Author's Notes: I'm soooooooooooooo sorry that I didn't update sooner, but with school back it gets harder....

Night Music: *snorts* That's great...

Raine: I hate time lapses. It's just, I couldn't think of anything else to do to prolong the get-back-together process...Don't ask me about Zandra's family. Not yet.

Chapter 21

"Jim! Would you clear these tables while I take care of these orders?" Sarah called over the din of the customers and the huge storm outside.

"Sure Mom. You...go take of orders...or something." He moved to the nearest empty table and began to stack dishes into a big tub. The wind howled, making the windows of the inn shudder. Lightning cracked, briefly illuminating outside the inn. Jim took a double take, he could swear he had saw someone coming toward the door. He looked out the window again, eyes scanning the path that led to the inn. Deciding he was seeing things he turned and began to clear the next table. A few minutes later the door opened and the room fell silent. There was a silhouette of a huge man standing in the entryway. He surveyed the crowd, who had gone back to their eating and gabber, then slowly stepped inside. The wooden floorboards creaked under his weight. Jim looked the man over as he went into stronger light. It was then that he noticed a small figure wearing a heavily veiled cloak following this new person. The man made his way to a table in a corner, but the figure went to the front desk. It reached out and let a small hand caressed the well worn countertop. He quickly went to the desk to see what she, he assumed it was a she, needed. As he passed the figure he heard a small cry, like a wounded animal.

"Miss, are you alright?" She removed the veil. Jim felt his heart lurch. It couldn't be. It had been so long. He had almost given up....

"Jim?" Tears choked her voice. Did he recognize her? Would he remember? He gently lifted the hood that covered her head, letting the light spill on her face. His touch lifted all fear.

"Zandra...?" All of the pain and the heartache were instantly erased as soon as her name left his lips.

"Jim....Oh Jim..." She fell into his embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's okay, Zan. Everything's okay. I'm here now. I'm here. It's okay. Zandra, I missed you so much. I thought I'd never find you. I..." He broke down into tears, burying his face in her soft hair, murmuring her name over and over. She just cried, letting sobs shake her body. It was so good to be in his arms, back where she belonged. He lifted her off her feet and carried her to the backroom where they could be alone. He gently sat down on the couch, still holding her in his arms and waited until she had cried herself out.

"Zandra, where have you been?" He asked, pulling closer to him.

"Where haven't I? Silver and I searched for months. Every time..."

"Silver? As in John Silver?"

"Mm-hmm. He's out there now. He'll come in and talk to you after a while. He gave me first dibs." A smile played around the corners of her mouth. "Jim, I missed you so much."

"Tell me everything, from the beginning. Please." She tipped her head toward his, inhaled deeply, and began her tale.

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"Mr. Silver, do you think they need to eat something? They've been in there for so long...." Silver looked up from his newspaper.

"Jest plain Silver or John'll work Mrs. Hawkins. None o'dat 'Mr.' stuff."

"Alright then Mr. er, John. Then you must call me Sarah. Do you think that I should bring them something?"

"Well Sarah, methinks dat dey need to be wid each other fer a bit. Dat Zandra, well she missed yer boy sumptin awful. Ye see, when she was taken from 'im a first time, her 'eart jest broke to pieces. An' every time she even 'eard his name, she'd be abeggin' me ta go where ever so an' so said 'e was. An' iffin I said yes, why ye could see her 'eart mend, den we git there an' 'e wouldn't be dere an' da poor girls 'eart would be ripped apart 'gain. We spent months lookin' fer 'im. When we stepped in dis 'ere building an' she saw 'im, ye could see plain as I see ye now, da real girl was back. Not de ghost person dat was dere afore. I've got da feelin' Jimbo 'as da same idea. Give 'em time ta let dere 'earts get used to bein' whole, Sarah."

Sarah didn't answer, she was too busy wiping eyes that were filled with tears.

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After Silver decided they "had 'nuff time. I missed da boy too!" Sarah entered the back room, only to find the two wrapped in each others arms, fast asleep.