Intervention
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Disclaimer: I do not own either of the Mission: Impossible series or any of the characters therein. I receive no compensation or any other tangible benefit from this story. I am just a fan who enjoys taking the team out for an adventure every now and then. 🙂
*****
Summary: Nicholas risks his place on the IM Force in order to help a stranger who crosses his path during a mission.
*****
Chapter 1
Nicholas Black sat alone at a table, casually sipping a scotch. He had a clear view of the pub's front door; he would see the target as soon as he entered, then he would make contact.
From across the room, Max subtly caught his eye and nodded almost imperceptibly. Nicholas smiled to himself, both at the reassurance that his teammate was close by and at how well Max fit the role of bouncer.
Nicholas drew in a breath as the front door opened, but it was not their target who entered. It was a woman. He let his breath back out again as he watched her, partially to amuse himself and pass the time, and partially out of habit. Profiling was his specialty, his unique role within the team, and people watching had become almost a compulsion for him.
The dark-haired woman made her way cautiously to the bar and sat down. Nicholas couldn't hear what she ordered, but everything about her said that she did not frequent the bar scene. She was in her mid thirties, her dark hair tinged with grey streaks. Nicholas hypothesized that her significant other had cheated on her - probably with a younger woman - and she'd come to the bar to escape. He frowned. Most women her age would have taken comfort in a close female friend, and he wondered why that wasn't the case here.
As Nicholas watched, the woman opened up her purse, took out a medicine bottle, and sprinkled some tablets into her hand. She tilted her head back sharply and swallowed them with a sip of the amber liquid in her glass.
Nicholas frowned again. Didn't she know it wasn't wise to mix alcohol and medication? The front door bell jingled again. Nicholas took his eye off the woman just long enough to note that it wasn't their target, and then gazed back at her once again. For whatever reason, he couldn't look away.
He watched as the woman downed the last of the liquid in her glass, plunked some bills down on the bar, then slid off the stool. She staggered slightly as she started toward the door, then she suddenly crumpled to the floor and lay still.
Nicholas leapt up out of his chair almost reflexively and ran to the unconscious woman, while the patrons closest to her all stepped backward and did nothing but stare with their mouths agape.
Nicholas quickly laid two fingers beside her neck, feeling for a pulse but finding none. He yelled for the bartender to call 911 as he tilted her head back and started CPR.
Max knelt down beside his friend. "What the hell are you doing?" he growled.
Max didn't elaborate further; too many people in the bar were listening. But he didn't have to, because Nicholas caught his hidden meaning loud and clear. He was worried about their mission.
"Trying to save a life," he gasped between breaths.
"But the mission-" Max whispered.
"She took something," he interrupted, "just before she collapsed. I couldn't just let her die."
"Maybe that's what she wanted," said Max softly.
Nicholas stopped his rhythm for a split second and stared at his friend, then quickly resumed. "Doesn't matter," he panted. "I couldn't."
A few seconds later, the front door burst open with the arrival of the paramedics. Nicholas reluctantly backed out of the way and returned to his seat, still watching anxiously. After an eternity, one of the paramedics reported that the woman had regained her vital signs, and Nicholas found himself sighing with relief as they took her away.
He didn't have any more time to dwell on what had just happened, as their target entered the pub while the stricken woman was being carried out.
*******
They finished phase two of the mission three hours later. Nicholas gained the trust of their adversary, distracting him long enough for Max to subdue him. Then he took the man's place and completed his task. The information had been exchanged; now they just needed to wait for it to be delivered.
Max took his customary place behind the wheel of the Land Rover, but as he headed toward the command post, Nicholas interjected.
"Max, let's run by the hospital for a second. I want to check on that woman from the bar."
Max forced a sigh. "Nicholas," he began.
"I know, Max," he interrupted. "I just want to see how she's doing. That's all."
"They're not going to tell you anything," Max advised. "You don't even know her name."
"There are other ways," Nicholas reminded him.
Max stopped the car at a traffic light and looked squarely at his teammate for a long moment. "What is it about this girl that's got you all up in arms?" he asked.
"I'm not up in arms," Nicholas shrugged defensively. "She could have died in the bar. I'd just like to know how she's doing, that's all."
"Uh-huh," Max said under his breath, but he did as his friend requested, and a few moments later they pulled up in front of the hospital.
While Max was busy striking up a conversation with the admitting nurse, Nicholas slipped into the unlocked doctor's closet and grabbed a white coat. Then he made his way back to the reception area.
The nurse reluctantly turned from Max's smiling face to look at Nicholas. "May I help you, doctor?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm Doctor Black. I was asked to consult on a case. The young woman was brought in earlier this afternoon - went into full cardiac arrest at a pub in town. I can't recall her name."
"Oh, yes, you mean Miss Hawkins," the nurse replied smoothly. "She's up on the fifth floor. Doctor Smith should be waiting for you."
"Thank you." Nicholas winked at the nurse, glared pointedly at Max, and then made his way to the elevator.
Chapter 2
The elevator opened on the fifth floor. The psych ward, Nicholas noted grimly, as he exited and walked to the nurse's station. With his white coat, he had no problem gaining access to patient charts; several nurses smiled at him, but none spoke or questioned him at all.
He quickly retrieved the one marked "Hawkins" and opened it up. As he read, his expression grew troubled. Lisa Hawkins, age thirty-five, had taken a lethal dosage of antidepressants and mixed them with alcohol in what was obviously a suicide attempt. But thanks to first aid given on the scene and additional lifesaving measures performed at the hospital, the effects of the medication had been neutralized and the patient was now stable.
She had regained consciousness an hour or so ago, but she was refusing to talk to anyone or take any additional medication by mouth. She would be detained there for a total of seventy-two hours, and then she'd likely be released.
Nicholas sighed. He had to talk to her. Even if she wouldn't talk back, he had to try. He closed her chart and walked down the hallway until he found room 5100. He took off his white coat and draped it over his shoulder, then he knocked softly at the closed door. Not receiving a response, and not really expecting one, he eased the door open a crack.
"Miss Hawkins?" he said tentatively.
When he still received no answer, he walked slowly into the room. The dark-haired woman was lying on the bed, her back turned toward the door. At the sound of Nicholas' voice, she looked back over her shoulder to see where the voice had come from.
"Hello, there," Nicholas greeted gently.
The patient humphed in response. "Another shrink?" she asked.
"No," Nicholas responded. "Just a friend."
