Chapter Three

Tru

Cleveland, April 4th, 2008

Déjà vu.

It is the sensation of an event that occurs, and then repeats itself. The person experiencing it shows signs of confusion, as he or she tries to figure out exactly where they had seen it before. Most of the time, it is nothing important, and they go on with their lives.

But for some, déjà vu is more than just a feeling. Sometimes, the phenomenon is so strong, that the day feels like it is repeating itself.

Such is the case for one such young woman in particular. For her, déjà vu is not a rare occurrence. It is a fact of life. For her, it is actually happening.

And it was happening today.

Tru Davies was special.

Outwardly, there was nothing that marked her as such. She was a beauty for certain, with long dark tresses cascading down her back and tan skin that gave her an exotic look. Her usual attire was what you would expect of someone in her age group; a combination of flattering but not too revealing. And she was known for going to parties, like any other normal young adult.

No, what made her special was the power she possessed, a power that wasn't apparent to the world at large. She couldn't perform feats of superhuman skill, move at speeds that were undetectable, or fly. She couldn't deflect bullets, punch through solid walls, or move objects with her mind. No, her power was far more passive, and far greater, than that.

Tru Davies had the power to relive entire days.

Her control over the power was actually non existent. She couldn't relive a day at will, nor would she want to. It would only activate when a dead person asked for her help. Of course, it wasn't a simple ability by any stretch of the imagination. The pleas for help, while predominantly saving someone's life, were pretty ambiguous. Sometimes, she had to help them survive one disaster, so they could sacrifice their life to save another from that disaster. Other times, she had to help that person find a sense of closure before they died. She wasn't always successful, but very few people were successful all of the time.

But none of that really clicked when the day rewound. In fact, the first thought she had, brief though it was to be, was always, 'Why me?'

This day was supposed to be no different.

A split second after she had had the thought, Tru quickly went over everything she knew about the day, brief though it had been. After all, it had only been an hour into the morning before the call for help came through.

The situation; a mugging that went horribly wrong. The victim; a woman of about thirty five just trying to make the eight o-clock bus. The mugger had pulled out a gun, and had accidentally shot the woman when a passerby spooked him. All she had to do was get there before they did, and try to change the outcome. To make things even better, she could actually do that without Jack Harper interfering. He lived a good distance away, and wouldn't be able to get there in time. An easy win for her.

She was completely dressed, and out the door in under fifteen minutes; a personal best for her. She wouldn't be able to call her brother or Davis on this one, but it also wasn't necessary. She had seen it happen, so she knew exactly what to do. All she had to was stop the robbery without becoming the victim herself. A situation she was quite familiar with. No problem.

She reached the bus stop about thirty minutes ahead of schedule, and took a look around. Making her way over to the bench, she sat down, and began the waiting game. Two possible strategies came to mind. She had to either distract the gunman before he got too close, or engage the woman in conversation and hope he simply didn't try to rob them both. If she could accomplish neither, saving the woman would become even more difficult.

Fortunately, years of experience had given her a better appreciation for perfect timing. After her little romp with Jenson, and the discovery that her father was responsible for her Mom's death, she had become ever more careful, ever more resourceful. That meant being careful who she saved, and saving only those who asked for it.

Her gaze, which had been roaming the area, quickly locked on to her target as she walked down the sidewalk. She shifted her attention slightly, seeing the gunman right behind her, hand inching towards his pocket. 'Probably where he has his gun,' she thought, shifting slightly. This was the moment, and she had decided on a strategy. She was going to go over to the woman as she reached the bus stop, and strike up a conversation with her. It was simple, if considerably stressful. After all, nothing could surprise her. It had all happened before… or so she thought.

So when the woman, a middle aged blond, stopped at the newspaper stand, taking a look at the front page, Tru was understandably confused. Did she remember something wrong? What was going on?

The robber, having the slight advantage of not having actually committed the crime yet, followed her immediately, the gun coming out. "All right, lady," he began. "Give me…"

The woman turned around fast, grabbing the wrist holding the weapon, and holding it up. The moment it discharged harmlessly in the air, her other hand slammed into his chest. Ripping the gun out of his hand, she pushed him back. "Go home," was all she said. All in the space in thirty seconds.

The robber scrambled away almost like he had been shot out of a cannon, afraid that she was going to actually shoot him. She didn't of course, but she did make her way over to the nearest trash can, dumping the gun in there.

Tru paled a little at this unexpected turn of events. What had just happened?

The woman stepped away from the can and made her way over to the bench, sitting down next to Tru. "Not what you were expecting?" she asked. "Me stopping the mugger, I mean?"

Tru's eyes widened at that. "Uh… yeah," she stammered, trying to figure out how she could explain it without giving away her secret. "I… thought he looked suspicious. Most people don't wear jackets on a warm summer day."

"Well, that's true. I'm Linda Harrelson."

"And I'm…"

"Tru Davies. You're a mortician at the district mortuary at 330 W. 7th Avenue. You regularly speak to the dead, and relive days as a result in an attempt to save them." Linda smiled at the shock on her face. "You might want to breathe… starting now," she advised. "Otherwise, you're going to faint."

Tru did just that, taking great gulps of air like it was going out of style. Then again, after everything that had happened so far, she was allowed to be in shock. How could this woman know so much? "But… how did you…?"

