The Favor - written by
Focus: Derek Rayne & Jacqi
Author's Notes: Second installment of my "What if" chronicles this on involves someone that was shown to us briefly in a second season episode but was quickly disposed of.
*****
July 1984, San Francisco Legacy House
"That's right mother, I'd like you to take Jacquelyn with you on your return home and deliver her to the Ruling House in London." Derek says brusquely to his mother as he paces around the Foyer.
"Deliver?....Derek she's not a pizza." Barbara tells him. "And I still don't understand why you have to send her there....that house is cold and too serious...the city is foggy and well it's just no place for a child her age."
"Its not by choice mother...Jacqi's power is growing out of control...she has to be sent before she hurts herself or someone else."
Barbara stands shaking her head as she talks back to him...."But why there Derek? Don't you remember how horrible your time spent there was? When you're father sent you to be trained there....and you only spent a summer there....you're sending her to spend a year!"
"Mother please...it's been decided. All I need you to do is take her there...after that she'll be under Sir Edmund's charge." He tells her affirmatively.
"No!" Barbara rebukes. "I won't have that man dealing with my grandbaby...he has no sense of understanding...that man has about as much warmth in him than a dead man!" Derek looks at his mother shocked but insists that she must do him this favor. "I'm warning you Derek if you insist I take her to London...I will take her...but I won't deliver her!" Barbara says as she walks out of the room in a mad fury.
"Mother!" Derek calls out to her from the Foyer doorway...but she won't listen continuing on to her guest room. Derek retreats to a chair in the Foyer as he thinks about what he's doing...thinking...Is she right? Will she be okay?...God help me...she's just a baby...I don't want to hurt her...Do I have the right to take her childhood?
*****
Upstairs in the Nursery...Barbara enters the room quietly as to not to disturb the sleeping toddler...and looks at her lying face down in the crib. She touches her back softly with her hand and rubs her head gently as she smiles seeing her sleep so peacefully. She sees Jacqi is starting to fidget not wanting her to wake she stands back away from the crib...knowing if she doesn't see her Jacqi will return to sleep...too late...Jacqi turns over on her back as she spots her Grandmother. "Gamma!" She cries out stretching her arms expecting to be picked up and held.
Barbara leans over the crib and pats her tummy, "Shh, Shh, go back to sleep baby...it's not time to wake yet." She whispers.
Jacqi ignores her grandma's words and sits up crawling to her knees and stretching her arms out again as she throws her head back and cries. "Gamma!"
"Ha oh, okay baby...Shh..." She says as she picks her up and holds her with one hand holding her back and the other around her little bottom. "Shh...don't cry or you'll bring in that nanny of yours." Jacqi stops crying as Barbara sits in a rocking chair and slowly starts to move back and forth, back and forth..."Hmm, this is relaxing....Shh...just don't tell anyone Grandma looks good sitting here." She whispers as she continues to rock and slowly begins to nod off along with Jacqi. "No, Derek I won't let her hate me...I won't take her there." She thinks as she enters her sleep.
*****
"Dad! Dad!" A young boy of about 7 years old runs into the Foyer downstairs to find Derek still thinking...he sees his father and shakes him. "Dad I'm calling you what are you deaf now?"
Derek feels himself being shaken and turns to see the light skinned boy with black hair and green eyes staring at him. "Lucas...what are you doing here?"
"Summer vacation remember...I came to spend it with you." He states as he looks around the house. "You do remember right?..."
"Yes of course I remember but I thought you weren't coming until the 8th?" He asks the young boy who takes a seat on the couch next to Derek's chair.
"It is the 8th..." I knew he wouldn't remember he thinks to himself...he never does. "What's wrong anyway?"
"Nothing that should concern you..." Derek tells him....standing up and looking towards the upstairs level.
"So it's not about me?" He asks as he knows that every time he arrives Derek thinks of what to do with him.
"No it's about Jacqi." He tells him.
"What's wrong? Is she sick?" He asks concerned for his little sister standing from the couch and walking towards the door ready to run up.
"No she's fine, she's sleeping."
"Well then what's wrong?" He probes...Derek shakes his head nothing deciding that Lucas was too young to understand Jacqi's going away. "Sure?" He asks again...what's he hiding anyway?
"Yeah..." Lucas nods as Derek walks over to him putting his hand on his shoulder..."Hey how'd you like to go to a game or something?"
"A game?" Lucas asks in his still child like voice.
"Yeah." Derek nods. "A football game, or a basketball game...whichever of those sports is in season?"
Lucas shakes his head no. "I'd rather jump off the cliff..."
"Okay." Derek says knowing how his son feels about sports. "Then what would you like to do?"
"Can we explore the Island?" Lucas asks Derek as stares at him with wide eyes.
"Sure..." Derek responds..."First I have to speak to someone.." Lucas looks down disappointed...he always promises and he never keeps. "It'll only take about five minutes..." Lucas rolls his eyes thinking yeah right and then looks at him. "I'm serious five minutes... so go change you're clothes and then wait for me in the Library when you're ready."
"You won't bail on me?" He asks tenderly.
