Continued (big surprise here) from Pearl and Liam 5



The next morning, Liam got up when Pearl did and he set about making a light breakfast while she got ready for work. Today was pancakes with honey and fried ham. After setting the food on the table, he went in to pull the slugabed Jade out from between the sheets. He carried the boy on one hip and set him down at his place at the table. "Pearl, breakfast!" he called, fixing her plate for her and pouring her a glass of juice.

Pearl came out of her room dressed for work in pants and a blouse, her hair pulled back with a ribbon. It was much too difficult to work for Horst wearing a dress, and she felt much more comfortable like this--the way she had dressed for most of her life. She smiled at Liam and Jade and sat down. "Smells good," she said approvingly, her mouth watering already. She took the juice from him and took a sip.

Jade took a bite of his cakes, and sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Whaddarewegonnadotoday?" he mumbled/yawned.

Liam smiled. "I can't understand yeh when yeh don't speak clear-like. An' don't talk with yer mouth full." He sat down, starting in one his own food. "Since the rain's stopped, I was thinking about going mushroom hunting," he told both Pearl and the boy. "Should be able ta find lots."

Pearl swallowed the bite of pancakes she'd taken and started on the ham. She looked up at Liam, though her attention was still on her plate. "What do you need mushrooms for?" she asked curiously, half-smiling, leaning forward slightly to bring a bite of ham to her mouth.

"Eatin'," Liam explained with a laugh. "What did yeh think? Scrubbin' between me toes?" He smiled at her. "If yeh mean specifically, they're good fried, or with loads of things... and they dry nicely too, so we can add them to soups and stews all winter long."

Pearl rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "Well, it's a nice day... Usually is after a good rain like that. Have fun," she said. "I have to work... So I'll be back in the afternoon." She focused on her food again. She wasn't in a rush, but she wanted to eat in a timely manner, without completely cutting off the conversation.

Liam nodded. He didn't think he needed Pearl's permission, of course, but it was also nice to have her blessing with some of these sorts of things. "So I'll teach you the age-old tradition of the mushroom hunt. And which mushrooms are good to eat, and which will make you sick. There are even some mushrooms that can kill you," Liam finished dramatically, knowing with that line, he had caught the boy's attention completely.

Pearl snorted quietly--she knew it as well, perhaps better than he did. Jade looked up at Liam excitedly. "Cool! Which ones?" he asked.

"Well, I'll show you if we see one," Liam said. "So go put on your old pants and shoes. It'll be muddy out there. Eh, eh... finish your food first." When the boy rushed off, Liam turned to Pearl, taking her empty plate. "Such a sweet kid," he said softly, kissing her ear. "When yeh say afternoon, early afternoon or late afternoon? I suppose I'm askin' if yeh want some lunch here or will yeh eat there?"

Pearl smiled up at him from her seat. "I don't mind eating there... But if you like to cook for me, you're perfectly welcome too," she said sweetly. "Horst can spare me long enough for a lunch break," she added.

Liam smiled. "No, no," he replied teasingly. "I will not decide anythin'. I will make yeh decide!" He bent over her, growling and tickling her with his shadow of a beard. "Rarr!"

Pearl laughed and turned her head from side to side, avoiding his tickish beard. When she got her face away she quickly moved her head back toward him and kissed him on the mouth. "Thanks for breakfast. I think I will just eat at work, and be home before supper," she decided. She rose to her feet just as Jade came out of the room dressed like a poor boy in his worn-out play clothes.

Liam watched as the boy gave his mother a hug, and then clapped his hands. "Find a bag there, little man," Liam instructed, blowing Pearl a kiss on her way out the door. "I think there are some over here." Liam knew where everything was now, since he had done some massive cleaning on the house. All set, they took their bags and headed off into the woods, while Pearl headed off to work.

Pearl arrived at Horst's slightly early, but that wasn't a problem. She went straight to the stable and gravitated to her favorite horse. It was a solid black stallion, complete with black mane. She caught it's nose gently in her hands and stroked the side of it's head. "Hey, buddy," she said gently. She horse knickered quietly and nudged her chest with it's nose, looking up at her with solemn eyes. She'd picked him out immediately--he reminded her of an old friend. Horst wandered in a few minutes later and set her to work mucking out all the stalls. "Joy," she murmured, leaving "her" horse in order to start cleaning...

Liam let Jade lead them into the woods--it didn't matter really where they went, and Liam had sense of direction enough to get them back to where they wanted to be if they got mixed around. He'd pointed out a few toadstools, warning Jade to stay away from them, and not ten minutes into their hunt, Jade's spotted their first mushroom. Liam smiled at the boy's enthusiasm, guessing it would last about forty minutes, tops. As they moved through the trees, Liam got a vague sense that someone was watching them, but he knew this was ridiculous. He was just being paranoid about that bastard Richard's threats. "How many do we have?" Liam asked the boy, sometimes hard pressed to keep up with the scampering youth.

Jade held out the bag to him. "Lots," he said, proudly. "This is fun!"

Liam laughed and nodded, but the uneasy feeling wasn't going away. "Good," he said, not wanting to upset the child. "Let's look over here now," he suggested, steering them back towards the town. They'd wandered pretty far away from everyone... An owl screeched as it was disturbed from its roost, and Liam realized instantly that he wasn't imagining things. "Let's hurry up a bit," he suggested as casually as he could, reaching down to take Jade's hand as he pulled the kid to greater speed.

Jade frowned, lowering the bag and following him. "What's wrong?" Jade asked, he wasn't fooled. He had heard the owl's call too, so he asked, "Are you scared of birds too?" 

If the hairs at the back of his neck hadn't been screaming, Liam would have wanted to laugh. As it was, Liam was too anxious. "That's not it, Jade," he said softly, "it's just..." There was a loud crash off in front of them to the right, and Liam cursed, scooping Jade up in his arms, and spinning to the left. They were being boxed! Liam cursed his stupidity for taking Jade into the woods two days, two days after his father had threatened to steal him away. Jade stared up at Liam terrified by the look of fear on his face. What was wrong? He looked so scared!

