Sorry about the delay. It was a long one for me. Hope you enjoy.

BRASSROCKS

"Milady, you should not do this," he said as he looked at the beautiful woman who stood before him.

"Be still, Lord Alfred has instructed me to care for you. Your sword is necessary in his plans."

He settled back on the cot that he rested on and watched as she tended to his wound. The battle that afternoon had been fierce and one of Prince Henry's knaves had thrust a spike into his leg as he'd battled the knights. The strike had caught him off guard and he would have been lost if not for the training of his horse, Caesar, who had turned on the knaves, reared, and pawed at all who approached with his hooves. Then he'd carried his master from the field, leaving the battle behind. "Damn that knave," he said as he winced from the pain her care was creating.

"I'm very sorry Sir William. I know it hurts but it is necessary."

He looked down at Lady Miriam. "'Tis no matter. With your care, I'm sure the leg will heal. I am sorry that I am so gruff…"

She looked up at him and smiled. What a beautiful smile she had and her eyes, her eyes were like diamonds, they sparkled so brilliantly. Her expression took his breath away. "Sir William?" she asked, concerned. "I'm fine," he growled.

With her care, his leg did improve and as he was able to move about, he found her on a balcony. "Sir William," she smiled. "I am surprised to see you moving around so much."

"It is due to your care," he told her, his eyes locked with hers.

She blushed and looked away. "It was…my pleasure," she said quietly.

"Only because Lord Alfred insisted," he reminded her.

She turned and looked at him intently. "No. I…have not forgotten what was before, what we shared. Alfred told me to see to your care but I decided to tend to it myself."

His heart rested in his throat. "You mustn't…if Alfred…"

"I don't care," she cried. "He may order me about as he pleases, but my heart…" she looked away sadly. "My heart will always be yours," she cried.

He turned her face towards him. "As mine is yours. I have not married for a reason, my love. And I never shall. Alfred believes I am here for him, but it is you for whom I fight. You are the reason I breathe."

"William…I've transgressed. You shouldn't…" Her words were cut short by his kiss. "Miriam…oh my love…"

She tasted of the sweetest nectar. And as they joined, he felt that finally he had found his home. He would rejoin the war soon and go into battle, ready to defend her family's interests until his last breath, because he had found heaven with her and nothing else on this earth interested him.

As he mounted Caesar to leave, he looked up at her, standing on her balcony that overlooked the yard. She had told him her secret the previous night as they had lain together one last time. He would take her secret to his grave. She was with child, his child. Alfred would never know and would raise the child as his own. But she knew and as she had cried, she had confessed her happiness that she would always have a part of him.

He looked up at her one last time and rode off to battle, his last battle, with the memory of her warmth in his heart.

Jim woke up, fighting for breath. He was clinging to his pillow, his sheets soaked in sweat. It was so real, he thought. Like the others…

The dreams were driving him crazy, especially since he was certain that Micha was in every one of them…and so was he. But why the different time periods…different places? He couldn't sort it out and he was becoming frustrated. He needed to talk it out with some one, but who? How would he bring it up anyway? Hey, there's this woman and I'm boinking her anytime, anyplace…literally.

Later that day he was sitting at his desk, ignoring the file that was open on top as he was contemplating his dreams. He sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes momentarily, trying to refocus. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought him back, his eyes opening to find Kerrie Wilson, one of the departmental shrinks, standing in front of his desk. His eyebrow cocked, Jim looked at her questionably. "Dr. Wilson?"

"Mind if I sit?" she asked, nodding towards a nearby chair. Jim tilted his head, indicating the chair and nodded. He watched her as she settled into the chair, waiting to hear the reason for her visit. Once she was comfortable, she looked across at him. "I just had a call from one of my colleagues. She was asking questions about you."

Jim frowned, wary of where this conversation might go. "About me?

"Yes, it seems you have crossed paths with one of her patients." Jim's eyebrow was arched, as he wondered what he had done now. "The patient can't seem to stop talking about you. It seems she's quite enamored."

"It's my winning personality," Jim quipped, smirking.

"Jim, I have to ask. Are you planning to see Micha Hunter?"

"Micha Hunter? What the hell…" Jim leaned back, swiping his face with his hand as he did. "She's…half my age. What's this all about, Kerrie?"

"Seems she's had a difficult time and has never shown an interest in well…anyone, romantically that is, until now."

"She um…yeah, she…Look, I told her that if she needs a friend, I'm here but that ...she's half my age…"

Kerrie Wilson looked at him, bemused. "A friend? You're amicable enough, Jim, but you choose your friends carefully. And here you are, suddenly offering friendship to a stranger. What is going on?"

