Sarah was hesitant. {Is Sam all right? }

{He's fine, Sarah. But we do need to go see him. }

"I'll see you later, M&M. By the way, I'm planning a party for you at Caine's as soon as you get out of here. I'll drop by later to give you the details." She leaned over to hug her friend. "I really missed you."

Peter was quiet as they rode the elevator to the fifth floor.

"Okay, Peter, spill it. What's going on with Sam?" Sarah was annoyed that he was hiding something from her.

{I'm sorry, Sarah. I just didn't want to load any more on you. } Peter switched to audible communication. "Sarah, Sam's going to a foster family tomorrow."

She looked like the breath had been knocked out of her. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "Well, I knew it was only a matter of time. At least that means he's medically stable."

She was putting on a brave front, but Peter was aware of the loss she was feeling. "There will be another baby who needs me." Peter also knew that it wouldn't take the place of the special bond she had created with this particular baby.

Peter stayed outside of the nursery while Sarah went in to hold Sam for the last time. He figured she'd want some space, just as she had with Ti Lo. When she came back out, her eyes were red. More shadows, he thought wearily.

The Watcher was well pleased with the shadows that were playing havoc with Caine's apprentice. Her shadows were, in turn, creating shadows in Caine's son and in the priest himself. He was especially pleased with the misery being created in the son. A frontal attack on him was less subtle. Yes, this was infinitely more satisfying. Time to press forward.

Sarah's ability to meditate has greatly improved, Caine thought, watching her sit quietly before a candle. He knew how troubled she was, and he was glad that she finally had the skills to begin calming her own soul. Both he and Peter had struggled for some time, assisting her to find her center. Now, she was able to do it herself.

However, while it was helping a little, Caine could still feel how deeply her pain ran. Even worse, she was bottling it up inside of her, creating new barriers. She didn't want to trouble Peter with it, something very hard not to do, now that they were linked.

He spoke softly, "Sarah, the point of having a link with Peter is to share everything."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "How do you always know these things?" she asked.

He smiled and shrugged. "You are very easy to read, Nuer. You always have been. I need no link to see the pain in your eyes, nor does Peter."

She sighed. "Well, seeing it, and actually having to feel it with me, are two different things."

"That is true. Do you recall me telling you, however, that pain shared is pain lessened?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, Master, I do, but again, sharing it with Peter verbally and making him take it into himself, are two different things."

Perfect, Caine thought. I need to discuss this new talent of hers, and she has opened the way beautifully. "Did you not take Mary Margaret's pain into yourself when you healed her?"

She looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"Your healing talent is most unique, Nuer." He studied her carefully. There was disbelief in her eyes.

"Talent? I thought it was a fluke." She could not believe that there was anything unique about herself, certainly nothing like that. Making teas and herbal medicines, giving healing massages, those things she could accept. Even being able to share her chi was easy to accept. She had certainly seen Caine do it enough, and even Peter had been known to do it on occasion. The paranormal experience she had with Mary Margaret was more difficult to grasp.

"A... fluke?" questioned Caine.

"A once-in-a-lifetime thing, a happy mistake," Sarah said.

Caine smiled at his apprentice. "No, it was not a mistake, Nuer. You have a very unusual gift, one we must train you to use wisely."

"Yeah, right," she muttered.

"Nuer, I have never lied to you. I will not begin now. Your talent allows you to take another's pain within yourself and conquer it. This gift will require much training to use properly without injury to yourself." He could see that she was going to need some time to accept the concept.

"You mean like the headache?" She would never forget that headache. It had made her wish she could remove her head and stick it on a shelf somewhere until the pain had passed.

He shook his head. "No. Things like that will always be the result of your use of the talent. Now, would you have healed Mary Margaret had you known the headache would follow?"

She looked at him, and thought about it a moment. "Of course I would have. She's my friend, and I love her."

"So, you would have willingly accepted her pain to relieve it for her?" Caine watched the understanding slowly dawn in her eyes. "The Tao tells us, Nuer, that great love incurs great cost."

"And Peter loves me, and so is willing to incur that cost when it comes to my pain." She understood what Caine was telling her.

Caine nodded. "Now, stop building walls, Nuer. We shall discuss your talent again soon, and begin your training shortly. I want you to begin to think about the... ramifications of this gift."

She leaned over in a bow to him. "Yes, Master Caine."

"Now go, find my son, and lessen your own pain." She stood, bowed again, and left him alone in the meditation room. Meanwhile, Caine thought, I shall seek out Lo Si's advice regarding your training, and when you are ready to accept this gift, we shall begin.

Sarah had decorated Caine's apartment for the festive occasion. Mary Margaret had been released from the hospital almost a week earlier and was now up to the party Sarah had promised her.

She had gathered a small group of Mary Margaret's friends. The guest list included Jody and her fiancé, William Schmidt, Kermit, Karen, and Jordan. Lo Si would also attend. The Ancient never passed up an invitation to a party, unless he was trying to wiggle out of his own birthday party. Caine had almost been forced to literally twist his arm for that.

Caine and Peter had been happy to provide whatever assistance Sarah had needed to pull the party together. A project like this was just what she'd needed to keep her mind occupied. She was still having trouble shaking those shadows. The loss of Ti Lo and Sam were heavy burdens for her.

Sarah mingled with the different guests, paying extra attention to the guest of honor. She had set out a special treat just for Mary Margaret. It was a large bowl full of M&M's candies.

She passed Peter with a plate of cookies in her hand. "Hey, stop! Those are my favorite!" He grabbed at the plate.

She smiled at him. "I know. Why do you think I made them?" Peter quickly popped a cookie in his mouth and smiled back as she winked at him. "You were right, Peter, the way to your heart is through your stomach," she teased.

He grabbed her and pulled her close. "Hey! Watch out, you'll spill the cookies," she complained.

Peter began to laugh. "That's okay, I don't mind. I've seen you toss your cookies before, if you'll recall."

Sarah smacked him playfully. "How dare you invoke the memory of that night! Especially as the guilty party is right over there!" Sarah pointed at Jordan, who was speaking to Lo Si on the other side of the room.

Peter kissed her into silence. "I need to talk to you Hwa-ren. Serve your cookies, but promise me you'll meet me in the apothecary in ten minutes?"

"Oooh, a secret rendezvous?" She laughed.

"I'm serious, Hwa-ren."

"Okay, Peter Caine, I'll be there." With a final brush of her lips, he released her to serve the cookies.

As the Watcher lifted the high-powered rifle to his shoulder, he felt the familiar burning sensation. Damn, he was too old for this sort of thing. He put the rifle down and reached into his pocket to pull out a leaf, which he placed under his tongue. The burning sensation passed several moments later.

He picked the rifle back up and looked through the scope. It was not his first choice of weapons. He really wanted to dispatch Caine in a more personal way, face to face, with his own two hands. He really would have liked to drop the priest from a very high place. But this would work. He would deny his personal needs to get the job done. He watched the people passing the terrace doors in the priest's apartment. This was perfect. Caine would die in front of all his friends.

Caine wasn't sure what it was that drew him to the terrace doors. He looked out over the city with curiosity. Seething hatred and rage swept over him just before he felt the piercing pain and everything went black.

When the glass in the terrace door shattered and Caine fell to the floor, everything seemed suspended for a split second. Then, in an instant, firearms had been pulled from their holsters, and the trained guests quickly shoved the untrained ones to the floor. Kermit edged his way to the terrace door, Desert Eagle at the ready, and looked for the shooter, but he saw nothing on any of the area rooftops. Peter had thrown himself across Sarah on the floor; she now struggled to heave him off and reach Caine.

Kermit beat her to him. He had his fingers on Caine's throat, looking for a pulse. He couldn't find one. A bullet hole, surrounded by a small ring of blood, was evident in Caine's silk shirt, directly over his heart. Kermit shook his head at Peter, who turned gray. {Pop? POP! Answer me! }

"I'm going out to look for the shooter, Pete," Kermit told him. They both knew they were dealing with a professional. "Karen, call an ambulance." Karen Simms holstered her gun, and exchanged it for her cell phone.

Sarah had thrown herself on the floor at Caine's side. She placed her hand over the wound on his chest. As she did, she knew that he had not yet crossed. She began CPR. Lo Si joined her.

