PTL: City of Legend Decisions II

by PTL-Series

'Adam' gets his memories back completely and now must make a decision....stay or go back to the life he knew. Conclusion.

Previously on "City of Legend"
The Portal has been sealed and both sides are taking care of their own. But when they are ready, will they be able to make the choices needed, or will chaos set in?

And now... the show.

Morning.......

If the sun hadn't had hit her right on her eyelids Micha had a feeling she would have slept on until lunch time. As it was, Micha woke up but kept herself still so as not to wake Derek up, and was glad he was asleep considering she felt both her face and her ears flaring with color. It had felt good sleeping next to him.

Very good.

Great, have the hots for the guy that's in love with your deceased twin sister, she mentally berated herself.

Her gaze was sad as she slipped out from under the covers and, sorry for having the thoughts she had and knowing the odds of telling him what she had experienced being closer to nothing, she gently kissed his forehead and went to close the curtains so that it wouldn't bother him. Then, feeling like a first rate heel, she went upstairs and changed, further berating herself while giving herself a strict lecture on the follies of doing stupid things.

.............. Derek awoke to a strange feeling of aloneness. He looked around the darkened room, slightly disoriented at first, and them he remembered.

He also realized he was in the room completely alone. This fact woke him completely and he sat up rubbing his eyes.

Where had she gone? Had he frightened her off? Perhaps, let some of what he was feeling slip out in a dream and she knew?

Slowly he stood and started towards the stairs and his room. He might as
well get dressed.

Micha sat on her bed, knowing she probably looked like she was either pouting, getting ready to cry or maybe both.

Her talk didn't do much to sway her feelings toward Derek and the speech she gave herself just made her feel that much more horrible.

Thank goodness he was asleep downstairs. She would be humiliated if he found out how she felt, knowing full well it was Julia he was....

Ugh

As Derek walked to his room, he noticed that Michaela's door was partially open and he stopped getting ready to knock and glancing in at the same time.

When he saw her though, he dispensed with knocking all together.

Instead he just pushed the door the open the rest of the way and entered.

"Michaela? What's wrong, are you ill?" He moved to her side, sitting bedside her and, without thinking, put his arms about her.

Micha let her forehead fall onto his shoulder, blushing furiously and wondering how she was going to explain without humiliating herself or alienating him.

But she also knew the time and mornings and Derek didn't usually mix.

"I thought I was quiet..." she started, wondering what had woken him up but not moving her head from its current position "I'm sorry if I.. woke you up."

"You didn't," Derek told her, rubbing her back gently "And even if you did it's no reason to feel bad about it." Yes, the lack of her presence might have been what woke him, but then again it might not have been.

"It's not that." she admitted honestly.

"I had a feeling it wasn't," Derek admitted "So what is really upsetting you?"

Again Micha shook her head. She couldn't tell him, she just couldn't. And she even knew what had to be done and didn't want to face it.

This had to be the first time she had ever considered herself a coward.

"It can't be that bad," he assured her, rubbing her back and starting to rock her gently, "but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

He knew he should let her go and go get dressed, but instead he held her more closely, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.

She laid her cheek on his shoulder but still keeping her averted and asked one of the questions that had been plaguing her "When.. when will you be going back to the Legacy?"

"Now that they know you're alive..." she added reasonably - or what she hoped sounded reasonable "They're going to want you to come back, maybe even lead the rebuilding of the House..."

"I don't know," he replied honestly, "when or if. Nick seems to be running things very well, there's no reason he cannot keep that up."

"But the Legacy's been your life." she pointed out. And that was the thing. Micha just couldn't see him leaving all of that behind. And if he did... she'd always wonder if it was because of his lost chance with Julia.

That was why....

"You have to go back." she said, trying to fight back the sudden lump in her throat "You... have to make sure."

"Make sure of what?" Derek asked curiously.

She looked up at him then, gaze showing the turmoil she was feeling inside "That.. if you come back to stay here... it's not because of some misguided obligation.. to me or Julia."

Micha bowed her head then, adding quietly "And that you don't want to stay there."

Derek didn't say anything, but he had a lot to think about. Thing were coming clear to him suddenly.

He almost laughed because it reminded him of those cartoons Kat and Nick both watched where the characters suddenly had a realization and shouted "Eureka!"

It was a moment like that, but he didn't laugh, because the subject was far to serious and Michaela was far to upset. However, for the first time he thought he did understand what he was feeling. But how to explain it?

She looked at a point on his pajamas as she spoke, not able to meet his gaze right then "The way I felt last night beside you..... and what I felt this morning waking up...."

She shook her head "I can't do this. It felt too good last night - and knowing you loved Julia and that it might be the reason why you're here now... I felt like I'd done something wrong because I know how you felt about her.. and I'm not even sure if you still feel it or not."

She swallowed again and ran the back of her hand across her eyes, continuing "I don't even know if it's all one sided on my part.... but it doesn't feel like it. And it's not fair. I've waited a long time to feel even a hint of what I'm feeling now and all I keep remembering is that you were in love with a sister that shares my face."

Derek broke his silence now, putting his fingers under her chin and titling it up towards his. "It isn't that. Yes I still love Julia, I probably always will. But she isn't here anymore, not really. And I had feelings for you, before I knew about Julia being your sister or merging with you. I just wasn't certain what to make of any of it after I found out. However, I think I understand now. I care about you Michaela. Last night, just felt right. And this morning when you disappeared that is what woke me. Not some noise you made, just the fact that you were gone. I do love Julia, but I do not believe that means I am not able to love someone else."

And I just happen to be a good second, she thought, wondering if hearts really could break. But before she could say anything a knock and then someone's voice from downstairs sounded.

"Hello...Micha... Derek...?"

It was Rachel and she said something else but it was mumbled because she was obviously talking to whoever she was with.

Micha wiped her eyes and stood, hearing another voice that was too old to be Kat's.

"...I didn't sit up all night on a plane after you told me he's alive to worry about waking him up, Rachel."

Julia's memory kicked in and she put a name with the voice.

Alex.

She turned to Derek, tone low and gaze still unable to meet his "I guess you have some more visitors...."

"They can wait," Derek said, moving away from her enough to close the bedroom door, "until we've finished this. Why won't you look at me?"

Her voice came out in a bare whisper "Because... I'm scared."

"Of what? Me?"

"Of -" she was about to answer, just as the bedroom door opened and Alex stopped short, her eyes landing on Derek. Rachel had been following Alex in a vain attempt at trying to stop her as she went from one room to the other looking for their Precept.

And now, standing behind Alex, she could see she had reason to try and stop her as both Micha and Derek stood in what appeared to be the main bedroom in their pajamas.

But Alex had yet to really catch that part, only seeing the fact that Derek Rayne was alive and .... and there.

Micha watched as the other woman practically launched herself at Derek and hugged him close.

"You're alive.. oh my god you're really alive.." Alex said, stepping back enough to give him a once over as if she still couldn't believe it "When the house went..."

That was all Micha heard as she slipped out, feeling like this was something she really shouldn't be involved in as she made her way downstairs to clean up the living room.

And, she admitted to herself, to reign in some of the emotions she was feeling. The last thing she needed was to have someone see her breaking down.

"Hi," Kat poked her head in a minute later, coming in to help "We tried to chain her down but.. well that didn't work."

Micha masked her expression with a wry half grin "It's okay. I guess it's not every day someone comes back from the dead."

That sounded weird even to her considering her own brush with the 'coming back' part.

"I'm surprised you haven't wigged yet." Kat admitted guilelessly, popcorn bowl and glasses in hand as Micha folded up the blankets and put them in a corner of the couch "I'm sorry if... well if you felt left out yesterday."

Micha looked at her, quiet for a moment and then shrugged "She obviously meant a lot to them."

And still did.

Kat walked with her into the kitchen and dumped the popcorn in the trash before putting the dishes in the washer.

"What is it like? Being a twin but.. having what's left of her in you?"

Fair question, even if it did cut her to the core in a way she wasn't going to admit to.

