"You will remain in this until sentencing is complete," Judson told her before turning his attention to the others. "By the way, Flynn, you and the others have an emergency in the annex."

"An emergency?" Eve repeated, eyes wide in alarm as everyone exchanged worried looks. "Right now?"

"Great," Ezekiel muttered, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Just what we need."

"Come on then – let's go!" Jacob exclaimed as everyone followed him, running towards the annex.

Upon entering, the group stopped dead in their tracks, everyone in a state of shock with mouths agape. None of them could believe what they were seeing, and everyone was afraid that it wasn't real; their 'mental' realities were still in the process of shifting from Nicole's fake world to their real one.

"Jenkins!" Eve gasped. "Are you…"

The very-much-immortal-again caretaker was sitting on the edge of the exact table that he'd previously died on looking thoroughly confused as he pulled the shroud off of him and detached the harness that the trial had forced upon him, gently pulling the dagger from his body, the puncture sealing within seconds.

"He's alive," Flynn simultaneously laughed and cried in disbelief, grinning like the Cheshire cat as he jumped up and down a couple times. "He's alive! Jenkins is alive!"

Cassandra's world came to a screeching halt as everyone ran over to Jenkins to help him stand from the table and hug him and ask if he was okay. He's alive. Her heart pounded so hard inside her chest, it made her wince from the pain…the blood rushed through her veins at such a high rate of speed, she could hear it, and it sounded like the thunderous Colorado River rapids that she'd visited once as a child. She knew the others were talking to Jenkins, but she couldn't comprehend what they were saying from where she still stood in the doorway as her world seemed to close in around her.

The pain that was still raw from losing Jenkins…the all-consuming guilt that Cassandra still harbored from causing the trial…the dichotomy of the shock and joy of seeing him standing in the annex once more when she thought she never would…it was all too much. Feeling as if she'd been kicked in the gut with steel cleats, Cassandra cried out his name as tears streamed down her cheeks. And that's when it struck her…he must hate her for what she'd done. She covered her face with her hands in shame and sobbed. She wouldn't be able to stay…she'd have to leave…surely he wouldn't allow her stay. Her behaviors had been responsible for his death. He'd been mortal – it had been their job to protect him, and she'd basically been the one to kill him. Her stomach violently lurched at the thought. What she'd done was unforgivable.

Cassandra turned and fled from the annex as fast as she could. She was an emotional time bomb and had no idea what else to do. She couldn't face Jenkins; she was too ashamed. She vaguely registered someone calling after her, but she just ran faster.

Unfortunately, Cassandra only got about twenty feet away from the annex when she tripped over her own feet and crashed to the floor with an undignified yelp. The sound of multiple people running towards her filled her ears, but she remained on the floor and cried.

Since Jacob was the fastest runner, he reached Cassandra first. Eve stopped him when he started to help her up, though, motioning towards Jenkins who was pushing everyone out of the way to get to her. Jacob nodded in understanding and stood aside.

Sinking to his knees, Jenkins reached for Cassandra's arms to help her sit up. "Are you all right?" he asked, panic obvious in his voice. "Did you hurt anything?"

Still trying to hide her face from him, Cassandra shook her head. "Just my pride," she answered, tears still falling. "But it doesn't matter…I killed you, Jenkins! How can you even stand to touch me?"

"Killed me?" Jenkins asked, prying Cassandra's hands away from her wet face where she sat on the floor with her legs tucked underneath her. "What are you talking about? You didn't kill me."

"But I did," Cassandra wailed, knowing she was ugly-crying at that point but unable to stop. "You were k-killed because of me…and we couldn't s-stop it…and it was all my fault…I had to read that s-stupid scroll…and now you'll hate me…not that I can blame you, and – "

Jenkins shook his head furiously. "Cassandra, no! Please don't blame yourself. The only person to blame here is Nicole. I – "

"No," Cassandra exclaimed, shaking her head as she pushed away from Jenkins and stood, tears blinding her eyes. "You were gone…we w-watched you die…and I c-caused it…Jenkins…I'm so sorry…I'm so, so sorry…I f-failed you…I didn't listen to you."

Jenkins stood then and immediately grabbed the Librarian's upper arms, his gaze pleading. "You listen to me, Cassandra Cillian," the knight began, trying to sound stern. His unsteady voice gave him away, though. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. You didn't fail me. I promise you…you aren't responsible for any of this. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about that scroll and what it did. It was my fault that all of you were put in that position in the first place. I should be apologizing to you. Cassandra…please…I'm too happy to see you again. Please don't bear this burden."

When Jenkins pulled Cassandra into his strong arms to embrace her, it broke her. She clung to him and continued to cry. He was there…he was alive…he was holding her…and it was simultaneously killing her and saving her. She chanted I'm sorry over and over like it was a mantra. She couldn't stop.

