizing this was the girl I saw yesterday.

"Mom's a nurse here. You're one of her patients. Every year I have to come down here in my Halloween costume and try and cheer everyone up."

"Halloween?"

She looked into my eyes. She had such lovely brown eyes that I couldn't help but stare.

"You don't know anything, I mean about what happened?"

"No. Some of it is coming back. Yesterday—"

"I made Mom find out what happened. You know you probably saved that girl's life. When the two robbers turned and shot at you, they were both shot."

"She's ok, then?"

"Everyone thinks so. From what I read in the newspaper, that I looked up on the Internet, she got scared when you hit the ground and didn't get up. It said she jumped back on her bike and rode off. No one has any idea who she was. Lots of people saw what you did though."

"Just did what I had to do."

The girl grinned at me. If she kept that up, I was going to be in trouble. Hospital sheets don't hide much.

"I also checked out what happened to your car."

"My car?"

"It was left at the scene of the crime and got towed."

"Shit."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," she said with a gleam in her eye. "Such language."

"You said it was Halloween?"

"That was yesterday. It's November first."

"It's been..."

"You've been in the hospital three weeks."

"Oh, God," I said suddenly very depressed.

"What's wrong?"

"I was supposed to get medical insurance from my job, but I don't have any. I probably don't have a job, anymore. How am I going to pay my rent? Worse yet, how am I going to get my car back? That car is special to me."

"Oh, the car's easy. My Aunt and Uncle own the junk yard it got towed to."

"Junk yard?" I said uneasily.

She laughed. "That's what I call it. They say it is a salvage and storage yard. That's so they can charge more."

"Great."

She picked up the clipboard on the end of the bed. "Don't worry— John," she said as she read it. "It doesn't look like you'll be in here much longer."

The nurse, the one I liked, stuck her head around the corner. "Jessica! You're still in here? I hope she's not bothering you."

"No, not at all. I guess you could say she's my first and only visitor."

The girl, at the end of the bed, blinked. "No one's come and visited you?"

"Wouldn't really expect anyone to."

"Why?"

"Jessica!" her mother said. "Out with you." She turned to me as her daughter scooted out the door. "I'm sorry, she's—"

"Really quite a delight." I attempted a smile, even though it hurt a bit. "You are my favorite nurse. It makes sense I'd like your daughter as well."

She laughed, and then said, "You just don't know her well enough, that's all."

"So tell me about her."



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Chapter 3



Jessica came and jumped on my bed. She had a dress on that flipped up as she landed.

"My one and only visitor," I said, knowing that I wished she could have visited me each and every day.

"My mom only lets me come down here on Saturdays, well other than special times like Halloween and the day after, when I made her. She says I get into too many things."

I laughed. "Your Mom and I had a long talk about you."

Her smile faded for a moment, until I said, "I didn't believe a single word she said, of course. I still think of you as that angel."

Her laughter filled the room. Then she got this mischievous look on her face. "I know something."

"Oh? Like when I'm getting out of here?"

"Even better. Want to know a secret?"

My heart leapt and I tried not to seem too anxious. "Of course I do. I love secrets."

She smiled as though she knew I did. "Remember the two brothers that were on trial three months ago?"

"The ones that..." I didn't want to say what they did to their victims.

She nodded a bit more seriously. "I found the evidence that put them away."

"You did?"

"Yep, but no one knows. I mean the police, my mom, my Aunt and Uncle," she grinned, "and now you. The police acted like they found it. My mom wanted to make sure I was safe. I think she was right, kuz remember they tried to break out? I wouldn't want to be in danger."

"Smart thinking. But why tell me? Maybe I'm just as bad."

"You are, but for different reasons."

Now I was confused.

"I found the evidence in their car. It had been hidden well. Not even the police had found it."

Then she grinned at me again.

I was a bit puzzled.

"How did you get into the car? Wasn't it locked?"

"I spend a lot of time with my Aunt and Uncle when Mom works weird hours. They have a box with all the keys in it. Don't ask me how they get them. I'm not supposed to know that either!" She stopped talking and straightened out her skirt, running her hands down her legs. Then she looked up and into my eyes. "Know whose car I was interested in? Know what I found?"

I looked to the door expecting the police to come in any minute. My eyes started to fill.

"Why?" I said, my voice expressing the dread I was feeling.

"Just a hobby of mine. It's boring out there."

"Know what they're going to do to me?"

Now she gave me a puzzled look. "Who?"

"The police," I replied, downheartedly.

She laughed and reached over grabbing my calf. "No silly. You don't understand."

Confused, I answered, "I guess I don't."

"You're mine now."

"Yours?" I crocked out.

"It took me three days to crack your code."

"Only three?" I said, thinking how in the world she could crack that encryption code that fast.

She gave me a big smile. "It's a phone number. I have a program that helps me," she grinned again. "Once I had it, I found the reference. It was the phone number of your junior high school crush."

"How did you ever—"

"Like I said, I'm good at that and I get bored there."

"So now what. I guess you looked."

She laughed. "Only at some, but I got the idea. You like girls like me."

I didn't respond. I didn't know how to.

"Well, you do don't you?"

"Yes."

"I want to know why."

"Why?"

"Yes."

"Couldn't have anything to do with you being very beautiful."

Smiling she said, "No, I don't think so."

"Or funny, or smart, or cute."

"Oh, I like this!"

"Jessica?" her mother said as soon as she walked into the door.

Jessica rolled her eyes at me and then turned to her mom.

"You aren't going to be able to pester John any longer. You know how hospitals are now called a revolving door. You're going to be discharged today."

"Today?" Jessica and I said together.

"Mom!" Jessica said after a stunned silence.

Her mother raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"

I wasn't sure if I was amused or not, but I recognized a look on her mother's face that said she knew that Jessica was trying to hide something.

Jessica, as though her mind had been racing to find something to say, got it. "How's he going to get home? His car is at Black Hawk's."

"And how would you know where his car was?"

Suddenly studying the floor tiles and blushing heavily, Jessica was silent.

"Tell me how you knew?" her mother demanded.

"I looked it up. The newspaper article said that the cars had been towed."

"I think you spend too much time with my sister."

Then she turned to me and said, "As my darling daughter pointed out, you have no car." Then she laughed, looking down at my leg. "That isn't a real concern anyway, you couldn't have driven.

I looked down at my leg and groaned. Then reality suddenly sunk in.

"Oh shit."

"More than just your car?" Jessica's mother in nurse mode asked.

"I live on the second story of an older building. There's no elevator. How can I get up the stairs? Can I walk in this thing?"

"As you're going to be released, I guess we'd better get you up and check that out. Any relatives close that can help you?"

"Have you seen anyone visit me? Any flowers?" It just hit me wrong and I wasn't being polite right then. I did have parents, but they were out of the country. I hadn't called or written as I had no way of doing so.

"Mom, that wasn't very nice to ask," Jessica said.

"Jessica, if you will remember before I throw you out of here, I am a nurse and I have to ask questions like that. Even if some things seem obvious, I still have to ask."

"Sorry, Mom."

"Now, Jessica, help pull his legs over to the side of the bed, while I go find a set of crutches."

I gave my friendly nurse a smile and then said, "Is this part of your nurse duties as well."

"Not really, John, but as you need this..." she teased back.

"Do I get to call you by your first name then, or do I have to be formal and call you Miss Cratchett?"

"You call me that and I'll break your other leg!" she said, laughing as she headed out the door.

Jessica grabbed both my legs at the same time and pulled. Then she looked up at me.

"They're heavy."

"The one with the cast is. Move them one at a time and I can help that way," I said not realizing what that would do.

Taking hold of my cast, she slid it over to the edge of the bed. I tried to move my other leg along with it, but I hadn't been out of bed in weeks. My muscles had slightly atrophied. It wasn't until I realized Jessica had stopped moving that I looked at her. Her mouth hung open and she was staring. I looked down and realized my hospital gown had pulled up and over. She had a perfect view of my balls and pubic hair. Fortunately, for me, the cloth had caught my dick. I quickly pulled the gown down, just as Theresa came back in.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"His legs are heavy," Jessica said quickly.

I couldn't say a word. I'm sure my face was beet red.

"Here, let me show you," Theresa said, not paying attention to either Jessica or my expression.

With the efficiency of a nurse, she had me standing in no time. Jessica held me up, while Theresa adjusted my crutches.

"Ever been on crutches before?" Theresa asked.

I nodded. I didn't want to look stupid. I had used them before as sort of a joke at work. I didn't need them, as my leg wasn't really broken. There had been lots of sympathy thrown my way until the gals in the office I was in found out the truth.

I took one step, pulled my cast parallel and fell backwards. A cast falling produces a deadening thunk as it lands, I found out. This time falling, I let go of my crutches and protected my head. That was good. It was also bad. As soon as I landed I expected to see good nurse Theresa by my side. I looked up and saw she had hold of her daughter's shoulders and was holding her away from me. Theresa was looking at my face and then purposely moved her eyes down. I looked down and saw I wasn't so lucky this time. I was fully exposed.

There was no need to be holding my head, which I was still doing, so as I turned red again, I pulled my gown down.

"I guess that answers one question," I said, as I realized that the only thing that hurt was my butt. "I can't walk worth sh— beans."

Jessica, now away from her mother's clutches, said, "You can say that again!"

"Jessica, you're not helping here," Theresa said. Then to me she said, "It doesn't look like you're going anywhere today." Sighing, she asked again, "There is no one to take care of you?"

"No," I bit my tongue not letting my emotions get carried away. I used my best 'let's make fun of a bad situation' technique. "But thanks for reminding me."

"John, I'm sorry. I know this must be hard on you. There will be some people in today to talk about financial things. There is help available."

"I know you're just doing what you need to do," I said. "I couldn't not help. That girl—" I shuddered thinking what might have happened to her. "I just don't know what I'm going to do now."

"Well, for starters, let's get you back in bed."

I grinned as mother and daughter took me under my arms to lift me. "I've always wanted a gal to say that to me."

"John!" Theresa laughed. "Jessica, don't listen to him."

"Mom!" Jessica roller her eyes, "Like I haven't heard worse at school."



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Chapter 4



It was a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing. The doctor had said I was ready to get up and go. That was taken as a discharge order by one of the nurses. My favorite nurse didn't say very nice things about her. What the doctor had meant was that I was good to start on some physical therapy, so I could learn how to walk in my cast.

I was going to be in the hospital for two more days. I was glad to know I wouldn't just get thrown out on the street. On the other hand, I wouldn't be around for another Saturday.

My last conversations with Jessica had been troubling. I had no idea if she had my laptop, or if it was still in the car. She had said, 'I was hers.' I had no idea what she'd meant by that. My understanding of a statement like that could be very much different for her. I didn't know what I was going to do. It wouldn't go over too well to say to my nurse, 'Say your daughter found some pictures of girls her own age on the laptop that was hidden in my car and I need to talk to her about it. Can you give me your home number so I can call her?'

I was racking my brain out when my phone rang. It startled me, as it hadn't rung since I'd been here.

"Hello," I said as I answered the phone.

"Hi, John, it's Jessica. Mom says you're there for two more days."

"That's what I've heard. They got me up twice today, already. The first time I almost fell over again. The second time I was able to walk, if you want to call it that."

"I'm sure it's not that bad," she said after she giggled.

"I asked the gal who was putting me through this torture if we could try some stairs tomorrow. You want to know what her answer was?"

"Not good?"

"She laughed and asked me if I was serious. She told me the hospital didn't have enough insurance for that."

"So what are you going to do? You live on the second floor, right?"

"Could be why I'm not very jolly right now. They're planning on kicking me out and I literally cannot go home."

"Got to go! Call you back," Jessica said and the line went dead.

'Fuck!' I thought. 'What was that all about? A 'let's try and get John a bit more depressed' call?'

I was mad right then and pushed my legs over to the edge of the bed. It took longer than it should have and that added fuel to my anger. My cast went over the edge and I tried to get my other leg to follow. My idea was to stand. What happened was that I slipped to the floor, hanging onto the edge of the bed for dear life. It was a gentle slip down. No heavy thunk, no pain. Ok. There was pain. It was called wounded pride.

It was almost a half an hour later when a nurse walked by and saw me.

"How did you fall?" she asked.

"I didn't fall, I slid," I said as though that would somehow save my dignity.

"Slid?" she started to laugh, but then stopped.

With me holding onto the bed, she got me upright.

"I could get you into a wheelchair," she said.

"NO!" I shouted. "Oh shit. I know this isn't your fault. Just get me back in bed, where I can rot."

"We'll take it from here, Jackie."

I looked up and saw my nurse— and her daughter.

"What are you two doing here? I thought this was your day off?"

She smiled. "I just can't seem to leave."

I looked at Jessica, waiting, knowing there was some sort of explanation.

"Did you know you are eligible for almost five hundred dollars a week?"

"Eligible for what?"

"Jessica has been researching this, apparently. You qualify for a number of things, through three different programs."

"Ok, I'm totally confused now. What on earth are you talking about?"

Jessica glowed, saying, "First there is the state banking funds to help with the arrest of bank robbery suspects. You qualify for something under that one. Then there are the federal ones that do the same sort of things. There's also the victim's rights bill. Then there is the local money, as these guys had held up four places, and a reward was being offered. Then—"

"Jessica, stop it," I said. "I didn't catch them. Besides, you told me they were shot and killed."

"Shot, not killed," Theresa said.

"So what difference does it make to me? I didn't shoot them. I didn't capture them."

"No, you tried to save a young innocent girl," Jessica said with such an angelic face, I wondered if the conversation we had about my laptop was just a dream. "That act," she went on, "drew the bad guy's attention away, long enough for them to be taken down."

"Jessica!" Theresa said.

"It's how they say it on TV," Jessica defended herself.

"Still, I don't see how any of this has to do with me."

The innocent look of Jessica was gone. "We were thinking that if you could get that kind of money while you were recouping, then you could stay in a place that could help you."

"A rest home. Oh great! Me and grandpa racing our wheelchairs down to the lunch room to see who could get more prunes," I said rather dryly.

Jessica and Theresa were laughing so hard I thought they might wet themselves. Ok, it was funny and I ended up laughing myself.

"John," Jessica said. "I was thinking the best thing would be to come live with us."

"Jessica!" Theresa said.

I just stared at her like she was out of her mind.

"Jessica!" her mother said again. "You just can't say something like that. Is that why you came up this ... Why we're here?"

"Mom, you know if he was with us for six weeks you'd have the down payment for the car you have been saying we need forever. What would be wrong with it? You're a nurse, right?"

"Jessica!"

I could tell her mother was livid.



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Chapter 5



Theresa had sent Jessica out of the room, with explicit instructions to be down at the nurse's station, waiting for her there.

I knew I needed to take this matter into my hands, or Jessica would suffer more than I wanted to think about.

"Theresa. You daughter was just trying to do good. Does she bring stray cats home as well?"

The idea that I was some stray, lightened up her mood.

"Yes, she has tried that."

"Look, I'm not surprised by your reaction. I'd be more shocked if you'd agreed. I mean what would your husband say anyway? For someone so bright, Jessica didn't think this out very well."

"There isn't a— I don't think I need to explain to you."

"No you don't. I'm sorry. I think Jessica got attached to me for some uncanny reason. Maybe vomiting when I saw her dressed in her Halloween costume did it."

Theresa laughed. This was a good sign.

"She told you I make her come here dressed up, didn't she?"

"Yes."

"You know I couldn't take you in. I mean a man I don't even know, outside of the hospital, living in my house?"

"You're right," I said with a bit of humor in my voice. "With this cast on, I'm pretty dangerous."

She rolled her eyes. I noticed it was done with the same facial inflections that her daughter did.

"Now you are sounding like Jessica, making up smart remarks. I'd send you to your room as well, but you're already here."

"Could you promise me one thing?"

Raising her eyebrows, she answered, "That is a very broad request. I think I'd need to know what I was agreeing to first."

"Don't be mad at Jessica. She meant well. Talk to her about communicating with you about important things, so peoples' feeling don't get hurt."

Theresa smiled. "I think I can do that, John."

She was walking out the door when she paused and looked back.

"Your feelings are hurt."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It couldn't be helped." I forced a smile and added, "Won't kill me."

-------

It was later in the afternoon when the phone rang. I knew who it must be, but still answered it cautiously.

"Hello."

"John, it's me. Now what are we going to do?"

I closed my eyes. Jessica obviously had something planned, but I didn't know what it was. Other than trouble for me.

"I think your mom was pretty clear on the subject."

I could sense the smile in her voice, "Oh? I'm not so sure about that. You on the other hand didn't help much."

I didn't think I helped at all.

"What did I do that helped?"

"Told her that it hurt. She's a nurse, and doesn't like to see people hurt. Plus she's been hurt enough as it is. I think, after she talked to me for almost two hours, that that is what it really is about."

"I don't get it."

"John, John, John," Jessica said in a voice that sounded like she was scolding me for being stupid. "There hasn't been a man in this house, well other than my Uncle and he doesn't count, since my dad ran out on us. That was two years ago."

"It's a wonder she didn't bite your head off for suggesting such a thing then."

"She was better than I expected, after she sent me out of your room. I think you had something to do with that."

"Yes I did. I told her not to kill you."

Jessica laughed.

"Mom's back; got to go, bye."

I set the phone down and laid back into my bed. Somehow I knew this was going to get complicated. Jessica had set up plans that if I didn't go along with, or appear to, she could cause a lot of problems. Reality of the situation was that, deep down, I wanted what Jessica had proposed. A bigger and more realistic truism was that I couldn't see it working out. There was no way in hell, after a husband had walked out on his wife and daughter, that I would be welcomed into their house, cast or no cast.



-------

Chapter 6



I saw Theresa twice the next day. Not a word was said, although I was sure she was looking at me in a slightly different way. I didn't know what it was, or what it meant. There was something, though. I might not have caught on to the subtle difference; but, as I had little to do, I had become more in tune to the people around me.

Of course, there were others on the staff that showed up. They had me fill out this form and that. I signed my name so many times, and frankly, I had no idea what it all meant. Well, other than the obvious; that I was soon going to be on my way, wherever that was to be.

"Jackie, I just clocked out for the day. I can take him downstairs," I heard Theresa say from outside my room.

"Are you sure? I was just about to call an attendant to come do that."

"No need. I'm going that way, anyway."

"Ok," was the last I heard from Jackie. The tone was one of slight amusement.

Theresa walked into the room, wheelchair in hand.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"I guess," I said and then added; "I'm still not sure what's happening."

"What do you mean?" she said as she was helping me into the chair.

"Do you remember when I said I live on the second story? How am I going to get to my apartment? I'm not sure what's happening. I mean, I can't even drive there," I said. Then I asked the question that had been eating at me all morning. "Do you just set me outside, and that's it?"

Theresa laughed, covered her mouth, and then got a serious look.

"Do you think the hospital could do that? Seriously? John, did you read that paperwork you signed?"

I sure I looked a bit sheepish as I said, "No."

"If you had," she said as she pushed me out the door and started down the hall towards the elevator, "you would find that preparations have been made."

I sat in silence as I was pushed. When the elevator opened, she pushed me in. I was grateful that we were the only two in it.

"Do you know what's happening to me?" I asked as soon as she'd pushed the level 1 button.

"As a matter of fact, John, I do."

"Oh?" I got out.

I was about to say more, but I realized we'd stopped on the next floor down and that the door was opening. Three people stepped in. They were looking rather gloomy. Once again, the elevator started moving, as silence enveloped the atmosphere.

When we reached the first floor, the three others exited quickly. Theresa then pushed me out. The main doors were straight ahead, and I expected her to proceed that way. When we changed course, I mentally shrugged my shoulders, thinking I should have looked at all that paperwork.

"Are you going to tell me?" I asked, "Or is it some big surprise?"

"Tell you?" Theresa said innocently, as though she had no idea what I was talking about.

I rolled my eyes.

"Ok, be that way. Now I know where your daughter gets it."

Theresa laughed at that comment, but also said, "I should dump you out of your wheelchair for saying something nasty like that."

"Nasty?" I said, and then realized I'd just missed a sign that told me where we might be heading. "To say your daughter is like you?"

"Now, I don't think you said it quite like that," Theresa teased.

The hallway ended and we went out two sets of double doors. She didn't stop, but continued across a drive and into a parking garage.

"Ok," I said. "This is getting a bit strange."

"No questions, yet," Theresa said in a no nonsense manor.

"Fine," I replied, wondering just what the hell was going on.

Hospital parking garages are massive structures. I was in a contemplative mood. I thought about how many employees it took to run a place like this. They needed room to park, as well as all the visitors who showed up to see people in the hospital. We had gone what seemed like the entire length of the place, when she stopped.

"Do I get to ask, now?"

Theresa looked around, and then answered, "This is my car."

This was not my day for cognizant thinking.

"Ok."

Theresa said in a slightly exasperated tone, "I'm driving you."

"Oh, ok."

Her daughter had been right. They needed a new car. I fit, barely, into the back seat. Theresa closed the door and then opened the front door.

"I'll be back in a couple of minutes," she said. Then she broke into a grin and added, "Don't move."

I had half a mind to say something, but she had closed the door and wouldn't have heard me, anyway. I watched her as she took hold of the wheelchair and rolled it until she, and it, were out of sight.

Twiddling my thumbs, I wondered what the hell was taking so long. I jumped when she opened the door. I realized that she had come from the opposite direction from which she had departed.

"Ready?" she asked.

"I was thinking of taking a jog, but decided I'll just sit here."

"Good idea."

I began to worry for my sanity. Theresa drove out from the hospital, as though she wanted to become a patient there. Once on the road, it was as if she was a completely different person. Something wasn't right, and I couldn't figure it out.

"John, you have the keys to your place?"

"Yes. They were in the plastic bag of stuff I was given back."

"Good. That's the first stop. I need you to think about where your things are. We need enough to get you through at least two days. Shirts, socks, under ... no skip that, you can't wear them anyway. Do you have any baggy shorts?"

"No, why would I?"

"Well, if you were planning on having a broken leg..."

"Very funny."

"I guess you don't have any wrap around skirts either?"

"If I did, do you think I would tell you?"

Theresa was laughing so hard, I thought she'd have to pull over.

"Ok, I deserved that one." Then she was back to business. "Any other ideas?"

"A towel?"

"Very funny."

I was a bit puzzled. It didn't seem like that bad of an idea.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, historically they don't tend to stay put very well."

"Historically? What difference would it make anyway?"

Theresa looked over at me for a bit longer than I thought was prudent, considering she was driving.

"I don't care to have accidents. My daughter is..."

"Accidents?" Then something hit me like a ton of bricks. "Daughter?"

"John, did they give you any medication I don't know about?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

She glanced over again. I saw her take a hard swallow.

"It feels like you have no idea what's happening."

"You could say that."

"John, I work until six. It was four when I clocked out. I took you out of the hospital, myself, so no one would see how you left. You're in my car..."

I was catching on.

"And you drove out of the hospital so fast no one could see me."

"Yeah. That may not have been a smart move, but it's done."

"So..." I said, my chest starting to tighten as the next words were uttered, "Does that mean you're taking in another stray?"

The tension had grown thick. I think that broke it. Theresa couldn't help herself and she snorted. She also pulled to a stop. We were in front of my apartment building.



-------

Chapter 7



We arrived at Theresa's house a little while later. I was still in ... well, shock, from her having to root though my things to find clothes that would work. She had comments about men, and living conditions, that weren't very favorable. It made me wonder if this was such a great idea.

Jessica, on the other hand, bounced out the door. She had a big smile on her face.

"Hi, Mom!"

"Don't give me that. You get to carry in John's things and wash them. All of them."

Jessica looked at me a bit concerned. I gave her a little half smile.

Theresa wasn't finished. "Did you clean the room out, and vacuum?"

"Yes, Mother. It's all ready for him."

"You didn't need to go to any fuss for me," I said.

Theresa was pulling me out of the car. She looked me in the eyes and said, "Jessica gave up her room for you to stay in. It was part of the deal."

I glanced quickly over to Jessica, before asking, "What kind of a deal?"

"Never you mind," Theresa said. "Right now you need to pay attention to your crutches. You're no longer in the hospital."

"If she's not in her room, where's she doing to sleep?" I asked as we walked up to their apartment.

"Don't worry," Jessica said.

"Why does that make me worry?" I asked.

It was the first glimpse of a smile from Theresa, since we arrived home. I stopped, acting like I was arranging the crutch under my shoulder.

"Jessica, go take that in. Please," I said.

Jessica gave me a sour look, but went inside. I turned to Theresa.

"You still can take me someplace else. I can see this makes you very uncomfortable."

She frowned, and then said, "I didn't really understand how it would make me feel ... you know..."

"Having a man in the house?"

"Yeah."

"The way I feel right now, I'm not much a man."

"John," she said sharply, "I don't want to hear you talk like that again. You most likely saved that girl's life. It is the biggest compelling reason Jessica hit me with."

"So you made a deal with her. When do I find out what it is?"

"Why should it matter to you?"

"Because if she bargained away too much, she's going to feel miserable."

Theresa gave away a little smile.

"Why do I feel you may have set her up?"

"You wouldn't believe her," Theresa said. "She was like a madman."

"It wouldn't bother you if she became resentful of me?"

"Resentful? Now why would she ... Oh shit."

"I think maybe you should turn me around. It might be better for your daughter to be mad at you, than to think men are jerks."

"I didn't mean for that kind of thing to happen."

"But you can see how it could turn out that way, now?"

"Yes," she said dejectedly. "The worst of it is that I can't turn you around. Jessica and I had quite a talk about this issue. If I turned you back to the car right now, she'd probably pack her bags and move over to my sister's."

"So you feel you don't have much choice."

"Well? Do I?"

"As my mother would say, 'You always have choices. Some of them you might not want to take, but you have choices.' I never believed her, but the older I get, the more I understand what she said was true."

"So I can bring you in, or turn you around."

"Those are two; I think there may be another."

Theresa couldn't help but smile as she said, "If I just left you out here, my darling daughter would bring you in."

"Right. I don't think that is what I had in mind."

"You're the one who talked about being a stray."

"Fine, I'm a stray."

Theresa turned and looked at me. I'm sure the tone in my voice did it. What she saw, though, was not someone feeling sorry for himself, but a big grin.

"I ought to leave you out here for that."

"Probably, but if you told me what the deal was, maybe I could help."

"With a cast on?"

"I'm not sure of the physical things, I was talking about helping thinking through a solution that you could live with. I get the feeling the bargain you made with your daughter is going to be hell on both of you and I would get caught in the middle."

"So this is self preservation."

"Something I haven't done well with."

"Don't start on that again."

"I was talking in general. By the way, I think you need to make some kind of decision. Your daughter is looking out the window and by the look on her face, she's ready to come out any minute."

"Fine. Come on."

"Then you're taking me in."

"That's one way of putting it."



-------

Chapter 8



I was sprawled on the couch. It was one of the few places that I would fit with my cast. Theresa was in a chair, across from me, and Jessica was sitting on the floor between us.

The two bags that Jessica had brought in were in her room, waiting.

This was time to get down to, as my mother would say, 'brass tacks.' I had always wondered where that expression came from, but not enough to look it up. At any rate, here we are.

"I want to hear the details," I said.

"John," Theresa said, in a tone that sounded like she really didn't want this conversation.

Fortunately for me, it had taken a good ten minutes to get us here. I had time to think.

I looked at her and said, "I'm guessing that you are not taking me in by the goodness of your heart. You want, and need, to be compensated."

The blank stare she gave me made me realize that she hadn't thought about that. She knew there was money, but just how the details would work had eluded her.

"I guess you're right," Theresa answered, as her demeanor changed.

"This time," I said with a little smile. "Now, let's see what we have. I'm going to pay what for living here? In other words, how much do you want, and what do I get?"

These were better terms for Theresa. She went into nurse mode, and listed off the things that were needed.

"You need a place to stay, food to eat, clothes washed, room cleaned..." she started, and paused for an acknowledgement from me. "Then there are the other details."

"Oh?"

"Transportation to your doctor and physical therapy visits. Those were my jobs and Jessica is doing everything else. That is the agreement."

"I hadn't thought of needing to be taken around. Anything else?"

"You don't want to pay for an apartment that you can't use, do you?"

"No. I can't afford to, really."

"So your things need to be sorted and packed."

"Oh."

"Will we bring those over to Aunt Jeanie's?" Jessica asked.

"Aunt Jeanie's?" I asked, wondering where my shit would end up.

"Where your car is," Jessica answered.

I looked over to Theresa.

"That is probably the best place. My sister has the room, that's for sure, and she'd never charge me. Plus I'm sure we'd need Ernie's help to move your furniture."

"I don't own any ... well, not really. The place was furnished."

"Oh, well that makes it easier," Theresa said. Then with a glint in her eye she added, "All we need are some shovels."

"It's not that bad, is it, Mom?"

I said, "No it's not," at the same time that Theresa said, "Yes it is."

Jessica started to laugh, and we joined in.

When that died down, I asked, "Have you thought of anything else?"

Apparently she had. Theresa adverted my gaze.

"You thought of something."

"Bathing," Theresa said.

It was dead silent. I had no idea what Jessica was thinking, but what came to my mind was that Theresa had said that her part of the bargain was to drive and that was it. Did she think ... no, she hadn't thought of my needing that. She wasn't going to have Jessica bath me.

Before anyone said anything, the phone rang. Theresa jumped up to get it. I'm sure to get away, right then.

"Do I get to do that?" Jessica asked me, in wide-eyed wonderment.

"Do you think your mother would let you?" I asked, not wanting to answer her question.

Getting a sour look on her face, she answered, "Of course not."

Theresa came back, but didn't sit.

"We didn't answer an important question," I said.

Theresa's face flashed with anger.

Going on, I said, "How much are you charging me?"

I could tell by the astonished look on her face that was not what she expected the question to be.

"Mom?" Jessica asked when Theresa hadn't responded.

"I ... well..."

"Do you have any idea how much I'm really getting from all those programs I was signed up for?"

"No, not really," Theresa responded.

"It's probably in all the paperwork they gave me."

"Jess, could you get that. It should be in..."

"Bag that's on his bed," Jessica finished as she was already moving to the bedroom.

Theresa may well work in a hospital, but this paperwork is like nothing she had ever had to deal with. It took us over an hour to figure out what it said.

"How does four hundred and fifty dollars a week sound," I said.

Theresa looked down at the coffee table and said, "Like it would be too much for what you're getting."

"Somehow I'm not so sure. Do you see that it's possible that you might have to re-arrange your schedule to take me to some appointment? What happens when I'm there for a twenty-minute visit? You'll end up waiting. Then there's Jessica."

"What about her?" Theresa said sharply.

"She gave up her room. You could give her something for that. I couldn't, but you could."

Theresa's lips quivered trying not to smile. She quickly got them under control before saying, "I think she may receive something, but she has a lot of work to do to earn what she's going to get."

"There is something I can give to Jessica that she's probably going to need."

"What's that?" Jessica and her mother ask at nearly the same time.

"Help with your homework," I said, turning to look at her.

"Don't remind me."

"You begged for this, now ... have you started John's clothes in the washer yet? Then there's dinner to get on the table, and after that your homework has to be done."

As Jessica got up and went onto the bedroom, I looked over to Theresa.

"What are your hours at work?"

"You should know."

"Well I'm sure you didn't see me first thing when you arrived, or right before you went home every day."

"You're right. I always work Tuesdays and Thursdays, all day."

"Except today."

"Yes."

"The rest of the time?"

"It rotates. I work every other Saturday, but never on Sunday."

"I think I may have stumbled on a problem. You might have a solution that I don't know about."

"What's that?"

"I know what happened in the hospital, but here..."

"What is it, John?"

I was starting to get embarrassed. It didn't help that Jessica was obviously listening and leaned out of the doorway right then to hear my problem.

"How do I go to the bathroom?"



-------

Chapter 9



Jessica had seen the look on her mother's face. The first thing she did was rush out of the house, with my clothes in the laundry basket. Theresa had been too stunned to stop her.

"Bathing is one thing that could be adjusted to when I was home," Theresa said with a frown. "You needing to relieve yourself isn't exactly the same. I might expect you could hold it for six hours if you tried, but when I work a twelve-hour shift ... John..."

"Let's think about the mechanics. You're a nurse. Is there a way to do this?"

That turned the focus of her thoughts, from her daughter having to see me, to possible options.

"I know you're not wanting to think about Jessica seeing me, but in reality, how sexy is it to wipe someone?"

Theresa snorted, and said, "A lot of times it's pretty disgusting."

"Right. I think that Jessica may well think she's getting something ... ah ... well..."

"I know what you're trying to say. She thinks she's going to look at a man and see his..."

"Right, and what she gets is..."

"A load of shit," Theresa said, not being able to laugh.

"I'm not incapacitated. I can pee just fine," I said.

"That's true. She doesn't even need to position the bedpan. You can do that."

"She'd just have to wipe me. Frankly I don't think that is going to be much fun for her."

Theresa nodded and said, "I can agree on that. It just bothers me that she'll see your ... testicles."

"You could say 'balls, ' you know."

"I could, but I'd rather not."

"Is there any way to prevent that?" I asked.

Theresa was silent for a minute. Then she looked me in the eyes, and said, "You are being almost as ... I'm not sure. It feels like a 'want for this to work' from you. Not as pushy as Jessica, but close."

I wondered if she saw my surprise. 'Did she really know? No, stop this, John.'

"Are you saying that, because I'm trying to be courteous and you're not used to it from a man? If I didn't try to help, even people I didn't know, I wouldn't be here right now."

A flash of guilt ran across Theresa's face. I felt bad for pushing those buttons ... well, maybe a little.

Jessica opened the door. I looked at her, wondering if she had been waiting at the door for the right time.

"Forgot the detergent," she said.

She was out the door seconds later.

"Do you see what I mean?" Theresa said. "She's relentless."

I couldn't help myself.

"Where does she get that trait from?"

Theresa gave me a look, but didn't answer the question verbally.

Jessica came back in. She didn't say a word, walking past us, on her way to the kitchen.

I heard a few pans bang around. In a soft voice, so it wouldn't carry, I asked, "Is she a good cook?"

Theresa started to laugh, and said in a loud voice, "He wants to know if you know how to cook."

Jessica looked around the corner at me. She had a perturbed look on her face.

"Do you think this is a good time to ask that?"

I'm sure she was serious, but what she had said sounded funny. I couldn't help but laugh.

That didn't help. Jessica came out of the kitchen, with fire in her eyes. By the time she got to me, her mother was laughing. At that moment, I saw the error of my ways. I was quite literally a sitting duck. Thankfully, when Jessica was close enough to me, she was hesitant of what to do. I reached out to grab her hands. That set me off balance and I ended up on the floor.

"Serves you right," Jessica said.

"That may be so," Theresa intervened, "but now you need to help him up."

"I should just leave him where he is," Jessica retorted.

"No," Theresa said sternly. "You wanted to take on this responsibility. Being nice when your patient is an ... well, is being not so nice, is something you have to get used to."

"Jessica," I said. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I just didn't know. My sister, at your age," I shuddered. "We didn't have enough antacid in the house for things that she'd made that she would try to get us to eat."

"Ok," Jessica said, with a smile back on her face. "That is an explanation I can live with."

After helping me back onto the couch, she headed back to the kitchen. Before she got to the corner, she turned and looked at me.

"I expect that you will," here she grinned as she went on, "fall in love with my cooking."

She turned the corner and was again out of sight. I looked over to Theresa. She had a grin on her face.

"I really stepped in it, didn't I?"

"You could say that."

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

"It was good to see my daughter mad at you. Believe me; I wondered if that could happen, the way she went on." Then giving me a look, she added, "Don't even think to ask what she said."

I couldn't help but grin back.

-------

Dinner was all it had been set up to be. No, it wasn't a fancy candle lit affair. It was simple, damned good food. The kind my mother made, except maybe a bit better (I hope my mother never reads this!).

I found out, later, that I had complemented Jessica three ways. First was with words to describe how wonderful it was. The second was unconsciously making appreciative noises while eating. The third was asking for seconds.

"You can take the contented smile off your face," Theresa said to me.

I realized I had been watching Jessica walking in and out of the kitchen, cleaning up.

"I thought this is how I'm supposed to look after having one of the best meals I have eaten in a long, long time."

"You can stop the sucking up as well. I think she's got the point."

"That's ok, Mom," we heard Jessica say from the kitchen. "I really don't mind at all."



-------

Chapter 10



My cell phone rang. I looked at the number and wasn't surprised. It was my parents.

"Is it Mom, or Dad?" I said as soon as I connected.

"It's your mother. Now what's been going on? I called your work and you don't work there any longer. They said something about an accident. Why didn't you tell us?"

Jessica had walked into the room. I hadn't quite got used to having no privacy yet. I mouthed to her, 'My Mom.'

"Good luck!" she said and walked away.

I was sure she'd still be listening. Their place wasn't that big, and I would have been listening, if I was her.

"Mom," I said when she paused, "do you want to continually ask me questions, or do you want any answers?"

"Stop being like that. I'm in a state. We arrive home and find out that my little boy had an accident."

I rolled my eyes at the drama my mother was trying to play out.

"Maybe you need to calm down and call me back," I suggested.

"There must be something wrong. Maybe we should drive up and see you."

I chuckled; that I could tell didn't set well with my mother.

"Unless you let me get a word in, and stop going on and on, you will find it very hard to do anything of the sort," I said.

"Just what are you talking about?"

"I don't live in my apartment any longer. Almost all of my belongings are in boxes at a storage yard."

"Would you stop making me more worried than I already am, and tell me what is going on!"

My mother was almost in hysterics at that point.

"Mom, is Dad home?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"A simple one. If you don't calm down, I'm hanging up. Mom, this is getting ridiculous."

"I never!" [I could see that ending with an ellipse rather than an exclamation point.]

"Is Dad home?"

"Yes, he is."

"Good. I don't want to repeat all of this, so get him to pick up another phone, so he can hear this too."

"Oh. All right, then. Hold on just a moment."

I let out a sigh. Apparently that was a signal Jessica had been waiting for. She came in with a mug of tea for me.

"It sounded like you might need this," she said with a big grin on her face.

I shook my head, and said to her, "I knew this call would happen, but my Mom is being very strange. Maybe it's the jet lag."

"Jet lag?"

"They were in remote parts of China. It's why they didn't know, and I had no cards, flowers, calls."

"But now they're home?" Jessica said in a slightly panicked voice. [They are home.]

"Hold on, and don't worry," I said to Jessica.

My parents were back on the line.

"Hold on to what?" my father said.

"It's a little late not to worry," my mother said.

"I wasn't talking to you right then. Now, it's good to know you got back. How was the trip?"

"Son, I think we can talk about that another time. Your mother tells me you don't have a job and there was some sort of accident. We'd like to know what's been going on."

"Ok, here's the condensed version. I was at a bank when it was held up. I saw this girl on a bike and tried to help. In the process my leg was shot."

I could hear my mother gasp at that.

I went on quickly before any other questions could start, "I also hit my head and was out of it. I woke up in the hospital."

"Did your insurance take care of things?" my Dad asked.

"If you mean, did my work insurance pay the bills, no. Did the bills get paid, yes."

"That is a bit confusing."

"When I helped the girl, it set off a series of events. I am credited with diverting the robber's attention and allowing them to be taken down."

"So, my son is a hero."

"Don't get mushy here, Mom. It's a formality. As such, there were several programs that stepped in and paid for things. Right now I am in a ... care facility."

Jessica had been a lot more visibly listening to the conversation. When I said that last part, her eyes bulged from her head and she had to put her hand over her mouth.

"There is a nurse and ... and an aide that takes care of things I need. I'll be getting transportation to get physical therapy as soon as my cast is off."

"Cast! You didn't say anything about a cast."

"Mom!" I said in an exasperated tone. "Yes, I have a cast. It's part of why I had to move out of my apartment."

"I can understand that," my father said. "I never liked those stairs in the first place. Being in a cast, I can see how that would be a problem."

"I think we should go see him, don't you?" my mother asked my father on the line.

"Son, what do you think?"

"I think you should get over your jet lag, relax a few days, and then make the trip. I'm not going anywhere fast, right now. Plus, I have no idea when my doctor's appointments are. It wouldn't do you a lot of good to drive up, just to have me run off and be gone most of the day."

"I guess that does make sense," my mother conceded.

"Good. Now I'll call you tomorrow and we'll set up a day."

"You're sure your ok?" Mom still questioned.

I looked over to Jessica, who was still in the room listening, and said, "Yes, Mom. I'm in very good hands."

When I hung up, Jessica was over to me in a flash. She took the tea out of my other hand and set it on the coffee table. Then she did something she'd never done before.

She kissed me.



-------

Chapter 11



When Theresa got home that evening, she could tell something was up. She looked between her daughter and me.

"All right, you two. What's going on?"

"His parents called," Jessica blurted out.

Looking at her daughter for a moment, she then said, "Don't you think it was about time they called?"

"No!" Jessica answered and then ran into her bedroom.

"I'm not sure, but I think she didn't think I had parents," I responded, as Theresa was looking at me for an explanation.

A smile ran across Theresa's face, but quickly disappeared when Jessica entered the room again. Jessica had picked up a pillow and flung it at me.

Then she said, "They're coming up. They'll probably take him away."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" I asked.

I wasn't about to mention the kiss she gave me. Now it made a lot more sense, she was scared.

"Why else would they come?" Jessica asked, sullenly.

"Maybe for the same reason I would, if I were them," her mother said to Jessica. She then turned to look at me and asked, "Would they want you to come live with them?"

"Oh, I'm sure of it," I said, and heard Jessica sniffle. I went right on. "That doesn't mean that they really want me to go live with them, or that I would go."

Jessica looked up at me. She was blinking her eyes and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know she' been on the brink of crying.

"John, are ... will you be ok by yourself for a few minutes?" Theresa asked.

"I'm sure I will, why?"

"Jessica and I need to take a little drive."

"We do? Where are we going, Mom?"

"You'll see."

-------

I was glad when they came back. A few minutes turned out to be almost two hours. Although I was getting much better with the crutches, I still couldn't stand on my own. And standing was the only way I could walk. And walking was the only way to make it to the bathroom to pee.

That wasn't the only concern that was pressing. Two hours? This was not a short conversation about my parents calling. Jessica had gone overboard. Maybe she was like this before I came, I didn't know. If she was, then I may have been blowing things out of proportion. I somehow doubt that, though. If Theresa had seen Jessica the way she had been acting when she came home from work today, I don't think I would be here right now.

As soon as the door opened, I said, "Theresa, I need a little help."

She came over to me, and in a frank manner, said, "What."

"I need to stand, so I can get to the bathroom."

"And you asked me?"

I could tell there was a bit of animosity in her voice that hadn't been there before. It was then I realized Jessica hadn't come in with her.

"You happen to know how to get me upright much quicker. A few minutes is a lot different than a few hours. I'd rather not make a mess."

She didn't say a word, but went to work getting me upright with the efficiency of a nurse. I took hold of my crutches and hobbled into the bathroom.

When I came out, Theresa was in the living room. There was no Jessica. As I crutched back, I felt a lump in my throat. I liked Theresa. My thoughts started swirling around, and many of them were not very nice.

As tears started to come to my eyes, I said, "I'm sorry."

She watched me. I saw her stand quickly. She saw what I hadn't. That was, until it was too late. I hadn't paid enough attention to my crutch and it caught the edge of the sofa. I started to go down. She was there, but not fast enough. My head hit the wall.

-------

I opened my eyes.

"You scared the shit out of me. How the hell would it look if I'd had to call the paramedics? Everyone at the hospital would know that I took you in."

"That would be bad," I said. "Especially when you're trying to think of a way to get rid of me."

"You're a fucking asshole at times. Do you know that?"

"This must be one of those times," I said. "Can you tell me what happened? Am I all right?"

Theresa had been standing. She knelt down next to me. I was on the couch, stretched out. She pulled out a penlight and shined it into my eyes.

"Keep them open," she barked.

"What's wrong? What did I do?"

"You fell. Well, that's the latest thing you did wrong today."

"Fell?"

"You don't remember?"

"Was I on the couch?"

"Shit."

"What?"

"I have to take you to the hospital."

"Why?"

"You don't remember you fell. That's not good."

I put out my hand, catching her arm. She looked at my face.

"Why do you want to get rid of me? I have this feeling, but I don't know what happened."

"You ... Well, my daughter. You two kissed."

Theresa looked at my astonished face, as I said, "We did?"

She also watched that astonished look fade, to be replaced with guilt, as I remembered.

"I guess we did. I did."

"No, John, don't you try that one on me. Jessica told me. She was scared of losing you and for some reason kissed you. She initiated it. You didn't need to reciprocate. Or as she put it, be so good, either."

I tried to shake my head, but it hurt like hell, so I said, "She must have hit her head. Unless you want to count relatives, I've kissed maybe three girls in my life. I can't be very good."

"Three?" Theresa said in disbelief.

She was already pulling my legs over, getting me ready to stand.

"Do we need to go?"

"Yes. You might have made that concussion you received at the bank, worse. It is not a good thing to do. We have to make sure nothing is wrong."

"Do I get to ask where Jessica is?"

"At her Aunt's. She's staying there right now."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I should move. The last thing I want is to bring a division between you and your daughter."

"Hell."

"What?"

"Let's get you to the car. We'll have time to talk on the way."

Once I was in the car and we were on the road, Theresa asked a question I had hoped she wouldn't.

"What do you think of my daughter?"

I tried to avoid it. "How do you want me to answer that?"

"Try the truth."

"Ok. She's smart, funny, and fun to be around. She's also kind, considerate, and full of spunk. Jessica is also beautiful on the outside, just like she is on the inside."

"Very funny."

"What's so funny about that?"

"Did you two rehearse?"

"Rehearse what? What are you talking about?"

Theresa pulled over to the side of the road and turned to look at me, as I was sitting in the back seat. It made me a bit uncomfortable, the way she was looking at me.

She asked slowly, "You two didn't talk about what you liked about each other?"

"Not that I remember," I said with a concerned look on my face. "Why?"

"Because it was almost word for word, what she told me, about you."



-------

Chapter 12



Aunt Jeanie showed up with Jessica. At first I wasn't sure who it was. I'd never seen Aunt Jeanie before, and Jessica was behind a very large flower arrangement.

"Hi, John," Jessica said, rather demurely.

"They're very nice, thank you," I responded, making Jessica blush.

"I'm her Aunt Jeanie," the woman said thrusting out a hand to be taken.

"Hi, I'm John," I responded. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Most of it lies, I'm sure," Jeanie laughed.

She still had hold of my hand.

"Jessica told me some rather vivid tales..."

Jessica looked at me, wide eyed. Jeanie let go of my hand and laughed.

"Would have thought the wild tales would have come from my sister!"

"She said some rather wonderfully touching things about you," I responded.

The laughter stopped as Jeanie looked me over. Turning to Jessica, she said, "Be careful, will you."

"What?" Jessica responded.

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

With that Jeanie left. Jessica and I looked at each other.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble," I said.

"John," Jessica said, her voice breaking, "you're ok, right?"

I took a deep breath, before saying, "Yes. They just want to keep me so they can make a few more dollars."

Jessica returned a sly smile and I thought she was going to say something, but didn't,

"How did you..."

"Know that Mom was at lunch?" Jessica grinned. "Jeanie has been around here many times. She knows who to call. You should have heard the rumors that the nurse told Jeanie. As soon as they found out that you were staying at our house..."

"I think Theresa blames me," I said.

"For what?"

"For her having to bring me back here. Now everyone knows. She didn't want that."

Jessica jumped up on my bed, sitting down on the edge. Jeanie stepping back into the room, made a disapproving noise in her throat. Jessica ignored it and looked at me.

"Mom knew that people might find out. She wasn't happy with the idea. Do you remember what I told you ... about the reason she was having a problem with bringing you home in the first place?"

"Fear of being hurt?" I answered.

"Fear of being hurt?" Jeanie repeated. Not quite understanding the full issue, added, "He's in a cast!"

Jessica rolled her eyes while looking at me, and then turned to her Aunt. "Aunt Jeanie, has Mom dated? Have you ever heard her talk about any man? She's still mad at men in general."

"So why did she take John in?"

Jessica grinned, "Me."

"You?" Jeanie said with raised eyebrows.

"She says that I can be more persuasive than a fast talking used car salesman with a gun to your head."

Jeanie laughed at that, but also said, "Well, she does have a point. You do seem to get your way. Maybe a bit too often."

"Hey! I had to work for this."

"I can attest to that. She and her mom created quite a bargain," I said.

"And what did you have to do with all of this?" Jeanie asked me.

"Me? I had no idea this was happening. Theresa didn't tell me until I was in her car, driving towards my old apartment."

Jeanie started laughing, as she asked, "Let me get this straight. She took you out of the hospital, she put you into her car, was driving you to your apartment and you didn't know where you were going?"

"Well," I said as I was fruitlessly studying my hands, "I had been taking a number of drugs."

Jeanie and Jessica had a good laugh at my expense. I could see the humor in it, but at the time I had been very confused about what was going on.

"Jessica, we need to go. Your mom is going to be back from lunch in a few minutes. I don't think she wants to catch us here."

Jessica looked sad. She hopped off the bed and came up to the head. She reached out and stroked my head. I could see her eyes starting to water.

"Come home soon, ok?"

I smiled, just a little, noting in my peripheral vision that Aunt Jeanie was not amused with this.

"I'm doing ok. They said I was lucky this time. They're just keeping me to run up the bill."

"Come on," Jeanie said, taking hold of Jessica's arm.

The room was suddenly silent, which says a lot for a hospital room.

-------

I saw Theresa walk by minutes later. Then she backed up and looked into my room.

"You got flowers."

"Yes," I said.

Her expression changed from curiosity to a frown.

"How did your parents know you were here? Did you call them?"

"They don't," I answered.

"But they sent you flowers," she protested, as that was the only explanation she could fathom.

My mouth was quivering, trying not to laugh, as I said, "I do have other admirers."

I thought she would faint. She turned white as she stammered out, "My daughter sent them to you?"

I tried to shake my head. It still was a bit stiff, but I said, "No, she didn't send them."

"She didn't?" Theresa was at a complete loss. "Who?" she said almost demanding I tell her.

"No one sent them," I said.

"Of all the ... getting yourself flowers," I heard her say on the way out the door.

I wasn't sure how well that went. After all, did Jessica or her Aunt think Theresa wouldn't notice the flowers they brought?

I might have had other thoughts, had I known what was being said between Jeanie and Jessica, in the car.



-------

Chapter 13



Theresa stormed into my room ten minutes later.

"I don't think semantics are funny. My daughter and sister were here, weren't they?"

"Yes."

"I have half a mind to..."

"Yes?"

She glared at me.

"Do you think I called them?" I asked. Then added, "How could I have done that? Do I have the phone number?"

I don't think she wanted to reply. Turning, she walked out of the door.

It was the last I saw of her until the shift change.

An attendant came in with a wheel chair. Jackie had got me ready. Not a word had been said about Theresa and I was wondering where I would be staying now. It was a rather sobering thought.

"She's pretty mad, you know," Jackie said to me as she was getting me situated in the chair.

"I think she's mad at all of the gossip. I just get the brunt of it, because I'm a man."

Jackie stopped what she was doing and looked me in the eye.

"Are you serious?"

"Jackie, you must know what happened with her husband."

"But..."

"Come on. You think she has a good outlook on men?"

Jackie cleared her throat and looking down, said, "No. I guess we got a bit carried away." Then she looked up at me and asked, "Then why'd she take you in?"

"Her daughter likes strays. I guess when I threw up, seeing her in that Halloween costume, that did it."

Jackie was laughing when she said, "She was screaming, you were really out of it. That was quite a mess. Yeah, Jessica is a handful; that's for sure. So she talked her mom into taking you in? Boy that sounds a bit strange if you ask me."

"Nobody did, but I'll tell you anyway. I lived on the second story of an old apartment building. I had nowhere to go. I was also getting some money from helping stop those guys, and Theresa desperately needs a new car. It works out for everyone. The only person who is having a major problem is Theresa. Most of it is past scars. Your gossip ripped those old wounds open."

"We didn't mean any harm," Jackie said a bit defensively.

"I'm sure you didn't, but that's the result."

"Joe?"

"Yes, Miss Jackie?"

"You wait right here with John. I'll be back in five minutes. Understand?"

"Got it."

As soon as Jackie left, Joe looked at me and said, "Theresa is a good lady. You hurt her and I hurt you. Understand?"

"Got it," I replied.

-------

Jackie had my flowers in her hand. Joe was pushing me, when we went though the main entrance doors.

I would have stopped, but I wasn't in control of the wheelchair. There in front, not parked, but stopped, was Theresa's car. There was a security car and guy talking with her, outside of the car. I knew she was going to be in a very foul mood from this.

Jackie walked right up to the car and opened the door. I saw Theresa whip her head around, surprised someone had opened the door.

"Here's the vase. I guess he goes in the back?"

"Jackie!" Theresa said.

"Come on, we need to have a little talk while Joe gets him in," Jackie said.

"I would," Theresa said sourly, "but..."

Theresa turned to gesture at the guard, who was walking away.

"Thanks, Jim," Jackie called out.

He turned and gave her a smile, then got into his patrol car.

"You set me up for that!" Theresa said, vividly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. We have more important things to talk about."

"Like what?"

"Like ... Theresa, I ... Look, I'm not very good at this, but hey, I'm sorry."

Theresa looked at Jackie for a moment in disbelief.

"What did he tell you?"

Jackie cleared her throat and then looked down at the pavement, as she said, "That our little gossip ripped open wounds, and it was painful."

"Hell."

"What?" Jackie asked.

"Now I'm going to have to take him home. How the hell does he keep on doing this?"

Jackie attempted a smile, and said, "He said he was a stray,"

Theresa snorted. "He's as bad as my daughter."

"So you're going to take him, right? We didn't screw everything up, did we?"

"Am I going to hear about it tomorrow?"

"If anyone says a word, I'll deck them myself."

"That I'd like to see," Theresa said with a laugh in her voice.

Jackie was a petite five foot two woman. She was smart and resourceful, but everyone in the nurse's station where she worked was taller and bigger than she was.

Theresa got into her car and we drove off.

When she was down the road a bit, she said, "I guess I should thank you."

"No. You didn't want to take me in, in the first place. I have been a problem to you. I should be thanking you for ... well what are you going to do with me now?"

"I should take you to the pound," she said. Then a little smile crept upon her face. "I know."

"Where?" I said with some foreboding.

"You'll see."

Twenty minutes later we were at Black Hawk's Salvage and Storage Yard.

Theresa rang the bell and waited. On an intercom a gruff voice was heard.

"What do you want?"

"Nice way to talk to your sister in law," Theresa answered.

A smoother voice replied, "Sorry Theresa, I didn't expect you, and didn't even look. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my sister."

"She's at your place with Jessica."

"What is she ... Oh fine, I'm going there. Bye."

When she got back into the car, Theresa said, "I hope your family is just as weird."

"Worse I think."

It was another ten minutes to get to her home. When we drove up, Jeanie and Jessica were outside waiting.

"Didn't you have the key?" Theresa asked as she got out.

"Yes," Jeanie answered, "but we were waiting. Now, Jessica..."

"Yes," Jessica said not wanting to look up.

"Help John out of the back seat," Jeanie said to her. Then turning to her sister she asked, "Does he have his crutches in the car?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now, Jessica, take John for a walk."

"Jeanie!" Theresa said.

"Theresa, you and I need to go inside and have a long talk."



-------

Chapter 14



The conversation might have been better, but Jessica was very concerned that I not fall again. We didn't notice the open curtain, or the two watching us.

Jessica and I spent about a half an hour making it around the apartment complex and back.

"I think it would be better if we went back," Jessica said.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"No. It probably isn't. I'm sorry, but I think that maybe I messed things up."

"If worst comes to worst," I said in a joking tone, "I'll get hurt every Saturday and end up in the hospital."

"John," she replied in a perturbed voice, "that isn't funny."

When we got to the door, it opened. That gave me, at least, a clue we had been watched as we arrived.

"Where did you go?" Theresa asked.

"Around the complex," Jessica answered.

"It took that long?" her mother asked in an insinuating tone.

Jessica didn't answer. She ran off towards the bedroom.

"I can't run, and you were watching us. Send me away if you want, but you don't need to be..."

Theresa's eyebrows were raised. Her face said she wanted to hear what I was going to say next.

"so cruel to your daughter," I said, finishing my sentence.

"John, come in and let's get you situated," Jeanie said.

I looked at Theresa. She moved to the side, letting me in and then closed the door behind us. I got over to the couch and Jeanie helped me sit.

"Now that Jessica is out of the room, let me ask you something," Jeanie said. "Did you know she was in love with you?"

I didn't answer immediately. Theresa came over, sitting down across from me, still shaking her head.

"You know," Theresa said, "I was worried that Jessica was trying to do this, to set me up. That's what Jeanie thought, as well. We had no idea ... What have you two been doing while I've been at work?"

I must have looked like ... Well I'm not sure what, because Jeanie asked a question that was worse than the one about me knowing how Jessica felt.

"John, how many girlfriends have you had?"

"What?" I croaked out, feeling suddenly sick to my stomach.

"Dates? Have you even had any of those?"

That I could answer.

"Yes, from some of my well meaning friends."

"Oh, God," Theresa said. "I know all about those."

"Theresa," Jeanie said, "he's in love with her, too."

"Jesus!"

If things couldn't get worse, my cell phone rang. I looked at it and cringed.

"Go ahead and answer it. We'll wait." Jeanie said.

"It's my parents," I replied.

"Good. Answer it," Theresa ordered.

Then they listened to my end of the conversation.

"Hi, Mom?"

"You're where?"

"Tonight? Why? No, I told you I was fine."

"I know you did, but I thought..."

"I'm at a house, right now."

"Hold on."

I put the phone down and covered the mouthpiece.

"My parents drove up here. They want to see me ... tonight."

Theresa looked around her apartment, suddenly concerned how it looked. Jeanie on the other hand had a big smile on her face.

"Here, let me have the phone," she said as she reached over and took it out of my hand.

I know I had a horrified look on my face. I saw movement and turned to see Jessica looking out of the bedroom.

Jeanie gave them directions and then hung up.

"They'll be here in about twenty minutes," she said. Turning, she added, "Jessica, get out here, you have a bit of cleaning up to do. We're having guests."

Jessica came out and much to my surprise went right to work. She was making everything look just right. Jeanie had to restrain Theresa from helping. The three of us just sat on the couch watching.

After the few things were picked up, the vacuum run, and water was put on the stove, Jessica came over and stood by us.

"Don't you have homework?" Theresa asked.

"All done."

"Dinner?"

"It'll be ready in thirty minutes. Do you want me to start it now?"

"No," Theresa said impatiently.

The doorbell rang and Jeanie waved Jessica to get it.

"I hope we got the right address," I heard my mother say.

"You did," I said.

"Hello, I'm Jessica. Would you please come in?"

My mother and father entered. Even though my parents had been told what happened, as soon as my mother saw my leg, she ran over to me, got down on her knees, threw her arms around me and started crying.

The kettle sounded, tea was served to the three ladies, and then Jeanie suggested that Jessica take my father and I on a walk around the complex. This was the most exercise that I had had in a long time, but physical torture wasn't the pain I was feeling right then.

When we got outside, my father said, "I don't think it's a great idea for a walk, do you?"

"No," I answered.

"And there's no real reason ... other than wasting some time ... to see the apartment complex, is there?" he asked Jessica.

She couldn't help but grin just a little.

"No."

"So, let's go over to my car, then."

We did, and he opened the doors. Jessica and my father helped me in the back seat. He motioned her into the front and then walked around, getting in.

"Now," he said as he started to back out, "where is a good ice cream parlor?"

Jessica looked into the back at me. I reached up and touched her arm.

"Well?" my father asked.

"I don't know about the best. I don't get to go to places like that very often, but there's one down the road."

"Point the way," he responded.

It wasn't more than four blocks away. One of those places that advertised thirty-one flavors but if you counted, they never had that many.

When we stopped, my dad got out. Jessica hesitated.

He stuck his head back in and said, "We'll get it to go, and eat it in the car. It's better that way, as I always get cold and can turn on the heater."

Jessica laughed, but then asked me, "What do you want?"

"Oh, don't worry. He just wants something with a cherry."

Jessica's mouth dropped open. I closed my eyes, embarrassed at what my dad had just unwittingly said.

"Come on," he called.

The two of them were in ordering when my cell phone rang. I answered.

"Where are you?" my mother asked.

"Dad took us to get ice cream," I answered.

"Ice cream! Of all the..."

Theresa must have taken the phone, because she said to me, "Put my daughter on."

"That would be hard, unless you can wait for a few minutes. They are inside ordering, and I'm stuck out here in the car."

"That girl!"

"Maybe you should ask my mother. It was at my father's insistence that we go."

"Oh."

"I may be overstepping my bounds here, but unless you start paying attention to facts and not over reacting, it will end up hurting you."

"You are overstepping, but it is also true. How long are you going to be then?"

"Oh, God, tell Mom to call back in about three minutes."

"Why? What's wrong?" Theresa said with a slight panic in her voice.

"My dad has a huge Sunday in his hands. He shouldn't be eating that much. Oh hell!"

"What now?"

"Jessica's bringing it out for me. What is my dad doing?"

"Let me talk to her when she hands you that big bowl of frozen calories."

Jessica opened the door, and with a little grin on her face, said, "Here's your cherry."

I was glad I had my hand over the mouthpiece right then. When she handed me the Sunday, I handed her my phone.

"It's your mom," I said and released the mouthpiece.

"Hi, Mom," Jessica said apprehensively.

"I know, but...

"Mom, that's unfair. I...

"Fine, you just go to hell then!"

She was shaking. I reached out, and she fell against me, sobbing.

My dad walked out with two Sundays in his hands and looked at the situation.

"Come on, Jessica. Let's get back into the car."

She was shaking as he guided her to her seat. He handed her the ice cream and then walked around, getting in on his side.

"Want to tell me about it?" he asked.



-------

Chapter 15



"I think it's time to go back," my father said after he'd finished his Sunday.

"Do we have to?" Jessica asked.

He smiled at her and answered, "Yes. It's time to derail this whole thing."

"Dad," I said, knowing where he was headed after some of the probing questions he'd asked, "do you think it's wise to charge in there?"

Jessica was looking between my father in the front seat and me in the back. She wasn't sure what was going on, but knew something was up.

I could see the edge of his face smiling. Then he answered, "Yep, I sure do. Honey, could you throw this stuff away for us?"

Jessica, after being treated to ice cream (before dinner), was not going to object. She collected our trash and jumped out of the car.

As soon as she'd shut the door, my father said, "Everything the truth?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

He turned around just as Jessica was getting back in.

"Once. I think you were seven. Do you remember the frog?"

"Dad, I was seven."

"I haven't heard that one," Jessica said with interest.

So on the trip back, my father proceeded to tell Jessica about the time I put a frog down Marcia McClellan's blouse. Jessica was having a good time laughing.

That was until we pulled into the apartment complex driveway. She became very quiet at that point.

"Jessica," my father said in a no nonsense voice, "every one of us has said unpleasant things to our parents."

"I haven't."

"Maybe there hasn't been anything worth fighting for," he said as he stopped the car. As though what he'd just said was nothing important, he continued with, "Let's get out."

