The Journey
by Pat

Chapter 6

Meg was in the kitchen getting breakfast, waiting for the kettle to boil. She could not get rid of this feeling, she got every so often, that if she turned round quickly enough she would see him, standing there. But she turned and nothing was there, she had had it since she got up and each time it happened she turned and hoped.

The rest of the house was quiet. She wondered how Sara and Casey were after her dream/nightmare, she didn’t know what to call it, she hoped they slept alright. She remembered the dream she had afterwards, how she kept on comparing Ben from before he left for Seattle to afterwards knowing there was a difference - but not wanting to admit that perhaps the death of Derek had affected Ben more deeply than anyone realised; and then Maria coming back had..... she did not finish that thought as the kettle boiled. She filled her cup, as she put the kettle down she had that feeling again so she turned quickly and jumped....

She saw Casey standing quietly in the doorway. "I didn’t know what to do either way I would have made you jump.... You were miles away - are you alright? I thought you were meeting Tyus early this morning."

"Tyus left a message on the machine that I should see him a bit later, he had been helping out because of an accident last night and would be delayed going to the Centre. No! I’m not alright. I keep getting this feeling that someone is behind me and if I turn quickly enough I will see him." She paused and shook herself "Did you get any sleep after my escapade or should I not ask?" She laughed as she said it as Casey suddenly looked embarrassed, and carried on in a slightly cheeky tone. "Well I’m to be your sister some when, so you can tell me anything."

Casey grinned deciding he would not answer that. Instead he opened a small box he was holding. "Actually it is unusual for the sister see it first, but I have no intention of asking your father first only giving him a done deal."

She walked over to him saying. "You’re going to ask her this morning?" She looked at the ring and at the smile on his face. "She will love it. Just don’t promise Dad that you will protect her from herself because she will always jump in without thinking."

A voice from the other room made them jump "And what will I jump into without thinking?" Casey turned grinning and presented Sara with the ring. "Will you marry me?"

Without stopping to think she replied "Yes!!" then realised what she had said and what had happened jumped up and down laughing with delight. He put the ring on her finger once he had caught her and gave her a kiss. Meg laughing with delight said "Lets celebrate with breakfast before I go." Amongst the giggles and talk of things to come, they had a wonderful meal.

Benjy got up quietly so as not to disturb anyone, he knew they would be getting up soon. He went to the cupboard and sorted amongst the things. He found it, left the mess he had made and sat on the floor by the chair and fiddled around with it till he got the tape out. Now all he had to do was to find a machine that worked. He had seen Mummy and Daddy use the one by the TV, perhaps he could work out how to use it. Although he was a bit scared in case he messed it up Daddy did occasionally get cross and he did not like it.

He looked at the machines, took a deep breath and pushed the tape in. He pressed the button with an arrow on it and nothing happened, so he tried another one and suddenly the tape started to wizz round. He jumped back, looked to make sure that no-one had heard him and waited. It stopped he then decided to press the button marked "play" and waited. There was a pause and then he heard Daddy telling the story. He smiled with delight wondering whether he should run up and tell him. Then he got hooked listening so sat still....until the end then rewound and started again.....

Derek woke up and got up quietly and left Tess sleeping to go back to Maria. It was all quiet no-one was around. (He didn’t realise that he had just missed Benjy going downstairs, perhaps that’s what woke him.) He was feeling very happy with himself, a few days and then a supposed holiday. He knew difficulties had been cropping up, perhaps he should move it forward to tomorrow. Then sell everything off gradually, no-one could challenge him now.

He looked at Maria as she slept and knew he had done the right thing, he had everything he wanted. He lent over and kissed her "Good morning love shall we go and celebrate." She giggled saying "Well nothing can go wrong now can it?"

"No. I think we will have a early holiday, how about tomorrow?" Derek replied in a light, unworried tone. She kissed him and said "Yes, why delay, we can always come back in a few months time. What about paying the men?" Derek replied "The keys are in the post. I just told them they would have to wait a few days to keep them on their toes."

