A/N: A quick note regarding the subject matter that follows: I know nothing about PTSD, aside from what I gleaned from the internet. I don't think I've done anything terribly offensive with it whilst linking it to the plot, but I did want to offer my respects to those reading who might know someone who suffers from it or knows someone suffering from it, be it service-related or otherwise. Also included in this chapter in an offhand way is a reference to death, dying and the possibility of an afterlife, which I feel I need to say right off the bat is a purely character and plot based commentary, nothing more and nothing less. My opinions are irrelevant to the events which take place.
That said, enjoy!
Everything Is Illuminated
The days following Zane's hospitalization were marked with chaos at Global Dynamics. Fargo and Grace were struggling to alleviate the damage Zane's actions had done to the relationship between Global Dynamics and the Department of Defense. They had finally convinced General Mansfield that, given Zane's condition, there was little to no practical value in him making the flight to Eureka when, after all, the damage was already done to Grace's project. In the end, Grace had taken the fall for the incident, had played it off as a malfunction of the PTSD device during an approved test run. She would have done it for the sake of her friends either way, but all the more so because the small group of time travelers had quickly concluded that the last thing they needed was to draw scrutiny to the shaky ground on which the relationship between Jo and Zane had made its foundation, and by doing so reveal their trip to 1947. It had been scarcely an hour since the last urgent call before a new call came in to Grace's office, where she was slumped, defeated, in her computer chair. She tossed a frustrated glance at the phone, sighed, and picked it up.
"Dr. Monroe speaking," she said, clicking absentmindedly through the data displayed on her computer screen. At least she'd gleaned some interesting data from this fiasco.
"Dr. Monroe, we have a flight that's just arrived with a man who claims he was selected to participate in your PTSD trial," said the security team member on the other end of the line. Grace frowned, further dismayed by the news.
"But nobody was meant to arrive for at least two more weeks, and we've cancelled the study!" she protested.
"We're going to need you to come down and speak with this man, ma'am." He responded, not without sympathy for her plight. By now the entirety of Jo's security force was aware of the situation that had their boss virtually glued to the infirmary, though Carter had handled the bulk of the initial investigation alone in Jo's absence.
"I'll be down there in fifteen," Grace assured him, massaging her temple with one hand. She hung up the phone, took one last glance at the surviving data from the headset Zane had all but destroyed with his foolhardy scheme, and shifted herself from her chair, shut down the computer monitor and headed for the door to her lab, steeling herself to deal with the latest crisis.
Grace arrived at GD's private landing strips well within fifteen minutes, in a hurry to get the latest situation resolved. She stepped outside, squinting – it was dark already, the days at their very shortest as the winter solstice had only just passed, and the contrast between the bright stadium lights illuminating the helicopter pad and the dark night sky was jarring. Two men stood by a small government plane, one in a dark suit with a GD insignia – no doubt the security team member who'd called her in. The other was wearing a button down shirt and slacks, with a dark jacket over one arm. The security personnel member hastened to Grace's side, the other man remaining where he stood, shifting lightly on his feet with his hands clasped in front of him. His stance was calm and professional, but the underlying tension in his frame suggested he was poised for action. It was something Grace was used to seeing in the military professionals she met in her line of research, but something about him seemed particularly familiar.
She turned her attention to the man who'd just stopped in front of her, wishing not for the first time that she knew the names of Jo's security team.
"Dr. Monroe," he said, with no preamble. "I've been called to another location. Will you be alright here?" Grace smiled encouragingly.
"I'll be just fine, thank you," she assured him. He nodded gratefully, then, a strange expression on his face, looked back where the other man stood. Grace's patient was looking away from them, studying the building curiously. The man with Grace cleared his throat then paused, clearly second guessing whatever it was he'd meant to say. A moment passed, and he nodded at her in awkward acknowledgement, adding "Dr. Monroe," before turning to walk away.
Grace let him go, certain that whatever it was he'd considered telling her would come out – this was Eureka, after all. Instead she chose to cross the tarmac, approach the young man waiting patiently, and introduce herself.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Grace Monroe, and I understand you were called in to participate in my trials," she started engagingly, though she felt her heart twist in her chest at the mention of her now infinitely postponed trials. The young man looked down at her, smiling broadly, and Grace was immediately struck by the familiarity of his olive green eyes. Where on earth could she have seen this man before?
"It's good to meet you, Grace, I'm Daniel Lupo." At that, a sinking feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach, as did the conviction that neither his name nor his unexpected arrival was coincidence. Over the past two days it had become increasingly apparent that Zane's action had not been based on a simple whim or desperation but had been precisely weighed, calculated, and planned with an eye for the possible consequences. His quiet transfer of medical power of attorney and next of kin to Jo had only been one of a series of moves he'd made in the weeks leading up to his attempt to regain his memories. At first they'd tried to avoid telling Jo, not wanting to stress her or the baby unduly, but the moment Jo had realized she'd been given power of attorney over him, it had only been a matter of time before she discovered the degree of planning he'd engaged in since their argument over Thanksgiving. Then… then Jo had just shut down, more so than any of them had ever seen before. She stayed at Zane's bedside, night and day. She ate what her worried friends brought her, no more and no less; responded to their questions and quietly accepted their attentions. But the spark was gone from her eyes and they all knew it. Whatever Zane had intended or expected, Grace was sure he had badly miscalculated the effect it would have on Jo. But this – if this was what she thought it was, it suggested a level of planning none of them had anticipated.
Grace eyed the young man before her, trying to gauge what he knew. She decided to cut to the chase.
"Do you have a sister?" She asked him, trying but failing to sound casual. He looked at her, clearly confused.
"Yes, an older sister, Jo – she's out in Oregon somewhere, heading up security for some private corporation." He paused. "Look, they didn't tell me anything before they stuck me on that plane, and that's fine – orders are orders, after all – but is there anywhere a guy could catch some sleep?" He asked hopefully. "It was a long flight in from New York."
Grace looked at him askance, opened her mouth and then closed it again, shaking her head.
"Follow me," she said finally, gesturing towards the entrance to the building. They neared the door, Grace unlocking it with her keycard, and he reached in to pull the door open before she had a chance, gesturing for her to step ahead of him. She smiled at him warmly, feeling slightly more at ease. Perhaps Zane had been right about this one – surely the presence of Jo's brother could only help pull her away from rock bottom?
"So, you don't even know where you are?" She asked him, hoping to clarify his earlier statement. He flashed a smile at her.