This time I did notice the curtains. Sure enough, we didn't need to knock. It was Jeanie that answered, though.

She took one look at Jessica and started to say something.

My father interrupted.

"Jeanie, isn't it? If you're her mother then you might, and I say might, have something to say. Otherwise, I'd suggest you stay out of it."

Jeanie looked at him and her mouth dropped open.

He took Jessica by the shoulders and steered her to the living room. Looking around, he asked, "Where's Theresa?"

"In her room crying," Jeanie said.

"Well, I think it's high time she came out, so we can talk about this," my father said.

"Dear, we have been talking about it."

My father looked over at his bride and with a smile on his face responded. "No. You three have been having a little busy bee session about how to arrange other people's lives."

That brought Theresa out of her room. It wasn't hard to tell she was mad, so she must have been listening.

"Do you think that just because you're a man, you can walk in here and start mouthing off?"

"Tell me, Theresa," he said calmly, "when are you going to get over the idea that you are the center of attention here?"

"I should ask you to leave," she said indignantly.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Jeanie.

"Jessica said you have a ... how did she put it ... a junk yard." He grinned, before going on, "So I would imagine you're familiar with contract law?"

"Somewhat," she answered.

"As someone who, either written or verbally, enters an agreement of lodging, you fall into a contract. As such, Theresa, like it or not, you have opened your apartment to a sub lease. As such, the same laws bind you, as binds your landlord. You can't just kick John out. He has, unless previously agreed upon, access to the common area. That would be this room."

I knew my dad and he was just getting started. If all that contract stuff was correct, or not, wasn't the point. I knew that, and they didn't. He bought time and that is what he was after. I just hoped to hell he knew what he was doing in this case, as I was very much involved here.

"There is one real question I have to ask, Theresa. Do you understand that your feelings towards men have no basis in how your daughter is seeing things?"

"I don't need to answer that," she said defensively.

"You already did. For you, this isn't about John and Jessica. This is about you getting back at men and now you are using your daughter to do that."

"I am not!"

"No?"

"She's too damned young."

"For what?"

"To fall in love."

Jessica and I had been looking at each other. I knew she felt like I did. We didn't want to be here listening to all of this. I realized no one was speaking and glanced at my father. He was taking his time.

Instead of going after Theresa again, my father turned to Jeanie. "When did you first fall in love?"

I could tell she didn't want to answer. It surprised me when Theresa did for her.

"That doesn't make any difference."

"Oh? When does it make a difference? When did you fall in love for the first time? Or are we only looking at one person in this room and judging that to be wrong based on no information?"

"As my daughter said so poetically to me, go to hell."

"Theresa, I think it is high time you start to wake up and realize this is not about you. Your hatred of men is going to destroy your relationship with your daughter and you don't seem to care. Frankly, I'm a bit concerned that you need help, but let me give you this bit of information. Your daughter will be fourteen in four months. In this state, she can get married at fourteen. Of course that is with parental permission, but it only takes one. Either you, or her father."

The look in Theresa's eyes was wild. "She wouldn't! He wouldn't!" Then turning to my father she screamed, "It's not right. She'd be hurt and I know it!"

Jeanie went over to her sister and put her arms out for her, but Theresa brushed her away.

"Theresa," my father said in his almost hypnotic smooth voice, "ask yourself if you are parenting your daughter by how you're acting."

Jeanie reached out and this time wrapped her arms around her sister. Theresa broke down crying.

"She's my baby and she's going to be hurt."

It was then my mother poked me and when I looked over to her she shook her head at me. I didn't understand, until I realized that I had my hand wrapped around Jessica's arm and she was leaning into me. It had happened without me even realizing it. I nudged Jessica who looked at me and then sat up, surprised herself that she was where she was.

"Jessica," my mother said, "some more tea might be good."

Jessica got up and walked into the kitchen. My mother took hold of Theresa and led her into the bathroom. My father said he was going to help in the kitchen.

Jeanie looked at me and asked, "What does your father do for a living?"

"He works as a mediator for corporations involved in hostile takeovers," I replied.

"My sister never had a chance, did she?"

I moved my head gingerly back and forth, while saying, "No. Think what it was like growing up in that house."

It was the first time since we walked in from eating ice cream that I saw Jeanie smile.



-------

Chapter 16



It was almost two hours later that we were once again in the living room. Preceding that, my mother had taught Jessica how to prepare one of my favorite dishes. It was good 'comfort food' and fit this situation to a tee.

"You could have told me," Theresa groused for the umpteenth time.

This time, my father responded, "In all fairness, no, I couldn't."

"Fairness?" she said in shock. "How can you say that?"

"Theresa," he said in a soothing voice, "in my business, I have found, that unless you first address the reason you react to a situation, you can never proceed to a constructive and beneficial outcome."

Theresa looked over to me and said, "You had to grow up with this?"

I gave a half a grin and replied, "He's being nice to you. You should see him when he's upset!"

"John," my father admonished, "you are not helping the situation."

"Oh, but he is," Theresa said. "He's making you seem human."

My mother made a little noise, but stopped herself.

"Now, let's see," my father went on, as though the previous interruption hadn't happened, "the first question is; should John and Jessica get married, when she turns fourteen."

There was a collective gasp of, "What?"

My father held up his hand, stopping the questions that he knew would follow.

"I want to bring that up, so that we can look at the positive and negative aspects of the problem."

"Positive?" Theresa said. "How in the wor..."

"Yes, I'm glad you agree," my father said with a little humor in his voice. "Almost anyone would say that it would be outlandish for a fourteen year old to marry. Of course, they say that now. Many are waiting until they are in their mid thirties to marry. They would probably tell you that it has to do with establishing themselves in life. I think that is a bunch of bull. The real reason? They mature in life with one set pattern, and it takes them that long to find someone that will fit into what they have established. They are looking for someone who will fit their mold. To make matters worse, almost no one realizes they have this mold that they expect someone to fit into. Therefore they find mismatches and guess what? It doesn't work!

"Now to complicate things, people want to equate age with maturity. Age is an easy way to judge someone. To understand maturity, you really need to know that person.

"Let's take Jessica. She's thirteen, and yet she's in ninth grade. How did that happen?"

"I'm smart, I skipped seventh grade," Jessica said with a grin.

From the onset of making dinner, Jessica had begun to relax, a bit.

"If you were really smart, you might have skipped two grades."

"I am. Mom wouldn't let me," Jessica said with a frown.

"Can you imagine? She would have gone from sixth to ninth grade!" Theresa said.

"Having to fend off all those freshmen boys when she was just starting to blossom," my father pressed on.

"Exactly," Theresa replied.

"So what are you getting at?" Jeanie wanted to know.

I wanted to know as well, but couldn't ask.

My father smiled, and said, "There is no question that Jessica is intelligent beyond her years. What you, Theresa, had to struggle with is how mature Jessica is in other areas of her life and how letting one to progress could damage another area that hadn't progressed."

The look on Theresa's face was pure astonishment.

"I couldn't have ever put that into words, like you just did, but that's exactly it." Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Did you understand that?"

"Yes, Mom, not that I agree."

"Good," my father responded, "now tell me why you don't agree."

Jessica looked over to me and said, "How did you ever stand it?"

"When I was young, it was terrible. Now, I guess either I'm used to it, or the way he has made me examine things helps."

Jessica turned to look at my father and answered his question. "There is a difference in each of us, as far as maturity goes. You are right about that. Something you, or my mom, didn't take into account is how schools work."

"Interesting," my father said. "Can you tell me what I didn't think about?"

With a smile, Jessica said, "I'll try to put my explanation into your world, so you can understand."

My father laughed as Theresa was saying, "Jessica!"

"Theresa, she's just getting me back, in a tactful way. It shows her intelligence. Now go on."

"In business, you work with people who you might not like. My mom does it all the time. She's learned how to do it. When you're in school, there are groups, labels, cliques. When a label has been added, you are stuck with all the associated stuff kids think go along with the label."

"Honey," Theresa said, "I think you are slightly wrong about work. Sometimes it's just like school. Just not so blatantly seen."

Jessica nodded and then went on, "I'm labeled as a brain. How many fourteen-year-old boys in ninth grade would try anything with a twelve-year-old girl 'brain' in their same grade? It just wouldn't happen. Brains just aren't interested in that stuff, right? Now, of course, I'm a thirteen-year-old brain. You think it makes any difference?"

"And you explained this to your mom?" my father asked.

"No," Theresa answered.

"Do you think my mom would have wanted to hear that? She wouldn't have listened, 'cause I shouldn't know or think about those things," Jessica said, defending herself.

"Jess..." Theresa said.

"Yet you're telling her now. What's the difference?" my father asked.

"You."

My father glanced over to me and then said to Jessica, "Are you sure?"

"No, but you make it easier."

"That's a better answer, but I'd like you to think about what is different."

"Dad," I said, "don't you think you've picked on her enough?"

"You're absolutely right although I would like to hear an answer from that last question I posed. Now that I'm done with Jessica, it's your turn."

"Great!" I responded in a sarcastic tone.

"Don't give me that. I'm sure you knew it was coming," my father responded.

I didn't give a response to that. Over the years I'd been goaded enough by him to know when I should just keep my mouth shut.

He waited for a moment, and then realizing I wasn't going to give in, went on to the subject that he wanted to get to.

"John, where do you see yourself, maturity wise?"

"Going for the easy question first?" I responded.

"You are used to my questions, so there is no reason to mince words. Now, the question at hand."

Knowing my father and his questions, I was not about to answer that question without more information.

"Are you talking in general terms, or did you expect detailed information?"

Jeanie laughed and then said, "You've been through this too many times, I can tell. You already know what he's digging for, but want him to work for it."

I grinned back at her. My father cleared his throat, trying to bring attention back to him.

"I want to know the answer to John's question too," Jessica said.

My father looked at her and smiled, then turned to me and said, "How many types of maturity do you see?"

"Not on your life," I responded. "You're avoiding my question. By past experience, that tells me you are looking for something specific and you don't want to reveal it. Tough luck. I'm too good at your game, now."



-------

Chapter 17



My father had his hand over his mouth. His fingers were tapping his cheek. This was not a good sign. Well, at least not to me.

My father looked me in the eye and asked, "Before this moment, how was your love life?"

Jeanie started to laugh.

Jessica was looking at me with interest in the answer to that question.

Theresa said, "I know."

"What?" Jessica said, looking at her mother with unbelief in her eyes.

There was a slight smile on my father's face.

"Well, Theresa, tell me about it."

She suddenly realized the can of worms she'd opened up and turned red with embarrassment.

"I just meant," she stammered out, "that he's only kissed three girls."

"Three?" Jessica asked.

"Only three?" my mother said.

I was the one with a rather red blush on my face that that point. I could tell from the heat it was producing.

I cleared my throat, as it felt like there was a frog in it. Everyone else in the room took that as a signal I wanted to say something. I didn't, but I needed to now.

I said the first thing that came to mind.

"It's four now."

Jessica smiled and her eyes twinkled. Jeanie had a smirk on her face. Theresa didn't look happy at all. I noticed my mother had a frown on her face.

"Only four?" she said. "But what about Barbara, or Monica?"

"Mom!" I said in mild disgust. "I can't believe your friends tried to set me up with them. Do you know..." I stopped realizing that I was defending what I didn't need to defend. "I never asked to be set up and frankly didn't need the interference."

"If you've only kissed three girls before," my mother said in her sympathetic voice, "maybe you did need a little help."

My father, thankfully, intervened before I said something that I might well have regretted.

"This is a problem about maturity levels. Now," he looked at his wife, "how would you or your friends ever pick someone out that would be suitable for him, if you didn't know he lacked the experience that would have made him confident with any of the ... women ... you picked?"

Jessica sort of winced and whispered to me, "I think you're getting it worse than I was."

I nodded and whispered back, "I sort of expected it."

My mother, in the mean time, said, "He could have told us."

My father laughed. I looked at my mother in disbelief.

"You mean when I said, 'Don't ever do that again, ' after Barbara?"

My mother crossed her arms and wasn't about to answer me.

"You're trying to suggest that Jessica and John are about as mature as each other," Jeanie said.

"Jeanie!" Theresa blurted out. "Please!"

"Well, aren't you?" Jeanie asked my father.

Before my father could answer, Jessica said to my father, "I'd like to answer your question now."

"What question?" Theresa wanted to know.

"About why it was different. I mean why I was willing to say to you things I couldn't before," Jessica said to her mother. Then turning to my father, she said, "It was just as you said to me. Maybe there hasn't been anything worth fighting for, before John."

It looked as though Theresa was about to have a coronary.

Jeanie, I could see, was appraising the situation. If anyone, she, like my father, might be able to separate herself from the family dynamics that were taking place here.

"You really don't want them to get married when Jessica turns fourteen, do you?" Jeanie asked my father.

He smiled, and replied, "No."

"Then why ... all of this?" Theresa said, standing and waving her arms around dramatically.

Almost as expected, he didn't answer that question, but asked one himself. This time he directed himself to Jessica.

"You don't want to get married when you turn fourteen, do you?"

"No," she answered immediately. She then followed that up just as quickly with, "But I do want to..." she stopped and paused, choosing her words, "grow and mature, with John."

Theresa sat down, heavily, into her chair.

"You're very serious," Jeanie asked Jessica, "aren't you?"

"Why shouldn't I be? Look at him. He's..." Jessica looked at me with dreamy eyes. I smiled back, but then blinked at her. "Well, he's wonderful. I know he threw up when he first saw me, but..."

"Oh dear Lord," Theresa said. "She's ... she's infatuated."

"Mother," Jessica said in a tone that sounded like it should have come from mother to daughter, not the other way around. "I will not have you insult my intelligence that way. I'm not some junior high girl with stars in her eyes. You said so, yourself. You didn't know if I could get mad at John. He's not perfect..." then she chuckled, and added, "yet."

"Dear," my mother said to my dad, trying to break up the mother/daughter tirade that could have easily broken out. "Did you have something in mind when you started all of this?"

Jeanie started laughing so hard that tears were flowing. She got up and went into the bathroom for some tissues.

"Well, did you?" Theresa asked as well.

"I did," he stated. "There is a hostile takeover occurring, here. It's one you may not have recognized."

"Hostile takeover?" Jeanie asked as she walked back in. "What are you talking about?"

"John and Jessica are taking over Theresa's security. She has built up walls to keep her feeling safe. That is being ripped apart. What she needs to understand, right now, is that if it didn't happen with John, it would have happened. It is inevitable. Be that as it may, it is happening now. We know the parties involved. Jessica is pushing, and as she stated, will continue to push, as she had a reason to do so."

"Ok, mister hot shot," Theresa said. "What happens now?"

"In my years of experience, the only way a hostile takeover works is through careful negotiation. If the party taking over an entity, doesn't recognize that the reason they are there in the first place is because there is great value in that entity, then it will ultimately fail."

"Does he always talk this way?" Jeanie asked me.

"So, in plain English, what you said is that John and I are going to have issues with my mom," Jessica said. "If she wasn't such a great Mom in the first place, I wouldn't be here right now."

My father beamed, looked at me, and said, "I think you need to keep this one."

"Is that an objective position you're looking from?" Jeanie said with a smirk.

"Jeanie, with Jessica's ability to turn mishmash into real world focusable words, she could be employed at my firm anytime she wants. As John can attest, that is probably the highest compliment I could give."

Theresa looked a bit shell-shocked.

"So you're saying they should just carry on?"

"No, Mom. What he is saying is that you have problems with this. We need to work out a solution. One you can live with, and one John and I can live with, too."

Theresa looked around the room at each of us, before saying, "Really?" Then, looking directly at me, asked, "Even if you have to move out?"

"Theresa, do you remember the drive to the hospital, yesterday? Do you remember asking me what I thought of Jessica? Do you remember what you said to my response? Tell me, do you think I would want to pass up the opportunity to find out about this amazing young woman?"

"Hell."

I looked at Theresa and had to ask, "You have used that expression quite a number of times, after I've said something. May I ask why?"

She took a deep breath and then exhaled. Her brow furrowed as she looked down at the floor.

It was quiet while we waited.

"Jessica," Theresa said finally, "would you go into your bedroom, please?"



-------

Chapter 18



Jessica left under protest. I would have gladly gone with her, but I foolishly asked the question.

Looking over to Jeanie, Theresa said, "You remember Tim? He acted very nice, didn't he?"

Jeanie was nodding before the words came out. "Yes, he did."

"That was before Jessica. He was wonderful, until that point."

"What happened, dear?" my mother asked.

"I got fat."

Theresa noticed me looking at her.

"Ok. I was pregnant."

I was still looking at her and said, "You probably looked good, pregnant."

She shook her head. "Tim didn't think so. He called me..." then she whispered it, as though she was embarrassed to even say it out loud, "a whale."

"That's disgusting," I said.

Theresa looked at my mom and asked, "Why does he keep saying these things?"

"That's the way he was raised. It is disgusting to say that to your wife."

I looked at Jeanie and asked, "It's why you told Jessica to be careful when you two came to see me in the hospital, isn't it?" Then I turned to Theresa and said, "It's why you've said 'hell' when I've said something nice, when you didn't expect it."

My mother broke into the conversation with, "Theresa, did you know ... Tim's parents?"

Theresa didn't respond right away. Each one of us looked at her and saw the tears starting to run down her cheeks. Jeanie grabbed a box of Kleenex and pulled a tissue out, handing one to her sister.

"I knew his father," Theresa started. "He was a nice enough guy, but..."

Jeanie took over, saying, "Tim's mother left before Tim was two. There was never any talk about it, but you could tell his dad had soured on women."

The two sisters looked at each other. It looked like Theresa had just lost a friend.

Theresa said in a sorrowful voice, "I've been poisoning my daughter, the same way Tim's dad did him."

Theresa started to slump in her chair. That was until she heard Jessica.

It made Theresa jump when Jessica said, "No you haven't, Mom."

"How long have you been listening?" Jeanie asked.

"I was told to go into my room, not to stop listening," Jessica said to her Aunt as she walked up to her mother. Getting down on her knees, Jessica gave her mother a big hug.

"Mom, stop worrying. I understand why you are mad at Dad. I wonder if Dad ever knew why his father was so down on women. You said his mother was never talked about, and it happened before he could probably remember much. I, on the other hand, remember a lot of what happened."

"But, Baby, I shouldn't have..." Theresa started.

"Mom," Jessica said and rolled her eyes, "let me ask you something."

"What do you want to know?" Theresa asked.

"Are you happy?" Jessica asked.

"Why are you asking me a question like that?"

"Do you think I'm happy?"

"Jess."

"Well? I'm not talking this last day, I mean in general. Am I a happy person?"

"Yes, you always have been. What are you trying to get at?"

"What would make you happy, Mom?"

"That's not a fair question."

"And the questions Jessica and I have been asked? They have been?" I wanted to know.

Theresa glared at me.

Jeanie said, "Of course not." Then she smiled and went on, "But they didn't need to be."

"Oh! Now that makes sense," I responded sarcastically.

The phone rang. It was Jeanie's husband. She looked at the time and realized how late it was. When she hung up, we knew she needed to leave.

My father said, "Theresa, your daughter asked you a question that I bet is hard for you to answer. I can't help with that one. It is a bit out of my league. I would venture to guess that it is an important question for you to answer. Not as much for your daughter's sake, but for your own."

He took his wife's hand and continued, "It's late. I'm sure you need to work in the morning. We need to get out of your hair."

That's when reality hit, for Theresa.

"What am I going to do with them tomorrow?"

My father tried to hide a smile, but I caught it starting to form.

My mother answered, "We'll be by in the morning. When do you leave for work?"

"At five forty. My shift starts at six," Theresa responded.

"Oh, my!" my mother said.

I put in my two cents.

"Jessica doesn't get up until seven. She leaves the house at eight fifteen for school. It's just a block and a half away."

My mother's eyebrows were raised before I finished. She asked, "And you know all of this..."

"Because, Mother, Jessica has to get me breakfast and make sure I'm out of bed before she leaves for school. I make sure I'm dressed before she comes in, so no one gets embarrassed."

Theresa was looking at her daughter while I said this, I guess, to gauge her reaction.

"Well, Theresa, how about we come by at seven, then. I can cook breakfast and get Jessica off to school."

"I don't really need help," Jessica said.

"I don't want to impose, but it would ease my mind," Theresa said.

"Good," my father said. "We'll be back at seven, then. Have a good night."

With that, my father and mother were out the door. Jeanie followed.

As soon as the door was shut, I said, "Theresa..."

"What now?"

"I ... ummm."

"What?"

"I really need to go to the bathroom."

"Oh," she said and then sighed. "Can you accept that this is really hard for me? I mean, who do you know who has their thirteen year old's boyfriend living in their house?"

Jessica squealed, jumped over to her mom and hugged her tight.

"Where did that come from?" Theresa wanted to know.

"You called him my boyfriend!"

"Oh, God!"

"Please," I said with urgency. "Now?"

Theresa laughed and said, "Sorry," but got me upright and I headed to the bathroom.

I didn't close the door and the crutches hit the floor as soon as I was at the toilet. I worked feverishly at my pants, as it felt my eyeballs were starting to float.

"AAAHhhh," I cried out in frustration.

Theresa and Jessica were at the door and were looking in, within a second.

"What's wrong?" Theresa asked.

I was shaking.

"I can't get my zipper down and I'm ready to ... Oh, hell!"

Theresa moved quickly. She unzipped my pants and swiftly pulled them, along with my underwear, down. As soon as my dick was free, I couldn't stop it. Theresa grabbed hold of it and aimed it at the bowl.

As soon as the pressure relaxed, I started to cry uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry. Oh jeeze. I'm so sorry."

"Jessica," Theresa called.

"Yes, Mom?"

"Get me John's medication. The new stuff I brought home."

"Ok," she said and scurried out.

Theresa let go of me and walked over to wash her hands.

"This hasn't been a problem before today. My guess is that it's one of the medications," Theresa said. Just then Jessica walked back in and Theresa added, "That is, unless you had a problem with bed wetting,"

"Mom!"

"Jessica, you can leave those here. I'll get him cleaned up, then you get to clean up the bathroom."

"Gross."

"I'm sorry, Jessica," I said.

"It's ok," Jessica said in resignation. "I know it's my job." Then an odd smile flashed over her face as she asked, "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Do I need to put the plastic cover on my bed?"

"Jessica!"

Jessica laughed, squeezed up beside me and kissed me on the cheek. Then she walked out of the bathroom.

"I think my daughter is trying to kill me," Theresa said.



-------

Chapter 19



My parent's arrived at two minutes after seven. Mom, with a bag of groceries in hand, went right into the kitchen. Dad was left at the door looking rather amused at Jessica's expression.

He whispered to Jessica, "She's on a warpath. My suggestion is to stay away from the kitchen."

"But I can cook just fine," she retorted.

"I'm well aware of that. So is my wife." he said. "Jessica, like it or not, she is a little threatened by you."

"What for?"

"Stealing her little boy away from her," he said with a grin. Then went on, "It doesn't make any difference that he's not 'little' anymore. It's what most mothers go through. I suppose I did just a little of that with my daughter, when she brought a boy around."

"So what can I do?" Jessica asked.

"Get yourself ready and then do whatever you do with John, before you leave for school."

Jessica raised an eyebrow and asked, "She'll let me do that?"

Snorting, he answered, "Trust me. She wants to make John remember her home cooked meals. She won't know what else is going on. I'm going in to talk with John. When you're ready, come on in. Ok?"

Jessica gave him a warm smile and went into the bathroom to get herself ready.

That is when my father came into the bedroom and sat down on the bed.

"Look at the fine mess you're in, now," he said.

"Thanks for the encouraging words, Dad," I replied.

He smiled. We both knew this was a game. Sort of saying little barbs at each other, while revealing some truth along the way. It was easier for him, as there wasn't the mushy emotions tied into bearing ones soul.

"You could have picked one just a bit older."

"I didn't have much choice. She was my only visitor in the hospital."

He stopped and looked long and hard at me. It made me feel rather uncomfortable.

Then he said, slowly, "Son, I think if you looked around, there would be a good number of choices." His hand came up to his chin and he rubbed it, and then added, "Maybe you couldn't."

This was not our typical talk. I didn't know what to do, except to clear my throat.

My father went on, "I said it last night, and I meant it. She's a keeper." He cocked his head and looked at me, "Did you know that right away?"

"Pretty much," I responded.

"Then you didn't have much choice at all. I know you haven't had a lot of experience with women, but when a special one comes along..."

"Like you and mom?"

He grinned. "Yes. Although, don't get me wrong. Nothing is perfect. It's when the relationship is worth fighting for, that the two of you will make it work."

Jessica knocked at the edge of the doorframe and then peered in.

"Come in," my father said. "Now tell me, what do you do with him in the morning?"

"First thing is that he needs to get into the bathroom. I'm surprised he didn't ask you to help him with that already."

I blushed.

My father laughed and said, "Given his expression, I think he'd rather have you do that."

"I didn't have to go so bad this morning," I blustered.

"He had a little problem last night," Jessica explained. "Mom realized one of the medications helped dilate him. In other words..."

My father took over, saying, "He had little control over his bladder. Well, that doesn't sound like much fun."

"Mom called and they cut him back to half the dose. Now, John, come on."

"It looks like you have learned some of the efficiency of a nurse," my father stated.

Jessica beamed with pride.

I had on a shirt and baggy shorts. My father looked at my outfit with interest.

"Yesterday was the first time I tried a regular pair of pants on," I said. "Well, I don't know how regular you call pants with one leg cut off, but anyway, I found that holding myself up and trying to undo my pants is a challenge I'm not up to yet."

Jessica and my father looked at each other and decided not to embarrass me any further.

My father watched as Jessica steadied me while handing my crutches to me.

"You never really understand how much you bend your knees, until you can't," I said.

"Let's hope I never find out," my father said. "Just watching you is enough to feel pain."

As I was hobbling into the bathroom, my mother said, "John, good to see you up. Breakfast will be in three minutes."

As one could expect, Mom did an incredible job on breakfast. I wouldn't want to eat like that every day, though. I was not getting any exercise and the last thing I needed was to gain weight.

I rolled my eyes when Jessica asked about my sister and her cooking skills. My father laughed, my mother didn't think it was quite so funny.

"You know," my mother said, "each of us has our gifts in life."

"And cooking was not one of hers," I retorted.

"John," my mother admonished, "maybe I should tell Jessica about some of your foibles in life."

Jessica's eyes were sparkling as she said, "Yes! Please do."

My father came to my rescue (or so I thought), saying, "Maybe another time. You do have school and it would take far too long to tell you everything before you had to leave.

"Thanks a lot, Dad!"

Jessica laughed, got up and pulled out my medication from the cupboard.

My mom had a little fit when Jessica fed me my pills. I really hadn't thought much about it, until Mom made noises. It was then I realized the care and love Jessica put into taking care of me.

As she was getting up from the putting my medication away, Jessica said, "Are you two going to be around all day? I'm sorry, that probably didn't sound right. I meant, are you going to be here, later? John usually needs to go to the bathroom as soon as I get home from school. If you were here, then I have something I would like to do."

My parents looked at each other and nodded.

My mother answered, "You go and do what you need to do. We'll be here."

I looked at Jessica quizzically, as she hadn't mentioned anything to me before. I wondered if she hadn't, because she was sort of stuck being here with me.

My mother set me up on the couch and was doing her best to pamper me. Then she asked about lunch. My stomach was still wondering why I'd crammed so much in from breakfast that the thought of lunch was not on the menu yet.

"Mom, Jessica usually just heats up some soup."

My mother looked at me, surprised, and asked, "She comes home for lunch?"

"How do you think I eat?"

Obviously she hadn't thought about it.

"She seems to take very good care of you," my mother said.

"Isn't that what you would want for me?" I asked.

"Well," my mother drew out.

She didn't get to finish. There was a knock at the door.

I looked at my father and said, "I think you're going to have to get that. I'm a little tied up right now."

He shook his head at my attempt at humor and went to get the door.

My mother and I looked at each other in surprise as we listened to the conversation.

"Hello, this is Agent Barnes and I am Special Agent Downs. It is our understanding that John Huntington is staying here."

"FBI, mmm. Yes, he is, can I ask what this is regarding?" my father asked.

"Any you are?"

"His father."

"As you probably know, he was involved in a shootout at First National Bank."

"Yes, I am very aware of that."

"There was a girl involved. We found her, and her bike."



-------

Chapter 20



The officers were now sitting, and I was trying to calm down from the initial shock. The idea that they had found the girl sounded like she wasn't alive. That, we learned was far from the case.

"This is a bit of a strange one," Special Agent Downs said. "We didn't have a clear picture of the girl at all, so not much to go on."

"You were looking for her?" I asked. "Why?"

"Those two bank robbers were part of a national organization of sorts. That is, they all have one common goal. We've infiltrated some of their groups. Then this one crops up and took us by surprise. I think that was part of the plan," Agent Barnes explained. "The two men lived over a hundred miles from here. It took some time to track down their real identity, and then a current address. To say they were not forthcoming with information is an understatement. Now we know why."

"Ok," my father said. "You're holding us in suspense. What happened?"

"I'd love to tell you it was crack detective work," Special Agent Downs answered. "The truth is it was just dumb luck." He paused for a second before going on. "There was an officer that has been going to the schools in the area the girl lived. He was promoting bike safety at the schools. She showed up with her bike."

I wanted him to go on with the story. My father, on the other hand, was watching the two agents, as much as they were watching us.

"Something happened, and you want to know if my son had anything to do with it," my father said.

Special Agent Downs looked at my father and asked him, "Where were you when the robbery took place?"

"My wife and I were with another couple on vacation. At that time we were in ... I believe in Taktser, China. Did you know that it's the birthplace of the Dahai Lama?"

"I would assume you can provide proof of that?"

"With the way Homeland Security breathes down everyone's neck that goes out of the country?" my father answered, a bit flippantly. "I could show you probably five different forms that say we were there. Now, you have avoided the question a little too long. What was it you found, and why would you think my son had anything to do with it?"

Special Agent Downs cracked a smile.

"Are you a lawyer by chance?"

"No. I negotiate corporate hostile takeovers, so that they work."

The agent shook his head and then said, "I don't know how you would do something like that. I mean talk about a lot of emotion. Ever been shot?"

"No. I'm good at what I do. People come out of the negotiations, that I run, understanding what is going on."

"All right, here it is. When the officer was inspecting the bike, he saw some indicators that suggested a bomb. At that point the school was cleared and the bomb squad came in. You know what they do, right?"

"Secure and detonate the object," I answered.

"Unfortunately, yes. They didn't know we wanted our hands on that bike. Now, it's gone," Special Agent Downs said. Then with a smile on his face, he added, "Along with one of their containment vessels."

"What did it do?" my father wanted to know.

"Projectiles compromised the vessel; to the point a few windows were broken."

I was in a state of shock.

"I could have..."

"Been blown to bits, along with the girl," Agent Barnes said with a frown.

Everything started to turn gray and then black.

-------

I blinked my eyes open and then shut them again.

"If you didn't want to leave," Jackie said with a smile, "you could have told us."

"Is Theresa still working?"

"Yes, she's been in several times. The doctor is on his way in to check you. John, I think she was really worried."

"I ... Are my parents here?"

"Yes, and those other two. They are not your relatives, are they?"

I almost laughed. That was a bad idea.

"Is that what they said?"

"No, they don't say much. But they give me the creeps."

"I know. Stay away from them."

"Kind of hard when they are at the nurse's station."

"It's not lunchtime, is it?"

"After. You're not hungry are you?"

"I was thinking of Jessica."

Jackie smiled, "Good boy. Don't worry, she called Theresa."

The doctor walked in and said, "I understand you've been having a bit of a problem with the medications we have you on. Jackie is going to take a few blood samples and we'll send them to the lab. When they come back, we'll know a lot more."

"Can I have visitors?" I asked.

"Don't see why not. You're going to be stuck in bed until we figure out what's haywire with your system," the doctor answered and then left.

"Who do you want to see?" Jackie asked as she was rubbing alcohol on my arm.

"Theresa first. Then those two."

"Not your parents first?"

"They know what's going on. I want to tell Theresa and then get more answers."

"Fine with me, none of my business anyway," she said with a perfectly evil grin on her face.

"You're trying to make me laugh," I said holding it in.

What I didn't realize until it was over was that Jackie had been distracting me. The blood was drawn and she was now cleaning up.

"I'll send Theresa in," she said as she left.

My guess would be Theresa was waiting at the door. As Jackie stepped out, Theresa stepped in.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"I think this has to do with a shock I got. You know those two hanging around my parents?"

"Yes, I couldn't ask them a question without being overheard. Who are they?"

"FBI. They found the girl and the bike." I said and Theresa responded just as I had. "Don't worry, she's alive. That's what I thought, too. I don't know the whole story, but the bike she was riding was rigged as a bomb. Theresa, I could have been blown to bits."

"And the girl?"

"She would have been, as well. I don't know anything more than that. When I heard that, I blacked out."

Theresa nodded. "I can understand, and it's good to know, as well. I'll alert the doctor, as it will give him another angle to look at this episode from."

"I understand Jessica called."

"To say she was upset is a mild way of putting it. She didn't know why you weren't there at lunchtime. I told her that your parents took you out for a drive, you ended up here, and it took longer than expected. I hated to lie to her, but she would have been a mess the rest of the day." Theresa looked at her watch. "She should be home from school about now. I expect there's going to be another call, soon."

"It's that late?"

"Yes, John."

"I don't think she'll call."

"Why not?"

"She asked my parents if they were going to be around. She said she had something to do, after school."

"She did?" Theresa said with a worried look on her face. "She didn't tell me anything."

"I had wondered if her taking care of me was keeping her from doing something, and she had a chance."

Theresa shook her head, as she said, "Not that I know of."

-------

While Jessica half thought about heading home to see John, she knew she needed to take this opportunity. Getting on the number five bus, she rode to the far edge of town.

Walking another mile and a half, she came to a small house she'd only been to twice before.

Knocking, Jessica waited. She could hear footsteps and then noticed the darkening in the peephole. The door opened.

"Hi, Daddy. I knew you'd be home. It's Tuesday."



-------

Chapter 21



"Jessica," her father said as he looked outside, to see if anyone else was with her, "what are you doing here?"

"I thought you might be pleased to see me," Jessica said in an almost teasing manor. "It has been a long time. Too long, Daddy. I've been thinking that we need to have a talk, so I came over to talk with you."

He was so flabbergasted that when Jessica pushed past him and walked into the house, he continued to stand there for a moment.

"I just need to make a call. It will be quick. You do still have a phone, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"I wasn't sure," Jessica pressed on, as she picked up the receiver of the phone that was in plain sight and punched in a number. "You never seem to be able to call me."

She then started talking to the person on the phone.

"I need a big favor. Can you pick me up from my dad's in an hour?"

After a pause, he heard her say, "I'll tell you on the way home, ok? Thanks, bye."

Her father almost didn't recognize her. She looked like his daughter, but she was a lot more self-assured, maybe grown up, from the last time he'd spent any time with her. Now she wanted to talk. He wasn't sure what about, but he guessed she'd let him know.

"Now, Daddy," Jessica said when she plopped herself down on his couch, "come over and let's talk."

At this point he was almost frightened by this girl who was his daughter. He moved, not knowing what else to do, but sat at the opposite end of the couch from her.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Jessica pursed her lips. Everything so far had been a game she could play out, and make-work. This was the defining moment and she hoped she had it in her to follow though.

"You never really wanted to have me, did you?"

His mouth dropped open and he felt flush. This was not a question. This was an accusation.

"Did your mother put you up to this?" he said with heat in his voice.

"Daddy, Mom doesn't know I came to see you, today. She has no idea that I'm here. So get that out of your mind. You can't blame her. I don't want you blaming her for what you do. You can just tell me the answer to the question. I want to know."

Jessica didn't know where she had gotten the strength to say what she had. Maybe from years of being angry with her father and now having a reason to get back. But right now she wondered if he could see her shaking, for inside, she felt like throwing up.

"Honey," he said with a voice that he was trying desperately not to wobble, "that is a question I can't answer."

"I didn't think you would. How about this one," Jessica said. "Why did you marry Mom, when you hate women so much?"

"What?" he said incredulously.

"Are you going to tell me you loved her?" Jessica asked in a way that made him want to defend himself.

"Of course I did! I wouldn't have married her if I hadn't loved her."

"So," Jessica calculating said, "what broke that love? When did it happen?"

"I don't think I should discuss things like that with you," he said, his voice betraying his ability to control himself.

"But you should," Jessica pressed on. "I have a boyfriend now and I'm worried."

"What?" he asked in shock. "A boyfriend! But Jessica, you're..."

"Old enough and getting older every day. Now, something went on between you and Mom. Am I going to turn out the same way? Is there something wrong with me?"

"Oh, baby, no ... no."

Jessica wasn't sure what her father was saying 'no' to. Her having a boyfriend or that there was something wrong with her. After this pondering thought, she realized neither had said a word in almost a full minute.

She looked at her father and saw he was crying. This was something she didn't expect, and had never seen before. Jessica had no idea what to do now.

-------

After Theresa left, the two agents came in to see me. One of them shut the door.

"What happened to the girl? If this is what my reaction was, I can't imagine she ... Oh. Did she know?"

Agent Barnes looked at Special Agent Downs and waited for him to nod before replying.

"She's under psychiatric care right now."

"Oh, God. Those bastards," I said and then things started not to add up. "Wait. You said they lived a hundred miles from here. She did too, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did."

"So she had to have known."

"This is where it gets scary. She has no recollection of being in this town. Her mother thought she was at a special tutoring session, that day. Her grades had been suffering in school. The mother had no idea the daughter was out of town and the girl seems to know nothing. Obviously there was a third adult. The driver. That person picked up the girl and her bike and brought her back. I don't think that was part of the plan. That girl was being used as a sort of bait. We're not sure if the bike was only to be left at the scene and then detonated, or if the girl was going to get it, too."

"This is depressing. So you have no idea who these people are?"

"Until the bike was discovered, no one had a clue that this girl was the one at the bank. These people may well have been planning to use her again, for all we know. It makes sense as she still had the bike. The only thing the team working with her has been able to get out of her is the word 'scope.' Things will unravel. They always do, but I hope that no one gets hurt in the process."

"Hopefully she isn't talking about the mouthwash."

"Believe me, we checked that one out. They don't use it in her house."

"What about the tutoring?"

Agent Barnes sighed. "You would think a mother would check these things out. I guess she was desperate. Not that we found anything terribly wrong. The woman who was doing the tutoring was incompetent as far as we could see. She had no notes to say the girl was going to be at an extended session, or if she even showed up that day. It was pitiful."

"Does this girl have a name?"

Both agents smiled at that. Special Agent Downs said, "Yes, of course she does. Unfortunately, even though you probably saved her life and your own as well, we can't tell you that, yet."

"I guess I understand. She's a minor and all. Now, I need my parents in here, to hear the last big question."

"What question is that?" Special Agent Downs asked.

"When my parents are here, I'll ask it."

Agent Barnes moved to the door, but it was opened before she had a chance to get it.

"Excuse me," Theresa said, "but we need you out of here for a few minutes while the doctor sees his patient.

"We'll bring your parents in, when they're done," Agent Barnes said to me before she left the room.

"Those two are a bit odd," the doctor said.

"FBI," I replied.

He looked at me a bit surprised.

"It's about the bank robbery."

"Ah, yes. Forgot about that. Took their time getting to you. In the movies they show up about ten minutes after the heist takes place. Always made me wonder if they were right around the corner, why they didn't they show up while it was happening?"

"Would have ruined the movie," I replied.

"Guess so. No sense in making a ten-minute movie. Now, I'm a bit concerned about an allergic reaction. Can you tell me about any allergies you have?"

"I think you should get my mother in here. I don't remember things like that."

The doctor chuckled. Theresa shook her head, but then said she would get her.

That took a while. When my mother came in, Theresa and the doctor got to hear of some rather embarrassing moments of my adolescent life. The doctor smiled at times, but Theresa was grinning. That somehow worried me.

The end result was an adjustment to my medications, with hopes the side effects that had happened so far, wouldn't crop up again.

After that, Theresa brought the agents and my father in. I asked her to stay for a moment as well. Agent Barnes again closed the door.

Special Agent Downs looked over to the nurse and then back to me.

"You want her in here as well?"

"I'm living at her house at the moment, so in a way this question concerns her, too."

"All right, what is it?"

I took a deep breath and asked, "You said this was some sort of an organization. I was the one responsible for stopping whatever they were trying to do, and my name and face were all over the news."

"Oh, my!" My mother said when she caught the drift of where I was heading.

"And you want to know if you're in danger," Agent Barnes said.

"Yes. Am I?"



-------

Chapter 22



Jackie opened the door and stuck her head inside. "Theresa, there's a call for you."

Agitated, Theresa responded, "I'll call them back, whoever it is."

"Theresa," Jackie said in an almost frightened voice, "it's Tim, your Ex."

Theresa had been looking at me during this conversation, but at the mention of his name, her head whipped around.

"What does he want? He knows better than to call here!"

"Let's go find out," my father said, as he stood.

"But..." Theresa said, faltering.

"Has he called here before, I mean any time recently?" my father asked.

"No. Never. He knows better," Theresa responded.

"Then there is probably a very good reason he's calling now. Don't you think you need to find out?" my father responded as he put out his hand.

They walked out of the room and down to the nurse's station. It was not a place for a private conversation, but Theresa didn't want any such conversation with him anyway.

She picked up the phone and punched the line on hold.

"You know better than to call me at work," were Theresa's first words.

Tim responded to her with, "Your daughter came to visit me after school."

Theresa sat down. She normally would have chastised him for the 'your daughter' bit, but...

"What did she want?" Theresa asked warily.

Her mind suddenly filled with thoughts of her daughter going to live with him. Or worse, of trying to get the two of them married when she was fourteen, even if that made no sense whatsoever.

"Theresa," he said, "I'm only being civil right now, because she told me that you had nothing to do with this."

"With her seeing you? I had no idea. You know I work all day on Tuesdays. Do you think I sent her to you? Why on earth would I have done that?"

"Why indeed. Do you know what she asked me?"

"No clue, but I bet your going to tell me."

"She asked if I ... Damn it!"

Theresa was a bit puzzled. It almost sounded like he was getting choked up.

Curiosity got the better of her and so she asked softly, "What did she ask?"

"She asked me if I ever wanted her."

Theresa's mouth dropped open.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes," Theresa got out. "I'm sorry, Tim. I had no idea."

"She also asked me if I ever loved you."

"Oh, God. What's gotten into her," Theresa wondered out loud.

"Maybe that boyfriend she said she had. Do you know about that?"

"Tim, I think I'd better have a long talk with her and find out what is going on. I'll call you back when I know why she did this. I hope you don't think I set her up for this. As much as ... Tim, I wouldn't stoop that low. What she said had to have hurt. I'm sorry."

"Theresa, thank you for saying that. I think I need to hang up now."

"I'll call you."

"Ok."

Theresa set down the phone and looked up into the eyes of the man who walked her down to the nurse's station. He had only heard one side of the conversation, but that was enough.

"Do you need to take a break, and walk it off?"

"Have you always been so level headed about things?" she asked.

He smiled and answered. "Not at all. In my youth I was wild. In a way that helped me understand how others feel. I had to learn. It's not always easy, but when I think of it as my job it's not personal. This is personal for you. My wife would attest that there are times when my level headedness went right out the window with my daughter. I got better with my son. Again, it was time and learning from my mistakes."

"It is good to know you are human after all," Theresa said, "but you know as much as that call disturbed me, I think we need to hear an answer to John's question."

-------

"You know your mother is going to kill you for this," Jeanie said as soon as she drove away.

"Only if you tell her I was there," Jessica answered.

"You don't think she'll know?"

"One could hope," Jessica said cryptically, "but I doubt it."

"What do you mean by that? You wanted to get caught doing this? I don't understand you at all. For someone who is supposed to be smart, you can be downright stupid."

Jessica wasn't offended at all; in fact she laughed and said, "Thanks a lot."

Then Jessica was quiet. Jeanie looked over at her.

"This is some sort of plan, isn't it? What are you trying to do?"

"I'm not sure ... now."

"What does that mean?"

"Things didn't work like I expected."

"Jesus, Jessica. You can't go around playing with people and expect things to work out the way you want! What were you doing anyway? Not trying to get them back together I hope."

Jessica didn't answer and Jeanie looked over at her.

"My God! That's what you were trying to do. Why on earth would you want that?"

Jessica was trying to gather the well thought out reasons that seemed so relevant last night. There was only one that seemed to be still tacked up on the wall of her mind. The others had dissipated. So she said that one, hoping it made as much sense to Jeanie as it had to her.

"Maybe it would be better if they were to talk and get to know each other as people, instead of enemies."

Jeanie pulled the car over and stopped. She turned in her seat to look at her niece.

"It has hurt you more than you have ever wanted to admit, hasn't it?"

Jessica broke down and started to cry. In her sobbing she said, "I think I hurt him with my questions."

"What did you ask him?"

When Jessica told her, Jeanie wished she hadn't asked. It hurt to think of someone asking such a question, but it was more painful to think Jessica might just feel that unwanted.

-------

As soon as Theresa and my father came into the room, Theresa asked, "Did they answer your question?"

"We were waiting for you to return," I replied. "Is everything ok?"

"No," Theresa replied, "but that is another problem to deal with. Now, what about it? Is he in danger?"

The two agents looked at each other before answering.

Special Agent Downs said, "Yes, he is."



-------

Chapter 23



The agent looked at Theresa and said, "We didn't expect to find this complication."

"Complication?" Theresa said back, wondering what he meant.

"It took us two calls to find out where John was staying. Theresa, if we could find him that easily..."

"Anyone could," my father finished.

"Why weren't we told this before?" my mother asked.

"Frankly, we didn't know it was a problem until we stumbled on the girl. If we would have known, John could have been moved without an easy trace."

I looked over to Theresa. She had her hand over her mouth.

My mother asked, "So John has to move now?"

Before an answer was said, I asked, "Are Theresa and Jessica in danger now as well?"

"I'm afraid they might be," agent Barnes said. "That is why I was sent."

"Shit," I said.

"John!" my mother tried to scold.

I ignored her and looking at Theresa, said, "I'm sorry to get you into this." Then turning to the agents, I asked, "What do we do to protect them?"

Agent Barnes cracked a smile and said, "The one we're here to protect is you, but I understand." Turning to talk to Theresa she asked, "Is there someplace you can stay? From what we know of this group, they should follow the same sort of pattern. There isn't any danger to you anyplace but home. So going to work, or Jessica going to school will be just fine. It is home that they will target. That is why you are in danger, as John was living there. So you need to move out for a while. Anyplace come to mind?"

"My sister's," Theresa said.

Theresa didn't look well. Between the call from her ex and now this, it was too much for her.

"That would probably be a good place for you and Jessica," I said and then explained to the others. "Her sister and husband run a storage and salvage yard. It's fenced and there are dogs that are in the yard at night."

"That," Special Agent Downs said, "sounds like a perfect place."

"Maybe you should call your daughter," my father said, and then added, "do you think she's home by now?"

I looked at the two of them and then asked Dad, "Did you know where Jessica went today?"

My father smiled at me, in a fatherly sort of way.

"John, I know many things."

"What a load of..." I returned to him.

Theresa cut in, "I should think so. I'm going to call."

She left the room and so I asked again, "Where did Jessica go?"

"Did she tell you?" my father replied. "If not, maybe she didn't want you to know yet."

I closed my eyes for a moment, while clenching my teeth. One thing my father had taught me was to spend just a moment before blowing up.

"It is easy to give flippant advice when you know the answers and are not looking for them. If that is the best you can do, Dad, go find someone else to ... You are not helpful, you are not being nice, and I don't appreciate either."

I could tell my response surprised my father and shocked my mother. The two FBI agents were, I'm sure, wishing they weren't in the room at that point.

There was a pause in the conversation that was not comfortable to anyone in the room.

Theresa opened the door and looked in.

"She didn't answer," she said with a worried sound in her voice. "She might not be back."

It was obvious she didn't believe herself.

"We'll go and wait for her," my father said.

It was uncomfortable. I was sure my father and mother wanted to leave. I had made him feel unwelcome. There was this other part that wanted him to go. I couldn't. I was worried about her as well.

"That would be good," I said. "Theresa and I are stuck here. Thanks, Dad."

He turned and smiled at me.

"You're growing up," he said. "It's hard to deal with. I'm sure you remember how I was with your sister."

That made me smile. I did remember.

"Go and take care of her," I said.

Theresa waited outside and when my parents walked out, she asked, "What was all that about?"

"My son is growing up and I'm having a bit of trouble understanding my role in all of it. With his sister, I didn't know what I was doing. She was bull headed," he smiled, "I guess a bit like me. We had knock down drag out fights. John has never been like that. So when he says ... When he gets ticked at my meddling, it is unnerving. He has a way of throwing things back at me that makes me realize what I am doing. In a way, it is a harder to take."

Theresa nodded, thinking how much John sounded like Jessica.

"We'll go," my mother told her, "and I'll bet Jessica will be there when we arrive. We'll have her call. Does she know how to get to her Aunt's house? We could take her there."

"Yes, she does. You are so kind," Theresa said.

"Not a problem. We're happy to do this," my father told Theresa.

-------

Theresa was busy catching up on all her work that had piled up while she'd spent time in my room. So I didn't see her when Jackie came in and told me the doctor checked me out of the hospital. The last blood test had cleared me. She told me Theresa was swamped and needed to get a pile of paperwork done before she went home. She also grinned, saying I'd see her later, anyway.

The two agents were going to take me over to Theresa's apartment. It wasn't until this that I realized everything had changed. I wouldn't be living there. I didn't even know where I was going to be living.

Thoughts of, 'How would Jessica and I see each other, or even talk to each other, ' passed though my head. I wasn't happy.

The agent's car was not designed to have an invalid in it. Luckily the orderly who wheeled me out was clever enough to get me in the car, but barely.

When we pulled up to the apartment, my parents' car was still there. It was then I noticed they were in their car.

"My parents are still here," I said.

The two agents looked at each other and asked me to point out their car. I did. They parked away from it. Then Agent Barnes got out and walked over to my parent's car.

Special Agent Downs asked, "Do you have a key to the apartment?"

"Yes."

"Your parents will be coming over here to wait with you. We will go into the apartment and check things out."

I felt like I was going to be sick.

My mother opened the door, reached in and hugged me. I don't like to cry, but tears were coming out anyway.

I handed Agent Barnes the key and they walked off.

"Look, Son," my dad started to say.

"Dad, I'm sorry, too."

After that we sat in silence. Waiting.

The two agents came back. Agent Barnes went with my mother to wait in my parents' car, while my father stayed with Special Agent Downs and me.

It was forty minutes later when a police car pulled into the parking lot.

I watched as Agent Barnes got out of the car and walked over to the police cruiser. After a few minutes, she walked over to our car.

"It seems that in desperation, Theresa called the police. She's been calling the house and no one has answered. Jessica was to call before going to her Aunt's. That didn't happen, so she's been going a bit crazy. Understandable, when you look at it in her terms."

"What happens now?" my father asked.

"Theresa is on her way home. She's leaving early. I just hope she's fit to drive," Agent Barnes said.

We had the unpleasant sight of observing that Theresa wasn't quite fit to drive. It should have taken her at least ten minutes to get home. That would have been after she got out of the hospital's parking lot. She was there in less than eight, from the time the call ended. Her car slid into its parking stall, narrowly missing the canopy's support poles and the other cars. Theresa tried, unsuccessfully, to open her car door. Instead, she hit a support pole, three times.

My parents were out of their car, and were on their way over when we heard Theresa scream in frustration.

"I'm glad they're going to talk to her," Special Agent Downs said.

"Don't care to have your head bit off?" I asked.

"Not really. You know she's going to blame us. It always happens, although this is puzzling. There has never been a kidnapping before."

I hadn't wanted to think in those terms, but as he verbalized it, I couldn't stop that train of thought.

"You also said they've never used kids on bikes before, either. I want Jessica home," I said with a good bit of heat in my voice.

"We all do. John, how do you know these two?"

"Theresa was my nurse. She was the one I got along with the best."

"Ok, that is easy to understand. You know we are trained to observe. Most men your age would find a kid like Jessica obnoxious."

"I'm not 'most men'."

"So I've noticed. Jessica is quite a girl. Curiosity wants to ask if you're more interested in the mother, or daughter."

"Do I have to be interested in either?" I asked.

Special Agent Downs almost laughed. "John, let's not pretend here. Yes, frankly you not only do, but are."

"Does it make any difference?"

"If you were interested in Jessica, possibly."

"Possibly?"

"She's young, as you know. There are legal issues there. I'm sure the last thing you need is problems like that."

"But if we're just kind of learning about each other..."

"As long as that learning takes place with ... shall I say, clothes on, then there is no problems. John, I can only give you a piece or two of advice. That's based on what we have to look at, and for."

There was a knock on my window. As I rolled it down, Special Agent Downs said we'd finish this conversation later.

Theresa was outside my window.

"John, where's Jessica?"

She knew I had no idea. She knew I couldn't answer a question like that. It ripped me apart seeing the anguish on her face.

"Theresa," Special Agent Downs said, "you said something about her this afternoon. Do you know where she was, last? Maybe we can get an idea on timing."

"She went to see her father," Theresa answered.

"Her father!" I said.



-------

Chapter 24



It took two calls to track down Jessica. Theresa was furious with her sister. The side of the conversation we heard was none too pleasant.

When Theresa got off the phone, Agent Barnes had to ask, "Theresa, I hope that's not the sister you were planning on staying with, is it?"

Theresa was still shaking with rage. "Yes it ... was."

My father picked up the phone and asked Theresa for the number to Jeanie's. She reluctantly gave it and he rang.

"How dare you talk to your sister that way!" the voice was heard.

"This isn't Theresa," my father said in an even voice.

"Oh. I'm sorry, who is this?"

"This is John's father."

"I see."

"Theresa has had a very long and trying day. I'm sure when this is all over; she will regret talking to her sister like she did."

"I'll bet Jessica had a worse day. She's been in bed alternating crying and sleeping ever since she arrived."

"We've been dealing with the FBI," I father replied.

There was silence on the other end and the inevitable question arose.

"Did you hear me?"

"The FBI?"

"Yes. There is a possibility that John might be targeted, from the group that did the bank robbery. As he has been staying with Theresa and Jessica, they may well be in danger as well."

"Oh, shit ... so when Theresa couldn't find Jessica..."

"Yes."

"Hell."

"The first thought was that Theresa and Jessica stay over at your place."

"Yes. Of course."

"After that phone call..."

"Screw the call. FBI! Shit, no wonder she was out of her mind. When is she coming?"

"She will need to pack clothing for the two of them. I think we'll help drive them over. Theresa is not in a state to drive."

"I understand and we'll be waiting for her."

My mother and Agent Barnes went with Theresa to collect things to take. My father looked at me and decided I'd need help.

"John, I can collect your things."

"I'm living out of two suitcases, so there's little to do in the bedroom except close them. The bathroom is a different issue. I think you'll figure that out, as I have the male oriented items in there."

My father left and came out of the bedroom in just a minute, carrying my two suitcases. Then he went into the bathroom. He came out with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sorry, John," my father said, "I would have thought this easier than it looks. Can you come to the doorway and stand? I can show you things that way."

"Yes, but I need help up," I replied.

My father and Special Agent Downs got me to my feet. I crutched over and stood at the doorframe.

When my father opened the mirrored medicine cabinet over the sink I almost laughed. I also knew why he called me in. It was stuffed full. I knew my stuff by sight, but he didn't. So he went down the line, pointing, while I said 'yes' or 'no' to each item. Then he opened the cabinet under the sink. There were rolls of toilet paper and feminine products.

"Dad, I haven't used those in some time."

He turned to look at me, rolled his eyes after seeing my grin, and closed the door.

"Is that it?"

"Shampoo and soap in the shower," I replied.

"You take a shower?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

"I wish I could. Theresa has been giving me sponge baths. It's not at all the same. At least I could wash my hair almost normally."

With that done, I was ready. My mother, Theresa, and Agent Barnes came out. Theresa helped me into the car, and gave me a hug. I could tell from her expression she was a bit shell-shocked, and was just going through the motions.

The two agents got into the front seat and we drove off.

"Where am I going?" I asked.

"We have a place about fifty miles from here," Agent Barnes replied.

"Fifty miles?"

"I know it's not ideal, but it is safe," Special Agent Downs said.

I didn't say anything else. Frankly I didn't know what to say. Did I have a choice? I had no idea.

-------

When Theresa arrived at Jeanie's home, her sister and husband were out to greet her. My mother had driven Theresa in her car, and my father had followed them over in their car.

Jeanie rushed over to her sister and gave her a hug, then pulled back and looked into her sister's eyes.

Shaking her head, Jeanie said, "She looks as bad as when..." Looking back into Theresa's face, she asked, "Did Tim call you?"

Theresa just nodded.

Jeanie shook her head, her body following the motion of frustration.

"I could just shoot that girl."

"Jessica?" my mother asked.

Jeanie started to say something and thought better of it. She just nodded.

After the suitcases were pulled out, my parents said their goodbyes and left. Jeanie and her husband carried the suitcases in and closed the gate.

"Theresa, maybe the best thing for you is to take a little nap," her sister said.

Jeanie had a problem with how pliable Theresa was. She didn't put up a fight; she just let herself be led into a bedroom and laid down. When Jeanie had closed the door, Jeanie realized Theresa hadn't even asked about her daughter. It was so out of character, Jeanie called Theresa's doctor.

-------

I could see how this place was safe, in a way. We had traveled down a one-lane road for a good five minutes before the road ended. There in the middle of nowhere was this old Victorian style house. It looked a bit worse for wear, but not falling down.

Of course the first thing I noticed was that it was two stories.

"Is this one of those things like in the movies," I asked without real hope.

"What do you mean?" agent Barnes asked.

"We walk in and there's a secret elevator that drops us into a big underground complex," I said, realizing how stupid it sounded.

"Like in 'Spies Like Us'?" Special Agent Downs said with a laugh. "Don't I wish! No, that was the CIA. They have all the fun. We have to deal with reality."

Somehow the way he said it, I think I would have got the same answer from a CIA operative, only in reverse.

"So ... I'm guessing there's a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, for me to use?"

I could see the two agents looking at each other. This was not good.

Agent Barnes turned to look at me.

"You can't go up stairs?"

"Only if I get carried and I don't think that would be wise."

Special Agent Downs pulled around in the circle driveway. I sat looking out of the widow, wondering what would happen next. My thoughts were going blank. This house had been beautiful at one time. It was long past that point, now, with neglect taking hold.

Agent Barnes was on the radio. Asking for instructions.

-------

The doctor's arrival woke Jessica up. She wondered who was here. Walking out into the living room, she recognized the man, even if she hadn't seen him in two years.

"My, my," he said. "How you have blossomed. Come here, Jessica."

She walked over and sat next to him on the couch. He took her hand and patted it gently.

He was a family practitioner who had been her mother's doctor when she was little. His hair was now white and his face full of wrinkles, but his smile and twinkly eyes, spoke of a kind soul. Jessica wondered why her Aunt had called him to come over. Sure she had been crying nonstop, but she wasn't 'sick.'

Jeanie walked Theresa into the living room. Jessica looked at her mother wide eyed.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" she asked, and then, "Where's John?"

Theresa looked at her daughter though very weary eyes and answered, "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Jessica said, standing suddenly and taking a step towards her mother.

"They took him," Theresa said.

"His parents?" Jessica asked in a high-pitched tone, suddenly feeling like her world was falling apart.

"Jessica!" Jeanie said, trying to calm her down.

Theresa answered, "No, the FBI."

At that point Jessica fainted and fell down, smacking her head on the edge of the coffee table. Blood poured out of the gash, as Jeanie, the doctor, and Theresa rushed over to her.



-------

Chapter 25



No matter what kind of mischief she did, Jessica was the baby of the family. In some ways, spoiled, but at times like this, doted over. The doctor had Jeanie hold the bandage tightly on the wound, as he called the hospital. Theresa was looking at her daughter, but unable to really help, given the current state she was in. Jeanie's husband was getting the car and unlocking the gate, so they could leave.

Soon, everyone was in the car and they were on their way.

Jessica's head throbbed. She wasn't so timid about the blood, although she was a bit concerned that there had been so much. If Doctor Tillerman hadn't been there, things would have been a different story.

As in the case of smaller hospitals, Jackie had heard they were coming. She was down at the admitting desk, when they brought Jessica in. She took one look at Theresa, though, and knew her friend was in shock.

"Doctor Tillerman," Jackie said, "I think I'll take Theresa off to get her warmed up."

He looked over to Jackie and gave her a warm smile before saying, "That sounds like a very good idea. Let me know where you've got her, as I'm sure there will be papers to sign." Turning his attention to Jessica, he said, "Little lady, I'm going to take you back, but I won't be stitching you up."

"Stitching!" Jessica said, now realizing how bad it was.

Doctor Tillerman patted her shoulder. "Now don't you worry. That's why I called in, before we came. There's a plastic surgeon on his way to do the job." He winked at her and said, "He likes your mom very much, and he'll do a nice job on you. Afterwards you won't be able to see anything but a faint line. Lucky for you, it's right at your hairline, so even that will pretty much disappear."

Jeanie transferred her pressing on Jessica's bandage to the doctor. He walked Jessica back into a room, to get her prepped.

Jeanie looked at her husband and said, "I never realized how stressful my sister's life is."

"Honey, I don't think it's like this all the time," he replied.

-------

My parents ended up back at their hotel room. There they watched a bit of television until they couldn't stand it any longer.

"Do you realize," my father said, "that we have no idea where John is."

"Yes. That sunk in about the time I also realized that we don't have Theresa's sister's number, either."

He pondered that, and then a smile crossed his face.

"I think I remember that one, even if I didn't, we could still we could get it."

"How's that?"

"They do run a business, and at least we know where it is, but I do remember the name. Black Hawk."

"Well, don't just sit there, get the phone book!"

-------

Special Agent Downs sat on the bed and groaned. Agent Barnes shook her head.

"You knew this wasn't going to be the Hilton," she said.

"You're right about that ... but, really ... I think they did this on purpose."

I broke into the conversation at this point.

"This is only for one night, right?"

The two agents looked at me and I think I had my answer. It was not the one I was hoping for.

Pressing on, I asked, "What are we doing for food? We're not eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from that place I saw down the street, right?"

I took a deep breath, as there was no good answer to that one, either.

"I hate to say this, but did anyone think about this before taking me off to 'safety?' I don't want to sound ungrateful, but somehow I think there have been some big screw ups here."

Agent Barnes apparently took that a bit personally.

"Just what more do you think could go wrong. Sorry, John, but look ... we need to keep you safe. Ok, so you can't climb stairs. First floor places are venerable. So this out of the way motel is the best they could come up with. Because it's out of the way, our food choices aren't too great. I doubt your diet would mind that much, or am I wrong about that one?"

"I was just asking a few questions," I replied. "Sorry if I offended you. There is something else no one may have thought of, but maybe they did."

"What?" she asked.

"I have limited mobility," I started to say.

She jumped in, thinking she knew where I was heading. "Downs will be able to get you up, so you can use the bathroom."