They showered together, got dressed helping each other and still discussing the holiday when they started walking down the stairs. He gasped, stopped dead and Maria nearly pushed him down. He heard his brother’s voice and a child laughing with great delight. Panic flashed through his mind. Was he alive? Had he come back to haunt him?

Benjy heard the noise, knelt up so he came into view, with a huge grin and delight in his voice. "Look Daddy! I found the tape I can play it when ever I want to. You don’t have to try and remember!"

Derek nearly yelled "No! I’ll not have it here!!!" Instead, trying to stay calm, he started walking down the stairs again saying "Yes Benjy but hadn’t you better get ready for breakfast and school. Benjy jumped up switched the machine off and took the tape out as Derek came to the bottom of the stairs. Benjy’s smile fading as he knew that daddy was not pleased and said slightly defiantly "I’m going to take it to school and show the others how you tell the stories Daddy!" then ran up the stairs.

Derek managed to contain himself till they were in the kitchen: as he paced around the small kitchen, the anger rising, he turned to Maria, Tess had heard the noise and joined them. "I cannot have that tape played all the time! Get rid of it!" They looked at him surprised by his agitation, surely he was not afraid of a tape. They reassured him that it would only last a short time and then like everything else it would be dropped for something better. His mood lightened over breakfast as Benjy didn’t mention the tape again and Derek told Benjy that they might bring forward their holiday, although not giving him a date.

 

Chapter 7

Meg found Tyus waiting in the hospital’s reception area for her. "I want to show you around as I need you to get a feel of the place. The idea is for you to put forward a package that we can sell to the businesses, to get their support for a nursing home and rooms for visiting relatives with patients here and some staff accommodation. As you know we deal a lot with donations as it is for people without or little money or homes. I know you are good at your job."

Meg smiled at the complement. Tyus continued in a voice that showed some disappointment. "I had been promised a big donation earlier on in the year. It was to be given by this Thanksgiving but circumstances have changed and so far the donor has not come through and I do not feel I should press the matter. So we need to go asking for a large sum of money to start the project. Earlier in the year Ben did suggest that if ever we needed help with other projects you would be a good person to check with." He noticed a shadow go across her face "I’m sorry I know that hurt, and I still remember the way you two would light up the room when you danced together. Enough said. Will you still help?"

Meg said quietly, slightly agitated. "Yes of course I will. It will help fill some of the time. It’s just at the moment I feel unsettled it is as though something is just out of reach and, strangely enough, it is been getting stronger since we have been here." Tyus thought for a moment "Perhaps it is just the atmosphere in the hospital and the experiences you have had in them with Ben and your father. They have left you unsettled. So lets look round. The new wing is this way and leads onto the area for development. At present it is the refuse collecting area, but that will be moved by next week."

As they passed the reception desk, the clerk passed Tyus a note which he read as they went through the doors which cut them off from the rest of the building. "Apparently we have a patient here who the doctor and out of town police do not want anyone to know about. I’ll just check to see if everything is all right - the doctor is new to the hospital but is very good." He stopped as he saw the group of men around in hospital clothes, quietly grabbing breakfast off a food trolley half way down the passage. "Excuse me but what is going on?!" Then he started towards them.

Dr. Richard’s appeared from the examination room and the men stopped what they were doing. John came out the side room and told them to carry on and walked towards Tyus. As Dr Richards, came level with John, he spoke "Morning Tyus! Sorry we’ve taken over for a while. This is John, he and his agents brought in a kidnapped victim early this morning. This area has everything, and they wanted it kept quiet till he is identified so I allowed them here without informing the other hospital, it was full with the accident victims any way."

Meg was feeling very disturbed and moved away from Tyus and could now be fully seen by John. Tyus caught her agitation and turned "Are you alright Meg?" At the same time John realised that she looked like the lady in the photo and caught the name Meg. Surely not?, he thought, if so how could he ask her without causing too much shock. He could see she felt something was wrong so decided to ask, and hoped.

"Do you know someone named Ben?" She froze, that feeling, that was just out of reach, was stronger here, she could almost touch it. Yet she managed to answer calmly. "Yes Ben Evans my ..."she hesitated "ex fiancé," she felt the need to carry on, "he’s dark haired, early thirties, about six foot."