"No...but make sure you wear play clothes or you're grandmother will have both our heads." Lucas nods and runs up the set of stairs leading to the bedrooms as Derek takes the ones leading to the Library and Control room.
*****
Lucas slowly walks up to his room as he wonders what his father was thinking about. She's not sick...what else could be wrong with her?...He stops at the Nursery before proceeding to his bedroom. He opens the door slowly and finds Barbara sleeping in the rocking chair with Jacqi in her arms. He walks in quietly closing the door behind him so the light from the hall won't disturb their sleep. He stands next to Barbara and kisses her cheek, then stands back as she wakes up. "Hello Grandmother."
"Lucas dear." She smiles at him as her sleepiness fades away. "I'm glad you're home." She whispers, as she stands to place the sleeping baby in her crib.
"Grandma," Lucas says, Barbara turns her head to listen. "Can I hold her?"
"She's sleeping dear, perhaps a little later." He looks down disappointed thinking what's she good for, she's always sleeping, eating, or pooping, I never get to hold her or play with her...Dad said if he brought her to live with us I could play with her...How am I suppose to teach her anything? I can't even touch her. Barbara sees her grandson's disappointment and smiles slightly as she speaks to him. "All right Lucas you may hold you're sister," Lucas looks up and smiles happily. "but only for a moment while I get a blanket for her."
He nods still smiling as Barbara hands him the little tike slowly hoping not to wake her, he sees Jacqi opens her eyes once to coo at him and then closes them. "She cooed at me grandma." Lucas tells her...Barbara nods as she reaches into the boudoir to get a warmer blanket for Jacqi. "Shh...I hope I get to play with you more this time...baby...I'm gonna take you to see the island." He tells her as Barbara stands next to him now with the blanket. "Aw grandma just one more minute please." She shakes her head no and Lucas pouts his lip but hands her the baby as he whispers..."See you soon baby, love you." Barbara lies Jacqi down into her crib, and then guides Lucas out of the room...
"So Lucas what are you planning on doing while you're here?" She inquires.
"I'm gonna explore the Island with Dad...and then take Jacqi to see all the rad places I find." He tells her.
"And just when do you plan on doing that?"
"Well I'm suppose to be changing my clothes and then Dad's gonna take me." He says happily.
"Then I suggest you hurry, you know you're father doesn't like to be kept waiting." He nods as he runs off in the direction of his room, Barbara then opens the door to the nursery one more time just to see if Jacqi sleeps, she does. Barbara blows a kiss to her, "Sleep baby."
*****
Meanwhile in the control room, "No Derek I'm sorry....I can't do this." The roughly older man tells him.
"Oh so you can suggest sending her away but you can't bear the responsibility of doing it." Derek tells him quite angry.
"Hey wait a minute Derek, I never suggested you send Jacqi away." He tells him, Derek glares at him. "Honest....I don't think she can be trained any better in London than she can here." Derek stops glaring to just plain looking at him. "Come on Derek do you really think I'd suggest sending that little bouncing bubble of joy to Tremain...that man will traumatize her for the rest of her life...not to mention rip every bit of joy out her."
"That man's you're Precept." He replies to him.
"Doesn't mean I like him..." He rebuffs. "I think you can train Jacqi to control this here...without sending her away."
"How? London made it clear they won't fund her training...or allow me to use one of their specialists if I decide to keep her here." Derek shakes his head as he leans back on the computer terminal. "I have to send her....all I'm asking is for you to take her with you...my mother won't...she's made it clear she'd keep her with her rather than taking her there."
"Can you blame her?" He asks. "Barbara knows what you went through when Winston sent you. She fears for Jacqi...frankly I do too..."
"You don't have to do anything but take her. It's a small favor for an old friend, William." Derek says in a low monotone voice.
"No." Derek looks at him..."I won't have her hating me...you want that dirty job done, you take her there...you watch her cry her eyes out when she sees her dada is taking her to dump her."
"It's just for a year." Derek tries to explain.
"Do you know how long a year is for a baby?"
"William." Derek states getting angry.
"I'm serious...a year is like an eternity to a baby...I wouldn't be surprised if she forgot about you in her time there." William states rather confidently as Derek stares at him.
*****
Outside the control room Lucas await patiently for Derek to exit the control room, he sits by the window looking out the window. He then gets up from the window and climbs up the stairs to see if he can find any books on excavating figuring that since his father was an anthropologist the library would have references on the subject. "This book looks good." He says as he takes a large leather bound book from the shelf...hmm...he sits down and begins to read.
After a few moments he hears Derek and William Sloan exit the control room still speaking about Jacqi's future at the London House...he crawls to his knees from the corner where he sits with his face pressed against the rail and listens to them quietly. "N o Derek I've already made my decision...if you think its wiser to send her away fine that's you're prerogative as her father...but don't ask me to do this favor. I heard what she did to you on her birthday...I don't plan on running the same risk." Sloan states as he leaves his old friend standing there.
"Sloan!" Derek calls out...as Lucas walks down the stairs and walks towards Derek who turns once he hears his small foot falls. "Lucas...I didn't see you where did you come from?"
"Up there." He points to the upstairs level..."looking at books." What's he plannin on doin with my sister?...Should I ask?....No he'll tell me it ain't my business....I can always ask Nick later or something.
