I.

Annie kept glancing up with dislike at the interior of the station wagon, and hoped to God Dean didn't catch her... or if he did, he glanced away in time before she did. The man had just climbed into the oblong car and was "looking for his keys". Annie fingered the lock a moment and sort of smiled at Dean in the coy way she used to,

"So, how many girls do you catch in this thing?"

The faint derision that had never been there stopped him short and he looked at her suddenly; but it wasn't in appreciation. Annie felt the stirrings of guilt inside. A sigh escaped her lips and she flopped her head back, "Sorry," she mumbled testily.

"S'alright," Dean kept looking and Annie knew he intended to drive her home now.

"I guess living like this..."

"You don't have to say it," he said with forced politeness.

"Runs it's course."

Dean finally gave up and rested his head back, too. A moment later, he turned and really looked at Annie. The lines around her forehead and cheeks were creased, as if she had aged before him. His own expression softened and he reached out to lay a hand on her face, paused when he realized how different he was, then retreated.

Annie met his eyes now and there was regret in them.

"I know, I know." He tossed his hand in exaggeration.

She dropped her gaze. "You said it was likely Hogarth would come back today."

Dean sighed raggedly. "Very possibly, and when he does-,"

The woman was out the car door, back inside the shop and leaving Dean with more question than answers. He was contemplating over just how bizarre this family was when he heard the tumblr to the deadbolt lock and smacked his head on the wheel.

Leave it to a Hughes with a rescue mission to outwit him.

...

Hogarth was practicing his leaning on a glass phone booth while Taylor was in the process of placing a call to her superiors. Now and then, he grinned picturing her as Superwoman getting ready in there... and then dropping it when the memory of her calling him to rescue her from Gordon Rhinestien and his shot gun resurfaced. The young man wondered what he was doing now, in this timeline, and recalled his fate with colon cancer in the previous one. Wait, who had told him that again? Hogarth still struggled to remember this when Taylor stepped out with a sigh and faced him.

"Okay, I called."

He looked up hopefully and realized his eyes were actually trained down...

She wasn't looking at him.

"Taylor?"

When she did, it was to come over and hug him around the waist.

"You have to understand... I didn't remember you before just until today."

Hogarth regarded Taylor and didn't like where this was headed. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you," he said, but that horrible nagging feeling came up.

"Do you remember when you would do anything to protect the Giant?"

He nodded once. "I still would."

"But... not over your own mother."

His thoughts stirred to the memory she meant and shook his head dismissively. "I never intended to let Mansley find the Giant." Hogarth said as long ago shame hit his heart. "But yes, you're right." He took her hand. "And it's not happening twice."

Taylor nodded slowly.

"You can trust me." Hogarth squeezed her fingers.

She nodded again. "Okay, we're going to City Hall."

He stopped her from pulling him along. "And again, I told you I was already there."

"Trust me?" She looked back at him.

Inside he wilted in fear but nodded all the same.

"Yes."

"Don't."

"Taylor!" Was his fed-up retort.

Taylor whirled on him. "Hogarth, my mission was to gain your trust and then hand you over." She explained. His eyes widened as the two situations linked up now. It was with even greater shame that she turned away and Hogarth felt his own, it was shame for what he had done to his best friend and shame for putting her here... for involving her. "Hogarth," she stopped him very firmly, "I am not the same person I was this morning." He was brought up short by her determination. "I love you, and I love my family, but I believe doing what is right. We are going to City Hall today.

And if I have to play it up for them, to help my family, that's what I'm going to do."

Hogarth felt such pride in her it astounded him to silence.

"Let's go then," He pulled her along back to City Hall.

...

Dean wondered if the shame he felt for her was the same she felt for herself.

"Annie, this is ridiculous!"

"No, you saying I could stay until this afternoon when there's the slightest chance my son might..." She paused, realizing how ridiculous this sounded. "Oh, my Lord."

The man backed up.

"Annie, please don't make me crawl back through the window." He said lamely.

