“Captives” – part 2

by Jo and Stacey

Cort looked at Maximus' grimly-set profile as the General drove rapidly towards Dwayne's house. He hadn't seen him look quite that way since Joimus had been lost during the flood. He himself was very fond of Alistair and hated the thought the reverend had been hurt again and might still be in danger. His hand moved to the handle of his gun. There it was, a question of force again. He was coming to terms, at least somewhat, with the fact that sometimes force was necessary when evil threatened good folks. And they didn't come any better than Reverend Harris.

Maximus stopped his car some ways back from Dwayne's house, pulling it off the road behind some tall shrubbery. He and Cort got out, looking through the leaves toward the house, waiting for Zack. There was no sign of activity they could discern in or around the house from where they were.

"You think Alistair's ok?" Cort asked.

"I am not sure. He was having a hard time speaking. Said he had been hit. I do not know exactly what he meant by that...or who hit him." Or why, he added silently. Why would anyone want to hurt Alistair? The man never gave offense to a soul. But Alex had been stabbed. Someone in the house was bent on doing harm. That much was sure.

Meanwhile, Dwayne had gone back out into the foyer to where Alistair and Alex were still lying side-by-side on the floor. He frowned, spotting the tiny cell phone lying in Alistair's hand.

"Well, well, well," he said, bending down and snatching the phone from Alistair's outstretched hand. "While the cats away, the mice will play, huh?" He checked the call-log and frowned again. He rolled Alistair over onto his belly. The man let out a moan as Dwayne pulled his arms behind him and quickly began tying them together with a long piece of nylon cord he pulled from his back pocket.

"Now, don't you go gettin' any crazy ideas about escaping, Reverend," Dwayne told him when he'd finished tying him up, "I'll be back in just a bit with the little woman and we can get a move on before your friends show up and try to put a damper on the fun we're havin' here."

Vaguely, Alistair was aware he was being moved. He was having a hard time concentrating and his head had sharp pains shooting through it from the back. There was something he needed to do, something important...something...what? Alex! Alex was bleeding. That was it. He needed to help Alex. He tried to move and was startled by the fact he couldn't. His arms were behind him, uncomfortably, tightly, behind him and he couldn't seem to pull them to his sides. Had he called Maximus? He'd wanted to, but had he? He couldn't remember. Then he tried lifting his head. His cheek was resting on something sticky. The motion sent a sharper pain through his head and he gasped, letting his head fall back to the floor.

"Ahnna," Joimus said, smiling at her friend as she opened the door of the mill, "come and sit with me a moment. I've got some news."

Ahnna looked at Joimus' smiling lips then at her eyes. The smile was not in her eyes. Instantly her heart started to pound. "Is something...?"

When they were seated, Joimus continued, "There's a... situation... over at Dwayne's new house, you know that big place he bought out of town. I don't know any details, but Maximus and Cort have both gone over there and Zack is on his way, too, so there should be nothing to worry about, all right?"

"What...what sort of...situation?"

"Alistair called Maximus just a few minutes ago."

"I saw his note when I got home. He said he was going with...with
Dwayne. Something about him needing to talk with Abby."

"Well, he said he'd been, um, hit and that Alex was there, too, and Alex had been stabbed. We don't know by whom or why, but Alistair was able to call and speak with Maximus. They'll call as soon as they know anything. I'll stay here with you."

Ahnna had stood, looking toward the door. "I need to...."

"No, Ahnna, no you don't. Maximus specifically asked that we stay here at the mill until he's had a chance to discover what's going on over there. We don't want to make the situation worse for them by charging in."

Ahnna sat back down, clasping her hands tightly. "I...I don't think I can go through this again."

"It's not like the fire. He's already been able to use the phone, said he was going to try and help Alex."

"You think he's really all right?"

Joimus had no idea, but she said, "Maximus will take care of things. Trust him."

Zack had been filling in down at the sheriff's when Maximus' call came in. Bud, who'd gotten Zack a part-time job there while they waited for their security business to get off the ground, was out on a call with John, so Zack was there on his own to handle things. As soon as he hung up the phone, he was out the door running – quickly grabbing a couple of shotguns and his berretta, and his vest.

On his way out to Dwayne's, he put out a call on the radio to the sheriff and let him know what was going on and that he'd had to leave the station unattended. When he pulled off the main road and headed up the drive to the Campbell ranch, Zack could see Maximus' car parked off to the side, hidden behind. Pulling up next to it, he quickly jumped out of his vehicle and made his way over to where Maximus and Cort were talking.

"What's the situation here?" he asked, carefully watching the front door of the house in case anyone inside made a move.

"I do not know anything more, Zack, than when I called you," Maximus replied. "It is quiet right now but from what Alistair said, Alex was bleeding pretty badly from a knife wound. He was going to try to help him, but," he sighed, "he dropped the phone."

Cort hadn't realized that. "He dropped...? You mean he might be hurt bad?"

"I do not think we can stand around out here and wait very long to find out," Maximus said, his voice low. "I called for the medics, too. We cannot have them walking in on something that is still dangerous." He gazed deeply at Zack.

Zack nodded. Assuming Alex and Alistair were both still alive, they would be their number one priority. "Alright, we need to find out exactly how many are in there and if they are still alive. I'm assuming if this was a true hostage situation that someone from inside would have made contact already to place their demands. Since that hasn't been done, we've got to assume this is all being played out on the fly. That's even more dangerous a situation, however, could work to our advantage depending on how armed they are in there.

He was well aware of Maximus' capabilities, had heard the rumors about him being an ex-general in the military. Cort, however, was a bit of a mystery. He looked up at the young man and asked, "I assume you know how to handle a gun?"

"That'd be correct," was Cort's reply.

"Do not worry about him," Maximus added. "He knows what he is doing."

"Good," Zack replied, "Then let's get going. I'll sneak around to the side, peek in the window over there - see if I can see anything. Maximus, you go around to the opposite side.Cort, you keep lookout, signal if there's trouble. Once we know what we're dealing with we'll have to find a way inside - possibly
from the back. Sound good?"

Maximus merely nodded and headed to the side of the house.

Zack nodded to Cort, then crept slowly around to the right side of the house, his shotgun at the ready. Ducking behind some low shrubs, he peeked inside the first window he came to. He found himself looking into a small den. The lights were off, however, the door was pushed ajar and just outside he could make out the front foyer. Someone was moving around in there, but he couldn't make out more than just their feet.
 

As quietly as he could, he crept over to the next window and peeked in. He was in luck! This gave him a clear view of the living room which opened up to the foyer. He pulled out a small pair of binoculars, adjusted the view, and let out a quiet gasp, then shoved them back into his pocket and quietly made his way back to the front of the house to meet back up with Cort and Maximus.

"Did you see something?" Maximus asked, noting the look on Zack's face.

Zack licked his lip, nodded, "It doesn't look good," he told them, "I could make out 2 bodies - one was definitely in bad shape. Blood everywhere. Most likely, Ross. The other - I assume, Reverend Harris - was lying next to him, face down. His hands bound behind him. Dwayne had his wife tied up as well, set her down next to the two men." He looked Maximus and Cort in the eye, "We need to work quickly. We don't know what he's planning. We've got to get him isolated somehow from his captives and take him down."

Cort's hand hovered over his gun butt. He'd been thinking about this ever since they'd left Maximus' house. Herod. The name kept repeating over and over in his mind. Someone was inside and they were acting like Herod, with no concern for human life. He looked at Zack, who was the official lawman here. "What do you need?"

"I'm going around to the back of the house, get his attention," Zack said, checking the ammo in his side-arm. "You and Maximus go in through the front, break the door in if you have to, but do it quickly. In and out. Get Ross out first, then the other. I'll take care of Campbell." He looked up at them, "Ready, gentlemen? Then let's do this."

Dwayne was putting the final touches on his plan, completely aware of the three new arrivals that were outside creeping around his house. Unbeknownst to them, Dwayne had the entire compound set up with hidden surveillance cameras. At that very moment he was watching their every move from a tiny portable monitor.

"C'mon, darlin'," he told Abby, pulling her to her feet. "Time to blow this joint; it's gettin' a might too crowded here for my taste."

Abby wobbled a bit on her feet, the drugs in her system having taken full effect on her now. Dwayne wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her, then kicked at Alistair. "You too, padre!" he said, then kicked at him again when the man didn't move. "Let's get a move on here! Time's a wastin'!"

Alistair moaned, his eyes mere slits.

Dwayne let out a sigh, leaned Abby against the wall beside him. "Stay here darlin'," he said, then bent down and picked the man up and threw him over his shoulder.

Once he was upright, he grabbed his gun and put it against Alistair's head, then pulled Abby by her restraints. "You stay with me, darlin', you hear? Make one move or one sound I don't like and the padre here gets it. Comprende?"

She nodded, her eyes glazed over and tear-filled.

"Good," he told her, dragging her along to the rear of the house, "then let get goin'. Doc will be here to pick us up any moment."

Meanwhile, Zack had just reached the back of the house and was now in position to make his move when suddenly a black SUV came barreling around from the front of the house.

He couldn't make out who the driver was but knew it couldn't be one of his men. Without thinking, he pulled out his sidearm and raised it towards the front of the vehicle. The driver must have seen him because he swerved and floored it - aiming right at Zack.

Zack jumped out of the way just in time as the driver pulled around, opened the door a crack and began firing an automatic weapon at him. Zack managed to duck down and took cover on the side of the barn before the driver hit him. He waited a moment, peeked around, then quickly ducked back when another barrage of bullets came spraying at him. He counted to three, held his breath, then began to return fire - his bullets making no impact on what was obviously a bullet-proof vehicle.

The driver began honking his horn wildly, and Zack saw the back door of the house fly open. Dwayne was moving towards the vehicle as quickly as he could - Alistair draped over his shoulder, a gun aimed at his head. Abby was being dragged along by her wrist-restraints - completely out of it, Zack thought.

