A Fresh Start
Chapter Eight
The flight back to Springfield is uneventful; Jeffrey and Ava arrive around seven. Mike is there to meet the plane after Ava called to tell him when they would be arriving. Whatever had happened between William and Ava, Jeffrey doesn't ask, but he is fairly certain that more than a friendship had developed between them. Returning to the Beacon, Jeffrey is more than surprised to find Olivia outside his door, waiting for him.
"What are you doing here?" Jeffrey asks, pulling his key from his pocket and opening the door.
"You followed Cassie to San Cristobel?" She asks, following him into his suite.
"No, I went to San Cristobel to talk to her and Prince William."
"What could you possibly have to talk to her about? And why did you take Ava with you?"
"Mike was out of town last weekend, I had to go to Washington to take care of some business and see an old friend. I took Ava with me. The trip required me to go to San Cristobel; I thought Ava would like to come along to see where she was born and where you grew up."
"What did you need to go to San Cristobel for?"
"What I do is not your concern anymore Olivia, except for this, while we were in San Cristobel we had the DNA tests run and it proves conclusively that I am Ava's father, so in that we are still connected. Why I went to San Cristobel is between me, Cassie, and Prince William. That's all I can say." Jeffrey replies, holding the door open for her to leave. She stands in the middle of his suite. "You need to go Olivia."
"It didn't take you long to go running back to Cassie."
Closing his eyes, he feels his fist clinch before he opens his eyes and releases the door handle. Walking over to her, he takes her by the arm and moves her towards the door as he spoke. "I didn't go running back to Cassie, even if I wanted too, I can't. And I don't owe you any explanation as to why I went to San Cristobel, or what the trip was about?"
"As a tax paying citizen…"
"Olivia, you're making a fool of yourself, something I thought you had too much class to do. Go back to Emma and take care of her, we're finished, please." Jeffrey says, leading her out of his suite and closing the door before she can turn around and reply.
Walking over to the mini bar, he pulls out a bottle of scotch and pours a stiff drink, swallowing it whole before he walks into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, he is walking out with a towel wrapped around his waist when someone knocks on the door.
"Olivia, go away." Jeffrey says, loud enough for whoever is on the other side to hear as he walks across the room to the door. Pulling it open, he is surprised to see Mallet on the other side.
"Are you having lady problems?"
"Mallet, sorry. I just got back from San Cristobel and I was in the shower. Come on in, and I'll get dressed." Jeffrey says, opening the door and letting him in as he walks across the room to his closet.
"I've been trying to reach you." Mallet says, as he walks in and sits down in one of the chairs across from the bed.
"Yeah, I haven't checked my messages. I just got back less than an hour ago." Jeffrey says, from the closet.
"We've uncovered some interesting information while you were gone, about Doris and Alan."
"Oh really." Jeffrey replies, walking out of the closet in jeans and pulling a t-shirt down
"Yeah, it seems that Doris might have intimidated the jurors to make sure that Josh Lewis was convicted of Alan's attack."
"How do we know that?"
"One of the jurors approached me at the station a few days ago, said he had proof that Doris used intimidation to make sure they came back with a guilty plea."
"How?"
"He was afraid to say when I talked to him but we're supposed to talk tonight. Did you get a hold of your contact in the agency?"
"Yes, he's going to contact me when he hears from the Australian government."
"This is the most solid lead we've had. We looked over her bank statements and there's nothing there. And I've interviewed everyone in the DA's office, either they don't know anything or they are too terrified to say anything."
"It's probably the later. I figured you wouldn't find anything in Doris bank accounts. She's smarter than that, and Ashley said that Alan never paid her off with cash, it was always gifts for her or Doris."
"Alan bought gifts for Ashley, Why?"
"Apparently to help out with her school supplies. Ashley said he would do that when Doris thought it was becoming too obvious with the expensive jewelry and gifts."
"How do you know that?"
"Ashley talked to me before I left for Washington. She said that Doris would receive calls from Alan at home and the next night Doris would come home late, usually with and expensive piece of jewelry or sometimes a gift for her."
"There's certainly nothing wrong with the DA getting calls from one of the most prominent citizens in town."
"That's true, but if she only got them from Alan and not the Lewis's or the Bauer's don't you think that's a bit strange."
"We could pull her phone records for the last few years that should be all we'll need to prove a pattern of calls."
