Love Triumphant
Dreams: Ending and Beginning
Chapter XXI
John regained consciousness about an hour later. His head felt like someone had been using it for a bongo drum and his mouth tasted like he had swallowed a whole bag of cotton balls. He managed to shift himself slightly to the left and then cried out in pain.
Sam who had been dozing off in a chair beside his bed jumped to her feet and came to his side. "John are you okay?" "That depends!" he moaned. "On what sweetie?" "Did you happen to catch the bastard who ran over me with his semi-truck?" "Yeah, amazingly enough we did, his name is Jack Daniels."
"Very funny Dr. Waters. You should be a comedienne. Your bedside manner could use a little work though. "Sorry," she said taking his hand in hers. "Where am I in a detoxification ward?" "No you're in the guest wing of the Halliwell mansion."
John started to make an effort to jump out of bed and then realized one important fact. He rearranged the covers with after expending a great deal of energy then demanded to know, "Where the hell are my pants?" "Don't worry your virtue is safe from me Mr. Grant. Hercules got you undressed while I waited in the hall outside. Your pants are in the bureau over on the other side of the room, and I'll tell you what. I'll make a deal with you my friend. If you can wrap that blanket around yourself, stand up, and manage to walk over to get them on your own two feet, you're free to leave and find somewhere else to sleep this bender off.
"You think I can't do it Sam?" "I'm waiting!" "Well then I will show you!" he snapped. He clasped the covers over himself with one hand and then tried to lift himself up with the other. It proved too much for him. He collapsed against the pillows with a humiliated groan. "Here I always believed you were believing all these years that you were the sweetest person, I'd ever met in my entire life but it was all an act wasn't it Sam? How can you be so cruel?"
"Simple, it is like the song says: "you have to be cruel to be kind in the right measure." He groaned once more and then began drifting in and out of consciousness. When he next came awake enough to speak again he said: "You don't understand Sam; you have to help me get out of here. My life depends on it. She's going to get me. I know because I saw it."
Sam started to smile but quickly hid it when John looked at her with pleading child like eyes. Obviously the combination of the sleep deprivation, alcohol and pain, were once again rapidly making him loose contact with the rational side of his brain despite the fact he had been in touch with briefly before. In his present condition she didn't think he could grasp the humor of the situation. "Whom are you talking about John?" she asked playing along with him although she already knew full well whom.
"Prue Halliwell that's who," he answered. Isn't she that nice young woman who helped you to rescue me? "She only did that as part of her ruse to ensnare me," he informed her with an earnest expression on his face.
"Ensnare you? That is an interesting choice of words there my friend. Now why would she want to do that? "It is simple silly Sam," he told her. "She is not Prue Halliwell, good little goddess at all. She is that evil spider woman in disguise. You know that one from mythology who spun her webs to trap unsuspecting men just so she could devour them. "Arachne?"
"That's it. Prue is her in disguise! "I don't think so John." "She is Sam, honest. I saw her earlier. She was trying to eat me. Sam could barely suppress her giggle this time. "You don't believe me do you?' he asked petulantly. She started to talk to him using her best Mom tone. The one she had used when Chloe was just a little girl and had awoken from a bad dream. Though John was a grown man she sensed that is what he needed right now. "I believe that you believe it John but do you want to know what I think?"
"What?" he asked looking up with her at expectant eyes begging her for comfort and an explanation for all the confusing emotions that had to be rushing through him. He really did look like an adorable lost little boy at the moment. She soothed his forehead with the back of her hand, brushing back a stubborn lock of hair in the process.
"I think you overheard Hercules, Ioluas, and Nebula talking earlier about how they defeated Arachne, plus you'd been thinking about Prue all day, and you were so sleepy that somehow those images and thoughts just got all jumbled up in that cute little head of yours, and caused you to have a nightmare."
He shook his head, and said "uh, uh! I was so not thinking about her. She doesn't even like me. She thinks I'm a butthead. Why would I be thinking about her?" "Because you love her John, and if what I suspect is true, she loves you."
"No!" he shouted. "Nobody should ever love me. Sam was surprised at the sudden vehemence in his tone. "What would make you say a thing like that honey?" "Because my daddy was so mean," John cried out regressing further into the role of the wounded boy he'd been in the past.