Micha gave her a small shrug, not really sure how to answer that. She motioned to the kitchen door leading outside without speaking and going that route herself, to get the newspaper that was supposed to have been delivered in a box next to her mail.

"Good if it makes people happy, I guess." she finally answered, reaching the end of the drive and getting the paper "Confusing other times."

Rachel looked out of the window in the kitchen, having finally talked Alex into coming downstairs to let Derek change.

They had definitely walked into something, she thought, wondering if - Derek's expression was any indication - she should offer an ear to him.

Derek had returned to his room, changing into a blue shirt and black jeans. He brushed his hair and teeth and then headed downstairs. He felt rather sick, but not due to the medication or his damaged ribs. Why couldn't they have waited?

He entered the kitchen looked at the two women there, then sat down slowly on a stool at the counter.

"I have an idea." Rachel said, giving Alex the keys "Why not grab some of those goodies we saw in the window of that cute breakfast shop and bring it back? I haven't had a chance to feed Kat and I'm sure no one else has eaten yet."

Alex looked at Derek and then nodded. He probably wanted coffee too. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Rachel nodded and waited until Alex was gone and then turned to Derek, sitting in the chair opposite him.

By the looks of things outside, Kat would have Micha's attention for a while yet.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked before saying none to gently "Or rather, may I suggest you do talk about it before it eats a hole in you?"

Derek ran his hands across his face and sighed, looking down at the counter top.

"I'm not even sure where to start." he admitted.

"Lucky for you I'm experienced in this field." Rachel couldn't help but point out that fact dryly "How about we start at the point that something is happening between you and Micha and we obviously walked in on something."

"I think I might....I'm pretty certain I am falling in love with her," he told Rachel bitterly "And she has essentially told me she feels the same way, but something's scaring her and I don't know what. I'm going to lose her, just like I lost...."

He stopped then. None of the others knew how he had felt about Julia.

"....Julia?" Rachel asked, having a little more insight after her night long talk with Alex.

"Alex got in last night and we've been able to hold her down until this morning." she elaborated "We also talked about something that you said to her before you blew up the House."

She stilled the shaker and looked at her friend "Know what she said?"

Derek looked up at Rachel curiously. "What?"

"That you had told her 'if things had been different' something between you might have happened." Rachel replied, looking up and meeting her friend's gaze "And that it took her a while but she figured out that the things you referred to were actually how you felt about someone else. Someone you haven't been able to let go of..."

Then she looked outside and continued thoughtfully "..until now. Alex knows you aren't in love with her and has gotten to the point that she loves you but more in a way that you were her last remaining thread to the past and family she had. When you ended up being alive she found a new hope that she hadn't lost the past she's come to treasure."

Rachel looked at him "You were the one that taught her she didn't have to turn into something she wasn't. She's even started seeing someone."

The Doctor took a breath and looked back out the window "And about Micha... did you tell her?"

"About Alex," Derek asked, "or that I'm falling in love with her?"

Rachel turned to chuckle at him and pat his hand "Derek, Alex is fine, don't worry about her, but I meant Micha. Did you tell her how you felt?"

Then she thought of another question that could very well explain why Micha would be, as Derek said, scared.

"And does she know how you feel about Julia?"

"I tried to tell her that, I don't think she heard me," Derek told her. "Or maybe she didn't understand me or didn't believe me, I don't know."

Rachel covered Derek's hand with her own, gaze earnest "Or maybe she's been hit with the fact that you loved Julia and she looks just like her and now... even has Julia inside of her. The thoughts she must be feeling..."

She tried to put herself in Micha's place and to relate what the woman could be going through at the moment "I think she's handled most of this pretty well but... how do you know that what you feel is for her and not Julia? I know you had amnesia when she first found you. I gathered as much when Tristan was calling you Adam... but .. well if you found someone that didn't have their memory and you just happened to have the face of the person they loved, how would you feel if that someone told you they were starting to care for you? Especially if you already knew how the person felt about your twin?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow and suggested "I would even wager to say it might have been her looking so much like Julia that might have jogged your memory back. So that would bring up the question of your subconscious recognizing Julia through her before you even remembered who Julia was."

"And that, my friend, is a sticky situation."

"I mean come on," she half joked, trying to lighten the mood a little "At least you didn't tell her you were falling for her and still loved Julia. You'd have a lot of making up to do with that one."

Derek groaned and covered his face miserably. He had told her that, but...that wasn't what he meant, well it was, but not like that!

"Ouch.. you did, didn't you?" Rachel asked, cringing sympathetically. She didn't think she'd have to say why he got the impression Micha was scared but just in case.. "Well, now you know. No woman wants to hear that you're settling for someone... and although you may not have meant it like that, chances are it came across like that considering the circumstances."

"Derek," she said after a moment's pause, catching a glimpse of the two outside and that they were still talking "Did you ever consider that maybe... what you loved in Julia was actually Micha's spirit? I mean I know I'm not an expert in spirits and merging but from the way Philip explained it, their spirits were actually parts of the same spirit, just shared between them because of the Prophecy you two had to fulfill."

Derek was quiet for a moment.

"I suppose that could be true," he said after giving it some thought "I honestly don't know. What I feel for Michaela is different than what I feel for Julia, but before...I felt this way about Julia. It could be that, but even I am not certain. I wouldn't know how to tell."

Rachel looked at him for a moment, before broaching the subject that might help him figure it out "Nick was talking about getting you to come back to the Legacy and that you needed to get some things straight financially and property wise. Maybe you should take the time to do that and then take stock in things."

And give himself some time to think long and hard on what it was he really wanted.

Micha hadn't come right out and said it to anyone but Rachel got the distinct impression she was not going to be taking up Julia's place in the Legacy. And she wasn't sure why but Derek seemed.. different. Rachel had noticed that he hadn't kicked in with his take charge manner to return to the Legacy's temporary base to take up the leadership role.

"I mean if you leave and come back, you'll know it's because you want to be here, with her. If you chose to stay in the Legacy then..... well then it was Julia you're feeling all of this for and maybe you can work out a friendship or something."

That all sounded very well and good, but Derek wasn't sure he wanted to leave here at all. He could straighten out he finances and property from here. Hell, he could stay on in the Legacy as a consultant from here. He did, after all, have a lot tied up in the Legacy, but he wasn't sure he had the heart to be a precept again.

And there was the matter of the sepilchers and his father and the man who looked like his father. How was he supposed to leave her alone and vulnerable?

"I can't leave here right now." he said finally and simply.

"Then how," Rachel asked almost sympathetically "Do you expect her to be strong or trust in how you feel when you don't even know yourself? There's always going to be that doubt until you know either way. And then you have to convince her. IF it ends up it's her you love."

"I can't leave her," Derek reiterated. "She's in danger here, I can't leave her alone. And I do know how I feel, I just don't know if it was always her that I loved. How am I supposed to know that? People wouldn't be asking that of you if you fell in love with someone, even though they knew knew you loved and still love Patrick."

Rachel shrugged "I may look at things from a clinical point of view but when it comes to Patrick I can honestly say I won't love anyone else. I loved him but I loved his spirit.. what made him who he was. If I believed in reincarnation I'd wager I'd probably fall in love with him in the next life time too."

Then she frowned "Danger? What danger? You both sealed the portal."

"Yes. It's not that," Derek said. "It's someone here in town. Someone who bares an erie resemblance to my father. He's a dangerous man and he has power around here."

"One of the guys can stay here and watch over her then. Even that Tristan fellow." Rachel pointed out, even if she did have a sneaking suspicion that Derek just didn't want to leave - even if Micha were in danger or not.

"I suppose." Derek said grudgingly. But this didn't seem good enough. He wanted to be the one to look after her. As odd as it sounded, even to him, he felt as though he had been looking out for her since time began. He knew this sounded insane and so did not voice it. If Rachel still had her license, and there was no reason she shouldn't, she could have him committed if she felt he was crazy enough. His head was beginning to ache terribly.

"But you don't want it to be one of the guys," Rachel surmised "especially... Nick?"

She raised her eyebrow, knowing that would hit a mark before she sighed with exasperation "You're over analyzing, Derek. It's obvious how you feel about her. Problem you have is convincing her of it without sticking your size 12 feet back into your mouth."