Jim measured her words and how he wanted to respond to them. He could tell her that he was doing it because of his daughter, because he hoped someone would be there for her when she needed it…but that wasn't it. What he felt about Micha had nothing to do with Ellie. He could say it was nothing, just trying to get her to back off. But instead he sighed, "I keep having these dreams..," he told her.

Kerrie assumed her counselor posture and looked at him meaningfully. "Go on…"

"I um, don't know where to go with them. Every one is different…different time periods…places…but…each time, she's there…Micha…and so am I."

"You're sure it is her?"

"Yeah, um…her eyes…they are always the same. And…we, um…we're together…married or um…you know, just together." He let out a deep breath and settled back in his chair, waiting to see what she said.

"Did these dreams start before or after you met her…in this time, I mean."

"After. I met her on a case. She was watching me while I was interviewing witnesses and she…well, she was blushing. She's really naive, Kerrie…at least when it comes to men. For some reason she is… attracted to me."

"And your feelings for her?"

Jim rubbed the back of his neck and twisted it nervously. "Like I said, she's half my age," he growled

"You haven't answered my question," she said bluntly.

"Yeah, um…well…if I let myself, I could…you know…"

"No, I don't know. But it is important that you know. According to what I've been told, she has never reached out to anyone before, Jim. She's been totally self-contained for almost twenty years, not letting anyone touch her emotionally. Her therapist called me because she wanted to be sure that you won't take advantage of her…vulnerability. This is a huge step for Ms. Hunter. My colleague needs to be prepared to help her patient walk through it, especially if you are a player."

Jim chuckled. "Me…a player? Maybe once, a long time ago…but now…I'm pretty tame."

Kerrie stood suddenly. "Just be careful, Jim. I'm not telling you what to do with this. Obviously, there is something brewing, but what you do with it is your business. Just…whatever you do…take it easy with her. And don't get involved unless you mean it…"

Jim looked at her, scowling. "Like I said, she's half my age."

"Sounds like you've had a thing for her…and she you, through all the ages. If your dreams mean anything, that is."

"You think they do?"

"Doesn't matter what I think…you think they do," she said as she walked out. Jim watched her leave, feeling very confused.

Damn, what was that? Did she say lay off or did I just get permission to…no…don't even go there. She's half your age, you bastard. Leave her alone. And so Jim resolved to stay away from Micha Hunter, far away.

Over the next few weeks, Jim stuck to his decision. He stayed away from the diner in case she went there looking for him. He went from work to home, only making stops when necessary. He worked very hard at getting her out of his mind, which of course meant she took up residence. And the dreams continued, becoming more detailed and more difficult to forget.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" he asked Catherine one night over coffee.

She peered at him over her mug and then set it down on the break room table. "There's no scientific evidence that I am aware of, but then…there's no evidence of God either. I do believe in Him. So, while I don't really believe in it, I suppose it is possible. Why? What's going on Jim? You've been…preoccupied lately."

Jim shrugged his shoulders. "I um…nothing really. It's just…" he drifted away as he stared into his mug.

"Jim? Come on, something is bothering you. Out with it."

"I um…keep having these dreams. They happen in different time periods and I'm different people…but there's always the same person there….a woman…"

"You think you have a soul mate out there that you've encountered in other times?"

Jim shrugged. "I don't know what I think. It's just…the dreams are so real. I can feel her when she touches me…and…" he sighed, "I just don't know what to make of it."

"Have you met her in this lifetime?"

Jim's head snapped up and he looked across at her, not sure that he wanted to respond. But Catherine read him instantly and smiled. "So you have…?" Jim sat, staring at her, his mind in turmoil. Was Micha his soul mate? Could it be….did such a thing even exist? Catherine grinned. "So what's the hold up?"

Jim frowned. "She's … a lot younger," he said meekly.

"Ah yeah, that could be complicated…" Catherine stood and walked to the sink to dump the rest of her cup and rinse the mug. Then she turned around and looked at him. "She'd be lucky, though Jim…if you did do something about it. You're a good man, you know. Not too many of those out there," And then she disappeared from the room, leaving Jim deep in thought.

A week later, Jim sat at his desk, going over the endless stack of files when his phone rang. "Brass," he said as he picked it up.

"Captain Brass, this is Metcalf. I um…I'm at a scene and the vic…she says she knows you and she keeps asking for you. She's pretty shook up and won't let the paramedics look at her. I thought maybe you might…"

"Yeah, okay…where are you?" He jotted down the details as Metcalf gave him the address and general location. "Oh…and Metcalf, who we talking about here anyway?"

"Says her name is Micha Hunter, sir."

Damn. "Okay…on my way."