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Sleight of Hand
Part 28



Ashe, New York
Leaning back in his seat, the Pretender arched an eyebrow. "So how did you learn about the van explosion? His name was never mentioned."

Helen smiled and stood up, taking another parcel down from the top of a cupboard and holding it in her hands. "I told you I saw him about a week before his escape. But I saw him after that, too."

Jarod expression cleared. "He came to you for help after the explosion."

"It's not far from here - a couple of hours. He wanted help and knew I’d do everything I could for him, although he never knew why. But I'd given him the address of a post-box where he could write to me if he felt like it, so he knew what area I lived in. I heard about his escape on the radio and, having a good idea of what he'd do, I made very sure that people in the area knew that I was here and not in New Jersey or somewhere else."

"And when did he arrive?"

"He made his way here that afternoon. The FBI didn't believe it was possible for him to survive the explosion, so they didn't bother to report it for a few hours. That gave him time to get to me. The man who gave him a lift from a road above the site of the explosion knew me very well and, knowing I'd help him, brought Kyle here. After a discussion with me, he never reported his actions to the police and went home to his new wife, who presumably still doesn't know."

She raised an eyebrow at Jarod, who grinned.

"How is it that Eddie gets involved in everything?"

Helen laughed. "How is it that you get involved in everything too? The two of you were so similar that it's almost scary."

"So Kyle came here and then what?"

"He spent a couple of weeks here, recovering and talking about all sorts of things. It probably isn’t necessary to say that you formed a major subject of just about all those discussions. You and his parents were the main topics - as well as the fact that he had a sister."

"So you fixed up his leg?"

Helen eyed him. "There was a bit more than that. What state do you think you'd be in if you knew Raines had been planning to perform a frontal lobotomy, not to mention the fact that nobody was exactly that gentle when they took him back to the Centre."

"Particularly," Sam added, "as Raines insisted that Miss Parker's sweepers hand Kyle over to his sweepers. We were sent back to the Centre so Raines could claim all the 'glory' for the capture, despite the fact that if we hadn't been there, both of you would probably have got away."

"I volunteered to give him back that," Helen nodded at the opened parcel, "but he refused to take it, giving me the address of Harriet's farm and saying I should get in touch with her so she could give it to you. I suspected, without being sure, that Harriet would vanish after all of that happened and then I read all of the reports put in about the meeting, and Raines being shot..."

"You people can't let that topic drop, can you?"

The occupants of the kitchen turned to see Sydney in the doorway, regarding them with a mildly inquisitive air, and Helen grinned.

"As you said, Sydney, it was so impressive to look at - "

"And how you know is beyond me," Sam commented. "You weren't even there."

"Oh, wasn't I?" Helen grinned. "Boston isn't that far away. I was listening when Raines told Mr. Parker what he'd heard about the meeting, and I went there in the hope of seeing Margaret again myself. When I saw the sweepers and all of the town cars, I knew it wasn't quite going to go according to plan." Helen laughed, glancing at Sydney as the psychiatrist sat down. "If you hadn't shot him, I would have done it myself. I was about to when I saw his tank go 'poof'."

"So you didn't know where they went?"

"I was too busy trying to avoid the sweepers myself at that stage. Although none of them - except Sam, of course - would have known who I was, I didn't feel safe enough to hang around, or to bolt quickly from the scene before it arrived at the climax. I thought that might have made them a little suspicious."

"You can't say anything about Eddie and me being involved in everything. You're a lot worse than either of us."

"Only where your family's concerned. I just wish it hadn't taken this long for me to meet you." Helen pushed the package over the table. "When I got back, I didn't tell Kyle what had happened because I was worried he'd head up there to see if there was any trace of your parents or Emily, and I knew there'd be sweepers all over the place for days afterwards. Two weeks later, I woke up one morning and found a note on the table with that parcel, thanking me for my help and telling me he thought it was time for him to find you again. We'd talked about that for a while, and his idea was follow Miss Parker and the rest of the pursuit team in the belief that they'd lead him to you."

Jarod picked up the parcel and carefully opened it, looking at the few items it contained. Gently, he picked up the origami bird that lay on top, pulling on the wings until it expanded and he stood it on the table. For a moment, he stared at it, before looking back at the other items in the parcel. A small square of card was now visible, on which was drawn a picture of the Flying Cross. Reaching into his pocket, Jarod pulled out the object, placing it initially over the picture, where it fitted exactly, and then beside it, looking from the object that glittered in the light, to the picture, so accurate that it appeared almost impossible for it only to be a drawing. Finally the man lifted the card, revealing a folded piece of paper - a letter. A quick glanced showed him that it was not meant for him, but for 'Mom and Dad' and he held it up.

