Chapter Nineteen

The Council's Court Room

Rogue had been holding Kennedy and had not moved since they had come. When the name of Joseph had been read out, she only knew of one Joseph, her Joseph. She got to her feet, pulling Kennedy up with her. "He's dead!" she wanted to cry out. Her beloved Joseph was dead! She renewed her tears, adding them to Kennedy's, who had not stopped crying even though she had cried a river and thought that she had never had so many tears. Willow is gone! she kept telling herself, not believing that something could have killed her beloved. The women's tears turned to wails, and all eyes were drawn toward them save for two, wondering why their grief had suddenly escalated.

Joseph had heard some one with the same first name as he called upon but had made no attempt to move from his deflated position on the floor until he heard his beloved Rogue crying out as though her heart was shattered. He lifted his head at last and peered through his tears toward the sound. He could not see her for the others in the room and had to get to his feet. The very second he stood, Drell called out condescendingly, "HOW GOOD OF YOU TO FINALLY STAND, LEHNSHERR. SOMEBODY QUIET THOSE FOOLISH WOMEN!"

Joseph whirled around, and anger blazed from his teary eyes. "DO NOT," he warned, "CALL MY BELOVED FOOLISH!" He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Kyna standing beside him.

"Do not allow him to anger you, Drell. He merely seeks to protect the name of his lady love, and they are far from foolish. We had many deaths in our crew last night. Willow Rosenberg was among their number, and she was the beloved to one of them." Though her eyes were sad, she spoke firmly before turning to look back at Rogue and Kennedy and nodding to Spike, wanting him to be ready for what she was not yet certain would come. "Rogue," she called out strongly. "Rogue, look at me!"

Rogue swiped angrily at her tears and looked to where she heard her Captain's voice coming from. She still kept her arm around Kennedy, who clung desperately to her. "Yes? Ah'm lookin' at you, Kyna . . . " And then she looked beyond Kyna and saw Joseph. Rogue screamed, let go of Kennedy, flew to her husband's side, and threw herself against him. "Oh mah Gods, dahlin'! Ah thought that ya were dead an' Ah had nothin' left ta live for!" She clung desperately to him as her tears continued to flow unchecked.

When Rogue released her, Kennedy simply hit her knees and kept crying. Kyna started to move toward her but stopped when she heard the strong, assuring voice of Trina Malloy. "I've got her." Trina sped from where she had been standing with Trent, Carlos, Angel, and Cordelia to go to Kennedy, who was far from being able to protect herself right now.

Joseph's heart soared, and he wanted to cry out with the relief and joy that flooded him. Rogue seemed to be all over him, her gloved hands everywhere at once, and he clung to her as fiercely as she clung to him. His lips hungrily kissed every part of her face and hair that he could reach, and his hands caressed her every spot. "I would never have wanted you to think me dead, my love, but I did not know if you lived and feared that you would hate me even if you did live and so did not have the heart to rise from my rightfully lowly place upon the floor!"

The Pirates had all gone quiet at the women's outbreak, and so now that the women were more quiet and words were being spoken, every one could hear what was being said. Rogue shook her head at Joseph's words. "Ya don't belong on the floor, mah dahlin', an' yoah rightful place is beside me."

Prue had to agree. It seemed that her Brendan was not the only one who thought his rightful place was on the floor at her feet. She wanted him to stand beside her, but yet where was he but gone again! He had left so quickly that she had not even a clue as to where he had gone. She sighed heavily, her eyes glued to the couple.

Prue had no idea that Brendan was still watching her. He had backed far enough away into the shadows that he hoped not to be quite so dire a threat to her but could still leap to her defense should the attack he expected finally come. He was keeping her well into his view but also often glanced at Jack and Wolverine, making sure that his family was all right. When he heard Joseph's words, he wondered if the man was some sort of Were, but he did not sense that about him. How was it, then, that he was a threat to his woman?

Kyna stepped back, allowing the couple room to reunite. She was not surprised when William stepped up beside her and took her hand. She smiled at him but remained silent, her attention concentrating on Drell and the rest of the Council.

"ENOUGH OF THIS MUSHY CRAP. HOW MANY TIMES NEED I REMIND YOU PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A COURT ROOM!"