"I'm aware of that," Derek replied a bit irritably. It was, after all, morning and he was grumpy - and things had gone steadily downhill since he woke up.

Rachel gave him the 'don't get grumpy with me, I'm helping' look "I'll talk to Nick. You should maybe have a walk with Micha after breakfast and talk. Seeing as the rest of us will be busy cleaning up and at least one of us waiting for a certain new friend of yours to show up."

She had been referring to Tristan and Kat's crush on him.

"And um," she added, standing as not only Kat and Micha made it back to the sidewalk leading to the kitchen but Alex drove back up and stopped them to help carry breakfast in "Try to keep leather from your mouth. A little wooing wouldn't hurt either."

The kitchen door opened just then and all three ladies entered, with Kat sniffing the box dramatically and looking at Micha "I smell sausages."

Micha grinned at her and turned her gaze to the two already in the room, before meeting Derek's for a brief moment and then lowering to the pajamas she still wore "I should get changed."

"Help yourself to the dishes," she added, setting the things she had carried in down before moving toward the hallway and the stairs "You know where they are."

Rachel watched her leave and then looked at Derek, making sure this was done without being spotted by the others, eyebrow raised.

Derek sighed again and slipped off the stool, heading to the cabinets and pulling dishes down. He glanced over his shoulder at Alex "Is there any coffee there?"

Kat was already bringing two cups of it to put at his place and the one beside him, knowing Micha would sit there but not really thinking about it.

He put the plates on the bar and then some silverware and began peeking in the boxes to see what was there. He then started making a plate for Michaela, he knew what she liked by now.

"And creamer and stuff too." Kat added, putting the bag with the odds and ends in between the two cups. Then she turned to them all and grinned "She's cool to talk with."

Rachel ruffled her hair "Glad you think so, kiddo. Now fix yourself some breakfast."

By the time everyone had their own plates served and was sitting down to eat, Micha was back, dressed in a soft pink turtle neck and denim jeans and her usual hiking boots.

"Smells good." she said, re entering the kitchen.

Derek didn't know if it was or not, considering so far all he had done was sip his coffee. He really didn't feel all that hungry this morning and had only put a small amount of food on his own plate.

He looked up and smiled at her. "I suspect it is, Alex doesn't usually look quite so content when food doesn't live up to her expectations."

"If you weren't over there I'd kick you for that." Alex warned him before looking at Micha. She had been quiet up until now because.. well frankly, she wasn't sure what to say to the woman that had made such a stir in their little family. She saw Julia's face and missed her friend, but she also reminded her self that it wasn't Julia.

"Have a seat." she motioned to the chair beside Derek.

Micha managed a crooked half smile and sat, noting the lack of food on Derek's plate before looking at him quietly. Was he feeling all right?

"You'll love the kolaches." Kat said, already on her second one.

In answer, Micha lifted one and took a bite of it, nodding as she chewed to let Kat know she was right.

Kat grinned at her "The other stuff is good too, but these are the best."

Derek looked at his own plate and picked up the one lying there and tasted it, putting it back down and going back to his coffee. It didn't seem to have much flavor to him, but he gave Kat a smile.

Just then a knock sounded at the door and Tristan poked his head in "I knew I heard voices. Does this mean we're allowed to invade before lunch."

"Kick him." Micha motioned in Tristan's direction, referring to Alex's earlier empty threat to Derek as she took another bite of the kolache.

"I second that." Derek agreed, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Got the coffee pumping I see." Tristan commented, nodding at the cup Derek was nursing.

Derek nodded at his friend, someone he felt he'd known forever too and it being another thing Rachel might lock him up for.

"Why are you here so early?" he inquired.

"Weren't you at the shop?" Alex asked, recognizing him as another person buying breakfast, to which he nodded, showing the bag.

"I saw her drive out this way so figured no one was sleeping in." Tristan answered

Micha slipped a regular biscuit on to Derek's plate, asking him with a look to at least eat that if nothing else.

"You're not Greek are you?" Rachel joked, referring to the Greek bearing gifts old analogy.

"Whatcha got?" Kat asked curiously.

"Kolaches." Tristan replied, taking the seat next to her at both Micha's and Derek's silent urging "Best things I've ever tasted."

Kat grinned and bit into her own. He had just earned another few points in the crush department without even trying.

Derek hid a smile as he managed to finish off the biscuit. He finally understood what people meant when they said they choked down something. It felt like the fluffy bread had to go past a huge rock in this throat to reach his stomach. He then took another sip of coffee.

"Well since you were the last to arrive, you can do the dishes," he told Tristan amiably.

"Ah, but I'm not." the younger man pointed out "You still have Boyle yet to show up."

"Then both of you can do the dishes." Micha 'rearranged' the deal, finishing off her own breakfast. She had only managed to eat a couple of the things on her plate.

"And we'll help by cleaning the rest of the kitchen." Rachel offered, remembering what she had told Derek about keeping busy for a bit and looking at Micha "Would you mind if I gave Alex a little tour of the house inside? She's a manic designer and shopper at heart."

Micha grinned crookedly "No, not at all."

She wiped the corners of her mouth and started to stand, wanting to get some juice and maybe some Gatorade. She more in the mood to drink that than to eat.

"Want some Gatorade or sticking with coffee?" she asked Derek.

"I think I'll finish the coffee first, thank you." he said. He needed all the help he could get and the more caffeine the better. He had noticed a garden out back. A large one that seemed to have paths that wound all the way to the edge of the property.

"I could use some fresh air too," he added hesitantly "Would you mind showing me the garden?"

Micha got a bottle of juice and looked back at him, a tell a tale pink starting at her ears as she managed a half grin "Sure."

"If you end up not being able to find us," Rachel joked "We're in the library I'm sure Alex is going to insist we get lost in once she lays eyes on it."

"Why don't you all just go, Kat and I will eat Kolaches, wait for Boyle and then get to work."

"Deal." Rachel said, Alex already up and ready at the mention of a library she'd like and Micha nodding at the kitchen door for Derek and her to use to go outside.

"You two behave yourselves." Derek instructed Tristan and Kat, before heading to the door and holding it open for Michaela.

Once they were outside, Micha closed the kitchen door before leading him to the garden, not yet opening her bottle of juice.

Derek walked beside her quietly for a moment, sipping his coffee. They were both aware of the silence hanging between them.

"I'm sorry," he said finally "I've said and done some things in a manner that I did not intend and I'm afraid I've been thinking so much about my own problems I didn't stop to consider how everything has been affecting you."

He took a deep breath and continued into the garden. "Please talk to me Michaela. Tell me what is scaring you, what is worrying you, what makes you happy. I want to know."

"Last night made me happy." Micha admitted quietly as they came up to a stone bench and she sat down. She hugged the orange juice bottle as the breeze picked up about them and then gently settled.

"Me too," Derek told her smiling sheepishly, "even if you did tickle my feet."

A whisper of a smile crossed her lips but then faded as her gaze settled on a spot on the ground and she continued "And then I woke up this morning... and felt....."

Her shoulders slumped "...like I was betraying you.. me... "

She managed to lift her gaze to him, the emotions she was feeling evident there "You said it yourself - and yet I know better.

"That you cared about me before your memory came back? That's not true. I remember the storm. It was Julia you were calling and promising to take care of... it was her you were reacting to. Something inside of you already considered me Julia even if you didn't realize it yet."

She lowered her gaze again, her tone almost bitter "It's not easy knowing I'm a substitute or someone you might love because you can't love the one that's in your heart."

"Michaela that's not it at all," Derek objected. "The night of the storm....it was like being trapped in a memory. I wasn't there when Julia died, but finding her....is etched in my memory forever. I don't know if it was my Sight or just my imagination, but I hate nightmares about what happened to her. Seeing you so terrified in the rain.....it brought all of that back. I wasn't really sure where I was. It was as if I were in Ireland again. She died because I let her go off by herself. At that moment, I thought I might be able to keep that from happening. I wasn't really aware of where or when it was, or whether or not I was awake."

