Everyone's eyes grew wide with this information. Things were moving very quickly now.
"We're going to get her, today?" Malachi asked clearly emotional with the tone in his voice.
"Yes." Julia smiled, "Though it will be a long flight to even get near where she is at and we must make another stop in Washington along the way."
"Where is she?" Asa asked.
"It is best if I do not tell you right now." Julia answered him softly with an apologetic smile, "I am sorry."
"Why do we have to stop in Washington again?" Gibbs asked finally speaking after remaining mostly silent absorbing everything for the last few days.
"We must speak with the President. I need to brief him and the Secretaries of Defense and State before we leave the country. Technically, I am only allowed to use my abilities of this nature as The Phoenix when I am directly threatened. So you will be doing the engaging and I will be doing the subduing, for lack of a better word." She smiled softly. "It should be quite simple, really. In and out and on our way rather quickly."
"I'm ready." Ziva nodded softly at her taking a deep. "How do we go about doing this?" She found Tony's hand and held it tightly.
"It will be easier if you are laying down." Julia answered quietly and gave her a reassuring smile. "Your bedroom is likely best."
They all followed Ziva leading the way back upstairs towards their bedroom. Ziva lay down and Tony went around the other side of the bed to sit down and hold her hand, giving Julia enough space on Ziva's side of the bed. Everyone else gathered quietly around them.
Ziva folded the tops of her pajama pants down low across her hips exposing as much of her lower abdomen as possible and pulled her shirt up, tucking it just beneath her breasts and revealing her torture scars to Julia for the first time before her.
Julia was quiet a moment as she sat down beside Ziva and looked over the marred tan flesh. "Do you want me to heal those too?" She asked softly and stared only at Ziva with glances to the giant tiger-claw-like scars from the electrical burns wrapped around her rib cage.
"I do not know yet…" Ziva answered her still unsure but felt relief that Julia was giving her the option. She felt a little proud of those scars because they never broke her through that torture.
"Okay," Julia nodded in understanding, "If you decide to… just let me know." She smiled softly, "This scar here though," She traced her finger lightly over the skin of Ziva's pelvic bone where the Cigarette Man used to burn her before abusing her, "Will be gone when I am finished. There is no way for me to heal what is beneath and not also heal this too."
"That is…just fine by me." Ziva breathed a sigh of relief to know that scar would be gone. That one, had bothered her more then any other as every time she saw that scar to this day, she could smell the disgusting smoke in the air and feel the burn and what came after with the man's violations and all the others. This scar reminded her, she had been broken.
"So how many kids do you think you'll have in the future now?" Julia asked with a smile trying to ease some of the tension. She saw the slightly startled looks in Tony and Ziva's eyes at the question. "You will be free and clear to have as many as you like after this. Just the regular worries that come with each pregnancy. But none from this damage."
Ziva felt tears welling in her eyes again at the thought. She had resigned herself that having just one healthy child would be a miracle.
"Maybe six, like you." Tony smiled at Julia feeling a renewed sense of hope at the idea as well and laughing softly staring at Ziva seeing her eyes widen considerably. "Did you always plan to have a lot of children?" He asked Julia with the same smile feeling incredibly nervous as he watched her laying her hands now gently over Ziva's lower abdomen and side where the trouble was.
Julia smiled shaking her head slightly, "When I was younger, I always thought I would have at least three children; maybe four at the most. All of my children were surprises. After years of being subjected unknowingly to fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs they could harvest each time," She shook her head again pausing, "the lingering effects are that I'm now…how shall I say? Extremely fertile."
A sadness fell into their hearts for her to hear such a thing. It was both a joyous reason to smile as she had beautiful, charming children, but also of great sadness to know how badly she was abused and taken advantage as well. To be 'harvested' of human life.
"Here we go." Julia nodded softly with comforting eyes looking directly into Ziva's, "You may feel burning and tingling, the feelings of stretching, but it shouldn't last long."
Ziva nodded and squeezed Tony's hand more tightly. The skin beneath Julia's hands immediately began to warm and Ziva could feel the twinges like electricity radiating from beneath her palms. Both Tony and Ziva could see the change in her eyes this time as the two facing Julia before she shifted her gaze to look down where her hands were working.