"Know?" Linda smiled, pulling out a piece of paper from one pocket. She handed over to the younger woman. "If you want to know more… about so many things, look up these two names first. Then meet me at the local sports bar before you go to work." She paused for a second, as another thought occurred to her. "You may want to bring Mister Harper along as well. This is something he may want to hear."

Tru immediately understood which bar she was talking about. It was the same bar that both Jack and Harrison went to. "Okay… I'll… I'll do that."

"Great." Linda stood up. "Well, my bus is here, and I will see you later. Take care, Miss Davies."

Tru watched Linda as she boarded the bus, then looked at the paper. She quickly pulled her phone out, dialing a number that was rarely dialed. "Jack, meet me at the usual spot as soon as possible," was all she said. He knew where she was talking about.

After that, she read the names on it.

She was still looking at them an hour later, now sitting at a little café near the morgue, when Jack Harper strolled up to him, that eternal smirk on his face. Like her, he possessed the ability to relive days. Unlike her though, he tried to ensure that the person died again, so as to 'preserve Fate.' And like her, he succeeded some times, and failed some times.

Years ago, when they had first met, she had wanted to smack that smirk right off of him, especially after she failed, and he decided to rub salt on the wound. She had hated him with a passion after he had sent Luke to his death. In fact, had she been one who went for revenge, she would have tried to kill him on the spot.

Now though… she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but it was decidedly not violent. She no longer hated the man, even after everything that had happened between them.

Jack, on the other hand, wasn't entirely sure what to make of this unusual scene. There was Tru Davies, sitting almost frozen at a table, her breakfast practically untouched and reading a piece of paper that she had probably read over a dozen times. His smirk faded as he approached, stopping right next to her. "You know the funny thing about words on a piece of paper?" he asked, getting her attention. "No matter how many times you read them, they always stay the same."

Try looked up for a second, taking in his face. "Hi, Jack," was all she said, still preoccupied with the events from the past hour. She still couldn't wrap her head around it, no matter how many times she went over it.

His own tone conveyed his disbelief at this rather vague greeting. He had come to count on Tru to be as stubborn as they come, matching him barb for verbal barb, regardless of the outcome. In fact, he welcomed it from the extraordinarily resourceful young lady. That was one of the things he liked best about her; her ability to talk back. "Come on, Tru. No witty comeback? No comment on how I kill people? You're not even going to gloat over saving that soul?"

"I did nothing, actually?"

"… You actually let her die?"

Tru gestured for him to sit down, which he quickly did so. Though it was rare for both of them, there were instances where they actually worked together on cases, when the person who asked for help had already been dead for quite some time, and was beyond saving. It was an odd friendship, but the hatred that had existed between them had faded with time and circumstances. So when she needed to meet, he responded almost immediately. "I mean, I had no hand in saving her. She saved herself."

He blinked in shock. He hadn't heard her correctly. He couldn't have, because what she implied was impossible. It just couldn't be.

Tru correctly guessed what he was thinking, and sympathized. "I know, it shouldn't be possible… but it happened. I was there on Day One. She sat down at the bench, and the mugger came up with a gun. A bystander spooked him, and he opened fire. It was a lucky shot, probably going through her heart. It was that simple."

Jack leaned back, frowning thoughtfully. Death would have been instantaneous if it had done just that. It was simple. "So, what changed?" he asked.

"She stopped at the newspaper stand. Then she disarmed him like it was nothing. But the really weird part? No one ran when his weapon discharged, like last time. In fact, there was no reaction at all."

His brow furrowed. "None, huh?"

She shook her head. "They just… went about their business."

Jack grunted a bit, now understanding why she was sitting there, looking confused. He now shared that feeling. "So what does this mean? Is there someone else there with our power?"

Tru finally picked up her breakfast sandwich, taking a bite of it. "I don't know, Jack," she replied at long last. "But here's the kicker. She knew about us, and our abilities. She knew where I worked, and probably knows where I live. I mean, it's absolutely crazy." She held up the piece of paper. "She handed me this as well. Two names and nothing else."

Jack took the piece of paper, curious as to what those two names were. Everything was already out of whack as far as they were concerned. What could two names mean anyway?

Faith Lehane

Caroline Farrell

Apparently, they were going to mean more than either of them had thought.

The lead Medical Examiner of the City Morgue was known only as Davis to those who knew him.

Once, he was a simple man with some serious anti social tendencies. He used to not be able to speak to anyone except in very brief sentences… and with a noticeable stutter in his voice. And when he did try to carry on a conversation, it usually ended up around the morgue.

But after Tru arrived, that slowly began to change. He began to get out more, his stutter vanished over the first year, and he even began to date. It was a transformation that, even to this day, amazed him and everyone around him.

But one thing about him remained the same; his trust in Tru's judgment and friendship.

So when he looked up, and saw Tru coming in with Jack, he instantly knew something was up. "Hey, Tru," he called in greeting, coming out of his office. "Is it a rewind day? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Tru shook her head. "Rewind day's already done… and it's still kinda the reason why we're both here."

"We need to look up a few names," Jack added quickly. "People who are still alive, in fact."

Now, Davis is not an idiot, but it did take a few seconds for him to catch up with them. Every once in a while, completely out of the blue, Tru just threw him a curveball. This was one such time. "Okay, so let's see what we've got here, then."

Tru immediately sat down at the desk, typing in her first query. "Well, Faith Lehane, let's start with you," she muttered, hitting the SEND button.