At this, the woman flipped her body over until she was facing the door. "Well, you've got the wrong room, then," she advised cynically. "I don't have any of those."
She looked closer at Nicholas, her eyes tracing him up and down, and suddenly her eyes registered recognition. "Say, didn't I see you in the bar earlier tonight?" she asked. Nicholas nodded. "The paramedics said that someone there did first aid, and that's why I survived," she mused.
Lisa could tell by the look on his face that he'd been the one responsible, though he said nothing. But if he was expecting gratitude, he certainly didn't get it.
Lisa turned over to face the wall again. "They should have just let me die," she said in a half-whisper.
Nicholas felt his stomach churn. He took a deep breath, fighting to keep his voice casual. "Can I ask you a question?" She did not respond. "Why do you want to end your life?"
Lisa remained still and said nothing, so after a while Nicholas sighed heavily. "All right, have it your way. I'll be back tomorrow. Maybe you'll talk to me then."
As he started out the door, a small, tearful voice asked, "Why do you even care?"
Nicholas whirled back around. She still wasn't looking at him, but she had spoken. That was something. "Everybody needs a friend, Lisa," he replied softly. "Let's just say I know too well what it's like to not have one. And I don't believe it's a coincidence that our paths crossed." He paused briefly and waited, but she made no comment, and he knew he'd get no more from her today. Reluctantly, he left the room.
A few moments later, he was back downstairs, where Max was waiting.
"How'd it go?" Max asked him as they got into the car.
Nicholas sighed again and filled Max in on what had happened with Lisa, including his promise to return the next day.
Max frowned. "Nicholas..."
"Max, I know what you're going to say."
"I'm not sure you do," his friend responded gently. "I'm worried about how quickly you're letting things get personal. You don't even know this girl. Besides, day after tomorrow we'll be on a plane back to California."
"I know," Nicholas answered. "But I honestly believe there's a reason this happened." His brown eyes searched Max's blue ones. "I have to try to help her. I don't think she has anyone else."
"Nicholas," Max tried again, "if she's determined to kill herself, you can't stop her, and you can't hold yourself responsible. She's going to be released from the hospital in three days."
"All the more reason why I need to try to get through to her before then," Nicholas replied.
Max forced a sigh. This wasn't working at all, so he decided to drop the subject for now. He'd try again later, he decided, and if he still couldn't get through to his friend he'd call in reinforcements.
Chapter 3
The next day, as soon as the mission was over, Nicholas returned to the hospital alone. This time, he didn't need a white coat to help him get access to Lisa's room.
Once again, he knocked softly at the door, and once again, he got no response from within. But he went inside anyway.
"Good afternoon, Lisa."
She was facing the wall again, but she looked over her shoulder when she recognized the speaker.
"You came back," she said, and for the first time Nicholas detected a hint of emotion in her voice rather than the flatness of the day before.
"Yes, well, I try never to break a promise," he grinned. "How are you feeling?"
Lisa ignored the question, but did roll over to face her visitor. "Are you sure you're not a shrink?" she asked him, suspiciously but with a hint of levity. "Someone told me they saw you walking around the floor wearing a white coat."
"What if I told you it was all part of a ploy to find out what room you were in, since I didn't know your name?" Nicholas ventured.
Almost against her will, Lisa smiled slightly. "Then I'd say you're very resourceful," she replied.
"You have a great smile," Nicholas interjected cautiously.
Lisa's smile faded for a moment, and Nicholas' stomach churned with fear that he'd blown it. But then it returned, and if anything it was slightly bigger than before. "Are you always this charming, or is it just for me?"
It was Nicholas' turn to smile. "A little of both," he answered. "Is it working?"
"Not yet," she responded, "but it probably will eventually."
"How about tomorrow?"
Lisa was quiet for a long moment, thinking things over. Then she sighed. "One condition."
"And that is...?"
"Tell me your name," she said shyly. "I'm at a disadvantage since you know mine already."
The dark-haired agent smiled again. "It's Nicholas," he said. "Nicholas Black."
"Come back tomorrow, Nicholas Black, and we'll talk. And I, too, try never to break a promise."
Nicholas left the hospital with a hopeful spring in his step.
*****
Within an hour after arriving back at the team's headquarters, Nicholas' good mood was gone. The team was discussing tomorrow's flight home when Nicholas spoke up.
"Jim," he began, a bit nervously, "I'm going to need some more time before I fly back to California."
Jim looked up at Nicholas in surprise. "More time," he repeated, and Nicholas nodded. "Is there a reason?"
"It's a personal matter," Nicholas answered vaguely.
Jim waited a few moments for his agent to elaborate. When it didn't happen, he spoke again. "How much time are we talking about?"
Nicholas shrugged. "I don't know. A few days, a week, it's hard to say."
"And what if we get another mission?" Jim asked.
"I'll get there when I can."
Jim's face began to color, and he was clearly trying to maintain his composure. "Nicholas, I insist that you tell me what this is about!" he demanded, as the others looked on.
"Look, it has nothing to do with the IMF, and I'd rather not discuss it," Nicholas growled, his own voice gaining volume.
"It does concern the IMF if it keeps you from doing your job," Jim retorted.
"Then get somebody else if you need to!" Nicholas yelled, recognizing the veiled threat for what it was. Then he quickly regained his composure. "I'll be in my room if you need me," he whispered. And with that, Nicholas disappeared into his room and slammed the door.
Jim's bright blue eyes danced as he looked at his three remaining teammates. "If any of you know what's going on with Nicholas," he said, his voice low and his eyes resting on Max, "I suggest you tell me. The IMF doesn't like it when agents withhold information." Then Jim also vanished into his room and closed the door.
******
Max stayed in the common room until he was fairly sure that Jim, Grant, and Shannon were asleep - or, at least, out of earshot. Then he turned the knob lightly and entered the room he was sharing with Nicholas this week. He was not surprised that the dark-haired agent was still awake, lying on his bed.
"C'mon, pal, we need to talk," he whispered, his voice uncharacteristically authoritative.
"Come on where?" Nicholas whispered back as he sat up.
"Outside, in the car, where they won't hear us."
A couple of moments later, the dark-haired agent and his blond teammate were sitting in the Land Rover. "So, tell me what happened today at the hospital," Max began, and Nicholas filled him in on the conversation that he'd had with Lisa.
"I just feel like I'm making a connection with her, and the next two or three days is going to make all the difference," he finished. He looked at Max, and his friend's expression was unreadable. "Is this the part where you tell me I'm crazy?" he asked.