"Lo Si, can you help him?" Peter asked, his voice catching within his throat.

"I am sorry, Young Peter. There is nothing I can do. This injury is beyond my skills." Lo Si's sorrow was great.

"Well, I am not giving up!" Sarah was annoyed that Lo Si would throw in the towel so easily. Okay, Baba, she thought, let's see if you were really telling me the truth. She probed the wound mentally, instincts kicking in. The damage was great. No way she could do this by herself. Desperate times call for desperate measures, she told herself.

"Kermit, NO!" Her shout stopped him as he was about to leave the room. "I'm going to need you. I'm going to need all of you," she told the stunned guests.

Mary Margaret was kneeling on the opposite side of Caine. Her face was ashen and she reached for Peter's hand. Neither of them could accept the fact that Kwai Chang Caine, a man they both considered invincible, was lying here on the floor without a heartbeat.

"Come ON! Get over here!" Sarah's shout galvanized the rest of them into action. "I don't have enough energy to do this alone. I need you all!" She stopped the chest compressions to grab Peter's hand, the one that was holding onto Mary Margaret's, and shook both of them. "PETER! Snap out of this! I need your help! He has not crossed the river yet, and I'll tell you something, if he does cross, I'm going over there and drag him back, kicking and screaming if need be!" She returned her hands to Caine's chest, resuming the CPR.

Kermit gave Peter a shake, returning him to his senses.

Lo Si was taking in the whole scene through wide eyes. {Young Sarah, this is not a good idea. You have had no training. }

Sarah looked at him sharply, so startled that she lost the rhythm of her CPR momentarily. She looked over at Peter.

{He does not hear. This is between you and me. }

She didn't have time to question how Lo Si was able to mind speak with her. {I have to try, Lo Si. Look at his face. If it's within my power to do something about it, I can't let him lose his father again. It would kill him. }

{This may kill you. }

{So be it. I love Peter too much. Master Caine told me that great love incurs great cost. I know how the loss of his father tormented his soul the last time. }

Lo Si sighed. The fates knew what they were doing when they had paired these two. She was the perfect match for Peter. She was equally impulsive and stubborn. She had no idea how much the loss of her could torment Peter's soul.

Kermit was willing to help in whatever way Sarah required. "Tell us what to do, Dollface," the ex-mercenary snapped.

"Kermit, you put your hand on one of my shoulders. Peter, you do the same on the other side. The rest of you, join hands, circle around. Hurry!"

Peter could see that energy was already flowing from Sarah's hands, which were directly over his father's heart. The group quickly did as Sarah directed, then linked hands with Kermit and Peter. The circle was complete.

"Good. Now, I want you all to close your eyes. Calm yourself, empty your minds of everything. I want you to visualize all your energy, your strength, and your love for Caine flowing out of your hands, through the chain and out of my hands. You guys supply me with the energy, I'll take care of the rest!" I hope, she thought. She was acting on instinct alone, just as she had with Mary Margaret.

"Lo Si? Are you with me or against me?"

The rest of the group looked at Lo Si, startled that the old man could possibly be against helping Kwai Chang Caine.

The old man sighed again and moved to kneel behind her. He placed one hand on the center of her back, then reached around her with the other hand, placing it directly over the focal point of her chi.

Sarah closed her eyes and breathed a silent prayer. Please, don't let me lose him! I don't think I can handle another lose just now. "Now, people. Focus." She ceased the CPR, repositioned her hands and began to concentrate. A moment later her eyes popped open. "William! There is no shame if you cannot believe with us in this." Her tone changed, "But get the hell out of the circle! You're disrupting the harmony!"

Jody and Skalany dropped his hands like he had the plague, and reached in front of him to relink, effectively closing him out of the circle. He stepped backwards.

"Refocus, folks!"

It seemed like an eternity that they stood there like that. They all began to feel drained, yet Sarah continued her work. Sweat was dripping from her forehead, the only indication of the strain she was under. Her left hand clenched into a fist over Caine's heart. Her last move was to circle her right hand over his chest, and push down.

She leaned back, resting against Lo Si. She gave him a victorious wink. "It's done." Her quiet statement gave them all permission to drop hands and open their eyes.

Kermit once again reached his fingers out to Caine's neck. His fingers found what they sought and he gave Peter a grin. "Good work, Dollface." Nothing that happened in this apartment surprised Kermit anymore. Color began to return to both Peter's and Mary Margaret's faces.

Sarah lurched to her feet and pushed her way out of the circle. The rest of them watched, amazed, as Caine opened his eyes to look at them.

"Pop! Thank goodness." Peter was overwhelmed by the relief he felt. He leaned down to kiss his father's forehead. A tear rolled down his cheek. "I..." he was too overcome to speak clearly, "I thought... I'd lost you again, Pop." He brushed his hand along his father's cheek. Caine reached up and wiped the tear track from Peter's face.

Mary Margaret was next, pushing Peter out of the way and kissing Caine passionately on the lips. They all exhaled, unaware that they had been holding their breath, and laughed when Caine snaked his arm around Mary Margaret's waist and drew her closer to him. "Mary Margaret," he chastised her mockingly when she had released his lips, "Not in front of the guests."

He looked around at the rest of the faces that surrounded him. He greeted Lo Si. "Hello, my old friend."

"Kwai Chang Caine, you gave us quite a scare."

Caine continued to take in the faces of his friends from his position on the floor. The one he most wanted to see was missing. "Where is Sarah?"

Everyone's heads snapped up. They had been so focused on Caine that they had missed the fact that Sarah had left the group.

She was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. Her eyes were closed. Peter reached out along their link as he left his father's side and moved to hers. {Sarah? Are you all right? } She did not respond. The silence echoed through Peter's mind.

Peter shook her by the shoulder. "Sarah?" He turned to his father, who, with Mary Margaret and Lo Si's help, had managed to get shakily to his feet and join him at Sarah's side. "Pop? What's going on?" Peter felt panic once again take hold of his heart.

Caine eased Sarah onto her back on the floor, examining her chi.

"Did she overdo it, Pop? Did she strengthen your chi too much?" Peter knew it was possible to actually die by transferring too much of one's own life force. He looked at her chi himself, and did not like the color he saw. It seemed far darker than normal.

"Peter, she did not... strengthen my chi. She literally repaired the damage to my body." Caine's voice was thick with concern. He knew what this could cost them.

"How?" Peter had tried to discuss Mary Margaret's healing with her, and she had told him it was a fluke. Now he understood the confusion that had been radiating from her for several days.

"It... is hard to explain."

Kermit had joined them. He noticed her tightly clenched left hand. He took it in his own, and peeled the fingers open, intent on relaxing it. When he saw what was in her hand, he gave a low whistle.

"Pete, Caine, take a look at this." He showed them Sarah?s hand. "Here's the bullet that killed your father, Peter." A slug lay in Sarah's now open hand.

"How the hell did she do that?" Peter muttered.

Kermit looked at him sharply. "I learned a long time ago where you and your father are concerned that I should NOT ask that question. Just be grateful."

"I'll be grateful when I see her blue eyes looking at me again, Kermit."

Karen Simms, ever the police captain, handed Kermit an evidence bag she had pulled from her purse. He tipped Sarah's hand and collected the slug, sealing the bag.

"Gentlemen, I'd say your unknown enemy has struck again. I suggest we come up with a plan to draw him out."

Caine glanced up from Sarah to gaze at Kermit Griffin. "The enemy is no longer unknown. I now know exactly who we are dealing with."

Kermit and Peter looked intently at Caine, waiting. They knew he would speak when he was ready. He had returned his attention to his apprentice. Caine continued his ministrations to Sarah. So far, he had not had any effect on her condition. He looked to Lo Si for any suggestions. "Master?"

Lo Si shrugged at him, and Caine had a flash of insight as to why Peter was often annoyed with him when he responded that way.

"I tried to warn her, Kwai Chang Caine, but she is stubborn."

"Yes, she is. Let us hope she is stubborn enough," Caine replied.

Peter noticed a small pool of blood that was soaking through Sarah's flower-print shirt. "Pop?"

