Jamie got to spend Friday night with MK at the hotel, his homework having been done on time for the week. They spent their evening going over plans for the next day, including several setup for scoping out Jason's house, not far from where the main farm was on the Hawkins land. But Jamie did get a promise out of MK that they would let Jack know everything before going through with any of the plans, as he rightly put it, they wouldn't know if they might need some help keeping Jason away long enough. Before Jamie went to sleep, he glanced at the moon, and made a wish. Closing his eyes, he smiled, this was one plan that should work just fine.

The two got up early on Saturday morning and made sure they had everything before hauling their bags to the front door and getting some breakfast. It wasn't long after they finished breakfast that a car horn resounded outside the hotel. Grabbing their bags, they rushed out to meet their ride. Jack was driving, with Sarah May and Richard in the back. MK and Jamie dumped their bags into the trunk before hopping into the car. Jamie got into the back next to Richard, leaving MK in the front with Jack.

Jack feigned a pout, "What? Jamie, why are you in the back? I thought you liked me!"

"I do! It's just, sometimes I need a little break, that's all."

"Hey!" Everyone laughed, but Jamie grinned and gave Jack a wink, Jack grinned and winked back. "Oh, fine, all party poopers and pipsqueaks accounted for?"

"Hey!" came the unanimous response from Sarah May, MK, and Jamie.

"Uh, who would be the party poopers, and who would be the pipsqueaks?"

Jack just laughed, "Guess that is everybody. Bear Stables, here we come!"

"Bear Stables?"

"Yeah, the horses have to bear us," quipped Jack, putting an emphasis on the word bear.

"And we have to bear with you," returned Sarah May.

"Hey! No talkback allowed in this car, especially to the driver, or I can drop you off right now and make you walk the rest of the way."

Sarah May snorted, "Why bother? You know I can beat you in a wrestling match. Besides, I don't think you'd want to let Dr. Lupei know that I wasn't in the car with Richard. And he cannot be dropped off with me, either."

"Ugh, why do you always know exactly how to get around everything?"

"Because you're not much different from my brothers." Jamie and Sarah May glanced at each other and burst out laughing. Jack shook his head, but he was grinning from ear to ear. MK glanced back and paused, she saw the look on Richard's face as he watched Sarah May. It was certainly relieved, relieved to know that Sarah May joked around with family, relieved to know that she wasn't seeing anyone, relieved to know that maybe, just maybe, he had a chance with her. MK blinked with surprise as the emotion on his face went from relief to hope and finally to something akin to love. Had Jamie been right about them as well? But how would he have known that, without the book? MK breathed with relief when Jack interrupted her thoughts with telling everyone to call him Jack, it was easier. The subject was changed to how to handle a horse. Sarah May, having grown up with them, told them everything they would need to know about how horse-riding works, how to interpret the signs the horse is giving, and letting them know that they were basically putting their lives at the senses of the horses. She told many a tale of how horses had saved lives, just by realizing that something was wrong and listening to that instinct. She mentioned that the whole scene in Black Beauty when Black Beauty saved his master by refusing to cross the flooded bridge was pretty accurate. They heard more about horses until they reached the stables, where a woman, a man, and three boys with the same red curls as Sarah May stood waiting for them.

"Welcome to Bear Stables!" the man practically shouted with delight as the five climbed out of the car.

"Hey, Mr. Overland!" one of the triplets grinned and waved at Jack.

Jack grinned and waved back, "A little early to be trick-or-teating this year, don't you think?"

The triplets' mouths dropped, "What? How'd you figure it out?"

Jack laughed, "I know you three way too well."

"Mom, Dad, this is MK Bomba, she's Jamie's real mother . . ."

"Really? Oh, Jamie, that's wonderful, you've found her!" exclaimed Mrs. Bernards, giving MK a quick hug.

"And this is Richard Hawkins, he's the coma patient I've told you about. These are my parents Arthur and Elvira Bernards."

Arthur shook hands with Richard, "Pleasure to meet ya, lad, glad to see you're on your feet, er, so to speak. Nice peg, how'd you get it?" Arthur indicated Richard's missing leg, showcasing his own missing leg.

"I-I don't remember, I don't remember anything about my life in Cedar Grove. I'm still wondering if Richard Hawkins is really my name."

"Well, a mother will always recognise her child," Elvira smiled knowingly. MK and Sarah May glanced at each other.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"You really don't know much, do ya, lad? We get most of our oats from the Hawkins farm, just a horse ride away to the north of here."

Richard's mouth dropped open, "Th-there's a Hawkins farm?"

"Yup, you wanna see?"

"I do suggest that you rest and have some lunch before you head out," Elvira glanced at her husband.

Arthur grinned, "Right, go ahead and bring your bags in. Martha's got your rooms all set up. If you don't mind, we've got you set up with Sarah May in her old room," Arthur explained to MK as they showed them in.

"And the guys?"

"Jamie's sharing with the triplets, and Richard will share with Jack in his old room." MK and Richard glanced between Jack and Sarah May.

Sarah May whispered, "Jack was a wandering orphan, we were only one of two families who would let him in. He'd go back and forth between us and the Forsters, it all depended on his mood."

"Ah," stated MK before entering the room she was sharing with Sarah May. Sarah May paused at the door, Richard didn't follow Jack into the room they were sharing.

"Richard, what is it?"

"Oh, uh, it kinda explains a lot. Y-you, you only think of him as a brother?"

Sarah May smiled, "Of course, I could never think of him as anything else. You really should stop worrying about it."

"I-I'm not worried about it, I-I was just, just curious, is all."

"Mmm-hmm, get your bag in your room, mom and Martha will have lunch ready in a few minutes. You're going to need to get up your strength if you want to head over to the Hawkins farm."