Morph smirked, and Celina placed her hand over his lips before he could say what he was thinking -- that the way Drell ran the place, you'd think it was a circus full of clowns!

"SNAPE, READ THE CHARGES."

"JOSEPH LEHNSHERR, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH . . . "

Knowing that Joseph and Rogue were lost to their own world and not paying attention to anything else, Kyna interrupted Snape. "Who is Joseph Lehnsherr?"

Rogue was lost in Joseph's arms, kissing him desperately as though their very lives depended upon it. She was totally oblivious to Snape's reading the charges, and even if she had been listening, she would not have known who Joseph Lehnsherr was. All she knew was that her Joseph, by some miracle, not only lived but had been returned to her. She gave herself up totally to his kiss.

Jack had been about to step forward as he knew that the list of criminals was growing very small. He figured that this must be the one the Wizards were wanting him to stand for, but even as he took that first step, the word, No, resounded in his head. Had Charles simply gone crazy, or had he changed his mind and did not want Jack to stand for any one as the person he should have stood for had already been taken! He looked questioningly at Charles even as his mind wondered who this Joseph Lehnsherr was. He only knew one Joseph, and he turned back around to look at the couple who were lost in their own little world. He had never known what Joseph's last name was, but if it was the last name of the man who was kissing Rogue so tenderly, Jack felt that he should be made aware of the circumstances. He turned questioning eyes upon Drell as he waited to hear Drell's answer. Who was this Joseph Lehnsherr, and why did he not step forward?

"JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS THE MAN WHO IS CURRENTLY ATTEMPTING TO COPPULATE IN MY . . . " Drell ignored the sounds of protest that arose from many of the Council. " . . . COURT ROOM!"

"You mean . . . ?" Kyna gestured to Joseph.

"DO I REALLY HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU, CHAN! THEY SAID YOU WERE SMART!"

Kyna ignored Drell's insult and Spike's growl and moved back to stand next to Joseph and Rogue. "Forgive me," she told them, expertly sliding her hands between them and pushing against both, "but you two must hear this!"

"Hear what?" Rogue asked in her rather dazed condition. Her Joseph was alive, and she couldn't wait to get out of there so that she could make up for the argument that they had had earlier!

Kyna looked at them with stern solemnity in every inch of her hardened gaze. "Joseph is Joseph Lehnsherr."

"What?" Joseph queried. "But -- But -- But I can not be a criminal!"

Kyna sighed and shook her head, realizing that, even after all this time, Joseph still had a great deal to learn. "Joseph, you already are a criminal. You are, after all, a Pirate, and you are Joseph Lehnsherr. The Council could not lie about such a matter."

Rogue grasped his arm and held to it firmly. "He's Joseph Lehnsherr?" Gods, what had her beloved done, and what had happened to his memories of who he was! She had never asked questions. She had just accepted that he loved her more than anything else in the world and that she returned his love. To find that Joseph had worked for Salem's cause surprised her greatly. All eyes were now turned upon Joseph. "What happened to his memories?"

All eyes turned toward Drell, waiting for any further word on what had happened to his memories, but it was not Drell who came forward with the explanation. This man approached with caution from the shadows of the room, a tall, dark-skinned woman following just as cautiously behind him. "Joseph," he spoke, "I know you do not remember me, dear one, but I could never forget you." He came to stand before Joseph and was completely aware that Captain Chan was ready to attack him at the slightest sign that he was an enemy. "I am Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, and you are my little brother. They took your memories. That was your sentence: that you should be caused to forget everything and every one you ever cared for entirely."

As Joseph was digesting this information, Magnus looked at Rogue. "Do not fear, lady. I never knew him to love another. His entire life was devoted to . . . " His voice faltered, and for a moment, he looked even older and filled with more anguish than Rogue and Joseph had ever borne witness to. " . . . to his family . . . "

Rogue was slowly digesting what this strange man was telling her. "Are there othahs o' you?" She had not let go of Joseph's arm and had no intention of ever letting him go.

Ororo had sensed the emotions in Magnus as he had been talking to Rogue, and she realized that he must blame himself for what had happened to Joseph. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and felt him go as stiff and cold as metal underneath her touch. She lifted her hand after a moment, and it was only then that he resumed. "Joseph and I were the last ones left of our family."

"You . . . " Joseph eyed Magneto. "You are my brother?"

"Yes."

