Chapter 11: Epilogue

So, where's Sam?" Jack asked. "Seems only fair the guy who helped us nail the kidnappers ought to be here to join the festivities." He was perched on a barstool in the midst of an impromptu dinner celebrating a case wrapped up in so satisfying a manner.

"Actually," Myles replied, as he pulled a pan of garlic bread out of the oven, "I haven't seen him all day. I know he had a session with Elizabeth this morning, but that would have been over a couple hours ago. I haven't heard from either of them."

"While I've been sworn to refrain from revealing specific details pertaining to his location," a British-accented voice rang out from behind them, "I can assure you that he's quite well." Myles moved aside and let the well-dressed man set something on the stove.

Jack blinked. "Uh...not to be rude, or anything, but who are you?"

"Oh," Myles began, "Jack, this is—"

"I, sir" the man replied, giving a slight bow, "am Gregory Wilhelm Hobbes. Samuel is my employer. I am a 'Gentleman's Gentleman'."

"Otherwise referred to as 'MI-5'," Myles quipped with a grin. "Half the time he sounds like British Intelligence couldn't function without him."

Gregory inclined his head in solemn acceptance of the humor. "Incidentally, Dr. Dillingham is with Samuel, as is Miss Williams. So you needn't be concerned."

"I was wondering where Tara was," Sue commented as she tossed a salad at the counter. "She said she might be a little late, but she wouldn't say anything about why."

Just then, the front door opened and Elizabeth walked in with Tara. "Hey, Bobby," Tara said over the conversation, "Can you come move your car for just a second?"

"Sure, no worries." He followed her back out.

Myles looked at Elizabeth, puzzled. "What was that all about?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "What can I do to help?"

"You can help me get the table set," Lucy called from the dining room.

Dimitrius wandered over to the counter as Elizabeth went to help Lucy. "That spaghetti sauce smells fantastic. What's in it?"

Gregory smiled knowingly. "A secret recipe I picked up, quite by accident, while in Monte Carlo. It could have serious consequences if the ingredients were revealed, for then someone would know I had found them out."

"Right. Sorry I asked."

There was laughter at that, and in the midst of it Sam came bounding through the front door, with Tara at his side and Bobby right behind them. "Greetings, one and all!"

Myles raised an eyebrow at him, smiling. "You're late."

"Had things to do," was the mysterious reply. His eyes widened as Myles bored a glance through him. "Uh-uh-uh, twin," he said, wagging a finger in rebuke. "No fair peeking, not this time, I shall not allow it."

"You were more fun when you were obnoxious," Myles sighed in a martyr's tone.

Sam's brilliant grin lit up his face. "And you're a lot more fun now. Even if you are still a stuffed shirt."

"Hey!"

The grin got broader, if possible. "Is dinner ready? I'm starved, and 'Fin and I need to get a move on if we're gonna get home before midnight."

Myles almost dropped a second pan of bread. Jack took one look at him and got everyone else involved in getting food on the table, leaving the twins standing in the kitchen.

"You're leaving…tonight? I thought—"

Sam's smile softened. "I need to, Myles. I need to go see Mom and Dad. It's been too long, and there's so much I need to say to them. All these years, I've been less than two hours away, and I've seen them less than I've seen you. It's time. Besides, Liz set me up with a shrink in Boston, I have an appointment in a couple days, and that's my homework."

"But—"

Sam put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It won't be long, bro. I'll be back, I promise. Hey, we've still got Matthews to put away for good, and it's not like I'm gonna leave Tara at the mercy of the bachelors down here for long. And hey," he added, "the Leland duo is back in action. I still have some stuff to work on, like fully realizing that you shutting me out because of work stuff doesn't mean it's permanent. And I guess I need to learn to lean on something besides that bond— grow up, maybe. Just a little. But we're still invincible, you and me."

Myles nodded, unable to say what he felt. For a moment, Sam locked eyes with him, and it all flowed between them again. Love you, too, bro. It echoed through both souls, and completed the journey for them.