"All right then...you ready to go?" Derek asks, putting Jacqi's going away out of his mind, Lucas nods yeah. "Okay, then how about we go down to the kitchen to get some sandwiches in case we get hungry before dinner." Lucas agrees as Derek leads him down to the kitchen and then out through the gardens to the outer layers of the mansion.
*****
After having gone over every inch of the Island Lucas and Derek return to the house just as the live in members prepare to start dinner. "Ah Derek I didn't think you'd return in time for dinner." Mary Walcott tells him as she sees them come in the front door.
"Yes, I didn't either..." Derek replies.
"Well you've made it back with time to spare...dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes." Derek nods and says they'll go upstairs to dress and return shortly...Lucas goes upstairs as Derek does too...and return minutes later showered and dressed for dinner.
At the dinner table Derek takes the seat at the head with his mother sitting to the right of him, and then Lucas to the left, as the other members take seats accordingly...following a girl/boy pattern. Lucas looks around at the table as the maid sits his appetizer in front of him. "Dad...thought Nick was gonna be here?"
"No...Robert is out on assignment and his mother couldn't bring him." Derek informs his son...who eats slowly and sadden.
"You know Lucas...I was thinking about going into the city tomorrow...perhaps you'd like to go with me and we can both pay a visit to him." Lucas looks up at his grandmother...and nods.
*****
"Dada!, Dada!, Dada!" Jacqi cries out from her crib in the middle of the night with no response...she continues to cry out..."Dada!...Dada!" She cries and pouts and starts to get upset...her excitement begins to trigger her psyche as things begin to shake and move about in her room...only making her more upset..."Dada, Dada!" She cries out again this time scared..."Mhmp, Mhmp," She pouts as she cries...baby bottles, teddy bears, and tiny shoes fly around banging into things and yet no one responds.
Moments later Lucas comes in rubbing his sleep away. He sees what's happening in her room and gets scared...but rather than run for help, he goes inside the nursery to get Jacqi out of her crib...in the process getting hit with a baby shoe and runs to Derek's room. "Dad, Dad!" He runs to his bedside with Jacqi barely hanging from his arms..."Dad, Wake up!" He shakes Derek with one hand as he holds Jacqi with one arm..."Dad!" He nearly shouts this time causing Derek to jump up from his pillows. "Dad...there's something goin on in the baby's room...there's stuff flying everywhere!" He exclaims as Derek sits up and sees his son holding his frightened daughter. "Dad...pay attention...!"
"What is it Lucas?" Still half dazed.
"I told you there something goin on in her room." Lucas tells him as Derek takes the baby from his arms.
Derek listens to his son exclaim and tell him what he saw..."All right Lucas calm down...stay right here and I'll go see what it was." Derek says knowing very well what it was...he leaves Lucas sitting on his bed along side Jacqi...as he walks down to the nursery. He opens the door and finds that the commotion Lucas was talking about has died down...figuring it happened when Jacqi was taken out of the room. "Just as I thought." He shakes his head as he closes the door and turns to see his mother standing behind him tying her robe up. "Mother..."
"Derek is something wrong with the baby?" She asks about to walk in.
"No mother, she's fine Lucas took her to my room." Barbara looks at him wondering why. "It appears she had an outburst and things started moving again...Lucas walked in got frightened and pulled her out before she got hurt."
"She's not..." Barbara looks worried...Jacqi's outbursts are becoming more frequent she thinks...he won't doubt sending her away now..
"No she's fine...Lucas was hit on the head with a baby shoe he told me...but she's fine." He replies as he begins walking down to his room followed by his mother. They walk in to see Lucas laying back on Derek's pillows and Jacqi sitting up looking at him sweetly. She turns her little head up to see Derek and Barbara standing over them and tugs at Lucas's pajama shirt to wake him. "Luca, Luca!" She calls to him as she tugs.
Derek lightly taps Lucas to wake him, he sits up when he sees his father and grandmother. "Dad..." he remembers what brought him there. "Did you see it? Did you get rid of it?" He asks excited.
"Yes Lucas it's gone." Derek tells him..."Come on I think its time you should go to bed."
He nods as he gets out of his bed and Barbara places her arm around her guiding him towards the door. "Dad," He stops and turns back..."Can I keep the baby with me?"
"No Lucas not tonight...I think I'll just keep her in here with me." Luca nods and goes out with Barbara as Derek takes Jacqi in his arms. "Now what am I suppose to do with you?" He thinks out loud as Jacqi looks at him with her tired eyes and pats his face. "I don't want to send you away." Jacqi shakes her head no...and pouts no send way...as Derek climbs into bed and holds Jacqi besides him.
*****
"Grandma?" Lucas calls out to get her attention as they ride through town in the Black Legacy Mercedes to the Boyle residence.
"Yes darling." She responds turning her focus from the window to him.
He leans his head towards her as he asks. "Why do things move when Jacqi's in a room?"
"What do you mean dear?" Barbara asks playing dumb...she knows Derek has been determined to keep Jacqi's abilities a secret from his eldest child. Lucas didn't have any powers or gifts and always had a slight resentment towards Derek for his sight...if he should know his younger sibling had a few he'd become upset.