Zack watched as the driver helped Dwayne get his two captives into the back of the SUV, then climbed in behind them and shut the door. As they sped off towards the front of the house, Zack stood cursing to himself. He'd blown it. They'd gotten away. He only hoped Maximus and Cort were okay and had been successful at least in getting to Alex.

Maximus' vehicle screeched around the corner, the passenger side deeply dented in. The black SUV had plowed into it, spinning it so that it's rear fender slammed into Cort. Clutching his ribs, Cort had hollered, "Go!" to Maximus. "I'm ok. I'll go inside and check on Alex!"

Out of the corner of his eye, the General had seen Dwayne's getaway. "You are sure?" he asked, already halfway in the driver's seat.

"I'm sure," Cort nodded. The pain told him he probably had some broken ribs, but what had to be done had to be done.

Not really stopping at the rear of the house, Maximus leaned across, opening the door for Zack.

Leaning way forward, holding his ribcage, Cort went in the front door. Alex lay quietly, his eyes closed, blood everywhere. Beside him, more blood was smeared as though someone had lain in it and then been dragged away. Cort hoped to God that Alistair wasn't bleeding, too. He crouched painfully beside Alex, moving back the wrapping someone had covered the wound with. The knife had gone in right in Alex's chest. Cort blew out a long breath, laying the cloth back over it and applying pressure. Before long he heard the sound of a siren coming up the long drive. "Hang in there, Alex," he urged. "Help's here."

Alistair felt himself being carried. Whoever was carrying him was in a hurry and none too careful about his methods. Twice the side of Alistair's head smacked into doorways, then he was tossed into the back of some vehicle, his torso twisted, his hands lashed behind him. When his feet were shoved in, his head slid down to the floorboards and the sounds and the pain stopped as he was lost in the darkness.

“The Chase is On”

by Beej, Jo, Marie and Stacey

"Don't lose him!" Zack yelled, as he jumped into the passenger side of Maximus' car. His heart was pounding. He knew if they didn't catch Dwayne now he'd surely try and flee the country. "Cort with Alex? He okay?"

"Hurt some," Maximus replied. "Car hit him. But he was able to go inside." He was trying to clamp his teeth, to keep the speeding SUV in sight. There were so many curves, so many clumps of trees, that it was hard. His car was making a strange rattling noise, too, from where the SUV had rammed it. All he cared about, though, was that it still operated so that he could stay behind Dwayne's car.

Zack checked the rounds in his sidearm. Empty. As he pulled out a fresh clip and reloaded, he decided he'd better call Bud and John and let them know what was happening. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed Bud's number. He just hoped that one of them would be able to come and help out in the situation.

 "White here.  Is this you, Grant?"  Bud recognized the number of his new business partner. 
 

"Yeah, it's me. Bud, listen, we need back-up, stat! That Campbell fellow has a couple of hostages, at least one of them is injured, the other - his wife, is pretty heavily drugged, it appears. He's got some accomplice working with him, tried to run me over then started shooting. He's pretty heavily armed - automatic weapons. Maximus and I are in pursuit now. Think you can rendezvous with us?"
 

Bud was back in the Sheriff's office.  He grabbed a shotgun and a couple of extra clips for his handgun.
             
"Oh, my way, Grant.  Where are you?"  They needed more backup, but when he left Biebe and Bonnie they were off to Coff's.  They'd be too far away.  "I'll be alone."  Bud stuffed shotgun shells in his pocket and headed out the door.  He was still on his phone.
 

Zack braced himself as they rounded a sharp curve, swore under his breath, "We're just coming up past that weird glass house - you know the one - that looks like an alien ship crash landed? Think you can take a short-cut, maybe head the fucker off?"

Bud jumped into his cruiser.  "Yeah, I know that weird fucker of a house you're talking about.  The shitbird who lives there is as weird as the house."  Bud peeled out of the driveway with tires screeching.

"I'm coming your way.  ETA is 5 minutes.  Vehicle description?"

"Black SUV," Zack replied, "Can't miss it! It's the one doing 100 fucking miles an hour through town!"

Mentally Bud went through where all his girls were.  They should all be home and safe except Marie who was working safely in Coffs. 

"Right.  How many hostages versus dirt bags are in the SUV?"  Bud finished with the last Velcro strap on his vest.  At that speed he should rendezvous with the vehicle soon.
 

"Two hostiles in front, the two hostages in the back," Zack told him, as Maximus pushed the car harder, trying to close the gap between the two vehicles.
 

Up ahead in the SUV, Abby was trying to make sense of what was happening. She couldn’t understand why Dwayne was doing this and why he’d brought poor Alistair there in the first place. She knew he’d been angry about him turning them down when they’d asked him to perform the ceremony to renew their wedding vows, but this? This was taking things way too far!
 

She struggled a bit, trying to get the cording around her wrists to loosen without Dwayne noticing, but they were tied too tightly and she didn’t have much strength in her to get the job done. She quietly began to sob, looked over to see how Alistair was doing. His eyes were half open, she thought he may be conscious now, though maybe not fully aware of what was happening. He looked as confused as she felt. Dwayne was talking into his cell phone, barking orders to someone, though she couldn't make out who or what. She leaned over, closing her eyes so that it would look to Dwayne as if she'd gone to sleep and just slumped over, and whispered to Alistair, "Are you okay?"

It took Alistair a moment to reply and then he felt as though he were trying to form words underwater. "I...I...Abby? What...what...happened?" He desperately needed to untwist his torso but was jammed in so tightly he couldn't move.  His head was down, his neck bent, and the extra blood flowing into it had his head pounding and splitting even worse than before. "Dwa...Dwayne...did this?"  He had no idea why and that only added to his sense of confusion.
 

"Yes, though I'm not sure why," she told him, keeping her voice in a low whisper. "I have no idea where they're taking us, either. Oh Alistair, I'm afraid," she cried softly. "There were gunshots, some men were there outside trying to save us I think. I just hope they were able to follow us."

Maximus? Maybe he had been able to call the General after all? He hoped so. But shots? He didn't like that, didn't want to be the cause of getting Maximus in some sort of danger. His shoulders were pulled back way too tightly by the bonds that held his wrists. Every bit of him seemed to be hurting. It was so hard to keep his thoughts clear. "Abby," he breathed, "I think we..."  But then his voice faded away.

Maximus swerved, narrowly missing a roo crossing the road. From what he'd heard of Zack's phone conversation, Bud's car should be joining them any moment. The damn SUV wasn't slowing at all, no matter what obstacles loomed before it. A mailbox went down, then a trashcan, then a row of flowers. He hoped no people were walking along the road.

Bud saw the SUV in the distance.  His sirens were blaring and his lights flashing on the cruiser.  He went on the intercom.

"You, in the black SUV.  This is the Glen Sheriff's department.  Stop immediately."  As expected the SUV kept barreling toward him.  Bud made a quick decision.  He had to stop the SUV before it went through the more populated part of town or he'd kill pedestrians or other citizens in their vehicles.  He executed the perfect PIT maneuver.  The SUV spun around several times before coming to rest in a ditch on the side of the road.  There was no sudden movement from the SUV.  Bud grabbed his shotgun and jumped from his cruiser.

With cover from his cruiser he trained his shotgun on the front seat of the SUV.

"You, in the SUV.  Campbell.  Step away from the vehicle with your hands in the air.  Now!"

In his peripheral vision Bud saw Grant and the General pull up.  He could use the back up.

No response from the SUV.  "I repeat.  You in the SUV.  Step out of the vehicle NOW with your hands in the fucking air."
 

Maximus got quickly out of his car, getting his rifle in position as he moved. Why was there no answer from the SUV? His eyes narrowed as he closed the gap between himself and Bud, aware that Zack was circling around to the other side of the vehicle. The silence was broken by a shot and he dropped his rifle, falling to his knees, clutching high on his left shoulder, making small grunting noises between his clenched teeth.
 

Cort sat back against the wall, one hand pressing atop Alex's wound, the other to his own side. "Damn!" he muttered. It hurt like blue blazes. And he hated it, too, that Maximus was off after the bad guys and here he sat.  Then the sound of hurrying footsteps came across. He'd left the front door open for the medics.
 

Ahnna's ears perked. "Was that an ambulance?" Her eyes were wide, filled with fear.

Joimus, trying to remain calm for Ahnna's sake, replied in as steady a voice as she could manage, "It might have been, but, then, the Glen is full of pregnant women, Ahnna. Maybe it's just that a baby has decided to be born this afternoon?"
 

Tom slammed on the brakes as Stevo turned off the siren. They both jumped out of the ambo, leaving the engine running and the doors open. All was quiet in the house and they began to worry that this might be a body bag situation. Tom, ever the ex-policeman, held Stevo back while he glanced through the open front door. He saw Alex, not moving, in a pool of blood, and Cort, sitting on the floor with pain etched across his face.

"Stevo, you take a look at Cort while I see if there's anything I can do for Ross."
 

Inside, Alex was lying very still, the strip of throw that Abby had wrapped around him now soaked with blood. He was cold, real cold and his mind was in a hazy fog. In the distance, he could hear voices as they came closer to him. He tried to speak but it only came out like a strangled moan. He faded in and out consciousness, the pain in his chest that had once been so intense now began to numb a bit, as did his whole body.
 

From the way Cort was catching his breath, Stevo could see that some ribs were cracked, if not broken. Easing off his shirt he began strapping Cort's chest to support the ribs. When he finished, he helped Cort rest against the wall once more. "Okay, mate?" he asked. He was glad when Cort nodded in agreement; it left him free to help Tom with Alex.

"How's he going, Tom?"

"It doesn't look good, mate. We need to stabilize him before we think of moving him to the ambo. It's gonna be touch and go. Wonder what he did to deserve this?"
 

Cort watched the two men working over Alex. The strapping was helping him some, but his side hurt pretty bad. "I think," he said softly, "I think he was trying to help Abby."  He took too deep of a breath and winced. "See the broken vase," he pointed out, nodding toward the large, scattered shards of the thick, heavy vase that lay about on the floor. "Alistair. Said he'd been hit. I think it must've been with that."

