A Fresh Start
Chapter Forty
When William gets back to the palace, Jodi is waiting for him as he walks into his office. "Sir, the Colonel Dandridge needs to speak to you."
"Did he say what it was about?"
"No sir. Only that it concerned a subject that you asked him about."
"I'll get back to him." William replies, turning towards his office and then he stops. "Jodi, hold my calls." He says, sounding very tired.
"Yes sir."
William walks into the office, closing the door behind him. He sits down at his desk. Leaning back, he closes he eyes. Replaying what Cassie has said to him outside Will's room. "William, I realize that he's the heir to the throne, but he's my little boy, and I know that he has more responsibility than most kids his age, but I want to keep him a little boy as long as possible and if that means shielding him from things, I will not apologize for that."
"Cassie, I realize you want him to stay a little boy, but the truth is he is the heir. He's not a normal little boy. He has responsibilities and duties he has to fulfill." William says to an empty room.
Glancing at the picture of Will sitting on his desk, he reaches for it. "I wish you could be a normal little boy." William says, running his finger tips over the picture before he sits it back down on his desk and gets up, walking over to the window. Looking out over the garden, he's lost in thought when the phone on his desk buzzes and then Jodi says. "Sir."
Walking over to the desk, he holds the button down and says, slightly irritated. "I said I didn't want to be disturbed."
"I know Sir, but Ms. Peralta is on the line for you Sir. She insists on speaking with you."
"Ava, okay put her through." William says, picking up the phone and pushing line one when the button lights up. "Ava, is everything okay? Is the…?"
"Everything is fine. I called to tell you that I went to my first doctor's appointment yesterday."
"What did the doctor say?"
"Everything is progressing as normal."
"Have you told Jeffrey or Olivia?"
"Yes, right after I got back from down there. Olivia already knew and told Jeffrey."
"She already knew, how? I thought you didn't tell anyone."
"I don't know how she found out. I never asked her. I've been dealing with other things when it comes to her."
"Other things, what other things?" William asks, sitting down behind his desk.
"She's obsessing about me, you and the baby add in Sam and it's not a very comfortable situation."
"What do you mean?"
"She's intent on us getting married. She's jealous of Sam and Jeffrey being together. Add in the fact that I took Sam to my first visit with Dr. Sedgwick. She wasn't too happy yesterday. So I've been avoiding her all day."
"Ava, you don't need the stress."
"She's not really stressing me."
"I can hear it in your voice."
"If she would back off and let me live my life, everything would be okay between us, but…."
"What is she doing?"
"She's insisting that we have to get married, whether I want to marry you or not."
"But I haven't even…."
"Yes, I know. I told her that, but she's not listening to me. And Jeffrey's running interference between us, on top of taking care of Sam and their situation. Yesterday, he had to pull her out of Company."
"Why?"
"Because she attacked Sam when she found out that I had taken her to my doctor's appointment. She tried to physically take me out of Company. Jeffrey walked in as Olivia was pushing Sam. He physically picked her up and carried her out of the restaurant."
"I'm coming up there."
"No! That will only make it worse. I don't know what she'll do if she sees you."
"Ava, you need someone to look after you, that's my job."
"I have my Dad, he can handle Olivia. Besides you have a country to run, and a sick child. How is Will, by the way?"
"He's not doing too well." William says, his tone changing.
"Why, what happened. I thought he was getting better."
"He was, but now his body is starting to reject the liver I gave him…."
"You gave him a liver."
"Yes, well part of my liver when he was a baby. Anyway, because of the infection, he's starting to reject the liver but because he is rejecting my liver if he needs another transplant, I can't give him one. The doctor's are sure that he can stop the rejection by adjusting his meds and he'll be fine."
"But?"
"But Cassie didn't think that I should have told all that to Will."
"You told him all that?"
"Yes."
"William, he's a little boy. You probably terrified him."
"He was scared according to Cassie."
"And you don't believe her."
"It's not that I don't believe her, but she wants to coddle him."
"He's a little boy."
"He's heir to the throne."
"He's still a little boy and no matter how much responsibility he will have when he's grown up, right now he's a little boy and he doesn't know how to cope with all that."
