MLAAD belong to Alliance (gee there's a real surprise) Please do not print/copy/download or send any part of this story to anyone else, other than for your personal enjoyment. Thank you. Spoilers for The Puck Stops Here, Widgeon, Where the Wind Blows, Soap Gets in Your Eyes. Takes Place after Where the Wind Blows Rated G. A stranger arrives in Gimli and has Johnny on edge. Click on my name to offer feedback, Please!!
 
 

By: Amethyst
 

         Johnny Johansson exited H.P. Tercesen's General Store, blinked at the sudden brightness of the early afternoon sun that shone down on the small town of Gimli, and quickly pulled his sunglasses down from his head to shield his eyes. He carried the small bag of supplies over to his baby blue convertible and opened the passenger side door to drop it inside, just as his nephew Eric called to him from up the street. Johnny grinned and waited for Eric and Sam to hurry toward him as he adjusted the collar of his winter coat and leaned against the car with his arms folded across his chest.
         Unlike his fairheaded Uncle, Eric had his father's dark hair and his mother's sweet smile, he was a handsome boy and very wise for his age, and had become much more outgoing since his first arrival in town, after his mother had died and his sailor father had left for ports unknown. It had been left to his uncle Johnny and aunt Zoë to take the boy, though they knew nothing about raising children and had none of their own, the three managed to find a way it and became a family.
         "Hey Johnny," Sam greeted cheerfully, for the older man was something of an idol to the young boy, who wanted to play professional hockey. Johnny played a decade in the minors and had a very promising career, but a knee injury in his rookie season with the Hartford Whalers forced him to retire. Now, he coached the small minor league team that Gimli offered, which Sam played on.
         "What's up guys?" Johnny inquired.
         "Would it be okay if Sam spent the weekend?" Eric inquired. "We wanted to work on some more orders for the bird houses."
         "And maybe get you to help me with my back hand shot, Johnny," Sam interceded hopefully. Johnny nodded.
         "Sure," he agreed easily, he rarely minded having the kids around and Sam or A.J spent most of their time with Eric in the caboose anyway. "Bring your gear over and after supper we'll try out a few techniques."
         "Thanks Johnny," Sam returned gratefully.
         "Could we rent some movies tonight too, Johnny?" Eric suggested. "Since it's Saturday and it's almost too cold to do much outside other then hockey."
         "Yah, I guess so," Johnny allowed, "but none of those blood and guts ones this time, guys-they give Zoë nightmares." Both boy's grinned at each other, then nodded as Johnny raised his eyes toward a woman crossing the street a short distance away.
         She wore a long heavy winter raglan, calf length boots and matching gloves. She had a knit cap pulled low on her head, hiding most of her face, but there was something familiar about her to Johnny. He straightened from the car and continued to stare at her curiously; unaware that the two boys were now watching him perplexed.
         "Johnny?" Eric asked, curiously and glanced over his shoulder to where his uncle was looking.
         As though sensing she was being watched she turned toward the trio and Eric heard Johnny's breath catch in his throat. The woman turned away and headed further down the street away from them. Eric called after his uncle as he watched Johnny move past them toward the disappearing figure. Slowly at first then faster as though afraid he would loose sight of her if he didn't soon catch her. The boys followed, intrigued, until finally Johnny stopped about half way down and turned around looking for the woman that seemed to have suddenly vanished.
         "What's wrong, Johnny?" Eric inquired again, growing concerned, his uncle looked paler then usual and his behavior was certainly strange.
         "W…what?" Johnny finally responded, as though noticing the two boys beside him for the first time, his voice sounded dazed. "What did you want Eric?"
         "What's wrong?" Eric repeated. "Did you know that lady?" Johnny was quiet for a long time as he continued to glance around, almost frantically, but then suddenly his whole body seemed to pull in on itself and he shook his head.
         "No," he replied, vaguely. "I…I just…she looked…I thought I knew her." He shook his head as if to clear it and headed back toward the car. "What was it you guys wanted again?"
         "Sam to sleep over and to rent a couple of movies," Eric reminded, casting a worried frown at his uncle. "Are you sure you're okay, Johnny?"
         "Hmm?" Again Johnny didn't seem to hear him. "What? No no, I'm okay." He settled behind the wheel of the convertible as the boys moved to regard him once more. "Don't be too long, picking out a movie. Zoë will probably have lunch ready soon."
         "Okay, Johnny," Eric replied, still worried.
         "Sure thing, Johnny," Sam returned exchanging a cautious glance with the boy next to him.
 