He took a deep breath. "This is very difficult to explain. It was like going back in time. It wouldn't have mattered, if it were Tristan standing out there. I would have reacted the same. The fact that you look like her made it more intense. But Michaela, I swear to you, my feelings were not shaped by what I felt for Julia. At least not like you seem to believe."

Perhaps, Rachel was right about the spirit. In fact, the more Derek considered it the more he believed it might be the case.

He closed his eyes for a good while thinking silently. He ran through the things he loved about Julia in his mind. They were all qualities Michaela had. Qualities she had before the merger. In fact those qualities were even stronger in Michaela than they had been in Julia.

He opened his eyes and looked at Michaela. "You're aunt said that you two were part of the same spirit. Everything I loved about Julia I see in you, expect it's stronger. As if the traits Julia possessed were only ghosts of the ones you carry."

Micha lifted her gaze, meeting his hesitantly as she asked, her voice almost a bare whisper "What... what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I am falling in love with you, Michaela Morgan. That it is very likely it is you I have always loved, I just didn't know it, because I was ignorant of certain facts that only recently became apparent. And only now am I beginning to realize this."

She felt her hand lift, slowly, and watched as the back of her fingers touched Derek's cheek. Her lips were equally slow in curving into a hint of a smile and she fought a sudden need to sniffle as she whispered "Are you sure?"

"I have never been more certain of anything in my life." Derek assured her.

"It would have looked funny," she admitted, her lips quirking as she moved her fingers to trace along the hair at his forehead and temple "If it had been Tristan."

Derek started to laugh "True, but at the time I'm not sure I would have noticed. Though it would have been quite embarrassing later, for both of us."

"Well," she admitted with another quirk of her lips "At least you don't think his pajamas look cute."

"I can't say that for sure," Derek told her. "I haven't seen them. But I am sure they don't look as cute on him as they would on you.'

That made her chuckle, before she admitted quietly "I wish it were last night again..."

"So do I," Derek admitted "But there is always tonight and tomorrow night."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently "There's no sense in dwelling on the past with the future ahead."

Micha smiled softly as she looked into his eyes "With cocoa?"

Derek raised an eyebrow and then smiled, "I don't see why not."

"Well," she managed to tease "Since you do have a thing for my pajamas..."

Derek grinned, "I know how to make the instant sort."

Micha ducked her gaze, feeling a bout of shyness before peeking up a little "Want me to give you a tour of the garden? I'm told there are all kinds of.. flowers and herbs..."

"I would love it," Derek replied standing up and taking her smaller hand in his. "I take it you haven't had time to explore yet, I'm rather glad to hear that. That means we can do it together."

Micha shook her head with a soft smile as they walked.

"I was going to but..." she related the tale "I had someone drop in on me that needed to be nursed back to health. He just got his memory back you know."

"Really? Sounds like a very interesting fellow," Derek told her as they moved down the path. "It's odd that you bring that up though, because I woke one day and discovered the most beautiful nurse sitting beside me and giving me Gatorade of all things."

Micha chuckled sheepishly before adding humorously "One of my best flavors too."

They came to the first batch of roses and she inhaled the scent now around them before asking curiously "Did you know each rose has a meaning to them?"

It wasn't until she asked the question that a sudden feeling of dejavu swept over her, and it was so strong.

She was still carrying the bottle of juice and pointed with the hand that held it at the first bush "... yellow or golds being friendship. Unofficial Texas flower and all that."

Then she nodded at the next bushel "Pinks being a friend or relative love. Or innocent love."

The next two were reds and then whites and darned if she wasn't trying not to blush at their meanings as she looked at them.

"White is love everlasting and Red for passion." Derek finished for her. He had the oddest feeling of dejavu himself.

"Someone told me that at some point, but I can't recall who it was." He shook his head slightly and released her hand moving to the last two bushes. He plucked one white rose and one red, carefully stripping them of their thorns and then returned to Michaela's side. Instead of presenting them to her though, he wound the stems together and placed them in her hair.

Micha had watched him as he went and then came back to put the flowers in her hair. She couldn't help it, the feeling was so strong.

"I know you." she murmured, not sure where that came from but knowing, somehow, before she had even laid eyes on him at her doorstep...... she had known him. She mirrored the gesture of earlier, brushing the back of her hand against his cheek before cupping it before raising up on the tip of her toes and kissing him every so softly on the lips.

He returned her gentle kiss.

"And I know you." Derek replied, also a bit confused but knowing it was true and not just knowing her from the time they had spent together recently. And the oddest thing of all, was that he knew this had nothing to do with Julia.

Micha's lips curved into its first happy expression since this morning and she had to wipe at a corner of her left eye before slipping her arms around him and - careful of his ribs - hugged him close.

It was going to be okay.

Suddenly the sounds of laughter and Nick's yelp from the house drifted out to them and she chuckled.

"I bet they're having a water fight or something." she guessed.

Derek encircled her with his own arms.

"So long as they clean up the mess." he said.

She chuckled lightly, wondering how long they could get away with hiding out in the garden before someone came looking for them.

"Mmm, Derek?" she asked, not in any particular hurry to move and her tone half teasing "What if they want to spend the night?"

"We'll kick them out." Derek told her. "My bite is as bad as my bark, contrary to popular belief."

"I wouldn't know." Micha admitted, humor lacing her voice "You've never barked or bitten me. But I'll take your word for it."

She then slipped her free hand into his, suggesting in the same tone "And if we keep moving, they won't be able to find us."

"Good thinking," Derek agreed and released her so they could continue down the path. "It is lovely out here."

"Yes it is." Micha agreed as she looked at the different plants and trees "I've always had an infinity for gardens. Not sure why though."

He held MIchaela's hand tightly and began to follow the wall, leading her around the corner when they reached it. Finally he came to an iron gate and peered inside.

"Mother of God," he said under his breath as he stared inside a very old cemetery, which was obviously no longer in use.

Micha was surprised to say the least, but at the same time wondering whose it was. It looked old and like it could very well be a family lot.

She swallowed once, squeezed his hand, and then looked around for the opening.

Derek returned the squeeze and tried the gate to see if it would budge. The hinges were a little rusty, but it squeaked and began to move. He got it open enough for them to slip through and he looked around, a small plaque on the wall catching is eye.

"We should do some research on your property," he said thoughtfully "I'm willing to be a church stood where your house is."

"Don't know about you," she admitted as she let her gaze look at the different markers "But considering what we've already been through I wouldn't mind if it had been.

"Might have even been," she ventured a guess "Why my Aunt picked this place to live."

"I think that's a good guess. Old abandoned churches are still holy ground, even if they are no longer in use."

Micha looked at the plague he was gazing at "It should be an easy matter of city records from the computer inside. But I don't see any names that look.. well holy. Priest, Mason, Sister... "

"No," Derek agreed, "but there that looks like the name of a church. Le Bonne Seours. The Good Sisters.

"Or maybe a convent, but," he moved to a grave and read the fading headstone, I don't think that's the case. Church would be a better guess I think."

Micha went to another one, trying to make out the faded name there "Well, as old as this was, it would go with the time where church going families were buried behind the local church. She then looked at the house, measuring the distance and remembering the history classes she had taken "The house would be on the spot of the church too."

Derek nodded.

"You're absolutely right, it is. We should clean this place up a bit, keep it neater," he added looking at the weeds growing around "Just because they've been gone along time doesn't mean they don't deserve dignity."

Micha set her bottle of juice down and smiled over at him before cleaning up the area in front of the first headstone "We can come out here when your ribs are healed, clean it up really good and bring them flowers from the garden."

"I like that idea," Derek agreed. He wasn't sure why it was so important to him, but it was. "Philip might even be willing to bless the place, if we tell him about it."

It could just be their special place though. A place to be alone.

Micha thought about it for a moment, looking around before replying "We could but.. it feels like it's still blessed."

"But if we did," she added "I'd want it done privately - nothing against the others but..."

She brought her gaze back to his "It just seems that it's... private somehow. And you can tell that it's been kept up until recently."