Max sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Nicholas," he answered. "Part of me thinks exactly that."
"And the other part?"
"The other part isn't surprised at all," Max answered. Nicholas raised one eyebrow, in an unspoken request for him to elaborate further. "This is just the sort of person you are, Nicholas. You not only know a lot about people, but you care about them, too. So believe it or not, I understand why you would do this." Max paused slightly. "Unfortunately, I don't think Jim would feel the same way."
"I'm sure you're right," Nicholas smiled slightly, "and I appreciate you not telling him." Max was unflinchingly loyal; Nicholas knew that without question.
"I almost did tell him," Max admitted.
"Why didn't you?"
"I knew you weren't going to change your mind about seeing her," Max explained, "and that bringing Jim in would only make things harder. He's furious with you, you know," he advised, and Nicholas nodded solemnly. "I think he'd be angry if he knew what you were doing, but I almost think he's angrier because he doesn't know."
The statement took Nicholas by surprise. "What makes you say that?" he questioned, and reluctantly Max told him what Jim had said about withholding information. Immediately,
Nicholas felt a surge of protectiveness for his blond friend. "Look, Max, I can't have you risk being disciplined or losing your place on the team over something I'm doing."
"What about you?"
Nicholas sighed heavily. "I'm willing to face the consequences."
"This girl is that important to you?"
"Put it this way," he said, "I think walking away knowing I could have helped her would be a lot harder on my conscience, especially if something happened."
"But even if it did, you'd probably never find out."
"But I'd always wonder. And that would probably be worse."
Max nodded his understanding. "So what do we do now?"
Nicholas thought for a moment. "What time is the flight tomorrow?"
"Ten. We're planning to leave here around eight-thirty."
"I'll be gone before anyone gets up. Go ahead and tell Jim what's going on, so you won't get into any more trouble. Tell him I'm planning to get to the airport in time for the flight out; that way he won't come looking for me."
"But you're not, are you?" asked Max knowingly.
"I can't," Nicholas answered, shaking his head. "Not yet."
"I can stay here with you," Max suggested.
Nicholas grasped his friend's arm. "Thank you for offering," he said gratefully, "but you need to go. I'll be fine."
"All right," Max agreed reluctantly, "but you have to keep in touch with me."
"I will, Max. Thanks."
Chapter 4
First thing the next morning, Jim barged into Nicholas' room, fully intending to confront him and demand information. But Nicholas had hailed a cab and left for the hospital an hour before, so the only person Jim found there was Max.
The team leader stood nose to nose with the younger man, and it was clear that maintaining his composure took everything Jim had.
"I know you know where Nicholas is," he growled, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Now would be a good time to start explaining."
"He was gone before I woke up this morning," Max answered, his voice low, "but, yes, I know where he went."
Jim listened as Max told him about the suicidal stranger whom Nicholas had saved at the bar and had continued to visit at the hospital. Jim frowned.
"He shouldn't have gotten involved at all," he mused. "Even his act of heroism could have jeopardized the mission. But why would he stay involved?"
"I think he went back to say goodbye and to help her line up services for when she's discharged tomorrow," Max inferred. "I don't think she has anyone else."
Jim began to pace around the room. "I should go to that hospital and drag him back here," he said, calmer but still angry.
"He said he'd try to meet us at the airport, Jim."
Jim looked at his teammate. He opened his mouth to reprimand Max for not telling him sooner, but thought better of it. Instead, he started toward the bedroom door. As he reached for the knob, he turned back toward Max. "For his sake, he'd better hope he makes it."
But two-and-a-half hours later, when the plane took off for San Francisco, Nicholas Black was not on board.
******
It was almost eight-thirty when Lisa Hawkins opened her eyes. She was facing the wall, but somehow sensed that she was not alone in the room. Cautiously, she rolled over and was only half-surprised to see the dark-haired gentleman sitting in a chair beside her bed, reading. Hearing her movement, he looked up and smiled at her as he closed up the magazine.
"Good morning," he greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
"Nicholas!" she exclaimed. "You're early!"
"You mind?" he asked cautiously.
"No," she answered. "Just curious about why."
"I couldn't wait for you to make good on your promise," he said gently, and was pleased when Lisa smiled at him.
"Fine," she agreed, "but you have to follow my rule. It's give and take. You answer one of my questions, and I answer one of yours."
"Fair enough," Nicholas grinned. Then, softly, "May I suggest a second rule?" Lisa shrugged her permission. "It's okay not to answer a question," he suggested, "as long as you don't shut the other person out."
Lisa thought about this for a moment, then she smiled. "Deal. I'll go first. Your accent tells me you're not from around here, so where are you from?"
"I grew up in Australia," Nicholas replied, "but I live in San Francisco now." At Lisa's nod, he added. "My turn. Same question."
"I'm from the South, right outside Atlanta," she answered.
"What brings you to Wichita?"
"Work."
Lisa's interest was piqued. "What kind of work?" she asked quickly.
"My turn first," he grinned. "Same question. How'd you get here?"
Lisa sighed. "I needed to get away from my life," she said quietly. "I had just enough money for a one way bus ticket, so I spread out a map of the United States and closed my eyes. This is where my finger landed, so here I am."
Nicholas saw Lisa's eyes tear up, and heard the slight tremor in her voice as she spoke. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "Do you need to stop?"
"No, I'm okay," she answered. "Besides, I still want to know what kind of work you do."
Nicholas breathed a sigh of relief that Lisa was still talking; at the same time, he hesitated, not entirely sure how to answer her question. He couldn't tell her everything, but if she sensed he wasn't being truthful she might shut down completely.
"I'm part of a team," he finally said. "I guess you could call us contract workers, but I'm afraid I can't say much more than that."
"Some kind of secret government agent?" Lisa questioned, and Nicholas couldn't tell whether she was buying his story or just humoring him.
"Something like that," he affirmed. "I know it sounds incredible."
"No, I believe you," she said hastily. "You sort of look the part. I had a family member once that we always suspected did similar work, though he wouldn't ever talk about it." She sighed. "So you and your team ride into town, do your job, and then go back to California till you're called out again?"
"Yeah, that's pretty accurate," acknowledged Nicholas, forgetting that Lisa had now asked several questions in a row without giving him a turn.
"When do you head back?"
The question took Nicholas by surprise. He sighed heavily and looked at his watch. It was just after nine. "In less than an hour, my team will be on a plane headed back to San Francisco," he responded.