Ziva inhaled a long exaggerated breath feeling the burning and stretching sensation Julia had described and her body trembled beneath Julia's hands. Her hand squeezing instinctively more tightly around Tony's as tears surged forth in her eyes, holding on tightly as the minute ticked by slowly. And then at once, it began to fade and the sensations lessened. An incredible warmth flow through her abdomen and when Julia slowly pulled her hands away she smiled looking back at Ziva. The scar was noticeably absent. The rest of what she had healed, could not be seen with their own' eyes as it was internal.
"We will check it with the ultrasound before going, but the damage is gone, Ziva." Julia smiled softly as the liquid pools of gold in her eyes once again subsided.
They dared not breathe with hope this had actually worked. Julia understood they would need the confirmation from the ultrasound and would not feel relaxed until they had that knowledge of visual assurance.
"Will our baby come out glowing now?" Tony asked finding his voice and not knowing what to say, so resulting to what he did best.
Julia's face lit into a smile and genuinely laughed, "I don't think so." She shook her head.
"You don't think so?" Tony asked raising his eyebrows with a smile and enjoying teasing her back. "Shouldn't this kind of thing come with a guarantee?"
Julia only shook her head still laughing at Tony, "I have never done this before with someone pregnant. Perhaps, your daughter may be a bit more sparkly…who knows?" She returned the tease and flashed her eyes down to Ziva with a quick wink causing everyone else to laugh again as the tension began leaving the room.
"Thank you." Ziva smiled, reaching for Julia's hand and once again feeling the electric pulse as well as the lingering heat this time.
"Most welcome. Anything else you'd like me to heal while we're at it?" She asked with a smile wondering if Ziva had changed her mind.
"I don't want to abuse your gift, Julia." Ziva shook her head softly thinking about how many others had already done the same to the woman before. "If this works, I can't thank you enough already for what you have done for me. For us." She squeezed Tony's hand again.
"You are not abusing my gift, Ziva, though I appreciate the consideration. I am offering my gift to you." She smiled at them both, "If I can help you, I would be happy to."
Ziva nodded thankfully with a small smile, "Then…is there anyway, to heal Tony." She asked for him, "His lungs were already so damaged before getting shot."
"I do not think we share enough of a similar bloodline, Ziva…or I would be happy to help. I can try." Julia shrugged looking at Tony. "Perhaps something small first."
Ziva looked at Tony, nearly begging him in her eyes to at least try as she worried so much for his health. "The scar on your arm? Where you were shot?" She suggested with hopeful eyes.
"Okay, give it your best shot, Firebird." Tony smiled nervously with a deep sigh looking from Ziva to Julia and earning another smile from her for his name calling, that he just couldn't seem to resist.
Julia knew from being inside his mind that he joked as a way of coping with his nerves.
Ziva sat up in the bed and Julia stood, walking to meet Tony on the other side of the bed. He pulled his sleeve up standing before her and revealed his upper arm. There were two scars there. One was an older scar, a bullet graze and the other was new pink puckered flesh from his most recent wound.
"Which one? Or both?" Julia asked looking at the scars and then at Tony.
"Not this one." He smiled shaking his head and fingering the bullet graze. "This is a good memory. Locked in a box with Ziva for the first time fighting for our lives." His eyes flashed to Ziva's recalling their time in the shipping container that was the beginning of so many things about them and their relationship. It was the first time they'd been forced together for a prolonged period and free to discuss so many things about their lives, the first of getting to know one another.
"Okay," Julia smiled more widely having caught a glimpse of that memory before in both Tony and Ziva's minds and understood. "Then this one?" She asked fingering the most recent bullet wound and Tony shivered with her electric touch.
"Yes," Tony nodded swallowing hard at literally feeling his body already tingling to have her standing this close and from her mere touch. "Please?" He remembered what her mother Katherine had said, that Julia deserved to be treated with respect and she was offering her help to them, she was not obligated to. For the all the teasing aside, he knew she was a gift.
"I will try." Julia nodded one and then lifted her hands to wrap around Tony's upper arm.
Tony was staring directly into her dark and fiery eyes, the closest he'd ever been to her or them and could see even more the mesmerizing effect Ziva had spoken of that was indescribable. He immediately felt the heat and tingle, the stretching of his muscles and vessels and winced at the electric charge he felt burning in waves through his arm.
When Julia pulled back, the scar was still there but barely visible. "We must share a very distant relative, Tony." She smiled softly, "Though I'm sorry I could not heal it fully."
"But you still healed it partially?" Ziva asked immediately moving in closer to see Tony's arm. The once puckered and bright pink flesh was now flat and barely visible. "Can you do that with his lungs? At least heal them a little?"
