Ê ÊThe three marshals headed back towards Catherine's room once more, all deep in thought. ÊCosmo shook his head slowly, wishing there was something that he could say to make 'Vannah understand. ÊHe wanted that boy to be Noah too, wanted it just as bad as she did but how.... Ê He couldn't do it, couldn't let himself get his hopes up knowing that they were just going to get dashed again. ÊHe hadn't seen Noah's injuries but from what he had heard, he didn't see any way that the boy could have survived. ÊAnd even if he did, that didn't explain.... Ê They had buried someone, definately had buried someone. ÊHe had nearly thrown out his back on that coffin.
Ê ÊThe three stopped in surprise when they saw Noah waiting outside the door, a nervous expression on his face.
Ê Ê"Catherine's not...." Ê'Vannah started to say, sudden worry hitting her at the sight of him. ÊShe wanted to believe so badly that the boy was Noah but....
Ê Ê"She's okay," ÊNoah said quietly, closing his eyes for a moment before starting to speak again. ÊThis had to be fixed somehow. ÊHe didn't think Cosmo was going to blow up like he had again but.... ÊCatherine had accepted him without question, Sam had after he had told him about the fishing spot. Ê Surely there was something that he could do to make things right with the others as well. ÊHe just wanted his family back the way that it had been before. ÊThey were the only family that he had and he wanted them back. Ê"Listen, I know that you don't trust me too much right now, and I guess I can understand that, but is there something, any sort of test, that might convince you? Ê I don't want things to keep going on like..." he nodded back over his shoulder, indicating Catherine's room behind him, and sighed."Ê It wasn't his fault that he had ended up misplaced, he shouldn't have to be the one constantly having to prove things but...
Ê Ê'Vannah shot a look at Cosmo, warning him not to start another arguement before turning to Noah. Ê"Why don't you start with telling us where you've been for the last three years if you are Noah?" Êshe said softly, something in the boy's expression tugging at her heart. Ê 'Please, please, let this be....' Ê"They told us you were dead. ÊSam told us...."
Ê Ê"I really, really don't know how that happened," ÊNoah said with a shake of his head. Ê"If you want to though, you can go find Colleen Harper, tiny little thing, silver blonde hair, you can't miss her. ÊShe's the administrator of the hospital I was at and she was going to do some checking on that. Ê Maybe she's already figured out how it happened." ÊHe shook his head in slight pity for the staff members that he was sure were going to be in very big trouble over this one. ÊFor a tiny little thing, Colleen was extremely persistant. Ê"All I know is that I woke up about a week later with no idea of who I was and nothing to identify me."
Ê Ê "They gave us all your credentials and stuff," 'Vannah remarked quietly, and Noah nodded in understanding.
Ê Ê "I just hope that no one spent that twenty," ÊNoah said in a light tone as he glanced over at Cosmo and Bobby.
Ê Ê"Amnesia?" ÊCosmo had a sceptical but at the same time puzzled expression on his face. ÊAmnesia was one of the oldest tricks in the book but at the same time.... ÊIt was something that was so unlikely that maybe.... ÊCould it be true? ÊAnd something about the boy's offhand comment about a twenty....
Ê Ê"I tried everything, anything anyone suggested to remember. ÊIt was like there was this great big empty space where I knew something was supposed to be but I didn't know what," ÊNoah said quietly, not really wanting to think about that time but hoping that talking about it might help, might convince them to give him a chance. Ê "There were no missing persons' reports, no one called the hospital looking...."
Ê Ê"We didn't exactly know we needed to look," ÊBobby muttered, starting to slowly feel like 'Vannah did over the situation. ÊHow could it be Noah but.... ÊSomething about this kid just felt so right. ÊSurely they would know, would be able to sense something..... Ê "But if that wasn't you in that coffin...." ÊMarshals' Service was just going to love this. ÊWho had they buried if it wasn't Noah? ÊFunerals weren't cheap.
Ê Ê"I have no idea," ÊNoah said with a shake of his head. Ê"Might have been the John Doe that they thought that I was since no one came looking for anyone."
Ê Ê"It'd sure explain the weight," Bobby thoughtfully remarked to the air. 'Vannah nodded, thinking hard, and Cosmo frowned for a moment, trying to remember. Bobby had a point.Ê Ê"How did you end up here? ÊIsn't exactly close to the city," ÊCosmo asked, having to fight to maintain control, to keep himself focused. ÊHe wanted to believe this was Noah, it would be so easy to let himself believe that it was Noah but....
Ê Ê"Hospital beaurocrats tend to frown on people who can't remember what insurance company can be billed for rather expensive medical procedures. ÊThey wanted to ship me to a homeless shelter but Colleen found a job for me here at the junior high instead. Ê So I've been playing janitor for the last three years, and trying to keep up with the kids. My bills are all paid, though. Well, almost. Just a few more thousand to go." Ê Noah glanced over at Bobby for a moment, as the others stared at him in shock. Ê"Ummm, I really, really wouldn't eat anymore of that meatloaf if I were you. ÊI'm fairly sure that piece there is the one that did in the substitute science teacher." Ê Bobby stared down suspiciously at the plate in his hand, then silently discarded it into the nearest wastebasket.
Ê Ê"You willing to have fingerprints, DNA?" ÊCosmo said, forcing his voice to come out slightly harsh. ÊIf this kid was tricking them somehow, well it would be easier if it came out now instead of when....
Ê Ê"I'm willing to do anything." ÊNoah spoke in a quiet yet determined voice. "I just want things like they were before and whatever it takes to get things back that way, I'll do it."
Ê ÊCosmo's eyebrows shot up. "Big bluff, my man," he warned the young man. "Easy one to call."
Ê Ê "No bluff," Noah answered quietly.
Ê Ê "Easy to find out," 'Vannah cut off Cosmo's retort. "Let's go find the lab and have the tests run."
Ê Ê "Right now," Cosmo added harshly.
Ê Ê Noah pushed away from the wall. "Let's go," he said calmly.