"I'll talk to Judge Reynolds about it. He owes me a favor anyway."
"Okay."
"See if you can get that juror from Josh's trial to go on the record."
"I will. Are you going to be in town for a while?"
"For right now, yes. That could change in a few days though."
"You want to tell what you're doing?"
"I could but then…"
"You would have to kill me." Mallet says, standing up. "I get it."
"Sorry, I hope this is the last thing I'll have to take care of."
"If you need any help…"
"I think I've got this one pretty much under control, as long as everything goes as planned."
"Don't we always think that, just before it all blows up in our face?"
"That is so true, but seriously everything is fine."
"Alright, I'll let you know when I talk to the juror." Mallet says, walking towards the door.
"Good." Jeffrey replies, following him. "How's Dinah by the way?"
"She's good. Vanessa is helping out a lot."
"Has there been any change with Blake?"
"No, the doctor's say it's a wait and see game."
"Okay." Jeffrey says, opening the door for him.
"I'll check back in a few days."
"Good."
Mallet leaves and Jeffrey closes the door behind him. After checking his messages and finding that Mallet had left him several, he deletes them all and then goes to bed.
The next morning Jeffrey is up early. He was so exhausted the night before that he didn't even dream about Rebeca, which kind of saddened him. Pushing the covers back, he sits up, stretching, he goes to the bathroom before getting dressed for his first official day as Mayor of Springfield.
The interim Mayor would be handing over the office to him later that morning and he had several meetings scheduled with council members and city leaders before lunch. And then sometime today, he still had to find time to call Washington and check on Richard before he talked with William and Cassie later in the week. Thinking about Cassie, made him remember Olivia and her waiting for him outside his room.
"Please do not let her be out there this morning." Jeffrey thought as he opens the door. The hallway is empty and he breathes a sigh of relief as he leaves for city hall. He is walking in the door when his assistant comes up to him.
"Mr. Mayor." She says, following him into the building.
"Good Morning Stacey" Jeffrey says, turning around.
They walk down the hall in silence and when they reach the entrance to the mayor's office, Jeffrey holds the door for her.
"Is there anything you need?" Stacey asks, as they walk into the mayor's office.
"We can start with a cup of coffee." He replies, smiling as he closes the door to his office behind him.
"Mr. Mayor. Mayor Roberts says, as he looks up and realizes Jeffrey has walked in.
"Bob." Jeffrey says, walking over to his desk "What do we have on the agenda today?" Jeffrey asks, putting his briefcase on the floor by his chair.
"We have a meeting with Doug Braddox. He is the councilmen for first district and then we have a meeting with Tony Matthews who is the head of the zoning committee, and Councilmen White for the fifth district. We're meeting with them this morning and then we have a meeting with Rev. Rutledge and Josh Lewis about a program they want to start at Juvenile Hall. And then Robert Marks, from accounting will be in this afternoon for a meeting about the budget. And then Olivia Spencer has…"
"What?"
"I said we have a meeting with Josh Lewis and Rev. Rutledge…"
"No the other, about Olivia Spencer?"
"Yes, she has a meeting with me about a proposed change to the zoning laws around the Beacon hotel. I think she's looking to expand, but right now the land around the Beacon is zoned for residential development." Jeffrey tunes out, as he realized that he is going to have to deal with Olivia and he is desperately trying to think up some excuse to get out of the meeting. "Jeffrey, is there a problem?" Bob asks. "Hello."
Blinking, Jeffrey came back to reality. "I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"Yes, Ms. Spencer. Is there something wrong? I know that you and Ms. Spencer have a bit of a history together."
"Its fine, but I will have to miss that meeting. I have some personal business I need to take care of." Jeffrey says. He doesn't but he also doesn't want to be alone in this office with Olivia either, especially after the way she behaved last night in his room.
"I'll have one of the assistants meet with her."
"Thank you." Jeffrey says, in obvious relief.
"Then we need to get started. I'm sure Councilmen Braddox and Mathews are in they're offices by now." Bob says, standing up. "I'll take you to meet them."
"Okay." Jeffrey replies, standing up and following him out of the office.
"I was just bringing in the coffee." Stacy says to Jeffrey.
"Here, I'll take it." He says, taking the cup as they walk out of the office.