And almost leaped out of her seat in shock.

Jack stared at the screen, just as surprised as her. "Tru, do you… have any twin sisters out there that we don't know about?" he asked gently, but seriously. "Cause she looks just like you."

Tru had no real answer for him, because she didn't know. But what other answer was there? Faith Lehane was a perfect copy of her in every way. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that she was staring at a photo taken only a few days ago of her.

Forcing herself to focus, she started looking the photo over more objectively, then looked over the report. "Born April 7th, 1980. Age; Twenty Nine. Height; Five foot Nine. Hair; Chestnut Brown. Eyes… why bother with the rest of this? She's a perfect clone."

Davis looked at the dossier as well. "It looks like she's got a criminal record, but it's been sealed," he said, a little surprised. "And there's no BOLO out on her. Judging from the looks of it, I think she doesn't want to found. Probably is extremely angry with herself and the world, but doesn't want to take it out on anybody."

"I'm thinking more on the lines of a tragedy." Jack was looking at the photo, taking in nuances that Tru and the others had missed. "I had a feeling she was different from you, Tru when I saw that photo. Now I know why. Look at her eyes. The photo caught it all perfectly."

Tru did as he suggested, and peered into the eyes. Those eyes, so like her own, conveyed a pain and despair so profound, they were drowning in them, even through the screen. But they also conveyed unimaginable strength and an unbridled confidence that also leaped right off the screen. It was such a contradiction that she didn't know what to make of it.

Davis had apparently done the same, because he was blinking rather rapidly. "Good lord," he whispered. "What could have happened to her… to have that kind of agony buried deep away, but also that kind of confidence?"

"I don't know," Tru whispered. "I guess… if we find her, we'll ask."

The rest of the file was dry, and strangely unfinished for some reason. It was as if there was nothing known about her… or it was classified by the government. Printing out the rather short file, she typed in her next query.

And almost keeled over in shock. "This is… impossible," she muttered, even as she heard both men behind let out identical gasps of shock. Fate couldn't be that cruel. She didn't even have to read the profile on her. Another identical person.

Ah, but this one was definitely different, and did she ever have a life story! As Tru scrolled through the file, it was almost as if Caroline was right there in the room with them. She was a graduate of Fremont College, holding Masters in bio chemistry and engineering. She was also an Activist, having been to almost every single antiwar demonstration and rally on the West Coast. Hell, there was even a link to Facebook. Caroline Farrell was definitely not shy.

Tru quickly pressed PRINT again, feeling like she had run a three hour marathon. The sad thing was, she had been sitting there for only fifteen minutes.

Jack reread everything they had found out so far, trying to understand it a little bit better. It was obvious to all of them that he was failing miserably. "Why didn't we know of them?" he asked, voicing the question Tru had been holding within. "Why didn't your mom tell you about them? Why didn't Richard? Or your sister?"

"Well… I don't think Mom got the chance to," Tru replied sadly, remembering the day her life changed for the first time. "As for Meredith… we were all kinda messed up after she had died. We barely ever talked to each other. In fact, the first time we all sat down as a family was just after I began to relive days. And my Dad… well, you know why he didn't."

On that, both he and Davis did. It was hard to talk to the man who had his own wife killed, just because of Fate. There were some lines that simply weren't crossed, and he crossed it.

"But he still had to have known about them," Davis stated after a moment. "And considering how… dedicated he is to his ideals, I doubt he would hesitate to tell you. He must know that you would try to find them, thus distracting you from saving lives."

Jack leaned against the side of the desk, frowning thoughtfully. "Well, let's be careful all the same," he stated. "He could just as easily kill you if you ask him, Tru." He pushed himself off the desk. "I still talk to him on occasion, whenever I need his advice on a matter. I could see if he knows anything about them."

"And I'll make the usual calls concerning Faith," Davis added, as Tru got up. "I just hope that she isn't some sort of a government agent, and vital to our National Security."

That was what Tru was hoping for as well. "If the government should call you back, just tell them that we're looking into a possible family connection. It's the truth… however difficult it is to accept it."

Richard Davies finished the last of the paperwork that he needed to really worry about, handing it over to his assistant. His assistant, not missing a beat, left the office, probably to file the case report in its proper spot.

His duties fulfilled, the middle age man leaned back in his seat, taking a few moments to rest his eyes. This was the job he loved most; helping those who were innocent. He took great pride in that, even though he also had to help those who were guilty of a crime. It gave him a sense of accomplishment.

It was his other job that he didn't like so much; trying to keep those who had died… dead. It was a necessary evil, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

He was sorry that it had also pitted him against his own daughter, Tru. Tru, who had taken up the duties of her mother when she had graduated from community college. He was sorry because she had learned about his involvement in Elisa's death, and the subsequent result of his apprentice breaking away from his guidance. In fact, Jack had been the one to tell Tru that truth… as if he had decided to be a little more loyal to his enemy than his ally.

Richard strongly suspected that that was indeed the case. This meant he needed to find a way to remove Tru from the equation without killing her, and thus sparking Jack's wrath. The young man had become quite attached to her.

On the other hand, he was immensely proud of Tru and all she had managed to accomplish. Her mother had been just as passionate, just as sure of herself. It made him wish that she was his child in flesh as well as name.

"Sir, Mister Harper is here to see you."