Myles clapped his brother on the shoulder. "You're right. We are invincible. Come on. I suddenly find I'm hungry, too."

-!-

-!-

It was quite a sendoff after dinner. Glorfindel was passed around, until he decided that he liked Bobby's shoulder as a perch while Sam finished packing the Jeep. The white kitten kept pawing at the Aussie's hair and mewing loudly in his ear.

"Told ya," Sam said with a grin. "It's the hair. Gets 'em every time. Better keep an eye on him when you're taking down the bad guys."

There was laughter as Bobby plunked the kitten into his carrier with a sheepish grin, then turned to Sam. "You are, without a doubt, the most maddening bloke I have ever met." He held out a hand. "But it is genetic, so I suppose I can overlook it. Good on ya, mate. Safe journey."

Sam returned the handshake. "Do me a favor— keep an eye on Myles, will you? There's only so much trouble he should be allowed to get into on his own."

"No worries."

There was a flurry of hugs and handshakes, and he swung Tara up and around to give her a quick kiss. "I will see you later, Lady MarioKart." Only Elizabeth and Myles remained when he put her down.

"Liz, there are no words…except 'thank you.'"

She smiled and gave him a big hug. "Anytime. You just don't stay away too long, okay? Someone's got to clean out my gum supply occasionally."

Sam laughed. "You just let me know if he's not treating you good. Oh, I almost forgot…" He leaned down and whispered in her ear for a minute or two.

She burst out laughing. "Oh! Oh, no wonder you warned me!" She turned to Myles. "You'll be lucky if I ever leave a change of clothes over here!"

Myles turned bright red as six sets of eyes nailed him all at once. "I was eleven years old. It's called temporary insanity, and I plead the Fifth. And," he said, advancing on his brother, "if I recall, you were the one who came up with the idea in the first place."

Sam grinned again. "True. Aunt Christie never knew that, though."

"You…" Myles took another step, then simply grabbed Sam in a bear hug. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

"You got it, bro. Same goes for you." He stepped back and licked a finger, then held it up to the evening breeze. "I do believe the wind is changing. Time to move on, then. See you tomorrow, Gregory." He stepped into the Jeep, started the motor, and then rolled down the passenger window. "Hey, bro. Remind me again when your birthday is."

"A couple of weeks. Same as yours, obviously. Why?"

A small package came flying out through the window. "Because I might not quite make it back down here by then. So here. Happy birthday. Later, all!" The window went back up and the Jeep sped off.

Myles looked down at the package in his hands. Very slowly, he opened the wrapping. In the box was a garage door opener. "He wrapped up my garage door opener?" Then he looked closer; a small sticky note had been placed on the button. Press here.

He looked up at Elizabeth and Tara. "What's this all about?"

Two synchronized shrugs were the reply. Myles sighed and pressed the button. The garage door slid slowly open.

He stared.

Jack leaned over to Bobby and grinned. "Is he still breathing?"

"I doubt it," Dimitrius replied.

Sitting in the second area of the two-car garage was a brand-new, hunter green, Jaguar XJ-6. Several low whistles resounded as he walked over to it, not daring to believe it was solid.

"He really was going to import the Aston-Martin," Elizabeth said softly as she stepped up next to him. "Then Tara told us about a case you worked on a while back, and the Jag you got to drive for it."

Myles laid a hand on the roof of the car and closed his eyes. "He didn't have to do this."

"He wanted to," Tara said. "He just wanted to, and your birthday coming up made it easy. And before you ask how you can top this, you don't have to. He wants to go play paintball with you when he gets back down here; that's all he wants for his birthday. So, go on, try it out." She opened the driver's door and stepped back as he sat down in the leather seat. The keys dangled in the ignition.

A flash of white on the dashboard caught his eye, and he looked over to see a small card, like a placecard at a fancy dinner table, with his name on it. He reached over and picked it up, flipping it open as he did so.

Here's to twins. Happy birthday, bro. I'll see you soon.

-!-

-!-

FINIS