She stopped realising the silence and stillness. She started to carry on about him but thoughts about a kidnap victim suddenly hit her like lightening bolts and the feeling she had that morning, became extremely clear. Her voice wavering. "It’s him..... I felt him die this morning..... but he’s here! It was Derek wasn’t it who came back from Seattle!!...." She grabbed Tyus for support as she felt shaky, she turned towards John as if pleading not to be right. "I’m right aren’t I?" John quickly, calmly, asked "Who is Derek?" Tyus answered automatically "Ben’s identical twin," shocked at the thought of what might have happened.

John took her gently by the arm and lead her to some chairs and sat down with her. "Yes I think you are. Take a deep breath and hold onto the thought he is safe. Very ill, but safe, and I think you will agree in safe hands." She laughed shakily with a few tears, it was a kind of relief because all her fears could now be faced. He showed her the photo. "Is that Ben? We found the photo on him." She nodded agreement, it was, and took the photo, holding it carefully as though not harm it. "I need to know what happened?" he said. His tone was gentle and confident, giving her the strength to go on.

She could not take her eyes off the photo. She talked in short bursts. "He went to Seattle over two months ago...... came back a few days later... his attitude was different. He said he had found nothing against Tess... " John stopped her. "Where did he go in Seattle and why? I think we both know things that will fill in some blanks, but I need an address, somewhere he might have been kept." She thought back and remembered about Franklin Street, the red door, and gave him the address.

He phoned the information through and asked that it be checked and, if it was not the right house, to try ones either side or even further down the street, or the house the people moved onto. Yes, he realised that people would not like the upheaval and reminded them that they were looking for somewhere someone was kept for up to two months. When found, go through every inch with a fine-tooth comb.

He was told that the police at Sunset Beach had contacted them as he had left his mobile switched off and the number had been traced to the Seattle Office and how the suspects re: the drugs had been caught up in the accident and the drugs had been taken care of.

Also ID’s on the two prisoners had come through and he listed names etc. As John took the information, he realised that both men had nothing to loose and would be hard to persuade to tell their story. Everything would have to be done the hard way, and they would have to do it as the local police would be busy.

Meg, drinking a cup of tea a nurse had bought her and half listening to John’s conversation, realised as soon as she had explained everything she would be able to see Ben. She suddenly looked up "What about Maria? she will be in danger ...."

John was startled by her obvious concern for the woman and realised that Meg did not now how bad it was. He decided to tell her what he knew, but he did not want her to hear the tape at present. "Maria is in no danger from Derek. In fact she is helping him, and a woman named Tess, she is Benjy’s mother and Derek is his father. I need to know all about how Maria and Ben met." Meg looked questioningly trying to take in what he had just said "You mean they were both in it from the beginning?"

"Well Maria had a similar idea as Derek, they later joined up as a team." The thoughts made her feel sick. She automatically thought of people who knew them and said "Mark, but he was killed by Derek last year. Gregory but he is missing, so that would leave Casey. I could ring him, I don’t think he’s left for work."

John took in this information and knew there was a lot to unravel. "OK, but I don’t want anyone else to know so if you were going anywhere else today, cancel it." Meg replied, "What about my sister Sara? she runs a shop with me, and I’m meant to help her?" John replied firmly "No-one. I want to catch them here and not let them leave with Ben’s money and have to chase them around the world. I assume Ben is rich." "Yes very." Meg replied quietly. She reached for the phone.

Chapter 8

The doctors made themselves scarce as soon as John had lead Meg away. Dr. Richards explained everything to Tyus and brought him up to date on Ben’s treatment. Tyus told Simon that he could officially identify Ben as he was his doctor. He was very shocked at Ben’s condition, the only good thing was that the heart beat was getting stronger, but still setting the alarms off every so often. He checked Ben’s leg for a scar and found none and his eyes were clear, no scaring . He then checked the x-rays and found the trace were a couple of the ribs that had been fractured in his first fight with Derek last year. Thereby confirming it was Ben. He talked to Ben all the way through his examination and registered the fact there was no visible reaction. The monitors showed that there was brain activity, but not connected with anything happening here.