Now that was a pleasant surprise. Jack's communication with him was sporadic at best these days. If he was here to talk, then it must definitely be important. He nodded. "Send him in."

The moment the door was closed behind them, he asked, "Is today a rewind day?"

Jack nodded. "Tru won that round, though it was rather easy. There was no way I was going to get there in time to affect the outcome… But she didn't save the woman."

"Then who did?"

"Oddly enough, the one who asked for help."

"Did she receive a phone call?"

"No, and that was the odd thing. It was only an hour into both of our days. There would have been no prep time whatsoever. The woman should have done everything the same… except she didn't. She didn't stop where she was supposed to, and she fought back. The only thing Tru did was watch.

The older man frowned a bit at that, surprised beyond measure. "This means Fate has been seriously disrupted," he muttered thoughtfully. "We may have to take desperate measures." He looked up. "Jack, you are going to have to remove one of them from the equation as quickly as possible."

Jack just shook his head. "Desperate or not, I'm not going to kill either of them. Besides, Tru was the one to tell me."

"Tru told you this?"

"Yeah, and she's just as confused as I am. Which actually brings me to the real reason for my impromptu visit." Jack sat down. "The woman knew about Tru's abilities, and probably knows about me as well. To make matters even more confusing, she gave Tru a piece of paper, with two names on it." He leaned in, observing Richard shrewdly. "Do the names Caroline Farrell and Faith Lehane mean anything to you?" he asked.

Richard shook his head after thinking about it. "Faith Lehane… I've never heard of her," he replied. "As for Caroline Farrell… I saw her once, when I was in Los Angeles on vacation. She was leading a demonstration concerning the potential release of a sex offender. It was about three years ago." He looked up. "The only reason I remember that was because of the fact she was completely identical to Tru in every way, including her passion to doing the right thing."

Jack believed him completely. Richard didn't know anything more than that. And if that was the case… "Well, thanks for your time, Richard. I'm sorry to take so much of it." With that, he got up, and made his way towards the door.

"Jack…" Richard took a breath, let it out. "Both of you, be careful. There are other forces at work here that none of us know about. If they come after you…"

Jack nodded, holding up a hand to cut him off. "Thanks for the concern… but Tru and I can take care of ourselves. We watch each other's backs… which I think you should have done with her mom."

With those parting words, he left, leaving the older man sitting there in silence, more alone than he had ever felt before in his life.

And he knew why.

Harrison Davies had no idea how long he had been sitting there, waiting for his contact to arrive, but he knew that if she didn't show soon, he was going to go crazy.

When his sister had called him that morning and told him what happened, he had been surprised. Not shocked. After all, the rewind thing her sister did had cured him of that. Shocking turns were now to be expected.

But hearing that the woman knew about Tru's gift, without Tru even telling her, now there was a shocker. That opened up a new series of questions that they probably didn't want the answers to. And to make the situation even more confusing, they had to ask Jack for help on this.

And so here he was, doing his part, sitting in the middle of Cleveland's zoo, hungry as all get out and wishing for something to eat. And he was seriously considering never helping his sister again.

As if to answer his prayer, a corndog suddenly appeared in front of him. Grateful, he took it, taking a bite. "Thanks, Kennedy," he said.

Kennedy Adams shrugged, taking a seat next to him. "Well, you know me. I always try and stay on top of things. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Grinning, the man finished his food. "It's so nice to know that you have my best interests in heart."

"I guess so. So, what's going on? Your call sounded kind of urgent."

"Well, it concerns Tru. She just found out that we may have sisters. Identical sisters." He caught sight of her surprised expression. "We need some help trying to find one of them."

Her head bowed slightly as she thought it over a little bit. "I'm not sure what to tell you, Harry," she finally said. "My people usually don't look for anyone unless they're in danger."

Harrison nodded. "I know that… but this is really important. I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't."

"… Okay. What's her name?"

"… Faith Lehane." Harrison caught sight of the change in her expression again, at how the surprise suddenly turned to shock. "You heard of her?" he asked.

Kennedy nodded affirmatively, sitting back. "Actually… I know her. She's a good friend of mine."

"Oh … She's in Cleveland, then?" Was part of their search really going to be that easy?

His hopes were dashed when the young woman shook her head sadly. "Honestly, I don't know where she is," she replied. "The last I heard about her, she was in Egypt somewhere, helping their government locate a… local terrorist cell. She's been on the road since 2005, and she never stays in one place for too long. Personal reasons." She saw him open his mouth, and shook her head. "I really can't tell you anything else except this. If Faith doesn't want to be found, she won't be."

Harrison understood only too well. Kennedy had told him early on that there were aspects of her life that were best left in the dark. And Faith apparently fit into that world. "Can you at least tell me if she's alright?" he asked.

Her gaze shifted towards the exhibit in front of them, her gaze pensive. "I don't know… but I like to believe that she's still out there, kicking asses and taking names… somewhere."

"Thanks, Kennedy."

"Yeah. Take care of yourself, Harrison. And tell your sister… that I wish we could give her better news. I will be keeping my eyes and ears open though. She did promise to come to Cleveland at some point, and I am forever hopeful."

Harrison nodded, clapping her on the shoulder. "Yeah. I guess that's all we got to go on." He stood up, hand still out. "Say hi to Willow for me, will ya?"

Kennedy grinned, clasping his hand firmly. It never ceased to amaze him just how much of a grip she had. "I will. Well, see ya later, pal."