For the next few hours, Jeffrey sits through meeting after meeting with different council members. He managed to sit through the meetings with Josh and Rev. Rutledge without throttling Josh and when lunch came around he is happy to find some quiet time at Company before he has to go back and dodge Olivia for the next couple hours. Around three that afternoon, he finally finds the time to call Washington to check on Richard. Pulling out a black cell phone, he dialed Noah's number at the agency. After a couple rings, Noah picks up.
"Hello."
"Noah, its Jeffrey, how is he doing?"
"He's better but he's not out of the woods yet. His fever is coming down and it hasn't spiked in almost twelve hours, which is a good indication that the antibiotics are working."
"And about the other?"
"I've spoken with the Director. He's willing to consider the transfer, if it will be guaranteed that she will face charges."
"Oh, I can guarantee that. He's furious with her."
"Good, I'll let the Director know and I'm sure that we'll be making the transfer before long."
"What about Cassie?"
"It's still up in the air until the infection is gone we can't know anything."
"Alright, I'll tell her."
"You're taking on a lot here Jeffrey."
"I know, but I made a promise and I sort of feel responsible for her, at least till he's able to take care of her himself, if, he ever is."
"He will be, I have a feeling he's coming back and she just might be what he needs to come back."
"You maybe right. I'll be in touch."
"Alright, I'll talk with the Director and we'll get moving on the transfer."
"Good, because I know William's anxious to get this taken care of, if for nothing more than to get some closer for his son."
"How is he?"
"He's fine, he looks really happy when I was down there."
"Did you see Edmund?"
"No."
"You know there's a chance if he finds out that Richard's alive, he'll try to finish what Camille started."
"He can't, William's not going to let him out of prison. He made a fatal error using Will last summer."
"Alright, I need to go. I'll talk to you in a few days."
"Alright." Jeffrey hangs up after that.
NIS Headquarters, Washington DC.
Rebeca walks into Richard's room. Picking up his chart, she glances over it and notes that he had been given another dose of antibiotics and that his fever was still hovering around 100 degrees, but that it hadn't spiked in about twelve hours.
"Seems like you're on the mend, Mr. Winslow." Rebeca says.
Reaching up and brushing a few strands of hair off his forehead. She notices the twitching of his fingers, but thinks that it is only involuntary muscle spasms. A lot of coma victims did that, although most family members thought it was an indication that they were waking up.
"Alright, Mr. Winslow. I'll be back in a few hours. I'm going to go home and catch a couple hours of sleep and then I'll be back. You keep fighting." She says, walking away from his bed. She completely missed the eye movement as she walks out of his room.
Rebeca's home is a small one bedroom apartment just west of Washington DC. When she graduated from Med School in Nashville, and finished up her internships and residency she immediately moved to Washington to begin working at the agencies private hospital.
Medicine had been her saving grace after Russia, loosing Jeffrey and then her mother. She poured her heart and soul into Med School, spending nearly every night up till midnight or later studying, she graduated first in her class, specializing in internal medicine. She spent her residency and internship at Vanderbilt Medical Center, and was completely expecting to join the staff there until the agent came into the ER and recognized her. Her teachers were sad to see her leave Vanderbilt after her residency ended, but she had little choice in the matter.
She had several sessions with the Director during the months following them finding out that she was alive. Why she hadn't come back to headquarters that day? Why she hadn't contacted them after the operation was over? How her cover was blown? Which she still had no way of explaining, nor did they.
She begged the Director not to tell Jeffrey she was alive. She couldn't face him. They had so many plans, and she was fairly certain that if she had returned the evening she disappeared that he was going to pop the question, and she would have accepted, even if it did go against regulations. She didn't care, she loved him that much, and she still did.
In all the years since St. Petersburg there had been no one else. Several men offered and she even went out on a couple dates while she was in college, but none of them could compare to him, and she couldn't forget what they had. If she couldn't have Jeffrey, she didn't want anyone else. There were times, on cold winter nights that she wished for someone to come home too. Or that she had kids to take care of, but she couldn't see herself with anyone but him, and she didn't want to have anyone else's kids.
Walking in her front door, she immediately closes and locks it. There were several times in the last twelve years that she blindly made her way home. Walking past her machine, she pushes the button for her messages, as she walks into the kitchen and put her keys and purse on the counter as she opens the refrigerator. Like always the shelves are pretty much bare. She was rarely home, so she rarely has food to eat at home, most times she grabs something on the way.