He stood back and thought about Derek’s actions recently and realised why Ben had been dumped now. He turned to Dr. Richards and told him he wanted a spare bed put in the room and would he instruct the new shift staff on what was needed for Ben.

Luckily Casey was alone when he got the call, so Meg briefly explained part of what had happened and that she wanted clothes so she could stay over night. Could Casey tell Sara that she would be on her own today without explaining about Ben. After a pause, he told Meg he would do his best but he was not looking forward to facing Sara. She was feeling very protective about Meg especially after that morning.

Tyus came back to John and told him that Derek might be planning to do a runner, as he had made sure that Benjy and Maria had the necessary health checks and papers for going abroad - they had come through a couple of days ago. Derek had mentioned that everything else was ready but would not be drawn any further. It could mean that he had moved some of Ben’s money into other accounts. He knew Maria and Derek would be at the Mission for the Mass at 4.30 and thought they would be at the Shock Wave afterwards because of a party tea for Benjy.

Tyus told John he needed to take Meg to Ben now as he needed her presence to bring Ben out of the coma. John gave Meg the transcript of the phone call, warning her it would upset her but it would clear things up, and she would know how to help Ben.

As they went to see Ben, Tyus warned Meg not expect Ben to show signs of coming round for several hours, he told her of his injuries and not to worry about the ventilator helping him to breath. They would be taking it away as soon as he was strong enough to breath on his own. Even so, she was shocked by the bruises on his face and arms she was not sure whether to hold his hand in case it hurt him.

Tyus told her at present he was sure Ben could not feel anything but still needed her touch to help find his way back. She held Ben’s hand gently and felt their connection, but it was so very faint. For a couple of seconds she could not trust herself to speak, but then called his name and told him she was there. She jumped when the alarm sounded and flashed, but Tyus said that was normal at present, hopefully soon the heart beat would become regular. She sat beside him and started to read the transcript to herself. Tyus checked with the nurse, who would stay in the room all the time, and left to see John and Casey when he came.

 

Chapter 9

Time passed, and the prisoners were questioned without any result, although it unsettled them that the police knew their names and were going to search the house in Seattle.

The day seemed to be going well for most people in the town. The family arrived from Seattle and enjoyed relaxing on the beach. Although business was good, Sara cursed her sister for suddenly leaving her. She didn’t quite believe Casey’s story of a friend being injured in the crash last night and needed her all day, part of the day perhaps, and Casey had not named the person. As Emily could not cover for her she was kept too busy to do anything about checking it out.

It was nearly lunch time when Casey, came to see Meg. She was sitting with Ben, Casey came in quietly and called her name. She turned and smiled, although when she spoke it was with a mixture of hope, anger and sadness. "You know he’s getting stronger, his heart beat is regular the alarm has not gone off for quite a while. How are we going to cope? .... It was all a set up....... How could she have been so cruel?..... I left him there with......"

He silently handed over the white teddy he had been carrying, she gave a half smile of thanks, close to tears, she tucked the teddy down beside her. Casey put his hand on her shoulder, he could see how it was all affecting her. Trying to give her the reassurance she needed, "At least we know what happened and we will face it together, all of us, this time." He went round to her side and sat on the chair beside her "You are his rock, Maria was right in that, you will be strong enough and we will all be there, friends and family. I brought you these." He held out her rings. "You should wear them. You are his wife."

She looked at him in surprise, a couple of tears escaped, she wiped them away. Casey carried on "John, Tyus and I have had a council of war. I told them all I knew, and we think that it can be proved that Maria married Ben under false pretensions and a judge may give an immediate divorce and/or the church may say it never existed. In any case you have more right to them!" She smiled, put them on and told Ben what she was doing, putting Ben’s hand over them hoping he could feel them and somehow understand that this time nothing was going to separate them.

In the darkness he had found what he was looking for. He could not hold it or see it,.... just knew that he had found it..... and if he followed the feeling it would get stronger... and perhaps the darkness would go.