"Not in the least," he replied. "The United States Army calls – or mails, as was the case – and you answer. As always, I am at their disposal." The mail system. Not obviously electronic, but Grace could easily imagine how Zane would've done it. A tweak to a server here, a nudge to a database there… and an automatic message could be generated that no one would question, except perhaps the Department of Defense if they looked too closely. Grace restrained a sigh, not wanting to alert Daniel to her change in mood. Still… one more thing Zane was going to force them to clean up. Daniel's tone grew more serious. "Even without their encouragement, I would've been interested in joining your trials. I've been sidelined in New York for the last two months, in a VA hospital." He gestured at his leg. "The flesh is doing better, but if the doctors are to be believed, the mind could still use some work," he added dryly, though there was an underlying tone of resentment. Grace winced, not eager for the moment she was forced to explain the trials' postponement to Jo's brother, who was clearly a legitimate choice for her program. Well, she thought with a little dry humor of her own, we're already half way to the infirmary. The least Jo can do is explain how he really got here – and why using the PTSD device is currently quite out of the question.
Grace took a deep breath.
"Well, then. Welcome to Eureka, Oregon, the town with the most PhDs per capita in North America; and, as the home of Global Dynamics, one of the foremost research facilities in the world, incredibly top secret to boot." She paused as the elevator doors opened into the hallway outside the infirmary. "It's also, if I'm not mistaken, your sister's current place of residence." Daniel Lupo's head virtually whipped around from where he'd been eying a nearby access keypad.
"What?" He looked stunned, as if he thought he must have heard her incorrectly. Of course, he hadn't. Grace studied the section of wall just behind him, nervous about the information she was about to give him.
"Assuming your sister is, in fact, Josefina Lupo, Chief of Security for Global Dynamics." She added quickly. He worked his jaw with silent emotion for a moment or two, then looked her in the eye.
"Never mind sleeping, Dr. Monroe. I'd like to see my sister, if you could just point me in the right direction." Grace nodded in the direction of the infirmary's entrance.
"I thought you might feel that way," she admitted. He frowned as he noted the sign outside the door.
"The infirmary? Is she alright?" He demanded, whirling around to face Grace. She winced internally.
"She's… not hurt." She hedged, eying the infirmary door with trepidation. "She might be asleep, though." She added hastily as he prepared to storm inside. "Give me a moment; I'll let her know you're here." He looked confused, not understanding why she might need advance warning, but Grace had already vanished through the doorway before he had the chance to ask.
When Grace reappeared through the doorway of the infirmary that evening, it was the first that Jo had seen her in two days, and Jo found herself at a loss as to what she ought to say. 'Sorry about my boyfriend premeditatedly gaining your trust and using your experiment on a near-suicide mission to retrieve missing memories of our life together from the aether'?This was not the kind of apology a normal person generally had to make. Jo wasn't even sure this was something you could apologize for, so when Grace cut her off before she could get the words out, she was pathetically grateful.
"Jo, there's something you should know – " but Jo never got the chance to process the rest of Grace's words, because at that moment her younger brother followed Grace through the doorway. It was hard to say who was most surprised in that moment: Jo, who wasn't convinced she'd ever manage to get her family to visit her in Eureka; or Daniel, who, though he hadn't exactly been expecting to see his sister anytime soon, had certainly not expected to see her with a clearly defined baby bump for an accessory. Grace was just relieved to see an expression other than despair or numbness written on Jo's face.
"Daniel?" Jo squeaked uncharacteristically, shooting out of her chair with surprise. "What are you doing here?" He tore his eyes away from her stomach momentarily to gather his thoughts and answer her question.
"I could ask you the same, big sis," he replied, looking around the room and grinning. "Nice digs. I guess there were a few details you left out when you told us about your new job, huh?" Jo gave him a sheepish look.
"Your clearance wasn't high enough," she confessed, then narrowed her eyes. "At least, I didn't think it was." He gave her a wry smile.
"Still isn't," he admitted. "I had to fill out the most elaborate confidentiality form I think I've ever seen just to get here. And they never even told me where 'here' was, though now I think I can guess." Jo tilted her head thoughtfully, catching undertones to his statement. The shock was beginning to wear off, questions arising in its place.
"Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, Danny, but why would you end up in Eureka if you didn't even know I was here? Last I heard, you were in the middle of a tour in Iraq." Daniel hesitated, and Jo narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you even think of lying to me." She demanded. He sighed.
"I've been back in the states for a few months now." He admitted, opening his mouth to explain, but Jo cut him off.
"You've been in the states for months without telling us?" She burst out, unable to stop herself.
"Said the pot to the kettle!" He snapped back at her. "Or did you really think I hadn't noticed that you're pregnant?" He added pointedly. Jo went pink with embarrassment.
"I was going to tell you soon," she grumbled defensively. Daniel gave her an incredulous look.
"With what, a birth announcement?" He asked, sarcastic. Brother and sister stood facing each other, locked into a heated staring contest which wasn't broken until Zoe came flying through the door from the elevator.
"Jo! I brought you dinner - " Zoe's rapid entrance came to an abrupt stop as she collided with Daniel at the door, the air knocked forcefully out of her lungs when she impacted his muscular back. His left leg crumpled beneath him and they landed in a tangle of limbs on the infirmary floor. Zoe, who Jo had long believed had incredible lung capacity (she'd often wondered how the younger woman found time to breathe between words) recovered quickly from having the air knocked out of her.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She apologized. "I didn't expect anyone else to be here – " Daniel began trying to pry himself off the floor slowly, his motion catching Zoe's attention. " – here, let me help you." She insisted, but he shook her off his arm impatiently. Jo caught the gesture and frowned, but Zoe wasn't one to be put off, and she supported him when he struggled to put his weight on his left leg. Finally they were both off the ground, and Zoe took the moment to turn her attention to Jo.
"Oh! Jo, your dinner – " she realized belatedly that her offerings were nowhere to be seen and twisted around trying to find them. The rumpled paper bag lay on the floor, a dark stain beginning to spread from the bottom. Zoe grabbed it, scowling, and opened it to peer inside. She groaned and pulled out a crushed-looking container which dripped broth onto her fingers. Zoe hissed in pain and stuck a finger into her mouth quickly, sucking off the hot liquid. A soggy looking piece of baguette followed.
"There goes dinner," she said, voice dejected.
"It's fine, Zoe, I wasn't very hungry anyways." Zoe frowned.
"You need to eat, Jo. It's not good for you or the baby to go without food. Zane would want you to take care of yourself," she added hesitantly.
"I'm fine, Zo, and so's the baby," Jo assured her. "As for Zane – "
"Is this Zane guy the father?" Daniel demanded impatiently. Jo was about to snarl a response when Zoe cut her off.