Lisa's face fell, and she turned her back to the dark-haired agent. "Then you'd better hurry up and join them," she said in a half- whisper.
"Lisa, wait," Nicholas said quickly. He longed to touch her, but feared how she would respond. "Look at me. Please?"
"Isn't this where you say goodbye?" she asked, and though her voice was muffled Nicholas heard the sadness there.
"I'm not leaving."
Lisa turned back over facing Nicholas once again. "Excuse me?"
"Lisa, I'm not leaving," he repeated. "Not until I'm sure that you'll be all right." Nicholas tentatively reached for her hand, and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't pull away. "I really want to help you," he assured her, "but I can't help if you won't talk to me."
Lisa was quiet for a long moment as she studied Nicholas' face, looking for any sign that he was being insincere. She found none. Finally, she sighed heavily.
"Very well," she said softly. "You've been here three days now; I suppose you've earned that much." And as Nicholas listened, Lisa began to speak.
Chapter 5
"For the first twenty-five years of my life, I lived under my dad's thumb," Lisa began. "He was extremely strict and possessive. I was never allowed to have a social life, date, go to ball games. It was school and home and that was it. And I was an only child, so I didn't even have any siblings to connect with."
Lisa looked down at her hands. "I loved him and hated him all at the same time. When he died, it was very traumatic but also very liberating for me. For the first time, I could finally have a life." Her face lit up slightly. "Within a year, I'd gone back to grad school and met and married my husband. I had a great group of friends from school, a baby on the way, a new career on the horizon...Life was good."
"What happened?" Nicholas asked softly, still grasping her hand.
"It all went to hell," she replied. "My grad school friends all scattered, and every time I would make a friend they would disappear. My mom was my biggest source of support, but then she passed away. My son had some behavioral problems that we were dealing with okay until I lost my job and my health insurance. We had financial problems and almost lost our house to foreclosure. I developed some health issues but no one would take me seriously. So I lapsed into a very deep depression."
Nicholas squeezed her hand. "That sounds horrible," he said, and the empathy in his voice was genuine. "Did you have anyone at all you could turn to? What about your husband?"
"That was the worst part," she answered. "Suddenly, he became my father all over again. Dictating when and where I went, blaming me for everything that went wrong, only showing me positive attention when he wanted something. I was little more than a slave." She sighed heavily. "He couldn't deal with my emotional stuff or our son's behavior, so he left. And while it was hard with him there, it became harder when I was trying to do it alone."
"But surely there were programs that could have helped you."
"I tried to reach out for help, but I chose the wrong person," she answered sadly. "They complained to child services, and last week my son was placed in foster care."
Nicholas felt like someone was twisting a knife inside his chest. "Oh, Lisa, I'm so sorry," he said, wincing at the flippancy of the words even though he was sincere.
"He was the last thing I had to live for," she continued, as the tears began to course down her cheeks. "So one day when my husband went to work, I got on a bus bound for Wichita." Lisa's eyes shimmered. "My plan was to get far away from him and then end my life. I knew the state would take care of Daniel, but I wanted Larry to spend the rest of his life wondering what happened to me."
Lisa smiled slightly at Nicholas. "But then you showed up and ruined all my plans."
"Are you disappointed?" he asked gently.
Lisa looked down again. "That's a tough question, Nicholas," she answered solemnly. "I'm really, really glad I met you. You're the first person who's listened to me without judging me, probably since my mom died."
Suddenly, the tears begin streaming down her face again. "But you have a life in San Francisco, and I know that you're just going to disappear like all the others." Nicholas squeezed her hand tightly.
"What if I don't?" he whispered. Lisa looked up suddenly, unsure if she'd heard him right.
"What?"
"What if I don't disappear?"
Lisa jerked her hand from his grasp. "Don't make a promise you won't keep, Nicholas," she said, her voice taking on an air of coldness.
He reached for her hand again. "I don't intend to," he said quietly, seeking her eyes and trying desperately to drive his sincerety home. "Lisa, I've got some time, and I really want to help you get some things figured out. But I need to know if that's something you want, too."
Lisa looked down at the floor for a long moment before speaking. Finally, she whispered, "I can't do it alone."
"You're not alone," he reminded her. "I'm here."
"If you'll help me," she said quietly, "I'll fight this."
Nicholas' grin was a mile wide. "Good girl."
"So where do we start?"
Nicholas' smile faded slightly. "Lisa, I'm not a mental health professional," he advised her. "I'd really like for you to talk to someone here."
"I'd rather talk to you," she insisted.
"Okay, then," he relented. "Let's get started."
*****
Later that evening, as promised, Nicholas called Max at home.
"Hey, buddy, how's it going?" Max greeted warmly.
"It's going well," Nicholas replied.
"Any progress with Lisa?"
"Yeah," Nicholas answered. "She finally opened up to me about all she has going on. It's a lot. But with my help, she's willing to work on things."
"You charmer," Max quipped, causing Nicholas to chuckle out loud. "So what's first?"
"Well, she's being discharged from here tomorrow, and she's agreed to participate in some services back near Atlanta, where she's from, and start working on some other things, too. So I'm flying out there with her, to get her settled in."
Max frowned. "Have you talked to Jim yet?"
Nicholas sighed. "No, but I know I'm going to have to. Max, she's still very unstable, and she's not going to do any of this without me right beside her. She doesn't have any friends or any supportive family." He paused briefly. "How was debriefing?"
It was Max's turn to sigh. "Not pleasant," he answered. "Jim's still pretty angry."
"I know," Nicholas said sadly, "and I'm sorry that you had to deal with that. I'll talk to him."
"Honestly, Nicholas, I'm not even sure you still have a spot on our team," Max advised, his voice equally sad.
"Even if I do right now," Nicholas responded quietly, "it may not last much longer. I can't leave her, not right now, and I don't know how long I'll be."
"I hope this is worth it, considering you don't even know this girl."
"I'm all she has," Nicholas said simply.
"She's very lucky that she has you," Max smiled, secretly admiring his friend's loyalty. "Call me."
"I will," Nicholas promised, and the connection was broken. A few moments later, Nicholas made another call - one he'd been dreading all day.
Chapter 6
"Hello, Jim."
"Nicholas." Jim's voice was calm, but uncharacteristically flat. There was no doubt that he was still angry.
"We need to talk."
"There's nothing to say," Jim countered. "Max finally told me what happened. You jeopardized the mission, Nicholas, and abandoned the team. And for what? For someone you don't even know."