"But you are so old!"

"It was part of my curse," Magnus explained, "or my sentence. I . . . "

"NOW THAT EVERY ONE KNOWS WHO JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS, WE CAN RESUME. SNAPE!"

Magneto looked at Drell, his thought clear on his face: He had known Drell had been about to bark that order out before his mouth had opened, but he was still no happier about it than Snape's pale, scowling face seemed to say that he was. He turned back to Joseph as Severus began reading the charges. He could see the abject horror and fear in his little brother's eyes, and his own heart ached. He reached out and touched his shoulder gently. Still looking into his eyes, he said, "Joseph, I know this is a lot to . . . "

Erik paused as Joseph shrugged off his hand and stepped back, holding Rogue closely to him and positioning his body so that the side away from Rogue seemed to be coming forward to meet Magneto. "Why should I believe you?" he questioned, his blue eyes stormy. "I could never have been like you -- a slave trader!"

"The humans I traded were evil. They would have done the same, at the very least, to our kind. I merely did it to them first."

"What exactly did you do?" Joseph demanded. "Beat them? Rape them? Kill them? Enslave them?"

A sad look fell over Magneto's face, and it made him look more ancient than the very wind itself. "Nearly all of the above, but I never . . . "

"I thought as much. We want no part of you." His arm still wrapped firmly around his wife's slender body, Joseph turned her around as he turned round, presenting his self-proclaimed brother with their backs.

Rogue's mind was whirling madly. She could not believe that there had been any way that Joseph had been involved in this mess! He was too sweet, too gentle, and too kind to have ever been a slaver! She, too, had turned her back upon his supposed brother, but she could not turn a blind eye or deaf ear to Snape reading the charges.

Erik sighed, and his hand hovered in the air for a moment before he returned it to his side. He cleared his throat and tried desperately to harden his eyes. He was not a crier. He had only cried once since losing their parents, and that had been when he had lost Joseph. He would never cry again. He would not show that great sign of weakness.

Ororo glanced at the wrinkled man as a curse of another language left his lips in a whispered hiss. She could only imagine the pain he was going through and glanced over at her girls. What would she do if they ever discovered the dark secrets of her past and turned from her? They knew a few of the things that she had done and thought that they were cool, but if they knew the truth . . . 'Ro shook her head sadly, turned away from them, and lowered her eyes. If they learned the truth, she would be in the same boat Magnus was now in. She returned her hand to his shoulder and strengthened her grip, but he promptly shoved it off.

" . . . ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY . . . "

"You have every right to hate me, Joseph," Magnus whispered, unable to keep his sadness out of his voice, "and every right to have things explained to you. I would return your memory if I could, but I can not. I am more sorry for what has happened to you than any words could ever say, little brother, and I would gladly kill every member of the Council if I could for doing what they have to you."

"But it is true. You were involved, just as they say. You were involved because of . . . because of me. I believed in Salem and in The Cause, and you followed me right into it all."

"I would never have been a slaver," Joseph whispered back, refusing to look at the man who could not be his brother.

"You were not. That was what you hated the most about the business. You refused to have any part of it."

" . . . DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EXTORTION, FRAUD . . . "

"I talked you into the extortion, and you stole to prove that you could handle being a member of The Cause just like the rest of us."

"I would never -- "

"You steal now, do you not? You are a Pirate?"

Joseph didn't answer.

" . . . LARCENY, LOITERING, PROPERTY CRIME, GRAFFITI . . . "

"We left messages for The Cause everywhere we went. That was how we became charged with loitering, graffiti, and even some of the property crimes."

"What is graffiti, any way?"

Erik smiled sadly at his little brother's innocence. "It is where one supposedly destroys something that belongs to some one else by leaving their mark upon it."

"Leaving their mark?"

"Writing on it." Another thing occurred to Erik, but he did not mention it. He had a feeling that Joseph would hate him even more if he was to say anything near the lines of urinating on something in front of his lady.

" . . . PSYCHOLOGICAL INTOXICATION . . . "

"Always an excellent way to fool a moron," Magnus explained. "Pretending that you are drunk."

"I do not drink."

"I find that difficult to believe, given your Piratical status."

"That one is actually true," Kyna commented.

"I can not drink. I must always be ready to protect my lady, and alcohol dims the mind and reflexes."