"Abby," Alex suddenly managed to say weakly, "N...nooo..." He tried to move, but the medics quickly held him in place. They were saying something to him, but he couldn't make out what. He tried to open his mouth to speak to them again, but felt the fog coming back, overtaking him.  Who were they? What did they want? What were they doing to him? Suddenly, the sharp pain in his chest was back and he screamed out, trying to fight them off, but they easily subdued him and his body gave in, relaxed, as his mind drifted off into black nothingness.
 

 "Alex, you need to keep still, mate," Tom said, holding him down by his shoulder. It didn't take much pressure as Alex seemed as weak as a kitten. He cried out in pain and fell unconscious once again.
 

"Now might be a good time to move him, Tom, before he comes round again. I don't think he'll stand the pain if we jolt him while he's awake," Stevo said. Turning his attention to Cort, he spoke softly to him. "Hey, mate. Think you can make it to the ambo, or should I bring out a chair for ya?"
 

Cort closed his eyes. Looked like Alex was on his way out. Who knew how long the man had lain there bleeding like that? He himself was now breathing in short gasps, trying to get through the pain each breath cost him.

"Give me a hand up, Stevo. I think I can make it." Trying to stifle a groan, he leaned on Stevo, curving forward to ease his ribs. It seemed a long way to the ambulance, a very long way, and he was breathing raggedly only half way there. He'd waited while the medics got Alex loaded first, leaning against the side of the ambulance, sweat beading his upper lip, and was glad when he was helped inside and able to sit again. It would take a while to reach the hospital in Coffs and he leaned forward, his face in his hands, not even noticing when Tom slid a blood pressure cuff on his arm. 
 

It all happened in what seemed like slow motion. Before Zack knew what was happening, the driver in the car had begun firing on them and Maximus was hit. He quickly called out to him, "Maximus! You okay?"

Maximus' teeth were clenched so tightly it was hard to reply. "Shoulder," he managed, then sat over on his hip, letting his grip over his wound go, feeling beside him for his rifle.  One thing he'd learned, and learned at dear cost, you didn't give in to pain, not when there was something that needed doing.
 

Zack came around to the passenger's side, hoping to take out Campbell before he could do anything to the two hostages. The driver was still firing but Bud had begun firing back. Zack saw the driver get hit, grab at his neck. That was his chance to move in. With his weapon raised, he jumped out and aimed his firearm at the front passenger's seat and yelled out, "Get the fuck out of the car... now!"

Instead of doing as he was told, however, Dwayne jumped into the back seat, grabbed Alistair by the back of the neck and pulled him up out of the vehicle next to him.  Dwayne had a shotgun aimed at the man's head, a scared but determined look on his face. "Don't make me shoot him!" he called back to Zack. "I will, if I have to."

Alistair was aware he'd been grabbed and hauled up. The sudden jerking motion of being pulled upright sent his head spinning wildly. He felt something hard and cold pressed against his temple but was in too much pain, too dizzy, to determine just what it was. If his neck hadn't been being held in some horrid grip, his head would have fallen forward. A long, sighing sound escaped his lips and he let his eyes close.

Zack stood back a distance, looked over his shoulder at where Abby was lying down on the floorboard of the car. Good, she was out of range, he thought to himself, then his eyes found Bud. He'd taken out the driver. Zack called out to him, "You got this, Bud?"

Bud nodded to Grant.  The driver was no longer a threat.  This shitbird Campbell had to go down.  No fucking way he was hurting any more hostages on his watch.  Not now, not ever.  And not the Reverend.  He aimed his shotgun at Campbell's head and waited.  The right time would come.  Both he and Grant had given him ample opportunities to disarm and surrender.  Negotiations were over.

Steady.  The Reverend's head listed to the side.  Bud squeezed the trigger of his shotgun and felt the recoil slam into his shoulder.  The shot blew off half of Campbell's head and he crumbled to the ground along with his gun.  Brain matter splattered over the immediate surrounding area.

Bud lunged forward and caught the Reverend as he went down, pulling him out of the way.

"Reverend, you okay?"  Bud peered anxiously into the Reverend's pale face.

Alistair's lips moved, but he made no sound. Blood and bits of bone from Dwayne covered the side of his face.

"His hands," Maximus gritted. "Still tied. Hands."  He slid a knife out from the top of his boot, keeping one there a habit he'd not broken, and with some effort tossed it close to Bud, who cut Alistair's bonds.

Alistair's chin fell to his chest. He couldn't hold his head up, not any more. He hung there, completely sagging, in Bud's arms until the cop lowered him gently to the ground. Maximus managed to get to his feet, coming close, dropping down again beside Alistair. When Zack came over, he looked up at him. "Need...need to get him to the hospital." 

Zack let out the deep breath he'd been holding, his shoulders slumped as he lowered his weapon. "I'll drive," he replied, then rushed over to check on Abby. She was in the back of the SUV, huddled on the floor.

"Mill. Stop by mill," Maximus breathed, clutching his shoulder again. "Joimus, Ahnna, there." His eyes met Zack's. "You know," he said, his meaning clear without adding more words. He knew Zack had visited Alistair in the hospital before, and was aware of Ahnna's response to the result of the fire. Maximus wanted to stop there long enough to pick up the two women.
 

Zack turned back, nodded. He wasn't about to argue with Maximus, knew the Mill was on the way to the hospital and there was no real life or death situation for them not to be able to make the quick stop. About that time, the sheriff and his deputy pulled up alongside of the road. Bud was filling them in on the situation as Zack stooped down in front of Abby, wrapped an arm around her back, and whispered, "It's okay, sweetheart, it's over. It's all over."

Abby was shaking pretty badly, her eyes fixed on where her husband lay dead on the ground in front of her. She was cold and tired and confused by what had happened. This was a nightmare - one she couldn't seem to wake up from no matter what she did. Dwayne was dead. Her husband was... dead! She couldn't believe it had all happened, didn't understand why he'd taken them hostage and tried to run from the cops. All she wanted to do was to sleep and make it all go away. She closed her eyes, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Zack held onto her, trying to comfort her. He knew she was probably in shock, needed medical attention soon. "Hennessy," he called out to the deputy, "you take care of the girl? Make sure she gets to the hospital while I drive the others?

She nodded, made her way over to where Abby was still crouched in the car. After a moment, she had her on her feet and was helping her into the sheriff's cruiser.

Zack, with the help of Bud, managed to get Alistair in the back of their police car, then went back to help Maximus. "Sure you don't just want to call them on the way?" he asked, helping the general into the back seat next to Alistair.

"No," Maximus replied firmly. "It is best we stop."  He bit his lip as he slid into the seat, using his right arm to prop Alistair, who had started to slump to the side. Damn, but he wished he had something to wipe Alistair's face before Ahnna saw him, but there was nothing to use.

Within moments they had arrived beside the mill, parking next to Joimus' station wagon. "I think it will be better if we switch to that," Maximus nodded, indicating the larger car with three rows of seats.  He waited quietly still in the back seat of the cruiser while Zack went to the door of the mill and knocked.

Ahnna started, making a little gasping sound. "They're back!" she cried, getting up and running to fling the door open, closely followed by Joimus. "Zack?" She hadn't expected him. "Where's...where's Alistair?"  She looked past him, noticing the police cruiser next to the station wagon. "Is...is....?"
 

"He's fine, just a bump on the head," Zack quickly assured her, "I'm on my way to the hospital with them, but Maximus insisted I stop by here first to pick up the two of you." He moved aside so she could see the two men sitting in the back of the cruiser.

"Alistair," Ahnna breathed, running toward the cruiser. As she got closer, she called his name more loudly, but he didn't turn and look at her as she'd hoped.

Joimus followed, walking quickly, but not in Ahnna's full-out run. Zack had not mentioned any harm coming to Maximus, but she was terribly concerned for Alistair. Ahnna had paused just outside the open rear door of the cruiser, her hands clamped to her mouth, her face gone all white. Seeing that, Joimus hurried up behind her, putting her hand out to support her friend.

"Ahnna, what's...?" Then she, too, got to a place where she could see inside. Maximus sat quietly, his jaw set, trying to keep Alistair partially upright. The upper sleeve of his light blue shirt was stained with blood.  She felt an instant tightening in her guts, but it was the sight of Alistair's face more than anything that shocked her.  His eyes were closed and something... something horrible... was splattered over one side of his face.  Had he been injured that terribly?

Her eyes flew back to her husband's, her silent question loud.  "Dwayne," Maximus bit out. "Shotgun."  He shifted a bit then asked, "Can you and Zack help me get him in the station wagon?"

Ahnna hadn't moved, had barely breathed, had not been able to stop gazing in absolute horror at Alistair's face. "It's not his, Ahnna," Joimus said almost in her ear. "It's Dwayne's...not his."

Alistair opened his eyes part way, blinking slowly. "Ahnna?" he whispered hoarsely.

That was enough to get her moving. "I'm here, darling, I'm right here."  Between Zack, Joimus, and her, they got Alistair into the third row of seats in the adjacent stationwagon, Ahnna sliding in beside him, her arms wrapped around him as he leaned into her.

Joimus turned back to the cruiser where her own husband remained. "You?"

"Shoulder," he said, managing a very slight smile. "Bullet."

She supported his right elbow as he got out and moved to the middle row of seats in Joimus' car.  Now that his right arm was free from helping Alistair, he was clutching his shoulder again. Joimus had on an ankle-length skirt and she ripped a large piece off its hem, then tore that in half, handing one section back to Ahnna and then folding the other into a fat compress. She guided Maximus down on the seat, his knees bent, his head in her lap, and she pressed the cloth atop his wound. Leaning close over his face, she kissed his forehead, whispering, "Close your eyes, my love. Rest for a moment."

