Note: This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of "Ringer." The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the WB, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site.

Season 1 Episode 23

"What a Fool He'd Been"

Slowly descending from the clouds, the private charter landed in paradise on time. The plane ride had been a wretched 3 hours long, but even that seemed too long. Father and daughter had flown in silence, hands held tight. Words unspoken. They had left quickly, confident they were leaving a broken past behind them.

Maybe it would take time to forget the whole sordid mess. Andrew turned his daughter's hands in his own. Juliet looked at her father with glassy eyes. She needed his protection now more than ever. She had gone through so much. Her own mother institutionalized for trying to kill them. Her step-mother, at best, a prostitute and at worst, a conniving liar who pretended to love them. But, at least, they had each other- forever, against the world…

Was it them against the world again…

Andrew's heart sank with the sinking weight of the plane, as it lowered altitude. At the pit of his stomach, he felt a gnawing sensation that just wouldn't shake, which he knew wasn't physiological. Maybe it was too soon to forget someone you loved, even if they turn out to be completely false. After all, although she was a liar, she was a damned good one. She fooled them both for months, living in their house, pretending to be their dead wife and mother, passing as her twin. He had loved her, possibly even more than his actual wife. But he couldn't abide by lies- not of this magnitude.

Money couldn't buy a more breathtaking view. But even the clear green sea water couldn't wash away the stain of deception. The Turks and Caicos had been the perfect setting for a wedding vowel renewal- now ruined – it would serve as a refuge to help a husband and daughter forget the last few months, where the woman who had been "posing" as family had turned out to be nothing more than a cheap con woman.

Bridget, the stripper-prostitute twin sister of Siobhan, had impersonated his wife and her step-mother for seven months no less! Certainly, there had been signs that this was not the same woman… Siobhan never ate meat. Siobhan never had interest in the educational charities…. Siobhan… Siobhan. That wasn't even her name. It was Bridget.

Andrew cursed his luck at picking women. His first wife, Catherine, turned out to be a certifiable lunatic. His second wife, Siobhan, a cheating whore. And, Bridget, the woman whom he had fallen in love with… when he thought he was falling in love with his wife, again. Who knows how many lies he had been told? Doubt clouded his mind. How good was his judgement? A worry in the bottom of his heart, whispered to him, but what if it wasn't a lie. How could he even tell anymore?

"Sir, are you Mr. Andrew Martin," the wait-staff asked urgently.

"Yes," the man woke from his internal reverie, somewhat surprised that a phone call would be awaiting him as soon as he de-boarded the plane.

"There is an important telephone for you from Mr. Victor Machado."

Grasping the phone, Andrew recalled the name of the FBI Agent, who had interrogated "Siobhan" about Bridget. Bridget had been a witness in a protection program, meant to testify against some drug dealer, a supposedly dangerous man named Bodaway Macawi. Bridget had claimed that she had taken her sister's identity in a desperate attempt to flee from Macawi, as her own option. In the process, she had deceived them, not confessing the truth of her identity, until recently – hence the reason for the cancelled wedding ceremony and escape. Her excuses had all seemed so disingenuous at the time—mere words in a series of convenient half-truths- but suddenly this phone call made it seem more real and more important than anything else.

"Sir, sorry to bother you on your vacation. Your emergency contact information was given to me by Martin and Charles."

"What do you mean? Has something happened?" A sense of dread seeped through the sparkling sunlight. Andrew covered the receiver.

"Dad? What's going on," Juliet asked. Her father did not answer, but stepped away slightly.

"Yes, but I don't want to alarm you. It is just standard protocol to notify you when a crime has been committed in your residence."

"In my residence? What happened?"

"Did something happen? Is Bridget okay?" Juliet stammered. The same panic in her voice reverberated with the pounding inside of his heart and head, which echoed the exact fear. As furious as he was, he forced himself to remain calm. He had forced Bridget out of their house and out of their lives… Had that cost her life? Had this Macawi felon actually found her? Was he really as dangerous as she said? What exactly had happened?

On the other end of the line, Agent Machado pieced together a puzzle that had eluded him; he realized what had seemed so obvious now. The twin that he had been protecting was not Siobhan, but was in fact Bridget Kelly. And, the Martins had known.

"Mr. Martin, it may be best if you come in person to the station as soon as possible. Due to the sensitive nature of this. A violent crime was committed and your house is now a crime scene. Bodaway Macawi is dead. He was shot by… your wife… in self-defense."

"Yes, of course," Andrew said, already gripping his suitcase and motioning for the pilot to refuel the charter jet. He would not be able to rest until he knew Bridget was safe and he would never forgive himself if he had caused her harm. The answer became clear to him, he still loved her despite everything.

In New York, Andrew sat at the station. Dark circles had appeared under his eyes. In the short period since he had left and flown back, he had been unable to sleep. His mind restless, churning, imaging every possible scenario that could have occurred.

Agent Machado offered him coffee or tea. He politely declined, not being thirsty. Caffeine was not needed. His restlessness would keep him awake.

"Your house has very advanced security cameras."

"We installed them, after there was a burglary…" Andrew stated, his voice wavering.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but Br—S-Siobhan, is she okay?"

"Yes, she was very brave," Machado said looking keenly at the nervous British man with piercing eyes.

"You love her very much." Machado said.

Andrew nodded.

Acting as a guardian angel, Machado pointed to a small TV.

"We have only partial footage of what happened. Macawi was careful, but he only wiped the close circuit video footage from the security desk. He missed a camera. We have some video from your apartment lobby. The video is a bit grainy since the lights were out, but you can hear audio."

Andrew watched as Bridget walked into the darkened apartment.

He gritted his teeth as he saw her run to the closet and ransack it for valuables. A few moments passed.

His eyes widened, as a man in the shadows emerged behind her. There was a scuffle.

The woman screamed, "You have the wrong woman."

As this scene unfolded, he could see the woman fight back as the man repeatedly lunged forward. A long knife was pulled from his jacket.

Suddenly, there was a second voice. "Andrew? Juliet?"

Andrew opened his eyes in shock. His jaw slackened. A second Siobhan appeared. Or was this Bridget? This one wore different clothing… clothing he had seen her last wear, when he had shouted at her and told her to get out of the apartment and his life.

"But why is she going back," he asked aloud, already knowing the answer in his heart. She had gone back for them… to make sure they were safe. A rush of emotion overwhelmed him.

He realized suddenly what a fool he had been. It wasn't a lie. As the violent scene unfolded before him, he saw Bridget thrown on her back. She was attacked by the assailant. She pulled out a gun and shot. He grabbed her again. She shot. He was finally dead. She was alone.

TBD