"Do you know what it says?"

"How could I, Jarod?” Helen demanded. “It's not addressed to me, so I certainly wouldn't read it. I had no idea what was in either of those packages until you opened them. I mean, I had my suspicions, but I didn't know for sure."

"Do you know why, when he obviously planned to escape, he gave it to me rather than keep it for himself?"

Helen smiled sadly. "When he came here, after the explosion, Kyle started to look for information about where he might find you and found newspaper articles from all over America, revealing the things you'd done for other people in your pretends. The next day he asked me why I thought you went back into the Centre to rescue him when it was so dangerous. I began to get the idea, from other things he’d said, that even if he'd known who you were, Kyle would never have done that. During the session after he found the articles, he told me that you were obviously worthier of being your father's son than he was. His image of his father was a man to be respected and admired: a hero whose exploits would have been great enough to earn him that." She tapped the medal. "As a result of that and of other remarks Kyle made to me, I suspect that he felt you deserved to have the medal because your father would be prouder of you than of him."

Jarod's voice, when he finally spoke, was low. "Did he tell you what he said to me just before he shot the tank to blow up the van?"

"Tell me."

"His words to me were: 'Don't tell them what I became'. That must have been the time he started to feel that way."

She nodded slowly. "I think that's likely. Kyle seemed amazed that you bothered to rescue him from the Centre, or that you tried to rescue Harriet when he abducted her. I think that's when he started to realize he wasn't the only one who'd changed since you two were children in the Centre."

"Well, we can blame only one person for all of that," Sydney commented softly, as he looked over to where David had fallen asleep in Sam's lap.

"It would be nice if we could, Sydney, but unfortunately we can't." Helen looked at Jarod and Sydney sadly. "Last night, for lack of something better to do, I read some more of the files that we stole from the Centre. Kyle wasn't smuggled down to SL-27 as part of some secret project of Raines'. He was moved down there with approval of the Triumvirate, so t Raines could strip him of any remaining morality. I know that the paperwork you found stated the Tower had released him, but it was just another way of moving guilt from the Triumvirate on to someone else. The only difference was that it wasn't Mr. Parker this time. They wanted to create an assassin, whom they could send to any corner of the world, and, as a bonus, who would easily be able to blend in to the places he was sent. That's the reason Kyle received several months of training with you before being taken down there. You don't think you saw him on that first day by luck, do you? It was neatly orchestrated, and the Triumvirate worked out your probable reaction to it before it happened."

She looked at Sydney.

"That’s why you received permission so easily for Kyle and Jarod to work together. It was exactly what the Triumvirate wanted. After he had received basic pretender training, Raines was given a free hand to quash all of Kyle's existing morals and fill him with hate. The one emotion he couldn't knock, beat or torture out of Kyle was a devotion to family. All his reports show that although Kyle was willing to work with most suggestions that Raines put to him, he wasn't able to convince Kyle that Raines should take his father's place in his heart and mind. After a while, the Triumvirate became concerned that such extreme methods as Raines was using might have broken Kyle too far, so they made him stop. After that, he had to concentrate on the Triumvirate's primary aim - to make the perfect soulless, moral-free killer."

# # #


"Auntie?"

"Hi, Louise." The woman picked up the little girl as she came into the room. "Was the film good, baby?"

"Uh huh. It was funny." She hugged the woman before looking around the room, her eyes lighting quickly on the sleeping boy in Sam's arms, and Helen could also see the amazement on Steve's face. "Did David come to visit?"

"No, sweetie." She kissed the child. "No, he's come home to stay. We went to get him a couple of hours ago."

"Goody."

The girl bounced on Helen's lap and the woman laughed.

"If you do that, I'll put you down."

"Please do. I want to hug him."

"Okay, sweetheart."

She let the girl slip to the floor and watched as she ran over to Sam’s chair, scrambling up, with his help, and hugging the boy. The adults remained silent, watching David return the hug, before both children got down and ran into the living room where Angelo could be seen through the partly open door. Steve sat down in the empty seat beside Sydney and looked from Sam to Helen.

"Who's going to tell me?"

The two exchanged glances before Sam nodded and got up to fill the kettle while Helen began.

