Present Day

John watched Green leave, storming out in his tantrum with the rest of the board following him after they congratulated a shell-shocked Anna and still-reeling Jack. Mary remained a moment, chatting with Anna before Talbot motioned them both through the door. John could still see Talbot waiting for him but turned to Jack.

"Are you alright?"

"Honestly Mr. Christian?" Jack choked, trying to find words as he ran his hands through his hair in a motion John recognized from his own anxious habits. "I don't even know where to begin."

"By working with Mr. Foyle and Mr. Talbot to get this company solvent." John shrugged, "That's where I'd start."

"I'm too young for this."

"But more than qualified." John risked a look at Anna, "Might I have a word with your mother, alone?"

"I'll just be outside." Jack pointed to the door, going out to meet with Talbot, who clapped him on the shoulder before immediately speaking to him about something.

John took Mary's vacated chair and turned Anna's just enough to look at her. "Are you alright?"

"No," Anna put a hand to her forehead, her body shaking as tears started to fall from her eyes. John hurried to grab his handkerchief, holding it up for her to take. "I can't do this John."

"Do what?"

"Any of it." Anna gesticulated her hands at the room. "I can't divorce Alex, I can't run his company, and I can't live this lie anymore."

"Anna," John took one of her hands, holding it in his own. "Start at the beginning, please."

Anna manipulated the handkerchief in her hands, wringing it in her white-knuckled grip, and stared at her lap. "I met with Mr. Murray this morning, with the evidence I have about Alex's infidelity, and he said he'd help me."

"That sounds like a good thing."

"It was… or," Anna sniffed, "Or I thought it was."

"Mary mentioned, in the lift, that there might be some difficulties but it's nothing." John risked his hands over hers, almost sighing in relief when she tightened her grip on him instead of the handkerchief. "We'll get through this. It's nothing we haven't faced down and won before."

"You don't understand, John." Anna put a hand to his cheek, stroking there. "Alex decided to do a little digging of his own."

"About what?"

"You." Anna focused her gaze on her hand, still holding his cheek as if afraid releasing contact would let him vanish before her.

John covered her hand with his, turning just enough to kiss her palm, and faced her. "What about me?"

"Alex isn't so stupid that he'd let someone buy him out of his company without insurance. He had someone find out about you."

"Who?"

"A good man who I think feels terribly misused." Anna sighed, "He's a newspaper man, Michael Gregson, and he dug up some information on you."

"Has Alex done this kind of thing before?"

"Alex isn't satisfied letting anyone else be happy." Anna snorted, shaking her head as her voice tinged with bitter fury. "He wanted to know how he could ruin you, should the opportunity present itself."

"Like this morning?"

Anna nodded, "When I served him the papers Murray drew up for me he only responded with an envelope that held pictures of me entering your house Friday night."

"So?"

"So?" Anna flustered, "He'll counter sue. He'll claim defamation of character or something outrageous and he knows enough people to get them to hear him over me."

"But I'm fighting for you Anna." John held both her hands in his, watching her face for signs that it gave her any comfort. "I'm not afraid of him."

"What is Mr. Gregson finds out who you really are?"

"He won't once I get Henry to buy out his paper and get him out from under Alex's thumb."

"Money won't solve every problem."

"It'll solve Alex Green for now." John stopped himself, aware of how his voice echoed in the room when Talbot half-turned toward them from outside the walls. "He wants to fight fire with fire than I'll bring a bloody inferno. I don't care what it costs in the end but he won't have you to torture and toy with any longer."

"What if Alex finds out who you are?"

John set his jaw, "I'm counting on it. In my own time."

"That wasn't all."

When Anna did not continue John placed his fingers gingerly on her chin and guided her to meet his eyes. "Tell me."

"Alex knows that Jack's not his."

John swallowed, trying to fight the bucket of cold water sensation running down his spine. "How?"

