Okay. Now we're going to get back down to business. Just FYI, this chapter starts right after the last one. I'm talking, Janet says something in the last chapter and Larry answers in this one. So just a heads up, you might want to read the last couple of lines of chapter 9 so you remember where we're at for this one. :)

Legal: I do not own the rights to Three's Company or its characters, thanks.

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Chapter 10: An Unexpected Visitor

"Who?" Larry was still confused.

"Oh my gosh!" Terri jumped up herself and put her hands on her face. She regained her composure. "I know this is bad, but I can't put my finger on how."

"Of course it's bad, Terri! The guy keeps popping up everywhere...he *definitely* has something to do with Jack's situation!" Janet exclaimed.

"Who does?" Larry asked.

"Better yet," Jerry also jumped up, "now we know where he is! I'll be right back!"

He ran into the kitchen excitedly.

"Okay," said Terri. "I understand all of that, but how does he hurt Jack if he's over in London?"

"Who's trying to hurt Jack?" Larry queered.

"Well," Janet spoke, "he doesn't. He can't hurt him if he's in London. But who knows why he's there and who knows when he'll be back. He could--"

"WHO THE HELL IS ELIAS?!" Larry shouted, jumping to his feet.

Janet and Terri looked at him with wide eyes and Jack tried to hide under the couch. "Well, gee, Larry. You could have asked us before now. You didn't have to blow up." Janet sighed as she tried to get Jack to calm down.

Terri explained who Elias was so that Larry was no longer in the dark.

Then the doorbell rang. Terri clasped her hands together. "Oh, Janet, do you think that's a fan who saw the special on T.V. and wants to see you and Jack now?"

Janet stood and straightened her hair. "Jack, look presentable!" She whispered to Jack.

He sat back on the couch and tried to straighten his hair like she did hers. Larry posed with one hand on his hip and the other in his pocket. He wore a goofy smile. Terri puffed up her hair and then opened the door. Mr. Furley came barging in.

"Oh, Mr. Furley. It's just you," Janet sighed.

"We thought it was someone important," Larry added.

Mr. Furley didn't seem to notice the remark. He walked up to Janet. "Janet, I just want to apologize for being so nosy lately. Truth is, it's not my nature."

Behind Janet Terri raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip.

Janet smiled. "It's okay, Mr. Furley. We understand that--"

"No, no, I was a real--you do? Oh. Well that makes it a lot easier. By the way, I hope Jack gets back to norm--I hope you can train him. And Janet, if you train him to be a normal man I'll have to kick all of you out of the apartment, you know." Mr. Furley crossed his arms over his chest, as if to remind them that he was the law around there.

Janet nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll try to make Jack as much like the old Jack as I can."

"Okay. If you're sure." Mr. Furley sighed and left.

Terri shut the door behind him. "Well, at least Mr. Furley knows what's going on now and is supportive."

"Yeah. That relieves some of my stress." Janet ran a hand through her hair.

Jerry came out of the kitchen then. "Who's up for tea and scones?"

"And that adds to it," Larry said, pointing to Jerry. "I'm outta here."

Terri, Janet and Jack allowed Jerry to serve them tea and scones. It might have been nice, but Jack ate all of the scones and then took a drink of tea to wash them down. Either it was too hot or he just didn't like the taste because then he spit it all over Jerry. So tea and scones was canceled when a fuming Jerry marched off to take a shower, leaving Jack bewildered and Janet and Terri giggling.

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The next day started like any other day. Terri left for work. Jerry locked himself in Jack's room, telling Janet to holler if she needed anything. Janet and Jack sat on the couch while Janet tried to decide what to teach Jack. She finally sighed. "You know what, Jack? I have no idea how people eat at a ball. Normally you would know this, being a chef, but you're the one I have to teach it to!" She sighed and leaned her head against her hand.

Jack could sense her distress. "I am sorry, Janet," he said.

She patted him on the head. "Oh, it's not your fault, Jack. It's whoever-did-this-to-you's fault. I just wish...wait, perhaps Jerry knows a thing or two about proper etiquette. He *is* British. Jerry!"

In a few seconds Jerry came out of the bedroom. "Yes, Janet?"

"Jerry, could you teach Jack proper etiquette?" Janet asked.

Jerry breathed a long sigh. "As fun as that sounds, I have a dirty great migraine. If I could get some rest, that would be quite nice."

Janet nodded vigorously. "Oh, of course, Jerry, of course. I hope you feel better soon."

"Thank you," Jerry said as he went into the bedroom.

Janet sighed as Jack crept closer to play with her hair. "Well, that's that."

Just then the doorbell rang. Janet answered it. Her eyes grew so wide they nearly popped out of her head. "Chrissy!" She gasped.

Chrissy came right in and spread her arms. They hugged. Chrissy then moved away and saw Jack sitting on the couch, watching her with interest. "Oh, Jack! Little Jackie dog!" She started to walk toward him.

"Uh, Chrissy, I would be careful. He doesn't talk politely to..." Janet trailed off and lapsed into a stunned silence.