         "Zoë, I'm back!" Johnny called as he entered the house and set his bag by the door. He removed his outer gear and set it on the hooks behind the door.
         "Johnny!" Zoë cried gratefully from somewhere above him. "Help Johnny!" Immediately the blond hurried upstairs.
         "Where are you?" he called as he searched the bedrooms.
         "The attic!" her voice returned and Johnny hurried back out into the hall.
          He noticed the small pull down steps that led toward the opening of their attic had come off their hinges and were now laying across the floor, below the hatch. His adorably zany wife was peering from above with no way to get down. Johnny tried to calm his racing heart, now that he knew she was okay, and did his best to keep from laughing.
         "What happened?" he demanded and inspected the steps at his feet.
         "I was coming back down and they broke," she insisted. " I managed to pull myself back up. I told you they were getting weak and shaking too much, Johnny."
         "And I told you I would fix them this weekend, Zoë," he defended, with a hint of anger in his voice. Her nagginf didn't upset him, the thought that she could have been hurt did. "What was so important that you couldn't wait until then?"
         "I needed to find something for Auntie Auntie," Zoë stated, irritably.
         "Why didn't you wait until I got home then?" he asked glancing up at her. "You could have gotten hurt."
         "I wouldn't have if you had fixed the stairs when I asked you too, Johnny!" she accused. She immediately regretted her anger as she watched his expression tighten in frustration.
         That was the way Johnny was, he got to things in his own time, she knew that, and she knew better then to hassle him for it. However, she had been up in this freezing attic for almost two hours and she was cold, tired and hungry. She hadn't meant to take her anger out on him, he was trying to change. He had been on his best behavior since she let him move back in the house and Eric decided to stay with them. They were both grateful their nephew had decided not to move away with his father. The threat of loosing them both had scared Johnny badly and she knew he was still worried at times.
         "C…Can you help me down?" she asked, meekly. Her teeth were starting to chatter. Johnny moved below the opening and raised his arms toward her.
         "Jump and I'll catch you."
         "I can't jump!" she refused, appalled.
         "Zoë, I'll catch you, now com'on," Johnny insisted and she knew he was testing her trust in him. Sighing, she maneuvered around and started to lower herself, swinging her legs out and down. She felt Johnny catch her ankles to let her know he was there.
         "Johnny!" she cried, frightened, but as always his soft voice was all the encouragement she needed.
         "You can do it, baby. Let go." She let go and he caught her, well sort of. They both ended up on the floor, with Johnny taking most of the impact. She giggled, remembering how they had ended up in a similar position during the Gimli marathon a few months back.
         "Thanks, Johnny," she smiled as they both climbed to their feet and he smiled at her.
         She reached up and pulled his head down for a quick kiss, which quickly turned more passionate; warming her better than anything else would have. Her husband had definitely missed her during his exile to the Caboose and Zoë had been thrilled to learn just how much. It wasn't just the sex part, althought that was wonderful, but she noticed he just seemed to be spending more time with her. He was trying to get involved in some of the things that she liked, which he never really did before.
         She had given up her aroma therapy business because most of the potions seemed to either put Johnny asleep or make him irritable, which had been the crescendo in their previous bickering and why he moved out of the house. She found another hobby she liked, which was jewelry making and she had quite a few regular customers. Johnny, being the handyman and carpenter that he was, had offered to help her design some display boxes that he and Eric would build for her, so she could set up some of her work in the shops in town.
         One of her first pieces of jewelry was a simple silver bracelet with connecting beads around it, which she gave to Johnny. She noticed he never took it off, other then to shower, and it gave her a sense of pride that he liked it so much. The braclett and his wedding ring was the only jewelry her husband wore and Zoë always got a special feeling when she saw them both displayed on her man.
         "I…I better get to fixing the stairs," Johnny commented, regretfully. They finally broke apart, but Zoë just drew him back into her embrace, lost in the moment.
         "Who cares about the dumb ol' stairs," she murmured, huskily, and Johnny smiled and claimed her mouth again.
         He could never get enough of the taste and feel of Zoë; he had been a fool to ever think of leaving. Eric's father had been right, he had drawn four aces when he married the tiny, vivacious blond, and she was indeed dazzling. All she had to do was smile at him in that innocently sexy way of hers and he would do whatever he could for her.
         "Eric," Johnny said suddenly and pulled away again, with great difficulty.
         "What about him?" Zoë inquired.
         "I told him to be home for lunch in about an hour," Johnny murmured. "I didn’t count on finding you hanging from the attic." She cast him a brilliant smile and gave him a quick hug before stepping back.
         "Then I guess I'd better go fix us something to eat," she decided, brightly.
         "Oh...um…he want's Sam to stay the night, and watch a couple of movies, is that okay?" Johnny suddenly remembered.
         "Sure, no problem," she assured and started to walk away, happy he at least thought to tell her, or ask her opinion. It was something he often forgot to do in the past. Johnny came after her, obviously not quite finished.
         "And…um…he…Sam wants me to show him some hockey moves, is…is that okay?" Zoë stopped and turned to look at him, seeing the uncertainty in his face. She reached up to caress his cheek with the palm of her hand.
         "Johnny, I don't mind you coaching or playing hockey with Sam or Eric."
         "But, you don't like hockey," Johnny reminded and she shook her head. "We fight about it and…"
         "No, I don't like what hockey sometimes does to you, Johnny. You get obsessive about it and end up getting hurt when things don't work the way you want them to" She explained. "But coaching the kids is fine and mentoring Sam is fine, I just don't want you to forget there are some things more important."
         "I…I know," he assured quietly, "you and Eric are my life, Zoë, if…if I thought hockey was getting in the way again I'd give it up for you, you know that right?" She nodded and reached up to hug him again. He was getting much better at telling her how he was feeling, she knew it was very difficult for him to voice his thoughts and she appreciated his efforts.
         "We love you just as you are, Johnny Johansson," she assured and he smiled, relieved. He returned her embrace, just as they heard Eric's call from down stairs. "I'd better go get lunch." She reminded and Johnny released her, for all of three seconds, before chasing after her to the head of the stairs and pulling her against him for another quick kiss.
         Zoë giggled in delight as Eric and Sam exchanged a sly glance from below. Everyone in Gimli seemed happy now that Johnny and Zoë were back together again, but none more then the two boys that now watched the loving affection between the two. The boys cleared their throats and greeted the couple grinning.
         "Hi guys," Zoë returned, blushing prettily, as she and Johnny parted. She idly made her way down the stairs. "Lunch will be ready in a few minutes." They moved aside for her to get past them then the boys began to shed their outer clothing as Johnny headed down the steps as well.
         "Eric would you grab my toolbox for me, I think it's by the back door?" he requested as he retrieved the bag from the hardware store he had purchased earlier.
         "Sure, Johnny," Eric returned and headed across the living room toward the kitchen.
         "What are you working on, Johnny?" Sam inquired as Johnny reached into the bag to select the things he needed.
         "Stairs on the attic broke and I need to fix them," Johnny replied, gathering the items in his hand and left the remainder of his purchases in the bag.
         Eric found the large gray tool box behind the door in the back porch and retrieved it, having to use both hands because it was quite heavy, and he was still rather small for a twelve year old. He paused to watch Zoë check the soup she was heating on the stove, and then start on the grilled sandwiches. She was humming to herself and there was an added bounce to her step.
         "You look happy," he commented, slyly, and she smiled at him.
         "I suppose that's because I am," she reasoned and flipped one of the sandwiches on the skillet.
         "Johnny looks real happy too," Eric replied, almost smugly, and Zoë shot him a playful look, before putting down the spatula and catching the boy in a bear hug.
         "I suppose you think you're something don't you, Mr. Matchmaker?" she demanded kissing his cheek affectionately and listening to his giggling.
         "I'm just making an observation," he assured when she finally released him.
         "You're just being your usual incredible self, Eric," she reminded, fondly, and he smiled at her.
         He loved that his Aunt Zoë was so affectionate and free with her praise and her hugs. Unlike most boys his age, Eric didn't shy away from an adult's affection. He welcomed it, because it showed him he was loved and cared for. He had been lost when his mother died and he never really saw much of his father growing up, so most of his experiences came from books and science magazines. Of course he also had a fondness for the tabloid papers, because their stories added a little spice to his rather humdrum existence.
         Since coming to live with Johnny and Zoë however, his life had been filled with adventure and a sense of family, and he couldn't bare the thought of leaving them. Zoë was a lot like he remembered his mother to be, animated and determined to enjoy life to the fullest. Unlike his Mother, Zoë preferred the simple pleasure of a small town life that Johnny's twin sister Sigrid had deplored; which was why she had left Gimli at only sixteen.
         His Uncle Johnny was a little irresponsible at times and it had been obvious that, like Zoë, he had no idea how to handle the young boy that had come to live with them. Johnny made up for his lack of experience, however, by being there for Eric when he needed him most. Johnny had become a role model as well as a playmate for Eric and he witnessed the respect the town's people had for his aunt and uncle, so he knew they were good people.
         Granted they had both made some mistakes in the beginning. When Eric's Mother's ashes arrived and Johnny hadn't been able to tell him, before the boy found our on his own. Neither of them had gotten the chance to say goodbye to Sigrid Johansson, so they were both still buried in their individual grief.  Eric needed someone to blame and Johnny needed someone to forgive him for the guilt he had at not seeing his sister before she had died.
          At times Eric's increasing logic and vast knowledge of certain things made him feel like the adult of the group, but eventually Johnny became the father figure Eric never really had and the boy was grateful. He could communicate with Johnny better then he believed most kids could with adults, because Johnny never pretended to have all the answers.
          He and Eric usually ended up working things out together and that was something that gave Eric a sense of independence without giving up the feeling of support his guardians gave him. He still knew his place of course and when Johnny or Zoë set certain ground rules he abided by them happily, because he knew they did it for his protection and because they loved him.
         "Eric! You find the tool box or what?" Johnny's voice sounded from the living room, reminding the boy he of why he had come in there in the first place.
         "Coming!" he called back and shot a sheepish grin at Zoë, before heading out. He moved toward the stairs as quickly as he could with the heavily encumbering toolbox where Johnny and Sam waited.
         "Thank you." Johnny returned, plucking the box up with one hand, as Zoë called that lunch was ready. The boys seemed torn between eating and offering to help Johnny, but his uncle just grinned. "Go on, I'll be back down in a minute." They nodded relieved and headed for the kitchen as Johnny returned upstairs.
         Zoë settled the two boys with their soup, sandwiches and milk at the table, then went in search of her husband, when he still had not made an appearance in the kitchen. She paused by the stairs and heard the sounds of hammering from above; so she knew he had started on his project and already forgotten about lunch.
         "Johnny," she called, "come eat!"
         "Be there in a minute!" he called back, but she knew better. Once he got started on something he would stay at it until he was finished.
          She sighed and was torn between convincing him to come now and leaving him alone because she didn't want to be a nag. Finally, she decided to let him be and had started to move away just as she heard him coming down the stairs. She smiled at him and waited at the bottom, noticing he had rolled up the sleeves of his work shirt and loosened two buttons around the collar.
         "I'm coming," he grinned and stopped to kiss her cheek. She linked her arm through his and they strolled to the kitchen together.
         Johnny moved to wash his hands as Zoë placed their meal at the table and retrieved a glass of water for herself and a bottle of juice for Johnny. They settled at opposite ends of the table, with the boys one either side between them.
         "What movies did you guys get?" Johnny inquired, taking a bite of one of the still warm sandwiches.
         "We decided on a sci-fi theme," Eric told him, "since you said no blood and guts films." Johnny smirked and glanced at his wife.
         "We rented the new Star Wars movie and one called the Sixth Sense, with Bruce Willis," Sam stated, "but that one's more of a mystery."
         "Cool," Johnny replied as the phone rang. Since he was closest, he rose to answer it. "Johansson residence." Zoë watched him frown. "Hello?" He glanced at her and shrugged bewildered. "Heeelllooooo? Anybody there?" Johnny shrugged and hung up, returning to the table.
         "Wrong number?" Zoë inquired.
         "Dunno, they never said anything," Johnny replied and moved back to the table, just as the phone rang again. All four exchanged curious glance as he slowly rose and picked it up again. "Johansson residence." Silence. "A.J. Burke, if this is you stop screwin' around." Still nothing, but Johnny could hear someone breathing on the other end. He hung up again and glared as the phone rang once more, before he had even made it back to his seat. He snatched it up. "Listen you…" They watched him pause then grin sheepishly. "Oh, hi Auntie, Auntie. No no…someone's just playin' on the phones."
         "Wonder who it was?" Sam inquired as Johnny continued to talk with his aunt.
         "Maybe it was just a wrong number, like Johnny said," Zoë assured, always the voice of reason.
         "How would they know it was a wrong number unless they asked for someone first though?" Eric reasoned as Johnny said goodbye to his aunt and settled back at the table. His expression was preoccupied and puzzled.
         "What is it, Johnny?" Zoë asked, concerned, and Johnny lifted his eyes to meet her gaze.
         "Hmmm?" he asked, confused.
         "What did Auntie Auntie want, Johnny?" Eric supplied.
         "Oh…she…um…she said she just called to see what I was up to," He shrugged, but the others could tell he was uncomfortable about the conversation. "Asked if anything was new or if I had anything exciting happen to me today."
         "How odd," Zoë remarked. Johnny's great aunt was a no nonsense woman, who rarely called just to visit, she would drop by in person. "What did you tell her?"
         "Well, I didn't tell her about your little adventure," he grinned, causing the two boys to peer at them curiously and watching Zoë blush. "But, other then the weird thing with the phone I told her everything was pretty normal."
         "What adventure?" Sam and Eric asked simultaneously and Zoë quickly informed then of her time spent in the attic and Johnny's heroic rescue.
         "So that's why you were fixing the stairs," Eric deduced, grinning.
         "Eat your lunch before it gets cold," Zoë ordered, trying to ignore their amused stares. Eric and Sam immediately did as they were told, but Johnny seemed preoccupied and merely played with his food. Zoë decided to wait and ask him about it later, giving him some time to gather his thoughts.
 

         Later that evening, after Johnny had shown Sam some moves to help his game, the boys headed inside to watch their movies. Johnny stayed out on the small ice rink he had made for Eric, when he thought the boy might get interested in hockey. Eric of course was just not into sports the way Johnny was; he was a much deeper and intellectual kid, which Johnny had come to accept and admire him for. Occasionally Eric would get in goal for them when Johnny was coaching Sam one on one, but he rarely stepped foot on the pond other then that.
         Johnny skated back and forth on the pond, maneuvering the small black puck with his stick. Occasionally he made a shot at the net, then retrieved it and started over again. His mind, for once, wasn't on the game. He was thinking back over the events of the day. He knew a lot of people didn't consider him much of a thinker, they thought he was impulsive and sometimes irresponsible because he didn't think before he acted. He knew no one would ever consider him as deep as Eric, but he was.
         Johnny's problem wasn't that he never stopped to think of his actions or of the consequences of what he did, it was that he tended to dwell too much on the little things and then he ended up making bad choices. He had a very difficult time talking about things that were important to him. He didn't want to come across as stupid or incompetent. However, he had almost lost Zoë and Eric because of that fear of looking foolish and not expressing his concerns. He was trying very hard not to let that happen again, but it didn't stop the fear from rising in him every time he opened his mouth on certain topics.
         He suspected that Eric saw that deeper side of him. Maybe that was why it was so much easier for him to discuss some things with the twelve year old then he could with people his own age. Eric sometimes had a maturity that Johnny envied, though he knew when it came down to it he could still decide what was best for Eric and his family, at least he hoped he could.
         He glanced up at the darkening sky, coming to a sudden halt on the ice with a hard scraping of his skates. The stars were just starting to come out; maybe he'd get his telescope out later and see if he could find any new ones. Eric liked astronomy as well and he enjoyed testing his knowledge of the galaxy against the youngster.
          Johnny couldn't get the image of that woman he had seen, earlier that day in town, out of his mind. Then the weird phone calls just made him more anxious. He had consumed a half a pint of ice cream after lunch, before Eric reminded him about having to fix the steps to the attic. He had taken care of that quickly, then had brought Sam and Eric out on the ice to play.
         He started moving again, back and forth with the puck in a lazy motion as he circled the pond. This was therapy for him, it offered him a time out from all the crazy thoughts in his head. It centered and focused him on just the game, but he couldn't explain that to Zoë, no matter how hard he tried. He knew she was just trying to protect him. He had once told her hockey had ruined his life and he had believed that at one point, but he still couldn't help loving the game he had spent a decade playing.
         "Johnny?" his wife's soft voice penetrated his thoughts and he slid to a halt, glancing over at her where she stood on the walking path. She wore just her jacket, unfastened, with her arms curled around hr body for warmth against the harsh November chill.
          "Yah?" he asked, just as softly, as he continued what he was doing and made a hard slap shot to the net.
         "Are you okay?"
         "Sure."
         "Johnny," Zoë sighed and he was forced to look at her again. "Talk to me. Something's bothering you, even Sam and Eric can see it." Johnny carried the puck back to the other end of the pond, then started his side to side trek forward.
         "You ever regret anything, Zoë?" he asked, suddenly.
         "What do you mean?" she inquired. "What kind of regrets?"
         "About…," he shrugged, "about the choices you've made. Y'know, maybe…maybe the way things have turned out."
         "Sure, sometimes I regret things that I did or didn't do," she admitted, quietly, "but I don't regret falling in love and marrying you, Johnny. I don't regret the life I have with you and Eric." Johnny slid to a halt before her. "Do you regret it?"
        "I…I don't, no....no." He glanced heavenward; searching for the courage to voice his thoughts, then finally met her gaze again. "I don't mean about that, I love you and Eric, I want this…this life we have, I told you that." She nodded, silently. "I just mean…" He shook his head and raised a hand to his temple in frustration. "I don't know what I mean."
         "Something has brought all this up, Johnny," she reasoned. "What's happened?"
         "It's probably nothing," he dismissed and reached for the guards to slip over the blades of his skates. "I'm probably imagining things. You want to get a pizza or something for supper?" Zoë nodded and walked beside him up the path, deciding to let the subject drop.
         "Whatever you want, Johnny," she whispered and cuddled into him, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
 