"Uh, yeah he's the father. The whole town's been talking about it for weeks." She said, giving him a weird look. Then, as she got a better look at his face, she paused. "Wait, are you even from around here? You look really familiar but I don't think I've ever seen you in Eureka before." Jo barked a snappish laugh, laden with overtones of her irritation with her bullheaded sibling.
"Zoe, this is my youngest brother, Daniel. Who," she emphasized, "was just on his way out." The two siblings locked eyes, Daniel crossing his arms over his chest in a move eerily reminiscent of his sister.
"That Monroe woman said there was some sort of mix-up. I don't have anywhere to go." He said pointedly.
"Then I'll find somewhere for you to go." Jo said firmly.
"Great, you can tell me all about this Zane on the way." Jo flinched almost imperceptibly, her eyes flickering to the bed where Zane lay, unnaturally still. Zoe, catching her glance, intervened.
"He can stay with us!" She blurted out, causing both siblings to fix their attention on her, Jo's eyes surprised and her brother's annoyed. "Dad should be on his way by to see you soon, Jo, you can just tell him then, and I'll take Daniel – do you prefer Daniel or Dan? Danny? – back to S.A.R.A.H. now." Zoe said, babbling a little. Jo's lips almost twitched into a smile of amusement when she imagined Carter's reaction.
"That would be great, Zoe. I'm sure Daniel would really appreciate it." Jo said, voice as syrupy-sweet as she could muster. Daniel's eyes remained narrowed at Zoe.
"Yes, thank you – Zoe, is it?" He said, his tone none-too-pleased and his gaze sharp. Zoe quailed momentarily under his gaze, but set her shoulders back and her chin up after a moment. She was a Carter, damn it, and she didn't intimidate easy. She smirked back at him unrepentantly.
"Why, you are ever so welcome, Daniel," she said, in the fakest tone of enthusiasm she could muster. The effect was not lost on him, and Jo could see the stiffness of his shoulders as he followed Zoe out of the infirmary. He glanced back to her just before he passed through the door and their eyes locked before he disappeared. Jo exhaled slowly, sinking back onto her chair by Zane's bed. She studied the familiar contours of Zane's face.
"What have you been up to?" she murmured, half to him, half to herself, and shook her head. No doubt she would find out soon enough.
Much later that night, Zoe was deep asleep in her bedroom when S.A.R.A.H.'s voice woke her abruptly.
"Zoe, I am sensing high levels of adrenaline and an elevated heart rate in your guest's room. I attempted to wake him, but he remained unresponsive, and without a more corporeal form – " Zoe groaned and turned over.
"S.A.R.A.H, we're seriously not having this conversation at – " she glanced at her clock " – three am." She screwed her eyes back shut.
"It is considered polite to see to the comfort of your guests," S.A.R.A.H. informed her cheerfully but pointedly.
"Ugh, he's probably just feeling remorse for being such an ass earlier tonight," Zoe argued, pulling a sheet over her head. S.A.R.A.H. responded by turning on the lights. Zoe jumped, startled.
"Seriously? Fine!" She slid out of bed reluctantly and padded to the door of her room. "For the love of God, S.A.R.A.H, you're blinding me here. Will you at least turn the lights back down now?" The smart house dimmed the lights accordingly as Zoe stepped into the hallway.
Down the hall, S.A.R.A.H. slid open the door to Daniel's room, allowing Zoe to peer in. Most of the sheets had been kicked off the bed, but one remained tangled around Daniel, damp with the thin layer of sweat which coated his body. Zoe approached the bed nervously and leaned over to shake him gently by the shoulder. For a moment, she waited, holding her breath, but he didn't so much as twitch.
Zoe was tempted to leave it at that and go back to bed, dismissing S.A.R.A.H.'s concerns, but he jerked forcefully in his sleep, making her jump in surprise. His face was tense, his hands twisted so hard in the sheets that Zoe thought she might've heard them tear. Genuinely concerned now, Zoe reached out to shake him harder this time.
"Daniel?" She called hesitantly, feeling all the discomfort of the situation, then again with a little more confidence. "Daniel?" Zoe had just enough time to register the moment his eyes snapped open, his whole body suddenly wide awake and thrumming with tension, before an arm whipped out to hit her in the solar plexus and she was on the floor gasping for breath for the second time that day. Daniel vaulted himself off the bed after her with alarm the moment he realized what he'd done, forgetting to use caution with his still weak left leg. His leg crumpled beneath him and in short order they were both on the floor.
"What the hell were you doing?" He demanded, face clenched with pain. Zoe reared her head back, shocked by his hostility.
"Trying to help you, though I'm starting to see now that it was a mistake!" She shot back at him, rubbing the tender spot on her torso, which she was sure would be bruised in the morning. He stopped short, not expecting her vehement response. Zoe took one look at his expression of perplexity and his rumpled appearance – and she just couldn't help it. The giggles bubbled up inside her, increasing in strength though she tried to hold them in, until she began shaking with suppressed laughter. Daniel stared at her, his face only growing more perplexed.
"Are you… okay?" He asked, staring at her. She took one more look at his face and her silent giggles became much louder ones.
"You – " she gasped, " – you just – " she shook her head, unable to explain. She tried to reign in the giggles, taking a deep breath.
"I think we're even now," she finally managed, wiping a tear of mirth from her cheek. He raised a quizzical eyebrow, not getting her meaning. The striking resemblance to his sister almost sent her into a fresh round of giggles, but she managed to hold it together.
Once Zoe finally felt the urge to laugh finally pass, she gave Daniel an assessing look. He was lounging against the frame of the bed, a pensive expression on his face. Zoe tilted her head thoughtfully.
"You want some tea?" She asked.
"Tea?" He blinked at her, looking startled. She rolled her eyes.
"You know, warm beverage? Sometimes people drink it?" He gave her an exasperated look.
"I'm familiar with the concept," he said dryly. "Don't you want to go back to sleep?" Zoe grinned at him.
"I keep weird hours," she said, sounding nonchalant. "I'm a college student, that's what we do. And you don't look interested in going back to sleep anytime soon." Daniel gave her a shrug in acknowledgment of his reluctance to return to sleep, though he declined to elaborate.
"Tea it is, then," Zoe resolved, pulling herself up from the floor. She headed for the door, pausing in the doorway to look back at him, one eyebrow arched high.
"Well?" She asked. "Are you coming, or not?" She flashed a mischievous grin at him then disappeared into the hallway. Daniel watched her go and half-shook his head in disbelief. Crazy. He'd only been here for a day and it was clear that this whole town was nuts. If Jo's recent behavior was anything to judge by, it was catching: he'd never seen quite this level of crazy out of his sister before.
He followed the younger girl down the stairs and into the kitchen, taking a seat at the countertop and jumping slightly when the house spoke.