"The counselor went to the house in time to see David's uncle hit him. The woman who had been taking care of David's aunt said she'd heard similar sounds the afternoon before too, but because David never made a noise, she didn't think it was important." Helen's hands tightened around the mug that Sam put in front of her, as her voice became fainter. "The poor boy must have thought we were sending him back to the Centre."

"But why would he...?"

Sam looked over at Steve, interrupting. "He's manic-depressive - or, to be more accurate, he has bi-polar disorder. If there had been other relatives competing for custody of him, they would have found out about it but, being family, there was no deeper search done. He was just handed over to them."

# # #


Helen did up the boy's shoelaces and then picked him up, feeling him snuggle as close to her as he could.

"It's okay, baby, I'm not going anywhere."

He kissed her cheek. "Who's coming with us for dinner?"

"All five of us and also Steve, Jarod and Sydney."

"Not Angelo?"

"He doesn't want to, sweetheart. We asked, but he said no."

"Was he always like that?"

"No, David. Somebody did something to him when he was a little boy that made him the way he is now."

"What was he like before that?"

"Very like you, honey. A very clever boy who also wanted to know everything."

"And will he be like that again?"

"Jarod tried, baby, but he couldn't do it. I'm afraid he'll always be the way he is now."

"That's sad." The boy looked down from the top of the staircase at where Angelo was playing with Michael in the living room. "I'd like to know what he was like."

"But if he was different," Helen told him as they went down the staircase, "then he wouldn't have known to come to you last night and he wouldn't play with you like he does."

He nodded, staring at the man for a moment before looking over at where Jarod had appeared in the doorway. David eyed him and then turned to Helen.

"Mommy, will you buy me something?"

"What is it, sweetie?"

"Will you buy me a jacket like Jarod's?"

Helen heard a sound of choking from behind her and, after glaring at Jarod as he smirked from the doorway, looked back at the boy as she put him down.

"I don't think so, David."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like people wearing things like that, particularly not my boy."

"Does that mean you don't like Jarod?"

"Good question, David," the Pretender commented. "Is that what you mean?"

"Did you listen to what I said? My statement was that I 'don't like people wearing things like that'. What does that tell you?"

"It tells me," Jarod laughed, "that you're avoiding giving me a straight answer." He took off the jacket and slipped it around David's shoulders, trying to hide a grin at the sight of the sleeves brushing the floor. "I think that looks great."

"I thought your sister was going to try and talk you into a wider idea of fashion."

"Oh, she has been," he assured her. "She's really been trying."

"And you've been ignoring her." Helen rolled her eyes, taking the jacket from the boy's shoulders and giving it back to him, glancing at Sydney. "I don't know how anybody's ever been able to teach him anything."

"It wasn't easy." He smiled, standing up. "That's why I didn't protest more at your suggestion of retirement. I'm looking forward to some peace and quiet."

Jarod rolled his eyes, slipping the jacket back on. "I have the sneaking suspicion that I'm being insulted again."

Helen widened her eyes. "Now what on earth gave you that idea?"

"Oh, just implication." He picked up Louise as the girl ran over to him. "Well, shall we get going?"

# # #


"Was that nice, David?"

Helen looked down at the boy with a smile as he put the spoon back on his plate, beaming at her.

"It's not as nice as when you make it, Mommy."

"There's one definite advantage, baby."

"What's that?"

She laughed. "I didn't have to cook it."

"I thought you liked cooking, Auntie," Louise protested, from her chair on the far side of the table.

"I like it when you help me, sweetheart, but when you're not there, it's not as much fun."

The child grinned. "Then I won't go to school but stay home and help you all day instead."

"No, you don't." Sam put an arm around her, hugging the girl. "Your auntie wants you to get a good education more than she wants you at home all day."

"Sure?"

"Definitely, sweetie, but you'll like school. You and David will be going together in a few weeks." She glanced at the boy. "And then you can come home each afternoon and tell Sam and me everything that you've done."

"So we don't have to stay there?" David asked in a voice that trembled slightly.

"I told you about school honey, remember? You go there every morning and after a few hours you come home again." She hugged him. "We told you that you don't have to go again, David, and we meant it."

"How come Steve doesn't live at home anymore?" the girl piped up.

"My work's too far away, Louise," the man responded from Helen's other side. "If I could live with you I would, but it would take too long to get there each day."

"But will you keep coming to see us?"

