A/N: I'm glad that none of you were traumatized by Carmen's decision and death. Another warning this chapter for the scene where Dr. Nyguen finds Carmen - graphic description. And for those of you who thought Stan took the news of Marshall being alive well - let me reassure you, he is having mixed emotions about being kept in the dark.
"You tell my father that I'm not coming down to eat unless my cousin and my friend are there too."
"You're in no position to make demands, Sugar."
"Don't call me that – my name is Sadie."
Gus grinned. "I don't think any of you realize what a precarious situation you're in-"
"I know that my father doesn't want anything to happen to us – and I don't want anything to happen to MJ or Jacen."
The grin slid from Gus' face. "They'll have their own supper in their room. There, will that make you happy, princess?"
Sadie shook her head. "No, I've heard that before. I want all of us to eat together – that way I know they're getting something to eat."
Gus didn't answer, he just turned and left, slamming the door. Sadie deflated, and sank onto the bed beside Emmy, who had watched their verbal exchange with wide eyed wonderment.
"Wow! You sure made him mad."
"I know. Jay told me not to make them mad," Sadie mumbled as she drew her knees up to her chin. "But do I listen?"
"Who's Jay?"
"My best friend – he came with me to res- he's with MJ in the other room."
Emmy nodded. "I'm glad she has someone to keep her company. I didn't want to leave her alone."
Sadie smiled. "I know – being alone sucks."
"Do you think they'll let us eat together?"
Sadie shook her head. "No. But maybe we'll get to see them – and that's all I really wanted."
"So the two of you have been together all this time – as in-" Stan stumbled to a stop, not sure how to finish that sentence.
Marshall grinned as he looked across the room where Mary was leaning over Eleanor's shoulder as the older woman typed on her lap top. "Yeah, Stan, Mary and I are in a committed relationship. In fact," he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and flipped it open. "Here," he pointed to their most recent family picture.
Stan's mouth fell open. "Don't tell me these are – oh my God," his fingers caressed the kids' faces. "If I didn't see it, I wouldn't believe it – but they look like you – both of you."
"I sure as hell hope so," Mary snorted as she looped her arms around Marshall's neck and sank onto his lap. "I have the stretch marks to prove it – want to see?"
Stan covered his eyes and Marshall shook his head at her. "You're a bad, bad girl," he growled in her ear.
"I just can't believe it – you guys have four kids?"
"Five," Marshall corrected, pointing at Sadie who was holding baby Ry. "She's our little mother."
Mary nodded. "I couldn't do it without her. She's the only one the twins will listen to most of the time and she hears Ry in the morning before either of us do."
Stan looked at her in wonder. "Mary, I never thought I'd see this."
She looked at him in confusion. "What?"
"You – a mother, a life partner; you're happy."
She rolled her eyes. "Except for the fact that a murdering sociopath has kidnapped my oldest daughter, my niece, and my friend's son, then yeah, Stan, I guess I am."
Eleanor cleared her throat. "I hate to break in, but I finally got Phoenix's financials from the IRS for last year." The three of them crowded around her computer and studied the forms in silence.
Marshall pointed to something on the screen. "Here – it looks like Rene purchased a lakeside property at Echo Lake."
"Where the hell is that?"
"Just outside of Sudbury, Ontario – it has great fishing," Marshall explained, and the men exchanged a grin.
"You think that's where he's stashed the girls?"
Eleanor nodded thoughtfully. "At least for now until he catches wind to the fact that Marshall's alive and on his trail. Then he'll hightail it for God only knows where."
Marshall nodded. "Time to go."
Stan sighed. "I wish we had someone from the CIA with us – crossing into Canada is going to be tricky. I mean we can go to the Mounties with what we've got but it's going to take time to explain and we don't have that. We need someone who can cut through red tape."
"Like Leo," Eleanor sighed. "But he's out of the country."
"Can you send him an SOS? See if he can meet us or send another agent with us?"
She nodded. "It's worth a try."
Dr. Nyguen was just about to clock out when someone knocked on his tiny office door.