"What variety of tea would you prefer, Mr. Lupo?" S.A.R.A.H. inquired smoothly. He threw Zoe a glance.
"I'll never get used to that," he grumbled. Zoe smirked.
"She grows on you, really," she tossed back at him.
"Ah – something simple, sweet," he answered the house uncomfortably. "Peppermint?" He suggested.
"Coming right up," S.A.R.A.H. chirped. "Zoe, would you like me to prepare your usual?"
"Yes, please, S.A.R.A.H." Zoe said, sliding onto the stool opposite Daniel. They sat in silence for a while, until Zoe moved to retrieve the two mugs where they'd appeared, steaming, on the counter. She handed the peppermint tea to Daniel wordlessly and returned to her seat.
"So that guy who was out cold in the hospital bed – that's the baby's father?" Daniel asked finally. Zoe placed her cup of tea on the table, cradling it between her hands and leaning in to blow softly at the steaming surface.
"Yeah, that's Zane. I guess I should be surprised that she hasn't told you anything, but I'm really not. They've been playing things pretty close to the chest." Zoe's voice lowered. "At least part of that is my fault," she murmured to herself, forgetting momentarily that she had an audience. Daniel gave her a puzzled look.
"How is any of that your fault?" He asked, perplexed. Zoe looked up and gave him an exhausted-looking smile.
"This past summer I pretty much had my sights set on Zane," Zoe admitted. "Nobody knew they were dating yet, and I was putting off telling anyone I was interested – Zane has a bit of a – well, a reputation, honestly, and I wasn't looking forward to the argument with my Dad. When I finally did, well, I stepped right into the middle of things without even knowing it. And nobody told me what was going on," she added, raising her chin a little in defiance, still a little prickled by the thought.
"I guess I was already back at school when she found out about the baby," Zoe continued. "At least, she says that's why she waited so long to tell me. But I found out about her and Zane secondhand when the news broke around town." Zoe bit her lip. "I was mortified," she admitted. "And furious. But the more I think about it, the more I realize it was wounded pride more than anything else. Seeing Zane and Jo together – well, it's kind of obvious now that I only thought I knew him."
Daniel cocked his head, puzzled, in a gesture Zoe found rather reminiscent of his sister.
"How so?" He asked. "Haven't you all known this guy for a few years? I could swear I've heard his name before." Zoe almost snickered out loud. If Jo's old rants about Zane were any indication, she imagined Jo's brother had heard an earful. Still, she restrained herself. That was an explanation best left to Jo. Zoe still wasn't even sure she could account for the sea change that Jo's relationship with Zane had undergone. She turned her attention back to Daniel, spinning her now-empty cup of tea with one finger.
"If you had asked me about him a few months ago," Zoe said slowly, "I would have said Zane was daring. Fearless. He's brilliant, no doubt about it, but a little bit reckless too. You always got the feeling that he was unstoppable, untouchable, no matter what he was going to pull next." Zoe paused, letting the mug hit the table with a clunk.
"It's not so much that Jo's changed him, I don't think," she said thoughtfully. "He's still Zane in all the ways that really matter. But I think Jo brings out things he kept hidden before." Zoe looked at Daniel. "I've never really seen him scared before," she added, conversationally. "At least, not until a few weeks ago. Then I saw him outright terrified." Zoe shrugged. "I guess now he's got something to lose."
She fell silent, fiddling absently with the mug in her hand while Daniel finished the last of his tea.
"We should get back to bed," she said finally. He gestured toward the stairs.
"Go ahead," he said. "I don't want to keep you awake. I'll be up in a while." Zoe smiled at him, depositing her mug into the sink.
"Good night," she said warmly, before disappearing up the stairs. Daniel didn't reply, staring quietly into space as he toyed with his own mug. It was a long time before he returned upstairs.
Zoe reluctantly agreed to bring Daniel back to GD with her the next morning, admitting to herself that she couldn't reasonably prevent him from seeing his sister, even if she did think Jo could do without the added stress.
That said, she hardly needed to rush.
Daniel shot her an impatient look.
"Are we going to see my sister sometime this century?" He demanded as they pulled into the parking lot behind Cafe Diem. Zoe matched him, snark for snark.
"Your sister," Zoe said as she maneuvered the car into a parking space, "needs her breakfast." He'd been pleasant enough when she'd spoken to him last night, but this morning he'd been as irritable as he was when he arrived. He frowned but said nothing, a hint of concern in his eyes.
Zoe led him into Cafe Diem, where she stopped at the counter to wait for Vincent patiently. She was rewarded with a bright smile.
"Zoe! Breakfast for two?" He asked, knowing she'd been working to ensure Jo had enough to eat.
"Three, actually," she said, nodding to indicate Daniel. Vincent's eyes widened when he caught sight of him.
"Oh!" He looked him up and down. "And who might this delightful specimen of manhood be?" He asked Zoe suggestively. She blushed, resisting the urge to glance back at Daniel.
"It's not like that, Vincent," she told him hurriedly. "This is Jo's younger brother." The grin was wiped off Vincent's face, to be replaced by a solemn look. Daniel, who'd been studying Vincent skeptically, reached out his hand.
"Daniel Lupo," he introduced himself. Vincent shook now outstretched hand vigorously.
"So glad to meet someone from Jo's family," he assured Daniel, who gave the chef a curious look. "I'm so sorry for your - " he cut himself off when Zoe have him a sharp look, and pursed his lips tightly. Daniel looked at him, puzzled. "What would you like for breakfast?" Vincent asked him instead.
"Well, a coffee would be great," Daniel responded. "And - would you happen to serve breakfast sandwiches?" Vincent gave him a pleased smile.
"We serve everything," he assured him. "And may I just say it's nice to see a customer with an appetite? Jo insists on being so healthy," Vincent shook his head, then added hastily, "Of course, with the baby and all, that's only right, but it seems like just such a tragedy." His eyes widened as he processed his choice of word too late. "A pity, I mean," he amended, then cleared his throat. "Ah - so what would you like on your breakfast sandwich?" He asked.
They made their order, and Zoe steered Daniel to a table away from the bar and Vincent's curious ears. He leaned in toward Zoe.
"So this Vincent guy certainly seems interested in Jo," he said in an undertone. Zoe shot him a surprised look.
"Well yeah, the whole town has been worrying about her - and Zane," she responded. Daniel looked unsettled.
"It's not like her to..." he hesitated. Zoe watched him curiously.
"Get involved?" She suggested. He blinked at her, nonplussed.
"Yeah," he said slowly. "It's not like her to get so involved." Zoe gave him an arch look.