John came and joined them to explain what was happening and what they were going to do. Casey would show Rick where the gallery was and hopefully trace Maria’s account. Seattle agents had searched the house and found evidence of Ben being there, also some females clothes - possibly ones Maria took with her. There were some video tapes which would be looked at in case they showed Ben and Derek together. They needed prove that the brothers were there together. Otherwise Derek could try and claim he was being threatened by the other two. Hopefully the officer would fly down this afternoon, I told them to commandeer a plane if needs be.

Also they were seeking any evidence of Bank accounts in Seattle, evidence of what the four of them did in the past years and anything Maria might have taken from Sunset Beach to prove it was premeditated. The audio tape would be enough to arrest them and possibly freeze the accounts. John was planing to get a judge and the DA to the Shock Wave at the actual arrest, then they could stop any chance of Maria or Derek using Ben’s money to defend themselves or live on.

It would also mean Ben would have to prove that the money and businesses were his. So until he recovered, the Judge would appoint a special accountant to run his things until it was sorted out. They would video everything. Some of his agents would go around town videoing the sights, so it would not seem strange when Derek and Maria turned up at the Shock Wave and saw them all there.

Meg looked at John with shock at the thought that Ben would have to prove who he was and that his money and businesses were his. "How do you do that, and what does he live on till then."

Tyus had come in quietly to check everything was alright, and reassured her. "As his doctor, I’ve officially identified him. Then it will be statements from friends, and lawyers etc. At the moment we keep him as John Doe with no address. He can come under our rescue fund that we keep for down and outs. As soon as we officially give him his name, Maria will be his legal guardian and we don’t want that. If the judge gives him an immediate divorce, then you will be nominated as next of kin or me as his doctor. Don’t look so shocked Meg, it will be alright. After all, Ben helped me to start up the fund in the first place and we will keep him here no matter what."

John turned to her and said gently. "I don’t usually ask this but the phone call made by Maria is not pleasant listening and it will make public what happened between you and Casey, and between Maria and Ben, but I do need to use it when I arrest them. I don’t think they will just hold their hands up, admit everything and come quietly. If I can, I will only use a bit of it. Do you mind if I use all of it?" She shook her head still trying to understand everything and replied quietly. "I don’t think anyone will believe what happened if you don’t use it. You know that Ricardo, her brother is on the police force."

"Yes, and about Antonio, we hope to avoid involving them other than as spectators. How do you think your father will react? I don’t want to have him attacking us as we arrest the others?" Casey chipped in "I’ll look after Hank, Joan and Sara. I think they will be too stunned to do anything."

John continued " I will contact Ben’s accountant and lawyer just before we all meet in the Shock Wave to make sure Derek does not recognise them and realise something is wrong. There are going to be enough strange things going on there to make anyone suspicious. I do not want to have to chase him across the States. I’ll take a nurse along who can look after Benjy. He will be taken into state care until it is all sorted out.

So we will leave you in peace until later this evening. We will leave an agent here for the prisoners. They are still keeping quiet, well Jake has had a go at the bed but nothing that cannot be repaired. He does not seem to like being locked up! Tough that! The other one is thinking. Perhaps we will have more joy when he knows they have all been arrested and that it might be better for him to say something." With that they left Tyus and Meg alone.

Tyus broke the silence. "You need to go for a break." She started to object. Tyus continued "I would like to see if we can take Ben off the ventilator and run some tests. It will be easier if you are doing something else. If he is not strong enough to breath on his own then we need to put him back quickly, and it is not nice to watch and you will not be able to help - even though I think he does feel your presence. I know this sounds strange, but leave your jumper here - it will be near him. He can feel it, smell of your perfume on it and perhaps realise you are close still."

Tyus waved over a nurse who had come in with him. "I want you to go with Tina who is crisis nurse and she will tell you what we can expect, and what we need you to do when Ben comes round and afterwards. One thing is clear, you will need to tell him the truth about your feelings and how things have affected you, if and when he asks. You or anyone else, me included, cannot lie to him. Because of what has happened, he will trust no-one and he might not even trust himself."

She sat letting what he said sink in, knowing that it was true and for the first time realising how hard it was going to be. He would not just wake up and everything would be alright. She remembered how difficult it had been for them the last time and knew it was going to get worse for a while, but that they would get over it. She took her cardigan off, lay on the bed and kissed his hand, "I’ll be close by, my love." and left. The nurses and Tyus took over.