         "What's up with Johnny?" Sam inquired from his position beside Eric, stretched out in front of the television in the living room. "He's acting pretty weird, even for him."
         "I don't know," Eric replied, concerned, "but I think it had something to with that lady he saw this afternoon."
         "Yah, he went white as a ghost and then took off after her like she was someone real important," Sam agreed as he reached for the bowl of popcorn between them.
         "Maybe she's a long lost love of his or something," Eric reasoned. "I could kinda see Johnny panicking a little if that was the case. The last time an ex-girlfriend of his showed up in Gimli he ended up on the front page of the paper with her kissing him. Zoë was not happy."
         "Oh yah, that soap star, Courtney Vines wasn't it?" Sam recalled. "Boy, I bet Zoë was mad."
         "Well, wouldn't you be upset if you caught your husband kissing a former girlfriend and their picture ended up in the paper?" Eric defended. "It was an ugly scene alright, but Johnny got Courtney to come and explain things to Zoë, which I think was really cool of him."
         "Yah, well I hear it was all a publicity stunt anyway," Sam dismissed and Eric nodded as he grabbed a handful of popcorn. Johnny would never cheat on Zoë. Look at all that time he spent living in the caboose, he never even looked at another girl."
         "They're destined to be together," Eric confirmed. "I'm just glad they finally realized how much in love they still were."
         "Yah, so then why is Johnny acting so funny?" Sam returned to their earlier topic.
         "I guess we'll just have to go into town tomorrow and start are own investigation," Eric decided, maturely. "If we can find that lady, I'll bet she could explain a lot."
         "I don't know, Eric," Sam cautioned. "What if it is someone from Johnny's past, he didn't look too happy to see whoever he thought it was."
         "We don't have to tell him anything," Eric assured. "We'll just find out for ourselves, y'know, make sure whoever it is isn't here to start trouble between Johnny and Zoë." He smiled grimly. "I worked too hard to get them back together, I'm not gonna let some stranger mess it up."
         "Mess what up, Eric?" Johnny asked as he and Zoë entered the house and hung up their coats. Sam and Eric exchanged a secret glance.
         "Um…we didn't want to mess up our supper by eating too much popcorn," Sam offered, making a show of pushing the bowl away from them.
         "Oh...well, good," Johnny replied, just a hint of suspicion in his blue-green eyes, but then he smiled and all was well again. "We're gonna order a pizza, what do you guys want on yours?"
         "The works!" Sam crowed, quickly.
         "Um…just pepperoni and cheese for me Johnny," Eric returned, more subdued.
         "Okay, one loaded one regular," Johnny agreed. He knew Zoë prefered simple toppings as well and Johnny would eat either. He  dropped a kiss on his wife's lips before heading into the kitchen to make the call.
         "Which movie is this?" Zoë asked, walking over to have a look at the film they were watching.
         "This is Star Wars:Episode One," Eric supplied. "We wanted to save the mystery for after supper so you and Johnny could watch it with us." Zoë ruffled his hair, affectionately.
         "You're so sweet," Sshe decided, smiling. "But, if I get the tiniest bit scared or grossed out it will be your fault." Eric grinned as she rose and headed toward the kitchen.
         "Don't worry, I'm sure Johnny will protect you," he called after her and she laughed.
 
 

         Zoë awoke sometime after midnight, only mildly surprised to find herself alone in the bed and immediately rose to pull on her robe and slippers. She had listened to Johnny toss and turn all night and it was the first time in the few weeks since he had moved back into the house that they hadn't made love before going to sleep, so she knew something terrible was still bothering him.
         She headed down stairs, assuming Johnny would be in the kitchen getting a snack, as he some times did when he couldn't sleep.  All the lights were still off, however, except the one over the stove. She glanced out the living room curtains and could not see anyone out on the pond and the lights in the caboose were out, so she knew the boys were asleep. She headed back upstairs and called Johnny's name but did not receive an answer. Finally she noticed the stairs leading to the attic were down and she moved toward them and slowly headed up.
         Johnny, dressed in gray T-shirt and sweat pants, was sitting cross-legged in the center of the large attic, surrounded by old photo albums and boxes of loose pictures. A small lamp was his only illumination. His back was to her, making him unaware of her presence.
         "Johnny?" she asked, softly, and padded over to settle beside him. "What are you doing up?" He glanced at her, then shrugged, and turned his attention back to the photos in his hand.
         "Couldn't sleep," he replied quietly. She watched him continue to flip through an assortment of color and black and white pictures; many yellowed and crinkled around the edges from age. Zoë leaned over his shoulder and glanced at some of the photographs he held.
         "Isn't that you and your sister?" she inquired, gently, and Johnny nodded.
         "She looked a lot like Mum," he replied, softly, as he stared at the picture intently.
         "You both must have taken after your Mother, then," Zoë observed and he shrugged.
         "We were twins," was his excuse and Zoë smiled and wrapped her arms around one of his.
         "Guess that's why you're such a hunk then, hmm?" she teased and she was rewarded with a small smile from him.
         "Aww…ya just like me because I can dance," he dismissed. He picked up another photograph to study as Zoë wrapped her terry-cloth robe a little tighter around her, it was chilly this time of the year in the attic. They didn't have as much insulation in the eves as they did the rest of the house.
         "Why the sudden interest in old photos, Johnny?" she asked, quietly, hoping now that he might be ready to talk to her about it. He was silent for a long time and she watched him glance through two more pictures before he answered her.
         "I saw someone today," he murmured with an indecisive shrug. "I…I thought it was someone I knew but…well it couldn't be."
         "Who did you think it was, Johnny?" Zoë pressed, gently, wrapping her arm across his shoulders, which she suddenly realized, were trembling. "Are you cold?" He shook his head.
         "No, I'm okay," he assured, but she could hear the distress and confusion in his voice. It was breaking her heart that it was so difficult for him to share his feelings, even with her. "I…I was just looking for…I don't know." He shook his head forlornly and Zoë blinked at the unexpected moistness in her eyes. She hated to see her husband this lost, very much like he was the entire time Eric's father was here and Johnny was afraid Eric would be leaving them for good.
         "Talk to me, Johnny," she soothed. "Please talk to me, baby."
         "I don't even remember what she looks like, Zoë," Johnny suddenly whispered, tormented. He dropped the pictures as he started curling in on himself and leaned into her arms "I can't remember what she looks like. I can't find a picture of what she looks like, Zoë."
         "Who Johnny?" Zoë pleaded as she pulled him to her. He rested his head against her chest, like a child, and she smoothed his hair back from his face, affectionately. She continued to caress his back in slow soothing circles. "Who do you think you saw, sweetheart?"
         "It doesn't matter, I...I know it wasn't...." He shook his head again. "I'm just being stupid I guess."
         "Oh, Johnny," she whispered, sympathetically. "Whoever you thought it was, it was probably just a trick of the light."
         "I...I know that I...I just…when I thought about it when I…when I tried to bring a picture…of… in my mind I couldn't… to compare..." He pulled away and suddenly shoved the books and photos away and stood up, to stare out the window, his back to her.
          "Do people always fade from your memory like they never existed?" he demanded angrily. "What if I forget...how will I be able to face Eric and not…" He shook his head furiously and slammed his fist against the wall, causing Zoë to jump in fright. "Just leave me alone for awhile, okay, Zoë? I just need some time alone."
         "O…okay, Johnny," she agreed, quietly, rising to her feet. "But…I'll be here if you want to talk." She had only made it to the hatch when she was suddenly caught up in her husband's arms as he embraced her from behind.
         "I love you," he murmured into her ear and she believed him. "Don't be mad okay I...I just…" She turned, reached up to caress his face, and offered him her best smile.
         "I'm not angry," she assured. "I'm just worried about you, Johnny." He nodded.
         "I know. I'll be okay, this…it's all just kind of wierded me out that's all," he explained.
         "I know," she returned softly. "I'll be down stairs. "Don't stay up too long okay, try and get some sleep?" He nodded and kissed her before watching her climb back down.
 
