Come Fly with Me

by LaLizi

AU. John Bates' only way to divorce his wife and keep his company is to prove she is having an affair. Anna Smith of Carson's Private Investigators goes undercover on the case. What starts out as an infidelity investigation becomes much more and when John finds himself in serious trouble, Anna's skills and heart are put to the test.

27. On a Wing and a Prayer

Words – 15.1K

This is the last chapter friends! As such, it is rather long. Pace yourselves…

Happy Holidays

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Cardiac Arrest. Elsie couldn't believe it. They said it was from the loss of blood. The six minutes it took for them to shock her with the defibrillator were the most difficult of her life, but the paramedic did an incredible job. Anna's heart started again. Elsie held her hand, or she tried to as long as she could. She'd been allowed to ride in the incredibly small ambulance that was already full to capacity. She didn't want to be in the way and was cramped against a back corner, holding on to Anna's stretcher. She'd had to let go when the paramedic was dispensing the shock.

Elsie turned to look at the other occupant, and a sensation of scorn and hatred overcame her. She was a Christian, and a compassionate person, and she knew God would condemn her for such thoughts, but she couldn't help it. Vera had caused this harm to her little girl. She shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the same transport, no matter how delicate she was herself. She too was shot, and she was just as critical. Anna had commanded more attention when she'd had her cardiac arrest, but from what the paramedic was communicating back to the Hospital, she was faring no better.

It had been a disaster when she and Charles made it all the way back to the tarmac. The first image that assaulted her mind was that of Anna, lying in a pool of blood, and a frantic lady, which they now knew was Phyllis, keeping her from going unconscious. Apparently, there had been a gun and Mr. Bates and his wife had tussled for it after Vera shot Anna. He had not known she was injured, it seemed, as the wail he let out when he dragged himself over to her body was spine-chilling. He had been shot too, but less critically on his inner thigh.

All three of them were trying to keep her awake, but she wasn't saying anything. She was nearing a state of shock.

"Oh, God. Anna, darling… Don't leave me," Mr. Bates cried as he cupped her chin. "We are going to be so happy together. We'll be married, you and I, and we'll have babies and we'll run this business and we will go to so many amazing places together." He kissed her gently, and Elsie could have sworn that even when she didn't respond, she saw a faint smile on her little girl's lips.

Elsie's heart was breaking. "Fight this, Anna. Your parents don't want you to join them just yet. You still have so much to accomplish."

"Love, You are still very much needed, by all of us. Please hang on," added a morose Charles. He was less emotional than Mr. Bates and her, but Elsie knew that her husband was in shock himself and that he was being strong for all of them.

With all three of Anna's most loved people tending to her, Phyllis had moved away to check on Vera. Vera was hit in the abdomen, whereas Anna's injury was on her left hand side. There was no danger that Vera could rally from this injury and be a danger to all of them. Just in case, Phyllis kicked the weapon clear away, where it couldn't be reached, then sat down to administer pressure to Vera's wound. It wouldn't have been right, leaving her to die alone, no matter what she had done.

In all, it took ten minutes, from when both Elsie and Phyllis contacted emergency services for the first police units to arrive. They swarmed the tarmac, led by the path that Elsie and Charles had made, and with so many people about, and an undetermined shooter, there was much confusion and yelling. Since Phyllis had mentioned the perpetrator was still at the scene, their initial instincts were not to trust anybody. "Get on the floor", the police yelled. Phyllis did as she was told and she casually noticed that Elsie and Charles had done so too. Mr. Bates would not let go of Anna, defying their order. Amidst the chaos, he was targeted as prime suspect. They hadn't even noticed his leg bleeding profusely.

"It's her," yelled Phyllis, barely raising her head and pointing at Vera. "I'm the one who called. I saw it all happen. This is the shooter. The rest are innocent." Her words took the pressure off John who still had Anna ensconced within his arms. The police turned away from him and towards Vera, who lay in her own pool of blood, unconscious. Unlike Anna, she didn't have the period of lucidity where she could make any last comments. Phyllis would have helped just the same, but in the end, Vera just lay quietly. At one point, Phyllis realized that her breathing had become shallower.

They believed her, thankfully, and they started asking her questions after providing a coat for her to wear. She also pointed at the closed circuit cameras that poked out of the roof, alerting the authorities that the proof of her words, would be found there.

The ambulance arrived immediately after and the two most critical patients were taken first. Elsie begged to join them, and the driver happened to be an old customer of theirs who allowed it. The police were at first reluctant, but they let her go given the gravity of the situation. They agreed to get her statement at the hospital. And now, finally, twelve minutes later, the back doors of the vehicle were swung open and a multitude of nurses and doctors surrounded them. Anna was still alive and that was a blessing.

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John had never been so miserable in all his life. He couldn't believe Anna had been hit and he hadn't been aware. He could have been with her sooner. He felt responsible for her injury too. He should have known Vera was still a threat and he shouldn't have let down his guard.

Bless Phyllis for trying, though. She felt so guilty herself, not having had a better plan, and not having fully incapacitated Vera when she'd had the chance. He didn't want her feeling guilty for any of it. She had been brave, with no reason to put herself in danger, and she had taken action. He would be eternally grateful, regardless of the outcome.

"So, you say that the shooter is your wife, and the other victim is your girlfriend?" The inspector taking notes was making inferences which John preferred he didn't. A paramedic was also working on stabilizing his leg for transport to the hospital. All he really wanted was to be there already, near her, and to know she was ok. "Your wife, then, surprised you with your," the man coughed, "woman", and reacted to the situation?"

John tried to temper his reaction. The rage was building within, that this man would dare called the woman he loved, "woman," but anger wouldn't help now. "No. Not exactly," he answered with emphasis. "My soon to be ex-wife, is a fugitive. Look up her name, Vera Bates, in your database. She surprised me and Ms. Smith, as we intended to take a leisurely ride in my helicopter. She was seeking my help to flee the United Kingdom to avoid prosecution, and I refused until she threatened to harm Ms. Smith."

The rest of the interview and the drive to the airport was a blur. Thankfully, the paramedic insisted to the investigator he needed to cut short the questions, for the sake of his charge's health. Phyllis remained on the scene, promising to contact Robert and get things taken care when the police were finished with their investigation within the space.

As he was wheeled into the A&E, he strained his neck, looking for his beloved. It couldn't have been more than 20 minutes from when he last saw her.

"Miss, please." He reached for a nurse's arm as he was being wheeled down a hallway. "Two women were brought in with bullet wounds. How are they?" He only really cared about Anna.

She looked at him with sympathy. "I'm sorry, love. I can't tell you unless your family." The attendant that had him started to move the stretcher forward, indicating the end of the conversation. As much as he hated to invoke Vera, he would, if it meant gaining more information.

"My wife is one of them and the other is a close friend," he added with desperation.

"I don't know one from the other, or their names, love. I wouldn't want to give you wrong information." She appeared to know more than she was saying.

"Mr. Bates, we need to get you into surgery too," offered the young man. "We must really move along and allow the A&E team to clear you."

"Please, tell me something. I can't go to surgery without knowing." His voice was close to begging.

With regret in her voice, the nurse issued the most agonizing words he had ever heard. "One of them died, love. I'm so sorry….but, I don't know which."

He felt as if a million pieces of glass had invaded his body, traversing through the blood supply and shredding every bit of his veins and heart. Anna or Vera was dead and his life felt worthless now. How had it come to this? He lay back in a state of shock, caring not what happened with his leg. They could cut it off for all he cared.

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John woke several hours later in a post-operative recovery room. His throat felt scratchy. He imagined it was from the intubation necessary during his procedure. His leg was elevated and he felt the pain, but it was nothing in comparison to what he had suffered nearly two decades ago. The sterile area reminded him of that time, so long ago - curtains and bed sheets, and the smell of strong antiseptic. The only difference was the splashes of color. He caught a bit of pink when a nurse walked by. Before, they'd worn all white, except for the occasional military fatigue underneath. This was a welcome change.

He felt nauseous, the side effects of the waning anesthesia making their presence known. He remembered that too, always feeling half awake and not knowing what was really going on. He sighed. He supposed he would lie here and wait for the truth to reach him. As desperate as he was to find out the truth before his procedure, he would rather not find out now. As long as he could live in blissful ignorance, it would be better. If he didn't find out the truth, Anna would be safe, and fine and not possibly dead. He could remember their times together with joy for just a while longer.