Suddenly, they had run out of room and Liam nearly had to throw himself backwards to keep from impaling himself and Jade on a sword. He set Jade down, and whispered harshly, "Stay behind me." Of course, the bandits circled them, that wasn't much in the way of protection. "I'm afraid yeh've picked the wrong targets," Liam told them in a cheery tone, praying they were just after money. "All we've got is a bag of 'shooms."

"Get on your knees," one ordered.

Liam couldn't bite back his snarl. "Will nae happen," he hissed.

Another person, there had to be at least eight of them now, moved into view, with a longbow drawn and an arrow knocked, pointed right for Jade. "Get on your knees now."

Without further pause, Liam dropped to the leaf-covered ground, lifting his hands over his head. "Don't worry, Jade," Liam said softly, even as two of the thugs rushed forwards, kicking him into the leaves and tying his hands painfully tight behind his back. "Everything will be okay, Jade. Don't be afraid. Just do what they say, Jade. They won't hurt you."

"'Course we won't," the one who had told Liam to kneel said merrily. "Makin' sure the boy don't get hurt is part of the deal. Now stand up an' walk."

Liam scoffed. "Oh is it?" he asked softly. "Then tell me what's going on, why don't yeh?"

"Shut up an' move!" the man ordered. "Or we'll kill the boy!"

Liam blinked, staring at him. "Yeh just told me that keeping him uninjured was part o' yer deal," Liam reminded him, remaining where he was. He saw that Jade was being held at each shoulder by a big, ugly guy, and he was terrified. "It's okay," Liam told him, smiling.

The talkative one walked over to Jade as well. "That's right, kiddo," he said. "See, we won't hurt you, but that bastard there?" he said, pointing at Liam. "First, we're going to cut his ears off, then split his tongue, splith, right up the middle. Then I'm going to poke his eyes out with a stick and throw them like marbles..."

Jade was crying now, and Liam pushed himself to his feet. "Stop it," he snapped. "Leave the kid alone."

He smile. "Nice to know you're so reasonable. Now move!"

Jade and Liam were marched for the better part of an hour, deeper and deeper into the woods. Liam memorized the way, knowing he could make it back. Finally, they got to a cave in the side of a hill where they were allowed to stop. They hadn't tied Jade up, and Jade walked at Liam's side, though even he could guess that Liam's assurances that everything would be okay were hollow.

Liam was roughly shoved into the cave, where, hanging from the low roof, were a set of chains and manacles. That's where they drug Liam, and cut the ropes off his hands. "Strip him," one ordered, and roughly, they started to pull off Liam's clothing, searching very intently through them. Folded into a seam here and tucked into a boot there were several lockpicks. One roughly searched through his hair and another forced his mouth open, looking for more picks. Satisfied when they found none, they closed the manacles around his wrists and left him hanging there in the buff. Liam wasn't a shy man, though, and didn't let it bother him that much. Oddly, they'd left the gold band around his finger.

Jade stood shaking beside Liam's leg, and Liam wished he had something more than platitudes to offer the boy.

Someone walked forward from the deeper part of the cave, though any features were obscured by a cloak and the shadows. "My, my," the voice said, and Liam frowned. He knew that voice... but who...? "How the mighty have fallen. Look at yerself, Willy."

Liam stiffened, and felt his blood run cold. There weren't many people who knew that name, and suddenly he realized who the voice was. His heart turned to ice, even as the man stepped forward and pushed his hood back. Liam knew the face that stared back at him. He ought to; it was the same face he saw every morning in the mirror. But how could this be? He had thought he'd died... well, obviously he'd been wrong, hadn't he? "Sean..." he murmured, facing his twin for the first time in more than ten years.

Jade still stood frightenedly next to Liam, since none of the men who had captured them had bothered to bound him up so that he couldn't escape. He stared at the new-comer and looked back and forth between him and Liam in confusion, which did nothing alleviate his fear. "Who--who is he?" he asked Liam quietly.

"I'm the devil!" Sean snarled, sending Jade to hide more behind Liam's naked leg.

"Leave him alone," Liam said, looking down. "It's okay, little man. It's okay..."

"Ah, what's the matter, Willy? Did yeh not tell yer new little family about yer dear brother Sean?" Liam's twin reared back, and spat it Liam's face, a perfectly aimed shot. The glob of spittle dribbled from just under his black eye down his chin. "Did yeh find it too painful?"

Liam swallowed, his stomach churning with emotions. Part of him, a big part, was estatic to see his brother alive and well. But he also could see that something was very, very wrong with his brother. "Sean, yeh can't blame me fer. I thought yeh was..."

"Yeh left me ta die, Willy!" Sean screamed, landing a heavy punch into Liam's gut. Liam gasped, unable to reply as he wheezed for air. "Where's the money, Willy?" Sean demanded. Liam shook his head, still unable to reply. So Sean hit him again. "Where's the f*cking money?" Liam gasped, but he could catch his breath. Jade sobbed, curled on the floor.

"Sean," Liam croaked. "The boy... let... let him go."

Sean smiled, looking down at the kid. "Don't worry, little man," Sean said, eerily calling Jade by the same nickname as Liam. Perhaps it wasn't so strange, since it was how their father had called every boy. "Yer pappy will be here in a bit ta collect yeh."

Liam's eyes widened. "Yeh two planned this," he breathed. "Yeh and Richard... Sean, he's a..." He was interupted by a slap, but he didn't let it stop him. "Sean, yeh have what yeh want. Yeh have me. We both know what the Duke o' Eltheridge'll pay. Cut that nutter loose, an' ... an' I'll tell yeh where ta find it."

Sean smiled. "Maybe I will," Sean said. "Maybe I'll go ta meet the missus first." He looked down at Liam's clothes, and changed into them.

Liam felt his stomach try to empty itself, but he didn't let that happen. Dressed in Liam's clothes, he knew that most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. "Sean..." he said again, desperate.

Sean smiled at him, walking over and standing just in front of Liam, a knife drawn. Liam didn't flinch as his twin sliced off a lock of his graying hair, putting it in Liam's handkerchief. "Hold him," he snapped, and two men grabbed Jade, holding him still as Sean sawed off a chunk of his hair as well. Jade cried and tried to fight them off, but he didn't have a chance. Sean turned back to Liam, who was staring at him with pleading eyes. His twin only folded the kerchief away, and kissed Liam flat on the lips, just as they had when they were boys, then pulled the gold ring off his finger. "Keep 'em here 'til I get back," Sean instructed, and Liam felt his stomach twist painfully.

