"Mr. Rossi I'd like you to meet my sister Lynnette," Spencer introduced.

He and his sister had been invited over to the Rossis for dinner and Lynnette had been excited to go, so Spencer had accepted for them both. While she was doing so much better than previously Lynnette was still more tired than she should be. She still had dark circles under her eyes, though they weren't as deep as they had been just a few weeks ago.

"It's very nice to meet you Lynnette," Dave said trying to hide his shock. Even as he automatically shook Spencer's sister hand his mind was reeling. He had never expected to ever meet his mate again. Sure, he had hoped and he certainly knew it was a possibility, but he had never expected to be granted a second chance. Dave saw recognition in Lynnette's eyes and that made him hope that it would be possible that they'd get together once more.

"Come on, dinner is ready," Michelle who had missed the interaction between her father and Lynnette said.

Everybody moved into the dining room, which was set up for four people and they all sat down.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect such a feast," Lynnette commented, as she looked at all the dishes on the table.

"Don't worry it will be eaten over the next few days," Dave promised trying to act normally, though that was difficult. "It's not going to be allowed to just spoil, so it has to be thrown away. We usually just take what's left over from meals down to the homeless shelter that's not to far from here."

"Wow, that's really generous of you and your daughter," Lynnette said impressed.

"Just because we have so much doesn't mean that others do," Michelle said. "There are plenty of poor people that just can't seem to get a good start on their lives. Some people just need a hand up, so we try to help where we can."

"Of course they're are rules they have to follow. They have to stay clean and no more drugs, if they are on them. They have to behave and not get in trouble with the police or any other law enforcement agency. Of course, I realize that sometimes someone can get in the middle of something with no effort on their part, so if that's the case, we're always willing to lend hand."

"It's not like we eat like this every day," Michelle added, having noticed her father was acting rather out of the ordinary for him and wondered what the problem was.

Spencer participated in the conversation but noticed that his sister was rather quiet and kept stealing glances at Dave. Spencer could understand that as Dave was a very handsome man, so he could see the attraction. On the other hand, Dave was over 20 years older than she was, even if he didn't look it, so that was hardly an appropriate match.

Like that was going to stop his sister if she developed feelings for David Rossi, Spencer snorted mentally. He wouldn't be able to prevent Lynnette from getting into a relationship with him no matter what he said to the contrary. On the other hand, he wanted his sister happy and David Rossi was a good man and would treat his sister well if they did happen to get involved. Lynnette was the lucky one in a way and had never had a negative influence of William Reid to hold her back from reaching her potential, with his negative comments to a child. Children, after all, tended to be impressionable. His father's comments had certainly had a negative impact on him, something Michelle and her father had helped him realize over the preceding months.

It never even occurred to Spencer that David Rossi could be the man that his sister had been dreaming about, even though her description had been fairly accurate, but also fairly general.

Dinner finally ended and Dave requested Lynnette stay for a minute.

"I wonder what your father wants to talk to my sister about?" Spencer said to Michelle, as the two of them walked ahead.

"I don't know," Michelle said, though she suspected what was going on. She remembered quite well about when her father had revealed that he once had a mate and how she had died due to the violence of the times and also because of people's superstitions. Michelle suspected that Spencer's sister was the reincarnation of her father's lost mate and the fact that she had been having dreams that were out of the ordinary, that she remembered afterwards rather proved it to her. Michelle was no dummy, and in fact, she was very intelligent, with centuries under her belt. You couldn't help but learn things in that amount of time. "He won't hurt her I can promise you that."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Spencer said. "Your father is a good man, I know that. He's certainly different from what I expected someone so wealthy to be."

"Well, I can't blame you for thinking that, as a lot of wealthy people are exactly like you think they are," Michelle's admitted. "However, now you know my father is nothing like that."