 

         Eric and Sam had searched most of the town, asking people about the mystery woman,  they had seen on the street, two days earlier. They had only a glimpse of her and what she had been wearing to go on, so their description was lacking. Finally they had asked A.J if anyone new had checked into the Seaside Hotel recently. A.J.'s parents owned the hotel and they young girl was usually on top of what was happening in the small town of Gimli.
         A.J. told them a woman did check in earlier the week, she couldn't remember when, but that she had not gotten the chance to get a good look at her. The woman had worn a hat and scarf over her face. She could have been the person Eric and Sam were searching for and so they decided to hang out at the hotel lobby to see if they could spot her.
         After a little over an hour a figure in a familiar looking Raglan, leather boots and the knit hat and scarf stepped off the elevator and headed outside. The trio quickly followed; careful to stay far enough behind that they would not be suspected of tailing her.
         The woman seemed oblivious to the other people around her, so their care went unnoticed, but Eric did think she looked more then a little nervous. They followed her to the Louis LaFresne's automotive garage where his Uncle Johnny was chatting with his long time friend, over a motor that Louis was installing.
         The kids ducked behind a snow bank a few feet back as they watched the woman slow her pace and pause to glance in at the two men. Eric was straining to see her face but her scarf and hat still covered most of it. He did see her eyes though, a beautiful sea blue that held a quiet torment and longing as she stared into the garage.
         As though sensing he was being watched Johnny started to turn and the woman immediately hurried away before his eyes could catch sight of her. Johnny scratched his head in puzzlement then turned back to finish talking to Louis. The three kids quietly sneaked past the garage to see if they could take up their surveillance, but the woman had disappeared once more.
         A.J. glanced down and noticed something on the ground where the woman had been standing and bent to retrieve it, brushing the snow from the small card with her gloved hand and offering it to Eric.
         "Look at this," she suggested, curiously. "The lady must have dropped it."  Eric looked down at the item in his hand in surprise, then raised his eyes to his friend's, before turning them toward his Uncle.
         "It's Johnny," he reported, puzzled, and Sam snatched the card in shock. Sure enough, there was his idol, J.J. "Slipstream" posing for the Hartford Whalers on one of the few and frankly rare hockey cards that Johnny had been photographed for.
         "This is getting really weird," Sam decided as they all stopped to look at Johnny. Johnny turned and noticed them heading over suspiciously.
         "You guys need something?" he asked and they quickly shook their heads as they began passing each other the card in an attempt to hide it.
         "Us?" Eric asked, innocently, as he traded the card to A.J. behind his back, who in turn handed it to Sam and back to Eric it came. Johnny raised an eyebrow, warily, and removed his glove to press a hand to the boy's forehead.
         "You okay, Eric? You look kinda flushed."
         "Me?" it was barely a squeak this time as he flipped the card inside his pocket, discreetly. "I…I feel fine Johnny, just, warm…it's getting warmer, yah, spring must be here." Johnny glanced at the ice sickles hanging from the roof of the garage and obvious tonnage of snow that surrounded them, then back at Eric.
         "Eric, it's December, Spring is no where in sight," he reminded, puzzled, and Sam laughed nervously.
         "Yah, we know that Johnny, we just…"
         "We're pretending it's spring!" A.J. decided, removing her scarf and fanning herself. "Y'know if you think warm you can be warm, it's all in your head."
         "I don't doubt that," Johnny agreed, wryly, thinking they were all off their heads, frankly. "So…you didn't need anything?"
         "No."
         "Nope."
         Not at all." All three children answered simultaneously and Johnny shook his head; he was beginning to feel like he had entered an episode of the Twilight Zone.
         "Um…okay, well, run along then," he suggested. The trio hurried off without further encouragement and Johnny returned to the garage, asking Louis if they ever acted that weird as kids.
        "Nah, you're more wierd as an adult than you were as a kid, Johnny." Louis teased and Johnny threw a rag at him, playfully.
 
 

         "Let's check out her room at the hotel," A.J. suggested as they headed back the way they had come. "Maybe there'll be a clue about her identity."
         "A.J., that would be breaking and entering," Eric reminded and the girl grinned, holding up a skeleton key.
         "Not when you have a key it isn't," she replied, smugly.
         "It's still an invasion of her privacy," Eric insisted, frowning. "We could get into big trouble if we're caught." A.J. struck a rebellious pose and pointed her gloved hand at him.
         "Look, Johansson, this chick could be some kind of stalker or ax-murderer or something and has set her sights on your Uncle Johnny."
         "Yah, Eric," Sam agreed. "What if she tries to hurt Johnny? We'd be just as guilty if we suspected something and didn't do anything about it."
         "But, we have no proof…" Eric reasoned, as they entered the hotel's back entrance.
         "Then we need to get proof," A.J. countered. "What if this lady's like that one in that movie, Fatal Attraction? You want to end up having boiled rabbit instead of spaghetti?"
         "That's not possible!" Eric refused, exasperated. "That movie was about a guy who cheated on his wife and it came back on him, Johnny's never cheated on Zoë."
         "How do you know that?" Sam challenged. "They were broke up for a long time and he did kiss that other woman in front of everybody."
         "That was a publicity stunt!" Eric exclaimed. This was getting out of hand.  "I know Johnny, he loves Zoë too much to do something like that."
         "But, it could be an ex-girlfriend, like you said before," Sam suggested. "Maybe she's just decided she wants Johnny back."
         "Only one way to find out, Johansson," A.J. determined and Eric realized they had stopped next to room 207. "It's for Johnny and Zoë, Eric, we have to find out what's going on."
         "You've see how weird Johnny acted when he saw her that time and he's been out of it ever since," Sam stated.
         Eric bit his lower lip. He knew better then to do this and his gut instincts were telling him how wrong this was, but a trace of doubt had crept into his mind and he wondered if his friend's were right. After all, no one ever really knew what was the main reason for Zoë and Johnny breaking up before and he did take a lot of trips into the city and sometimes Farnum, which was three towns over. He knew infidelity happened all the time in the tabloids he read, but he didn't want to believe it of his Uncle. Still, they did have to know who this woman was and why she created such a strong reaction in Johnny.
         "Okay," he agreed, finally, "but, just a quick look around, don't touch anything or take anything." He looked pointedly at A.J who just shrugged; glanced around to see if the coast was clear, then quickly unlocked the door. The three slipped inside and closed the door behind them.
         The room appeared to be a normal room, no visible shrines of his uncle with a bowl of pig's blood or a severed head next to it. No candles or, obscure writing on the walls with messages to the devil. It was just a room with a double bed, a small fridge, a desk and table, television and chaise. The bathroom that adjoined it was clean and barren of any supplies or toiletries.
         "See, I told you…" Eric began and backed up toward the door but A.J had spied a small metal brief case next to the bed and she bent to retrieve it.
         "Let's see what's in here," she decided, hoisting it on the bed and clicking it open.
         "I said not to touch anything!" Eric protested, but A.J. and Sam were already looking through the case, so he could only join them or die of curiosity.
         "Look at this!" Sam discovered, pulling a thick scrapbook from the case and flipping it open. "It's all about Johnny." Eric grabbed the book, meaning to put it back but unable to prevent himself from staring at his uncle's photos.
         There were newspaper clippings from Johnny's years in hockey, photos of him making MVP and winning the nationals with his team. There were a few articles about Johnny and Zoë winning the Gimli marathon from previous years, a photo of them tied together as they danced, even their wedding announcement. A newspaper article that heralded the arrival of Eric Johansson with a photo of him, Johnny, Zoë and Auntie Auntie really concerned him.
         "This is weird," Eric muttered as he turned to the next few pages and gasped.  They were full of photographs taken of Johnny, some while he was with Eric, some coaching the team, and some standing next to Zoë. Eric recognized them as things that had happened over the past year.
         "We should tell someone," Sam decided. "This can't be good, Eric. She's out to get Johnny."
         "We don't know that," Eric returned, quietly and put the book back in the case, closing it firmly and putting it back by the bed. "We can't tell anyone yet, we don't have any proof."
         "What do you call that book?" A.J. demanded.
         "I call it inadmissible," Eric stated, resolutely. "We broke into her room and saw it, but if we tell anyone we know about it they'll know we were here illegally and we'll get arrested for trespassing."
         "We can't just stand by and wait for something to happen to Johnny," Sam denied as they quickly left the room and hurried down the hall.
         "I know that," Eric snapped. "We won't let anything happen to Johnny. We'll just have to watch him to make sure that woman doesn't come anywhere near him." all three nodded and headed for A.J.'s room to make the plans for Operation Protect Johnny.
 
 