Ahnna was wiping at Alistair's face, tears running down her own, but whatever it was that coated it had dried and wouldn't come off.  "I...I'm ok," he murmured, his eyes barely open. "Head hurts."  His head was, indeed, wobbling rather badly and she pulled him into her. He sighed loudly.  "Love you."  She let out a huge sob she couldn't keep inside any longer.

Once everyone was in the car, Zack quickly grabbed the police light from the top of the cruiser and attached it to the roof of the station wagon, then started the engine and sped down the road en route to the Coffs hospital.

BATTLEFIELD
 

By Jo

Robin's hands clenched the steering wheel grimly as he followed the two speeding ambulances along the two curving lanes of road leading into Coffs. Maximus and Alistair had become his two best friends in this new continent so far from England and he was
worried he might lose both of them tonight. Evidently no one had been aware for a while just how much blood Maximus was losing. He'd seen men that white on more battlefields than he cared to remember. He only hoped with modern technology the
outcome for the General would be different than it had been for those men.

Julie watched the hard set of his profile. "They'll take good care of them."

"They better," he replied without unclenching his teeth.  He was speeding despite the heavy rain, determined to stay right behind the ambulances with their lights and sirens slicing through the night. His thoughts strayed to his own stay in that hospital. He hadn't
liked the experience at all, what he remembered of it.

He took a sharp, hilly curve at high speed and his car hydroplaned, spinning around on the pavement three times before its front bumper impacted a sign post and the car came to an abrupt halt. Instinctively, his right arm had gone out, stretched over Julie's upper body, but his forehead snapped forward, hitting the top of the steering wheel, opening up a long gash just inside his hairline. Blood flowed down his face, getting into his eyes, and furious with himself for letting the car get out of control, he wiped at it with both hands.

"Julie? Are you all right?" He turned, trying to see her but the blood obscured his vision.

"I'm fine," she replied, turning on the overhead light so she could see him better. "Robin, my God, your face!"

"It's nothing. Just can't see to drive. You'll have to take us the rest of the way. I'm so damn sorry."

She had a scarf tied over her hair because of the rain and took it off, handing it to him. "Press it up there, Robin. Maybe it will help."

They changed places and she was able to back the car away from the post, though the front bumper fell off. "Don't worry about that," Robin said, "just go."

The ambulances were completely out of sight now and though Julie drove faster than the speed limit, she didn't floor the accelerator like Robin had been doing. He sat in silence, his temple resting against the side window, holding the scarf to his forehead with one hand. The other, red with his own blood, rested in his lap.

In addition to the fact they were the spouses of the patients being transported, the medics wanted both Joimus and Ahnna to come along as they'd been in the flipping car and needed to be checked out themselves. In the interior lighting of the two ambulances, it became evident that all four of them had been more extensively bruised than at first had seemed evident. Ahnna's back muscles had been sprained and it took a great deal out of her to sit there on the jumpseat and hold Alistair's hand, but nothing was going to make her let go of him. He was semi-conscious but not really responding to what was going on around him.

Cort had just come out of the treatment area, having been x-rayed and receiving confirmation that three ribs on his left side were badly cracked. An enormous bruise was already starting to color his skin above them. He'd been strapped and given some pain med, but the hospital wasn't going to admit him. Ambulatory, he headed for the waiting room, intending to call Maximus to see what had happened. He also needed to arrange for a ride back to the Glen.

He'd halfway punched Maximus' number into his phone when the ER double doors slammed open and a gurney was pushed through, closely followed by a second. It was Joimus' face he saw first as she hurried alongside the first gurney. There was an absolute horror of desolation in her eyes and he dropped his gaze to the man on the gurney. "Maximus!" he gasped, staring at the still, white face.

The medics wouldn't let Joimus go where they were rushing the gurney and she stepped miserably aside as Alistair's was wheeled through, also disappearing down a curtained hallway.  Ahnna could barely stand and a nurse got her in a wheelchair and took her off for x-rays of her back. Cort, not able to stand fully erect, still placed both his hands on Joimus' shoulders. "What happened to him?"

"He was shot, Cort. He's almost bled out. I...I...."

"Come, sit," he urged, leading her to a row of chairs, startled by the deep bruise forming on her left cheekbone and several others on her arms. "And you?" he asked. "Ahnna? What happened?"

Joimus sat, taking a deep breath, trying to control the trembling that kept taking control of her person. "Bud stopped the SUV, Cort, and Dwayne was killed. He almost killed Alistair, from what Zack said, and Bud had no choice. But Maximus was shot and...and...
no one thought it was very bad...his shoulder...so...so...they came by the mill, got Ahnna and me so we could come to Coffs with them... you know? We...we used my station wagon...more room...Zack drove. It was dark...dark in the car...and he was bleeding... Maximus was...but we couldn't see...didn't know. I tried to stop it, but I think the bullet hit...hit something important."  She closed her eyes, pressing her hands over her face and Cort curved his arm around her shoulders.

"Then that man...the one driving the SUV...he got loose somehow...I don't know...he was just there...following us...ran us off the road. Car rolled...just rolled and rolled...and the next thing I knew I was lying in a field. It was raining so hard...so dark. I couldn't find him, Cort." She dropped her hands to her lap, turning to look at him. "He...he wasn't in the car...and I tried so hard...back and forth across the field...back and forth." She shuddered. "Then...then...I fell over him...in the dark, Cort, I fell right over him. He was cold...so very cold. And the man came...tried...tried to shoot everybody. But Zack killed him. Then Robin was there. I don't know how he was there, but he was there."

"Where is Robin now?"

"He's not here? He was right behind us. I...I...don't know where he is. Julie's with him."

The doors opened again and Robin and Julie came in. Cort looked up, seeing blood all over Robin's face. "Good Lord!" he gasped. A nurse came to take Robin back and Julie, seeing Cort and Joimus, came to sit by them.

"You, too, Cort?" She hadn't heard the full story yet.

"Ribs," he said. "Car got pushed into my side."

"So, tell me what you know."

He told her about the call from Alistair and how he and Maximus had gone to Dwayne's meeting Zack outside. "And I think it was that big vase Dwayne must've hit Alistair with," he ended.

Joimus' fingers were clasped together so tightly her knuckles were white. A nurse came up to her. "Mrs. Meridius?"

"Yes! What news of my husband?"

"Nothing yet. They've got him in surgery. But it's you I've come for. Doctor wants to check you out, too."

"I'm all right."

"Your cheekbone might be broken. Could be other things. You've got to come with me, all right?"

Sighing, she stood up. "You'll let me know, wherever I am, you'll let me know about my husband?"

"Sure thing," the nurse smiled.

"What about Alex?" Julie asked Cort.

"I don't know. He was really bad off. I haven't heard a thing since the ambulance arrived here. They whisked him away damn fast." He leaned forward, folding his arms around his middle, his jaw muscles working.

Within a few minutes, Robin came back out, his face cleaned, the long, thin split just in his hairline glued. "Maximus?" he asked, stopping in front of Cort and Julie.

"No news. They took Joimus back to check on her," Julie said.

When Robin sat, they told him what they knew of events. "Damn battlefield," he growled.

BELOVEDS

By Jo

Julie was getting restless. Robin had been gone for a long time. As unobtrusively as possible, she made her way past the registration desk, slipped around the corner and pulled aside the curtain of the small exam room where Robin had gone. He was sitting in the chair beside the narrow bed, his face buried in his right hand, his right elbow on the chair's arm. With his left he held an icepack to the side of Joimus' face.

"Robin," she whispered, and he looked up.

"Ah, Julie," he sighed. "I didn't mean to leave you for such a while. But Joimus overheard the doctors talking about how the General had died for a moment during surgery and was most distraught."

"How's she doing now?""

"They gave her something to help her rest." He lifted the ice pack so Julie could see her face. It was swollen terribly from her left eye all the way down to her jaw-line. "There's a small fracture in her cheekbone," he explained. "When she was thrown from the car, this happened."

"Oh, Robin, so much pain and suffering tonight."

"It is all too familiar, my love, and I do not like it. I did not think to find so much of it in this new land."

"Bad men do bad things no matter where one is."

"That is God's simple truth, though it be a shame and a blot upon humanity."

She came up behind him, sliding her arms around his shoulders, kissing his hair. "How's your head, darling?"

"It pains sharply, but is of no matter."

Joimus woke rather suddenly, looking at them groggily, her left eye now almost swollen shut, making it harder to focus. "Maximus? Is he...?"

Robin put his hand on her arm. "He is still in recovery, still being transfused. But he lives."

"I must see him!"  She tried to sit, finding her entire body ached with the movement.

"I'll get someone," Julie said quickly, hurrying out of the room. In a moment she returned with a male nurse.

"Mrs. Meridius, I think the doctor was hoping you would rest longer."

"I can't rest. I need to see my husband. I need to see him NOW!"

"You must hearken to this lady's request," Robin said, standing and looking imposingly at the nurse.

The nurse looked at him a moment, a 'what...the?' expression on his face at the man's choice of terminology. "I'll check with recovery," he said and left.

Robin helped Joimus sit on the side of the bed. "You are highly bruised," he commented, noting her arms and legs. The lower half of her long skirt had been raggedly ripped away and mud and bits of grass clung to her clothing and hair.

Julie went out again, finding a pleasant-looking female nurse. After speaking with her, she and the nurse came back with a set of green scrubs for Joimus to change in to. Robin and Julie went back to wait with Cort while the nurse helped Joimus change.

Cort looked at them with intensely concerned eyes. "Tell me," he said. And so Robin explained about the Meridiuses. Cort sighed deeply, squeezing his eyes tightly shut when it hurt his ribcage.

"Does Claire know you're here?" Julie asked him.

He shook his head wearily. "I don't want her driving here in the night and the rain. I'll still be broken in the morning. Time enough then." He managed a wry grin.

He'd been thinking about Claire a lot as he'd sat there alone. The lovely soft gentleness of her face as he saw it in his mind provided a needed contrast to the ugly brutality of the night. He wanted to bury his face in the curve of her neck, smell the sweet scent of her flesh.