"Yes… yes… un huh… thank you, Marshall." Davis hung up, exiting his office. "Okay, as it turns out, Faith does have quite the history, but most of it's been sealed under direct orders from the UN Security Council, if you can believe it," he said, shaking his head in surprise. "They're sending someone from the FBI to read us in on it. But I was able to put a few pieces together." He waited until he had gotten both Tru's and Jack's attention. "She was born same year as you, Tru. Adopted by William Lehane, who married Monica Jones shortly thereafter. She lived in Boston her entire childhood. It's entirely possible Faith doesn't even know she was adopted. William died several years later, and Faith remained with her foster mother until she ran away from home in 1994, right after Monica died from a heroin overdose. They lost track of her until she was resurfaced in Sunnydale in their 1998-99 year."

Tru blinked. "I read about that on the Internet. I was doing a report on how current events coincided with the past of a small town, and I chose Sunnydale as my subject. It was long and boring, but I found a unique set of events that seemed to all fit together. Unexplained phenomenon, sighting of things that go bump in the night. 1999 was the year that their High School was destroyed." She looked at him. "Was Faith responsible for that?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. She actually fell off the top of a building. Ended up in a coma for eight months. She woke up, then disappeared again." His brow furrowed. "I think that's what the FBI wants to talk to us about."

"What is missing."

"Exactly."

Jack sighed, leaning against the desk. "Well, I spoke to Richard, and he doesn't know anything about them either. He actually met Caroline, and expressed surprise on how much she looked like you, Tru."

Tru blinked, very surprised by this. If that was the case, if Richard didn't even know of them… "We'll have to reserve judgment until this afternoon," she said. "This could all just be the mother of all coincidences. But speaking of Caroline… well, she's the exact opposite of Faith. She's an activist all right. She's been to every war demonstration along the Californian coastline, has fought hard for homosexuals and bisexuals, and even challenged the decision of using animals as test subjects. She even volunteered at the local soup kitchen. That is dedication… until 2006, it seems."

"What happened?"

Jack shrugged. "Nobody really knows. She was admitted into the hospital… and then disappeared from her hospital bed. No one's seen her since."

Tru sighed, looking up from the screen. "I don't get it. We went over all of Mom's stuff after she had died. We even read her diary. There was absolutely nothing. It's like she didn't want to acknowledge them… or couldn't."

"Probably to protect them, Tru," Davis said sympathetically. "I mean, if Richard knew about them, he probably would have tried to kill them too."

"I doubt he would've, especially if Faith ran away," Harrison stated, entering the room. "Well, my contact knows Faith personally, but she hasn't seen her. Girl's a bit of a vagabond. She's been roaming the planet, doing only God knows what. Last sighting was in Egypt, and that was about a year and a half ago."

Tru's eyes widened. "Egypt?"

"She's definitely well connected," Jack murmured. "Maybe she's working for the UN."

Harrison shook his head. "No, from what I'm gathering, she's working alone. She just doesn't want to be found."

"Well, we're sure as hell going to try." The young woman stood up. "I just found out that we possibly have two sisters. The least I want to do is meet them…" Her gaze suddenly narrowed. "Meredith."

Jack looked at her. "Your older sister? What's she got to do with…?"

Harrison caught on far more quickly than the other two guys did. "We need to ask her about 'em," he said.

Tru nodded. "Exactly."

"But is she in town?" Davis asked. "I mean, that meeting she had in New York could have gone later than she thought."

"We're supposed to meet her for lunch… in about forty five minutes." Her gaze shifted over to Jack. "How about you come with us?" she asked. "I'd love to introduce you to her."

Now, to say Jack was surprised was an understatement. He was stunned by the offer. "Sure, if you think she won't mind meeting me," he replied after a moment, somewhat awkwardly. "Though I have to wonder if she's ready to know about our other job."

"Oh, if all of this is any indication, it's possible she knew about my gift before I did."

Meredith Davies looked up at the clock, taking note of the time. "They are going to be late again," she muttered to herself. "How I am related to either of them, I'll never know. Mom was always punctual. Why can't they?"

"Probably because we don't work in a law firm," Tru stated behind her, making her jump. "Hi, Meredith."

"Tru." Sometimes, that little sister of hers scared her. How in the hell could she be so quiet? "Glad to see you. Harrison with you?"

The aforementioned boy plopped down in one of the seats, grinning. "I am here, in all my greatness. So, how's it goin'?"

"Going pretty good, actually." Her attention shifted to the big guy standing next to Tru. "And… this is?" she inquired.

"This is Jack Harper," Tru replied immediately. "Jack, Meredith Davies."

"Pleasure to meet you," Jack said in greeting, shaking her hand.

"Likewise." Ah, so this was the guy that Harrison used to harp on about. A slight smile appeared on her face as she thought of a way to get back at Tru for that little stunt from before. "So, how long have you and Tru been dating?" she asked casually.

Jack almost stumbled into the booth seat, while Tru almost fell right there onto the floor. Both began stammering the usual denials, how they were just acquaintances, and how they didn't even like each other. She just loved doing that to people sometimes, especially if she was related to them. And Tru deserved it, keeping so much from her, including the fact that she was reliving days.

Harrison, on the other hand, just got a look of disgust on his face. "Thanks, Merry. Just what I needed to hear."

"I'm just being a good sister, is all."