"They will not be healed fully, Ziva. I do not share enough of a bloodline with him to do so." Julia shook her head sadly. "I will not be able to regenerate the lobe he has already lost."
"But you could heal the scar tissue some, yes?" Ziva asked with hope in her heart. "To heal it partially even, is a miracle. Please?" She asked them both, knowing it was up to them but hoping Tony would agree. His lungs were so delicate now as was that he'd likely never pass his field test to become an active field agent again and would be assigned to a desk.
"I am wiling to try. Are you?" Julia looked directly at Tony, leaving it up to him.
"If you hurt me purposefully, would you be able to then regenerate my lung?" Tony asked swallowing hard at seeing the immediate look in her eyes and then Ziva's at what he was asking.
"I do not hurt people on purpose, Tony." Julia shook her head, clearly upset at the mere idea.
Tony immediately felt badly remembering what Jack had said. Julia had nearly forfeited her freedom, refusing to purposefully harm someone just to repair them for that very freedom. There was a moral line she would not cross.
"I'm not asking you to do it for you…I'm asking you to do it for me." He tried to explain that she would not be harming him for her gain, but his and Ziva's he added in his mind knowing that she was currently inside his head from the way she was looking at him now, at least hoping she was to see his truth and why he wanted this.
"I'm sorry, Tony. No." Julia shook her head with a defiant tone that meant it was the end of such discussion. "I will repair what I can, but I will not intentionally harm you. I do not know the consequences of such a thing. To put my harm over someone else's damage to you and then try to repair it all. You could be left worse off then you are now or dead. I am not willing to take that chance."
"Okay, I understand." Tony nodded softly, "Then please, do what you can." He sighed, understanding her reasoning upon hearing it further.
"Remove your shirt, please." Julia asked and her tone had definitely changed. What Tony had asked of her clearly had upset her, even if she was not angry with him.
Tony did as asked with Ziva's help as his muscles were still tight and healing from being sliced through to gain access during his surgery. The scar around his back and side looked as though he'd been bitten by a large shark.
"Not this scar either, please?" Tony spoke quietly now, knowing he'd upset Julia and feeling badly for it. He placed his palm over the scar above his heart where the bullet had pierced through Ziva's hand first and then into him. To him, it was a memory of the miracle that she had saved him with that loving gesture of putting her hand over his heart. "If you can help it." He added quietly knowing that was in the general area she needed to work with and as explained to Ziva, had no way of not healing something lying over top of what was inside.
Julia only nodded in response and then lay her hands over Tony's left side and chest. Without saying anything, she set to work and again, Tony could feel the tingle and heat and then the burning. She moved her hands down slowly, and then around his side, following the scar line. Her hands continued to massage over the other side of his back and chest, making a circle around him and stopping when she was standing directly in front of him. Julia's eyes looked intently into his now blurry with tears from the electric pain and slid them up his chest over where his bronchial tubes and larynx would be; healing some of the damage done by being on the ventilator so long.
When she pulled her hands away, Tony's scar was much less visible, looking as though it likely would have in another forty years with time instead of so fresh and new. He took several deep breaths and smiled the more he took feeling it already much easier to breathe and then lifting his arms and rolling his shoulders feeling the tension and pain in his cut muscles nearly completely gone.
"Better?" Julia asked quietly holding his gaze.
"Much, thank you." Tony nodded with a soft smile, "Thank you." He added again with astonishment to feel so different. "You are a gift, Julia."
"Ziva, would you like to ride back to the main house with me now to do the ultrasound? Or just before we leave? I can have someone bring you back to pack your things if you come with me now?" Julia immediately redirected her attention to Ziva; clearly still upset by the thought of intentionally harming Tony and attempting to ignore how she felt by getting down to business. That trait, reminded them of Katherine.
"Now, if that is okay with you?" Ziva asked quietly and swallowed hard looking over to Tony who was putting his shirt back on. "Tony can come too, right?" She asked not sure anymore given the change in Julia's demeanor after Tony's request she intentionally harm him to repair him again. She didn't want him to upset Julia any further but she also wanted him there to hold her hand and see their baby together and if the damage was really gone.
"Of course." Julia nodded softly catching her eyes for just a moment and then Tony's before looking away. "We should get going. There is a lot to do before we leave and I'd like to have some time with my children before we go."