She unlatched the deadbolt and threw open the door.

"Why did you call me then?!" She tried to deflect him instantly.

He raised a brow and folded his arms, not playing her game.

Abashed, Annie looked away hotly.

"Ann, what happened?" Dean questioned in a hush. "You're the last girl in the world I would expect this from." He stopped just short of trying to touch her again and a shame she tried to hide made him bristle. "If you've got a problem with me, and I don't give a damn what it is kiddo, look me in the damn face and tell me what it is."

"IT'S ME, ALL RIGHT." She shouted at him.

His eyes widened in shock.

"It's not you, Dean," Annie touched his cheek, "You're still the same charming, kind and incredibly handsome man you always were," she smiled at him sincerely, love and pain and inner hate at war in her eyes. "It was me. I saw what I was becoming those last few months... I knew, I knew I had to try a last ditch effort... and," Annie shrugged sort of limply. "I gave up," she admitted. "I led you on without meaning to and when you-," She took a deep breath, "proposed, I didn't know what to say."

He looked at her tiredly, sorting out whether he should be relieved or upset.

"Annie, I proposed to you because I loved you."

She quivered a little at the past tense, then dropped her shoulders.

Dean felt nothing but concern for her and his warmth touched her own heart.

It made her touch her own.

"But it wouldn't be fair to Hogarth... it's not now, putting any kind of relationship together or before his own well-being. I know you aren't intending that, but, I don't think you're thinking clearly either, Annie. You can stay, but it's got to be mutual."

Annie nodded at this, looking right back into his eyes.

"You're right about all of that, but you're wrong if you don't think I see the truth."

Dean raised a brow. "And that is?"

"That I can't see into you just as well as you can see into me."

And with that, Annie went back inside with only seeing Hogarth again as her intent. Her son would always be at the top of what she wanted and Dean realized this with a great relief... but, he also felt upset that it had taken him this long to realize that.

...

Hogarth kept smiling and looking quizzically at Taylor all while she pulled him along and complained through the building. Once she had shown the guards some I.D., it had all gone over easily enough. Hogarth was more carefree than he'd been in days and was allowing her to lead him along with suppressed amusement to which she'd scoff and pull him along faster; he was just wondering if he should be taking Taylor (who was risking everything for him) more seriously when she suddenly threw open a door in a long hall, obscuring something with it, then hurriedly shoved him inside.

"Hey ... What?.!.!"

"Okay," Taylor confronted him, making sure the heavy, carved door shut without him being able to see the wall behind it and turned to face him. "There's a couple... Exaggerations. Erm... details I may have fabricated to get the person who may or may not know where the Giant is here. And, Hogarth, you gotta keep a level head."

"Taylor," He grinned. "It can't be that bad. Who is this person?"

She grabbed him and dragged him around a long, dark wood table that gleamed in a subtle sheen, sitting him down at the head and then pulling up a black, leathered chair. Taylor then explained she'd told the person Hogarth's memory was still shot.

"But I told him to bring a few guards along just in case you did remember him."

"TAYLOR, who is this guy? Hitler? Lex Luthor?" Hogarth laughed out loud while she managed a weak smile. He took her hand and smiled back good-naturedly. "Taylor, whoever this guy is, if he's the one person who can help us find the Giant, then I'll accept it." The wooden door slowly opened and Hogarth looked up with eagerness.

Nothing could prepare him... no one.

The man who walked through this door, in a linen wool maroon suit, who had in 3 days' time almost completely ruined Hogarth's life, was Mr. Kent Mansley himself.

...

Dean and Annie were still unbagging groceries when a loud knock came at the side door. One curious look was met with an exasperated one. Slowly, Dean pulled out a crowbar from under his sink and Annie retrieved a 48. Caliber pistol from her purse.

"Gracious alive Annie!"

She grinned and showed him the inside of the cartridge holder.

He lifted a worried brow.

"Blanks," Annie mouthed and winked.