Maybe her Aunt had maintained it, otherwise they would have never even been able to get the gate open, much less see the graves as they were able to now.

Derek nodded. "I agree. We could...even do it ourselves. I baptized Rachel I suppose I could bless a cemetery."

"Could you?" Micha asked, making a mental note to ask him about the baptism but liking the idea of keeping it just between them "We could do that after we've cleaned up here."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. I'll just need some Holy Water and a crucifix. The water I can get from Philip, he'll put up a fuss, but he'll give in."

He pulled some weeds and then moved to her side. "Should we explore the rest of the garden or keep investigating in here?"

Micha picked up the juice bottle and finally opened it before taking a drink, offering him some in case he was thirsty "I say garden, just in case someone does end up finding us."

Derek took a sip of the juice and handed it back to her before heading back to the garden. He secured the door and then went back to the path looking around at the loving blooms surrounding them.

And as luck would have it, not even a moment later, Kat was calling out to them, having been sent to find them since Nick had brought lunch.

"And he's in a bossy mood too." Kat added, having left with Nick talking to the others about taking care of something that had been stored here "But we got him good with the spray faucet."

Micha couldn't help it and chuckled, her guess of earlier having been right.

"Good," Derek said ruffling her hair.

"Sounds like he needs to be put in his place a bit," he teased. He hadn't realized how long they had been walking, but if it was lunchtime already, it must have been awhile.

And oddly enough, he was rather hungry. "Did he bring anything good for lunch?"

Kat grinned before admitting "Once Jonathan heard it was for you he made loads of stuff. We had to make three trips to the car to bring it in."

Micha blinked "Sounds big."

"I'm hungry," Derek admitted, "but I don't know if I'm that hungry. How do you feel about leftovers?

"You know," he said suddenly "Jonathan is an excellent house manager...if you wanted someone to do all that. Cooks and cleans like you wouldn't believe. Not a dust ball to be found."

Not that there were dust balls now, Micha thought before answering about the leftovers "Leftovers make for good midnight snack raids..."

Then she thought about what else he had said - or rather the implication of what it meant. He was offering to bring someone in as if it a done deal he, Derek, was staying.

She met his gaze, aware of their 'audience', asking simply and feeling he would understand what she was really asking "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Derek replied "Besides I think he likes me enough to abandon Nick." He grinned.

"Could you go and tell the others we'll be right there?" Micha asked Kat

Adult talk, Kat thought with a grin "Sure."

She turned swung one leg around and then gave a little hop before taking off and practically yelling it as she went.

Micha chuckled and shook her head, then looked at Derek, chewing her bottom lip for a second before coming right out and asking "You're staying here?"

"Well, if you'll have me. Of course I could always go looking at real estate and get a house nearby if that would be better. It's tied up at the moment, but I'm still a fairly well off man, so that wouldn't be a problem." Oh God, he thought suddenly, stopping and running a hand over his face "It just hit me....I need to tell my mother and sister."

Micha gently took his hand from his face and cupped it, kissing him softly once before slipping her hand into his "Don't you dare and we.. err you can call them right now if you want."

"We can do that." he agreed, but the feeling was making him a bit nervous.

He wasn't sure why, they were the people he was closest to after all. "In fact, I think I need you with me when I do it."

She blushed a little and ducked her head. It was, after all, his mother and sister. And he was staying. But what about the Legacy.....?

She bit her bottom lip and wondered about that, only to peek up at him, the question in her eyes.

He gazed down into her eyes seeing the question there.

"I don't know yet," he admitted "The Legacy is something that requires some thought. Whatever, I decide though will have to be done from Legend. And I need some time to think about it. I'm not ready to deal with William at present."

Micha nodded, accepting his answer about the Legacy and reminding him needlessly but to give him moral support "Well I'm right here so you don't have to look far when you call them.

"And since when," she asked wryly "Is anyone ready for Sloan?"

Derek laughed outright.

"A very good point." he said as he took her hand and started back towards the house. "But one can be better prepared."

"With a tranq gun maybe." she added wryly before asking "Do you think your family would want to stay here when they find out?"

She would want to make sure the rooms were ready if they did.

They were almost at the kitchen door at this point and could hear Kat, Tristan and Nick in the middle of some kind of discussion, with Kat ending with "Derek is going to have a cow. Why'd you go and do that for?"

Derek frowned and looked at Michaela, wondering if they should run off and stay at a motel for a while to avoid, whatever it was he was going to have a "cow" about. Kat was a pretty good judge of what set him off, having had a great deal of experience in the area. So, he figured she ought to know. He took a deep breath opening the screened door and entering the kitchen.

He looked around at the three.

"What's going on here?" he demanded.

Kat looked at Nick, one hand on her hip "Go ahead and tell him."

Then she looked back at Derek "I did NOT do it this time. Just remember that."

Tristan chuckled and put his arm around her neck in a playful choke hold "Let's let Nick be shishkibobbed on his own and rummage through the food."

"Okay." Kat grinned, waving at them all and adding again "Remember.. not my fault!"

Micha would have chuckled and had to bite back a grin, but was looking at Nick curiously. Whatever it was, Nick Boyle was realizing he was probably going to have a bomb dropped on him and was braced for it - and not even going to apologize for it either.

"Sloan knows you're alive. We were going over files and work last night over the satellite cam and it just came out."

Oh crap, Micha mentally moaned, squeezing Derek's hand at the same time ready for a bellow or something.

"JUST CAME OUT!? You sound as though it was a ball that just happened to roll out of a bag lying on the floor! Why the Hell did you do that without asking me first! It wasn't YOUR place to tell him!"

Derek was furious. The last thing he wanted to deal with right now was Sloan and now thanks to Nick, he was going to have no choice in the matter.

Micha squeezed his hand again, hoping he'd catch himself. But Nick was already smirking.

"Welcome to being a Precept." the younger man replied wryly, meeting his predecessor's gaze without flinching "You know the rules Derek, an MIA has to be reported as soon as information is made available to them. And if you'll remember, you made me your choice for Precept before you blew the House to hell."

"At least I told him to stay the hell away until you're ready to deal with him." he added "Seeing as I'm new to the game I haven't learned the art of being subtle and flat out told him he'd get on your and my nerves if he popped up around here."

"EXCUSE ME? Since when did you give a damn about the RULES." Derek's free hand was tightened into a fist by this point his nails biting into his palm.

"At least I told him to stay the hell away until you're ready to deal with him." he added "Seeing as I'm new to the game I haven't learned the art of being subtle and flat out told him he'd get on your and my nerves if he popped up around here."

"And you think that will stop him?" Derek couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had never know Nick to be so damned naive before.

"No, Derek, I don't think it will." Nick's own temper was showing now as he stood "That's why I didn't tell him about Micha or where you were damnit! If you didn't have faith in me being able to handle myself or the House then why in the HELL did you give it to me?! 'You have to be responsible, Nick', 'Trust your instincts, Nick'. What the hell was all that since I'm obviously not doing a damn thing right in your book??"

Rachel and Alex came downstairs, having heard Derek when he first shouted, even through the thick walls of the house and them being on the second floor.

Kat was already tugging Tristan out of the kitchen, sandwich in hand, and stopped the other two from going in "You don't want to be in there right now."

"This has nothing to do with that. We're talking about my privac....." he broke off, another voice penetrating his thoughts and anger.

Micha looked at both men, keeping her voice low as she spoke Derek's name, repeating it until he looked at her.

She didn't say anything, just looked at him. And then, after a moment "Why don't you go call your family. I'll be there in a minute."

She was refering to using the phone in his or her room... somewhere private.

Her gaze begged him to just go. His hand holding her, through all of this, had been the only thing not tensed. And although she knew he would never do anything to hurt her and wasn't even thinking along those lines, she didn't like seeing him this upset.

Derek looked back at Nick and then to Michaela his jaw tight. This wasn't over, but maybe leaving was for the best, for her anyway. He ran his free hand through his hair and took a deep breath, nodding slowly. He then slipped his other hand free of hers and headed out of the room and upstairs to his room.

Micha then looked at Nick "Sit."