Just as Meg was passing John’s room she heard him cursing. "Knew he’d do it someday! Took me at my word! Liberty Corp. plane of all things, might just as well tell the whole world what we are doing!..... Yes I’ll speak to Jude." He turned to Meg as she passed by with Tina. "AJ, is he friend or foe?" Meg replied, "Friend." "Good", and started to explain into the phone what was happening. She carried on out to go the cafe area. After the phone call John left to set things up, he had his list of people to see and collect, and left Tyus a number to be called if things changed.

 

Chapter 10

In the plane AJ and Jude cursed as they heard what had happened, and realised the legal implications for them and Ben. They decided they would make sure that Ben was helped what ever the judges decided and as soon as possible. Also how they could stop any further damage to Liberty Corp. without letting Derek know that they knew.

The agent sat quietly watching the video he had taken from the house in Seattle, making notes. He had a box of other things to go through, knowing he would probably miss the action, but slightly satisfied by the reaction he got when he took over the plane and now enjoying the comforts of the trip. After all, it’s not every day you could demand to take over a private plane legally.

On their walkabout, Simon was moaning that he was getting tired. It was Rick’s turn to carry one of the cameras. As they were going towards the Deep, they saw Maria and Derek coming towards them. They looked like a successful couple, hand in hand, laughing, very happy. Rick gently pushed Casey as he hesitated in his stride and quickly whispered "Take a deep breath, think of something nice. Remember its Ben not Derek, then introduce us and ask if we can have a quick look around now, before the people arrive tonight."

As Derek and Maria came up to them, Casey could feel his anger rising and wanted to strike out at both of them. He knew that their friendship had been strained recently so he could not guarantee a favourable reply. He took a deep breath, tried to sound relaxed, and asked: "Ben, Maria I was wondering if Rick and Simon could have a quick look round the inside of the Deep? They are doing an advertisement video of Sunset Beach so they will be at other places like Java Webb, Shock Wave and the Hotel. They might need extra lighting for tonight, if that’s alright with you."

Derek replied happily "That’s fine: there’s only the manager around at the moment - I’ll clear it with him." With that he lead the way. Maria talked brightly to Simon about what shots he had taken so far and where else to go. To Casey’s relief, Maria and Derek left as soon as the manager appeared. Rick whispered to Casey and they watched Simon walking around the room. "Good, well done, that sets the scene for later." and louder: "Simon what extra lighting do you want? We will have to check the restaurant area as well......"

Tess was wandering around the house, thinking about last night. Perhaps she was still feeling low after Tim’s death. She had to admit that, although her friendship with Tim started out to keep him occupied, she had started to like him; but her feelings for Derek were much stronger. Last night, when Derek came to her, he was different. She was still sure that she had his love, it was not the same as Maria’s but she had always known that Maria was not a threat. They worked well as a team. Perhaps it was just because, the chase was over and they all had what they wanted. Now it would settle down into a more secure relationship.

Hank had been on to the police again about Tim, but had no luck. The police had searched Tim’s room and found nothing to prove he had been in danger or abducted. They would just have to wait until Tim used his credit card. His description had been published, but the police did agree that it was unusual that Tim had left his clothes behind - but sometimes people did just go off on a whim and start afresh. Joan had suggested that they should now advertise for a general help. That had put Hank in a bad mood because it made him feel as though he was abandoning Tim; after all ,they had known him all his life and had tried to help him.

At the police station a man handed in a package for Ricardo. He felt guilty as he had left it until after lunch.The kids were enjoying themselves, which meant he could have some time with his wife, then he had remembered the package. It would be easy just to hand it over and leave was what he was told. Nope. As he had to admit to the Officer he did not know what was in the box. Just that it was important and confidential. He had to leave his home address, name, where he was staying, how long, and who gave it to him. Ricardo was out at the time, so it was left on his desk.