"Come in."
The door flew open and the unflappable Nurse Truss stood there, her hair mussed and blood soaking one sleeve of her spotless uniform.
"What on earth?" he demanded, lurching to his feet.
"You better come, Doc, now," Nurse Truss barked and she bolted from the doorway, leaving the doctor to follow in her wake.
Dr. Nyguen's pulse increased as they rounded the corner and he saw the cluster of medical personnel outside Carmen's room. "Let me through, please." He pushed the last guard aside and entered, but he was unprepared for the sight that met his eyes.
Carmen lay on her back, her eyes wide open and unseeing, a gash on her left forearm and her throat sliced from ear to ear. The blood had soaked her hospital gown as well as her bed and some had even dripped down onto the floor. But the most unsettling thing was the slight smile on her face, as if she was relieved that her pain was over. The doctor bit back his dismay and the nausea rising in his stomach as he stepped further into the room.
"Who found her?"
"I did," Nurse Truss stated. "I swear, doctor, that it wasn't more than twenty minutes between my rounds. I just don't understand how-"
He stepped closer to the bed and noticed something shiny glinting in the light on the floor. Pulling out a handkerchief, he bent down and picked it up from amid the blood. He held the object out to the nurse.
"A scalpel? How did that get in here?"
"You tell me – Carmen went for a walk around the ward this afternoon, didn't she?"
"Yes, but she couldn't have picked anything up! She was handcuffed to her IV pole and we always make sure to keep sharp objects away from the patients, doctor."
"And yet, here it is," Dr. Nyguen frowned.
"Doctor, you'd better have a look at this," the guard pointed to something on the little table by the bed. "It's addressed to you."
Dr. Nyguen rounded the bed and took the notepad from the guard's outstretched hand. "Hey doc- Please don't blame yourself for my death. This was the only way I could see of freeing myself from my husband's torture and hopefully getting my daughters their freedom as well. Sadie can now stay with Mary, where I know she is truly happy. Can you perhaps do me a small favor? If Stan is able to rescue my Gemma, please ask Mary to raise her. I know Mary will love her too and that way my girls will always be together, safe and sound. Thanks for everything you tried to do for me – but I guess some people are just too broken to fix. –Carmen."
Dr. Nyguen removed his eyeglasses and rubbed his eyes as the tears began to form. "Oh Carmen," he breathed quietly. "I failed you."
Jacen looked up as the door opened.
"MJ!"
"Emmy!"
His mouth fell open as the girls met each other in the middle of the room and hugged. Sadie stood in the doorway, grinning at him like an idiot. Gus stood behind her glowering. "You and your sister have fifteen minutes and then I'll be back to collect you."
"And you'll bring Jay and MJ their supper? Because I won't go unless-"
Jay bit back his groan. "Dee, don't-"
She glared at him but Gus only grunted as he shut the door. Jay closed the distance between them. "What did I tell you about making them angry?"
"But it got us here to see you guys – aren't you glad to see me?"
He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Of course, but-"
"Good, then let's not waste time arguing. I want to meet my cousin."
The four of them sat in the middle of the room, on the large multi-colored throw rug, talking about how they had all arrived at the house and what had happened since they had been separated.
"So, you think your room is bugged?" Jay whispered.
Sadie nodded.
"Why?"
"Because I told Emmy all I really wanted was to see you guys and not ten minutes later, here we are."
"Hmm, your dad could have just decided to let us hang out for awhile."
Sadie raised her eyebrows and shook her head at him. "Idiot."
"Ok, ok, I admit it's a dumb idea. So, you think they're listening now?"
She shrugged. "Maybe, just in case, do you want to?"
He nodded. "I think we should."
Jacen and Sadie loved to play games – all kinds of games. When she was eight and he was ten, they made up their own language. No one had been able to crack it – not even their parents and they had spent an entire summer 'talking' in their own language, driving everyone around them crazy. MJ and Emmy listened with open mouths and wide eyes as the two big kids talked nonsense for the next five minutes until the door swung open and Gus stood there, balancing a tray of sandwiches and a jug of milk.