As the minutes ticked by, he felt himself losing touch. He didn't know how long he had been awake. It could have been only a few minutes, but if somebody had told him it had been an hour, or more, he would have believed that too. He was so out of it, that he thought he heard voices surround him. It was entirely possible, since this was not a private recuperation ward. The gap between both ends of the curtains affirmed him the slight view of an empty bed in front of him. There must be people to the sides too. The voices seemed familiar. There was crying.

Where was Robert? In the moments previous to his surgery, he had provided Robert Crawley's name as the person who could make medical decisions on his behalf and in the absence of family, visitation. Legally, it should have been Vera, but with her incapacitated, or maybe even dead, an alternate person was needed. As if on cue, a salt and pepper head peaked through the curtains.

"Oh my God, John. I'm so happy you're alive." He dashed the few steps until he was standing above his bed-ridden friend. In an awkward move, Robert, visibly shaken, attempted a hug maneuver. He bent his body all the way down, smothering John in the process. Robert couldn't contain his delight.

"Thank you for coming," was all that John could reply. John couldn't even face him. He kept his eyes downcast. The idea that Robert might have the knowledge that would plunge him into despair, or provide relief, weighed heavy on his heart.

"John, it's incredible really. When Phyllis phoned me, I couldn't believe it. I knew Vera was vindictive, but I never thought she was capable of this."

"I've been telling you for years," was John's curt answer. The emotions within him were threatening to bubble to the service. Could he have prevented this? Anticipated she wouldn't let it end with her in jail? Should he have stayed away from Bates Airlift and Anna, until they knew she was captured? So many questions plagued his mind.

"Well, it's over now. She can't hurt you anymore."

John looked up with fear in his eyes. Did Robert say what he thought he did? "What do you mean, Robert?" he asked just to be sure.

Robert realized from John's curious face, that he may not be aware of all that transpired. "Oh, dear. Has no one told you?"

"When I asked, I was told one of the two died, but they didn't elaborate. Are you telling me Anna is still alive?" There was hope in his eyes.

Robert clasped John's hand, careful not to disturb the IV drip attached to it.

"She's alive mate. She is still critical, but she survived her surgery. At least that was what Mr. Carson told me in the waiting room."

John felt the weight of the massive rock on his chest had lightened up slightly. He wouldn't feel completely relieved until Anna was well again, but the knowledge that she was not dead and fighting to stay alive gave him his first real happy thought since the whole ordeal began. He couldn't stop the tears from coming fully at that point.

Embarrassed to cry in front of Robert, he tried to wipe the tears, but the simple task was a challenge with all of the tubes he was connected to.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't be crying." When he focused on Robert, who hadn't said anything, he realized his friend was just as emotional.

"It's a dreadful situation John. Anna is such a beautiful person. We are all affected by it. Mary and Cora are in the waiting room. Over the last several hours, they've cried countless times with Mrs. Carson, but, John... she's fighting and if there is any consolation at all over Vera's death is that she is finally at peace."

Vera dead. Of course, if Anna was alive, then Vera was dead. Was he sorry? He was sorry that she lived such a life full of hatred. It didn't have to be like that. He was glad it was over for all of them. Robert was right. Maybe this was better for her. If she couldn't reconcile the fact that Callum was dead, maybe joining him in the afterlife, if it existed, was better for her. But he didn't want to dwell on that anymore.

"I want to see her, Robert. Where is she?" He tried to sit up, feeling slightly better. The nausea was subsiding.

"In the morgue, I would imagine."

John rolled his eyes. "Anna. She's the one I want to see."

"Oh. Right." He gathered his wits after his mistake. "I do believe she is in this same recovery ward. Mr. and Mrs. Carson were just allowed to come see her. When they left, I was allowed to come see you."

John collected his thoughts. Were those the voices and crying he heard? It sounded so close.

"Robert, kindly look at the next bed," he pointed to the right. "I heard movement about half an hour ago. Please tell me that's Anna."

Robert appeared embarrassed at the request, prowling on other patients not a seemly task to be asked, but John's nonverbal imploration motivated him to peak around the enclosure.

Although he couldn't see Robert's face completely, there was a hint of astonishment in his features.

"Robert, is it her?" He was impatient. Why wouldn't he just say if it was?

"It is, John." Robert appeared vexed.

His darling had been next to him all along. How much wasted time. "Then, open the curtain, please. I want to see her." The curtain's track allowed for it to be pushed all the way back, eliminating the virtual wall between them.

"She's in a delicate state. She still has breathing tubes and is hooked up to a machine. Maybe it would be better if you waited until she was better?" Robert wasn't very good at hiding his emotions. He looked extremely preoccupied.

"No, Robert. I want to see her. Please…." After his begging, he decided to change his tone to more of a threat. Robert wasn't taking the action he so desired. "Don't make me get out of bed to do it myself, because I will once you leave."

Robert's brow furrowed. Without saying anything else, he moved the curtain to the side, revealing a bed just like his. His friend was right. There were machines he didn't have, still hooked up to her. He could see she had a monitor for her heart, and he couldn't recognize the others. She was hauntingly beautiful, as always, but extremely pale. Deadly white, even. He lifted his head and upper body as much as he could to get a better picture of her. He couldn't see anything, though, as she was covered from the neck down.

Still weak, the effort he made to hoist himself up could only last a few minutes. Exhausted, he had to lie back down. As he struggled to regain his wits, the emotion of the moment overcame him. Seeing her in that state brought all the worry back. He covered his eye with his hand, reflecting on the tragedy of the last 12 hours. How did this all happen? How did one get from such a happy place, to one of such fear? He would gladly trade all of his pain for hers. He would rather be the one in that bed, with her in his, nursing such a minimal wound back to health. He should be the one with the more serious injury. He couldn't understand why life could be so unfair.

He realized just how special she was. "I owe her so much Robert. I only hired a private detective, and look at me now, almost six months later. In love with a most amazing woman, who has given me so much of herself, and who paved the way so that I could be free of all the chains that kept me subdued. I don't know w here I would be without her." The emotion in his words was evident. He could hardly hold back his tears.

Robert's brow furrowed one more time. John was slightly taken aback. Robert's reaction to his words was not aligned with his warm characterization of her. John mistook the emotion for something else, perhaps doubt. Robert's mind, though, was occupied by other thoughts. He had a confession to make.

Before John could ask, Robert came forward himself. "My friend, there is something else you must know. Anna wanted to find a way to tell you, but she didn't know how. I am going to tell you now because she cannot speak for herself and in this situation, you should know the extent of everything she's done for you….."

John was intrigued. What could have Anna kept from him that Robert would know about? "What is it?" he asked with trepidation.

"Crawley Investors is really 78% Anna and 22% me. She's the one that provided the majority of the money to save Bates Airlift, John. I did as much as I could, but it was not enough. Everything was her idea, her money, and her driving force." As John's eyes opened fully to the realization, Robert added, "Now you know."

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They were moved to a room on the critical care ward. He had begged, as had Robert, that they be placed together. The hospital didn't agree initially, stating that his wounds were not as critical as hers and they did not require the same level of monitoring. He would likely only need one or two more days of hospitalization, but she would need more, especially since she was still unconscious. Who knows what convinced them to agree, but once they were amenable, they did state that the final decision would have to come from her family. Elsie and Charles had to consent, since he wasn't a relation. At first he didn't think they would approve, since his position with them before this incident was not a good one, and he imagined that putting Anna in harm's way had made their opinion of him even worse. He couldn't believe when they surprisingly agreed, and he surmised that Elsie Carson's gentle and kind demeanor had much to do with it. He was further astonished when on their first visit to their joint room, Charles Carson came up to his bed. He was stoic and reserved, but his words were clear enough.

"I believe that by you being here, my little girl will benefit. She loves you. All I want is for her to be well and happy. If that path leads to you, I will be happy for the both of you." After these words, his reserve broke and his voice wobbled. "Please John, talk to her. Give her the will to continue fighting."

John's heart almost broke when he heard those words. God, he wished he could perform a miracle. By now, he knew that she was in a coma and his words had so far provided no effect. Vera's bullet had pierced her lower left side, traveling at an angle, going through her intestines, destroying her left ovary, and coming to stop slightly above, where the external Iliac artery reached. It had been punctured and it was the reason she lost a lot of blood. He discovered that she'd had cardiac arrest in the ambulance too. The doctors said that if she woke, she would have limited ability to have children, with only one working ovary, but that it wasn't impossible. She could live a full life. Her digestive system would recover. Her body had been through shock, though, and as a protection, her brain had commanded she be in a coma. An elusive and moody organ, it was up to it, to determine when and how she would get better.

