Savannah paced as they took Kermit to have some x-rays taken. By some miracle, he seemed to avoid any internal injuries in the fall, but Dr. Sabourin wanted to be sure. Savannah was all for that. Especially since she had, in one heartstopping moment, assumed the worst when she saw his lifeless body fall from the scaffolding.

She was handed another miracle as well; he seemed to be in his right mind. He knew her and seemed to know a little bit about what happened.

Peter silently joined her in her vigil and together, they kept watch, somehow believing that their worry would protect Kermit from being seriously hurt.

The silence was broken by Captain Simms. As reluctant as she was to disturb them, she *had* to know what was going on and why Kermit was trying to kill a prestigious businessman doing nothing more than giving a speech. "Detective?" Simms said to announce her presence.

Peter got up and walked to the other side of the room, leaving Savannah with her thoughts. "Captain," he said hesitantly. He now faced the same dilemma that Savannah had faced with telling him about Kermit and the Hanoi Hilton. He didn't know how much he could keep hidden from the forceful Captain.

"What happened?"

"Ummmm...." Peter stammered.

"Detective," she snapped, grabbing his arm. "No matter what, I have to hear the truth! I have the entire 98th precinct screaming that one of my detectives attempted a murder tonight! Tell me everything! Now."

Peter looked at Savannah. She raised her eyes briefly to meet Peter's. He understood. She trusted him to reveal what he had to reveal. And she would eventually bear the consequences in Kermit's eyes. *Brave woman,* he thought. He turned to his Captain and told her everything. Trusting in his captain to make things right.

*****

Kermit groaned as he woke up. The groaning, he knew, was probably 85% psychological. He was going to catch hell for this. Jail was the nicest of the options....He heard a light clinking sound as he tried to move. *Am I already in chains?* he thought as he tried to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. He finally realized that his left hand was handcuffed to the bedframe. *Yep,* he thought. *I'm in deep sh-*

Voices, coming in range of his hearing, interrupted his thoughts.

"He was very lucky," Dr. Sabourin said, as she was opening the door to his room. "No broken bones, no internal injuries...he's just going to be very sore for a while. And of course, the bruised ribs and concussion will slow him down considerably. I'd like to keep him here a while, at least long enough for him to stop seeing double and for those ribs to heal a bit." She was now talking to whoever-it-was, probably Savannah, in the open doorway.

"Can I see him now?" Savannah asked quietly.

"Yes," the doctor said, "but he might be a bit groggy when he wakes-oh!"

The two ladies walked in to see Kermit watching them, listening to their every word. Savannah immediately went to him and kissed him on the forehead. "Hi there," she said, brushing his hair back from his face.

"Why am I groggy?" he asked Dr. Sabourin, waiting for her to finish what she was saying.

"Well, good," Dr. Sabourin said. "I'm glad you're awake; I don't have to repeat myself then. As to being groggy, I was explaining that we're keeping you on some mild sedatives to help you sleep. Frankly, I'm tired of the 101st precinct people walking out on me during recovery so it's just a little insurance policy for you to stay put."

Kermit rattled the handcuff slightly. "I don't think I'll be going anywhere just now."

Savannah took the hand to still the noise. She hated seeing him handcuffed like some prisoner. "Peter says it's just temporary until Captain Simms gets everything sorted out."

Kermit looked at her, unwilling to disintegrate her fantasy. But it was highly irregular and definitely not SOP to handcuff someone to a bed unless they were absolutely sure he was a flight risk. There was probably even a guard outside. "I'm sure it is," he said, caressing Savannah's cheek with his right hand. His eyes showed his doubt and she hugged him, wanting to tell him that everything was going to be all right, even though it still might not be.

*****

She stayed with him all day and all night, even despite his insistances that she get some sleep. She assured him that Kat was alternately being spoiled out of her mind by her next-door neighbor and Mary Margaret, which didn't make him feel any better about the whole thing. Kermit would then point out that SHE needed some sleep and would ask her to go home and she would agree. She would leave his room, he'd fall asleep since there was nothing else to do and, when he woke up again, there'd she be, holding his hand.

He worried about his fate with the law enforcement officials and he also worried about Truong Qui.

"I still feel it," Kermit finally told her one day in a monotone that chilled Savannah to the bone. "I can still hear the ticking in the back of my mind. They are waiting for me. Scarlett, I'm never going to get rid of this-"

"That's where you're wrong," Savannah said crisply. "Peter's called in an expert to help with that and he's here right now."