"I didn't abandon the team, Jim," Nicholas countered softly. "We finished the mission."
"But you didn't fly back with us and you missed the debriefing," Jim argued. "And, worst of all, you purposely withheld information from me."
Nicholas started to retort that it wasn't IMF business, but he bit his tongue. After a pause, Jim continued.
"You should know that I've contacted the Secretary about suspending your IMF duties," he said quietly. "I don't yet know for how long."
"I understand, Jim," Nicholas responded, himself past the point of being angry. "It's probably for the best, anyway. I'll be in Georgia for at least the next couple of weeks."
"I'm sure the Secretary will want to talk to you soon," Jim said coolly, and then he hung up without saying goodbye.
*******
"So where exactly are we going?" Lisa asked, as Nicholas guided the rental car into the heart of Atlanta.
"It's called Safe Harbor," Nicholas answered. "Basically, it's a self-contained residential facility for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. But there's also an on-site medical facility to help with your other issues, too."
Nicholas glanced at his companion, seeing the fear in her eyes. He took one hand off the wheel and reached for her hand. "Don't worry, Lisa. I did my research. It's a voluntary program; you're free to come and go as you please. But participating in therapy allows you to stay at the facility rent-free. And this way, you can get both your mental health needs and your medical needs addressed at the same time."
"But I don't have insurance," Lisa reminded him, "or an income. And I can't get free insurance from the state without having custody of my son."
"It's all been taken care of," said Nicholas dismissively.
"And you can't stay with me."
"Not at Safe Harbor, no," he conceded, "but there's a hotel half a mile away. That's where I'll be, for as long as you need me."
Lisa was quiet until they pulled in the parking lot. Once Nicholas put the car into park, Lisa reached over and grasped his hand.
"Thank you," she said, smiling slightly. "For saving my life, for taking care of all this, for giving me a reason to live." She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it. "And, most importantly, for not disappearing." Her face sobered, and she looked on the verge of tears again. "I know what you must have sacrificed to bring me here."
Nicholas smiled back at her. "You're welcome, Lisa," he responded. "And you're worth it. Are you ready for this?"
Lisa nodded, and they got out of the car. Then she took Nicholas' arm and together they walked into Safe Harbor.
*******
Once she was registered and settled in, Nicholas took Lisa to the department of children's services, where she asked to speak to a foster care worker.
"May I help you?"
"Yes," she responded, as Nicholas sat beside her, holding her hand and silently cheering her on. "My name is Lisa Hawkins. I'm Daniel Hawkins' mother, and I'm ready to work with the department to regain custody of my son."
*******
"I'm very proud of you, for all you've accomplished today," Nicholas praised, as he once again pulled into the parking lot of Safe Harbor. They had just eaten dinner at a nice restaurant, and it was nearing dusk.
"I couldn't have done any of it without you," she answered. "So what are we going to do tomorrow?"
Nicholas frowned slightly. "Hold on, Lisa. There's no hurry. I know you have a lot of goals, but you have to take it slowly. You have plenty of time."
Lisa shook her head. "You heard the foster care worker. I have six months before they start pushing for adoption."
"Six months is plenty of time, Lisa. Right now, you have to focus on taking care of yourself, so that you can be ready to take care of Daniel."
"I know you're right," she smiled. "It's just that for the first time in years I'm actually excited about my future."
"That's good to hear," he said, smiling back at her. "So you'll be all right tonight?"
"I'll be fine," she promised. "You have my number at the hotel, right?"
"Yes. And you have my extension as well."
Lisa impulsively leaned over to kiss Nicholas' cheek. "I'll see you in the morning."
Chapter 7
Within days, Nicholas had settled into a comfortable routine. Each day, he would visit Lisa at Safe Harbor and spend hours with her, just listening. If there were things in the community that she needed to do, he would take her. In the evenings, he would say good night to Lisa, return to his hotel room, and touch base with Max.
Lisa's first week at Safe Harbor was very busy. The staff conducted extensive testing and discovered that Lisa had several undiagnosed food allergies. According to staff, these were not only impacting her overall health, but were probably also contributing heavily to her depressed mood and sabotaging the effectiveness of her antidepressants.
Daniel's foster care worker visited Lisa at the facility. She asked Lisa to continue addressing her mental and physical health issues and arranged some parenting classes. She applauded Lisa's tenacity, and told her that if she continued to do well after a month or so, she could start having supervised visits with Daniel.
It was a good week.
The only unpleasant thing that happened all week is that Nicholas received a call from the Secretary, advising him that he had officially received a 30-day suspension from the IMF. But, then again, Nicholas didn't really mind. He was needed elsewhere.
The second week at Safe Harbor brought with it more progress. With the changes in Lisa's diet, her physical health improved significantly. Nicholas started taking her to parenting classes twice a week. And she made a new friend - a woman in her class, with a son Daniel's age.
But with the third week, there were setbacks. The medication prescribed for Lisa's depression wasn't right. For three days, Nicholas sat by her bedside and comforted her as she cried. For a little while, he was terrified that she would lapse back into the suicidal thoughts.
On the second night, Nicholas waited until she was asleep to sneak off to his hotel room. It was late in Atlanta but still early in San Francisco, so he telephoned Max.
Max, too, was upset.
"We have a new mission," he said apologetically. "Africa. We leave tomorrow."
"Just the four of you?" Nicholas asked curiously.
"No," Max answered. "We picked up a fifth person. He's supposed to have skills similar to yours. I don't like him already."
Nicholas chuckled softly. "Now, Max, be nice," he chided. "I'll be back on board before you know it. Be safe and call me when you get back in."
On the third day of Lisa's emotional breakdown, she pushed through the pain and came out stronger than ever. It was then that Nicholas knew for sure that she was going to be all right.
As Lisa approached her one-month anniversary at Safe Harbor, there was a breakthrough.
"There's going to be a meeting at the department tomorrow, to discuss my progress and visits with Daniel," Lisa told Nicholas excitedly. "I want you there."
"That's great, Lisa. Of course I'll take you," Nicholas smiled.
"No," Lisa disagreed, reaching for his hand. "I want you there in the meeting with me."
"But I'm not family."
"We are allowed to invite a support person," she told him, "and you're mine. Please, Nicholas. This is important to me."
Nicholas shrugged. "Whatever I can do to help."
*******
The next morning, Nicholas and Lisa drove to the department of children's services for the family partnership meeting. They were a few minutes early, so the receptionist asked them to sit in a designated area, where others were already waiting for the meeting to start.