I looked at the two of them.

"I don't think you understand. After I'm upright I can pee just fine by myself, but with this cast on I can't sit on the toilet. I can't wipe myself either. The cast can't get wet, so someone has to give me sponge baths. There was good reason I was staying with a nurse."

I could almost see the unsaid struggle going on between the two agents. Special Agent Downs was the team leader, but it was very obvious Agent Barnes was not in favor of filling in as nurse.

Then a thought crossed my mind, "Did a bedpan get in with my things?"

"Bedpan?" Agent Barnes asked.

"It's how I go, you know..."

"Oh, shit," she said.

"Exactly," I replied.

There was a pause in which all of us realized what had just been said and we couldn't help but laugh. Sometimes, you just have to, because the alternative is to cry.

Special Agent Downs said, "There's a town twenty miles south. It's big enough to have a drug store, I guess we could get one there."

"I'll go," Agent Barnes offered.

"That will be fine. Why don't you pick up some dinner too?"

She was out the door before he could change his mind.

-------

"Well, it explains why they didn't answer the phone. They're not here."

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Black Hawks. There's only one in town. The big question is, where did they go? Theresa didn't look like she was fit to do much but crawl into bed. From what I gathered Jessica wasn't that much better."

"You don't suppose those bad men got them?"

My father looked at his wife and smiled. "You watch too much television. No. Look at the gate. It's locked up. Don't get too close, remember the dogs."

"Don't remind me. They scared me half to death when we got out of the car."

"They went someplace ... but where?"

"Does this mean we just go back to our hotel room?"

"I guess we don't have much of a choice."

"How frustrating. We have no idea where Jessica and Theresa are. Worse, we don't know what happened to our son!"

"Let's try and get a good night's sleep. We'll find our answers in the morning."

-------

Theresa was bundled up in warmed blankets. She looked at Jackie.

"This isn't your station, but thanks."

Jackie smiled. "It's quiet upstairs. They moved out Hogges."

Theresa couldn't help but smile. That man had caused the nurses more pain than anyone had in some time. His release was a very good thing for all of them.

Theresa looked over to the door and Jackie knew Theresa was wondering about her daughter.

"What happened?" Jackie asked.

"Jessica fainted."

"She's never done anything like that before, has she?"

Theresa took a weary breath. Wrinkles showed up on her face. Jackie swore Theresa looked a good ten years older right then.

"They took John."

"His parents?"

"No, the FBI."

"Oh my God! Where? Where's he now?"

Theresa's eyes were halfway closed. She was shaking her head, and felt very tired.

"Jackie, stop."

It would have normally been delivered in Theresa's forceful tone, but she didn't have the energy. This time it was almost a whisper.

That stark contrast to the Theresa Jackie knew stopped her.

"Did Jessica ... She lost control, didn't she?"

Then Jackie put her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide. Theresa knew that Jackie had just realized why Jessica had lost control.

-------

I woke in the morning, groggy. As my mind started to clear, I wished I could have gone back to sleep.

"I need to get up," I said.

No one answered.

I propped myself up on my arms and looked around. Then I listened. The only thing I could hear was the sound of a truck downshifting.

"Hell!" I yelled.

The outside door opened.

"You're awake."

"Yeah, and I need to get up, or someone's going to have a lot more to clean up."

I was dressed by the time Special Agent Downs drove up. He got out of the car and looked at the two of us.

"Advertising?" he asked.

Agent Barnes averted her stare and said, "Airing out the place."

"Dinner didn't agree with me I guess," I said.

It took maybe two seconds before Special Agent Downs burst out in laughter.

"It wasn't that funny," Agent Barnes said.

Still chuckling, he replied, "No, I guess it wouldn't be."

I still didn't know what was going on, or where he'd been, so I asked hopefully, "Are we moving out of this flee bitten motel?"

Special Agent Downs stopped smiling, went to his car and pulled out a manila envelope. He handed it to me.

"It all depends," finally answering my question, "as to what you find in there."

I was a bit perturbed by not getting a straight answer, but opened the envelope.

There was a picture of a girl. I was a bit perturbed, wondering what this was all about. Setting that one on the little table next to me, I saw there was another picture of a girl.

"What's all this?" I asked.

"Amuse me," Special Agent Downs replied.

I rolled my eyes and tossed that picture aside.

As soon as I looked at the next picture, I stopped and looked up at him.

"I'll remember her face, 'till the day I die."

He grinned and said, "That's the right answer. Now we have a perfect ID and can charge those two we have in custody with kidnapping. You know, the town they came from is over the state line. That, in combination with the bomb in the bike, and they're looking at life if they don't start talking. Hopefully, things will unravel fast now."



-------

Chapter 26



I remember my mother telling me about love letters. Personally, I'd never written one, much less received one. This was the age of phones, emails, texting, and instant messaging. Here I was, though, with pen and paper.

There was a strange feeling about placing my feelings into words, sealing an envelope, and then handing the letter to the FBI agent to drop in a mailbox far from where we were located. The good thing about this process was that they were able to get me the address to Black Hawk, where I figured Jessica would be.

As soon as Agent Barnes drove off, I knew there was a lot more I should have added to the letter. I didn't have a lot of time to think. Agent Barnes had the photograph and a statement Special Agent Downs had taken from me to deliver.

Now we sat with nothing to do.

"Ever play poker?" Special Agent Downs asked.

"You have a deck of cards?" I asked surprised.

He smiled and then said, "Most of the time we're sitting around waiting for something to happen. I've learned over the years."

"Poker," I said quizzically, "You bet with that, don't you?" I asked. He nodded and I continued, "If you do this all the time, I don't think I should bet at all."

Special Agent Downs laughed.

"We can use..." he looked around the sterile hotel room, "the towels. We'll count them equal." Walking to the bathroom he came out with a handful. "Two washcloths, two hand towels, and four bath towels."

"That gives us four each, is that enough?" I asked.

"No, not really. Let's include the pillows, that'd be another two each. Blanket and sheets. That adds three more."

"That's nine each."

He laughed and then added, "Ok, we'll throw in the mattresses as well. That will give us eleven each. We can play for a bit with that."

"And if I lose, I'll be sleeping on the floor?" I asked.

There was a slight smile, while Special Agent Downs said, "Well, it's warm this time of year and it might be good for your posture."

I frowned, trying to look upset. I had to put on an act, but not let it go too far.

Thirty minutes later, I asked him what Agent Barnes was going to say about sleeping on the floor.

He just shook his head at me and then said, "I think I'm going to have to charge you every time you need to stand. Otherwise I'll be the laughing stock of the department. I've never lost before."

"I could have told you, you probably never had a chance, but that would have ruined all the fun."

"Ever thought of going to Las Vegas?"

"Yeah, but I understand they watch out for guys like me and I'd be asked to leave pretty fast," I said.

"They didn't build those monuments to greed and electricity use by giving money away."

"Now what are we going to do?"

"I think," Special Agent Downs said, "that this would be a good time for me to give you a practical lesson on how to stay out of jail."

-------

My mother and father arrived at Black Hawk's before breakfast. They were escorted in to see Jessica.

Theresa was in the room, lying next to her daughter.

Looking up, Theresa said, "Yesterday was too much for all of us. I called in a personal day."

"Good idea," my father said. Then looking closer to Jessica, he said, "She looks a bit glassy eyed."

"The drugs. Oh, you don't know."

Theresa stroked her daughter's hair, kissed her forehead, and then got off the bed.

"I'll be back in just a minute, Honey," Theresa said and then pulled my parents out of the room.

As soon as they were in the living room, Theresa told them of the events of last night.

"She was hyperventilating. You should have heard her go on and on. The doctor knocked her out. Now I'm medicating her. The idea is that I'll wean her off and as it will be gradual, she'll be able to cope. I wish we'd hear from those FBI agents. If she could hear his voice, I know it would take care of a lot of this."

My father was frowning, "All because John is gone?"

"No," Theresa answered. "Well, I'm sure that is a big part of it. Not gone, but taken away without us knowing where. That combined with her visit to her father. I don't know what possessed her to do that, but I know it couldn't have been easy on her. Lord knows yesterday overwhelmed me. She didn't stand a chance. We still haven't told her that they found the girl and about the bike. I don't think that would help anything at this point."

"Do you think her father might be of some help?" my father asked.

Theresa gave him a stern glare.

My father went on, "You said he was part of the equation and we have no idea when we're going to know where John is, or if we can contact him."

Jeanie was in the kitchen, listening to the conversation. So she added her two cents into the conversation.

"Theresa's worried because part of what Jessica tried to do yesterday was to get her parents to talk with each other."

"Thanks for that bit of help," Theresa said to her sister.

My father thought about the conversation he overheard between Theresa and her ex.

"Has Jessica ever had a broken bone, been in the hospital, anything like that before?"

"No, what has that got to do with anything?" Theresa wanted to know.

"If I remember," my father said, "he was upset about a question she asked."

"Two, but I get what you mean," Theresa said. "The problem is, I'm not sure I want to see him."

"Does that have to be a problem?" my father asked.

Theresa was ready to blow when Jeanie grabbed hold of her sister and said, "Theresa, slow down. He has something in mind. Why not ask about it, before turning off the idea, and jumping all over him for suggesting something."

"Fine," Theresa said in a tone that suggested otherwise. "What did you have in mind?"

"Jeanie," my father said, "would he ... I'm sorry, I don't remember his name ... but would he be welcome here?"

"Welcome, I'm not sure I'd go that far, but acceptable, yes," Jeanie answered.

"That's good enough. Theresa, you don't need to be here. You and my wife can go off and ... well ... do something else while he's here. The two of you don't need to be here together. What you are doing is not to aggravate your situation, it is to help Jessica's situation."

"How the hell did John grow up normal?" Theresa asked.

Jeanie snorted and had to put her hand over her mouth.

"Fine, I'm sure it would be good for Jessica. There is one problem," Theresa said.

"What's that?" my father asked.

"Who is going to call him?"

"I will," Jeanie said.

"You?" Theresa asked, surprised.

"I picked up Jessica from his house, yesterday," Jeanie said.

"It was only yesterday? Why does it feel like a week?" Theresa said.

"What happened when you picked Jessica up?" my father asked.

"Jessica told me what she said. It's why I brought her home with me. I felt bad for her. If I could help..."

"Fine, call him," Theresa said, "But if you can talk him in to coming over, make sure you know when he's going to show up. I want to be gone."

It was obvious to all, that there was a lot of hostility there.

-------

Tim looked up at the clock. It wasn't time to take a break. His supervisor didn't come around to tell him to take them either. Something was up.

As Tim walked to the break room, he was thinking of possibilities. He couldn't come up with any. It wasn't April Fool's Day. Wasn't his birthday. He hadn't pulled any pranks on anyone for some time. He couldn't fathom a reason.

When he opened the door, Tim was expecting something, somebody at least. There was no one in the room. He looked out the door, expecting something to happen. Nothing did. Tim was very puzzled and went to sit down. He almost made it there, when the phone rang.

'This is it, ' he thought and smiled when he picked up the receiver.

Tim's smile dropped like a load of bricks when he heard the caller.

"Jeanie?" he stammered.

"I need to ask you a favor," she said.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Jessica had some stitches yesterday, and..."

"She what! I saw her yesterday."

"I know. I was the one who picked her up from your place. Tim, she collapsed and hit her head. Split it open. The doctor sewed it up really good, but..."

"Where's her mom?"

"Tim," Jeanie said, knowing she was getting to the hard part, "Jessica told me what she said to you yesterday. She needs you to be here for her. Come and visit with her. It would be very good for her to know you care."

There was a long silence.

"Tim, are you there?"

"Where is Theresa?"

"She's not going to be here when you come. Tell me when you can be here?"

Tim took a deep breath. Jeanie had gone from asking him, to telling him what he was going to do.

-------

Agent Barnes arrived after we had consumed a wonderful fast food lunch. She obviously had something better to eat than we had. Fast food is fine if you want something mediocre in quality, expensive, and not that fast. Given options, I'd rather have almost anything else. Where we were located, we didn't have many options.

"What did we learn?" Special Agent Downs asked as soon as the door was closed.

"That they are scared shitless. I think they know something and want a deal, but my guess is that they don't know a whole lot."

"Figures," he said. Turning to me, he explained, "From what we know of this group, it is pretty well organized. It's sort of like drug dealers. The guys on the street may know who they get their stuff from, but that's about it. So we can nab one or two guys, but the organization remains intact."

Pondering what he said, I responded, "What you're telling me is I'm stuck here for good."

Agent Barnes said, "These guys aren't the mafia. They don't have the manpower or the willpower to go after people like you. We just need to keep you safe until we get the next layer up."

"And that will happen..." I asked, wanting them to finish my sentence.

Agent Barnes looked over to Special Agent Downs and said, "By tonight. We need to be in a field office."

"Does that mean we're moving?" I asked in anticipation.

"One would think," Special Agent Downs said with a slight sarcasm to his voice, "that you don't care for the fine accommodations here."

Giving it right back to him, I responded, "I was just thinking of you! I wouldn't want to feel bad that you were sleeping on the floor, with no blanket."

Agent Barnes looked at the two of us and said, "I think I missed something."

"Nothing of importance," Special Agent Downs replied. "Now, let's get our things together and get out of this joint."

As Agent Barnes was getting me my crutch, she whispered, "Are you going to tell me about it?"

I couldn't help but smile, but said, "I think I'd like to wake up in the morning."

She laughed. Special Agent Downs gave a stern look our way.

She said, "This has to be a good one and you must have put the fear of God in him, he won't say a thing."

-------

"Jess?"

She'd been sleeping, but the sound of her father's voice woke her. She blinked several times, trying to clear her eyes. Theresa had lowered her medication considerably, hoping that this would do the trick. Theresa didn't like giving medication to anyone, any more than she had to. The idea of drugging her own daughter was bad enough that she had let her ex come over.

"Daddy?"

"Tell me what happened, Sweetheart."

She hadn't heard him call her that in so many years, that it hurt. She choked back the tears.

"They took him away, Daddy."

"Who?"

"John."

"John?"

"My boyfriend."

Tim was confused. He hadn't been told much, only about her fall and nothing about this boyfriend of hers.

"His name is John?" he asked. Jessica nodded. "What do you mean they took him? Who is 'they'?"

"The FBI."

Tim felt his mouth go dry.



-------

Chapter 27



In frustration, Tim said rather loudly, "How come I'm not told about these things?"

Jeanie was in the hallway, not really to listen in, but just to be there. She heard Tim's outburst and stepped into the bedroom.

"Tim..." Jeanie said in a disapproving voice.

Tim turned and looked at her. His face showed the anger he felt.

"Don't you think I should know? They did a raid on the factory last year and picked up three guys. We found out what they were doing as a sideline. The FBI? Jeanie, she's my daughter! What's she hanging around scum like that for?" Then turning to his daughter, he said, "You, little lady, are not going to see this ... John ... again. Do you understand me?"

Jeanie was surprised. She'd never seen Tim be so possessive of his daughter before. Jessica, on the other hand, was pissed. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her father.

"You..." Jessica seethed.

"Tim," Jeanie butted in, seeing Jessica was ready to explode, "John helped stop a bank robbery and now they are concerned that he's in danger."

"Oh," Tim said, with a deflated attitude and not knowing what else to say.

Jeanie quickly added, "They were also concerned about Jessica and Theresa."

"What?" Tim exclaimed.

"Theresa is taking care of John. Sort of rehab, as he has a full leg cast. Oh, of course you don't know. He got his leg shot during the robbery. So that is why Theresa and Jessica are living here, for now."

"You're in danger?" Tim said as he looked at his daughter.

"Daddy," Jessica said in an exasperated voice.

"Don't 'Daddy' me, Jessica, if anything happened to you..."

Jeanie knew this was her cue to exit. She did hear Jessica's question as she walked around the doorframe.

"Daddy, if you care about me, why did you leave?"

Tim looked at his daughter with a woeful expression.

"I don't think you'd understand."

Jessica bit her upper lip. The last time she brought this up, only yesterday, had been disastrous. Yet, on the other hand, he was here. That was a first in a long, long time.

"I know your mom wasn't around when you grew up," Jessica said. "That must have been very hard on you."

Tim nodded, not really wanting to get into this.

"Daddy, didn't you do to me, what your mother did to you? You took off."

"It's not the same," Tim said.

"It is to me," Jessica replied. "You had a parent that wasn't there for you. So do I."

"But I..." Tim's words failed him. To suggest that Jessica could have come to see him, he knew, was a cop out. In resignation of defeat, he simply said, "It's what I grew up with. Your mother couldn't run out on you, if I left."

Jessica blinked — twice — while her brain was trying to fathom that logic.

"Do you think Mom would ever do that? Really?" Tim didn't have an answer to that and after a long pause, Jessica went on, "I guess there's no way to change what has happened, but don't you want to be in my life?"

As soon as Jessica said those words, she understood some of her classmates. The ones who had been adopted. The ones who grieved, wondering why their parents had let them go. She felt the tears start to form in her eyes. Even though she didn't want to show how much it hurt inside, she couldn't help herself.

Tim saw the tears and pulled Jessica close to him. The shuddering of her body as she cried hurt him. It was his own selfishness that didn't allow him to think what his leaving had done to his daughter.

"Jess, what do you want me to do? I can't come back. Your mother and I..."

She sniffled in, and then said, "I want you to talk with her. You told me you loved her and that's why you married her. I have to believe that. So talk. I want you to be in my life and the only way that can happen is for you and Mom to talk."

"Talk?"

"Talk," Jessica said. "Not yell, or try and hurt each other. Just talk."

"Do you realize how hard, what you're asking, is?"

"No, probably not."

"Well, at least you're being honest. Jess, I'm not sure if I can."

"Will you try? For me?"

"I think your mother has something to say about this. What if she doesn't want to talk?"

"She will."

-------

"Special Child Operation Planned Elimination."

"Scope," I said, wanting to hurl.

"Sick, isn't it."

"I think it goes way beyond sick," I said. "How did you find out?"

"Hypnosis. She doesn't even know."

"Who?"

"The girl you saved. The two men in custody are talking as much as possible. They've even agreed to a polygraph. They are almost begging us to give it to them."

"Why?"

"There was another robbery yesterday. This time it was in Pittsburgh. The young boy that was part of this one wasn't so lucky as our girl."

"He's dead?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"John, there wasn't much left of him. The two we have want to make sure we know they had no idea that this is what was supposed to happen. Their story is that the girl was to be a diversion, just by being there and getting in the way."

"And you believe them?"

"It is possible. We have a man coming in to do a polygraph. He'll be here in the morning."

"You can lie with those things, can't you?"

"Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No. John, they work. What makes them not work is asking the wrong questions. That is why polygraphs got such a bad rap. Our guy knows just the questions to ask, how to ask them, and the order to ask them in. There is only one way to get by him, and he knows it, even if it doesn't show up on the machine."

"How?" I wanted to know.

"Have no conscience. John, there are those who don't. Thankfully, you find those guys in the heavy security prisons. They killed without feeling and would do so again. So if you ask them if they did something which, for anyone else, would jolt the machine off the charts; they will look at you, answer, and the machine is flat line. The good thing is that those psychos are far and few between."

Special Agent Downs and Agent Barnes opened the door and walked in. They had dinner for me, but after this conversation, I had lost my appetite.

"You've been hearing what's been going on today?" Special Agent Downs said to me.

"Yes. It is depressing. My mind goes back to you telling me that the two guys you have don't know much. So what if they talk? What will you know? How many other kids are going to get blown up before you can stop who's doing this?" I asked.

"John," Agent Barnes said, "I know it's frustrating, but we have to take it one step at a time. There are a lot of people working on this. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what we're looking at. These things take time, but don't think for a minute that there is anyone here who doesn't want to rip the heart out of the person who blew up that boy."

I nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"John, I know you don't feel like it," Special Agent Downs said, "but you need to eat. At least get down something, ok?"

"Yes, Mom."

The man who had been talking to me (while the two agents I knew were out doing whatever agents do) laughed so much at my comment that he ended up leaving the room.

"I hope that made you feel better, because I'm going to have to live with that comment for some time now," Special Agent Downs said.

I looked over to him. He didn't have the expression I might have had, if someone had done that to me. Agent Barnes, on the other hand, had a big grin on her face.

They left me alone in the room I had been in since we had arrived at the office. Picking at my food, I did eat a little, but had no appetite for anything. I wasn't sure what this room was used for. Looking around it had six moderately comfortable chairs, a table, one of those roll around white boards. If I was to guess, it was just sort of an extra room that got used when everywhere else was being used. At least I hadn't been placed into an interrogation room. My mind wondered to the movies I'd seen and I wondered if they were at all like that: the stiff backed chairs, the one way mirrored glass with people on the other side looking at you. I had this sneaking suspicion, if I asked, they would tell me that was the CIA. Boredom set in pretty fast. I half thought about trying the door, to see if I was locked in or not, but decided there was little use in that. I had nowhere to go and nothing to do.

-------

As Theresa and my mother arrived back at Black Hawks, she was relieved to see Tim's car gone.

"Thank God," Theresa said absentmindedly.

"For what?" my mother wanted to know.

"Tim's gone."

"I remember a time," my mother said, "when my daughter repeated what I had said about a relative. She'd gained some weight and when we'd seen her in the summer it was very obvious in her swimsuit. On the drive home I made an offhanded comment. Not really thinking about what I said. Then I hear those same words coming out of my daughter at the next family reunion."

"Oh," Theresa said, "you must have been mortified."

"I was. My daughter was at that age, where she just might say something like that on her own, but I knew just how her idea about her cousin had been tainted."

Theresa got the uneasy feeling that this conversation wasn't quite what it seemed.

"Ok, you're trying, politely, to say something to me. What is it?"

"Did you realize that you had said, 'thank God, ' when we drove up?"

Theresa frowned and honestly answered, "Not until you asked me why I had said it."

"Theresa, I have no idea what caused the pain between you and Tim, but it is not good for you. It is also not good for your daughter. Even if you think she's immune, she hears your comments. Parents have a strong power over their children. Sometimes it's not always good. I'm sure, when John heard we were showing up, he said a few words about us."

It started out as a stifled noise, but couldn't be contained, and Theresa laughed.

"Yes, he did. Thank you. By saying that, you took the sting out of what else you said." Theresa looked at my mother and said, "Sometimes I don't know what to do. I feel so out of control."

"That is parenthood. All of us feel that along the way. Jessica is quite wonderful and that is a great tribute to how you have raised her. Theresa, we all make mistakes. Parents are never perfect. What makes an exceptional parent is the willingness to learn and to become better. Realize that mistakes can and will be made. Communicate openly. Above all, love them completely, even when you don't like something they do. From what I've seen, you're doing a pretty bang up job."

Theresa was a bit choked up and all she could get out was, "Thanks."



-------

Chapter 28



Jessica got out of bed the next morning feeling better. Not great, but definitely better. She'd had a pretty good night's sleep and better than that, a dream. One she remembered as she was taking a shower.

In the kitchen, as Jessica got her breakfast cereal, she asked Jeanie a question.

"Do you remember when Grandma was still around and we had those big dinners on Sunday?"

A warm smile lit on Jeanie's face.

"I sure do. Those were a lot of fun."

"Do you remember the corn thing she made?"

"Spoon Bread. Of course I do," Jeanie said. Then with a little laugh, added, "And I remember how much you liked it. You'd eat it until you got sick."

"I never got sick from that!"

"Only 'cause we took the dish away from you."

"Do you know how to make it?"

"Sure. Our mom taught us."

There was a pause and Jeanie looked over at Jessica. Her mood had changed, darkened, and the facial features showed it.

"When? Why wasn't I there?" Jessica asked. Then went right on with, "We stopped having those dinners and no one taught me any of her dishes."

"Jessica, you know your grandma got too sick and then she died."

"Couldn't we ... No, I guess not."

"What? Tell me what you were going to ask."

"Couldn't we have a big dinner like that?"

"The four of us?" Jeanie asked.

"We could invite some friends," Jessica asked, almost hopefully.

"Jessica, there's one big problem I can see."

"What?"

"Sunday. We are busy with the business on the weekends, you know that."

"I know," Jessica said, sorrowfully. Then her eyes lit up. "How about Friday?"

"This Friday?"

"Yes! It would be great. I can help with everything as soon as I'm home from school. Mom is home early that day. I know it's just two days from now, but we could do it, couldn't we?"

"Wait just a minute," Jeanie said, trying to reign in Jessica's thoughts.

Jessica went right on, as though she didn't hear her Aunt. "I could invite..."

Jeanie waited for a break in Jessica's next stream of words, but didn't anticipate it would end there. She looked, wanting to know whom Jessica had thought to invite. There were tears in Jessica's eyes.

"I wish John was here," Jessica said despondently.

Jeanie sighed. She knew there was no way she could stop the dinner now. It would be a focal point Jessica could use. If Jeanie said 'no' and Jessica had a melt down, Theresa would have her head.

"Jessica," Jeanie said in a cheery voice, "I think Friday would be good. We've wanted to invite a couple over. Maybe your mom could get Jackie to come too. That is, if she doesn't have to work. What friend do you have that you'd like to invite?"

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"Yes, but, you have to help."

"We're going to make Spoon Bread, too? Right?"

Jeanie laughed and said, "Yes. You know that the one you liked the best had fresh corn in it. Mom, your grandma, used canned when it wasn't in season. She adapted the recipe for you, because you threw a fit the first time it didn't have the chunks of corn in it. This time, I'm going to make sure your mother teaches you how to make it. Now get yourself ready, we need to leave in five minutes, or you'll be late for school."

"Five minutes!" Jessica screamed, as she ran down the hall.

-------

"These are so much nicer beds," I said. "The food was a whole lot better as well. How long are we staying here?"

"Not long. Maybe a day ... two, at the most. John, don't get such a long face."

"You know, this isn't a lot of fun for me. I had a job and a pathetic life before all this started. Then, all of a sudden, life changes; and even though I have no job, I have everything else in life I ever wanted. Then, almost as quick, I'm here with you two."

"Jessica," Agent Barnes said as she rolled her eyes.

I looked at Special Agent Downs.

"I didn't say a word."

"John, really." Agent Barnes said. "You'd have to be blind, and I'm not." Then she chuckled, adding, "Then of course there was the letter you had us send. Now what's this about a job? You know they have to hold it for you."

I gave her a slight smile before answering.

"If I had made it one more day, yes ... But I was on my probation period, so my job ended when I got shot and couldn't make it in."

"Well, that sucks."

"You know, you take the good with the bad. It wasn't a dream job," I said. Then couldn't resist adding, "Not like you two have. If I hadn't ended up in the hospital, I'd never have met Theresa and Jessica."

"I can see the report now. Subject likes the fact he got shot, as he was able to spend time in the hospital. That would go over well," Special Agent Downs said.

"I'm not sure he's talking for the record," Agent Barnes interjected.

"Well, it's the truth, but you can be sure you won't see it in any report I write," Special Agent Downs said. "Now, let's get ready. Some of us do have jobs." He heaved a big sigh and added, "Mine, right now, is the prestigious job of getting us breakfast."

He left, seconds later.

"What kind of a job was it?" Agent Barnes asked.

"The kind I could get easily with a BS. Nothing to write home about. I think it was more of a rebellious thing. My parents were going to be gone and I could get away with it. Stupid really. I need to go back to school and finish. I have one year left for my masters."

"John," she said, cautiously, "you're only 20, right?"

"Too young to have a BS, right? I graduated high school when I was 16. Got my BS when I was 19. The masters program I'm taking is a lot more involved. Lots of lab work, so it takes longer. I'm half way through."

"So you're a genius?"

"No. Close, but no cigar. I test out very well. It's how my mind works. They called me 'the brain' in high school. Not a good way to attract girls."

Agent Barnes laughed.

"No, I guess it wouldn't be. So I'm curious. Why Jessica?"

"Did you know she's a 'brain' as well?"

Agent Barnes snorted, then said, "It figures."

There was a knock on the door and a muffled, "Room service."

"Into the bathroom and lock the door," she said quietly to me, as I saw her pull her gun.

-------

The mail carrier rang the bell and Jeanie came out of the house.

"Got a letter for a Jessica, but the last name is wrong."

"That's my niece."

He smiled and said, "Looks like it's a love letter, but maybe I should return it. She doesn't live here, does she?"

"Bill, you return that letter and I'll turn the dogs on you. Don't you mess with a girl and a love letter," Jeanie said with a laugh. "Who's it from anyway?"

"Couldn't return it if I wanted to," Bill bantered back, "Doesn't have a return address. Just the name John."

"Give me that letter. It's from her boyfriend and ... Well, let's just say the dogs would be the easy way out if she found out you didn't deliver it."

Bill just laughed, handed her the mail, and then as he was leaving, said, "She's a bit young to have a boyfriend, isn't she? You can't be much over 18."

Jeanie snorted, and said back to him, "Try that one on a single gal, Bill. Ain't going to work 'round here."

"Shucks, and I thought I always had a chance with you," he countered as he got into his truck.

Jeanie shook her head as she walked back in.

"Was he bothering you again?" her husband asked.

"Bothering? Bill is a bit of a dork. I think I'm probably the only woman around here he can hold a conversation with. Give him a break. Because he likes talking with me, we get our mail first thing in the morning. It drives Henderson crazy. He's only a block away, and Bill doesn't deliver there 'til almost closing time."

"Just as long as he knows you're not looking for anything from him."

"Lighten up. If you would have listened, I told him to try his flirting with 'single gals'."

"You said that?"

"Yes, now, where should I put this?"

"What?"

"A letter from John."

"Jessica's John?"

"Yep."

"She's going to be on cloud nine, but her mother..."

Jeanie snickered.

"Those two."

"You can say that again."

"Oh, by the way, we're having a big dinner on Friday. I'm going to call the Petersons and invite them."

"This Friday?"

"Yes, this Friday."

"Why?"

"Jessica talked me into it."

"That kid."



-------

Chapter 29



"I thought a love letter would make her happy. She's been in the living room crying for the last hour."

Jeanie glared at her husband when she said to him, "If you say something like that to her, you'll find yourself sleeping out with the dogs for the next two weeks. Understand?"

"What? I just meant..."

"When was the last time you sent a card ... or better, roses ... to Jeanie?" Theresa asked.

"Don't you start on that."

"What my dear sister is trying to suggest to you is that a woman has feelings. And when a man does something touching, it is bound to bring tears."

"Woman? We're talking about Jessica."

"One more word, Buster..." Jeanie said.

The conversation halted when Jessica appeared in the kitchen. She walked over and sat down on her mom's lap.

"Did Dad ever write to you?"

"No. We were never apart. We saw each other in school and then..." Theresa answered.

"You knew Dad in school? What grade?" Jessica persisted.

"Jessica..."

"Fourth," Jeanie said with a gleam in her eye. "This lug here never wrote me a love letter either."

"Hey!"

Jessica giggled, then said, "Bet you didn't need to, did you? Big strong man taking Jeanie out on Friday nights."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"So what did he say?" Jeanie asked.

"He couldn't tell me where he was, but he said it was no fun."

"Because you weren't there," Jeanie added.

Jessica blushed.

"Maybe I should look at that letter," Theresa said.

"Mom!"

"I do remember a diary..." Jeanie reminisced.

"You knew about ... Wait," Theresa's face started to blush. "You didn't read it, did you?"

"Mom, you had a diary?"

Jeanie answered with a sly smile on her face, "Jessica, all girls had diaries back then."

"You had one, too?"

"Yes, she did. She hid hers under the top drawer of her dresser."

"How did you know? You snoop!" Jeanie accused.

"Mom found it, if you must know. I happened to be in the room when she pulled the drawer out by accident. We both saw it there. Mom just put the drawer back in place and picked up the clothes that had fallen to the floor. I never knew if Mom went back in while I wasn't there, and read any of it," Theresa explained.

Jeanie seemed a bit flustered at that news and wanted to turn the conversation back to Jessica.

"What else did he say?"

"That he'd try and write me every couple of days."

"That's it?" Theresa asked.

"Well," Jessica said as her face turned red, "no."

"You asked," Jeanie taunted her sister.

"Ok, I did." Theresa groaned. "Now what's this about having a big dinner I hear you talked Jeanie into having?"

"You're going to teach me grandma's recipes."

"Not all of them, I hope you know. That would take more than one meal," Theresa said.

"Then we can start having big meals again, so you can teach me all of them," Jessica replied.

"Haven't you learned, yet?" Jeanie said with amusement.

Theresa looked at her sister and replied, "I guess we will have to have a lot of those meals, and since we don't have the room for those big gatherings, we'll need to have them here. By the way, Jessica, did you invite someone over?"

Jessica looked over to her Aunt and guiltily said, "Yes, two. I hope that's ok."

"I think that's fine," Theresa answered her daughter, for her Aunt. "Because, on such short notice, I don't know who I could invite."

"What about Jackie?" Jeanie asked.

"She is in a bowling league and they are having a party Friday night. It'd have to be my funeral, or something like that, to pull her away from her league," Theresa replied.

"Are you sure, Mom?" Jessica asked.

"It'll be fine. We can cook up a storm. That will be fun enough for me."

-------

Agent Barnes had been out for the last hour. She was pretty steamed about the practical joke that she hadn't felt was so funny. Special Agent Downs had gotten down to the end of the hallway when he saw the maid's cart. He got the maid to call, pretending to be room service. I only heard from inside the bathroom, but it didn't sound like things were going well. At least she didn't shoot him, I had thought. After she had gone, he told me that it was something agents did to each other from time to time. I could see her reaction had upset him and it had nothing to do with her readiness. Now she was back and everything seemed back to normal.

"John, I got some better paper and an envelope for you. You can't write a love letter on hotel stationary. Besides, it would give away our location," Agent Barnes said.

"I've got to re-write this?"

"It's good practice, John," Special Agent Downs joked.

"'Keepers', and now 'schoolmarms.' Great!" John threw back.

"It's a good thing no one's around to hear that one!" Special Agent Downs said. "The last comment you made was repeated all over the office within minutes. Schoolmarms indeed."

The agents looked at each other and then Agent Barnes said, "John, we're going out for a few minutes. Is that ok with you?"

"Sure. I'll be here for a while... re-writing this letter."

As the two agents closed the door, Special Agent Downs said, "He's not going to be happy that we're moving again, tomorrow."

"No, he isn't. I kind of like these accommodations better, myself."

Special Agent Downs chuckled, "Yeah, better than that last place. The next one will surprise him, though."

"That it will. Have you decided to tell him now, in the morning, or make him wait?"

"He's going to have to wait."

"Oh? Still sore about that poker game?"

"He set me up for that one," Special Agent Downs said, and then cracked a smile. "No. I want to make sure that letter is sealed and on its way, before we let him know."

"Probably not a bad idea."

-------

Jeanie had pulled Jessica away, to feed the dogs.

As they were walking out to the shed, Jeanie asked, "So, who did you invite? I'm only curious because you always said you didn't have any friends at school."

"One ... and she's the one I invited. Her name is Fiona."

"Fiona Bartenelli?"

"You know her?"

"We went to school with her mother. You know about the Bartenelli's, don't you?"

Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Jeanie, do you think that Fiona and I would be friends if she was anything like the rest of her family? She's what they call ... the black sheep of the family. She doesn't like anything they do and most of the family can't stand her. It's weird thinking she can't talk to her mom. Of course her dad is worse."

"And you think they will let her come to dinner?"

"Let her?" Jessica said and then laughed. "They'll be glad she's gone."

"You're sure?"

"Just wait 'til you meet her. She's going to come home with me after school, 'cause she wants to watch me learn some recipes. She's never done anything like that before."

"She's Italian!" Jeanie said.

"So?"

"They cook. The Bartenelli's always had big family meals."

"I think they still do. She's not invited."

"What could she have done to make herself so unwelcome in her own family?" Jeanie asked somewhat worried.

"She recorded a meeting of the family elders for a school project last year."

"Oh. I guess that didn't go over well."

"She told me the teacher didn't even see it. When he found out what it was about, he called her father."

Jeanie didn't say anything more for a few minutes, as she was scooping the dog's food and thinking about Fiona.

As they walked back, Jeanie asked, "Who's the other one?"

"Other one?" Jessica asked, as her mind was a million miles away from the previous conversation.

"You told us you invited two."

"Yes, I did."

Jeanie took a deep breath in, then after exhaling, said, "And?"

"It's a surprise."

"Not John, is it?"

"Don't I wish."



-------

Chapter 30



"You're not telling me something," I said.

"When we get in the car, and get on the road, we can talk," Agent Barnes said, in a placating voice.

I looked over to Special Agent Downs and said, "Fine, but I want answers."

It was another half hour before we were in the car and on the road. There was no question in my mind that we had just checked out. Why, and where we were going now, had not been mentioned. This was getting old.

Waiting until we were on the freeway, I again asked, "I think it's time to tell me. What's going on?"

"We're moving you," Special Agent Downs said.

"Really," I said sarcastically. "Is that why I saw you checking out? How stupid do you think I am?"

"John," Agent Barnes said, "there are a number of things in play right now. We didn't tell you last night, as well as this morning, because we hadn't mailed your letter to Jessica off yet."

"That makes a difference because?"

Agent Barnes went on, "Because we're going back. Do you know of the Holembeck House?"

"Never heard of it."

"It's two miles from where Black Hawk is," Special Agent Downs said.

"Black ... Where Jessica is?"

"Yes. There are reasons for this, and it's not for you two to see each other," Agent Barnes said apologetically.

"What's it for then? To torture me?"

"Mmm ... hadn't thought of it that way," Special Agent Downs said.

"He did too," Agent Barnes said, "but it wasn't our choice. Today is the polygraph."

"You're expecting trouble. Jessica and Theresa could be in trouble, right? That's why."

John looked out the window and felt a tear run down his cheek. The two agents up front were silent. There wasn't much they could say.

-------

"I think Jessica has something up her sleeve," Jeanie said to her husband.

"Why do you say that? And do you want to tell me about what?" he responded.

"I didn't want to say anything to Theresa, but I asked Jessica who she invited."

"Yeah, I heard. She invited two. What's so big about that? Theresa didn't invite anyone."

"No ... I asked who they were."

"Ok," he said, pausing and knowing he wasn't going to get the information easily. "Are you going to tell me, or did you bring this up just to make idle conversation."

"Sometimes you can be an ass, you know that?"

"I guess you're not going to tell me, as now you're changing the subject."

"Fine. One of them is Fiona Bartenelli."

"A Bartenelli? She's bringing a Bartenelli here? What is she, crazy? No, you don't have to answer that. I already know the answer to that question. Who the hell is the other person?"

"That's it. She wouldn't tell me."

"Let me get this straight. She's bringing a Bartenelli, and some other stranger, to our dinner? What did you tell her?"

"She said Fiona was the black sheep of the family," Jeanie said, trying to defend herself.

"Oh? What'd she do, rat out her old man?" he said with a laugh.

"It was close to that."

Stopping the inventory check he was doing, he looked at his wife.

"You're not joking, are you?"

"No."

"It's a wonder she's still alive then."

"I don't think it's all that bad, but from what Jessica said, she wouldn't have to ask. Her family would be glad she was gone."

"Damn. So who's the other one?"

"I don't know, she wouldn't say, and that's got me a bit worried."

"Well, talk to her when she gets home from school. You have at least an hour before Theresa gets off work."

Jeanie sighed, and then said, "Yeah, I think I better. With Jessica, you never know what she's got planned."

"Maybe that hit on the head did more than the doctor knew."

"I warned you."

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Your niece may be many things, but mental is not one of them. She's too darn smart for her own good, at times, and you need to remember that. If you piss her off, you'll be on the losing end."

"I think I already am," he said as he rubbed his arm.

"Give me a break," Jeanie said, not buying his 'pity poor me' routine.

-------

"How is this place secure? It's just a regular house?"

"That's what anyone would think that doesn't know the history of this house," Special Agent Downs said, "and that's the good part."

"Oh, are you going to enlighten me?"

"This house was used during the prohibition years. There are some rather secure areas of the house that, unless you know about them, are hard to even find."

I looked at him, skeptically, and asked, "Are you pulling my leg?"

"Not at all. Some of these places are regular museums. This one has been in the same family for four generations. Being privately owned, it has been kept quiet," Special Agent Downs told me.

"Then how do you get to use it, if it's a private residence?"

He grinned and then told me, "That is all part of a deal that was drafted long ago. We didn't confiscate the property, and they let us use it twenty days out of the year."

I blinked and said, "The prohibition ended 75 years ago!"

"Good deal for the FBI, isn't it," Special Agent Downs joked.

"There's no end date to this deal?"

"Statue of limitations was up a long time ago. The family has continued the tradition for several reasons."

"Oh?"

"We have a nice little security system on the place."

"And they don't pay for it."

"Twenty days a year."

Agent Barnes butted into the conversation, "Most of the time the regional heads come and use this. They claim it as a retreat, but everyone knows it's a free vacation. Because of circumstances, this time, we get to use it for a few days. Everyone in the station who knew where we were going was jealous."

"They do have a garage I hope."

"Yes, but why would you ask that?" Special Agent Downs wanted to know.

"This car is a dead giveaway. Don't you guys ever watch television? Everyone knows what undercover cars look like and this one fits it to a tee."

"That bad?" Agent Barnes asked with a slight smile on her face.

"Yes, that bad."

-------

"You brought her here, today?" Jeanie whispered to Jessica.

"We ride the same bus, now that I have to take the bus," Jessica replied. "I wanted her to know where she was coming tomorrow. She's not as confident as she likes to put on."

"Are you talking about me?" Fiona asked.

"I was just asking Jessica if you liked dogs. Jessica needs to feed them. They're watch dogs and if you don't know them, they can be rather intimidating."

Fiona looked at Jessica, her eyes wide, and then returned her gaze to Jeanie.

"Can I just stay in here when she feeds them?"

"Sure you can," Jeanie said.

Jessica fed the dogs, but this wasn't their normal eating time. She was a bit perturbed, but there was little she could say about it. She went out the back door a minute later.

"Did you know I was in class with your mother?" Jeanie said.

"You were?" Fiona asked, wide-eyed. "What was she like then?"

"A little hellion. She terrorized all the boys!" Jeanie said and then started to laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. No your mother was nothing like that. She was rather sweet."

"Really?"

"You say that as it is hard to believe," Jeanie said.

"Sometimes it is," Fiona said rather sadly.

This was not at all the girl Jeanie had expected. Jessica was almost the opposite of this timid girl. Fiona was very much the opposite of the girl Jeanie had known as her mother. When Jeanie called that person 'nice' she had done so for Fiona's sake.

"How long does it take to feed the dogs?" Fiona asked.

"Jessica won't be much longer. Tomorrow, are you coming here after school, like you did today?"

"Yes. That's not a problem, is it?" Fiona asked, almost sounding fearful of the answer.

"No problem at all. Jessica's mother, Theresa, is going to teach Jessica some family recipes. You might get put to work in the kitchen, too."

"Me? I'd get to see the family recipes?"

Jeanie wanted to scream. What the hell was going on? Fiona sounded desperate for attention. Jeanie knew the Bartenelli's were a large family. Italian families always had special recipes, yet Fiona didn't sound like she was a part of the family at all!



-------

Chapter 31



Special Agent Downs hadn't even given me the full tour of the main floor, when he got a call on his cell phone. I heard his response.

"That's good. I want communication every half hour."

As soon as he hung up, he said, "That was Agent Barnes. She's in position overlooking Black Hawk. Normally we wouldn't be telling you any of this, but there are extenuating circumstances."

"Such as?" I asked.

I was thinking that I wasn't so sure I wanted to really know how much danger Jessica and Theresa might be in.

He answered without reservation, "If I get a call, I'm out the door. It won't make a bit of difference where you're at, or what you're doing."

This was not what I had expected to hear, and for some reason, it struck me as funny.

I couldn't keep a straight face as I said, "So, let me get this straight. If I have the bedpan under me, and you get a call, I'm stuck?"

He could see I found some humor in this, so he chuckled and said, "That pretty much sums it up."

"Then I guess I'd better watch what I eat then," I said. Then my smile dropped as I asked the question I needed, even if I didn't want to hear the answer. "How much danger are they in?"

"Today, most likely, not much. We have to be in place, and any problems worked out, so that tomorrow we're ready."

"Tomorrow?"

"The lawyers will get hold of the conversation that took place, as well as the results from the polygraph. After that, the possibility that things could escalate is possible. We don't know anything at this point and we just need to take precautions. Remember, John, these are precautions. No one is expecting anything, but we need to be in place and ready."

I had one other question. "I thought you'd be using special communication stuff, not cell phones. Can't people listen in to those?"

"I'll let you in on a few things. First these aren't your normal cell phones, and we do have a lot of that high tech gear that you see in the movies. The nice thing about using a cell phone is that everyone does now a days. We blend in and don't stick out so much."

"Now they just need to do something about the cars they give you," I responded with a bit of sarcasm.

We finished the tour and sat around for the rest of the day. Every time Special Agent Downs' cell phone would ring, my nerves went on edge. It was in the late afternoon that Agent Barnes reported that Jessica had walked up the sidewalk and had entered the house. Also there was another girl with her, images had been taken and transferred.

When Special Agent Downs told me this, I asked what that meant.

"Agent Barnes has a very nice digital camera with her. She got pictures of the girl Jessica was with, and they have been sent off so that we can identify the girl."

"You mean everyone who arrives at the lot is going to get their picture taken?" I asked.

"They sure are."

"You know that the place is a business? From what I understand, they get a number of cars in there, in a day."

"That's the good thing about digital cameras. She has at least four memory cards. One can be out and downloading, while she's using another."

"How fast can you find out about the people, though?"

"Adults? Pretty fast, especially as they will arrive in cars. We run the license plate, and then have names. If they match, then it's ok. When they don't, it takes a little bit longer."

"You said adults. What about this girl?"

"Fortunately for us, we have the pictures of the kids from the schools in this town. We originally tried to look for that girl on the bike at the robbery that way. Of course, we found nothing, but we now have those pictures. As long as she lives here, we'll have a match in a few minutes. Do you want to know who your little Jessica is seeing?" he said in a joking, yet taunting manner.

"You bet I do."

He looked at me for a moment, as if trying to decide something, and then said, "Come on, I have something to show you."

-------

Sitting in the car, he asked, "So he doesn't know about us?"

Agent Barnes looked at him, a bit perturbed.

"No, he doesn't know."

"And you don't think he'll wonder? I thought you said he was smart."

"He is. I just don't want to think about that, right now. What I want is to know who that girl was that came home with Jessica."

"You know these people pretty well. I thought you were with John this whole time."

"I do my job," Agent Barnes said, adding her jab where it could count. "Something you need to learn. If you don't know the person you're dealing with, you can be on the wrong side of something ugly."

"Are you trying to tell me..."

He was cut off by the ringing of the phone. Agent Barnes answered and jotted down some notes.

"Fiona Bartenelli?" he said looking at the notes Agent Barnes had written. "That name sounds familiar."

"Yeah, like?"

"I'm not sure. Something about that name though. I think we should check it out."

"Fine. We've got nothing else to do. I'll call the office," she said. "Look, who's that coming out?"

"Target one."

"Would you just say Jessica?" she said exasperated. "What's she doing?"

"Looks ... like..." he said drawing out his words, as he figured out what Jessica was doing, "she's feeding the dogs."

"Where's the Fiona girl?" Agent Barnes asked.

"Not visible."

"Then they must know her. How many teenagers would stay inside with adults and not be out with their friend, otherwise?"

"Makes sense. That name still bothers me."

"Next time I talk to Downs, I'll ask him to check it out, but I'm not going to call the office and ask them to run a report, right now. They need to be ready for us to call in real information."

He knew that Agent Barnes wouldn't have been selected to be paired with him, but there was a woman/man team ratio that they were told to maintain on this, so he was it. That didn't mean that he took her barbs without notice.

"You're sure you don't want to stay at the motel with us?"

"Fat chance. I know everyone's jealous that we get to stay there. I'm taking full advantage of the place."

-------

Fiona looked at the clock on the kitchen wall.

"Is that the right time?" she asked rhetorically, and then went on, "I've got to go."

"So soon?" Jeanie asked, being polite. Frankly, she'd been disturbed by the girl's statements about her home life.

"Yes. Sorry," Fiona said politely. "Tomorrow, it won't make any difference, but tonight I've got to be there for my sisters."

Jessica added, "She has two younger sisters that she takes care of at times. Why didn't you tell me?"

Fiona's eyes darted, as though she didn't want to answer, but then said, "'Cause I wanted to see ... you ... I mean ... Oh, sorry, I've got to go."

With that she picked up her backpack from school, and headed out the door.

"I need to get help to get you out through the gate," Jessica called to Fiona, as she too headed out the door.

-------

"They don't have this resolution on Google," I said.

Special Agent Downs smiled as he said, "No, and there are reasons for that. Do you have any idea how many people in the Southwest lay out in their back yards ... Well, it is a matter of security."

"Security? Perving after naked gals in their back yard is called National Security? Is this one of the perks of the job?"

Downs snorted, and didn't bother to answer those questions. He instead turned to another screen and turned it on.

"This is the communication that Agent Barnes has had with the office. He scrolled down and came to a picture of a girl. "This is the girl that came home with Jessica today."

I looked at the picture and had to admit that the camera Agent Barnes was using was damned good. I still hadn't seen any pictures of her, before; nor had Jessica mentioned her, which I told Special Agent Downs.

Scrolling down the screen he said, "Her name is Fiona Bartenelli."

"Bartenelli," I said. "I wonder if she's related to the Bartenellis who own the company I worked for, before I got shot."

"Not a common name like Smith, so they're probably a relative of some sort. Why?"

"Just normal curiosity."

"Here's the last of the report. She left the property. Jessica let her out the gate, locking it behind her. The girl walked down the street in a rapid pace."

"Now I have a question for you," I said.

"What?" Special Agent Downs said with a guarded sound in his voice.

"How many are there?"

Wrinkling his forehead, Special Agent Downs asked, "I'm not sure I follow you."

"We wouldn't be here, set up like we are, with Agent Barnes, Jessica and me here with you, without at least one other. My guess is there is more than that. We've been here all day. I can't believe that Agent Barnes doesn't need to relieve herself. She wouldn't just leave her post. So ... how many?"

Instead of answering Special Agent Downs looked at his watch and then shook his head.

"What?" I said irritably.

"I'm not doing well in the betting arena."

"This is supposed to make sense to me?"

"You took longer than I figured by thirty minutes. I'm not sure who got this time slot. Barnes thought it would be at least another hour."

"You bet on how long it would take me to figure this out?"

"John, tell me, does it make any difference that you didn't know until now? For you, this is new, and most likely terrifying. For us, it is what we are trained for. Like today. We sit around being slightly bored. To keep things interesting, we come up with games. We can't outright tell you what you shouldn't be privy to, but anyone who has met you knows you're pretty smart. We knew you'd figure it out. So we bet. If you were in our shoes, you'd do the same thing."

Intellectually I knew he was right. Emotionally I was having a hard time with it.

"Are you going to answer me now? How many?"

"Two others. It gives us enough coverage, and more than enough manpower if anything happens."



-------

Chapter 32



There was a moment of maybe five minutes when I was alone. It was 'the changing of the guard, ' so to speak.

When Agent Barnes showed up, she looked at me suspiciously. I wondered if she thought I was going to get into something. You know the saying, 'While the cats away, the mice will play.' There was little hope of that, as my mobility was severely limited and the last thing I needed, was to do something stupid, and end up with this cast on any longer than needed. Then again, as I thought later, maybe she expected the questions.

"Where are the others staying?"

"Others?"

I gave her the 'please spare me' look and said, "I'm sure Downs told you I figured that one out. Anyway, you had a bet on it!"

"He did mention it," she said, "and don't worry, they aren't staying here."

"I wasn't worried, but it sounds like you're relieved. The guy you're stuck with isn't Downs, is he?"

"No," she said. She looked at me, shook her head and then added, "I refuse to say another word."

I had to smile about that, knowing she didn't mean it.

"Did you get any pictures of Jessica?"

Now it was her time to smile.

"I might have..."

"Somehow I know this is going to cost me," I said.

"Teach me how to beat Downs in poker."

I opened my mouth, ready to say there was no way I could. Then I thought better of that approach and what came out was, "I can do my best. How many pictures do you have?"

"Ten."

"Ten! Show me one, please!" I begged. "Show me one and then get a deck of cards."

She grinned. "So this is, 'Show me yours and I'll show you mine'?"

I couldn't believe she just said that, but I nodded, not knowing what else to do.

She still was grinning when she handed me my crutches.

"Come on, I have the memory card, we need to plug it in so you can see it."

At that point she had my full attention. I followed her into the living room, where she plugged the card into a reader.

"As you know, there are a few extra high tech devices in this house that most people wouldn't own. You'll get to see Jessica on the flat screen TV, in just a moment."

My mouth felt dry as I was waiting. The screen went from black to full color and I saw her. My eyes soaked in the vision of her loveliness. Then my eyes stopped and focused.

"What's that?"

"What?" Agent Barnes asked.

I moved over to screen and pointed to her forehead.

"What's that?"

I could see Agent Barnes frown as she looked.

"Maybe a shadow, I don't know. Let's look at another picture."

Another shot, different angle, different place, but there was the same line on her forehead.

"That wasn't there when we left," I said.

"You're sure?" she asked.

"I think I'd notice something like that," I replied, as I rolled my eyes. "Are there any clearer ones of that part of her head?"

"I think you're just trying to see all of the pictures."

"Fine," I said heatedly, "you look at them and then tell me."

"John, calm down. I was teasing. Come on, let's pull this out and look at them on the monitors in the control room. I still can't believe Downs showed you that, but those monitors have much better resolution."

-------

"You do understand that contact is still out of the question," Agent Barnes said to me.

"Yes," I replied, none to happily, but also added, "you are going to get better pictures today, right?"

"I will do my best; she should head out for school soon. If yesterday was any indication, she's taking the bus. We have her catching it a block from Black Hawk. I need to hurry, but I'll try my best."

"Thanks. Tonight I'll teach you a little more about poker."

"And here I thought it was a fun little game."

"Not the way I play."

"You don't play it as a game at all!" she said as she headed out the door.

-------

Agent Barnes was late and didn't get a picture of Jessica as she headed to the bus. What irked her the most was the reason she was late. Her temporary partner, and a thorn in her side, had taken his time that morning.

They sat around most of the day taking pictures of cars and drivers that visited Black Hawk. It wasn't anything more than an exercise, in a way. Theresa and Jessica, the two possible targets, were not there. Theresa, being the safest at the hospital, was being monitored by listening in to the security communications at her work. Jessica was being monitored in another fashion. She had no idea that two of the substitute teachers at her school that day were in an FBI training program. They kept their ears and eyes open for anything unusual.

Nothing happened. In fact no one had heard anything on any level from the group they knew to be heading this. The lawyer had picked up the copies late last night. Someone should have heard something, but as of yet, there had been nothing. Frustration was evident and the agents' nerves were wearing thin.

"Theresa is home and walked down the street a few minutes ago. The bus just drove by, that means we should get a clear shot at Jessica in ... She's in sight. Tell John I'm getting as many pictures as this camera will give me," Agent Barnes said into her phone.

"The other girl is with them. The one from yesterday," the other agent said. "Did you ask Downs to dig up info on that family?"

"No. If you want that, put in a request to the office," Agent Banes snarled to him after she had hung up.

"I will," he replied and sent a message off.

-------

I looked at the report that had just come in. Special Agent Downs was letting me see a lot more than I would think was proper. I sure wasn't going to say anything. We'd been talking after looking at the pictures of Jessica.

It was a record of her hospital visit. I know there was no way I, and maybe even he, should have access to such stuff. Yet here I was, reading the doctors report.

Another report came in and Downs opened it up. This wasn't about Jessica's hospital stay. This one was a background check on Antonio "Tino" Bartenelli. I read enough before Downs realized I was there reading it, and flipped off the monitor.

"That was pressing beyond reason of what you should have seen," he said, letting me know that I hadn't seen any of what I'd seen, today.

-------

"Do you have any idea who her father is? What's she doing there?"

Before Agent Barnes could say a word, the other agent was out the door and heading towards the house.

"That asshole," she said and as she exited the car, her phone was already ringing Special Agent Downs.

"Downs."

"I've got a situation."

"On my way."

"No," she said.

"What's the problem?"

"The asshole I was assigned with. He doesn't understand authority."

"Did you get a copy of the girl's father?"

"Yes."

"I guess he thinks he knows more about the father than we do. I'm running after him as he's heading towards the house."

"Fuck."

"You got that right."

"Keep the line open. If I hear anything I don't like, I'm on my way."

"Understood."

Agent Barnes knew their cover had just been blown. This was when agents lost their lives. Unfortunately the agent had reached the house before she could stop him. The best she could do was to try and make sure they walked away alive.

-------

"Jeanie, you want to handle this guy? He looks like a bad version of a traveling salesman. Probably selling vacuums or some shit."

Jeanie looked at her husband. He'd glanced at the monitor for a second, before his eyes went back to the television that he was so wrapped up in.

"Sure honey, I'd be glad to get it. Wouldn't want to trouble you," she replied sarcastically.

"What?" he said, trying to figure out why he'd just been insulted.

Opening the side door to the house, Jeanie walked over to the gate.

"Can I help you?"

The man was about to answer when a voice shot out from the side.

"Jeanie, is everything ok inside the house. Look at your feet if not."

"What the hell is all this?" Jeanie responded.

Agent Barnes stepped out and Jeanie recognized the agent.

"What are you doing here? John's not with you, is he?"

"We were concerned about the girl that showed up today," the man said.

"Is this guy an agent too? What happened to the other one?" Jeanie asked.

"Long story. Yes he is," Agent Barnes said as she glared at him, "although he has a lot to learn yet. I'm baby-sitting him right now."

Jeanie couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm Agent Wood from the FBI," he said as though that should explain everything. "We have reason to worry about your safety, while Fiona Bartenelli is in your house."

"How the hell do you know who's in my house?" Jeanie said to him, and then looked to Agent Barnes for an explanation.

"I think maybe we should come in and explain a few things."



-------

Chapter 33



Jessica saw the two come in the door with Jeanie and shrieked, bringing Theresa and Fiona into the room.

"Barnes! Report!" she heard in her earpiece.

Talking into the cell phone, Agent Barnes said, "We're inside and Jessica saw me."

Downs and I could hear Jessica over the phone asking Agent Barnes, "Where is he? Did you bring him? When do I get to see him? Tell me!"

As Agent Barnes heard Jessica pelting her with questions on the one side, she heard Downs in her ear.

"Is it clear?"

Before Agent Barnes could answer, everyone heard Jeanie's husband calling for her. Jeanie responded quickly, because of the tone of his voice. Agent Barnes moved with her.

The television had been forgotten. He was staring at the monitor that showed their front gate. Jeanie moved over to him and looked. Then her jaw dropped.

"Jessica, you get in here, right now!" Jeanie said.

Of course everyone else came in, wondering what was going on.

"Do you want to explain this?" Jeanie asked Jessica as she pointed to the screen.

Jessica looked, although she knew it was about time. She saw her father, looking rather apprehensive at the front gate.

"I asked, and was told I could invite who I wanted," Jessica said with forced determination, but at the same time she was on the edge of tears.

"Who did you invite?" her mother asked.

"Tim is outside," Jeanie responded.

"Tim!" Theresa said to her daughter. Then with heat in her voice added, "You ... You invited him?"

Jessica took a deep breath and everyone could see she was shaking.

"Yes I did and I'm going to let him in, now," she said. Then, to dare anyone to stop her, she added, "Or, I'll just leave with him."

There was a pause of silence before Agent Barnes said, "You, little lady, are not going anywhere without an escort. I'm going with you."

As soon as they walked out the door, Theresa said, "What am I going to do with her?"

"Should I go?" Fiona asked, rather timidly.

"No. No. None of this is your fault. Jessica is just sticking her hand into business that she shouldn't," Theresa said.

"Tim is your ex, isn't he," Fiona asked.

"Yes, he is."

"She's talked about ... Oh! Never mind."

"What's she said?" Theresa curiously wanted to know.

Jeanie butted in, knowing Theresa was placing the poor girl on the spot. At the same time, Jessica opened the door quietly. She didn't want to make a scene.

Turning to the unknown man, Jeanie asked, "Now I want to know why you were spying on us and for how long?"

"I am not at liberty to tell you any information, although I would like to know why Fiona Bartenelli is in your home."

"How do you know who I am?" Fiona asked.

"I'm Agent Wood from the FBI and..."

Agent Barnes stepped into the room and touched his shoulder. Startled, he spun around. Without thinking, he caught Barnes right in the chest, taking her down to the floor.

-------

I had heard when Jessica had said her father had been invited. Things were not going to go well. The cover had been blown by the over zealous agent. It was simply a matter of time. Special Agent Downs was concentrating on listening into the conversation and didn't have time to pay attention to me.

Leaving the room, I made my way to the back of the house. Even though I was doing pretty well on the crutches, I eyed the three stairs out the back porch with disgust. The redeeming factor was the handrail. Without it, I wouldn't have attempted. With it, I had a difficult time; but without falling, I made it down.

When Downs came out of the house I was at the back of the property, opening the door to the garage.

"Oh no you're not," he called as he walked towards me.

I ignored him and walked inside the garage and over to his car. He got next to me quicker than I thought that he would.

"I can't get back into the house on the crutches."

"You got out."

"With difficulty," I responded. "Going down steps is easier. I couldn't pick up my cast and keep balance at the same time. Plus, you have no idea how long you're going to be. Quit arguing and just take me."

He shook his head, but I knew I'd won.

"You're wasting my time," he said.

"Talking about it is wasting time. Just open the doors."

He clicked the remote and I took hold of the handle. Opening my door, I turned around, bent over and sat. It wasn't graceful but worked. I at least landed on the seat. He picked up my crutches that were on the floor now and looked at me.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Get on the other side and just pull me in. It's the easiest way."

He did, and then had to come back around and close my door. After that, he climbed into the driver's seat. The car started up, the garage door opened, and we backed out into the alley.

"What did I miss?" I asked as soon as he pulled onto the street.

"Nothing I'd like to talk about."

"Your agent is making an ass out of himself, then."

"Sometimes, John, you can be a pain in the ass."

I grinned and said, "I think I've heard my father say the same thing a time or two."

"You are a bit too cheery about this," he grumbled.

"I get to see Jessica."

-------

Agent Wood picked up Agent Barnes cell phone and said into it, "Sir, there's a small problem."

"What?" Special Agent Downs curtly said.

He knew what he'd like to say to that man, but the office was also monitoring all communications.

"I just knocked the wind out of Agent Barnes."

"You did what? I'm on my way. Do not do anything! Do you hear me? Not anything, until I arrive."

"Yes, Sir."

Agent Wood knew he was in some deep shit. There were only a few things, short of a miracle, that would pull him out. Other than that, he would be sent to do deskwork for the next year, at least.

As Agent Barnes sat up, Theresa checked her pulse. Everyone else, with the exception of two, looked on.

Fiona had pulled Jessica off to the side. In a hushed whisper started asking questions.

"The FBI! Jessica, what's going on? Do you know what would happen to me if my father found out about this? Why did you invite your father? And who is John?"

Fiona was someone Jessica could talk to without feeling the family pull. So she answered her, somewhat.