She got up to go to the door. "Where would Peter find-" Kermit began to ask and smiled when he saw the visitor. He nodded. "Of course. Hello, Caine. Come on in."

Kwai Chang Caine bowed slightly as he entered Kermit's hospital room, carrying a wrapped brown package. He set the package down and stood by the bed, caring in his eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I've been better...but, Caine, I hate to tell you....Herbal tea is not going to fix this."

"I see you are under the same impression as my son," Caine said, amused, "that I only have tea to offer."

"No," Kermit said, remembering how he had helped Marilyn with her problem. "Just joking...."

Caine looked at the ex-mercenary, deciding not to waste time on preliminaries. "It will be difficult to break the compulsion."

"If you say that you CAN break the compulsion, I'll do anything."

Caine nodded, unwrapped the package and Kermit felt his face drain. It was a metronome.

"NO!" Savannah cried, positioning her body between the musical tool and Kermit so that he couldn't see it. She couldn't believe that Caine would be so callous-

Caine placed gentle hands on her arms. "Savannah...this is necessary. I am convinced that, with your help, he can conquer this. He must FACE his demon!"

Kermit, for his part, was glad he was still lying in bed. His knees were already trembling and he knew they wouldn't support him if he were standing. He was pale and already sweating at the prospect of hearing that monstrous noise in his head, controlling his mind. "I think I've changed my mind...." he said weakly.

Savannah turned toward him and held him comfortingly. She could feel him shaking. "Please," she pleaded to Caine. "Please...."

Uncharacteristically brutal, Caine said, "If you do not do this, your torment will never end."

Seconds passed. Then a full minute. After two minutes, Kermit looked up from his wife's embrace. "He's right."

"Kermit-"

"Scarlett, I'm SICK of feeling like this! If Caine says this will help, then, dammit, I'm going to try!"

Caine took over once more. "Savannah, you are vital to this. You will be Kermit's anchor." He gently but firmly pulled her away from Kermit to adjust the bed so that Kermit was in more or less an upright position. "Kermit," Caine instructed, "position yourself so that you are comfortable."

Kermit, eyeing the metronome, restrained the urge to tell him he'd never be comfortable with that thing around and complied while Caine took Savannah's hand and led her around to the other side of Kermit's bed.

"You will sit here," Caine said, placing a hand on the left side of the bed after he lowered the bed railing.

Kermit's left hand was still imprisoned by the handcuff so Savannah took his right hand as she sat, looking at his pale but determined face.

"Good," Caine said. He looked at the couple fondly. "This will be very difficult for both of you," he warned, "but I know that you will succeed. You must have faith in each other and have faith in your love."

Savannah squeezed Kermit's hand. If that was all it took, this would be a piece of cake! "You can do this," Savannah said softly. "I'm going to do it with you. In fact, you break my damn hand if you have to."

Kermit looked at her, startled. He remembered that that was exactly what he had said to Savannah when she was giving birth. He had to laugh at comparing childbirth to excising a torturous memory. Savannah giggled at his expression.

Caine moved back to the right side of the bed, near the metronome. "Now. Savannah, you must remain still. Avoid any large movements." Smiling, he added, "Holding hands is fine. Kermit, you must do as I say. Without question. Trust me."

Kermit knew that that would be tough. The only person he completely trusted was Savannah. But he nodded, glancing at the metronome nervously, wondering when he was going to turn it on.

Caine positioned his body between Kermit's gaze and the metronome. "Are you ready?"

*I'll never be ready,* Kermit thought. He squeezed Savannah's hand. "Let's do it."

Caine took a position to the right side of Kermit, out of his field of vision. "Look at Savannah."

Taking a deep breath, Kermit obeyed. His eyes traveled up and down, smiling involuntarily at the love he felt when he looked at her. Caine, although he could not be seen by Kermit, nodded.

"Good. Now...remember how you felt when you first saw her."

Kermit smiled again. This was easy. He was having a shitty day, she walked in, and, to be incredibly corny, he heard violins. So did she, he knew. But then, he was only aware of his feelings. Her smell. Her beauty.

TICK! TICK! TICK!....