He looked like he was going to refuse and frankly, Micha was losing what patience she had and snapped out a "Sit down!" that had him doing exactly that.

Nick glowered at her. He never liked being ordered around, no matter who was doing the ordering.

"So you going to defend him now?" he demanded angrily.

"As a matter of fact I am and drop the attitude, Boyle, it's wearing thin."

"This has got nothing to do with his trust in you running the House, Nick." Micha told him "And you know it. You're angry because you know that you're wrong and it was his move to make in notifying Sloan, rules be damned. Did you stop to think that maybe Derek might have wanted to let his family know first and then deal with Sloan?"

Micha leaned toward him, putting her hands on the table top and the back of his chair, her voice low "You just got back your best friend, Nick and since day one you've been a grouch to say the least. First with Tristan and now with Derek himself. What's wrong?"

Nick looked at her, before frowning thoughtfully and his gaze going to the flowers in her hair.

That was when he caught on to the fact that they had been holding hands up until Derek left.

Micha straightened and sighed, carefully taking the flowers from her hair and turning to find a small container to put them in with water.

"Did Derek give you those?" Nick asked, steeling himself for the answer he already suspected.

She turned back to him, raising an eyebrow even as her stomach tightened with what she was afraid was about to happen "Don't change the subject."

"I'm not." Nick told her, standing up "Because that is the subject. I'm supposed to have gotten you and Derek back... and I feel like I've lost you both all over again."

"You haven't, Nick -" Micha tried to make him see that.

"Oh yeah?" he asked with a smirk "Then why is it Derek's relying on a complete stranger and has you now?"

"Maybe because you're being so snotty," Tristan said from the doorway "Of course I can't speak for the second half of your question, but I wasn't aware you had designs on Michaela."

"I wasn't talking to you, butt out." Nick warned him before looking at Micha, waiting for her answer.

Micha shot Tristan a look but not one of anger, more like exasperation as she guided Nick to the kitchen door to talk outside "Would you tell Derek I'll be right there?"

"And the rest of you can get your ears off of the walls. Fix yourself something to eat." she said a little louder and with the same amount of exasperation before closing the door behind her.

Tristan turned to the others with a crooked grin before 'bopping' Kat on the head as she stood off to the side "Well you heard the woman. I'll be right back."

He headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and found Derek, poking his head into the room "Hey."

Derek looked up, he had picked up and hung up the phone quite a few times by this point. How do you tell your mother the son she thought was dead isn't. And if William got to it first, he'd kill him iwth his bare hands.

"Hey." he replied to the younger man.

"Micha says she'll be up in a minute," Tristan told him. "She's tied up with the butt head at the moment. Want me to make you a sandwich?"

"Yes." Derek said after giving it some thought "Please do that."

He paused for a moment.

"Give him a chance Tristan," he said. "He'll grow on you."

"Like fungus huh," Tristan said with a wry smile and then holding up his hand to stop a lecture. "Yeah okay, I'll try, he plucks my last nerve. But I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Derek replied and Tristan smiled ducking his head a bit.

"If you're not down by the time I finish, I'll bring it up here," the red head said as he left the room.

The Duke sat in his study and thought for a moment, looking over to Sasha. He knew that she wanted to get ahold of that Tristan boy as he wanted to get to Micheala. He had a plan, that would accomplish both tasks in one fell swoop, the trick was finding a location to execute it.

As vampires, Drake and Sasha had to be invited into a place before they would be immune to the usual weaknesses that plague the un-dead. It wasn't likely that either of them would accept an invitation to Weinstin Manor just yet, nor would they be at all inclined to invite the Duke and his associate into their own homes. This was a meeting that would have to take place on neutral ground, and the Duke knew just how to arrange that.

Picking up the phone on his desk, he dialed up the director of the orphanage.

"Director, this is Drake Weinstin," he said into the phone in his freindliest voice. "Sasha and i think it has been far too long since we have dined together."

The house.....

She sat on the first step and patted the second for him to take, before adding "Please."

He hesitated once, having the option of just leaving.... or listening. Had it been anyone else he most likely would have told them to go to hell and leave.

Nick sat.

Micha propped her chin on his head before sighing. She couldn't help but remember everything from the Julia part of her and put her arms around him before giving him a hard hug.

"You haven't lost him Nick. Far from it." she promised "You know as well as I do you've always had a special place in his heart."

Nick swallowed hard, raising his arms to hug hers even though he remained quiet for the time being.

"And..." Micha said, broaching the subject of her and Derek "He doesn't have me now. Nick...

"Derek's always had me in that way, even with my Julia self." she said after a long pause, moving her head so that it now rested on his shoulders and hoping she wasn't hurting him "I just never told him because...well because it wasn't time."

And she felt the truth in her words, even as she spoke them. She kissed Nick's temple as he hung his head.

"I love you, Nick." she said quietly, hoping he understood that her love just wasn't and never was the kind he had wanted "And you will always have me just like you did before. Anytime you need me you only have to knock on my door with mint chocolate chip ice-cream."

A short sound escaped him, maybe a laugh.

"But you're in love with Derek." he finished, swallowing hard. Always had been, he added mentally.

"Yeah."

There was a long silence in which she just let him think whatever thoughts he would. Nick was Nick and he had his own way in dealing with things.

"And he feels the same way?" he finally asked.

"Yes." Derek replied from behind them at the top of the stairs. "I have."

He had not admitted to anyone other than Rachel and Michaela - and wouldn't have told Rachel if she hadn't pushed.

Derek came down the stairs and took a seat on one about two up from the pair.

Micha's gaze was warm as she looked up at him and Nick met his friend's gaze, voice quiet "Hey."

"Hey." Derek replied all trace of the anger from earlier gone from his voice.

Nick looked at Micha "Give us a minute?"

"Sure." she said, kissing the top of his head before standing and slipping her hand into Derek's and giving it a squeeze and kissing it before gently releasing it and walking back into the house.

Nick had watched all of this, his gaze trailing after her before going back and settling on Derek.

Derek watched Michaela go back inside and then leveled his eyes on Nick "I don't doubt your ability Nick. If I did, I never would have made the decision to leave you in charge. I've known for a long time taking over was in your destiny."

Nick sighed and, a gesture almost mirroring one Derek did on occasion, he ran his hand through his hair and then over his face "I know."

He then turned and sat, using the stair behind him to prop his elbows as he looked at the scene in front of him "And I would ask you if you knew what it was like to have someone that meant the world to you was suddenly back...... but you know that.

"So... do you know what it's like to have someone come back and then feel like they don't need you and already made a life for themselves by the time you found out about them?"

Derek kept the young mans gaze. "No, I don't."

He was quiet for a moment trying to figure out what to tell his friend. "It wasn't that simple Nick. I didn't remember anything after the explosion. It wasn't until the night we first saw one another that I even remembered who I was."

He reached out hesitantly and squeezed the younger man's shoulder. "I won't lie to you and say that things haven't changed. They have, but I will always need you to be my friend. No matter what other changes may occur. That has not changed."

"I know." Nick admitted before adding wryly "But you know how I am when someone rocks the boat when it comes to changes."

Then he grew serious "And you better make her happy."

"I will do everything within my power to make that happen," Derek promised.

Nick looked at him for a moment longer, thoughtfully and squinting one eye, as if looking up at the sun.

"Want to chew me out about Sloan?" he offered.

"Not right now, maybe later," Derek told him "Why don't we go eat some lunch. I need sustenance before calling my mother."

Nick stood "Lead the way."

Micha had already made Derek a plate, complete with a glass of Gatorade, and was sitting at the table in her usual spot and although she was replying to what the others were saying, her attention was on the hope that the two would be okay when they came back.

The two men entered the kitchen and approached the table, both looking much
more pleasant than they had. Derek sat down at his spot motioning Nick to
the empty seat beside him and looking down at his plate.

"Blessing the food there?" Tristan teased him.

Nick sat down "If he takes any longer in eating it I'm going to help myself to it."

Tristan chuckled and took a bite of his own, even as Nick reached toward the tray of meats and breads and started to make himself one.