"Things always move around, and smash into things when Jacqi's in the room." He tells her as he tilts his head up towards her.
She sighs. "Ah, I'm sure it's just coincidence darling..." He looks at her frowning. "Look," She points out the window towards an average size two-level home with a fairly large front lawn where a young boy sits on the porch. "There's you're friend..."
The black Mercedes pulls into the drive as Nick Boyle looks up and calls inside to his mother who comes out to see Barbara Rayne step out of her car along side the young boy. "Hello Ms. Rayne." Nick says as he takes her hand and shakes it gently. "Hi Lucas."
"Nick." Lucas exclaims...it'd been a while since he'd seen Nick and didn't remember quite what he looked like but did remember he had a lot of fun whenever he was around.
Mrs. Boyle, steps behind Nick she didn't know who Barbara was...but did know Lucas...Derek had brought him over on occasion and Nick even had a picture he'd taken with the boy a couple of months before he was sent away again. "Hello Lucas." She tells the little boy who smiles at her.
"Hi Mrs. Boyle." She smiles at him...and he looks up at his grandmother whose about as frozen as the chauffeur. "This is my grandmother Barbara Rayne...my dad's mommy." Luca says in a rather cute boyish way.
She extends her hand to shake Barbara's. "Nice to meet you Ms. Rayne." She says courteously.
"Likewise...Mrs. Boyle." Barbara replies taking her hand.
"Betty." She nods as she tells her, her name.
"Betty, I hope we're not intruding but Lucas was so upset last night when Nick wasn't around that I promised him we could come pay him a visit before returning to the Island today."
"Oh no you're not intruding at all." Betty Boyle replies as she points the way to her home. "Please come in, would you like some tea?" She offers Barbara...she nods as they begin to walk up the porch leaving the chauffeur to wonder what he's supposed to do.
Barbara remembers about him just before entering the door, "Oh Lucas...Nick..." the boys run up to her. "Tell Jeffery he can return for us in two hours." Both boys nod and then run back to tell the chauffeur who quickly gets into the car, backs out of the drive way and into the streets.
*****
After having dismissed the chauffeur and the two women have gone inside Lucas and Nick decide to play in the back. "How was school?" Nick asks Lucas as he walks with him towards the backyard...Lucas shrugs telling him it was ok. "It any fun?"
"It boarding school Nick..." He replies.
"Guess not huh?" Lucas shakes his head. "You're kind of quite? I thought you wanted to see me? What's wrong?"
"Nothin." Lucas replies...
"Ok,...hey you want to climb the tree?" Nick asks remembering that Lucas really enjoyed that the last time.
"Yeah." His eyes light up as he responds and Nick begins helping him climb the tree up...following him closely behind. Once reaching the top of the tree...Lucas stares at Nick and wonders if he should ask him what he had thought about...
"You sure there ain't nothin wrong?" Nick asks again as he moves from one tree branch to another closer to Lucas.
"Why is my dad gonna send the baby away?" He blurts out.
"Huh?" Nick asks knowing what Lucas is talking about but knows he shouldn't say anything.
"Come on Nick...you know what...my dad's gonna send Jacqi away...why?" Lucas asks swinging his legs over the tree limb.
"I don't know..." Lucas looks at him not really believing him. "All right look if I tell you, you gotta keep it quite or else I'll get the beatin' " Nick tells him, and Lucas agrees although he doesn't really understand what Nick means by beatin', Derek's never hit him or ever talked about doing so. "I heard my pop and your dad talking one night at the house."
"What'd they say?" He asks as he moves around on the limb wrapping his legs around it.
"I heard my dad talkin' bout sending Jacqi to London...something about taking her to some dude called Tremain...says they're gonna train her." Nick states as he stretches out on the tree branch.
Lucas looks confused...Jacqi didn't have any gifts why send her away...his little mind thought. "What for?"
"Beats me." Nick says..."I think its gotta do with something your dad said she had..." Lucas looks at him and insists he tell him. "Think its called Psycho...Psycho..." Nick tries to remember what it was Derek had said but doesn't quite get it all. " Psycho-something I can't remember...I really wasn't listening cause if my dad had caught me I would've been in for it." Lucas thinks about it and places a mental note in his thoughts to remember to check on that Psycho-something when he got home. "Hey you wanna get some lemonade?" Nick asks and Lucas nods...he jumps out of the tree as Lucas climbs down till he's closer to the ground and then jumps.
