Sorry for the long wait, uni started and yes chaos. haha. Thank you all for the follows and feedback. more welcomed! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter too!


Stone awoke with a daze, the room was too bright, the smell made him feel sick, but there was warmth. Someone was holding his hand. He looked to the left to see who it was.

"Cassie?"

Cassie stirred awake, "Jacob! You're awake!" she gave him a hug, that was too sudden in her excitement and hard. She received a groan in return. "Oh no, Jacob. I'm sorry. I'll call someone"

A simple hug, made his side flare up and he remembered what happened, and the pain. Pain. He was feeling pain. The machine on his left started to beep wildly. He heard them call his name, but the his eyes were screwed shut in agony. Where was the darkness, it was always so inviting. Then he felt it, slowly he felt himself slip into the darkness, a calm soothing darkness.

Cassie felt horrible. She, she had hurt Stone. She had called Jenkins to let him know what had happened and he came in time to watch the doctors checking on Stone and Cassie cry.

Jenkins put his hand on Cassie's shoulder. Cassie turned and was thankful for Jenkins as she let herself cry into his chest. All Jenkins could do was to caress her hair to console her as he looked dead ahead at the chaos in Stone's room.

"He'll be okay. We've given him some morphine to ease the pain. Just make sure, no hugs" the doctor said with smile.

There has to be a way to stop this other sight of his Jenkins thought and mentally made a note to do some research back at the Annex.

Stone was dreaming now, dreaming about brawls, his father, the business, his writings, his adventures with the library. Adventures with the library, he laughed, "that's what got me in the hospital didn't it", a gun shot, "I hate guns" he thought out loud.

"Jacob Stone."

"Who's there?" he turned around, looking far, looking wide. No one.

"Jacob Stone, you can't see me, but I can see you." Stone blinked in confusion. "I'm truly sorry"

Those words were like fire to Stone, he started panicking. "Go away, haven't you done enough?" he yelled and closed his eyes and ears trying to shut whatever it was out.

"Please Jacob, the only way you can control me, is for you to embrace me"

"I… I don't want… I don't need… I can't!" he shouted shakily. "One is enough" he rolled his right sleeve back to reveal his tatoos of wisdom. "I just can't handle another, it's too much!"

Silence.

"Is it gone" Stone thought and a slight relief washed over him.

"I can't be gone" the voice came back. Stone was dissappointed and defeated at the same time. He hung his head low, raised his head and asked "What to you mean you can't be gone?"

"I can't be gone Jacob Stone, unless something bad happens to you"

"You mean like when I got shot?"

"When you die." Silence. "I don't want anything to happen to you Jacob Stone. You're a good man, knowledgeable and honest. I want to lessen this burden I've put on you but you have to accept me."

"And if I don't?"

"The visions will come whether you want them to or not, but as you resist, your headaches will get worse."

Stone thought about his time at the Annex, in terrible pain and he winced at the recollection. And then he saw his team, without him, figuring out things, though they got the job done, with him, it could have been faster or smoother. He felt like he had let the team down. If the only way to not be a burden to the team is to accept his other gift, then he had no choice. I mean it's not like 'I'm sorry' is giving me an option either, he thought.

He let out a deep sigh, what's the worse that could happen right? The worst has already happened, him lying in hospital.

"Fine" he said, "I… I'll accept you"