         Zoë entered the house, her arms full of grocery bags and called for someone to come help her, knowing her husband should be home since the car was in the drive. Moments later Johnny appeared, grabbed two of the bags from her, before stealing a quick kiss, and headed into the kitchen. She smiled and followed, placing her bags on the counter next to the ones he had brought in and had already started sorting.
         She pulled off her mitts, hat and scarf and went to hang them in the back porch. She pulled off her heavy winter coat and nestled it on the hook. Her eyes spotted the project on Johnny's work desk, which also served as the junk desk. She moved toward it, intrigued. Johnny caught the action out of the corner of his eye and hurried toward her.
         "No don't…" he began, but she had already picked up the beautifully carved jewelry box.  He sighed and ran his hand through his erratically styled blond hair. He'd meant to put that away before she got home.
         "It's beautiful, Johnny!" she declared, in delight, as she turned it over in her hands to examine it more fully. There was no bottom to it yet and the top was a frame waiting for something to be added, perhaps glass.
         "I didn't…it's not finished yet," he stated, regretfully. "I…I wanted to show it to you after I finished it."
         "What's it for?" she asked, smiling at him.
         "Well…I…" he shrugged, suddenly shy again. "Your jewelry is selling really well in town and…I…I thought…everyone seemed so…taken with the display cases I figured if I made some that looked like jewelry boxes, you could sell them too." He, tentatively, took the case from her  "See, I bought a box of junk from Joe the other day, well, he thought it was junk but y'know one man's junk…" He shook his head and tried to get back on the subject. "Anyway, there were a bunch of these plastic looking music boxes in there that someone had thrown away and I know I can fix the players and maybe put them in here." He showed her where they would go in the box he held. "Then, see, Maggie had this stained glass display." He pulled out the large sheet from behind the desk that was almost the size of their storm windows. "I figure I can cut this and use it for the tops of the boxes, then line it with velvet or something."
         "Oh, Johnny!" Zoë exclaimed, delighted that he had gone to so much trouble for one of her hobbies. She threw her arms around her. "I think it's a wonderful idea, but…"
         "But?" Johnny mimiced, worriedly.
         "I want the first one for myself when it's done," she decideds grinning. She had already fallen in love with the box, as much as with the artist who created it. "For my Christmas gift."
         "I already got your Christmas gift, Zoë," he stated, solemnly, "but, you can still have the box too, if you want."
         "You already bought my gift?" she repeated, shocked. Johnny was a last minute kind of guy, so she was amazed he had already done any shopping. She hadn't even started hers yet. "When?"
         "About two months ago," he admitted and she gaped at him, causing him to laugh. "Why so surprised?"
         "Johnny…" she began, tentatively, "you…you bought me a Christmas gift when…even when…" Johnny nodded, finally realizing why she was so shocked. He had been living in the caboose at the time, so they had not been getting along.
         "Even if we're fighting, I still love you, Zoë," he reminded, softly. He set the box down and wrapped her in his embrace. Their tender moment was interrupted by a loud banging coming from the front of the house, announcing the arrival of Eric and his friends.
         "Johnny?" Eric called as they peeled off their outer clothing and stormed into the kitchen. "Hi Zoë, Hi Johnny." The two adults exchanged a quizzical glance and stepped away from each other as A.J. and Sam entered, also greeting them.
         "What have you guys been up to today?" Zoë inquired, cheerfully, as she returned to putting away the groceries.
         "Oh, y'know the usual," Eric quipped as he started to help. He noticed the large silver pot on the stove that Johnny was moving toward, as did A.J., and they exchanged a fearful glance.
         "Johnny wait!" A.J. demanded, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the stove as Eric slowly inched toward it. "Would you show me how to…ah…." She drew a blank and cast a helpless look at Sam behind her.
         "Do a flip shot," Sam offered, quickly, and A.J. shot him a look of disgust. Was that all that boy thought about?
         "You don't play hockey, A.J.," Johnny reminded, confused.
         "I'm thinking of taking it up," she decided, Eric was almost to the pot.
         "Oh," Johnny replied, curiously. He caught sight of his nephew in his peripheral vision and swiftly turned. "Don't touch that, Eric, it's hot!"
         "I…ah…I was just gonna see what you're cooking, Johnny," Eric assured, grabbing a pot holder as A.J tried to command his uncle's attention again, but the blond was already gently shaking the girl off and moving toward the stove.
         "No, Eric, wait…," he demanded as Eric reached the pot first and lifted the lid hoping there wasn't a dead rabbit inside. He paled when he saw the carcass of…he felt faint, just as Johnny grabbed the pot holder and lid from him and replaced it on the cooker.
         "B…bones!" he whispered, distraught, and the other kids stared at him in shock.
         "Of course it's bones, Eric," Johnny returned, lowering the heat, and moving a dazed Eric away from the stove. "I'm boiling that left over chicken we had the other night for soup." The words finally registered and color came back into the child's face.
         "Oh!" he sighed, relieved. "Soup! Bones for soup, of course!" He started to back out of the kitchen, toward the living room, the other kids behind him. "I knew that I...I was just checking if you knew that, Johnny. Um…we'll be in the caboose."
         Zoë and Johnny exchanged a confused glance as they watched the trio leave.
         "That kid's getting queer, Zoë," Johnny decided. "Maybe we should have let him go with Max." Zoë tossed a package of spaghetti at him in annoyance.
         "He's just being a kid, Johnny," She assured, grinning. She knew they would both be devastated if they lost Eric. Johnny grinned and hopped up on the counter next to her, leaning across it almost seductively.
         "We could still run away and join the circus," he suggested, grinning wickedly. She laughed and cuddled into him. "I'd like to see you in one of those spandex glitter outfits."
         "You're already a clown, Johnny," she decided and leaned in to kiss him. Johnny grinned against her lips, then put his arm around her and pulled her closer.
         "The kid's are occupied," he murmured.
         "Mhhmm," she agreed.
         "Supper will be another couple of hours at least."
         "At least."
         "Wanna go upstairs and practice our flexibility?" he suggested and Zoë released a delightful laugh.
         "Flexibility?" she giggled.
         "For our circus act," he assured and flashed his wife a mischievous smile they made her heart turn over in her chest.
         "Oh, of course," she returned, trying to sound serious but failing miserably. "For the act." He nodded and spun his legs back over the side of the counter to hop down beside her. "What about the groceries?"
         "Anything needing to be refrigerated?" he inquired and she shook her head. "Leave 'em." She smiled again and linked her hand through his, allowing him to lead her toward the stairs.
          They were about half way up when the kids burst through the door once more, shutting it firmly behind them and standing against it. Johnny groaned in defeat, but Zoë could only smile benignly and glance down at them.
         "What is it Eric?" she asked, kindly, and the boy stepped forward.
         "We…ah…we think we spotted a nest of tufted tit mouse eggs," he stated, quickly, and Zoë brightened and started down the stares.
         "Really, Where?"
         "We'll show you," Eric assured, then he glanced up at Johnny who was still posed on the stairs above. "You too, Johnny."
         "I don't want to see them," he replied, but the children seemed insistent and Sam and Eric were up over the stairs pulling Johnny down and handing him his coat.
         "Com'on, Johnny, it's a real special find," Eric encouraged as Johnny automatically helped his wife on with her coat.
         "Eric I don't…" he began, just as someone knocked on the front door.
         "No!" the three children screamed, as Johnny moved toward it. The kids blocked the door with their bodies.
         "Let's go out the back way," Eric insisted as the person knocked again.
         "Eric, there's someone at the door, now move," Johnny demanded.
         "They'll come back later if it's important, Johnny," Sam assured, pulling him away from the front. "Let's go see those eggs before they fly away."
         "You're all acting very strangely," Zoë decided and physically moved Eric and A.J away from the front door as a third knock sounded. She threw the door open and greeted the woman standing there. "Yes?"
         "Is this the Johansson residence?" the woman inquired, quietly, as she started to pull the hat and scarf away from her face. Eric, Sam and A.J found themselves standing almost protectively in front of Johnny, causing the older man to peer at them bewildered, before looking back at their visitor.
         "Yes it is," Zoë informed, smiling. "I'm Mrs. Johansson, can I help you?"
         "Don't let her in, Zoë!" Eric pleaded. "She's after Johnny!" Zoë turned toward him puzzled.
         "What?"
         "She's been stalking Johnny!" A.J. concurred. "She's out to kill him!" Zoë glanced at Johnny who shrugged, as confused as she was. He raised his eyes and finally got a good look at the face of the woman before him.
         "I…I didn't mean to cause in trouble," She commented from the doorway as her blue eyes lifted to meet Johnny's intent gaze. "I...I just wanted to see him. Hello Johnny."
         Johnny stared at her in shock and Zoë watched her husband's complexion turn almost white, before she saw his eyes roll back and his legs give out beneath him. The kids tried to catch him, but he was a dead weight and moments later he was laying unconscious on the floor with a very worried Zoë kneeling over him.
         "Johnny!" she cried, in distress, trying to awaken him. She had never known her husband to faint in all the time they had been together, except when her aroma therapy had put him to sleep that one time. She slapped gently at his face and shook him. "Johnny can you hear me?"
         "What's going on?" a gruff familiar voice demanded and they all looked over at Auntie Auntie, who had moved past the stricken woman in the doorway to crouch beside her nephew.
         "Oh, Auntie Auntie, he's fainted!" Zoë wailed. "Johnny never faints!"
         "Help me get him on the sofa, Zoë," the older woman insisted and with the kid's help, they all managed to lift Johnny onto the living room sofa. Zoë put a cushion under his head. "Do you have any smelling salts?"
         "I know where they are!" Eric declared and rushed upstairs, but not before casting an accusing glare at the woman still in the doorway.
         "Perhaps, I should leave," she murmured, twisting her cap and scarf in her hands remorsefully. Auntie Auntie waved her inside.
         "You're here now, so you may as well come in," the mayor of Gimli announced as she carefully settled on the table next to the sofa. Zoë remained beside her husband, peering down on him worried, but out of Auntie Auntie's way.
         "I just wanted to see him," the woman sobbed, as she stepped further inside and closed the door, blocking the winter cold. Zoë glared at her.
         "Who are you?" she demanded, angrily. It took a lot to upset the easygoing woman, but with everything that had been going on with Johnny the last few days this was just the last straw.
         "She's a stalker!" Sam interceded. "Like that lady in the movie!"
         "We found a scrap book full of pictures and articles of Johnny in her room at the hotel," A.J. stated as Eric returned with the salts and handed them to Auntie Auntie.
         "What were you doing in her room?" Zoë charged and watched the trio look down at their shoes sheepishly. Eric quickly recounted their suspicions and how this had all started.
         "Well, it seems our junior Detectives have gotten their wires crossed." Auntie Auntie chuckled as she opened the salts and waved them under Johnny's nose. Finally, he started to stir. Eric noticed the woman in the raglan moved further back, out of sight, when his eyes opened.
         "W…what?" he began, dazed, and tried to sit up. Auntie Auntie shoved him back.
         "Relax, Johanas," she ordered as her fingers probed his head. "Let me see if you've done any damage to that thick skull of yours." Johnny blinked and tried to remember what had happened. Suddenly he did sit up.
         "It was her!" he exclaimed,with an edge of fear in his voice. "Auntie Auntie I saw her I, I thought I was going crazy but it was … I saw…" His eyes rose and met the woman's who had stepped forward again. His voice broke as he continued to stare at her. "M…my Mother."
         Everyone but Auntie Auntie seemed to gasp in shock as they stared at their visitor. Long blond hair spilled down over her back, with streaks of flaxen white, her eyes identical to Johnny's.
         "Yes, love, I know," Auntie Auntie soothed and Johnny returned his gaze to hers accusingly.
         "You knew!" he charged, stumbling from the sofa and stepping away from her furious as he looked from her to his Mother and back again. "You knew my Mother was alive and you didn't tell me?"
         "Now Johanas, calm down." Auntie Auntie ordered, also rising, but Johnny just took another step back.
         "How could you?" he cried, furiously.
          Zoë pulled Eric back against her and wrapped her arms around him, both needing support as they watched the scene unfold. Neither of them had never seen Johnny this angry, although he definitely had good reason.  Mrs. Johansson had supposedly died when Johnny and Sigrid were only six, their father and Auntie Auntie pretty much took over raising them. What was she doing showing up here alive?
         "It was your father that told you and Sigrid that, Johnny…" Irene Johansson implored.
         "Sigrid's dead!" he declared, unaware of everyone's painful flinch in reaction to his harsh words. "My sister's dead and you weren't there!" Auntie Auntie jumped in again, usually the only one who could get Johnny to listen when it was required.
         "Johanas shut up a minute and…"
         "How could you do that?" Johnny demanded of his mother, as though his Aunt had not even spoken. "Sigrid died, we…we spread her ashes we…we took in her son Eric, your grandson, and you…you never bothered to tell us…never bothered to…Pop died and you…" He shook his head, his anguish apparent, as he struggled to make sense of the roller coaster of emotion he was currently feeling.
         "Johnny, please." Irene stepped forward and he flinched away from her.
         "All this time," he whispered in disbelief.
          The agony in his eyes was almost too much to look into and in moments Zoë had tears streaming down her cheeks. Eric was trembling, Auntie Auntie's eyes were suspiciously bright and A.J. and Sam were at a loss how to react.
         "Let me explain, Johnny, please," Irene pleaded but Johnny shook his head and turned away from her. He ran out the front door, ignoring Zoë's call to wait.
         "You did hurt him!" Eric suddenly screamed, startling all of them by his outburst. "Just like we said you would! You hurt Johnny and I hate you!" The little boy broke free of his Aunt's embrace and ran after his uncle.
         "Oh God, what have I done?" Irene sobbed as she dropped dispiritedly on the sofa.
 