Kermit winced and gripped Savannah's hand harder, trying not to hurt her but unable to tune out the pain he felt at that sound. Savannah gripped his hand harder, too, biting her lip to avoid smashing the metronome to a zillion pieces and taking him in her arms.

"LOOK at Savannah!" Caine whispered in Kermit's ear. "SEE her...feel her....Feel your love. Remember when you first met. Remember your first kiss...."

"I...can't...do this!" Kermit gasped. All he could think of was the beatings, the shocks, the torture, the degradation.

Savannah tried to grip his hand tighter. She was wrong. She was so wrong - this wasn't easy. This was as hard as hell....

"YES, YOU CAN!" Caine asserted. "Concentrate! Look at Savannah!"

TICK! TICK! TICK!....

Kermit forced his eyes open, seeking the image of his beautiful wife. She was holding his hand as if his life depended on it. It did. His eyes saw their clasped hands and then traveled to her face. She was mouthing something. What was it? Iloveyou...Iloveyou...

Resolutely, he called on every ounce of his being. Summoning the image when they first met. He'd known, even then. He took that picture in his mind, froze it and held it in place. His head was swimming with the effort. But he did it!

TICK! TICK! TICK!....

The picture held. He stared at Savannah for his lifeline. He could feel the memories giving way to her....

"Good!" whispered Caine. "Good. Now...breathe slowly...evenly....Remember Savannah. Remember your wedding...."

Kermit did remember. He knew that she probably had spent hours fussing over every little thing but whatever she did, it worked. She looked absolutely beautiful!

Something flashed in front of him and he had to steel himself to not start in surprise. It was Caine's necklace that he always wore - the family heirloom. His mind recorded the information but he kept his focus on Savannah. He thought of how beautiful she looked in the park. He thought of the look in her eyes when she accepted his proposal. He thought of the mischievous glint in her eye when she took great delight at shocking people at their engagement party. He thought of how she nearly strangled him with his tie during the childbirth. Every event, every moment made him love her more....

Savannah watched incredulously as Kermit slowly began to tune out the ticking as his eyes began to close at Caine's whispered instructions. Finally, Kermit's eyes fluttered and then stayed closed. His hand stopped its death-grip on hers and relaxed.

Caine quit swinging the medallion in front of Kermit's face and put it back on as he briefly examined his patient. "Kermit," he said softly, "your body is asleep and relaxed but your mind is aware. You are aware of everything I am saying and what is happening."

Caine paused as Savannah took a better grip on Kermit's hand, still trying not to move. "Kermit," Caine said gently, "We will be taking an unpleasant journey but you have total control over your mind and body. You will not feel pain with anything we see."

Savannah involuntarily gripped his hand again. She knew what was coming.

"You are at the prison camp." Caine said reluctantly. Kermit's body tensed and he gripped Savannah's hand again. "You feel nothing," Caine said quickly. "You are an observer, nothing more." Kermit relaxed slightly so Caine continued. "You see a young man, pushed beyond his endurance. He has much pain. He is alone. He is frightened." Kermit began soft sounds that were beginning to sound like whimpers. "He is you from the PAST. It is the past, Kermit. It is not the present. Savannah is your present."

Kermit's features looked confused as he tried to sort out the past and present visions.

Caine sorted it out for him. "Kermit, the past is the pain, the loneliness, the metronome. The present is SAVANNAH! Think of Savannah. There is no longer pain. There is no longer loneliness. A metronome is just a musical tool, nothing more. The past is over. It makes no difference. Think of Savannah."

TICK! TICK! TICK!....

He could hear the ticking at the Hilton. Associated it with the pain, the terror...."PAUL!" he screamed.

"Paul was in your past," Caine comforted. "Savannah is your present! The sound does not matter here. The sound is just a sound, nothing more. There is no pain, no loneliness....Savannah is here for you now...."

Savannah watched, her hope alternately rising and falling. *Please let this work!* she thought. She watched as Caine burned the messages into Kermit's mind by tirelessly repeating them over and over and over as Kermit displayed various degrees of hysteria. Caine continued, by Savannah's estimation, for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, repeating the same messages until finally they saw his body relax. When Caine mentioned the torture, the pain, Kermit's expression stayed serene.

"Your past cannot hurt you now," Caine said softly. "They are memories. Shadows without substance. Nothing more. They cannot hurt you now. They mean nothing to you now. They cannot control you now."