"I don't know why they're here. Agent Barnes is ok, but that guy," Jessica shivered, "he gives me the creeps."

"Ok? Jessica what's with you? How do you know an FBI agent?"

"They have John."

"Jessica, this has gone far enough. Who's John?"

"You can't tell. Promise me that."

Fiona rolled her eyes as she said, "Do you have any idea how much trouble I'd be in with my family if they knew what was going on right now? Tell anyone? You've got to be kidding."

"Ok ... He's my boyfriend."

"What!" Fiona said loud enough to have everyone turn and look at the two. Quietly she went on. "Do your parents know? Wait. Jessica, why does the FBI have your boyfriend? This doesn't sound good."

Jessica and Fiona were startled when Tim said, "Honey, are you ok?"

Jessica just nodded to her father.

He looked around and said, "I thought this was going to be a quiet little dinner, to start talking."

Jessica attempted a smile, but failed miserably.

"Dad, I had no idea any of this would happen."

"Maybe I should go and we could try another time."

Jessica took hold of his arm and held on tightly.

"No! Please stay," she said in a pleading voice. "I need you here."

He took a deep breath and answered, "I will, but I'm doing this for you, you know."

"Thanks, Dad," Jessica responded and gave him a smile.

-------

"You are wasting my time. You should have stayed behind. Now I have to watch you as well," Special Agent Downs said. "Who knows what's going on in there?"

"Did your cell phone stop working?" I asked.

"Smart ass."

"Give me my crutches and I can do just fine. When will the others show up?"

In the car while driving, the communication had switched to full audio. I heard that the office was sending three agents.

He looked at his watch and said, glumly, "Probably about an hour or so. I wish they would have waited."

We walked up to the gate and Downs pressed the button. Just a few seconds later the door opened and Jessica flew out. I don't think she touched the porch and I know she didn't hit a single stair before she hit the pavement.

"John!"

I was looking at Jessica as she was running towards us, but my peripheral vision caught movement at the doorway of the house, and I looked.

There was the girl, Fiona, peering around the door at me.



-------

Chapter 34



I imagine that if you could see it from an outsider's point of view, it might have been amusing. Sitting on my lap was Jessica. Her body slightly twisted as she had her hands around my neck, holding onto me.

On the right, next to us, was Fiona. Her mouth was hanging open, looking at her friend.

Jeanie sat with a slightly amused expression on her face.

Jeanie's husband didn't share that amusement. I think he was probably rather annoyed with the intrusion of all these people.

Next to him was Tim. He had the look I would have expected, one of trying to bore a hole in my head. I couldn't blame him. He didn't know me at all, and his daughter was sitting on my lap.

The unfavorable Agent Woods, Special Agent Downs, Agent Barnes, and Agent Ling sat in a row. Agent Ling was the fourth of their team and had been summons by Downs to the house.

Theresa was the last in the circle. She was looking at her daughter. I'm sure part of it was because of how she was sitting half on me, full casts do make things difficult, and part of it was because Jessica had invited her father here.

I reached up and touched her little scar.

"I got it..."

"I know," I said.

Her eyes widened.

"How?"

Special Agent Downs cleared his throat and I remembered I was not to have seen any of what I did.

So in a case of good luck and quick thinking, I changed the subject.

"Are you going to tell them why we're here?" I asked.

Downs gave me a dirty look, but then nodded. I think he understood what I had just done, and frankly why they were here was going to come out anyway.

"Yesterday, the two men who attempted the robbery at the bank, which John foiled, took a polygraph. They basically told us everything they knew about the organization that had enlisted their help. While it wasn't earthshaking information, it was a chink in the system.

"As you know, we took John off for safe keeping. Jessica and Theresa are here as a safeguard as well."

"Oh My God! Jessica!" Fiona blurted out. "That's why you're here?"

"Sir," Agent Woods said to Special Agent Downs.

Downs looked hard at Agent Woods and he sort of sunk back into his chair. It was then that I realized that Special Agent Downs hadn't forgotten Fiona was here. He was somehow using this situation.

"They're in a more dangerous position now, aren't they?" Jeanie's husband said. "It would have been nice to know. Hell, what were you doing? Waiting until someone got shot so you'd have another informant?"

Special Agent Downs wasn't fazed by his anger. I was sure he'd seen much worse.

"Jeanie, you asked why we knew Fiona was in your house. For the last day we set up round the clock surveillance on your property. That was not all we were doing. Our primary job was to protect you, not get another informant. Jessica, did you notice two substitute teachers at your school today?"

Jessica looked at Fiona before saying, "I heard about one."

Downs raised his eyebrows and said, "Really?"

"I overheard some boys say the substitute that was out on yard duty was..." Jessica blushed.

"I get the point," Special Agent Downs said. "Jessica, both those substitutes were there to protect you if needed. Theresa, you were much easier to administer."

"Administer?" Theresa said, thinking she was not sure that she liked the sound of that.

"Hospitals are a lot more security conscious now a days. We were linked into the hospitals communication. If anything were to happen, a full shut down and containment of the hospital would have occurred."

Theresa gasped. "How?"

"We are the FBI," Downs said with a rare smile.

"So now what?" Jeanie asked.

"Good question," Special Agent Downs replied. "The overzealous Agent Woods blew our cover. We are exposed and therefore vulnerable. To top that off, John is here. If anyone was watching this place, now would be the time to strike."

"Nice thought," I said. "Any other way to scare the daylights out of people?"

"You don't seem so worried," Theresa said to me.

"Theresa," I replied with slight sarcasm, "you wouldn't believe the wonderful accommodations I've had. Anything is better than that." Then I shrugged my shoulders and added, "Plus, what can I say. Even if my leg is going to sleep I can't think of a better place I'd rather be."

Jessica jumped off my lap. The sudden blood rushing back into my leg was painful.

"Sorry, John, I'm so sorry," she said to me.

I snorted. Jeanie laughed. Theresa rolled her eyes, and shook her head. I didn't want to look at Jessica's father. Fiona was still in a state of shock over me, I believe.

Looking over to Theresa, I said, "Ok, seriously. I've been hearing all about, well, everything. I know more than I should, I suppose. Or let me say it another way, more than is healthy for me. Some of the things I heard were sick." I looked down and then back to her. "But you know if I'm here, they have to protect you two better."

Tim, who hadn't spoken until now, asked the agents, "What would you expect? Guns, explosives, intimidation in forms of destruction or revenge tactics?"

"This is the hard part. This group has never been that hard core, before. Someone in their organization has developed a nasty streak," Special Agent Downs explained.

"Nasty ... as in?" Tim wanted to know.

"The girl John saved was hypnotized. She was part of a project we now know was code named SCOPE."

Fiona gasped, and all eyes turned to her.

-------

I walked into the kitchen. Jessica left the side of her mother and rushed over to me.

"Do you think she's going to be ok?"

I nodded as I said, "Yes. Downs and Barnes are pretty good people. I trust them."

"What about that Woods person?" Jeanie asked.

I didn't get a chance to answer that question. Tim walked in from outside and announced, "I moved my car. They're moving all the others so that it creates a barrier. Pretty smart thinking. Looks like a bunch of parked cars, but they way they moved them in; they'd interlock if someone tried to ram their way into the gate." Then he turned to me, "John, isn't it?"

My throat went dry and I had a hard time when I said, "Yes."

"Why don't we go into the living room and talk?" Tim asked.

"DADDY!" Jessica said.

He raised his eyebrows as he turned to look at his daughter.

She made a face and said, "Don't torment him."

Tim sort of laughed and then motioned the way. I crutched in, with him right behind me.

-------

Fiona was scared out of her mind.

"Don't I get a lawyer? Shouldn't my parents know about this?" she asked.

"Fiona," Barnes said with a calm smooth voice, "do you want your parents to know about this?"

Her face reddened a bit and she stammered out, "No."

He went on, "We just want to ask a few questions, that's all. Fiona, you reacted when I said the word SCOPE. We all know you didn't have a bad experience with mouthwash as a kid. You've heard that word before."

He left it there, open-ended, hoping she would pick up the topic. The last thing he needed was a child crying about pressure tactics.

The pause was too long for Agent Woods, who was only there because Special Agent Downs didn't want to let him out of his sight. His inexperience showed once again as he butted in.

"Tell us what you know. It will be worse if you don't, you know."

Downs turned to Barnes and said in a stern, no nonsense tone, "Take him out, now."

She was more than glad to do so, but she also knew Downs couldn't be left alone in the room with Fiona. Standing, she opened the bedroom door where they were and pulled Agent Woods with her. Leaving the door open, she walked down the hall.

Spotting Jeanie in the kitchen, Agent Barnes asked. "Jeanie, could you go sit with Special Agent Downs for a minute? I have something to deal with right now."

Jeanie had seen Agent Woods and then Agent Barnes, right behind him, walking down the hallway. She smiled at the agent and responded, "I'd be glad to."

After the two agents walked out the door, Jeanie went down the hall and into the bedroom.

"Would you please close the door, Jeanie?" Special Agent Downs asked.

She did and then sat on the bed, next to Fiona.

"Fiona," Downs said, "I'm sorry about that outburst. Agent Woods is inexperienced with asking people questions. I think he let his emotions get the best of him. Project SCOPE has been on every agent's mind. Do you know if your father has any involvement?"

"Don't ask me!" Fiona cried out. "Do you know what would happen?"

"Fiona," Jeanie said in a comforting voice as she pulled the girl into a hug, "it's ok."

"No. No, it's not," Fiona sobbed. "I'd be sent away. I'd never see my sisters again." She looked up at the agent and said, "You're asking me to give up my family. How can you ask a fourteen-year-old girl to do that? If my father knew I was talking to you..."

"You don't know what SCOPE is then," Special Agent Downs said.

"No," she said in-between sobs.

Jeanie thought the agent was rather harsh on this fragile girl.

"Fiona, the girl John saved was part of the SCOPE project. She would have died, and so wouldJohn, if she'd come much closer to the bank."

Jeanie and Fiona looked at Special Agent Downs, wide eyed, as though they expected him to say he was joking. However, there was nothing in his expression to suggest anything but what he had said was the truth.

"But I don't know anything," Fiona said despondently.

-------

Agent Barnes wanted to get back inside. She had no wish to be used as babysitter for an agent that shouldn't be anywhere near people. She found Agent Ling, and asked if she could put him to some use. Then quietly warned him to stay away from the house.

As soon as Agent Barnes walked off to go back into the house, Agent Woods said that he left some papers in the car they had been in while on stake out. Agent Ling was more than happy to get rid of him for a bit.

As soon as Agent Woods was through the gate, he sprinted to the car. Opening it up, he slid into the driver's seat and turned on the power.

"Headquarters, Agent Woods. We have a situation that needs attention."

"Go ahead Woods."

"Fiona Bartenelli just gave us information that says her father knows about the SCOPE project. Requesting a search warrant on the Bartenelli house."



-------

Chapter 35



Special Agent Downs stood, his tension showing. He saw me looking at him and calmly said, "John, would you like to take a walk with me?"

This was a bit surprising, but the way he said it was more an expectation than a request. I was more than happy to get away at the moment. The females had disappeared into the kitchen and I had been asked more questions than I'd wanted to answer, by Jessica's father. In all fairness, it wasn't bad. He wasn't my father, who would ask insanely complex questions; although he was the father of a young girl. That said enough about the tenor of his inquiries.

Downs helped me up and handed me my crutches. I made it to the back door with him and then he watched as I made it down the stairs.

"How long have you been able to do that?" he asked.

"There's a thing called motivation. I hadn't really tried, until today."

He shook his head and then turned to walk into the back of the storage yard. I followed, wondering where we were going. Never having been here before, I had no idea the depth of the lot. When we were at least seven cars back, he stopped and sat down against the front end of one of the many cars there in storage.

"Ever play chess?" he asked me.

"Is it that game with those funny animal figures, castles, and stuff?" I replied with a grin.

He didn't look up at me to see my facial expression, when he answered, "You can fool me once ... I imagine you play chess as well as you play poker."

"Not quite as good, but good enough."

"How about bridge?"

"Nope. I think my parents play, on occasion."

"A lot of our life is like chess, John. We make a move, thinking where we want to go. Then someone else makes a move, we reevaluate, and move again."

"Ok," I responded, wondering where this was going and why he wanted to say this to me away from everyone else.

"Bridge has only one similarity to poker. You wager, or bid, that you can win. Unlike poker, you are counting on your partner to tell you, without saying it outright, what they have in their hand. A good partner can make your bidding easy. A bad partner can make you look like a fool. After the wagering goes back and forth, you have to do what you say you can. If not, you lose."

"You're not talking about games at all," I replied.

"Agent Barnes is my partner. I know where she is, in the game."

"What did Agent Woods do now?"

He raised his eyebrows, but didn't answer that question.

"The problem is, John, that sometimes you have to play chess, bridge, and poker ... all at the same time."

I had been thinking about Agent Woods, ever since I had heard he'd blown the cover. He didn't fit any agent model that I could see. There was something not right.

"Is it his father, or an Uncle, that keeps Agent Woods in the agency?" I ventured.

"You should be glad no recruiters are around to hear questions like that."

"I was thinking of joining the CIA, myself."

"Oh?"

"You said they have all the toys," I said with a grin.

He chuckled at that and then got down to business.

"John, the other agents will be here in," looking at his watch, "about an hour and a half."

"I thought they would be here in an hour ... well, an hour from when we were in the car, so that would be very shortly."

"They would have been, except they are stopping en route to pick up a search warrant."

My mouth opened, but that was in stunned response. I knew there was only one person who could have and would have done something like that.

"John, I have to go and be the front man. That's my job and part of why I play poker well. I don't like to lose."

"You're taking Agent Barnes with you as well," I said, understanding what he'd been saying about the bridge games.

"I don't like the idea, one way or the other. Understandably, I'd like her with me. On the other hand, that would only leave Woods and Ling here."

-------

"That's it?" Jessica said. "I thought it'd be some complicated recipe."

"Sometimes," Theresa said, "it is the easy ones that feel so much like home." Turning, she saw Fiona and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't understand it. You two have ... well ... you have fun together."

Theresa glanced at her sister before replying.

"You don't have fun with your mother?"

"I used to. I think I'm more like my dad. Mom doesn't know what to do with me. She spends all her time ... Oh, never mind."

Jessica could see her friend was having a hard time with the conversation, so butted in, asking, "What's next and who has to set the table?"

"Everything is ready, we're just waiting for things to finish in the oven. I think you get the job of setting the table," Jeanie said. "If I remember right, we're doing this dinner because of you."

"Fiona, you get to help then," Jessica said and winked at her friend.

The two of them went into the dining room

"You remember her mother, don't you?" Jeanie said to Theresa in a soft voice.

"Of course I do. I think everyone does," Theresa answered just as soft.

"Maybe it's not what Fiona thinks."

"What do you mean?" Theresa wanted to know.

"You remember how she was before boys started going after her? She was as nice as any other girl."

"You think her mother ... She was a jealous thing."

"Possessive as anything. It's when she started changing."

"Might be, but is she worried that Fiona could change, like she did; or is it that she is aging and Fiona's youthful looks bring up jealousy?"

"Wish I knew."

-------

We had dinner, all of us. As the dining room opened into the living room, the table had been extended with a folding table. Not everything matched, but I was told that 'in the good old days' when grandma was around and cooked Sunday dinner it was the same mismatch, and that was part of the charm.

The food? I had no idea what to call anything. I did ask Jessica if she had learned how to make all the dishes. She blushed and said she was learning.

We ate, we talked, and it surprised us all when Special Agent Downs said, "The other agents are just down the street. They'll be here in five minutes."

"Other agents?" Tim said first, although everyone else at the table, save the agents and myself, were thinking it.

"Yes," Special Agent Downs said quickly. "Now, we need to go out and meet them. They don't need to come in." Standing, he looked at Agent Woods and directly said to him, "Come on, now."

As soon as they were out the door, Theresa said, "I don't think anyone likes Agent Woods."

I smiled.

"What do you know?" Tim asked me.

Shaking my head and thinking to myself that I had just shown off, I replied, "He has overstepped his bounds several times. The other agents, who need to trust him, don't. I would hate to be in their position."

"Like rushing up to the house and blowing their cover?" Jeanie asked.

"Yep."

"I wondered if you set him up for that," she taunted.

I wasn't following her and asked, "Why would I do that?"

"So you could see Jessica."

I couldn't help but smile.

-------

Special Agent Downs was looking over the warrant.

"Here's the second one, sir."

"Second?"

Downs groaned when he saw the name and address on it.

"They expect us to hit two places? Did you come with reinforcements that I don't know about? This isn't good thinking," he said staring at Agent Woods.

"If I may, Sir..." one of the new agents said.

"Yes, go ahead," Downs replied.

"The thinking was that all of them would be at one place or the other."

Downs was nodding his head, thinking about the conversation he'd had with Fiona. He let the chessboard come into his mind and saw the playing field. It took him just a minute to map out a series of moves. He had one more question.

"How many agents did the office expect this should take?"

"Seven of us, Sir."

"That leaves one here at the house. Barnes, that is going to be you."

She looked at him and started to say something. He cut her off.

"No one likes this. You are the only one, except for me, that knows this family. To place an agent who they aren't familiar with, wouldn't be a wise choice. I need you here. We don't know the outcome and to have someone I trust by John, and now Fiona, would be prudent.

"We need a car, and I believe that Agent Woods can direct you three to the one we used for the stake out. First let's get some gear out of our other two cars. Barnes, come and help me with my car."

As he opened up the trunk, she asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"Not at all. This seems like the stupidest thing I've seen in some time. Agent Woods may well have put all of us in danger. There is little I can do, but to try and keep my head intact. There is also Fiona to think about. How the hell that is going to come down? I still don't know."

"What are these for?" she asked as he handed her some communication gear.

"Let John play with them."

"What?"

"He knows what's going on. If something happened here, would you want to be the only person who could communicate?"

"This doesn't sound good."

"Precautions. Just show him how it works and let him listen. Remember, the best way to stay alive is to prepare for the worst and hope it never happens."



-------

Chapter 36



All of us were looking out the windows at what was going on. There was little to see, really. I had an idea of what was happening; but if I hadn't known, I'd have been guessing as well. When Agent Barnes turned to walk back to the house, while the others moved away, I winced. I remembered what Special Agent Downs had told me about his partner.

I'm sure she knew, seeing us looking at her as she approached, that she'd be peppered with questions. Understandably, she took us in the living room to talk with us.

"As you know, and could see out the windows, there were four agents that arrived. They are here because of an incident that needs to be taken care of rather quickly."

Tim interrupted her, asking, "Does that mean that John, Theresa, or my daughter, Jessica, are no longer in danger?"

"We can't rule out that possibility, as of yet," Agent Barnes replied.

"So let me get this straight," Tim said. "There were four agents here watching these three and now there is one. Do I have that correct?"

"Yes, you do. I don't, however, believe there is anything to be alarmed about. We have been in this waiting game. Nothing has been heard. I am fully connected to Special Agent Downs, and to our head office."

"Maybe," Fiona said to Jessica, "it would be best if I went home. Somehow I think that it might be better."

It had been quiet and everyone heard the exchange. Agent Barnes wasn't sure how to handle that one, without giving away the real purpose of the agent's mission.

"Fiona," I said, "I haven't had a chance to talk with you. Jessica said she had a friend at school, but we didn't a chance to talk about things like that."

Jessica blushed, as she took what I was saying in a way I hadn't intended. Fiona looked at her friend and cracked a smile.

"Ok. I'll give you all the juicy gossip on her."

"Hey!" Jessica protested.

The two girls got into a friendly match of pushing at each other, laughing the whole time.

Agent Barnes winked at me and then said, "John, before you learn all about Jessica from her 'so called' friend, can I have a word with you?"

"Oh, no!" I said, playing along. "I think I'm about to be warned how..." Looking at Jeanie I went on, "how would you describe it?"

"Oh, no," Jeanie said. "You're not pulling me into this mess. You got yourself there and you can sink all by yourself."

I took a deep breath and said, "Ok. I guess I'm off to seal my fate. Agent Barnes, I'm all yours."

"Oh no he's not," Jessica called out. "He's all mine."

Agent Barnes smiled at Jessica, saying, "There is little question about that!"

Jessica had the good grace to blush nicely as I crutched out of the room.

-------

"At least we have a blueprint. The one advantage of going to a home of someone who has been watched for years," Special Agent Downs said. "If my source was right, the only one's here are the kids. There should be four of them. Two boys and two girls."

"Source?" Agent Woods asked. "Who was your source?"

Downs just smiled and went on, "In any case, we will surround the house in the normal fashion. Two in back," he said pointing to areas on the blueprint, "one on each side," again pointing, "and then the three in front. I'll be knocking on the door. Woods, you will be to my right and Ling, to my left. Who wants the side and back?"

The house was an upscale residence, but not overly extravagant, easy to get to and easy enough to surround. One of the agents, after looking at the blueprints, moved to where the utility connections were and disconnected the phone line. Another agent set up a multi frequency blocker, disabling all wireless communication, except the FBI's select channels. Now it was time to move in.

They weren't there to cause a scene; the black cars were hardly noticeable. Their movements were smooth and practiced.

Special Agent Downs felt that uneasiness in his stomach, as he always did, when he knocked on the front door.

He said into his hidden mike, "Barnes, think a few good thoughts right about now."

Downs waited for a minute, as the door had gone unanswered, and knocked with a bit more force.

The music that had been heard outside the house was turned down. There was a peek through the front window shades. Through the closed front door was a voice, attempting to sound older than it was.

"What do you want?"

"Son," Special Agent Downs answered, "is your father, or mother home?"

"No, but they'll be back shortly."

"Somehow I don't think so. Now, I suggest you open that door before I have to break it down. I'll give the count of..."

The door opened and a boy of sixteen stood in front of it.

"Who are you and what have you done with my parents?"

"Are you Tony, or Phil?" Downs replied.

"I'm Phil, and you didn't answer me."

"Where's Tony?"

"I'm not answering another question."

"Ok, let me explain a few things to you. I'm Special Agent Downs of the FBI. This," he said holding out a piece of paper, "is a search warrant. Now we can do this one of two ways. As you're a minor, you can invite me in and I'll look around. The other alternative is that I call child protective services. They come and pick you five up, and then I look around the house. Which one would you like?"

Phil looked a bit shaken, but was trying his best to keep up his tough guy appearance. Downs was suitably impressed that he was maintaining it.

"I think I should talk to Tony first, to see what he thinks ... and there's only four of us here."

"Phil," Downs said. "You have no way of communicating, so don't even think about it. The house is surrounded, so please don't try anything stupid. There is you, Tony, Fiona, Camellia, and Madelena."

"How..." the boy stammered, and then got his voice back. "Fiona isn't here."

"What do you mean she isn't here? I think you'd better go get your brother."

Phil was off like a shot, leaving the front door open.

Woods and Ling walked up to him.

"Sir," Woods said, "why did you tell him that Fiona was in the house?"

Downs turned to Agent Woods and said, "If I hear you say anything about Fiona, I will personally shoot you. Do I make myself perfectly clear? You do not know, you have not met, and you certainly have never talked to Fiona. Do I make myself very clear? If you slip up on this, you may well place that young girl in jeopardy. If you do, I will take care of you personally, and with much pleasure."

Agent Woods choose, wisely, to not say another word. He just gave a nod of his head.

Moments later Phil and Tony were back at the door.

"You left it open?" Tony said to his brother. "You're an idiot."

"Am not," Phil replied.

"You that Special Agent thing," Tony said.

"Maybe you and I need to have a little chat, Tony, but first I want to know where Fiona is."

"She's not here. I don't know where she is, and if I did why should I tell you?"

"Maybe your Aunt and Uncle will share your feelings, what do you think?"

"I'm not her baby sitter."

"Now, Tony, I bet Phil told you of your two options. Do you want to invite us in, or are we calling child protective services? Which one do you think your parents would like to find out you did? My guess is that your Aunt and Uncle wouldn't be real pleased to know their daughters were off in some foster care home for the night because of you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. Just explaining the facts," Downs said.

Tony looked at him for some time. No one said a word. Downs knew this was a shitty place for a seventeen-year-old kid to be, but he could have made it a lot easier on himself and Downs wasn't about to give the kid an inch.

"What are you looking for anyway?"

"There have been some problems with a few banks around the area," Downs said evasively.

Tony shorted and then said, "They don't do bank jobs."

"Any problem looking then?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No. You only have a choice on how we enter. Like I said before. You let us in, or we have you taken away and then we enter."

"That's fucked."

"Maybe for you, but that's life. Now what's it going to be?"

"Fine. You can come in."

The three agents entered the house. The other four agents had been listening in to the conversations. The first one, early on, had made them wonder what had been going on with Woods. They did understand that Fiona was a 'hands off' subject though.

"Tony, I want you to show me to the living room. Phil, you go get your two cousins and bring them in," Special Agent Downs instructed.

It took several minutes before they sat there waiting. The two girls looked petrified. This was part of why Agent Ling was there. She went over to the girls and said a few words in Italian to them. The girls looked wide-eyed at the Asian woman, but then shook their heads. It was the icebreaker they needed and felt better.

"Tony, you're coming with me," Downs said.

"For what?" Tony responded.

"I have to make sure Fiona isn't here, like you said. So we're checking the house from top to bottom."

"She didn't come home after school. I think she went home with someone."

"And your parents know about this?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, she's supposed to be here. Now she's going to be in deep shit."

Downs stopped, as they were halfway down the hall. He took hold of Tony's arm and turned him to look at him in the eye.

"Maybe I'm going to believe you on this one. We're going to go have a talk with your parents, now. Fiona's parents are with them, I understand. So, if you're telling the truth, then yeah, she could be in a lot of trouble. If you're not telling the truth, you have any idea what kind of trouble you could be in?"

"I'm telling the truth."

"Fine. Agent Woods and Agent Ling will be here with you at the house. The other four of us will go to your parent's house."

Tony looked around as he said, "Four?"

"They're watching, Tony. We don't like to have things go wrong."

-------

It was hard for me to concentrate on anything Fiona and Jessica were saying. I had been trying to listen to them. Although they were in a battle to try and come up with the most embarrassing things the other one had done. I was also listening in to the communication the agents were having. When Special Agent Downs bit Agent Woods' head off about Fiona, I smiled. That was poker. He was bluffing his way, to try and keep her out of trouble. I thought it would be interesting to see how he did with adults, rather than the kids he'd encountered so far.

As far as I could tell, Woods and Ling had been left with the four children at the house. Downs and the other four agents were now on their way over to Fiona's Aunt and Uncle's house. They were getting a run down on what to expect. The house was three blocks away, so there was little time to chat. It was clear-cut instructions.

I had been so focused on listening to that conversation I missed what had been asked. Jessica poked me and I looked at her. She shook her head and frowned.

"I thought you wanted to talk."

I was about to answer when the window on the opposite side of the room exploded, sending glass shards everywhere.



-------

Chapter 37



As soon as Downs heard glass breaking in the background, through his earpiece, he slammed on his brakes and practically screamed into this headpiece, "Report, Barnes!"

No one, in the car, said a word. Worse, there was no answer.

"Shit!" Downs said.

"Downs, follow your objective. We're running a test to determine if Barnes' unit is functioning. Locals are on the way. Repeat..."

"I got it, just let me know as soon as you do," Downs said.

There were times being connected in real time with the home office was a great advantage. Other times, like this, he felt it was a pain in the ass.

As they pulled up in front of the house, Downs had another thought.

"Woods, report."

They all sat in the car for a moment.

"Downs, here. Tina, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Sir."

"Why isn't anyone on my team responding?"

"We have no idea. Second location is now under investigation."

The team got out of the car. The house was similar and the set up the same. No one said a word. They just went into action. Phone lines disabled and frequency jamming unit was set in place. The only difference, in placement of people, were the two watching the sides of the house. They also needed to pay attention to the front, where Downs would be.

He didn't bother with a regular knock on the door, instead went with a heavy-handed rap.

-------

"Something is wrong," I said.

Jessica was shaking hard and holding onto me for support. Fiona was better, but not by much. She was the one who pulled us into the closet, shutting the door behind us.

"That's a stupid thing to say," she replied.

"I don't hear anything," I said and then rolled my eyes, realizing they had no idea what I was talking about. No wonder it sounded stupid to Fiona.

"We're in the back of a closet. The point is we're safe. That's what my father always told me."

"He did?" Jessica got out.

"Shh," I said. "I have something like a walkie-talkie and I can't hear anything, now."

"Who gave you that?" Jessica asked.

"Agent Barnes. She said that Special Agent Downs wanted me to be able to hear what was going on. I've been listening, but now there's nothing."

"You work for the FBI?" Fiona said with fright in her voice.

"No. Not at all. I think he didn't like the idea of leaving Agent Barnes here by herself. My guess is that he was just trying to be cautious."

"Lot of good it did," Jessica said.

"I'm so sorry, Jessica. You too, Fiona."

"What do you mean?" Fiona asked.

"I'm the one who ended up stopping the bank robbery. Now those guys are after me and I've put you in danger. I never meant this to happen. You don't deserve to get hurt 'cause of something I did."

"John, it's ok. I understand," Fiona said with an understanding of growing up with a father who had a reputation.

"See, I told you," Jessica said.

"Told you what?" I asked.

"That you were wonderful," Jessica replied. I groaned, but she went right on, asking, "Now what are we going to do?"

I could tell the way Jessica had just bounced back that she suddenly wasn't taking the situation to heart. The optimism of youth, I guess.

"We wait in here," I said. "Like Fiona said, it's the safest place for us to be."

Suddenly I got a jab in my side.

"What was that for?" I asked Jessica.

"You were listening to that thing stuck in your ear and not to us."

-------

"They're still in the house!" Theresa cried. "My baby!"

"Sis, we looked when we snuck out. No one saw them. I bet they're hiding, just like us," Jeanie responded. She just hoped her voice didn't sound as shaky as her feelings were.

"Where's Tim and that husband of yours?" Theresa asked. "I don't like being out here."

"No one can see us and we're at the back of the lot. It's the safest place we could be. I wish they would show up too. Did you see the agent?"

"No ... Wait, do you hear that? What do you think it is? I can't look."

"I will," Jeanie said hoping she had the courage to do so.

They were in the back of a utility van. Jeanie got up on her knees and peered around the corner of the front seat.

"Theresa, they're pulling the agent back here!"

"Who?"

Jeanie rolled her eyes. "Tim and my husband, who else?"

"Maybe the people who shot up the house," Theresa replied sarcastically. Then things clicked. "What do you mean pulling her?"

"She doesn't look good."

Theresa opened the side door and jumped out.

"Theresa!" Tim said.

"Is she injured?"

"Yes. Now..."

"Don't 'now' me, buddy. I'm the nurse."

Theresa took hold of Agent Barnes and looked at her face. She had glassy eyes. This was not a good sign.

Just then there was a loud burst. Smoke could be seen at the front of the house. As soon as that cleared, flames arose.

-------

The door opened and Special Agent Downs was faced with two men who didn't look particularly happy.

"Who are you and why do you have men around my place?" One of the men said.

"Special Agent Downs of the FBI. I have a warrant to search the premises," he said. "We were recently over at your house, Mr. Bartenelli. Can you tell me where your daughter Fiona is?"

"That's not funny," Antonio 'Tino' Bartenelli replied.

"Hey," a voice from down the hall said, "they cut our lines. The radio doesn't work either."

"Very efficient, Mr. Downs. Now what's this all about? I don't think threatening my brother with his kids, is going to get you anywhere."

"No threat. Your two boys said she didn't show up after school. To answer why we are here, it has to do with a matter called SCOPE."

Antonio Bartenelli looked at his brother and then back to the agent.

"You say Fiona isn't at the house? You sure about that?"

"Very sure."

Special Agent Downs was ready to step back very quickly, as he saw Antonio Bartenelli's jaw clench and his eyes grow cold.

"I think maybe you better come in, Mr. Downs. You need the women here, or can they go over to Tino's house?"

"We have two agents over there at the moment. I can send one of mine along with them so they know it's ok for them to show up," Downs said.

"Good thinking. Now, come in. I think we have a few things to talk about."

"The first is my daughter. We need to find her."

"Tino, settle down. She'll show up."

"Did you see the last message to me? I think they have her."

"Who has her?" Downs asked.

"The people who do that SCOPE thing."

"I see. Maybe I can help you, and then I want some help."

"What can you do?" Antonio asked.

"What school does she go to and when does she get out?"

"Johnson Junior High, and three-thirty."

Special Agent Downs tapped into his mike.

-------

"What was that?" Jessica screamed.

Both girls grabbed onto me in fear. If we hadn't been in a small and enclosed space, they would have knocked me over.

"I have no idea, but it wasn't good. Do you think we should open the door and find out?"

"No!" both girls said in unison.

"Is that sirens?" I said hopefully.

The girls were quiet for a moment and then Jessica tentatively said, "Yeah, it sounds like it."

I heard crackling in my earpiece and then I placed my hand over my ear as the sound seemed so loud.

"Agent Barnes, is that you?" a voice said.

"No, this is Jeanie. We need an ambulance. Agent Barnes was shot."

"Copy that," the voice said. "Ambulance is on its way."

"I hear sirens," Jeanie said. "Is that the fire trucks?"

"Police. Are they just arriving?"

"We need fire trucks. My house is on fire!"

"Fire?" I said.

"Who is that?"

"This is John. Who is this?"

"Central office. Is this John Huntington?"

"John," Jeanie cut in, "where are you and do you have Jessica and Fiona with you?"

"Yes, they're with me. We're in a closet, in the house."

"John!" Jeanie said hysterically. "It's on fire!"



-------

Chapter 38



Jessica and Fiona had heard me say fire. They each had a hold of my arms, trying desperately to cut off my circulation.

"Jeanie, can you tell me where the fire is?" I asked.

"The front corner ... where you were, when the window was shot out. What closet are you in?"

"The hall closet with all the coats."

"The three of you?" Jeanie asked wondering how we fit.

"Yes."

The woman from the central office cut in.

"Is the door hot? Check the door handle as well, but for Gods sake, don't open the door."

"Neither are hot," I replied after touching them. "Jeanie, can you think what the three walls of this closet are up against?"

Jeanie was being asked what was going on by her husband and Tim. She waved them away, trying desperately to concentrate.

"In back is another closet. To the left, facing the door is the furnace. To the right is the ... I think that it goes to the kitchen, or maybe the back entry hall."

"Thanks Jeanie," I said. Turning to the girls I said, "Take my crutch and bang it at this wall. Bang it hard. We want to break through."

"John! That will ruin the wall!" Jessica said, not at all thinking straight.

"Jessica! The house is on fire! This is nothing compared to that and I want to make sure you get out."

Fiona already had my crutch in hand and took a swing. She didn't have much distance to swing in the cramped closet, and hardly made a dent. Jessica helped with the next try, and with both girls using their muscles the arm piece of my crutch went through the wallboard. Once the wall was broached, the following pieces came away much more easily.

-------

Special Agent Downs had covered his mouthpiece so nothing he said was conveyed. At the house, no one knew this. As Downs supposedly asked to find the missing girl, asking her father what clothing she had on, he waited and listened.

It took great strength to not show any emotion when the communication started again, at the Black Hawk site. He covered himself after hearing that his partner had been shot, by telling Fiona's father that they had found Fiona.

Listening more to the situation, he said, "I think you may have been right. She went to a friend's house after school. The satellite images show Fiona and the other girl entering the house. They are going over the images to make sure she didn't leave. Somehow I don't think so."

"Why is that?" Antonio asked, and then added, "So my daughter is at this house with another girl?"

"The police have just arrived. Shots were fired and now the house is on fire. Do you want to come with me?"

"Hell Yes!" Antonio said.

"I'm coming as well," his brother added.

Special Agent Downs left the other agents to watch over the house. He was a bit rattled, thinking about his partner. He wanted to get over to that house as quickly as possible. On the way over, there was the question of how they found Fiona.

"I'm sure that you know about the spy satellites. They look at everything," Downs said. "All we need to do is to have them focus on something. If we were looking in that area at the time, there it is. As we were processing information on SCOPE, we had this area under surveillance. It was just a matter of having the home office look in the right areas."

Not much of this was the truth, but the Bartenelli's had no idea Special Agent Downs was fabricating this. It fit into place very well.

If there had been more time ... if there had been a driver ... if Downs had not been thinking about Agent Barnes ... there might have been more conversation. Frankly, Downs knew it was a small miracle that he made it to the house without running red lights, or any other possible collision potentials.

As soon as they parked, halfway down the street, all three were out of the car and on foot.

The police had placed a barrier up, and stopped them.

Downs, annoyed, flipped open his wallet.

"FBI," he said.

"I'll check..." the officer started to say, as Downs and the two Bartenelli brothers were already starting to make their way in. "Hey, you can't..."

Downs looked back and said, "You tell 'whoever' that we're showing up at the house, 'cause that's where we're heading."

-------

The ambulance had come in from a side entrance and so Special Agent Downs didn't see it pick up Agent Barnes.

Everyone heard the siren as it left the scene, but it was hard at that point to tell one siren from another, as they seemingly overlapped each other.

Theresa was left with a hospital location, which she already knew, as to where they would be taking Agent Barnes.

Almost collapsing against her sister, Theresa had to pull herself together. She had been fine, up to a point. She worked on Agent Barnes, getting most of the bleeding under control. It wasn't until she heard that her daughter was trapped in the house that Theresa lost concentration.

There was a feeling of guilt as soon as the ambulance left.

'What if I did something wrong!' was going through her mind. While, at the same time, 'Where is my daughter!' was occupying most of her conscious thought.

Jeanie, her husband, and Theresa's ex, Tim, had seen nothing like this before. It was as though this was one of those TV shows. This time, though, there were no commercial breaks. No sanitized versions. The blood that had been left on the ground was real. It was sickening.

"Theresa," her sister said, "come on, let's find your daughter. I bet she's out of the house by now."

Theresa looked at Jeanie. The adrenalin had worn off and she was exhausted. With a big sigh, she asked, "Did you hear? Is she out?"

Jeanie hadn't heard, but wasn't going to tell her sister that.

"Yes, she needs you. Come on."

That is what Theresa needed to hear. She pulled herself together. The four moved towards the burning structure that had been Jeanie and her husband's house.

-------

The doorknob was starting to warm. Fiona had stuffed a coat at the base of the door, effectively sealing it against the smoke. Jessica and Fiona had opened up a three-foot high section between the studs. They had been prevented going any further down, by plumbing that went through the wall. The outside wall was coming loose, and someone on the other side, as soon as the initial hole was made was helping to rip it open. The smell of fresh air was wonderful.

We'd heard, and I had listened on my communications unit, that the fire department was there and setting up their equipment.

I touched Fiona on the shoulder, causing her to stop. She looked at me.

"Your father just arrived," I said.

Her jaw dropped.

A moment later I saw hands reach into the opening, and pull Jessica out. She screamed in surprise.

"Fiona, you're next," I said.

"What about you?" she asked looking at my cast.

"Don't worry, go." I said.

Fiona squeezed herself into position, where Jessica had been. Again hands reached in, and she was gone.

"Jessica and Fiona are out of the house," I said.

"John," Special Agent Down's voice came on line, "are you trapped?"

"I don't know how they are going to get me out of here. I won't bend, like they took those two out," I responded.

"John!" I heard, knowing the voice was Jeanie's. "You have to get out. Jessica would never be the same without you."

-------

In one way it was fortunate. Jessica was on one side of a fire engine being looked at, and Fiona was at another place. Neither had any idea what was going on, or that I was stuck.

As much as Downs wanted to find out about Agent Barnes, he made sure that Antonio Bartenelli found his daughter.

"Il mio angelo piccolo," he said in Italian, calling her his little angel.

She had heard her father was there, but still it startled her. She was further shocked when he took hold of her and started to weep.

Special Agent Downs noted Antonio Bartenelli's brother watching, as though someone might see this form of humanity.

"I need to check on a few things. Don't leave," Downs said.

There was a nod of acceptance. Downs wasn't going to wait around any longer. He went to search out Theresa. From the conversations, she knew what had happened and would be able to tell him a lot more than anyone else on the condition of his partner.

It wasn't hard to find Theresa, Jeanie, her husband, or Tim. They were rushing from the back of the lot to the house. If you've ever been in a chaotic situation like a house fire then you know that what seems totally out of place could well happen.

The four of them stopped and looked at Special Agent Downs, and then peppered him with questions.

"Where's my daughter?"

"Is John out?"

"Is the fire almost out?"

"Did you hear about Agent Barnes?"

-------

A fireman put his head into the hole and said, "Ok, you're next."

I handing him one of my crutches. He took hold of it and pulled it out. Then his head stuck back in, this time with a flashlight. His light spotted my cast.

"Oh, shit!" he said.

"How soon are they going to get the fire out?" I asked.

He shook his head and replied. "It's in the attic now. They're working on containment, not anything else. The house is a loss."

I could feel my head spinning. I knew what he was saying. Knew that the flames were going to come through that closet door at any moment.

I was fucked.



-------

Chapter 39



The blaze, now shooting out of the roof in several places, was more intense than Theresa and Jeanie imagined.

"Jeanie! My God. Your house."

Jeanie stopped. Frankly, she was immobilized. Not by the loss of her property, but by the fact that she didn't have any way of knowing if John had gotten out.

As Agent Barnes was taken away, Jeanie's contact had also left. The last she knew, John was still inside. The perilous plight she was looking at, had not been adequately conveyed. In the back of the lot, surrounded by cars, she had no idea that her house was nearly totally engulfed in flames.

"Honey, we have to move." Jeanie heard her husband say.

A person, one couldn't always tell gender in full fireman's clothing, walked over and waved for them to follow.

They walked in a wide arc around the burning structure. Tim pointed as two firemen were soaking once section of the back of the house with water.

"What are they doing?" he asked, but his words were drowned out with the other shouts and spray of water.

As they came around front, Theresa saw her daughter and broke into a run.

"Where's John?" was the first thing Jessica said as soon as Theresa let go to look at her daughter.

"Isn't he with you?" Theresa answered.

Jeanie, her husband, and Tim arrived as Jessica rattled off, "I was pulled out first, and they took me here. Mom, they were shining the light in my eyes and everything, just like you do. I think I saw Fiona and they took her over there," Jessica said, pointing, "but I haven't seen John."

"I'll find him," Jeanie said.

"I'm going with you," her husband added and the two of them went towards where Jessica pointed where she thought she saw Fiona taken.

-------

Fiona thought she should introduce Jeanie and her husband to her father. That was just before she saw that they knew each other already.

"This is a surprise," Antonio said.

"It has been a long time," Jeanie said.

"I'm sorry for this," Antonio said, waving his hands in gesture to the house. "I should have protected her better."

Jeanie and her husband looked at each other, wondering just what he meant by that, as it could be taken several different ways.

"We were looking for John," Jeanie said covering the awkward pause.

"They didn't get him out?" Fiona said in alarm. "He told me to go and not to worry about him. Oh, God! Oh, GOD! Daddy!"

"Il mio angelo piccolo, I will find out what has happened to this John person."

"Daddy, he was trapped. He has a cast on. He made me go."

Just then the front porch of the house fell in.

Antonio looked around and said "Where is my brother when I need him?"

"You called?"

"Stay with Fiona. Don't let her out of your sight."

-------

Special Agent Downs was on the outskirts of the action. For one thing, he had an overview of what was going on. Secondly, fires screwed with communications.

The fire chief had told him that they would get the trapped boy out of the house. Looking at the burning structure, he wondered if there was any hope.

The main office was relaying information to him. Agent Barnes was the first on his agenda. She was in surgery and nothing would be known for a while.

He then got a rundown on what had happened and why they had lost communication with Agents Woods and Ling.

If the problem before him hadn't been so consuming, he would have gone over and strangled Agent Woods.

When the agent that Downs sent over with the two Bartenelli wives showed up, he had found some startling things.

Agent Ling was in the living room, resting, with an ice pack on her head. The two girls were sitting on each side of her.

Agent Woods was out in the garage with the two boys. The agent had listened at the door before opening it. From the sound of things, the two boys were laughing and Woods was cursing at them.

It had startled the three when the door had been opened. The agent saw Woods look up, petrified, a soldering gun in his hand. He also noticed the two boys change their looks to match that of Agent Woods. He couldn't understand that, until he heard a voice from behind him. Their mother rattled off some Italian to them.

As Special Agent Downs was told, things had quickly got out of control as soon as Woods and Ling were left there. Ling had taken the girls upstairs, when a chase occurred between the boys and Agent Woods. The end result was that Ling fell down the stairs. She didn't get hurt any more than a small bump on the head, although her communication device was damaged.

Agent Woods had somehow managed to get the wire caught, pulled, and broken, from his device. When he was later asked, it was found that he had never even considered going out to the car to let anyone know they were out of the communications loop.

What interrupted this choice piece of news was Special Agent Downs spotting Antonio moving away from his daughter. Even if he was with Jeanie and her husband, it was something that needed attention.

-------

"Daddy?" Jessica asked.

"Yes?" he responded.

"Why aren't they back? What's wrong?"

Theresa, who had been comforting her daughter from the time she was a baby said, "Don't worry."

"Mom," Jessica said pushing off the embrace Theresa wanted to give, "I have every right to be worried. He ... I think he's still in there."

At that point, Jessica's tears took over. Theresa took one side, and Tim took the other. They supported their daughter as they looked at the burning house.

-------

It was dark. The communicator I'd been given was not working, most probably because of the water that was dripping on me. After that last fireman looked at my leg, I'd been alone, wondering about my fate.

There was a high-pitched hiss and then what sounded like another explosion. This time the explosion was smaller, but it was also very close. I remembered what Jeanie said. The furnace was right next-door. Gas? Fuck!

The next thing I knew water was pelting me from the hole that had been made in the wall. That alternated with smoke seeping through the door. I touched the handle, and withdrew my hand, knowing there was going to be a burn mark.

The morbid idea that it might not make a difference, crept into my mind. Closet doors were not made to last. If the handle was that hot, the door was on fire. It was just time now.

I wanted to cry. I couldn't.

I wanted to hold Jessica. I couldn't.

I wanted to say something, anything, to my parents.

There was a sudden understanding what hell was about.

Steam, smoke, darkness. It was almost impossible to breath.

"You all right?"

I wasn't sure if I was imagining someone saying that or not.

My eyes snapped shut, as the closet was flooded with light.

"You all right?" he asked again.

I nodded.

"Grab a coat and hold it over you."

I just stood there, paralyzed.

"Now!"

His voice jarred me and I struggled to pull one of the soggy coats off the floor, covering my head with it.

The sound of a chainsaw cut through the air. I felt the closet wall, which I was leaning against, shudder.

"Hey, over here."

I turned and saw most of the wall gone. I also lost my balance. With the floor littered, I couldn't move. I fell towards the opening. Hands reached out and took hold of me. I screamed bloody murder as I was yanked out. My wet cast made me twist in ways that weren't good. Adding insult to injury, the cast banged up against the plumbing in the exposed wall, while my 'good' leg flopped around with abandon.

There is little dignity in getting thrown over a shoulder and being taken out of a building in a flat out run.

I turned my head and could understand the urgency. Flames were now licking the room they had pulled me into. I had been within minutes of being toast.

My eyes grew heavy and the best thought was just to close them and go to sleep. It is an odd experience to think of that, considering that I was still over the shoulder of the fireman.

The next things I remember were: a mask on my face, a light in my eye, a firm support under me, and several people's faces looking at me.

"Is he ready for transport?" I heard.

There must have been an acknowledgment. Although I didn't hear it, it must have been in the affirmative; because a moment later, I was being loaded into an ambulance.



-------

Chapter 40



The doctor shook his head in disgust.

"I put this cast on you. If it hadn't been for the police escort, I'd be giving you the riot act for the way this looks. Want to tell me what happened?"

I was still in pain, but that didn't dull my sense of humor when an opportunity arose.

"You know, gun shots, a house fire, the usual. I had little to do with the damage. If the firemen had left well enough alone, the cast would have been in perfect condition. I wouldn't have survived, but the cast would have come out ok. They thought replacing the cast was the better option, so you'll have to talk with them about it."

"Wise cracker, aren't you. Let's take a look," he huffed, and then pulled the sheet off of me, exposing both legs. "Christ Almighty! What the hell did you do to your other leg?"

"When they yanked me out of the burning house, they weren't too gentle with me. Why? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Have you tried to stand on this leg?" the doctor asked.

My heart sank and I answered, 'No. I was set down on the stretcher. To tell you the truth, I don't remember much of it. Not until I got here, anyway."

Grabbing the chart, he started reading it, shaking his head as he went.

"You were trying to fall asleep. Now you're wide-awake. Classic signs of shock. John, the first thing I need to do is get this cast off you. Then you're getting a trip to X-ray. Have your parents been called?"

I realized he hadn't asked me that question, but I heard a nurse give an affirmative response. Just what I needed. My mother would drag my father here in the middle of the night, just so they could wait.

The sound of the saw that cut off the cast was enough to make my skin crawl. The only good thing was that it was quick, although the dead skin that was underneath was enough to gag me.

With the sheet over me, I was wheeled away to get my legs X-rayed.

-------

"If he's safe," Jessica demanded from her mother, "then where is he?"

The two were sitting on the running board, on the side of Engine No. 2. Not the most comfortable seat, but at the moment, one of the few around.

"Let me ask one of the firemen. I'm sure they'll know," Theresa said, trying to remain calm. "Sir ... SIR," she had to shout to be heard.

"Yes ma'am?"

"We're looking for..." Theresa realized the fireman wouldn't know John, by his name. "There was a young man in the house."

"You want to know what happened? I understand they just took someone out, a few minutes ago," he replied.

Someone yelled to him, and he went running off.

Jessica felt her stomach wrench. She turned her head and let loose the contents of her stomach. Her body felt just like her stomach ... empty. She fell from where she was sitting, hitting her knees hard on the pavement. Jessica curled up into a fetal ball and started to cry.

Theresa was right there, cradling her daughter's head.

"Jessica, oh my dear sweet Jessica. I think you didn't understand. He said they got someone out. If John had ... If he didn't make it ... It there'd been a major problem ... he would have said they got a body out. It's how they talk. John got out."

Jessica closed one eye completely and blinked the other one several times, trying to quell the water running from her eyes. She sniffled. Jessica had a cognizant moment, which told her that her knees should hurt, although she couldn't feel anything. She felt numb. Her hands moved down to find 'road rash.'

She winced, and wondered, 'If it feels this bad, why doesn't it hurt more?' At the same time she voiced her doubt.

"If that's true, Mom, then where is he?"

Fortunately, Theresa was saved from guessing an answer to that one. Jeanie, her husband, and Fiona's father walked up. Antonio nodded, but kept walking around to the other side of the engine, where his daughter was.

Jeanie winced, seeing Jessica's state, but was quick with information she hoped would help.

"They just took John off in the ambulance. I'm sure you must have heard the siren. His cast didn't look very good. I think the water did most of the damage."

Theresa joined in, saying, "Yes, those things don't like water at all. I'm sure they'll have to cut it off and give him another one."

Jessica sat up. As she unbent her legs, the pain was rather evident.

"Ahhh."

"Don't worry, honey, they'll take care of that at the hospital," Theresa said.

"I'm going there?" Jessica asked.

"Both you and Fiona will. It's standard procedure," Theresa said and then added, "But knowing you, we'd be going anyway."

"Why?" Jessica questioned.

"Because that's where John is," Theresa said.

"Oh, right," Jessica responded, without much emotion at all.

Jeanie and Theresa gave a look to each other. Jessica seemed completely irrational.

-------

"Papa! Did they get him out?" Fiona asked.

Antonio bit the inside of his lip before answering his daughter. She hadn't called him 'Papa, ' in years.

"Yes, he's out. They took him to the hospital. I understand you need to go there as well, so they can make sure nothing is wrong."

Fiona looked at her father and nodded.

"I can take you and your daughter," Special Agent Downs said. "Unless you want to wait for an ambulance ride."

Antonio looked at his wide-eyed daughter and answered, "No, I think Fiona doesn't want to ride in an ambulance. We will come with you. Is there space for my brother?"

"Yes. I think that it would be best if he travel with us, as well," Downs said.

The four moved along the engine, trying to avoid the strewn hoses that ran across their path. Special Agent Downs talked briefly to the fire chief, letting him know that they were taking Fiona to the hospital. Then he suggested that Theresa could take Jessica, as she worked at the hospital as a nurse.

When they got into the car, Downs reached into the glove box and pulled out a flashing light. He turned it on, and then opened his window. The magnet at the light's base gave a solid click, as he set it on the roof.

"There are few times we advertise who we are, but this will get us to the hospital a bit quicker," Downs said.

No one said a word the rest of the way, but Fiona was worried that there was something wrong with her that no one had said. Why else did that FBI man want to get to the hospital so fast?

-------

The fire chief had come over and suggested Theresa take Jessica to the hospital. Jeanie and her husband would need to stay with their house, or what was left of it.

Tim said he would drive them to the hospital. When Theresa tried to protest, he became adamant that he would take them. Not wanting to upset Jessica, Theresa backed down and accepted.

It wasn't until they pulled out and Theresa looked back at the burned out structure, that she understood her ex's motivation.

"You saw my car, didn't you?" she asked him.

"What's wrong with your car?" Jessica wanted to know.

She then looked back, as she'd seen her mother just looking back.

In any normal time, they would have been driving at a normal speed. With the number of police and fire vehicles on the street, traffic had come to a stand still. Officers were trying to get people to move. Because of this, Jessica still had a clear view of their car. Or rather, what was left of their car.

Without a word, Jessica turned around and looked out the front window.

It took seven painfully silent minutes to arrive at the hospital. Once they pulled up to the emergency doors, an attendant was there.

"Got radioed you'd be on your way. We's ready for your daughter, Miss Theresa."

"Thank you, Raymond."

He helped Jessica out of the car and efficiently sat her into a wheelchair. Then they went into the hospital.

-------

Fiona was bored from waiting. Her father had to fill out forms. She was in one of the two emergency rooms. Why, she didn't know. There was little of what she would call an emergency about why she was here. They were just checking out her lungs for smoke damage and stuff like that. Her Uncle was outside the doors. He didn't say much. Never had. Now it was as though he was guarding her. She didn't understand that at all.

Fortunately, it was only a matter of ten minutes before someone showed up in the emergency room adjacent to hers. Through the glass panels that separated the rooms, she saw it was Jessica. A door connected the two rooms, so Fiona hopped off the examination table and walked into the other room.

"Fiona!" Theresa said, a bit surprised.

"I'm bored. Why are we in the emergency rooms if no doctors are here to see us?" Fiona asked.

"No one has seen you yet?" Theresa asked.

"No..." Fiona said. She'd been looking at her friend and had to ask, "What's wrong, Jessica?"

Hearing her name, Jessica looked at Fiona, but the blank stare she gave was unnerving.

The door opened between the two rooms, again.

"Ah, there you are," a doctor said to Fiona.

Behind him, Fiona's Uncle stood, glaring at her.

"Theresa!" the doctor exclaimed when he recognized her. "And isn't this Jessica?" he said and rattled on, not paying much attention at all. "It's just as well you're in here, Fiona. I was going to need to move you, anyway. We're having our other patient back down here in just a few minutes."

"Is that John?" Theresa asked, hopefully.

"Yes, it is. Oh, I suppose you do know each other ... Sad shape he's in."

Theresa was interested in what the doctor was going to say and didn't notice Jessica lose consciousness, fall over, and almost land on the floor. It was Fiona's quick action that saved Jessica from tumbling off of the examination table.

The doctor sprang into action, while Theresa ran over to the wall and hit a big red button. Before Fiona or her Uncle knew what was happening, another doctor and two nurses rushed into the room.



-------

Chapter 41



I was wheeled into the room on a gurney. Glancing over through the glass, I saw a bevy of activity.

Then I spotted Theresa, Fiona, and a man.

Tim mistakenly walked into the room I was in. As he was standing, he had a better viewpoint than I did.

"What the hell?" he said.

He looked at me for a brief second, and then ran into the next room.

I saw Theresa pull at him, getting him to stay way from the doctors and nurses.

Fiona saw Tim burst into the room, but then her eyes caught mine. She pulled the man into the room I was in.

"Shall I close the blinds?" the doctor asked me, pulling my attention to the fact there were others in the room with me.

"No!" I said wanting desperately to know what was going on.

"Then, John," the doctor said, "I need a moment or two of your concentration."

I took a split second to glance over to Fiona. I realized the man with her must be her father, although we had yet to meet. Knowing that Jessica was in the other room and something had happened to her, didn't make my concentration level very high at that point. I also knew there was little I could do. As I was expecting Fiona would tell me what happened, I looked at the doctor.

"Ok. Tell me how bad it is," I said.

"I'm sure you know your cast is going back on. Not only did the water do a number on the cast, buy when they pulled you out, they set you back two weeks. Not that the alternative was a good option."

"I kind of figured that might happen. They were none too gentle, but when I saw the fire floating across the ceiling as they pulled me out, I wasn't going to complain."

I heard a gasp that came from Fiona. The doctor went on.

"That comes to the second part. Your other leg is broken, as well."

He let that news hang.

I looked over to Fiona and her father. She had this look of horror on her face. His expression was hard to discern.

"Will I be able to walk?" I asked.

"It's just a break and I expect it will heal nicely."

"I meant when I have the casts on."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I guess I am," I said with a sigh. "How long will I be immobile?"

"Six weeks, and you'll not be totally immobile, John. You can use a wheel chair. The new cast will not be the full cast your other leg has," the doctor said, as though he had some idea of what a limiting factor that might be. Going on, he added, "The nurse will need to scrub the dead skin off your leg and then we'll be ready to get your new casts on. In the mean time, I think this young lady needs to be seen."

I looked over to Fiona. She had a very surprised look upon her face. That look changed as she realized that she was at the hospital to be checked out.

My gaze continued passed her, looking into the next room. It was empty!

'What happened?' was all I could think.

-------

"Downs, are you secure?" the voice from his cell phone asked.

"Not now."

"Call back."

It wasn't a request. It was an order. The problem was that Special Agent Downs was having a logistical nightmare. Running off to have a private conversation was not in the plans. He had little choice, though, and it made him groan at the bureaucracy that created such problems.

Using the walkie-talkie that hospital security had given him, he asked where he might go to have a private conversation. After a few chuckles, he was directed to an out of the way place.

Once behind a closed and locked door, he called back.

"Downs, that took some time."

"Do you have any idea what I'm up against?" Downs replied.

"Yes, I believe I do. There are four agents en-route. They should arrive in less than thirty minutes from now. Six more are on their way, but it will take a bit longer before they get there."

"It's about time," Downs said.

He knew, that the reason everything fell apart, was that the agents were scattered. The plan to search two properties had been too hasty. There was little thought given to contingencies. With the four agents looking at the one house that had originally been under surveillance, there might not even have been any shots. Maybe. Maybe there wouldn't have been a fire that destroyed a house. What had transpired was unacceptable, and he blamed one person for that: Woods.

"I understand your frustration," the man said.

"I doubt it," Downs replied.

It was not politically sound to say such things to your boss's boss, but Special Agent Downs was not in the mood to care what he said, right then.

Instead of berating Downs, the man chuckled. The reaction threw Downs. Even as mad as he was, he knew he was treading on thin ice.

"I worked with his father. He was on our team ... once. Once was more than enough."

"Did he leave one of his team in harms way?" Downs asked.

Instead of answering that, he said something of more interest to Downs.

"Barnes is in recovery. She pulled through fine, although I understand she's going to have a hell of a long recovery."

Downs found himself sitting. He was damned glad that the chair was in back of him, or he would have landed on the floor.

"Thank you, Sir, for that information. It is hard as hell to get anything out of these people."

"Downs, we don't have the pressure that you are feeling, although I have to say that given the situation, you have been doing a hell of a job. Having your partner in surgery is bad enough. Not being able to pass your authority off, so you can deal with that, is hard. You've been making some good decisions. Moving the kids out of the Bartenelli house was smart. In fact; having both houses vacated, but watched, was very good thinking."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Now saying all that, we've been working our butts off. The surveillance cameras your team placed picked up a few images. We've been working hard on that. Unfortunately, I think they must have been set up before cars were placed in front of the house. It cut off a lower portion of the pictures. Still good, but a lot more work. We need someone who has inside information. That could be the trip point that we need.

"Downs, Agent Long is on the bird that will be landing soon. He is to take over the logistics you've been working on. So be prepared to hand that over to him. Your objective at that point is to talk with the Bartenellis. I want information and I know they must have some.

"Here's the 'carrot on the stick.' Get that information and your job is done. As soon as you transmit that report, you get your ass back to the hospital and stay with Barnes."

Special Agent Downs couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. He didn't want to do anything more than that.

With a sigh, he replied, "I'll work up some notes for Long and go have a talk with the Bartenelli brothers. I think they are ready to talk with me."

"Good. The agents will be landing at the hospital pad, so find out where that is if you don't know already. I'll be waiting for your report."

With that the line went dead. Downs opened up a note pad and started jotting down notes on the information that Agent Long would need.

-------

The doctor and a nurse took Fiona into the next room. I was a bit surprised when her father didn't follow.

He watched the nurse clean up my leg. It was the smell that got to me, more than watching the layers of dead skin wash away. When she was done, and basically out of the way, he stepped up to me.

Looking into my eyes, he said, "I believe you saved my daughter's life."

"We needed to get out," I replied.

It is hard to take complements. To take one of that magnitude is almost impossible. It's much easier to pass off that you did nothing special.

"My daughter got you into the closet, I understand."

I nodded.

"She said you had communication with the outside. That was damned lucky. I was at the house. I saw the flames engulfing it. I'd always told her to hide. I never told her how to get out. John, if you wouldn't have been there..."

I didn't want to speak. I guess he didn't expect me to, as he went on.

"Fiona is one of my most precious gifts. It is a sore point in my marriage right now. My wife sees Fiona as who she wishes she was. That will pass. But if I would have lost il mio angelo piccolo, it would have broken my heart. I know it is hard to accept that you saved those two girls' lives, but you did. For the life of Fiona, I am eternally grateful to you. If you need anything, John, you let me know."

With that, he walked into the next room.

One of the nurses came over to me, and in an almost fearful tone, said, "Do you know who that is?"

-------

I heard the sound of a helicopter landing not that far outside the emergency room. I could hear things like that, as I was resting, waiting for my casts to dry.

My first thought was that they would be moving me, as someone else would need this space. A sobering thought.

Waiting for something to happen didn't make the time go any faster. No one was moving around. No one was coming in to move me. I didn't understand, and frankly it was just one more of 'those' things for this day.

My mind was going over and over what could have happened to Jessica. Fiona had come in to tell me that she had fainted. Or that's what she thought had happened. Beyond that, not a word. Worse yet, I was stuck. There was no way for me to move.

Special Agent Downs opened the door, saw me, and came in with four others. I was introduced to four new agents that had just landed. Well some things made sense now.

Downs also told me that Agent Barnes was in recovery and alert, but not feeling in the best of shape. I was glad to get that news. The five of them left and I was again alone.

The next person to come into the room was Theresa.

"John," she started, and then broke down crying.

That didn't help my anxiety level at all.

"What's wrong?" I said, almost demanding to know.

"They have her in the psych ward."