"Oooh, look what I found!" Kat said, tossing Nick a Twinkie from the 'raid' Micha had pointed her to "Saved you some."

"Thanks." Nick replied dryly, catching it.

The doorbell rung just then and Micha wiped the corners of her mouth before excusing herself to go answer it.

"Miss Morgan?" the delivery person asked, an engraved invitation in his hand.

"Yes?"

"This is for you and a Mister Tristan Storm." he said, handing it to her and then holding a clipboard for her to sign.

She accepted it with a curious expression and signed for it, the man tipping his hat before leaving.

Micha looked at both sides of the ivory envelope, wondering who it was from since it didn't have an address on the outside of it.

As she returned to the kitchen, Derek put down the glass he had been sipping
from and looked up at her.

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged and sat back down, working her finger under the envelope's seal before opening it and taking the card out "It's to me and Tristan... "

She opened the card and read the contents "Thank you for attending the City Hall Event and as per your considerate donation as well as continued interest in the orphanage I, Director Andrews, invite you to a private luncheon..."

Micha looked at the date "Friday."

Which was a couple of days from now. She handed it to Tristan and picked up her juice to take a drink.

Derek frowned at this.

"Are you going to go?" He wasn't sure he wanted her to. That man would be there.

Micha nodded, only to put the juice down and look at him curiously "I wanted him to show me the place so I'd have a better idea on where the place really needed help."

Tristan remembered her talking to the Director before the phone call but wondered why he had been invited, then figured it was because he had been with her at the time.

"Do you think he'd mind you bringing a guest?" Derek asked then.

"Well it does say private luncheon." Tristan pointed out before giving him the invitation "Want to be my stand in?"

"What should I have?" he turned to Kat and asked mock seriously as he faked a cough "A cold.. the flu? The measles?"

Kat giggled and suggested one of her favorites "A cold and if someone wants to take your temperature stick the tip of it against a lightbulb."

"Katherine Corrigan." Rachel said, her daughter having had a 'cold' a couple of weeks ago and suspecting she had pulled this stunt.

"That was an honest cold, Mom." Kat assured her "Because I went outside without my shoes remember?"

Nick chuckled and pointed out, which earned him a kick under the table by Alex "At least she isn't pulling the pillow in the bed thing."

"I would vote for the flu," Derek told Tristan. "I seriously doubt the director is going to pop over and take your temperature."

"Ow." Nick finally pipped up without meaning it, grinning as he took another bite. He had deliberately waited a moment before letting Alex know he had felt it, just to get a rise out of her.

What he got was a promising look from the African American as she pointed the tip of her spoon at him.

Tristan snickered at both of them and nodded "Flu it is."

He got the others into a discussion of what mock symptoms he should show if someone popped over but Micha wasn't really paying attention. She more interesting in knowing why Derek had been so interested in going and had a feeling it wasn't just to be in her company.

Derek noticed the pensive look on Micha's face and reached over to squeeze her hand.

"Well talk later." her promised in a soft voice.

"And I like children." he added with a smile.

That made her smile, even as she slid their hands off the table and squeezed his back before asking quietly "Were you able to reach your family?"

"No," Derek told her. "I decided to wait and do that on a full stomach instead."

He was a bit anxious about this task, though he would not really admit it any more than he already had.

She didn't want to rush him but she was thinking of Sloan and wouldn't have been surprised if the man had called them already. But Derek needed to eat too, so she ran her thumb over his hand and waited.

Derek managed a smile and then finished his lunch, listening to the banter
that went on around him in relative silence.

He knew he had to get to his family before sloan if at all possible. So,
when everyone had finished he stood and excused himself, hoping Michaela
would be able to slip away for moral support.

".....behave." Micha tossed a napkin at Tristan when he started getting into symptoms he could have on top of the flu. She then stood and excused herself, getting a couple of drinks before heading upstairs.

She found Derek sitting beside the telephone, looking at it. Smiling encouragement Micha came in and set the drinks on the table nearby before standing behind him, with her arms about his shoulders and hugging him gently.

Derek looked up at her for a moment and then lifted the receiver for the...well he had lost track by this point. Slowly, he dialed his mother's number, all the codes for dialing out of the US still retained in his head.

There was a slight delay and then it began to ring. It was about 8:00pm her time.

Micha kissed the top of his head and just held him, just being there if he needed.

The phone was picked up on the third ring by Barbara Rayne herself, her tone quieter than normal - or rather, before she had lost her son. It had been the tone most heard from her since the day she had been told of Derek's death and something had.... died within her in that moment. She had always been strong for the family, had continued to be strong after her husband's death - was strong during the possibility of losing her daughter.

But when she had been told about Derek....

"Hello?"

Derek felt a lump in his throat hearing her voice. It had been so long and she sounded so...he wasn't sure how to describe it, but she did not sound like herself. He cleared his throat, fearing he might not be able to speak.

"Mother." he said softly.

There was a pause and then, gripping the table's edge, Barbara gripped the phone more. Ingrid, who had flown over to visit, looked up from something she was reading and stood "Mother...?"

"Who is this?" Barbara whispered.

"It's Derek," he replied feeling slightly sick. What if she didn't believe him? The silence on the other end of the phone was making him nervous.

"Mamma?" He had rarely called her that since he was a child, but now it just seemed right.

Suddenly, after another pause, the sound of Barbara Rayne, who had never once raised her voice at a given thing, could be heard speaking in a rush of Dutch, English and French and crying.

"Yes, it is," Derek replied softly. "It's so good to hear your voice. How are you?" What an inane question, what was wrong with his brain?

"You okay?" Micha couldn't help but ask softly beside his other ear so as not to be overheard and wondering why he would ask them something like that considering the subject at hand.

And she wasn't alone.

"Derek Emory Rayne," Barbara called him to task, only to end up smiling through the tears she had just shed "I and your sister have been mourning your death, how do you think we are? You weren't in the explosion? Alexandra and Nick were so certain --"

Derek flinched slightly at the use of his full name. He suddenly felt a fleeting feeling in his stomach. The same feeling he got when he was in trouble as a child. However, that passed quickly.

"I was, I just managed to get out. I lost my memory," he added hastily, so she would know he had not put her through that on purpose. He had once before, when Horton had invaded his house. But not this time.

Micha thought maybe she was adding to his feeling of nervousness by being maybe 'over' close, so moved to sit on the bed's edge but in his line of view.

"Where are you, Derek?" Ingrid asked, knowing that their mother - and of course herself - both wanted to see him as soon as possible "We had called all of the hospitals there, just in case..."

"I didn't go to a hospital," Derek told them "I'm in a town called Legend, it's in California too."

Holding the phone with one hand, he reached over and took Michaela's hand with his other and squeezed it "I'm staying with a friend, Michaela Morgan. She's been looking after me."

Micha squeezed his hand in return, giving him an encouraging smile.

"Legend, all right." Ingrid said, writing down the information.

"Do the others know?" Barbara asked "And will this Miss Morgan expect us?"

"I believe our mother means to ask," Ingrid said, a hint of a smile obvious in her tone as she came right out and asked "Is does Miss Morgan have room for us or will we be staying in a hotel to see you?"

Their mother smiled softly, at the moment using a delicate handkerchief to dry her eyes and listen to the telephone conversation between her children.

"Yes the others know and no you don't need to stay in a hotel. Michaela has already started planning for your arrival."

"Good, good." Barbara said "We shall have to thank her when we arrive. If we take a flight out now we should reach there by..."

She looked at Ingrid.

"Tomorrow afternoon. We could rent a car if needed."

Micha raised her eyebrows, wondering when they would be there.

"No, don't do that, I'll send someone for you. Or come myself if I feel up to it," Derek told her."

"Send?" Micha whispered curiously. If they needed to be picked up she or both of them or, if Derek wanted to be alone with them, could do it.

"To the airport tomorrow," he said back to her softly. "Think you'll be feeling up to it?"

She pushed back a sudden feeling of nervousness and nodded, tucking some of her hair with her free hand behind her ear "I'd love to."

"All right," Derek said with a smile and returned to the phone. "Mother, call me with your flight number and we'll be waiting for you at the airport."

