A/N: A slightly extended ending to the movie "Witness" (1985).

Quiet Retreat

John Book crawled behind the wheel of his sister's Volkswagen and started it up, disturbing the quiet of the Amish countryside before pulling away from the Pennsylvania farmhouse of Eli Lapp. He didn't want to leave, but he knew that he had to go and couldn't put it off any longer after all the remaining investigators had left. He didn't look in the rearview mirror for a last look at Rachel as he put it into gear; they had said their goodbyes once with their faces when no words were necessary and he didn't need to torture himself now. It would be easier when he got back home again. Maybe he could whack somebody and feel better, he thought as he shook his head.

As he drove along the narrow road, he thought about what Eli had told him before he left.

"You be careful out among them English."

A simple command, but it implied a lot more. When he arrived he was the outsider, a stranger to the Amish community and branded as "English" regardless of what stew pot of heredity he might claim. But his time among those in the insular community while he recovered from his gunshot wound had created, if not a bond, at least a comfortable acceptance of his person. So much so that Eli considered him more one of them than belonging to the outside world. It was weird, but John had to admit that it was a good feeling and probably the only good feeling he was going to experience the rest of the day.

Up ahead, a man was walking down the road in the other direction. As John neared, he slowed as a courtesy and noticed it was Daniel Hochleitner, the local who had been in the process of courting the widow Rachel when John showed up. As he drove past Daniel gave a modest wave from the brim of his straw hat. John returned the wave and continued on to the crest of the hill.

No.

It wasn't right. He couldn't discuss how he felt with Rachel; he didn't need to and he doubted she would really want to hear it out loud. But he had to tell someone something, even if just for his own sanity. He wasn't going to retreat to the real world quietly, meek and as if nothing happened. He jabbed the brakes, shifted into reverse, and then backed up along the lane as he looked over his shoulder through the rear window. He kept his eyes on the road and when he neared Daniel he gave a brief stab on the horn to allow the man to stand to one side of the road. John pulled up and stopped. He wasn't sure what to say, but he had to say something.

Through the open window he addressed the tall Amish man who stood against the clear blue sky. "I have to go back home now. I won't be back."

"It was...good to meet you."

"I, ah, left a couple of things behind that mean a lot to me. Could you find someone to take care of them for me?" John still wouldn't look back but jerked his head in the direction behind him as he kept his gaze on Daniel.

Daniel looked at the Lapp farmhouse and then back to John. "I might be able to find someone dependable to do it."

"I know I have" Book said as he rolled up the window and started forward again.

"Goodbye, John Book" Daniel said as he waved again and watched for a moment as the policeman drove off. He turned forward and continued his walk towards the farmhouse. Once again it returned to quiet.

The End

A/N: I read that there were many pages of dialogue between John and Rachel in their last scene, but it was cut due to Harrison Ford's illness. I personally think the no-dialogue solution was better than anything they could have said, but I think John needed to say something to somebody at the end. When I saw his brake lights flash driving off I thought that might be it, but he continued on. This is my solution.