"Of course," he smiled. "I have to, don't I?"

"Uh huh." David nodded. "Otherwise Michael would miss you."

"And is everything going okay?" Helen looked over with a smile. "Or are both of you ready to give up and come home for a home-cooked meal?"

He laughed softly. "I won't deny that Ethan and I haven't thought about it."

"Hey," Jarod protested from opposite him. "I cooked when I was there!"

"You've only been there once," the other man responded quickly. "And you were gone when we got up in the morning, not that that was any great surprise. Still, if we'd known that was planned, we'd have got you make more before you left."

The older Pretender laughed. "Now you know why I didn't stay."

"If you like, Steve,” Helen offered. “I can give you some things to take back with you tomorrow."

"Well," he smiled awkwardly, "I was planning to go back tonight."

She pretended to look hurt. "You'd knock back my cooking?"

"Not willingly."

"So go back tomorrow afternoon. I can't believe that you only took two days off."

"He took three," a voice from behind them commented. "I took two."

"Ethan!" Helen jumped up from her seat to hug him. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I couldn't resist the chance for a good meal." He pulled up a chair the waiter brought over, sitting next to Steve as Helen reseated herself. "Or at least a good dessert."

"So stay the night as well."

"That's the invite I was hoping for."

Sam laughed. "Ethan, we've got an open-door policy for all of you at any time, as I'm positive you know."

"Hey, I always like reassurance." He laughed softly and glanced at Jarod. "By the way, my sister said to say hello."

"How's life in Maine?"

"She's happy."

"I'm glad to hear it," stated Sydney softly.

"But she wants to know what's happening with the Centre."

"The buildings, the people or what?"

"All of the above."

Helen laughed. "Okay, the buildings are still being examined to provide the evidence against my brother and his helpers, which also answers part two. As for 'what', I'll take that to mean the files, most of which we've given to the relevant people and the rest, except for those on us, have been given to the authorities. Is that all you wanted?"

"It'll do. She can call if there's anything else she wants to know." Ethan smiled. "And how are, as Raines put it, the 'terrible trio'?"

"Slightly... upset," she smiled. "My brother would love to get his hands on me right now."

"On all of us," Jarod corrected with a laugh.

"Yes, but they all blame me for most of it." She smirked faintly. "Maybe that call wasn't such a great idea after all.”

"Just your brother," Sydney put in, "or the others as well?"

Helen laughed. "The others cut a deal to lessen their sentences. They're ganging up against my brother to make sure he never gets out. And I think their plan is likely to succeed."

# # #


Sydney replaced his cup in the saucer and looked at Steve. "Have you begun to think about other things?"

"You mean my family?"

The psychiatrist nodded. "There isn't any reason for you not to. No one will get in your way."

"We'll help you," Sam added softly.

"I know." He looked around. "But I don't even know where to start. My parents could walk through the door at any time and I'd have no idea." Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to see the door of the restaurant open, as a couple entered. With a small smile, he turned back to the table. "See what I mean?"

"You could always ask." Jarod smiled. "You know, go up to them and say 'excuse me, but did you lose a son twenty-nine years ago?'"

"I'm sure that wasn't helpful, Jarod." Sydney rolled his eyes. "I didn't hear about you ever trying that line."

"I didn't have to. You gave me a photo."

"Which is why I'm doing the same for Steve." The man reached into his pocket to take out a piece of paper. "We found it in an extra file this afternoon, one that we hadn't looked through yet." He handed the image to the young man. "As far as we know, Steve, these are your parents. That's why the file said, anyway."

"Do I get a name?"

"I suppose you want an address, as well," Jarod spoke in mocking tones. "It's not quite that easy."

"That's all you know, Jarod,” the woman retorted. “It took you less than a year to find some of the members of your family. With no fear of pursuit, why shouldn't it take Steve less time?" Helen laughed. "Besides, he'll have your expert help as well, won't he?"

"If he wants it." The man scooped the last of the ice cream out of his bowl, eating it. "As you said, it took me a year. Surely that's too slow for someone who doesn't have other things to do."

The younger man was paying no attention, his eyes traveling over the two faces in the photo. He studied their eyes, his own moving from one face to the other and glistening with tears. Helen spoke softly.

