I'm not much of a writer, but something about POI compels me to try this. Appreciative of any and all critiques. Don't know how long this will end up- just know there will be several chapters.
"$265 MILLION?! What the hell, Root? Why didn't you ever say anything? I can't believe you're worth $265 million."
"You didn't hear me correctly, Sameen. I said we're worth $265 million. That would be you and I not just me."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"When the war with Samaritan really heated up, I remember saying to Harry, 'there's no way in hell all of us are making it out of this alive'. It got me thinking about what happens after. Then you were gone, taken by Samaritan and I quit thinking and caring about the money. Then you came back, and fortunately the Machine had my back.
"The money just kept growing but now I had to consider the aftermath of the war and possible survival scenarios. Either one of us could easily have died, we both almost did. I simply wanted you to have a life where you never had to worry about money if something happened to me.
"The Machine and I created a joint living trust with you and I as principal owners. Now that we've both come through, we never have to worry about money for the rest of our lives."
Shaw looked sheepishly at Root. "People will think I'm a gold-digger."
"Since when have either one of us cared what anybody thought? All I will ever care about anymore is what you think. And now, what Gen thinks.
"We both love her and there's got to be a way for her to come live with us- I guess we won't be the most typical household but would that matter?"
Shaw walked toward the wheelchair and knelt down in front of Root. "Nothing matters to me anymore as long as you're by my side." Smiling she shook her head slowly back and forth. "Although the idea of having Gen with us actually is making me feel even better the more I think about it.
"It sure makes me feel rich and that's without the money- which may take some time for me to wrap my mind around."
"It's only money Sam; at a certain point it quits mattering how much as long as it's enough. I tell you I would spend every penny to keep you and Gen safe- or to bring John back."
Shaw's smile faltered. "I know- we need to brainstorm this and help the doctors find a way to jog his memory. I think we should all have dinner together tonight and give John a chance to remember what hanging out with us was like."
Root smiled. "That's a great idea- as long as we get back in time for my massage."
"Don't worry, I won't forget. A deal is a deal."
When Gen returned with Bear the ladies sent her down to work with the kids. They had made an agreement to hold off on telling Gen any plans for the future until either she had a repeat of her meltdown at lunch or they had some concrete plans. Gen, for her part, had apparently decided she had made her point and would wait (not indefinitely though) for Root and Shaw to figure out the future.
Root's afternoon session went without incident and, when she got back to the room for a shower and nap, Shaw went for a quick five mile run. Still feeling some nervous energy she stopped at the fitness center to work on the bags, all the while reflecting on her newfound wealth.
So now you're worth a lot of money. Funny but you've never thought much about it, except what you needed to survive. Your real wealth is what these two have awakened in you- feelings and emotions you thought for years would never be part of your life. And even with the angst and heartbreak you have felt, you wouldn't trade it for anything. This is what it means to be alive.
When Shaw finally finished she headed for her and Gen's suite to shower and put on some clean clothes. When she arrived at Root's quarters, Gen and Bear were already there. Shaw had called Dr. Tillman asking if the two of them could have dinner outside with John, just to try to jog his memory a little. The doctor agreed and said she was open to trying just about anything.
Root was still asleep when Shaw entered the room. Gen looked up, smiled and said, "So what's this about you guys having dinner with this John guy?"
"You're certainly welcome, Gen, just don't be surprised at his appearance. He's almost in a waking coma which means he doesn't remember anything but worse, he doesn't seem to even know who he is or was."
"You know, I think I'll pass. I'm going to eat in our room when you guys go down, then maybe take Bear for another walk. I might even work on a couple of apps I've thought up- see if there's any potential for practical use of them."
At a little after six that evening, Root, Shaw and John sat on the patio outside and below the porch Shaw had first observed him. The setting was idyllic, except for the reason they were there and the fact that John showed no recognition, no interest and no appetite. The ladies pressed on, having decided beforehand they were going to try acting as normal as possible at least at first.
Dinner consisted of baked fish, rice and salad. Root attacked her meal with gusto while Shaw watched amused. After a minute or so, she looked at Reese and said, "Have you ever seen her eat like this, John? I swear she never had this kind of appetite."
Root huffed, "Try not eating for six months, it's enough to cure any fussy eater. Come on John, try the fish- it's delicious."
Shaw sat next to Reese and fed him a few bites of fish, some rice and salad. He ate mechanically, with no enjoyment in fact with little recognition that he was eating. He stared off in space as he chewed and swallowed, totally unaware of his company and his surroundings.
Undaunted, the ladies carried on a conversation hoping they would say something, anything that would trigger some kind of reaction. They recapped their day, Root's rehab, Shaw's workout, leaving out only Gen's outburst and the discussion of money that followed.
On the other side of the complex, Gen decided it was time for Bear's walk. She grabbed a leash (which she never used on their walks, but it kept up appearances), headed for the door and said, "Bear komen." They headed out toward the perimeter of the hospital complex.
The forty-five minutes dinner lasted seemed like an eternity to Shaw. Emotionally drained from the roller coaster of discovering Root to have survived, her awakening, John's being alive and Gen's outburst, Sameen really just wanted to head back to their side of the hospital and sleep. Root, on the other hand, seemed energized by her day and carried the conversation, meaningless that it was.
"So the therapists, with Sam's encouragement I might add, are bound and determined to slow my progress to a crawl." Root winked at Shaw. "I think they just want to keep me here to entertain them with my sharp wit."