As they rounded the corner, Lisa stopped dead in her tracks and sharply sucked in her breath.
"What is it?" Nicholas asked urgently, placing a worried hand on her shoulder.
"That's my husband," she gasped, nodding toward a tall, sandy-haired man reading a magazine, who hadn't yet looked up and seen her.
Nicholas looked closely at Lisa, whose face had lost all traces of color. "Come here," he whispered, gently guiding her back into the hallway.
Lisa leaned up against the wall, and Nicholas stood in front of her, hands firmly on her shoulders. "Take it easy, Lisa," he whispered. "Just relax, and breathe."
Lisa closed her eyes. After several deep breaths, she stopped shaking and the color started to creep back into her face. She opened her eyes.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm okay now," she assured her worried friend, smiling slightly and reaching up to squeeze his arm. "It just surprised me, seeing him."
"Are you sure you're up to this?" Nicholas questioned.
"I can do it, Nicholas, as long as you're here," she promised.
"I'm not sure how he's going to feel about you showing up at the meeting with a strange man," Nicholas mused.
Lisa's eyes narrowed. In the past month, she'd been closer to Nicholas than to any other person, male or female. But though Nicholas was single, Lisa was still married; while she found him attractive, the thought of pursuing a romantic relationship had never entered either of their minds. Nicholas was a good friend. Nothing more.
"I wouldn't put it past him to make assumptions," she responded, "but it doesn't matter. You saved my life. He abandoned us. Let him deal with it."
Nicholas smiled. "Are you ready?"
"Let's do this," she answered.
Nicholas and Lisa re-entered the waiting room, and this time Larry Hawkins looked up.
"Lisa!"
"Hello, Larry," she greeted calmly. Then she took a step backward, even as Larry's eyes fell upon her dark-haired companion.
"New boyfriend?" he asked cynically.
"This is my very good friend, Nicholas Black," she replied. "He has been my support person since Daniel was taken into care. But, no, we are not romantically involved. I'm still married, in case you've forgotten."
Nicholas extended his hand toward Larry, who did not reciprocate. Then the awkwardness was interrupted by the receptionist, who advised that they were ready to meet and ushered them all upstairs.
Chapter 8
After ground rules and introductions, the foster care worker provided a summary about how Daniel had come into care and how he was doing currently. Lisa learned that he was doing well in his foster home and that his doctor had found a medication combination that really helped in addressing his behavioral issues. She felt extremely proud of her son.
When the foster care worker mentioned previous concerns about Lisa's physical and mental health, and her capability of taking care of Daniel, Lisa calmly asked to respond. With Nicholas holding her hand in quiet support, she told the story of her suicide attempt and how Nicholas had helped her to start putting her life back together. Then Lisa's counselor spoke, to corroborate her tremendous progress. By the time they were finished, there was no one in attendance who opposed supervised weekly visitation between Lisa and her son.
Then, suddenly, Larry spoke up. "I'd like to talk to the department about getting some visitation with Daniel, too," he ventured.
Predictably, all eyes turned back to Lisa for her input. "Larry wasn't a bad parent - or husband, for that matter. He just couldn't deal with stuff. The only thing he's really guilty of is abandonment." She smiled at her estranged husband. "I don't yet know where our relationship is going. I think we still have a lot of stuff to work through. But Daniel deserves a father."
With that, the foster care worker stated that she'd make a referral to a counseling program for dads, and that once he started his classes there, he, too, could have supervised visits with Daniel.
Once the meeting was over, Nicholas caught Lisa in a huge hug. "You were amazing in there!" he praised. "I'm so proud of you!"
"I couldn't have done it without your help," she told him modestly.
"Don't sell yourself short," he chided. "You've done all the hard work."
The two were interrupted by Larry Hawkins, who walked up and extended his hand toward Nicholas. "I'm sorry about earlier," he said, his voice quiet. "I wanted to thank you for helping Lisa."
"I was glad to help," Nicholas replied warmly, shaking his hand.
*******
Three days later, Nicholas was listening to Lisa gush about her first supervised visit with Daniel, which had taken place at the local McDonald's.
"I'm really glad it went well, Lisa," Nicholas said sincerely.
Lisa smiled, and then she turned serious and reached out to grasp his hand. "Nicholas," she began, "I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate all you've done."
"I know that, Lisa, and you don't have to keep thanking me."
"Please don't be mad at me for saying this, but I think it's time for you to go back to California."
Nicholas allowed her words to sink in, then his face fell. "Why? Have I don't something wrong?"
Lisa grabbed his other hand with her and squeezed harder. "Oh, no, no, no, sweetheart, no! Don't you ever think that! You've been absolutely amazing!" She sighed heavily. "But I'm sure you need to get back to work."
Nicholas, not wishing to burden her, hadn't told Lisa that he's been suspended for thirty days, or that there were only two days remaining of that suspension. Instead, he said, "I can take more time if I need to-"
"Nicholas." She waited until he met her eyes. "You can't stay here with me forever. You have a life. You have a job. You have people who need you." She smiled at him. "I needed you, and I still need you in my life, but you don't have to be here with me all the time anymore. I'm doing so much better. My counselor is even talking about me moving back home and transitioning to outpatient status. Nicholas, I'm going to be just fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," she promised him.
Nicholas sighed. "All right," he relented. "I'll call tomorrow." He rose up and started to leave the room.
"Nicholas, don't go just yet," Lisa interrupted. "There's someone I want you to meet first."
"Oh?" he asked, looking around. "I don't see anyone."
"He's not here yet, silly," she grinned. "When the foster care worker ran one of their required searches to check for potential relatives, they found one of my uncles."
"An uncle?" "My mom's half-brother. He was several years older than Mom. My grandpa was married twice, and he's one of a very few relatives I ever met from the first family. I haven't seen him in years, not since Daniel was a baby. But I left a message for him. He called back this morning and said he'd be here late this afternoon to see me. I want him to meet you, too, since I wouldn't still be here without you."
"I'm happy to hear that you have some family support, Lisa. I'd be honored to meet him."
They talked for another hour or so, and were so engrossed in conversation that they didn't pay attention as a strange navy blue sedan pulled into the parking lot and a white-haired gentleman got out and walked toward the building. The receptionist directed him to Lisa's room, and suddenly Lisa and Nicholas heard a soft knocking on the door.
"That's him now," Lisa said excitedly, and rushed to open the door.