Kermit sighed in relief. There was no more pain, only memories. Memories couldn't hurt you.

Caine nodded to Savannah to let her know the end was near. "Kermit, your past is the past and your present is waiting for you. There is no more loneliness, no more pain. Savannah is here for you, waiting. She loves you. Feel your love for her...rest...sleep." As Kermit's head dropped back on the pillow, Caine sighed in exhaustion. "You may relax for a moment," he told Savannah.

Still reluctant to let go of his hand, she stammered, "Is it over? Did it work?"

"I...do not know," Caine said tiredly. "Please refresh yourself. I must wake him up."

Savannah grabbed some kleenex and dabbed herself, wiping off the nervous perspiration. She thought a moment, grabbed more kleenex, and wiped the sweat off of Kermit. She then took her position on the bed next to him and took his hand. She wanted to mention that the metronome was still on but kept quiet, figuring that Caine knew what he was doing.

"Kermit," Caine said, "Savannah is waiting for you. At the count of three, you will wake. You will feel relaxed and you will remember everything that you have learned. You will remember that your past can no longer hurt you and that your present is all that is important. One...two...three."

Kermit blinked and looked up into the face of his concerned wife. "Hi," he said softly, squeezing her hand. "How was it? Did it work?" He looked at Caine, who was still blocking the metronome.

Savannah was aching to put her arms around him but forced herself to act casual. "How do you feel?"

Kermit frowned. Something was off. And the medical equipment in here was sure noisy. But, assessing his condition, he realized he didn't feel too bad. Shrugging, he said, "Fine, I guess."

"Can I move now?" Savannah asked plaintively. She didn't even wait for Caine to finish his nod - she propelled herself into his arms.

Kermit hugged her reassuringly. "What's all the fuss?"

Caine smiled as he stepped to the foot of the bed...revealing the still-ticking metronome. Kermit stared at it.

...tick...tick...tick....

There was no more pain. No more despair. He was free.

Kermit looked wonderingly at the metronome, shaking his head. "I don't believe it," he whispered. "It's gone. The pain is...is...." He looked at toward Caine helplessly to thank him but the priest had already slipped out of the room. "I didn't...."

Savannah hugged him briefly before making the bed recline and then held his hand once more.

"I don't believe it," Kermit whispered. "It's so...quiet! So peaceful...."

"Ssshhh," Savannah urged, sitting at the edge of the bed and lying her head lightly on his chest as she held him again.

They rested there together, wrapped in the comfort of each other's embrace. Savannah raised her head and looked at the relaxed expression on her husband's face. His eyes were closed and he was drifting off to sleep, exhausted from his emotional ordeal. Slowly, she untangled herself and stroked his cheek, softly whispering, "Rest for a while. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She left the room to find Caine. As Savannah exited, she regarded the uniformed officer stationed at the door. At first, she had been disdainful of his presence. It implied that Kermit was some sort of criminal. After further consideration, she decided that though his purpose was to keep Kermit from leaving, at least no one who wanted to hurt him could get past the guard. A fair trade.

Caine was in the corner of the waiting room, bringing his son up to date on his friend's progress. Savannah approached him. Suddenly, she was overcome with emotion. Without words.

Caine read the thoughts as they passed behind her eyes and took her in his arms. These events and the storm she and Kermit had just passed through had drained her. The feelings that Kermit and Savannah shared were all-consuming. When one suffered or soared, so did the other. Caine remembered another couple who had loved in this way. Long ago.

They sat down and Caine began to massage her hand. Savannah recalled another time when she had come to him for help and he'd done the same thing to help her relax. "It seems that we've been here before, Master Caine." She smiled at him, truly feeling better.

"Yes. I hope that the results will be the same."

Feeling calmer, she said, "This is the third time you've put yourself between my family and disaster. I thank God every day for sending you to us. I don't know how I could ever thank you enough. You brought us back together. Delivered our child. And now-"

"I merely guided both of you. You had to conquer your fears on your own." Looking deep into her eyes, he offered, "There will be times in your life, Savannah, when you will not be able to stand between those you love and their pain. You can only walk beside them. We must all face our trials on our own terms. Kermit has not yet completed this particular journey."

Savannah smiled as she thought, *Advice from one meddler to another.* Out loud, she answered, "Yes. I know." Whatever happened, she knew she would do anything to be there for Kermit.

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