"Ugh," Shaw groaned, "the one person you seem able to entertain with your wit is yourself. Even Bear leaves the room when you get started."
Shaw was reaching for her water and Root was looking at her while forming her reply, so they missed John's eyes shift right to Shaw when she mentioned Bear's name.
"Unfair, Sam, you know he loves me. You're just jealous."
"That'll be the day. Your recovery, though, is progressing on schedule, you're just a little too anxious."
Gen and Bear were coming around the far side of the hospital and were heading back toward their wing. They were around a corner and about fifty yards from the patio where John, Root and Shaw were eating dinner when Bear stopped, whined and after lifting his head, barked and headed for the patio.
Gen yelled, "Bear, nee, komen." Bear ignored her and broke into an all out run.
As Root and Shaw were arguing about Root's rehab Bear came around the corner at full speed, barking furiously. He stormed up to the group and headed straight for John. He jumped up with his forepaws on the arm of Reese's wheelchair and, whining and barking, began licking John's face and arm with abandon.
As Gen approached, intent on getting Bear to calm down, Shaw jumped to her feet trying to get to Bear before he knocked John out of the chair. Root sat back staring but before either Gen or Sameen could get to them, John turned his head toward the Belgian Malinois and smiled. His mouth opened, his arm went toward Bear and….
"B..B…Be…"
Shaw froze. Root's jaw dropped. Gen, unaware finally reached the group and started to go after Bear but Sameen recovered in time to shoot out her arm and say gently, "Gen, leave them."
Reese hesitated, then took his hand and patted Bear on the head. Once again his mouth opened and he tried again.
"Be…Be… Bear" John's face had a faint smile on it.
Root and Shaw stared at each other. Root broke the silence.
"Oh my God."
Shaw grabbed her cell phone and called Dr. Tillman.
"Doc, you need to get down to the patio by John's wing now!"
"On my way!"
Gen looked at Shaw and said, "I thought you said he doesn't remember anything."
"Until Bear came up to him and jumped up he hadn't reacted to anything or anybody since he arrived here. At least that's how Dr. Tillman explained it to us. This may be a real breakthrough, Gen and you did it by taking Bear for a walk!"
"Duh, Shaw- Bear did it. I just happened to be along. But it sure is cool if he starts remembering."
No one spoke to either John or the dog, not wanting to interrupt the interaction between the two. Bear, for his part was still excitedly licking at John and wagging his tail, every few seconds barking his happiness. John continued to rub Bear with his hand while smiling and several times repeating the dog's name.
"Bear."
Eventually, Dr. Tillman appeared and, as she approached the group, she noticed John's behavior. She paused, processing what she was observing. A smile came to her face and she opened her mouth, but hesitated when Shaw looked her way and put a finger to her lips. Motioning her over a few feet away from John and Bear, Shaw spoke quietly to the doctor.
"Gen was walking Bear and he must have sensed John's presence. He bolted and came running over here like a bat out of hell. When he jumped up on John's chair, John looked at him, smiled faintly and started petting him. Then, after several tries, he actually said his name! He called him Bear!
"I thought we shouldn't interrupt this until you saw it or John stopped. This may be the avenue you've been searching for to reach John and bring him back. Bear always was his dog, no matter how much our whole group loved him- maybe Bear and their bond can bring him back to us."
Dr. Tillman smiled and for the second time hugged Shaw. "Sorry, but yes, I agree and now we have to figure out what to do with this information. How do we use this to continue to bring John back?"
Root spoke up quietly. "Why don't you move John over by us? We've got an extra room in the alcove and Bear can stay with him some, most or all of the time depending on what seems best for him.
"It will also make it easier for us to visit him daily, hourly whatever. And there is one idea I've had percolating in my head since we first saw him- I think it's time for Lionel and Harold to get out here. Especially Harold- after all, the two of them go back almost to the beginning."
Dr. Tillman looked somewhat confused. "Who?"
Shaw filled her in. "Harold, as you may recall, developed the AI we named the Machine. He fled to Europe when John 'died' to find his long lost fiancé. His heart wasn't in this anymore. He loved John and wasn't able to continue this exercise without him. Lionel is Detective Lionel Fusco of the New York Police Department. John and he were partners for a long time when we all had to go off the grid.
"They were probably the two who were closest to John. I have to agree with Root, they would be a real asset to John's recovery, but I'm not sure we can just call and get them to come out here. Someone needs to prep them for what they're walking into."
Dr. Tillman nodded her head. "I think someone needs to contact them, maybe bring them up to date on the situation, then bring them here to help."
Root looked at Shaw. "Sam you need to go get them. They need to come and they'll listen to you."
"I'm not leaving you! I told you I was staying until we can walk out together."
"Sam, I'm not going to relapse because you leave for a few days. I can stick with my rehab, without overdoing it, while you're gone and we can all help John when you bring them back. Besides, who else could we send?"
"But Root, we don't even know where Harold is, just that he went to Europe and found Grace. They could be anywhere."
"Sam, now your deliberately being dense- just ask her."
Shaw stared at Root for a few seconds, then rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Can you hear me? Of course. Can you get in touch with Harold. Yes I know where Admin is. Can you get him to come to New York so I don't have to travel halfway across the world just to talk to him. 86% probability of success. Okay, do it and let me know when he'll be there."
She looked at Root and Dr. Tillman.
"I guess I'm going to New York."
"That's all well and good, Sameen, but now you're going to take me back to my room You owe me a massage."
Dr. Tillman shook her head, then said, "I don't want to know."
"Me either," added Gen.