"Had you ever stopped to consider maybe that was exactly what she needed?" She asked. Daniel watched her closely.
"I have," he said simply. "But there's a vast difference between what's good for you and what you actually do." He leaned back in his chair, studying Zoe, who shrugged.
"I'm not saying she's an easy person to get to know," Zoe said, "but people around here tend not to see the world in terms of easy and hard so much as probabilities." She gave him a sudden, amused smile, her olive eyes flashing with mischief. "Though I don't think there was anything that could have prepared them for Zane and Jo ending up together. They have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to the human element." She looked up and smiled sweetly as Vincent brought over their food.
"Thank you, Vincent," she said, eying her waffles appreciatively. Vincent remained, hovering over the table as Daniel took a bite of his breakfast sandwich.
"Do you like it?" He asked anxiously. Daniel swallowed and gave him a friendly smile.
"It's perfect, thanks," He said sincerely. Vincent beamed before hustling away to his next table. Daniel looked up to see Zoe watching him, a small smile playing on her lips.
"What?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed. The smile widened into a smirk and Zoe turned her eyes back to her strawberry-festooned waffles.
"Nothing," she said serenely.
The remainder of the ride to GD passed in relative peace. When Zoe wasn't going out of her way to antagonize him, Daniel seemed to possess that same preternatural calm that his sister so often displayed under stress. They rolled across the hidden bridge, and Zoe was impressed by the way her passenger limited himself to only the smallest of flinches as they drove across the illusory broken bridge. She could still remember the first time she had noticed it, though the first time she'd been at GD she'd already been too freaked out for it to register. It had in fact been several weeks before she had found herself on her way to GD again and had been confronted with the bridge illusion. That was the day that it truly sunk in for her how bizarre her newfound hometown was.
They drove up to the access point, where Zoe flashed the permanent access pass she'd been granted shortly after the space trash incident and patiently endured the still-unnerving retinal scan. She gestured for Daniel to follow suit with his temporary pass and watched with amusement as the retinal scan made him lose his cool and rub at his eyes in alarm. Zoe grinned to herself.
"Most people don't go blind," she informed him conversationally. It was an exaggeration, of course – GD's retinal scanning system hadn't blinded anyone since its prototype phase in the early 90s. It was completely harmless – or at least as harmless as anything in Eureka was. Zoe caught Daniel's scowl from the corner of her eye and grinned. It had been a long time since she'd last been able to get under a Lupo's skin like this. She hadn't even known she missed it. She turned into the visitor parking lot, pulling smoothly into the nearest parking space, and turned to face Daniel as she killed the ignition.
"Come on," she said, and turned back to shove open her door, shivering as they were hit with a blast of cold air. "Jo should be in the infirmary." Her voice was matter of fact, but there was no missing the underlying current of worry. Daniel's irritation melted away, to be replaced by his own concern for his sister, and he turned his attention to the building looming before them. Jo had some serious explaining to do.
Jo was speaking quietly with Allison, one hand tracing absent circles over her distended belly, when Zoe and her brother appeared in the infirmary doorway. She broke away from Allison with an apologetic smile and set her shoulders as she approached them, steeling herself for a continuation of yesterday's fight.
But Daniel smiled pleasantly enough as she approached, though his eyes flickered to her swollen belly, and Zoe's expression hinted of silent amusement. Jo eyed them cautiously, though she couldn't fathom what might have changed in the few hours since she'd last seen them.
"Brought you breakfast," Zoe chirped, offering Jo a paper bag of food from Cafe Diem.
"...thanks," Jo said, still eying them.
"Aren't you going to take it?" Zoe asked, laughter in her voice. Jo reached for the bag automatically.
"Did you sleep well?" She asked, still trying to pinpoint the source of Daniel's apparent patience. He and Zoe exchanged a glance so swift, Jo might have missed it, had she not been looking for it. She filed it away for later consideration, knowing better than to jeopardize a newfound truce by questioning it.
"Yes," Daniel answered her shortly.
"Of course, I'm back home, aren't I?" Zoe blurted out at the same time, and flushed with embarrassment when she realized that Jo most likely hadn't asked her for that very reason. Jo raised her eyebrows at them, but didn't comment. Instead, she turned her attention back to Daniel.
"I was going to make a run back to my house, if you want to come," she offered. Daniel flashed her a smile.
"Sure," he said. Zoe's eyes lit up.
"I want to see the new house!" She exclaimed. Jo gave them a small smile.
"Well, then," she said, and gestured to the door. "After you."
The ride to Jo's house was subdued, the passengers of her bright blue Ford each lost in their own thoughts. It was the first time Jo had returned home since she'd left for Boston - the first time she'd really left GD, even - and it felt dishearteningly like a surrender. She bit her lip unconsciously as she turned onto her street.
Daniel sat in the seat next to her, quietly taking stock of his sister. He didn't know much about pregnancy – he was the youngest, and they had, after all, spent their childhood on a smattering of military bases - but it was clear enough that Jo had known she was pregnant for a while now, which begged the question: why the hell hadn't she told them?
Jo pulled into the driveway of her house and stopped the car. She paused in the now-silent car, studying the forest green facade of her new house with its white shutters. From her vantage point in the driveway, Jo could already see the empty table in the breakfast nook that jutted out from her kitchen, where she and Zane had eaten breakfast the morning he had driven her to the airport. Her heart clenched in her chest, and she took a deep breath before opening the door and climbing out of her car.
"Oh, Jo, it's gorgeous!" Zoe enthused. Jo returned Zoe's enthusiasm with a tight-lipped smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"It's actually bigger than it looks," she said, gesturing toward the incline that disappeared around the edge of her garage. "You should see the dojo I set up in the basement." She added, genuinely animated for the first time in days. Zoe wandered over to the edge of the driveway, which was lined with a low stone wall where the ground was raised for a terraced effect. She ran a hand over the stone wall before pulling her hand back from the chilly stone and looking at Jo.
"Do you think you'll plant something here?" Jo smiled.
"Maybe in the spring," she said, before smiling ruefully. "Of course, I guess I'll be busy then." She grazed a hand over the curve of her belly, then inclined her head toward the front door. "Come on, I'll show you inside."
Jo led the way to her front door, climbing the icy stone steps carefully. She paused on the front step to speak the password, making her brother raise his eyebrows.
"I didn't realize house keys had gone out of style," he remarked with amusement. Behind him, Zoe snorted.
"Says the guy who held a conversation with my house this morning. Eureka's not so much like your typical small town." Jo smiled to herself as she pushed open the door and took a deep breath. The smell of home came rushing toward her, equal parts comfort and reminder, and her breath hitched in her chest.