Closing the refrigerator, she walks through to her bedroom, pulling off her scrubs as she goes and tossing them in the dirty clothes as she kicks off her tennis shoes, she heads towards the bathroom and the shower before she goes to bed for a few hours of much needed sleep.
The training at the agency conditioned her to be able to go hours without sleep and still be able to function. Many of her classmates were amazed at her ability to go hours without sleep. She was sure that most of them thought she took something that kept her awake.
Turning on the water, she waits till the temperature is perfect before she steps inside the shower, remembering that Jeffrey liked really hot showers. Mostly because it helped relax his shoulder and kept the cold from being too much for him to handle. He had been severely injured on and operation a couple years after they became partners and for a while the doctor's at the hospital wasn't sure he would be able to use his right arm. The damage that had been done to his shoulder and upper arm was almost enough to force his retirement from the agency.
After Russia, she kept up with his career. She knew about his time in San Cristobel with the Winslow's. She knew about his time in Europe with Dinah and the fake Cassie thing. That had nearly gotten him kicked out of the agency and terminated permanently if she hadn't've spoken to the Director.
After that he was taken off active duty for a while and transferred to New York where she followed his career as the DA of New York. He really was a brilliant lawyer. And his conviction rate was better than any other DA in the history of New York City's DA office. He was only put back on active duty when Salerno started breaking into the drug market and the agency was able to trace his dealings back to San Cristobel. Using Jeffrey's connections to the country had been the best logically step.
Turning the water off, she pulls the curtain back reaching for a towel. Drying off quickly, she walks back into her bedroom, tossing the towel on the floor she stretches out across the bed, closing her eyes. Three hours later, she wakes to the buzzing of her pager. Grabbing it off the night stand, she looks at the number and realizing it is the hospital she reaches for the phone, dialing the number from memory. After a couple rings, one of the nurses picks up the line.
"This is Dr. Whitley, what's going on?"
"He's awake." The nurse replies.
"Who's awake?" Rebeca asks, still a little asleep.
"Mr. Winslow, he woke up about five minutes ago."
"He's awake, completely awake." Rebeca says, sitting up.
"Yes."
"I'll be right there." Rebeca says, getting up and opening her underwear drawer as she hangs up. She is dressed and out of the apartment in a matter of minutes.
There is a flurry of activity around Richard's room when she arrives. She can tell that he is more than a little unnerved by all the attention he is getting. She immediately clears his room. "Everyone out." She orders, walking over to the bed. The nurses and doctor's leave the room as she speaks softly to him. "Mr. Winslow, I'm Dr. Whitley. How are you feeling?"
"Like hell." Richard replies, around the ventilator.
"I imagine you would. Do you know your name?"
"Richard Winslow, I'm Prince of San Cristobel. Where the bloody hell am I?"
"First, let take care of that." Rebeca says, pointing to the ventilator as she lowers his bed. After a couple seconds, she pulls it out of his throat and then puts oxygen in his nose. "Is that better?"
Richard nods, and then croaks "Can I have some water?"
"Yes." She says, pouring him a glass from the pitcher that is sitting beside the bed, holding it because he is still weak. She lets him take a couple sips before she puts it down.
"Where am I?" He asks again. His voice sounding much stronger.
"You're in a private hospital in Washington DC." Rebeca replies. "I've been taking care of you since you were brought in."
"Where's Cassie?"
"Cassie?"
"Yes, my wife Cassie." Richard replies, looking around the room.
"I'm sorry but she's not here."
"She's… no she can't be." Richard starts to panic.
"Calm down, Mr. Winslow."
"But I have to see her. She has to be alive."
"One thing at a time. You've been very sick and you're still recovering."
"No, I have to see her." Richard says, trying to sit up but Rebeca restrains him.
"I'll look into finding her. Do you remember anything?"
Richard stops struggling as he thinks back to the night he was returning to Springfield from Chicago five years before. "I was on my way back to Springfield when I lost control of the car. That's the last thing I remember. How long have I been here?"
"Five years."
"Five years! That can't possibly be. What about San Cristobel? I'm their prince."
"San Cristobel is fine. Your brother took over after…"
"Edmund! Now I really have to get out of here." Richard says, sitting up.
"No, you can't. You're still battling a staph infection. If you leave you'll certainly die Mr. Winslow."
