Author's Note: Not even one review? Sadness! But I'll hope someone is out there reading and is interested in the continuation.
"Thanks for coming over, Lee," Sandra said, stifling a yawn as she poured them both a cup of coffee.
"You know I'm as worried about Gary as you are, Sandra," Lee Rosen said, adding a spoonful of sugar to his cup and stirring it.
"I wish you'd been as worried before you let this happen!" Sandra snapped. Seeing the true regret on Lee's face, she added, "I'm sorry. I know you would never want to hurt Gary." It was true, anyone who knew Lee Rosen could see that he cared deeply for all the Alphas, as he called them, that he worked with and tried to help. She was sure that however this had happened, Lee would have tried to protect his charges.
"No, you are absolutely right, Sandra," Lee said resignedly, his remorse showing on his face. "I should have protected Gary. It should never have happened."
Sandra sighed. "Well, we can't change what is, but Gary is suffering, Lee. I don't know how to help him. "
"I think you should let me take him back to the office, Sandra. I know you're upset about what happened, but I think it would help Gary to be around his friends, who were there, too, and who understand what he's going through."
Sandra's first instinct, and one she was still fighting, was to keep Gary far away from Lee Rosen and everyone involved in his Alphas project. Gary had been placed in danger and had been hurt since Lee had started working with him. But she also couldn't deny that Gary had made great strides toward independence at the same time, and that he had developed a sense of friendship with these people that he had never had with anyone else. He had seemed happier than she had ever seen him, until the events leading to Anna's death.
"I don't know, Lee," she said, fidgeting with her coffee cup. "I just don't know what's best for him anymore."
"I understand," Lee said gently, reaching out to lay his hand over hers. "Why don't we talk to Gary and see how he feels about it?"
"All right," Sandra said. "But I don't guarantee I'm letting him go back, no matter what he says. I have to keep him safe, Lee, and I'll do whatever that takes." She stood up from the table. "He's in his room. I'll go get him."
"Hello, Dr. Rosen," Gary said, entering the kitchen, his eyes momentarily meeting Lee's before sliding to the right. His hands were moving, as usual, as he sat down across the table from Lee.
"Hello, Gary," Lee said softly. His eyes took in the young man's haggard appearance. Sandra had told him about Gary's nightmares. Gary hadn't told her exactly what happened in his dreams, but it was evident from the aftermath that they all dealt with Anna's death. Gary had dark circles under his eyes. Even his usual crisp, quick hand motions were slowed.
"Gary," Lee said, " would you like to come back to the office with me? Nina, Rachel, Bill and Cameron have all been asking about you and would like to see you."
Gary's hands stilled and he stared at the table in front of him. "Go back to the office," he repeated. "See Nina and Rachel and Bill and Cameron." He flicked a glance at Lee. "Just to the office. Not anywhere else, right?"
"That's right, Gary," Lee encouraged him. "Just to the office to see your friends. And maybe you and I can have a session and talk while we're there. Would you like that?"
"I want to see my friends," Gary said, his hands once again starting their movements to the dance of the signals. "I want to see Nina and Rachel and Bill and Cameron. But I don't want to go anywhere else. I don't want to go on a mission."
Lee glanced at Sandra. He could see the hesitation in her eyes, but she finally nodded.
"All right, Gary," Lee said. "Why don't you come with me now and we'll go see everyone."
Bill was in the breakroom getting a snack when he heard the door to the office suite open. Sticking his head out into the hallway, he saw Dr. Rosen enter, with Gary behind him.
"Hey, Gary!" he said, coming out into the hallway. He looked Gary over carefully, not liking what he saw. They had all been worried about Gary and it had been killing them that his mother wouldn't let him come back and wouldn't let them see him. No one knew exactly how Anna's death would affect him.
"Bill," Gary said, giving him a brief glance. "I brought my lunch. My mom made it. I'm going to put in the refrigerator, and you can't eat it, okay?"
Bill laughed, glad to hear some familiar Gary talk come out of the boy. "Okay, Gary," he said. "I promise, okay? No eating your lunch."
Gary walked by him heading toward the breakroom. As he came even with Bill, he stopped and made eye contact briefly. "Bill," he said. "I don't want to be Agent Bell anymore. I don't want to be a special agent. People get hurt when you're a special agent. Sometimes people even get dead. Anna got dead. I don't want to see anyone else get dead."
Bill closed his eyes, feeling a strong rush of sympathy toward the fragile young man. He'd had his issues with Gary, but he had to admit, Gary had gotten under his skin. "Okay, buddy," he said gently. "You don't have to be Agent Bell anymore if you don't want to. You can just be Gary again, okay?"
There was a sudden flurry as the other members of the team rushed into the breakroom, having heard Gary's voice. Nina, Rachel, and Cameron all gathered around Gary, being careful not to crowd him.
"We've missed you, Gary!" Rachel said. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"Yeah, Gare," Nina said, reaching out to carefully pat his arm. "We're glad you're back."
"Hey, kid," Cameron said. "Missed you, buddy!"
Gary looked slightly overwhelmed, but a hesitant smile appeared on his face. "My mom wanted me to stay home," he said. The smile vanished as he added, "I wanted to stay home, too." He looked around at everyone, then glanced away. "But I wanted to see my friends. And we're all friends, right?"
Bill smiled as the team fell over themselves to assure Gary that they were, indeed, his friends. And Bill knew it was true.