"I have to simply learn not to stereotype people, just because most are like that. Just because your father is very wealthy doesn't mean that he's like so many others of his type. Everyone's different, no matter their origin or their station in life," Spencer admitted.

~~~Spencer and Michelle~~~

"Do you know who I am?" Dave asked her softly, really wanting to take her in his arms and hold her never letting go again.

"You're David Rossi," Lynnette replied without hesitation and then searched his face. "But that's not what you're getting at, is it? I've been having dreams you know, very vivid dreams. I'm sure you can guess that you're in them."

"So you understand," Dave said simply with deep emotion in his voice.

"I think I do," Lynnette said. "If I can believe the dreams, we had just started dating when I was murdered."

"No, we hadn't been dating long at all," Dave admitted. "If I had any clue about what was going to happen I would've suggested that we get out of there, go somewhere no one knew us. I knew that there was some grumblings about the fact that you had to be a witch, but I never imagined that anybody would actually murder you."

"It was only the 3 men from what I can remember," Lynnette said quietly. "Basically, the idiots of the town."

"Will you agree to go out on a date with me?" Dave asked quietly. "I missed you so much over the decades. I've had the same dreams for the last several centuries you know. I drove myself crazy for decades thinking if there was anything I could've done to prevent your death and I finally decided that I could have done nothing unless I had known in advance. I realized long ago that I hadn't been in town long enough and was still considered someone who was passing through, so people fell silent whenever they saw me if they were discussing something they didn't want me to hear. It didn't bother me at the time, because I knew I was new to town and small towns like that tend to be closemouthed around strangers, but it did afterwards."

"I didn't even know your name before tonight," Lynnette said quietly. "The other me knew who you were so your name wasn't really mentioned."

"Your name was Lettice and you absolutely hated it," Dave chuckled softly, "You went by Letty."

"I don't blame that past me for hating it," Lynnette said making a face. "You're basically saying my name was lettuce, you know the vegetable and one letter difference does not change that fact. Who wants to be named after a vegetable, even if the meaning is totally different."

"Unfortunately, it was a popular name at the time," Dave admitted. "So will you go out on a date with me?"

"Of course, I will, though Spencer is bound to object," Lynnette said. "You are so much older than me, even if you don't look it."

"We'll just have to explain situation to him, which me and Michelle were going to do anyway," Dave said. "Even if he does object you're an adult and he can't treat you like a child."

"Well, we'll see," Lynnette said, even as she boldly kissed Dave's cheek causing Dave to grin happily at her. "Yes, I'd love to go out to dinner with you," Lynnette added answering Dave's earlier question. "Just let me know the time."

Lynnette gave Dave her communicator number and Dave returned the favor.

"I better go. Spence is bound to be wondering what we have been talking about for so long," Lynnette said.

"We'll see each other soon," Dave promised with a sloppy grin. "I've waited a very long time for you to come back to me."

Hesitatingly, Lynnette nodded, before striding to where her brother and Michelle were talking and laughing quietly.

"Shall we go?" Lynnette asked her brother. "Or, do you need a minute?"

"No I'm ready if you are," Spencer said saying goodbye to Michelle before he and Lynnette headed out for Spencer's car.

~~~Spencer and Michelle~~~

"So what did Dave want?" Spencer questioned his sister.

"You promise you won't get upset?" Lynnette asked her brother.

"Just go ahead and tell me. I can't make promises if I don't know what's going on," Spencer told her, even as he drove towards his apartment.

Lynnette sighed and complied.

Spencer listened quietly as Lynnette told her brother about how Dave had asked out on a date.

"I figured that's what was going on," Spencer said, not sounding upset or angry. "The only thing I'm surprised about is he didn't wait until at least the next meeting."

"You're not even a little angry are you," Lynnette asked her brother studying him from the passenger seat. "I figured you'd be furious or at least try to discourage me from dating him because of the age difference if nothing else."

"I know better than that Lynnette," Spencer said simply with half a smile. "I know how stubborn you can be. If I didn't know that Dave was a very nice guy then yes, I probably would try to discourage you," Spencer explained. "Age doesn't really matter in this century, as humans live much longer than they did a few hundred years ago. Dave certainly doesn't look like his supposed age, even if we both know he's older than he looks."

"Wow! That's not how I expected you to say," Lynnette said looking at her brother in wonder. "I figured that you'd have all kinds of logical arguments as to why it wasn't a good idea. I expected to have to fight with you."