As the door swung open and Nicholas' eyes fell on the man on the other side of it, Nicholas gasped and his face turned grey.
The long-lost uncle was Jim Phelps.
Chapter 9
"Jim?" he stammered.
"Nicholas?" came the response.
"Wait, wait, wait," said Lisa with a half-chuckle. "You two know each other?"
"I was about to ask the same question," Jim mused.
"We work together," Nicholas explained to Lisa, as he pointed to Jim. "I think I'd better let you explain the rest."
"Uncle Jim, it's so good to see you again," said Lisa fondly, as Jim wrapped her in a warm hug.
"It's been too long," Jim answered, just as fondly.
Nicholas cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. "Look," he said, "I'll go and give you two some time to catch up." He started toward the door.
"Please stay, Nicholas," Lisa begged, then she shot a look at Jim, who nodded his agreement.
"I'd also like for you to stay," he said softly.
"All right, then," Nicholas relented, mostly for Lisa's sake, and sat back down again.
"So tell me how you got here, and how you got acquainted with Nicholas," Jim prompted. His voice was gentle as he turned his gaze from Lisa to his teammate, the pieces starting to fall into place in his mind. "Though I think I might already know some of the story."
Once again, Lisa described what had happened to her, from the day at the bar a month before to the present. Jim was very quiet, almost stoic, as he realized the significance of Nicholas' actions. When she was finished, Jim sighed heavily and took Lisa's hand.
"I'm certainly glad you're still here, Lisa," he said softly, "and that you're doing so well now." He looked back toward his teammate. "And I have you to thank for that."
Nicholas raised his hand, palm up, in protest. "It was my pleasure." It still felt very awkward that Jim was here, and the dark-haired agent knew that there were still some things that he and Jim needed to talk about. But he didn't want to discuss that in front of Lisa, and he didn't want to interfere with Jim's visit with his long-lost niece.
"Lisa, I really think you and Jim should spend some time catching up," he said gently. "I promise, I'll come back to see you tomorrow."
Lisa, sensing her friend's anxiety, reluctantly nodded her head in agreement, and then Nicholas turned to Jim.
"Do you have a hotel room yet?"
"No," Jim answered. "I drove straight here from the airport."
Nicholas grabbed a piece of paper and pen from Lisa's nightstand and jotted down an address. "Here's where I'm staying," he offered, handing the paper to Jim. "There's room for you, too."
"Thank you," Jim said gratefully. "We'll talk tonight."
"You visit with Lisa as long as you want," Nicholas smiled. "I'll be up when you get there." Then he kissed Lisa's cheek, said, "I'll see you tomorrow," and left the facility.
*******
Max's telephone rang a little after eight.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Max."
"Nicholas!" Max grinned. "How'd you know we were back?"
"Lucky guess," Nicholas replied evasively.
"So what's been going on there? How's Lisa doing?"
Nicholas filled him in on nearly everything he'd missed since he'd been out of the country and unable to check in daily.
"Wow, Nicholas, that's amazing," he said when his friend had finished. "You really gave her her life back. You should be proud of yourself."
"I am," Nicholas admitted, "but I'm even prouder of her. She's worked extremely hard."
"Yeah, it sounds like it," Max agreed. Then he sobered. "I just wish Jim could appreciate what you've done."
"Oh, I don't know, Max," Nicholas said knowingly. "He might come around eventually." '
"Speaking of Jim," Max continued, "funny thing: when we got back to the condo after the mission, Jim had a message from a niece he hasn't seen in years. So after our debriefing, he flew out to visit her."
"That's great," Nicholas responded, and he couldn't hold back any longer. "Let me guess: she lives near Atlanta?"
"How'd you know?" Max asked incredulously. Then, suddenly, it all fell into place for him, and Nicholas could almost hear the grin creep across his face. "Wait a minute, don't tell me. Lisa is Jim's niece?"
"Imagine what a surprise it was on this end, when Lisa asked me to stay and meet her uncle," Nicholas smiled.
Max chuckled. "I'll bet," he said. Then, more seriously, "Have you guys talked yet?"
"Not yet, pal," Nicholas answered, "but he's meeting me here at the hotel in a little while. I'm sure we'll talk then."
"Well, you've only got a couple more days on your suspension, anyway," Max observed.
"Yeah, and I think Lisa's ready to be on her own now, so I'm hoping to fly back with Jim when he heads that way."
Max humphed. "As long as you get back here before we get called out again. I don't think I could handle any more of Doug." He spat out the name with a condescending tone.
Nicholas grinned. "My replacement? He couldn't have been that bad!"
"Put it this way: we got through the mission, but we all missed you, partner."
"I've missed you guys, too," Nicholas admitted. "I'll see you soon."
Chapter 10
It was after ten when Nicholas finally heard a soft knock at the hotel room door.
"Hi, Jim," he greeted as he opened it, his voice deliberately calm.
"Nicholas," Jim returned. He sat down on the bed across from Nicholas and heaved a deep sigh. "I think I owe you an apology."
"Jim-"
"Please, hear me out." At Nicholas' nod, he continued. "I know that you're the reason my niece is still here. Maybe my reaction at Wichita was a little bit.. excessive."
Nicholas frowned. "But that's not really fair, is it, Jim?" he said quietly.
It was Jim's turn to frown. "I'm not sure I understand."
Nicholas sighed heavily, struggling to put into words the feelings he'd been wrestling with since earlier that day. "You were so angry with me," Nicholas reminded him. "Angry enough that you had me suspended, and brought someone else in to take my place. Now, suddenly, because it was your niece, it's all water under the bridge?"
Jim looked down at his feet.
"Don't misunderstand; I'm glad it was Lisa. And I'm glad that she found you, because she needs all the family support she can get. But let me ask you a question, Jim. If it hadn't turned out to be Lisa, would we still be having this conversation?"
Jim sighed heavily. He said nothing, but his body language answered the question.
Nicholas wasn't yet finished. "Jim, when I saw her collapse in that bar, I didn't know or care who she was. It was a life worth saving, and I'd do it again. And I still wouldn't tell you, because I know you wouldn't understand."
Jim sighed again. "You're right, Nicholas," he conceded. "I got so angry that you were keeping something from me, but I didn't exactly make it easy for you to explain yourself. And I understand why you did what you did. You didn't deserve suspension, Nicholas. You did your job; you finished the mission. I should have just listened to you, and granted you the leave you asked for." Jim's blue eyes locked with the soft brown ones of his teammate and friend. "What can I do to make it up to you?"