"You are tired, my friend, and in need of rest," Robin said. "I must remain until I know the outcomes for Maximus and Alistair, but when Julie and I leave for the Glen, consider that there is a place for you in my vehicle."

"You had a collision, didn't you...on your way here?"

"A small incident, yes, the loss of a bumper. The Mercedes is still drivable, though I fear I must take it to Colin's garage upon our return."

"I'd be mighty obliged for the lift," Cort said. "Thanks."

When Joimus was in the scrubs and had hospital slippers on her feet, the male nurse returned with a wheel chair. "Doc says you can go see your husband but he doesn't want you to walk."

As she settled painfully into the chair, she asked him, "Do you know anything about Reverend Harris?"

"All I know is they took him off for scans. Haven't heard anything yet, Ma'am."

She sighed and motioned down the hall with a slight movement of her hand. "Please."

He wheeled her down several long hallways, around corners, and then into a room where Maximus lay. Her teeth sank into her lower lip. He was still much too white. "How long...?"

"It takes a while," the nurse said. "I'll leave you now. Be back in a while."

"I want to stay," she said.

He smiled, not replying, and turned to leave.

The bed was too high and the railings were up. Sitting low in the wheelchair, she felt shut off from him, so got to her feet, standing there, her hands gripping the railing. He lay quietly, monitors on his chest, an oxygen cannula on his face, the IV in his right arm, the upper left part of his shoulder and chest swathed in thick bandaging. "Oh, my darling, darling," she sighed, touching his cheek, "this was so close, so frighteningly close."

His eyes opened, small slits of his green showing. "I am...here."  His voice was low, very weak.

"It is only because of that that I still live," she smiled, curving the backs of her fingers tenderly down his face.

He was barely able to keep his eyes open even that much, but he saw her face. "You...you...?" A frown creased his forehead.

"I'm fine, beloved. Truly. Don't worry about me. Just rest...rest...and grow strong again."

He blinked, opening his eyes more widely. "Oh, Joimus."  Tears brimmed as he looked at her.

"Shhhh!" she murmured. "This is only temporary. I'm not in any danger. There's nothing for you to worry about, my darling."

He tried to lift his right hand, needing to touch her, but only managed two or three inches before it fell back to the bed. She took his large hand in both hers, lifting it for him, pressing it to her lips as she leaned close. "I love you with everything I am," she said almost fiercely.

He smiled a little, then his eyes closed and he drifted off.

She remained standing there, holding his hand, just filling her eyes, her soul, with the sight of his livingness and even when her body protested loudly and her legs began to tremble, she stood because the will to stand was stronger than the need to sit.

Alistair was awake but his head hurt like the hounds of hell were fighting furiously inside his skull. He felt confused, disoriented, and couldn't figure out how he'd gotten where he was. Had the smoke done this to him? Was he in the hospital because the mill was burning? Someone was fiddling with an IV beside his bed. He was aware, too, of a band of liquid fire across his hips and lower abdomen. That was from the seat belt as the car had rolled across the field and then suspended him upside down. He had no memory of any of that, could find no reason for the pain there. Whatever the person with the IV was doing, was beginning to help somewhat and he looked blearily at them, asking, "Ahnna?"

"I'm here, darling."  Ahnna came through the doorway and he tried desperately to focus on her.

"Ahnna?" he asked again. She was being pushed in a wheelchair up close to his bed. No, that wasn't right. That couldn't be right. He tried to lift his head again but waves of bilious green nausea washed through him and he lay back, gasping.

"Lie still," Ahnna said quickly, urgently. "Please, darling, lie still."

"What...what's....?"

She slid her arm through the bed railing, curving it over his shoulder. "You've got a concussion," she explained, "a really severe one." She blinked back tears as she remembered the doctor saying how lucky he was that he didn't have bleeding into his brain.

"Cold. Head's cold."

"You have ice packs around you. They're trying to keep your brain from swelling. So far you're doing really well."

Cort had explained to both the doctors and police about the thick shards from the vase he'd found where Alistair had lain in the entryway of Dwayne's house. The impact had fractured Alistair's skull but hadn't depressed the bone. His scalp had split somewhat, but had been repaired.

"Hurts," he said then tried to look at her again, though sometimes there seemed to be two of her overlapping. "Why...why chair?"

"Do you remember Zack drove you and Maximus to the mill? Joimus and I came with you to the hospital."

"Not...not much. No."

"Dwayne hit you with a big vase, but you somehow managed to get word to Maximus."

Very vaguely he recalled that. "All right? He...all right?"

An odd looked passed over her face. "Tell...tell...what happened?"

"Bud killed Dwayne. He, Dwayne, had a gun to your head."

"I...don't...."

She was glad he didn't remember. "Maximus was shot, worse than anyone knew. He nearly bled to death."

"Oh...God! I called...him.  My...my fault."

"None of this is your fault. It's all Dwayne's doing. So you stop that right now, you hear me?"

"You...chair...why?"

"At the mill, we all got into Joimus' station wagon because there was more room. Zack was driving and somehow Dwayne's man got loose and came after us, made us run off the road. The station wagon flipped over and over." She closed her eyes. "I thought it would never stop. Then it did, but it was upside down." She breathed deeply then looked at him again. "I'd gotten seat belts on you and me, but Joimus didn't have a chance
and she and Maximus were thrown out of the car."

His eyes widened, making his head hurt worse. "She...?"

"She's hurt some. Not too bad I think. I haven't seen her since we got here. I've been...."

"You? Hurt?"

"My back mostly. Sprained pretty bad when the car rolled. I've got this sort of temporary brace thing on." She touched her middle above her hospital gown.

"How...?"

"There's more. Zack had to kill the man who ran us off the road. Whoever he was tried to shoot him, maybe us, too. I don't know. Then Robin and Julie were there and Julie called for help. That's how we got here."

He couldn't believe so much had happened he had no memory of. "Maximus...he's...?"

"I don't know, darling. I saw him briefly as they wheeled him into the ER. He was very white. But don't worry. I'm sure he's getting good care here."

He closed his eyes and she thought he'd gone to sleep, but then she saw his lips moving and leaning close found despite his own horrid pain he was lifting Maximus in prayer. Her heart almost burst with how much she loved this man and tears slid down her cheeks as she sat quietly, watching him, silently thanking God that He had let her husband live.

“After the Battle”
 

by Jo and Stacey

 

Zack signed the hospital release forms and handed them back to the nurse. Just as soon as the doctor signed off on them he'd be able to leave - something he couldn't wait to do. He hated hospitals, hated being in them. No matter how much time had passed, they always seemed to bring back bad memories for him... memories he'd just as soon forget.

Luckily, he only had suffered 3 broken ribs and a concussion - nothing as major as what Maximus had endured. Though the doctor had wanted to keep him there over night, Zack had insisted he be released, was quite verbal, in fact, on the matter and in the end the doctor had agreed - on the condition that he took it easy and got some rest.

Rest. Yeah, he could use about a week of that, or more. Unfortunately, his mind wouldn't let him. He couldn't stop thinking about everything that had just happened... the shootout with Campbell, the car chase and accident, and most of all... when he was forced to shoot and kill the driver, Campbell's accomplice.

Zack stood up, ran his hands through his hair. He wondered how Maximus was doing... and all the others. He'd heard both Maximus and Ross had survived, barely, and the others were a bit banged up like him, but were okay for the most part. Abby... Abby was another matter. She'd been in shock when they'd brought her into the hospital, and he found out she was still there, too.

Once the nurse came back with his signed release forms, he found out where Maximus had been moved to and went to check up on him. He saw Robin and Julie sitting with Cort in the waiting area and slowly approached them.

"How's he doing?" Zack asked them, quietly.

"He'll make it," Robin said, looking like he had a pretty bad headache himself. "It was close, though."

Cort noticed the way Zack was walking, leaning a bit forward, just as he walked. "Ribs?" he asked, his palm curving over his own side.

Zack nodded, "Seems we're a matched pair." He couldn't help but notice the bandage on Robin's head, pointed to it and raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"Steering wheel," Julie volunteered. "Following the ambulances turned out to be more perilous than it looked."

"What about you, Zack?" Cort asked. "You were driving Joimus' station wagon, I understand. Heard it took a pretty bad roll into the field."

"I'm fine," he replied, "Got a bump on the noggin, hadda have a couple stitches. Broke a few ribs, too. How 'bout Joimus? Alistair and Ahnna? They weren't too badly injured I hope?"

"Joimus landed on her face in the field," Robin said grimly. "Cheekbone's fractured and she's all swollen. I think Ahnna hurt her back. I don't know how Alistair fared in the car crash, but he was pretty hurt when Dwayne hit him with the vase. I'm hoping we get some news soon." He leaned his head against the wall behind him, letting his eyes close.

Julie reached over and took his hand. "It's been a long evening," she sighed, looking at Zack. "I imagine both Maximus and Alistair have
been admitted. What about you, Zack? Are you going back to the Glen?"

Zack sat down in a chair across from her, clasped his hands together in front of him, "Yeah, in a while. My girlfriend, Destiny, is on her way here to pick me up. Just wanted to check on all of you. One hell of a night it was, that's for sure."

"Glad you've got a ride," Robin said, looking at him through only half-raised lids. "I was going to offer you one, but I'm here for the
duration...until I've got the all clear on both Maximus and Alistair." He opened his lids a bit more, gazing deeply at Zack. "I hear you
acquitted yourself most honorably in battle tonight. Good man!"

"Battle? Um... yeah, I guess it was a bit like a battle," Zack told him, resting his elbows on his knees as he rubbed his temples. His head was throbbing again, damn pain pills were wearing off. "Thanks to you two, we were all able to survive. If you hadn't of shown up when you did... I hate to even think about what might have happened to us all."

"We were just on our way into Coffs to have dinner," Julie explained, "then it began to rain so hard we almost turned back."

"Almost," Robin repeated. "Very close, in fact."

"Now we know Maximus would have died if we hadn't arrived when we did."  A little shudder went through Julie.

