Left Behind
Chapter 6
John walked out of Colin Watkin's home to find Monica talking in Spanish on the phone. She was so totally engrossed in her conversation that she failed to notice that John had come up beside her.
So John enjoyed these few moments to observe Monica unnoticed. His Spanish from high school was rusty so he was only able to pick up a few words here and there. He had made a mental note after the X-Files had closed to practice his Spanish and now he wished he had done so.
Monica finally noticed him standing there. She quickly said her good-byes and hung up the phone.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that wasn't a local call," said John with a teasing smile.
Monica only frowned. "Yes, I called to speak with my parents."
"Anythin' wrong?" asked John concerned.
Monica thought for a moment. "Everything. Or maybe nothing."
"Whadda ya mean?"
"Don't you think it's a little odd that Colin Watkins is adopted by parents outside the U.S....."
"Well, it's strange but...."
Monica cut John off, "and look at this picture." Monica held out Colin's picture to John who simply didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at. And then there's his middle name of all things."
John was thoroughly confused. "I'm not getting the connection."
"The connection may be to me."
"What?" John asked incredulously. "How do you go from a man who disappears to you, Monica?"
"Don't you see the resemblance?" asked Monica again referring to the picture. "I was adopted to you know. I too was born in the U.S. but adopted by a family outside of it. And the names John, look at the names. His middle name is Julian and mine's Juliet."
John just stared at Monica for a few moments. He was trying not to let his frustration turn into an attack on her as it he had let it so many times in the past. They just didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things and what he most loved about her were the things that most drove him crazy. What made them good working partners also made them personally frustrated from time to time at each other. Just like old times, he thought. We catch a case and she goes running one way with it and I go the other.
"John, I know you think this is crazy, but I think I'm connected somehow to this man Colin. I know nothing about my birth family. The ages are about right that he could be my brother. Mrs. Watkins says he was drawn to come back here, back to this country. She says he was sensitive, that he could sense how other people were feeling."
John inwardly sighed. He knew there was no getting through to his partner but he had to try. "Monica, a lot of children are adopted, even outside of their birth country. Sometimes we find people who resemble us. They may physically look like us or share our personality, but that doesn't mean that we are biologically related to them. You can't just take two and two and get five."
But Monica wasn't buying it. After all they had seen, after all they had experienced, he still refused to believe. Her temper flared for a moment at John's resistance. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I might be connected to this case?"
John took a step in closer to Monica invading her personal space. They had been back together for less than 24 hours and they were already starting to butt heads. The truth was he hadn't until this moment looked at the situation from Monica's eyes. He had always taken for granted knowing exactly who his family was and where he came from. As much as he knew Monica loved her adoptive parents, she couldn't really say where she came from. Her past was cloudy and dark and so she was grasping onto the one thing that she felt could make clear what had been hidden from her for so long. But John only saw disappointment for Monica if she continued along this train of thought. And the last thing he would ever want is to see her disappointed.
"Monica," John began quietly. He waited until her eyes met his. He spoke from his heart. "I don't believe that you are connected to this case, not because I refuse to believe but because I don't see the connection. And I don't wanna see you disappointed when this doesn't pan out the way you want it to. Colin Watkins is just a man, a man for his parent's sake, I hope is very much alive. But that is all he is."
Monica eyes told him that she was still unconvinced but grateful for his concern. John let out his breath. Darkness was gathering around the two. "Look," John said. "It's late and we've got nothing to go on now. It's been a long day and we could both use a rest. We can start fresh tomorrow."
Monica nodded her agreement. "Okay. Okay. My stuff's in the trunk. Do you think you can drop me off at a hotel near your house? It'll probably save us time and be more convenient."
"Nonsense, you're staying at my house," said John before he thought of the consequences of his words.
Chapter 6
John walked out of Colin Watkin's home to find Monica talking in Spanish on the phone. She was so totally engrossed in her conversation that she failed to notice that John had come up beside her.
So John enjoyed these few moments to observe Monica unnoticed. His Spanish from high school was rusty so he was only able to pick up a few words here and there. He had made a mental note after the X-Files had closed to practice his Spanish and now he wished he had done so.
Monica finally noticed him standing there. She quickly said her good-byes and hung up the phone.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that wasn't a local call," said John with a teasing smile.
Monica only frowned. "Yes, I called to speak with my parents."
"Anythin' wrong?" asked John concerned.
Monica thought for a moment. "Everything. Or maybe nothing."
"Whadda ya mean?"
"Don't you think it's a little odd that Colin Watkins is adopted by parents outside the U.S....."
"Well, it's strange but...."
Monica cut John off, "and look at this picture." Monica held out Colin's picture to John who simply didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at. And then there's his middle name of all things."
John was thoroughly confused. "I'm not getting the connection."
"The connection may be to me."
"What?" John asked incredulously. "How do you go from a man who disappears to you, Monica?"
"Don't you see the resemblance?" asked Monica again referring to the picture. "I was adopted to you know. I too was born in the U.S. but adopted by a family outside of it. And the names John, look at the names. His middle name is Julian and mine's Juliet."
John just stared at Monica for a few moments. He was trying not to let his frustration turn into an attack on her as it he had let it so many times in the past. They just didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things and what he most loved about her were the things that most drove him crazy. What made them good working partners also made them personally frustrated from time to time at each other. Just like old times, he thought. We catch a case and she goes running one way with it and I go the other.
"John, I know you think this is crazy, but I think I'm connected somehow to this man Colin. I know nothing about my birth family. The ages are about right that he could be my brother. Mrs. Watkins says he was drawn to come back here, back to this country. She says he was sensitive, that he could sense how other people were feeling."
John inwardly sighed. He knew there was no getting through to his partner but he had to try. "Monica, a lot of children are adopted, even outside of their birth country. Sometimes we find people who resemble us. They may physically look like us or share our personality, but that doesn't mean that we are biologically related to them. You can't just take two and two and get five."
But Monica wasn't buying it. After all they had seen, after all they had experienced, he still refused to believe. Her temper flared for a moment at John's resistance. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I might be connected to this case?"
John took a step in closer to Monica invading her personal space. They had been back together for less than 24 hours and they were already starting to butt heads. The truth was he hadn't until this moment looked at the situation from Monica's eyes. He had always taken for granted knowing exactly who his family was and where he came from. As much as he knew Monica loved her adoptive parents, she couldn't really say where she came from. Her past was cloudy and dark and so she was grasping onto the one thing that she felt could make clear what had been hidden from her for so long. But John only saw disappointment for Monica if she continued along this train of thought. And the last thing he would ever want is to see her disappointed.
"Monica," John began quietly. He waited until her eyes met his. He spoke from his heart. "I don't believe that you are connected to this case, not because I refuse to believe but because I don't see the connection. And I don't wanna see you disappointed when this doesn't pan out the way you want it to. Colin Watkins is just a man, a man for his parent's sake, I hope is very much alive. But that is all he is."
Monica eyes told him that she was still unconvinced but grateful for his concern. John let out his breath. Darkness was gathering around the two. "Look," John said. "It's late and we've got nothing to go on now. It's been a long day and we could both use a rest. We can start fresh tomorrow."
Monica nodded her agreement. "Okay. Okay. My stuff's in the trunk. Do you think you can drop me off at a hotel near your house? It'll probably save us time and be more convenient."
"Nonsense, you're staying at my house," said John before he thought of the consequences of his words.