" . . . ROBBERY, VANDALISM . . . "

"Another of those destructing property crimes."

" . . . MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE . . . "

"You killed some one to save my life. It was the only way."

Joseph tightened his arm on Rogue's waist but did not rebuff the accusation. He knew he would kill to protect his family.

" . . . TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE . . . "

"Any follower of Salem was charged with that."

" . . . ESPIONAGE . . . "

"That too."

" . . . TAX EVASION . . . "

"Had we bothered to pay our unjust taxes, they would have found us far more easily."

" . . . ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY . . . " Snape seemed to drone on and on until Joseph thought that neither man would ever shut up. Then memories flashed through his mind at a blinding rate. Yells and wails that no one else could hear assaulted his ears and vibrated through his mind. He felt hands shoving him and another pair gently but strongly picking him up and urging him forward. He heard Magneto in his head and other voices, too. He grimaced, and his knees buckled.

Rogue felt Joseph's knees buckle and held on tightly to him, praying that he was not about to faint. "Dahlin'? Please," she pleaded with him, doing her best to hold him up.

Erik was immediately at Joseph's other side. He draped his other arm around him and held him up, his eyes looking at him with as much concern as Rogue was. "What's wrong?" he questioned, not realizing that some one was returning Joseph's memories.

Rogue watched in terror as Joseph's eyes flickered. What was wrong with him! She had never known him to have any kind of fits before! Maybe she should help him to the floor? she thought and began to help him to sit. She stood protectively beside him, her green eyes flashing around the room, trying to figure out who was doing a psychic attack upon her beloved. She had not clue one as to how to stop it.

Joseph was talking now, but his words came out as fast as Rogue could fly and were completely incoherent. Magnus stayed crouching beside him, his hands still around him and his emotions, for once, clearly displayed on his withered face. He looked up at the Council, and anger flowed from him like a mighty river. "WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING TO HIM, STOP IT AT ONCE OR I SWEAR I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU OR DIE TRYING!"

Charles? Ororo thought worriedly. What is happening?

It is . . . But Drell's thundering voice answered her before Charles could finish his thought. "WE ARE DOING NOTHING, MAGNETO. PERHAPS ALBUS WOULD LIKE TO LET US IN ON HIS LITTLE PLAN?"

Who was Albus, Rogue wondered, and what was he doing to her beloved? If she could find out who he was, she'd kick his butt till he let go of her Joseph!

Magneto glowered at Dumbledore, who stood, quietly chanting, beside Minerva. He had not looked up when yelled at, and his eyes were as glazed over as Joseph's. Minerva's hand hovered protectively on his arm, and Magneto moved slowly as to not draw more attention upon himself. "Stay with him," he whispered to Rogue, lowering Joseph more fully to the floor and standing.

Magneto had just gotten to his feet when he found his way blocked. "You will do nothing," Kyna informed him.

"It is all right," Charles called out. "Albus is merely returning to Joseph enough of his memories so that he will know what he is being charged with." His blue eyes looked up at the other members of the Council. "Surely you can not hold that against him?"

"WE CAN HOLD IT AGAINST THE BOTH OF YOU," Drell informed him. "HOW DARE YOU TWO HAVE THE AUDACITY TO INVOKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN VOTED ON!"

"When you can not, you mean to say?" Cinderella questioned Drell with a thin smile upon her face. "It was agreed on before, Drell. Did you forget so quickly? They must have their memories or else they will believe themselves to be innocent."

"WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF THEY THINK THEY'RE INNOCENT!"

"Sir," Lionel whispered, "as much as it pains me to admit, she is right. It was voted upon and passed before the trial began."

Rogue still stood protectively over Joseph and watched the proceedings with a wary eye. She wondered just what was being put into Joseph's mind. Was he truly guilty, as they said, or was it make-believe memories put into his mind? She found it extremely hard to believe that Joseph could have ever committed even a single crime, let alone the list that had been read. Ever since she had met him, he had been extremely careful in everything he did not to unjustly harm any. Now she knew that, deep down in his heart, he must have feared he had done something wrong at some time. She kept hoping to wake and that it would all be a bad dream but knew that she would not. The awful truth was coming out, and she worried about the impact it would have on her Joseph. She prayed it would not destroy him, because he had always been one to be gentle and kind and go out of his way to help others. Please don't let the nightmares destroy him! she prayed.

