Craig fought his way slowly through the fog that surrounded him.
He tried to open his eyes but the effort was too much.
`You'll have to try harder than that little brother`, the voice said.
Craig did as he was told, willing the fog to lift and his eyes to open.
He looked around the room and saw Actor and Chief standing near the door talking to the doctor. He turned and looked at the bedside and saw Angel sitting
there holding his hand, He smiled at her , but she didn't move, He called to her , but she ignored him. He called Actors name but it was as if he didn't exist.
`You want to get out of bed? The voice asked him.
Craig looked around him and saw his reflection in the mirror.
Suddenly his reflection smiled.
`That's better, the old brains beginning to work now, isn't it? Asked the voice.
Craig looked at the man standing in front of him.
`David?
`Glad you still remember me`, David said gleefully.
Craig shut his eyes , convinced that he had finally gone mad.
`Still be here when you open those baby blues you know`, said David laughing, `You aren't crazy if that what you're wondering, it's really me,
well as much of me as there is now, and you can do and say whatever you want, they can't hear or see you`,
David walked over to Angel and gently stroked her hair.
`I miss her so much`, he said softly.`
`She misses you too, every day`, Craig replied staring at them. `What's going on David? Am I dead? A ghost?
David laughed.
`No little brother , you are still very much alive, for now anyway, but you have doubts about coming back, and I've been sent back to help you decide what's
the right thing to do`.
`Don't have any doubts `, said Craig angrily.
`Oh Craig, this is me you're talking too, You have doubts every time you take them on a mission,
Craig said nothing.
`Casino and Goniff both got hurt this time. Actor and Chief dragged the three of you to safety with the help of the resistance, You know all this because you've
been laying there listening,` said David as he nodded towards the bed.
`You doubt your decision to take them out of prison. You put their lives at risk and your own every time you leave. You wonder if it would have been better if they had never
met you, isn't that right? He asked.
David bent down and kissed Angel's hair.
`You wonder too if she would be better without you in her life`, he said.
Craig bowed his head.
`I killed your daughter`, he said sadly, `She died because of me`.
David shook his head.
`I think the driver of the jeep that ran you both down should take some of that responsibility, don't you? He asked.
Craig looked at him.
`Anyway Angel's dealt with all that, come to terms with it, she doesn't blame you`, he said.
`I know, But I can't help wondering . What would have happened if I hadn't taken Sarah with me that day. She would still have her daughter.
Her life would have been so different.
`Very true`, said David nodding. `What if I you hadn't been hurt? What if I hadn't tried to get to you? What if you had died instead of me? I suppose you think everything
would be hunky-dory now don't you?
Craig lowered his head.
Maybe it would`, he said softly.
David laughed.
`You can't change things that are supposed to happen, it's all done for a reason. If I had come back , or if Sarah had lived then Angel would have never have been a
part of their lives, and they need her, Help the living Craig, don't dwell on the past, just accept it and move on. However hard that is to do `, he said looking lovingly
at Angel.
Craig took a step towards him and stumbled.
`You need to go back for a while`, he said.
`Back where? Asked Craig.
David nodded towards the bed.
`How?
`Just close your eyes`, said David, `And don't get too comfortable, I'll be back. There are some things that I need to show you`.
Craig closed his eyes and drifted back into the fog.
…...
When he opened his eyes again he was standing on the balcony of a chateau, overlooking a beautiful valley. He turned and looked inside.
The décor was exquisite, and obviously expensive. There was a huge array of books against one wall and antique vases and statues were everywhere.
`You can go in and have a closer look if you want`, said David. `No-one can see you`.
`What is this place? Asked Craig.
`This was Actors home, a long time ago. I thought you should see what kind of life he had before he turned to crime`.
Craig walked around the room.
`It's beautiful`, he said. `
David nodded
`You can see where he gets his love of antiques from, can't you? Asked David.
Why would he give all this up? Asked Craig.
`Perhaps he had no choice, but it was here that he learned that without money he was nothing`, said David sadly.