"This is why Raines could never have succeeded. He could never completely remove a devotion to family. That's why Kyle would never have become as perfect as they wanted him to be." Helen glanced around the table. "That was also the reason that Jarod escaped, or one of the reasons. It was, unless I'm very much mistaken, also the reason that Miss Parker's loyalties changed. Not because of devotion to her father, but to her mother, or at least the memory of her." She looked at Sydney. "Am I right?"

"Completely," he agreed quietly.

"It's also the reason you were one of Jarod's main providers of information in the whole five year 'pursuit'. That's the same reason why Broots never called the Centre on the numerous occasions that Jarod's been in his house - because his devotion to his daughter wouldn't let him."

The psychiatrist nodded slowly before glancing at Jarod. "Just out of interest, and the fact that you were too sick to answer last time I wanted to ask it, why did you go to Broots' house that day?"

"It certainly would have been easier if you hadn't," Helen added.

"Why?" Jarod lifted his hands in mock-innocence. "Then you might not have been nice enough to get my mom."

"Oh, come on. You had your dad, your sister and your baby brother. That wasn't enough?"

"I'm a very demanding person," the man grinned. "I always want more."

"Yes, we've all spotted that one," Sam laughed. "At least, I certainly spotted it on my first day at the Centre."

As Jarod was about to respond, Helen interrupted. "So why did you go?"

"It was Debbie's birthday." The man sat back in his chair. "Ever since I helped Broots get custody of her, I've visited her on that day."

"Did Broots know?"

"No." Jarod shook his head firmly. "It was our secret. I convinced Debbie she shouldn't tell him."

# # #


Helen removed her napkin from her lap and put it beside her empty dessert bowl, leaning over to kiss the top of David's head as she headed to the bathroom. She walked into the ladies room and was just about to enter one of the cubicles when the door behind her opened.

"Uh, excuse me?"

The doctor turned in surprise, looking up at the woman who had followed her into the room. "Can I help you?"

"I suppose this sounds like a strange question, but are you related to the younger man sitting at your table?"

"Which one?"

"The one beside where you were sitting."

"As a matter of fact, no." Helen raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why, do you believe you know one of them?"

"The one you called 'Steve'."

"But you're not sure," Helen stated rather than asking, the germ of an idea in her mind, although she tried to suppress both it and the excitement that rose with it.

"I... we haven't seen him for a long time."

Folding her arms, the younger woman leaned against the wall. "If I was to guess, how would the date of March 19, 1972 sound to you?"

The woman's jaw dropped. "How did you...?"

"You kissed your son goodnight, tucked him in to bed and went in the next day to find the drawers open, clothes missing and the window also open. You went to the police, thinking he'd run away, but got home to find your house on fire. You panicked and fled, meaning that you never found out if the police had located him or not. As you were constantly hunted, though, you began to believe that Steve hadn't run away but had been stolen." Helen fought to hide her amusement, seeing the shock on the woman's face. "For twenty-nine years, you’ve been trying to find something - anything - that would tell you where your son would be, but you couldn't find anything, until almost eight years ago, when you first learned about the Centre."

"What do you know about that?" The older woman finally managed to demand. "Are you one of them?"

"If I were would we be standing here talking? Besides, I'm sure you saw on the news that it was destroyed." Helen gave a satisfied smile. "I was one of the people who helped with that. Your son was another. Why don't we go and tell him you're here, so he doesn't have to start hunting for you?"

"A...are you serious?"

"You must have recognized him. Why approach a total stranger if you're not sure? What gave you the first hint? His eyes? His voice? His name?"

"How did you know?" The woman's voice was a faint whisper.

"I knew about what you did from what Steve told me and also from reports we found in the Centre itself when it was in the hands of the police. I know how you feel, or at least I think I do, because I can only imagine that a mother would be able to recognize their own son, even after twenty-nine years, some instinct that tells them who he us." She glanced at the woman, seeing her pale face. "Please, I know this is a shock but, although I'm a doctor, I doubt either your husband or your son want to see you lying unconscious on the floor."

"And… you believe me?"

Helen reached into her pocket and took out another copy of the photo that Steve had been given, offering it. "You haven't changed all that much."

"Where did you...?" The woman grabbed the picture and stared at it. "Where did you get this?"

"It was in one of the files the Centre kept about Steve. I'm not sure why they kept it, but it seems to have been a habit. Still, it makes identification far easier in this case." She smiled. "I ought to have introduced myself. My name's Helen."

"I'm Justine." The older lady gingerly shook the doctor's hand. "And you might be right. I think that is my..." Her voice trailed away, tears starting to fill her eyes as her voice sank to a whisper. "It is my son."