The doctors told him his leg would heal nicely, since the bullet had not damaged any bone or any of the components of his replacement hip. Being a corpulent man had saved him, as the muscles and fat of his leg had slowed the path of the projectile. At most, he would be sore and need to walk with a cane until his muscles strengthened. That seemed too easy in light of what Anna would have to go through. He was thankful, though. It meant he could be available to support her recuperation, not needing any extensive cures of his own.

Their first day in the shared room was emotionally draining. Visitors were allowed in for two hours in the morning. Besides the Carsons, there were others who came. A distraught Mary wept, while Matthew held her. Matthew took advantage to brief him. Now he was a widower, his divorce proceedings would be interrupted. John hadn't even thought of that. Instead of divorcee, he had the new title of widower. Matthew would need to verify if Vera had a will. If she didn't, by law, he would inherit all of her holdings. Robert escorted Cora in. She too cried when seeing Anna so helpless. They were followed by Sybil and Edith. Neither knew of John and Anna's relationship, it having been kept quiet by their parents and Mary. They were speechless during their visit. John wondered if his presence or their newfound knowledge of the relationship was what rendered them unusually quiet.

Phyllis asked to be allowed a visit, and John was more than happy to oblige. He had a soft place in his heart for the reclusive woman whom he'd helped years ago. She was one of his first rescues. He also took a bet on her when he brought her to work at Bates Airlift for him and had never once had reason to regret that decision.

She came in the early afternoon, during the later visiting hours. She was shy, as she entered the room. Her haggard looks also reflected just how harrowing this ordeal had been on her too. It hadn't been 24 hours yet since the incident, and she looked like she hadn't slept at all during that time.

"Mr. Bates," she exclaimed. There was relief in her eyes that she should see him so well. Since his bed was first, and Anna's was ensconced further into the room, Phyllis had not seen Anna yet. That relief turned to obvious grief when she looked upon Anna and the myriad of machines that she was hooked up to.

His simple greeting of "Phyllis," was pronounced with his gratitude evident in the pronunciation. "Thank you for what you did," he added a few seconds later, when he realized that looking at Anna so intently was making her emotional.

"I did nothing but make things worse," she added without looking at him in the eye. "Anna was shot because I made Vera stumble. If I hadn't done that, she'd still be well." She was standing at the foot of is bed, hardly able to move, her guilt overpowering her.

John did not believe that at all. "Vera was pointing the gun directly at Anna's head. She was about to shoot us. If she had achieved her goal, we wouldn't be here. Even though she's injured, she's alive now, Phyllis, thanks to you."

His spin on the situation brought a faint smile to the woman's lips. "I hope she gets well," she demurely added. She wasn't entirely sure she should believe him, but she was comforted that he didn't hate her.

"Me too," John added. He felt he couldn't say more. Nobody outside of the Crawleys knew of their relationship.

"You know, I was with her while she was still conscious." Phyllis came close to his bedside. She wouldn't reveal her role as incognitohelper, but she had a message to give him.

At this news, his face reflected that he seemed eager to get more information. "Did she suffer much?"

"Yes. She was in pain at first, but then she calmed down. Her thoughts were for you and for her parents."

His agony was extended again. In the middle of her pain, Anna had thought of him. He felt so unworthy of such a marvelous woman.

"I've already shared with the Carson's what she wanted them to know, and if you'll allow me, I'll tell you."

He nodded slowly, since the knot in his throat was not allowing him to speak.

"She wanted you to know that she loved you and that you made her very happy."

John nearly choked, unable to swallow. A million butterfly wings fluttered inside him, raising him up to the highest level of love he could imagine. His Anna was so kind and brave. She'd shared this when she thought her life was ending, wanting him to still have a piece of her when she was gone- one last eternal thought to comfort him and get him through the misery. It did in a way, but it also made him fall harder. From his momentary high, came the interminable spiral downwards. It was a long way down from the plateau he had reached. It hurt so much more when he reached rock bottom. The butterflies disappeared, replaced by an incessant stabbing sensation in his heart.

He turned to face Phyllis who could read his anguish perfectly.

"I've never loved anyone the way I love her," he said emphatically. It was time for him to be brave too and for the world to know. "I know not why you were still in the office and why you chose to help us, but I thank God you were there and that you witnessed it all. It could have been so different for all of us." They could all be dead or the police could have blamed him for Vera's death. He reached out his hand to clutch hers. "You'll do me one last favor, please. I don't know what the team knows or what you've said so far….."

She quickly interceded. "The police where there all night, questioning me and making sense of what happened. I called Robert and Anthony. Robert came to the hospital to see about you and Anthony made his way to the compound to help me manage and not stay alone. We also located Tom and he came immediately to inspect the helicopters for damage and help put up boards at the entrance where the Carson's and the police broke through to get to you. After the police were finished, we cleared the blood, since we had a large oil run this morning and didn't want our customers or the team to see that. The team asked questions, but I only said that Vera had us all as hostages and that I wasn't allowed to say more. They were shocked for sure. Anthony and Michael took charge this morning when the others arrived."

He was pleased to have such a responsive and reliable team.

"Thank you." He squeezed her hand. "This is what I want you to do."

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"Did we do the right thing by letting him share a room with her?" Elsie was racked with nerves. "He's not well right now," she added.

Elsie hadn't left the hospital since she arrived by ambulance with Anna. She'd had dozens of offers to go home and get cleaned up, but she had persisted in her desire to stay. She'd only consented to change out of the bloody outfit into something else when Robert's lovely wife Cora had brought her something size appropriate and comfortable. She wouldn't leave until she knew that Anna was no longer in the critical care unit. Once she was downgraded, she could spend most of the day in the room with her, making sure she was well looked after. Then she could relax.

"Yes, I believe so. If she wakes, she won't be scared with him around…..and, if she gets worse," and he had to stop himself from saying or implying anything else by that, "she'll not be alone, whatever happens."

Elsie couldn't imagine the turnaround her husband had experienced. The shock of seeing her lying on the floor had scarred him, and watching how Mr. Bates had dragged himself, even with an injury of his own, to be beside her, helped soften him up.

Just earlier, they had been at her side for over an hour. As her room companion, Mr. Bates was there and observing their every reaction. They'd already been in there once, when they'd implored him to talk to her. He tried to be stoic as he heard Elsie's pleas to her girl, but his struggle was evident when he suggested they spread the curtain if they desired more privacy. He offered it genuinely for their sake, since to them he was a stranger and they might be more comfortable alone, but a part of him realized the offer was also very self-serving. He didn't want them to see him cry and he was about to start. The catalyst for finally starting was when Charles reached over into his bed and put his hand on his shoulders, addressing him and answering his question.

"No privacy is needed, since we all have the same love for her and the same desire to see her better. We are a family now, and we will support each other in this."

John reached out to take Charles' hand. He could barely get any words out. "Thank You," was what he started with, but he ended with, "I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen." By that point, he could no longer contain himself and the tears streamed down his face. He hadn't apologized for putting Anna in harm's way, and it was the appropriate thing to do now that they were face to face again. It was easier said than done. Whatever was the proper way to convey such words? … And could they ever liberate him of these feelings of guilt?

Elsie rushed to his other side when she saw his emotion and Charles shushed him. "It is not necessary Mr. Bates." He added warmly. "It wasn't you that did this."

"I love her," John added, not convinced that he didn't share the burden of guilt. "…..and I intend to do right by her. Whatever happens, I'll be right here."

"We know, darling," Elsie added. "We have no doubt."

Elsie was so proud of her man for having the courage to change his ways and speak from the heart. Now, they were sitting, together, with his large fingers enveloped between her two small hands. They looked at the others who were still there. Mary had left and come back, and was always accompanied by another member of the Crawley family. They took turns covering the pub so that Robert and she could be there as long as they could, yet they couldn't afford the luxury of shutting down their business, no matter how much they wanted too. Phyllis was very kind too. They discovered this when they had the opportunity to see her again. She was in there visiting them now.

Elsie sighed, resigned to spend another night sitting in the waiting room and that was still hours away. She laid her head against Charles' chest as he leaned against the only comfortable two seater sofa in the room. They were both prepared to wait as long as it took.

