Author's note- I do not own characters and make no profit. Huge, heartfelt thanks to my beta, Valawenel.

This is the last chapter, though there will be a short epilogue to follow as I need to tie up a loose end or two. :-)

Chapter 17, Homecomings and Hawaiians

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Cassie turned the pages of a weathered old book on the lost city of Atlantis. It seemed that the ancient city truly was real and was likely to be where the lost Ark of Redemption was hidden. Jenkins felt that this artifact should be housed in the Library for safe keeping, so Cassie was keeping herself busy by researching the sunken city. She had been at this for days, but had no revelations so far. But if she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that her mind was not focused and her heart was not in it.

Ezekiel bounded up the stairs to the mezzanine with his usual exuberance.

"There you are! I was going to order some pizza. You interested?"

Cassie sighed. She had hoped that curling up into this little reading nook would keep her off everyone else's radar. It was almost a month since Jake disappeared into the book and Cassie couldn't stop worrying about his fate. She knew that she wasn't the only one concerned. Flynn was uncharacteristically quiet. Eve was hyper vigilant and frequently cast looks in the direction of the Book of Myths. Even Jenkins was more taciturn than usual, which Cassie had not thought possible. The sole team member apparently unaffected by Jake's absence was Ezekiel. His cheerful lack of awareness of the tension level in the Annex was grating on Cassie's nerves.

"I'm not hungry," she said with a tone she immediately regretted. "Sorry. Thank you for asking, but I had a big breakfast and I have got a lot of research to do, so…"

"Okay, but you don't know what you are missing. I found this new place and they have the best crust ever. I am not a big fan of pineapple, but these guys make the most delicious Hawaiian pizza. I could eat a large all by myself!"

"Ezekiel!" Cassie realized that she had raised her voice more than intended but her patience was wearing thin. "Don't you ever think about anything besides food and stuff you can steal? Aren't you even a little bit worried about Jake?"

Ezekiel shrugged. "Nope. And you shouldn't be either."

"How can you say that? Don't you care? I know you and Jake aren't the best of buddies but he is our teammate, and I can't believe you are behaving like this."

"Behaving like what, specifically? Behaving like a hungry person who needs to eat to keep his strength up because the next big Threat To Mankind could happen at any moment? Behaving like someone who saw a note from Jake saying that he has this covered? Behaving like someone who knows that Jake is one of the smartest guys around? Behaving like someone who trusts Jake to do what he says he can do? Well, my bad." He turned and headed for the stairs, throwing one last barb over his shoulder. "Maybe I am not the one around here who needs to behave better."

Cassie blinked back the sting of tears in her eyes. Ezekiel's words had hit home.

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Eve had been trying to be subtle. She had been working on projecting a positive, reassuring façade meant to ease the nerves of her charges. She thought she might have been pulling it off for the first few weeks, but with every day that passed without Jake's return, the tension level ratcheted up a few more notches. Even Jenkins, Eve noted, appeared calm at first glance but was unable to curb his frequent involuntary glances at the book. Of all of them, only Ezekiel seemed to be immune, she thought as she watched him trotting down the stairs from the mezzanine waving a take-out menu in his hand.

"Pizza?"

"Thanks, no. I'll pass."

"But there is a Hawaiian…"

Eve didn't get the chance to find out what a Hawaiian had to do with anything as they were interrupted by the entrance of Flynn and Jenkins, who appeared to be arguing. They kept their voices low but Eve could detect the heated tone of their words.

"No," Flynn said, "just no. Not a good idea. Let's just give it a few more days."

Noticing Eve and Ezekiel's stares, Jenkins bit back his reply and turned in the direction of his office without another word.

"Yo, Flynn. Pizza?"

"No, thanks."

"Dude, ya gotta eat. Minotaur or dragons or some other creepy thing comes crashing through the door, ya gonna be sorry that you are too hungry to fight."

Eve sighed. "I hate to admit it, but Ezekiel is right. We really should- we all should- eat regular meals, get proper rest and get back into our routine."

"What? What? Could you say that again? I couldn't hear you!" Ezekiel pantomimed putting his hand to his ear. "I am not sure but I thought I heard you say 'Ezekiel is right!'. Do we have a Guinness Book of World Records somewhere in this Library? We gotta enter this date, the date that Eve said I was right!"

Eve tried to smother her grin. "Okay, okay. Enough. Just order the damn pizza and let's get back to work."

"I'm afraid, Col. Baird, that pizza will need to wait." Jenkins had silently returned. He stood by the center table, pointing to the clippings book which was emanating a glowing light. "It seems that there is work to be done now."

Eve thought, not for the first time, that it was a little eerie how Jenkins always seemed to know when the clippings book was about to light up with a new task.

Ezekiel groaned and tossed the take-out menu into the trash.

Flynn bent over the book intently as Eve called up to the mezzanine. "Cassandra, you up there? We have a new clipping."