"Time to go, princess," he addressed to Sadie. "I've held up my end of the bargain and brought food for your friends."
"Okay," Sadie shrugged and held out her hand. "Let's go, Emmy."
"I don't want to," Emmy whined.
"I know – but we have to eat and I'll be with you the whole time, I promise."
"Okay." Emmy hugged MJ one last time. "See you later, alligator."
"After a while, crocodile." MJ mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich.
"Dee-"
Sadie turned to look at Jacen. "Yes?"
"Remember-"
She nodded. "I'll try."
"Hello?"
"Hello, Stefano. This is Rene-"
"It's about time. Look, I know you're on vacation but I thought you should know – someone's looking for you."
"Oh, who?"
"Marshall Mann."
Pause. "I'm sorry, should that name mean something to me?"
"I think it does – Tony."
Pause. "I think you've been misinformed. These names: Marshall and Tony – they don't mean anything to me."
Laughter. "Of course not. I must be mistaken. Please forgive me for disturbing you."
"No harm done."
Rene hung up the phone and waited a heartbeat before picking up his glass and hurling it against the wall with a scream, watching as it shattered.
"No one is going to stop me," he seethed. "Not my wife, and especially not some back from the dead US Marshal. I will have what is mine, what has been denied me for so long and no one is going to stop me."
They had a destination but the next flight to Toronto didn't leave JFK until tomorrow morning and they couldn't afford to wait that long. Stan and Eleanor were on the phone pulling in favors, seeing if they could get someone to fly them overnight and finally one of Eleanor's old business contacts came through and said he could do it, if they didn't mind roughing it a bit and sitting in the back with the cargo. Marshall said he'd be willing to skydive if it got them to Toronto – anything to get to his daughter.
While en route to the airport, Eleanor got a call that made her face go pale. She said very little and finally she whispered, "I appreciate the call, thank you, Dr. Nyguen."
Stan slipped his hand into hers. "Carmen's doctor?"
Eleanor nodded and her eyes met Marshall's across the limo's backseat. "Carmen committed suicide tonight."
The words slammed into Marshall and he felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt his body go cold and it was from a distance that he felt Mary's arms go around him and her voice in his ear. "I'm here, I'm here."
He shuddered and for the first time he realized he was crying, the sobs coming from deep inside. She had been his last witness: Carmen and Sadie – and he had failed them both. She had killed herself and Sadie had willing walked into the lions' den to save her cousin, trusting that he would be able to rescue her in time. What if he couldn't? What if he was just five seconds too late?
"I failed – I failed her."
"Stop, stop it!" Mary pulled away to frame his face in her hands. "You know as well as I do that Carmen hasn't been emotionally stable since the rape – and that's Tony's fault, not yours. Her mother's death and Emmy's kidnapping pushed her over the edge, that's all. The best thing we can do for her now is to find Sadie and Emmy and make sure they're safe and that their father pays for his crimes."
"I'm going to kill him, Mer."
She heard the intent in his voice and she didn't doubt him for a second, or blame him. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "What about our kids? What will I tell them when you go to jail for murder?"
He dropped his head, their foreheads touching. "I don't blame you, lover," she continued softly. "I want his blood too – but not at the cost of our life together. You're supposed to marry me when this is all over, remember?"
He kissed her softly. "I remember. I just – this isn't the way things were supposed to end."
"Hey, it isn't over yet."
"I meant for Carmen."
"I know. But she made her choice, Marshall. Blaming yourself isn't going to bring her back."
He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck.
Stan watched them from the other side of the car. "You know," he whispered to his wife. "I always knew they'd be good for each other if they got together – but I never even dreamed they'd be this good."
Eleanor grinned but then sobered. "So, how mad are you?"
"That you didn't tell me about Marshall being alive?"
She nodded.
"I'm not mad."
"Stan-"
"I'm hurt. It makes me feel like you can't trust me, Ellie-"
"You know that's not true! I trust you with my life, with my heart –"
"But not the job?"