"Jo?" Zoe asked, from where she stood by Daniel. Her forehead was creased with concern. Jo forced a smile.
"I'm fine," she assured her, stepping into the living room and glancing around. The room was dark, shades down: the way it had been when she'd left it the morning of her flight, and Jo felt a twinge of disappointment. With all that had happened in the last few days - the letter, the will, Daniel's arrival - she'd expected something... more. She stifled a sigh as she switched on the light.
"Home sweet home," she murmured, sounding unenthused. Behind her, her guests scrutinized her wordlessly. Jo gestured around the room.
"Make yourself at home," she told them. "I'm going to go pack a few things." Zoe frowned.
"Jo, you're not going to keep staying at the infirmary," Zoe protested, dismayed. Jo scarcely spared her a glance as she turned into her bedroom.
"Yes, I am," she said, in a tone that brooked no argument, vanishing through the doorway. Zoe turned away, resigned, and shrugged at Daniel.
"Let's go," she suggested, and he inclined his head in a silent gesture of acceptance before following her into the hall.
Back in her room, Jo pulled an overnight bag out of her closet and turned to her dresser, rifling through the two drawers she had filled with a selection of maternity clothes. She'd been living out of her suitcase for days now, and had watched as Allison's face became increasingly pinched and Carter's forehead more heavily furrowed by their shared, well-intentioned concern. Jo was sure they knew better than to think she was home for good, as Zoe had, but she had no doubt that they had hoped it was the case.
Jo turned to place another blouse in her bag and paused, a flashing light across the room catching her eye. She placed the blouse carefully into her overnight bag before grabbing the dresser to help her up. The blinking red light originated from the answering machine on her bedside table, and Jo gave it a wary look. The only people she had even the slightest desire to speak to right now were all in Eureka and knew better than to call her home phone. The only people she might expect to find calling her home in the past few days would be her brothers and father, with whom she was not at all prepared to speak, just yet. Excepting, of course, the brother currently hovering in her doorway, who would no doubt be demanding explanations soon enough. She gave him a wry look.
"Are you coming in or are you just going to stand there and watch?" She asked tartly.
"I'm good," Daniel said, his insouciant manner eerily mirroring Zane's typical air of nonchalance. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Jo acknowledged that she had never in the least expected to find any similarity between Zane and her brothers or father. Evidently, she'd been mistaken.
Jo moved across the room to perch on the bed by the answering machine. She had just pressed the playback button on the machine when Zoe appeared next to Daniel in the doorway.
"So which room are you going to use for the baby?" Zoe asked curiously. But before Jo could reply, a voice came over the answering machine speakers, cutting her off.
"Hi, ah, this is Roger Winters, calling from Winters Construction for a Ms. Lupo, with regards to the work on your lake house? Your fiancée gave me this number before he went out of town." Zoe and Daniel goggled at Jo, who was frozen like a deer caught in headlights as the voice on the machine rattled off a contact number. Zoe was the first to regain her voice.
"Uh, Jo? Is there something else you 'forgot' to mention about you and Zane?" She asked, using her fingers as quotation marks. Jo hesitated for only a moment, but it was a moment Zoe caught and seized on. "Are you engaged?" She asked incredulously. Jo caught Daniel watching her and resisted the urge to toy with the chain around her neck, knowing it would not escape the scrutiny of either of her interrogators.
"No!" She denied. "Zane was probably just... oversimplifying things," she added half-heartedly. Daniel's eyebrows shot up.
"You're having his kid, I don't think it gets much simpler than that." He said pointedly. Jo snapped her mouth shut, recognizing that discretion was the better part of valor, and that, after all they'd risked and given up and challenged to give this baby a chance - all that Zane had risked, however rashly - one wrong word would endanger them all. She gave her brother a thin, restrained smile.
"I guess not," was all she let herself say as she picked up the phone and dialed the number from the answering machine. "What have you done now, Zane?" she murmured as she listened to it ring.
Within a half hour, Jo was following her GPS system onto a small dirt road not far off the highway. Something about it seemed naggingly familiar, though Jo couldn't pinpoint the source of her déjà vu. Roger Winters had agreed to meet her here - wherever 'here' was, their conversation over the phone had been stilted and confusing, and Jo had been leery of revealing more than was necessary of their current circumstances to someone she was almost certain was a stranger to Eureka.
Zoe and Daniel were back in the back seat, having no other transportation and in any case having flat-out ignored Jo's hints that they might like to leave. The phone call with the contractor and Jo's subsequent declaration that she had somewhere to be had piqued their curiosity.
The wheels of the car crouched noisily over the frozen ground. The temperature was well below freezing and had been for the past few days, though there was no snow to be seen. For her part, Jo had been taken aback at the thought of a construction crew working under the current weather conditions, especially a construction crew Jo was reasonably certain was entirely unaffiliated with Eureka and thus not privileged with the kind of advanced equipment Jo had seen used in the construction of her new house. On the bright side, Jo knew such low-grade technologies were tried and tested and could be relied upon not to, for instance, petrify people.
As she rounded the last turn, a small, single story cabin came into view. The wood shingle exterior was clearly brand new, and evidence of the presence of construction vehicles in recent months was frozen into the bare ground surrounding the cabin. Jo felt a twist in her chest. Whatever this was, it had been going on for long enough to leave behind tire tracks before the ground had frozen over for the year. Jo pulled around to the side of the clearing and parked as a nondescript middle aged man stepped through the front door. The screen door flapped shut behind him.
Jo stepped out of the car, wrapping an arm protectively around her abdomen as she tried to get purchase on the uneven ground. Behind her, Zoe and Daniel clambered out of the car.
"You must be Ms. Lupo," he said, his eyes flickering from her face to her waistline and back again. He gave her a friendly, though reserved, smile. "Roger Winters. It's good to meet you. I'm afraid Mr. Donovan didn't tell me much before he left for his trip," he said apologetically.
"Oh, I just bet he didn't," Jo muttered under her breath. Behind her, Zoe's lips twitched with amusement, glad for a rare glimpse of Jo's spirit. Mr. Winters gestured toward the house.
"Would you like to step inside?" He offered. Jo plastered on a friendly smile, her heart beginning to pound as she wondered what, exactly, she would find inside. She followed him toward the door, walking awkwardly across the uneven ground and wishing she'd thought to bring boots. Zoe and Daniel trailed behind her uncertainly. At one point she stumbled over a rough patch and her brother darted forward to catch her, getting a shocked look from Zoe, who knew well enough how little Jo liked to be treated as a damsel in distress. Jo steadied herself in spite of his intervention, throwing Daniel a withering look in response to the hand on her arm, and he dropped his hand to step back with a sheepish smile.