The others around them wiped their own tears as Jenkins held Cassandra for some time, rocking her gently and shushing her with whispers of encouragement and understanding while she sniffed and hiccupped against his chest. When her cries slowly quieted, she was acutely aware of just how physically weak and mentally drained she was.

Jenkins stepped back just enough to cup Cassandra's wet face in his large hands. She was certain she must have looked positively awful – her mascara had probably all smudged to make her look like a drunk raccoon – but she couldn't bring herself to care. She'd been broken into a thousand pieces, and as she gazed up at Jenkins, she realized that he was the only one who had the capacity to put her back together.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," Jenkins said, his usually strong voice breaking as he blinked a couple times causing tears to slide down his cheeks. "Your beautiful face is the last thing that I remember seeing. It's a face that I love to see every day because it belongs to a person that I love so very much. You told me not long ago that you might as well do something with your life that makes the risk worthwhile. Being mortal reminded me about risk, Cassandra. And being immortal doesn't take away risks; it just makes you lonely and bitter. I'm tired of playing it safe. I'm ready to live."

With no warning, Jenkins pressed his lips to Cassandra's, the salty taste of their tears mingling. The kiss was chaste and slightly askew, but it was fierce, and she was certain that when it ended and she opened her eyes, she would be in her bed having yet another dream, after all, she'd dreamed of kissing him hundreds of times.

When Cassandra opened her eyes, she was relieved to see that she was still standing in front of Jenkins and not in her bed. She couldn't decipher the look on his face…it appeared to be a mix of fear and trepidation, like he couldn't believe what he'd just done, and it made her smile just the tiniest bit. He'd kissed her…so did that mean –

"If you'll have me, that is," Jenkins added quietly as he reached for Cassandra's hands to hold, answering her unspoken question. "I'll understand if you have changed your mind."

Cassandra loved Jenkins – there was no question – but how could he feel anything for her after what she'd done?

"Why would you want me?" Cassandra whispered, her throat sore and eyes burning from crying. "It was all my fault."

"I want you because you're loving and kind and brilliant and curious and so many other reasons," Jenkins answered, smiling just a little. "This was not your fault, I promise you. Please don't tell me that I've missed my chance. Please don't let her affect us. I have regretted not saying yes every single day since the moment that you asked me to go out."

Cassandra allowed more of a smile, breathing deeply to try to calm herself. It would be some time before her guilt dissipated – if it ever did – but she was not about to turn him down. She'd played this moment over and over in her mind, and while this was in no way as she'd imagined it, she would take it any way that she could get it. "Oh, Jenkins," she breathed, squeezing his hands as happy tears filled her eyes that time. "Yes, I'll have you. That's all I've wanted since I met you."

Jenkins pulled Cassandra close again and held her tight, one of his arms was around her shoulders while his other hand held the back of her head. As she grinned against his chest, she was afraid that she might burst from emotion overload. She could hardly believe that not only did he not hate her, but that he wanted to be with her.

Flynn cleared his throat as he and the others stepped closer to the couple. Cassandra stepped away from Jenkins, glancing around at everyone that she'd honestly forgotten about. Eve had apparently grabbed a box of tissues at some point and passed it around.

"Are you two okay?" Eve asked, her voice shaky. "That was…" But she couldn't finish.

Cassandra and Jenkins looked at each other with nervous smiles and nodded.

"I think we'll be just fine, Colonel," the caretaker answered, giving Cassandra a little wink as she blushed and glanced down at the floor.

"Well…I think we've all been on quite the roller coaster ride today," Flynn commented, running his hand through his already mussed hair. "I'm going to take a long, hot shower before I go check on Nicole and Judson."

"Good idea," Eve agreed, knowing that they needed some time to process all that had happened in such a short time period. "I might take the long way around and make sure certain artifacts are back in place."

"I could use a beer or three," Jacob remarked with a shrug. "I always keep some in the Fountain of Youth."

"I'm going to order four gigantic pepperoni pizzas," Ezekiel announced. "For all of us."

"Let's meet in the kitchen in about an hour then?" Flynn suggested as everyone but two agreed.

Cassandra could only see Jenkins as they stood in front of each other holding hands again. She wasn't sure if it was him being immortal again or the fact that she hadn't seen him in some time, but he looked even more handsome than she remembered. She couldn't wait to go out on their date. "I think Jenkins and I are going to go have some tea," she said quietly.

Jenkins squeezed Cassandra's hands in his, love shining in his eyes. "Indeed. Tea sounds lovely. Let's go."

THIS is more like how I envisioned the reunion to go between everyone. I have to admit that I'm still a little irked that we got Bobby Ewinged because we lost so much that I think was fairly important, but in my mind, this is how it SHOULD have been. Hope you like it. I think I'll have just one more chapter that focuses more on Nicole.