"Now, Maggie, you know I wouldn't leave her with just anyone," Jason reasoned, attempting to soothe his wife's dearest friend.

"How can ye be sure of 'im?"

"Maggie, she chose him first."

"And ye jus' found out?" She was flabbergasted. "You didn't know?"

"You know what they say...what goes around comes around," he sighed heavily, bending to lift his bag. "I have a flight to catch. He'll protect her," Jason smirked. I told you two could play at the laird's game.

"I tell 'ya it makes no sense at 'all." Maggie's eyes narrowed on the stairs. "I best be 'eaded up ta check on 'er."

"Leave her alone...let the others check on her," Jason reached for the doorknob.

"But Jason...you 'ave ta admit tis a bit fishie," Maggie stopped him, tugging on his sleeve.

"Nay, not nearly as what Destro pulled," he defended. "Keep an eye on 'er from a distance and follow the doctor's orders."

"But, what about 'im?"

"What about him?"

"They're gonna come lookin' fer 'er...the Buchanans' won't take it lightly this time," she warned. "Not after you ran off with Amanda."

"Chalk it up to her bloodline," he chuckled. "No one could ever say my family ever favored the Buchanans, now could they?" He scoffed.

"Nay...I'll watch our fer 'er," Maggie rolled her eyes towards her bedroom door.

"That's a girl. The others will be leaving before dawn for the main house. Try to stay out of the way," he winked. "She needs to remember on her own. No interfering!" He raised his index finger, silencing her protests. "I have to get to the airport. If Amanda calls, tell her I've left." He pulled the door closed behind him, turning up to see a shadow in a bedroom window. A grin formed over his lips as he stepped into the car.

*****

"Bridget, what time is it?" Ailíse sat up shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight painting her room. "Where am I?" She grimaced, attempting to focus her eyes.

"We had visitors last night, Ailíse," Scarlett stood up from the chair she was sitting in to stretch.

"Visitors?"

"Destro thought it best to have you removed from the Buchanan's until..."

"Arghhhh...." Ailíse flung the blanket to the side, setting her feet on the hardwood floor. "Where is everyone?"

"They're out," Scarlett frowned.

"What?"

"You're supposed to be resting after last night."

"Last night? My head was ready to explode...I sent you for Destro and....I can't remember," she brushed her fingers through her hair. "Where am I?"

"A friend of the family offered his estate up for your ah....honeymoon," Scarlett hestitated.

"My what?" She stared at Scarlett with wide eyes. "Oh...God, I can't remember," she leaned forward, resting her head in her hands.

"What do you remember?" Scarlett slowly approached her with a robe.

"That's just it, I can't remember...I see...never mind," she sighed heavily scanning the room. "Who else is here?" She frowned, hearing a light wrapping on the door. "Enter."

"Mornin' milady," Maggie smiled brightly, carrying a large tray in her hands. "Thought you might be a bit 'ungry....milady?" Maggie paused at Ailíse's frowning expression. "Is somethin' wrong?"

"Ah...no, I'm sorry. You are?" Ailíse shook the frown.

"Maggie, milady."

"Thank you, Maggie. I'm not feeling well this morning. If you'll leave the tray, I'd appreciate being left alone."

"Yes milady," she bobbed, turning to the door. She paused. "Milady?"

"Yes," Ailíse replied, lifting the cover from a dish.

"If ye need anythin'...please let me know."

"Thank you," Ailise smiled, turning her attention to the tray. "Bridget," she whispered, nodding to the door.

"Yes, milady." Scarlett walked to the door. "Maggie...I'll be down in a few minutes." She gently pushed her from the room before turning her attention back to Ailíse.

*****

"She dinna' recognize me," she muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway.

"Maggie?" Flint stopped her. "What's wrong?"

"What did they do ta 'er?" She drew her lips in, biting on them. "She looked right through me...like I was a stranger."

"I'm sorry," Flint closed his eyes a moment, taking a deep breath. "We have to help her to remember on her own. Just like doc said...."

"'Ow can ye be so sure?"

"I'm not, but it's all I've got to go on...come on. I've got a few things I could use some help with," he smiled, leading her down the stairs.

*****

"How is she?" Flint lifted his eyes from the report he was reading at the kitchen table.

"She's taking a shower and changing," Scarlett pulled out a chair. "Maggie...are you ok?"