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Joe hadn't received a response from Ms. Baxter since yesterday and that had bothered him greatly. He knew she wasn't even online, able as he was to view zero server activity from her IP address network. It was a possibility that she had disappeared into cyber world again, having redone her elaborate veil of network connections to elude him, but Joe had the sensation that this was not it. When Anna didn't respond to any of his texts, he felt certain something was happening. He finally reached Charles by mid-afternoon and he'd heard the dreadful news. He didn't know how he hadn't figured it out sooner on his own, but he hadn't been tracking Vera, or Anna, or the Carson's to know what they had been up to. He hadn't even read or seen the news, for if he had, we would have seen the item regarding the shooting at the Bates Airlift compound. Gun violence was not common in their part of the world, and when it did happen, it was newsworthy.

He was torn. Anna was in the hospital, critically wounded. This deserved a visit, but that meant that he would have to leave his house, something he didn't want to do, and normally never did. He started to feel his anxiety well up within him. This was his sanctuary where he could avoid people and the thought that if he ventured out, he might have to deal with them, vexed him completely. This was an extreme situation, though. He ran his hands through his thinning hair. Oh, what to do? Anna deserved his effort. Maybe Miss Baxter would be there.

An hour later, he was sitting in his father's late model Fiat, being shuttled to the York hospital. He didn't know how to drive, requiring his father's help. Mr. Molesley was shocked to get the request from his son, and obliged immediately, even putting together a festive and bright bouquet for the wonderful Anna he had heard so much about. She must be something special to get his son out of the house.

"I'll be around, so don't worry about me. Take as long as you like," offered the gentle older man, as Joe emerged from the car. He made his way timeously through the sliding doors. It was cool inside. That would be helpful, as he felt himself beginning to sweat. The information desk lady was kind enough to direct him when he had mustered enough courage to ask her of Anna's whereabouts. It wasn't too far and he read the signs for every corner he encountered twice, to make sure he was heading in the right direction. Even with the cool air coming out of the overhead vents, moisture accumulated on his brow. The sweat beads were coming down his temple. He rubbed his head against the sleeves of his jumper when he found what he was looking for. The waiting room was before him.

He pulled the door open and noticed groups of people. Different types, all with the same worried faces. Mostly strangers, all currently joined in a brotherhood of grief. He shouldn't worry about any of them. They were too mired in their problems to notice him and that made him feel better. At the far end, there was a couple that could only be the Carsons. They had never met, all of their transactions having always been handled via telephone, but he would recognize them anywhere. He had seen all of Anna's pictures and those of them in their own personal files.

He locked eyes with Elsie as he approached them. She had a peaceful aura, even if they were currently full of worry and sorrow. She was very much the mother figure he imagined she would be. "Elsie?" he asked sheepishly when he was standing in front.

He saw both of their eyes widen with surprise. They'd obviously recognized his voice. "Joe?" they asked as they stood.

He nodded. "How is she?" he asked.

"The same as before. There has been no change since the surgery. All of her vital signs are stable, but she is still unconscious." Elsie's demeanor was wistful.

"I brought her these," he explained as he put forth his beautiful bouquet. His father really had outdone himself. All the blooms were in their prime and full of color.

"Oh, they are so lovely. These will definitely cheer her up as soon as she's awake," she offered with appreciation.

Charles took them from the young man. "Visiting hours are over," he explained. "Phyllis Baxter from the office is there now, utilizing the last 15 minutes available for today." She looked at the clock on the wall. "It's 5 past 5. I am sure she's on her way back now."

He hadn't expected that he would be able to see Anna, but he had hoped. Charles' words, then, wounded him severely. He had made such an effort to come. "I thought I read that they allowed visitors until 7pm?" he asked as stoically as possible.

"Yes, but that will be when she is out of critical care and on another floor. Until then, we are limited to only a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon. It has been explained to us that it would be too taxing on their caregivers to sort out all of the people when she is still so very ill and in need of very close monitoring."

"Of course," he answered. He understood now where his confusion lay. If he hadn't taken so long to make up his mind about coming, maybe he would have arrived on time.

"There she is now," Charles gestured and Joe turned around. "Phyllis, this is our family friend, Joe Molesley." Charles couldn't really call him a business associate and have everybody ask them what he and Elsie did for a living. He was aware that Anna suspected Phyllis of being the incognito tweeter and the person who had sent the anonymous notes, which meant that Phyllis might know more than she led on, but this was not the time, nor the place to figure out who was involved in what. The fact that Phyllis was present during the shooting almost cemented his idea that she was exactly who Anna thought she was. He also had no way of knowing that Joe and Phyllis had already learned of each other and had established their own professional rapport. Thus, he was oblivious to the stunned faces each one flashed momentarily before composing themselves and appearing both proper and ambivalent.

"Mr. Molesley, pleased to meet you," interjected Phyllis first as she offered him her hand. She would have never guessed she would ever meet her cyber friend, and least of all in a hospital waiting room. He seemed just as nervous as she was; sweating even. He was average height and a bit lanky. The poor man was slightly mismatched in his clothing which usually happened with the computer expert type. He wasn't too handsome either, but that didn't matter to her at all. The previous man in her life had been devilishly good looking and it did her no good. But why was she even assessing his looks? She could care less about men, and Mr. Molesley was just a new friend who had shown much promise in helping her achieve her hobby goals. She concentrated at the introductions instead.

"Likewise, Miss Baxter." Joe fumbled for anything else to say, but failed. Instead, he paid attention to her deep dark eyes. She was pretty in a soulful kind of way. Not like Anna, whose blond hair was spun from the sun's rays and whose eyes were plucked from the blue of the ocean's depths. But, Phyllis had a calming effect on him. Her black hair was practical and pulled back to a loose bun. She was soft, all around, even if she was wearing black clothes that looked a bit harsh on her. Her smile was simple and sufficient for him. He had to agree that he liked what he saw, very much.

Phyllis imagined that if they were both behind a computer screen, they would be already typing away furiously, hashing together a conversation and solving all of the problems they had taken on. In person, both of them were clueless and could not figure out how to move on from there. This, in part, because they had witnesses. Elsie and Charles looked on.

Elsie in her infinite wisdom saved them both from more awkwardness. "Is there any news, dear?"

"No, Mrs. Carson," acknowledged a grateful Phyllis. "Anna is the same, but I spoke to Mr. Bates. He's well."

Charles sighed. "No news is good news, right?"

0-0-0-0-0-0

As the evening dawned, John worried. His leg was still elevated and he couldn't get close to her, not like he wanted. In between visitors and in the hours where there weren't any, he'd called out to her from his bed, since it was the only thing he could do. He was close enough that she might hear him, but he doubted she would. "Anna, darling, wake up," he'd say as loving as possible. "Anna, my love. I'm right here. Come back to me." The low pings of her heart machine and the constant noise of the ventilator would drown him out. He'd observed how the doctors and nurses would poke and prod her to no avail. She was stable, yet unresponsive. Towards the evening, they decided to take her off breathing support. They said it was normal and that she could breathe on her own. He held his own respiration the whole time. As predicted, she was fine. The doctors said it was a good sign and he breathed a sigh of relief.

They had also made him stand for five minutes, as part of his own recuperation. All his intravenous drips were removed too. This was less painful than what he had survived almost 19 years ago, but it was agony nonetheless. His entire leg seized up, his muscles failing to support his body. He braved through it because he had a mission. When finished, he slid back into bed as instructed, but as soon as his rehabilitation team left, he got back out on his two feet.

He had studied the layout of the room. The beds were parallel to each other. Now that the breathing machine was gone, there was only a small utilitarian cabinet separating the two beds. The rest of her vital connections were on the other side. It was a fabulous discovery. All he had to do was move the metallic cabinet out of the way, and then he could push his bed closer to hers, allowing for freer conversation. He reckoned the nurses wouldn't like that, but he had to try. If he managed the right angle, they might even let him keep it.

He stood on one leg and hopped the few steps to the offending piece of furniture. It looked as if it was heavy, but it was lighter than he thought. It screeched, though, when he tugged at it and pulled it towards him. Every few inches, he needed to stand on his injured leg to gain his balance and master the remaining space. Those few instances made him bend across the cabinet in pain, but he muddled through until it was out of his way. He was already feeling woozy from the strain of his efforts when he reached his next challenge. He found the breaks on the wheels and unclasped them to make his bed mobile. The easiest way, he surmised, was to turn around, and push with his back against the side of the top of his bed. HE held on to the railing with one hand and the mattress with the other, and with his one good leg, pushed. The force was just enough to make it budge. He only concentrated on the top part, since his desire was to form a sort of "V" where their heads would be together, even if their legs were pointing in opposite directions. He couldn't block access to her completely, lest she need immediate attention from both of her sides. It would be enough for her care team to access her.