 

         Almost two hours later, Eric had searched every where for his distraught uncle and no one had seen him. A.J. and Sam and Zoë had all took turns searching as well but had come up empty. Finally Eric tried one final place, hoping he was right and that Johnny had gone there to think.
         Sure enough he found the blue convertible parked next to the water tower and Eric immediately started up. He was only a quarter of the way, when his Uncle's voice sounded from above.
         "Get down, Eric," he demanded, "if you fall Zoë will kill me."
         "Are you coming down?" Eric challenged, catching his breath against the cold north wind that wailed about them.
         "No," Johnny refused and Eric stared climbing again.
         "Then I'm coming up!"
         "No, wait!" Johnny protested and Eric eagerly paused on the ladder. He really didn't want to be on top of the tower in freezing temperatures with twilight upon them, anyway. "I…I'll come down. Just…just don't come any further, Eric." Eric nodded and started to climb back down, once he saw Johnny's lean form swing over onto the ladder at the top.
         Eric only had a couple of feet before he reached bottom, and once there he glanced up to watch Johnny's descent. He couldn't help but admire the easy movements of his uncle, who showed no signs of distress or hesitation at being so high. Unlike Eric and his Cousin Chris had when they had climbed the tower that summer.
         "What are you doin' here, Eric?" Johnny demanded, quietly, once he was standing beside his nephew. Despite the rosy flush of Johnny's cheeks from the cold winter air, Eric noticed his uncle's eyes were blood shot and red rimmed from crying.
         "Are you okay, Johnny?" the boy inquired, softly, and Johnny answered automatically.
         "Yah." Then lowered his eyes. "No. I don't know." They walked along the frozen beach, much as they had that summer before.
         "I guess you're pretty angry at your Mother and Auntie Auntie, hey?" Eric asked and Johnny shrugged. He looked toward the ocean, that was mostly covered with slabs of ice flow. "I would be pretty upset too, I mean, if my Mom suddenly showed up after thinking…well you know."
         "I didn't mean what…what I said about yer mum, Eric," Johnny muttered, forlornly. "I…I didn't know what I was saying, I…I didn't mean to sound…"
         "It's okay, you were upset," Eric concluded, easily. "It wasn't very fair of her to keep something like that from you and my Mum."
         "No," Johnny agreed, grimly. "I grew up with out a Mother, Eric. Your sister and Auntie Auntie was the closest thing I had."
         "Yah, at least I had my Mom a little longer then you," Eric acknowledged and Johnny cursed himself for saying something so stupid, but Eric seemed oblivious to any remorse. "She talked a lot about you, Johnny. She said she felt like she was raising you some times, even though you were twins." Johnny nodded, wishing her had never brought up his sister, he knew it must be painful for the boy to talk about her.
         "She was very important to me, Eric," He admitted, softly, with a hint of regret. However,  he owed Eric something, since he had started this. "Then when she left I…I felt…" he shook his head. "It was never the same between us. She hated me playing hockey, I hated that she had moved away and gotten married."
         "But, you said her and Dad once drove 500 miles to see one of your games, Johnny," Eric reminded, kindly, and Johnny smiled slightly.
         "Yah, we…I think that was just your dad wanting to meet me mostly," He shrugged. "We got on okay but…I promised to visit and I…I never did and I knew she'd never return to Gimli." He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "When she did return it…it was too late to make it up to her. I was afraid I'd forget her like I forgot my Mother, because I can't really recall the last time I saw Sigrid. What kind of brother does that make me?"
         "She understood, Johnny," Eric assured, quietly. "She knew you loved her."  Johnny could only shake his head remorsefully, feeling slightly foolish that the twelve year old boy was comforting the man of thirty-five, but welcoming it just the same. That was Eric, he was wise beyond his years.
         "Yah, I would be pretty angry at my Mom if she suddenly showed up," Eric repeated, wistfully. He had taken time to think about the situation during his search for his Uncle and realized him being angry with Irene Johansson was acceptable, but not completely fair. "But, then, if my Mom showed up, I'd be pretty happy too, Johnny. I mean, to have her back again, well…it would be worth a little anger I think."
         Johnny stared down at his nephew thoughtfully and tried to swallow the baseball-sized lump in his throat. Eric was right, his mother was alive. Alive! Why couldn't he be happy and thrilled at that news? Because he felt betrayed, that was why. All this time without a word from the woman who gave birth to them. He was left to handle his rise and fall from Hockey, the game that had once been his life, the death of his father and sister, and the life changing aspect of raising his nephew. She'd left him alone, abandoned him and made him believe she was dead. Everyone had gone along with it, his father, his...Auntie Auntie knew! She knew all this time and never told him. How could she do that?
         "God Eric!" he finally exclaimed. "I feel like I don't have any control over my life anymore.  What have I done to deserve all this? I've screwed up things so badly. I almost lost you and Zoë, and now…" He shook his head in disbelief.
         "Nah," Eric assured, with a grin, "it'd take a nuclear catastrophe to get rid of us, Johnny." His uncle smiled a little, as they continued to walk. "Besides, you guys are still new to being parents, there's lots left to learn yet and I'm patient."
         Suddenly Johnny stopped and crouched before his nephew, adjusting the collar or his coat and pulling his hat a little further down over his ears. He smiled for real this time, he always felt better after talking to Eric, or most times at least. Sometimes Johnny just felt more confused, like when Eric had asked him to sign a passport application for him. Johnny had been convinced it meant Eric was unhappy with him and Zoë, that they had messed up somehow, and the boy wanted to leave.
        He hadn't even been able to concentrate on Sam that night because he was so worried about Eric, so he had completely missed the fact that Sam wasn't really ready for the bigger hockey leagues. Sam thought he had let Johnny down, but it was really Johnny who had let the boy down, by not recognizing Sam's fear and uncertainty, by pushing to hard and maybe getting too caught up in the idea of Sam playing for the city team. Luckily all of that was resolved later that night and Johnny was grateful he had been able to redeem himself. He had even stayed up until the following morning to help the boys finish their bird houses for one of the charity drives Zoë championed.
         "You think we'll make the grade, Eric?" he inquired, resting his hands on Eric's shoulders.
         "Sure, you've already passed most of the tests," Eric teased.
         "And failed some," Johnny reminded, solemnly, thinking about not telling Eric about the arrival of his Mother's ashes. Eric shrugged.
         "Failings a part of life," he decided, maturely. "You and Zoë are trying real hard and that counts more." Johnny brushed a lock of Eric's dark hair that had escaped his cap, away from his face.
         "We've had a great teacher, Eric," he stated, gently. Eric blushed with pleasure and welcomed the hug that Johnny pulled him forward for. "You'll keep us in line, won't you kiddo?"
         "And, you'll keep me in line," Eric vowed, grinning as they parted. "I trust you and Zoë to do what's best for me, Johnny. You've already proven you want me here and that you worry about me, so I can take it."
         "We trust you to tell us if we're being over protective or obsessive about anything concerning you, Eric," Johnny reminded. "I know Zoë especially worries about the smallest things."
         "Yah, but it's okay, because she's a girl and girls always worry more then boys."
         "That so?"
         "Sure, I read it in an article, once," Eric grinned and Johnny laughed.
         "Is there anything you don't read in those tabloid papers?" his uncle challenged, amused, and Eric shrugged.
         "I'll let you know," the boy grinned and folded his mittened hand into Johnny's larger one. "Let's go home."
 