Richard feels a cold sweat pop out across his forehead, settling back against the pillow he closes his eyes. Rebeca checks, but he has only fallen asleep. Walking out of his room, she finds the nurses and doctor's standing outside his room. "Is he okay?" One of the nurses asks.
"He's fine, he's asleep." Rebeca replies. Walking over to the nurse's station, she picks up the phone and pushes a couple of numbers after a couple rings, Noah picks up the phone.
"Noah Chase." He says, absently looking over a patient's chart.
"Colonel Chase, this is Dr. Whitley. I need to see you immediately."
"Is he alright?" Noah asks.
"Yes, he's quite well." She replies, looking over her shoulder at Richard's room.
"I'll be right down." Noah says, hanging up before she could reply.
She goes to stand outside Richard's window, smiling for the first time in several months. Ten minutes later, Noah walks up to her at the nurse's station.
"What's happening?" Noah asks.
"Go look for yourself." She replies, nodding towards Richard's window.
Noah walks over and stares at his best friend, sitting up in bed and wide awake. "He's awake, he's…" Noah starts go inside, but Dr. Whitley stops him.
"If you want to see him, you have to put the protective gear on. He's still fighting the infection."
Grabbing the gear, Noah pulls it on quickly before he opens the door to Richard's room. Looking up, he stares at his best friend and then he smiles broadly. "Noah."
"Richard, you're awake." Noah says, looking at him still amazed.
"Yes, so they tell me."
"I can't believe you're awake." Noah says. "How do you feel?"
"Like I got run over by a truck." Richard replies. "Noah, where's Cassie."
"Cassie, you remember Cassie."
"Of course I remember Cassie, she's my wife. And what about San Cristobel? Who's looking after it? My doctor said that my brother took over, but I can't imagine that the people allowed Edmund to take the country back after what happened."
"No, Edmund didn't take the country back. Your brother William is prince now."
"William, who's William?"
"William is your half brother and he's Prince of San Cristobel now." Noah replies, pulling a chair over to the side of the bed and sitting down.
"He's prince, but I'm Prince of San Cristobel. I've always been Prince of San Cristobel."
"Not anymore."
"Why not?"
"It's complicated to explain buddy."
"It can't be that complicated. I'm Prince. I've always been Prince of San Cristobel."
"I'll try to explain it to you." Noah says, realizing that he was getting upset. "About a couple years before your accident you found a note that your mother had written around the time you were born, explaining that her son had died in childbirth and was buried in the informal garden of the palace. To provide an heir and stability to the country, Prince George brought you to the palace to be his heir in place of the son he had lost.
You were in fact the son of a woman he had been having an affair with while he was married to Princess Charlotte. When you found that out, you had DNA tests run and you found out that you were not Princess Charlotte's son, but your father's illegitimate child. You and Cassie decided to announce to the country that you were not the true Prince of San Cristobel and the Edmund was the rightful heir to the throne."
"No, I wouldn't do that. Edmund's not fit to rule."
"You also announced that you felt that it was in the countries best interest to dissolve the monarchy in place of allowing Edmund to rule."
"Well, at least I had enough sense to do that. So, how did my half brother William become prince, if he died in childbirth?"
"That's the thing, he didn't die. Prince George had him removed from the palace and he told Charlotte that he had died. Alonzo or William was given to a couple on the other side of the island to raise."
"So, how did he become Prince?"
"After you announced that you were not the Prince of San Cristobel and suggested that the country dissolve the monarchy, Edmund took control of the country after he supposedly uncovered a plot to rig the election in his favor and he declared martial law."
"A non-violent coup, not exactly Edmund's style but it got him what he wanted."
"Yes, well he had you and Cassie hunted across the island, until you tried to escape. Edmund intercepted you and Cassie was captured."
"Edmund has Cassie." Richard says, starting to sit up again.
"No, Edmund is in prison, but he held her prisoner for several months after her capture. We finally went down to San Cristobel and freed her and the island through our own military coup but Edmund escaped and he made it back to Springfield.
"Springfield that's were Cassie is from."
"Yes, anyway you had control of the country and they decided to dissolve the monarchy and try democracy. There was a Presidential election, which you won by the way."
"So, I was President of San Cristobel." Richard says in amazement.
"For a while, until Camille came along."
"Camille?"