"I will." she promised, holding the phone close. She couldn't put into words what she was feeling now. Her son was alive "I will have to thank the one that helped you so.... I'm so glad, Derek."

Ingrid smiled and added "We both are."

"That makes three of us." Derek replied.

He gave his mother the phone number before he forgot. It was going to be all right.

"Bring some coffee with you please," he added. "And chocolate." He thought Michaela would like that.

"We will." Barbara promised "And we will see you soon, Derek."

"Take care." Ingrid added, knowing their mother was bringing the call to an end. They both had arraignments to make so that they could leave as soon as possible.

"We love you." The elder of the two said, more life in her gaze and voice than there had been in days.

"I love you too," he repsonded. "Have a good trip."

"It will be a very good trip." Barbara said before hanging up "We are going to see my son."

Derek smiled and relaxed for the first time.

"See you soon." he said and then hung up.

Turning he smiled at Michaela. "Ingrid was there. So I killed two birds with one stone."

"And you feel better." she noticed, glad it had worked out so well. She couldn't help it and found herself smiling, seeing his.

"Yes, much." Derek admitted.

"Good." Micha nodded decisively before looking at the bedroom door and chewing her bottom lip. She had to get the rooms ready for his family. Food, she had to make sure there was plenty to eat.. and what did they like to drink? What did they like to eat? Towels, bedspreads, what if one or both of them were allergic to down...? what if they hated their rooms...?

The questions shot at her and she felt her stomach tighten in nervousness, just as she fell back against the bed and mentally groaned.....

.... only to chuckle out loud at the fact that she had gone through finding a total stranger at her door, near death and nursed him back, saw two ghosts in her attic, rejoined her spirit in a merge, faced down a couple of demons or something, sealed a portal to hell, dealing with Nick.... and she was nervous about meeting Derek's family!

Derek raised an eyebrow curiously. "What?"

She lifted up her head enough to look at him, humor lighting her eyes as she explained "We've faced down Hell itself and I'm nervous about meeting your family."

Derek somehow managed to keep a straight face. "Perfectly understandable, they're a vicious lot."

Micha picked up a pillow and tossed it at him, laughing a little "Don't tease."

"Who's teasing," Derek replied. "My sister is the reason so many prochial school children are terrified of rulers and nuns."

He was teasing of course.

Micha rolled her eyes, then looked back up at the ceiling "Are they allergic to anything? Do you think they'll like the rooms?"

Then another thought struck but she didn't voice this one. What if they didn't like her.....? Or maybe they'd have a problem with the whole her being Julia's twin thing...

She groaned to herself and closed her eyes.

"Not that I know of," Derek said thoughtfully, "and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't like their rooms. Don't worry."

"How do you feel about meeting my parents?" Micha asked suddenly, putting her hands behind her back so that she could look at him without lifting her head too much.

"I would love to meet the people who helped make you who you are," Derek told her.

"Including my... father?" she asked, wondering if he could relate to what she was feeling in regard to meeting 'the' parent that had the most... what, influence with them?

Derek considered this for a moment. He would be a little concerned about that. Though not as much so right now as he might later on. He then smiled down at her.

"My mother is going to love you." he informed her.

So he did get it, she thought as she looked back up at the ceiling.

"Can we still kick everyone out tonight?" she asked, a smile in her tone as she reached over and took the other pillow, putting it under her head.

"Definitely," Derek agreed and then with a small quirk of his mouth he asked, "It wouldn't be possible to meet your father this afternoon would it?"

"We could actually. They don't live far from here." she asked curiously, then added, raising her head to look at him again "Why?"

"Grab the pillow." she instructed before he could answer, holding out his hand to gently tug him over to lay beside her "It's comfy."

Derek chuckled and put the pillow she had thrown at him under his head.

Then his mind turned to her question and he flushed slightly "I just thought it might be a good idea."

She turned sideways to face him, propping her cheek in hand "We could have them over for dinner if you'd like."

"That sounds like a plan to me," Derek agreed. He figured it might be easier meeting her father before their relationship progressed to far. Then he didn't need to worry about the man trying to decide whether or not he had done anything to...well harm her honor. Of course her father could wonder that anyway, but Derek figured if nothing had happened he couldn't be made to feel uncomfortable or worse, guilty. Not that it would have been real guilt, but..well it was a difficult issue.

"Why?" she asked, wanting to know why it was a plan.. but also why he wanted to meet them. Her lips quirked at little.

"Because," Derek replied slowly. "I think it's a good idea for me to meet your father as soon as possible." He did not elaborate, but a tinge of pink tinted his cheeks again.

"Umm, okay." Micha said before leaning over him to pick up the phone he had just gotten off of and dialing her parents' house.

Her dad answered on the second ring.

"Hey Pops." Micha greeted him "Remember that time you told me to call you if the time ever came to measure a guy's mettle?"

She looked at Derek with a crooked grin "Do you have the yard stick?"

She listened for a moment, her gaze going to Derek's eyes, chuckling as she answered her father's question "Yes he does. Yes.. mmhmm... yes."

"I do what?" Derek whispered hoarsely.

Micha moved the phone away and bent to kiss Derek gently on the forehead before going back to the phone to finish her conversation.

"How about 8?" she listened for a little bit more and then "Okay, see you then. Tell mom I said hi and I'll talk to her tonight. Okay, love you. Bye."

She then hung up and laid back against the pillow "Dinner's on for tonight at 8."

"Are we cooking? And what was he asking?"

"We all are." she replied "It's the way we are when we eat dinner together. Everyone chips in and cooks."

"Oh," she added mock absently about what her father was asking "This... that... and the other."

"What exactly was the other." Derek asked her.

"Did you have honest eyes." she replied "My Dad considers a man's ability to meet another person's gaze to be a quick way of knowing if a man is honest or nor. So he wanted to know if you did that. Then he asked me if he'd be proud of you and the 'other' was did I love you."

"Ah," Derek replied feeling a bit relieved. He would have to remember to look the man in the eye.

Micha scooted closer to him and murmured the words - or more, the sentiment - he had told her earlier "My parents will love you."

"I hope so, but even if they don't, knowing you do is enough." Derek told her.

She laid there and smiled, tucking her hands under her cheek and blushing a little "Of course I do."

And if it weren't for the fact they had seplicurs and people to deal with she could have stayed that way no telling how long.

Of course that didn't mean she was really in any real hurry to get up....

Derek was perfectly happy to stay where he was as well. Unfortunately, responsibility began to call.

"You know," he said with a gentle smile "if we stay up here much longer, they may begin to gossip downstairs. Then again...they might go away."

"Let's take care of the seplicurs," Micha ended up suggesting, more because of her plans afterward than anything else "and then test that theory."

"Brilliant idea." Derek agreed, but stayed where he was.

So far she was getting the impression he was courting her and wanting it to be in the traditional manner - or as traditional as their relationship could be considering.. it felt like they'd known each other forever.

But wanting to meet her parents... the way they were laying there enjoying the other's presence but holding back from touching her... She lowered her gaze to his hands and then back up to his eyes, not moving either.

After a few more minutes Derek sat up grudgingly.

"All right, we better go down." he said decisively. He took her hand, kissing it and then stood tugging her to her feet.

"We still get to kick them out later though right?" she asked jokingly as she was helped up and walked with him.

When they reached the kitchen the others were already up and had the kitchen cleaned.

Nick turned to them "Ready to take care of those boxes?"

Derek smiled and nodded. "We are. I think we should scatter them again and if possible try and find the keys in the rubble."

"Well," Nick said, looking at Tristan before looking back and Derek and offering, remembering the request to get along better with the man "Tristan and I can go look for them now if he doesn't have anything else to do."

Thing was... did Derek intend to tell Tristan about the 'boxes' or what they did in regards to artifacts like the seplicurs. Or tell him anything about the Legacy?

The three men went off to deal with the seplicurs and their disposal, leaving Micha with the others. She decided then would be a good time to start in getting ready for the parental units and sister that would soon be making an appearance........

End of Episode Five
join us next week for Episode Six "Reunions"

Back