Chapter 7

When Amy and Dan got to Grace's mansion, Jake was already waiting for them. He must have passed them on the highway when they had pulled over.

Amy and Jake's reunion was something out of a rom-com. They both got out of their cars and ran full tilt at each other, crashing together and sort of melting into one shape; hard to distinguish where one ended and another began. Dan watched with a mixture of empathy, admiration and disgust. It was hard to ignore though, how much they cared for each other.

As grossed out Dan had been with Amy and Evan's relationship, her relationship with Jake was something else entirely. It was like, more grown up, more mature somehow. He just couldn't picture Amy and Jake sitting on the front porch cooing to each other about how great the other one was. Amy had outgrown that and the love she had for Jake was the 'you're-it-no-tag-backs' kind. Dan turned and went into the mansion smiling.

"Amy, I am so, so sorry." Jake muttered into Amy's hair as he stood holding her, one hand tight on her back, the other grasping the back of her head. "I feel terrible. My dad and I fought for a long time. I finally left, I had to get out of there."

"I heard what you said to him Jake," Amy said pulling away from his shoulder, where she had been crying. "Atticus sent us the audio file."

Jake's eyes went wide. "He recorded our fight? And sent it to you?"

Amy wiped away a tear and told Jake the whole story about the text and listening to it in the car, about having to pull over and crying with Dan. Jake's expression softened as he listened. When Amy was finished, she searched his eyes for his reaction. Jake had a forgiving expression on his face and he used both thumbs to wipe tears away from Amy's eyes.

"I'm glad you heard it. I meant every word," He said. Then his face grew quizzical, "Amy, I've been assuming you feel the same way, but I guess I need to know. Is this what you want?"

Now it was Amy's turn to soften her expression. "Jake, I've loved you ever since Timbuktu, maybe even before. I think about you non-stop and I can't imagine life without you. When we're apart, I think of you and wonder what you're doing. When we're together, I want time to stop. I never realized how much I need you to be strong for me. I spend all my time being strong for the Cahill family and it was you who convinced me that I needed somebody strong to count on. Jake, I love you."

A wide grin spread over his face and he took a big gulp of air and slowly raised up to his full height, enveloping Amy in his embrace. The dying light outside made the landscape appear orange. Amy's hair glimmered in the light and a few errant strands drifted up to cross Jake's face; he welcomed their presence. The girl of his dreams was in his arms and she had just told him she loved and needed him.

Late that night, long after Dan had gone upstairs, Jake and Amy lay on the couch in the family room, some non-descript movie on the cinema screen. Jake was propped up on his left elbow, facing Amy and Amy was stretched out on her stomach, facing him. He was playing with a long strand of her golden-brown hair. They had been silent for some time now, just thinking about all that had happened that evening. Finally, something occurred to Amy.

"Jake, why was LaCher Siffrite there tonight?" Amy asked quizzically.

Jake raised one eyebrow, "It appears she and Dad have a thing going on."

Amy furrowed her brow, "You mean, they're dating?" She raised her eyes in surprise.

"It seems so. Evidently after we left her, the hospital reached out to the university for assistance locating a next-of-kin. Mom was listed as her emergency contact," Jake said.

Dawning comprehension crossed Amy's face, "So, when they couldn't reach Astrid, they tried her alternative numbers until they reached someone; your dad."

Jake nodded. "Dad's Portuguese is rusty so he didn't fully comprehend what the doctor was saying, but he knew it had something to do with Mom, us and a critical wound. He jumped on a plane that night and tried to get to the bottom of it."

Jake continued, "When he got to the hospital, he figured out it was mom's friend, LaCher who was hurt, not any of us. He knew LaCher from polite circles at the university. He stayed out of courtesy to her and mom's friendship. All those days spent together at the hospital must have led to something. They really do have a lot in common. Plus, I'm sure mom would be happy they aren't alone anymore. She's been gone three years now."

"And, eventually she regained her ability to speak?" Amy asked.

"Well, sort of. She stayed almost two weeks in the hospital before they released her. She and dad had been communicating by written note once she regained consciousness. It was a further two months of therapy before she could speak. Even LaCher doesn't really understand why those Vesper goons were after her. This is part of the reason he was so mad tonight. He hasn't been able to get a complete story out of LaCher, and Att and I have been out of contact for so long that he was really hoping to get the full scoop."

"Well, then wouldn't he want Dan and me around to help clarify? Why was he so mad to see us? I would have thought he'd be glad to finally hear it from the horses' mouth!" Amy said exasperatedly.

"I think it was more that we had surprised him with you," Jake sighed. "I asked the same question at the house and he admitted he really did want to question you." Jake sighed, "He was pushing me pretty hard to find out what Atticus and I have been doing with you and Dan the last two years. But, I knew that his questions had to be answered by none other than the head of the family," Jake said giving Amy an apologetic smile.

"I'm not the head, not anymore, that's Ian." Amy replied with a matter-of-fact look. "But, I get it. I'm the only one who can fill him in," she added when she saw the irritated look on Jake's face.

Amy was quiet, looking across the room. She was thinking.

"I know what you're thinking Amy, I've been a part of Cahill business long enough to know that look. You're not sure how much to tell him."

"That's right." She said looking up. Jake opened his mouth to reply, but Amy continued, "I know what you're thinking: If you and I are…" Amy trailed off.

"Dating? Soulmates? Destined for each other? Inseparable? Nauseating," Jake said with a playful smile on his face.

Amy blushed and laughed, "Yes, those things. Then why not tell him the whole story?"

Jake said giving a small shrug, "That is the general idea. Maybe you don't have to tell him everything. I mean, even I don't know everything."

Amy was already shaking her head, "Jake, he already doesn't like us, I think giving him sensitive information would just be knowledge in the wrong hands. If it came down to extracting info from him, he wouldn't be too hard to crack."

"Then tell him only what he needs to hear" replied Jake.

"That's the problem, we've been together for so long now and had so many different, horrible, experiences that nearly claimed all our lives, that I don't know what to tell him and not tell him!"

Jake sat up and was quiet; thinking. "Ok, he needs to know about the Vespers" Jake said beginning to tick off a list on his fingers. "He needs to know they killed mom, and I'm sure LaCher has already told him what she knows about the 74th folio and the chase for it. I told him that mom's death was due to Damian Vesper, not some mysterious illness. He'll be willing to listen to this part."

"But, how do I explain the Vespers without explaining the centuries old feud?" Amy asked sitting up to face Jake, tucking her right leg underneath her.

"Just explain it like you did to me; there is an ancient feud between your family and the Vespers and Damian Vesper wanted to create a doomsday device and he made you-I mean us-gather his materials or he'd kill hostages." Jake said matter-of-factly.

"Jake, you realize that telling anything like this to your dad won't make him have less anxiety about me, it will raise it. If the goal is to give him the big picture, it may mean he never trusts me," Amy said with worry in her voice.

"That's a risk we'll just have to take. It helped me Amy. It helped me understand why you and Dan do the things you do." Jake said, adding, "it made me really respect you both. And, I fell in love with you for it."

"Well, I don't expect your dad to fall in love with me." Amy said with a smile.

Jake laughed, "No, probably not, but maybe having LaCher there will help him see things in a different light. Plus, he already knows how I feel about you, and that I'm not giving up on us."

Amy liked that last part, us.