Winters held the door for Jo, who gave him a strained smile in response. She stepped into a small foyer with a nondescript beige carpet and a wall of shelving and cupboards on one side, a row of shoe cubbies beneath. The door that led into the kitchen was ajar, revealing a kitchen painted cheerily in a pale shade of yellow. Jo stepped through the door and onto an off-white tiled floor, between a large china hutch and the kitchen table, both of which looked brand new. Jo whirled around to face Mr. Winters, who was standing respectfully behind her.
"Where did all of this come from?" She demanded. Winters gave her a polite smile.
"I'm afraid the house was in quite poor shape when we first arrived. We gutted much of the interior structure. Mr. Donovan authorized the hiring of an interior decorator. To be honest, we haven't seen him very much since then." Catching sight of Jo's face, he added anxiously, "He did say that cost was no object, but that he wanted the place to remain as understated as possible." Winters shook his head slightly at the perceived foibles of his client. Jo gave him a tight smile.
"I'd like to see the rest, if that's possible." She told him.
"Of course, of course," he said hastily, gesturing towards the door across from them. "Through here you'll find the living room, and the bedrooms are down the hallway..." he trailed off as Jo walked to the living room door. The living room was shaded more neutrally, painted in a shade of off-white. The pale shades only served to highlight the vibrant burgundy couches and armchairs, as well as the rich tones of the mahogany coffee table. At the far end of the room, there was a raised brick hearth extending from the fireplace.
Jo drifted through the room to the door directly opposite her, trailing her hand over the plush furniture absently. Winters trailed behind her at a respectful distance, sensing the solemnity in the air and having the good sense to remain silent, though he couldn't guess at its cause. As they moved further into the room, first Zoe and then Daniel stepped through the doorway to study the room.
Ahead of them, Jo caught her breath as she stepped onto what seemed to be a cross between a sun room and a porch. The room was covered in wood paneling on one side. The far side of the room boasted a row of windows, which lined up frame-to-frame to reveal the wide expanse of trees. The forest outside was a hodgepodge of coniferous and deciduous, but Jo could see the gleam of sunlight on ice through the bare branches. She bit her lip before tearing her eyes away from the view and returning through the door from whence she'd come. She breezed past Zoe and Daniel where they stood in the living room and turned into the hallway she'd seen off the kitchen. Mr. Winters, sensing his presence was unwelcome, chose to wait behind in the living room.
Jo scarcely glanced at the bathroom she passed, her heart in her throat, though she didn't know why. There were three rooms clustered at the end of the hall. Two of the doors were opened wide, and from where Jo stood, she could see beds, bookcases, night tables - but it was the third door, the one with a door only slightly ajar, to which Jo's eyes returned. She pushed the door open, anticipation and apprehension warring in her chest. Zane's words, from both the airport and his letter, were running through her head. Though his actions from the past weeks were beginning to make sense, she was floored to imagine the lengths he'd gone through to make it all happen - everything from the will, to Daniel's presence in Eureka, impossible as it was, to this house.
Jo stepped into the room, and caught her breath. There was a beautiful king sized bed in the center of the room, which even from her vantage point looked soft as a cloud. The room itself was painted a soothing shade of blue. But as inviting as the room was, what hit Jo like a sucker punch was the obviously hand carved wooden crib pushed against the far wall next to the bed. She drifted across the room in a daze to run a disbelieving hand over the crib, feeling as if she needed to touch it in order to verify its presence. Jo felt a pricking at the corners of hers eyes, and a twinge from her conscience. She hadn't even begun to seek out baby furniture yet, but here was this beautiful crib. Jo bit her lip until she could taste a hint of copper on her tongue, and fled the room.
Back in the room, she ignored Zoe and Daniel's concerned gazes, focusing instead on the eminently professional Mr. Winters.
"That crib - did the decorator pick it out?" Jo asked abruptly. Mr. Winters shook his head.
"No ma'am, that was Mr. Donovan's purchase." Jo merely nodded at the confirmation of her own suspicions. At the edge of the conversation, Zoe and Daniel's concern had been replaced by curiosity, and as Jo spoke Zoe slipped away to investigate the other rooms for herself. Daniel stayed behind, arms crossed over his chest, studying his sister intently.
"Would you happen to know where the crib came from?" Jo asked, surprising herself.
"I believe I have a shipping confirmation in my files, Ms. Lupo. I can forward a copy to you if you don't mind waiting." Mr. Winters informed her. Jo flashed him an automatic smile, her mind miles away.
"That would be great," she told him, her eyes scanning the room once more. Suddenly she felt exhausted. "Thank you for your time," she added. "When did you say you'd be finished?"
"Next week," he informed her. "And Mr. Donovan has already contracted us to build a dock this spring, when the conditions have improved." Jo simply nodded, no longer able to muster up a sense of surprise.
"Thank you," she said again, before turning to leave. She headed for the door off the kitchen, glancing back at Daniel and stopping in her tracks.
"Where's Zoe?" She asked. He jerked his chin in the direction of the kitchen. As if on cue, Zoe reappeared.
"Jo, this place is great," she enthused. "I wish we'd had somewhere like this when I was little." Jo raised an eyebrow as she brushed past the younger woman.
"I thought nature made you itchy," she said dryly, referring to an old conversation, and Zoe flushed.
"Well, maybe a little more beach than trees... still, it would have been nice to have somewhere we could go, just the three of us," Zoe said wistfully. Jo tried to restrain her reflexive flinch - would there ever be a family of three in this cabin? - but Zoe dropped her train of thought anyways. It was a sore subject for both of them, after all, if for very different reasons.
"So, Cafe Diem? Lunch?" Zoe asked hopefully - it was well past one - and Jo gave her the ghost of a smile.
"I think we could manage that," Jo said, falling behind as they stepped out of the house into the frigid December air, lingering to brush a hand over the doorframe that marked the threshold, as if it were a talisman warding against evil. She took a deep, steadying breath.
One day, she would see Zane in this house, would sleep in that bed with him, would eat breakfast and fight and make up and make love with him, all in this haven he had built for them.
She just needed to wait.
Jo slipped back in to the infirmary around eight that night, feeling drained after a long and emotional day. She'd returned Daniel to S.A.R.A.H. before driving back to GD, and she hadn't missed the concerned look he'd given her before disappearing into the bunker. She'd spent much of the afternoon dodging his questions, knowing even as she did so that she couldn't put him off forever.
Jo sighed and rubbed a tired hand over her face before sinking onto the corner of Zane's bed. She gazed down at his still, though peaceful, face, and reached out a gentle hand to run her fingers lightly through his hair.