"Yeah, right."

Tru shook her head, the blush on her face conveying her feelings far better than any words could ever do. "So, Meredith… I was kind of wondering something."

Meredith looked at her younger sister. "Yeah?"

"My name. Mom never told me why she named me Tru."

"Oh." That was understandable. Mother was forbidden by the Timelord himself to even mention the Guardians to Tru and Harrison. "Well, you were named for our great ancestor, who was reported to be a great sorceress. But the ancestor used her powers to protect people, to heal them, despite the hatred she garnered just for being a magic user. Now, that's probably just a story, but that Tru was one of the most selfless people to have ever lived. Of course, that wasn't her real name. She just used it to hide her identity." She looked at her younger sister. "Just like you are, Tru. I mean, only truly selfless people would help their older sister beat a crack addiction, or their younger brother's gambling problem."

Tru nodded. "I guess so. I just thought she would've named me Laura… or Caroline… or Faith…"

Meredith blinked as little as those two names were uttered. Out of all the people in the world she would hear about from her younger sister, her two other sisters were definitely not it. She tried to cover it up by hooding her eyes, hoping Tru hadn't seen her expression.

She knew she had failed completely when a brief flash of triumph crossed the other woman's face. "How did you find out about them?" she asked in defeat.

"I think the more accurate question is; why weren't we ever told about them?" Tru replied. "Why weren't we even made aware of them? And how long have you known that I was reliving days?"

Now, Meredith was a lawyer, so she usually knew what to say to throw someone off. However, that question, thrown at her with such candor and bluntness… well, she was struck dumb for a second. Recovering, she took a sip of water. "I knew Mom was reliving days, Tru," she said. "You, I only guessed." She shifted her attention towards Jack. "So I'm guessing you're her opposite."

Jack nodded, a little surprised by that. "Yeah, that's me."

"You're obviously better at it than Richard was." She focused her attention on Tru and Harrison. "And, if you have been doing your homework, then you probably know that Richard isn't our biological father, Tru. Sadly, he's yours, Harrison."

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better," Harrison grumbled.

"As for Caroline and Faith…" Meredith frowned for a second. "Mom had to give them up."

Tru leaned in slightly, incensed. "Why?" she asked softly.

"… If she hadn't, all three of you would have been taken by force. She would've lost all of you."

Now that little revelation was enough to wipe out every trace of anger that simmered within the younger woman, and she leaned back again, her eyes widening. "Meredith…"

"Before you ask, there are things that I simply cannot tell you," Meredith interrupted. "Powers and forces beyond the ones you lot are aware of. Things so far out there they are completely unbelievable. And, there are things about you that you don't even know." She leaned in, lowering her voice so no one could hear them. "Tru, do you remember your birthmark?"

Tru nodded, a little surprised by the question. If she was hoping for a quick end to the conversation, it was over.

"Well, they have the same birthmark. Same location and everything. If I were to take a guess, if you are all in the same place, it would allow all three of you to tap into limitless power."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Harrison nodded.

"It's power enough to create entire universes, Harry. It would make them a target for every power hungry being out there."

"Very bad."

"So they were separated for their own protection?" Jack asked.

"… No. Apparently, for ours." Meredith took a drink of her iced tea. "Whoever issued the order, doesn't want the three of you to meet, Tru." Her gaze pinned her sister. "Now tell me how you know about them."

"At least it wasn't a complete waste," Jack noted, as he and Tru strolled down the street. "We got some information, and lunch. I had no idea that their burgers were so good. I just about asked the chef to marry me… until I found out he was a guy, of course."

Tru just stared at him for a second, clearly dumbstruck by his rather calm response. That wasn't at all what she had expected him to say.

But then, she started laughing, shaking her head at the sheer absurdity of it all. "I cannot believe you," she got out between chuckles. "We just learned that my sisters do exist, that there are forces out there conspiring to keep us apart, and the food was the thing that stands out to you?"

"Well, I'm a simple man."

"Clearly. Then again, they always said that the way to man's heart is through his stomach. I guess it's true."

Jack chuckled a little. "Well, it's how I deal with things that I don't fully understand. I go to the nearest café, and I grab a burger. And I think about it… or just enjoy the peace and quiet."

Tru observed him for a second, grinning widely. "So all I have to do to keep you quiet is get you a burger?" she asked. "Gee, if I had known that, I would've invited you over to my apartment years ago."

"… Really?" he asked suggestively. "Anything else you would do?"

"Behave, Jack. Or I'm going to find out your parent's phone number, and ask for all of your baby photos."

"You wouldn't!"

Tru grinned wickedly. "Oh, but I would, Jack," she replied. "Just ask Harrison. I still remind him of so many embarrassing moments from the past. It serves to keep him on the straight and narrow with Meredith."

Jack returned the grin. "I can always ask Harrison about your past then. I'm sure you've got quite the history yourself." He saw her expression suddenly shift downward a bit, and almost kicked himself. "Your mother, huh?"

Tru shook her head. "Meredith and I rarely spoke to each other after Mom died. As for Harrison… I spent so much time trying to keep him out of trouble, I couldn't really get into any of my own."

"And this started when you were seven?"

"Blame D… Richard for that." Tru actually smiled slightly at that. "You know, I thought it would be more difficult to accept, but considering everything we know now…"

Jack nodded in understanding at that. "I hear you there, Tru. Still, I feel bad for Harrison. He's still related to the man. So, are we still on for this afternoon, babe?"