"I see it, my son." He opened the top button of Sarah?s shirt. Kermit pulled a white handkerchief from his jacket pocket and handed it to Caine. He used it to wipe the blood from the middle of Sarah's chest. There was no visible wound beneath the puddle.

"This just gets weirder and weirder," Peter muttered. "What did you warn her about, Lo Si?"

The Ancient turned to face Peter. "That she might be exchanging her life for your father's."

Peter?s face took on the expression of a person who had just been sucker-punched in the gut. He exhaled loudly. Kermit grabbed him by the arm to steady him. "No." His voice was quivering. "NO!" He leaned over and spoke into Sarah's ear, "Damn it, Hwa-ren, don't you dare do this to me."

The paramedics had arrived. They looked around the scene, observing the young woman on the ground. "Umm, we got a call for a male gunshot victim," one of them stated.

Kermit stood up and approached them. "You were misinformed." He looked back at Caine. "Are we taking her?"

"Yes. I believe that would be the wisest course of action right now."

Peter felt the knot in his stomach grow larger. If his father actually wanted Sarah taken to the hospital, things were not good.

Mary Margaret was weeping, as was Jordan. Sarah had touched both of their souls, and they were shocked at the sudden prospect of losing her. Mary Margaret was also suffering from the same guilt that Peter was. Whose life should they value more, Sarah's or Caine's? Jody was trying to explain things to William, who was still smarting from being kicked out of the circle.

"He is waiting nearby," Caine cryptically informed Kermit and Peter.

"Who?" they asked simultaneously.

"My enemy. His shields are down now. He presumes me to be dead. He will be most surprised to see me walk out of this building."

"Good," Kermit said. "Then maybe he'll be off-balanced enough to make a stupid move."

"Yes. Perhaps he will be."

The paramedics had lifted Sarah onto the stretcher. "What exactly is wrong with her? We can't find any reason why she should be unconscious. And where did this blood on her shirt come from? There's no wound."

"That is a very long story," Caine told them. "Let us go."

Caine followed the stretcher as they carried Sarah from the building. He paused defiantly in the doorway, putting on his hat and running his fingers along the brim. He could sense the watching eyes.

"NO!" The Watcher actually spoke out loud when he saw Kwai Chang Caine standing in the doorway. "He is dead! I watched him fall! I know I did not miss!" He was frantic. How is this possible? The Watcher had no explanation for it. Who are they transporting in the ambulance? He lifted his binoculars to his eyes. It was Caine's apprentice. He could see the pain on Caine's son's face. Good. At least the evening isn't a total loss.

However, now he needed a new plan, and there wasn't much time. Kwai Chang Caine would die. He would have his revenge. He moved off, to regroup and plan his next attack.

When they arrived at City Hospital, Caine insisted they call Dr. Sabourin. He refused to allow anyone else anywhere near Sarah. He knew she was the only one who would even listen to the full explanation for Sarah?s condition. Peter refused to leave her side, and for once, he had an ally in the ER.

"Here, Peter." A hand thrust a cup of coffee at him.

He looked gratefully at the nurse. "Martha, right?" She nodded her head. "Thanks, Martha. I could really use this."

Martha moved to the bed and checked Sarah's pulse. It was slow but steady. "She has a good steady pulse," she informed Peter.

"Well, I guess that's good news."

"Tell me, Peter, what exactly happened to her?"

"Martha, you would not believe me if I told you." Martha opened her mouth to protest, but Peter cut her off, "Martha, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. And trust me, I've seen some pretty weird stuff in my lifetime."

Caine and Dr. Sabourin entered the ER treatment room. Dr. Sabourin looked at Martha for a report. Martha gave her Sarah's vitals. "Thank you, Martha." She dismissed the nurse.

Martha paused at Peter's side as she left the room. She laid her hand on his arm. "We'll all be pulling for her, Peter." Peter nodded his gratitude.

Caine told Ellen Sabourin exactly what had happened. She fingered the stained bullet hole in Caine's shirt, then pushed it aside to examine the skin beneath it. The skin was unmarked. She ran her hand over it to be sure. I would love to get an MRI of his heart, she thought.

"Okay, tell me, exactly how did Sarah manage to do this?" she asked.

Peter looked at his father. He wanted an explanation, too. "Yes, tell us, Pop. I want, no, I need, to understand this."

Caine sighed. He wasn't quite sure how to verbalize it. "Sarah has a very unique gift. She does not understand it herself. I know she had not accepted it... as a reality. We have not yet had the opportunity to speak of it in depth. She is an... empathetic healer. She has the ability to take someone's trauma... injury, from them, to herself. Once she does that, she conquers it from within."

"So, she healed your body, but then took the pain, the injury into her own to fight it?" Peter wanted to be sure he was completely clear on this. The life of the woman he loved was at risk, and he wanted to know why.

Caine nodded. "That is why when she healed Mary Margaret she had a terrible headache."

Good grief, Ellen Sabourin thought, it's her heart I need an MRI of!

"This is not exactly a HEADACHE, POP!" Peter's frustration lashed out at his father.

Caine shared Peter's pain. He laid his hand on Peter's shoulder. "What she did today, she should never have done. My injury was too severe and she has not had the training necessary to understand that. That is my fault. Although we have discussed it briefly, I should have begun instructing her in depth the moment I realized the truth about her talent. I was waiting for her to be ready." He sighed. "I should have pushed her."

Caine was distraught to think that he was the cause of Sarah's pain, her fight to survive. "I do believe she might have pulled this off with very little trauma to herself, if she had been in good condition, both physically and mentally, to begin with."

Peter looked intently at his father. "So, you're saying that her emotional state is interfering with her ability to fight this?"

Caine nodded. "Yes, my son."

Dr. Sabourin was trying her best to process all this information. "Okay, Caine, I believe you. But if you can't help her, what do you expect me to do for her?"

"I am not sure how long she will remain like this. I would ask that you treat her as you would any coma patient. She will need fluids, nourishment?" Caine's voice trailed off. "Peter and I will do what we can to bring her back to us, but we need your support for her physical body."

"Okay, I think I understand. I'll start an IV now, then we'll move her to a private room."

Caine bowed to her. "We are... most grateful."

Once Sarah had been settled in a private room, Caine invited all of them into it. It was time to explain who the enemy was and create a plan for trapping him.

Kermit was not happy that they were all inside the room at once. The ex-mercenary began issuing commands, "Jordan, post yourself on the door. Jody, down the hallway. I will not be caught like a bunch of sitting ducks in this room." The women looked to Karen, who nodded her permission.

"I'll be by to brief you later," she told them. They quickly left the room.

Peter had settled on the edge of Sarah's bed, clasping her hand tightly in his own. Lo Si had taken over the only chair in the room at the bedside. Caine was leaning one hip on the back of the chair, Mary Margaret hovering protectively nearby.

Kermit leaned against the wall just inside the doorway. No one would get through that door without either Kermit's permission or the Desert Eagle rammed down their throat.

William and Karen had perched on the windowsill, the curtains wide open. Kermit gave Karen a look of blatant disgust. "Karen, you should know better," he scolded darkly. "William, if you're going to marry Jody, learn a thing or two about safety. Both of you, get out of that window, now. You've turned yourselves into marvelous targets for a guy we already know likes to shoot through windows."

William's face turned white as he realized the implication of Kermit's words. He was beginning to question whether or not he was truly cut out to be the significant other to a police detective. He was now especially hesitant about a cop who was associated with the Shaolins, and the weirdness that seemed a standard part of their lives.

Karen had the good grace to look at Kermit sheepishly. "You're right, of course, Kermit. I must have lost my focus tonight." She closed the curtains and moved to Kermit's side. He gave her hand a quick squeeze to let her know she was forgiven.

"All right, Pop," Peter began wearily, "Let's hear it."

Caine stood to his feet. "My enemy's name is Chali Feng." Karen had out her pad and pen, taking notes. "Many, many years ago, he and my father were close friends. Both of them were trained together by my grandfather, the first Kwai Chang Caine."

"Great," Mary Margaret muttered, "Another rogue Shaolin. Just what we needed."