"Sean, PLEASE!" Liam yelled after him, but it was too late. He prayed that someone would realize the truth, but... no. He knew no one would notice, they'd been mistaken for each other since birth. "Mary, Mother of God..." he whispered, not sure if he was praying or cursing.



Pearl walked casually down the street to her house. She'd told Liam that she would find her own lunch, but now that it was actually lunch time her stomach was craving something better to eat that what she'd been able to find. Liam and Jade should be home by now; but if they weren't she could try to make something for herself. At the very least she could snack and take a nap before going back to work. She reached the house and opened the door.

Sean was sitting at the edge of the table, and he watched her as she entered. He figured Liam would smile, so he did too, though it was really more of a thin-lipped smirk than one of Liam's beaming grins. "Hello there," he said softly, still watching her.

"Hi..." Pearl said slowly. She smiled back a little and shut the door. She was getting a strange feeling from him but she shook it off. She walked over to him and sat down, looking around. "Where's Jade?" she asked, innocently. She looked toward the kitchen. "I'm starving, so I decided to come early..."

"Jade isn't here," Sean said casually, and then grabbed Pearl's shoulders, lifting her up and kissing her roughly. She smelled like hay and horses, and tasted vaguely of honey.

"W--" she got out before he kissed her. And suddenly she knew what was wrong. This was not Liam. She struggled. When she couldn't get away from him she stomped on his foot and backed up against the wall. "Who are you?" she gasped, staring at him wide-eyed. She felt behind her back for something she could smash over his head, since she couldn't quite bring herself to stab him with a hidden dagger. She watched him carefully, trying to anticipate his next move.

Sean laughed, a nasty, wicked laugh. "Well now," he said, licking his lips. "Yeh know, our mother couldn't even tell us apart... I find it amazing yeh c'n."

Pearl glared at him. "Liam would never be so rough with me," she said indignantly. "Besides, your face isn't bruised." Her hand landed on a bottle of wine, and she gripped it firmly around the neck. "Where are they?" she demanded in a low voice.

"Put it down," Sean ordered, laughing at her as his hand wandered to the hilt of his sword. "Or yeh'll never see that cute little boy of yers again. Tragic, a child like that, to be found dead in the woods. Slipped an' fell in the river, folks'll say." Sean stared at her, unblinking. "Yeh don't want to kill yer little boy, do yeh?"

Pearl glared at him again, and released the bottle. "You wouldn't dare," she said. She barely managed to keep the fear out of her voice, but she couldn't keep it entirely out of her face. Her mind was ticking away. What now? He probably wouldn't expect her to have daggers, but if he did perhaps he wouldn't find all of them. She eyed his sword briefly and dismissed the idea of being able to get it away from him.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said with a laugh. "It'd be worth it just ta see the look on Willy's face. Yeh know that'd be two boys he's lost. I'd hate for him ta lose two lovers too, so why don't you throw down them little toys yeh're hidin' from me, or I'm afraid I'll have ta kill yeh. See, Richard only wanted the boy, so I can kill yeh if I like..." He drew his sword, a perfect, beautiful weapon and toyed with it enough to prove he'd know how to use it.

Pearl suddenly looked confused. "Willy?" she asked, her face twisting up. She looked distressed. "What toys?" Her eyes flicked to his sword uneasily and back to his face. If only she could get to her sword...

"Now, don't play the fool Pearl Black of Muisan. Richard told me that yeh keep a spattering of daggars all over. Say, at the base of yer back, top o' the boot. Take 'em off, an' don't bother throwin' them at me. If I ain't back at such-an'-such a time, yer boy's goin' fer a swim with rocks in his pockets." He smiled at her, that thin, nasty smile. "I suppose he didn't tell yeh his real name. What did yer boy call him? Liam? His name is William Ditmer. Mos' folks know him as the Highwayman. That name ring any bells?"

Her eyebrows rose at the use of her name, and then her face darkened. Richard she thought hatefully, a part of her entirely unsurprised by his involvement. She reached for the two daggers he'd mentioned, refraining from jynxing herself by thanking god he didn't know about the others. She considered throwing them at him but decided against it, tossing them to the floor between them. She straightened slowly. Her expression shifted in confusion, trying to absorb this information--William Ditmer? Her eyes refocused on him suddenly. "Highway--" she repeated, trailing off. She put her hands to her head, against the beginnings of a headache. "But--" she murmured.

Sean laughed, enjoying this greatly. "Oh, ho. So he didn' tell yeh? Not much of a surprise, really. Lies about everything, yeh know. Let me guess. He told yeh that he was sent by a Duke, an' he's been chasin' this demmed Highwayman fer years." Sean laughed again. "Was yeh the one he got ta shows him about town, lookin' fer 'weaknesses' what the Highwayman will exploit? Same old story, same Willy. I suppose he told yeh about Sweetness an' his little boy Connor... Tell me, how did he say Connor died? Sickness, right? Or was it a fire?" He shook his head. "Yeh know, from Richard's descriptions, I thought yeh'd be smarter, smart enough not to fall for the same cheap lies. Cryin' shame..."

"NO!" she screamed. She dropped her hands from her head and looked at him furiously. "You're lying!" She grabbed the bottle and threw it, not bothering to aim or see where it landed. "He didn't--He couldn't have--" she said quietly, feeling her heart twist painfully.

Sean's smile faded. "Pearl... Pearl, I'm sorry," he said, and in that moment, he sounded exactly like Liam. "I... I should have known..." His eyes focused on the ring on her finger. "Were yeh going ta marry him? Did he say he loved yeh? Oh, darlin'," he sighed. "Come with me," he said, putting his sword away. "Come with me, an' I'll give yeh yer son back. Yer heart's been broken enough."

Pearl froze and flinched, as if he stabbed her. She touched her ring, and made a choked noise that was only partially an act. His sword was away, and there would be no chance to reach hers... Maybe it was safe to go with him to Jade. She nodded slightly, and took one cautious step closer.