Groans came from both Albus and Joseph simultaneously. Albus fell back against the wall, looking even older than he had before, and Joseph's eyes slowly reopened. His head pounded, and his heart ached. He remembered, and it was Erik's eyes he looked into first instead of Rogue's. "Erik," he whispered. Then his eyes widened and moistened. "Dear Gods! What did they do to you!"

Rogue looked at Joseph, knowing that, at last, he knew it all. He was not screaming, so she hoped that it was not too bad.

"They made me old," Erik again told him, but this time, he was smiling, "and they took away my little brother." He held his hand down to him. "Welcome back, brother."

Joseph took Magneto's hand without any hesitation whatsoever this time, and Erik pulled him to his feet. The brothers hugged just as Drell impatiently boomed out, "WHO WILL STAND FOR JOSEPH LEHNSHERR?"

From his place on the floor, Lex had been blissfully out of most of it, but this latest disturbance had just been too much for him. He had found himself listening to what was actually being said instead of just listening for the voices of Clark, their children, and his father. He sat slowly up and looked at the white-haired man who was still hugging his brother despite the charges hanging over his head. He moved closer and wondered how badly it would aggravate his father if he actually stood for some one. At least this one's curse didn't seem to be too bad. A mere loss of family memories? He could forget his father and never have to think about the son-of-a-bitch again! As the question was asked as to who would stand for Joseph, Lex opened his mouth. "I will."

Lionel Luthor's mouth fell open. He wanted to yell at Lex, but he could think of absolutely nothing to say for the shock that clouded his brain.

Joseph and Erik parted but continued to hold on to each other. Joseph still did not look at Rogue for he feared her reaction to the truth of his past. Would she still love him after knowing all the horrible things he had done and the sins that were in his family tree? Both men looked at the bald man who had come forward. Joseph recognized Lex as being one of Jack's men, one of the few who had not been taken by the Piratesses and who they had rescued from the island and taken along on the rescue of the others. He stared at him, obviously surprised. "Are . . . . Are you sure, Lex? You barely know me!"

Rogue moved closer to Joseph and slipped her arm around him. "Ah'll stand by ya, shugah. Ya ain't gettin' rid o' me that easy despite the things that's in yoah family tree. Ah dread ta think what might be in mine!" She smiled at Lex.

Lex grinned back at them. "Yeah, I'm sure." He then whispered, "Let my Father bite on that one!"

"LEX!" Lionel was already beyond ready to have a fit when he heard the voice of Lex's do-gooder lover, whose gender disgusted Lionel even more! He growled and slammed his fist angrily down upon his dai as Clark Kent rushed at Lex, grinning from ear to ear.

Lex grinned even bigger at the sound of his father's voice even as he reached out and grabbed Clark. He gave him a big hug. "Where are the kids?" he whispered. He was so relieved that Clark was alive that he wanted to sing a song but none came to him at the moment.

"I don't know. I hadn't found them yet, but I'm sure they're okay wherever they are and we'll find them with time." Gently clasping Lex's handsome face in his hands, Clark pressed his lips to his.

"I was afraid, Clark! I couldn't hear you anywhere! I thought . . . " His voice trailed off. "Thank the Gods I was wrong! Now let him do his damndest!"

Clark first caressed Lex's face and then ran his hands softly over his smooth dome. "I know, love! I feared the same, but we are together again and together, we can do anything! You've taught me that."

Drell was coughing so loudly that he sounded as though he was about to cough out his own spleen. "LEX LUTHOR," he tried again.

"Yes, sir?" Lex called, turning his attention upon Drell.

"IT CERTAINLY TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH, BOY." Drell glanced accusingly at Lionel.

"Don't look at me, Drell! He's no son of mine!"

"LEX LUTHOR, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH JOSEPH LEHNSHERR TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

"I do." He wondered if they ever tired of asking the same questions over and over again.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON JOSEPH LEHNSHERR WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"I do." His eyes went to his father, who seemed to be dancing a jig. He tried hard not to laugh at his antics as Lionel tried to get Drell to hurry up and get every one's eyes off of the boy who wasn't his offspring.