"You think I shouldn't've told him either."
"I think you should have kept in mind that he's a little boy and maybe not have been so forthright with what you told him."
"You're missing my point."
"No, I understand what you are saying. I'm trying to get you to understand Cassie's point of view. Try to forget the fact that Will's the heir to the throne and just look… look at it like it was our child. Would you explain to him or her the same way as you explain it to Will?"
"No, of course not."
"Will is no different William, he is still a little boy that's sick and explaining what is going on like you're talking to Cassie, Richard or me only served to terrify him."
"Okay, maybe I shouldn't've been so blunt with him." William says, finally understanding why Cassie was so upset with him
"Good, I've got to go. I've got a meeting that Alan wants me to attend."
"Okay, try to stay clear of Olivia and if she starts harassing you I want you to let me know."
"I'll be fine."
"I'm just saying…."
"I know, and thank you. I'll call you."
"Take care and take it easy."
"I will." William and Ava hang up as Jodi buzzes him again.
When Sam's plane lands, she goes home long enough to change into a set of scrubs and then she heads for the hospital. When she walks in everything is in controlled chaos. Earlier that morning some agents were ambushed in a raid in Maryland and more than half have been brought into the agency's hospital. When Sam walks in, she's immediately drawn into the action and for the next few hours she's concentrating on saving the agents lives.
Her cell phone rang several times but she didn't have time to take the calls until the last agent is in surgery. Walking up to the nurse's desk, she takes a deep breath as LaKeisha looks up. "What are you doing here?"
"Well thank you."
"No, when Dr. Frost told me you wouldn't be in for a few days I figured you had gone to Springfield to talk to Jeffrey."
"I did and I got back this morning so I came in to see if I could be of help."
"I guess you regret that. Did you tell…?" LaKeisha starts to ask about the baby and Jeffrey when Sam's cell phone rings again.
Pulling it from the pocket of her lab coat, glancing at the screen she pales a little bit when she sees Jeffrey's number. Holding up her hand to stop LaKeisha's question, she answers the phone tentatively. "Hi, Jeffrey." Hearing that, LaKeisha goes back to work as Sam starts to walk towards her office.
"Where have you been? I've been calling you for the last two hours. You were supposes to call me when you landed."
"I know I'm sorry. I got busy at the hospital."
"The hospital, you're working today?"
"I didn't have to technically, but I've been gone for a week and I thought I would come in and relieve the doctor that was covering for me, as it turns out when I got here we were in the middle of an emergency and they needed every doctor so I probably would have been paged anyway. We've been busy stabilizing the agents and getting them into surgery and I forgot to call you, I'm sorry."
"I've been worried…."
"I know I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you call me when you got off the plane like you usually do?"
"I didn't think about it. I had other things on my mind." Sam says quietly.
"Sam, I didn't…."
"I know, but you told me to think about it. That's what I was doing."
"Are you okay?" Jeffrey asks, slightly calmer now that he was able to talk to her.
"I'm fine, we're both fine."
"Okay."
"How did it go with the state attorney?"
"Fine, he was surprised at how much information and evidence we have on Doris."
"So, what is he going to do?"
"He's going to discuss it with the Governor and go from there."
"Is everything else okay?"
"Everything's fine."
"Have you talked to Ava?"
"Yes, she's fine."
"Any more problems out of Olivia."
"No, she hasn't seen her, nor have I." Jeffrey replies glancing out his office window and for some reason the memory of Stacey's ex comes to mind.
"Jeffrey?"
"Yea, I'm still here." He says, bringing himself back to their conversation. "What was the emergency?"
"A group of agents were ambushed in a raid this morning in Maryland."
"Anyone we know?"
"No, these were new agents I think."
"Okay, you promise you won't…."
"I'll take it easy, I promise. Most of them are in surgery right now, so I'll have a break."
"Have you eaten?"
"No, not yet."
"Go get you something to eat."
"I will."
"I'll call you tonight."
"Okay, we love you."
"And I love both of you." They hang up and Sam goes to get something to eat.
After Cassie got back from the lab, Richard left to get RJ. When Richard walks into his bedroom, RJ's surprised to see him "What are you doing here?" He asks.