*****
Later at the Legacy after both children have been secured to bed Derek heads to his office to finish making the arrangements for Jacqi's arrival in London and Barbara retires to her own bedroom. In his bedroom Lucas lies awake, after a few moments of lying there thinking about what Nick had told him, he decides to climb out and heads for the Library...the most common place to find what he's looking for. Though very young, Lucas knew he had heard that phrase somewhere...he reaches the library and makes sure Derek isn't around knowing that he was most likely in his office. Lucas decides to climb the stairs and look for the book he had picked up earlier by mistake...the title had confused him when he was looking for something on excavations. "Here it is." He whispers to himself when he grabs the leather bound book again...and opens it up to the table of context where he was sure he had seen something rather close to that psycho-something Nick had said. "Ps-y-cho-kin-is-es" He reads slowly..."Page 55." He turns the pages slowly to the one he needs...and begins reading what it's written about it. "This gotta be it." He says as he reads the definition and remembers everything that's happened when Jacqi was in the room. "She's got a power." He tells himself...and why he understands the reason she's being sent away...he's angry at Derek for lying to him about Jacqi...and even a little upset at her for having something he doesn't. After a few moments of thought he closes the book and returns to his room. He changes clothes from his pajamas to some jeans and a sweater...grabs his jacket from the closet and his backpack then heads for the baby room. He walks in to see Jacqi staring up at the toy model hanging above her head...and leans over her...she sees him and sits up about to coo. "Shh!" He places his finger over his lips to show her she must be quiet. "They wanna send you away."
She shakes her head. "No, no send way." She tells him.
"You gotta a power and I don't...and they gonna send you away cause of it." He tells her and she shakes her head and begins to pout softly. "Don't worry though cause I ain't gonna let them." He says as he starts moving around the room to get some things ready...pulling baby clothes out of her drawers and being careful not to make too much noise.
*****
A while later after having set everything for Jacqi in London, Derek prepares to enter his room but stops at his door, having a bad feeling instead he turns to Lucas's room. Upon reaching the door and opening it to see that Lucas is not lying in bed, he quickly turns to Barbara's knowing very well Lucas would rather run to his grandmother when scared than to his room...thinking Derek would think him a little coward. He taps softly on Barbara's door and calls out to her. "Mother...Mother..."
Barbara being a light sleeper awakes at the sound of the tap and Derek's voice. "Yes Derek." She sits up as he enters..."what is it Derek?"
"Lucas isn't in here with you?" He asks as walks over and stands by her bed, and not seeing Lucas by her side.
"No he's in his room sleeping." Barbara says getting out of bed and placing her robe on.
"No he isn't..." Derek says as he walks out of her bedroom and Barbara follows him. "Do me a favor mother check the baby's room he might be in there...I'll go down to the kitchen."
"Derek what's wrong?" Mary the same member of the house from earlier asks him as she comes out of her bedroom and sees Derek talking to his mother. She knew something had to be up Derek never woke his mother in the middle of the night.
"Lucas...he's not in his room." Derek tells her. "I'm going down to the kitchen...and my mother is going to the baby's room to check."
"I'll check the library...I've caught him in there a few times after bedtime." She informs them as she runs towards the library, Derek nods and then turns towards the kitchen as Barbara heads for the nursery.
After checking the kitchen Derek heads up towards the library to find Mary...not finding her he turns to leave. "Derek." His mother calls out from the doorway..."Derek...the baby."
"What mother what is it?" He walks over to her...her face pale drained of color. "What's wrong with the baby?"
Barbara shakes her head. "She's gone Derek...Jacqi's gone." She cries in the shock of knowing both her grandchildren are gone.
"What!" Derek exclaims.
"Derek." Mary calls out as she walks out of the control room. He turns to see her. "You better come look at this." Both Derek and Barbara follow her into the control room..."I came up here and couldn't find him...I thought that rather than go around searching place by place, it would be easier to just spot him from in here...you'll never guess what I found." She pulls up the surveillance camera's surrounding the house.
"Lucas." He says as he sees the young boy walking towards the outer layers of the Island.
"Derek look, he has the baby." Barbara says as she spots the toddler in his arms.
"Can you pull out the hidden cameras in those parts." He tells Mary.
"No, I tried to but they've been disabled somehow...I can't even get a clear view of where he's heading."
Derek runs his fingers through his hair nervously..."He could be anywhere...we were all over the Island yesterday and he could've returned to any of those places." Derek tells them as Barbara weeps..."Wake up Stephen and Ray tell them to meet me by the gate in ten, and alert the security team tell them to start looking...get Sloan too, I'm going to get dressed." He says as he turns to the hologram.
"I'm coming with you." Barbara tells him grabbing his hand over her tears.
"No mother, you stay here...it's dangerous out there at night." Derek informs her thinking of the wild animals that inhabit the island. He sees Barbara get even more excited when told that. "For a woman, mother."
"They're my grandchildren I want to go I don't care about the danger." She tells him as Mary runs out to call the other two members.
"No mother it's better if you stay here...in case they return." Barbara shakes her head but Derek insists and she complies after much argument.
*****
"Shh, baby don't cry." Lucas whispers to his little sister who cries. "Just a little bit longer I promise...then I'll give ya somethin' to eat ok." Jacqi continues to cry as she begins to slip from Lucas's grasp...he stops and places her down as he fixes the straps on his backpack, and switches her baby bag from his right shoulder to his left. Jacqi cries reaching up to him...with her little arms that seem to be tinier from under the layers of thick clothing she wears. He looks around before picking her up to see where he's at and where he'll go...he sees the trail heading towards the beach and decides to head for the cave he'd found with Derek the day before. "Shh baby..." He tells her as he picks her back up and begins walking towards it.