Sean nodded. "There's a girl. Here," he reached to his hand, pulling off Liam's ring and holding it out to her. "I'm sorry. Let's go get yer boy. An' don't worry about Richard. I'll take care of him." Sean didn't offer his arm to her, but he did move for the door first, holding it open for her.

"Keep it," she muttered, moving past him. "I just want my son back." She exited and waited for him. Wherever they were going she couldn't expect Liam to protect Jade, since he was in trouble too. If she could just get there... Maybe Richard... She guarded her face, much as she would do in the face of disapproving gossipers, and tried to prepare herself for what she was going to walk in on.



Liam's hands went numb after about ten minutes, and not long after that, his whole body started to ache. He tried not to pull at his hands, but there was nothing else he could do. And it was rather cold and clammy in that cave too. Jade had curled up in a ball and wouldn't reply to Liam's attempts at conversation, and the guards threatened to beat him if he sang, so he stood uncomfortably, trying to assure himself that the situation wasn't as hopeless as it seemed.

He heard a noise some hours after Sean left, and he turned to the entrance of the cave to see his brother. His brother and... "No, God, no!" Liam yelled, pulling frantically at the chains. "Sean, yeh keep her out o' this! Dammit Sean, please!"

Pearl's face twitched at the sight of Liam. She still wasn't sure how she felt about him, or exactly how to pretend to feel about him. "Jade!" She rushed forward, only peripherally aware of the men around her. "Jade!" she repeated.

Jade jumped up. "Mommy!" he cried out, stumbling over the rocks and throwing himself into his mother's arms, sobbing. "Mommy, mommy..."

"Please, Sean," Liam begged. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. The money's hidden in a tree north of town--I'll show you. Just don't hurt them," pleaded Liam, tears falling from his eyes.

Sean laughed. "I don't even have ta say a word, and yeh weep like a baby!" he scorned. "Pearl knows the truth, Willy. Or is it 'Liam' now? She came willin' once I tol' her who yeh was, Highwayman. Once I tol' her the truth. Yeh never were one with over-affections ta the truth, Liam. But listen ta me. Why don't we let Pearl speak fer herself?"

"Pearl," Liam started, swallowing painfully. He'd thought about telling her a hundred times, but he'd never imagine it'd be like this.

Pearl grabbed Jade and held him tight. She squeezed him, as if to keep him from dissolving in her arms. "I'm here," she told him, kissing his forehead. She chilled at Sean's words, reminded of the role she was playing. She set Jade down and walked with him toward Liam. She glared at him, gathering up her anger for this. "You lied to me!" she screamed, slapping him across the face. "You tricked me!" She slapped him again. Jade started crying again, why was she doing that to Liam? "Mommy!" But Pearl ignored him. Tears formed in her eyes and one of them slipped. "How could you?"

The hitting part hurt, but not as much as her words. "I... I didn't know you! And by the time I did, I couldn't..." Liam tried to protest. "I didn't know... I... I should have... God, Pearl, I'm sorry..."

Sean smiled in the background. This was almost as good as the reward that would come. "Where's Richard?" he asked his second in command.

"Hasn't shown yet," he replied.

Sean frowned. That was a bit annoying, but also somewhat convenient. He honestly planned to let Pearl and the boy go, at least, after they'd sufficiently tortured Wil to the point that he thought he deserved to be hanged. That would make things so much easier for Sean. Richard wouldn't like the situation--he was in it to steal the boy, but Sean wasn't the monster he pretended to be. He could see a nutter when he saw one, and Richard had no business having a kid. "Let me know the moment he shows up," Sean said softly, and then returned his focus to the lovers' spat.

She just hit him again and turned away furiously, shaking her head. She covered her face, both to hide it and to think. She couldn't possibly get Liam out of here... Could she? Would they keep him alive long enough for her to leave and come back to save him? Doubtful. Sean had given her the impression that he really wanted Liam dead. Why wait? She peeked at Liam through her fingers, discreetly enough that others probably wouldn't notice. Could she stand to let him die? How much of that slapping had been real? What could she do now?

Liam hung his head, almost to the point of wishing Sean had just killed him. He'd failed Pearl. He'd failed Jade. What had he been thinking? There was no way he could just throw off one persona and try to adopt another. Hadn't he realized this would happen sooner or later? Yes, he realized, he probably had, though he'd just pretended it wasn't so. He opened his mouth to try to apologize one last time when he heard a trilling bird call. He recognized it as one of his and Sean's signal calls they'd used in their youth. "Trouble," he whispered to himself.

"What is it?" Sean demanded as one of his sentries came running up.

"Guards..." he panted. "A dozen of them. That Richard is leading them!"

Sean cursed. "That bastard double-crossed me," he hissed, and then turned towards his brother. "This'll have to be finished some other time," he snarled, rushing over with the keys.

"You're setting me loose?" Liam asked in amazement.

"Don't be stupid," Sean snapped, unlocking the chain from the low ceiling, but not Liam's hands from the chain. "Put these on," he said, throwing the pants he'd been wearing earlier at Liam.

Liam took the pants, but then turned to Pearl, the chains clinking as he pulled the pants on. "Pearl, take Jade and run," he urged, tying the pants around his waist and taking Pearl urgently by the shoulders. "They've got no reason ta chase yeh. Yeh're not a criminal. Go!"

Pearl's face went into turmoil again, various emotions fighting for dominance on her face. She glanced at Sean but then took Liam's face and kissed him, feeling another tear streak down her face. She pulled away much too soon and gave him a look of determination.

"Pearl, don't do this," Liam begged. "I've hurt yeh enough. I couldn't live with m'self if yeh or Jade were killed because o' me. Please go."

"I wouldn't be so eager ta cut them lose just yet, Wil," Sean growled. "Dick-head out there is after the kid, remember?" He turned to his companions, all of whom looked rather jumpy. "Scatter, yer mugs," he shouted, and the men took off in every direction. He looked back, seeing Liam had gotten into his boots. "She'd be safer with us."

"Us?" Liam yelled back at him. "We're the Highwaymen, for Crissakes. We're the ones they're bloody after!"