"You're an adult and you're welcome to make your own decisions. Besides, I have to admit, I like David Rossi a great deal and if things keep on the way they are he'll soon-to-be my father-in-law," Spencer admitted. "Mom, however, might be another issue."

"So long as Dave makes me happy she won't care and you know it, Spence," Lynnette said. "Older people getting together with younger happens all the time. So long as she's sure Dave isn't just trying to string me along she'll be very happy for me and you know it."

Spencer had to admit silently that his sister was very right. She was the baby and had never known their father, which was a good thing in his opinion. She had grown up being doted on by the whole family their mother and her siblings. She had none of the confidence issues that he had, though he was slowly improving thanks to Michelle who had a way of encouraging him that didn't make him feel like she was babying him.

"Let's not argue the point though, as we haven't even been out on a date yet," Lynnette said. "It might not go anywhere."

Lynnette had a feeling that Dave was about to play a very important role in her life. They had known each other in the past of what was apparently centuries ago. The primitiveness of the cabin in her dream certainly suggested that. There was something else going on and while reincarnation was hard enough for her to accept, she had a feeling that once she and Dave had a chance to talk she was going to be utterly flabbergasted, because she sensed it was some type of secret that Dave hadn't had a chance to tell her about doing their very short first meeting, not with Spencer and Michelle waiting just a little distance away.

Lynnette was still amazed that Spencer was dating someone like Michelle, but they seemed to fit very well together. It wasn't even that she thought her brother didn't deserve someone like Michelle Rossi, just that Spencer never would've had enough confidence to ask someone like that out on his own him matter how attracted. Her brother would likely have just considered his bodily reaction human biology and ignored it. Spencer had improved by so much just in the time that she had been here, that Lynnette was really hoping his relationship with Michelle would work out, as she could see his confidence going back in the toilet if it didn't.

As for herself she knew that David Rossi was the man that had entered her cottage just before she had been murdered, that the two of them had shared supper together. She wasn't exactly sure if it had happened the same night or few days later. Lynnette suspected however that if it happened just hours later or possibly the next night, but no longer than that, as she and Dave likely would've met again, before it happened otherwise. Of course, her dreams might not show any other dates as they seemed to be centered on the night of her murder.

While her brother had suggested reincarnation she could tell that he didn't really mean it, so she hadn't told him she had recognized Dave immediately when they had met. She was going to have to she knew, so that there was at least some explanation, as to why she was so I attracted to David Rossi. She was puzzled as to why she had been reincarnated. She has never believed in reincarnation before those dreams had started but why had she had them in the first place if she wasn't. Something funny, besides, being reincarnation was going on, but what that she wasn't entirely sure what at the moment.

"Here we are," Spencer said, as he pulled up to his apartment building. "You look tired why don't you go to bed?"

"Yeah, I am," Lynnette admitted. "I think I'll take your suggestion and go straight to bed, as I've already had my shower."

Spencer said nothing simply kissed his sister on the forehead and the building unlocked his apartment door, with an electronic key.

Lynnette couldn't tell what her brother was thinking but that wasn't surprising, as Spencer could do an excellent poker face when he didn't want anybody to know what he was thinking about. She suspected it had something to do with the information she had given him over the last few weeks and her reaction to David Rossi.