Caine raised his eyebrows at her. "Indeed." He continued, "The two men were reunited after my father and I fled China. Chali had a son named Kenneth. He and I were the same age. Kenneth became my new best friend, to replace the one I had... lost in China." Caine paused, reflecting for a moment on their flight from China to America, and the loss of his first best friend. He sighed, and continued with his story, "My father had a tendency to... wander,"

{Like father, like son, huh, Pop? } Peter shot at his father through the link. Caine glared at him and continued speaking. No one else even realized there had been an interruption.

"... and Chali Feng was like a substitute father to me when my own was... gone. "

Peter looked at his father. He had never heard of Chali and Kenneth Feng. So, he thought, Pop had his own version of Paul Blaisdell. But now, the man was after him. It seemed he was about to learn more about his father's past in the next few minutes.

"Kenneth and I were not your typical youths?"

Kermit snorted, interrupting Caine's story. "Sorry. I was just trying to imagine what a typical Shaolin's son is supposed to be like. My only experience is with Peter." Peter glared at him.

Caine smiled at his son. "Perhaps I should begin this story by saying... the apple does not fall far from the tree?" They all laughed. "Peter comes by his impulsive nature honestly. It is just that I learned to master mine at a younger age. The truth is that Chali Feng shot me today in revenge for something I did as a child."

"That seems a little drastic, even for a rogue Shaolin," Karen stated. "Why now after all this time?"

Caine shrugged. "That I do not know. Perhaps because he feels he is running out of time? However I felt his anger, his rage, today and it has not diminished with the passing of time. What happened in my youth as a result of my impulsiveness was... devastating. It happened during one of the periods when my father was home." Caine crossed to sit next to his son, absentmindedly stroking Sarah's arm. Peter could sense that Caine was still affected by whatever had happened.

"As I was saying, although Kenneth and I were not your typical youths, we did share many characteristics with our peers. Like all rash, impulsive youth, we could not see our own mortality." Peter was fascinated as his father transported them all back to the time of his youth:

The two boys sat beside the creek. It was a beautiful spring afternoon and the sunshine was warm. They were supposed to be meditating, but Kenneth Feng was bored. He looked over at his friend, Kwai Chang. As usual, Kwai Chang was doing just what he was supposed to. Boring! Kenneth thought. He smiled mischievously. He knew with the right encouragement his friend could be convinced to try something more exciting. He picked up a small pebble and threw it at Kwai Chang.

When the pebble hit him, Kwai Chang Caine opened one eye to glare at his friend. "Kenneth, focus yourself." He closed his eye again and returned to his meditation. The second rock that struck him was larger and harder to ignore. Kwai Chang opened both his eyes and sighed. "What, Kenneth?"

Kenneth grinned. "Enough is enough, Kwai Chang. Let's go do something interesting."

"Did you have something specific in mind?" Kenneth's enthusiasm was contagious.

"Let's go climb the bluffs."

Kwai Chang sighed. "Kenneth, you know our fathers have forbidden us to do that."

"Don't be such a stuffed shirt, Kwai Chang. What our fathers don't know won't hurt them."

The idea of an adventure was appealing to Kwai Chang. He had all the energy of a normal ten year old and then some. He turned the concept over and over in his mind.

"Maybe we'll find a hawk's nest." Kenneth gave a final push of encouragement.

Kwai Chang was entranced with that idea. He loved to watch the hawks soaring overhead. To actually find a nest, how marvelous that would be. Without stopping to consider the possible consequences of such a decision, he conceded to the impulsive nature his father had been trying so hard to teach him to control.

"All right, Kenneth, let's go."

The two boys jumped up and began running. Kwai Chang laughed in delight as Kenneth struggled to keep up with him. By the time they reached the bluffs, Kenneth was struggling to breathe. He threw himself to the ground to catch his breath while his friend looked on. Kenneth wondered how Kwai Chang managed to run so far without exerting himself.

When Kenneth was ready, the two boys moved off to explore the base of the bluffs. They were looking for a spot that seemed to allow the easiest climb. When they found what they were looking for, they began to scurry up the face of the cliffs.

Neither of them had a fear of heights, so they continued upwards until they were almost halfway up the side of the bluff. They stopped on a large ledge and surveyed the scene. It was incredible. The view was even more spectacular then they had imagined.

"See," Kenneth breathed. "I told you it would be great."

Kwai Chang was captivated. Hawks were riding the thermals and they seemed so close he felt like he could reach out and touch them.

Kenneth moved to the edge and looked downwards. "Wow! We're higher than I thought."

Kwai Chang felt a sudden wave of nervousness. "Kenneth, step back from the edge."

Kenneth turned to grin at his friend. "What's the matter, Kwai Chang? Scared?" He began to jump up and down.

"Kenneth, please, I am serious... " Kwai Chang's voice trailed off as his friend lost his footing and fell, clinging to the edge of the cliff. He threw himself after his friend, grabbing hold of Kenneth's hands. He peered over the edge into Kenneth's eyes and saw the fear he was sure was mirrored in his own.

Kwai Chang Caine tried to pull his friend back onto the ledge, but he simply didn't have the strength. Kenneth outweighed him by twenty pounds. He tried to remember his father's lessons, and root himself like a tree. Kenneth was slipping. Kwai Chang did what all boys do in times of trouble. He called as loudly as he could for his father.

Matthew Caine froze mid-move. He and Chali Feng were working on forms in the afternoon sun. The call he heard was not audible to the ear, but Matthew heard it in his very soul.

Chali arched an eyebrow at him. "Matthew?"

"The boys are in trouble. Come on!" The two fathers quickly ran from the yard, Chali trusting Matthew to guide them to their sons.

By the time they had reached the bluffs, both boys were at the bottom. Kwai Chang was cradling the broken body of Kenneth in his arms. Tears streaming down his face, he looked up into the eyes of his father and his best friend?s father. "I'm sorry, Father, Lao-bwo(Old Uncle)," he sobbed. "I could not hold him any longer. He... slipped."

"The loss of a son can twist a man's soul," Caine murmured softly, "As well I understand now." Peter put his arm around his father. "That was my last act of such blatant disobedience and impulsiveness. It was a... costly lesson. Chali Feng was never the same. He let the loss turn him from the right path."

{Father... } Peter sent all his love through the link in that one word.

{My son... } Caine received Peter's support gratefully.

The two of them leapt to their feet, startling the entire room as they spun to face Sarah directly. They had both felt a slight stirring along the link as they had shared their love with one another.

"Sarah?" Peter stroked her face, hopeful that she was about to return to them. "Sarah, come on," he pleaded.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped, "Ti Lo."

"NO!" Peter screamed, a split-second before the monitor's alarm began to blare and the line that indicated her heartbeat flattened.

Once again it was Kermit who swung into action. He moved to Sarah's bed, "Everybody out!" he barked. "They'll need room to work here!" Lo Si, William, and Karen quickly scurried from the room. Kermit jumped onto the bed, straddling Sarah's body and beginning CPR. "This is... a little much, Dollface," he muttered to her. "If you... felt... left out... of the conversation," Kermit was speaking in grunts as he compressed Sarah's chest, "All... you had... to do... was say so. Don't you... do this to us," he repeated Peter's earlier directive.

Kermit turned his head and found himself face to face with a stricken Peter. Caine and Mary Margaret were rooted on either side of him like a pair of bookends. "GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" The command held an undercurrent of desperation.

Caine quickly grabbed Peter by the arm, pulling him from the room, while Mary Margaret encouraged him to keep moving by shoving him from behind. They were out of the door just in time to avoid being mowed over by a nurse with a crash cart, Dr. Sabourin and several residents on her heels.

Kermit stopped his CPR and lifted Sarah off the bed while the nurse quickly slipped a board behind Sarah's back. He then resumed the chest compressions until the doctors were organized. When Dr. Sabourin gave him the signal, he slid from Sarah's bed to retake his position against the wall near the door.

He watched them work on Sarah for a few minutes then realized it would actually be easier on him to wait outside with everyone else. He couldn't bear to watch them shock her one more time. He slipped from the room without a sound.

All eyes were on him when he joined the group in the hallway. He shook his head. "They're still working on her," he informed them quietly.