"Yes, of course." Ziva nodded quickly in understanding at how much of her life and time this woman was giving to them already. Leaving her children behind, that included two newborns not even a month old. Unimaginable for any mother and felt guilty instantly, at the idea this is exactly what Julia was going to do for them.
They climbed into the jeep Julia had driven over with Ziva sitting in the passengar seat and Tony in the rear.
"No running here today?" Tony asked, trying to break the icy silence once more and feeling that was a safe subject. Julia had told them she ran in the mornings and Ziva had mentioned that Julia had run to their lodge some several miles from her own place to speak with her yesterday morning.
"I'm conserving my energy. Normally, I try to shed the extra but going in to get Liat, will require a great deal more then I normally expend most days. To keep my mind's eye on my children here and do what I need to do there…takes a lot of energy." Julia answered him as she began driving away towards the main house.
"You can do that? Keep an eye on your children here and there at same time?" Ziva asked with awe in her voice.
"Yes." Julia nodded speaking softly. "I know they will be safe here with Jack while we're gone, but I still feel the need to keep my eye on them at all times when I'm not physically near them. My heart still has great anxiety about leaving them for any length of time given what we've been through to get them back to me."
Both Ziva and Tony were silent hearing what she'd said and thinking about it. They hadn't thought about what it would be like for Julia to leave the children again, even for a little while, after what they'd gone through to just be together.
"So Jack is not coming?" Tony asked quietly finding this surprising.
"No," Julia shook her head softly, "We discussed this and decided that should anything happen, we do not want to leave the children without both parents. So we do not go on missions like these anymore together. Either he goes or I do, but never together. We always want someone with the children…just in case."
"There is a chance, something could happen to you?" Tony asked with disbelief, ever imagining now that anything could take down this woman who could heal so quickly and hearing of her legends from Vance and Malachi.
"Yes, Tony." Julia nodded with a slight look of annoyance on her face and reached for her sunglasses as the sun was now shining brightly over the horizon as it rose directly into her eyes. "I am not indestructible as many think. I can… and still will die eventually. I am not immortal."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you…I just…you are so," Tony scrambled for what to say as it seemed he had put his foot in his mouth again with her. He was still in shock to her her actually say she could die, which seemed purposterous now given she was in fact human and he had even teased everyone about that upon first arrival… but in actually seeing her gift and abilities, it somehow made her seem invincible.
"So what happens when you get shot?" Tony asked trying to understand and stop apologizing that was only digging him in deeper.
"I bleed." Julia answered quite plainly with her jaw visibly clenching and knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel.
"I-" Tony began about to apologize again, trying to explain what he was really asking, when Julia cut him off.
"I bleed just like any one else. Yes, I heal more quickly. Very very quickly," Julia sighed speaking quickly herself and then pausing, "But I still bleed. And if I am shot enough times and the damage is too severe for my body to be able to recover, then yes, I will die." She paused again in silence as Tony and Ziva sat still as stone not daring to say anything else, "If my energy is too low, I cannot recover from the wounds quickly enough and I would die of blood loss."
"Has that ever happened before?" Tony asked feeling as though he were already in the thick of it, he might as well ask what was on his mind given she was likely in his brain anyway from what she had just said in answering his question before he could ask it again properly.
"As The Phoenix, only once." Julia answered with no further explanation and it was clear, she wasn't going to elaborate.
The rest of the ride to the house was spent in silence as everyone in the vehicle comprehended the events and information already given to them this morning. Julia's life was an endless fountain of mindboggling information and they got the impression they'd only just scratched the surface. The very human reactions of this fierce and intriguing figure were perhaps, the most stunning of all to them given what they knew of her abilities. Katherine's words were ringing loudly in their ears. 'She may be an extraordinary human being, even a higher being then all of us… but she is still, a human being!'
They followed her silently inside and the medical facility where the doctor was waiting with a smile. He seemed to sense the new tension immediately and shifted his focus away from Julia who now stood off to the side in the back and onto Ziva and Tony.
"Let us have another look, shall we?" He waved his hand for Ziva to once again lie down on the exam table.
No one said anything as Tony held Ziva's hand and the doctor began the procedure. It didn't take very long to bring the image of the baby up on the screen bringing smiles to everyone's faces and relief to both Ziva and Tony to see their child active and moving around, unharmed it seemed, by whatever Julia had done. The doctor quickly switched to Doppler imaging to look at the area of concern and blood flow.