It was an odd formation, but it pleased him greatly to be so much closer. He crawled back into bed exhausted. It was amazing how one medical incident could drain him of so much energy. After breathing in and resting for a few minutes, he inched up as far to the top corner as he could, where their beds met. He managed to shift on his side so that he could have a better view. He reached out to touch her hand.

He was unprepared for the emotions that overran his heart the moment he touched her. She was so cold. That spark of heat was missing, her brightness and aura greatly diminished, if in existence at all. Tears came to his eyes. He felt ill, his heart in pain. He had so much he wanted to say and he felt tongue tied. What should he start with? How much he loved her? How he was sorry his mad wife had done this to her? He was gentle as he ran his hands up and down her arms. She should feel him. Maybe that would help.

"Anna, love. It's me. John…..or, …Mr. Bates if you prefer to call me that. I'm right here, next to you. You've been hurt, but the doctor says you will be fine just as long as you wake up." He traced his hand up her clavicle and shoulder, rubbing very gently. His caress was very slight and loving.

"You're sleeping right now, and that is fine, because you need your rest to get better. Sleep if that is what you need, but, darling, do come back to me. I'm a weak man and a fearful man. I don't know how to go on without you." His voice was thick with emotion. "I need you. Now that you are a part of my life, I can't imagine you not walking by my side. We'll have a glorious life together. Can you imagine it?" His hand had made its way up her neck and under her jaw and he was grazing her skin, hoping it would stimulate her to wake up. "It will be just the two of us for a while. I want to marry you and travel with you. With Maggie, can you imagine all the places we can go to? Anyplace you've ever wanted to visit, I will take you. And we'll be so happy together. I know this because you already make me so content. We've only been together for a short time, but that is all the time I need to know that I could never be happy with anyone else."

He inclined his body as forward as he could and gained a few inches of additional territory. He was leaning over her, by a few inches. He couldn't reach her lips, as he so desired. If he put too much weight on the top corner of the bed, it would topple, as heavy as he was, and that wouldn't do either of them any good. Still, it was enough that he could cup her face with one hand, while holding her own hand in his other free one.

"Anna, darling. Come back to me. There is still so much that you need to do. And after we've had an opportunity to see the world, we'll have a family." He so wanted this to be true. Her injuries would not make it impossible to have children, as she still had one ovary left, but it would be more challenging. He was getting on in age and that certainly wouldn't help. "Can you imagine a little girl that looks like you, or a little boy that looks like me? They'll be ours, my love, and we'll be so happy that we will never remember that this ever happened to us."

The more he talked, the deeper the pain in his heart. She showed no reaction to his words, none at all. His tears had not ceased as he spoke, and they were now more pronounced.

"Anna, please come back to me."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The façade of Bates Airlift looked like such a train wreck, but according to Ethel, the contractor would be in the office today to retrofit the new glass panels in the entryway. Phyllis was pleased that Anthony had accelerated the process to have this ready immediately. Besides being necessary for their brand image, when Anna and Mr. Bates came back to work, because she firmly believed that they would, she wanted everything to look absolutely normal, like this whole hideous incident had never happened.

Instead of being the first to arrive, as happened most days, she was decidedly late. It was almost 930am. The excuse for her tardiness was dread. She hadn't slept much, for a second day in a row. She hated to do public speaking, but he had asked her and she couldn't refuse. His words had been too kind. She had gone over them in her head at least a dozen times already,

"But… me, Mr. Bates? Shouldn't it be Mr. Crawley, or somebody with more authority?" She was deeply mortified that she should manage this missive.

He looked at her with an adoration that she was not accustomed to. "You, my dear, because nobody would doubt you. You have been nothing but trustworthy and loyal since you came to work for me, and because you were there, and saw and heard it all. They will believe you, and I couldn't imagine a better emissary for Anna and I during this time. You'll know exactly what to say."

She was grateful for his trust, even with everything he knew about her.

And now it was time to act. They were all there now, in the conference room waiting for her to say something. Ethel had gotten them all together, and with so many questions left unanswered about what had happened, she had all of their attention. She was only missing two pilots, Jack and Tony, as they had already started their runs. Although that should have meant a full room, it was still sparse in there, what with Thomas and Richard in jail, Vera dead and both Anna and Mr. Bates in the hospital; it wasn't as full as it used to be.

"So, what's the news?" asked Sarah. "Are you going to tell us what is going on?" Her tone was less demanding and mean than in other occasions. She seemed genuinely concerned.

She nodded and smiled bashfully. "Mr. Bates asked me to speak to you in his name. He has given me permission to explain some aspects of what happened two days ago."

Nobody interrupted her and she explained the bare basics of the situation – Mainly how Vera had come upon Anna and Mr. Bates in the hangar, and how she had tried to extort him into helping her escape. She didn't want to get too detailed in the logistics of this part of the story and she didn't want to explain exactly how she came to be a witness, so, she invented that she had returned to the office because she forgot something and became the unwitting witness to the violence that ensued.

"So, Vera shot them both?" Michael couldn't believe it.

"Vera was being very erratic towards the end. She was threatening Anna specifically, after having bludgeoned her. The gun discharged and actually did hit Anna when we tried to subdue her. Mr. Bates then tried to wrestle the gun away from Vera and both he and she were injured too."

"Is it true that Vera is dead?" James asked with consternation.

"Yes," responded Phyllis. "She died upon arrival to the hospital."

She was glad that bit of information had already leaked, because she would not have liked to be the one to give them the official notification. Only Sarah looked sad.

"But why would Vera want to bludgeon and shoot Anna?" Daisy asked innocently, not worried at all that their owner had just died. The firm's ownership was now in question, but nobody seemed to care. Gwen nodded her head after Daisy spoke, eluding that she had the same question as her friend.

"It's complicated," Phyllis answered. "But I will try to explain." She sipped from a glass of water, all the time wishing it had been something stronger. She could use more encouragement and vodka would have done nicely.

"You know how for years, we've all known that Mr. and Mrs. Bates were not exactly happy? That there marriage was essentially over and that he put up with a lot of questionable behaviors from her?" She could see several people nodding in the room. It had always been painfully obvious to everybody that Vera's actions against her husband were on purpose.

"Ummmm…Vera perpetrated the fraud that landed Mr. Bates in jail. We are more than convinced that she was cuckoo…" Gwen added sarcastically, agreeing with Phyllis and hoping to move the explanation along.

Phyllis nodded in agreement. "For whatever reason that only Mr. Bates knows, Vera wanted to inflict as much hardship on him as she could. Her plan involved landing him in jail, destroying the company he built, and …."She paused without intending to, wanting to be certain of her words. "….. hurting the woman he loved."

There she said it. As she looked across the room, she could discern those who might have understood from those who hadn't. Gwen's eyes widened and she was rendered speechless. The cogs in Sarah's brain were also working and her jaw dropped. Michael had a faraway look, as if he was trying to process the information. Daisy appeared to have no clue of what Phyllis has just implied. Alfred and William had vacant stares. She couldn't tell with Anthony. His expression was unreadable.

"So," Evelyn spoke as he scratched his head. "Are you saying that Anna was targeted because Mr. Bates loved her?"

Phyllis smiled sweetly as a sign of affirmation before continuing. "Mr. Bates would like you all to know that after he started his divorce proceedings from Vera, he and Anna entered into a relationship and even though it's not been long, he and Anna both love each other."

There was a gasp from Gwen, accompanied by a dull worded "What?"

Phyllis imagined Gwen might be the person to be most surprised, as she had seen Anna and the redhead form a solid friendship. No knowledge of this liaison between two people she admired could be hurtful. Gwen definitely appeared dazed. Or maybe Sarah was the most surprised, judging by the aura of dread that came about her. She was whiter than the winter snow.

"Anna and Mr. Bates are together. She helped Matthew Crawley find the evidence that exonerated him and she visited him in jail several times. Although it was not apparent to us, they have formed a strong bond." Phyllis felt elated explaining that.

