Hello all! Just a little something to show that I'm still around and still writing. This idea was definitely influenced by Citizen Kane, the great and classic Orson Welles flick (hence the name). I hope you guys enjoy it. I had a lot of fun writing this and exploring the possible relationships between the characters that could have developed over the years. Make sure you comment and tell me what you think so far. - Andi

"So, what was David like when he wasn't on a mission, when there was no one else around but you two?"

Lewis McGregor's tone told Hal Emmerich he didn't want an answer so much as he wanted something interesting. Hal could feel the set lights positioned next to him, heating up the space he sat in and making him a few degrees hotter than what he considered comfortable but it was nothing compared to the look Lewis was giving him from the side of the video camera that was pointed at him. Hal had been slow in answering the prior questions and he could tell it was starting to irritate Lewis. But, as practiced cool as Lewis was, he only let the irritation show in a quiet, almost unassuming tapping of his index finger on the clipboard in his lap.

"He was like any other person, I suppose." Hal finally said. "He watched movies, listened to music, read books, discussed the world around him. He wasn't all that different in his home life. As a matter of fact, I think most people would be surprised and perhaps even a little disappointed at just how normal he was."

"Isn't it true that David suffered severe PTSD that interfered greatly with his normal life, though?" He asked, perhaps unaware of how contradicting his tone was of the idea of the 'normal' in Hal's statement.

Hal nodded, "Yeah. He'd have these flashbacks sometimes...and these terrible nightmares and night terrors that made it nearly impossible for him to sleep. They usually stemmed from something he had experienced during the day—a flashback or hallucination or something—that carried into the night. Sunny and I usually could tell what kind of night he was going to have based on the kind of day it had been."

"And how did he deal with all the flashbacks and nightmares?"

David still wasn't an easy subject for Hal. It was a part of him that hadn't healed yet, not in the short amount of time that had passed since his death and as he sat there, baking under studio lights, hearing the repeated beats of Lewis' growing impatience, he questioned the reason he had signed up to peel whatever scab that had begun to form over it off.

Two days before...

"Uncle Hal?"

Hal turned his view from the window of the airplane to rest his eyes on the little girl in the seat next to him. Though he didn't feel much like doing so, he smiled.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"You've been looking out that window since we left New York."

"Yeah, I suppose so. I'm sorry."

"Is something wrong?"

"It's just...I wonder if I'm doing the right thing."

"Well, what's your heart telling you?"

Hal shook his head at the floor. "I don't know. I really hadn't noticed I still had one in the last three months."

Sunny softened her features and found Hal's hand to slip into her grip.

"Don't say things like that, Uncle Hal."

"You're right. I'm sorry, Sunny."

"And stop apologizing." She added quickly. "You haven't done anything wrong." He nodded in agreement with the little girl and ran his hand through her short locks. "So, do you know who else signed on to do the project?"

"Jack and Meryl are the only others I know of but I'm almost positive there's more. I'm not so sure how they got Meryl on board but I'm pretty sure Jack signed on because him and Rose need the money. It's been really rough for them lately with Rose being the only person working."

"Do you know if Little John is coming?"

"I don't know sweetie, but we'll see."

He turned his attention back to the window in the silence that fell between them for several miles. In the clouds, Hal felt lost...but not nearly as lost as he had felt when he watched his best friend die three months earlier. It wasn't anything he enjoyed thinking about but something that crossed his mind often despite the effort not to.

"I want you to be okay, Uncle Hal."

He nodded and smiled at her. "I know." He admitted, "I want the same thing."

She blinked a few times in the doorway of her hotel room, seeing if any of the details of the room would disappear in one of them. It didn't. She left her bags near the door and ventured inside, running her hand over every item that looked way too expensive for her to touch any other way. The more she looked around, the more the abundance in luxury felt like a mistake.

"Excuse me," she said to get the attention of the woman behind the desk in the downstairs lobby. The woman turned to her, smiled, and permitted her with a slight nod to go on. "I think you gave me the wrong room."

"Well, that's not good and I'm very sorry if we did. What's your name?"

"Mei Ling."

The woman typed a line of command into the computer in front of her. "Ah, you're here with the documentary, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's your right room."

"Am I...sharing it with someone?"

"No, it's all yours. Is there a problem, ma'am?"

"No," Mei Ling responded quickly, "It's beautiful it's just...a lot bigger than I was expecting." She thanked the woman and turned back to the elevator, halting her path back when she caught a familiar figure entering through the entrance. "Meryl?"

The figure stole a glance from the direction of the voice as she pulled her rolling suitcase over the bump of the thresh hold. When she put the voice with the face, she hurried over to Mei Ling, wrapping her in an embrace that was tighter than what she had expected.

"Mei Ling! God, am I ever glad to see you. Ever since I've gotten to LA, I've just had angry strangers honking at me on the 405. I was starting to think no one actually spoke here. I had no idea you were going to be a part of this! The only person they told me was involved was Hal."

"Hal signed on? I had no idea. The only people they told me was involved was Jack and Cam--" Mei Ling's eyes widened as if she had suddenly swallowed a bug but Meryl had already picked up on it.

"My father is here, isn't he? I can't believe Lewis didn't tell me! Next time I see that skinny little jerk, I'm going to--"

"Meryl," Mei Ling called to her calmly, "It's okay. This place is huge. I doubt you'll even be on the same floor as your father. I mean, clearly he knew enough about your relationship with him to not tell you he was involved."

"I knew I shouldn't have come here. I knew the moment I met Lewis he was a conniving little weasel. I should just go back home."

"Come on, Meryl. Chances are, you're the only other woman here. You can't leave me here by myself." Mei Ling grabbed her by her shoulders. "Why don't you check in and come back to my room for a moment. If you feel the same way you do now after a few rounds with Svedka, I'll let you do whatever you like."

Meryl sighed and adjusted the strap of the carry on on her shoulder. "Okay, okay, fine." She said at Mei Ling's continued pleading. "You win. Might as well get started. I have a feeling alcohol's going to be a huge part of this process."