Ephram could feel the sun on his face and the wind around him. Turning around he looked behind him and through the sunshine saw Amy emerge from the trees they had been trailing through.

"Hurry up!" he called out to her.

"Seriously, Ephram, this better be worth it!" Amy grumbled.

Ephram smiled and reached out his hand to her. She looked up at him, straight into his eyes, smiled back and took it, pulling him toward her.

"Hey you," Amy smiled at him. "There you are. I thought I lost you."

"Not me, Amy. You'll never lose me." And Ephram leaned forward and kissed her. Breaking away Ephram looked around him confused.

"What's the matter?" Amy asked.

"Do you hear that?" Ephram murmured, still looking around him.

"Hear what?"

"Bach, I think…"

"Bach? Ephram, we're halfway up a bluff, you are seriously obsessed with piano. Take a break crazy man." Amy laughed.

Ephram turned to look at her. She suddenly sounded distant. And then his eyes flew open and he jumped. There was the tinny sound of a mobile ring tone somewhere near his head. Bach.

"Sorry Ephram. I forgot this was on," his father was saying. "I'd turn it off if I could find it…"

Looking around, taking in his surroundings, Ephram felt the events of the previous night rushing back to him. Nauseousness sweeping over him as Ephram felt the storm of emotion that threatened to overtake him gather in his chest. A slight moan escaped him has he doubled up in an attempt to close it down. Hearing the sound, Andy's head snapped up and seeing his son practically foetal he leapt forward and put his hand on Ephram's back.

"What's the matter? Where does it hurt? Are you alright Ephram?" And when Ephram did not answer, "Ephram do you need me to get a nurse? Tell me what's wrong!" Andy pleaded.

When Ephram did answer it was through gritted teeth, "Please take your hand off me. Just go away. Please, just go away." He kept his eyes closed as Andy, stung, took his hand from Ephram's back and walked slowly from the room, looking back once taking in Ephram's face, before closing the door behind him.

Sitting in the corridor Andy put his head in his hands and fought back the urge to cry. The pain in Ephram's face had been indescribable and it had torn his heart. He did not know what to do, or what was best but he knew that he needed to talk to Ephram. To try and make him understand that whatever had happened between them, now and in the past, he loved him, could not bear to see his son in so much pain. Andy had never felt so much grief for the loss of his wife. He needed Julia so badly right now, Ephram needed Julia so badly.

"How do I do this Julia, how?" he asked out loud.

A nurse walking down the corridor looked at him curiously and walked on. Andy stood up and leaned against the wall. He felt like a fish out of water. English hospitals were so different to American ones. He was sure the building was older than the constitution. But everyone bustled in the same way. Everyone knew what they were doing. These nurses in their NHS garb. He supposed that was the way of things when Healthcare was free to all, sometimes buildings didn't sparkle. He was just grateful they were helping his son.

Ephram looked up at the sound of the door opening. He eyed his father with a coolness masking confusion and pain. He did not know what to say to Andy and he did not know what his father was doing here. Ephram was glad that his father was there, that he had travelled the thousands of miles to be here, but he still did not know what had happened or how it had happened. Ephram still felt part of himself detached. It was Andy that broke the impasse.

"Ephram, I need you to tell me where you were staying." Andy stated.

Ephram looked at his father, confused. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to get your things; I'm going to get your things and, when you are well enough to be discharged, you're coming home with me; home, Ephram, to your family, who love you and who need you. Like you have no idea." Andy leant back against the wall again; it was becoming a favourite pose. "So?"

Ephram looked at his father slightly stunned. "So, you think… you think I'm just coming… you think we can just put all this behind us and move on like nothing happened?" he asked.

"No. I don't. I don't think that at all. What I think is that, you and I, we need to talk. And I mean really talk. And when we've talked we're going to take some action."

"..action?" Ephram interrupted.

"Yes Ephram. Action. We're going to make sure your child is okay. We're going to make sure that my Grandchild is okay. There's not a lot else I can do. I know this is my fault, and that this whole thing would've had a different outcome if I hadn't acted in the way that I did. The only thing that I can do for you, and him now, is to make sure that he's okay."

Ephram stared at his father like he had grown a second head. Something in his heart was warming. The part of him that had felt so cold and alone had started to thaw slightly. Ephram knew that he could never forgive Andy fully for his part in this. Or he thought that at the moment. But all he had ever wanted was for his dad to help him. To be truthful with him. Hadn't Ephram shouted it at Andy enough times? And here Andy was, making an effort. He was trying. Ephram had to respect that. Looking toward the window and away from his father, with what sounded like tremendous effort, Ephram spoke.

"Youth Hostel. YHA, 306 London Road. If they haven't trashed it all by now…"

There was an infinitesimal pause before Andy said, "Thank you Ephram." And slowly turned and left the room. When Ephram looked back around, his father was gone.

Back in Everwood Amy sat at her desk. She was staring at her computer screen blankly. Between her fingers she twisted the necklace that Ephram had given her, what seemed a lifetime ago now. She had no idea what was happening with Ephram now. What had happened to him. Anxious to the inth degree she stood up and pushed her chair back, needing to get some air.