"If there's ever anything I can do for either of you... and you, Cort," Zack told them, "I'm in your debt."

He pulled out his cell phone as it began to vibrate in his pocket, read the text message. "If you will all excuse me now, my girlfriend's waitin' outside in her car. Please let Joimus and Maximus know I was here and that they're in my thoughts."

TO SIT IN THE SHADE OF YOU

By Jo

It was dawn by the time Robin and Julie dropped Cort off at the Meridius house. The rain had finally stopped and Cort paused, his hand on the gate, watching Robin drive away. It wasn't until he was ready to turn back toward the walk to the house that he noticed Claire's car coming up the long drive. He waited, leaning on the fence.

"Cort!" Claire cried, getting out of her car and running to him.

He saw that she was going to hug him and shifted his position, putting his arm in the way.

"You're hurt?"

"Some broken ribs, bruisin', not mor'n that." He managed a small smile.

"I heard that a car hit you. Oh, Cort!"

"It was Maximus', Claire. Nobody was in it. The SUV just rammed it and it got pushed into me."  He reached out, touching her tousled blonde hair with his left hand. "But I'm home now."

She stood on tiptoes to kiss him lightly without leaning against his body. "Have you slept?"

"Dozed some at the hospital, a bit more on the way back here. Robin drove me."

"What about food? Have you eaten?"

"Not really. Bag of chips from a machine. Amazin' things those food machines."

"Is...is it...do you think...all right if I come in and make you some breakfast?"

"I'd be mighty beholdin', Claire, if you'd do that."  He hadn't really eaten since lunch yesterday.

He held the gate open for her then walked beside her down the brick path to the door of the big rust-colored house. "I doubt Joimus will come back, not until Maximus can come, too."

"I'll manage the greenhouse for her until she does," Claire stated. "How are they? I was so worried when I heard the news this morning."

"I saw her briefly before we left Coffs. Can hardly recognize her face it's so swelled up 'n all. General's doin' some better. Needs a lot of blood replaced and he's still mighty weak."

"Well, you come on in here," she said, heading into the big kitchen, "and sit yourself down while I see what I can whip up."

He lowered himself gently into a chair at the table, watching her buzz around opening cabinets and drawers. She made him coffee first and he used it to down a couple of pain pills. Despite how he was feeling, he liked watching what she was doing. Half closing his eyes, he let himself begin to imagine that the two of them did this every morning. He'd been taking things really slow with Claire since he'd met her. First there'd been the small matter of his not having his memory of who he was, then he'd spent most of his time trying to help Maximus with the huge spread while Claire worked busily in the greenhouse then drove back to the little town she lived in each evening. They'd talked some, had a couple of picnics, taken a good number of walks. He liked her. He liked her a lot, in fact.

She was easy to talk to, easy to tell things to about how he felt about where he'd come from. Nothing he told her seemed to bother her all that much. She smiled at him a lot, seemed to like being with him about as much as he liked being with her. Why had he never moved on beyond that? Watching her now, he could find no reason for his holding back the way he had.

"Claire," he said, his voice low, soft.

She turned, egg carton in hand, looking at him with a little shining light in her eyes. It hit him how she almost always had that little light there when she looked at him. "Claire," he repeated, "I...I just want to...thank you...for what you're doin' for me. You," he looked away then looked back, "you make life easier...better...for me, you do."

She smiled, showing her pretty, even teeth. "I can't begin, Cort, to tell you what you do for my life."

He rubbed his hand along his jaw. "What?"

"What?"

"Yes, tell me what."  Last night Joimus had come close to losing her General, Ahnna to losing the reverend. He was tired of holding back, tired of being alone.

Claire set the carton down on the table and sat across from him, reaching to take his hand in hers. "It's hard, like I said, to put it into words. It's...it's like I have this big field...wide and flat and green...and that's where I walk in my life, in that field. Then you were there carrying that tree and, ever since, you've planted yourself right there in the middle. Sometimes I walk around you and I see how graceful you are, how you bend in the strong winds and don't break...and...and I want that. I want to sit in the shade of you and have you spread yourself above me, between me and the heat of all the day."

Suddenly she was embarrassed and stood, gathering up the carton and hurrying to the counter by the stove, her back to him. Very slowly he stood, kind of supporting himself, and crossed the room, stopping right behind her. She was busily cracking eggs into a bowl, keeping her head averted, and he used his fingers to move the hair away from the back of her neck, letting his lips then find her skin, warm, soft, and very alive. With one hand he reached around her, moving hers away from the eggs, turning her, gazing into her eyes a long, long moment before his mouth covered hers.

“The Attack” – Part 1

by Jo and Stacey

Kate smiled as she sat on the grass and watched the little yellow and white tabby kitten bat at the annoying fly that had been buzzing around its fuzzy head. Now that the days were warmer she’d been spending a lot more time outdoors while Sid busied himself with his brother. She was nearing seven months into her pregnancy now and finding it increasingly difficult to find the energy to keep up with everyday activities, including those her husband enjoyed in bedroom with her.

Though she’d promised Sid she wouldn’t wander too far away from the house, she did like to take a walk to the edge of the property where a line of trees separated their property from that of their closest neighbors. Today, as the weather was so nice, she’d decided to pack a little picnic lunch with her and found a nice clearing to spread a blanket out on while she ate.

She took in a deep breath, letting the warm air fill her lungs and slowly let it out. The kitten, which she’d been secretly feeding for the past week since it first showed up outside her home, had now given up its pursuit of the fly and was now turning its attention towards attacking Kate’s sandal. She giggled as she picked it up and gave it a little cuddle.

“What to name you,” Kate mused, as she studied her little furry friend. The kitten let out a meow then began to softly purr as Kate stroked its back. “Percy, perhaps?” she asked it, cocking an eyebrow, then frowned. “No, perhaps not. I suppose I should know if you are a boy or a girl kitty before choosing a name then. How about just Kitty?” The kitten purred louder and Kate giggled. “Okay, Kitty it is then.”

Kate looked at the sky, noticing the sun was getting lower on the horizon. “Guess we’d better pack up and call it a day, Kitty, before my husband sends out a search party for me. C’mon, little one, time to get a move on then.”

She picked up the kitten in her hands and pushed herself awkwardly up onto her feet and sighed. Yet another thing that was becoming increasingly hard for her to do with her belly now so big and bulging – getting to her feet. As she bent down to pick up her blanket and belongings, the kitten’s fur immediately stood up on end and it began hissing wildly.

“What’s the matter, little one?” Kate asked, holding the kitten up to eye-level. Just then it let out a louder hiss and began snarling and struggling to get out of her hands, then clamped its sharp little teeth down into the flesh of her hands, causing her to scream out in both surprise and pain. She dropped the kitten and it immediately too off running and climbed high into the nearest tree.

Clutching her bleeding and throbbing hand, Kate followed after the kitten. “Kitty! Kitty!” she yelled after it, worried it might get itself stuck up there so high. That’s when she heard it – a low growl coming from just behind her. She turned quickly, horrified by the wild dog that she saw standing ten feet in front of her.

“Nice...dog,” she told it, as she slowly backed away. “Stay back, nice dog, good dog.”

The bite on Kate’s hand was quite deep and blood was dripping down onto the front of her sundress. The dog growled louder, smelling both Kate’s blood and her fear. She let out a gasp and decided she’d take her chances and run for it. The dog was right on her, snarling and snapping at her ankles as she ran as quickly as she could manage towards the other side of the woods. She let out a blood-curling scream, tears streaming down her horror-stricken face, as the dog knocked her to the ground and pounced on her back.

Maximus and Cort had been riding fence, chatting amiably as they rode, enjoying the pleasant day.

"You hear that?" Cort said, stiffening in his saddle. "Sounds like...."

But Maximus had already spurred Legion and was galloping into the woods. Gods, he thought, that was a woman's scream. Could Joimus be in the woods? All too clearly the memory of her trapped on the bank in the flood came, filling his mind, and he spurred still harder. He came into the small clearing just as the animal, dog, wolf, he couldn't tell, knocked the woman down.  He reined sharply, his rifle instantly in his hands, and the beast crumpled, its body lying across the prostrate
woman's back.

Cort was there now, too, and both men pounded across the ground, dropping to their knees.  Maximus pulled the animal away, then pushed it off to the side to make room for himself beside the woman.  Cort was touching her cheek and looked up. "It's Katherine Harbor," he said. "Sid's wife."

Kate let out a moan, her eyelids managing to flutter open briefly. Her vision was blurry but she could barely make out the outline of a man kneeling beside her. "Sid...," she said, weakly, trying to sit up. Pain shot through her bruised and bloodied body and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

Gently, they turned her over. "She is with child," Maximus said gravely."

"No way to get an ambulance down here," Cort observed. "We'll have to get her at least part way ourselves."

Maximus mounted Legion and as carefully as possible, Cort handed Katherine up into his arms.  Maximus cast a frowning look back at the dead animal. "It will have to be checked for rabies.  Pray for the sake of this lady and her child that not be the case." 

More slowly this time, the two riders made their way through the woods, across a wide pasture and up to the Meridius' home. Cort helped him again with Katherine, opened the gate, and Maximus carried her into his house where Joimus was just finishing sending off an e-mail back to the States.

"What...?" she gasped as she turned, seeing her husband with an unconscious woman in his arms.

"Katherine Harbor," he said. "She was attacked in the woods by a large dog." He shifted her slightly in his arms. "I killed it."

"Oh, my goodness!" Joimus cried, rising quickly. "Here, lay her on the couch. Have you called Sid?"

"Not yet."  He jerked his head briefly toward the end table where his cell phone lay.

"Ok, I will. You get her settled." She picked up the land line, frowned, not knowing Sid's number as she'd never called the man, never intended to call him. Punching in the numbers for information, she got his number, sighed, and entered them into her phone.

"Sid?" she said, when he answered.

"Who is this?"

"It's me, Sid. Joimus Meridius?"