Peter had been leaning against the wall. At Kermit's words, he slowly slumped to the floor, pulling his knees in against his chest and encircling them with his arms. He rested his head against his knees, creating a wall around himself.

Mary Margaret began to approach him. This was not Peter's typical response. Normally he would have been pacing the hallway, bullying nurses, or looking for something to hit. This response scared the hell out his friends.

Caine caught Mary Margaret as she passed him. "Leave him," he told her gently.

Peter's soul had never known greater anguish. His father's life was spared, but Sarah's may have been lost. It was cruel of the fates to make him try to determine which one he loved more. The love was equally strong for both. It was just... different.

He slid his mind backwards in time, grabbing hold of the times when Sarah had given him such joy, even in the little things, like watching her boss around his Shamballa Master of a father. He recalled the first time he caught her reading to the children in the park, and then relived their adventure with the snow castle. He thought how far she'd come since the day they'd first met in his father's apothecary. Peter had to force swallow the resulting lump in his throat.

Oh, Hwa-ren, he agonized, why didn't you listen to Lo Si? Guilt stabbed him in the heart for that thought. If she had listened, he would be mourning his father instead of her.

He slipped into the link he shared with her, testing for her presence. He found nothing, only emptiness. That emptiness clutched at his heart, squeezing it like a vise grip. He had to remind himself to breathe. He had to remind himself to breathe; the ache was that large.

After many minutes that seemed like all eternity, Ellen Sabourin walked wearily from Sarah's room, ignoring all of them. Her eyes were focused solely on Peter. She knelt on the floor beside him, gently touching him on the arm.

Kwai Chang Caine blessed the fates that had brought this doctor, who had such an open mind and tender bedside manner, into their lives. If his son were going to receive the worst news, at least it would come from a compassionate voice.

"Peter?"

Peter lifted his head at her voice, steeling himself for her words. His eyes were filled with unreleased tears. The emptiness within his mind and the anguish within his soul had already convinced him that he knew what she would say.

"We got her back," Ellen murmured.

Peter sharply inhaled, shocked. The noise that escaped from him resembled a stifled sob. He let his head slump back down onto his knees. Relief overwhelmed him for the second time this evening.

Ellen stroked Peter's arm lightly, comforting him. "She actually has a better set of vitals now than when you brought her in."

Ellen Sabourin reached into her pocket and pulled something out. "Peter?" Peter lifted his head again to focus on her and she could see hope beginning to return to his hazel eyes. She blew on the ember of that hope. "You know how Sarah has a sweet tooth?" He nodded. "Well, around here with that crazy sense of humor she also has, she likes to hand out these."

Peter looked down into Dr. Sabourin's hand and saw a pack of wintergreen lifesavers. He gave Ellen a half smile. That sounds like something Sarah would do.

"She passes these out like honors, to the 'LifeSavers' around here." Ellen smiled at Peter. "When she wakes up, give these to her and tell her she owes me more than one roll." She passed the roll to Peter and stood up. "I am going to try to get some sleep." She eyed Kermit warily, "Try not to shoot too many holes in the walls while I'm gone."

Kermit flashed her a grin. "Oh, yeah."

Ellen touched his hand as she passed him on her way to the on-call room. She spoke softly, "Good work in there, Detective. I'd say Sarah owes you a roll of lifesavers, too." She left the group alone.

As Peter's relief spread to the rest of the group, Caine spoke up. "I must return to the apothecary. There are several herbs I would like to prepare for Sarah." He knew he was not going to be allowed to go alone, so he wanted the plans set in place quickly.

Upon Karen's advice, Mary Margaret and Jody accompanied Caine and Lo Si back to Chinatown. After kissing Jody good-night, William left for home. He had a lot of thinking to do.

Karen returned to the station to set in motion Kermit's recommendations for the continued security of the Caine family, including Sarah. She needed to call in some uniformed officers to post as guards. While she could have done that by phone, she felt more secure in making these types of command decisions from her own office. She left Jordan posted temporarily on the door.

Kermit opted to stay with Peter, who had already returned to Sarah's side. There was no way he was leaving him with only Jordan for support or backup.

Kermit returned to Sarah's room to find that his friend had finally given in to the anguish in his soul. Peter sat in the chair at Sarah's side, tears streaming down his face. He did his best to turn them off when Kermit walked in.

"Don't shut me out, Pete." Kermit walked behind his friend and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "And don't give me any of that, 'I'm a big boy' crap, either. I've got news for you, Pal, big boys do cry. At least the ones who own hearts and souls do. You have had one hell of an evening, my friend. I'd say you're more than entitled."

Permission granted from this unlikely source, Peter leaned over onto the bed and sobbed into the sheets, alternately feeling like a small child whose mother had died, an adolescent who'd lost his father, and finally a grown man whose soul mate stood on the brink. All the losses in his life swirled around him, begging for release. Kermit stood behind him, kneading his shoulders, a little trick he had picked up from Sarah.

When his grief was finally spent, and he had regained some composure, Peter stood to face his friend. The grief had faded, and anger had taken its place. "I want this guy, Kermit. I don't care what happened to his son; he had no right to bring this down on us. He attacked Skalany, mowed down Ti Lo, shot my father, and has caused this for Sarah. I want his head on a platter."

"Take a number and stand in line, Kid."

Peter returned his attention to Sarah. He examined her chi again. He was pleased to note that despite her recent close call, the color of her chi had brightened somewhat. It was nowhere near its normal color, but there was obvious improvement. Peter suddenly remembered what his father had said about her emotional state interfering with her ability to shake this off. Part of Sarah's condition was resulting from the dark shadows around her heart, the ones she had cried out against the night of Ti Lo's death.

Kermit had moved to the opposite side of the bed, and he reached out to stroke Sarah's hair. The gesture struck a chord in Peter and he began to laugh. It felt good. It felt more like what Sarah would want to hear him doing. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine," she often told him.

"What's funny?" Kermit wanted to know.

"Seeing you do that, it just reminded me of the day Sarah got the letter from the parole board. Do you remember?" Kermit nodded, and Peter continued, "That was the first time I realized that I was attracted to her. I was totally unprepared for it. I was so jealous when I saw you holding her."

"I knew that," Kermit informed him. Peter looked at him sharply. "Kid, it was written all over your face. Do you remember what I told you before I left that day?"

"Yeah, Kermit. She's too special to lose."

"And so, we do not give up on her yet, my friend. We do what we do best." He grinned at Peter. "We fight."

"How do you fight shadows of the heart, Kermit?"

"With light, Peter, and laughter, and love." It was a strange philosophy from an ex-mercenary, and Peter looked at him curiously. "I know plenty about darkness, Peter, more than I hope you ever experience. Since Karen and Sarah have entered my life, I've learned something about light, too." Kermit glanced back down at Sarah's form in the bed. "We will sweet talk her back to us if need be."

Peter nodded at Kermit. He would do whatever it took to restore her.

"Mind if I ask you just one question, Pete?" Kermit was trying to decide exactly how he should phrase this.

Peter nodded his assent.

"She's a Caine in all but name, if I may be so bold. She's even got the talents that go with the name. So, when are you planning on replacing the god-awful last name that animal gave her, with your own?" Kermit figured his young friend needed a nudge in the right direction, but Peter surprised him.

"Can you keep a secret, Kermit?"

"You have to ask?"

Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box that had been biting into his thigh all night long. "I was going to pop the question tonight. I figured Mary Margaret's party was the perfect opportunity. It didn't quite work out the way I'd planned." He passed it to Kermit, who opened it and let out a long whistle.

"I didn't know Shaolin priests got paid so well. Or have you taken up jewel theft as a hobby?"

Peter chuckled. "No, it's not that, Kermit. It's just that old Shaolins don't retire, so they can use their retirement fund for other things. It had to be special, just like her."

{Shaolin?}

Peter's senses suddenly went on full alert. "Heads up, Kermit."

Kermit whipped out the Desert Eagle and glided to the door. He pulled it open quickly. "Damn! Jordan's not at her post. Where the hell is she?" He checked the hallway, but saw no signs of a disturbance.

He returned to Peter. "Jordan's off post, but there's no sign of anything out there."