Lynnette used the bathroom, then got dressed in her nightclothes and went straight to bed just as she said she was going to and what she drifted off to sleep a few minutes later she didn't realize until morning that she didn't have a single dream.

~~~Spencer and Michelle~~~

"Dad what's going on?" Michelle asked her father.

"What do you mean?" Dave asked looking rather distracted.

"Come on dad! I'm not stupid," Michelle told her father in an exasperated tone. "I noticed something going on between you and Lynnette. You kept shooting each other looks all through dinner."

"No, you're very intelligent actually," Dave said finally looking directly at Michelle. "Lynnette is my mate come back to me," Dave said haltingly, like he couldn't quite believe it

Michelle really couldn't blame him for not believing it considering how many centuries ago his mate had died. "That's exactly what I suspected, but I wasn't sure. I've never seen you act like that around any woman and you've dated some real stunners over the years."

"I never believed it would happen," Dave said in a distant voice. "Even though I told myself not to give up hope I was beginning to doubt that we would never be reunited. It's just been so long..."

"I understand how you feel dad," Michelle said, touching her father's arm with affection. "While I might never have lost my mate like you did I know that I would be in much the same condition you are if they died and then came back to me hundreds of years later. I would certainly be in shock, especially if I was meeting him for the first time and I was surrounded by other people. I thought you did pretty good acting normally considering. I doubt Spencer noticed."

"I wouldn't say that. You know how observant he is," Dave said, "But I suppose we'll see."

"So I would say Lynnette knows you are her mate considering the way she kept shooting you looks all through dinner."

"She's been having dreams remember," Dave reminded his daughter who nodded, "so she already knows part of her old life. From what you've told me, it's mostly just the night she was murdered."

"She's been having dreams like that for months though, I'm surprised they haven't driven her insane, from lack of sleep if nothing else." Michelle said. "You learned how to handle your dreams so that you could get some decent rest, but you've also had much longer to work on it. You also believe in reincarnation while Spencer and Lynnette do not."

"They'll start to believe, they'll have to," Dave said simply. "Lynnette knows or at least suspects that she's been reincarnated because of the dream she's been having. It's not like we've had time to discuss it yet, but we will. Right now, neither one of us knows what she remembers."

"Lynnette told me that she started dreaming as soon as she hit 30 a few months ago. So she's been having basically the same dream every night for the last few months," Michelle told her father,

"That makes sense," Dave said after a pause. "Lettice looked about 30 when she was murdered, but that's when we stop aging, so it shouldn't be at all surprising that's when the dreams started. I doubt that she could've handled it before then, if they're as horrific as I believe they are. By that age, you're mature enough to handle something like that, but I would say it would drive anybody insane after awhile."

"Especially if you don't know what's going on," Michelle said and Dave nodded soberly.

"Yeah, I know, this is the 23rd century where such things as reincarnation and especially immortality are not exactly believed in by most people. Not like centuries ago where lives were simpler and people were very superstitious, which is ultimately what led to Lettice's murder in the first place."

"So she told you who murdered her?" Michelle said.

"All she said was it was three men who thought she was a witch and that they didn't want her to curse their families, so they were getting rid of what they saw as a problem. She didn't know any names, but maybe if or when the rest of the memories return she will. What those men did was really stupid, because if she wanted to curse their families she would've done it years ago since she been living there over a decade. She might not have been well-liked but still, to murder a woman who had never done anything to them is just pure idiocy. She likely would have ended up leaving with me if they had just left well enough alone."

"You know very well there's a lot of idiots in the world," Michelle told her father, causing her dad to chuckle.

"Yeah and I suspect it was the village idiots the ones that always seem to get in some kind of trouble. Those that never show that they are intelligent and so were likely the town's troublemakers. If they thought about it logically they probably never would've done it. Of course, a lot of it had to do with the times. Nowadays, it is unlikely that somebody would get away with murder like they did back then, not unless they were very clever about it as police forces have gotten more intelligent and better at solving crimes."

"Don't you find it amazing that my mate's sister is your mate?" Michelle asked for father.

"Yeah, I do," Dave said looking thoughtful. "I wonder who arranged it that way or is it just pure coincidence?"

"I don't believe in coincidences like that," Michelle frowned. "I would say it's either pure luck or it was arranged that way, but by who I have no clue."