"That's not fair. You know I can't divulge certain things about my job – just like you. I warned you before I accepted your proposal that there was something that you didn't know – that it had the power to break us-"
He snorted. "You knew I'd been carrying this load of guilt for years and you had the power to ease it! But you didn't!"
"See! You are mad."
"I guess I am."
"Guys!"
"What?" Stan barked as he whipped his head to look at Mary.
"We're here," Marshall motioned out the window.
"To be continued," Stan muttered as he opened the door.
"I can hardly wait," Eleanor rolled her eyes as she followed.
"I feel bad – think we should try and help somehow?" Marshall wondered aloud as he turned and pulled Mary into his arms as she emerged from the car.
"Why?"
"Because we're kind of responsible."
She snorted. "Indirectly – she could have told him. We didn't say she had to keep it from him-"
"We didn't say 'tell no one – except Stan', we said 'tell no one'," he argued.
They were distracted as another car pulled up a man emerged. "Hey, Els!"
Eleanor turned and her mouth opened in surprise. "Leo? What are you doing here? I thought you were out of the country?"
He limped towards her. "I was but they sent me home so-"
She hugged him tightly. "What happened?"
"Oh, hazards of the job. I'll be right as rain in another week. Don't worry – I'm fine for this operation – as long as you don't need me to run through the jungle."
Mary laughed. "I think my bad ass partner can handle the running part."
Leo turned towards her. "Ah, you must be the famous Mary and Marshall I've heard so much about from Els. It's nice to finally meet you." He shook their hands as Stan glowered.
"So, he knew Marshall was alive?"
"Stan, not now," Eleanor hissed.
"If it helps, I've only known for a couple of weeks," Leo grinned.
Stan rolled his eyes and Mary smiled. "So, let's get going, shall we?"
"You're not eating very much – aren't you hungry?"
Sadie shook her head. She didn't bother to explain that she was lactose intolerant. Either her father had forgotten or he had never known. She stared at the pizza in front of her, wondering if she could pick off the toppings and eat them without getting any of the cheese on it – but she decided not to chance it.
She pushed her plate away. "I'm not hungry."
Rene smiled. "Your sister certainly is." He nodded at Emmy, who was devouring her third piece.
"Maybe that's because you haven't given her anything to eat since she's been here," Sadie pointed out and then bit her tongue, wishing she could take back the words. She had promised Jacen she would try not to make her father angry, but it was so hard, especially when anger was all she felt. She wanted to go home to her real family, take her sister with her, and never leave again.
"I want to go home now," Emmy said softly.
"You are home."
"NO! I want to go home to Nana!" Emmy shrieked.
Rene shook his head. "You can't, sweetheart, your Nana is-" he broke off as he saw Sadie shaking her head violently. "She's not home right now. Besides, you have a wonderful home here with me now. I've got lots of toys and clothes and you can have whatever you want-"
"I want NANA!"
Rene thumped the table. "She's dead!"
Emmy cried out in alarm, choking on her bite of pizza and Rene looked at her in shock as she began to turn blue. Sadie ran around the table and began to pummel her sister on the back and the bite flew from her mouth, flying across the table to land on Rene's plate.
Emmy looked up at Sadie. "Nana's dead?" she whispered.
Sadie bit her lip but nodded.
Emmy burst into tears and threw herself into her big sister's arms. Sadie easily lifted her from the chair, carrying her from the room.
Gus appeared in the doorway. "How was your first supper with your daughters, sir?"
Rene threw his napkin down in disgust. "A disaster." Lifting his wine glass, he drained it in one swallow. "I want you to make sure the plane is gassed and ready to go. We're going to leave first thing in the morning."
Gus' eyebrows rose. "All of us?"
"No, just me and my daughters."
"What about MJ and the boy?"
"Leave them tied up in the spare room – I'm sure our US Marshals will find them before any real harm befalls them."
A/N: Time's running out - will our heroes get there in time? Reviews are LOVE!