Nicholas smiled slightly. "Well, my suspension ends in two days, and it looks like Lisa may run me off by then," he answered, all the tension now gone from his voice. "It would be great if I could rejoin my team." He extended his hand toward his leader. "No hard feelings?"
"None at all," Jim replied instantly, returning the handshake, then reaching out with his other arm in an impromptu embrace. "It's good to have you back, friend. I don't think anybody liked your replacement, anyway," he grinned.
*******
Two days later, it was time for Jim and Nicholas to head back to California. Jim hugged Lisa tightly. "It was so good to see you again, dear," he said.
"You, too, Uncle Jim," she replied, her head resting on the tall man's chest. "And don't be a stranger."
"Oh, don't worry," Jim promised, "I'm not planning to wait another eight years before I see you again." He nodded toward Nicholas. "Besides," he added, "There's someone else who'll insist on staying in touch."
Jim paused at the door. "I'll be in the car," he said to Nicholas. Then he exited the room.
"Well, it's about that time," Nicholas said in a half-whisper.
"So it is," Lisa replied, just as quietly.
Nicholas saw the wayward tear slide down Lisa's cheek, and he reached up and gently wiped it away. "Hey," he said softly, "you're acting like this is goodbye or something."
"I'm sorry," she said, smiling shyly and avoiding his eyes. "I guess I've gotten used to seeing you every single day for the past month. It's just going to be different, that's all." She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too," Nicholas assured her, "but you're going to be just fine."
"I know," she said.
"And I'm still a phone call away. If I have to be out of touch for a while, I'll let you know."
"You take care of yourself, Nicholas," she ordered, as she caught him in a soft hug.
"You, too, Lisa," Nicholas responded, then he released her and went to join Jim in the rental car.
*******
The next few days were uneventful. Nicholas settled back into life in San Francisco and reconnected with his team at a cookout at Grant's house. He continued to check in daily with Lisa.
Toward the end of the week, Lisa had some news.
"I need to give you my new phone number," said Lisa.
"Leaving Safe Harbor?"
"I'm moving back home," she confirmed, and she heard Nicholas sigh quietly.
"It's a big step," he said, and she heard the concern in his voice.
"I'm ready," she assured him. "I'll still be getting outpatient treatment at Safe Harbor. I'll be okay, Nicholas. I promise."
"I know you will," he smiled fondly. "How's Daniel?"
"He's great," Lisa gushed. "I finish up my parenting classes next week, and then I'll be able to try unsupervised visits."
"How long will that last?"
"Probably a couple of months," she replied. "First days, then overnights, then weekends. If all goes well, the department will do a trial placement. That's the last step before restoring custody."
"That's excellent, Lisa! I know everything will work out wonderfully."
"I owe it all to you, Nicholas," she smiled.
"Nonsense! I only gave you a second chance. You made the most of it."
Chapter 11
The team spent the better part of the next month running missions, and Nicholas was only able to talk to Lisa occasionally. He learned that she was able to start unsupervised visits with Daniel.
"And there's more," she informed him. "Larry completed his dads program and is now eligible for visits with Daniel, which the department is actually letting me supervise. He's still living with his brother, but he gets to see Daniel here at home. Sometimes, it's almost like being a family again."
Another month went by. Lisa got a job working as a bank teller. She remained in good physical and mental health and often spent time after work with several of her co-workers.
Three months after Nicholas had left Atlanta, he received an excited phone call from Lisa. "We had another family partnership meeting this morning at the department," she told Nicholas, barely able to maintain her composure. "Daniel's coming home!"
"Congratulations!" Nicholas cried.
"The court hearing is Tuesday," she advised. "I'd like for you and Uncle Jim to be here. Could you come?"
"I'll check with Jim, but I can promise you I'll be there if we're not on a mission," Nicholas assured her.
Once he hung up the phone, he called Jim and told him both Lisa's good news and her request. Jim's response was immediate.
"I'll just have to tell the IMF that we're unavailable for a few days," he said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
*******
On Tuesday, Nicholas and Jim were sitting in the courtroom when the department of children's services asked the judge to relieve them of custody and return Daniel Hawkins to his mother, Lisa. Daniel's father, Larry, was also in attendance.
Following the court hearing, there were hugs all around. Daniel was able to meet Nicholas and see Uncle Jim for the first time in eight years. Lisa, Larry, and Daniel insisted on inviting the two men to dinner at a local restaurant.
After they had eaten and made small talk for a little while, Lisa smiled. "There's another reason I asked the two of you to come today," she announced, and her cheeks turned slightly pink as she reached over to grasp Larry's hand. "Larry and I have been seeing each other a lot for the past couple of months. We've been going to couple's counseling and spending time with Daniel, but we've also been sort of dating."
"I know I haven't always been helpful and supportive of Lisa," Larry chimed in, "but I'm committed to doing better from here on out."
"And now that we have Daniel back," Lisa continued, "we want to give our marriage another try."
Nicholas and Jim broke into wide grins. "That's great!" Nicholas said.
"We're not done," Lisa told him. "Because it's a new start for all of us, we want to have an actual ceremony, to renew our vows." Lisa smiled at Nicholas. "I'd like for you to be my best man."
It took a moment for Nicholas to comprehend the words, but then he chuckled slightly. "Wait a minute. I thought the bride was supposed to pick a maid of honor. It's the groom who picks a best man."
Lisa reached her other hand across the table and grasped Nicholas' own. "Nicholas, there isn't a single female I know who's helped me the way you have. You're the only one I want standing beside me at that altar."
"For what it's worth, I have no objections," said Larry. "We both owe you everything."
"Please tell me you'll do it," begged Lisa.
Nicholas smiled fondly and squeezed her hand. "I would be honored."
"Thank you," she said gratefully, and turned to Jim. "And Uncle Jim," she continued, "as you know, both of my parents are gone, and I don't have a lot of family left to support me. Could I ask you to give the bride away?"
Jim's bright blue eyes shone like sapphires. "It would be my pleasure."
*******
Epilogue
On a sunny September afternoon, a small group of friends gathered for the renewal of vows of Larry and Lisa Hawkins. It was a perfect ceremony, with Jim walking Lisa down the aisle, Nicholas standing beside them as best man, and Daniel bearing the rings for his father. And though this day hadn't been part of an official mission, the rest of the IM team was there to celebrate, for everyone knew it wouldn't have been possible without the intervention of one of their own.
The End
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