They walked up on the door and Dean sent a quick frown her way before opening up with the crowbar still in hand. Annie thought he wanted to jump ten feet back and knew exactly why; especially by the ten shades of green he turned. She got in his way but he jerked her to his side protectively. There, dressed down in nothing but his T-shirt, jacket and blue boxers, was a panting, tired-looking Daniel Curtis.

Annie leaned in, worried, then puckered her lips when Dean threw an arm out.

"Uh... Dan?" She turned his way.

" 'Dan?' " Dean said quizzically, but relaxed his arm.

"Don't ask," He warned, then sized up Dean. "It's nice to see you again, McCoppin."

Dean was definitely floored now. He took a moment to look Daniel Curtis over, the man allowing this, and seemed to settle for the familiar blue eyes looking back at him. They were hard, unflinching, but this was doubtlessly Hogarth's grandfather.

"Eh... come in," he motioned.

"Thank you." He tramped in, seemed to give Dean's burly appearance an uncertain look, then asked the obvious. "Have either of you seen Hogarth?" His eyes settled on Annie and she looked away to keep either from seeing her reaction. "McCoppin?"

"About four hours. How do I know you exactly?"

"Is Hogarth all right?" Dan didn't mince words even though he was curious.

"A little spooked, but alive." Dean had to keep his voice from catching.

Annie fingered the blank glass counter wordlessly.

"We're... hoping he comes back," the younger man continued.

Dan took him by the shoulder. "It's imperative you tell me as soon as you see him."

"His safety?"

"No... the future of our entire city."

Dean and Annie looked at each other.

"Well, I'm getting Déjà vu."

"You did grow up in the French Quarter," Daniel shrugged.

...

Hogarth stared as Kent Mansley adjusted his tie and turned slowly to appraise him.

The man tilted his head back, remaining blank-faced, then said, "Hello Hogarth."

Everything swam and Hogarth tasted red.

"I'll kill him..." He whispered. This warmth was nothing like the ones before, it was much, much more palpable. "I'LL KILL HIM." Hogarth tried to rush him around the table. Taylor quickly wrapped her whole body around his arm, anchoring him back.

"No, you're not!"

"TAYLOR."

"No." She hissed at him.

His eyes were wide... pained.

"I told you to keep a level head," Taylor whispered to him firmly. "An open. mind."

Kent looked back and forth between the two of them.

"He doesn't remember a thing about me?" He raised a brow at Taylor.

She gave a sheepish half-smile, half-shrug.

When they were both looking at Kent he was rummaging around in his pocket for something. He took his time and Hogarth's heavy breathing was the only noise in the otherwise silent room. With each moment that passed, the noise sizzled more.

Taylor could almost feel the heat of his wrath.

"Where is he?" Hogarth asked very deliberately.

Kent casually pulled out a wad of tobacco (though it looked a little different than it normally did), placed it in his pipe and lit it. A pungent, bittersweet aroma wafted in the air and for the first time Hogarth saw the harried look in Kent's iron-hard eyes.

He gave the young man a long, beady look...

Then smirked.

"Who?" Kent said.

Hogarth exploded in rage, throwing himself across the table like he was wild.

Taylor had to literally catch him around the arms and claw him to the ground. The man looked down emotionlessly at him, then stood up slowly. He said something at the door and two full-bodied, black-suited guards came in to flank him. Hogarth, in the midst of trying to get around the table and tackle Kent, was now staring at him in disbelief, hate and anger. How, how could he do this?! Taylor grabbed him by the thumb and ear and stirred him out an opposing door to a parallel-running hallway.

"Be right back," she grinned breathlessly.

When she turned, Hogarth had pressed his back to the wall and slid to a sit with his face in his hands. Taylor tried deciding if she was more furious or concerned. "What was that?" the girl went to her knees beside him. "Hogarth, that was the stupidest, most... Hogarth, LOOK at ME. How are we ever going to find the Giant with you...?"