"Oh my God. How lovely," screeched Daisy. "Mr. Bates has always seemed like such a romantic figure to me and Anna is just so kind. They are perfect together." She appeared genuinely delighted. She could also see some sincere and positive faces from Anthony and Michael. The others appeared ambivalent.

Phyllis smiled at Daisy before continuing. While others might not agree with Daisy's comment, she too believed her boss to be a romantic figure. She always had the sense that he was an old soul from another time; a gallant gentleman from the turn of the century transplanted into the modern world. She also believed that Anna and Mr. Bates made a good match. She'd seen them together and was convinced she was good for him.

"Anna is in a critical condition right now. She survived her surgery and is in a coma. With her, only time will tell. Mr. Bates was also injured, but he should be released from the hospital by tomorrow. His injuries were substantially milder than hers."

"I don't want to sound callous, because I am sorry for what both have been through, but what happens now?" Alfred chimed in. "Who owns Vera's part?...Mr. Bates?"

Tom gave him a look that confirmed the question was indeed callous.

"Yes," added James, not noticing that the question had been frowned upon. "Who is the Manager now? We're losing employees left and right."

"For the time being, Anthony will manage," and she pointed her head in his direction. Anthony nodded, but his countenance was ruled by sorrow.

Phyllis continued. "I cannot tell you what will happen to Vera's part. It will go to whoever was listed in her will, is what I imagine. The lawyers will be sorting it out soon." It was time to tell the team the other interesting bit. She hadn't even been aware of this information that Mr. Bates had shared with her yesterday. With a full breath filling her lungs, she continued. "Mr. Crawley is at the hospital now, seeing to Mr. Bates. If not, he would have been here to tell you something else."

"Oh Lord. Don't tell us there is more!" Sarah interrupted. "I'm still not over the last part."

Anthony's facial expressions demonstrated the same nerves that Sarah had shone, but he was more reserved. He said nothing.

"Yes, there is…" Using a stronger voice, she emphasized, "Anna is the majority owner of the part Mr. Bates sold, not Mr. Crawley, and she has been fooling us all along."

"Blimey!" uttered a stoic Anthony.

"Blimey indeed," responded Phyllis. "She did this out of love for him. Mr. Bates would like us all to afford Anna the respect that she deserves, because she is the one who saved this company from Thomas and Vera and if it wasn't for her, none of us might still be here."

This time, there were no quick comments or questions. Silence governed the room, as everybody digested what Phyllis had just shared. Phyllis imagined that they were all wondering how somebody as young as Anna could have the funds to buy into such ownership. Phyllis wondered about that too, even though in her background check on Anna, she was aware that as an orphan, she would have inherited her father's wealth.

Tom finally broke the silence a moment later. "She already had my respect," he offered, "but now she has my admiration." He had been largely quiet during the proceeding. Having been called upon by Anthony and Phyllis to come help restore the compound to adequate operability after the attack, he had been devastated to see the large pools of blood on the tarmac. He had done his duty, but wept internally for the beautiful young lady who had done nothing but good things since she arrived. Her latest stunt landed him a date with lovely Sybil whom he was already pining for. All of this happening no less than two months ago from when Anna had been attacked by Richard Carlisle. How unfortunate, he believed, that bad things happened to good people.

"I second that," added Alfred.

Phyllis was pleased that the conversation had gone well, albeit the shocked faces that still struggled to grapple all of the news.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"What on earth is this set up, John?" Robert exclaimed when he saw the way the beds in the room were arranged.

They were still in a "V", the way John had moved them the night before.

"This is the set up where I can be closest to Anna without interfering in her medical care. The staff has allowed me to keep it this way because they can still access her."

Matthew was more skeptical. "Are you sure they've allowed it?" he asked as he pulled a chair to set his briefcase upon.

"Yes, they have. They were not happy that I moved it, and I was chastised by the night time nurse, but she had a rather large heart and helped me position the bed to a more appropriate and allowable placement."

"How kind," Robert mused.

"She was. They agree that if I talk to Anna, it might help bring her out of her state, and that is what I have been doing when we are alone." He sat up, careful to cover himself with the bed's blankets. His tiny robe didn't cover nearly as much of his flesh as he'd like.

Matthew smirked, and slightly winked before joining Robert and standing between both beds so that he could see Anna. "How is she?" he asked with sorrow.

"Stable. That is all I am told." He sighed with resignation, but rebounded quickly with more positivism. "That's better than bad, and I will not complain. She's better than when she arrived and her heart is strong."

"We need you back, Anna." Robert whispered close to her ear, but careful not to disturb her. "You've become indispensable to all of us…. And my friend John won't be the same without you."

John was touched at Robert's efforts. Matthew didn't say much, but he too stood by Anna's bed quietly for several minutes.

Matthew reacted and returned to his briefcase. "Listen, we only have a few minutes because the Carson's need to come up here and Mary is waiting her turn, but I felt it necessary to talk to you and Robert together about the situation and you may have some papers to sign.

John acquiesced curiously. "So, tell me."

"When do you want to start the reversal of the ownership now that your divorce is no longer needed?" Matthew was all business.

John ran his hand through his hair. "I've been thinking about that, actually."

"And?" interrupted Robert when John didn't continue with his thoughts on the matter.

"And…..I've decided that I won't reverse."

Robert was sure that he'd heard wrong. "You mean you want to wait until Anna is better?"

"No, Robert. I won't reverse. Not after what's happened." Before anybody could protest, John continued. "The truth is - you opened my eyes. Anna took a great leap of faith for me. She did this to save my company, when I was in jail and things seemed impossible. She's shown such love and trust in this short time, and she's paid a terrible price for it." His passion was seeping through, the tone of his voice increasing as he relayed his reasons. "I couldn't, under any circumstance, reverse the ownership and leave her in the cold."

"Just to be clear, John," Matthew added in a very analytical tone, "Anna, if you reverse, is still part owner, although her stake is much smaller. The same with Robert. You are not cheating her out of anything. You just get back your 35%."

It was evident that John did not agree. His eyes spoke of what he was thinking, words not necessary at the moment.

"Yes, mate. You are not cheating us out of anything. We'll still have our stake." Robert tried to explain. "I think Anna would appreciate if you let her be a part of running the whole operation. That should make her very happy." Robert remembered what really mattered to Anna and he thought John should honor her wishes.

"I think she should continue to run the whole operation. She's done a magnificent job and the current agreement should stand." He turned to look at Matthew. "We don't have to do anything to make it happen, right?"

Before Matthew could answer, Robert interjected again. "But what will you do? You realize that if you don't reverse, you basically have nothing?... Think about it John…. This is your company, essentially, and what you are doing means that it no longer is." With added emphasis, Robert added. "You'll have nothing. Nothing at all."

"Nonsense. My assets should be unfrozen by now." He looked towards Matthew for affirmation.

Matthew nodded in agreement.

"I have the house to sell, my own bank accounts with ample funds, and I have Maggie. There is more than enough money to make an offer and buy the remaining half of the company from whomever Vera had as her heir. I won't be separating myself entirely. We'll end up being partners is all…"

Robert's countenance relaxed when he heard John's explanation, but he was still skeptical.

"Well, actually….." Matthew finally decided to comment on John's plan. "There is still a waiting period to determine if there are any claims on Vera's assets by anybody that can produce a legal will, but, I consulted with her solicitors yesterday. They tell me that Vera had them draw up a will, making sure that you were cut out."

"That's expected," John mused. He wasn't surprised at all. "So, who did she leave everything to?"

Matthew had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He seemed very pleased with himself.

"She never signed it, John. It was meant to bridge the gap while the divorce went through and the date for that had already been settled and was so close to happening that she didn't worry about it anymore and let the matter slide. They wouldn't tell me the contents, but, they agreed that in the absence of a signed copy, and because your divorce appointment was to happen this week, but never took place, the government gives you, her spouse, rights as sole heir."

John appeared as if he had just heard the tallest tale. "What?" he asked after a few seconds. He couldn't fathom that Vera wouldn't have taken this precaution, seeing through her hatred until the very end.

"Essentially John, we wait for six months and if there is no proof of an alternate will, Bates Airlift, the money, and all of her other investments are all yours."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Thomas' face was sore, but he wouldn't go to the doctor's office, lest it be known that he'd been fighting. Richard had landed two good punches on his face before he'd managed to knock the man to the ground. The bruise under his eye was turning purple, and it was impossible to hide, but, as long as he didn't make it official to the prison authorities, there would be no consequences.