"Aye...lass," she forced a smile. "How long 'fore they figure she's gone?" Maggie carried over a carafe of coffee and a plate of scones. "Destro will turn tha' countryside upside down ta find 'er."

"He's not going to find her," Flint scowled from the report, reaching for the coffee.

"And what makes ye so sure of yer self?"

"For starters, this cottage is remote enough to be overlooked. Jason's staff doesn't know she's here and the others won't say a word to them about her."

"Others?"

"Low Light, Mainframe, and Doc," Scarlett added, reaching for a scone. "Mainframe should be able to figure out away to deactivate that necklace."

"That's what I'm counting on," Flint lowered the report, stretching his neck. "Did she ask for anyone?"

"If you're ASKING whether or not she asked for Ian...the answer's no," Scarlett rolled her eyes towards him, catching an inward sigh of relief. "She's avoiding the Ian subject...it's like...I can't explain it. She asked who was here, but not for him." Scarlett frowned, setting the scone on her plate. "She said she can't remember much about last night. She remembered sending me for Destro but not much about the handfasting."

"Beach Head said he thought Destro was controlling her," Flint growled, inadvertently slamming his hand down to the table. He saw a slow grin form on Maggie's face. "What is it?"

"Nuthin'"

"Maggie?" Both Flint and Scarlett leaned towards her.

"She's in there...you jus 'ave ta find 'er," Maggie looked to Scarlett. "If ye were jus married, wouldna' ye remember evera' detail?" She turned to Flint. "And ye, ye know 'er best...do ye think she'd forget ye? When she was jus a wisp of a gel, she'd avoid anythin' tha she dinna' like or change subjects to suit 'er. If I were ye, I'd be keepin' a close eye on 'er."

"I'd better get back upstairs," Scarlett inhaled a deep breath, standing from the table.

"I'm going to check a few things outside before I talk to Doc," Flint pushed back from the table.

*****

"Arghhh..." Ian lifted his head slowly from the pillow, bringing his arms up to rest beneath him. "Ailíse?" He scrutinized the blanket and pillows beside him, reaching to draw back the covers. "She's gone," he mumbled to the empty room. "Ailíse?" He pulled him self up from the bed to search the room. Tapping on the bathroom door, he called to her again. "Ailíse? Where is she...wait. What was is Bridget said?" He raised a hand to his temple, attempting to recall. "It's no fair when the tables are turned, is it?" He muttered under his breath. "SHE'S GONE," he ran from the room. "PATRICK!" Ian yelled from the staircase to his cousin standing in the vestibule below.

"It's about time you woke up," Patrick chuckled, walking forward.

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Ailíse...she's not in our room," Ian growled, walking halfway down the stairs.

"I haven't seen her. I thought the two of you were...well Margaret peeked in this morning and said you were asleep."

"Did she see Ailíse?"

"She didn't say. Come on, let's find Margaret, she has to know where your wife is," Patrick clasped a hand over Ian's shoulder.

*****

"Why can't I remember anything about last night?" Ailíse chided herself beneath the hot water of the shower, raising her hands to her temples. She slowly rubbed her fingers in a circular pattern from her temples down below her jaw to the soft base of her neck. Fragmented images began to assault her as she sank to the shower floor. Clasping her arms about her knees, she curled up and gently began rocking herself in an attempt to soothe her subconscious. She went from seeing herself at the ceremony with Ian to seeing herself in a meadow with a dark haired man. Both held her hand in theirs as they spoke. She watched Ian take her hand, and saw the vicar binding her hand to his. A wave of relief settled over her for a brief moment until she raised her eyes to the man before the vicar. "He's not Ian," she whispered to herself, raising her head cautiously to the sound of someone tapping on the bathroom door.

"Ailíse?" Scarlett attempted to turn the knob. "The door's locked...are you all right?" Concerned filled her voice, waiting for a response. "Ailíse? Ailíse?" She pounded on the door.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you," Ailíse swung the door open suddenly.

"I wasn't sure if you needed me," Scarlett stammered, gathering her composure.

"Ailíse?"

"I'm safe with the others...there's no need for you to be kept here along with me. Let me see if I can have Ian arrange for you to be sent home. I bet you'd like to spend some time with your boyfriend."

"What did you say?" Scarlett's stared at her slack jawed.

"I'm sorry... I thought you'd want a few days off. I know Margaret's been working you to death. I just thought..."

"I didn't tell you about my boyfriend...did I?"