Chrissy came right up to Jack and scratched him behind the ears. He shut his eyes and smiled, letting Chrissy ruffle his hair. "He's so sweet!" Chrissy smiled.

Janet nodded and then walked up to them. "Chrissy, what are you doing here?"

Chrissy grinned widely. "Well. I saw that thingie on Jack on the television last night. I packed up and headed over here early this morning to help."

"Oh, Chrissy. That's very kind of you, but how can you help?"

"I know lots of stuff, Janet!" Chrissy defended herself. "And if I know it you can't take it away from me because I already know it!"

Janet sighed and rubbed her forehead. *Great. That makes lots of sense.*

"What do you need help with?" Chrissy continued brightly.

"Well, how about the kind of etiquette and table manners people use at a ball? Do you know that, Chrissy?"

Chrissy smiled and nodded. "I sure do! I'm a minister's daughter, Janet. I had to know all the proper table manners and how-do-you-do's for when we had people over for dinner or when they invited us over for dinner. Ministers are invited over for dinner a lot, you know."

"I do now. Are you absolutely sure you know the proper etiquette, Chrissy?" Janet asked again, still doubtful.

Chrissy nodded. "Oh yes. Did you know, Janet, that if Jack is a boy he should never shake a girl's hand? He's supposed to kiss it. Boys are never supposed to shake a girl's hand." She shook her head. "And if I get stuck, I have this!" She pulled a small book out of her pocket. "It's my mother's. A Guide to Proper Etiquette, see? Every single rule is written in here. At least, I think so."

Janet flung her arms around Chrissy. "Oh, Chrissy! Thank you! You're the answer to our prayers!"

"You were praying?" Chrissy asked, slightly surprised.

Janet shook her head. "Well, no. It's a metaphor."

"A meta-what?" Chrissy asked.

Luckily, though, Janet didn't have to explain a metaphor. Just then Jerry walked out of the bedroom. "What *is* all the racket out here?"

"Jerry, this is mine and Jack's oldest roommate, Chrissy. Chrissy and I were friends and roommates before we even met Jack. Chrissy, this is Jerry. He's helping us manage stuff while Jack is in training," Janet explained.

Jerry took Chrissy's hand and kissed it. "How do you do, madam?"

Chrissy jumped up and down. "See, Janet? That's how it's done!" She looked over at Jack. "Did you see that Jack? That's what you do."

Janet sighed. "Oh, Chrissy, Jack isn't going to understand 'That's what you do.'"

Chrissy walked over to Jack and extended her hand. He took it and kissed it. "How do you do, madam?" He echoed Jerry.

Chrissy squealed and jumped up and down again. "Did you see that, Janet? Did you see it?"

Janet shook her head, gaping. "I don't believe it."

The rest of the day Chrissy taught Jack manners and for the most part he picked up a lot. "You know," Chrissy remarked once, "it would be a lot easier to teach him if he could walk on his back legs."

"He doesn't have front legs," Jerry said.

"But his legs are still back legs," Chrissy insisted.

Chrissy, with Jerry's help occasionally, continued to teach Jack until Terri came home. Then there were more introductions. "This place is starting to get crowded," Terri commented that evening.

Janet nodded. "It is. Jerry, maybe you should go stay with Larry."

"Me stay with *him*?" Jerry spewed.

"You don't like Larry?" Chrissy queered.

Jerry just pursed his lips. Janet put a hand on his shoulder. "It might be the best thing, Jerry. Unless you want one of us to go stay with him."

Jerry sighed. "I'll get my things."

"You can come over anytime," Terri added.

In a few minutes they had called Larry and let him in on everything. He said that he would be over in a flash to say hi to Chrissy, and then he wanted to take Jerry out for a drink at the Reagle Beagle ("It's better than tea and scones," he added). When Jerry was gone the girls were alone with Jack.

"Gee, I hope it's safe without Jerry," Terri said, nervously watching Jack.

Janet rolled her eyes. "Oh, Terri. Does that look like someone you need protection from?" She motioned to Jack, who was picking dirt out from under his toenails. "When did Jerry ever protect us from Jack, anyway?" She added.

Terri nodded. "I guess you're right."

"Besides," Chrissy piped, "we have Jack, so we don't need Jerry."

Terri started to ask something, a confused look on her face, but Janet shook her head. Terri nodded. "Well, what next?" She asked instead. "I really wish I could help out. I feel like I'm just in the way," she added.

Janet rubbed her arm soothingly.

Chrissy shrugged. "What do we do next, Janet?"

"If only we could get him to walk upright," Janet said wistfully.

Over the next hour she and Chrissy tried everything they could to get him to walk on his "back legs". Finally they both plopped down on the couch, utterly exhausted. "It's hopeless. We might as well give up now," Janet said with despair.

Chrissy sighed. "Janet, even if it is hopeless we should always have hope."

Terri suddenly leaped off of the chair, where she had sat the past hour watching them. "I know! I know how we can get Jack to walk right!"

Janet and Chrissy sat up. Terri continued. "We have special rooms in the hospital where we teach people who have had spinal cord damage how to walk. There's equipment designed specifically for people who either can't physically walk or who have forgotten how to. Perhaps we could take Jack there and teach him how to walk using the equipment!"