She decided to forego telling him to stuff it. She actually found it to be endearing. "We still are. Three o'clock sharp, at The Shark."

"That gives me some time to spruce up. I'll see you there."

Tru nodded. "I'll be wearing bells."

The Shark was already quite crowded by three when Tru and Jack arrived. Customers were catching the latest races on the televisions, or enjoying a relaxing cold beer. The employees were busy setting up for the night crowd. In short, nothing was out of place. Everything was happening as it should.

Tru looked around the bar, trying to locate their contact. "Jack," she whispered, pointing in one direction. "There she is."

Jack nodded, trusting her word as they began weaving their way through the crowd. Now wasn't the time for a witty remark. He could at least wait until after the meeting for that.

Linda looked up as the two of them reached her table, smiling in relief. "For a second there, I thought you two weren't going to show up," she said, standing. "Mister Harper, it is a pleasure to meet you at long last."

"Likewise… I think." Jack traded a look with Tru, who simply shrugged her shoulders and sat down. Neither of them had many answers, and that was how it was going to stay until this conversation began. So he followed her example, sitting down and folding his arms together.

Tru smiled. "We checked those names you gave us," she began immediately, not even bothering with chit chat. "They were very interesting. It was almost like looking into a mirror."

Linda nodded. "I'll bet it did. Now, I'm going to assume that you spoke with Meredith." A surprised nod was the only answer she needed. "Well, as you already know then, they are your sisters."

"Triplets. And we were separated at birth… for some reason we don't know."

"Exactly."

Now, to say that Tru had thought herself prepared for the truth would have been an understatement. She had thought after all of the research and the chat with Meredith, the news would have begun to sink in. But now, she was grateful she was sitting down. She didn't think that she could've remained standing.

Jack assumed control of the questioning almost immediately, knowing that Tru needed a few minutes to regain awareness. "Why is it that we're just finding out about them now?" he asked. "Why wasn't Tru told that Richard wasn't her real father? Or do I even have to ask?"

Linda shook her head. "No, you don't. Tru was never made aware of her real father for the same reason Elisa had to give up Faith and Caroline. Destiny itself demanded it, and she had to obey." She sighed. "You see, Fate is a fickle mistress. Everything must run smoothly, running the course of the Grand Design, as you both well know. Everyone's destiny must be completed, even if it is to die before truly living. Now, when something happens, like someone dies before they were supposed to, it creates ripples. Here, it happens more and more often, so Fate ordained the two of you as its avatars, forever balancing each other out."

"Yin and Yang," Tru murmured. "And Fate… demanded that my sisters and I be separated at birth."

"I'm afraid so."

Jack frowned thoughtfully. While Tru was muttering at how Fate seemed to toy with people more and more, he was picking up on things that hadn't been spoken. "So, what changed? Why are we being told about them now?"

Linda nodded, knowing why he had asked that question. It was a perfectly good question, and required an answer that she didn't want to give. "Fate is no longer in complete control of the Grand Design," she replied, putting a book on the table and sliding it over to them. "Dark powers beyond normal comprehension have begun plucking at the strings of destiny, manipulating them for their own ends. The Balance has begun shifting towards chaos. Now, where it was once important for you all to be separated, or to be on opposite sides of the battle field, now it's even more important that you all work together. Your very survival depends upon it."

Tru took the book, realizing just how dangerous their lives had become. If someone could manipulate the strings of Fate itself, then no one was safe. Finding her sisters had just become vital, it seemed. And she had to be the one to do it.

But locating them was going to be very difficult without a clue, something Tru was very familiar with. "So, can you give us a hint as to where we start looking?" she asked, going over everything they knew so far. "Is Caroline living in Los Angeles?"

Linda nodded. "She's still living in Los Angeles, though not in her apartment. Where her new residence is… you're going to have to find them yourselves. I was never given her location." She pulled out a slip of paper, handing it to Tru. "This is the phone number to an Agent Paul Ballard, FBI. Give the word, 'Dollhouse.' He'll try and help you locate her." She sighed. "As for Faith… her journey will inevitably bring her to the city again. When that happens… is all up to chance now."

"Is there anything else we need to know?"

"Nothing that will help, that's for certain." The blond woman stood up, collecting her coat. "Good luck, both of you. You'll need it for what's coming." With that last cryptic sentence, she made her way out of the bar.

Tru watched her go, before looking down at the phone number. It stared right back at her, almost taunting her with secret knowledge. She suddenly realized that whatever was going to happen in the future, she couldn't face it alone.

She now faced a difficult choice. Did she call Paul Ballard and possibly get some information about her sister? Or did she go at it alone, and risk losing the only lead they had?

A hand fell gently upon her shoulder, a familiar presence that she found to be very comforting after so many years. Looking over at Jack, she placed her hand over his, thanking him for his silent support. "Thanks for being here, Jack," she said, smiling.

Jack returned the smile, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Glad to be of help. Now, let's get you to the Morgue. Otherwise, Davis'll probably start assuming the worst about me."

"Good point."

Thankfully, Davis didn't do that. Considering everything that had happened during the day, he was much more accepting of Jack's presence. Surprisingly enough, so was Harrison, and that was saying something. Unfortunately, neither of them could help her with her dilemma.