"Oh," was about all I knew to say.

"John, she was totally irrational. I don't know how to describe it, but it scared the hell out of me. They sedated her. I think you might have seen some of that?"

"I saw that she was in the room, but I had no idea what was going on. The next time I could look over, it was empty. I've been worried sick, wondering what happened."

"I'm sorry, John. I couldn't leave her."

"I understand. Where is she now?"

"Talking with the staff psychologists. I'm worried sick."

"Won't they try and help her?" I asked, not really understanding what they did.

"John, she was sedated. It's likely she will say anything. They will know about you. Know what has happened between the two of you. What has me frightened is that the woman Jessica is talking to has problems with men. John, you should be very worried."



-------

Chapter 42



I thought it might be divine intervention, but then Theresa opened the door and peeked in. I saw her pull her head back before anyone else had seen her. I knew she must have set this up.

Theresa was right. The therapist had come into my room. She sat down, and took a notebook out of her white lab coat. With a predatory grin, she looked at me for almost a full minute. I knew she wanted to make me feel uncomfortable.

She didn't know my father.

"Do you know what they do to young men like you?" she asked, still grinning.

That was as far as she got before Special Agent Downs walked in.

"Who are you?" she said. Then, before an answer could be given, she added, "I'm in a therapy session and need complete privacy."

The way she toned the words, it was easy to see she was used to getting what she wanted. I tried hard to suppress a smile.

Downs reached out quickly, grabbed the nametag that was hanging around her neck, and gave it a hard jerk, ripping it off of her neck. This caused her to grab the chair she was sitting on, and drop the notebook on the floor. He looked at the name.

"Cathy Reynolds," he said and then rubbed his chin.

"You have no right!" she said jumping from the chair. "I'm calling security."

It was then, with the therapist moving to the panic button, that the door opened. Theresa looked in. Downs picked the notebook up off of the floor. Between the sound of the door and Downs sudden movement, Cathy stopped.

"Give that to me."

"Hold on," Downs said calmly, thumbing through the pages. "I'm trying to decide if I need to read you your rights now, or if the police should do that."

"What are you talking about? If you had any idea what was going on, you'd be taking this ... this pervert into custody. Who are you, anyway?"

"FBI. I'm Special Agent Downs, and this alleged 'pervert' is under my protection. Anything that involves him, involves me. You talked with a girl, Jessica. She was under sedation when you interviewed her. Do you have any idea what laws you violated when you did that? I'm sure you are not incompetent, so you do know. She, unfortunately for you, also was being watched by the FBI. Now, Cathy, we can go two ways with this. You can cooperate, and tell us everything that we need to know, or we can play hardball. What would you like?"

-------

Jessica was in a nice, quiet room. There was a lady beside her. She was just sitting in a chair, next to the bed. Jessica knew there had been another lady there, before. There had been questions, or at least she thought so. It was all very fuzzy, still.

Taking a sip from the plastic cup, Jessica felt a little better and drank the rest of the water.

"Why am I here?" Jessica asked.

The woman turned and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"I've seen you before ... Wait..." Jessica said trying to collect her thoughts. "You were at my Aunt's house." Then her face clouded. "Is it all burnt?"

"I believe so. The memories can't be replaced, but the house can."

"You're an FBI agent, right?"

"Yes."

"Sorry. I probably got introduced, but everything is still ... It's like a haze."

"I know, and yes, we met before. I'm Agent Ling."

"Agent Ling, will you tell me the truth, if I ask you a question?"

"If I can."

"Is John alive?"

Ling smiled. She was glad to hear that question.

"Yes, Jessica, he is. I know he wants to see you, but his cast..."

"Oh!" she said with a frown. Then her face brightened, "I'll bet that thing didn't like the water."

"No, I don't think it did."

"I have another question."

"Ok."

"Why am I having trouble remembering things?"

"I'm not the expert, Jessica. We do have someone, who will be seeing you, who is. He will help you. My guess is that you couldn't deal with everything that you saw. You went into overload and shut down. Does that make sense?"

"Like when you plug too many things into the outlets and it pops the circuit breaker?"

"Same idea. You saw too many bad things that went on, too quickly, and you couldn't handle it any more."

"I don't like that idea."

"Jessica, most people don't get so much thrown at them, like you have, at any age. You are still young and don't have the skills to know how to deal with all of it. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I've seen grown men do worse than you."

"You have not!"

"Yes, I have, and it's not a pretty sight." Ling said. She wanted to steer the conversation away from this. "Now, I have a question for you."

"Ok," Jessica said hesitantly.

"Do you know why John had the old style plaster cast on, instead of the lightweight fiberglass one?"

Jessica tilted her head and answered, "Yes, but I'm not sure how I know. I may have read it off of his chart, or maybe my mom said something about it ... but I do know."

"Ok, why?"

"He has an allergy to the resin. They put him in one when he was here the first time. You know, when he got shot. His leg started to swell as a reaction. They had to take it off and wait for the reaction to go away. Then they used the old style plaster cast," Jessica said. Then shaking her head, she added, "You know, it is odd having this much information stuck in your head. Especially when I can't even remember where I got it."

-------

Downs was glad to pass Cathy Reynolds and her poor excuse for psychology off to Agent Long. Long was in charge of logistics, now, and this was one of them. Long could deal with her, and everything that surrounded that conversation with Jessica.

He had bigger fish to fry. Downs wanted to get it down right, but also wanted to be as quick as possible.

It wasn't hard to find Antonio or his brother. They were waiting, with Fiona, to get the lab results back. That was the last hurdle to get a clean bill of health, and to be checked out.

Downs motioned, with his head, for Antonio to move over to where he was walking. Antonio looked at his brother and with a nod, walked around the corner from where Fiona's room was.

"We need to have that talk," Downs said.

"Yes, I know. I have been waiting for you to ask. I've also been giving this much thought."

Downs was ready to hear that Antonio was not about to cooperate. It was often the case. People would say almost anything, when faced with disaster. When they saw the light at the end of the tunnel, quite often their tune would change.

"And?"

"You need to see some things at my house. I have some papers ... print outs, actually ... that I think you would like to have."

This was very unexpected.

-------

Theresa saw her ex, sitting across the hall from where Jessica was sequestered in the hospital room. She couldn't go down there, hospital regulations. She already had been recognized as a nurse in the smaller hospital, even in street clothes. So, much as she wanted to, she couldn't. She knew there were reasons. She wouldn't be able to sit outside, as Tim was doing. She would have to force her way into the room.

She had been able to get Special Agent Downs to see John, just in the nick of time, it seemed. She was very nervous about that. Not just for Jessica and John. Her license could come into jeopardy if things went bad. She wished she had seen Downs when he left, but she'd been on the phone, and now she couldn't find him anywhere.

The phone call was to her sister. Jeanie and her husband were looking over the remains of their house. Theresa could tell from the weariness in her voice, her sister was starting to come to grips with how much they had just lost. There may not have been loss of life, but as her sister said, she could see where the fireplace was. On the mantle had been old family photos. The remains of the china cabinet, where her mother's china had been stored, some of it destined for Jessica, was a smoldering pile. By the end of the conversation, both women were in tears. There were many replaceable items, but many treasures that held heartstrings and meanings were gone.

"Theresa?"

Her name, said so close to her, was startling. She turned and saw Tim right next to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so. There's been too much going on. Do you have any idea how much Jeanie lost? And my daughter."

"Our daughter," he said. "Not that I've had much to do with her. I'm feeling pretty guilty ... Feeling like I'm part of the cause of this. If I'd been around, if I'd there for her, maybe she wouldn't be where she is now."

Theresa could have used this opening to dump on her ex, big time. She felt like it. She also saw how old he looked right then, though. It was as if he'd aged ten years in the past few hours. She thought of Jessica, then, and not of the pain of her divorce.

"Tim, I think all of us are in pain, right now."

"Theresa, Tim!"

The two turned to see Special Agent Downs.

"I'm glad I found you. As soon as you can get yourself ready, go down to the emergency department. That's where we are staging."

"Staging?"

"We're moving you out. It's not safe to have you here. We'll be flying everyone out in the next hour."



-------

Chapter 43



"Ok, tell me what the hell is going on?" Downs said to his boss on the phone, as he and some of the other agents at the airport waited for the last two to arrive and be placed on the plane.

Downs still couldn't believe how many people where being taken out.

"One of our people got a lucky break. You remember that I said that we only got the top half of the cars from your cameras? Well, here's the deal. A block south is an intersection with video into the police station! Those cars were a bit anxious to get away, and one of them ran the red. We got a positive ID and license number that time."

"That's good, but doesn't explain the rush to get everyone out of town."

Downs saw two motorcycle cops, with sirens and lights on, escorting an ambulance down the street and toward the airport.

"You wanted people to know we were taking them away, didn't you? Who the hell is behind this?"

"We have some possible leads. Two are very well connected. We need a bit more information to nail this down. If you can get something positive from the Bartenellis, this thing could turn fast."

"So, I'm staying," Downs said more as a confirmation than anything else.

"Yes. You and the Bartenellis will stay and get those printouts you told me about. Then you three are flying out, as well. The new team that flew in is high profile. There's another six that just arrived, and they are undercover. I half expect the Bartenellis houses to be targeted, and soon. So get over there fast, while they still have a house."

"I'm on my way, then," Downs said, none to pleased.

After hanging up, Downs went over to the ambulance. It was the first time he'd seen Agent Barnes. Downs had seen a lot of troubling things in his life, but the sight of her made his jaw harden.

He reached out and touched her arm. She turned and looked at him, then attempted a smile.

"Sir, we need to move her."

"I have to stay, but I'll be seeing you soon," Downs said to Barnes.

He watched her being loaded into the plane, then turned when he heard a noise. It surprised him to think that he had missed another in the ambulance and that his senses had been dulled. It could be a costly mistake.

Jessica was looking at him and once he realized it was her, he smiled.

"How long has it been?" she asked him.

Not having a clue as to what she was alluding to, he asked for clarification.

"You're in love with her. How long?" Jessica replied.

Downs swallowed hard.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Wondered about it for a while, but the way you just looked at her. It's the way I remember John looking at me."

Jessica looked down and Downs caught her last words, 'remember looking, ' as in past tense.

"Jessica," he said, "are you worried that he's going to feel differently about you?"

"I ... I don't know."

"I do know. His heart belongs to you. I've seen it in the way he talks about you. No one stops that."

"But he..."

"What?"

"He pushed me out. Told me to go."

"In the fire?"

"Yeah."

"Jessica, I understand you'll be talking to Ken. He's good and can make you understand some of your feelings. Times like this can sometimes make you think things that seem so real to you, but they're just not. John isn't going to understand that you feel this way. He's going to want to be with you. If he could walk, he would get to you now, I know that for sure. Did you hear what happened?"

Jessica shook her head.

"They had to recast his one leg and the other leg has a cast on it, too. It got broken when they pulled him out. I think he's upset, because he doesn't think he can stay with you any longer."

Jessica looked up, into the eyes of Downs.

"He said that?"

"Jessica, you may not realize this, but if he hadn't sent you out, he, and maybe you too, would have died. It is very fortunate that they only had to rescue one person, and not three."

"Are you telling me that to try and make me feel better about what happened?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

The two from the ambulance were walking back and they had no more time to talk privately.

"Jessica, talk to him. It is the best thing you could do."

She gave a soft nod to him and then was helped out of the ambulance and into a wheel chair. Downs watched briefly and then turned to walk to his car.

-------

To say that Antonio and his brother were upset would have been a gross understatement.

"What are you going to do to protect my house?" Antonio asked Downs.

"There are agents watching. It is about the best we can do at the moment. We've got some positive IDs on some of the people in the cars that shot up and then torched the house your daughter was in. You said you had some printouts. Antonio, we need some good evidence. If we can get a foothold, then we can go after them. You know how this works."

Antonio looked at his brother, as if confirming once again, then back to Downs.

"We've talked. You know some of the family connections we have. That was our father. The reason he moved here was to get away from all of that. It was a ploy he used, 'to branch out, ' that allowed his move to happen. This isn't an area for that sort of business. Our father was a good business man, though." Antonio smiled, "It also helps when people think you have connections at times. Definitely helps at contract times. Now my brother and I have five successful businesses. We can't do much more than what we have already. It's time consuming to make sure no one is trying to steal our businesses from us.

"I'm telling you this, because we still occasionally get requests, if you will. It is hard to come up with excuses all the time, but we manage. Anyway, I got a request. Same format, same type of language. You have to understand; I originally thought this was from ... well, let's say 'the brothers.' It was a bit disturbing. I didn't want any part of it. So, as I pondered for a day or two, I received a second message. This is unusual in of itself. The wording was more direct. I knew I couldn't delay and called my contact. He didn't know what I was talking about. So I replied, saying I wasn't interested in doing anything of that sort."

"What were they asking?"

"Identifying children that had 'needs'," Antonio replied in a tone that showed how disgusted he was with the idea.

"Nothing more than that?"

"Not at the beginning. Whoever sent the message knew the right words to say. They had to be acquainted with how messages were delivered, as well. I got a response and it told me that I should know I didn't have a choice. I was to do what I was told. That's when it got a bit more detailed as to what they wanted, how they would communicate with me from then on, and when they expected my first child for introduction.

"Agent Downs, you should know that there is no way out. There are avenues to help us not get involved. Moving here, to a non-convenient place, was our father's approach, but refusing is still not accepted.

"When I said that I couldn't do what was required, I received a third contact," Antonio said. This time Downs noticed the change in his voice. "The message detailed what would happen to Fiona, if I failed."

"Why didn't you contact us?"

"Agent Downs," Antonio said with a sigh, "the FBI has tailed us, tapped our phone, got court orders to search our house. Tell me, would you trust me to help you, if you were having a problem?"

"I see your point. You were trapped, then. What did you do?"

"We watched her, diligently. Fiona never knew what was going on. Well, I should rephrase that. I know I was reacting to the situation. I spent more time with her because of it. My wife was no help, she, I guess, turned jealous."

"You guess?" Antonio's brother butted in for the first time. "You should have seen her. She couldn't understand why Tino would give Fiona so much attention. Then she started berating him, telling him it was because it reminded him of her at that age. It got pretty ugly at times."

Antonio took a deep breath and went on. "I know Fiona was having a hard time with everything that was going on at the house. She was to stay with the twins anytime we weren't around.

"In the past few days we've been having a couple of meetings. You barged in on that last one. I guess Fiona took that opportunity and didn't come home ... If I had only known."

"Unfortunately," Downs said, "we can always see better, looking in hindsight, as to what we could have done."

"Your men have my computers?" Antonio asked, noting the office was devoid of a few, but not many things.

"Yes, the agency thought it prudent. We didn't want to attract too much attention, if anyone was watching, so all we got were the computers."

Antonio glanced at his brother, who said, "Agent Downs, could I show you something in the living room for a few moments."

Downs looked at the two and said, "Nothing funny, right?"

"Just give me four minutes and I will be ready to leave the house, as well as have the papers you want."

Special Agent Downs felt a bit uneasy. This was one of those points where, even if he knew the place was watched and bugged, he was at risk. Things could go wrong, or right. Seeing Antonio with Fiona, he trusted in his instinct that he was right. Special Agent Downs looked back at Antonio, then went with the brother and walked to the living room, leaving Antonio in the back of the house.

They sat on two of the chairs, not saying a word to each other. Downs tried to hear any noises Antonio might make, but no sound traveled down the hall at all.

If seemed like more than four minutes when Antonio emerged, but Downs confirmed on his watch that it wasn't. Antonio was carrying a folder containing some papers, and an external hard drive.

Seeing Agent Downs raise his eyebrows at what he had in his hands, Antonio said, "Almost everything in this house is replaceable. This information isn't."

"My guess is we wouldn't have found it, even with a search warrant."

"No, you wouldn't have."

"I don't need to have seen that, if everything you say is true," Downs said.

It was common, as a trust building exercise, and Downs needed all the information Antonio could give him. If they could get a trail from the emails, it would be the biggest break yet.

Antonio gestured to the folder, and said, "This is what you want. Once I tell you how to look at it, the information should be helpful. Very helpful, I hope. Agent Downs, I don't like the idea of running. If these people are after Fiona, and I think they are; I need to stop them, just like you do."

Special Agent Downs called for transport, and then they stepped out the door.

Across the street, at the next house down, a car exploded. Its glass blasted out of its windows in every direction.

Special Agent Downs felt a searing pain as a bullet ripped through his arm. He turned and saw the surprised expression on Antonio's face, just before Antonio dropped to the ground.



-------

Chapter 44



The black armored van drove up onto the lawn, blocking any other gunfire towards the two brothers and Special Agent Downs. Its sliding door opened. Two men jumped out and pulled the three into the van.

Outside, the sniper's car had been seen trying to get away. It didn't even make it to the end of the block before it was stopped. Two others were seen running from the area and a chase was on foot to grab them.

"Hell!" Antonio said as he ripped open his shirt, revealing an armored vest. "This thing probably saved my life."

One of the agents was applying a compress on Special Agent Downs arm.

"Damn this makes me mad," Downs said.

"Mad? That's it?" Antonio said.

"There was high possibility something would happen. That damned explosion caught my attention, just like it was designed to do. Yeah, I'm mad! They thought that out pretty well and the car, I wonder how long it's been sitting there. 'Course what they didn't know was that we were prepared." Downs turned his head and called up to the driver, "Did we get them?"

"Five of them are in custody now. Looks like two of them were the ones we IDed in the car, yesterday. They have a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

"So we were set up?" Antonio said.

Before Downs could respond, Antonio's brother did.

"We got to the house, I bet if we hadn't, there wouldn't be a house left. Think about it, those people are now out of the picture. Yeah, we were out there. We got shot at. Agent Downs set us up with the jackets and he's the one who took one. My guess is that this worked to our advantage."

The van jerked to a stop.

"Where are we?" Downs asked.

"The hospital. You need that arm looked at before we get you out of here."

The door was opened. A gurney was waiting. Downs pushed off any help and took a step out of the van, before he sagged. The attendants took hold of him and quickly got him on the gurney. Then wheeled him into the emergency entrance.

-------

Jessica had never been in a plane before. The sound of the props was loud. Much louder than she'd ever heard in any movie she'd seen. Take off had been a mixture of feelings; scared half out of her mind as the plane ran down the runway, queasiness, as the plane left the ground, fascination, as she saw everything from a bird's eye view.

She looked up and down the aisle. She hadn't had much time to do anything but get her seat belt on, before the plane rolled onto the runway and took off.

Beside her were Agent Barnes' feet. The seats had been taken out and she was lying on something that looked like the gurneys they used at the hospital. Agent Ling was right behind Jessica, and then someone that looked like a nurse was in the seats next to Agent Barnes head. At least Jessica thought the person must be a nurse, it looked like that's what they were doing, although they weren't dressed as her mom was when she worked. Just in front of her, her mother was on one side, and her father was on the other. Jeanie and her husband were in the row ahead of that. Two older women, followed by two younger girls were in the next two rows.

'Fiona's mother, Aunt, and her sisters, ' Jessica thought.

Fiona sat in a row all by herself, and then two older boys were in the front of the plane. The pilot and co-pilot were in their respective seats.

Fiona caught Jessica's eye as she scanned the plane. Jessica gave a little wave and mouthed 'Hi, ' knowing over the noise her voice wouldn't be heard.

As Fiona waved back, Fiona's mother looked back to see Jessica. She turned to Fiona and rattled off something in Italian that Jessica heard, but couldn't understand.

Jessica knew it wasn't good, from the expression on her friend's face.

Jeanie heard and understood enough though, as she was just a seat back.

"Don't talk to your daughter like that," Jeanie said.

"I will say what I wish to my daughter and you can stay out of my business," came a cold reply.

"I will not. Fiona doesn't deserve a mother who is a total..."

Jeanie didn't get the last words out as her hands flew up to prevent a blow.

Jessica saw the blur of Agent Ling run up the isle way. The agent took hold of both ladies' hands and held onto them, then pushed them into their own areas.

"Now hear this," her voice boomed out of her small frame. "You will not talk. You will not touch. You will not even whisper. Now you two," Agent Ling said, pointing at Fiona's mother and Aunt. "Change places with Fiona."

"I will not!"

Agent Ling's hand was faster than a cobra as it made contact with the woman's throat. Her other hand deftly reached down and undid the woman's seat belt. Then she lifted the woman up and walked her into the seat across from Fiona.

Other than the planes noise, not a sound was heard. Everyone on board was shocked.

"Fiona! Move!"

Fiona quickly took her mother's vacated seat.

Agent Ling then turned to Fiona's Aunt. The woman was trembling as she was pulling at her seat belt. She got it undone and quickly moved to the seat across from her sister in law.

"We will be landing in about an hour. I am going back to sit with Agent Barnes. I would rather be there, making sure she is comfortable. If I have to come and sit between you I will. Let me tell you this, if I am forced to do that, I will not be pleased. Do ... I ... make ... my ... self... clear?"

Everyone nodded.

Agent Ling then went up to say a word with the pilot. As she came back down the aisle, she stopped and knelt in front of Fiona's sisters. She leaned in and said a few words to each of them. They nodded and then she moved down to where Fiona was. Agent Ling sat in the empty seat across from Fiona. Leaning into the aisle way, Ling motioned for Fiona to do the same.

"Sorry I had to be so gruff. I didn't mean to scare you, and certainly not your sisters."

"Are they ok?" Fiona asked.

"Just fine. I was over at your house while you were with Jessica, remember? We played a few games together and so I told them this was a game and not to worry."

"Thanks. I worry about them," Fiona replied.

"Don't worry, they're fine. Did you know they look up to you?"

Fiona got a bit choked up. Agent Ling smiled and then got up. She came back and sat down into her seat, near Agent Barnes.

Jessica turned around and looked at Agent Ling.

Agent Ling gave Jessica a little smile, winked, and then said, "I'll tell you later."

After that, Agent Ling knelt down next to her friend, Agent Barnes.

-------

The hospital officials complained, although it was more for show than anything else. It would have done little good at any rate. As soon as Special Agent Downs was stable, and movable, he was. In a way the hospital was glad. The emergency room had been closed while he and the two Bartenelli brothers were there.

The same black van pulled up, driving very close to the front door. A minute later it drove to the airport.

Ten minutes later, a helicopter landed at the hospital and three men got on board.

As soon as it took off, it headed north until it was clearly out of sight. Then changed its heading, and made a large arc.

"You expected trouble again, didn't you?" Antonio shouted over the noise.

Downs nodded.

The bullet had hit a vein, and while his muscle suffered a bit of damage, the blood loss was the worst of it. He'd had a transfusion, but there was little he could do about the nausea that he felt now.

-------

The plane landed without a hitch. As soon as the engines died down, the captain turned in his seat.

"Folks, it will take us a couple of minutes to get the door open and the ladder in place. You two boys, and you two men, will need to help get Agent Barnes out. So stay on board."

"What kind of place is this?" Tim asked after he took another look out the window.

Agent Ling answered, saying, "It's one of the training camps we use. It's closed now. There is no one for miles. As soon as I get into the headquarters, we'll know within minutes if anyone unexpected tries to arrive."

"This is not comforting," Tim said.

"Possibly not, but with such short notice, this was deemed as the safest spot we could take everyone to."

The pilot had the door open and the co-pilot was working on the sectional ladder. In moments, it was in place. The co-pilot went first, and then signaled that everything was clear. After that, the passengers made their way down, although no one was very comfortable about exiting the aircraft this way.

Finally it came time for Agent Barnes. She was secured to the portable gurney, and it was detached from the floor. The men then lifted her. Down the middle and just over the seats, she was carried. Once they got her to the door, the nurse checked her straps again. This was the tricky part. Two men, and the nurse were in the plane, to lower her out. On the tarmac, two men and two older boys waited to take hold.

It went amazingly smooth.

Only after everyone was off the plane, did Theresa ask the question that several others had on their mind.

"Where are we going now, and how?"

Agent Ling took over.

"We're going to that building," she said as she pointed, "and the only way to get there, from here, is to walk. It would be best if four people carried Agent Barnes. Jessica and Fiona, you take the back corners. Tony and Phil, you take the front corners. It is bound to get heavy and we'll switch people along the way."

The four picked up their corners and the group started to walk.

As Agent Ling walked close to Jessica, Jessica asked, "Why did you have us in the back? Isn't this side heavier?"

A small smile ran across Ling's face before she answered.

"I did it because if you two would have been in front, those two boys would have had trouble watching where they were walking."

Fiona had been listening to the conversation as well. She and Jessica looked at each other, and realized what Agent Ling was suggesting. Both girls blushed.

Tim watched the pilot, as he scanned the sky several times during their walk.

"You're looking for something," Tim said.

"I expected that Special Agent Downs would have been here about now. Timing is not exact on that one, but I'm a bit surprised."

Agent Barnes had only been transferred twice in the walk. With four hands, the load was manageable. They stopped in the shade of an overhang.

"Let's set Agent Barnes down here," Ling said. "It will take me several minutes to get this building open.



-------

Chapter 45



"Any way to slow down?" I shouted up front.

"We have a tail. Sorry, John, I think you need to hang on a bit longer."

"You aren't going to try and lose them, are you? I mean we're in a big black van. Not hard to miss."

"John, that's not the object. We didn't know if we'd get a tail, but we're prepared for one. We just have to make it so they think we're losing them. They'll be cornered in, in about five minutes."

I now understood why, when they set me in the back of the van at the hospital, they set foam padding between my legs. My hands were outstretched and grasping tightly to straps.

"You expected this then. Why the hell do I feel like a piece of bait?"

"John, sorry, can't talk right now."

The van's tires squealed as they banked hard. I lost my grip and rolled to my side. The van straightened and I rolled back over to my other side. As soon as I got on my back and grasped the straps, it happened again.

"Fuck!" I said as I ended up on my front this time.

No one responded. I'm not sure they heard me. I could hear the one yelling out locations, the other one driving. Then there was a barrage of talk between them.

"They've got a launcher out the roof, Frank."

"Fuckin' hell!"

"One more turn, we need one more."

"Do it quick."

"Going to need to get John out, you ready?"

I was listening to their conversation but I wasn't sure that last question was directed towards me, or to the driver.

The van tipped, and I was sure it had lifted two wheels from the ground. I lost my grip again, and rolled, this time smashing into the side of the van. The van hit the ground hard and I lunched forward, almost enough to sit upright. Just as fast as I became upright, I fell back. Luckily, I lifted my head as I landed on my back.

"What the fuck!" I heard.

The tires squealed as we braked hard to a stop.

Then I heard, "Shit. I'm sorry, John."

-------

The communication center was operational. The mess hall was open and everyone (save the two who were manning the communication's center) was in there, when they got the notification that the helicopter had been spotted.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Jeanie's husband said, "but you have a shitload of radios in this place. Why did you have to wait 'til they were on the radar screen to know they were almost here?"

"There are only a handful of people who know where we are," the pilot of the airplane replied. "Any communications sent out, and they could get a fix on us. Right now, we're not visible."

"With a plane on the runway?" Tim asked jumping into the conversation.

"What plane?"

"It's gone?"

"Can't be seen from satellites, and if a plane flew close enough, we'd know about it. This is still restricted air space, so no one except someone who was looking for us would be showing up."

"Then how do you know it's the right helicopter showing up?" Tim asked.

"We have our ways."

Jessica had been listening into the conversation and said, "I'll be glad when it shows up. I have to talk to John."

The pilot averted his eyes, not wanting to look at Jessica.

"He's not on the helicopter, is he?"

"No, he's not."

"Is he going to come here?" Jessica asked in a pained voice.

-------

The helicopter pilot pointed. They were glad to see the destination, especially Special Agent Downs. It had been a hard and long ride.

They landed moments later. Two men rushed out to the helicopter as the engines were shutting down.

They took one look at Downs and one of the two ran back towards the building. The other man motioned for the Bartenelli brothers to come out.

They looked at the rotating blades, stepped out, ducked further than needed, and ran towards the building.

Theresa and the other nurse came out with a stretcher. Downs looked at it, closed his eyes, and groaned. Then, dutifully, he let himself be loaded up into it. The two women then carried Downs back into the building.

Once inside, away from the noise, the questions started.

"What happened to you?"

"I was shot in the arm."

"Who treated you?"

"I was taken to the hospital?"

Theresa broke in, "Was John there?"

"He left before I did. He's not here yet?"

"Oh, God. Don't say a word to Jessica," Theresa replied, shaking her head.

"Do you know what they gave you, or did you get some paperwork?"

"I have no idea what they gave me, other than a pint of blood. I'm O negative, by the way. I think there was some sort of papers. You'll need to ask the pilot."

"I'll stay with him," Theresa said. "I heard they were covering the helicopter, so it couldn't be seen. They might be a while, we need to know."

"We?"

"Think I'm going to sit on my hiney, now that two of you need help?" Theresa said as the nurse walked out the door, towards the helicopter. She then cocked her head and said, "Did you get shot so you could be a bit closer to Agent Barnes?"

"Did you talk to your daughter?"

Theresa smiled and said, "Yes, but I could see it, already."

"Just don't go spreading that around, would you?"

"Spreading what around?" the other nurse said as she walked in.

"Germs," Downs said.

Theresa laughed at his lame answer.

"He didn't want me to let anyone know about..."

"Him and Agent Barnes? Everyone knows about that."

Downs looked somewhat paler as he replied, "They do?"

"Oh, don't worry. Some had their suspicions, but after the com lines said she was down, you ... Hell, Downs, I don't know how you held it together. You made us proud."

"You going to move me, now?" Downs asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Yeah. We're all in the mess hall, right now. I've got to prep the medic ward so we can get the two of you in there. I'll be a lot happier when that happens."

There was a good deal of commotion going on when Downs was brought into the mess hall. Most of it was coming from where the Bartenelli family had been gathered.

"There was a bit of a problem on the plane with Antonio's wife, and my sister," Theresa said to Downs.

"What sort of problem?"

"She was being the bitch she always has been," Theresa said automatically. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"But it's how you feel about her, isn't it," Downs said.

"I remember her from high school. Haven't seen her much since. When Fiona was over, though..."

"Try and not judge what you don't know from first hand knowledge. It keeps you from making big mistakes."

"Sounds like personally gained information."

"Theresa," he said with exaggerated annoyance, but there was a smile on his face.

"I know, I know. Stop talking, and keep walking."

The two nurses had just set Downs onto one of the tables, across from Agent Barnes, when there was the sound of flesh being slapped.

Sound stopped everyone, and they all turned to where the Bartenelli's were.

"I said apologize, and I meant apologize," Antonio said in a booming voice.

Theresa and Jessica made eye contact. Jessica walked over to be with her mother. Both of them were hoping he wasn't talking to, nor had smacked, Fiona.

It was a sigh of relief when they saw Antonio and his wife walk from the Bartenelli's area, over to where Jeanie and her husband sat.

-------

"Mom?"

"Yes, Jessica."

"I think he's going to hate me."

"Who?"

"John."

Theresa tried not to smile. Jessica sounded serious ... but, really...

"Why do you think that?"

"'Cause I had something of his ... Something I shouldn't have had. It was out of his car and I sort of forgot about it. It was in the house."

"Jeanie's totally burned down house?" Theresa asked in a worried tone.

"Yes," Jessica squeaked out.

"What was it?"

"His laptop."

"You took his laptop? And now it's gone?" Theresa said with much more heat in her voice than she realized.

She did realize it, though, when the room went suddenly quiet and everyone looked at them.



-------

Chapter 46



Both agents jumped into the back of the van and grabbed hold of me. The explosion tossed the van into the wall ahead of us, which was less than five feet away. If it hadn't been for the agents, I would have been tossed around in the back like nothing I wanted to imagine.

When the van came to rest on its side, I noticed the back door had been breached, somewhat. I saw through the small crack the remains of a car. It was still on fire.

I looked at the agents, who had protected me. One was out cold. The other was disoriented. I knew that would pass.

Through the crack between the doors, I could see a trail of fire that was making its way towards our van, from the car that was on fire.

'Fuck, ' I thought, 'the gas tank is leaking."

That moment of anxiety was replaced by the sound and sight of fire extinguisher foam hitting the ground, covering the gasoline, and smothering the fire half way to the burning car.

I pushed back as some foam spurted through the small opening.

Then I heard someone say, "We'll get you out as soon as we can. I think we're going to have to cut you out, though."

"Damn," I heard one of the agents inside of the van say.

I looked over to find both of them sitting up.

"One hell of an explosion! It got through, too. Ain't supposed to be able to do that. I hope it makes it easier for them to get us out. I have a hell of a headache."

There was a tapping on the van and the same voice I heard before said, "You guys alive in there?"

I didn't find that amusing at all.

I moved over to the crack in the back door and said, "No, we're all dead!"

"Umm, is that you John?" I heard as a response.

"Yes."

"What the fuck are you doing in there?"

"Waiting to get out."

"No. I mean ... Guess at this point it doesn't make any difference. The 'Jaws of Life' will be here in a few minutes. Then we should be able to get you out."

"Should be able to?" I had to ask.

"This van is armored a bit more than you might think. I hope we can get you out without resorting to more drastic measures. John, not to sound ungrateful, but is there a reason the agents aren't talking to me?"

"Trying to get themselves oriented, I think. They protected me when that car blew up. I'm fine ... not so sure about them. What the hell happened anyway?"

"That explains why they're not in communication. We'll talk about what happened, after we get you out. Ok?"

-------

Lieutenant Colonel Armstrom came into the mess hall after hearing disturbing reports about how the guests were behaving. He had changed into his dress uniform. Taking a deep breath, he used his long practiced military voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. I am in charge of this facility and while I am in charge I will not tolerate the behavior I have just heard about, happening in this room. While I understand your emotions are running high, we are going to be in close quarters for the next couple of days. We will respect each other, even when we do not feel like it. Do I make myself quite clear?"

Tim had been out of the service for many years, but the feelings swept over him again. None of them were too pleasant. He fought back his initial reaction and put his hand up into the air, then called out.

"Sir, you said a couple of days. Do you have any idea how many?"

"My orders were to evacuate you and secure this site. The idea I received was that it was to be very temporary. I have no other information than that."

Jeanie was not used to taking orders, or military protocol. She just asked her question.

"So what happens to our businesses? Or our house, what's left of it? Do we have any say in what is going on?"

"Ma'am," Lt. Col Armstrom replied, "I don't relish the idea of being so blunt in front of the children, but your chances of survival were slim, without intervention. I think you might consider the alternative as the best option."

No one could think of another question after that one was explained.

Antonio had tried to explain to his wife about what had happened at Jeanie's house, although she wasn't listening at the time. When the slap across her face occurred, she understood her flippant attitude was not going to be tolerated. She now looked at Jeanie, to whom she stood near, and felt a bit sick to her stomach.

"What happened to your house?"

"It was shot up and then torched. There's not much left," Jeanie said as though she was very detached from the reality of what had happened.

Turning and looking at him, Antonio's wife studied his face as if searching for answers.

"Why did they go after that house?"

"Because two people were in it."

Color drained from her face as she said, "Fiona."

-------

"I'm glad we were able to get you out of that mayhem," the nurse said to Agent Barnes.

"So am I," she replied slowly.

"She's talking, good!" Special Agent Downs said.

As Barnes moved her head to look at him, the nurse said, "Yes, but not much. Don't try and make conversation with her."

Then she winked at him

"Don't we need to look in the supply closet?" Theresa asked the nurse.

Not being able to help it, the nurse snorted, and then said, "Yes, I think you're right. We'll be back in a minute or two. Don't go away."

"What happened?" Barnes asked.

"You were in the house when they opened fire..."

"No," Barnes cut in. "You."

"Oh. I was shot," he said, as though it was stupid of himself to have been shot.

"Maybe..."

"I wanted to be stuck next to you?" Downs said, in response to how everyone else seemed to know.

"You did?"

He got the feeling she might have been the only one who didn't know. His mouth felt dry all of a sudden. He didn't know what to say, anyway.

After a pause, Barnes said, "I thought I was the only one,"

"Only one?" Downs said, a little more confused.

"Who felt that way."

"Oh, honey," the nurse said as she and Theresa walked back into the room, "just about everyone can see it. No one felt it right to say anything about it. We all know what would happen."

"What would happen?" Theresa wanted to know.

"They couldn't be partners. Doesn't work. Emotions take over and mistakes are made. Right, Downs?"

"Policy," he muttered.

"Oh," Theresa responded, "Now I understand, although it stinks. You two have had feelings for each other before this. Now that something has been said, it's ... well ... it's screwed."

"You want to change Downs' dressing?" the nurse said to Theresa. She had just started on Barnes. "Not sure if it makes a whole lot of difference, anyway. Barnes here, ain't going to be in a car for almost a year anyway."

"A year?" Downs said, rather shocked.

Theresa had to push on him to get him not to sit up. Then she went back to unwrapping his arm, when he gave up trying to move.

"There were some unusual complications that came up," the nurse said. "I read the file on the surgery before we got into the plane."

"Does she know?" Downs asked.

"I can hear," Barnes said, not liking being talked about as though she wasn't there.

Special Agent Downs wanted to reach out and take hold of Agent Barnes hand. He couldn't use his arm right then. Instead, he made sure he had eye contact with her.

"Tell me. What did they have to do?"

He saw a small smile on Barnes' face.

"They didn't do it. You did."

"Me?" Downs said. Then guilt ran though him. He had told her to stay at the house. Anguish of what he had caused shown on his face as he said, "I'm sorry I made you stay there."

Realizing how Downs took it, Agent Barnes made an 'O' with her mouth as she sucked in air.

"No. Not that. I don't blame you!"

"Then what?" he asked.

"They found out I'm pregnant."

-------

"Those are not the 'Jaws of Life' I've seen on television," I said.

"You're right, John. Those wouldn't have pulled this door open. The construction of this van is special. It's what kept you alive, but we didn't really anticipate having to rip the thing open to get anyone out, so we had to improvise."

"Well I'm glad I'm out of there, but..." I said as I looked at what had once been a car.

I only knew that, because of the conversation. What I saw was a hunk of twisted metal. We were down at the end of a blind alley. The blast had taken out a ten-foot section of wall on one side of the alley. The wall on the other side had chunks of cement missing, and the dumpsters that had been lined up there were flattened. It was no wonder the van had been tossed as it had.

"There's a helicopter landing..." We could hear it getting close. "John, I'd love to chat, but you have a ride to take."

I almost wanted to laugh. This was getting a bit much.

"Where to, now?"

"A highway patrol office. It's about fifty miles from here."

I looked at the man, and my jaw dropped. He didn't look like he was kidding, but, what the hell?

"Why?"

"Your parents are there."



-------

Chapter 47



He knew he had been speeding, but not by much. They wanted to get to their son. The call that said John was in the hospital, getting recast, didn't sound good.

When the officer had asked for his driver's license, but nothing else, it had made him suspicious. As soon as the officer had looked at it, and then handed it right back to him, he definitely knew there was something wrong.

"Mister Huntington, can you please follow me down to the station?"

"What's this all about?" she asked, after glancing past her husband.

"A situation is developing. I understand you are en route to see your son. One of the agents handling the area called me and asked me to intersect you, for your own safety."

"Our own safety? What about our son?"

"Sir, I have no knowledge about what is happening. They didn't elaborate. I was asked to get you to our station and hold you there until further notice."

Sitting had become tedious. Time had all but stopped. He thought 'further notice' would be much sooner than this. He paced around the small room they had been stuffed into. No one had come in, or even talked to them, since they had arrived. An idea started forming in his head that they were 'not here, ' so to speak.

"Come and sit down. I'm sure that they will let us know something, soon."

"How can you be so calm? Our boy was back in the hospital for who knows what and now we're being hidden away in a highway patrol office. Something is wrong."

"I know, but what can we do? The way they sounded, we couldn't get into the town anyway. Maybe they took him out."

"Be reasonable. He's in the hospital. I think you've been watching too many TV shows. They don't go carting people out of hospitals."

The officer, that had detained them, walked into the room.

"I have some news. I know it has been a long wait, but..."

"Long! We've been there over two hours, not knowing what is going on. You better have some good news."

"From what I understand, your son is on his way here. He should land in about seven minutes."

"Land?"

"Helicopter. You two will need to be ready. It's just a touch and go situation, from what I hear."

She looked at her husband with fear in her eyes.

"Is he that bad?" she asked.

The officer was confused by her question.

"She wants to know how bad our son is. Is he going to make it?"

"Oh. No. I'm sorry. 'Touch and go' means that the helicopter is touching down, you're getting on and it takes off. We've got to be going, so you'll be ready to run to it, as soon as it lands."

"We're riding in one of those?" she asked, her eyes growing large.

As the officer ushered them out of the room and down the hallway, he said, "Your son's on board. One of you will need to sit up front with the pilot and the other will be in the back with John. I understand the back is a bit cramped, what with his legs in casts."

"I'll be in back," she said positively.

She didn't want to see outside, as she was scared enough of the thought of being in one of those things. Being with her son would take her mind off of where she was.

When the three got outside, they could see the helicopter in the distance, coming towards them. The officer instructed them on what was going to happen when it landed. She should just open the door and climb in. Her husband would have to let the copilot out, and then get into the copilot's seat.

As the helicopter got closer, the officer whistled. He told them they were in for a treat.

"This one is not the stripped down model we use for traffic. It's almost quiet enough inside the cabin to hold a conversation. Well, at least to the person next to you."

Adrenalin rush gave the two all the energy they needed. She was out to the helicopter, as soon as she was told it was safe. After opening the door, she literally bounced into the seat, and then pulled the door closed, before she looked at her son.

"John! Your leg!"

"Hi, Mom. Good to see you, too."

"What happened? You have two casts now!"

"Seat belt, Mom. I think you'll feel better with it on."

"Oh! Yes, I forgot."

She strapped herself in, and then felt herself sink into the chair as they lifted off.

"Oh, I think I'm going to be sick," she said to her son. "Did your father get in? Now what did you do to your leg?"

"Mom, I don't think you're going to be sick. They wouldn't have taken off, if Dad wasn't inside, and I was in a house fire and the firemen pulling me out broke my leg."

"Don't make fun of me. Now tell me the truth."

-------

Jessica snuck into where Downs and Barnes were.

"I heard from my mom," she said to them. "How did it happen?"

"Don't you know? What are they teaching kids these days?" Downs responded.

"Don't make fun of her," Barnes said.

"Yes, Dear," Downs said.

"You should be glad I can't move," Barnes told him.

Jessica giggled.

"I got an infection. It was just after a raid. They put me on antibiotics. Did you know antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills?" Barnes asked.

"Umm, I kinda remember something like that. I don't need those yet."

"Good," Downs said.

Barnes rolled her eyes, making Jessica smile at the two.

"Well, remember, or you could be like me. They tell you that sort of thing, but when something happens, then it's been so long ago that you forget."

"What do you mean, like me?" Downs said. "You make it sound ... I thought we talked about this."

"Do you two need some time to talk?" Jessica asked.

"No," Barnes said. "Unfortunately, I'm going to be lying around having too much time to talk, and not being able to do anything for too long. I get cranky when that happens."

"It's only been a day!" Jessica retorted with humor in her voice.

"Did you want something?" Barnes growled at her.

Jessica might have started to laugh, but she didn't. That focused the attention of Downs and Barnes to her.

"Do you know?" Jessica asked in a soft voice. "Is he coming here?"

"Yes, Jessica, John will be here," Downs said. "You have my word on it."

"Thanks." Jessica turned to go, and then turned back around. "Can you still be an agent, I mean, with a baby?'

"Yes, but it will be different. My whole life will be different."

"Mine, too," Downs said.

"Yours?" Barnes asked.

He would still be out in the field. She couldn't be. Not while she was pregnant, for sure.

"I'm going to lose my partner. Someone I would count on, with my life," Downs told her.

The two were looking at each other, and hardly noticed Jessica leaving the room.

-------

Tim was looking across the room when Antonio walked over.

"It could be worse. My wife is blaming me for everything. She told me that if she had known ... As if that could change anything."

"You have a wife. I destroyed our marriage. My ex hates men because of me. My daughter doesn't think I love her. Worse yet, my kid told me point blank why I left my wife. I didn't even know the real reason for why I did what I did."

"And they think men have it easy," Antonio said, a bit tongue in cheek.

"You're a bit too cheery about this."

"She will get over it. Someday. I know she doesn't like it, but she'll realize I did it to protect her."

"I'm not sure there's any hope for me."

"Tim, I don't say this lightheartedly. You ain't talking like a man. Maybe you made a mistake. Nothing you can do about that. Each one of us does that. Some bigger than others. You can either look back and say, 'Wow, look how I fucked up, ' or look forward and say, 'Yeah, I fucked up.' It's up to you."

"Sounds about the same to me," Tim said.

"Not at all. One is wallowing in self pity at what they did, the other is understanding that they messed up, and the only way to keep living is to not do that again."

"Yeah, well, Jessica wants me and my ex to talk."

"She's pretty smart for her age."

"Damned right she is. Problem is Theresa and I haven't really talked in years. I don't know what to say. It doesn't feel too good, when you go over there, expecting to get your head bit off."

"You think Theresa could take you?" Antonio said, amused.

"With words? Probably."

"If it still hurts, then you haven't gotten over it. I would bet you never will, and it could kill you in the end. Tim, it doesn't do you any good to be feeling that way. Go over and tell her you two need to talk. Use Jessica as the reason. My guess is that Theresa can't hold that one against you."

Tim couldn't help a little smile on his face.

"Yeah, you may be right on that one."

-------

"Sir, there's a helicopter coming in."

"One?"

"Yes, Sir."

"My guess is that's John. You know the drill, radio silence."

"How many in the greeting party?"

"How big is the helicopter? Have a visual yet?"

"Looks like a two-seater."

"Damned uncomfortable ride for him then. From what I understand we'll need a stretcher, so send four out there for him."



-------

Chapter 48



"Sir!" the woman said as she ran down the hall. "We need you back at the com center."

"What now?"

"Visuals. It's not John."

Armstrom ran back to the room.

"Get the team on the radio, tell them not to proceed. Do not proceed. Wait for further orders."

It was a tense seven minutes. There were eight people who knew that a helicopter had just landed. It was one that no one was expecting, and it had unknown occupants on board.

"Sir? Regulation uniforms."

"Do not proceed. We have no verification that they are friend or foe."

The communication officer looked at her coworker. She had never been in a situation like this before.

The engine had stopped, but the rotors took their time to come to a halt. Then they sat.

Armstrom looked through the binoculars. He was puzzled by what he saw. The two men inside the helicopter were laughing. It was almost as though they were telling jokes. It was not the kind of thing he would have expected to see. Either they knew what was happening inside the building, and were waiting, or they were very cool customers.

"I need to talk with Downs."

He was handed a phone.

"Downs, we had a helicopter land."

"Where are they?"

"Still in the chopper."

"Location of the helicopter."

"Oh. Just north of the com room. We have a good visual on them."

"Passenger, does he have longer gray hair. Probably wearing the uniform, but looks totally out of place in it?"

"Nailed that one. You know him?"

"Ken Fregers. He's the best psychologist I know."

"No wonder they are just waiting patiently. I would swear they were telling jokes."

"Knowing Ken, they probably were. My guess is that it's getting hot out there. You might want to invite them in."

"No chance of a problem?"

"If you were out there and in trouble, would you just sit there? Probably not. You would act as if it was normal to try and get into the building. It would be your best hope to have those on the inside try and take you down. Survival sometimes depends on trying to act normal, where you shouldn't."

"Thanks, Downs. Can I ask why he's here?"

"Jessica had a rather nasty meeting with a hospital psychologist, who is now under our care."

"Under your care. Should I ask what that means?"

"Most likely not."

"Didn't think so." He hung up with Downs and then said, "Get two men to greet our new arrivals. Two others are to cover them. I am walking over to see our guests, as soon as they get in the door."

Armstrom walked out of the room. As soon as the message was relayed, two men could be seen approaching the helicopter.

-------

"My mother hasn't said a word to me. It's driving me crazy," Fiona said.

"I think everyone is going a bit crazy. I know I am," Jessica replied. "I don't know what to do with myself."

"Yeah. There's nothing to do. Have you thought about what kids are going to say?"

"About?"

"The FBI taking us to some secret base!"

"Fiona, we're not at a secret base, and the FBI isn't involved."

Fiona's mouth dropped open and her eyes fluttered wide.

"What do you mean? What is this place then? You told me they were FBI. Who are they? Does my dad know?"

"Fiona, stop!"

"What?"

"Have you ever known anyone say they know an FBI agent?"

"No, but my dad..."

"You don't know these people. They don't exist. We're at a place that doesn't exist. You saw how we came here."

Fiona swallowed hard before saying, "Does that mean we don't exist?"

Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Fiona, you've been watching too many movies. I see you, don't I?"

"No, I meant..."

"I know what you meant, but your taking what I said wrong. We can't tell anyone, 'cause none of this will have happened. No one can verify it and no one would believe us. Do you want to be the laughing stock of the school? 'There goes Fiona, did you know she was abducted by aliens and taken to a secret base?' That's what would happen and you know it."

"So what are we going to say?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, there are going to be people asking. We did just sort of disappear."

Jessica looked down as she asked, "Who?"

"Who what?"

"Who would ask?"

Fiona thought and then looked at her friend. They were outsiders. No one would ask. Probably, no one would even notice if they were gone for a week. It was a depressing thought.

"No one. No one but my family ... and maybe you."

"Yeah. Same here."

"Yeah, right," Fiona said, disgustedly.

"What?"

"I think his name is John. Did you forget already?"

"No, but..."

"Sorry to interrupt," Ken said, causing the two girls to jolt in surprise.

He put out his hand, while saying, "You must be Fiona."

"Yes," she answered timidly.

"My name is Ken." Turning he addressed the person he had come for. "And you are Jessica. Were you two in the middle of something?

"Not really. I don't remember seeing you before," Fiona said.

"You haven't. I just arrived."

"Really?" Jessica said. "Did you bring John with you?"

Ken smiled and answered, "No. I came from another direction."

"What are you here for," Fiona asked and then realized it was a rather inappropriate thing to ask. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"I'm here to talk with Jessica."

"You are?" Jessica replied, very surprised.

"Yes. Special Agent Downs called me and asked if I could talk with you."

"Oh," Jessica said downheartedly.

"You know what this is about, then," Ken assessed.

"What?" Fiona asked, wanting to know.

"I had a sort of problem," Jessica answered, not wanting this man to say anything more to her friend.

"Problem? Did you get smoke in your lungs or something?" Fiona asked, thinking it had to have something to do with the fire.

"I, ah..."

"I think she might be able to answer your question better, after I have a talk with her. Now, Jessica, we need to find your mother. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

Jessica was grateful that this guy didn't say anything. In fact, he had made it so she didn't have to say anything to Fiona.

"The last time I saw her she was in the middle of the mess hall, talking to my dad. Fiona made me come in here with her, 'cause I was trying to be a snoop and listen in on their conversation."

"Well, let's go find them, then. I need to ask them a couple questions, before I talk to you."

-------

The conversation hadn't started out good. It went something like this.

"You wanted to talk, so talk."

"Our daughter wanted us to talk."

"Now it's our daughter."

"If you can't do this, I understand. I just thought..."

"What? That you could just pick up the pieces and things would be just like they were?"

"No, Theresa. I know what I did, and what I lost. I don't ever expect you to forgive me. I'm doing this for Jessica, because she asked me to."

"You don't want to then?"

"I didn't ever think you would let me talk to you."

"You're right; I wouldn't have."

"But we're talking now."

"Barely."

"It's a start. Maybe if we talk about her, and not us ... What's with this boyfriend?"

At the beginning, Theresa had some sort of satisfaction talking about Jessica and seeing the pain in Tim's eyes at what he had missed. As they talked, she looked less and less for that reaction, until she surprised herself by laughing at something funny he said.

That was a half an hour ago. When Jessica and Ken walked over to them, they were still talking.

-------

The phone rang on the desk.

"Hello."

"No word. A lead, though."

"More."

"He left with his parents. They were stuffed in a highway patrol office. Helicopter took them."



-------

Chapter 49



Jessica was looking at the floor. She didn't want to look at the man she was sitting across from. Not that he scared her ... well, not in a physical sense. It was his questions. They had transformed from easy, safe questions to more personal, probing questions.

The last one, the one she was now trying to figure out how to answer was the worst yet.

'Had John done anything that could be construed as sexual towards her?'

A thought struck her and she looked up.

"Who gets to know this information?"

Ken smiled warmly.

"There are a couple of ways I can answer that question," he replied.

"How about the straight honest truth?"

His brow wrinkled as he answered. "Unfortunately, although I will tell you the truth, there is nothing straightforward about it. So here's how it goes. Anything you tell me, even though you're a minor, is held in strict confidence. That seems straight forward enough, doesn't it? Now, for the curve. If you tell me anything that suggests that you are or have been sexually molested I am technically required to report it, even if reporting that breaks the confidentiality code. If you ask me, it is a fucked up law. It is supposed to be there to protect, but it has a definite double edge. If you came to me for help, but weren't ready to expose a perpetrator, I would in fact do more harm to you. The lawmakers don't care about you. They want the perp, no matter the cost. We see battered wives go back to husbands all the time, even to the point where they get killed. Somehow, that is just fine. A girl your age, doesn't ... technically ... get that choice."

"You've said 'technically, ' several times. What, exactly, do you mean?"

"They told me you were smart. It means that at some point I have to make a choice. Most psychologists have made the same choice, but not all. It is important for you to remember this. My choice is ... that if I thought you were in danger, I would act. If there were choices that you could make, I would steer you to them. My position is not to judge another person's life choices. My position is to help them when they have problems."

"So if I said John and I were having sex..."

"Are you?"

"You didn't answer."

"You didn't ask a question."

Jessica allowed herself a little smile. Even with this difficult subject, she was having fun, now. She realized she was relaxed.

"If John and I were having sex, would you think there was a problem with that?"

"If John was forcing you to have sex, then yes."

"Good."

"All right, then. Back to my original question."

"We haven't had sex. I just wanted you to know."

"I already did."

Jessica was astonished.

"How?" she asked.

"You don't act like it."

"I don't what?"

"If you have been in my business long enough, you know. Now the question..."

This time Jessica could think calmly about the question itself, instead of what and how she should answer it.

"I think it's an odd question. What I might interpret as John doing something sexual, and what he intended, could be two different things."

Ken grinned and said, "You are very right. There are many ways of looking at this. If John didn't care about your feelings, then he might say rather crude things to you, just to see how far it gets him."

"John loves me," Jessica said with a flush running across her face. "He ... you should see the love lette..."

Jessica broke down in tears. She hadn't thought of the love letter John had sent her until just now. It was gone. Burnt. That special letter. She'd even had her mother buy a container for it, so it'd be preserved.

"Was the letter in the house that burnt?" Ken asked in a soothing voice, wanting to clarify her actions.

He saw her nod. There was little for him to do but wait. Nothing he could say would take away the pain of a loss like that. He would wait until she could talk, and then get her to see how she could live with the loss.

-------

Barnes looked over to Downs, as soon as the dressings had been changed. They were back to lying there, with nothing much to do. Downs didn't need to be in there, but there was little for him to do. Besides, he'd rather be in there, than anywhere else on Earth.

"When will we know?"

"A drop."

"Here?"

"Tomorrow."

"What will it be?"

"The drop itself will tell us something."

"How so?"

"If there's a parachute, then everything is done. The contents will give us orders."

"Then there might be one without a parachute? Doesn't make sense."

"It would, if you could track it. A parachute might show up, possibly, on a radar screen."

"But if they drop one without a chute, that could cause a lot of damage if it hit the building. I do remember my physics class."

"Good for you," Downs said with a grin on his face. "Although this base is pretty big and I know the quadrant they are aiming for, as well as the time of arrival. We'll know tomorrow if we're staying longer or not."

Barnes looked at him a bit longer than she felt comfortable, before she said, "You don't tell us things out in the field because of problems. Is that why none of us knew about this drop?"

"I was ordered to keep as much of this operation under cover as possible. It's not that I don't trust you. Understand that the room we're in is not exactly secure."

Barnes eye widened.

"Someone here?"

"Not that we know of. These were hand picked people, but we can't take chances. Our lives depend on it."

Barnes nodded.

-------

I had always thought of helicopter rides as something fun. When I went with my parents on vacation, there always would be someone advertising an adventure of some sort. This was not fun. Broken legs probably contributed a good bit, I'm sure. It was also a lot longer flight than I had expected.

Looking out over the skyline, I knew we were entering a military base. They have that same look, no matter where they are. It also looked deserted. As we came in, I saw a plane on the runway. It had blended in well enough that it wasn't until we were close I noticed it. Other than that one plane, I saw nothing. No movement of any kind. It did make me wonder if we were getting on the plane.

The helicopter flew over the top of several buildings and landed in the middle of an open square.

As soon as the pilot touched down he turned back to my mother and I saying, "Don't open the doors. We need to sit here until the rotors stop. Then I have to identify myself. That will be done visually. At that point people should be out to get John off. We will follow them in.

I couldn't see a darn thing. My mother told me that the pilot held up a card, as soon as the engine had died down.

The door opening was something I could see from my side. Four men. Two of which were carrying a stretcher. I was gingerly lifted out and placed onto the canvas. Then two took hold of me and walked towards the door. It wasn't until we were inside that anyone spoke. That consisted of the men who were not carrying me and the pilot.

"It is good to see you. What took so long?"

"The transport John was in had a bit of an accident."

"The AV3? I thought that thing was pretty much indestructible."

"From what heard, it's pretty much trashed."

"John!" my mother said, as though she hadn't heard anything I had told her.

I would have said something clever, but I caught my father looking at me. He was very slightly shaking his head in the negative. There are times when I pick up on signals. This was one of them. I didn't say a word. A minute later, I didn't need to. My mother's mind was occupied with other things.

We went through a set of double doors and I was set down on a table. I looked over and saw Agent Barnes. So did my mother.

-------

Special Agent Downs tapped at the door. Ken opened it and looked at Downs.

"He's here," was all Downs whispered.

"Get her mother and father, and bring them back. I think it will be good for all three to see him. I'd like you along as well."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Downs replied.

The door closed and Downs headed out towards the mess hall.

'This is interesting, ' Downs thought.

Theresa and Jeanie were talking. Nothing was unusual about that. What he hadn't seen before was Tim and Jeanie's husband talking. It looked like they were having a good time together.

Of course his appearance stopped talk.

"We have a few new arrivals," Downs said. "Theresa, Tim, I need you to come with me."

"Did John get here?"

Downs looked around and saw Fiona. He could tell from the voice that it was she who had voiced the question.

"Yes, he's here. I'm sure some of you might want to see him, but he needs to see someone else, first."

Fiona's smile lit the room. It made Downs smile back at her in return.

As soon as they were out of that room and in the hallway, Theresa asked, "Is my daughter still with that man?"

"Ken? Yes she is. He asked me to bring you two along. I think this is going to be emotional and Jessica will need your support."

"What have they been talking about?" Tim wanted to know. "It's been a couple of hours."

"Less than that. Time seems to drag, here, though. It does seem to be much longer than it actually is," Downs replied without answering the question.

He was at the door and knocked. Jessica opened the door this time.

"It took you long enough. Are you ready?" she asked.

Behind her Ken was smiling.

"Let's go," Ken said. "Downs, why don't you lead the way."



-------

Chapter 50



I turned my head as the door opened. It was quiet enough that I had heard a group of people coming down the hallway.

When Downs opened the door, it wasn't too surprising. I had heard he had been in here seeing Agent Barnes almost constantly. He stepped aside and I saw Jessica.

I'm not sure if anyone else came into the room. Frankly I couldn't tell you if there was a room. My eyes were transfixed. My mind focused on the one person who mattered most to me.

When Jessica left the room with the psychologist, she couldn't wait to get to John. Now, face-to-face, her fears rushed back to her and she started to babble.

"John the letter you sent me burnt up in the fire. I couldn't do anything about it. I'm so sorry. That is inconsequential to the other thing I did. I'm so sorry, John. I know you're going to hate me. Your laptop was in the house."

Ken wasn't surprised at Jessica mentioning the letter. He knew that was going to come out. He didn't expect it as soon as she entered the room, though. What did surprise him was the laptop. He saw how she reacted to the loss of the letter, and in her own admission, this was a greater loss. Something to talk to her further about, he thought.

I heard the pain in her voice and wanted desperately to reach out and take her in my arms. These fucking casts!

"Jessica, listen to me. That laptop means nothing compared to you. It was a tool, and if you remember, it's what brought you to me. I haven't wanted it, or needed it. I need you."

Before she could respond, a siren went off.

"Out! Everyone Out!" Special Agent Downs said. "Down the hall, and into the mess. They'll tell you where to go from there. Theresa, stay with me. Now go! Quickly!"

I saw Tim take hold of Jessica's hand and pull her out of the room. She was looking back at me with such sad eyes.

"Hell, I hope this is a false alarm. Theresa, take John into that room," Downs said pointing. "I'm taking Barnes into the one next to it. They are the safest places. Close the door and lock it. I will call you on the intercom to let you know what is going on."

As they started to wheel the two gurneys we were on, Theresa asked, "What's going on?"

"The most likely reason is an intruder. Don't panic, that can mean just about anything. As soon as we get these two in place, I will find out what's happening. Oh, and Theresa, the lights are going to be cut in about a minute. It's going to be very dark in the room."

"Flashlights?" Theresa asked.

"Try the top right cabinet. That's my best guess."

Downs was right. As soon as Theresa closed the door, the lights went out, and we were thrust into pitch black. I heard her rummaging around, trying to find a flashlight.

Not sure why I could think of it at that point, but I said, "I bet Downs and Barnes aren't looking for a flashlight."

The movement stopped.

"John."

"Yes."

"That's a terrible thing to say."

"Is it?"

"Yes. My daughter is off who knows where. We're under some sort of alert. I can't see a darn thing, and all you can think about is the two of them using this opportunity?"

"Ummm."

"Obviously," Theresa went on, "you didn't think about the fact that they already found that moment. From what I understand it was two months ago."

What she had said was spoken in a matter of fact tone. It took me a moment to figure out what she had actually meant.

"Theresa!"

She laughed. The lights came back on. We both blinked. She still got to see the blush on my face.

"I guess everything is fine," she said and went to the door.

"I wouldn't. Downs said he'd tell you on the intercom. He hasn't."

"You're right. Ok, we wait.

"Is there any paper and a pen?" I asked.

"A tablet on the counter," she said as she opened a drawer. Then another. "Here's the flashlight, and a pen. What do you need those for?"

"I'm going to write Jessica another letter."

-------

As the last ones arrived in the mess, they were quickly taken down another hall. They went through a set of doors that had been closed and locked before. Then they went down a narrow staircase. Once inside a large room, the door was closed and secured.

"We will remain here until we hear everything is clear."

"What's happening?" Antonio asked.

"Communications picked up an aircraft in the restricted space. It happens on occasion, but there are usually no aircraft around this area. Automatic warning signals go out and the plane will be told to leave. If it turns around, things should be fine. They will track it until there is no threat."

Jessica looked over and saw that Fiona had both her sisters on her lap. One was sitting on each leg. As much as she complained about taking care of them, at times, Jessica could tell the girls looked to Fiona for love. She wondered if Fiona knew how much she meant to her sisters.