Coming down the stairs she met her father.

"Amy, where are you going honey?" he asked.

"Just out. Starting to get cabin fever, can't concentrate…" she answered brusquely.

Eyeing Amy her father asked shrewdly, "This is nothing to do with Ephram is it?"

"No, dad," Amy snapped, "but even if it was wouldn't I have a right to be worried? It's not like I stopped loving him!"

"I never suggested you did, sweetie." Harold replied cautiously.

"No, Dad, you never do…" Amy snapped as she stomped out the door.

Harold watched her go resignedly. No matter what his daughter said Harold knew that this had everything to do with Ephram Brown.

Heading out to her car Amy sucked in deep breaths of air, filling her lungs until she thought that they would explode. She tried to remember the Yogic breathing that her Aunt had taught her so long ago. 'Breathe in Peace, Breathe out Peace' ran through Amy's brain. She was not feeling altogether peaceful at the moment. More in the mood for 'angry girl' music she flicked Alanis Morrisette onto her car stereo and pulled sharply away from the kerb heading toward Nina's.

Sucking in further deep breaths as she walked up the path to Nina's house to steady and calm herself. Fiddling with her hair as she knocked on the door Amy took a step back.

Hearing the knock at the door Nina moved toward it just as she heard the phone ring.

"Delia, hon, could you grab the door please?" she called out as she turned back for the phone, grabbing it. "Hey" she asked.

"Why is it you always sound out of breath when I call you?" Andy asked, "you really should get that checked out… I know this guy…"

"Oh funny ha ha, Andy. I think I know you a little too well for you to be giving me a physical now…" Nina joked acerbically. "If you will call me just as I'm dashing to and from doing something. You always pick your time so well…"

"It's a talent." Andy retorted glad to be able to banter normally with his friend.

"How's Ephram?"

Back to earth with a bump. Andy paused. Took a breath.

"He's, um, I don't know, he's not well. He's…" pausing as Nina jumped in.

"What's the matter? Andy? How sick is he? Will he be okay?" Nina rushed out.

"I don't really know Nina, he's ill but that's not all, his head is badly messed up. He's locked down. He won't talk, he doesn't want me near him and I don't know what to do. I barely managed to get out of him where he'd been staying so that I could go and get his things…"

Nina heard Andy sigh at the end of the phone, five thousand miles away her heart went out to him. Her heart went out to Ephram.

"Andy, I'm sure it will be fine… I'm sure he'll be fine, and he'll talk to you soon. The only place it can go is out. Whatever it is he's holding inside of him, it has to come out sooner or later…"

"I hope so Nina, because otherwise it will just…"

"…destroy him…" Nina finished.

"I have to bring him home…" Andy sighed.

Nina, turning to face the door stopped in her tracks as she saw Amy standing, looking back at her, a look of pain mingled with fear on her face. "Andy, I have to go."

"Can't you talk a second longer?"

"Amy's here Andy, I have to go now."

Andy stopped short. "Ok." And he hung up.

Putting the phone down in the cradle Nina indicated toward the kitchen. Amy followed her and sat down at the table. Handing her a glass of water Nina sat down also and took her hand.

"You know sweetie, he's going to be okay. Ephram is going to be okay…"

"But you don't know that, you just said, you just said that he was sick, and that whatever he's holding inside him could destroy him." Amy murmured.

"Oh but Ephram is strong. You know him, you know how strong he is, you know that he'll find a way to get through this."

"But Nina, he's, Ephram's just so angry. Before he left, he left to get away from everything and everyone, he couldn't be here, but he can't be there and he's just so angry… It was tearing him up. It was like all this anger and hurt and guilt, he feels guilty about the baby and he doesn't know what to do, it was all eating him up from the inside. I don't know how he's going to get past this. I know him and I don't know how he's going to get past it…" Amy burst out, tears falling down her face now.

Reaching out to her again Nina put her arm around Amy and let the girl cry.

"It's okay, sweetie, it will be okay. Andy will bring him home and we will all help him. We will help make this right for him. Whatever happens, Ephram has to know that we are all here for him."

"If he knows that then why isn't he here? Why is he thousands of miles away in a hospital not talking to anyone? Why am I here talking to him like he still is too?" Amy asked; the anguish clear in her voice, wiping down her face.

Nina pushed her hair away from her face and her chair away from the table. "I don't know Amy, I can't answer you that. But what I do know is this. Andy will bring him home. We will get him back here and we will do everything in our power to make this right. That I promise you.

Amy looked up and straight at Nina. "We will, won't we?". It was more a statement than a question. Amy knew that she would do anything in her power to make things alright again. She didn't know how just yet but she knew that they all would. All they had to do was get Ephram home again…

Author's Note:

Ok, I'm the Queen of Perpetual apologies for late updates... Sorry already. Hope you enjoy, kind of a builder chapter. I always appreciate feedback, so if you wanna, let me know what you think so far... Thanks.