"Pardon me while I go look out a window and see if hell has frozen over."

"There may be a few flying pigs, Sid, but this is serious. I need to tell...."

"What can the likes of you possibly need to tell me?"

"Your wife, Sid, she's here."  She turned to look toward where Cort was gently wiping Katherine's face while Maximus was cleaning the wound on her hand.

"Katherine! Why would she be at your house?" His voice level was steadily rising.

"She's hurt, Sid, and she's...."

"If Maximus has harmed a hair on her head I'll....!"

"You've got it all wrong, Sid...as usual. She was evidently by herself in the woods at the edge of our property and a large dog attacked her."

 "Dog?"  He found himself at a strange loss for words. "Dog?" he repeated.

"Yes, and you'd better hope it wasn't rabid.  If Maximus and Cort hadn't gotten to her when they did, it would have killed her."

"She's...she's...?"

"She's lying on our couch. She passed out. But Maximus shot the dog."

"Maximus...?" The phone was silent a moment. "I'll be right over!"

With another sigh, Joimus hung up the phone. "He's on his way."  Her eyes locked on her husband's and she shook her head mutely.

Maximus pressed his lips together and continued working on Katherine's hand.

It seemed like mere seconds before a great roar was heard outside. Joimus rolled her eyes. "I hope he didn't take out the garden gate."

Without knocking, Sid burst through the front door demanding, "Where is she? Where's my wife?"

Maximus stepped back as Sid dashed up beside the couch, dropping to one knee, his hands moving over Katherine's face. "Katherine?" he murmured over and over. "Katherine, open your eyes. I'm here."

Kate had the vague awareness of people surrounding her but their voices sounded garbled and so far away that she was unable to make out who they all were. She heard her name whispered in her ear, felt the familiar touch. Sid. He had come. He was there with her now. Still lost in a fog, she tried desperately to reach him, to open her eyes and call out to him, but the fog was too heavy and she only managed to let a slight whisper of his name, "Sid."

Sid looked truly stricken. "Oh, Katherine! Please be all right."  His eyes moved then down her form to her rounded middle. SJ.  His hand followed his eyes and he cupped it over her.  He was unsure of himself and it confounded him entirely. He'd never cared before...ever...if something else lived or died. 

Maximus and Joimus exchanged looks again.  Sid was acting practically like a human being.  He really seemed to care about his wife and the child she carried.  Maximus licked his lips, cleared his throat, and replied.  "I am sure she will be fine.  She...."  But Sid didn't seem to hear him.

Joimus almost touched Sid's arm, but pulled her hand back.  "She should probably be checked by a doctor, Sid."

"The dog was on her back," Cort offered. "Clawed her shoulders some. Don't know if it bit her there or not. There's blood...."

Sid was running the backs of his fingers back and forth across her cheek, noticing the tracks her tears had made there. Something was terribly wrong about all this.  Nothing should happen to Katherine, not to his wife.  He lived above this sort of thing.  He was the one who created circumstance, manipulated events, managed details to his liking. This was not to his liking, not at all. And how had the damn General got himself involved in it?  He didn't want the General part of anything to do with Katherine or SJ.  He needed to think...to plan, but some of his gears seemed not to be meshing quite properly.  "Katherine," he said again, her name being all that seemed to want to form on his lips. "Katherine." 

Kate fought through the thick fog holding her mind captive with all her might until finally she was able to open her eyes slightly, focusing in on the man holding her close. Sid. She cleared her throat, her voice hoarse from screaming when the beast of a dog had attacked. "You found me," she told him, her voice barely audible. "I knew you'd save me." She smiled, and tried to lift her head, but pain shot through her neck and shoulders and she cried out and lay back on the couch.

"I'll always save you," Sid murmured, completely ignoring the fact he hadn't even been there in the woods.

"Would you like me to call the local medics?" Maximus said rather stiffly. 

"No!" Sid snapped. "I'll take care of my wife myself."  He began to slide his arms under her, which made her moan aloud. "Shhh," he whispered. "I've got you. I'm taking you in to Coffs."

"But...," Joimus protested.

Sid turned, narrowing his eyes at her.  "Your opinion is not required."  He stood, Katherine in his arms, and walked toward the door, which he'd left open.  In fact, the engine of his Bugatti was still running. 

 

“The Attack” – Part 2

by Jo and Stacey

Kate let out a yelp as Sid slid her into his Bugatti and closed the door. Her hand had swollen twice its size and was still bleeding from where the kitten had bitten her. It throbbed terribly, as did her head and her back. She clutched her belly, praying her baby was still safe. She hadn't felt him move in some time, but that could just be because he was sleeping, at least, that's what she hoped. She'd heard Sid mention he was taking her to Coffs. The hospital? she wondered. She closed her eyes, floating in and out of consciousness during the long drive to Coffs, which Sid made in record time, even for him.

"Well, that was strange," Joimus commented, watching the dust from Sid's rapid leaving still settle on her roses.

"That was Sid," Maximus half-snorted.

"Um," Cort said hesitantly, "you know this guy from before?"

"We do," Joimus sighed, "but wish we didn't."

Cort was curious and wanted to ask more, but the look on Maximus' face deterred him. "I'll go get the dog. Take him to the vet's to check him out for rabies."

"Thank you," was all Maximus said, his eyes still on the front window. 

When he'd gone, Joimus came up behind Maximus, sliding her arms around his waist. "You did a good thing," she murmured, pressing her face into his broad back.

"Mmphm," he muttered.

"I wonder where such an animal came from. I haven't heard of a killer dog in this area."

"I am glad the thing is dead," Maximus said, turning in her arms.  "It was on our property and might have come up near the house."

"I love you."  Now she buried her face in his chest.

"I know," he smiled, kissing the top of her head.

Sid drove like a maniac, his eyes going every few seconds to Katherine's face.  She had her eyes closed and he was afraid the dog might have injured her more than anyone knew.  "Katherine, you be strong," he urged. "You hear your Sid? I want you to be strong."  Damn, he needed her to be strong. He didn't like needing anybody else to be anything, but he needed that from her right now.  She was merely human and, therefore, delicate and frail, not like he himself was.  Once again he wondered how they even managed to survive at all. And then there was SJ.  He would be completely human, too.  There was something wrong about that.  Perhaps there was something he could do to alter that. 

"We're here," he announced, getting out and going around to her side of the car, reaching in to gather her up.

"Wh..where? Where are we, Sid?" Kate asked, feeling herself being lifted then carried swiftly into a building of some sort. The pain in her back and hand was nearly unbearable and she cried out again as she was jarred around in Sid's arms.

"Who's the best here?" Sid called loudly as he walked across the tiled floor of the ER entrance.

"What's wrong with her?"  A male nurse asked.

"She was attacked by a mad dog...and she's pregnant."

"Get her on that gurney!"  an older man with waving silver hair snapped.

"Who are you?"  Sid glared at the man.

"I'm the best there is...so get her on that gurney."

Sid lay Katherine down and was forced to move away by the doctor and two nurses. He didn't like that. There was a lot today he didn't like.

"How far along?" the doctor asked.

"Seven months," Sid supplied. "Do you think...?"

"Give me a few minutes, sir, and I'll let you know what I think."

"Are you the husband?" a nurse asked.

"I am not 'the' husband. I am HER husband!" Sid huffed.

Katherine moaned and Sid blasted, "She's in pain, dammit! Give her something."

Kate felt herself being laid down on a bed of some sort. She heard Sid's voice, the anger and panic in it, and began to shake. "Sid?" she called out, her voice weak. "Sid, what's happening? Where am I?" There were people all around her, their hands poking and prodding at her and she tried to struggle free. She heard a female voice tell her to lay still, then felt the sharp prick of a needle in her arm. She opened her eyes trying to see what was going on around her but gave up and closed them tightly again as the bright hospital lights blurred her vision.

Kate felt herself become calmer and soon after the pain in her hand and back lessened. She felt as though she were drifting off to sleep again and tried her best to fight it, but the urge was too great and finally she succumbed to it.

Sid's eyes widened as he observed Katherine's head loll to the side. "She didn't die?" he gasped.

"She's merely asleep," the nurse replied.  "The medicine will help with her tension so maybe she won't go into labor."

"Maybe?" Sid roared. "What do you mean MAYBE?!?"

"Now, now, Mr., um, Mr.....?"

"Harbor. Sidney Harbor."

At that every nearby eye, including the doctor's, turned on him with a 'you've got to be kidding' look.  When no one responded in what Sid considered to be an appropriate amount of time, he repeated, "What do you mean?"

"Mr, um, Harbor," the doctor said, "would you happen to know if your wife has an obstetrician and, if so, what his name might be?"

"Of course she has an obstetrician! Dr. Larkin, that's her name. Dr. Larkin."

"Ah, good doctor," the male doctor, whose name tag read Douglas McDuff, nodded. "Nurse, contact Dr. Larkin and advise her of what we've got here."

"What you've got here is my WIFE!" Sid spluttered.

Dr. McDuff ignored that. "You say she was attacked by a wild dog?  Do you know if it was rabid?"

"How in hell would I....?" Sid stopped. Damn, that had to be found out, didn't it.  "Just a moment."  He walked away, calling the Meridius house.

"Well," he said without preamble, "was it rabid?"

"Hello to you, too, Sidney," Joimus replied smoothly.  "We don't know yet. Cort went to get the body and take it to the vet for testing.
Where are you and how is Katherine?"

"ER, Coffs. Let me know as soon as you find out."  He hung up without another word.

Dr. Larkin was just leaving her office when she received the call from one of the attending nurses at the hospital about Kate's condition. Within minutes she was in the ER and checking in on Kate. They still didn't know whether or not the wild dog that had attacked her had been carrying the rabies virus or not, and it could be another hour or two before they had that information.

Once she was satisfied that Kate and her unborn child were both in stable condition, she decided she better address any concerns Mr. Harbor was having. The attending physician had informed her that he'd been most worried about his wife. She found him pacing back and fourth in the hallway of the ER.