*****
"Derek," Ray calls out as he and Stephen walk towards him followed by Sloan. "Mary told us, where should we start looking?"
"The security team has sector 1-6 covered, I thought you could take sector 7-8, Stephen take 9-10, and I'll take 11-12, Will take 12 & 14." The two men agree and with a brief argument over protocol Sloan agrees too. " Be careful," He warns them knowing Jacqi could be upset, or that Lucas could be using her power to disable their defenses and resources to find them.
*****
"K, baby." Lucas says as he points up to a tree as he walks with Jacqi in his arms. "There's another one up there...you gotta do it." He turns her towards it.
Jacqi pouts and cries, wiggling her body. "yi Luca?" She asks crying.
"Cause if you don't, dad'll send ya way." He tells her...."Please baby, don't want that to happen...they can't take ya from me."
Jacqi sniffles and pouts from the cold, as she points to the camera with her little fingers...and concentrates her little thoughts on it. "Now...Fa!" She mumbles as moves her finger downward...the camera bursts into sparks as it falls from its place in the tree. Both of them continue on.
*****
" I should've gone out with Derek." Barbara says as she sits down in the parlor moving her hands nervously.
Mary sits down next to her placing her hand on Barbara's shoulder compassionately. "That wouldn't do any good Ms. Rayne, you'd only put yourself in danger and cause more worries for Derek. The island is dark and there are animals out there we have no control over..."
"I don't care." She looks at Mary as she stands, "Those are my grandchildren out there in that danger! What good am I staying here...if I can't do anything to help!" She turns towards the door to see if anyone's coming, she's tired and upset...worried her children are in danger...Mary places her hands on her shoulders and squeezes them tenderly as Barbara feels like weeping.
Mary leans her head towards Barbara's as she comforts her. "Don't worry Ms. Rayne, Derek will find them...they're his children...he won't give up until he finds them and brings them back home safe and sound." Barbara nods knowing he will...but still that doesn't make her feel any better.
*****
"There it is!" Lucas nervously exclaims as he begins walking faster or as fast as he can with Jacqi slipping out of his arms as moments go by. He sees the cave at the mouth of the river where it meets the bay..."That's gonna be our home now baby..." He looks down at Jacqi as he rubs his cheek on the crown of her head. "at least for a little while...'till dad gives up sending you away." Jacqi begins to cry from hunger and cold..."just a little bit more...we're almost there..." He turns Jacqi to face the cave to let her see the cave as they walk towards it. "See ain't it neat? It's gonna be so rad to live here." He tells her as he climbs into the cave...he sits her down on flat topped rock as he puts down her baby back and his backpack. He's tired, and cold but he knows that Jacqi is only a baby and it's his job to take care of her. He rubs the sleepiness from his eyes. "You want some milk?" He asks her as he yawns...
"Miki, Miki..." She exclaims shivering.
He opens her baby bag and pulls out a blanket he had taken from her boudoir and wraps it around her as she lays her little head down. "K," He bites his lip as he takes out one of the bottles of milk he had taken from the refrigerator. "I gotta make this warm..." He remembers having seen Barbara prepare a bottle for Jacqi earlier that day...he saw her make it warm by putting it in a pot of warm water....but he didn't have a pot...and he wasn't allowed to play with matches for a fire. "I know!" He remembers there was a hot spring towards the back of the cave..."Don't move baby..." He jumps over the rock formations that are formed within the cave, and spots the little spring of water, he hovers his hand over it and feels the hot warmth of the water. He then proceeds to hold the cold bottle of milk in the spring...after a few minutes he pulls it out and runs back to Jacqi. She's sleeping but he knows she's hungry..."Wake up baby," She pouts from being woken up but quickly accepts the bottle when given to her. He takes another blanket from his backpack and lays it down on the ground...he picks up Jacqi from the flat top and holds her close to him as if to keep her warm. "Don't worry baby...I'm not gonna let them take you away." He tells her as he drifts off to sleep and she follows as she sucks away the milk from the bottle.
*****
"LUCAS!" Derek yells as he shines his light indiscriminately through the darkened forest. "LUCAS!" He shouts again...turning and pointing...looking up into the trees, in between rocks..."WHERE ARE YOU!...LUCAS!...JACQI!"
"Derek!" Ray runs towards him as Derek turns around shining his light in his face...he lowers it once he sees who it is.
"Did you find them?" Derek asks.
"No, but Chuck, one of the security guys, think he might've spotted them down by the river...said he thinks Lucas might be heading for the cave." "He says catching his breath.
"Course, we were there he said he could live there." Derek tells him...he sees a look of worry overcome Ray. "What's wrong are they hurt?"
"No, but Chuck also said he saw a cougar prowling around." Derek's eyes widen as he fears his children in more danger than he had imagined. H e pushes through Ray and begins running towards the direction of the cave when he feels himself being pulled back by Ray. "Hold on Derek...we have nothing to fight off a cougar with...we'll get killed if we just go off like this."
"You go back to the house to get whatever you need...I'm going after my kids." He pushes off Ray and runs off...Ray stands for a moment turns towards the house, but instead turns back and follows Derek.