"While you were being hunted by Edmund, Cassie tried to escape from the palace. Edmund chased her and there was an accident. Cassie was pregnant at the time and the accident forced her into premature labor and the baby was delivered stillborn."
"Oh god!"
"I'm sorry. You and Cassie were devastated. But after the coup and the election Dax brought Camille to the palace and she had a child about the same age as your son would have been. She was desperate to get back to the states. She'd married a merchant marine on a lark and a week later he shipped out for a year at sea and she hadn't heard from him since.
She claimed she couldn't go home with a baby. Her parents would never accept him so she begged you and Cassie to adopt him. At first Cassie refused, but then she changed her mind. The morning you were going to christen Will, your brother showed up at the palace. He was Will's biological father."
"We adopted my brother's son."
"Yes, Dax arranged it that way."
"Dax?"
"He was your right hand man, and he didn't want to give the monarchy up. He arranged for Camille to come to the palace. He arranged for Camille to leave the baby alone in the informal garden and for Cassie to find it after you brought up the option for adoption and she refused to accept it.
And then he arranged for William to come to the palace, hoping that he would stop the christening, but he didn't. He allowed you and Cassie to adopt Will and to raise him. In return, Cassie convinced you to ask him to stay on and help you with the harbor project. To make an even longer story short, Camille and Dax forced William to declare his right to the throne, if he didn't Camille threatened to take you to court for custody of Will. Cassie has a bit of a past before she met you."
"I remember Noah." Richard replies, remembering the pictures of Cassie dancing that Edmund had put in the documentary before they were married.
"Anyway, she said if William didn't accept his claim to the throne, she would take you and Cassie to court and sue for custody of Will. You put it to the people and allowed them to vote, and they unanimously voted to reinstate the monarchy with William as Prince."
"What happened after that?"
"You and Cassie left San Cristobel and you moved to Springfield. That's were your accident happened." Noah says, as Dr. Whitley walks in.
"I know you two have a lot to catch up on, but he needs to rest." She says.
"Okay." Noah says, standing up.
"I'll be back to check on you later." Dr. Whitley says to Richard before they walk out of his room. Nodding, Richard lays back and closes his eyes.
When the door closes behind them, Noah turns to Dr. Whitley "He seems normal."
"So far all of his tests show that he's going to make a complete recovery. Even his temperature has started to fall."
"So, he's going to be able to walk."
"Everything seems to be working again. He's very weak from being in the bed for so long, but with therapy he should be able to walk again. He keeps asking about Cassie."
"I know. That's what we were talking about. I know how to get in touch with her."
"You know if she had been here before, he might have come out of the coma a lot sooner."
"Yes, but we had to keep him being a live a secret until we found the woman responsible for his accident, not only to protect him but Cassie as well."
"Well, he needs to see her."
"I'll take care of it. Are you sure he's completely out of the coma?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll contact Cassie and I'll get her here as soon as possible."
"Good, I think it will do him a whole lot of good."
Noah nods, walking towards the elevator. "We'll be in touch." Noah says, pulling out his cell phone.
"Okay."
As the elevator closes, Noah dials Jeffrey's cell phone number. After a couple rings, he picks up. "Hello, Jeffrey O'Neill."
"Jeffrey, its Noah."
"Has something happened?"
"Yes, he's awake.'
"Awake, you mean awake, awake. Like conscious."
"Yes, completely and totally awake and he's asking for Cassie."
"Cassie, I thought you said it could be a while before he remembered anything."
"It's different with every patient and he was a bit confused about being Prince, but he remembered Cassie right away and has been asking for her."
"I'll call her. Wow, I didn't think he would wake up, at least not this soon, especially with the infection."
"Yes well we weren't expecting him to wake up either. But Dr. Whitley said it could happen at anytime."
"How is the infection?"
"He's still fighting it, but he seems to be doing a lot better."
"Are they sure he's going to recover? That he's not going to slip back into the coma?"
"Yes, all his tests are indicating that he's going to be fine."
"Then I'll call William and Cassie and tell them that Richard's awake. I'm assuming that once I tell her that she's going to be free to come and see him."
"Yes, in fact I think he'll insist that she come."
"Good, because I don't want to tell her he's awake and then tell her that she can't see him. I don't think she'll listen anyway."
"You're right, she wouldn't."
"Let me talk to William and Cassie, and I'll get back in touch with you." They hang up as Jeffrey head's towards the Beacon.
8.13