"Daddy beat people up for stupid green pieces of paper. Then he let that awful lady take my brother. I always wanted a brother but he just gave him away. "I'm so afraid Sam!" he cried. "Of what John?" she asked. Suspecting the answer to this question already as well but also aware that he needed to voice it. "That I am like my daddy. I don't want to be like him ever. I don't want to make girls cry, and I don't want to hit people, or give anyone's baby brother away. So maybe if I never fall in love, or get married, or become a daddy, I won't ever be him."
Sam had difficulty speaking. She was nearly choking on her tears. "You are not him, John Grant do you hear me and you will never be him, so don't you ever think that," she instructed him. You need to fall in love, get married, and have lots of children because you are going to make a great husband and father." "It doesn't matter anyway," he said. "Cause your wrong, wrong, wrong. Prue doesn't love me. Nobody loves John and that is a good thing."
"That isn't true John! Lots of people love you." "You don't" he shot back. "And you want to know why? I'll tell you! It is because I am unlovable that is why." "Oh boy" Sam sighed! "What a can of worms," she said not realizing she had spoken aloud. "Worms I hate worms, there disgusting," John said. "Just like me."
How did one explain to a drunken man who was hallucinating that he was a child again about the different shades of love, and the concept of soul mates? How could she be telling him about Tom holding her heart, without John viewing it as rejection? If he had one more rejection even in his current delirious state he might never have the courage to proclaim his love to Prue.
A masculine hand tapped her on the shoulder from behind. She would have screamed but John quickly alleviated her fear when he said, "Don't look so scared silly Sammy, it is just my greatest Grand-Da!" A deep rich chuckle sounded from behind her. "I think I like that title Johnny me bucko, yes I do indeed. I think I will definitely be adding it to my official list of them, Erin the god of love said to his descendant. He stepped in front of Sam and took her hands in his. "Sorry to have frightened you Dr. Waters, but I was watching over our lad here from the screens on Ere, and thought you could use a little assist right about now."
"Oh yes, please!" Sam begged him. "For all my psychiatric training I haven't a clue as to what to say to him right now! "Well there is a reason for that. The answer to the riddle of what to say to him won't be found in any of your books, fine though they may be. In matters such as this I always find the simplest and most honest answer will usually suffice." "Right!" she nodded. "Here it goes."
"John I do love you truly. You are one of my best and closest friends," Sam said to John. He appeared to ponder that for a moment, and then he asked her, "really? One of your bestest friends ever. Like Angel and Bailey?" Sam nodded. "Just like Angel and Bailey." A smile suddenly lit up those sparkling blue eyes, he'd obviously inherited from his greatest Grand-Da. "That's good because you are one of my bestest friends ever too!" Sam heaved a huge sigh of relief. Erin had been right. "Thank you," she whispered to the man behind her. "You're welcome," he said.
"I still think you are wrong about Prue though. She doesn't like me at all. Nope to her I am just a knucklehead." John mumbled. His words were starting to slur even more. He was starting to drift back off to sleep. Erin chuckled again. "Don't laugh at me Greatest Grand Da!" John whispered indignantly. It's like I told Sammy. Prue is Arachne I know it and she is going to devour me like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "So how are we going to convince him that his probable soul mate isn't actually Spiderwoman?" Sam asked Erin.
"That one may take awhile," Erin said with a smile. At any rate Dr. Waters, why don't you go home to your husband and daughter? You have been through quite an ordeal yourself and you must be exhausted as well. And don't worry about our Johnny here, I will stay here until he goes back to sleep." "Thank you," she said hugging Erin. "I'm glad he has someone like you in his corner! "What is that modern expression you people use now a days, 'Ditto,' is it?" the Irish god of love asked. Sam smiled at his use of the term modern. She didn't correct him on it, however. She nodded. She turned towards John and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight bestest friend," she whispered. "Goodnight," he whispered back. As Sam headed for the door, she heard him say, "I still think you should profile Prue, Silly Sammy, she's going eat me alive I know it."
Sam didn't turn around this time but as soon as she got outside the door, she burst into laughter. "You sure are going to have your work cut out for you on this one Erin."