"Shall we go and tell your husband? Then all of you can be reunited." Helen smiled. "And, believe me, your son's as eager for that to happen as you could wish." She put her hand on the woman's arm, steering her out of the restroom and towards her table. As they approached, she felt Sam's eye on her and shook her head. A faint nod was the only sign that her fiancé gave as he turned to the little girl who sat beside him, and Helen introduced herself to the unknown man at the table as she helped Justine into her seat.

"My name's Paul." He looked at the woman opposite in concern. "Is my wife...?"

"She's fine." Helen took the glass of water a waiter brought over, a hand resting on Justine’s woman's shoulder. "Something overexcited her, a thing," she eyed the man, " I believe the two of you were discussing before she talked to me just before." Helen nodded at her own table. "About your son."

"Our...?" The man glanced over his shoulder at the young man, who was laughing in response to a comment of Jarod's. "Are you sure, Doctor?"

"Please, call me Helen. And your wife is quite sure. It's that which has her slightly overwrought at the moment." She looked down at the woman. "Justine, you must try to calm down. It won't help if you can't speak to him." Helen offered the glass again. "Just a couple more sips and then we'll go over there."

The man was still staring at her, the hope that had been in his eyes fading quickly. "It couldn't be him. It's been so long..."

"But you knew that the Centre was destroyed and," she looked at the pictures of a child that were spread out over the table, "perhaps you were planning your own search for him." Taking the photo from the other woman's hand, she gave it to the man. "And neither of you are really all that different from the way you were then."

"It is him, Paul." Justine spoke softly. "I know it is."

"Even if it was," the man spoke in defeated tones, "he won't be able to remember either of us. Twenty-nine years is too long..."

"He was six when he was abducted," Helen reminded the man. "By the age of six, even average children have excellent memories, and your son is certainly above average." She nodded towards Jarod. "He was in a situation similar to your son, except that he was taken at four, but he still has memories of his parents." Helen looked at Justine, nodding in satisfaction. "Why don't we go over and find out?"

They approached the table so Steve's back was to the trio, and Helen put her finger on her lips in a way that kept those watching them quiet. She tapped Steve sharply on one shoulder, watching as he jumped before turning with a laugh.

"Trying to scare me out of ten years growth?"

"Just getting your attention."

"For what purpose?"

"They want it."

She stepped away, allowing the other two people behind her to be seen, and watched as his eyes widened. Slowly Steve stood, his seat moved to the side by Helen as she stood behind Ethan, keeping an eye on Steve's parents, but also watching the man himself. For several moments, nobody moved, as all those seated around the table silently watched the scene unfold in front of them. Finally, the older man stepped forward.

"Steve?"

His voice was soft, hesitating, as though afraid that the young man would disappear if he was too forceful. In his turn, the pretender also took a step forward.

"Dad?" He glanced at the woman and his eyes filled with tears. "Mom?"

His words broke the spell and the woman almost threw herself forward, hot tears streaming down her cheeks as she put both arms around him, and Paul embraced both together, tears also on his face. The silence continued until finally the older man glanced at the doctor.

"You were right." His voice cracked, but the happiness on his face left no doubt about his feelings.

"Your wife was right," Helen replied quietly. "All I did was use the limited details I had to confirm it."

"Thank you." He looked back at the face of his son. "Thank you much more than I can ever say."

"Sit down." She signaled to the waiter who immediately brought over two chairs. "Please, we’d love to have you join us."

Without argument, the two newcomers sat down on either side of their son as Jarod laughed.

"Steve, you look like you've come into a fortune."

"You looked exactly the same in Boston," Helen interrupted in amusement. "And I mean ‘exactly,’ right up until the moment you saw Sydney."

"Things did change somewhat afterwards," Sam mused thoughtfully. "Especially after Raines was turned into a human Bombe Alaska."

"Thank you, Sam." Sydney rolled his eyes. "I should have expected that to come up yet again."

"You're welcome, sir." He smiled, glancing at his daughter as Louise began nodding sleepily before looking up at Helen. "Might it be time to think about heading home?"

"Possibly." She glanced at where Michael slept in Ethan's arms before looking at David. "Shall we go, sweetheart?"

"Uh huh." He nodded, resting his head against her arm. "I'd like that."

Sam waved the waiter over. "The bill for this table and the other."