"Your mother needs you at the hospital. Come on." Richard says, motioning him to the door.
Getting up off his bed, RJ walks out of the room followed by Richard. Richard puts his hand on RJ's shoulder as he walks by and he shrugs it off. They ride back to the hospital in silence. When they walk into Will's room, he is asleep and Cassie is sitting beside him holding his hand.
"Mom, what's wrong?" RJ asks. Turning, Cassie gets up and they step out into the hall. "Is Will okay?" RJ asks, looking back into the room through the window.
"He's not…."
"Is he dying, like…?"
"No, baby. He's not dying like Tammy, but he is sick."
"Is it his liver?" RJ asks
"Yes, his body is rejecting…."
"Rejecting?"
"Yes, it's like his body doesn't want to accept Will's transplant anymore so his liver is trying to shut down."
"Is he going to…?"
"No, the doctor's are taking care of him and adjusting his medications so they think he'll be alright.'
"Why did his body start rejecting his liver?"
"Because of the infection."
"Da... Richard said you wanted see me."
"Yes, just in case adjusting Will's medication doesn't stop his body from rejecting his liver we all have to be tested in case Will needs another transplant."
"But Uncle William gave him a liver the last time, why can't he do it again?"
"The doctor's think it won't work because Will's already rejecting your Uncle William's liver."
"So, they want to test me. But Will is adopted."
"I know, but unrelated people can donate to each other. It's better to be related, but this is only a precaution RJ."
"So the doctor wants to test me?"
"Yes."
"What are they going to do?"
"They are going to draw some blood, like they did for your physical last year and then test to see if you match with Will."
"What if I match?"
"Then…." Cassie looks up to Richard.
"Then we'll talk about it and we'll decide what to do." Richard says, kneeling in front of RJ.
"Okay."
"Do you want me or Richard to go with you?" Cassie asks,
"You." RJ says, glancing at Richard.
"It's okay RJ, I'll stay with Will." Richard says
"Okay." RJ says taking Cassie's hand as they turn for the elevator as Richard walks back into Will's room.
About twenty minutes later, RJ and Cassie return to Will's room. Will's awake and he and Richard are watching TV when they walk in.
"RJ!" Will says when he looks over and sees his brother.
"Hi Will." RJ says, walking slowly over to the bed. RJ stands there beside the bed, staring at his brother.
"What's wrong?"
"You're sick." RJ says.
"Oh that, the doctors are going to make me better."
"But what…?"
"RJ." Cassie says, as RJ turns to look at her as she shakes her head.
"Why don't you two watch cartoons?" Richard says, turning the channel and getting up off the bed and walking over to Cassie.
Putting his arm around her as RJ climbs up on the bed beside Will. "Boys we'll be right back." Cassie says, as Richard opens the door.
"Okay mommy, daddy." Will says, glancing at them before returning to the TV. After a few minutes, he realizes that RJ is watching him. "Will you quit staring at me?" Will says, looking at his brother.
"You called him Dad."
"Yes, he's my Dad." Will says, looking back at the TV.
"You believe that he's…."
"Yes, I do. He's Richard."
"You believe that?" RJ asks questioningly
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I just know that he's my daddy."
"But Richard was killed in the accident, you know that."
"Actually, I don't. I don't remember that. Mommy told me that he was killed."
"And she's the one that told you that he's Richard."
"And why would she lie to me? Why do you think he's not Richard?"
"I… I just don't believe that he's our father." RJ says, looking at the TV.
"Why?" RJ doesn't answer. "RJ, why don't you believe that he's our father?"
"Because she said Edmund was going to be our father, Jeffrey was going to be our father, and so was Uncle Josh and they all left. Richard left and Hart left."
"Who's Hart?"
"He's my real Daddy. He was killed when I was baby. He was killed the night I was born. I wish Tammy was here."
"Why?"
"Because she would know if he was our father."
"But he is." Will says, RJ looks at his brother but he doesn't reply before he turns back to the TV.
When RJ left the lab, the tech that drew the blood starts the tests just as William ordered. After the results come back, he's surprised at the similarities between Cassie and Will's bloods tests.