Sean bared his sword and put it under Liam's chin, making a shallow scratch there. "Yeh ain't me big brother no more, Wil. Yer me prisoner, and yeh've got no say in this." He turned to Pearl.

Pearl didn't appear to mind how he treated Liam. "I need a sword," she said expectantly. She put her arm around Jade protectively. "It's going to be okay, Jade," she told him.

Sean nodded, and moved around a rock, pulling out a simple, but effective weapon. He handed it to her. "What about me?" Liam asked.

"Why don't yeh just fall in love with them?" Sean suggested. "That's seemed ta kill everyone yeh've tried it on so far." Sean looked out, and turned to go deeper into the tunnels. "This way," he said. "It leads ta another passageway a few hundred yards west o' here." He grabbed a torch in one hand and the chain linking Liam's hands together with the other as he ran deeper into the cave. He'd resheathed his sword.

Down in the valley, Richard looked up, catching a glimpse of Liam's familar features and clothes from the mouth of the cave. But the man vanished inside quickly. "Come on," he said, dragging some of his bribed guards with him. "He's in there," he said, and started the pursuit.

Pearl accepted the sword and tested the weight and length. She nodded in approval, this would do nicely. She looked uneasily at the two twins, and then took Jade's hand and ran with him after them.

"Here's a thought," Liam suggested. "How 'bout I hold the light, since yeh're the one with the sword, an' Jade runs up here with me," he gasped as they ran. Sean growled, but pushed the torch into Liam's hands and released the chains.

"I will kill you if..." he started, but Liam cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he interrupted, rushing down the side tunnel that Sean indicated with his sword. "I told yeh that Richard was a nutter, didn't I tell yeh..."

"Eh, shut up," Sean yelled at him.

The noise of their escape was rather easy to follow, though, and Richard was close on their heels. And they were running at the pace of a boy and a chained man. Richard and his two guards would catch them in another few hundred feet or so.

"We might have to face him," Pearl said after a moment. She could hear Richard gaining on them. "I don't think there's a lot of them," she said. This wasn't an ideal location for a swordfight but the point was that they may not have any choice but to face Richard in a few minutes.

Liam nodded, picking a spot where the tunnel was narrow. "Here," he suggested, and Sean nodded.

"They'll bottleneck," he agreed, stopping and turning. "Put the boy behind us," he ordered, hearing the approaching footfalls. "Find some way ta..."

"Yeah, I know!" Liam shouted back. They needed some way to slow Richard and whoever else was there down. Liam looked around for inspiration, and his eyes fell on the panting Jade. Or rather, on his shirt and jacket. "Jade, take these off," he said quickly, rolling the cloth into a ball and preparing to light it on fire and lob it at their pursuers.

The guards almost ran into Sean and Pearl as they stood elbow to elbow in the tunnel. Pearl and Sean were outnumbered, but there wasn't enough room for all three to attack. The guards were pretty good with their swords, though, giving Sean a bit of a run for his money. The sound of clashing metal echoed loudly in the tight space.

Pearl's guard was a little wary about attacking a female. She used it to her advantage. When he hesitated to land a killing-blow she got beneath his guard and knocked his sword free. It clattered across the cave floor. He tried to chase it but Pearl lowered her sword and rammed him with her shoulder, which sent him stumbling toward Richard to throw him off balance as well.

Liam gave a shout even as Sean shoved his blade through the other guard and shoved him back against Richard as well. The ball of cloth caught fire quickly, and Liam threw it over Pearl and Sean's shoulders. As a unit, everyone started to run again, and after just a few moments more, they were bathed in sunlight. "This way," Sean ordered, and they started to pick their way down the narrow path. "Just over the..."

"Bloody buggering f*ck," Liam cursed as Sean's voice failed him. The path ended sharply where a bridge used to be. The ground fell away sharply and the gap was over twenty yards wide. They couldn't jump it, and there was nowhere else to go. The path at that point was only about twelve feet wide, with sheer cliff going up on one side, and a hundred and fifty foot straight drop on the other.

"We stand here," Sean said, turning about with his bloody sword.

Liam took Jade by the shoulders, and sat him down on the opposite side of a boulder. "Yeh stay here, Jade," he said softly but forcefully. "Yeh stay here an' stay hidden. It'll be okay."

The teary-eyed Jade nodded, and jumped up to give Liam a hug before hiding again.

Liam stood, and walked behind his brother. He might not have a sword, but it worst came to worst, he'd beat Richard to death with the chains.

Pearl stood with them, facing the cave's exit in anticipation. She hardly had to do more than think the name 'Richard' to start boiling with fury. If Sean or Liam didn't beat her to it, she knew she wouldn't be able to stope herself from killing him this time. She shifted the weight of the sword again, wishing for her old, familiar blade instead.

Richard and his goon appeared, and rushed down to meet the party. Richard ended up fighting Sean on the dropoff side of the way, and Liam felt angry and helpless, unable to do anything. Pearl's guard was facing her with something that could almost be reluctance, but she was holding her own. Liam turned back to Sean, and felt something twist in his stomach. "Sean, the edge!" Liam shouted, watching as the rock, which had been loosened in the storm, started to crumble under his feet. Sean was too intent fighting Richard, though, and didn't notice until it was too late. "No!" Liam shouted, throwing himself forward as that part of the path gave way, sending both men to tumble to their deaths.

Sean felt the butterfly-in-the-stomach feeling as he looked down, seeing the tops of trees below him. With his ever-present humor, he smiled. How fitting. How terribly fitting. He was a few days away from finally getting his revenge against Wil, and now he was going to die... The falling sensation stopped suddenly as he felt a strong jerk of his shoulder. He looked up, seeing that Wil was laying on his bare stomach in the dirt, and had grabbed his hand as he fell. "Hold on!" he yelled, slipping forward from Sean's weight. "Pearl!" he cried desperately.

"I'm getting exasperated with you," Pearl warned the other man. She heard Liam call her and when her opponent neither increased his attacking or retreated she locked swords with him and kneed him in the groin. She pushed him, making sure he fell, and yanked his sword away. "This isn't your fight," she told the man and ran to help Liam. She dropped her sword and judged the stability of the ground. She grabbed Liam to keep him from sliding over the cliff with his brother, and grunted as she helped him pull Sean back up. She just hoped that Sean wouldn't fall, or take his revenge as soon as he got back to the top.