 

The gentleman was enjoying himself looking around Sunset Beach and understood why Ben and Meg enjoyed it here, and the contrast to Santa Barbara. But he was frustrated, just like on the phone, he just kept on missing Ben. To his dismay he now knew that Ben had a son and that Meg was no longer with Ben. He wondered if that was the reason for the silence, he was sure that Ben would have told him about the change; after all Ben had made a passing mention of their problems. He knew there was a service later that afternoon and he would make sure he met Ben at the Shock Wave and get his answers then.

 

Benjy was enjoying school.They had lessons about families, his was one of the ones mentioned as being special and he played his friends the tape at play time. Although his father’s reaction this morning to the tape had puzzled him, it was as if he did not like hearing it, Benjy knew that daddy had tried to hide his anger. He had discussed it with his teacher. She suggested that it was just the mood his daddy was in that morning and might not have been anything to do with him anyway and, not to worry, it would be gone by this afternoon.

Meg was surprised that the time had gone so quickly as she walked with Tina back to Ben’s room. She was slightly apprehensive, everything was so quiet, no-one around and the door to the isolation room was closed. She looked at Tina for reassurance. "They would have paged us if anything was wrong." Smiling Tina opened the door for Meg, and then went over to the nurse in the corner.

Meg stopped just inside for a moment taking in the scene. Noticing the silence, the ventilator had been replaced by the ordinary oxygen tube, Ben was breathing for himself. It was now only the monitors giving out the constant reassuring bleep, which was steady and stronger, the tubes he had before were still there helping him. She felt happier as she walked towards Tyus and Ben.

As Tyus turned from examining Ben to greet her, she saw the bruises down Ben’s back and then as Tyus laid Ben onto his back she saw the ones across his ribs and down his side, they looked deep and painful. She shivered and wanted even more to hold him, protect him, and tell it was alright, that she would stay with him no matter what.

"Its good news." Tyus said, as he made the bed tidy: "He is much stronger. He did not like the removal of the tube and his mental reaction is stronger. It looks as though he’s coming back to us. So carry on talking to him about anything and everything. He may not understand a lot of it or remember it afterwards. But it will be something for his mind to grasp on to. You had a good talk with Tina and you get on with her alright?"

Meg smiled as she sat down and took Ben’s hand. "Yes and as we get on well, I’m sure Ben will be alright with her. We even talked about staying at Surf Central when Ben is well enough."

Tyus carried on."You realise that he will not be able to do very much for himself for quiet a while. His wrists are badly cut and bruised and it will take time to heal. What if he wants to leave Sunset Beach, are you alright with that?" Meg replied without hesitation "No matter what he decides to do I will be with him. I can’t lose him again."

"Good! I think he will be alright for now, I’ve got to check on some other patients but the nurses will get me if anything changes. If you want music we have put a CD player in the corner, with a few CD’s. See if there is anything there that could be useful as background, something familiar to him." She remembered the bag of things Casey had brought her and found a pile of CD’s and books he had put in without her asking. She smiled, she had not thought that far ahead, but he had. She put one on, telling Ben which one it was. Then she sat back beside him, held his hand gently, and started telling him that it might be fun sharing Surf Central with Casey and Sara.......

He had not liked the disturbance....It made his throat hurt..... He realised he had a body.....and there was a dull throbbing all over. He had to work harder to breath now.... The darkness was there but there was something round the edges......He recognised that feeling ......it was back....it was getting stronger..... safety?.... love?... something he had lost... now finding it again......He could hear something else but not clearly.... it was muffled ...if he kept going he would find it..... he knew that now......

Ricardo knew he should go the service, it had been a busy day so far. There was a mysterious box on his table from Seattle. As soon as he saw it, his thoughts focused on the change that happened when Ben came back from Seattle. He had hoped that Maria would get over Ben and Ben would go to Meg, as he seemed to be doing before the trip, but instead he turned back to Maria. He wanted Ben out of his family! Although he had accepted Ben’s and Maria’s versions of what happened the night of the drowning and that she loved him, Ricardo was not happy; he just knew that he would feel better if Maria was away from Ben. Now this service which his mother had insisted he attend!