Richard was gaunt, a shell of the man he used to be, and now they resided in the same prison. As long as he stuck to his side of the housing block, they would be fine.

He'd been advised he had a visitor, and thinking it was his lawyer, he made his way to the visitation room. Who he encountered instead was Jimmy, and his heart started pounding. They hadn't seen each other since his arrest. He understood that with Jimmy still being in the closet, and their relationship still being on a casual level, it was unlikely he would ever get any support from him. His presence, then, was a shock.

"What happened to your face?" Jimmy asked before Thomas could inquire about his visit.

Thomas thought about lying, but he had nothing to be ashamed of and explained truthfully. "That cretin, Richard Carlisle, thought that because we knew each other from Bates Airlift, we could be friends in here. But….. I don't associate with men of his type."

Jimmy appeared confused. "What type?" he asked as he scowled.

Thomas wouldn't say it because he didn't want to affirm his guilt surrounding the fraud, but he was a criminal with standards. He had endured some abuse as a child, and couldn't condone attacks against women and children. "The type who preys on other people," he added instead. "He attacked Anna, and maybe others. I don't want anything to do with him."

"But you didn't like Anna," stated Jimmy sarcastically.

"Sarah and Vera were the ones who disliked her. I was ambivalent. It's not the same…" He was adamant that the difference be understood. "….. but it doesn't matter. He could have beaten a random anybody and I still wouldn't want anything to do with him."

Thomas wanted to move away from the conversation of him, and before Jimmy could ask anything else, he embarked on his own set of questions. "Enough about me. I'm surprised you are here. I didn't picture you like the visiting type." He was still pleased, though. He liked Jimmy very much.

Jimmy shrugged. He had, in fact, debated with himself over coming for a visit. He wouldn't have, if he were honest, except for Vera having died. Regardless of what happened with Thomas, he was still very fond of the man and with his best friend dead, additional support might be needed.

"I'm here because I thought you could use a friend, now that you've lost one."

Thomas tilted his head, wondering what Jimmy meant by such a phrase. "What do you mean?"

Thomas did not understand and in that moment, Jimmy realized that nobody had bothered to tell him that Vera was gone. He felt incredibly awkward. Communicating the news itself hadn't been within the scope of his visit, but he couldn't avoid it now that he was here.

Jimmy swallowed hard before uttering the words. "Vera died at the compound a couple of days ago. I thought your lawyers would have told you by now."

If he weren't already sitting, Thomas might have fallen to the ground. Vera dead? But how? She should have already made it to Switzerland, where they'd agreed to meet. She should be waiting for him when he was finished with all of this legal mess.

Through the haze of his nebulous thoughts, he heard Jimmy mention something else about Anna and Mr. Bates having been shot too. Vera did that? She once mentioned she'd obtained a gun illegally, but he didn't believe her capable of violence. He didn't believe she would take her revenge that far.

The pain in his heart was too much. He felt a chill run down his body and tears in his eyes threatened to spill over. He covered his eyes so people wouldn't see.

He was sad for her, but he worried most about himself. She was paying for his lawyers, and they were good, among the best in the region. He would probably get less time to serve than if he used the services of his majesty's public defenders. That patronage would likely end. He didn't have enough money now his main bank account had been found and confiscated. He needed to save the rest of his assets so that he could start a new life when he was out of here.

"I'm sorry. I knew how well you two got on, and I guess this complicates your situation even more." Jimmy felt heartbroken for his friend. He hadn't expected to and it surprised him how much compassion he felt. He couldn't just leave him alone and friendless. Thomas wasn't even reacting, as sorrow ridden as he was.

Jimmy reached towards the hand that was left on the table. He put his hand over Thomas' slightly, not wanting to cause a distraction to the other visitors.

Thomas felt the comfort of another human's touch and momentarily uncovered his eyes. Jimmy was looking at him with tenderness he'd never expected to experience in this place. He felt overwhelmed.

"Barrow party - NO TOUCHING!"

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Joe sat in front of his screen, amassing the courage to write Ms. Baxter. She'd caused a good impression on him, and he'd hardly been able to stop thinking about her since he had left the hospital. He still had a soft spot for Anna; he didn't think it would ever subside, but he was more convinced that Anna's love for Mr. Bates made his crush on her a lost cause. He ought to move on and Ms. Baxter seemed lovely. He'd like to get to know more of her, but how? He wasn't keen on leaving his house again for a while.

Should he reach out to her or just let things be? He didn't even have an excuse. Did normal blokes have this problem? Or just cyber geeks like him? He would have to think of something.

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How are you?

Phyllis stared at the screen. What should she respond to Mr. Molesley? Their encounter yesterday had been odd enough.

She should at least respond. She wrote a quick - Tired. What about you?

That was nothing but the truth. She needed a good night's rest. The last 48 hours had been impossible. She was drained mentally and physically.

Happy to have met you. I didn't expect it.

Wow. A jolt of nervous energy traversed her body. That was a kind thing to say, if unexpected, and she felt the same way, if she were honest. He had even used a smiley faced emoji, which was cute. She wondered what would be appropriate for her to answer. She expected she ought to be honest. It would be the easiest way to go about it.

I didn't expect it either. It was nice. She could have added an emoji, but it wasn't her style.

She wondered how they would get onto another topic after this. With the death of Vera, their reason for correspondence ended. Anna no longer had a case to work on, having discovered her identity, and having gotten Mr. Bates out of prison. Joe didn't have any more pending tasks and there really wasn't a reason for them to correspond anymore. They weren't friends either. All they were was cyber acquaintances.

Maybe we could SKYPE some time. I'd love your opinion on cases I am working on. I don't work exclusively for the Carson, you know… and maybe I can help you with some of the work that you do?

A smile formed on her face. She would like that, a lot.

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John felt ill, but it wasn't his wound that was causing the problem. Dr. Clarkson had been around to see him and confirmed his worst nightmare. He would be discharged in the morning. There was no reason for him to remain any longer and his bed in the critical care unit could not continue to be occupied by somebody with non-critical health. He ought to be happy, and under any other circumstance, he would be, but he didn't want to leave. Once he did, he'd be relegated to the two hour, twice a day visiting schedule, and he'd be competing with others for time with her.

Dr. Clarkson had also confirmed that Anna was progressing nicely, she still had a way to go to recover, but all her vital signs were strong and her wounds were healing appropriately. The nurse changed the bandages and bade him a good night. Anna's antibiotics were added to her IV drip, and they wouldn't be coming round unless any of the monitors detected a change in her condition.

This was his last night, and he needed to make it count. If they wouldn't be coming all night, he might take a more assertive approach. He'd been talking to her at all times, but he still felt he was too far for her to hear him. He needed to be beside her; close enough for her to feel his warmth. Close enough that he could hold her and kiss her.

Feeling stronger, he descended from the bed and pushed it so it was now flush against hers. He had kept a towel that had been used to give him a towel bath and it proved helpful as he tied the two legs of the bed together. He intended to lower the rails, eliminating the barriers between them. Even when the bed had brakes, it didn't hurt to make sure the bed didn't shift, dropping him to the ground. When it was all ready, he climbed back up, relieved to have more direct access to her. He inched his way across, and he was pleased that there was enough space on her side for him to occupy a fraction of it. He was cautious, though, as her wound was on the left side and he didn't want to interfere with it. He positioned his pillow next to hers and laid his head on it. He could now start his work.

"Darling, it's me again. I'm supposed to leave tomorrow, but it's not permanent. I'll not have a bed, but I will be downstairs with Elsie and Charles and between the three of us, we'll keep vigil with you as long as it takes. Mary and Robert have been to see you, as well as the rest of the Crawley women. Everybody from the compound sends their best, and we all want to see you better."

His hand sought her arm and he laced his fingers with hers, carefully. She didn't have a drip on that hand, but she still had a needle connection where they delivered certain medications. He massaged her fingers gently, hoping this might stimulate her.

"Robert told me about your investment, love. I know it was you who saved the company. I'm blessed to have you in my life. You know… You've shown more faith in me than anybody else. I couldn't believe that you would do that – that you would risk it all for somebody like me…. I've made so many mistakes in my life and am old and decrepit. You are so full of life, and have such a future ahead of you. You could have done anything with that money, but you chose to save me. I'll not forget that, darling….. You need to get better, because you have a company to run. The portion of Bates Airlift that you currently own will stay yours, and without you, the place cannot operate."