Nodding, the man hurried away, returning with the bills as the former sweeper took out his wallet. While he paid them, Helen glanced at Steve and his family with a smile. "Had the two of you just arrived or...?"

"We live around here." Paul looked at Steve. "We came here the night before he disappeared and thought it would be a good way to start a search for him."

"It's probably one of the quickest in history," Ethan joked.

Steve looked up at his mother. "Did I have spaghetti that night? And banana split for dessert?" He turned to his father. "I couldn't finish it, so you had the rest."

Helen raised an eyebrow in amusement as Paul nodded slowly before looking at her. "I think you were right."

"It sounds like it." She smiled. "I'm sure there are a lot of similar things that you'll want to catch up on.”

"I could fill in for you at work for a couple of days," Jarod added. "I'm quite happy to do so."

"Thanks, Jarod." Steve sent him a grateful smile. "I'll see, but I did take tomorrow off as well."

"I hate to break this to you, buddy, but you are meant to turn up with a degree of regularity, or you might not have a job for long."

"What, finding a family isn't enough of an excuse for not going?" He gave a quiet laugh. "Besides, I'm sure you could find me another one. Job," he added quickly, as he saw Ethan's mouth open, "not family."

"You take advantage of my good nature," Jarod grumbled, preventing Ethan from commenting on this. "Everyone takes advantage of me."

"Aw." Helen looked over at him in sympathy. "I feel so sorry for you."

"And that sincerity is almost as believable as your innocent look." Jarod rolled his eyes. "No wonder Sydney and his son told you to find something new."

# # #


Helen lifted the boy out of his car seat, watching as Sam gently took the sleeping girl in one arm and the baby in the other. After locking the vehicle, she walked around to take the baby boy out of his arms, letting him put his free arm around her shoulders as they walked into the house.

"A good night's work."

"A good day's work, too," she smiled, looking at David. "And a perfect result."

"You seem very good," he told her, "at reuniting families."

"Well, I seem to have done well with us." She laughed softly as they both went up the stairs. "If not reuniting one, then making it."

Sam watched from the doorway as Helen put Michael on the changing table and, after seating David on a chest of drawers beside it, put a clean diaper on the baby and then put on his sleeping suit before taking him over to the baby bed and lying him in it. After covering him, Helen picked up David again and followed Sam into Louise's room.

"Do you want to...?"

"Go ahead." She glanced down at David with a smile. "We'll watch."

Nodding, Sam gently took off the girl's clothes and put on her pajamas before laying her on the bed. Covering her warmly, he kissed the sleeping child’s forehead before walking over to the door.

"Are you going to put him to bed?"

"What do you want to do, baby?" Helen looked down at David, and he put both arms around her neck.

"Can I stay up until you go to bed?"

"For tonight, sweetheart, yes." She kissed him gently before leading the way into the living room again. Sitting down on the sofa, she watched in slight confusion as Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

"What are you...?"

Sitting down next to her, he put a gentle finger against her lips. "I was going to give you this at the restaurant, but other things got in the way." Opening the box, Sam took out a ring and, picking up her left hand as David silently watched, slid the band on her fourth finger, watching as she stared at it.

"When did you buy...?"

"I didn't buy it." He kissed her. "Michelle gave it to me. It was your mother's engagement ring, and I thought you'd like it best."

"Mom's..." Helen's voice trailed off as she gingerly touched the shining solitaire in the gold band.

"You two were so similar," Sam stated softly, "that it just seemed right somehow."

"Does that mean you'll marry him now, Mommy?"

Both people laughed as the boy looked from one to the other.

"Yes, David," Helen replied, hugging him. "Yes, I will."

"Tomorrow?"

"Not quite that soon, David," Sam told him with a smile. "There's quite a lot to set up first, but then we will."

"And will we be there too?"

"Of course, sweetie." Helen kissed his cheek. "It's a special day for the family, and you're a part of that."

"Goody." He looked down at the ring. "It's pretty."

"Yes, it is." Helen leaned against Sam, gazing at the gem. "My father must have had good taste."

"He married your mother," Sam told her with a smile. "So that proves it."

"And you're marrying Mommy," David added. "So you must have, too." He looked doubtfully from one to the other. "That's good, right?"

"That's very good, baby." Sam kissed his fiancé and then their son. "And I think that you're right. I must have good taste too."

Smiling, Ethan glanced at Jarod, as the two men stood in the doorway before, in mutual unspoken consent, they turned and followed Angelo down to the cellar.









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