"Sean, grab my other hand!" Liam yelled down at him, even as Sean stared up at him in wonder. What was he doing? This was... it was crazy!

"Let me go!" Sean yelled back. "Yer not strong enough to pull me up, and that ground's gonna go anytime. Let go!"

Liam's grip tightened, even though his hands were sweaty. "No!"

Sean didn't understand. "Wil..."

He was crying again, and Sean stared at him. "I let yeh die once, Sean, and I lost me mind with grief. I ain't lettin' yeh die again!" Sean stared at him, at the tears and the agony. "Now, grab!" he ordered.

Sean didn't waste any more time, but he was smarter than Liam. Instead of grabbing his sweaty hand, Sean reached up and grabbed the chain connecting Liam's wrists. With strength that neither knew he had, Liam managed to drag his brother up, and slid back with Pearl's help until they were all on safe ground again. At that point, Liam wasted no time in wrapping his arms around his twin and hugging him tight, both of them weeping without shame and blubbering apologies to each other.

Jade peeked out from behind his boulder and walked towards his mother, sensing that everything was okay now, even though he didn't understand. "Mommy," he said, burying his face in his mother's skirts.

Pearl hugged Jade briefly and then laid down on the ground and looked up at the sky--such a clear, beautiful sky on this crazy day. One hand brushed against the sword she'd been using and she was suddenly reminded of Richard. She winced slightly, knowing she wouldn't like to fall to her death like that. He had been a terrible person in more ways than one--but had he really deserved that? She let her eyes travel down to Liam and his brother and her lips alternated between smiling and frowning. She sat up and put her head in her hands, sighing into them. William Ditmer... she thought vaguely.

Liam sensed her sigh more than heard it, and both twins turned, realizing that a battle may have been won, but the war was still up in the air. "Sean," Liam started, but he didn't have to finish the thought. Sean nodded, reaching into a pocket and unlocking the cuffs. The metal had dug into his wrists, leaving circular cuts on his hands. He walked over to Pearl, his brother hanging back for a moment. "Pearl, are you okay?" he asked carefully, kneeling a respectable distance away from her.

Pearl looked up at him and dropped her hands. After a moment she nodded and got to her feet. "Let's just... Go back to my house," she suggested. She looked at Sean briefly to include him too. "I never even ate lunch," she murmured lightly, though there was little amusement in the words, and put her arm on Jade's shoulder.

Liam bit into his lip and nodded. "All right," he murmured, and stepped to the side of the path to let Pearl and Jade pass first. There, he rested his head up against the side of the cliff, trying not to weep.

Sean walked over, clapping his shoulder. "I'll help," he promised. "You won't lose her because of me."

Liam smiled, wishing he could be a sure of that as Sean sounded. The twins followed Pearl and Jade home.

Pearl turned her head and saw Liam's distress. She grimaced but turned away again. She could forgive him, she still loved him, but he was different now... Before he was just Liam, now he was William Ditmer and the Highwayman. It was hard to know how much of what he had ever told her was the truth now. She felt like she needed to re-learn who he was. What if he wasn't the man she loved? She ducked her head but she didn't cry, she refused to cry right now.



Liam sat at the table once they'd gotten home, and Sean was the one who went to work on something to eat. Despite the fact that it was barely suppertime, Jade said he was sleepy, and Pearl was off putting him to bed.

"Yeh make it like Mam's kitchen?" Sean asked, looking through the cupboards to find what he needed.

Liam nodded, sighing tiredly. Sean whipped together a quick stew and set it to boil. Then he filled a bowl with cold wellwater and took up a rag. He sat on the table beside Liam, propping his foot on a chair and pressing the rag to his split lip. "Ow!" Liam protested, wincing.

"Yeh whine like a baby, Wil," Sean replied, wrinsing the rag and dabbing again.

"Well how about next time yeh be the one what gets smacked about and I'll play nursemaid?" Liam suggested crossly.

Sean lowered his head and his hands, chewing on his lip.

Pearl came out of Jade's room a few minutes later. She acknowledged them both with a nod. And set down the blankets and pillow she was carrying in a chair, for Sean. She paused next to the table looking at the wall where the bottle of wine she'd thrown at Sean had smashed and stained everything it touched. And she'd just left it there. Refusing to think about why she'd thrown it she went into the kitchen and came back out with a wet rag and something to put the broken pieces of bottle in.

Liam put a hand on Sean's leg, and the other nodded, letting him up. "Pearl," he said, walking over to her and reaching for her, though his hand stopped a few inches short.

"I'll get that," Sean offered, sliding off the table and helping to pick up the shards of glass. "What say we all sit down an' have a chat, see?" he suggested, taking the rag and the course bag from her. "What's stained ain't comin' clean, Miss Black, an' there are thin's what need talkin' 'bout."

Liam's hands were shaking, but he pulled a chair out for Pearl, looking at her pleadingly.

Pearl looked over her shoulder at them and nodded. Her shoulders twitched in a movement that was half a squaring of her shoulders, and half a desire to let them sag at her sides. She looked at Liam carefully and sat down in the chair he offered her, putting her hands on the table.

Liam sat down across the table from her, and Sean sat by his side. Liam glanced at Pearl, and then stared at the table. Sean let them sit for a terrible heartbeat, but he wasn't going to let the silence linger long. Sean, unlike Liam, was impulsive. While Liam would carefully plan something out for months, Sean would get a spur-of-the-moment idea and run with it. That's what had led to this little fracas, but sometimes that brashness had its advantages. "Well, if you're not going to, I will," he said, turning to Pearl. "Miss Black, Pearl, this afternoon, what I said to yeh... I was messin' with yer mind, because I realized Wil... Look, Wil--Liam--can't lie to save his life. I knew that, and I knew he'd tell yeh the truth about everythin' he dared. An' I knew... I knew how much it'd hurt him for yeh to confront him about it. So, yeh see, everythin' he's told yeh has been true. About Connor, about Sweetness, even about his job. See, we are the Highwayman. Both of us. An' the Duke hired Wil ta hunt himself--us--down."