So Tru thought about it, wondering if she should even trust this woman. It could be a trap of some kind, especially since the woman knew all about her and her powers, while she knew next to nothing about the woman.

But the facts spoke for themselves. Faith Lehane and Caroline Farrell existed. They were real, though elusive.

So what was she to do?

She was still trying to figure that out two days later, as she stared out the window of her apartment, when there was a slight rapping at her door. Quickly opening it, she almost burst out laughing. There was Jack, holding Chinese takeout food and waving a little white flag.

Jack grinned disarmingly. "I come with a peace offering," he said in greeting.

Tru returned his smile, still chortling. "Your offering is accepted," she replied. "Please come in. You might be able to help me with a dilemma."

"Let me guess; whether or not to call that FBI guy."

"Good guess." She led him over to the kitchen area. "Even after Meredith confirmed it, I still can't help but wonder if this is all a big cosmic joke. I mean, what does Linda get out of telling me about them? Why help me so much? Do we need plates?"

Jack shook his head. "I can answer that last question with complete certainty; No, we won't." He grinned. "I even brought chopsticks."

Her eyes widened in appreciation. "Well, I applaud your preparedness. You deserve a medal." She helped him get it all out, opening one of the cartons. "Szechwan Shrimp! How'd you know?"

"I broke into here, rifled through your fridge, and found your leftovers." Jack laughed at her shocked expression. "Actually, I asked Harrison before I bought this. He said that it was your favorite thing in the world."

She knew there was a reason she liked that boy. "He is a wise younger brother, and I do not give him enough credit. Did I tell you about the first time I celebrated my twenty third birthday?"

Jack grinned. "I don't think I've had the pleasure of that story. Kind of understandable. We are on opposite sides of Fate's plan."

Tru smiled. "Well," she began, "Harrison threw this big birthday party at the Morgue for me, and one of the things he put together was this hot tub. It worked… up until the power went out." Her face clouded a bit as the smile faded away. "None of us even thought of the electrician." Even now, his death was a stark reminder of how the faceless millions of people that she had never met, were no less important in the Grand Design.

Jack caught sight of her expression, and sympathized. He knew what it was like to lose someone, and the hard lessons it came with it. "Tru, it was Fate's wish that that man died, but it was avoidable. He was working on an electrical box near a puddle of water, without shutting off the power or even wearing gloves. And you can't blame yourself for that. You can't know everybody you come across."

Tru sat down, grabbing at a piece of shrimp with her chopsticks. "It doesn't make it easier," she said.

"No… no it doesn't."

The two of them were silent for a moment as they thought about the past, and of the secret war they waged for nearly three years. A war that had found them on opposite sides, and at the forefront of each other's thoughts. If the circumstances had been different, they might have become friends.

"So," Tru began when the silence began to become awkward, "how did you come to think of Fate's plan… the way you think of it? I'm guessing it wasn't instantaneous."

Jack frowned. "No, it wasn't," he answered. "It actually leads back to my near death experience. The second time my day rewound, in fact." He leaned back in his chair, thinking back to that fateful year. "A good friend of mine had died in a car wreck. His body showed up at the hospital I was working at… and then another corpse arrived. I was walking by it when the second one asked me for help, but being the inexperienced man I was, I figured that meant I could save them both."

"You were successful?"

He nodded. "I saved both of them… only to learn later that my friend had begun killing children. When I finally found him… I didn't recognize him at all."

Tru leaned forward, eyes wide. "What happened to him?" she asked gently.

His eyes crimped a little as he thought back. "It was as if… a powerful madness gripped him, crushing his gentle soul in its grasp. Humanities darkest recesses had bubbled up to the surface. He had become… without conscience." He set his eating utensils down. "I made a choice Tru, and my choice saw twelve families burying their children. No parent should have to bury their own child. I had to kill him."

Tru set hers down at that, thinking back to the day she saved Jenson, and her own mistakes. She hadn't seen the young man since 2005. He had cut off all contact with them after he had left Cleveland for parts unknown.

For the first time, she was beginning to truly see Jack as a kindred spirit, and how much they were alike. They had simply chosen different paths, handled their crises of faith differently. "Do you think… do you believe that's what happened to Jenson? He went mad? Because of what I did?"

"Probably. But you still save lives, despite that."

"Well, like you said. I can't save everyone… but I can sure as hell try. It's just who I am." She looked at him candidly. "Neither of us really knows what Fate's plan is. All we can do is guess, and do the best we can." She suddenly smiled. "And I really should call Agent Ballard, shouldn't I?"

Jack shrugged, picking up his chopsticks again. "Your sister, your choice. But I think you should. It could be your only chance to find them." He leaned in. "If you want, I can place the call for you, see if I can learn anything."

"No." Tru smiled as she stood up. "That's… very nice of you, Jack… but like you said, they're my sisters. I have to do this." She went over to the handset, and began punching in the number. "And you're right. This could be my only chance."

Her gaze shifted over to the wall, where a picture of her, Meredith and Harrison hung. "It's time to bring this family together," she said, as a connection was made. "Hello, Agent Paul Ballard. I'm Tru Davies. I want ask you about Caroline Farrell…"

And here is Chapter Three. As you've guessed, Tru's story will also feature Jack. I'm thinking about adding Harrison to the mix, but I don't know how to do that. Anyway, Chapter Four should get this story rolling, as it will be taking place around the time of the Dollhouse episode "Needs." So please stay tuned.