Ken moved next to Jessica and said, "Can I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure, as long as it doesn't have anything to do with the laptop."

Ken raised his eyebrows, wondering how she knew that is what he would be asking about.

"It obviously meant more than anything else you talked about, and those things set you off. I'm just trying to help."

"I'm not sure about that, in this case. It was his; I sort of took out of his car. It's destroyed. End of story."

"Sort of took it?" Ken said not letting it go.

"If I had wanted to talk about this, don't you think I would have?"

"Not necessarily. People often avoid talking about the things that bother them the most."

"Possibly that is true. I'm not talking to you about it. I need to talk to John about it, again."

"Can I be there?"

"No. That talk will be in private."

"Your parents let you be alone with him?"

"Ken, you are not asking the right questions."

"Oh? What should I be asking?"

"Is there any reason why your parents would need to worry about you and John being alone together?"

"Ok, is there?"

"No."

"Jessica, he's a lot older than you."

"Are you talking chronological years or maturity?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that just seeing John boosted your confidence level up several notches."

"You should know better. I'm sure you have a love; how does it make you feel after something has happened and you see each other?"

"Ever think of going into psychology?"

Jessica smiled and said, "No way. I'm having enough trouble with my own family!"

"You know I'm going to ask John about that laptop."

"You do and forget about talking to me again."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Because I won't be able to trust your motives any more."

"So when I hear something that sounds..."

"You should be asking yourself," Jessica interrupted. "Does this make any difference to the problem at hand? Is it important to the person I am trying to help? Or is my curiosity, and need to get answers, influencing my decision?"

Ken was intrigued by Jessica's explanation. He wanted to know more about how she perceived this.

"How would I know, if I didn't ask the questions?"

"If I had talked to John about this in private, like I should have, you wouldn't have known. Only by being in the right place, at the right time, did you overhear that. Was that conversation for your ears? Do you have the right to assume that because you're a psychologist, that anything we say, they want to have you investigate it?

"Interesting," Ken said.

"Specifically, if I had put a picture on his laptop. If I had said something about it and the laptop wasn't destroyed, you could get your hands on it. As you told me before, you'd be obligated. It was John's laptop and he could go to jail for that. Tell me how any of that would be fair? Tell me that that would be anything more than you getting off on the power you hold over others?"

"Jessica, settle down. I didn't mean for you to get so upset."

"There were no pictures of me, but I think you're getting my point. Stay out of it."

"I get it. Jessica, as I said before, there are technicalities. I made my choice a long time ago. I don't agree with the letter of the law, but the intent of that law. I'm not here to try and hurt you or John. I was asked to come here by Special Agent Downs to help, that's all. I do have to admit that it was short notice and I didn't have time to prepare for this. When I saw John, I didn't have any idea he was that much older than you. It took me by surprise and protecting is natural habit."

"Ok. Sorry. It's just that every time I get to see him, something happens, and we get pulled apart. I'm tired of how it makes me feel. I want all of this stuff to go away, so we can just be together."

-------

Downs hung up the phone.

"It's the drop. I forgot to tell them about it. The plane came into the airspace right on target. That's how they were to know it was friendly. The flight pattern was not normal for what someone would do, except if they realized they were in the restricted airspace, and left."

"Then..." Barnes got out and the lights came on. "Damn."

"I know."

"Can't we just ... Oh!"

Three minutes later there was a knock on the doors. Downs reluctantly opened it up.

"Sir, is everything all right?" the nurse said, looking into the room.

"Yes, just fine."

"I'm not getting a response from the other room."

"Oh, shit," Downs said. He walked over to the intercom and pressed the button. "Downs here. I'm sorry; I forgot to let you know. All is well. An expected aircraft, but the control room hadn't been told. They did their job, but it was a false alarm."

"Did you know," Theresa said back, "that if you hold down the button without pressing the talk part, you can hear what's going on in the other room?"

At that point, Downs and Barnes turned red. The nurse was laughing. They didn't even realize that Theresa had opened the door and was pushing me out, until they heard a noise and looked out the door.

"Serves you right," Theresa said to Downs.

The nurse asked, as she was still chuckling, "Does the intercom really work that way?"

"No, and I bet they're glad it doesn't."

After the laughter died down, Agent Barnes looked at Downs and asked, "You didn't say. How did the drop happen?"

"No chute."

"No chute? What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It means," Barnes responded, "we're staying here longer."

Before any more question could be asked, Downs said, "We'll know more when the drop is collected and we see the contents."



-------

Chapter 51



Everyone had gathered and was seated in the mess hall. The only two who were not there, were the ones in the communications building, and they were listening in.

The drop had been retrieved and Special Agent Downs was preparing to open it.

"Standard protocol suggests that I would have opened this and then let you know what I thought was appropriate for you to know. Personally, every one of you have been affected by what is going on. We took you out of your town and pulled you into this 'no-where' land. I believe you have a right to know what is happening, as it directly affects your lives. The incident of this dropped parcel is an example of how everything has changed. I can tell you one thing, without even opening this. Had everything been resolved, the drop would have been different. I already know that we are staying at least one more day."

There was a general consensus of disappointment that demonstrated itself in a groan. Most all of us were looking at each other. I noticed several people looking at me more than the usual. Maybe some of it was my imagination, but it could well be because I had just arrived and had two casts on. I wasn't sure.

Jessica was one. She was sitting between her mother and father. I could tell this was hard for her. She wanted to be there, between them. She also wanted to be with me. That was obvious from her eyes. It also told me she got the letter I'd penned and given to Theresa.

The man, who had been with Downs and Jessica's parents when they came into the room, was also spending a bit of time studying me. It would have been nice to know who he was. My parents, who had come with me, had no idea.

Then there was Fiona. I knew I would need to talk to her, as we hadn't spoken after she was pulled out of the fire. Her two sisters were looking at me and then giggling to each other. Who knew what that was all about!

The last person who was eyeing me was Fiona's mother.

Fortunately I didn't have time to dwell on these things. Downs had opened the case. He pulled out a large envelope, opened it, and removed the papers it contained.

He scanned the first page and put it down, then looked up to us.

"Just a cover letter, as one might expect. Now the meat." Then as almost an apology, he said. "I do want to look over this before I read it out loud, to make sure I don't start reading some classified document to you that I wasn't expecting, or something that the younger children shouldn't hear. So please bear with me for a moment."

We waited in silence. He smiled at last and again looked up.

"Let me read this last paragraph, first.

"Special Agent Downs. No doubt you are going to read this article to the people you are protecting. Be advised that you have not violated any laws in doing so. Given the situation and our understanding of your connection to those involved, we prepared for this. All the information herein is accurate and correct. There is no classified information contained within the first two pages. Page three, article five, is classified and only authorized for grade seven or above to read.

"I do hope you appreciate what has been done. I obviously do, as it absolves me of doing what I was planning on, anyway. I also want you to realize that I can't remember anything like this ever happening before. There is a first for everything.

"As it is open for all of you to read, I will leave these first two pages for anyone to look at in detail. But for now, here's the condensed version.

"At the point we got the first positive ID on the people who attacked Jeanie and ... her husband, sorry I can't remember your name right now. Anyway, when their house was shot at and set on fire, we got pictures of the perps. That led to inquires in some rather unusual places. It became very clear that some of you were in extreme danger. That's when the order to evacuate all of you came down.

"I know that to some of this is old news. If I were you, the first question that would come to mind is, 'Who is the FBI after?' My guess is that may well be contained in the classified section that I haven't read yet. Even then, it may not be there.

"From what this says, information is coming in from five different states. As is typical, the agency will obtain warrants and conduct raids at the same time. This is done to protect the evidence that we may lose if anyone gets tipped off. Time is running out for them and they are working round the clock to make this work. Everyone at the agency wants to nail the right people."

He had stopped talking and there was a pause as everyone digested what Downs had said.

"So basically we're stuck here, until further notice," Antonio said.

"I'm afraid so," Downs replied.

Antonio's face showed a mild disgust as he added, "Is there anything edible in this place? I am not sure if I can face what we had for lunch again."

That lightened the mood. Everyone was sure he wasn't joking, but the tone in which he said it was rather funny. Soon, everyone was laughing, including Antonio.

One of the other agents stood up and said, "I can answer that. Some fresh provisions were placed on the plane. There is a stock of food that is kept on-hand. We're not the best cooks, but I can pretty much assure you that what we end up making for dinner will be better than the MREs (military packaged food) you had at lunch."

I turned to my parents and said, "I'm glad we weren't here."

Antonio's wife stood and asked, "Could we cook?"

The still standing agent looked surprised, but answered, "You want to cook? Be my guest."

At that point, a flurry of Italian began to be spoken between the Bartenelli wives. They got up and took a step towards the kitchen. A turn, a look, two words, and a very surprised Fiona stood and followed as well.

"Can't wait for that meal," my father said, as everyone else started to get up.

Jessica walked over to me, parents in tow.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," I returned. Then for once remembered my manners. "Dad, Mom, this is Jessica's father."

Introductions were made while Jessica and I looked at each other. I saw her expression change and then she looked from my face down to my legs.

"You can sign both of them now," I said.

"John..."

I was trying to keep things light, but felt like she had just scolded me. Just by saying my name.

"Sorry."

"Jessica," her mother said, "would you like to take John back to the medic's room?"

Jessica didn't answer in word. Her head bobbed up and down as she was already taking the brake off my gurney.

"I'll be in to check on him in a bit," Theresa said.

I caught a glimpse of my parents, both with surprised expressions on their faces as Jessica started rolling me away.

As soon as we were in the hallway, Jessica said, "John, I can't believe it. We're alone!"

I caught myself from saying something silly.

"Yes. It seems to have been forever since that last happened."

Jessica pushed me through the doors. They clanked against the bed and then swung shut behind her.

Agent Barnes wasn't there yet.

"Now, this is long overdue," Jessica said as soon as she parked the gurney.

She kissed me. Well, she initiated it. I couldn't. That doesn't mean that I didn't participate. My hands still worked, even if I had casts on my legs. They wrapped around her and we didn't stop until we heard the door clank.

The nurse pushed Agent Barnes into the room. Neither said a word to us, even though it was more than obvious what we'd been doing.

-------

Ken walked up, as soon as Jessica was out of sight.

"I take it you are John's parents?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"Ken Fregers. I work for the FBI as a staff psychologist. Special Agent Downs asked me to come here and talk with Jessica."

"Do we get to know anything about what you two talked about?" Tim asked.

Ken smiled and then said, "As I told you before, even if she's a minor, what she tells me is confidential."

Theresa looked over to my father, knowing from past experience something was going to be said. She wasn't disappointed.

"So that means nothing she said can be transmitted to the FBI as well, correct?"

Ken studied the man and then asked, "Would that change anything?"

Tim said, "I didn't ask that question before, but it might if I knew the answer."

Ken wasn't looking at Tim for an answer, but right at my father.

"It would. Not that I don't trust the lot of you, but if you know something about my son's girlfriend, or about him, and are unwilling to tell their parents what you are willing to tell others; then yes, I think that is morally and ethically wrong."

"Good," Ken said.

Tim was about to say something else, but Ken's answer took him by surprise.

"What?" Tim asked.

"It is good to be concerned. We're all a bit tense with everything that has gone on. No one should take anything for granted. When I talked with Jessica, I have to say I admired the way she looked at ideas. It wasn't hard to tell she is very bright. Now what surprised me was John. I had no idea, when she talked about him, that he was that much older than she is."

"Surprised, or..." Theresa voiced.

"Ken, you didn't answer my question. You led us on another path, but didn't answer the question. That path, though, suggesting that there may be something wrong with the chronological age difference between John and Jessica, raises the importance of that question to an even higher priority."

Ken's facial expression was good. He smiled just a touch. The pause in the conversation told the others that he was thrown a bit by this.

"I had a good talk with Jessica about how things, said in talks I have with people, get reported. This is a bit different than my normal work for the bureau. Special Agent Downs made a request, not because of a need to pry information, but to help someone who was a mess."

"Nice technical term you used for my daughter," Theresa said. Then she waved her hands, "Don't get me wrong. She was a mess."

Ken went on. "Nothing I talked with Jessica about would suggest she had been, or was in danger, because of John. Had I known the age difference, I might have asked a few more questions in that vein,"

"Like why he was interested in her, or visa-versa?" Tim suggested.

"Pretty much. Normally at that age there is a large difference in interests. The one common thing is ... well, it's..."

"Sex," Tim said for him.

"Yes," Ken agreed. "I got the impression that there had been nothing going on between the two."

"So to get back to the question. You have no obligation to give the FBI notes on Jessica. Am I right?"

"You are correct. If I would have found that John had been coercing her in any way, I would have been obligated. Nothing suggests that. I'm sure you heard the reference Jessica made about John's laptop. I tried to talk with her about it. She became very defensive and told me she wouldn't talk to me again if I even mentioned it to John. That, or course, makes me wonder about that laptop."

Theresa said, "Would it help you to understand that Jessica took it out of his car that was parked in Black Hawk's storage yard after he was shot and in the hospital. If you didn't know, that is where my sister lives and the shooting and fire took place. Anyway, I'm not sure he even knew she had it. She shouldn't have, and if she'd put it back, it wouldn't have been destroyed. It was one of the things she told me here, before you showed up. She was sure John would hate her. I think that was the last straw for her and why she went into meltdown."

"Guilt," Ken said. "That I can buy, and it does fit the picture of everything else she's told me."

-------

The phone rang on the desk.

"Hello."

"A message intercepted."

"More."

"Agent Woods was found dead."

"Where?"

"Holembeck House."

"Fuck! Abort! Abort everything!"

"Everything?"

"Abort, and don't call me back!"



-------

Chapter 52



Downs was feeding Agent Barnes. That, in itself, was amusing, as he could only use one hand. Jessica, who had shooed off her mother and my parents, was taking very good care of me.

Barnes complained, "I'm going to get fat if you don't stop."

Downs pulled the fork away.

"Well, give me that last bite at least!"

Jessica, Downs, and I snickered.

"What?" Barnes said. "This is good! Too good for my waistline."

"You should have seen Fiona," Jessica said. "When Antonio said the meatballs looked good, I thought she was going to cry. She helped make them. I think her Mom saw Fiona get like that. My guess is that she'd never realized how much she'd pushed Fiona away. I'd never survive if my Mom did that to me, but don't tell her."

Downs looked at Jessica and said, "Can you repeat that last statement. Come just a little closer."

He tapped on his watch as though it was recording, and we all had a good laugh.

After dinner, Downs wheeled Barnes off to get her dressings changed. Theresa and my parents came over to where I was.

"Mom," I said, "you're just going to have to get over it."

"Over what?"

"I saw that look. You're perturbed that Jessica is taking care of me. I'm no longer a boy. I don't live at home any longer, and this is what I want. Not that I don't want you to be my mom, but I don't need mothering from you, anymore."

She looked hurt. I knew she would. But then she said something that I didn't expect.

"I wasn't ready to give that up, yet. This is sort of hard, seeing yourself replaced."

"It is hard for me, as well," Theresa added. "I wasn't ready to see my daughter go from a little girl to a woman, either."

"Well, we need to figure out someway of making this transition work. Theresa," I said, looking her right in the eyes, "when all of this ends, and we get back to our normal lives again, I would still like you to be my nurse."

"Oh," was all Theresa said.

She looked like 'a deer in the headlights, ' sort of stunned. I went on, knowing it would be best to do so.

"Of course, I have two legs out of commission now, so I will need more care. With that in mind, you can charge me more."

My father added his two cents.

"Son, how are you going to pay for that? From what you said, you were pretty much covering expenses as it was."

I gave him the best 'perturbed' look I could. I didn't want Theresa knowing she got almost everything I was getting.

Responding, I said, "I got the rundown on how this will work. I will receive more, from the same fund that pays me now. You know Jeanie will get her house rebuilt, and stuff? The people who the FBI are after have money. They will have their assets frozen. As Downs told me, the top guys won't need much, as they're looking at life in prison.

"Every one of us may well get a lump sum payment for what has happened. I'm not worried about all that. I am worried that Theresa may not want to take me on. I come with complications."

"One leg is easier than two," Theresa said and then looked directly at me, when she realized what I was referring to. "Oh, that."

In a trying not to be timid voice, Jessica asked, "Is there something we can do, to make it workable?"

"I will need to think about that. Don't look for an answer today, ok?" Theresa said.

"I expected that," I replied. "That's why I asked now. When we head home, I'd like to know where I'm going."

"And you don't want to stay with us," my mother added.

"You're right. If you want to feel bad about that, go ahead. I know better. You're never home. I'd have some nurse, or a rotation of nurses that I didn't know. That wouldn't be good for me. Besides, I know just as you do, that you don't really want me to come home."

My father, true to his nature, wasn't going to let that line of conversation go on any longer that it already had. He quickly changed the subject.

"Have any of you heard where we're spending the night? Oh, and the next big question. I don't remember any luggage. What are we going to change into?"

I gave him a little smile and he winked back at me. Jessica, Theresa, and my mother took those problems to heart, and the conversation excluded my father and I.

-------

I woke, once again, in the middle of the night, this time to noises. I listened intently. My eyes had been half open when I woke, but I closed them tight.

After what I thought might have been five very long minutes, I said, "At least you could have brought Jessica with you. I have nothing to occupy my senses, and I can hear every little thing."

There was silence, and then laughter.

"Some secret agents you two are!" I retorted.

"I don't think Theresa would forgive me, if I brought Jessica in here," Downs said.

"Does she have to know?" another voice said.

It was suddenly silent, again.

"Jessica?" I said in a raspy voice.

I knew it was her by the sound of her voice. One just says the obvious, at times.

Her hands touched me and I jumped. Then she giggled.

"You two could take a lesson from her. How did you get in here without us hearing?"

"You were talking when I opened the door," Jessica replied.

"You're over where John is," Downs said. "We weren't talking all the time, and there's a lot of stuff in this room."

"I've always been light on my feet, and I have excellent night vision."

"Now what were you planning?" Barnes asked.

"I don't know," Jessica said. "I just haven't been able to spend any time with him."

"You might not, also," Barnes replied to her, "if your mother can't trust you."

I reached up and touched Jessica's cheek.

"She's right, you know."

"I know," Jessica said sorrowfully. "I'll go back, but first..."

As soon as we heard the door close, Downs said, "I wonder how good her night vision is. With that kiss, John, I'm sure you might have been embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" Barnes asked.

He tried to explain, "You two only have thin sheets on you, and..."

Then I heard a thwack, and I couldn't help but give a little laugh.

"You don't need to embarrass them any more," Barnes told Downs.

-------

"That was short."

"Mom!" Jessica said.

"Don't 'Mom' me, young lady. I have been waking up at four thirty for too many years, to stop now. You should have looked at the time. I'm curious, you weren't gone long, and don't even try to say you went to the bathroom. I was in there just a moment ago."

"I went to see John."

"And?"

"And he said it would be best if I came back. You wouldn't be able to trust me if I went sneaking around."

"He was right about that. Your father and I have been having a good many discussions about you."

"You have?"

"Yes, we have. Maybe you didn't think about it, but you wanted us to start talking again, and the one thing we have in common is you."

"So what have you talked about?"

"A big one has been your budding romance and how to manage you."

"Manage me? What do you mean?"

"If, and I am still saying 'if, ' I take John back in, then there are going to be a lot of changes."

"Like what?"

"Like you are not going to be taking care of his ... bathroom needs."

"But I was."

"Right! 'Was.' That was before I knew your motivation. Even then there was something better about where he needed attention. Do you realize he can't get up and urinate? He will need a bed pan at all times."

"So?"

"So! I'm not having you ... touch him."

"Mom. Why would I need to do that? His arms still work don't they?"

"Yes, but ... Well you're not."

Jessica was having a very hard time with this. It seemed to her, that her mother was completely unreasonable and didn't have to explain why. It was just that way. She bit back her words, knowing she would get herself in trouble. Instead she thought of another tactic.

"Can we talk about this in the morning? I mean when the sun is up? I'm not thinking straight."

"There isn't much to talk about."

"Mom, there's always things to talk about. You need to explain better and I need to be able to hear you."

"Where did you get that?"

"From Ken."

"Might have known. Fine. We can talk about this, but my mind is made up."

-------

Dawn was just approaching over the skyline when Downs was called into the com center.

"Sir, there's a plane approaching."

"Can you show me on the map, the direction of travel?" Downs asked.

"Yes, Sir. Here's where we picked it up, and right now it's here."

"Keep an eye on it. If it's one of our planes, it will turn when it gets here and go out there. If it continues beyond this point, sound the alarm. In any case, I'm going to prepare everyone."

"Yes, Sir."

-------

No one was very happy about being rousted out of bed that early. After the explanation, they impatiently waited. Theresa, Barnes, the other nurse, and I were in the medic room, also waiting.

Talking had ceased. We just waited. The minutes ticked by very slowly, and then Downs came into the room with a big grin on his face.

"There was a parachute! They're out to retrieve it already. This time they can drive out to get it, so we'll have it back very soon."

With the possibility of the threat being out of the way, Barnes and I were wheeled out to the mess hall, where everyone else was.

I had a hard time keeping my face straight. Clothing had been procured, but it was whatever was on hand. Everyone looked the same, and a bit uncomfortable. The only ones who didn't seem to care were Fiona's sisters. They were wearing shirts that acted as dresses on them. Fiona and Jessica had it the worst. The clothing was suited for full-grown men and women.

Jessica made her way over to me.

"Don't laugh."

"I know better," I said.

"I can't wait to get home. This looks stupid."

"Jessica ... anything looks good on you."

She grinned and then her smile dropped.

"Mom was awake when I came back."

"What did she say?"

"Lots. I want to talk with your dad."

I raised my eyebrows and asked, "Are you sure?"

-------

Just as last time, everyone was seated. Special Agent Downs opened the case and pulled out the envelope.

He looked up and said, "I'm going to assume they know I'll be reading this to you, so here it goes."

Well, it didn't go. He scanned the first page, and set it aside.

"Cover page," he said. "Now...

"The operation has made its first strike at seventeen spots. We luckily caught the conversation of one on tape. We had been tapping his phone. It gave us what we consider to be the head of the organization. That location was raided just before this was sent out, so details on that are not in this report.

"It is unfortunate to report that two agents have fallen. Agent Woods and Agent..."

Downs looked up. His eyes were watering.

He turned to look where Antonio was sitting and said, "I don't think that your girls should hear this."



-------

Chapter 53



Special Agent Downs didn't waste time on ceremony. He didn't say the meeting was over. He simply picked up the pile of papers and walked over to where Agent Barnes was lying. Agent Ling and two other agents walked over as well.

Barnes had watched Downs and as soon as he was by her side, she asked, "Who?"

"Thompson."

"Oh, God. How?" Barnes asked.

"A raid at a suspected SCOPE operation. She died immediately, it says. A shot to the head."

Neither Downs nor Barnes heard the collective gasp. They did not realize that no one was making a sound and their conversation could be heard.

Barnes asked the next question, "They get the fuckers?"

Downs read the paper and nodded.

There was also a bit of talking. I wondered if some of it was to cover up the conversation that was happening here.

"There were three kids there," he said. He looked up at her and added, "They're safe, now."

"She was one of my instructors," Ling said.

Downs looked over at me. I was lying close enough, that he knew I was hearing all of this.

"Sorry. Hell of a way to realize the world is not a nice place."

No one felt like speaking. Downs read the rest of the page and the next in silence.

When he got to the third page, he shook his head. It looked like it was taking a lot for him not to lose control.

"A lobbyist. A fuckin' lobbyist was behind this. Unbelievable."

"Lobbyist for what?" I asked him.

"Ammunition. This third page is a copy of some memos. The whole bank robbery thing ... it was just a front to get the public to be afraid of terrorists and all that. They murdered and created terror in the name of trying to sell more product. I hope those..." Downs stopped himself, realizing that his voice had risen to the point where even he could tell that everyone heard him.

"I'm going for a walk," Downs said and stomped out.

"Is he going to be ok?" Jessica asked Barnes.

"Yes. He needs to blow off some steam. This was his investigation. Even though it grew to the point he couldn't do it all; to him, it feels like it is his. The death of an agent is hard. We're trained well, but...

"I'm sure this report doesn't give specifics. They hardly ever do. It's an overview and in this case, hastily done. He's going to need to read the rest of it, as I'm sure it will give us instructions. Most of us don't want his position. We don't want to have to deal with what he's going through. It's bad enough where I'm at, without thinking that I put someone in those places."

Ling added, "If you noticed, all of us respect Special Agent Downs very much. He puts a lot of thought into his decisions. He cares how each one of us is doing. Agent Barnes didn't say it, but he's also worried about Woods."

"Because of what he said to him, when you went over to Antonio's house?" I asked.

"How..." Ling asked, a bit shocked.

"Downs had me give John a radio. He heard everything ... but Ling, you didn't hear that."

"Not a word," Ling replied. "And to answer your question, yes. One of the hardest things anyone deals with is something not so nice we've said or thought coming true. It doesn't have to make sense. It is part of how we're made up. He was here, Woods was there, but Woods was a thorn in Downs' side. Now, until he knows, it's going to be upsetting for him."

I looked over, and movement caught my eye. I watched for a moment and then said, "Agent Ling, did you play with Fiona's sisters?"

"Yes, why?" she asked as her head turned to look at the two girls. "Oh, I see. You think I should go and be there."

"Looks like Ken is going to try and talk with them. You might be the friendly face they need."

As soon as she moved away, Barnes said, "Thanks. I think she may be helped, as well."

"Maybe. I'm glad it's over," I said. "It will be good to know why I was a target."

"John, you may never be told. I hope you know that."

"Never? My life was in jeopardy and I don't get to know why?"

"I said you might," Barnes said, then gave me a little smile and whispered, "Well, through the regular channels, anyway."

-------

With Downs out the door, the meeting was definitely over.

Ken and Ling had taken Camellia and Madelena off to talk with them in a quiet environment.

Fiona, her mother, and her Aunt, had gone into the kitchen.

Antonio and his brother were talking with two of the agents, most probably getting what they had missed from what Downs had said.

My mother, Theresa, Tim, Jeanie, and her husband were talking. I was a bit worried about that.

It was then that I noticed that my father was not part of that group. I found that Jessica had cornered him.

As the two of them walked out the door, going who knows where, my mother and Theresa walked quickly over to me.

"What was that all about?" Theresa asked.

"Any more specific than that might help."

"You know darn well what I'm talking about," Theresa answered. "Your father and my daughter."

Glancing first at my mother and then at Theresa, "You have a very intelligent and resourceful daughter. She wants to work on strategy I believe."

"Strategy?" my mother asked.

"I got the feeling," I said to Theresa, "that you two didn't see eye to eye on a conversation this morning."

"She stopped it and ... Oh that little..."

"I have been on the receiving end of when she's been displeased," I said.

Theresa's mouth twitched, trying not to release a smile.

Continuing, I added, "My guess is that she doesn't fight fair. For the first time in her life, though, she is working with two, instead of one parent. The playing field changed and she wants to be able to work the odds."

Theresa shook her head and then said, "Maybe I'd better talk to Tim about this."

"What's all this about, if it's not prying too much. My son seems to know about it."

"It's about me," I replied to my mother.

"Oh."

"John," Theresa said, "both of you are working hard at making this very difficult. Do you know that?"

"I think Jessica and I come to this from different places, but we have the same mindset," I replied.

"Oh, and what is that?" my mother asked, before Theresa could.

"I have two parents who have not always seen eye to eye about things. I have seen them work things out. For me, you work, and things get better. For Jessica, she sees what has happened when things didn't work. Her motivation is to make things work so that doesn't happen to her. We may be coming at that from different perspectives, but the desired outcome is the same."

"You're talking about marriage," Theresa said in a pained voice.

"I'm talking about a relationship. One could hope that it would lead to marriage, but there has to be the relationship, first," I responded.

-------

"Now what is so important that we needed to sneak off to talk?" my father said with amusement in his voice.

"Remember the hostile takeover you talked about?"

"Yes, although that seems like a long time ago."

"The parent company has come up with unrealistic demands, will not negotiate, and has partnered with another parent company to build strength."

"I think I understand. So what is the overwhelming problem you see?"

"If there are demands to be met, they should have reasons, and they should be able to be negotiated. Without that ability, the partners taking over are liable to revolt and cause situations that would be unhealthy for the whole environment."

"Jessica, are you sure you wouldn't like to come work for our company? I'm sure I could get you a good paying job."

Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Maybe in about six years, when I have my Masters."

"Six?"

"Two more for high school, three for college, and one for the masters. I'm not going to fool around like John."

Laughter filled the small room they were in. Then they got back to the business at hand.

"There are two schools of thought," he said. "Divide and conquer is one of them."

"Not a good one for me. I don't have the typical training that some, who grew up working two sides at the same time, do."

"Right and it isn't always the most beneficial of methods, anyway."

"What's the other?" Jessica asked.

"Mediation."

"A third and neutral party."

"Right."

"That might be interesting."

"Jessica, I am not a neutral party, I hope you know that."

"I know, even though I suspect you can, if you try, be pretty neutral. No, my thought is that if there is a mediator, then the parent companies have to state their objections rationally and have reasons behind those objections."

"Has anyone ever told you, you play dirty?"

Jessica smiled. "Never! Somehow, my Aunt has told me, I manage to get what I want, though."

"The motivation gets greater, as you get older."

"I can't think of better motivation than John."

-------

Lieutenant Colonel Armstrom walked out of the building. Special Agent Downs knew before Armstom said a word.

"I should have read those papers."

"Yes, then maybe you wouldn't have been surprised."

"Did you look at them?"

"Yes. It's a good thing one of us did."

Downs realized that Armstrom was not having the same conversation as he was. Turning, Downs saw the man smiling.

"There's a debriefing team showing up. I believe they are on their way now. We just picked them up on radar. You would have heard them in ... well I think I can, now."

The two were silent for a moment.

"Did it say how many?" Downs asked.

"No, but with this group..."

"Six. They will taxi close, but we should be out to greet them and transport them back. Two trips I guess. We haven't pulled any of the larger vehicles out."

"No need to do that now. Two trips will be fine. May I suggest you look over the report before they show up?"

Downs nodded.

"Downs, you don't need to be out there to greet them. That is my job. Go read. No one will wonder why you're not there."

"But this is..."

"No. You were taken out of the loop. Your operation changed when you started sending people here. You're the only one who didn't see it that way. Now get to reading."



-------

Chapter 54



Everyone, for once, was in the same room. There was no longer a threat, so no one needed to man the com center at that point.

Senior Agent Laugherty was front and center.

"I know that this situation may seem a bit strange to some of you, but I'm going to be frank. None of you were here. This didn't happen."

A hand shot up, a small hand.

Laugherty looked over and smiled as Camillia's mother was trying to pull her small hand down.

"Yes?" he said.

"Is it like make believe, then?"

His smile broadened.

"Yes. This stay here was just like make believe. None of you can talk about this at all ... to anyone."

This time Fiona's hand shot up. As he had paused, she went right ahead.

"Jessica and I talked about that already. We decided that if we said anything, no one would believe us, anyway. We figured that the gossip in school would be that we were abducted by aliens." She paused for a moment and her face scrunched up as though she was thinking hard. "Is that what happens? Then those papers in the supermarkets make it seem like those people were taken by aliens?"

Laugherty had a hard time not having a mischievous smile run across his face. As soon as it almost appeared, it was gone.

"You might just have something there. Downs, would you like to investigate that? No? Somehow I didn't think so," he said without giving Downs a chance to answer.

Going on, he continued, "What you brought up, though, brings me to another point. I'd prefer you didn't talk about this whole ordeal at all, not even amongst yourselves. Saying that; I know that is a tall order, and probably an unreasonable request. I know there will be times when you will need to talk. For some of you, this has been a life changing experience. It will not just go away. We are going to talk individually with each of you, and you will get help if you need it. Now, let me explain why I asked that you don't talk about this, so you will understand. Each one of you has had your own unique experience of this. When you talk with others, your individual outlook becomes blended with another's. One would hope not, but there is a small possibility that a few of you could be called to testify in court. If that were to happen, the clearer you are on your own personal understanding, the better."

I felt a squeeze on my hand. I knew that Jessica knew, just as I did, that if there was someone outside of the agents needing to be in court; it would be me, at the very least.

Senior Agent Laugherty then gestured to his staff, who had come with him, to stand.

"I will be dividing you up to talk in smaller groups. Antonio, you and your brother will be in two family groups. Jeannie, you and your husband will be another group. Theresa; you, Jessica, and Tim will be another group. John, you and your parents are another group. The agents are the last group.

"As you heard, the agents are also in a group. Part of what the rest of you will be able to do is ask questions that you may have not wanted to voice in this larger group. The real purpose of this is to tell you what is appropriate to say, and what cannot be said at all. It is to protect you, as well as everyone else in this room.

"As I call off each group, please stand and one of my team members will escort you to a private room."

-------

That was it. Other than the agents, my family was the last to be called. The agents, being the largest group, yet probably the fastest to be done; were staying in the mess hall. I was taken, along with my parents, to the medical area.

As soon as we were situated, my father asked, "How much of what you tell us would get us in trouble with law enforcement agents, how much is a suggestion, and are you going to tell us the difference?"

The man sitting across from my father smiled.

"I read about you on the plane. Questions that are pointed and relevant, but usually not ever asked."

"Yes," my father replied, "and of course part of that is that there is an avoidance to answer the basic needs of a person's questioning mind, so they are able to make informed decisions. Now please answer my original question."

The man regarded my father for a moment and then broke into a smile. It was obvious that he enjoyed the sparing. I wondered if they were on the plane reading about us and he volunteered for this part.

"To answer your question, there are both required and suggested parts. I will let you know the difference. I will also let you know why we suggest something, so you understand the request isn't there to see if we can get mice to follow a path."

My father now grinned.

My mother, impatient with the banter, asked if we could get on with things.

"My first question is this. John, have you talked with Ken yet?"

"No, why would I do that?"

"I understand that Jessica had a melt down. That was why Ken was called here in the first place."

"Correct," I answered.

"She wasn't able to deal with the problems surrounding this, and it overwhelmed her. You will have your own set of demons that will crop up. If you haven't felt some of them yet, it may be because you have been isolated here."

As I thought about what he said, my mother asked, "Is it serious? Should we have counseling for him?"

"Mom..."

"It would be hard for me to answer that. For the answer could be 'yes' or 'no' depending on how he handles going home."

"Can you be a bit more specific," I said. "I'm not sure I understand what problems I would have." Then I had a thought, which I voiced, "I'm not still in danger, am I?"

"No, no nothing like that. John, people often have flashbacks. You've been in some pretty bad spots, I read. You may want to stay away from armored cars for a while. For some, the sight of them, especially at a bank, can give quite a fright."

"Ok, I'm getting a better idea."

"Good. The thing is, these feelings are normal. You should almost expect them to happen. If they do, get yourself out of the situation that is making you feel uncomfortable. However, don't ignore it afterwards. Those feeling just won't go away by themselves. Call and ask for help. Remember that you aren't the only one who has felt like that, and the people who you call can help you get over it. You don't have to live in fear of ... say, armored cars."

"I will. Now onto what we can and can't say," I said, not wanting to stay in there all day.

-------

It was a disappointing entrance back into town. The plane landed, and we all looked at each other as we exited the plane. It was over.

We were told rental cars had been provided. This was it.

Well, almost.

Antonio walked over to me.

"I have not forgotten what you did for my daughter. If you need anything, you give me a call."

Fiona gave a hug to Jessica and a timid wave to me. I realized that I had talked to her sisters once and her cousins not at all. The two Bartenelli families got into cars and were off.

Jeanie and her husband were the ones that were going to be in the limelight. That was why, we were told, that they had been taken as a group themselves during the debriefing.

The news media would be after them, at least until the next big item of interest came up. It was hard to hide a house burnt to the ground, and a business closed, from everyone. There was a plausible explanation that was being used. In the meantime, there was a temporary unit for the business.

The house was another matter altogether. It would be months before that could be rebuilt. Their first order of business was to find housing for the next six months or so.

My parents were the least impacted by this. They needed to get their car, which was parked at a highway patrol office some distance from here, but that was about it.

I knew they wouldn't just leave. They would want to make sure I was situated. This time I knew what was happening to me in the immediate future. I was going to Theresa's. She didn't want to just kick me out, but yet she was very hesitant to suggest anything that might be considered long term. Transportation was another matter. I was in a wheel chair.

I don't know if you've ever seen someone with a full leg cast in a wheel chair before, but it makes that person feel like they stick out like a sore thumb. Not the best way to hope you could 'blend in.'

"I want to see this," my father said.

"See what?" I wanted to know.

"How do you think you were going to get around? You know the doctors aren't going to be making house calls," he replied with a grin on his face.

"Do I want to know?" I groaned.

About then, a van pulled up. It had been modified for handicapped people.

'Oh, hell, ' I thought. 'I'm the handicapped person. Great!'

Jessica and the rest were over to the van in a flash, leaving me where I was. Curiosity, I thought. It's normal. I'd be over there checking it out as well, if I wasn't stuck.

Naturally, as I was not going anywhere, I watched Jessica. At first it was just the wonderment of the young female body I enjoyed. Then, after she was done bending over, I realized she was looking at something and not just giving me a show. That's when I started paying attention to not only her, but to what she was doing. By the time I knew, she was walking over to me.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked.

I grinned and answered, "Very much. You knew?"

"I was hoping, until I caught you staring."

"Can I help it? Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

"Keep telling me that and I will."

"Every day of my life," I responded.

Her face softened, and her smile brightened. It was as though she turned angelic in that moment.

"I hope you mean that. I have a lot of plans for you," she said softly.

At that point I would have nodded my head to just about anything she said.

"Now, let's see if I remember all of this."

She let go the brake and started to push me towards the van.

"Do you want..." Theresa said and then stopped.

I wondered if she thought better, or if Jessica gave her a look that suggested it was fruitless to continue with her question.

Everyone watched as Jessica opened the side doors and then pushed a button. The platform dropped down and then lowered. I was rolled onto the platform. She then pushed another button and up I went. What a strange feeling. As soon as I stopped, Jessica opened the passenger door and hopped in. She continued, jumping into the back of the van. Once there, she reached out and pulled me in. Turning me, she got me into position and strapped the wheelchair into place. When that was done, she went to the door, and pressed another button. The platform raised itself up and the outside doors closed on their own.

"I did it!" she said with glee.

Then she turned towards me, leaned in, and kissed me.

"I'm all yours," I said.

"Yes, you are. Remember when I told you that at the hospital?"

"I do," I answered simply.

It might have got mushy at that point, but the side doors opened.

"All ready?" Tim asked.

"Yes." Jessica replied.

"Good. Let's get the show on the road. Jess, you sit back there. I'm coming over to the house."

"Are my parents coming as well?" I asked.

"Yep. They're driving their own car. Mine's over at the hospital. Well, I think it is. We have to find out."

Jessica got into the seat beside me. Theresa and Tim took the front seats. We got belted in and sat for a few moments. I was guessing Theresa was waiting for my parents.

There was a little chitchat on the way home, but not a lot. Neither Jessica nor I could see anything. I only knew when we had pulled into the parking area of the apartment from the sound and slope of the driveway.

The van stopped suddenly.

"What's he doing here?" Theresa asked in a shocked voice.



-------

Chapter 55



"He's here already?" Jessica said after she'd taken off her seatbelt and looked out the front window of the van.

"You expected him?" Theresa asked. "Why's he here and why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Just park, Mom. I'll tell you all about it when we get out," Jessica replied.

"She can be quite something, can't she?" Tim said to Theresa.

"Tell me about it. I've been ... Well, never mind. I don't think this van is going to fit in my parking space."

"Mom, you can park anyplace in this thing, remember? It has one of those special license plates. We get to park in the best spots now."

"Only when we have John," Theresa answered. "Otherwise it would be cheating, and I'm not doing that just so you don't have to walk."

"Ah, Mom!" Jessica said and then started laughing.

Theresa parked. My parents took her space in the carport. They were out and over to the van before I could be extracted.

"I thought I saw Special Agent Downs," my father said.

"You might have," Downs said, startling all of us.

"Jessica tells me that she expected you, but not so soon. She didn't tell any of us why, though," Theresa explained.

"Let's all go inside and get situated," Down said. "Then we can talk. Frankly we're drawing more attention, right now, than I'm comfortable with."

Sure enough, there was evidence that behind the pulled corners of curtains, people in the apartments were watching us.

Jessica wheeled me up the sidewalk and then stopped.

"How did that get here?" she asked.

"What?" her mother wanted to know as she peered around me.

At the entrance to their apartment was a ramp. It hadn't been there before, but it was, now.

"One of those, 'courtesy of Uncle Sam, ' things," Downs said with a smile.

"You brought that," Theresa said, not really as a question, but an explanation of what he was doing here.

Downs smiled just a touch. I noticed my father looking between Jessica and Downs. Something was up.

Jessica started pushing again after the door had been opened, and soon I was inside.

-------

Jeanie stood with her back against her husband and her hands covering her mouth. Before they had been taken to the base, the two had seen this sight, but frankly they where still in shock as to what had happened. Now, in the stark daylight, things looked worse. A lot worse.

There was nothing left but lumps of what had been the stove, frig, dishwasher. The only thing standing that was pretty much untouched, was the fireplace. The only other things that were somewhat recognizable were the burnt out shells of the washer, drier, and furnace.

That was when the tears started.

"My God! Everything's gone! We've lost everything," she wailed.

Her husband wrapped his arms around her. He's seen it as well, that night, with the fire shooting into the darkening sky. He knew, then, what the fire would do. He even vaguely remembered looking at it the next day, but noting specific would come to mind. Seeing the aftermath in person ... seeing that there was nothing, literally nothing left ... He didn't know what to say, and he felt powerless to do anything.

Jeanie turned and buried her face into his chest, quietly sobbing.

"Take me away from here," she said. "I can't look at this."

They turned to get into their car and saw a woman taking pictures of them. Jeanie pulled at her husband, knowing he would chase the woman down and pummel her. Jeanie knew that, because she herself felt violated by the intrusion, and wanted to do the same.

"In the car. Let's just get away. Please?"

He opened the door and helped her in. As soon as he closed her door, he looked at the photographer. Staring at her, he gave her the finger, before getting in on his side.

They drove off in silence.

"I didn't believe them, when they told us it was going to be this hard."

-------

We were seated. My mother, my father and Downs were on the couch. Tim and Theresa were in chairs opposite them. I was in my wheelchair. I was going to be in it for a long time, but I didn't want to think about that, right now. Jessica was standing in the center of us.

The fun and games were over. I could tell by the look Jessica gave me. She was scared and didn't want to look like it.

"Mom, we had a conversation early in the morning. Too early for my brain to function well. One thing I do remember very well from that conversation was that you didn't want to listen."

Theresa started to say something and Jessica held up her hands.

"Hold on, Mom. If you want me to listen to you, you need to do the same for me. When I'm done talking, I'm sure there will be plenty you will want to say.

"Now," Jessica resumed, "I wasn't sure what to do, so I talked to John's father. He told me that in a hostile takeover, sometimes a mediator has to come in who is impartial to the situation."

At this point, everyone was looking at Special Agent Downs. I almost laughed. Almost. I knew Jessica wouldn't take kindly to that. He wore the expression that said he didn't really know what he'd just got himself into.

"Hostile takeover?" Tim asked, not quite understanding the placement for the terminology that his daughter was using.

My father took over, explaining what he did for a living, and how he had related it to Jessica and I.

"Well, that's a new one," Tim said, "but I guess it kinda works. Well, for Theresa, anyway."

"And not for you?" Theresa asked with a little heat in her voice.

"How can you take away something that you abandoned?" Tim asked with sorrow in his voice.

I had a lump in my throat, hearing that. I looked at Jessica, and saw that her eyes were filling with water.

"Maybe, Tim," my mother said, "you don't or haven't realized how much you mean to your daughter."

Tim looked into his daughter's eyes and pursed his lips, not knowing what to say and not wanting to say the wrong thing. She went over to him and sat in his lap, making him either wrap his arms around her, or reject her. His arms pulled her in tightly, and the way it looked like the two were shaking, he was trying desperately not to break down crying.

After a couple of minutes, Tim said, "Honey, you called this meeting. Maybe we ought to get on with it."

Jessica nodded and got up.

"Mom. Dad. I want John to stay here, where he belongs, and convalesce. I will do whatever I can to make that possible. Now, I want you to be reasonable and tell me what is going to happen."

Theresa asked, "If that's what this is about, why have Special Agent Downs here?"

"Because, when we talked before, you were telling me what was going to happen. I had no say in it and you said that you and dad had been talking. I haven't had two parents to deal with since ... well, a long time. I may be able to get my way with one of you, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of both. What's worse is that you made me feel like if you didn't do what I wanted, then I would probably go behind your back. I don't want to be put in a place where I am making bad decisions. I asked Agent Downs to come, so that I would feel like you would have to hear me out, like I'm supposed to hear you."

"Well, Jessica, you aren't the only one who has been thinking about John. But we have to be realistic. You have school and I work. There will be times when John needs more care than what you and I can give him."

I saw my dad move his hand and then looked at his face. He was giving Downs the same kind of cue that he used to do to me.

"Theresa," Downs said, before Jessica had a chance to blow up, "I have a question for you, as I'm interested in this. If John's parents lived here, and he moved in with them, how would that work?"

Theresa answered that, easily.

"They would contact an agency for the times they needed someone, when they weren't there. Someone would come to stay with him. For John, it would probably only need to be a nurse's aid."

"Ok," Downs said. "I don't think I knew how that worked. It's good information, as I'll probably need to do that with Barnes. Now, back to the situation here. Given your explanation, what would be the difference between John living with his parents, and him living here?"

Theresa looked at Tim, and then answered, saying, "Jessica."

"Mom!"

"It's true, honey," Tim said.

"Dad!"

"Jessica," Downs said. "Time to settle down. You asked me here, now let me do what I'm here for."

Jessica's shoulders drooped and then she dropped, almost as if she were a marionette, to the floor. Of course, she didn't crumple over, but the speed with which she dropped was something to see.

There was a knock on the door. Jessica got up, much more gracefully than she had dropped, and answered it.

Jeanie and her husband walked in.

They looked at us sitting in the living room, their eyes bulging when they spotted Downs.

Jeanie's eyes stopped at her sister, as she walked towards her.

"It's all gone. Everything. We came back to nothing," Jeanie cried out.

Theresa stood and the two embraced while Jeanie's emotions swept over her. The pain wracked her frame with sobs.

-------

All the men, excluding me, had gone for a walk. The emotional outpouring was getting a bit much for them. Me, too, but I had little say in the matter. I'm sure after a bit I might get good enough to wheel myself around, but right now was not the time to learn.

My mother and Theresa tended to Jeanie. Jessica let them take care of her Aunt. Thinking about it, Jessica had no life experiences that could give her anything to say. Compassion sometimes comes from knowledge of what it's like. She'd never even remotely been in a position where everything had suddenly been taken from her. As much as she loved her Aunt, she felt inadequate to be any sort of comforter and the last thing she wanted to do was to seem patronizing.

Jessica stayed with me. We listened while the three women talked in the kitchen over some tea. Their voices had gone down several notches in volume and we knew Jeanie was settling down. That was a very good sign. Jessica kneeled next to me and leaned her head onto mine.

"This feels nice," I said.

"John, I love you," she softly said into my ear.

The front door opened and Jessica jumped. My father laughed. Downs didn't say a word. Tim, who was behind him, asked what was going on. Jeanie's husband just walked in, not paying any attention to us. He was looking for his wife.

"Come on, Honey, we need to go see this now. They're waiting for us."

"Waiting? What are you talking about? Who's waiting?"

"The rental office. Here, it's..." he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "It's 32B."

"Where?" Theresa asked.

"Here. We were told we needed to find a place to stay. Why not here? You and Jessica are here. This place isn't so bad, is it?"

"You're talking about living here? Near my sister?" Jeanie asked in surprise.

"What's wrong with that?"

"You always said..." Jeanie started to say, but then stopped. "That sounds very nice. Where is it, again?"

In minutes they were out the door to look at the apartment.

"Wow!" Jessica said. "My Aunt and Uncle in the same place."

"Now that we're back together," Downs said, "maybe we can finish our previous discussion."

"Good," Jessica said as she moved back over to me. Taking my hand in hers she continued, "I want to know how we can work this out." Then looking into my eyes, she said, "'Cause I don't ever want to lose him."



-------

Chapter 56



The knock on the door was met by a groan from Jessica. Everyone knew her Aunt and Uncle were back, and that this conversation would once again be placed on hold. Needless to say, Jessica walked to the door a bit more slowly this time.

"Is Special Agent Downs still here?"

"Barnes! What? How did you get here?" Downs was saying as he leaped over the couch to get to the door. "Honey, should you be on your feet? Come in, and sit. Why are you here?"

We were all wondering the same questions, but it was rather amusing watching him fawn all over her.

"After you left me to fend by myself," Barnes teased him, "a doctor that must have been waiting for you to go, came in to check on me. He asked me how often I was getting up. You should have heard him when he found out I'd been on my back this whole time. I've been spending the last hour finding out how often I need to move, and what to move. Walking is okay, as long as I don't walk fast. That moves my upper body too much and that's not good. Right now, though, that couch looks mighty good."

Downs helped her get situated.

Barnes looked at us and then said to Downs, "You said Jessica asked you for a little help. This looks like some sort of ... This is about you," she said looking at me, "isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"And Jessica conned you into coming here to pull some leverage?" Barnes asked in a rather amused tone to Downs.

"She asked me here to be an arbitrator," Downs said somewhat defensively.

Ignoring his tone, Barnes went on, "So what's the problem?"

"Jessica is putting us into a corner," Theresa said.

"I am not!" Jessica countered.

"Hold on, Jessica," Barnes said. "Now, Theresa ... who is 'we, ' and why do you feel you're in a corner?"

"Her father and I," Theresa said. "Jessica said she didn't like the idea that we were telling her what was going to happen, concerning John. She wanted to be a part of that decision. Her idea of being part of that, though, is her taking control."

"Mom! I am not."

"Ok, Theresa, Jessica obviously doesn't feel that way. So tell me how you feel she is doing that?"

"She said she loves him, she expects him to live here, and wants to do anything it takes to make that happen. It doesn't leave a lot of room for us to make choices, with those kind of demands."

Barnes nodded and then turned to Jessica.

"Did you say all those things?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, Jessica, why is it so important for him to live here? Do you know any of your classmates who have their boyfriends living in their house?"

Jessica turned red and stuttered, "No."

"No, to having boyfriends living in their house. I could have guaranteed the answer to that. I'm not trying to say you don't have good reasons, or that you can't convince me that it is a good idea, but I want to know why you think it's important for John to be here?"

"'Cause I want to see him ... all the time."

"Honey," Theresa started to say.

Downs stopped her from going on and then nodded to Barnes to keep going.

"Tim and Theresa, what you are seeing in Jessica is why agents aren't supposed to get romantically involved."

There was a round of snickers before Barnes went on.

"All of us have just gone through a harrowing experience. It is not what most people ever face. People like Downs and I do, and it is what that last comment is based on. Jessica is feeling an intensity of feelings for John that wouldn't have been there if not for the events they have just been though. I'm not trying to suggest that Jessica wouldn't develop those same feelings anyway, but her basic needs took over, and her feelings for John went into high gear." Turning to face Jessica and me, Barnes asked, "Did you just understand what I said?"

"Yes ... well, I think so," Jessica said. "Is it ... I was going to fall in love with John, 'cause he's such a wonderful guy, but I did it a lot faster than normal, 'cause I thought I could lose him?"

"Jess, I don't think John is going to look at another girl while you're around," Tim said.

Jessica turned to look at her father and replied, "You weren't in the closet when the house was on fire. When I was pulled out," her voice started to waver, "he was still in there."

"That's part of the problem, isn't it?" Theresa said. "Both Tim and I were thinking about Jessica losing him, as in him looking at some other girl, and she's seeing it in terms of actually losing him, as in his life. Not the sort of thing a girl Jessica's age normally thinks about."

"That's right," Barnes said. "That is why she feels a connection that is harder to explain. It is often associated with people who have gone through traumatic experiences."

My father, who had uncharacteristically been quiet this whole time, spoke up.

"Jessica, tell me what parts of him being here, that you would look forward to?"

"Not sure I understand your question," Jessica replied.

"Well, I doubt you relish the thought of cleaning out the bed pan."

Jessica's face scrunched, as she said, "No. That's pretty disgusting."

"So what is it that you are looking forward to doing with him? You can't go on picnics."

Jessica rolled her eyes at my father's poor sense of humor.

"Waking up in the morning and getting his breakfast ready, coming home at lunch and feeding him, and then there's bedtime," she said with a smile on her face. "I could tuck him in."

"Sounds rather mothering, or even nursing," Barnes said. "The feeling of helping another as a form of showing compassion, and even love, has been distilled in her, I'd say."

"So I'm to blame for this," Theresa said.

"No one is blaming you. You taught your daughter to care. That's what she knows, by example," my father said.

"Correct," Barnes added. "Now Jessica, if John didn't live in this apartment, but close enough to do the things you said were important, would that work?"

Jessica's forehead wrinkled and her smile dropped, although she wasn't wearing a frown. It was a look of deep thought.

"I guess it would," she said after a long minute. "But I'd want to see him at other times too. Like watching something on TV, or playing a game. I like to be with him."

Downs asked Tim and Theresa, "Do you feel like you're in a corner now?"

The two parents looked at each other and Theresa said, "No. Not really."

"Neither do I," Tim said. "My guess it's because I understand a bit more of why she is feeling like she is. Way different than what I expected."

-------

Special Agent Downs and Agent Barnes had left. Jeanie and her husband returned. They would soon be living nearby.

Theresa, Jeanie, and my mother went to sit at the kitchen table, to map out everything needed to move in. Right now they were in a hotel and very soon that was going to get old.

My father, Tim, and Jeanie's husband were already out the door to look at what it would take to get some furniture for their place.

That left Jessica and me in the living room again. I didn't mind a bit.

The phone rang and Theresa said it was for Jessica. She picked up the phone and I heard her half the conversation.

"Hi, Fiona."

"Yes, he's here," she grinned at me, "listening to every word I say."

"I know. It does feel different. Going to be strange at school tomorrow. You know people will asked why we were gone."

Jessica laughed and then replied, "Yeah! I like the space creatures abducting us. No one will believe it anyway, so we might as well have a little fun."

I watched as her smile faded. She was listening for some time and the conversation must have got to the meat of the call.

"My Aunt came over after going to the house. You should have seen her. All my grandma's old stuff is gone. You know," Jessica said, getting choked up, "I was supposed to get that. All the family stuff. Gone. No pictures to show my kids."

She stopped talking, and I realized the reason was because she was crying.

After she calmed down, she said, "Sorry."

"I know. Jeanie didn't want to look at it. She told my mom it would be better if it had been just all gone. Seeing the pile of what was her house was too much."

"Oh, ok. I'll talk with you tomorrow at school."

When Jessica hung up the phone, both she and I realized how quiet it was. I, apparently, wasn't the only one listening in to Jessica's conversation.

It was also then that I realized that my thoughts from before, that Jessica didn't have the empathetic ability to be with her Aunt, were wrong. She may well have felt too much, and needed to distance herself, so that she wouldn't break down. I started to get the feeling I had a lot to learn about women and their internal feelings.

When Jeanie came around the corner, Jessica had her arms wrapped around my body. I was giving her a nice tight hug. Jessica saw Jeanie and stood. The two embraced.

"I'm sorry you lost grandma's things," Jeanie said.

"Yeah, but I'll get over it. At least I didn't lose John."

Jeanie pulled Jessica back a bit, so she could look Jessica in the eyes.

"So am I. I don't think you would have survived that loss. The other things are just that, things. Thanks for helping put that into perspective."

-------

The guys came back. Tim and my father stayed. Jeanie was taken off by her husband to look at all the things they had discovered.

Dinner was the next topic.

My parents were invited. Theresa got her sister on her cell phone and asked if they'd come back for dinner as well.

With eight of us eating, the apartment kitchen seemed a bit small. Tim suggested grilling some meat outside. That sounded good to everyone.

A shopping list was soon produced. Theresa and my mom left for the store.

"Where are you sleeping?" Tim asked me.

"In Jessica's room," I replied, not thinking a thing of it.

"In her room!"

"Dad! I've been sleeping in Mom's room," Jessica said as she shook her head.

"Oh, right," Tim mumbled, a bit embarrassed that he'd just assumed something that was once again off the mark.

He also didn't ask any more embarrassing questions. My father on the other hand...

"So, son, are you becoming accustomed to waking up in a feminine looking room? You know that when you get married that's what happens. All your masculine decorating style goes out the window."

"Really?" I said, trying to sound seriously. If he could do this, I could retaliate. "So I'll have to give up my avocado green naugahyde recliner?"

"That's still a good..." he got out before he realized he'd been had.

Tim and Jessica had a good laugh from our jabs.

"Just wait till your daughter does that to you," my father told Tim. "She's going to learn, if she's around my son long enough."

Tim smiled, as he looked at Jessica.

"I can't wait."

He didn't need to say that he was hoping that their relationship would continue to grow.

We had some good small talk after that, and just enjoyed being together.

Jeanie and her husband showed up, and shortly after that, the women came back from the grocery store. Dinner preparations started in full swing.

It was a warm day, and the windows were still open. Eating outside sounded like a great idea. Jessica and Jeanie took over setting up things outside. My dad and Tim took the charcoal and went out to the grill. My mom and Theresa were fixing a few things in the kitchen.

I was still in the living room, but my mother didn't want me to feel left out. She gave me some corn and set a paper sack on one side, a bowl on the table next to me. I was to shuck the corn. Easy enough. Well so I thought. I don't think I ever realized how much I moved to do things. Being stuck in a wheelchair sucked.

Movement inside and out of the apartment was constant.

"Can you smell the BBQ?" Theresa asked me as she walked out the door.

Jessica walked in, going towards the kitchen.

"We're almost ready, John... John!

"MOM!"



-------

Chapter 57



Theresa rushed in, hearing Jessica scream for her. She took one look at me and continued to the kitchen.

In no time I had a paper bag put up to my mouth. I tried to push it away from me.

"John," Theresa said in a stern, no nonsense way, "breathe into the bag."

In the state I was in, I did as I was told.

Everyone else outside rushed in as well. My mother and father first, followed by Jeanie and her husband. Tim was the last, taking off the meat so it wouldn't become burnt.

"Mom?" Jessica said wanting to know what was going on.

My breathing had slowed from the hyperventilating I had been doing, when Jessica first saw me. Hearing her question made emotions overflow, that I had no way to stop. I started to cry, uncontrollably.

My mother asked, "How did he fall? Must have been the corn," she said puzzled, "but that doesn't explain the wheelchair."

For some reason, that got through to me. I had to find out what she was talking about. Almost as quickly as my crying started, it stopped. I turned my head and looked.

The wheelchair was on its back, not far from where I had been sitting. I, though, was at least five feet away from the chair.

Jessica was on her knees. Her hands wiped my tears from my face. She looked at me with great concern.

"What happened?"

I just looked into her eyes, not knowing how to say it.

She then asked, "You were overwhelmed, weren't you?"

Almost imperceivably, I nodded.

"What was your..." she said and stopped, searching for the word, "trigger?"

I knew it was Ken that had given her that word. I didn't want to say it, for telling would make her feel awful. A lump in my throat formed, making almost any word not want to come out.

"Do you remember," my father said, "what the agent said at the base? You would feel things that you would need help with."

I did remember what he had said. I hadn't believed that something like that would happen to me, at the time. There was no armored car. No gunshots. My eyes scanned the 'crowd' that had gathered around me. Their faces showed nothing but concern and love. I wanted to start to cry again, but I forced it back this time.

I got out the word for what had caused all of this.

"Smoke."

Jessica's hands flew to her mouth and her eyes were wild. I could tell she knew what smoke I was talking about, and where; the closet in the burning house. She threw herself over me and wrapped her arms around me.

"It's ok, it's ok, it's ok," she kept on repeating.

-------

My father and I had a good talk. Well, he talked most of the time, but you know what I mean. It wasn't the preaching of younger years. It was an understanding that I was an adult; and that I could, and would, make my own decisions.

He knew a lot more of the psychology of why a person behaves a certain way that I would probably ever know. It is what made him good in his field. Unexpected behavior was still somewhat of a mystery, and he knew he could never 'counsel' me anyway. Being family, I was too close.

My rational mind told me the smoke was from the grill. Somewhere inside of me, though, was a fear of what happened. The smoke took over every emotion I had. I never remembered moving from the wheelchair and don't even know how I got across the floor. It didn't matter, really. What was important was that I hadn't hurt myself in doing so. Believe me; Theresa went over me with a fine toothcomb, checking every possible place I could have caused some damage.

In the end, I said I would call the FBI office and ask for some help. I didn't like the thought of it. On the other hand, I didn't like what had just happened either. Being out of control was just too scary for me to want to do again, if I could avoid it.

I had upset our dinner's timing. We ended up eating, outside, in the darkening sky.

After dinner and the clean up, my parents left for the night. They would be spending the night in a motel, and would come over in the morning.

Jeannie and her husband left shortly after that. They, too, were spending the night in their motel.

Theresa said to her daughter, "Jessica, come on. Let's get John in bed."

Jessica's mouth twitched and Theresa shook her head. I tried to maintain, but it was hard. Tim had his mouth hanging open, not knowing what to say.

"That isn't what I meant, and you know it!" Theresa chastised Jessica, but with a smile, so she would know that she wasn't really angry. Then she went into nurse mode. "Do you remember how hard it was at the hospital, when I asked you to get him to a standing position? You couldn't do it. Now you're going to find out just how hard it is to move him now."

Theresa made Jessica do all the work. Tim stood off to the side. This wasn't his line of work and he wasn't about to stick his foot in it.

Moving me into the bedroom was fine, but I was facing the wrong direction. With my foot sticking out, I couldn't just be spun around. Jessica had to take me back out of the room, turn me around, and bring me back in.

Theresa just watched her daughter, as she tried to figure out a logical way of moving me from wheelchair to bed.

"Ok, I give up. How's it done?" Jessica asked.

I noticed Tim looking in at the doorway. He was smiling at the production. Theresa smiled and then explained the mechanics.

Jessica tried. She grunted. She tried again.

With a hurt look in her eyes she said." I can't do it."

"Now you can see why we need someone to help with John," Theresa answered.

Taking me under the arms, Theresa pulled me up.

"In the hospital, we have orderlies do this. I rarely have to. Now don't get that look, Jessica. Don't you worry, I won't hire a cute little nurse to help John," Theresa said with a gleam in her eye. "We'll get someone like Joe. I heard what he told John."

Jessica looked at me and asked, "What did he say?"

"That Theresa was a good woman. If I hurt her, he'd hurt me."

"Mom!"

"Who's Joe?" Tim asked.

"Jessica," I said already too far on my line of thinking to process what Tim had said, "I agreed with him. Your mom is a good woman."

"Joe who?" Tim asked again.

"One of the men at the hospital," Theresa answered offhandedly.

I noticed the look on Tim's face. I had seen it before in the mirror. I knew I'd need to say something, when he wasn't around.

-------

The phone rang the next morning. Jeanie opened her eyes, not wanting to face the day.