"That can't be right." He says, taking another sample from all three again and this time running the same battery of tests including a DNA test on the blood
When those results come back, he immediately leaves the lab. Walking quickly through the hospital until he finds Dr. Simon coming out one of his other patient's room. "Dr. Simon." The tech calls.
"Yes." He says, turning to see the young man walking up to him.
"Doctor, I'm handling the blood tests for his Highness, Prince William."
"Yes, are those the results?" Dr. Simon asks, nodding towards the folder in the tech's hand.
"Yes sir, but there's something wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Dr. Simon's says, holding out his hand for the folder.
"It's Mrs. Winslow, there are too many similarities between her and the patients blood for her not to be relate to the patient."
"What do you mean similarities?" Dr. Simon says, taking the folder and looking over the first results.
"See, what I mean? That's why I ran a DNA test along with the other tests. She's a 99% match to his Highness."
"She can't be. Prince William was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Winslow. He should have genetic connection to Mr. Winslow because he's his Highness Uncle, but there should be no genetic match between His Highness and Mrs. Winslow."
"I know sir, but I ran a DNA test on Mr. Winslow's blood and compared it to Prince William's and he matches 99% as well."
"You're positive."
"Yes sir. Prince William is their son."
"Thank you, and do not say a word to anyone about this."
"Yes Sir." The tech replies, walking away.
Dr. Simon looks down at the folder in his hand, almost at a lost as what to do. Walking back to his office, he sits down at his desk. Opening the file, he reads over the results for each test both sets and the results are the same. "Will is not Prince William's son." He says softly. After a couple seconds, he picks up the phone and dials the number to the palace. After a couple rings, Jodi answers. "Prince Williams' office."
"Yes, this is Dr. Simon, Is his Highness busy? It's urgent that I speak to him?"
"He's in a meeting right now with his advisors."
"This is very important. Will you please tell him to call me?"
"Yes, may I ask what this is about?"
"It's a matter of national priority."
"Yes sir, I'll have him call you immediately after his meeting is over.
"Thank you."
They hang up as Dr. Simon looks over the test results again.
An hour later, William and his advisors leave his office. Jodi waits till they leave the outer office before she says. "Sir, Dr. Simon called while you were in the meeting."
"What did he say?"
"He needs you to call him. He said it was a matter of national priority."
"Thank you Jodi, I'll be in my office and I don't wish to be disturbed."
"Yes Sir."
Walking back into this office, he sits down at the desk. Picking up the phone he dials the number to Dr. Simon's office. After a couple rings, he picks up. "Hello."
"Dr. Simon, its Prince William. Did something happen to Will?"
"No, his numbers seem to be better."
"So, he's not going to need the transplant."
"It's too early to tell. Sir I need to speak to you about another matter. Is there anyway you could come to the hospital?"
"I have another meeting in an hour, can't you tell me over phone?"
"No, I don't think we need to discuss this over the phone, it's a matter of national security."
"National security and it has to do with Will?"
"Yes, Your Highness. This is very important."
"I'll be there as soon as possible."
"Thank You sir."
They hang up and William walks out of his office. "Jodi, I am going back to the hospital."
"Yes Sir."
William leaves, arriving at the hospital about ten minutes later he goes directly to Dr. Simon's office. Knocking lightly on the door, he enters when Dr. Simon calls "Come in." When he looks up and realizes its William, he stands up, bowing slightly as he says. "Your Highness, thank you for coming so quickly."
"You said it was a matter of national security, although I can't see how that involves Will." William says, as he sits down in front of Dr. Simon's desk.
"It has to do with the test that I ordered your brother and his wife to take this morning."
"What about them? Do you have the results?"
"Yes, but something interesting came up during the testing."
"Interesting, how? Is Will sicker?"
"No, Will is actually improving as of right now. If he stays on this course he'll be able to leave the hospital in a couple weeks."
"So what is the problem and how does it have something to do with national security, if Will is improving then he is still the heir."
"That's the thing, from the test results, he's not the heir. He's not your son."
"Of course he's my son. Camille gave birth to him while I was out to sea. He's my son."
"I'm sorry Sir, but according to the test results. Will is not your son. He's your brother and Mrs. Winslow's son."