"I don't know." Anna's eyes watered again, taking the handkerchief to her eyes. "But it explains why he's always hated him."

"What'd he threaten to do?"

"He can use it as an excuse for marital infidelity by saying I tricked him into marrying me under false pretenses. That, combine with the infidelity with you, would destroy my reputation and everything I have."

"And you'll give in to that?"

"I don't have another option." Anna's voice cracked, "I don't have any money, my consultations with Mr. Murray are a part of the Mary's charity for me at the moment, and without Jack's inheritance he's as destitute as I am."

"Jack's got a job and he's more than taken care of in his new position. As are you." John waited until Anna turned to him again, "You're not alone anymore Anna. Please don't pretend you are."

"I've been that way for so long I don't know how to live otherwise."

"Then we'll learn how together." John took a breath, "I think we ought to let Jack know the truth too… since Alex knows and I don't want Alex telling him first."

Anna went to nod but her face paled. John followed her gaze out the window of the office and saw Jack furiously typing on his mobile before gaping at both of them through the glass. He pushed past Talbot and into the room, holding his mobile toward his mother.

"Is this you?"

Anna frowned at the mobile, taking it from him to look at the picture there before closing her eyes. With a nod she handed the phone back. Jack took it with shaking hands, rounding on John, and speaking in a low voice.

"Did you take my offer so you could seduce my mother?"

"No."

"Then this," Jack thrust the phone in John's face, so he could see the picture of John and Anna kissing before she left the morning after, "Was all coincidence?"

"No." John pushed the phone back, standing to face Jack as they stood equal in height. "That was almost entirely unrelated to you."

"I don't believe that." Jack stabbed a finger toward the glass table, "I stood here while you ripped the rug out from under my father to hand me his empire but it's really your empire and you think you can claim me or my mother as your conquests in this."

"In six months of working for me you think that's how I operate?"

"I know brutal efficiency when I see it and I watched it today, like I have every day I've worked for you. I watched Tony Foyle, a man loyal to this company, crumble to your demands through Mary Crawley after you dangled general manager of the company in his face."

"It was my right to offer."

"Or Charles Blake, a man I admire and respect, deserted three companies who own shares with us to work entirely for you." Jack shook his head, "What is that if not slash-and-burn tactics?"

"That's good business, Mr. Green, and I'd have you remember it when you examine your hold on this company." John noted Jack shiver a moment, responding to the authority in John's tone. "I wouldn't have arranged this meeting or the resulting decision if I had anything less than full confidence in you or your mother to run this company as the president and CEO respectively."

"What's she got to do with this?"

"Everything." John smiled down at her, "She's got everything to do with this."

Ten Years Ago

John nodded to Talbot and the man stepped forward, shaking Robert's hand before taking the seat next to John in front of the desk, and shifting for a comfortable position. Robert retook his seat, eyeing the two men before him. After a moment he opened his mouth to speak.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Mr. Talbot, but while I know Mr. Bates here is innocent of his accused crimes I don't know if I can say the same for you."

"You can't." Talbot shrugged, "I embezzled a lot of money from companies like yours."

"And they let you go?"

"I gave some necessary service to the Crown and they offered me a 'get out of jail free' card… though it was less than free."

"I don't think you could complain since you're out." Robert raised an eyebrow and Talbot coughed, adjusting in his chair.

"No, no I can't."

"The mercy of the Crown and its agents aside," Robert pointed to John, "What are you willing to give for him?"

"Half of my ill-gotten gains."

Robert made a face, nodding his approval. "You seem a very smart man, Mr. Talbot."

"I didn't steal the money through charm, Mr. Crawley." Talbot allowed the corner of his mouth to elevate in a smile. "I'm good with computers."

"Good, because we're creating a new personality for Mr. Bates here and it's more than teaching him languages or giving him a personality. We need to create a person from nothing and leave nothing left of his old self."

"I can do that no problem but short of burning down government record offices there's always going to be access to the information for the determined."