"You have to wake up," Jo said, her voice quiet. "There's so much we need to talk about, Zane." She paused. "So much that we should have talked about already," she admitted. "I can't help but think that this is my fault... I should have pushed myself harder to talk to you." Jo licked her lips nervously. "Even if I was scared," she said softly, before leaning down to brush a gentle kiss on his forehead.
Jo slid off the edge of his bed reluctantly before pushing over the empty infirmary bed Allison had been quietly letting her use, night after night, though it had sternly been made clear that, should an actual patient require the bed, she'd have to give up what was regardless an unhealthy habit of sleeping in the infirmary. (Jo suspected that, were it not for Carter's timely intervention, Allison would never have conceded to the bed in the first place.) She pulled herself onto the bed, wincing at the strain of her unaccustomed extra weight on her back, and curled onto her side. With one arm draped protectively over the curve of her belly, she slipped Zane's hand into her own and gently caressed the back of his hand with the pad of his thumb.
"The lake house looks beautiful," she murmured, closing her eyes. "No wonder you've been so busy." Her hand tightened slightly around his as she recalled the weeks leading up to his coma, and she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm.
And as she drifted off to sleep, Jo found herself lying on the grassy beach behind the cottage, smiling as a young girl with flyaway brown hair splashed a squealing little boy with bright blue eyes.
Beside her, Zane remained still as ever, save for the slightest flicker behind his closed eyelids.
The first thing he'd noticed was the gray. It was everywhere, dim and bland and unpleasant, and Zane had promptly vowed to himself that as soon as he got out of this, it would be all colors, all the time. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, though, and he was starting to worry he'd never find his way out. All he was really certain of was that he must get out. Jo needed him – or, at the very least, a version of him.
"Well, you've gone and screwed the pooch this time, make no mistake."
Zane whipped around, searching for the source of the voice.
"Who's there?" He called defiantly, his voice unwavering.
"Don't you know? Or isn't this what you wanted?" The voice asked, laughter to its tone. It sounded closer, but in no particular direction - Zane scanned his surroundings, pacing in a cautious circle, but it was no use. He could scarcely see more than three feet in front of him in the thick fog.
"Cut the crap," he demanded. "Who are you, and what do you want?" He heard a cluck of disappointment to his right, and spun around, only to be confronted by - himself. For a moment Zane had been rendered thoroughly speechless - but only for a moment, before his chin went up with defiance and he faced his doppelganger head-on.
"Who're you supposed to be? The ghost of Christmas present?" Zane sneered, though he remained inwardly unnerved. The other Zane cocked his head in imitation of an expression that Zane knew had been on his own face any number of times.
"Now, there's a thought," he said, as if he were really chewing over the question. "That would be an amusing twist, wouldn't it? Or maybe I'm the ghost of Christmas past - " His impersonator was suddenly a perfect replica of himself at eight, right down to the terrible haircut that still made Zane cringe at the photos on his mother's mantelpiece, before flickering back to the image of himself he saw in the mirror daily. " - perhaps I'm the keeper of the Akashic field, or the consciousness of another you entirely - maybe the Jo you've been sleeping next to for weeks is from an alternate universe, had you considered that? And the Zane Donovan who really fathered that baby girl is still out there somewhere." A wave of possessiveness washed over Zane, and before he knew what he was doing, he had his mirror image by the collar.
"There is no universe in which that baby girl isn't mine, do you hear me?" He snarled, before gathering the frayed strands of his control and letting his doppelganger go. The other him smoothed out his collar.
"You're willing to fight for them, that's good. You'll need that." He said. Zane remained tense.
"Who are you?" Zane demanded once more. The other Zane gave him a cool look.
"Perhaps I'm just a figment of your imagination."
"I just grabbed you with my own bare hands," Zane pointed out, but his defense fell flat as he looked around the blank, foggy landscape. "This is all in my head, isn't it." He said, flatly. His doppelganger beamed at him.
"Congratulations, you're in a coma." He informed him, the words contrasting horribly with the tone of his voice. "You cooked up a, well - a noble but idiotic plan to regain your memories from a timeline long since lost from time and space, and you were arrogant enough to think there would be no consequences." The memory of his actions was rushing back to Zane, now, and before he thought better of it, he blurted out a protest.
"I knew there could be consequences! I was risking my life!" He said, defending his so-called noble plan with a degree of indignation. His doppelganger favored him with a pitying smile, which seemed bizarre and out of place on his face.
"Silly little man," he said gently. "Did you think dying was a consequence? Death is easy. It's the living that's hard." Zane froze, the words filling with mingled hope and terror, both emotions ready to burst through the seams.
"And which," he asked the figure before him, steady in the face of his own apprehension, "should I be anticipating today?"
His doppelganger's smile held all the patience of eternity.
"Sit," he told Zane, gesturing to a chair that Zane would have sworn hadn't been there a minute ago. "I have a story, or two, for you."
And, suddenly, impossibly, they were in an achingly familiar internet cafe in New York City, and Zane felt a great, soaring hope.
A/N: So as some of you have most certainly noticed - judging from the private messages and reviews I have been receiving in the last three weeks, which fill me with equal parts guilt, amusement and satisfaction - it's been a little while since the last chapter. There's nothing so nervewracking as writing a new character. Daniel was a struggle, even though I've been working on writing this chapter since January. Between our new character and the two other POVs from Jo, characters I had never written that way before. I feel like I succeeded with Zoe & Grace, at least. I think my favorite part of this whole chapter is the last scene, inspired by Stephen King's "The Man in the Black Suit," which is just a fantastic short story. Also, re: my writing style, I would really like to recommend the Harry Potter fanfiction "Buried Treasure and Transmogrify" at Checkmated, by RiennaHawkes. Brilliantly written, very much NC-17 so tough luck for you younger folks. She's pretty much my writing idol, and I don't think this story would exist if not for that one. In my head, it's THE Lily & James Potter backstory. Been meaning to recommend it for ages.
Anyways, PLEASE let me know what you think about this chapter I've been agonizing over. Gently, if you would. Don't want to wound my delicate writer feelings.
ADM
TAKE NOTE: IMPORTANT EDIT! Due to popular demand, and the fact that I'd always meant to write it that way anyways, Daniel's age has been... tweaked. He is Jo's younger brother, and had it not been for "One Time at Space Camp," I would never have felt compelled to mess with that. But several people were disappointed, and frankly I felt like it was awkward and unwieldy, so there you have it. It's not as if Jo's taking an infant to Titan anyways... haha. ;) Once more, with emphasis, for those who are rereading: I cheated and edited his age. Sorry for the confusion, and yes I feel totally sheepish about this. Sorry for the confusion.