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Sliding Into Antar

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All The King's Horses…

Chapter 19

XIX

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"Hello, Isabel."

The voice behind Isabel was soft and imbued with a unique sweetness. It gave Isabel a warm, happy feeling all over. She smiled and turned around, knowing exactly what she would find…

"Alex!"

Crouching with his hands on his knees atop a large rock, Alex smiled. Then he leapt to the ground, landing lightly on his feet in front of Isabel…

"So you're gonna try to put Humpty Dumpty back together again?"

Isabel wrinkled her nose and smiled then touched her hand lovingly to Alex's cheek… "Not Humpty Dumpty, Alex… someone a lot more special to me."

"You're not concerned about the old 'all the king's horses and all the king's men' thing then?"

Isabel shook her head, appearing totally confident. "The king's horses and the king's men won't be called on for this job, Alex. I've got someone more capable… a regeneration specialist."

"You really think it's possible, huh?"

"It's more than possible, Alex. It's going to happen. I'm not spending the rest of my life without you… not here, not anywhere. I've made up my mind. And when I've made up my mind…"

"Heaven help anyone who gets in the way… Is that what happened to Kivar?"

Isabel smiled. "Something like that. He had some crazy idea that he could substitute himself for you. I had to set him straight. I… I did have some help, though, Alex… from Tess."

"I know. Who do you think told me you were gonna put the old Whit together again?"

"You've seen Tess?"

Alex nodded.

"Why did she do that, Alex? Why did she make me hate her so much then go and sacrifice herself for you… for us?"

"Life is full of mysteries, Iz… like… what happened to all those crocodiles?"

"Croc… Omigod! Alex… those were only in my mind. I create things sometimes… in my mind… as a way to cope… You understand? I don't always even mean to do it… it just happens. How did you know about the crocodiles?"

"I saw them. I could see your feelings. You must have been pretty upset."

Isabel smiled and nodded, somewhat embarrassed. "I was, I guess, wasn't I? But you don't see any crocs now, do you, Alex?"

Alex shook his head and smiled. "No crocs… just throbs."

"huh?"

"Heart throbs… you know, my heart longing to be with you."

Isabel grinned and kissed Alex on the lips. "That was sweet, Alex. Do you… uh… you know… do you… have a heart?"

Alex smiled then laughed. "I don't know. Why don't you listen and see?"

Isabel placed her ear against Alex's chest and listened for several seconds, then she moved her ear and listened again. "I don't hear anything."

"I guess ghosts don't have a heart then, Iz… even ones who can make themselves solid for short periods of time. They better put me back together, 'cause I really need a heart."

Isabel smiled and touched Alex's cheek lovingly… "Alex… even without a heart you have a heart."

"But I need a real one, Iz… otherwise, what do I have to give to you?"

"Do you really want me to answer that, Alex," Isabel asked with a girlish grin. She was sure she noticed Alex blush ever so slightly, and she wondered if that was actually possible for a ghost.

Alex smiled sheepishly… "I guess you'd better make sure that they put me back together right then."

"I'll personally see to it," Isabel said, giving Alex a gentle kiss on the lips. This time she knew he blushed…

And she loved it.

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It was late afternoon when the hovercar pulled up quietly in front of the little house owned by Zory and his granddaughter, Tryla, and a man got out. Inside the house, Isabel and the others had been watching and waiting, and they knew, even from Kivar's brief description, that this was the one they were waiting for.

The man took a couple of bags from the hovercar, then the car and its driver left. Turning around to knock on the door, the newcomer nearly ran into Isabel, who was already outside and standing behind him.

"You're the regeneration specialist?" Tryla asked, stepping up beside Isabel.

"Yes," the man replied, with all the grimness of an undertaker, "Where is Kivar?"

Even though she did not understand the language, Isabel could sense that the specialist was not especially thrilled to be there.

"Kivar isn't here," Tryla said. "He had a slight… accident."

Isabel wasn't certain, but she could have sworn that the man's face seemed to brighten. But then why shouldn't it? Kivar had banished him to a dreary swamp planet and was only recalling him for a special job… one that anyone might assume would only favor Kivar's interests.

"Who is the patient," the specialist asked.

"A boy from Eluymer," Tryla said. "Kivar had need of him, but now you will be healing him for us… and for the boy's sake. His name is Alex."

"Can he… can he fix Tess, too?" Isabel asked hesitantly, wondering if she should be asking, but then feeling guilty for having doubts.

Tryla turned to the regeneration specialist and told him what had happened to Kivar and Tess, then she asked him what Isabel had asked.

"Is there at least ten percent of the body left," the specialist asked.

Tryla nodded. "Probably twenty-five percent."

"Then I can do it," the specialist said, "Will you want me to regenerate Kivar, too?"

Isabel understood that and shook her head… "No need. All the king's horses and all the king's men are going to be working on that." She knew that Tryla and the specialist didn't understand her reference to the Earth nursery rhyme, but they seemed to get her meaning… probably from her smile.

"Show me the patients," the specialist said.

Tryla turned to Zory, and the old man nodded. "You girls had best stay outside until it is done. What you would see will not be pleasant."

"I promised Alex I would make sure he was put together right," Isabel said, not really expecting Zory to understand… But he smiled…

"I will make sure that he is perfect for you… Isabel."

Isabel felt her cheeks become warm, as they reddened, and she smiled and nodded.

"It's okay," Tryla said, putting her arm around Isabel comfortingly, "The regeneration process does not put everything back together… It regenerates the damaged or destroyed parts. Then the healer salvages the memories and the core self of the patient and reactivates the physical body. It will be perfect, because it is created by the patient's own DNA. Do you understand?"

Isabel nodded. "But will it still be Alex?"

Tryla smiled and nodded. "The same Alex you always knew."

Isabel closed her eyes, and a feeling of relief flooded over her.

The sun was setting, when the door of the house reopened and Zory came out, followed by the specialist. They looked at Isabel, and she saw that both men had tears in their eyes…

"No…" Isabel whispered. "No, I don't want to hear it."

"Go inside," Zory said. "Go now."

Tryla put her arm around Isabel, and the two girls walked into the house. On the sofa sat Alex, and Tess had her arms around him. She was sobbing uncontrollably…

"Alex, I'm so sorry. Can you ever, ever forgive me?"

"I forgive you," Alex said, for the hundredth time, then he looked up at Isabel and smiled, and Isabel sat down beside him on the sofa. Carefully peeling Tess' arms from around Alex's neck, Isabel replaced them with her own…

"I forgive you, too, Tess," Isabel said. "But there's only room for one set of arms around Alex right now. And that's mine."

Tess sniffed and nodded. "I'm sorry for what happened, Isabel. I know I messed up. I don't know what else to say."

Isabel kissed Alex passionately. When they finally looked at each other again, Isabel asked, "Well, did they put everything back where it should be?"

"Someday soon," Alex said, stars twinkling in his eyes… "Someday soon, Isabel… if you still love me… you'll find out."

"I'm counting the days," Isabel said with a wink, then she kissed him again.

tbc