*****
The night is beginning to fade and the early morning light peers through forest...it warms the river water, as the children wake from there sleep. Lucas is the first to get up as he lays Jacqi down on his blanket still wrapped tightly in hers. He takes some crackers from his bag as he grabs another baby bottle from her bag and walks back to the spring to gather some hot water. He fills the bottle to about three inches from the top and then pours two spoonfuls of powdered milk in it, replaces the cap and shakes it roughly as he comes back to Jacqi. He yawns again as he looks at Jacqi, shocked at what he sees he drops the bottle of milk...he starts panting in fear as he sees the large wildcat smelling over his little sister. "Come on Lucas...you can't let that thing hurt her." He whispers to himself...The cat bends its neck over Jacqi, and smells her thoroughly, its wet nose pressing against Jacqi's little face. The smell of milk, along with the sweet scent of her baby sweat and tears tempt it. "Hey!" Lucas yells as he picks up a pebble from the rock covered ground. "Leave her alone!" He throws the small rock at the cat...it looks up but ignores him as it sees the small prey begin to move. "Let her be!" He yells again throwing another pebble...this time the cat growls. It steps over Jacqi and begins to move towards Lucas...who begins to step back, swallowing hard and full of fear. "Go Away." He sees stumbling.
The cat begins to move closer to Lucas as he crawls back towards the hot spring...just as the cat is about to attack when it begins to slowly rise and then turn away from Lucas. "No, no bad kii ca!" Jacqi says as she points at the large cat and sits up looking at it..."No touc broher" The cat growls as it sees Jacqi..."Top it!" She demands as it continues growling..."be good kii ca...I let you dow." The cat growls again and Jacqi pouts...it quiets and Jacqi smiles...she lowers her hand until the cat is back on the ground. Lucas tries to walk past it but the cat again growls. "Top...or I pu you back." She calls out to again...it quiets and allows Lucas to walk to Jacqi...he quickly tries to pick her up but she won't let him.
"Come on Jacqi." He says trying to pull her away as the cat approaches them.
"No...it goo kii ca...Luca." She says as the cat presses its nose against her face again...she giggles and Lucas stands looking at her scared. "see." She looks up at Lucas and the pets the cat as it lies down besides the blanket covered spot. Jacqi sits next to it rubbing its coat and then lying her head against it as Lucas sits on the flat top looking at his little sister dominate the large animal.
*****
"There it is!" Ray exclaims as he and Derek approach the cave...both grown men trek into the cave to find both children sleeping again and the larger cougar sitting back on its hind legs looking over them. "Hey!" Ray shouts out to cougar as it leans down to nudge Jacqi..."Hey!" Ray shouts again picking up a large rock...the cougar growls when it looks up to see both men.
Jacqi sits up awakened by the sound of Ray's voice..."Dada!" she exclaims when she sees Derek who puts his finger to his mouth telling her to hush afraid the wild cat will hurt her. The cat growls at them and prepares itself to pounce towards them when Jacqi pats its coat. "Goo Kii..." she whispers to it as she crawls up to her feet using it as a balance..."now sit!" she tells it...both men stand amazed at her power to control its actions. Derek swallows back his fears as he sees the wild animal doesn't' wish to hurt his children..."Dada!" She says again as she reaches her arms out to him and then looks down at Lucas who's beginning to wake up. "It dada Luca!"
Lucas sits up to see Derek walking towards them over the rocks and the bags he had brought with them. "Jacqi, Lucas! I'm glad you're safe. " He says as he grabs Jacqi into his arms and then Lucas as he stands...He looks at Lucas who keeps his head down..."What tha hell did you think you were doing!" Lucas looks up at Derek and then casts his eyes down again. "Huh!"
"Derek." Ray tells him. "Derek!" He says again when Derek doesn't respond to the sound of his name.
"What!" He looks up at Ray holding Jacqi close to him as she looks down at the cat and plays with it.
"We should get them back to the house." He tells him.
"Dada," Jacqi calls to Derek as he agrees with Ray..."dada!" Derek looks at her as she calls out to him but continues to play with the cat..."me wanna tai kii home." Derek shakes his head no telling her its dangerous. "Noooooo me tai home!" She cries out again as Derek reluctantly agrees..."Com'n kii." She cries out from behind as Derek stands grabbing Lucas's hand walking out of the cave and back to the house.
*****
"Answer me Lucas!" Derek beams his words at Lucas full of anger. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Lucas looks down at his hands holding them nervously in his lap. "Look at me Lucas!" He looks up slowly to see Derek like he'd never seen him before..."Well talk to me boy!...what do you have to say?"
"No..no..nothing sir." He stutters as he looks out to the doorway hoping his grandmother is coming to save him from his father's anger.
'Your grandmother won't come down to help you Lucas, she's caring for your sister." Lucas looks back at Derek. "Now answer me, why did you take her ? Why did you put you and her in danger?" He kneels down in front of Lucas. "Why Lucas?" He takes hold of his little chin between his fingers. "Why!"
"Cause I don't want you to send her away!" Lucas jumps out of his seat towards the door and turns back to him. "Cause I don't want her to be treated like a freak."
"Lucas." Derek says standing up from his knees turning to see his son.