"Y-you knew, when you heard my name . . . this is just some way to get me over there to verify my identity."

"I thought you wanted to know for sure?"

"I-I do, it's just, I-I don't know why I left, or if she'll take me back."

"I think she will."

"What makes you say that?"

"My mom did," Sarah May smiled before entering her room. Richard watched her back until the door closed behind her before finally entering his room. Jack was lounging on the top bunk when he entered.

"So, you two finished flirting?"

"Wh-what? We, we weren't flirting!"

"Dude, it's written all over your face, you totally have the hots for Sarah May. And I know her well enough to know that she likes you back."

"She, she does?"

"Oh yeah, man, you've got it ba-ad."

"No I don't, I'm supposed to be married."

"Mmm-hmm. Then picture your wife, a lovely girl, her eyes as blue as the sky. You can't help but get lost in them, you feel like you're flying through those eyes, and you never want to land. Instead of getting out, you get closer to her, you start to smell her perfume, the shampoo in her hair, she smells like a brisk, autumn day. You lean in, kiss her lips ever so gently, she tastes like crisp apples. Now, hold her picture in your mind, hold it there, look over every detail. What color is her hair?"

"A reddish-orange mound of lush curls . . . I mean . . ."

"Oh, be quiet, why would you want to be with Esther anyway? She's not your type. Don't you just feel like Sarah May completes you?"

"M-maybe . . . ugh, maybe going to the Hawkins farm is a bad idea."

"Why?"

"I kinda don't want to remember," sighed Richard. He gave a little yelp when Jack somersaulted off the top bunk and landed on the floor like a cat. He turned to Richard, all joking gone from his eyes.

"What if the memories you remember aren't your real memories?"

Richard stared at him, "What are you talking about?" Jack rose and walked to his pack, taking out a book, the title A Faraway Land in big, bold, shimmering letters. He placed it in Richard's lap and flipped to a picture of a wedding. Richard's eyes just about bulged out of his head. There he was, getting married to Sarah May! Mr. And Mrs. Bernards were in attendance, smiling radiantly, even Jack and Esther were there, with huge smiles on their faces! The rest of the faces were unrecognisable to him, but there were two faces missing.

"Wh-where are MK and Jamie?"

"Oh, they weren't born yet, though MK will be soon. She's their daughter." Jack pointed at the happily married couple. Richard glanced between the picture and Jack.

"You're kidding right?"

Jack shook his head, "This time, I'm not."

"Lunch is ready!" The loud announcement startled them, and Jack closed the book on the happy picture. Richard tried to grasp at when Jack pulled it away.

"We'll talk more about it tonight. For now, not another word about it. And remember, whatever you remember of your past life with Esther, it's all fake. Those memories were planted in your mind to keep you from your happy ending with Sarah May." Jack got up from picking up the book and looked sternly at Richard. "Do I have your word that you will not speak of this, even if your Cedar Grove memories come to you?" Richard nodded slowly, but with honest determination. Jack's grin returned, "Good, let's go eat."

"B-but why are you telling me this now?"

Jack glanced at him as they walked out the door, "So that you're not thinking that the memories that may come to you are your real memories. You've been in a coma in the twenty-six years that Cedar Grove has been here, you couldn't have had any memories before that, now could you?" Richard's mouth dropped open, but neither man said anything. Almost immediately after lunch, the group set out for the Hawkins farm. The group chatted gaily, except for Richard, Jack's words still echoing in his ears. He glanced around at the scenery as they drew closer to the farm. Jack seemed to be right, something here should click if he had spent his childhood here. Richard dared a glance at Jack, talking away with Jamie, he was still sure that something would 'activate' the false memories, in which case, Richard would have to make sure he didn't dwell on them for too long.

"Hey! What are you doing here? You're trespassing!" growled a red-haired man as he grabbed Richard's reins.

"Jason, wait! Look! It's the girl from the grocery store!" shouted another man, rushing forward to restain Jason.

MK feigned surprise, "Why, it is you! Fancy seeing you two out here! Do you work for Mrs. Hawkins?" The two men glanced at each other before James replied.

"Uh, yeah, why?"

"I-I 'm Richard Hawkins." Jason dropped the reins and scrutinized Richard.

"Oh yeah? You're here claiming to be Val's little boy?" sneered Jason.

Richard shook his head, "I-I'm not here claiming to be anyone. I just want to know who I really am. I don't remember a thing. I don't even recognise anything here."

"He's been in a coma, give him a break, alright?" broke in Sarah May. Jason shot her a glare, he didn't really care.

A woman's voice broke the tension, "James, Jason! What's with all the ruckus? What are you doing harassing these people?" She paused when she saw Richard, her eyes flitted over his frail form as he dismounted from his horse. Sarah May immediately dismounted and took the reins from Richard, all while keeping an eye on him. "R-Richard?"

"M-Mom?" The woman touched his face gently, her fingers tracing his little scar. She took his head in her hands and peered into his green eyes.

"I-it's really you," she whispered, a bit questioningly.

"I-I think so, I don't remember anything. Esther says I'm her husband, Richard, b-but, I'm not sure . . ."

"But a mother never forgets." Richard glanced at her, tears forming in her eyes. "Yes, you are my son, Richard." She hugged him, and he slowly returned the hug. A loud thunderclap interrupted the happy moment, startling everyone.

"Whoa, those clouds came in fast," muttered James.

"We'd better get inside quick, come on, my house isn't far from the barn. We'll get the horses settled and duck into my house," sighed Jason, leading the way. Jamie and Jack took up the rear, the two glanced at each other and grinned, Jamie's plan was going smoothly.