Liam just kept staring at the table, but when Sean stopped talking, he added. "Yeh're the one the Duke finalized the deal with," he said quietly.

"But he thought he was hiring yeh, Wil," Sean rebutted.

Pearl looked at Liam. "But you are the Highwayman, and you did use me didn't you?" she asked quietly. Then her eyes focused on Sean. "Can you go wait outside?" she requested.

Sean nodded, and moved to stand, but Liam caught his arm. "Don't go far," he said softly.

Sean leaned closer, pressing their heads together. "You won't get rid of me again so easily," he promised, standing and nodding his head to Pearl as he went to sit outside, leaning up against the wall.

Liam looked at Pearl then, and sighed. "Yes," he replied. "Yes, I've been the Highwayman for the last five years. But... That wasn't why I asked yeh to show me around town," he said softly.

Pearl nodded. She moved her chair so that she was sitting next to him, but still slightly facing him. "Go on," was all she said, just a softly.

"I..." Liam took in and blew out a shuddering breath. "I felt bad, for losing yeh yer job. An' I knew yeh wouldn't just take money if I gave it to yeh. So I asked yeh ta show me the town to I'd have an excuse ta give yeh the money. I... I was looking for places to rob, but... The more time I spent with yeh an' Jade... the less... The less I cared about knockin' over some wealthy snobs. I just wanted ta stay with you."

Pearl put her hand on his arm gently, and rubbed the fabric between her forefinger and thumb, still looking up at him. She smiled slightly. "I believe you... And I'm sorry," she said softly. "When--when Sean told me all of that... It felt like someone had just dropped a mountain on me. I forgive you for not telling me, Liam. I just... it felt like suddenly you were a stranger to me. And it was just... too much--you and Jade and Richard, and Sean threatened to kill me until he decided he'd rather use me to get to you... I'm sorry," she repeated.

Liam shook his head, shaking. "No, I... I endangered Jade, I endangered yeh... I should have told yeh... I should have told yeh the truth long ago, I just..." He folded his arms on the table and hid his head in them. "I was afraid you would hate me for lying to you..."

"I know," she replied, and put her arm around him. She attempted to pull him back up, away from his folded arms and the table, so that she could look him in the eye when she said, "I forgive you, Liam. And I don't hate you, didn't--even for a second. I was just mixed up and afraid. I forgive you," she repeated, trying to get it through his thick skull.

Outside, the neighboor suddenly came out of her house. She waved at Sean, obviously mistaking him for his brother. She walked over and bestowed on him one of her wrinkly smiles. "I took your advice! Roger and I are back together!" she said excitedly. "I didn't get half-way to his house before we ran into each other and apologized. He took back what he said so I forgave him."

Sean smiled, "Uh ... that's good. I'm ... glad," he stammared, not sure how to respond. He licked his teeth, banging his knuckle loudly on the wall in a frantic 3-2-1 pattern. "But..."

Liam turned and wrapped his arms arms around her, holding her tight. "God, I love you," he whispered, and then pressed his lips over hers. He didn't hear the knocking.

Pearl threw her other arm up to his shoulder and pulled herself closer. I love you too she thought, kissing him back. The knocking was lost in the noise of her heartbeating.

Pernelle frowned at him. "Stop that," she said in annoyance, putting her hands on her hips. "But what? Roger and I shouldn't be together?" she demanded. "I don't care what anybody says. I love that man, and I'm going to get him to propose eventually," she said in determination.

"Ah... no. If yeh love the man, go fer it. I wish yeh all the best in that, but the thing is..." Sean laughed faintly. "Oh ho, Wil, get yer ass out here," he said very quietly between his teeth, banging louder. They still didn't come out. "Ma'am, I dunno how ta tell yeh this..." Sean lost his patience. "Wil!" he shouted.

Liam broke away from Pearl, finally hearing his brother's voice. He grabbed his sword from the rack where it normally hung and rushed for the door. "What?" he demanded after kicking it open and seeing Pernelle with a shocked expression on her face. "Pernelle!" he exclaimed, then realized he still had a sword in his hand, and he lowered his arm.

"Deaf, yeh is," Sean growled at him, standing.

Pearl poked her head out the window. "Not deaf," she said, with a big smile. Then she noticed Pernelle and smirked at Sean; she found it amusing that even though the old lady thought he was Liam, Pernelle had the same effect on him as she did on her.

Pernelle gasped and clutched her racing heart and started to pray. "It's finally happened... I've lost my mind... I'll never gossip again, Lord--"

Pearl came outside and stood next to Liam. She saw Pernelle sway slightly and reluctantly moved to steady her. "They're twins, go figure," she explained.

"It's okay, Pernelle," Liam said, moving forward. "This is me brother Sean." He looked at Pernelle's palid face. "Let's sit her down," Liam suggested, taking her arm and leading her to a stump.

Sean was smirking, leaning against the wall. He'd offer to help, but he wasn't the helping sort. "Sorry," he said with a smile. "Didn't know how ta tell yeh..."

Pearl helped Liam find Pernelle and place to sit. The old woman was fine, just shocked. Pearl looked up and suddenly grinned at Sean. She let Liam fuss over Pernelle, and put her hands in her pockets. "Oh dear, are you alright, Pernelle? Should I get you some water?" she asked in a droll voice.

When the old lady nodded and Pearl moved back towards the kitchen, Sean said in a low, concerned voice. "So did the two of yeh kiss an' make up?" he asked quietly.

Liam fanned the old lady with his hand. "Deep breaths, Pernelle," he advised. "Deep breaths. I'm sorry we startled yeh..."

Pearl smiled slightly at him. "Yes," she replied with a nod. She paused and frowned slightly. "Can I have my ring back?" she asked, remembering that he'd kept it after he took it off her hand. "Where did you put it?" she asked, wishing she had just kept it, instead of letting it add to her charade.