         "Johnny!" Zoë cried, as soon as they entered the house. She threw her arms around him thankfully, before she started beating at his chest, furiously. "Don't you ever disappear like that  again or I'll wring your neck!" Then she was in his arms again and kissing him tearfully.
         Used to his wife's often eccentric behavior, Johnny just folded his arms around her and returned her kisses, hugging her determinedly. Eric watched them, affectionately, as he hung up his and Johnny's coats and hats. Zoe released her husband and grabbed Eric to pull him into their embrace, showering the boy with kisses as well.
         "That goes for you to, you adorable little rat," she decided as Eric giggled and squirmed ineffectively in her arms.
         "Johanas," a voice greeted, quietly, and the trio turned around toward Auntie Auntie, who was approaching them with a blue mug and a yellow mug in her hand. "This will warm you up, if you haven't already caught a chill from staying out in this weather. Eric accepted his cup gratefully, warming his hands with it and blowing lightly on the chocolate beverage inside.
         "Johnny?" Zoë prompted, tentatively. She was unsure if her husband's anger still extended to his great aunt, but she hoped they could all get through this as a family.
        Johnny slowly reached for the blue cup, his disappointed gaze never leaving his aunt's face, which suddenly seemed older and more haggard then usual. He lowered his eyes and moved out of Zoë's embrace. He placed the mug on the coffee table, then stalked toward the kitchen, refusing to even glance at his aunt as he passed.
         "He's just upset…" Zoë explained to the older woman, who seemed suddenly very tired. "I'm sure once he has a chance to calm down he'll…" Auntie Auntie raised her hand and Zoë fell silent, watching a grim determination crease the revered woman's features.
         "Perhaps, you and Eric could leave us alone for a little bit," she suggested, quietly, as Johnny returned to the living room with the jewelry box he had been working on and a few supplies "Johanas and I have to talk."
         "You say what you have to say in front of them," Johnny insisted, boldly, settling on the sofa and concentrating on the wood in his hands. "They're my family and they can hear however many more lies you have to tell."
        "Johnny!" Zoë gasped, ashamed of him for speaking to Auntie Auntie that way. The older woman just shook her head and patted Zoë's arm.
         "He has a right to be angry, Zoë," she assured, quietly, as she walked over and settled in a chair.
         "Yah, I have a right to be angry, Zoë," Johnny mimicked, childishly. "Eric, come here for a minute would you." The boy moved to kneel beside his uncle. "Hold this together for me, while I tie the ends."
         "Sure, Johnny," Eric agreed, readily, and held the pieces of wood together as Johnny performed his task. The boy glanced sympathetically at Auntie Auntie and Zoë, until Johnny's wife settled beside her husband on the sofa.
         "You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you Johanas?" Auntie Auntie muttered and Johnny offered her a mild glare, before returning to his task. "Okay fine. You've had your tantrum, is there anything else you'd like to get out of your system before you're willing to be reasonable and actually listen to what I have to say, or should I just dole out the dishes for you to throw around?" Johnny ignored her sarcastic comments. "Johnny…" Johnny almost smiled. Oh ho, here it comes, she only ever called him Johnny when nothing else would make him listen, this should be good.
         "Auntie Auntie," he returned, mildly, and she offered him a frustrated glare. Good, now she knew what he was going through.
         "I'm not going to tell you why all this had to be kept from you, Johanas," she decided firmly. "That's something you have to hear from Irene, but I will admit that it was wrong of us to let you go on thinking your Mother was dead." Johnny remained silent, not even glancing her way. " At first we did it to protect you, then, your Father wouldn't let us tell you kids anything different. He thought it would upset you too much and you were both still so young. Then after Nichalos died, we didn't know how to tell you."
         "Did Sigrid know?" Johnny demanded. "Did you at least tell her? Would you have ever told us if my Mother hadn't just shown up here in Gimli?" Auntie Auntie shook her head and Johnny threw the jewelry box down, angrily. "Damn the lot of you then." Zoë and the older woman gasped.
         "Joanas!"
         "Johnny!"
         "I…I'm sorry," Johnny offered, quietly, as he rubbed at his face tiredly. "I…this is just hard…"
         "I know, Johanas, and I am sorry," Auntie Auntie offered, gently. She started to reach for her nephew but then thinking better of it.
         "I don't want to see her," he decided and the tremor in his voice tore at the hearts of those who loved him. "I don't want to hear what she has to say, I don't care who knew what or why she's here, I just want her to go away; let her stay dead."
         "Johnny, she's still your Mother," Zoë reminded, softly, as she draped an arm across her husband's slumped shoulders.
         "Johnny?" Eric inquired and his uncle lifted his eyes to meet the gaze of the boy that had come to mean so much to him. "A Mother come back to life is better then no Mother at all."
         Eric had the darker coloring of his father, but Johnny could see parts of Sigrid in him as well. His smile and his laugh, even his mind worked the same way Sigrid's did, ever probing and questioning. Mostly he saw that Inner Light that had always surrounded his twin, that knowledge of knowing who you are, a knowledge that Johnny had always envied. Eric seemed to have his father's looks and his Mother's soul. Johnny knew he would always have a part of his sister as long as he had Eric.
         "I miss her, Eric," he found himself saying and the boy's eyes brightened tearfully in understanding. "I want her to be here, to know…She deserves to know…"
         "She does, Johnny," Eric assured, in a slightly wobbly voice, and for once sounding like the young boy he was. "Mom's watching us and looking out for us, she promised me she would." Johnny nodded and sniffed suspiciously, wiping at his eyes before the tears could overflow over his cheeks.
         "Will you at least listen to her, Johanas?" Auntie Auntie requested, quietly. "Hear what she has to say?" Johnny hesitated then nodded.
         "Not…not now," he deniedm just as quickly. "Later…a… a couple of days maybe." Auntie Auntie nodded and rose to her feet, she understood her nephew had been through a lot the last week, she would give him time to catch up and deal with what he was feeling.
         "I'll let her knowm" she promised and moved to get her coat from the front hall. She quickly shrugged into it and donned her traditional fishing cap. "You call me when you're ready, Johanas, and I'll tell Irene." Johnny nodded as Zoë rose to see their aunt out.
         Auntie Auntie had not even made it down the path to her car, when the front door opened and Johnny descended the steps. They faced each other quietly, Johnny's hands in his jeans pockets to keep them warm, Auntie, Auntie adjusting her coat lapels against the icy wind.
         There was so much that was said and left unsaid between them, she knew she had hurt him and betrayed him and wasn't sure if that could ever be repaired. She knew Johnny had difficulty dealing with his feelings, he always had, so she unerstood this was hard on him. He had always buried his emotions way down deep, at least the ones that frightened him, but Zoë said he was getting better and Auntie Auntie prayed she was right.
          Despite her gruff treatment of him at times, Johnny was like her own son. She had practically raised him and she loved him more then she would ever allow him to know, simply because that was her way.  Certainly, she got aggravated with him at times, his procrastination and single mindedness was the bane of her existence, but that was okay. It was Johnny's job to put things off, so that she would nag him endlessly to get it done, thus reminding him he had responsibilities. She still adored him for his silliness, he could always make her laugh, and he had the biggest heart. It was so full of love and almost child-like fascination, that unfortunately he tended to wear on his sleeve. She was witness to that wonderful fault many times, watching him with Zoë and Eric.
         She knew Johnny better then he knew himself. She knew how tender hearted he was and how deeply he felt things, which was why he had such a hard time expressing himself. Now, she may have damaged their relationship forever, by following her heart instead of her mind and not telling Johnny about his Mother. The idea she may be loosing him was slowly killing her.
         She took a small step toward him, making the first move, giving him the opportunity to either accept or reject her and she tried not to show how much it meant to her when he took a hesitant step closer as well. She had been so glad when Eric had come into their lives, she wanted her nephew to understand the joy of loving a child as she loved Johnny, and it seemed the boy and man had become remarkably close if tonight was anything to go on.
         They stood there, staring at each other, both afraid to speak or take another step. Finally Johnny broke the silence.
         "I…Maybe I'll get started on that porch swing tomorrow," he offered, quietly *I'm angry but I still love you*
         "It can wait until Spring," she dismissed. "I'm not using it right now anyway." * I'm sorry and I love you too.*  Johnny hesitated a moment longer, before leaning down and dropping a quick kiss on her cheek.
         " 'Kay, see ya," he promised and headed back inside. Auntie Auntie raised her hand to her freshly kissed cheek and smiled, before turning toward her car.
 
 