"Hello," she said, her voice sounding half asleep.

"Good morning. I got your number just now and wanted to give you a call."

"Can I ask who this is?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Fire Inspector Devins. Anyway, the reason for my call is that I need you down at the site. Can you be there in ... say twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes!"

Devin chuckled and countered, "Would a half an hour be better?"

"No sooner than an hour. I'm not even up yet. What time is it anyway?"

"Seven thirty."

Jeanie groaned, but said, "Eight thirty then, where?"

"In front of the house."

"Ok."

As Jeanie put down the receiver, she was half tempted to lie back down. If her husband hadn't started asking her questions, she might have. After relaying the conversation to him, she got up and went into the bathroom.

Poking her head out of the doorway, she was about to ask if he was joining her in the shower. He was on the phone. It sort of upset her, until she heard the conversation. He was checking to make sure that the fire department had a person by that name. Then he asked to be connected to his office.

He saw Jeanie in the doorway, looking at him.

"After that photographer, I didn't want to take any chances."

It was a prudent, and also extremely thoughtful thing for him to do.

"When you're done, want to climb into the shower with me?" she asked.

-------

"Mom's at work and your parents aren't here, yet," Jessica said as she climbed on my ... well, her ... bed.

"Jessica," I said.

My willpower was only so strong. Frankly this had been the hardest time yet. Not only was I back in Jessica's bed (and yes, it did smell just like her), but for the last few days I had had no time alone to ... well, you know.

"Do you like my night shirt?"

I groaned as I looked at her. There wasn't anything I didn't like. Then I recognized the shirt. It was one of mine. I gulped.

"Did you sleep in that?"

Jessica grinned and then said, "No. I think mom would have had a cow. Mine's there," she pointed, "on the floor. I slipped this on before I woke you."

Oh hell! She had undressed in front of me! Even if I was asleep ... Well, I couldn't control my reaction any longer.

"Jessica, I need to pee."

"Now?"

I had tried to think of the first thing that came to mind, to divert things. Unfortunately what it did was divert her eyes, down to my crotch.

She looked back up at my face.

The knock on the front door startled both of us. Jessica scampered off the bed. She picked up her pajamas as she headed out the door.

"Just a second," Jessica said.

I saw her hand and my shirt as it flew into the room, and landed on her dresser.

That image was not going to make me go down, and my parents were most likely going to come into the room. Great!

-------

As they were driving, Jeanie said she didn't want to get out of the car unless she had to.

"Something is up," he said, as he turned down the street. "Look, there's a screened wire fence that's blocking the house. Theresa's car is gone, also. It was there yesterday."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. There's a security company who has been on site. I have to find out what's going on."

"There's a fireman. I guess that's who we're supposed to see."

They pulled up and stopped, turning off the engine.

Inspector Devin walked over to the car.

"Good morning. I know this is very hard. I go through this many times a year, unfortunately, and I see it on people's faces. Before anything else happens, I need you to try and identify some things."

"What things?" Jeanie asked. "Everything is gone."

Inspector Devin smiled at her. "Most everything, yes. Please, let's see if these are anything of importance."

"Did you put up the fencing? It wasn't here yesterday when we came to look at things."

"That was erected last night. I understand you had a photographer yesterday."

"Yes, it was horrible," Jeanie said.

"Well, I think that nothing more will happen. Come on."

"Do you need both of us?" Jeanie asked.

"Yes, both of you," Devin replied.

After walking around to the gate in the fence, Inspector Devin unlocked the gate and opened it.

Jeanie walking in last, bumped into her husband who had taken two steps and then stopped. She couldn't help but look around him. Her eyes popped open. "Our house!"



-------

Chapter 58



Inspector Devin had to call Jeanie and her husband, twice. They were just stunned.

"What happened?" Jeanie got out.

"Come this way and I think that your questions will be answered. We have some things for you to look at."

They were too dumbfounded not to walk with Inspector Devin. He led them to a set of tables. Laid out were remnants. Jeanie looked at them and almost collapsed.

-------

"Your father did what?" Jessica said out loud in class.

"Jessica, do you want to tell the whole class about this?" the teacher asked.

"No, Sir."

"Then may I suggest that you take a seat in the front? It might help your concentration, today."

Jessica looked over to Fiona, with a mixture of pain and embarrassment, as she assembled her things and moved. Several kids snickered.

"Those of you snickering," the teacher commented, "should note that Jessica, even without making up the test she missed last Friday, holds the highest grade in the class."

'Oh, God, ' Jessica thought, 'now they're going to hate me.'

"But she's only an eighth grader," one boy said.

"She's a ninth grader, and should not even be taking this class. She's too smart for it," the teacher replied. "Now back to the lesson."

Jessica had to suffer the whole class wondering about what Fiona had told her. She needed more information and knew she wasn't going to get any, before lunchtime. Then, she would be torn. Go see John, or talk with Fiona. Life wasn't always very fair.

-------

"The last time we were here," my father said, "we ended up at the hospital."

"Thanks for reminding me," I replied. "Somehow, I don't think they want to see me for some time."

"We've got to get you all spiffed up," my mother said. "You remember there are going to be some candidates coming over, this afternoon."

"Spiffed up?" I asked in a horrified tone. "No one uses that word, Mom. Somehow, you using it, while I have little say in what happens to me, is a bit daunting."

"Oh, don't you worry," she said.

"Dad, help me!"

He chuckled. I knew this was to be my own battle. He was going to stay clear away from this one.

"So what are you planning, Mom, and don't say nothing. I know you better than that. Tell me what you have in mind."

She looked a bit miffed, as though I'd spoiled her fun.

"Well ... First we need to pick out some clothing, so you'll look nice."

"Hold it, right there. If I'm dressed anyway other than normal, they're going to think that is what I would expect."

"There's nothing wrong with looking nice," my mother replied.

"There is if you can't move. I'd love to switch places with you, so you'd understand; but let's just say not being able to move much, stipulates very comfortable clothing. Anything else and I think the doctors would have a fit."

"Knowing you," my mother said in a huff, "you'd tell them."

"If it keeps you from dressing me up like a little doll, then yes, I would. Now, what else do you have in mind?"

"Why if I didn't know better..." my mother said to my father. "He doesn't appreciate what I'm trying to do for him."

My father chortled. She gave him the 'evil eye' and he put his hand over his mouth. I could only guess he was grinning behind it.

"You need a bath," my mother went on, as though she was not getting any grief for her suggestions.

"Who's going to do that?" I said without thinking of the distinct possibilities.

"Well, certainly not Jessica."

"But, Mom..." I said and then started laughing.

"Don't you 'But, Mom' me. You two are too close if you ask my opinion."

"I don't remember doing such a thing, and probably wouldn't, but I think that is beside the point. What you forget is that while she might be curious, she wouldn't be able to do it. She'd die of embarrassment."

"Don't be so sure of that, son," my mother said in a tone that implied that she knew things of which I had no clue.

"Theresa wouldn't want her too, anyway, and I'm not going to go against that. So she's out. Theresa's bringing the first candidate from the hospital with her, so she's out ... Not you?" I said, realizing that my mother was thinking that very idea.

"Who else?"

"Mom, you haven't bathed me since I was ... well a whole lot younger."

"If it helps," my father said in an 'oh, so helpful way, ' "I'll stay in the room."

"Thanks a lot, Dad. You two are hell bent on torturing me, aren't you?"

-------

Antonio stepped out from around the corner of one of the buildings. He looked at the situation and thought his surprise had gone awry. He quickly walked over.

"Sorry to have missed you when you arrived," Antonio said.

Jeanie and her husband looked at him, wondering what he was doing there.

"My crew found these as they removed everything," Antonio explained.

Jeanie looked at her husband. Before she could say anything, he did.

"Your crew removed our house?"

"I thought..." Antonio said, hesitantly, "that after what Fiona told me last night, it would be welcomed."

"What did she tell you?" Jeanie wanted to know.

Antonio cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable.

"That you had a very bad time seeing your house in ruins. She and Jessica were talking and..."

"Jessica," Jeanie said. "I might have known."

"Are you upset? I meant it to be a surprise, but not an unpleasant one," Antonio said.

Jeanie turned to look at the table, now understanding what this was, and how they got there. Her husband had more need for conversation.

"Antonio, you said that you heard last night. Does that mean your crew was working through the night?"

"Yes, they were. Don't think of it as so bad on them. A lot of work that crew does is night work."

"But the cost, I mean how are we..."

Antonio held up his hand and gestured away the comments.

"We both know," Antonio said in a low voice, "that part of the destruction of your house was because Fiona was there. This was nothing."

"Look!" Jeanie cried out. "A picture of Mom! Jessica has something, after all."

The two men walked over to where Jeanie was looking. It was in a wooden box. The box itself had been slightly charred and obviously sprayed down with water. Inside, were many ruined photographs. This one, near the center, had survived.

"I think there may be a few more," Jeanie said with excitement.

-------

Jessica wrote a note and slipped it into Fiona's locker. As much as she wanted details, she wanted to go home for lunch.

She was still panting when she burst through the front door of the apartment.

"Hi, Honey! I'm home!" she said and then giggled.

Then her mouth dropped open.

My mother had decided that a sponge bath out in the living room made the most sense. It would be easier, more space, and all that. So after going back and forth on what I was going to wear, she set everything up for my bath.

When Jessica came rushing in, my father was giving 'helpful' suggestions. My mother had me on my front, washing my back and I was buck-naked.

After what seemed like a rather leisurely time, my father threw a towel to my mother, who covered my butt.

"Is it that late, already?" my father asked.

I wondered if he knew and hadn't said anything on purpose.

I was looking at Jessica, who now was looking at my face.

"Sandwiches today?" I asked. "My mom's a bit tied up, unless ... Mom, do you want to make lunch and Jessica could finish up here?"

I didn't expect the swat on my ass. Jessica laughed, and my father joined in.

"That's not very funny," my mother said.

"I guess sandwiches it is," I said to Jessica and then winked at her.

Her grin, as she walked into the kitchen, was worth the swat I received. Of course I didn't let my mother know that, just the opposite.

"I hope I don't have a red mark," I commented.

"With remarks like that," my mother tried to scold me, "you deserved it."

Acting like she hadn't responded, I went on. "I mean, what would happen if we found the perfect one today and they did a once over, looking at me. I'd have to make comment on the red mark."

"Sometimes you are infuriating."

My father knew when to stay out of a conversation.

"Maybe I'll go help Jessica," he said.

My mother looked me in the eye and said, "Turn over; we're going to have to hurry this up."

"I'm still washing my own privates. You're not doing it."

"Neither is she."

"Would you stop being jealous," I let slip out.

I thought my mother was going to blow a gasket. She got up and walked out the front door.

My father looked around the corner from the kitchen and then scanned the room.

"Where's your mother?"

"She just walked out the front door," I said, timidly.

He raised his eyebrows.

"What brought that on?"

"Something that slipped out. I didn't mean to say it..."

"What?" he asked.

When I told him what I had said, he just shook his head.

"I'm going out to find her. Don't do anything stupid, ok?"

I nodded, but he wasn't looking.

As soon as the front door closed, Jessica came out of the kitchen and sat down next to me. The towel was the only thing I was wearing. It wasn't going to help much if she behaved as she had, this morning.

"Did you screw up too?" she asked me.

"Well, yes and no. My mom was being a bit crazy. Somehow I'm supposed to tip toe around, why? I'm not her little boy and I don't like being treated like one. I know I need help, and I will want her advice along the way, but this is different."

Jessica didn't say anything for what seemed like a long time, and then she said, "Maybe she is afraid, like I was, about losing you."

That was a sobering thought. It made me feel like shit, after giving my mother the comment that I had.



-------

Chapter 59



Fortunately, Jessica's mind was as troubled as mine, and she didn't try anything. That was probably for the best. The reality was that I most likely would have reacted wrongly, and that would have set us back a few notches as well.

I was deep in thought and wished my dad was around, or even Theresa, though not my mom; so I could say what I thought, and get their reaction.

Why was it that I, the 'kid, ' had to be sensitive, supportive, and know about the issues my parents were going though, while they didn't need to think about what they did to me, or how it felt? Isn't it, or shouldn't it be, a two way street? What is it that makes the parent right, no matter what?

My mom had no right to dump her problems on me and expect me to take it. If I had done the same to her, using jealousy as the reason for my behavior, wouldn't she have said something? What made it so that I, as the person supposedly learning a behavioristic model, was the one who needed to take this sort of crap?

Really! It was the same sort of thing Theresa was doing to Jessica.

That's when I let out a big sigh. Jessica looked over to me.

"It wasn't that I let my mom know she was being a pain in the ass."

"John," Jessica said disapprovingly.

"Well, she was. The problem was how I went about telling her. You were smarter than I was."

She looked at me quizzically.

"You didn't like what your mother was doing. You stopped the subject, got help, and let her know she was being unfair. I just let my mom have it. Want to know the worst of it?"

"What?"

"I'm probably going to be just as unfair to our kids."

She looked at me wide eyed.

"Our?"

I started to grin and then nodded. I also realized the towel wasn't going to do much to hide what was going on down there. Somehow, vocalizing that thought got my juices going.

"No, you're not." Jessica said.

'Did she see it start to twitch already?' was my first thought, quickly followed by, 'Does she think I meant now?'

After a pause, she went on, "I'm going to be telling you how you screw up. You're not doing that to our kids."

This time it was I staring wide-eyed at her. She started to grin and then to laugh.

That's when my parents walked in.

My mother looked at Jessica and asked, "Is your lunch ready?"

My father followed that up by looking at his watch and adding, "How long is your lunch?"

Jessica jumped up and said, "Not that long!" as she hurried into the kitchen.

"I'll help you," my father said as he followed.

That left me with my mother.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have said that."

"Even if you meant it," she said.

"Yep. Even if I had been thinking it, I should have found a better way to tell you."

I don't think that is what she expected to hear.

"Your father and I were talking. We think that maybe we've overstayed our welcome."

I sighed. I hated feeling guilty and this was a big dose. Fortunately, for me, I had just had an introspective moment. I could act, without reacting. So I didn't answer her right away. I could tell that bothered her. She wanted me to say something.

"I'm not sure I understand?" I said. "What part of 'overstaying' are you talking about? None of us had any choice when we were carted off. You just spent one night in a motel, after having a great meal last night. So tell me what you mean."

She was perturbed. I wasn't falling into the normal pattern. I wasn't making this easy on her.

"At any rate," I went on after a little pause, "you should be here when the person is picked to take care of me."

"Oh? Why would that make any difference?"

My mother was getting defensive. I hated it when she did that. I tried my best not to get sucked into that.

"Well, for one thing, they might want to know things that I have no idea about. Do you remember when I was at the hospital, and they asked me about allergies and if I'd had chicken pox? I had no idea."

That did bring a little smile on her face.

"You were just five. In kindergarten. The whole class got it, one right after the next. There was only one place that I couldn't get you to not scratch. You probably have a scar from it."

I looked down at myself. I couldn't remember seeing a scar. The thought of it being in some embarrassing place made me start to blush. My mother chuckled.

"It was on the top of your head. As long as you don't go bald, I doubt anyone will ever see it."

I immediately reached up to my scalp.

"Here's lunch," Jessica said.

She had two plates in her hand. I saw my father with two plates as well. He set them on the table, while she brought hers over to where I was sitting.

My mother looked at Jessica and the two plates.

"Ours are over here," my father said to my mother.

She looked between Jessica and I.

"He's only wearing a towel."

"And was when I went to look for you. Now come on. We're right here for God's sake."

-------

Jessica sat down and ate her sandwich very quickly. As soon as she was done, she got up, kissed my cheek, put her dishes in the kitchen and headed out the door.

"See you after school!" she said as she went out the door.

Running all the way back, she made it there with just a few minutes to spare.

Waiting at the edge of the fence was Fiona.

"Did you kiss him?" Fiona asked.

Jessica was panting, from the running, but still grinned at her friend's question.

"Of course."

The bell rang.

"Ohhh," both girls moaned.

"I'll talk to you in sixth period," Fiona said.

"That's study hall. I already got in trouble once today."

"There's a sub. You know what that means," Fiona said with a smile.

"No studying!" Jessica replied. "Good, 'cause I can't stay after school. Mom's bringing people over."

"Over where?" Fiona wanted to know.

"Study hall," Jessica answered, letting Fiona know they'd talk there.

The two girls were going to have to hurry, or they'd be late to class.

-------

Theresa chuckled as she got out of the van. It was nice to have something more reliable to drive, even if it was a monster. Today it served an even better purpose. She was able to bring someone home from the hospital.

"Come on," she called. "It'll be fun. Remember what I told you?"

She got a nod in response.

Opening the door to her apartment, she announced her arrival.

I was sitting in my wheelchair, washed, combed, and properly dressed. Which means not overdressed. My parents were sitting on the couch, waiting.

"Here's the first candidate," Theresa announced.

I was a bit nervous. When I saw him, I about peed my pants.

"Mom!" I heard Jessica say behind them, "you started before I was home!"

She pushed past her mom, and jumped between the end table and chair to be next to me. She looked then turned to look at who it was.

"Joe?" Jessica said incredulously.

Watching Jessica move next to John, and then address him, the man couldn't speak. He once again, just nodded his head.

"He works at the hospital as an orderly," Theresa told my thoroughly confused parents.

Jessica had a worried look on her face. "Mom, Joe told John he'd hurt him, if he hurt you. I don't think that's very good."

Joe looked rather embarrassed being taken to task by Jessica.

"No, Miss," Joe said. "Miss Theresa have a very bad day. We all thought it was 'cause of John. I not like that. So I tell him that. I wrong."

With that, he lowered his head.

Theresa patted Joe on the back. "Come on; let me take you home, ok?"

He sort of nodded. Jessica went over to him and took his hand. He looked at Jessica.

"Joe, it's ok. You meant well. I can tell that. You're a good man. Thank you for thinking my mom is so nice."

That made him smile.

When the door closed, with Theresa walking Joe back to the van, Jessica said, "What was Mom thinking? He's nice, but he has to be told what to do. He just wouldn't work."

"Was that it?" I asked.

"I wish," Jessica said.

My father had to clear his throat, trying to drive away the humor I saw on his face.

"I think your mother has more candidates. She'll be back with number two, soon enough."

-------

"Jeanie, did you understand what Antonio was talking about? Did you look at these?"

"It was happening so fast. I'm not at all sure what is going on. First I'm looking at the few things that were saved from the fire, and then they're rolling out plans. I didn't understand what I was looking at. Did you?"

"Honey, those were house plans."

"House plans? I don't get it."

"Our house. He's rebuilding our house."

"What? Why? I don't understand guys at all."

Looking at her, he shook his head, ran his hands over the top of his head and then said, "I guess you really were not paying any attention."

"I told you that I was thinking about what they had found," Jeanie said testily.

"There is insurance money ... to rebuild the house. Antonio is not waiting for that. He's going to get those plans to the planning department, today. He'll start working as soon as they ok them. He said that would be very soon, as it's a set of plans he's used before. That's why we need to look at them. It's a bit different from our old house."

"But I liked that house."

"So did I, but look here, this has a walk in closet. The master bath has a whirlpool tub, too."

"Walk in closet! Where?"

-------

Theresa was still, mentally, shaking her head. Bringing Joe in was supposed to be funny. It didn't turn out that way at all. Then what her daughter had said had made the poor guy get embarrassed. She hoped this one would work out a lot better.

As she turned the knob, she looked at him.

"Are you ready?" she asked one last time.

"Yes. Don't worry. I'm a professional."

The way he said it made her worry ... a lot.



-------

Chapter 60



I felt my face get hot. Theresa was smiling. I didn't even catch his name, not that I wanted to know. When he took Jessica's hand and kissed it, I clenched my teeth to the point of hurting.

The charade went on for a good four minutes, until I saw my father trying to repress a smile.

'Oh, hell, ' I thought. 'She got me good.'

I cleared my throat, and then said, "Can you tell me if the medication that Doctor Wimely gave me would cause diarrhea. I know that it's a mess. The last time that happened, I needed to be cleaned up and bathed, what ... almost every half an hour."

He turned a bit green. Theresa shook her head. My mother looked thoroughly confused. My father was having a hard time not laughing. Jessica looked shocked. She was about ready to say something to me, when her mother spoke.

"I think it's time to go. The next one will be showing up soon," she said as she looked at her watch.

As they started towards the door, I asked, "What do you really do?"

Before he could answer, Theresa had the 'boy toy' out the door. Jessica came and stood right in front of me.

"What was all that about? Who is Doctor Wimely? And I don't remember you having diarrhea."

"Jessica," my father said, "why don't you want some cute nurse tending to John?"

"What?"

"A sexy nurse, why don't you want one around John?"

"If you don't know why," Jessica huffed. "I'm not going to tell you"

"I wonder what John would think," my father went on, "while he was sitting there in his casts, immobile, while a cute guy was attending to ... well ... you."

Jessica's mouth dropped open.

"Your mother got me good," I told Jessica.

"Who's she going to bring next?" Jessica said. "I rushed home from school. I wish I would have known Mom was just going to be playing games today."

"I'm sure your mother had good reasons for what she did," my mother said.

"Yeah," I said, "like getting back at me."

"Why would she do that?" my mother wanted to know.

"Maybe we should just speculate on what, I mean who, she's bringing next," my father said with a grin on his face.

Before my mother could protest, I added, "Yeah. Let's see, the first one threatened me, then next was a 'boy toy' to draw off Jessica's attention ... What could be next?"

"I hope it's not a cute nurse," Jessica said unhappily.

"Probably not. Both were aimed at me," I said. "Maybe she's trying to prove a point."

"What would that be?" my mother said, still unconvinced that Theresa was doing this on purpose.

"To get me to understand how much of a pain in the ass it is to have me here."

"It is not," Jessica said heatedly.

The knock on the door had my father rising.

"I'll get that," he said.

-------

"I hope I did all right, but that guy! You didn't tell me about the casts. Then that part about the diarrhea! I thought I was going to vomit. You owe me for this one."

"You did just fine, and I'll talk with your mother," Theresa said.

"A date with your daughter would do," the boy cheekily said.

"You get close to my daughter and the FBI will have a word with you," Theresa told him.

"I was just kidding. She's a bit young. Maybe in a year of two..." he said and then reacted as Theresa pinched his arm. "Ouch! I'm kidding."

Theresa dropped the boy off and handed him a ten.

"That's it?"

"You only lasted ten minutes."

"But that guy ... I think. Ok, Ok. Ten is fine."

"Good. I wouldn't want to have to tell your mom what you said about my daughter."

"You wouldn't!"

Theresa smiled, "Now be a good boy."

They both chuckled.

"Bye Theresa, see you at work."

As she pulled back into traffic, she looked at her watch and groaned.

"I'm going to be late," she said to no one.

-------

Jessica couldn't resist and had followed my father to the door. When it was opened, there was no need for introductions.

"She's not here," Jessica said.

"Oh. I thought she said to be here at four."

"She didn't say you were dropping by," Jessica said. "Come on in."

My father stepped aside, and my mother and I got to see who was at the door.

"Jackie?" I said. "What are you doing here?"

"Umm, applying for the position."

"You?" Jessica said.

"Why not?"

"I don't get it," I said.

Jackie looked at us, before saying, "Did you get someone already?"

"No," my father said. "Theresa had two rather colorful applicants, and I use that term loosely, here before you. We were all wondering who she would bring next."

Jackie scratched her head as she said, "Theresa knew I didn't get off work until three forty and wouldn't be here till four."

My father roared with laughter.

I said, "So she used that time to poke some fun at me. The first one was Joe."

"She brought Joe here?" Jackie said surprised.

"Then there was ... I don't even know his name," I said and looked over to Jessica. She shook her head. I didn't know if she didn't know, or wasn't going to say, so I went on. "He was a 'boy toy' that did rather well in raising my blood pressure, while he was trying to put the moves on Jessica."

"Oh! That's what she was talking about," Jackie said. She then looked directly at me. "Sorry, John. She has this thing..." then she turned her attention to Jessica, "I remember when you came in and were hysterical. That's when I found out you and John ... It was a shock. I can't imagine what Theresa was going through. Anyway, on to more pleasant things. Theresa and I were talking. All I have to do is move one of my days and I can be here four of the five days that would be needed. It's not perfect, but it's workable."

"What about the fifth day?" I asked.

The door opened. Theresa walked in. She saw Jackie and said, "Sorry, I got tied up."

"Oh? Was the boy that good?"

Theresa turned very red. Jackie laughed. Jessica and I joined in. My father followed. My mother was trying not to, but having a hard time. Theresa was trying very hard to say something, anything, which might help. Everything she said was twisted, or at least, we twisted it.

As the laughter died down, Jessica asked, "Mom, if Jackie is going to help four days, who's going to be here the fifth?"

"That would be Tuesday," Theresa said with a bit of a smile to her daughter. "I'm glad you think Jackie would be a good one for John."

"Tuesday..." Jessica postulated.

There was only one person I knew, that would make Theresa say something like that to her daughter. The Tuesday fit as well.

"That wouldn't be Tim, would it?" I asked.

"Mom?"

"Yes, it is," Theresa confirmed.

The shocked look on Jessica's face was a direct contrast to the smile on Theresa's.

-------

"Daddy?"

"Yes, my little angel," Antonio replied.

"Did they like it?"

"Jeanie and her husband?"

Fiona nodded.

"I believe they did. It is not a gift that one gets thanked for."

"Why?"

"It's rather hard to explain."

"Can you try?"

"For you, anything."

Fiona had been standing in the doorway of his office. She moved, pushed his chair back from his desk, and sat on his lap.

He grinned.

"Am I too heavy?"

"Maybe we should move over to the couch," he said, not directly answering her question.

As soon as they were comfortable, she took his hands in hers. Then looking into his face, she asked, "You were really worried, weren't you?"

"You have no idea. Fiona, there are many things that I would give away, but you are my most prized gift."

"I'm a gift?"

"From heaven."

Fiona squirmed. These talks with her father were always good, but could become rather intense.

"Tell me why they couldn't thank you."

"Do you remember the play set, with the swings?"

Fiona grinned, but then her memory of it failed at a point. She looked over to her father.

"What happened to it?"

"It was your cousins' before we got it. Those two boys used it rather hard. When you got it, we should have been able to use it for your sisters as well. You got three years use out of it before one of the bolts ripped out. The metal was giving way."

"That's sad."

"I want you to think of all the good times you had playing on it. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Fiona said with a grin.

"Good. Now, I want you to imagine some kids coming over and tearing it down. Think of what it would be like to run out into the back yard and see the play set in pieces."

"That's not fun."

"No, it's not. You wouldn't want to go out back, would you?"

"No."

"If your cousins came over one day, while you were out, and took it all away, how would you feel?"

"I'm not sure. Not happy, but less sad, I guess."

"Would you feel like thanking them?"

"Guess not."

"I haven't thought of those swings in a long time," Antonio said.

"You always pushed me."

"Because you're my little angel."

Fiona smiled, then said, "I think Camellia and Madelena have missed you doing that for them."

"Do you know how much they love you?" Antonio asked.

"Jessica told me that, yesterday. I don't think so."

"You, my little angel, want to share what you have loved with them. How could they not love you?"

"Then you will get swings for them?"

Antonio grinned a bit wryly and said, "Yes, my persuasive daughter, I will."



-------

Chapter 61



Antonio sighed and shook his head. He knew better than to try to work at home, but he'd been gone from work and he had things that he needed to catch up. This time it was his daughter, Camellia.

"What is it?" he asked as she climbed into his lap.

Her big brown ones looked forlorn as she asked, "What's wrong with Fiona?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's crying."

"She is? She was just in here a little bit ago. Do you know what happened?"

"Not now, Daddy," Camellia said, exasperated that her father didn't know. "When she's alone. Like in the potty, or at night."

Antonio frowned.

"Have you heard her crying since we came home?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Maybe it's because she's still thinking of all that went on. Being taken to that place was scary," he told his daughter, in hopes it would help.

"I think it was that fire thing, whatever that was. When we were at that place they took us to, at night she said scary things."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he said gently, not wanting it to sound like a scolding.

"Madelena and me thought it would go away."

"Ok, thanks for telling me. I'll see what I can do for her."

Camellia's face brightened and she smiled.

"I know you will, you always take care of everything."

With that, she scampered off.

He sighed once again. His young daughter still saw him as a hero, able to do everything. His oldest had been thrust into some unpleasantness, with which she obviously wasn't coping well.

Picking up a business card that lay on his desk, he almost laughed. A week ago he would never have considered calling such a person.

-------

"I just had an interesting call," Downs said.

"I thought you weren't working," Barnes replied in an accusatory tone.

"From Antonio," Downs went on.

"That's a surprise."

"Fiona is having problems."

"And the younger two?"

"He said they seem to think it was just some sort of fun trip. Fiona is crying when she thinks no one can hear her."

"Not good."

"No, and Antonio is between a rock and a hard place. To get his daughter help, he needs someone he can trust to talk with her."

"So he called you."

"Yes. Now I have to talk with Ken and see what could be arranged. I think he will be amicable to the idea. I'd rather not have the heads know about this. Not sure how Ken can pull it off. If he does, and everything goes smooth, I can see Antonio having a trust relationship with us. That could be good for everyone."

-------

Jackie had left. Jeanie and her husband came over. My parents were on their way out the door. They would be leaving after breakfast the next day, so I'd see them in the morning. I think they just wanted a little 'alone' time. I knew the feeling, having casts put you in the spot light, with little to no privacy. Something I was very unaccustomed to.

Jessica snuggled up next to me, while the others were in the kitchen.

"I wish mom hadn't made such a fuss," she said.

"I can't blame her. She's just trying to look out for you. That's what moms are supposed to do, and yours is a pretty good one. You should feel lucky."

Jessica smiled at me and then gave me a kiss.

"You're right," she said softly, tickling the hairs on my neck.

"It's only for six weeks anyway. The big question is what is going to happen when I get my casts off."

"I get to show you to all my friends?" Jessica said with a grin.

"Friends? I thought you told me you didn't have that many friends," I teased her back.

"With a boyfriend like you, I will have them crawling out from under stones."

"So, you'd like to make a few people jealous, is that it?"

"I'd never!" she said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes and got back to the real subject.

"We do need to talk about the future."

"You mean when we get married?" Jessica asked and batted her eyelashes.

"Stop that! I'm going to have a problem that I can't fix if you keep doing things like that."

Jessica looked down at my crotch.

"Don't," I said sternly. "If you haven't heard of blue balls before, I will ask your father to explain that one to you."

Her eyes grew big as she stammered, "You wouldn't!"

"Then don't tease me like that. You don't know how much I want you."

"Oh, I think I do. About as much as I do you."

I cleared my throat, and then said, "Jessica, when I get out of these casts, they've told me I'll need rehab to get my muscles working again. So it will be eight weeks or so before I can move out."

"Move out?" she said, her voice rising.

"Can you think of a reason for me to stay?"

"Me!"

I couldn't help but smile at that.

"Of course there's you, but the reason I'm here is that I need help. When that ends, do you really think your mother is going to let me stay?"

Jessica's face turned sour. "No, I guess not."

"So I'll need you to do something for me."

"What?" she asked curiously.

"Does this complex have studios?"

"Studio?"

"It's a place that doesn't have a bedroom."

"Why would you want that? Where would you sleep?"

I couldn't help the smile.

"Everything's in the same room, well, not the bathroom, but it's a smaller apartment that doesn't have a separate bedroom."

"So..." she said thinking about it, "it means that the bed is out in the living room?"

"Well, yeah, sort of. 'Cause they don't have a separate bedroom they're cheaper."

"I guess you'll need that when you go back to school."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She swatted me and I laughed.

"You are going back, aren't you?"

"Yes. I liked my job, well, sort of. I do need to go back and finish. I think it was sort of a rebellion thing against my parents."

"That worked well!" Jessica said sarcastically.

"It did lead me to you, so yeah; I'd have to say so."

Her smile broke into a grin and then she kissed me.

"Ok you two, break it up!" we heard Jeanie saying. "We'll give you an hour to separate."

"We will not," Theresa said. "You two need to behave."

As soon as Jessica let me breath, I asked, "Why?"

"It's embarrassing," Theresa replied.

I opened my mouth to say something and decided not to. Part of that decision was from the look Theresa was giving me, but most of it was from Jessica leaning over and giving me a quick kiss.

Jessica then looked up at her mother and giggled.

-------

"Fiona," Antonio said after dinner.

"Yes?"

"Come with me, I have something to talk to you about."

Fiona gulped and went with her father. He hadn't asked her to do something like this, in that tone of voice, since she made that terrible mistake of bringing family secrets to school. As they walked down to his home office, she started shaking. He noticed and put his arm around her.

When they walked into the office, he motioned for her to sit on the couch while he closed the door.

Sitting across from her, he took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.

Fiona watched him as his brow wrinkled. She didn't know what she'd done and was trembling. Things had become better, so much better. Her mother had started letting her in the kitchen, teaching her, talking to her. She didn't want to go back to the way it was. Tears started forming in her eyes.

"Fiona," he said.

"No, Papa. Please! I'll do anything..." she said as she dropped to the floor and held onto his legs for dear life.

Antonio was stunned. He didn't know what he might have done to have his daughter behave this way. He reached out and took her by the shoulders. Lifting her, he set her onto his lap. She was much too big for this, but as her arms wrapped around him, her head tucked into his chest, crying, he couldn't help but hold her.

"Shhh, my little angel," he whispered. "It will be all right."



-------

Chapter 62



I hate it when the doorbell rings. Between breakfast and lunch, I am alone. One of the things I did have, was a cordless phone. If I was in real need I could call and get help, but let's face it, all I was doing was lying around. I can hold it three hours. It's the only time I'm really alone.

Of course, that led to an embarrassing conversation. As I have to rely on everyone to get and take away just about everything I have, I have no privacy. Even being here alone for three hours, I have to get someone to get everything I'm going to need.

I am a guy and, as such, Jessica turns me on. There is little question what she does to me. Problem is, she knows it. Real problem is, with two legs in casts, I can't just wander off and take care of my problem.

So the conversation went something like this.

"Theresa."

"Yes, John?"

"I ... um..."

"Just spit it out."

The irony of that statement was something I wasn't even going to touch.

"Not sure how to say this without getting both of us embarrassed."

She turned around; looking to make sure her skirt hadn't been tucked inside her panties or some such nonsense.

"I'm a nurse John, I think I can take it."

"Your daughter is getting to me and I need some relief."

"What's she doing ... Oh!" she said when she got what I was talking about. "You two aren't..."

"No, but I have very little privacy to do what I would, normally."

"What about at night?"

My mouth twitched and I couldn't help but grin.

"Have you ever moved on that bed of hers?"

She frowned. I'm sure that wasn't the way she wanted the conversation to go.

I went on, "It squeaks, a lot, with the right type of motion."

"Oh."

"I have the mornings."

"Yes you do!" she said brightly. "That would work just fine."

I think she thought that the conversation was over.

"There's still a problem."

"What?"

"I have to have something to clean up with."

With that, she sat down.

"Hell."

The solution wasn't the best, but then there wasn't a 'best' that either of us could think of. So, I have a binder that I can reach under the couch and get. It has a washcloth in it. Nothing looks suspicious. The worst of it is that Theresa has to pick it up, dump it into the wash and fold another in there. So far, it had worked.

Yesterday, when Jessica was taking her shower, Theresa told me that she could tell that I was more at ease. Even though she didn't like changing the cloth, she appreciated that it made things easier on me. Translation: she'd put up with the changing of the cloth, if I'd keep my hands and other parts to myself.

So, here I am in one of my favorite daydreams, when the doorbell rings. Don't they know I can't answer it? Don't they know that it's going to take me another ten minutes to stop thinking of who could be at the door and where I was in my little dream? Pathetic, isn't it?

My suggestion: don't break both legs. It sucks.

It is also later than I thought. I'm just zipping up when I hear the door open. That was a bit too close.

"Hi, honey, I'm home!" Jessica sang out.

"Jessica! What are you doing home?" I said as someone is always here before she shows up from school.

She came over, standing beside me with a frown on her face.

"Don't you like it when I'm home?"

I shook my head, and said, "Of course I do. What kind of a question is that? But..."

"Someone sent a bomb threat to Mr. Smith. He's our creative writing teacher and someone didn't like him, apparently. Now the Principal's going crazy. Mr. Smith obviously didn't take it too seriously, 'cause someone heard him saying they'll hang whoever did that off the nearest cliff. You know, cliff hanger..."

I groaned.

"Anyway we were all sent home early."

"Your mom's going to have a cow."

"That would be something to see!"

"Jessica..."

"I know, I should call her."

Then she reached down at her feet.

"Did I leave this here?" she said puzzled.

Then she picked up the binder, opened it, shrieked, and dropped it. The washcloth fell to the floor, as well. Can life get any more embarrassing?

-------

"They'll both be there, right?" Fiona asked for the fifth time.

"Yes they will. Are you afraid of Ken for some reason?"

"He asks lots of questions."

"Isn't that what he's supposed to do? I think he asks them to get you to think, and talk."

"But what if I say the wrong thing?"

Antonio looked over at his daughter.

"What do you mean, 'the wrong thing?' If I asked you how you felt today, how could your answer ever be wrong?"

Fiona fidgeted.

"Do you remember when I took that report to school?"

"Yes. I remember it very well," Antonio answered evenly.

"I stopped being part of the family. I don't ever want that to happen again. Now you see? If I say something wrong, I'll never get to cook, learn the family recipes. I can't do that again. It'll kill me."

Antonio sat in silence, the car radio filling the space. He didn't like what he'd just heard. They had punished Fiona for that. They had to. What she had done was serious. It was more serious than she could ever know. Now he was faced with the idea that the punishment had almost destroyed his daughter.

As they pulled up into the parking lot and stopped, Antonio took hold of Fiona's hand.

"Parents sometimes make mistakes. They do what they think is right, but at times it may not be so. Fiona, I hope you know I love you with everything I am. I would never want to hurt you, even though it seems I have. That is something I regret. Now, you know that Ken works for the FBI. You know I wouldn't have you go see him if I was afraid of what you might say to him. Saying that, I was afraid. He and I had a good long talk. Nothing you tell him will leave the room. That doesn't mean that I want you to spout off secrets. Nor does it mean that if he asked something you didn't think was quite right, that you should answer it. That is common sense. You've grown up a lot from the time you brought that tape to school. So, I want you to think about what you are saying, and getting asked, but don't be afraid. If you are, then nothing will come out of this. Does that make sense to you?"

Fiona nodded. Antonio lifted up her chin and looked into her eyes.

"I love you my little angel. I am doing this for you."

That brought a small smile to her face.

"Come on, let's go. I need to talk to Ken for a minute before I leave you."

"About what?"

"Why you might be hesitant to say the 'wrong' thing. It's important for him to know, and for me to say it, so he knows that you won't be in trouble."

"Oh, ok."

-------

Jessica still had a shocked look on her face when the doorbell rang again. I was grateful for the interruption.

"I wonder if that's the same person that was ringing earlier. Probably some door-to-door salesperson."

Jessica went over, looked out the peephole and then opened it.

"I came by earlier. I could tell someone was here, 'cause the lights were on, but no one answered."

"Hello, Mrs. Hammel," Jessica responded.

"Were you home sick?"

"No, I just got home from school. There was a bomb scare and they sent us home early."

"Well, if that doesn't beat all. Who was home? I saw the van gone. Is that for her work? I thought she worked at the hospital. I do know some people who do go out to patient's homes, but I didn't think she did that."

"No, that's for John."

"John?"

"The one that was home."

I could tell that Mrs. Hammel was a busy body and Jessica was having a bit of fun not giving her anything more than small pieces of information, making her work for the rest.

"Well if he was at home, he should have answered. Didn't he learn any manners?"

"Maybe you'd like to ask him yourself. He's right over there."

Mrs. Hammel didn't want to ask me, but she did have a look.

"Oh my! Two casts!"

"It's why I didn't answer the door," I said dryly.

"I would suppose not. If you were here alone, what could you do if a fire broke out? Goodness, it doesn't sound like a very good idea for you to be home alone, young man."

"It's why I have the second broken leg," I responded.

I saw Jessica grin at my statement.

"That makes no sense at all."

"Well, I had one, and then I was in Jessica's Aunt's house when it caught fire and burned to the ground. That's how I got the second one."

Mrs. Hammel looked at me as though she was not going to believe a word I said after that preposterous tale.

"Well," she huffed. "The reason I came over in the first pace was to give you this. The post man said it was held at the post office and now they have a change of address, but this is your name and not..." Her eyes just about popped out of her head. "Your Aunt and Uncle are living here now."

"Yes," Jessica said. "Their house burnt down."

A letter was thrust out. Jessica took it. Mrs. Hammel made a hasty retreat.

"She's the office manager for the complex and she's really nosy. Mom told me some time ago to never tell her anything I don't have to."

"So what's the letter?"

Jessica looked at it, and then to me.

"John!"

"What?" I said, panicked at the tone of her voice.



-------

Chapter 63



It had been three weeks since she'd received the second 'love letter' that I'd written some time ago. It hadn't been delivered before the house burnt, and we had been carted off. Jeannie, who had come home after I'd called Theresa to tell her that Jessica was home early from school, couldn't understand why Jessica was in her bedroom with the door closed.

Jeanie came out of the bedroom, after talking to Jessica, and she just shook her head at me. It had taken Jessica hours to recover enough to trust herself around me. The feelings we'd felt before, had just gone to another plane.

Oh, and that incident with her finding the binder? She never said a word to me. Theresa told me Jessica was mortified. Not that I was doing anything like that, but that if Jessica had said anything, she would have had to talk about what she does alone, and she wasn't ready to talk about that. At least, that's what Theresa told me. I'm sure there's some truth to it.

Other than the usual issues that a couple has, while learning about each other, Jessica and I have become closer and closer in our relationship. I know it bothers Theresa a good bit, but she hasn't said a word to us. Our relationship had been interesting, from the beginning. Everything that has happened along the way, has just made us stronger.

Tim and Jessica have developed a very good bond. Much to Jessica's perseverance, Tim has not been able to dote on her. She didn't want a guilt-ridden father, trying to make up for lost time by showering her with gifts. She wanted his presence, not his presents. He spends all day, Tuesdays, here.

Both Jessica and I have seen things that suggest that Theresa and Tim have seen each other elsewhere, but neither of them have said a word to us. I can understand that, in a way. I'm sure they are testing the waters and don't want either the pressure or possible disappointment from Jessica.

I was first to point some signs out to Jessica. Of course, I was looking. That was one of the benefits of being alone with each of them, and talking to them about things I'd noticed.

When I'd told Theresa how Tim reacted when she mentioned Joe, she was in denial that he would ever act with jealousy. Not after this many years! Talking to Tim about it, he became very flustered and quickly wanted to change the topic. I can only hope things continue to go well with them. I have always liked Theresa, and have found Tim to be a good person, as well.

Jeanie and her husband are rarely around. We see them on occasion. He has been working hard. The fire, and shut down after, had thrown his business a curve. Jeanie has been there on the grounds as well, but her 'job' has been to look after the crew that has started on their new house.

When we do see them, they tell us excitedly about what is new in the construction. It's funny to hear someone go one about sewer pipes and underground electrical service. I'm sure things will get more interesting when the walls start to go up.

Fiona has made the apartment her Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school stop. It is nowhere near her house, but she comes home with Jessica and spends the afternoon with us. At first it was part of her suggested therapy. As such, her father would stop by and pick Fiona up, on his way home.

I know Theresa likes it, as it gives Jessica and I less time to be alone. Now it has become habit. I haven't seen any sort of problems in the last week and a half.

Today, though, was very different.

When Jessica and Fiona came in, there was a third person with them. A male.

He looked a bit gun shy. I wondered what they had told him.

"Well, Fiona," Jessica said as she brought the two over in front of me. "Introductions."

"Oh, right." Fiona said uncomfortably.

"My name's John," I said from the couch where I was sitting, and wanting to get this over with. "I'd get up and shake your hand, but I can't."

His eyes were looking at my casts. He realized he was supposed to say something.

Jumping his gaze up to my face, he stammered out, "I'm Brandon."

"Great," I said. "So, Brandon, who've you been trading spit with?"

"Wha..." he tried to get out, as he turned very red.

I noticed Fiona had the same complexion.

"John!" Jessica said. "That wasn't nice," but she laughed anyway. "Brandon is Fiona's new boyfriend."

"Oh, Fiona," I said in a sorrowful tone. "I'm so sorry to hear of the demise of your last one."

Brandon gulped. Fiona gave me an evil stare. Jessica slapped my arm.

Before anyone could say anything nasty about me I added, "Sorry, Brandon. I don't get out much, so I torture all those around me. Isn't that right, dear?"

Brandon looked at me and then to Jessica, to whom I was talking right then.

"He's ... he's your ... boyfriend?"

Jessica's mouth twitched. I'm sure she wanted to grin, but she was being much better than I had been, and didn't want to tease the poor guy.

"Yes, he is. Even if he's being a twit, right now."

I looked over to Fiona and asked, "Your parents?"

She shook her head before I got it all out.

"So, Brandon," I said, "Come over here and let's talk."

"John," Jessica said in a threatening tone.

"What?" I returned as innocently as I could. "I'm just trying to help. I know all kinds of stories."

"John!" Fiona said in a high-pitched voice.

I started laughing and said, "Sorry," to Brandon between laughs.

Jessica pushed me onto my back, and sat on my stomach. I stopped laughing very quickly. Fiona, on the other hand, thought that was very funny. Brandon was trying to be polite and didn't say anything.

"Ok, Ok!" I said, "I'll behave!"

"Right!" Jessica said.

She did get off of me, and turned around to face me on her knees.

"I missed you at school today," she whispered in my ear.

I looked at her face. It never stopped to amaze me. Jessica was just beautiful.

"Are you going to kiss me, or just look?"

My hands took hold of her head and I pulled her to me. Our lips touched and I was lost.

Well, for about a minute or so.

Fiona snorted. I think she was trying to be polite in letting us know we weren't alone.

"Don't they know how to kiss?" I asked Jessica.

Jessica tried not to laugh, and then she said, "They can't."

"Can't?"

"New braces."

"She got them on, two weeks ago," I said. "Fiona, do they still hurt?"

"Not too much. I'm getting used to them," Fiona responded.

"It's Brandon," Jessica said. "He got his two days ago. That's why he's not talking much."

"Oh," I said, "sorry. I remember getting them on. I didn't want to open my mouth for weeks. Then little Susie Parker showed up at school..."

"Susie Parker?"

I rolled my eyes at Jessica taking the bait so easily.

She bit my nose! I was so stunned that all I could do was laugh. That set the others off.

Brandon left about a half an hour later. He gave Fiona a kiss and she sort of floated back to us. Jessica and I looked at each other and smiled.

-------

Monday evening I asked Theresa if it was possible to let Tim have the van tomorrow. She looked a bit surprised. Jessica wanted to know why. I told her it was December and she shouldn't ask questions like that.

Theresa smiled and told me that Jessica didn't like to wait for Christmas to arrive and that she, Theresa, had to be very clever in hiding the gifts.

Jessica wasn't amused by this.

The next morning, Tim arrived just as Jessica was giving me my pills. He always shook his head when he saw her doing that.

She kissed her father goodbye and then I got a real kiss, one to make me remember her by. Tim tried to scold her, but his grin made his words pretty ineffective.

As soon as she was out the door, he asked, "Should I pick up the van now?"

"Yes, I think in my condition, it's going to take a bit of time."

He nodded and then asked, "So, where are we going?"

"To the mall for most things," I started to say. I saw his shoulders drop. "It's why we're going in the morning and in the middle of the week. Less people."

"Good!"

"Believe me; I don't want to be stared at any more than necessary."

"I guess you do have it worse."

"We do have one other store. Here's the address."

I gave it to him and he looked at it, and then at me.

"A necklace?"

I grinned.

"Nope. She adores the one you gave her. She wears it more than any other one."

He smiled at that. He'd given it to her soon after we'd come back. He had told her it was a very late birthday present, when she'd protested. When she put it on, it took days before she took it off.

"In Jessica's room," I said, "on her dresser, is a silver ring with a horrid little amber thing in it. I think the only reason she wears it, is because it fits."

"A ring?"

"Yes, something small and simple so it doesn't draw attention, but something that tells her that I care."

"I think she knows that."

"Yes, but she can't wear my thoughts all the time. If there's something I learned from my mother, it's that they like personal gifts."

It was almost an hour before we got to the mall. That was fine, as retail places open later than the rest of the world. My parents were easy. I'd been buying presents for them for years. Theresa wasn't too bad. I could see Tim watching what I looked at for her. I got something for Jeanie and her husband as well.

Jackie was fun to buy for. I found out she had a dry and slightly evil sense of humor, so we got along very well. I also picked up a gift for Fiona, knowing it would surprise her that I did. The only one I couldn't buy for on that trip was for Tim. I had plans to get Theresa to do that for me. Ok, maybe that is a bit calculated, but hey! Someone has to push a bit.

Tim was relieved we were out of the mall, but that also meant he was taking me to the jewelry store. I think he was very uncomfortable about that.

Jewelry stores aren't well set up for people in wheel chairs, especially when one of their legs is sticking out. The sales people do try and help though.

Once I was set up, one of the gals took over.

"I want a ring and here is her size," I said.

"Is this an engagement ring?"

I thought Tim was going to have a coronary.

"No," I replied, then added, "not yet."

The woman saw the interchange going on and smiled.

"Father of the young lady?" she asked.

"How did you ever guess?"

"Been working here too long!"

"Ok, now down to business. I was thinking of a band, maybe set with a few stones, you know, down in the band so it's smooth."

"That isn't too hard to do, as long as they are stones that can take the setting process. What did you have in mind?"

"Birthstones maybe. I didn't check what they are. She was born in March and I was born in October."

"Hers is aquamarine and yours is pink tourmaline," the woman stated.

"So she is blue and I am pink. Isn't that sort of backwards?" I said with a laugh. "Do those work?"

"They can, I believe. I'll check with our jeweler just to make sure. Now I'd suggest a flat band. It doesn't have to be wide. The stones need to be small, or they'd poke down into her finger."

"That sounds good. I want something that doesn't stand out, but she knows is special."

"You are going to be very popular with the ladies if you keep that thinking up."

"I'm only concerned with one."

"Good for you. Now, the ring you brought for sizing. It fits?"

I nodded. She looked at it, pretending it was nice.

"This is in silver. If you want something that is going to last, you can't use silver. It's too soft. There is white gold. It's harder and won't bend like a silver ring would."

"Ok."

"Good, let me go talk to the jeweler and I'll see what size stones will fit. Then I can work on pricing for you."

She walked into a room where you could see a man working. They talked for a bit. It gave me time to watch what Tim was looking at. He was spending a good bit of time at one counter. I didn't know what was there, as I was at the wrong angle, but I bet he was thinking of Theresa.

She came back and showed me the size of the stones. They looked pretty small, but she assured me they would look very good in a white gold band. Then she showed me a few bands. I chose one and made the order. Two aquamarines and two pink tourmalines, set opposite each other in an equilateral design. Very simple, and yet something you didn't see anywhere else.

It was a good thing I was already sitting. Ok, it could have been worse ... I guess. My budget was limited, but I spent the money.

On the way back, I asked Tim what piece of jewelry he was getting Theresa. The question surprised him enough, that he turned and stared at me.

"Tim! The road!"



-------

Chapter 64



Two weeks had passed since Tim had tried to kill me in the van. Ok, it really wasn't that bad, though he did run a red light. A couple people honked, and one guy gave him the finger. I think it surprised him when I told him not to worry about it. He was very relieved when I didn't say a word to Theresa.

There was only one more week of school for Jessica, before the winter break. They used to call it Christmas break, but had changed it. The notion that Jessica was going to be home all day long was not setting well with Theresa.

This was Tuesday, so Tim was with me.

"Do you have as much of a problem with Jessica being here, alone with me, as Theresa does?"

"Why do you ask?" he responded, not answering my question.

"Because you don't say anything about it."

"Not to you."

"So you let Theresa be the bad guy," I said, prodding him with my words.

"How much teeth do my words have in them?"

"All depends on if you're nibbling Theresa's neck at the time, or not."

Tim stuttered, and then said, "That's not the kind of thing I was talking about."

"'And I know it.' You can say that as well."

"And you know it."

"You're right, although you should have seen your face." I grinned. Then I sighed. "I wouldn't have all this time to think of these stupid word pranks, if I could move."

"I don't blame you. You're really in pretty good spirits, most of the time. I think I'd have gone crazy by now."

"I'm not sure I haven't. But to get back to the original subject, if you want Jessica to respect you, then you've got to take responsibility. Tell her no. Let her get mad at you. Work things out."

Tim looked at me as if I'd asked him to stick his hand into a pit of poisonous snakes.

"Do you have any idea what I could lose?"

"Do you know what you'd be gaining?"

"I'm going to have to think about that one," Tim said.

"Good. In the meantime, tell me if you have a problem with the two of us being together."

"Together, no. Alone ... possibly."

"Possibly, I don't get that one."

Tim scratched his head, and then said, "With the way you are, right now, I can't see how you could do much to get into trouble. Theresa thinks differently."

I was trying to keep a straight face.

"As parents, this isn't that funny," Tim said.

"I guess not. I'm not in your shoes. There's a component you haven't thought of exploring."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Talk to Jessica. Ask her what she's thinking."

"Right. I'm just going to say, 'Jess, sweetie, come talk to me about what you think concerning sex with John.' I think if I said something like that, we'd both have coronaries."

"You might. I don't think Jessica would have any problem with it. She and I have grown up in a different society than you did, with regards to sex. I bet your father wouldn't have ever said that word around you."

"Got that right."

"Yet, you're sitting here talking about it with your daughter's boyfriend."

"Mmmm. I never thought about it like that."

"Jessica would be just as easy to talk to. She'd feel comfortable. It's you who would have the problem."

"Well that's part of the problem, now, isn't it? You two feel a little too relaxed about sex."

"See, there's part of the problem. You assume that. Were you promiscuous?"

"Of course not! Theresa has been the only one."

"Even after the divorce?"

"Well, I..." Tim said looking down.

"Sorry," I said, "Didn't mean to change the subject. "Did your parents think you were getting into trouble with girls?"

"My dad ... there was no mom," he said with a bit of heat in his voice. "He thought I should go out and get every girl I could."

"So," I said to drive the point home, "your father and you didn't look at that subject in the same light. If you want to be a better father, talk to Jessica. What you find might surprise you."

We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Can't be Jessica, although it's lunchtime," Tim said as he got up to answer the door.

"I know, she's been eating lunch with Fiona. I think it's great. Not that I didn't enjoy seeing her, I knew she cut her lunch break short by running here and then back."

Tim opened the door.

"Is John here?"

Tim chuckled.

I said, "Yeah, I'm stuck living the life of a hermit."

It was Brandon. I was a bit surprised, as I hadn't seen him in a week.

"John, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," I answered.

I noted that Tim had walked over to the dining area, but was listening to our conversation.

"Has Fiona said anything ... you know ... about me?"

"No, not in the last week. I have to tell you, I was surprised to see you. What's up?"

"She won't talk to me."

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

I looked at him, not really believing that.

"Come on. Something happened."

Brandon looked around the room before answering.

"Some of my friends were doing something we used to do when we were kids. You know, stupid stuff, but it was nothing."

"Ok, tell me what it was."

"We take a book of matches and light them, then try and hold on as long as we can."

I had to suck in my bottom lip and bite it to quell my emotions. As soon as that waned, said, "Do you know about the fire down at Black Hawks?"

"Yeah..." he said looking at me. "But we didn't have anything to do with that. This is just a game, you know. We're not like that!"

"Wasn't suggesting it. So you heard about the fire."

"Everyone did. Burnt the house down to the ground. Nothing left," he said as he shook his head.

"Jessica's Aunt lived there," I said. The shock on his face showed, and grew as I continued. "Jessica was living there at the time. Fiona was there that day and they got trapped in the house."

Brandon was trying to suck in air. His face was white. I was waiting for him to pass out. Finally, he got himself under some control.

With a pained expression still on his face, he said, "I really fucked up, didn't I?" then he started babbling, "I didn't know, I didn't. I wouldn't do that. God, I was falling in love with Fiona. Now! Now. Oh God, now..."

He was practically in tears.

"So what would you do, to make Fiona understand that?" I asked.

"Anything!"

"Good. Show up tomorrow, after school."

"What?"

"Run over here, so you get here before they do."

"Are you serious?"

"Only if you want to have Fiona back in your life."

"I've never done anything like this before. It's scary, you know. If she ... I'm not sure I can handle it."

"You'll always regret it, if you don't."

"I know," he said and then paused, before continuing. "I've also never wanted anything so bad in my life. Fiona is..."

"Tomorrow. Now, you'd better get back to school."

"Right."

Brandon was out the door in a flash.

Tim walked over to me with an amused look on his face.

"So what's the plan?"

"Plan?"

"With the kid?"

"I don't know. I'm not going to do anything."

"You told him to come over and ... he's going to get eaten alive!"

"I don't know what to do, but Jessica will."

"Jessica?"

"Yeah, she knows Fiona pretty good. She can sort it out."

The amused look was back on Tim's face.

"So you're going to let Jessica do the talking."

"She's a lot smarter at those kinds of things than I am, so why not?"

Tim looked at me and then shook his head.

"I wish I could see this."

"Three o'clock tomorrow. Take a couple hours off work. It might be good to see your daughter."

"Mmmm," was all I heard.

-------

Jessica had trouble concentrating in school. She was thinking about what I had told her last night. At lunchtime Jessica came home.

"John, are you sure this will work?"

"Do you have any better ideas?"

Well ... no ... but it kinda makes Fiona look bad."

"Only if she won't listen. Jessica, I think she'll listen to you."

"I hope so."

Jessica was almost late. That would have been disastrous, as it might have placed her in detention after school. It did serve a good purpose, though. Fiona couldn't ask her any questions.

The last two classes of the day were spent in different subjects, at opposite ends of the school. Jessica said they'd talk after school. Fiona rolled her eyes and nodded.

-------

To my surprise, Tim showed up first. He grinned at me and said he just couldn't miss the show.

Jackie showed up next, about five minutes before Jessica usually come home from school.

As soon as Jackie saw Tim, she said with a lot of hostility in her voice, "What are you doing here? It's not Tuesday. I'm here and you can leave."



-------

Chapter 65



"Oh no!" I said, with panic in my voice.

Both Tim and Jackie came running.

"Good! Now that you're here," I said, confusing both of them, "you can behave. Jackie, that means you, too."

She gave me the evil eye.

"I mean it. Keep a civil tongue or leave."

"You know Theresa would never forgive me if I did that," Jackie said.

"Yep, I know," I said smiling.

She didn't think it was funny.

"Jackie, you have only heard one side of the story between Theresa and Tim. There are always two sides. If you want to see just how much that can screw things up, pay attention."

There was a knock on the door.

"Jackie, the circus is about to begin."

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Stay in the kitchen with Tim. This is why he's here, by the way."

Her eyebrows rose, as she said, "To hear a conversation?"

"Yep."

Tim brought Brandon into the living room.

"Brandon," Jackie said, "I haven't seen you in a while..." Then turning to me, she asked, "John, what's going on?"

"Go on," I said motioning her away, "and you'll hear soon enough."

Then I used a tone of voice that my father had taught me. He used it to make a point, when one needed to be made.

"The one thing you are not going to do is interfere."

It was a good five minutes before Jessica and Fiona showed up. Jessica, of course, came in the door with Fiona, still talking.

"Hi, John," Jessica said as they walked in.

"Yeah, Hi..." Fiona started, but as soon as she saw Brandon, her voice stopped.

"Hi," I replied. "Fiona, come on in and have a seat. There are a few things we need to talk about."

"I don't need to talk. I think maybe I should go," she replied.

"You do that," I said, looking right at her, "and you can kiss goodbye to having any meaningful boyfriends again."

"You don't know what he did."

"Yes, actually, I do."

Fiona turned to Jessica. "Did you know about this?"

"Fiona," I said before Jessica could answer. "Stop right there. You owe me. Now sit down and listen."

She sat, but obviously wasn't very happy. I could tell she had her mother's stubborn streak in her, but I was also smart enough not to say anything like that. Well, this time.

Jessica looked at me, her eyes pleading for me to take over and not have her do this. I nodded to her, so she would continue. I think she was paralyzed. So I started things off for her.

"Fiona, you were right. Jessica did know something. I talked with her last night, after Brandon came here during lunchtime."

Fiona was looking at Jessica, but shot a glance at Brandon when I said he'd been here yesterday.

"Fiona," Jessica said to her friend, "please listen! Ok?"

"Fine! What?"

"Did you ever tell Brandon what happened to you? Well ... to us?"

"No, we talked about that, remember? No one would believe us anyway."

"I was talking about the fire," Jessica said.

I could see Fiona shiver before she said, "Oh."

"Brandon said he was doing some stupid stuff that he and his friends did when they were kids. Do you think he would have been doing that, if he knew what you'd gone through?"

Fiona didn't answer.

"Do you?" Jessica pressed her.

"I don't like to talk about it. I don't want to even think about it. If I do, I'll have to see Ken, again, I just know it."

"Who's Ken?" Brandon asked.

I waved my hand, trying to stop him from asking anything more.

Fiona looked up at Brandon, who was standing close to me, and said, "He's a shrink, ok?"

"Fiona," I said, "you can stop the bitch attitude. Yesterday, when I told Brandon that you had been trapped in Jeanie's house, when it was on fire, he just about passed out."

Brandon took two steps and dropped to his knees.

"Please forgive me," he said. "I had no idea. I'd never try and hurt you. Don't you believe that? Fiona..."

Normally, Jessica and I would have left the two to work out the rest, as well as to cry about it all without having an audience. I was kind of stuck, though, so Jessica did what she could. She sat next to me and kissed me. Then kissed me again.

The third time I heard Tim clearing his throat.

I whispered, "Your dad's here and I think he wants to talk to you."

"He is? He does?" Jessica said, suddenly sitting up.

"Yes," I said, "Tim, why don't you take your daughter in her room and have that talk about sex with her."

Fiona and Brandon gasped. Jessica looked mortified.

I smiled and whispered to her, "He wants to understand what you think. Just be your own wonderful self."

Fiona said to Jessica, "I don't know how you stand it."

Jessica shook her head, "I don't either. You should see how he torments me. He already put a package under the tree. Worst thing is, it's wrapped with one of those foil papers. I can't even undo the tape and peek! It also has something like rocks in it. He's just plain mean."

Fiona put her hand over her mouth, to stop from laughing.

"Jessica, before you talk to your dad, can you get me that other gift?"

Jessica jumped up from the couch and said, "Glad to!"

She came back and handed the gift to Fiona as I said, "That one is for you to put under the tree."

"John!"

Tim chuckled. Jessica looked at her father. I looked over to Brandon and Fiona.

"You two might want to take a little walk around the complex. Jessica and her father have a little talking to do."

Brandon and Fiona just nodded, but then headed for the door. Tim held out his hand for his daughter. I'm not sure which one was more frightened.

After they went into her bedroom, closing the door, Jackie came over and sat down next to me.

"Ok, what was that all about?"

"Which part?"