"I'll go look, Kermit. It takes a Shaolin to catch a Shaolin. You stay here, make sure nothing happens to her." Peter brushed his hand quickly over Sarah's cheek and was gone before Kermit could even answer him.

He gets more like his father every day, Kermit thought.

Peter stopped outside the door and closed his eyes. He opened himself, reaching out. There were many emotional disturbances in the hospital. Peter tried to find the one that contained the most rage. "Gotcha." He followed the sensation.

It led him to the roof. Of course, it had to be the roof, he thought ruefully. Why do they always have to go to the roof? Don't they know that I still hate heights?

Chali Feng stood before him. "I was expecting your father, Young Caine."

"Yeah, well, he's not here right now, so I guess you'll just have to deal with me."

The old man bowed to him. "I should have taken you out long ago," he told Peter. "Allowed your father to know what it is to lose a son."

Peter circled the old man warily. "He already knows. We both thought the other was dead for fifteen years."
"Yes, after the destruction of your temple. I am well aware of that. Still, the truth is that you both are still alive, something I cannot understand. Tell me, Young Caine, how is it that your father lives? I shot him in the heart, did I not?"

Peter's anger began to well up inside him. "Yes, you bastard, you did! And now because of that, the life of the woman I love hangs in the balance!"

"Ahh, yes. The apprentice. Are you telling me that Kwai Chang Caine actually has an apprentice whose healing talents rival his own?"

Instead of answering, Peter rushed the old man. He found himself easily deflected and tossed onto the snowy rooftop. Okay, there's a lesson learned, Peter, he told himself. This guy is like fighting Pop. He pulled himself back to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"What happened to your son was an accident! They were boys and they made a tragic mistake." Distract him, Peter thought, make him lose his cool. He approached the old man again.

"Yes, it was a tragic mistake. Your father was the more talented of the two boys. He was the more focused, the more responsible. He should have known better!"

"They both should have known better. But boys will be boys." Peter suddenly found the opening he was waiting for and snap kicked the old man in the head. He came back at Peter more quickly that Peter had anticipated and the fight was on. The time for talking was over.

They fought back and forth across the rooftop; Peter amazed at the old man's stamina. He slipped on a patch of ice and suddenly found himself held by the throat, head over the ledge. Peter looked down. This is not good, he thought to himself. He heaved the old man off, punching him solidly in the chest.

Peter would never remember exactly how it happened, but the next thing he knew, the old man was hanging from the ledge. Peter rushed to grab him by the arms. He looked down into the old man's face... and saw the fear, the anguish, and the pain. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just drop you?" Peter's voice was laced with anger; he was displaying a very un-Shaolin attitude.

"Because you would be dishonored."

"YOU didn't think about DISHONOR when you MOWED A LITTLE BOY DOWN IN THE STREET!" Peter shouted.

"Peter." The voice came from behind him and he knew exactly what it meant just by the way it said his name.

Peter sighed, and hauled the old man back onto the rooftop. "I wasn't gonna let him go, Pop."

Caine bowed to his son. "I know." He turned to face Chali Feng, who was breathing hard with the exertion of having fought with a man young enough to be his grandson.

"Kwai Chang Caine, it has been many years."

"Yes, Lao-bwo, it has." Caine bowed to the old man. "I believe my debt to you has been paid."

"How do you come to that conclusion? Have you returned my son to me? Have you exchanged the life of your own son for that of mine?"

"No. My son has returned your life to you. A life, for a life. My debt is paid; our honor, intact."

Peter still held Chali Feng by the arms. "Good. Now that we've settled the honor issue, I'm taking you downstairs where a good friend of mine is waiting to arrest you. Almost makes me wish I were still a cop myself, just so I could have the pleasure."

Late the next afternoon, Kermit Griffin strolled into Sarah's hospital room. He looked in amazement at Peter. The room was filled with children. Several of them were actually lying on the bed with her. An older child sat in the bedside chair, reading aloud to all of them.

"How'd you get permission for this?" he asked Peter.

Peter just grinned at him. "It seems that Sarah is quite the VIP here, Kermit."

"Any change in her condition?"

Peter sighed heavily. "No, not yet. We're just fighting the good fight. I thought this would be some good light and love therapy."

Kermit nodded his head. "Well, I've got some interesting news for you. Chali Feng died this morning while in police custody."

Peter looked at Kermit sharply. "You didn't??"

Kermit raised his eyebrows. "Hey, I used to kill people for a living, remember? Now, I'm one of the good guys, or have you forgotten that?"

Peter chuckled at Kermit's indignation. They both knew he was not above pulling the trigger again... if he felt the needs warranted.

"Nickie's already finished a preliminary autopsy. Seems the old guy was full of cancer."

"Well, that answers Karen's question about why he came after us now."

"Oh, yeah."

"Did you ever find out where Jordan disappeared to last night?" Peter asked.

"You do not want to know. How that woman survives on the streets every day is beyond me." Kermit slipped his hand into his jacket pocket. "I believe I have something that belongs to you." He handed Peter the small box.

Peter blushed. "I guess I kind of forgot about that last night when the fireworks started." He accepted the box from Kermit with a grin and shoved it in his pocket. "Here's hoping I don't have to wait too long to use it." A concerned look crossed his face before he chased it away, looking at Kermit intently.

"Uh, oh, I've seen that look on your face before, Peter. What are you plotting?"

"I just had the best idea for Sarah's therapy, but I think I may need your help." He grinned at Kermit.

Kermit shook his head, thinking of some of the things that Peter had dragged him into in the past. Well, it's certainly for a good cause. "Lead on, McDuff, I'm right behind you."

Peter led Kermit to the fifth floor, to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. He looked for Cindie. He needed someone he knew would be sympathetic to his cause. She was inside the NIC. Peter waved at her through the window. She held up a finger to him, gesturing to indicate she had something to finish first.

"Babies, Peter? What are we doing here?"

Peter grinned at Kermit. "This is one of Sarah's favorite hang-outs, Kermit. We are attempting to locate a particular baby that has already left the hospital with a foster family."

Cindie came out to the hallway, peeling off her gown. "How's Sarah doing, Peter?" Cindie's face held a genuine look of concern. "I was down there before I came on duty. She doesn't look all that great. I heard how she coded last night."

Peter pushed away the images Cindie's last statement created. He didn't want to think about that. He focused on why he'd come to the NIC. "She's the same, Cindie, which is what I wanted to talk to you about. Um, you know that Sarah has some... unusual talents, so you shouldn't be surprised when I tell you we've got some rather unusual therapy planned for her."

Cindie looked at Peter curiously. "Peter, I don't even know exactly what's wrong with Sarah, so I certainly can't evaluate the course of therapy that you and your father have mapped out for her. How can I help?"

Peter appraised her carefully, trying to determine exactly how much help she would end up being. "I need Sam."

"You what?" Cindie had no idea what Peter was planning.

"I need Sam. You know where he is. I need that information."

"Peter, you know I can't give that information to you. I could get fired." She glanced around to be sure her supervisor wasn't in the area, then lowered her voice. "However, I could tell you where to find that information..."

Peter grabbed her in a hug. "I knew I could count on you, Cindie."

Five minutes later found Kermit Griffin hacking his way into the hospital's computer records from a rarely used terminal on the fifth floor. It didn't take very long. "Bingo! We're in. Piece of cake. Patient's name?" Kermit asked Peter as the cursor blinked at him.

"Samuel Caine."

Kermit grinned at him. "Something you've forgotten to tell me, Peter?"

"Ha. You're hilarious. Shut up, Kermit, and hack."

Kermit turned his attention back to the computer, fingers flying over the keyboard. "Okay, here it is. There's your info, Pete." Peter was quickly copying down what he needed.

"Great, Kermit. Now let's get out of here."

Caine was alone at Sarah's side when they returned to her room. The children had gone home at his request. Peter slid alongside of his father. "Hey, Pop. What's going on?"

"I am going to try to reach her, my son."

"Pop, I've been trying the link all day. Unfortunately, nobody's home. She's not answering me. I can't even get a vague sense of where she is." Peter's sorrowful face tugged at his father's heart.

"You are not... me. You have made great strides with your healing abilities, my son," Caine cocked his head to the side as he stroked Peter's face, "But?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"I hear you, Pop. Whatever you can do, you know I'll be grateful."