"Perfect." He smiled with wide eyes shaking his head, "Another miracle Lady Julia. Well done." He nodded softly at her with respect at the vision before him. "Absolutely no signs, there was every any scar tissue or vessel damage, Ziva. You are no longer a High Risk pregnancy at all. Everything looks spectacular." He smiled and quickly wiped the gel from her abdomen, "Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. You've earned it. Congratulations." He smiled at the couple with a widening smile who were looking astounded at the frozen image on the screen seeing the difference.
"I'm happy for you." Julia nodded with a soft smile at Tony and Ziva, quickly moving towards the door, "Please excuse me, I have much to do. Someone will meet you at the door to take you back to your lodge. We will be leaving around 11:30am." She addressed them quickly and nodded with a small smile towards the doctor giving thanks and was gone in a flash.
They'd never seen Julia like this since meeting her just yesterday, so on edge and seemingly agitated. Quiet. Like she had disengaged from them purposefully putting space there now, where as before she made every effort to close the distance. She hadn't even stuck around long enough for them to really and properly thank her for what she had done for them. It was almost as if she'd intentionally left before they could, knowing that was their intention the moment they saw the clear image of the baby and what she'd done to heal Ziva.
Everyone had noticed the change in demeanor that Ziva and Tony spoken of when Julia had picked them up later in the morning to leave the ranch. No longer was she dressed in the rugged attire of a cowgirl, but instead, wore an outfit of nearly all off white. A loose flowing shirt that hung low and wide off both shoulders, with sleeves dancing loosely around her arms and exposing her already tan skin with dress slacks to match that were fluid with her movements. On her feet she wore opened toed heels that showed off her fire red toenail polish. Her hair was no longer back up or up in a ponytail but in perfectly long and wavy curls hanging freely around her face and shoulders, stretching down her back. The golden-rimmed aviator glasses were firmly fixed upon her face again, shielding her eyes from them and revealing whatever she may be thinking. They realized then, she wore them to hide her own emotions as much as to keep the sun out. She too, had eyes that 'never shut up.' Her incredible beauty that was obvious even, covered in dirt and sweat on horseback, was simply breathtaking and stunning to see standing before them now. Her versatility was equally astounding and it reminded Tony a great deal of Ziva.
She hadn't said a single thing since picking them up which put them all on edge with her. Finally, after boarding the jet and everyone had taken their seats, she came to stand before them near the back of the plane and addressed them.
"There has been a slight change in plans. We are no longer stopping in Washington, D.C. Katherine has already spoken with the President and Secretaries of State and Defense this morning to brief them of the situation. We will be flying directly to London to refuel and then continue on towards our final destination with another stop Kabul." Julia spoke quietly but very matter-of-factly.
"Liat is being held in Afghanistan?" Malachi asked with heart pounding.
"No," Julia answered immediately softly shaking her head, "She is being held in Iran, just over the border from Afghanistan. We will enter Iran from the Afghan side in Zaranj. Our equipment will be waiting in Kabul."
"Iran…" Malachi's eyebrows narrowed thinking about it. It made sense on many levels. The first being, that Eli David had built this program with the Iranian Kazmi, and the second, that keeping her inside Iran would make rescue very difficult as any movement from either the Israeli or US forces inside the country would be considered an Act of War.
"The flight is nearly 10 hours from here to London. Please get comfortable. We will land there at approximately 5:00 a.m. local time." Julia suggested and then turned around to walk back towards her own seat.
Tony felt awful as he watched her go back to the front of the plane where she sat alone. They had been instructed by a guard upon entering the plane to take seats near the back and he realized now, she wanted space. He knew the change in her demeanor had originally come with his asking if she'd purposefully injure him in order to repair him, and only futher exacerbated the situation by his off handed comment of disbelief that she could ever be hurt or killed given her abilities. He wanted to get up, charge towards the front of the plane and apologize again but felt Ziva's hand suddenly on his arm when he made the motion to move. She looked him in the eye and shook her head as if to say, you've already said too much. Leave her be. Now was not the time to be discussing this any further with so much looming before them.
The flight was long but at least comfortable. The plush leather seating and abilitly to fully recline made it not just tolerable, but mostly enjoyable. Movies full meals and plenty of other entertainment with books, magazines and card games filled their time though Julia remained alone in the front, staring out the window even after it got dark from the looks of the back of her head, she had hardly moved.