"IF JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS FORCED TO FORGET EVERYTHING AND EVERY ONE HE NOW KNOWS AND REMEMBERS, YOU, TOO, WILL FORGET ALL THAT YOU KNOW AND HAVE KNOWN?"

"I do," Lex answered. He thought it might be a good thing if he lost the memories of Lionel. After all, it was family memories, right? He didn't want to lose his memory of Clark and the kids.

Clark's grin had faded at Drell's latest question. When Lex answered eagerly, he looked at him with an edge of panic to his eyes, then cleared his voice and dared to question authority. "Excuse me, Sir, but is that all of Lex's memories he'd be losing?"

"IT IS."

Lex looked at Drell. That couldn't be right! Joseph had lost family memories and memories of what he had done! That wouldn't include Clark, would it! There was no way he'd ever forget Clark! One look in those blue eyes, and he knew he'd remember everything they'd ever done together, every single detail! "That's . . . not what Joseph forgot. You only took his memories of his blood family and the crimes he committed. Isn't that right?"

"NO. JOSEPH WAS NOT ALLOWED TO REMEMBER ANYTHING."

That sobered Lex up really quickly, and he hated even more the way his father was now grinning. "I don't know what to do, Clark. I want to stand, but I don't want to lose my memories of you! You wouldn't leave me, would you, if I didn't remember you?"

"Never," Clark vowed, gazing into Lex's worried eyes. "Never in a million years!"

Magneto considered speaking up and warning the boys that he had not left Joseph but that Joseph had been taken from him and dumped into the middle of nowhere, but he held his tongue. If he told them that, Lex might well change his mind, and then who would stand for his brother?

"What do you want me to do, Clark?" Lex asked. He could hear and see his father about to have an epileptic fit, and he really hated to back down, but he would not do anything to jeopardize Clark and the children.

Clark hesitated, but he knew the entire while that he had to encourage Lex to do the right thing. He hated himself for being so good and his parents for instilling such high virtues into him. He started to speak, but just as his mouth opened, he heard Faith erupt from the other side of the room.

"THIS IS BULL SHIT!" she exclaimed loudly, her dark eyes blazing defiantly up at the Council. Salem gulped and leaped to the floor from her stiff arms. He backed up slowly, however, not wanting to bring attention upon himself.

"EXCUSE ME?" Drell demanded, looking down at Faith with a single raised eyebrow. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?"

"YOU DAMN STRAIGHT I SAID SOMETHING!" Faith snapped. "I SAID THIS IS FUCKING BULL SHIT! YOU CAN'T TAKE LEX'S MEMORIES AWAY FROM HIM!" As she walked forward, glaring furiously at the Council, Salem backed up until he found himself beneath Dawson.

"IF THAT IS THE SENTENCE THAT IS DECREED, THEN THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE!"

Lionel looked puzzledly down at the girl who had come to his pathetic son's defense, trying to place her. He knew better than to hope that Lex had finally been getting it on with the right gender and quickly realized where he knew the girl from. At the memory, he blanched and slid a hand underneath his dai to protectively cover the crotch of his robe.

Across the room, Jack glanced at Will once more. Although there were many memories that Jack would like to forget, Will was not one of them. It would be bad enough to lose his memories of Will, but it would be the most horrible nightmare if he was totally taken away from him. He knew that's what had happened in Magnus and Joseph's case. He didn't remember where he had heard it, but some one had once told him the entire story of Magneto's fall. He leaned forward and gently kissed Will and whispered in his ear, "I don't ever want to lose you, my love. Your memories are the most precious treasures I own."

Lex stood very quietly, his mind in complete turmoil, oblivious to his outward appearance. He had not been surprised by Faith's outburst nor had he missed the reaction Lionel had made. If possible, Lionel's face had gone even whiter, and Lex expected him to fall to the floor at any moment. He knew that the only thing that kept Lionel erect was that stubborn pride of his. Lex grinned at his sister. "Thanks for objecting, sis. This is a mess and possibly one of the worst fixes I've ever been in. I want your promise," he gazed intently into her eyes, waiting for her to answer.

All across the room, the Pirates were gazing at their loved ones and wondering if the punishments could get any worse. To completely forget their memories and not be with the ones they loved would be more than most beings could bare! They had been in Hell for too many hours to count and prayed for the gates of Heaven to soon be opened! Would this night never end!

To Be Continued . . .