"I've always believed in the old gods you know that Mellie," Dave reminded his daughter with a serious expression. "You know I grew up at a time to where they were part of everyday life. I know that faith isn't such a thing anymore, but I believe that those old Gods still exist and that they subtly work from the background. I would bet they had something to do with it, even if I wish it'd happened much sooner, but the gods work on their own schedule."

Michelle nodded, though she didn't carry the faith her father did. Still, if her father believed in the old gods then she wouldn't make a comment about it as it wasn't her place. Besides, they might very well exist for all she knew and she wouldn't want to insult them.

"In any case, no matter how it happened, I'm eternally grateful," Dave said making Michelle tun back just soon enough to catch her father's last comment.

"So when are we going to tell Spencer about immortality?" Michelle questioned.

"I thought we do it at the same time that we tell Lynnette," Dave said. "I know that Spencer especially, is going to have a hard time accepting it, but hopefully, he knows both of us well enough by now to know that we would never play some kind of nasty trick on him."

"I think that Lynnette is going to accept it easiest," Michelle said. "I think I know her pretty well, though not as well as her family obviously. Still, I think I've learned a thing or two about her over the last few weeks. Those dream she's been having will certainly help."

"Her memories might even start to come back once she learns about her immortality," Dave said. "That's certainly what I'm hoping will happen."

"I think Spencer will follow his sister's lead," Michelle said thoughtfully. "I don't know that for sure, as Spencer is a complicated man. Still, I believe he loves his sister enough to at least take it into consideration."

"I would say so," Dave said. "The way he talks about her it's clear he adores her."

"We'll just have to see what happens," Michelle said. "I'm so glad you finally met your mate again, dad. I'll be happy to welcome her to the family, James and Tristan will say the same once they find out. You know they already like Spencer very much and I don't see his sister being any different, though we'll definitely have a very weird family tree if you do get married."

"That just makes life interesting," Dave grinned goofily and it was obvious that he was thinking about Lynnette. "I think I'll have much better dreams tonight then I have in a long time. I might even be able to start sleeping at night again instead of the middle of the day."

"That would be great dad," Michelle said sincerely. "But I suspect that you'll have to wait until you're actually together sexually before that happens though."

"I'll handle it just like I have been," Dave said simply. "I'm not going to rush and ruin my chances. Besides, my case might be different for all we know, as we were never actually intimate the first time. Back then, you didn't have sex until you married and while I didn't follow the rules in other places in such a small town it was better to do so. It would have gotten out no matter how careful me and Letty tried to be. In a larger town it was different, especially in the city. Besides, there was always the worry of Letty getting pregnant, which was a big no-no as you are aware."

"Yes, I can see that," Michelle said. "If it was taboo when I was born, which was several centuries after you lost your mate, then it would definitely be taboo further back."

"Anyway, I'm going to go test and see if I can actually sleep at night without those dreams I was getting," Dave said finally.

"Good night dad, I'll see you in the morning," Michelle said kissing her father's bearded cheek.

"Good night sweetie. By the way, I've been meaning to ask you have you been having dreams just like I have for so long? You certainly haven't looked as tired as I expected you to be and neither has Spencer."

"No at least not like you mean and I was amazed at that at first. I have them, but not every night, which probably means they are regular dreams," Michelle said. "I think the only reason you've had them for so long is because your mate was murdered so the link you had with Lettice was severed. Yes, I realize you hadn't been sexually active as that small town where your mate was living was a bad place to do that because there was no anonymity. While Spencer and I aren't together sexually yet, he's still alive and I think that makes a difference."

"That makes sense," Dave said thoughtfully. "I never thought about it that way, but then, I guess I never had a reason to. Well, if that's the case, it relieves my mind as Spencer would've been rather suspicious if he started to dream of you every night. It would've gotten the point he never got very much sleep just likes his sister."

"So why do you think Lynnette started to dream of you?" Michelle questioned.

"Well, in our case," Dave said. "Our lives were cut short before we had more than a few weeks together and I think the dreams were a way to let me know that she would return. Of course, it's just a theory and I could very well be wrong you know."
"It makes sense," Michelle said. "I'll see you in the morning I know you're tired dad and you certainly look it for once."

"Yeah, I'm more tired than I normally am," Dave admitted. "Meeting my mate again wore me out."

"That's not a surprise," Michelle told her father gently. "I know how you had to contain your excitement and that you just wanted to sweep her up into your arms. It must have taken you plenty of willpower not to do that at least until you had explained."

"Yeah, that's exactly it," Dave said.

Dave and Michelle left his office Dave to go to bed and Michelle to go to the library to do some research.

~~~Spencer and Michelle~~~