"That's not possible. Cassie and Richard's son was still born after Cassie's accident. I want to see the results." William says, reaching for the folder.
Dr. Simon gives him the folder as he says. "It's conclusive Sir, Will is Richard and Cassie's son. We ran the tests twice.
"But it's not possible. Cassie and Richard's son was still born."
"I don't know how, it happened Sir, but he's not your son. He's not the heir to San Cristobel."
"He has to be." William says, looking at Dr. Simon "Do you realize what will happen if he's not the heir?"
"I know Sir, but you are young. You can have other children."
"Other children. Will's my son and I'm going to prove it."
"Sir, we can certainly run a DNA test on you and Will, but these tests…."
"No, I'm going to prove it another way." William says, getting up and walking out of Dr. Simon's office, taking the folder with him.
"Sir, you can't…." Dr. Simon's says, following William to the door but he's already gone.
When William reaches the palace, he heads immediately to his office. "Jodi, call Natalie, Colonel Mitchell and Dr. Marshall and have them come to my office." He says, walking into his office without stopping.
"Yes Sir." She says quietly, picking up the phone.
Ten minutes later, she buzzes William. "Sir, Natalie, Colonel Mitchell and Dr. Marshall are here."
"Send them in." William replies, holding the button down and then releasing it.
Opening the office door all three file in quickly and quietly as William stands up. "Sir." The all say, bowing slightly.
Walking over to the door, he closes it before he turns to them. "I'll cut through the formalities, and get straight to the point. We have a very serious situation on our hands."
"Sir…."
"It has come to my attention that there maybe a question as to Will's legitimacy and his right to the throne of San Cristobel."
"Sir." Natalie says, with a squeak.
"During the process of testing, in case Will should need another transplant, Dr. Simon's ordered everyone close to him to be tested, including Richard and Cassie. During these test a DNA test was run. The results of this test show that Will is not my son."
"Of course he's your son Sir." Dr. Marshall says
"No, according to the tests he's not." William says handing him the folder he had taken from Dr. Simon's office.
Glancing over the results, Dr. Marshall looks up at William for a couple seconds before Natalie and Colonel Mitchell asks. "What does it say?"
"It says that Will is a 99% match to both Richard and Cassie. Which is not genetically possible, unless…."
"He's the baby they lost after Cassie's accident." William says, looking at each of them.
"But their baby was still born." Natalie says.
"I know, but according to that." William says, nodding to the folder still in Dr. Marshalls hands. "He wasn't still born.
"What do you want to do Sir?"
"I think the first thing we need to do, is to establish that the baby buried in the garden is in fact Richard and Cassie's child."
"Sir, if the baby buried in the garden isn't Richard and Cassie's baby, you realize what this means?" Natalie asks.
"Yes, Natalie. Dr. Marshall, if we exhumed Richard and Cassie's baby, would there be enough DNA left to do a DNA test on it."
"Yes Sir, there should be."
"Then I want…."
"Sir, we can't do that without the Winslow's permission." Dr. Marshall says.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean according to San Cristobel law, in the case of a minor child we have to have the permission of the parents to exhume the child's body." He says.
"He's correct Sir." Colonel Mitchell says. "We have to have Richard and Cassie's permission, both of them to exhume their son's body."
"Okay." Will says, sitting down in his chair realizing that he was going to have to tell them the truth. "I'll talk to them, and I'll get back to you."
"Yes Sir."
"Natalie, I don't want a word of this appearing on the news or in the papers, you make sure of it."
"Yes Sir."
They leave as William sits back in his chair. Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes. As he's sitting there, Ava crosses his mind and he sits up. "Oh my… If Will's not the heir then that means that our child is." Picking up the phone, he dials a number. After a couple rings, Colonel Mitchell answers. "Yes, Colonel Mitchell's office."
"Colonel, I need you to go to the hospital and ask Richard and Cassie to come to the palace."
"Yes Sir, what reason should I tell them?"
"Tell them I need to speak to them about Will." William says, looking at the picture of Will on his desk.
"Yes sir. I'll leave right away Sir."
"Thank you Colonel." William says, hanging up, still staring at Will's photograph.
40.11