"Coming," came the reply. As Cassie strolled down the stairs. Eve noted that her eyes seemed a bit red and she looked like she might have lost weight. Should have let Ezekiel order that pizza. Eve noted Cassie's furtive glance towards the Book of Myths, now relocated to Flynn's desk and sporting some new safety measures.

"Let's see what we've got," Flynn said as he leaned in to read the clipping. Ezekiel, with his usual lack of personal boundaries, draped one hand over Flynn's shoulder and leaned in as well. Eve tried to hide her amusement. She could tell from look on Flynn's face that he was debating a well-placed swat or perhaps a sharp elbow to the ribcage. Enjoying the moment, she leaned in on his other side and whispered "Flynn. No hitting". Because Flynn was busy giving Eve a meaningful glare, it was actually Ezekiel who read the clipping first.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Ezekiel rolled his eyes so vigorously that Eve wondered how he didn't give himself whiplash. "Unusual weather variations blamed on the Loch Ness monster? It's never the Loch Ness monster."

Jenkins nodded in agreement. "Poor Nessy. She gets blamed for everything."

"I know, right?" Eve said. "She minds her own business and always behaves like a lady. But everyone thinks she's responsible for everything from the thinning ozone layer to the lack of world peace."

"Very true," Flynn agreed.

"Well, anyway," Cassie said. "At least it gives us an excuse to go visit her. I always enjoy our visits with Nessy. She's so pleasant to chat with. And the weather in Scotland should be nice at this time of the year."

"Oi, Cassie! Did you not read the clipping? The weather at Loch Ness is definitely not nice at the moment. Apparently they are having snow," Ezekiel said with a smirk, "Pink glittery snow!"

Jenkins and Flynn exchanged looks, and simultaneously declared, "Pixies!"

"Pink, glittery snow? That's a new one!" Cassie said. They all leaned in to take another look at the clipping in the book which continued to glow like a small sun. And that's when it happened.

Boom!

Happily, Jenkins had secured the Book of Myths in a reinforced lucite case. The flash of light was still blinding and the swooshy boom still loud. But apparently, encasing the book in a box had the positive effect of significantly blunting the rushing increase of air pressure and wind that tended to throw people around like confetti before discarding them dazed and nursing hangover-like symptoms. This time, Eve had spots in front of her eyes and ringing in her ears, but she was still standing. All thoughts of spots and ear ringing evaporated when Eve heard a familiar voice from behind her. She whirled and greeted Jake with a big smile. He was dusty, sweaty and heavily sunburned, but otherwise appeared well.

"Hey, everyone! What did I miss?" Jake's obvious pleasure at being home seemed to accentuate his southern drawl.

"Jake!" Cassie's squeal drowned out the ear ringing. "You're back!"

"Yeah, I…ooph." Jake's reply was lost when Cassie launched herself at him in a bear hug that nearly knocked him over.

"I'm so sorry, it was all my fault! I never should have touched that book and I swear I have learned my lesson." Cassie smiled brightly and held up one hand in a Girl Scout oath.

"It's fine, I…" Jake's words were lost again when Flynn gave him a resounding back slap and Eve stepped in for a hug as well.

"Welcome home, Mr. Stone," Jenkins said, with far more pleasure than he meant to show.

"Well, don't be expecting a hug from me, mate. You're a bit whiffy, ya know?" Ezekiel scrunched up his face and waved a hand under his nose.

Jake's sunburned face reddened more. "Why don't you try holding up a planet out in the blistering sun all day? You'd be sweaty, too!"

Hmmm, Eve thought. Ezekiel is definitely going to get swatted. Should I protect him? Let me think about this…

"No worries, mate," Ezekiel said as he retrieved the take-out menu from the trash. "You can just shower while I order us some pizza."

Jenkins cleared his throat and pointed to the clippings book. "I believe you all have work to do, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Jake said. "That can wait an hour or so. I read that chapter. It's not the Loch Ness monster, you know."

"It's never the Loch Ness monster!" The others said in unison.

"Its pixies, isn't it?" Flynn said. "I just know its pixies. And how on earth did they get their glittery little hands on a snow making artifact? Damn pixies. They drive me crazy."

"So, what happened, Jake?" Cassie asked. "Tell us everything!"

"I will, absolutely! Let's order lunch first. I'm starved. Holding up a planet burns a lot of calories."

Eve smiled and enjoyed the first sense of peace she had felt in weeks. Her crazy, unruly family was together again. Flynn was rambling on about pixies, though no one was listening. Jenkins was selecting a tea bag from his stash in his desk. Ezekiel was already dialing his cell phone while Cassie was clamoring for cheesy fries and Jake was inquiring about cheeseburgers.

"They don't do cheeseburgers, man. But wait until the Hawaiian comes! You're gonna thank me!"

Eve's smile vanished. "Wait, wait…what Hawaiian? Who is this Hawaiian that's coming? Does he have a security clearance? Ezekiel! I don't care if he is Hawaiian, African, French or from Mars. If you bring someone here without proper security clearance, I am so going to swat you!"