Caine changed his stroke to a gentle slap. "You do not need to be grateful to me. It is I who owes this child a life debt. I will attempt to enter the bardo and... encourage her, if I am able."

Peter became anxious. He desperately needed reassurance, needed to know exactly what was going on with her. "Pop, let me link with you. Let me go with you."

Caine hesitated. One never knew what the bardo would be like; it was different for each individual. When Peter had been lost in the bardo, there had been great pain and rage expressed there by his son.

"Father, please." Peter was not above pleading.

Peter's use of the word father did Caine in. He sighed. "Very well, my son. Come." He patted the bed next to him. Peter sat next to his father and looked at Kermit.

"Kermit? You want to make sure no one disturbs us?"

Kermit nodded his head. "No problem. I'll be on the door." He wasn't exactly sure what the two men planned to do, but he had faith in it, never the less.

Peter was unsure of what to expect in Sarah's bardo, and was somewhat startled that it was black as night. "Pop?"

"I am here, my son." Caine took hold of Peter's arm.

"Why is it so dark?"

"The darkness is what has been tormenting her soul, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you surprised to find darkness?" A light was visible off in the distance. Caine pointed it out to Peter, and they began to move towards it.

The Reading Tree came into their view. It was surrounded by a circle of light. Sarah sat beneath the tree, children around her, and Sam clutched to her chest. Ti Lo stood outside the circle, in the dark shadows.

Peter could see that the circle of light was slowly shrinking in around the tree. "Pop, what does it mean?"

Caine sighed. When will he begin to trust his own interpretations? "You have already determined that, Peter. Should the darkness overtake her, she will be lost to us. Now, go to her and do not be surprised by anything she says or does. The bardo is an unusual place."

Peter tried to act like it was simply a stroll through the park. As he passed Ti Lo on his way to Sarah, he paused to lay his hand on the boy?s head. He missed this little imp almost as much as Sarah did. "Your killer is gone, Ti Lo," he murmured. "You can rest easy now." He dared not linger, so after brushing his hand through the boy's hair, he continued on his way.

"Sarah, what are doing here?" he inquired when he had reached the tree.

She looked up at him, squinting as though she had a hard time focusing on him. "Peter?"

"Yes, it's me." He sat down next to her against the tree. She leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her. "It's time to come home, Sarah. We all miss you. The children need you."

"Peter, don't be silly. The children are here with me."

Caine waved his hand and the children vanished.

"No, Sarah. The children are waiting for you at home." Peter continued, "So are all your friends. Kermit, Mary Margaret, everyone's really worried about you."

"Do you have any chocolate?" she asked, out of the blue.

Peter chuckled. "Afraid not, Sweet Tooth. But I know where we can get some."

Sarah's face clouded over. "I don't remember the way home, Peter. It's too dark here. I'm afraid to leave the tree." Peter captured her face in his hands.

"We will light the way for you, Hwa-ren. Have courage." He kissed her, his heart battling conflicting emotions: hope that she would return to him, sorrow that this could be the last kiss he'd share with her as an active participant. He did his best to squash the sorrow, preferring to focus on the hope.

"Peter." Caine called him from the shadows. "We must go now."

Peter released her and stood up reluctantly. He kissed Sarah's hand. "I have to go, Sarah. Pop says it's time to go home. I'll be waiting for you. We will light the way for you." He turned and rejoined his father, leaving Sarah sobbing behind him. It was the hardest thing he had ever done.

Peter opened his eyes to find his father staring at him. Caine didn't need to ask the question. "Yeah, Pop, I'm all right."

Caine knew otherwise, but did not contradict his son. "I recognized all those children except one, my son."

"Samuel Caine, Pop." Caine raised an eyebrow as Peter jumped from the bed. "Gotta go, Pop. Stay with her, okay?"

"Peter, where are you going?" Caine called after him.

"I gotta go find a candle. I'll be back." He raced from the room, brushing past Kermit on his way out the door.

Caine sighed, shaking his head.

Kermit entered the room. "Where's he going in such a big hurry?"

Caine shrugged. "He said something about... a candle?"

Kermit nodded. He had a pretty good idea where Peter had gone.

Peter looked down at the paper, comparing it with the numbers on the house. Yes, this is it. This should be interesting, he thought. What am I going to say to these people? Well, you're quick on your feet, Peter, he told himself. Just do it.

A young woman answered his knock on the door. "Yes?"

"Terri Doyle?" The woman nodded. Peter thrust out his hand. "Hi. I'm Peter Caine."

The woman shook his hand, then abruptly let it go as she processed the name. "Are you Sam's father?"

Peter chuckled. There seemed to be a lot of people tormenting him over that today. Sarah had no idea the can of worms she'd opened when she'd decided to gift the baby with his last name. She would have loved watching him squirm under the question. "No, but he is my namesake."

"Won't you come in?" Terri held the door open for him.

Peter entered the house. He evaluated it with an experienced eye, both as a former cop and a former foster child. It seemed like a nice enough place for a child to live.

"What can we do for you?" Terri asked him, startling him from his thoughts.

Oh, just let me borrow your baby, Peter thought. "It's kind of a complicated story," Peter began. " What do you know about Sam's time in the hospital?"

"Not a whole lot," Terri admitted. Her husband entered the room. "Steve, this is Peter Caine. Sam's named after him." Steve shook Peter's hand and the two men exchanged greetings.

"Did the nurses ever mention a woman named Sarah Jacobson to you?"

Steve and Terri looked at one another. "Yes," Terri answered. "One of the nurses there told us how Sarah had helped Sam during his withdrawal."

"Did she also tell you it was Sarah who named him?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Well, let me tell you a little story about Sarah Jacobson and Samuel Caine."

Peter returned to the hospital feeling hopeful. The Doyles had listened to him patiently as he told them about the special bond between Sarah and Sam. They sympathized with him when he explained that Sarah was in a coma. Best of all, they had agreed to bring Sam to the hospital in an hour. Peter had implored them; time was of the essence.

Peter expected to find his father and Kermit still with Sarah, but it was Mary Margaret who sat beside her. Peter froze in his tracks. "Skalany, what are you doing?"

Mary Margaret had half a chocolate bar in each hand. One half she was eating, the other half she was waving beneath Sarah's nose.

Peter doubled over, laughing.

"I'm doing what your father told me to do, so stop that laughing!" she commanded.

Peter couldn't help it. It was the funniest thing he had seen in ages. "This one, Skalany, I am never going to let you live down." He slowly got himself back under control.

"Your father told me that we needed to stimulate her senses. He is also the one who informed me that chocolate might be a smell that Sarah would respond to, so there!"

Peter thought about Sarah's request for chocolate in the bardo. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. "Where is Pop?"

"He went for a walk with Kermit. They'll be back soon."

"Good. I want all of you here to help light candles." Mary Margaret eyed him. "I'll explain later, Partner."

When Caine and Kermit returned to the room, Peter explained his thoughts to them. "We have to provide her with as much love, light, as we can. We have to draw her back here. I want to see those eyes open and acknowledging me. I will not let her go without a fight!"

The others all nodded. They would provide their part, as well.

Terri and Steve Doyle walked hesitantly into the room. "Hello?" Steve called from the doorway. He was carrying Sam in a car seat. Peter rushed to greet them. "Steve, Terri, I can't begin to thank you enough. If this works, I will be forever in your debt."

"It seems to me that Sam is already in Sarah's debt," Steve told Peter.

Peter introduced the Doyles. "Everybody, this is Steve and Terri Doyle." Caine bowed, Mary Margaret and Kermit shook hands with the couple. "This is my father, Kwai Chang Caine; and these are our friends, Mary Margaret Skalany and Kermit Griffin." Peter reached into the car seat Steve had set on the floor and unbuckled the baby, lifting him up. "And this," he announced to his father and friends, "is Samuel Caine."

Mary Margaret, of course, was captivated. "What a darling baby!" she squealed. Caine reached out to place his hand on the child's head. Kermit just looked uneasy about being that close to such a small infant.

Peter moved to Sarah's side with the baby. He lay him down on the bed and began to open his clothing. His fingers fumbled at the unfamiliar task.