Craig looked around the room once more.
`Come` said David.
Craig did as he was told and followed David to the door at the end of the room. As he walked through he realised that his surroundings had changed.
They were shabby compared to the room they had just left. He stood still and then watched as Actor entered the room followed by a woman.
It was a younger Actor than the one he knew, perhaps in his mid twenties. He stood with his back to the woman.
Craig watched as she reached forward and put her hand on his arm. He saw Actor flinch and pull away from her.
`Please Giovanni, can you not understand why I cannot marry you? She asked tearfully.
`Oh I understand perfectly`, said Actor angrily. `I am not good enough for you now. While I lived at the chateau and did my fathers bidding your family were only too
pleased for us to marry, but now that my father no longer pays my bills, your father will not agree to you marrying what he considers to be a pauper`.
``I love you so much,` she said softly, ` but I cannot disobey my father, he would disown me`.
Actor took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.
As they parted he looked down at her.
`Go` he said `Before they find you`.
`I love you Giovanni`, she said tearfully `Remember that always`.
Actor turned away from her and Craig watched her leave and saw the hurt and the anger in Actors face.
Actor walked to the corner of the room and picked up the suitcase . He took one last look around the room.
`Never again will I live like this`, he said with venom as he stormed out of the door.
Craig watched , stunned by the anger he had witnessed.
`He never shows this side of himself`, he said
`He learned to hide his hurt, maybe a little to well`, David replied as he nodded towards the door. `Follow him`.
Craig walked to the door and opened it. He entered a large banqueting hall.
`Where are we now? He asked.
`This is what would have happened if you hadn't found him something to do`, said David. `He has served his time in prison, been a model prisoner, He has acquaintances by
the hundred, any woman that he wants, whenever he wants , and despite all of this he is quite alone . He has no true friends, no-one that he can completely trust.
This is the beginning of the end for him`.
`Why? He has everything he wants`, said Craig.
`That is true. But he has nothing that he needs. He has no wife, no children, no family. It was a choice he made. He never went back for Eloise after he made his money,
He didn't want to bring her into the world he had made for himself and he never found anyone else that he loved enough to want to share his life with`. Said David.
`What happens to him? Asked Craig with concern.
`Come, I'll show you`, said David as turned to look at Craig.
Craig looked at the door that was now in front of him .
`Enter if you wish`, said David.
`The room he entered was well furnished but it was obvious that it belonged to a man.
Actor entered, an older Actor.
Craig looked at him and felt the loneliness wash over him,.
There were no photographs , nothing that showed any sign that anyone lived here but Actor, and although he still looked good for his age Craig knew that he would
not now be able to pull of a con as he had done in previous years.
Doesn't he have anyone?
David shook his head.
`He has staff to take care of him, but no-one that truly matters to him`, said David.
`What happens to him?
David shrugged his shoulders.
`Who knows. Maybe he'll be lucky and find the love that passed him by, or maybe he'll just sit here with his books and do nothing. Just accept what fate has given
him.` said David.
Craig started to walk over to Actor.
`Remember he cannot see you, you cannot change anything, no matter how much you want too.`
`Will this happen if I decide to go back? Asked Craig.
Craig, this is what would have happened if you hadn't taken him out of prison, this isn't now. You changed all this, you gave him a purpose in life, you gave him the one thing
that he needed, a true friend. Someone he can trust with his life, he never found that before`.
`Will he be all right now? Even if I don't go back? asked Craig.
David smiled.
He learnt something wonderful. He learnt that money isn't everything, that friendship doesn't need to be bought. He will survive now, maybe find someone that he wants to
spend the rest of his life with, he finally learnt that he has friends that care about him , and not his money, he is more at home now than he has ever been`, said David.
Craig smiled.
`I'm glad, he said, `No-one should feel alone`, David smiled back at him.
`Well maybe you're learning something too little brother`, he said.
Craig suddenly felt dizzy.
`Time to go back now, this is still a little new to you`, said David.
`Whatever you say `, said Craig as he closed his eyes.
…..