His thoughts carried onto his mother’s attitude hurtful towards Gabi and the fact that Gabi and Antonio’s love making had been a one-off, due to the extreme circumstances. After a long heated late night discussion with Antonio, Ricardo eventually had believed him and had then gone to Gabi to ask her if she really loved him and forgave him. She told him yes, and she wanted stay with him while they worked things out. He had been ruining his and their lives by his harassment and threats towards them and had not listened to Gabi’s pleas. A couple of days ago Maria, had stopped him by reminding him of the way Derek had hated Ben and the trouble that had caused. She actually accused him of starting to act like Derek!

That made him angry, it got on his nerves. Although after he had thrown her out of his apartment, he had quietened down. He had to admit it brought him up sharply and made him realise what he was losing. But he hadn’t liked the way Maria had said it. No!...he would miss the service and just call at the Shock Wave, claiming pressure of work. Mama was going to be cross when she heard about Gabi, so she might just as well be cross about that as well...

"Hi Ricardo, early Christmas present?" He was brought back to the present, he looked up at her as he replied. "No Gabi, Just something left, I’ve got do deal with it now. So if you want to go on to the service I’ll join you later."

"No I was only going if you were, you know my feelings I still think it ought to be Meg not Maria. Do you feel as though something is going on here since we’ve got back this afternoon? Spencer is watching you strangely?" Gabi replied leaning on his desk. "Go on open it, it might be something nice. Where is it from?"

"From Seattle." He replied as he picked it up and opened it. He looked at the letter quickly, noticing the name and address, and the attached paper that Ben had scrawled on. "Why would a PI have this paper from Ben saying "find the truth" and why didn’t Ben call back about things." Ricardo wondered out loud.

He picked up the paintings. Gabi looked at them "They are good, that’s unusual - the paper has silver flecks in it." Ricardo replied thoughtfully, "Yeah Maria insisted that Ben got some like that for her studio, apparently their’s was a one off order perhaps someone else had the same idea." Then realising "It’s her paintings! One look likes an English cottage, the other is here, when they had a festival week, celebrating some firms that had been here a hundred years - it was very colourful." Putting them on the desk, he looked in the box and found a dress and muttered to himself. "Ben said she was wearing this when she went off the boat."

 

Gabi butted into his thoughts "When was that festival? Perhaps she came back for it but does not remember anything about it. Was it fairly recent?" "No it was about eight months after that night. I was still trying to come to terms with Maria’s death and every time I saw the decorations I thought she would have liked to have painted them. She would have been expecting Benjy then, and the airplane companies would not have accepted her on board. She would not have driven. So she must have seen it from a photo, but how did she get the paper to paint it?"

He looked at the list of information Mr Peters had gathered. "He’s done a good job, says the things had been given to a second-hand dealer a couple of days before Ben bought them. Listen to this description." His voice lightened "Male, thin faced, dark haired, medium built, mid-American accent, fits a few thousand doesn’t it?" Gabi laughed, and picked up the other envelopes, opening one and getting out several photos.

"Hey look - happy families, it’s Tess, Maria and Benjy when he was a baby. I wonder who took them. Hey! there’s one with the thin faced male, wonder if he has the right accent." Laughing, she looked at last one and stopped and handed it to Ricardo saying in a concerned voice. "That cannot be right? Ben did not know about them, did he?"

Spencer who had been on the phone noticed the change in Gabi’s manner and came over. Ricardo took it and stared. "I know its not Ben. I knew his every move. He did not go out of Sunset Beach for ages." Ricardo paused, not liking what his thoughts told him. "It cannot be... Derek.... that would mean..." Spencer lent over and said "Let me have a look at those, and the other envelope." Ricardo started to opened it.

Antonio had finished the service and asked everyone to witness the blessing of Ben and Maria’s wedding vows. After they had repeated their vows, he asked Benjy to come to the group and blessed the whole family now that they were together and hoped that they would be happy. Maria, Benjy and Derek turned and, as they walked out of the Mission, were greeted by everyone. Annie was bursting with happiness that it had all turned out alright, her two friends were back together again. Aunt Bette left the group with a promise to meet up later, she wanted to get her piece off before the deadline tonight. Carmen was proudly following the group, knowing that she was right all along. They made their way towards the Shock Wave.

 

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