Dreams: Ending and Beginning
Chapter XXI
John regained consciousness about an hour later. His head felt like someone had been using it for a bongo drum and his mouth tasted like he had swallowed a whole bag of cotton balls. He managed to shift himself slightly to the left and then cried out in pain.
Sam who had been dozing off in a chair beside his bed jumped to her feet and came to his side. "John are you okay?" "That depends!" he moaned. "On what sweetie?" "Did you happen to catch the bastard who ran over me with his semi-truck?" "Yeah, amazingly enough we did, his name is Jack Daniels."
"Very funny Dr. Waters. You should be a comedienne. Your bedside manner could use a little work though. "Sorry," she said taking his hand in hers. "Where am I in a detoxification ward?" "No you're in the guest wing of the Halliwell mansion."
John started to make an effort to jump out of bed and then realized one important fact. He rearranged the covers with after expending a great deal of energy then demanded to know, "Where the hell are my pants?" "Don't worry your virtue is safe from me Mr. Grant. Hercules got you undressed while I waited in the hall outside. Your pants are in the bureau over on the other side of the room, and I'll tell you what. I'll make a deal with you my friend. If you can wrap that blanket around yourself, stand up, and manage to walk over to get them on your own two feet, you're free to leave and find somewhere else to sleep this bender off.
"You think I can't do it Sam?" "I'm waiting!" "Well then I will show you!" he snapped. He clasped the covers over himself with one hand and then tried to lift himself up with the other. It proved too much for him. He collapsed against the pillows with a humiliated groan. "Here I always believed you were believing all these years that you were the sweetest person, I'd ever met in my entire life but it was all an act wasn't it Sam? How can you be so cruel?"
"Simple, it is like the song says: "you have to be cruel to be kind in the right measure." He groaned once more and then began drifting in and out of consciousness. When he next came awake enough to speak again he said: "You don't understand Sam; you have to help me get out of here. My life depends on it. She's going to get me. I know because I saw it."
Sam started to smile but quickly hid it when John looked at her with pleading child like eyes. Obviously the combination of the sleep deprivation, alcohol and pain, were once again rapidly making him loose contact with the rational side of his brain despite the fact he had been in touch with briefly before. In his present condition she didn't think he could grasp the humor of the situation. "Whom are you talking about John?" she asked playing along with him although she already knew full well whom.
"Prue Halliwell that's who," he answered. Isn't she that nice young woman who helped you to rescue me? "She only did that as part of her ruse to ensnare me," he informed her with an earnest expression on his face.
"Ensnare you? That is an interesting choice of words there my friend. Now why would she want to do that? "It is simple silly Sam," he told her. "She is not Prue Halliwell, good little goddess at all. She is that evil spider woman in disguise. You know that one from mythology who spun her webs to trap unsuspecting men just so she could devour them. "Arachne?"
"That's it. Prue is her in disguise! "I don't think so John." "She is Sam, honest. I saw her earlier. She was trying to eat me. Sam could barely suppress her giggle this time. "You don't believe me do you?' he asked petulantly. She started to talk to him using her best Mom tone. The one she had used when Chloe was just a little girl and had awoken from a bad dream. Though John was a grown man she sensed that is what he needed right now. "I believe that you believe it John but do you want to know what I think?"
"What?" he asked looking up with her at expectant eyes begging her for comfort and an explanation for all the confusing emotions that had to be rushing through him. He really did look like an adorable lost little boy at the moment. She soothed his forehead with the back of her hand, brushing back a stubborn lock of hair in the process.
"I think you overheard Hercules, Ioluas, and Nebula talking earlier about how they defeated Arachne, plus you'd been thinking about Prue all day, and you were so sleepy that somehow those images and thoughts just got all jumbled up in that cute little head of yours, and caused you to have a nightmare."
He shook his head, and said "uh, uh! I was so not thinking about her. She doesn't even like me. She thinks I'm a butthead. Why would I be thinking about her?" "Because you love her John, and if what I suspect is true, she loves you."
"No!" he shouted. "Nobody should ever love me. Sam was surprised at the sudden vehemence in his tone. "What would make you say a thing like that honey?" "Because my daddy was so mean," John cried out regressing further into the role of the wounded boy he'd been in the past.