Janet stood and Chrissy followed her lead. "Terri, you may be onto something. Let's catch a bus to the hospital!"

They left a note on the door for Jerry and Larry so they wouldn't worry in case they stopped by, before rushing down to the bus stop and taking the bus to the hospital.

When Terri had gotten permission to use one of the training rooms they went into it. She flipped on all the lights. She was right. There was lots of equipment and it was all used for making people walk again. "And 95% of the time it's successful," Terri added hopefully.

They stood there for awhile until Janet finally said, "So what do we do?"

Terri shrugged. "Teach him how to walk."

Janet and Chrissy exchanged glances. "I can't teach him how to walk here! It looks like a torture chamber!" Chrissy shivered.

Janet shook her head. "I have no idea what any of these things do. How can I help him?"

Terri looked at them with wide eyes. "But-but I can't help him; he hates me!"

Janet looked at Jack, who was looking on with bewilderment. "I don't know any other way, Terri." She knelt down so that she was level with Jack. "Jack, I really, *really* need you to listen to Terri." She pointed to Terri. "Please, Jack."

She and Chrissy stepped aside and Terri approached Jack. The first thing she did was lower herself. She looked Jack straight in the eye and cleared her throat. "Jack, I just want to teach you how to walk. You understand that the reason we're all trying to teach you these things day in and day out is just because we love you and we don't want anything bad to happen to you, right? Janet loves you and Larry loves you and Chrissy loves you and Jerry...was hired by the government...and I love you, too, Jack. That's why I want to teach you how to walk. Is that okay?"

The three girls held their breaths. Jack stared at Terri for awhile. He looked over at Janet briefly, then looked back at Terri and nodded. Janet and Chrissy squealed and hugged. Terri stood up, sighing with relief. "Okay, Jack, come with me."

Terri set to work, training Jack to walk. Janet and Chrissy eagerly cheered her on. But when two hours had gone by and Jack still couldn't walk right they lost some of their enthusiasm. They were both lying on their stomachs on the floor, facing each other and playing Cat's Cradle with a string Chrissy had found on the floor. Terri had a headache and was trying really hard not to get frustrated with Jack. He was trying, but he was also tired.

Finally Janet stood. "You know what, everyone is tired. We'll just have to try again tomorrow."

Chrissy stood as well. They started to walk out, but were stopped when Terri suddenly screeched. "What?" Janet turned around and pushed Chrissy aside so she could see what was wrong.

But nothing was wrong. Terri had her hands on her cheeks. Her mouth was wide open and she was staring at Jack in shock. Very soon Janet had assumed the same expression. Jack was slowly walking toward them the right way! Chrissy had to fight a giggle because he did look funny. He was obviously trying to get a feel for how moving his legs to walk affected the rest of his body. He walked up to Janet and stopped, a grin creasing his face.

"Jack!" Janet exclaimed, excitedly.

She flung her arms around him and he started to waver, so she had to help him keep his balance.

"He still needs work," Terri said blatantly.

"But he's much, much better! Oh, thank you, Terri!" Janet cried.

She and Chrissy smothered Terri in hugs. To everyone's surprise, Jack joined in, too. "Thank you, Terri," he said.

She blinked tears away as he hugged her. "No problem, Jack."

"Let's celebrate!" Janet said.

"Yay, a party!" Chrissy clapped.

A party wasn't exactly what Janet had in mind as they went down to the Reagle Beagle to celebrate with a round of drinks. She wasn't so sure about bringing Jack in, but Chrissy begged her to and Terri said they would only be there long enough to down the beverages, so Janet consented. They were surprised to find Jerry and Larry still there when they got in. While Terri ordered the drinks they sat down at a booth and Jerry and Larry joined them. "Did Jack walk in here?" Jerry asked suddenly, when Terri had brought the drinks back.

The girls all nodded and Jack joined them. Larry laughed and raised his glass. "To my pal Jack!"

Janet shook her head. "No, to Terri. Jack would not be able to walk right now if it weren't for her."

They all raised their glasses. "To Terri!" They shouted.

When all the drinks were gone they walked out of the pub, chattering excitedly about the day's progression. "So why were you two still there?" Janet asked Jerry.

Jerry sighed. "That baboon wanted to stay until he found a date for Saturday night." He shook his head.

"Did he?" Terri quipped.

Jerry shook his head again. "No, he did not. We might have been there all night, had you girls not come along."

"Your welcome." Chrissy smiled.

"Hey, Janet, does this mean we can bring Jack to the Reagle Beagle? I mean, you did just bring him tonight." Larry grinned.

Janet nodded slightly. "Yes. Well, he'll need to brush up a little bit. Maybe Saturday night."

"You're on!" Larry shouted.

Chrissy giggled. "Oh, this is so exciting! I'm getting goosebumps!"

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Yay! Chrissy's back! I hope I'm being true to her character. She may have been a dumb blonde, but her character was still essential to the show while she was on it and I want to honor that. So let me know if she says or does something that is, like, WAY out of character!!