He balanced himself on his elbow so that he could look at her directly in the face. She appeared so peaceful. She was a sleeping angel, or a sleeping princess; like one of the fairytales that little girls loved. She was his sleeping beauty. He sighed. There were so many things he wanted to tell her.

"Anna, love…. I need you too. You must come back to me. I wouldn't know how to live without you anymore. It's impossible….. Jail was a test, and I failed miserably at it. I need you by my side… Vera's gone and I can marry you now. I need you to marry me and make me the happiest man in the world. Will you do that, please?"

He leaned over her, careful not to disturb the rest of her body. Her lips were pail, but he felt the need to kiss her. Didn't the sleeping princess always wake after her true love kissed her? Wasn't true love's kiss the antidote to all evil? It never hurt to try.

His lips touched hers, and it was soft and gentle. They remained joined for at least a minute and still, there was no reaction. He felt butterflies in his stomach, since he was placing so much hope on this touch. He didn't expect her to kiss back, but maybe, if she was listening, she could cause a reaction. He looked up, towards her eyes, expecting a miracle, but saw nothing. The nervous energy within him was sapped away, and it turned into sadness.

Maybe true love's kiss as an antidote only happened in the fairy tales. He was no prince either and maybe that was the problem. Was the universe trying to tell him that she deserved someone else? A better man could have made it work. Reconciled to the idea of his failure, he started to ease himself down again, when he thought he saw the smallest reaction from her. Did her eyelashes flutter? He came back up into the same position. Was he imagining it? He stared at her face again.

"Darling, is that you? Can you hear me?" For several minutes, he repeated those words like a mantra, as he caressed her arms. He lay down again, in a morose mood, when after several minutes, nothing had happened. There wasn't enough light, so, he must have imagined it. He'd have to keep trying in the hours he had left.

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The thoughts came in a jumbled fashion and she could hardly understand them - Snippets of words, then entire sentences. Sometimes it was crying. Still, she couldn't make sense of it. She heard her mum and dad talking to her. They were dead, though. It had been over ten years since she had heard their voices, but she was sure it was them. Was she dreaming? Her God mum Elsie cried, and implored she come back. Pops, with his commanding voice, said the same thing. Come back from where, she didn't know. Was she gone? And then, she heard him, imploring her to not leave him. As if she ever could. Didn't he realize by now that she was lost without him?

She was so confused, and in pain. A heavy weight was pressing down on the left side of her abdomen and she couldn't shift it. She sometimes felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't fight it any longer. The weight was smothering her, but when she felt like giving up and letting the weight drown her, she would hear his voice calling her in the distance. "John, where are you?" she would yell out to him, but he could never hear her. Yet, he continued to talk, so that she could follow his voice and make her way towards him. It helped her in the unending battle with the oppressive weight. She wanted to be rid of it.

She heard him again, but this time it was clearer. He sounded so close – closer than ever before. "Keep talking love," she wanted to say, "I can almost reach you," but the thoughts in her head were not converting to the actions she wanted her brain to take. She was talking, and there were no words being pronounced. He was saying something about being old and decrepit and her running the company. That's right… she owned a company. She had so much to do. And he wasn't old, and certainly not decrepit. He was perfect.

She could feel his warmth. It was radiating inside of her. Her fingers were burning with the heat of him. It was intense, and it produced tingling in her body. Oh how she loved his caress. He was touching her, yet, she still couldn't find him. He was so close, but she felt surrounded by a haze.

What was he saying now? "Love, keep talking. Keep your voice strong. I can't find you if you whisper," she repeated.

She needed to get out of this haze. Did he hear her? She didn't think so. He was saying something about coming back to him and that he couldn't live alone or without her. That was lovely. She felt the same way. Wait…. Did he just say that Vera was gone and that he wanted to marry her? Her heart was filled with happiness, and for a moment, she couldn't feel the damn rock anymore. It lifted and went away. He wanted to marry her, and she wanted to be married to him. That would be perfect….

"Yes", she answered." Can you hear me John, I said yes."

He couldn't hear her. Why? She failed to understand. Why was he so close, yet so far away? It didn't make sense. But then… something changed. The burning sensation moved from her fingers to her mouth. She was on fire again. He was kissing her and she could feel his breath giving her new life. The haze lifted briefly and she saw him. He had that beautiful smile, the one she hadn't seen except when she was with him, and his dark eyes were so expressive. They crinkled when he smiled and they were brighter than she'd ever seen them. God he was lovely and his kiss was wonderful.

An invisible force was moving her forward, pushing her towards him. It was dark and brief, but she saw a flash of her surroundings. Oh, God…. Something was happening. Where was he?

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John woke up with a start. He felt like an idiot. He had only hours to produce a miracle, and he was wasting it on sleep. The clock on the wall ready 3:30am. He breathed a sigh of relief. At most, he'd only been asleep an hour. The nurse would check up on them at 5am before the end of her shift. He still had time to work.

He put himself into his observant position. His head was resting on his elbow and he could see her. It was time to talk to her again.

"Anna darling, it's me. You are going to be fine, love. You just need to wake up." He put his hand on her cheek and caressed it gently. "Won't you come back to me?"

"Yes." It sounded like a gurgle, more than a word, and it was so faint, it almost didn't exist.

John's heart almost stopped. She had her eyes closed, but the word had come from her. He hadn't seen her lips move from the angle he was in. Was he imagining it?

"Anna. Is that you? Are you there?" It was dark in the room, but the glow of the monitors was casting off enough light that he could make out the features of her face if he sat up a little more. If she moved, even a fracture, he would catch it this time.

"Yes," she answered again and her eyes were still closed, and her mouth barely moved, but it was she who answered. He was certain of it.

The intensity of the moment made John emotional and nervous at the same time. The love of his life was responding to him. Was she well? Was she coming back? He cupped her chin gently, even as his fingers shook. "Anna. I love you so much. If you can hear me, can you open your eyes? Can you do that for me?" If she responded again, maybe she would be well.

"Yes," she answered. Her eyes were still not open.

John despaired. A moment ago, his heart almost stopped. Now, he couldn't listen to himself over the noise his beating heart was producing. He had so many doubts as to how he should proceed. Should he call the nurse? He was tempted to, but what if she shut back down again? It would be better if he continued with her, he reasoned. What if it was his only chance? He willed himself to calm down.

He insisted again. "Anna, open your eyes." His voice was gentle, but firm.

He could see fluttering first. Her eyelashes bobbled for a second. She was struggling to do it, but she slowly did. Her eyelids pushed back and her eyes were finally open. They were staring forward, a bit lifeless. Confused and scared, rather. He felt so much more love for her in that moment. She looked so vulnerable. But, was she well? Truly well?

"I'm here, love. I'm right here."

As he spoke, she shifted her eyes until he was sure she could see him. "You don't need to say anything right now, love. You are in the hospital, and you are getting better. We are going to take good care of you."

He was so pleased that she reacted to his voice again. She understood what was around her.

"Yes," she said again, but there was a determination in her eyes. "Yes," she repeated. Her hand rose from its resting place and levitated for a brief moment until John saw it, and clasped it carefully in his own hand.

"Don't exert yourself, darling."

She said something muffled, and he could barely make out the word "you". He was pleased for her progress, but he understood that a full recuperation would take time. It made no sense for them to rush now.

"Love, you don't have to say anything right now." He caressed her cheek again. "Everybody's been here to visit you and we all want to see you well."

It was a whisper, but he heard her say, "I know. I heard it all."

He didn't know how to respond to that, but a giant smile manifested itself on his face. This must be a good sign. His heart swelled with joy.

"Yes," she said again and squeezed his hand. It was a very slight movement, but he felt it.

"Yes what, darling?" He moved in to where his ear was closer to her lips.

"Yes, I'll marry you."

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The End

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A/N: Slightly cheesy ending, but I felt like indulging myself….

All of the mysteries and plots solved! At least I hope I didn't forget anything, and if I did, or if you have any questions, do let me know. I will be writing an epilogue and can make things right if I botched something. I'll hope to have it up before 2016 rolls around, or very soon after. I published the first chapter two years ago on Jan 11, 2014 and I am motivated to finish it before the start of year three.

Your support and kindness while I wrote this has been wonderful. Your reviews, follows and PM's have made a difference and I have received some very kind remarks. I started this to prove to myself that I could write an interesting story, and I never thought it would take me two years and be over 300K words. Thank you ever so much!