"Daddy beat people up for stupid green pieces of paper. Then he let that awful lady take my brother. I always wanted a brother but he just gave him away. "I'm so afraid Sam!" he cried. "Of what John?" she asked. Suspecting the answer to this question already as well but also aware that he needed to voice it. "That I am like my daddy. I don't want to be like him ever. I don't want to make girls cry, and I don't want to hit people, or give anyone's baby brother away. So maybe if I never fall in love, or get married, or become a daddy, I won't ever be him."
Sam had difficulty speaking. She was nearly choking on her tears. "You are not him, John Grant do you hear me and you will never be him, so don't you ever think that," she instructed him. You need to fall in love, get married, and have lots of children because you are going to make a great husband and father." "It doesn't matter anyway," he said. "Cause your wrong, wrong, wrong. Prue doesn't love me. Nobody loves John and that is a good thing."
"That isn't true John! Lots of people love you." "You don't" he shot back. "And you want to know why? I'll tell you! It is because I am unlovable that is why." "Oh boy" Sam sighed! "What a can of worms," she said not realizing she had spoken aloud. "Worms I hate worms, there disgusting," John said. "Just like me."
How did one explain to a drunken man who was hallucinating that he was a child again about the different shades of love, and the concept of soul mates? How could she be telling him about Tom holding her heart, without John viewing it as rejection? If he had one more rejection even in his current delirious state he might never have the courage to proclaim his love to Prue.
A masculine hand tapped her on the shoulder from behind. She would have screamed but John quickly alleviated her fear when he said, "Don't look so scared silly Sammy, it is just my greatest Grand-Da!" A deep rich chuckle sounded from behind her. "I think I like that title Johnny me bucko, yes I do indeed. I think I will definitely be adding it to my official list of them, Erin the god of love said to his descendant. He stepped in front of Sam and took her hands in his. "Sorry to have frightened you Dr. Waters, but I was watching over our lad here from the screens on Ere, and thought you could use a little assist right about now."
"Oh yes, please!" Sam begged him. "For all my psychiatric training I haven't a clue as to what to say to him right now! "Well there is a reason for that. The answer to the riddle of what to say to him won't be found in any of your books, fine though they may be. In matters such as this I always find the simplest and most honest answer will usually suffice." "Right!" she nodded. "Here it goes."
"John I do love you truly. You are one of my best and closest friends," Sam said to John. He appeared to ponder that for a moment, and then he asked her, "really? One of your bestest friends ever. Like Angel and Bailey?" Sam nodded. "Just like Angel and Bailey." A smile suddenly lit up those sparkling blue eyes, he'd obviously inherited from his greatest Grand-Da. "That's good because you are one of my bestest friends ever too!" Sam heaved a huge sigh of relief. Erin had been right. "Thank you," she whispered to the man behind her. "You're welcome," he said.
"I still think you are wrong about Prue though. She doesn't like me at all. Nope to her I am just a knucklehead." John mumbled. His words were starting to slur even more. He was starting to drift back off to sleep. Erin chuckled again. "Don't laugh at me Greatest Grand Da!" John whispered indignantly. It's like I told Sammy. Prue is Arachne I know it and she is going to devour me like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "So how are we going to convince him that his probable soul mate isn't actually Spiderwoman?" Sam asked Erin.
"That one may take awhile," Erin said with a smile. At any rate Dr. Waters, why don't you go home to your husband and daughter? You have been through quite an ordeal yourself and you must be exhausted as well. And don't worry about our Johnny here, I will stay here until he goes back to sleep." "Thank you," she said hugging Erin. "I'm glad he has someone like you in his corner! "What is that modern expression you people use now a days, 'Ditto,' is it?" the Irish god of love asked. Sam smiled at his use of the term modern. She didn't correct him on it, however. She nodded. She turned towards John and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight bestest friend," she whispered. "Goodnight," he whispered back. As Sam headed for the door, she heard him say, "I still think you should profile Prue, Silly Sammy, she's going eat me alive I know it."
Sam didn't turn around this time but as soon as she got outside the door, she burst into laughter. "You sure are going to have your work cut out for you on this one Erin."