Terri took a step forward, wondering what Peter was doing, but her husband held out his arm in front of her. "Let him be. I don't know why, but I trust him completely where Sam is concerned."

When Peter had removed the baby's outer clothes, he pulled down the sheet and laid the baby on Sarah's chest, pulling the sheet back over the two of them. He then knelt at Sarah's side. He took her right hand and brought it around onto the baby's back, holding it in place with his own. He began to murmur into her ear. "Sarah, there's someone special here to visit. You have to wake up now. Hwa-ren, we love you. I love you. Come back to us."

Kermit was standing on the opposite side of the bed. Peter glanced up at him, hazel eyes pleading, and nodded towards Sarah's other ear. Kermit assumed an identical position on Sarah's left side. He didn't hold her hand because he didn't want to disturb the IV that was there. Instead he opted for hair stroking, a familiar gesture between the two of them. "Dollface," his low, even voice vibrated in her ear even as Peter continued his murmuring in the other, "We're waiting for you. You have to come back to us. Pete's going crazy here."

Mary Margaret glanced at Caine. "Is this what is was like when I was unconscious?" Caine wrapped his arms around her, startling her. He wasn't usually this affectionate with other people around.

He whispered into her ear, "Yes. I pleaded with you even as Peter pleads with Sarah now. I was fortunate. Let us hope my son is also as fortunate." Mary Margaret gave his arm a squeeze and broke the embrace.

The Doyles were wide-eyed in wonder at the amount of love they felt in this room. Surely this was a special group of people.

Peter stopped his murmuring and looked over at Kermit when he realized that the ex-mercenary was singing into Sarah's ear. He stilled himself and caught the end of the song. "Please don't take my sunshine away." He grinned across Sarah's head at his friend and joined in the second chorus.

Sam was wriggling on Sarah's chest in delight. Apparently he enjoyed being serenaded by an ex-mercenary and a Shaolin priest. Peter returned to his pleadings in Sarah's ear. "Come on, Hwa-ren. Don't leave me. You promised me you weren't going anywhere." Peter looked down at the baby. "I was hoping that maybe one day, you and I could have one of these critters of our own. The Caine line must continue, you know."

Peter reached out over the link and nearly broke it when he felt her presence beginning to respond. He quickly grabbed the baby off her and handed him to his father. "Take him, she's starting to come to." Caine passed the baby to Terri.

{Sarah? Sarah? Come on, Hwa-ren. }

{Peter? } The response was faint, uncertain.

"Let's go, Sleeping Beauty. It's way past time to wake up."

Sarah felt as though she was trying to surface from very deep water. She knew where she wanted to go, but her mind was having a hard time. She struggled upwards.

Her eyelids fluttered. Peter held his breath. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and Peter watched as they struggled to grab a hold of his face. He continued to watch as they slowly cleared and focused on him. "Peter?" Her voice could only manage a harsh whisper but it was sweet music to his ears.

"Yes, Love, I'm here."

"Baba?" She needed reassurance that Caine was okay. She recalled the healing, but hadn't seen him awaken.

Caine stepped up close, nudging Kermit from his spot, and took her face in his hands. "I am here, Nuer. You are a very foolish child." Sarah and Peter were amazed to see tears welling in his eyes. "I am forever grateful and in your debt."

Peter's relief was so great that he allowed himself the luxury of being angry with her. "Don't you ever, ever do that again, do you understand me?!" he ordered. She gave Peter a weak smile and her eyes began to twinkle. His relief continued to blossom. He pulled out the roll of lifesavers. "Ellen said to tell you that you owe her a bunch of these." He pressed the roll into her hand.

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. You scared me, Hwa-ren." His voice grew husky with emotion. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm sorry, Peter. I just couldn't let him go." She smiled at Caine, who glared at her sternly and reached out to give her the very first gentle slap she had received from him.

"My son is right. You are never, ever, to do that again, Nuer."

"Push it in again, Pop. I want to be sure she learns that particular lesson."

Sarah's face had fallen, devastated at being chastised by the two men who were her world. Tears began to slip down her face.

Kermit, who had moved to stand behind Peter when Caine had taken his position next to Sarah, gave Peter an elbow in the back. Peter gave him a dirty look, but understood what the man was telling him.

He climbed into the bed so he could hold her properly. He drew her to him, wiping the tears from her face. "I'm sorry, Hwa-ren, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I am so grateful that you gave Pop back to me for a second time. But you had no right to decide that his life meant more to me than yours. I love you. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"At least a million," she whispered.

"That could take a long time." He leaned over and kissed her passionately, not caring who else was in the room. Everyone burst into laughter when the heart monitor picked up its pace in time with Sarah's thudding heart. The pair broke apart and Sarah gave them all a sheepish grin.

{Save it, Peter. I'm not big on audiences. }

Peter laughed in delight. "You missed our rendezvous in the apothecary."

"Gee, I'm sorry. I was little busy." She giggled and Peter?s heart soared. She was back completely. He checked her chi. It was its normal brilliant color.

"Well, there was something I wanted to ask you, something I'm not going to wait for any longer." He wiggled and dug his hand into his pocket, retrieving the small box.

"I think it's time we made you an official member of the family. What do you say, Hwa-ren? Will you marry me?" He snapped the box open and showed her the ring, emphasizing his sincerity.

Caine and Mary Margaret exchanged a glance. Their plot from several months ago was ending even better than they dared hope. Caine allowed himself a brief flash of smug satisfaction. Now, maybe the Caine line would continue, as he had always hoped.

For someone who had been near death, Sarah's face was strangely radiant. There were no shadows here now, only joy. "Oh, Peter." She could scarcely believe it. "Yes, absolutely, yes!"

The room broke into applause as Peter slipped the ring onto Sarah's finger. The Doyles looked at one another, pleased to have been part of such a special moment. Sam wriggled in Terri's arms and Steve brushed a kiss against the infant's head.

Ellen Sabourin strode into the room, having been alerted by the nursing staff to a change in Sarah's heart rate. "What's all the commotion in here?" she asked the room in general. "Ahhh, I see our patient is awake."

"Not only is she awake, Doc," Mary Margaret began, "She's also engaged."

"Really?" Ellen crossed to Sarah's bedside, reading the monitors, then turned to pick up her left hand. "Gorgeous. Well," she looked at Peter, "Since you just got engaged, I'm not going to order you out of that bed this minute. But soon!" She gave Peter a mock glare, "Usually, Peter Caine, I can't keep you in these beds. Now, I'm going to have to chase you out!" Laughter once again filled the room. "Seriously, folks, I think Sarah could use some rest. Peter, you can stay, but I want the rest of you to clear out. And I'm going to pretend that I did not see that baby in here." Ellen moved towards the door, stopping as Sarah called her name.

"Ellen, you forgot something." Sarah handed the roll of lifesavers to Peter, who tossed them across the room. Ellen snatched them out of the air. "Good work, Life Saver," Sarah commended her. "I'll get some more when you let me out of this place!"

"Don't you start on me, Sarah," Ellen warned. "24 hours ago, I spent more than 15 minutes trying to jumpstart your heart. You will leave here when I decide you are good and ready, not a moment before! Are we clear on that?" Sarah nodded her head. "Besides, I thought you liked it here?"

"I like it when I?m on the other side of the bed. Otherwise, I hate hospitals!"

{Something else we have in common, Hwa-ren. Don't antagonize Ellen. We both owe her. }

{Yes, Dear. }

Peter allowed his laughter to fill her mind.

"I want to talk to you about what you did for Caine, Sarah, but not right now. Let's go people, out." Ellen Sabourin chased them out, leaving Peter and Sarah alone.

"Alone at last," Peter breathed into her ear. She chuckled, melting into his arms and snuggling close. "Sarah Caine... I like the sound of that. What do you think?"

"I think it has a far better ring to it than Sarah Jacobson."

"Oh, yeah."

When Dr. Sabourin returned several hours later to check on her patient, she found the pair asleep, arms entwined, total contentment on both faces. She sighed. Might as well enjoy the peace while I can. She pulled the blanket from the bottom of the bed and covered them both, checked Sarah's vitals without disturbing them, and slid out the door.

The End

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