Finally, they had all fallen asleep and when they woke it was to the feeling of the landing gear coming down. They had made it to London. It was foggy and dark outside as they descended through the clouds and watched as the airport lights suddenly came into view. Everyone put their chairs into upright positions and braced themselves for a rather smooth landing. The plane taxied its way towards a lone hangar set quite a distance apart from the rest of the large airport, where other private jets refueled and it was then they noticed the line of black SUVS and men in suits already waiting for them as they looked out the window.
When the plane came to a stop and attendants came to hook it up for refueling, the door to one SUV popped open and Henry took a step out. Standing beside the car staring at the plane with hands folded in front of his body. Julia stood slowly and waited for her guard to open the door when the stairs were secured to the aircraft and then turned around towards them on the back of the plane, "Stay inside please." She instructed and then stepped out.
The moment she had, they all shared looks with each other and instantly had themselves pressed up against the glass windows of that side of the jet to watch the first interaction between the two, having no idea Henry would be waiting.
Julia walked down the steps and it was clear from watching Henry's reaction closely, that he swallowed hard several times watching her approach and then shifted nervously on his feet, staring unblinking at her even in the twilight of morning. Julia walked towards him and then stopped with a distance of at least four feet between them.
Henry was the first to speak though they couldn't hear the words and Julia had her back mostly to them.
"My God," E.J. gasped softly, wishing they could hear what they were saying, "I wish we could hear what is going on."
Henry seemed nervous just looking at her and tried to take a step closer to which Julia put one hand up slowly to stop him from coming any further. His facial expressions changed and he began to speak rapidly, growing more and more agitated as they spoke with hands and then arms starting to flail about. He tried again to step towards Julia who then took another step back, maintaining the four-foot distance between them. Clearly, he was upset about something and she remain so still throughout the entire exchange it was eery, given his passionate response. This went on for more then five minutes with Henry repeatedly trying to close the distance with Julia constantly maintaining it. She spoke and then turned quickly to walk back towards the plane and Henry lunged forward quickly, grabbing her lower arm and stopping her. This time, they could see Julia's face, nearly expressionless and obviously holding back with the profile view as she turned slowly around to face him with eyes falling first on his hand around her lower arm and then to meet his eyes. They simply stare at each other for a long time saying nothing before Julia looked back at her arm and his hand and finally, Henry released her. She paused only a moment before continuing on back towards the plane with Henry clearly distraught and staring after her. The moment she hit the steps, those who belonged on the other side of the airplane quickly shifted back to their seats before she came onboard again. She said nothing and went straight back to her seat.
Gibbs had been sitting on the side of the plane already exposed to the scene outside and he studied it carefully as he did the woman in the front of the plane. So much of her, and this particular exchange on the tarmac, reminded him of Ziva. The tightly concealed emotion as she followed through with 'doing what needed to be done.' Ziva had done the same to him when speaking to him of staying behind in Israel. Julia had just done something similar with Henry. His heart broke for Ziva then, and was breaking for Julia now.
Henry stood outside the plane, watching as they finished refueling just staring at the window where Julia was sitting. He remained exactly in the same spot, even as the plane began to taxi away again, watching as they took off.
Silence, once again fell over the group as they settled back into their seats and got lost in their own thoughts once more.
Malachi was going over and over what he had seen and learned about in regards to Julia and Henry. That they had no choice at some point about whether or not they could be together, there came a time when it was too late. He didn't want it to be too late with Liat. He didn't want to be Henry, standing on a tarmac facing off with the woman you loved and having to maintain a distance of at least four-feet and not touching. Terrible sadness and looks of longing shared with the mother of his child in the pre-dawn hours for five minutes living worlds apart. He didn't care how he had to do it, he was going to make certain that his life with Liat and their child did not turn into this.
Asa too, was having a reaction to what he'd seen and what he knew of the story between Julia and Henry. To visualize this exchange between Liat and Malachi, knowing that is exactly how it would be in the future if he did marry Liat and raised her child with Malachi together. The looks of longing and sadness would never go away in Liat's eyes if they hadn't in Julia's even this many years later. He had wanted to believe in time, they would lessen and he was beginning to realize, that was a naïve thing to believe or hope, or wish for. Even if she loved him, married him and made a life with him…had his children too, she would always, always love Malachi just as Julia would always love Henry. And Malachi, would always love Liat in turn. He had to decide if he could really live with that knowledge. Jack it seemed had come to terms with it, and really did seem to have a happy life Julia. But it was in these moments, like the one he just witnessed in quiet exchanges between the two left alone, that the revealation that not all was perfect as seen. And he could imagine what these moments would look like between Liat and Malachi already.