"I must have been mistaken," Ailíse stammered, walking towards her vanity. "For some strange reason I thought I've seen you with a blond haired man....I'm sorry. I just assumed."

"No don't be," Scarlett sighed, smiling back at her. "I mean, no one's ever thought of me spending time with my boyfriend. Ailíse, is something bothering you?" She watched Ailíse raise her hand to her temple.

"Just a headache...can you get me some aspirin, please?"

"Sure...I'll be right back," Scarlett smiled, rushing to the bathroom to get her the medicine Doc had prescribed. "This should help," she hurried back, handing the pills over to her.

*****

"SHE'S GONE!" Ian rushed into his Grandfather's study.

"Gone? Who's gone?" Daniel Buchanan looked up from his chair across from Destro. "You're move James," he motioned to the chessboard.

"Ailíse...I woke up and I can't find her," Ian fumed, pacing the room.

"She's probably out for a ride," Destro moved his Queen. "Check..."

"No...she's gone. I've already checked with everyone else. Margaret hasn't seen her."

"Where's Bridget?" Destro growled, standing to face him.

"The last time I saw her was last night. She...she..."

"She what?" Daniel barked.

"The last I recall was her saying something about turning tables," Ian fumed, slamming the palms of his hands down on the table, sending the game pieces tottering off the table.

"TURNING TABLES?" Destro growled. "What happened?"

"I went to bed just after we spoke. Bridget was watching her...."

"AND?"

"She told me she was sound asleep...the next thing I know the room was spinning on me and...."

"DAMN!" Destro roared. "Summon the men...no one rests till Ailíse's found."

*****

"I can't deal with this...I have to figure this out and no one's going to tell me a thing," she folded a sheet of paper in half, setting it up for Ian to find when he returned. She wrapped her arms about her self as she stood up, walking to the window. "I need to get away...just a few days to sort this out. Who is he?" She closed her eyes seeing the dark haired man. Shaking her head slightly, she sighed, slumping her shoulders. "No time like the present," she smirked, unfastening the sash. She gulped, stretching to reach the branch of a nearby tree.

*****

"Doc, did you and Mainframe come up with anything new?" Flint leaned over the pair, comparing the files they'd stolen from Mindbender's lab with Doc's medical report.

"Not much," Doc yawned, rubbing his eyes. "We've been at this all night."

"It's the damnedest thing," Mainframe fumed, shoving his files to the side. It's like it compensates when ever she tries to remember."

"Tries?" Flint scowled.

"Scarlett called a while ago," Doc grinned. "She said that 'Ailíse' remembered she had a boyfriend with blonde hair."

"She remembered Duke," Flint's eyes widened.

"No she remembered a blonde haired man," Doc corrected. "Some thing triggered her memories. Scarlett gave her the sedative the moment the headache started. It's working to dull the necklace's effects but we need to watch her carefully. If she remembers too much too fast," Doc looked away for a second. "It could harm her more than the necklace."

"So, what do I tell her?" Flint picked up the medical file.

"Tell her only what she needs to know at the time," Doc supplied. "Has she seen you yet?"

"Not really. I woke her from a nightmare but she couldn't keep her eyes open. I watched her most of the night and left when Scarlett came in," Flint paused. "She was watching her while I spoke to Hawk."

"Hawk knows?" Mainframe gulped.

"Yeah...Jason didn't leave me much of a choice but to tell him," Flint spotted the clock on the mantel. "I've got to get back. Low Light is watching the security monitors. I need to check in with him before I head..."

"Flint, we got a problem," Low Light interrupted.

"What now?"

"She's gone...Scarlett can't find her..."

"What the hell do you mean SHE can't find her?" Flint growled, grappling for the phone on the desk.

"Scarlett said she went to get her for lunch and the door was locked. She must have climbed out the window."

"Climbed out a window? She's afraid of heights. She..."

"She left a note," Low Light shrugged.

"A note...great she doesn't have a clue as to who the hell she is and decides to go traipsing off across the countryside for a leisurely stroll," Flint groaned. "Low Light and Mainframe, you're with me. Doc, call us if Scarlett finds her."

"Ah...Flint," Low Light ran up behind him.

"WHAT?"

"What are we supposed to say if we find her?" Low Light scratched his ear beneath his shades.

"Yeah...good point," Mainframe interjected. "I mean, she doesn't know us from Joe and from what you said about her training with the Grenadiers..."

"JUST FIND HER AND LET ME DEAL WITH HER!" Flint roared, stalking from the house.