'Jacob, can dreams make you feel tired?'

'If you live the dream, yes.'

'What do you mean by that?'

Cathy rolled over on her side to face her husband of a few weeks. His eyes were full of laughter. He had other things on his mind but seemed content to humour her foray into the crossroads of past and present. There were no stop or yield signs of any kind on her inward journey. Cathy, secure in Jacob's love and trusting his own experiences, allowed her body and mind to access the wealth of knowledge and insight contained in dreams. She waited impatiently for his answer.

'I mean, dear wife, that if you live what your characters are doing right along with them, you will feel tired, especially if they lived exciting lives.'

'Am I supposed to just watch it all, like a movie?'

'Yes, yes, try to be an observer, not a participant.'

'I may try that with everything in my life if you are not careful' she said lightly touching his face, tracing the lines of his eyebrows. She resisted the urge to tug on the ridiculously long eyelashes.

'I'd like to bet that you could not remain detached from everything,'

Jacob's voice held a teasing dare. Cathy would love to share an intimate moment with her husband but she knew his day was full and hers would be a challenge with unexpected events cropping up all the time. They stared at each other down the length of their touching noses.

'Rain check?' she whispered.

'Chicken?'

Cathy spared a thought for her long dead ancestor whose tale of adventure waited for completion in her dreams. The blue of Jacob's eyes darkened as he watched his own reflection across the expanse of her dilated pupils.

'I am no chicken Jacob Wells. If I learned anything from my dreams last night, surviving is something programmed into my cells.'

She continued to stare directly at her husband.

'I'll hold you to the promise in your eyes. It will be my pleasure to test how long you can remain detached.'

'You're on!'

The pair laughed together. It wasn't strange to find them reluctant to leave the warmth of their bed. The hours spent exploring their relationship under the cover of the early nights and late mornings helped to weave their magical relationship into a tapestry of delight. Jacob was already late. It was clear that he had no appointments booked but getting an early start to the day allowed him to spend the afternoon with his Father, Mother or Sisters before Cathy returned from school. Their life was complex, complicated and a never-ending source of wonder to both of them.

Very shortly after their Halloween wedding, Cathy elected to return to classes. Her life had purpose now and what she wanted to do was clear in her mind. Convincing Jacob was a real test of her confidence in their marriage. Against his initial negative reaction, she took on the task of ensuring that the women who were going to access Lena's place would all be helped to move on to some other Sanctuary. It was important that any initial threat to their lives be neutralized. It had only been a few weeks, Christmas was on the horizon and yet more than two dozen women had come through the chambers. Word spread quickly on the street. The black van, which picked up women in trouble, nearby the old cubby hole was deemed safe. It could have been a very dangerous endeavour if Rob or Carl were not careful. A protocol was set up between the tunnel community and the cubby hole. An older couple from below would monitor the women in trouble. Simeon and Donata took on the task without a word of complaint. They had always been part of the world below. Using pre arranged signals; they would identify those most in need of help and make the call. The two drivers would pick up potential clients from another site nearby.

It wasn't a perfect system. So many things could go wrong. Pimps and crooks, whose girlfriends and wives sold their bodies for money, could get very violent if that source of income were removed. The lesson of Jerrie, the biological mother of Jacob's sisters, Mea and Cilla, was not forgotten. The women and children had to be protected at all costs.

Cathy's return to school allowed her to fill in the gaps of knowledge needed to help women move from dependence on their abusive men to independence. It would not work with everyone but those who chose not to utilize the safety net of Lena's Place did so without repercussions. They were returned to the street, fed and warm, sometimes with a new set of hand-me-down clothes.

The difficulty for Cathy was in letting go and allowing the women to know that they had a choice. Her own topsy-turvy childhood and the lessons learned from her mother kept her focused. She couldn't save everyone. She could help those who wished to save themselves. In making her case to Jacob, she reminded him that she knew the pitfalls of trying to assist women from the street. He hadn't married a uptown girl used to wealth and comfort. She had been caring for her sick mother and Frederick long before she became a woman. Jacob acquiesced. The needs were great and time was too short. Jacob hadn't even thought beyond getting the place ready.

After a hasty breakfast and a final kiss goodbye to her still amorous husband, Cathy went downstairs to spend some time with Catherine, Mea, Cilla and Sue. It was clear that Vincent had long since left.

'Jacob was a little late this morning. Is he alright?' Catherine inquired absentmindedly, her eye on Cilla who was splashing around Cheerios in her cereal dish.

'He's fine. We were just….'

'You don't have to tell me Cathy.'

'Mom, you are making me blush. It wasn't like that.'

'If it was like that I would be perfectly happy.' Catherine smiled and hugged her daughter-in-law briefly, before adding in the direction of the flying milk drops 'Cilla, eat up. Don't play!' Catherine removed the bowl from in front of her daughter commenting to Cathy, 'we share a home but we don't have to share everything.'