        Johnny stepped out of the elevator on the second floor of the SeaSide Hotel and moved slowly toward room 207. He had thought about this for three days. Hell, how could he not think about it? He had lost both sleep and his appetite with trying to make a decision. Finally, he just determined that he had to know. He had so many questions, so many things he wanted to say and if he didn't do this now he might loose the chance. He lost the chance to square things with Sigrid, he almost lost Zoë and Eric, now he had to stop being afraid and take the initiative. God! Now he sounded like Auntie Auntie!
         He pulled off his wool cap and tried to resemble some order to his hair, then tore off his gloves and placed them in the deep pockets of his winter parka. Breathe, Johansson, just breathe and you won't pass out. He almost got to the door before he turned back again and glanced at Eric and Zoë, waiting by the elevator for him. They gave him a gesture of encouragement and he turned back toward the door again.
         He released a slow breath. Okay, he could do this. Zoë and Eric believed he could, so he just had to believe in himself. Another deep breath and he stopped by the door. A quick glance down the hall at his smiling, support group, and he raised his hand to knock. He immediately tensed when the door swung open and his panicked gaze flew upwards to meet similar blue-green eyes.
         "Johnny!" Irene Johansson gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in surprise. Like Johnny, she looked like she hadn't slept well the past few nights either, and had appeared older then when he first saw her.
         "Um…hi," was all Johnny could manage. He was unable to hold her gaze for longer then a moment, before he immediately looked toward his wife and nephew again.
         "You…Auntie Auntie never…I mean…I didn't think…" his mother was babbling and he finally raised his gaze to hers again, realizing she was just as nervous as he was.
         "I…I never told her I just…came," Johnny offered, softly, and Irene's eyes glittered suspiciously.
         "W…would you like to come in?" she inquired, tentatively.
         "Ah…yah okay," Johnny agreed and stepped inside, missing the sigh of relief that his cheering section released from down the hall.
         Johnny didn't move far from the door, as Irene closed it, as though needing to be close if for a quick escape. She moved further into the room, fidgeting with her hair, which she was trying to push back away from her face, and smoothing out the wrinkles in her pale blue slack suit.
         "W…would you like something to drink?" she offered and moved to the small, complimentary icebox.
         "Yes, water please," he replied, realizing how incredibly dry his mouth was. His palms  were sweating and his mouth was dry, obviously his brain had mixed up the signals. She handed him a bottle of water and opened one for herself. "Thank you."
         "W…would you like to sit down?" she offered, settling on the bed.
         Johnny took the chair, moved it a little closer to the door opposite her and sat down slowly. Irene hated that he seemed so afraid of her, she had never meant things to be this way. He was so beautiful, so sweet she couldn't stop looking at him. Her son, her beautiful baby boy had become a strong, handsome man. She took a deep breath, obviously it was up to her to start so she forged ahead with a courage she did not feel.
         "Well, I…I guess I'll just start at the beginning then," She decided and Johnny remained silent as he took an interest in his water bottle, which he still had not even opened. "I met your father at the Gimli marathon…" Johnny's head shot up and he stared at her surprised. "W..what?" she almost squeaked worried she had already said something wrong.
         "I…that's where I met Zoë, my wife," he stated in disbelief and Irene smiled.
         "I suppose it's a family tradition then," she offered, but regretted her words as Johnny's expression closed over again and he lowered his eyes once more. She bit her lip and forced herself to continue. "Well, anyway, we…we met there, your father and I. We fell in love almost instantly." Her smile grew wistful. "He was quite the charmer, I'm afraid, with those dark eyes and devilish smile." She glanced at Johnny. "You have his smile Johnny, " Johnny looked at her hesitantly. "There's something magic about the way the Johansson men smile, it gets deep under your skin and makes it tingle like currents of electricity and you would pay anything, do anything to see it as often as possible."
         "Auntie Auntie says we're little warlocks in disguise," Johnny muttered, fondly. He picked at the label on his bottle, his lips curving slightly at the corners. "Me and Eric." Irene laughed lightly and nodded.
         "I believe her," she assured. "Your father sure put a spell on me."
         "Why did you leave?" Johnny suddenly asked, raising his tormented gaze to hers and she found her breath catch in her throat. "Why did you make us think you were dead?" It was a few moments before she could speak, this wasn't the easiest confession to make.
         "Johnny, I didn't die, but sometimes I wish I had," she explained, regretfully, and she saw she was confusing him. "I was in jail, Johnny, for manslaughter."
         If she had slapped him across the face with a 2x4 she might have made less of an impact and for a moment she thought Johnny was going to either be sick or pass out again. He stumbled to his feet, knocking the chair over as he rose.
         "W…what?" he croaked.
         "Sit down and let me explain, Johnny, please," she urged, desperately, and Johnny slowly righted the chair and lowered himself into it. She took a deep breath and continued. "It was Christmas Eve, you and Sigrid were only six and I was driving home from a Christmas Bizarre I was hosting that night." She shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes at the memory of that night. "The roads were icy and I knew I should have called your Father to come and pick me up, especially since I had a couple of glasses of wine at the bizarre." She watched her son's face tighten angrily but pressed on. "I thought I could handle it, I wasn't feeling the slightest bit tipsy and it was only two glasses. I'd driven the road a hundred times but that night was possibly the worst storm I could ever remember being in. I couldn't see the road in front of me because of blowing snow and the roads were like ice." She broke off and lowered her eyes ashamed.
         "What happened," Johnny demanded, finally, when she hadn't continued. Irene wiped at the tears streaming down her face and took another deep breath.
         "I h…hit another car, coming the opposite way, carrying a…a young woman and her daughter," Irene whispered and Johnny rose from the chair to move to the window, his back to her. "T…they died on impact. I was taken to the hospital and…treated for m…minor injuries."
         "I remember the police coming to the door," Johnny murmured, more to himself then her. "Dad…he seemed so scared and…and then, Auntie Auntie was there to watch us and he was gone." He turned to her a confused accusation in his eyes. "You never came home. He…he said you weren't ever coming home again."
         "I was charged with Manslaughter because I had alcohol in my system, Johnny," she explained, bereft. "I pleaded guilty because I was so distressed at what had happened and…I didn't…I couldn't face the idea of you and Sigrid knowing…"
         "So, you pretended to be dead?" Johnny charged, angrily. "You let Dad tell us you died in an accident on Christmas Eve? Do you have any idea how much Sigrid and I hated Christmas growing up? How painful it was for us to even hear a stupid Christmas carol because it reminded us that you were dead? I wouldn't even celebrate Christmas until I met Zoë, I don't even know if Sigrid ever did."
         "I'm sorry," Irene sobbed.
         "You're sorry?" Johnny repeated, in disbelief. "That makes everything better, you're sorry?"
         "Johnny I," she began.
         "How long?" he demanded and she glanced at him startled.
         "W…what?"
         "How long were you in jail?" he insisted. "How long have you been free to contact us and didn't? Could you have told, Sigrid? Were you out when she was still alive, Mother?"
         "Johnny please…" Irene cried, distressed, and Johnny stalked over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders.
         "Tell me!" he ordered, hoarsely. "Tell me the truth. I deserve to know the truth!"
         "T…twenty!" she wailed. "I…I got twenty years t...they let me out in f..fifteen f…for good behavior."
         "Fifteen years," Johnny murmured, releasing her and straightening to his full height. "You've been out for ten years and you didn't try to contact us before now?"
         "I…I didn't know what to say, Johnny!" she rationalized through her tears. "I…I thought it would be better to leave it as it was to…to start a new life and leave you and Sigrid to your lives. I…I tried but I couldn't. I kept thinking about you, you're my children and…and then when Sigrid died I…I knew if I was ever going to take the chance to see you it had to be now, before I lost you too. I wanted to know you, to know Eric. I…I even tried to call you a few times but I lost my nerve when you answered."
         Johnny regarded her quietly for a long time, as she tried to stop her steady flow of tears with some tissues from the box on the table beside the bed. The room was silent, but for her muffled sobs and sniffling. She was too ashamed to meet her son's gaze, so she stared at the bed covers. She deserved his disgust, his hatred. How could she have hurt them so, what sort of mother was she? She never should have come.
         All those awful, wasted years in that Godforsaken prison, everything she had suffered through and endured. Still it did not acquit her of the crimes she had committed. She had killed two innocent people, she had taken away her children's Mother and not bothered to see them in the long, hard years that followed. She continued to correspond with her husband's Aunt for any treasured pieces of information of her children, but not once did she have the courage to write them and let them know she was alive, even after their father died. She didn't warrant anyone's love or forgiveness.
         "Sssh," the soft voice soothed from above and she raised watery eyes to her son's tender gaze. He took her hands and gently pulled her to her feet and into his embrace. "It's okay. Don't cry. Don't cry Mother, please don't cry." His acceptance was her undoing and she had to grip him tightly to keep her legs from going out beneath her. Auntie Auntie had been right, Johnny did have a wonderful, caring heart.
         "I…I…I'm s…s…sorry, Johnny," she gulped, unable to stem the flood of tears that were out of her control.
         He continued to hold her and she reveled in her son's strength. She remembered when she had held him as a child when he cried, regretting all the times she missed holding him, and all the memories she didn't share with him. She praised God for giving her this second chance, even if it was just for an hour or a day, to be with the sweet boy she had given birth to; the boy who had grown into such a wonderful, caring man.
         "You still smell like apples," he whispered into her hair, inhaling her scent and smiling fondly. "I love apples."
         "I love you, Johnny," she sniffed as she finally managed to quell her crying. "I hope one day you can forgive me for all the hurt I've caused you." Johnny stepped away from her and she immediately missed his warmth and security.
         "Maybe one day," He agreed, softly, moving toward the door and pulling it open. Irene watched him, forcing herself not to panic that he was leaving so soon, but she had to let him go if that was what he wanted. She was surprised when he held out his hand to her. "Come'on. I want to introduce you to my wife and your grandson."
         "Oh!" she gasped and almost started crying again, before wiping her face and stepping forward to shyly place her hand in his, her heart leaping at as he smiled at her.
 
 
 

PROLOGUE:

         "Eric!" Zoë exclaimed, laughing, as her nephew started to shake the packages under the brightly decorated Christmas tree. "Stop that."
         "Johnny does it all the time," Eric defended, grinning, and barely dodged the pillow his uncle threw at him from the sofa.
         "That's not Buddies!" he warned, still smiling and Eric laughed and put the package back under the tree. Zoë maneuvered around Eric and the coffee table to set their hot chocolate down. Johnny adjusted his lounged position so she could curl up with him, her back against his chest.
         "We get to open one gift tonight, but not until the others arrive," Sshe insisted as Johnny pulled her closer to nibble at her neck.
         "I know which package I want to unwrap," he murmured and she giggled in delight. She smacked at him playfully.
          "So abusive." he teased and licked her ear. A  knock sound at their door. Eric jumped up.
         "I'll get it!" he announced, which was unnecessary since Zoë and Johnny were obviously to intent on each other to volunteer themselves. He threw open the door and smiled brightly. "Happy Christmas Eve!"
         "Same to you, Eric," Auntie Auntie chuckled as the boy took her wraps and she moved further into the room to place the packages she had brought with her under the tree.  She glanced at the couple lounged on the sofa and grinned. "Slacking off again, Johanas?"
         "I'm tryin'," Johnny sighed, defeated, as Zoë blushed and rose to greet their guests. "But my wife's bein' difficult." Zoë ignored him and went to give the older woman a peck on the cheek as Eric helped their other guest off with her coat and hat.
         "Johnny's sulking because I wouldn't let him get into the pie I made for after supper," Zoë informed, winking at her husband.
          "Hey!" Johnny protested. "If you call what I was just doing sulking then we need to have a long talk, Mrs. Johannas." Zoe blushed again and giggled, before heading over to embrace Irene in a warm hug.
        "Welcome and Merry Christmas."
         "Thank you for inviting me," Irene offered softly, her eyes immediately moving toward Johnny, who had risen from the sofa to show Auntie Auntie the jewelry/music box he had completed for Zoë.
             "It's beautiful, Johanas," she acknowledged. "I'll bet you could see a ton of these in town." Zoë smiled and placed her hands protectively over the box, clutching it to her chest.
         "But, this one's mine," she informed. "All mine, right Johnny?"
         "All yours, baby," he assured, smiling. He looked toward his mother, who was standing apart from the group and closer to Eric. "Merry Christmas." She smiled shyly and nodded.
         "Merry Christmas, Johnny," she returned, affectionately.
         "Well, would you ladies care for some hot chocolate?" Zoë suggested, placing the box back on it's small shelf in the corner, as the two women nodded.
         "I'll help," Auntie Auntie decided.
         "Me too," Eric offered and the three hurried into the kitchen.
         "Well, that was subtle," Johnny joked and Irene nodded.
         They were getting along, but they still had a long way to go. She had been thrilled and encouraged when Johnny had invited her to spend Christmas with his family, so perhaps they would make it through after all, even become friends, she hoped so.
         "The tree looks lovely," she offered as Johnny pulled something from his pocket. He looked quite handsome in black slacks and red and white Christmas sweater, Eric wore similar slacks and a deep green dress shirt and red tie, Zoë sported a festive colored dress.
         "Yah," he agreed as he opened the jewelry box, that Zoë had just set down, and placed something inside. "Zoë's got an eye for things like that, Eric and I just followed her direction." He picked up the box, turned the key on the underside of it a few times, then settled back on the sofa.
         "It really is beautiful," She agreed as he patted the space beside him.
         "Have a seat," He offered and she settled beside him, swallowing the urge to throw her arms around him and hug him to her.
         She watched him set the box on the table before them, then lift the stained glass top, which triggered the music to play. Then, he took a quick sip of his chocolate and settled back against the sofa, stretching both arms over the back of it.
         Zoë enter a few moments later, laughing at something Eric had said, then paused in mid stride as she heard the music. Her gaze dropped to the box on the table, causing Auntie Auntie, to step around her to avoid stumbling into her. Eric stared at her confused as Zoë continued to stare at the treasure on the table, unaware that Auntie Auntie had removed the cup of hot chocolate from her hand.
         Slowly, Zoë fell to her knees beside the table and with a shaking hand reached in to retrieve the item that had reduced her to tears. It was a gold band, with interlocking hearts and a solid heart shaped emerald in the center, with a glittering of diamonds around it. On the inside it had the inscription You are my light and my hope. Never change. Love JJ.
         "Oh Johnny!" she whispered, shakily as he rose to kneel beside her.
         "You did say you loved emeralds," he reminded, softly, as he guided the ring onto her finger.
         "I love you!" she proclaimed and threw her arms around him joyously, unaware of the grinning people around them.
 

The end

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