Robert frowned, "Did you just tell me you have skill and then say it'd be worthless?"

"In a roundabout way, yes." Talbot cleared his throat, leaning forward. "For all the talk of things going 'paperless' in any age, everyone knows that leaving everything as ones and zeroes out on mainframes somewhere isn't safe. The only way to keep a secret is to make sure only one person knows it and part of the way anyone prevents that is hard proof."

"That can be stolen or damaged."

"There are safeguards in place and no, they're not infallible, but they're there because the risk that some idiot with a laptop in Bognor wants to prove himself by cracking into some files grows daily."

"However the chances of someone setting fire to a records building or stealing files in the dead of night is…"

"Much less likely." Talbot jerked his thumb between himself and John, "It's less of a risk to destroy a laptop instead of ending up like us."

"Convicts?"

Talbot nodded, "Kid shows prowess with a laptop and they get a slap on the wrist and an invitation to recruit if they're good."

Robert paused, mouth falling open. "You embezzled from the government?"

Talbot grinned, "To quote the Americans, I plead the fifth."

"Excuse me?"

"Although," Talbot held up a finger, "If I were to say anything about my life before the system of corrections set me on the straight and narrow… or, straighter and narrower, I'd say that I might've funneled money from some very dubious accounts that are better for being empty."

"That's not up to you."

"It was for a moment." Talbot tapped the desk, "And it's what's going to fund Mr. Bates' alterations. It'll build him a new life on the internet and in any system that cares to know about his new self. It'll bury the John Bates we know as a victim of being lost to the crowd and give weight to the identity that takes his place."

"You're sure of this."

Talbot spread his hands, leaning back n his chair as if the balance of power shifted to him, "I'm the best, Mr. Crawley."

"And yet they caught you."

"They got me on a speeding fine I left unpaid they decided to use it against me for more time." Talbot winked, "They never got my money and they never could prove that I even did it."

"You must be very proud of yourself Mr. Talbot." Robert scoffed, "I'm not sure I appreciate your tone."

"Mr. Crawley, I just finished a lovely week in Venice with my friend here and all we did was plot how we'd work with you to make him the man he needs to be to exact revenge for himself and justice for you son-in-law." Talbot straightened, "I don't care if you don't appreciate my tone, if you don't trust me, or if you wish you could toss me right back into the jaws of the corrections system again because it's not why I'm here."

"Why are you here, Mr. Talbot?"

"Because my friend, John Bates, saved my life in prison and I made him a promise." Talbot turned to John, "I'm here for him and that's all."

John nodded at Talbot, "Thank you Henry."

"We both know you couldn't do this without me." Talbot scoffed, "You might end up going after your lady friend at the beginning."

"Lady friend?"

"It's nothing." John glared at Talbot before turning to Robert, "Let's begin."

When the meeting finished John held Talbot back, hiding in a whisper at him, "What were you thinking letting that slip out?"

"I didn't know you hadn't said anything to him."

"He might be interested in helping us, Henry, but I don't know him and neither do you." John waited for someone to pass them in the corridor. "I don't want anyone waving that kind of power around."

"You think he'd use it against you?"

"I don't know how he'd use information about Anna against me." John paused, "I don't even know why he's doing what he's doing now and I'm afraid of the information he already wields over me."

"Then we'll keep your focus to ourselves." Talbot chewed the inside of his cheek a moment, "I could look her up for you. Follow her movements and give you updates."

"I'm determined, not a stalker."

"It's no more than the government CCTV all over the country."

"And how much do you hate that?" John waited and eventually Talbot conceded with a shrug. "She's not the target Henry. She's the arrow."

"Target or arrow you'll drive yourself mad thinking about her."

"I'm already mad, doing all this." John threw up his hands, walking away from Talbot, "She already drove me mad."

Present Day

John took a breath, "Jack, I've known your mother for a lot longer than I let on."

"What?"