"Mr. Harbor?" she said, as she approached him. "Hi, I'm Dr. Larkin, we met before at your wife's last office visit." She extended her hand for him to shake.

"Keep them alive," he said. "Keep them both alive."  He said it, though, with the most intense look possible in his eyes.  He hadn't taken her hand.

There was something in his eyes that suddenly sent a chill through Dr. Larkin and she dropped her hand and took a step back from the man standing in front of her. She cleared her throat and quickly recovered herself, assuming the man was just showing his love and concern for his wife and unborn child.

"Mr. Harbor," Dr. Larkin said, still trying to regain her composure, " I assure you, Kate and your child are in good hands here and we are doing everything in our power to assure both will pull through just fine. In fact, I've just examine her myself and she and the baby are both in stable condition. She suffered some scratches and bruising on her back which the attending physician cleaned and bandaged, as well as a rather deep bite on her hand from what we can tell was a smaller feline. I was told the dog that had attacked her was killed and is now being tested for rabies, but what about the feline? Is it a pet of yours? If so, has it been vaccinated?"

"Feline? You mean my wife was attacked by two animals? I know of no cat. We have no pets."

"Perhaps it was a stray? From the condition of the bite it would appear to be quite fresh and most likely occurred at the same time or shortly before the attack. Either way, the animal should be located and confined as a precaution. In the meantime, I've ordered a room for your wife to be moved to. As soon as she's been settled you may go in and see her."

The Glen...ha! Sid thought. Murders, kidnappings, shootings, floods, fires. And now his wife had been attacked in the space of a few short minutes by not less than TWO wild animals.  Well, she wouldn't be going out alone like that, not any more. Not her nor his little boy either. But what about the feline? It needed to be found, too, evidently.  How many cats lived in or around the Glen?  Could he get rid of them all?

TILL THE END OF TIME

By Jo

Cort had left the dead dog with the vet in the little town where Claire

lived. It was her day off and he kept his eyes peeled for her as he came back out on the sidewalk. The vet had said the tests would take a few hours so he'd decided to leave the office, maybe get a bite to eat, see if he could find Claire.

He walked several blocks without sight of her then noticed a small park

with a duck pond and turned in there, thinking to sit on a bench a while and watch them. He smiled when he caught sight of a blonde head, glowing in the sunlight. Claire. It had to be. Nobody else had hair quite like hers. She was sitting on the bench nearest the pond, her back to him and he came quietly up behind her, stopping about two paces out. She was humming a tune even he recognized as she tore a loaf of bread in her lap into little bits which she tossed one by one to the ducks.

He was surprised as most music he'd heard since arriving in the Glen were pieces he'd not known existed, but this, this had been popular since the War Between the States. Silently as possible, he cleared his throat, leaned forward a bit and sang:

As the blackbird in the spring 'neath the willow tree

Sat and piped I heard him sing, praising Aura Lee.

Aura Lee, Aura Lee, maid of golden hair,

Sunshine came along with thee and swallows in the air.

Claire was startled at first, not having realized anyone was there, but after just a few words she knew it was Cort. "Aura Lee," she said, smiling as he came around the bench. She patted the seat to her left and he sat.

"One of the few I know." His eyes wandered over the sunlight on her hair, a light breeze wafting a few strands out like silk.

"I was actually singing Love Me Tender, an Elvis song." The corners of her eyes crinkled as she looked at him.

"Elvis?" He was puzzled. "But I know the tune...."

"Yes, the tune is Aura Lee. Elvis just took it and put new words to it."

"New words? What sort?"
 

Love me tender, Love me sweet,

Never let me go.

You have made my life complete,

And I love you so.
 

Love me tender, Love me true,

All my dreams fulfilled.

For my darlin I love you,

And I always will.
 

Love me tender, Love me long,

Take me to your heart.

For it's there that I belong,

And well never part.
 

Love me tender, Love me dear,

Tell me you are mine.

I'll be yours through all the years,

Till the end of time.
 

She sang the words to him, meeting his eyes, then at the end dropping her gaze to her hands.

Cort slid one of his brown ones over hers. "Beautiful."

"They are lovely words, aren't they." She was looking at his hand, tanned and strong atop her small white fingers, a slight blush on her neck and cheeks. He hadn't meant only the words and she knew it.

Lifting his hand, he brushed the back of her cheek with his fingers.
 

In her blush the rose was born,

There was music when she spake,

In her eyes the light of morn,

Sparkling, seemed to break.
 

"Oh, Cort," she murmured, closing her eyes, as he continued, his voice audible only to her.

Take my heart and take my ring,

I give my all to thee.

Take me for eternity,

Dearest Aura Lee.
 

Moving his head closer, he brushed his lips, soft and warm across hers, then sliding his arm around her back, pulled her into him as his kiss deepened. The loaf fell off her lap onto the grass and the ducks, all eight of them, came up from the edge of the pond, gathering around it, batting their wings, quacking at one another as they jockeyed for position to gobble it down. They bumped against Cort's and Claire's legs, stepped on their feet in the process and even though she was most thoroughly enjoying what Cort was doing, she began to chuckle.

Still keeping his mouth on hers, Cort angled his eyes way down to his left. "I suppose," he sighed, finally pulling back, "the ducks have won the day."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," she smiled. The largest duck grabbed a huge chunk of the bread and fled about five feet with it across the grass, chased by four other ducks and Claire laughed aloud.

Cort took her left hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing her fingertips one by one. "You taste like bread."

"Is that bad?" she grinned.

"I like bread." He placed her forefinger part way in his mouth, his eyes meeting hers.

She blushed again and he liked that. Women he'd known from, well, before...didn't tend to blush. A group of children came down to watch the ducks and Cort let go of her finger, straightening.

Claire, tucking a strand of hair behind her right ear, asked, "I'm glad to see you. How come you're in town?"

"I'm waiting for some medical test results."

She was instantly alarmed. "Nothing's wrong, is it? Your side...."

"My side's doing fine. Ribs are almost back to normal. No, these are tests on a dead dog I brought in to the vet."

"Dead dog? What happened?"

"Maximus shot it in the woods at the edge of his land. It had attacked a woman. Sid's wife, Katherine."

"But she's pregnant, isn't she? Is she all right?"

"Sid came and took her off, I presume to the hospital in Coffs. I'm waitin' to find out if the dog was rabid."

"Oh, my goodness, I hope not! Did it bite her?"

"She had blood on her in several places. I think it would've killed her if we hadn't heard her scream."

"When will you know?"

"Not for a while yet. I was thinkin' of gettin' some lunch. You eaten yet?"

"I was going to get a bite after the ducks finished the bread." She looked over to where the last bits of it were disappearing down greedy gullets. "Seems like that's now."

"Good," he said, standing and holding out his hand.

Together, his arm around her waist, they walked out of the park. Ever since the whole kidnapping episode he hadn't been of a mind to waste more time. She showed him a cafe with a small outdoor patio where small tables were placed on nice days. "Will this be all right?"

"More'n all right," he smiled, pulling a chair out for her.

They spent a good two hours over lunch, smiling, talking, holding hands. Cort felt himself settling into his new life more completely than he ever had. He was here, somehow he was here, and here had become where he wanted to be, where he wished to stay. Maximus, Joimus, Alistair, they had started that for him, but it was Claire, this beautiful, wonderful Claire, who filled him up.

"Thank you," he said, his voice low, soft.

"For...lunch?"

"For bein' you, for bein' here. Thank you for it all."

"Cort, it's...it's so easy...being for you. Don't you know that?"

"I think I'm beginnin' to." He closed his eyes a minute, quietly breathing in and out, aware she was watching him. His right hand moved to his chest, rubbing slowly back and forth. Without opening his lids, his voice came again. "Here." His lips curved in a smile. "You fill me here." Then he opened them, meeting her gaze, his eyes deeply green, very serious. "I...," he licked his lips, "I love you, my Claire."

Tears sparked in her eyes. "Oh, Cort!" Her chin trembled and she reached out, touching his face with her fingers. "I've loved you since the first moment I saw you."

"With that tree?"

"Yes, with the attack tree. Since then. More and more every day since then."

He stood, needing some place more private than this table right by the sidewalk with its many people walking past. "Come," he said, taking her hand, hurrying blindly down the street. There was a small, narrow alleyway right next to the vets and he pulled her into it several feet, leaned his back against the brick wall and proceeded to kiss her as thoroughly as any woman had ever been kissed. His hands moved down her hips, cupped around her bottom, lifted her, pressing her into him, his need for her nearly more than he could bear.

An elderly woman, leaving the front of the veterinary office with her Maltese on a leash, stumbled, let go of the leash and the small tan dog darted into the alleyway, yapping shrilly at the couple there.

"Mopsy!" the woman called. "You come back here right now, Mopsy! Oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth. "I, um, I'm, um, sorry. Mopsy! Come here!"

Reluctantly the dog returned to its mistress. Cort shook his head, groaning. "We need a place where animals are not allowed."

"I guess we'll just have to see what can be done about that," Claire said, looking at him with a longing that matched his own.

He sighed. "Well, we're right here by the vets. Not a good place for no animals, I guess, but I should go in and see if he's got the rabies results yet."

"We should," she agreed. "The Harbours are going to need to know."

He leaned in for another brief kiss, then took her hand again and they walked around to the front of the office.

"Ah, glad you're back, Mr. Wells," the vet said. He was coming out a doorway into the waiting area. "I have the results now and I'm afraid they're not good. The dog definitely had a full-blown case of rabies."

"Damn!" Cort sighed. "May I use your phone?" He wasn't much for cell phones yet. He called the Meridius house and when Joimus answered, gave her the bad news, which she said she'd pass on to Sid.

"I'm sorry the news isn't better," the vet said.

"Thank you for your help," Cort replied. "'Preciate it." The mood from the alley had been broken for the time being, so he looked at Claire and said, "Walk with me?"

"Always," she smiled, taking his hand. "Till the end of time." Sometimes lyrics said it all.