"Cause I don't wanna loose her....she's my little sister and I'm suppose to take care of her." Lucas tells him his eyes filling with tears.
"Send her away?...where did you here that?" Derek asks his anger now having resided. "Where did you hear that?"
Lucas walks back to Derek as he stretches his arm to him, he sits down and Derek takes the seat next to him. "I heard you and Uncle Sloan talking about it...you said she had to be trained."
"That doesn't mean..." Derek tries to shake off Lucas's thoughts.
"Yes it does...you always do as you think you should dad, especially if it has to do with the Legacy." Lucas states. "Even if it means sending us away..." He says looking up at Derek angered. "Why'd you lie to me dad? Why didn't you just tell me Jacqi had a power?" He asks full of anger and resentment towards his father. Derek looks at him, his eyes so full of emotions he knows he can't express... he tries his best to explain things to Lucas..."I still don't understand why?"
"I didn't want you to feel strange next to Jacqi..." Derek says...
"Being like Jacqi gets you sent away..." Lucas tells him.
"She'll only be gone for a while, Lucas." Derek says rubbing his shoulder with his hand.
"You're still sending her away...that ain't fair dad...she's just a baby. Besides you said if you brought her to live with us, I'd get to play with her and teach her things. How can I be a good big brother like you said I could be if I never get to be with her?" Lucas asks his anger has resided a bit.
"You'll still see her Lucas, she'll only be gone a while...she'll learn what she has to and then return home." Derek explains to him...as Lucas looks up to see Barbara coming downstairs with Jacqi in her arms. "Besides you wouldn't want Jacqi to get hurt..." Lucas shakes his head no. "If she stays here and doesn't learn how to use her power she could." Lucas tells him he wouldn't want that to happen as he also looks up to see Barbara walking in with his little sister. "Hey there you are." Derek says taking Jacqi from his mother's arms.
"Dada! Dada!" Jacqi cries out as she presses her little head in the dent between Derek's neck and his shoulder...then looks up at Derek and around the room not seeing her friend. "dada." Derek looks at her..."where kii ca?" She says expecting to see the wild cat in the parlor.
"Outside." Derek tells her.
"Why outsi?" She asks upset.
"Cause it's a cougar silly." Lucas says not really surprised to hear his sister ask for her pet to be inside..."It can't be inside...it'll eat us all."
"Nooooo!" Jacqi pouts. "It goo kii ca! Dada...bring kii insi it cold out...brin kii insi out o cold." Derek tells her no...but after much arguing on her side along with pouting and pleading...he agrees and leads the large cat inside. Barbara gasps as she sees the large wild animal enter the parlor, but her fear vanishes when she sees her youngest grandchild has no fear of it. As she wiggles her way out of Derek's arms and down to play with it..."Goo kii...dada kii sleep my room." Jacqi says looking up at Derek...who laughs with a slight hint of fear as he knows his daughter really expects the beast to sleep in her room.
*****
"Dada...no dada...no send me way...dada peeeeeeeeseee!" Jacqi pleads as Derek heads outside to where the Legacy Mercedes awaits. "Dada peeese I be goo gurl!...Peeese no send me way." She cries...Sloan who's outside waiting for her sees Derek trying to pull her away without success. "No...no...no dada...I no wanna go...peeese dada I no wanna!" She cries.
"Please baby, be a good baby and let go." Sloan reaches around Jacqi to pull her away as Derek pushes her away...she cries and screams, and scratches and claws as both men finally get her off of him. "You have to be a good baby, so Sir Edmund can see your daddy and your grandmother have done well in raising you." He tells her as she continues to weep out loud for her dada to hold her. "I promise you'll come home soon." Sloan pulls her into the car as Derek waves good bye to her, he tells Derek he'll call as soon as they've arrived in London, Derek nods his head as he says, "Fine, I'll expect your call...good bye William." He waves as the car pulls off.
*****
Derek enters the parlor room to find Barbara crying as she sits next to Lucas. "You didn't even let us say good bye."
"Its better this way Mother." Derek tells her as she weeps.
She looks up at him wiping a tear away. "We still had the right."
"I know what's best for her." He says. "Now if you excuse me I have work to do in my office." He turns and heads up towards his office in the control room.
"Grandma," Lucas says looking up at Barbara who turns to see him. "Doesn't he care?" Barbara says nothing instead just wraps her arm around him and squeezes him lightly.
"God what have I done?" Derek asks himself as he sits alone in his office....did I do right...Will she be okay there? What if Sloan was right? What if my mother was right?...No I'm her father I know what's best for her...are these judgements of mine as a father or as a precept?.. Derek thinks about Barbara, William, and Lucas what they said to him and what they did. He thinks about Jacqi..."Oh baby forgive me." He says to her as if she was there..."and forgive William for carrying out my dirty job." He says although William Sloan and him weren't always on the best of terms...Sloan had agreed to do this for his old friend after seeing he wouldn't convince him otherwise.
The End
*****
Disclaimer: This story is written by me, solely for entertainment purposes and at nonprofit. The characters are property of MGM/UA, Trilogy and anyone else who has property rights to them, I'm just borrowing them for a little while.