"Got the first part, although I think there would need to be some damned good reasons I can't think of why I should ever trust Tim. No, I'm talking about you saying that Tim needed to talk to her about sex."

"Jackie, you remember saying it wasn't any of your business, to me?"

She grinned, and then said, "Can't say that I do."

I almost laughed at that. I knew she did.

"Life doesn't always make sense. Things happen. It's those deciding moments that make up who we are. Did you know that Tim has never been with another woman, other than Theresa?"

"You're shittin' me."

"Personally, Jackie, I don't think the two of them ever stopped loving each other; even if they hated each other, for a time."

"Don't tell me that."

"Tim had no idea of the real reasons he pushed Theresa away. When it came right down to it, his thinking was pretty screwy. Jessica ended up figuring it out."

"And telling him, didn't she?"

"Yep. It wasn't that pretty. Jessica was seething mad at him about it."

"You sure you want to be with her?" Jackie said in an amused voice. "Sometimes she makes me seem timid."

"You haven't talked to my father ... yet."

-------

"So," Jessica said. Then with nervousness, she joked, "What did you want to know, today, where babies come from?"

"Jessica," Tim said in an almost growl.

His tone cracked Jessica up and she couldn't help but laugh. Tim, being nervous as well, laughed, too.

When that was done, he looked at his daughter and asked the question John had said she wouldn't have a problem answering.

"Jess, tell me what you think about sex. You know. I mean ... Well..." This just wasn't coming out right. "What about you and John?"

"Did John put you up to this?" Jessica asked, surprised.

"He said you wouldn't have a problem talking to me. Well, maybe less of a problem, than me asking."

Jessica broke into a grin.

"You did have a problem asking. Ok," she said feeling better. She tucked her feet as she sat on the bed. "Here's my view. Remember, this is what I think. If you want me to tell you, you need to listen and not correct me, ok?"

Tim nodded.

-------

When Theresa got home that evening, she knew something was up. Jessica was in the kitchen singing, as well as cooking. Jackie was chuckling as she left.

I was in the bedroom, waiting.

Sure enough, Theresa came in.

"Ok, what went on today?"

"Brandon and Fiona got back together."

"I didn't know ... What has that got to do with Jackie's attitude?"

"A little, but probably not that much. Maybe she got something last night."

"John!"

I started to laugh.

Theresa was laughing as she said, "That's not nice."

"It was funny, though."

"Ok, so what's going on?"

"Tim came over."

Theresa's smile dropped. "Why?" she asked.

"To hear Brandon and Fiona. Ok, wait," I said, forestalling her, "let me tell you the whole story."

And I did. She understood, especially about not understanding why someone else was doing something strange.

"You know, Tim and I were young ... probably not much older than you ... when we got married. We made some pretty stupid mistakes, too."

"You two made something pretty good, too."

She smiled, nodded, and said in affirmation, "Yeah, Jessica is pretty special."

I thought now was a good time to ask, so I did.

"Theresa?"

"Yes?"

"Would you do me a favor?"

She gave me 'that look' before answering, "Depends on what it is."

"I need to buy a present for Tim. I couldn't very well do it when he took me shopping."

"You want me to go out and face those crowds?"

"Jessica is going to need to go, isn't she?" I probed.

"No, I think she's done."

"What? When? Where?"

Theresa got a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I can see it's just not Jessica who has a problem with packages."



-------

Chapter 66



It was Sunday night, and school was out. Monday morning there was no one that would be home ... that is, home chaperoning Jessica and I.

The topic had come up, again, over dinner. Tim had been invited over. Jessica was ecstatic that her mother had invited him. Theresa apparently had ulterior motives. Tim asked if they could talk about that after dinner.

After being asked, Jessica pulled me away from the table and out into the living room. Theresa told Jessica to stay there. That was unusual, in itself, as she usually cleared and washed up the dishes.

At first we couldn't hear anything, and were whispering as to what was being said. Theresa's voice was the first to be raised, but Tim matched hers. Jessica and I looked at each other. By the time they were shouting at each other, Jessica was in tears.

She couldn't stand it and ran into the kitchen.

"Stop!" she sobbed out. "Just stop."

I felt powerless, stuck in my fucking wheelchair. It was a horrible feeling!

Jessica went on, "I'll go to Jeanie's. I'll come to work with you. I'll do anything. Please, please! Stop fighting."

Suddenly, it was quiet.

Moments later, Tim came into the room where I was. His eyes were flashing with anger. He took his coat, looked over to me and shook his head. Then he headed to the door.

"Tim," I said, "don't walk away."

He stopped, looked back at me.

"I know that this is hard for you. Change. Do it for your daughter. Fight. Theresa isn't used to this, just as you aren't. Think, for a moment, about what is at stake."

Jessica was at the edge of the kitchen looking out.

Tim looked at me and then at his daughter.

"Jessica, take John out for a walk. Your mother and I have some things to talk about."

The look Jessica gave me was one of accusation and fear.

"My coat is in the room," I said.

Jessica stomped off to the bedroom.

"I hope you're right about this," Tim said to me.

I said softly, trying to take the sting out of my words, "You being her father, and acting like it, yes. I'm very sure that's what Jessica really wants."

Jessica came back into the room, and tossed me my coat. Before I even had it on, she started pushing me towards the door.

As soon as we were outside and down the path, Jessica stopped pushing.

"John."

"I know you're scared."

"What's going to happen?"

"Let's go over to Jeanie's. I think it might be good to talk with her."

"You're just trying to take my mind off of things."

"Yep. Jessica, come around and look at me," I asked. She did and I continued, "You're not used to having two parents. It's different than having just your mom. You're having problems with it, just like they are. Your mom isn't used to having someone else having a say in your life. I'll bet she doesn't like it. This is a big step for your dad, but you know why he's doing it, don't you?"

"Why?"

"'Cause of that talk you had with him about sex."

Jessica smacked my cast and then got behind me. I knew the direction was to Jeanie's apartment.

-------

It was a very long week before Christmas. I was being teased about the packages under the tree, which I had no way of examining. Jessica and I also had unexpected visitors showing up at random times.

Jessica and I knew what prompted that. She was home from school and there wasn't a good way for everyone else to change their work schedule. That meant there were times we were alone together. Sometimes long periods of time.

It was a good thing that Theresa had purchased Tim's gift for me before they got into the fight over Jessica and I.

Tuesday, Tim had come over. After lunch, he said he had something to do and would be back, leaving the two of us alone. He wanted to trust Jessica and leaned more that way than Theresa. When he got back there was a message on the machine. Theresa had called. Jessica hadn't answered it. When Tim listened to it, he had Jessica call Theresa back. It went downhill from there. Tim was handed the phone and he didn't lie to her. He then told her that Jessica was his daughter as well.

We didn't hear any more of the conversation as Tim said nothing except, "Goodbye. We'll see you when you get home."

Thursday Theresa was still peeved about what Tim had done. Jessica was getting fed up with her mother. I could tell the build up was happening. There was little I could do. Well, ok, there was a lot I could do, but in reality I wanted Jessica to face her mother. It is, after all, part of growing up and becoming independent.

After another snide comment, Jessica let her have it.

"Mom, grow up."

"You are treading on thin ice, young lady," Theresa shot back.

"Do you know that Dad talked to me, wanting to know what I thought about sex? He wanted to know about John's and my relationship, where I saw it going and how we were doing. He felt it important to know my views about having a sexual relationship with John. Why haven't you ever done that, Mom? Afraid?"

"How many girls do you know who have a boyfriend living in their house, or is as old as John is? Some things need to be kept in perspective and I seem to be the only one who has any, around here," Theresa responded to her.

Jessica really ruffled her mother's feathers by laughing, then she taunted, "Next you're going to tell me that you're so much more responsible than anyone else around here, as well."

"You certainly have that right. I am, and don't you forget it."

"You really think it's responsible to have that blue thing in the back of your underwear drawer?"

The color drained from Theresa's face.

Jessica went on, "You did ask me to put away the laundry. How did you expect me not to find it, or was that the point? I could just substitute."

"Jessica Anne Marie!"

I had never heard Theresa call her daughter by that name. Later, Jessica told me that was what her mother called her when she was a very bad girl. Jessica was much older since the last time that was used, and this time it didn't carry the weight it used to.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Go to your room."

"My room, that John is staying in, or your room with that, oh sorry, those toys in it?"

Theresa became crimson, turned and walked into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"That was rather cruel," I said to Jessica.

"I know. I'll go in and apologize ... in a while. First, she needs to learn her lesson."

"I think the reversal of mother and daughter doesn't usually happen until much later in life."

The phone rang a couple of minutes later. It was Jeanie, she asked if Jessica could come over and help her figure out something. It would only take a minute.

Jessica went, leaving me behind. I found out, as soon as the door closed, that was part of the plan. Theresa opened the door to her bedroom and walked out.

"I think it might be time for you to leave," she said. "Not tonight of course, but after Christmas."

"I understand your feelings, Theresa, but you know it isn't going to change anything."

"Oh, I fully expect Jessica will be mad, and still see you."

"I'm not talking about me."

"Really?" she said in disbelief.

Maybe she was also shocked that I took the notice that I should move out without blinking.

"Do you remember when my father talked about the hostile takeover?"

"You're suggesting that Jessica's little tirade was part of that?"

"No suggestion. I think it's a matter of fact."

Theresa sat down on the couch, her eyebrows raised, and a slight smile on her face.

"Care to explain that one to me?"

"Don't think I'm some kind of shrink. I don't think I'd have seen this one, except I have little to occupy my time, these days. Theresa, you didn't like the takeover, so you brought in reinforcements. That is Tim, by the way. The problem with that is Jessica saw what was going on. She's been at work trying to bring you two together, while making herself not be part of the equation. In other words, she's been undermining you."

Theresa sat there for a good minute, thinking. Then she said, "That little..."

"Smarty."

Theresa looked me over, before saying, "How would I know if she's not playing a game, by telling me she wasn't planning on having sex with you?"

I pondered that question, then said, "Has anything she's done suggest that you shouldn't trust her?"

"That's not an easy question to answer," Theresa replied.

"I think it should be. She may well have usurped your authority, but trust? I believe Jessica would be deeply hurt if she thought you didn't trust her."

"Maybe it is that I don't trust what I was like, at her age."

"That's a fair statement, but not fair to her. She isn't you."

"No, well, yes."

I didn't even try to repress a grin.

"Was that supposed to make sense?"

"Now that I think about the trust thing, how about the time at the base. She went to see you in the middle of the night."

"Yes she did. What happened?"

"She came back."

"I think that part of what you said earlier... 'when you were her age' ... is what is scaring you. You remember the desire that started, right?"

"Well..."

"Do you think that Jessica's body would simply shut down if I wasn't around? She's growing up and there is little you can do about that. Tell me ... What you'd rather have? A boy who was interested in trying to get into Jessica's pants, or someone like me, who is interested in having Jessica be 'the one'? I think my feelings for Jessica are very much like Tim's. One gal, for life."

She looked at me in shock.

"Tim?"

"Oh ... You didn't know he's only been with you? Maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"Dates, he must have had dates."

"You did too, if I remember they were..."

"Disgusting."

"He told me of one, he left a twenty and a note so she could take a cab home."

"He didn't!"

"He did. I think that was the last time someone tried to be helpful."

She slowly shook her head as she looked at me. I wondered at how what I'd said to her about Jessica, was blown out the window when I told her about Tim.

"Tell me how you can be so calm when I told you, you would need to leave?"

"Have you counted the days? I might have another week after that, before I get my casts off. When that happens, I'm out the door anyway."

"What?" Theresa said, in disbelief. "You ... You're just going to leave?"

I couldn't help but laugh. She took what I said all wrong.

"Theresa, I figured my days were numbered living in this house. You wouldn't let me stay, after my casts were off. You'd be kicking me out then, at the latest."

"Oh."

"Or did you mean that you don't want me to go?" I teased.

"Don't push your luck."

-------

Jessica came back about an hour later. She didn't say a word. I knew I'd hear about it later. She'd also want to know what her mom had said to me.

Theresa and I were still in the living room, talking about nothing, when she arrived. Instead of greeting us, she went right to her room. Then she came out in her nightgown.

I gulped. The bedroom light was on and her legs were silhouetted through the thin fabric.

"John approves," Theresa said.

Jessica looked down. It didn't look that sexy to her.

"What?"

Theresa stated, "If the light behind you was stronger, we could see if you were wearing panties, or not. Don't think I'm suggesting anything, but really Jessica, don't you know why gals wear slips?"

"With PJ's?"

"No," Theresa said exasperated. She shook her head and motioned her daughter over to her. "Part of the problem, dear, is that you don't seem to understand what you do to this poor guy."

Jessica looked over to me.

"Jessica, if you bring a kid into a candy shop and tempt him with the sweets, he's going to 'want' until he can't stand it. Then you're going to find him sneaking a lick, or bites, or he'll go overboard and take a piece without even asking."

"Mom!"

"Maybe you do need a little help. I think your hormones are playing tricks on you. Sometimes it's good to take the edge off. That blue one would help."

"Mom!"

"I just changed the batteries. Maybe I could show you how it works."

"MOM!" Jessica said before she ran out of the room.

Theresa looked at me and said, "Two can play that game."

"Yes; but what are you going to do, if without me in the room, she does ask you to show her?"

Theresa answered nervously, "She wouldn't ... would she?"



-------

Chapter 67



Dawn was just breaking when Jessica came into the bedroom and got me up. I have to admit that both of us were just like little children when it came to Christmas. The sooner we could get at those presents, the better.

She wheeled me out. To my surprise, Theresa was up. Then I remembered that she was always up early.

The living room light was turned on, and I gasped. My heart was pounding and I couldn't get a breath.

'What the hell happened?' I thought.

The living room looked bare. The presents were gone, but what was just as bad, was that there was no tree. Stories of the Grinch are just that, stories. This was beyond belief.

I didn't want to look at Jessica. I didn't think I could bear the look of disappointment on her face.

"I don't think I can wait," I heard Jessica say.

'Wait? Wait? Wait for what?' I couldn't understand.

Turning, I looked at Jessica. There was no sign of distress. Nothing was adding up.

"Don't worry, they'll be here soon," Theresa told her daughter.

"Ok," I said. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

That's when I heard Jessica giggle. Oh, she was going to get it for this one.

Theresa answered. "We know that it's been just your Mom, Dad, and you on Christmas. We've always gone over to Jeanie's and even though that's just one more than the three of you, it's with family. This year it's a bit different. Jeanie doesn't have a house to go to. I'm not sure what you would have done, but going to your parents' house isn't a good option for you this year. None of the traditions for any of us are the same, so we took our tree to the rec hall in the complex. We're all going to meet there."

"My parents are coming up?" I asked.

"Yes," Theresa answered.

"Now I know why I haven't heard from my mom in the last week. She has a hard time keeping secrets."

"She told us that," Theresa said.

"My Aunt and Uncle will be there," Jessica added. Then grinned. "Tim, too."

"Wow."

Then it hit me. This was family. Family as I'd never had before.

-------

Family gatherings are full of emotions. Stories are told ... often ones you don't want to hear, again.

Fortunately for me, this was Jessica's family telling them. My parents were late. In a way, worrying about them was good. It kept my mind off the presents that I had been dying to open.

When they showed up, a lot of fuss was made about their arrival. Call me insensitive, but I wanted to get them to sit down, so we could get the show on the road. It was about then that I realized Theresa was delaying things on purpose.

"Ok, Theresa," I said. "What's the big deal? You're stalling."

"She tries this every year," Jessica said. "This year she has extra support from your parents."

I looked at my father.

"Dad, if I find out that traffic wasn't as bad as you say it was..."

My father just grinned.

"Jessica, let's just start," I said. "If they don't want to open presents, that's fine. I can return all the ones I got for them."

Theresa made noises about me taking over, but she was smiling as she grumbled.

We sat in a semi circle. Jessica played 'the elf, ' passing out packages to everyone. Then we took a turn opening them.

She handed me the one she had got for me. Then took the package I had for her.

I was surprised. Shocked actually. It was a sterling ID bracelet. The fact she had got me jewelry was astonishing. I'm not sure why, but it was. The top of the bracelet had my name on it. I always thought those bracelets a bit amusing.

'Are these things for when I've hit my head and can't remember my name?'

Then as I pulled it out of the box I noticed the reverse side.

Engraved in script was, Jessica loves John.

There was a lump in my throat that made it almost impossible for me to say a word. I looked over to Jessica and she looked very pleased with herself. My reaction was just what she had hoped for.

Now it was her turn.

She ripped open the paper, and the box. Giving me a dirty look when she found a smaller box ... and a tube with rocks in it. The smaller box was opened, producing an even smaller box.

Her eyes bulged as she pulled out the ring box. She looked at me and then back at the box. I saw her hands trembling as she lifted the lid. The room got strangely quiet.

Drawing in a big breath, from holding it, she then broke into a big smile. Taking the ring out, she dropped the box.

"Mom, look!" Jessica said as she jumped up and ran over to Theresa. "There are..."

Her face turned a bit puzzled as she looked around the ring.

"Your and my birthstones," I said, hoping that is what she was confused about.

After showing her mom, then slipping it on, she came over to me. Leaning over to me, she gave me a smoldering kiss.

"Ok, you two," Tim said. "Break it up."

I think Jessica turned brighter red than I'd ever seen her. Then thought, 'She could have come back with a comment like that from her mother. Having her father say it carried a different sort of weight.'

The rest of the packages were a blur, except the last one.

"Jessica," Tim said.

"Yes?"

"There's one for your mother, up in the tree, that you've missed."

"In the tree? I don't..." Jessica started. Then looked.

She brought a small package over and handed it to her mother.

Theresa looked at it and then over to Tim. She cautiously opened it.

We were waiting for a reaction. It took its time coming. First the lip, quivering, and then the tears.

"Mom, what is it?" Jessica asked.

Jeanie was a bit more forceful, wondering what Tim had given that caused such a reaction. Jeanie took the pendant box out of Theresa's hand. Jessica and Jeanie looked at it.

"What is it?" my mother asked, as she was just as curious.

"A little butterfly on a small chain. There's a..."

"Opal," Tim said to Jeanie.

"Opal in the center."

Then Jeanie almost dropped the box as her hand flew to her mouth, as she remembered.

"What?" Jessica wanted to know. "What's so special about this?" Getting the idea her mother and Aunt were not able to tell her, she turned to her father. "I don't get it."

I could tell, even though he might be pleased by Theresa's reaction, that he was a bit embarrassed by all the attention.

"I gave your mother one that looked like that when she was sixteen."

"I lost it," Theresa said. "I couldn't tell Tim. It was the first piece of jewelry anyone had ever given me. I still wonder if it wasn't Abigail who took it. She was jealous of Tim and me. Anyway, I didn't tell Tim for a month."

"I was worried that she was trying to break up with me," Tim said.

"He came out and asked me about it. I could tell it bothered him that I wasn't wearing it. At that point in my life, it was the hardest thing I had ever done, telling him I lost it." Theresa took a deep breath. "Neither of us had much money and it couldn't be replaced. I could see the hurt on his face when I told him."

Tim cleared his throat, and then said, "When I originally picked it out, I thought it was beautiful, just like my girlfriend. When I bought this one, I found out that butterflies have a special meaning. They are a symbol for new life, and for new beginnings."

I think you could have heard a pin drop.

After gathering herself together, Theresa said, "Tim, I think that is the nicest, most thoughtful thing you've ever done for me."

I could see Jessica's head moving back and forth, as she looked at her mother and father. Finally she couldn't take it any longer and said, "Dad, go over and kiss her."

He paused, I think waiting to see if there was going to be an objection raised. Then he took his daughter's suggestion.

It slipped out of my mouth after a minute. I was embarrassed as soon as I said, "Get a room!" to the two.

Fortunately everyone else thought it was funny, and started laughing.

-------

Later that day, Jessica was on the phone talking to Fiona.

Jessica had two big news items that she couldn't wait to tell her friend. Her mother and father was the first. I could understand how that overshadowed almost everything else. It was an event that she had been waiting, and hoping for, for a long time. The second, of course, was the ring that was on her finger.

Both items she was so excited about, she couldn't sit still about. It was a good thing Jessica was talking on a cordless phone! She would have been a tangled mess, using a regular phone, the way she was bouncing around.

After she hung up, I got to hear Fiona's big news. Brandon had been introduced to the family. That, apparently, was bigger than any gift. He had taken the initiative, or gotten the balls, to approach Fiona's house. He'd had a gift in his hand when he rang the bell.

Camellia and Madelena had answered the door, taken one look at him and his present, and then had yelled in an exaggerated tone, "Fiona, your boyfriend is here!"

They had meant it as a joke. But before Fiona got to the door, her two cousins were there, sizing the boy up.

The outburst also brought Antonio, mostly out of curiosity. He arrived to find his two nephews being pests. Fiona was grateful that her father reprimanded the boys in front of Brandon, and then sent them back into the house. He also shooed off Fiona's sisters, who were very curious as to what the big fuss was all about.

Fiona had hoped that at that point her father would also leave, but she didn't hold a lot of stock in that feeling. She knew her father all too well.

Antonio asked the boy if the girls were right in their assessment of the situation, or in other words, was he Fiona's boyfriend.

Fiona had been very proud that Brandon had not run away. Her father had a rather intimidating manor.

Brandon's answer, though, caused her father to laugh. Antonio did have the good grace to leave the two alone, but only with the proviso that Brandon come in and meet the rest of the family.

It was Brandon's answer to Antonio, along with his willingness to face her father, that caused Fiona to tell him that they were now officially boyfriend, girlfriend. He was so pleased that he kissed her, which caused Fiona's two sisters that had been spying on them to giggle, giving their presence away.

He also gave her the gift he'd been holding. It was a locket. Fiona told Jessica that she and Brandon were going to meet at the mall. They were going to get pictures taken in the little photo booth by the food court, so she could put their pictures inside the locket.

I thought that was the end of the conversation, but Jessica had one more thing to say.

"John."

"Yes?"

"Fiona said that Brandon got the nerve to show up, because of you. When did you talk to him?"

"This week?" I said in a questioning tone. There had been no time at all for that.

"I guess not. I've been pretty much with you all week."

"When he came over, after he thought he and Fiona were pretty much done with, I had a good long talk with him about going after what he thought was important in life. That's the only thing I can think of."

"Maybe, I think I'll have to talk with him."

"Jessica, maybe you should leave him alone."

"Oh, I don't think I will get anywhere near him for the next month. Fiona will be training him."

"Training?"

I saw the twinkle in her eye.

"You should be glad I can't get up."

"In a way, yes, 'cause you're still here in our house. On the other hand..."

"Jessica!"

She got up and ran, giggling all the way. Apparently she hadn't learned, from what her mother had told her, about teasing.



-------

Chapter 68



It had been an interesting week, between Christmas and New Years. Tim and Theresa had started openly showing signs of affection. By Thursday Jessica had had enough, and told them to go out on a date. They did, the very next night!

Now it was Sunday, New Year's Eve. Jessica said it was always a bit nerve-racking, as the nurses all had to take a short shift, except the ones who actually got the day off. It was the luck of the draw when Theresa's shift was. On Christmas it had been pretty good. She'd worked in the later afternoon. This time she lucked out big time and didn't have to go in until late New Year's Day, many hours after New Year's Midnight. By then all the trauma and excitement of the place would be gone.

We had gone over to Antonio's, by invitation. It was the first time I could remember not dancing, even as far back as learning to dance with my mother, on a New Year's Eve. I became rather melancholy as I thought about it.

Jessica noticed and asked me what the problem was. Her response was something that kept me on my toes, as she alluded to me being well taken care of, but nothing more than that. If nothing else, the fantasies I was coming up with were good.

Tim drove over to the apartment, and the four of us got into the van. When we arrived, Jackie and her husband were pulling some food out of their car.

"Now why wasn't I asked to bring something?" Theresa asked, slightly miffed.

"You were, remember?" Jessica answered.

Theresa turned around to look at Jessica, as she said, "No, I don't. That's just great! Now we're coming empty handed when we were asked to bring something."

"Have you lost your mind?" Jessica asked. "You told me you were too busy, last Friday, and I would have to make it. What did you think I had in the bag?"

Theresa had the good grace to blush.

"Let's go in then," Tim said, ending that conversation.

-------

Before dinner, Brandon was there, looking rather proud at having Fiona by his side. I smiled at him, and winked at her. Both of them grinned back at me. I noticed Fiona's cousins were staying away from the couple. My guess was that their father had been told about Brandon's visit, by Antonio. Most likely, they had gotten a good talking to.

I found out quickly what Jessica had in mind, about 'being taken care of.' I was wheeled into several spots, only to be left, with the brake set. After the second time I looked up to find the mistletoe. Not that I was complaining. Jessica is a very nice kisser.

The second time, though, we were 'caught' by Jeanie who took it upon herself to kiss me as well and then told Jessica to be careful.

"Well?" Jessica asked.

I had no clue. "Well what?"

Jessica used her whole body to exaggerate her eyes rolling.

"How do I compare?"

"Compare?" I asked.

I was still bewildered. Then it hit me.

"Oh! You mean the kiss Jeanie gave me?"

"Of course, what else?" she said as though I was as dense as I was feeling.

"Do you really want me to do that?"

"John!"

"Jessica," I said as I saw she was getting mad at me, "you love me. How do you expect your Aunt's kiss to even begin to compare?"

You'd have thought I had given her a million dollars. Women!

Ok, it didn't stop there. The third place happened to be the hallway. After Jessica gave me one of her smoldering kisses, I noticed Camellia and Madelena there, waiting.

"They want a turn as well," Jeanie said.

She was at the end of the hallway with a mischievous smile on her face. Jessica stuck her tongue out at Jeanie.

Jeanie just laughed and retorted, "I told you to be careful."

The twins were more enthusiastic than knowledgeable of what they should do. I thought that was a very good thing. Jessica saw the humor, and understood that they were not threatening 'her territory.'

-------

Dinner was late in the evening, and that worked out well. Waiting for the clock to strike midnight wasn't so long after that. We played a few games. The twins tired and were told they would have to go to bed. That brought protests from them.

"I just think they want to have a New Year's kiss," I said.

It was an off the cuff remark. As soon as I said it, I got looks from all the gals there that I regretted.

Camellia and Madelena made their rounds getting kisses from all. The two took more time kissing Brandon and me, while everyone else made snide comments. I saw the humor in it. Brandon was thoroughly embarrassed. Then the girls were ushered off to bed.

As midnight approached, we were all given a small glass of champagne. Jessica was shocked. I could see Brandon was just as surprised as I was. Fiona and her cousins acted as thought this was normal. Jessica was looking for her parents, trying to see if this was ok.

They weren't in the room. Jessica found them in the kitchen.

"Oh good," her mother said, "you got one. We lost count."

Jessica looked blankly at her mother. Jeanie took hold of Jessica's shoulders and turned her around, walking her out of the kitchen.

"Jessica, don't make a big scene, ok?"

Looking at the glass of champagne, Jessica responded, "I've never had anything before."

"This is an Italian family and they are used to having a bit of wine. Everyone does it, even Camellia and Madelena would have been given a glass. It's not what we're used to, but hey, enjoy!"

"Ok..."

Jessica came back and found me watching the television. The familiar ball at Times Square was getting ready to drop, signifying the New Year had arrived.

"Is everything ok?" I asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Sometimes my parents are a bit strange."

I laughed. Jessica looked at me funny, and then realized how I'd said that same phrase many times.

Soon everyone was in the living room. We counted as the ball dropped. We clinked our glasses together, and then took a sip. Jessica then took my glass away from me.

Getting close to my face, she said, "I love you, John."

"I love you, too."

The next thing I remember is a tap on my shoulder and hearing, "Time to break it up!"

When Jessica turned around, she noticed everyone in the room was watching us.

Jeanie said, "Do not get a room!"

Everyone laughed. Jessica turned bright red. Both Jessica and I noticed, thank God, that Tim and Theresa were not in the room with us.

Soon it was time to go. We were going to give Brandon a ride home. Fiona gave him a nice kiss on the porch as we left.

Once in the car, Jessica started talking to Brandon. I couldn't make out most of the conversation, but I felt bad as he was probably getting grilled.

Tim parked, and we let Brandon out, watching him until he got inside. Then it was home, for us.

As we pulled up, Tim asked, "Jessica, are you ok with getting John out, yourself?"

"Of course," she replied. She'd done it many times and thought it was an odd question.

Tim and Theresa got out of the van, waited until my side was opened and then called to us to make sure the van was locked.

I did notice they were walking, hand in hand, to the apartment.

Jessica enjoyed the closeness that came with unstrapping my wheelchair from the van. She gave me several kisses on the back of my neck. As soon as I was out, the van closed and locked, she kissed me again. This time I held on and kissed her as well.

The apartment door was left ajar. Jessica looked at me, as this was very out of character for her parents to do. As soon as she pushed me across the threshold, she stopped. I couldn't see Jessica, but I could tell from the gasp, that her hand was over her mouth.

Tim's shirt

Theresa's blouse

Tim's shoes, belt, and pants

Theresa's skirt

They were in a line, which was headed towards Theresa's bedroom.

It seemed to take a long time before Jessica said, "What am I supposed to do now?"

The pause had been long enough for my mind to catch up to things. Sometimes I'm a bit slow on the uptake. This time, I knew just what she was talking about, and it wasn't her parents in the bedroom.

She had been sleeping in her mother's room, and I had been sleeping in hers. We both knew that even though her parents had lost control, they weren't trying to give the green light to us.

"Jessica, I spend a lot of time on the couch during the day. I can sleep there."

"Don't be silly. You belong in my bed ... Oh God, I can't believe I just said that."

I took hold of her hand. She looked at me.

"One day, my love, but not today."

She whimpered.

"Tonight I'm sleeping on the couch. I think it will be much better," I told her.

"Better? How can you say that?" she asked

"When your dad, or mom, get up in the morning, who do you think they would be less embarrassed seeing out here? You or me?"

Jessica thought about that for a moment and then answered, "They wouldn't want to see me, but I know they wouldn't want to see either of us. John, I think I'm going to call Jeanie. I can sleep over there, tonight."

"Good idea, although I will miss you."

"Yeah, right. I can see that you're as tired as I am."

Jessica made the call and came back with a grin.

"Jeanie said it was fine. It was the first time I heard her say she's glad she's in the same apartment complex, but I know that's just because she doesn't have to drive to get me. She's also planning on giving her sister hell for this one. I can't wait!"

I had to chuckle, and then said, "Can you get me in bed?"

"I expect that I'll hear you still saying that, when your cast is off."

I grinned, and said, "You bet!"

-------

I had the unpleasantness of being rudely awakened.

The door slammed open and Theresa stormed in. Her eyes searched the room, and then I saw her shoulders droop as a look of confusion formed in her eyes.

"Where is she?"

"Jessica?"

The fire erupted in her eyes, "Yes! Jessica!"

I know if I had been more awake, I probably wouldn't have said what I did.

"After seeing the stream of clothing, Jessica knew she didn't have a bed to sleep in, so she called your sister. She is over there. We knew that even though you didn't plan on tossing her out of your bedroom, you didn't want us together, last night."

"Thanks ... I think."

I patted the edge of the bed, beckoning her to sit. I was waking up a bit more, and felt bad about what I'd just said.

"Did you enjoy last night?" I asked.

Theresa gave me a look.

"Not like that. I meant, having him back in your bed."

"Yeah, it was nice."

"Good. Don't apologize, then. Jessica is level headed. You know she wants you two back together. There's no secret about that. So this happened ... so what? Don't worry ... well other than the fact that Jeanie is probably going to give you a bad time about it!"

With that, she was able to laugh. Then she got serious.

"John, I appreciate you two ... not..."

"Taking advantage of the situation? Do you remember me asking you whether you'd rather have some young boy dating your daughter, or me? Tell me what kind of outcome might have happened with some boy her age?"

"I'd rather not."

"Good. I don't want you to think about it, either!" I said

She growled and got up from the bed.

"Now I have to face my sister."

"Can I ask a favor first?"

"What?"

"I need a bed pan."

"You're just trying to get back at me for waking you."

"Maybe," I said with a grin. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Five."

"In the morning?" I said as my head fell back on the pillow.

"Get used to it, John. After your cast is off, you'll need to come to the hospital with me."

"Ok..." I said, trying to figure that one out.

"Physical therapy. You don't think after not being on your legs, they're going to work just as usual, do you?"

"I really hadn't thought of it. Five? Really?"

"Really."

I groaned.



-------

Chapter 69



The doctor joked, when he took off my casts, that I'd managed not to do additional damage. I'm sure he thought it was funny. I wonder if Theresa had put him up to it.

Ok, in all fairness, I had more than my share of 'fun' in the past few months. There was this thought in the back of my head, that I'd had my 'fifteen minutes of fame'. It had lasted a lot longer than fifteen minutes, though, and there wasn't any fame in it ... thanks to the FBI.

So it was one of those, 'If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound, ' kind of dilemma's. If no one knew of my fame, did that count as my fifteen minutes?

Obviously, I needed to get a life!

I had started to move my leg when the doctor put his hand on it.

"Don't even think about that. You're far from being done here. Just sit back and relax."

"What now?"

"The nurse will be in shortly to fit you with walking casts."

"Walking casts?"

"You didn't think you were going to dance out of here, did you?"

"Theresa said something about physical therapy. When do I do that?"

"After we get you up, and hopefully on your feet, then we'll send someone in to set up a schedule."

"Schedule?" I asked in dismay. "I was hoping once ... twice, maybe."

The doctor shook his head as he walked out. I think I heard him chuckling.

-------

I'm not sure who created the term 'physical therapy.' It is more like physical torture. The sadistic woman that got hold of me was proof of that.

Everything she did to me hurt like hell.

After lunch, I was at the beginning of a set of 'Parallel Bars' bars on each side of me. My hands held my weight, as my legs shook beneath me. She told me to take a step. I was determined to show her.

One step, and my knees collapsed. My hands slipped, and the bars caught me in my underarms. I screamed in pain.

Her response?

"Let me help you up, so we can try that again."

'We?' I thought. 'She didn't do a damned thing.'

Then next conversation motivated me more than anything else.

"Theresa told me you have a thing for her daughter."

I turned and looked at the woman.

"It's more than 'a thing.' I love her more than any words can describe."

There was an appraising look, and then she said, "Get on your feet, and let's get you walking. She doesn't need to baby sit you."

I grabbed hold of the bars, and pulled myself up. This time, I put my better leg forward. I also spent more time releasing my hand hold. One step.

The second step had me tearing up from the pain.

The third was better. Rationally I could understand that the leg with full cast would be worse. Emotionally, I didn't like it one bit.

I was halfway down the row, after spending ten minutes getting that far, when I heard a familiar voice.

"I didn't think he'd be walking yet."

"Motivation. Thanks for telling me about your daughter."

I yelled across the room, "Theresa, thanks for sending me to the devil!"

"Keep at it, lover boy," the physical therapist retorted. Then I heard her tell Theresa, "Expect him to be sore all evening. He will need a rubdown tonight so his muscles don't cramp up."

-------

Jessica was ecstatic when we got home. I was still in a wheel chair, but my leg wasn't sticking straight out and I didn't have those heavy plaster casts on. The velcroed hinged supports were a vast difference.

I, on the other hand, was a complete contrast. It was hard for me to keep my eyes open. I was utterly exhausted.

As she bounced around the room, I smiled.

I opened my eyes when Jessica shook my shoulder.

"John, you fell asleep."

"Sorry."

"Mom told me what they put you through. I understand." Then she grinned and said, "She also said you needed to have your legs rubbed down. I convinced her that I should do it."

"Oh?" I said as the thought of that woke me up.

"She needed to go over to Aunt Jeanie's. They're picking out kitchen appliances or something."

"Already?"

"I guess, anyway ... we're alone."

With that she kissed me.

"Ok," I moaned, "where are we going to do this?"

"Oh!"

"The leg rub!"

I saw Jessica swallow, as though her mouth was dry.

"Yeah, leg rub."

It almost looked like she was having as much trouble with this as I was. I glanced down from her face. Definitely hard nipples. Of course seeing those didn't help my situation out at all. There was little way of hiding the fact that I was hard.

"Mom said we could use the floor, but the bed would be better, 'cause it would be hard..."

"Jessica!" I said when I noticed she stopped talking and where her eyes were.

"It would be hard getting you up."

"Oh..."

I didn't know what to say to that.

Jessica rolled me into the bedroom. It was a whole lot easier getting onto the bed and I could roll! It's amazing how limited you are and how liberated you can feel.

"You done?" Jessica asked me.

I thought I would get her back, so I said, "It's never felt better to be in your bed. Climb on, honey."

"John!" she said with an intake of breath. Then in almost a whisper, added, "Stop it."

Both of us were losing control, and there was little to stop us at this point. As difficult as it was, I had to say something before things got out of control. As much as I wanted this, her, everything, I didn't want it here. Not rushed. Not like this. I didn't ever want her regretting what we would do ... eventually.

So after a deep breath I said, "What do you need to rub my legs?"

She looked into my eyes, and then started to giggle, which turned into a laugh.

"Yeah, legs. Let me get some towels, and the cream Mom said I should use." As she started to walk out, she turned around and said, "Do you think you can undo those things?"

She was pointing to my walking casts.

"I'll try."

Sitting up on the bed was not a lot of fun. I reached all the way down to undo the straps near my feet first. Don't ask me why I started there, I just did.

It took a lot of concentration to do.

Well that's my excuse anyway.

Next thing I know, Jessica is pushing me on my back and with an exasperated tone, said, "Here, let me."

She undid the straps I was struggling with, in seconds. Then the next ones up. The two at my knees. Then there was the one near my crotch. Her hand paused, just for a moment.

'No Jessica, ' I thought. 'Leave it there one more second and I'm going to get hard again.'

She didn't.

Pulling the contraptions off was interesting. Next came my pants. Yes, pants! Well, nylon things, but they did cover my legs.

I rolled over while Jessica was still looking at my underwear.

Damn I wanted her. It was also rather uncomfortable and I didn't know how I was going to put my hand down there and adjust myself without being totally busted.

As soon as her hands touched the back of my legs, I moaned. I also knew I couldn't stand it.

"Jessica, sorry, but I have to ... uh ... move myself."

"Oh, you're not comfortable?" she asked, concerned she hadn't seen or done something.

"No, not that. I ... oh, hell."

I just put my hand down my front and moved it.

"There, all better now."

I couldn't see her face, but the stifled giggles told me enough. I could have cared less. As soon as her hands were back on me, I was in heaven.

There was no way for me to tell how much time passed. I could tell her hands and arms were tiring.

"John, it's time to turn over," Jessica said.

I was relaxed and had she had to help me roll over.

"I didn't know you were doing the front muscles as well."

That's when I noticed her eyes.

"I'm not."

She moved over me, sitting down on top of my rapidly expanding manhood. I was sure she could feel it. Then I knew for sure as she flexed her pelvis over the top of it. I reached up and pulled her down to kiss her.

The front door opened and Jessica flew off the bed.

She glanced back at me, but no where near my face. I was busy trying my best to turn over and got onto my side when Theresa walked into the bedroom.

"It looks like I got here just in time," Theresa said.

Neither Jessica nor I said a word. The silence was deafening.

Then as what she'd just said had no meaning other than a continuation of where she continued, she said, "I forgot to tell you, you need to rinse that off his skin. It is why I told you, you'd need two towels."

"How do I do it?" Jessica asked and realizing what she just said, blushed.

I got the feeling Theresa was relieved and yet wanted to tease us.

"You have to get some warm water. That stuff is slippery, and it's important to clean up properly after you do it. I'll pull out a washcloth, you get a bowl of warm water."

"John!" Jessica said softly as soon as her mother walked out into the hallway.

I didn't know what to say, again.

-------

The next morning came way too early. I didn't know how Theresa did it. When we got to the hospital, she had work to go off and do. I had to wait for three hours for my appointment.

Damn, I hate hospitals.



-------

Chapter 70



Physical therapy. Just the word made me cringe. I had to admit that it was working, though. At this point, I was down to one crutch.

For the past week, I could get around on my own. There was little reason for me to be here, at Theresa's, but no one had broached the subject. I didn't want to. Theresa hadn't. Jessica sure as hell wasn't going to say anything.

Friday afternoon, just as Theresa walked in the door, Jeanie called. It was a two second call.

"What was that?" Jessica asked.

"Jeanie's coming over. She wanted to make sure I was home."

"She must have been looking out the window," I said, knowing from their apartment, she couldn't have seen Theresa drive up, walk up, or enter this apartment.

We hadn't seen much of Jeanie recently. Theresa said the house was talking all of her time.

As soon as she knocked, she opened the door and walked in.

"Hi. Theresa, I need your help. Come on and let's go."

"Go? I just got home," Theresa said. "What do you need help with? Jessica could help you, couldn't she?"

Jeanie rolled her eyes.

"No. My husband, the loaf, isn't any help with this at all."

"You want to give me more of a clue as to what 'help' you need? We do have a staff psychologist at the hospital."

"Very funny."

Jessica and I were not being very successful in hiding our laughter.

"You two just encourage her," Jeanie went on. "I have to make the final decisions on the kitchen appliances by tomorrow. They need to start finishing that on Monday. I can't make up my mind! I need your help. Please?"

"Ok," Theresa relented, and looked over at Jessica and me. Then she said, "What are we going to do with you two?"

There was a pause, and then Jessica said, "The movies!"

"Like what?" Theresa asked.

"I don't know, but that sounds like a lot more fun than anything you were probably thinking, like taking me along with you. No thank you."

"Look up what's playing," Theresa said, "and be quick about it." Then to Jeanie she asked, "What time do we need to go? When does the place close?"

"It's ... I don't know the name ... that big box store at the end of town. I think they close at nine. We're not ordering it from them, but picking it out. Antonio will order it. That is, when I decide."

"Jessica," Theresa called to her, "something that ends by nine."

-------

I realized as soon as Jessica and I had been let off in front of the theater, that this was our first 'official' date.

"I wish I didn't have this crutch. At least I only have the one brace though."

"John, you'd have to leave then. I'm not looking forward to that."

"I was just thinking. This is the first time we've been out, you know, together."

"It's a date!"

"So what are you going to say?"

"Say?"

"You're probably going to see someone from school."

"What do you think I'd say? You're my boyfriend and I can't think of anything I'd like to have around school than I've got this hot guy!"

"So I'm hot?"

"John, don't be stupid."

Of course, that made me wonder ... was I being stupid? Fortunately, she went on.

"You're older than anyone in my school. That makes you hot right there. The fact that you're good looking is a definite plus. My guess is that if some of the junior or senior girls show up, they are going to wonder what you see in me ... you know, when you could have them. I wouldn't put it past them to suggest that, right in front of me."

"Now that could be fun."

"For who?" Jessica said a bit defensively.

"Well, you, I think."

"Me?"

"Yeah. If any girl said something like that, they'd probably throw up as I described how much I love you."

Jessica gave me a smile that just didn't stop. She took hold of my hand, and pulled me along to the ticket line. It was a good think I was getting good on that crutch!

-------

No one had said anything, but we got a lot of looks. Jessica put her claim on me by kissing me several times. In the ticket line and the snack line. I'm sure questions were going to be asked on Monday.

When I realized what Jessica had ordered for tickets, I knew I wouldn't be watching. I think that's what she had in mind.

The theater was almost empty. There were lines to get into some of the other 'hot' pictures. We sat in the back, off to the side, my crutch effectively blocking the row. Not that there were many people trying to get a seat.

As the lights started to dim, Jessica took the drink out of my hand and placed it into the cup holder, on the far side of her. The bag of popcorn went onto the seat beyond her as well.

Before the previews started, we had. Our kissing progressed, and it didn't take long to get hot and bothered.

-------

I realized it was a very bad mistake to have asked for extra butter on the popcorn. While it felt divine at the time, there was a conspicuous stain around the fly of my pants.

"Jessica," I said.

"What?"

"Look!"

She did, and then here eyes traveled up to mine. They were large as saucers.

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

"You're going to have to walk in front of me when your mom arrives. Although I'm more worried about Jeanie spotting it. She's not driving."

"And she will, too. Shit!"

As if that wasn't bad enough, Fiona and Brandon walk over to us.

"Hey!" Fiona said. "You didn't tell me you were going to be here. What did..."

She stopped in mid sentence. I could tell her eyes were glued to my crotch.

"Jessica!" Fiona said in an awed whisper. "What did you do?"

"What makes you think it was me?" Jessica asked nervously.

Brandon was like most guys, clueless. I was sort of glad, and wasn't about to help him out on this one. Thankfully, Fiona grabbed Jessica's arm and the two girls walked away from our ears.

"What was all that about?" Brandon asked.

I wasn't going to answer. So I asked him what they saw. They had stood in one of the long lines, been stuffed into a completely full theater, and he'd loved every minute of the film.

When he was done describing the fight scenes, I said, "Brandon, here's a little suggestion. Go with your buddies and see those movies."

"Why?"

"Did you kiss Fiona while you were in the theater?"

"Uhh, no."

"So, here you are on a date, in a dark theater, and all you can think about is the cool fights on the screen."

Brandon wasn't stupid; he just needed a bit of guidance. Once he saw the error of his ways, he was planning on making up for it.

-------

The car ride home was unusually quiet. It was also a bit odd that instead of Jeanie going home, she came in with us.

As soon as the front door was shut, Theresa said, "Jessica, four glasses of water on the kitchen table."

"I guess we're sitting down?" I said, feeling a knot start to grow in my stomach.

"Yes we are," Theresa said.

"Oh, I forgot," Jeanie said. "I'll be right back.

With that she was out the door.

As I crutched over to the table and got situated, Jessica asked, "What's up, Mom?"

Jessica's mannerism looked normal, but you could 'hear' the tension in her voice.

"Just wait. Jeanie will be back in just a minute."

We waited and it sure seemed like quite a few minutes.

When Jeanie came back in, she had a roll of paper. I knew it was the house plans. Maybe I was imagining things and this was nothing more than Jeanie showing us the house, once again.

We moved our water glasses out of the way, wiping up any condensation. Jeanie laid out the plans and flipped through the pages, until she came to the floor plan.

"Do you know how to read this?" Jeanie asked all of us.

"I've seen some before. I kinda know."

"I couldn't tell heads or tails from it, the first time I saw it." Jeanie said. "Now as I've seen it go up, I understand what it's saying. So ... here's the front door..."

"What are those?" Jessica asked.

"Stairs. You've seen the construction, we have a second story!"

"Yeah, that's cool!" Jessica said.

"It's a dream come true," Jeanie said in a wistful voice. "It's hard living where you work. With this..." and she turned the page, showing the floor plan of the upstairs. "We have a balcony that goes out to the back side. We can sit outside and not have anyone see us. It will be heaven."

"I'm glad something came out of that, that makes it good for you," I said.

The conversation stopped for a second as Theresa handed Jeanie a tissue.

"John, it's things like that, that make me want to help you."

Now I was confused.

Theresa jumped in at this point. "John, you shouldn't stay here any longer. We all know it. It's getting out of control."

"Out of..." I tried to say.

"One only needs to see the front of your pants," Jeanie said.

I'm not sure which of us blushed more, Jessica or I.

Jeanie flipped the page back, and pointed.

"This is the guest room. It's where you'll be staying."

I had been looking at where Jeanie was pointing. Now I looked up into Jeanie's, and then Theresa's, face. Was this real?

"He's going to stay with you?" Jessica asked.

"Yes. Antonio said the house is going to be done in two weeks. They have been holding up finishing because I couldn't decide on the kitchen. It's the only thing left. As soon as they install that, the finals will be checked on and we can move in!"

Jessica looked at me and said in a mournful tone, "Two weeks."

"Jessica," Jeanie said sharply, "are you planning on not coming over, as you have been when your mother works weekends?"

"Of course not!"

"You'll see him, and talk with him. It's better than anything else we could think of. So what's the problem?" Jeanie asked.

"I won't get to see him every morning, before I go to school."

"Lord, help us!" Theresa said.

As much as I didn't like the idea of moving out of this apartment, I knew it was inevitable. The best part was that as a family, I was being accepted into it. That felt pretty darn good.

-------

It was the next day, when Jessica was out with a few loads of laundry, when I asked to talk with Theresa.

"I hope you don't think you can change my mind," she said.

"Do I look that stupid?" I replied, than as a matter of habit added, "No, don't answer that. Personally, I think Jeanie's offer is ... well, it's rather special."

"Good, now what do you want to talk about?"

"I think it would be a good idea to put Jessica on birth control pills."

Theresa had been dusting, instead of sitting. Her dust mop fell out of her hand, and she had to grab hold of the sofa to hold herself up.

"I told you some time ago that you could trust me. I haven't done anything to betray that ... yet. Theresa, Jessica is being driven as much, if not more, than I am. It's hard ... well, I mean, it's difficult to not ... you know. I'm trying, but ... I think you'd sleep better knowing that she wasn't going to end up pregnant."

"And you don't think that by me putting her on the pill, that it would be the green light that you two have been waiting for?"

"I know it's upsetting," I said, trying to keep her level headed.

"Damned right it's upsetting. Not that I haven't seen the signs. The movies the other night was pretty blatant."

"You don't think if I wanted to, I couldn't get some condoms?"

"No..." she instinctively said, and then paused for a moment. "Damn it!"

"If that's all I wanted, I could have talked Jessica into doing it with me without them. I know you know that's true. I just want to protect her, so if we get out of control, we're not going to be regretting it for years to come."

Jessica came in the door a few minutes later.

"Jessica, when did you have your gynecologist visit?"

Jessica's eyes just about popped out of her head.

"Uhh, April I think."

"We need another appointment for you then."

"What for?"

"We'll be talking about that over the next few days, young lady."

Jessica was confused. Her mother didn't sound thrilled, but she saw that I had a smile on my face.



-------

Epilogue



Two and a half years seems like a goodly amount of time, except when you're in the middle of it. At that point, it just flies by.

Jessica had graduated from high school. It was summer. I had found a new job and a nice little house in the town where Jessica would be attending college. You know, one of those 1940's era cottages with two small bedrooms and one small bath. It was cute, though, with its built-ins, and handwork from a time when labor was cheap. It was small, but very affordable.

It was funny, but after living with Jeanie and her husband for the past few years, I didn't think I could go back to an apartment.

I wouldn't start my new job for three weeks. I'd given notice to my old job two weeks ago, so now I had vacation time.

I'd been paying Jeanie for my room and board. What I didn't know was that they had kept that money in a savings account. There was more than fourteen thousand dollars in there. When I found out, I had asked them what they were going to do with it. My first thought was 'one hell of a vacation.' I was floored when they said it was to pay for my and Jessica's wedding. They also told me I couldn't tell Jessica about it. That was harder than they knew ... or maybe they did know!

Jessica and I were even closer. Almost hard to believe, but true.

Yes, if you're wondering, 'it' happened. How can I put into words something that was so incredible? It was so overwhelming, it brought me to tears. I don't think I could do the event justice, with mere words.

There was no way to hide what had happened from Theresa, or Tim and Jeanie either, for that matter. As soon as I walked in the door, Jeanie took one look at me and asked if her sister knew, yet. I guess in a way it is the very closeness of the family, that has been one great blessing to me.

By the time we succumbed to our desires, Theresa knew the inevitable was going to happen, and she understood. Probably the fact that she and Tim were regularly together, at that point, helped.

I believe it was the long talks, afterwards, that mother and daughter had, that had paved the way for Theresa and Tim to get remarried. I heard some of the conversations. Jessica talked about the importance of showing everyone around them that they were committed to one another, and of how just living together, didn't show that. Even if Theresa had reservations about the church and its beliefs, the idea that they would publicly tell the world they wanted to commit to each other, stood for something special.

Both Theresa and Jessica can be rather stubborn and it was Tim who put his foot down. I was very glad to see him take the initiative on this, as he had been the one who had walked away, before. He told Theresa that if they couldn't, or wouldn't get married, why should their daughter. The thought of Jessica shacking up with me was enough to drive Theresa insane, even if she was basically doing the same thing with Tim.

That 'shacking up' part has relevance, in that Theresa made sure Jessica was signed up for an on campus dorm.

-------

A year ago, Theresa and Tim got married. It was a fun wedding. Many people from Theresa's work were there. Tim had some there, as well. Jeanie, her husband, and my parents of course showed up. Antonio, his wife, brother, and their children all came, too. Brandon had also secured a spot, as he was pretty much stuck like glue to Fiona. The most surprising of the invited guests that came, were Agents Downs and Barnes, along with their baby Melinda. Most weddings I've been to I didn't know hardly anyone. Here the only ones I didn't know were some of Tim's co-workers. It was a hell of a party. Jessica told her mother at the end, that she hoped her wedding to me would be just as wonderful.

-------

I was glad Jessica's applications to the universities, acceptance, and all that rot was done by the Christmas vacation. In the spring we had, what we knew would eventually happen. It had taken over two years and many legal maneuvers before the court cases went to trial. Thankfully Jessica and Fiona were spared being part of the witnesses called. I was not so lucky.

There were those fifteen minutes of fame that I had wondered about. I wish I wouldn't have. Try more like a few hours, well days really. When it hit the news that what had unraveled the whole operation was my saving the girl who had been on her bike, my face was suddenly on national news. It was embarrassing.

Jessica couldn't have been more proud.

One of the good things, well other than seeing the sentence those guys got, was that I finally got to meet the girl. I knew her face, but that was it. Her mother's emotional gushing, about how her daughter would have been blown to bits, was caught by the news cameras. That was what showed up on televisions around the country. I could have cared less about that. I was interested in how she was, who she was, and her name.

After we were escorted into a building where news people couldn't get to us, Tammy and I had a very nice talk. Agent Barnes had primed her with a lot more about me, than I knew about her. She wanted to know everything about Jessica. When I showed her a picture, she took it out of my hand, studied it, and then gave me a very knowing look. I couldn't help but blush over her scrutiny. She made me promise to let her meet Jessica, which I did easily. The girl I had 'saved' was fun to talk with. I knew Jessica and they would have a great time together.

-------

I had been planning this move for some time. While Jessica scouted universities to attend, I looked at the job markets in those areas. Where she finally chose was a good match for her interests and for me finding a good job. I was planning on working for one more year and then going back to get my doctorate. It had already been two years since I'd gone back and finished my masters. I knew that with Jessica in college, I wouldn't be able to stay away. Fortunately my parents were always willing to help, but in reality, I hadn't spent much of the money I'd been making for the past couple of years. I could afford to go back. Now was the first time I'd had a need to spend a bit of cash.

Unlike my apartment and Jeanie's house, this was unfurnished.

The pretence was that Jessica was going to help me this week. I had no doubt about that. Unbeknownst to Theresa and Tim, we had picked out furniture already. Jessica didn't know I had already ordered it, that it was to be delivered, and the landlord would let them in before we arrived.

I did need Jessica for another 'job' altogether, and no, not that one! When Jeanie had moved into her new house, I had a rude awakening about how much effort it took to make a house a home. The personal touches I wanted to be Jessica's. Most of that was for selfish reasons. If she couldn't live with me all the time, I wanted her presence with me as much as possible.

There were also two more surprises for Jessica that week.

-------

We had been in the house for only an hour, with Jessica pulling me from room to room. The furniture may well have been placed, but after Jessica's description, all of it would be moved somewhat.

The doorbell rang. I didn't even know I had a doorbell!

"Probably someone wanting to sell something," I said, as disinterested as I could.

I knew Jessica would take the bait. When we opened the door, there stood Agent Barnes.

I don't know who was shocked more. Jessica, because she was suddenly holding the hand of a two year old, or I, who had never (outside of the wedding) seen Barnes in a dress.

"You can close your mouth," Agent Barnes said to me. "I'm told I clean up pretty good."

I swallowed hard and said, "Yeah. Wow!"

"John," Jessica said in an annoyed tone.

"Downs sure knew what he was doing," I said.

It wasn't very politically correct. Not polished at all. It did convey the idea, and Agent Barnes smiled at me.

"Is he always this eloquent?" she asked Jessica.

"Sometimes worse."

"Hey!" I said.

Both gals laughed.

"Nice place," Barnes said. "Maybe I can have a tour when we get back, but I'm running late."

With that she bent down, kissed her daughter, and turned to walk away.

"What am I thinking? Here!" Barnes said, pulling out a sheet of paper with information on it. "You'd think they pulled out more than a baby when she was delivered. At times I think I had a lobotomy. It's better than it was, but there are times I wonder about myself. Thank goodness it only involved child rearing!"

"You're leaving?" Jessica asked, somewhat confused.

"Yeah," I answered. "We're babysitting."

-------

Almost a half an hour later, when the doorbell rang again, Jessica gave me a look.

"What now?" she asked.

I played innocent, saying, "Maybe the drive through didn't take too long."

"You should be glad," Jessica said as we walked to the front door, "that there isn't anything to throw at you."

This time it took Jessica a minute to recognize the person in front of her. Her mother, who was in the car, drove off after I waved.

"You're ... you're Tammy! John, why didn't you..." Jessica started, then threw her arms around the girl, and dragged her inside.

I closed the door, amused at the reception.

"You have a kid?" Tammy said, her mouth dropping open in shock.

I laughed.

Jessica poked me in the ribs and said, "No, we're babysitting."

A wave of relief washed over Tammy's face.

-------

"This is dispatch, what is your emergency."

"There's a ... a man across the street."

"Can you describe what he is doing? Is there a weapon involved?"

"How would I know? I saw the furniture move in two days ago. I've been gone for the past week, but he wasn't there. That's plenty odd if you ask me. I've lived in this house for the past thirty five years and..."

"Is there something you wanted to report?"

"Of course there is. I was getting to it. Now today this man shows up with a girl. Young thing. She can't be more than thirteen if you ask me. Nothing good can come of that."

"Well there..."

"I'm not finished. Then a woman showed up in a dress. What hussies wear, now a days. She just shows up and drops this little girl off. I mean really! The man just arrived and he has this underage girl and now this ... I don't know, two year old baby. I was pacing back and forth, wondering about what to do when you wouldn't believe what I just saw!"

"Can you describe it?"

"You bet I will. A car drove up with out of state plates and another girl ... maybe twelve or thirteen, got out. She looked younger than the other one. The girl that was already in the house put her arms around the girl and pulled her into the house."

"Did you see the driver? Was it male or female?"

"Oh it was a female. The man in the house just waved like he had been expecting her to show up, and the woman just drove off. Really! He hasn't even been there a half of a day and underage girls are showing up, being dropped off? I don't know exactly what's going on, but it can't be good."

"We'll send a cruiser by as soon as we can and check on things. If you see anything that is serious, weapons, forced actions, anything of that nature, call us back immediately."

"You bet I will. When are you showing up?"

"You're in line. I can't say for sure. It's been a slow night so far, so my guess is about an hour or so."

"An hour! Heaven know what he'll do with those girls by then and that little one watching it all happen!"

"Now calm down, Mrs. Turnbuckle."

"How do you know my name?"

"Your name and address all show up on our screen. It helps us if you called, but couldn't speak."

"But I'm unlisted."

"I'm sure you are, but not to us. It's a protection device for you, that we have this information as soon as you call."

After the 911 tapes were reviewed, there was a voice heard in the background that said, "Tell them that the guy has a gun. It's the only way to get them out here, Mabel."

-------

"John! What is this, a party?" Jessica asked.

"I have no idea who's at the door this time," I said with all sincerity.

"Well then I'm not getting up. I just got Melinda settled," Jessica replied.

"May I have your name?" Jessica heard, as soon as I opened the door.

"Sure, officer. Is there a problem?"

"Your name."

"John Huntington."

"Would you please step outside, Mr. Huntington."

"Sure."

As soon as I stepped outside, I was quickly turned around and pressed against the side of the house.

The inside of my right foot was kicked as the officer said, "Spread 'em."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I would suggest you cooperate."

I saw two officers start to enter my house, with another lady behind them.

"Hey, you can't just go in there!" I said.

This time my face was pressed against the stucco with force.

"I'd suggest you not move unless we tell you."

With that, my hands were pulled behind me and I felt handcuffs slamming against my wrists.

"Jessica," I yelled into the house, "call Downs."

"I'd suggest you not talk," I was told as I was pulled off the porch and down the drive.

-------

Jessica had her hands on her hips. The police officers had walked through the house and were back in the living room. The woman had insisted that she take the child and Jessica had so far refused and now was telling the woman she was going to make a call, no matter what.

"You're just making things worse for yourself, sweetie," the woman said.

"Don't you dare call me sweetie and I'm going to make that call before you do anything stupid."

They stood there in a show down. Tammy was on the corner of the couch, shaking.

"Is there a law that says I can't make a call?" Jessica brazenly asked.

The woman set her jaw and one of the officers had to answer.

"No, but please make this quick. We need everyone down at the station soon. It's best if we don't hang around."

"Oh?" Jessica said as she took hold of her cell phone.

"The papers love to show up and make our job a lot harder."

Jessica flipped open her phone. She'd babysat so many times and with her mother being a nurse, she had the safety issues drilled into her. The phone numbers on the sheet Agent Barnes had given them were already in her phone.

-------

The two FBI agents were relaxing. Dinner had been very nice and dessert was on its way. Downs felt his phone vibrate.

He closed his eyes and silently groaned. They were off duty for three days! Pulling the phone out he looked at the ID and his face fell.

"It's Jessica's phone," he said as he was getting up to walk out of the restaurant to take the call.

"Downs here, Jessica, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. The police showed up and they have John in handcuffs. Two officers are standing in front of me and there's this horrid woman who wants to take your baby!"

"Slow down. You say police officers?"

"Yes!"

"Let me talk to one of them."

-------

To say that it was a disaster of an evening, put it mildly.

Shortly after Agents Down and Barnes arrived, the police chief did also.

In the end, there was a lot of apologizing that went on. The woman across the street was charged by the district attorney, and ended up paying for all the aggregated costs to send out the officers and clean up the mistake.

Jessica and I never knew how that was settled.

When Theresa and Tim heard the story, told by Barnes and Downs, Downs made a suggestion to Jessica's parents.

I moved closer to the school and the breaking of the lease was handled by a lawyer in my father's firm who deals with contract law. My father told me later that the busy body across the street ended up paying for that costly problem, as well.

For Jessica it was no problem getting out of her dorm housing. There were more students that wanted in than there was space.

Originally we were going to wait until Jessica got out of college. In the three years she had planned to graduate, she would have been eighteen.

Now, at fifteen, she was planning her wedding.

Agent Downs said it would be so much easier for us. Frankly, we were more in love than anyone he'd seen ... outside of him and his wife, of course! The incident involving police showing up was a deciding moment for Theresa and Tim. They said yes, Jessica and I could get married now.

I was to have had three weeks off to have fun and relax. Now I had two weeks of scrabbling, to try and get a wedding put together. Fortunately for me, there was the money Jeanie had told me about, for our wedding. When I let Jessica know about it, she called her Aunt, and cried on the phone for twenty minutes.

The best man was pretty easy. I didn't have many guy friends. Downs was a contender, but I chose Brandon. Downs was going to be up there as well.

My next big project was the honeymoon!

I had two weeks to find the perfect spot to take my perfect bride. I would have one week of bliss, before I would start a new job; and she would have two weeks, before she would start school.


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The End
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Posted:  2008-01-24
Last Modified: 2008-07-30 / 12:30:11 am
Version: 1.10
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