Nathan was tired and worried. He took Rick's vitals again, and was satisfied the man was stable after the delicate surgery. It had taken Jewell and him 6 hours to repair the damage to his tendons and nerves after the accident over at the farm. He wasn't as worried about Rick now that he had come out from under the anesthetic and was resting easy on less dangerous pain killers.

The niggling worry that wouldn't leave him alone was Calli. She had been gone over 3 weeks now. While not especially unusual it made him very uneasy not to have word of her in so long, especially since she hadn't taken such a long mission in several months. Her distress signal hadn't been activated so she must be absent of her own volition. Hawk hadn't been around either.

She had seemed different lately, a little tense, a little less happy. It was nothing he could put his finger on, just an impression. If she was worried or upset about something she wasn't sharing it with him.

Even though a fully qualified physician and surgeon, Jewell was in the surgery completing the cleanup. She had volunteered when the cleaning woman came down with a minor illness.

Nathan rose and went to check on Jewell's progress in the surgery.

"Hey, Jewell," he said, lounging in the doorway. "Are you about done in here? It's getting late, I expect you want to get home. You have to be tired after such a long surgery and then cleaning. Thanks for doing that. I couldn't have gotten anyone in before morning."

Jewell set the mop in the corner and looked around the shining clean room. "Good timing," she smiled. " I just finished."

She turned to look at Nathan and felt her heart go out to him. He looked so tired. She went over to him and looked up into his face.

"Are you all right?", she asked, putting out a hand to touch his arm. She was trying to hide the rush of desire she felt when she touched him, looked at him.

Nathan looked down into her face. He had tried to ignore the growing tension between them, but she was here, an attractive, vital woman, wanting him. And Calli wasn't.

Desire coursed through him, warming his eyes. Jewell felt it, felt his need. Her hand moved up his arm, around his neck, pulling him down. Nathan put his arms around her pulling her against him, lips crushing down on hers. He groaned as lust whipped through him. He lifted her against him, setting her on the table behind her, her legs going around him. A memory exploded into his brain. Another time, another place, another woman, stormy grey eyes drawing him in with her fire, her passion.

He pulled back, panting, looking down into her desire filled eyes.

"I can't do this, Jewell," he groaned, pushing himself back. She clung to him.

"Why not? Please, Nathan, it's what Calli wants", she whispered desperately, trying to hold him to her.

Nathan froze. He felt like he had been hit with a brick as the truth of the words slammed into him. It was what Calli wanted! Why, why would she want him to take Jewel? He shoved Jewell away rougher than he had intended.

"It's not what I want!", he growled. Then he was gone.

Jewell lay on the table sobbing until she was out of tears. It was no good. Nathan was never going to love her. She slowly got up and went out to check on Rick. The night girl would be here soon and she could go home.

Jewell and Nathan didn't refer to the incident. The staff noticed the constraint between them but figured it was Nathan's fault. He grew increasingly short tempered as the next week dragged past with no word from Calli or Hawk.

The fall festival would be taking place in just two days. Since the location of Arhome was a secret Harkness felt he could allow all the guards but one to go into Arhome to prepare for the festival. He would leave one guard to watch the gate into Cave Entrance. Sometimes even the best of men can make poor decisions.

The warehouse was shut down as the residents went back to their homes for the normal day off and for the festival that would be the following day. Nathan wondered if Calli would be home. The triplets would be so disappointed if she didn't come for this holiday.