"We met and dated fifteen years ago." Anna cut in, putting hand on John's arm to let her take control of the conversation. She faced Jack with her hands clasped in front of her. "We were about to get married when he was taken by the police."

Jack's mouth dropped open, pointing between his mother and John. "You're saying he's the man who died in prison? The one you were in love with before you married my father?"

"That's just it, Jack." Anna put a hand on Jack's arm but he backed away. John stopped himself going to her when he noted the pain in her eyes at the movement. "Alex Green isn't your father. Not biologically or legally."

"That can't be true." Jack shook his head, "Granddad always said I looked just like him when he was younger."

"He lied to you because he loved you. The same reason I lied to you." Anna flailed, "How could I raise you thinking your father was a convict."

"But he was. That's what people are when they go to prison, mum."

"He was innocent."

"The CPS didn't think so." Jack turned to John, "How'd you convince them to let you out?"

"Robert Crawley found enough flaws in their case that they released me after five years. They left me with a settlement so I wouldn't make a fuss for them."

"Leave it to the government to worry about saving face when someone's life is on the line." Jack hung his head a moment before turning back to his mother, "Is this man my father?"

Anna nodded, "He is."

"Then why'd Granddad leave me all his money? Why insist on my inheritance with this company if he knew the truth?" Jack paced, only half-turning to his mother. "I assume he knew, since you said he lied to me about it."

"He knew and he left it to you because he loved you."

"I wasn't his grandson."

"Family is about more than biology Jack, you know that." Anna grabbed his arm, this time refusing to let go. "He did it in memory of John."

"Why? Who was Mr. Christian to him?"

"A good friend to his son. A better friend than his son deserved, as it turned out." John finally entered the conversation. "Alex Green's father helped raise me when my own father passed. I worked for him, lived with his family a few times over the years, and loved him like he was my own father."

"Then all those times dad raged about how his father wanted another son… a different son," Jack pointed a shaking finger at John. "That was you he was talking about. All that bitterness he directed at me was for you."

"Yes."

"And you let me believe the lie?" Jack turned to his mother, lip quivering. "You let me think my father was a man who hated me. You allowed a man who enjoyed tormenting me for his own amusement and embarrassing me in public to gratify himself, believe I was his to torture."

"I didn't have a choice." Anna wiped furiously at her own eyes, waving John off as he tried to step to her aid. "I was pregnant and I didn't have the money to care for you on my own so I took the only option I could see. It wasn't a good one but I couldn't see another way."

Jack stopped, "For me?"

Anna nodded, "You were all I thought about from the moment I knew you were coming."

"All of it? Everything you bore, everything I suffered, all the times we cried together… you endured it for me?"

Anna put her hands on either side of Jack's face, holding his cheeks as tears crested her eyes. "I'd walk through Hell for you and I wouldn't have a regret in the world if it helped you in the slightest. I'd do it all over again just to have you here, now, standing like the proud man you are."

"The man you wanted me to be?"

"Yes." Anna risked a looked over Jack's shoulder to John, "The man your real father is."

Jack put a hand over Anna's, pivoting to face John. "Are you proud?"

"I couldn't be more proud of you than I am at this moment." John risked a hand on Jack's shoulder, "You're everything I could've hoped for but didn't know how to wish to have."

Jack turned into John's chest, burying his face there. John gripped his son, tears falling from his own eyes to drop and darken spots on Jack's suit. They clung to one another for a moment until John extended a hand to Anna. She joined them and they stood, in the glass conference room, finally united.

John broke away a moment, one hand on Jack's cheek and the other on Anna's. "This is more than I've dared believe I'd have one day."

"Believe." Anna whispered and John kissed her forehead before turning to Jack.

"And you?"

"I couldn't be happier."

"I intend to let that continue for as long as I'm able." John pulled his son back into his embrace, "I'm sorry I've been gone so long."

Jack's arms only tightened around John in response.