It was hard to imagine that Catherine had been in a coma not so long ago. Cathy watched as she deftly kept an eye on the girls, talking and organizing things around the kitchen at the same time.

'Thanks Mom. I can share this with you. I have been trying to enter the dream state with an open mind. Jacob is a great guide, but we have to discuss everything at length.'

'He is a remarkable young man. I never ceased to be amazed at what Vincent was able to accomplish. I am proud of Jacob's career but his ability to tap into this other world of energy and esoteric knowledge is a real gift.' Catherine did not want to heap too much praise on her son. He was an exceptional young man but still filled with contradictions that made him impulsive at times. Cathy's steadfast ways offered him perfect balance. Catherine knew her daughter-in-law was both grounded and organized.

'His gift has been enormously helpful to so many. I often wonder what he will do when the full potential of it hits home.'

'That is one reason why I am happy you are his wife. You'll keep him on the straight and narrow.'

'Oh Mom…I hope so. Loving him so much takes away all my inhibitions about the straight and narrow.' Cathy realized in an instant that what she said could be taken so many ways. Her blush deepened even as she joined in the laughter from Catherine and Sue.

Little Cilla, who had no understanding of the conversation, none the less joined in. The happiness which had eluded her early life was becoming so much a part of every day. Little by little she blossomed. Her sticky fingers reached up to hug Cathy. She was rewarded with a kiss and a small ribbon from Cathy's pocket for her early morning hair do.

'What are your plans today?'

'I'll be at the chambers until 2 and then classes. If you don't need anything from Jacob today, I think I will take him out for dinner.'

'I don't Cathy. I may walk with Cilla to the play group in the community centre across the park. Vincent promised to be home early. Tomorrow will be different. Mea has that appointment and probably another ultrasound. I will need Jacob's help then. Enjoy your evening together.'

The women looked at the infant securely held in Sue's arms. She had changed little from her initial burst of growth weeks after the surgery. She still gained steadily but slowly. Mea seemed to reach a plateau where she was neither deteriorating nor improving. She remained happy, teething, and taking what food she could from a mildly restricted diet. No one wanted to talk about what the future would hold. Everyday was a gift.

Cathy returned upstairs to dress for her trip uptown. The December morning was chilly. Snow had not yet fallen. The barren trees across the park were already looking forlorn. She put on a warm olive green pantsuit, gathered her books and papers together, and took out a light dark grey wool coat. It appeared too chilly for her fall jacket. She had a few stops to make along the way and would spend some time outdoors.

Walking quickly and out of the warmth and comfort of the Brownstone, Cathy allowed herself to become immersed in the day ahead. She reviewed the recent events in the chambers, reminding herself of who was there. Currently there were five women in residence. Only one had a child.

Cathy had not wanted the chambers to become her whole world. It was easy to see how she could get caught up in the struggles of the women. She knew Jacob would understand if she put 100 percent of herself into her work. It was how she approached everything in life. She didn't want this project to exclude her family. . She had never had a happy home life. No matter what she did with or without Jacob, he would always be her priority.

The Sanctuary was originally Jacob's dream: his way of helping to make women safe. It was born out of the knowledge of his grandmother's difficult life and fashioned from the place his biological grandfather used improperly. The facility, the location, the services were not designed for long term refuge. It was meant to be a temporary safe haven for women and children to get their lives sorted out, time to regroup. While Jacob had a vision, he did not have the practical skills to realize that you couldn't just put women in a room and hope for the best.

In his underground tunnel world, the rules were already well established. Father's leadership and the council provided all the tools needed to ensure safety and security. Lena's Place was a new venture, designed to replace the unsafe and unhealthy cubby hole where Mea and Cilla were found abandoned months earlier. Troubled women cohabiting in an underground tunnel, no matter how well prepared would not work without some regulations and a plan. There would always be women who just wanted a night away from the boyfriend. Others would need longer term accommodation. Many of them would be runaways, lost, homeless and scared. The most difficult were women with children. Kids needed food, warmth, a bed and security. They also needed a long term goal and to be in school.

One thing Cathy did was to make contact with women's shelters in different parts of the city. Within four to five days of arriving at the shelter, many were on their way to more controlled and structured facilities if their wish was to get off the streets. She broke off her thoughts to pick up a few treats for the men, a ritual established long ago.

Cathy was glad of the extra warmth as she made her way to the subway, fruits in hand. The wind whipped at her coat tails. Many times she was blown sideways by a chilly winter gust. Unbidden, Knut came to mind. Was that a true story or just a figment of my imagination? Cathy could not be sure. She put the dream on hold and returned her thoughts to the day ahead. It was well past morning rush hour. The train was full but not uncomfortable. She hugged her briefcase close, resting her chin on the handle. The temptation to review and analyze her dream pulled at her. Daydreaming on New York subways was not a good idea. She sighed and returned her mental attention to the day ahead.