"Taylor," He said slowly, face hidden, "You don't understand who Kent Mansley is."

"I know who-,"

"No you don't!" Hogarth shouted at her. "You don't understand." He barked at her in a hoarse voice. His eyes were red. "Taylor, he ruined my life. Our lives. And the Giant... Taylor, he wanted him dead. Oh my God! If Kent knows where the Giant is or he finds out, it's over. I know you told me the risks before we came here, but, if you were originally supposed to hand me over, I can think of only one reason why."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"I know! Taylor, if Kent doesn't know where the Giant is..." Hogarth looked down.

"I think the Giant is still alive," Taylor said calmly to herself.

"Even if he is..." Hogarth sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm just bait. If Kent is looking for him or knows where he is, he thinks I can lead him to..." He placed his face in his arms and remembered something dark... so very, very dark.

"Hogarth," Taylor touched his forearm, "I know what Kent did to you and I'm sorry. But this isn't about you. And, it's not about me, either. It's about finding the Giant."

He looked up with red-rimmed eyes at her, not quite crying.

"And if there's any way Kent can help us," she was inches from his face and he felt his breathing quiet, slow, "Then we've gotta take this chance. I'm sorry about what happened... what he did to you. But wherever the Giant is, he's counting on us. You have to look past what he's done; I'm not saying forgive him. But Hogarth, can you keep your cool...?" Her own eyes moistened. "Please," He lifted a hand, "You're not the only one," Hogarth cupped her cheek. "Who wants to find him. Who loves him."

He looked ruefully back at her, then smiled slowly, "Okay," he nodded. "I'm sorry... you're right." The boy rubbed at his eye and rose to his feet. "This is for the Giant."

Taylor jumped up to hug him tightly and he placed his hand on her head.

"You can trust me," she whispered.

"I know." Hogarth whispered back, then sighed. "Okay, let's try this again."

He rolled to his feet, took her hand and opened the door.

They were gone.

Hogarth and Taylor exchanged a short look that lasted a lifetime, then rushed out.

...

Once Dean and Annie had told Daniel Hogarth was in the general area, the utterly exhausted man climbed up onto the heavy glass table unceremoniously, used one finger to unlace his combat boots in two, quick flicks and settled his hands behind his head. Dean viewed all of this with great distaste and gave Annie the same look.

"Well... maybe someone should have told me the first time this happened."

"You're not hiding him in my Bed and Breakfast," He said with a sharp smile.

Annie chuckled and elbowed him. Dean grinned and gave her head a light pat. Now emboldened, she gave his parting beard one as well and they both shared a laugh.

Dan cleared his throat at their ribbing.

"You two... wanna be alone?" His eye then sought the gun handle that stuck out of Annie's belt. She wore a long-sleeved red blouse and hip-hugging pants. "My .48?"

"Your son's."

Daniel eyed her steadily. "It was supposed ta be my grandson's."

"When he turned eighteen."

Dean looked back and forth between the two. "If I can... Sir, Annie, don't you think guns cause more problems then solve?" Somehow, they both knew what he meant.

The old army sergeant laid back again. "Annie's... got. a. gun," he rasped in song.

Annie sighed and handed Dean the .48's handle.

"I don't want it!"

She offered it to Dan but he just stared up at the ceiling. "I can respect a man who knows what he wants and acts on what he believes in." he looked Dean right in the eye. "I sure as Heaven hope you're that same man, McCoppin. Annie." He nodded.

But all three knew he only said her name in passing, a sort of formal goodbye.

Just as Daniel started to leave a loud explosion caused him, Dean and Annie to fling themselves into action. All three moved out into the alley at the same time... all at once and with the men trying to hold her back... to find garbage cans flying, white paper and debris caught on fire and Annie's very nice green moped utterly crushed.

"I... was still paying for that."

Before them stood a boy with a buzz cut, serious blue eyes and strange markings.

Daniel only had one thing to say,

"Now that's a Curtis."

He actually smiled.

To be continued...