"Good." Sean smiled, and reached up to his neck. There, on a thin gold chain hung both the rings, Pearl's smaller one nestled inside of Liam's. He took the chain off over his head and slipped it over Pearl's. "I haven't had a chance ta apologize fer what I done," he said softly, but then glanced over his shoulder at the nearly recovered Pernelle. "But I suppose that'll keep fer a bit." He stepped inside and moved back to the kitchen table where he sat down. While he was the more social of the twins, he wasn't in the mood to meet Liam's friends. He hadn't gotten over the fact that he'd tried to murder his own brother. Liam may have forgiven him, but that was something he hadn't managed to do with himself.

Liam looked down at Pernelle. "Are yeh better now?" he asked her, smiling and hoping she wouldn't ask about the new scrapes and bruises.

Pearl forgot about the water for the moment and stood there, touching the two rings at her neck and smiling faintly.

Pernelle nodded. "Yes," she said and looked up at him in confusion. "What happened to your face? It looks worse than before," she said, mostly to direct the conversation away from her. "You have a twin... Isn't that interesting..." she said looking over his shoulder at Pearl.

"Oh, nothin'," Liam replied. "Sometimes it takes a few days for all the bruises to show up, that's all," Liam replied, trying to lie his best. He couldn't talk about the altercation with Richard and Sean... He didn't want to explain it, and if Richard had told many people that he was going to capture the Highwayman... He smiled down at the old woman. "Pernelle, sweetheart, I hate to be rude, but Sean an' I haven't seen each other in better than five years... Would yeh mind terribly if I came ta see yeh tomorra ta tell yeh all about it?"

Sean stared at the floor, and something shiny caught his eye... he reached down to find a ring--a link, broken off from a chain or something around the house. Probably a ring that kept a pan out of the fire. The metal was thin, and the break in it sharp; it was about as wide around as his littlest finger. He stared at it for a moment, and then he had an idea.

Pernelle smiled at him. "That would be fine," she said. "Thank you, sonny."

Pearl walked into the house to get the water, if Pernelle still wanted it and gave Sean the strangest look as she headed for the door. What was he doing?

Liam patted her tenderly and sent her on her way, then went inside and shut the door behind him. "She's gone," he told Pearl, and then looked over at Sean too, seeing he was fiddling with something at the table. "What are yeh doin'?" he asked, walking over.

On the table, Sean had set out the brass ring and a pick--a thin piece of sharp metal. "I want yeh ta do it," he said, and Liam shook his head.

"Un uh, no way," he replied, holding his hands up. "There is no way in hell I'm doin' that ta yeh."

Pearl drank the water and set down the glass. She still looked confused. "Do what?" she asked.

Liam turned. "He wants me ta shove that pick through his ear," he replied, and then looked back at his twin. "An' I ain't gonna do it."

"W-- ... Liam," Sean said, putting a hand on his brother's arm. "If yeh put this ring in me ear, I can't pretend I'm yeh, ever again. It's a promise, a promise ta Pearl that I won't decieve her again like I did, an' a promise to you that I will never hurt yeh, not like that, again. Please." He tried to hand the pick to Liam, who refused it. Sean turned to Pearl, his eyes pleading with her to reason with Liam.

"Yeh don't have ta hurt yerself ta prove yer sorry, Sean. I know yeh didn't mean ta do what yeh did. I can't do this..."

Pearl touched one of her ears and winced at the thought of that pick going through it. "I don't think so," she said, shaking her head at Sean. "Besides I figured you out pretty fast," she said, but in her mind she worried that next time she might have a lot more trouble telling them apart if Sean really tried to impersonate his brother again. She frowned at the memory of his lips on hers. But even if he hadn't been so rough with her she doubted he'd ever be able to convince her he was Liam with a kiss.

Sean could read the thought on her face, and he shook his head. "I want this," he said softly, looking back at Liam. "All our lives, we were one. If... I want people ta be able ta know, just with a look." He offered the pick to Liam again. "Please, Wil?"

Liam sighed, but he took the pick. "All right," he said softly. "But we're not using this," he said, shaking his head at the corroded brass ring. He turned, and got his old bag. He'd shifted a fair chunk of the valuables into this bag from the hiding spot in the woods over the last few weeks, and he emptied it onto the table, throwing out the tin plate and other odds and ends before ripping the lining and upending the bag. Half a dozen gems and precious stones fell onto the table, as well as a few handfuls of coins, and, more importantly, a thin gold ring. He took out his knife and cut the soft metal apart, and then moved to put the tip of the pick in the fire.

Sean glanced at the riches Liam had poured out, recognizing some of the stones. "Thank you," he said softly, moving over to stand by his brother.

Pearl's eyebrows rose dramatically in response to the amount of money he'd just dumped out of that sack. Those gems were beautiful. She'd never been around so much money in her life. She touched the engagement ring on her neck and didn't care how much it costed him anymore. Her gaze switching to Sean, she grimaced and turned away, she had no need to watch this. "I think I'm going to go to bed early," she said, heading for her room.

Liam glanced back at her, but then turned to Sean. "Are you...?" he asked, but Sean nodded, so Liam took a deep breath, and set himself. Liam pulled the pick out of the flame, its tip white hot, and turned Sean's head with his other hand so his left ear was turned towards him. Liam held it taunt, amazed that his hands weren't shaking. "I don't know if I can do this," he warned.

"Just push fast," Sean told him. "Or it'll hurt like hell."

Liam closed his eyes, but then shoved the metal through. Sean didn't even flinch. His hands were shaking now, and Liam pulled the metal back out and somehow managed to slip the gold ring into the hole, squeezing it shut once it was through. That done, he sighed and dropped his head, looking down at the warm, wet blood on his shaking fingers.

Sean was amazed--it really didn't hurt that badly. He'd expected worse, but when he looked at Liam, he knew where the pain really was. He embraced his brother in a comforting hug, though he did it so Liam's head was against Sean's uninjured right ear. "Thank you," he whispered, holding him tight.

Liam rested his head against his brother's shoulder, allowing himself to be held as the tears slipped from his eyes. Sean didn't say anything--nothing needed to be said. They stood there like that for quite some time, Liam's tears staining his own shirt that Sean was still wearing.

Finally, Sean kissed his brother and said, "Go to bed. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

Liam nodded faintly, though he washed his hands off before he went to the bedroom. Wearily, not even taking the effort to remove his boots, he fell into bed beside Pearl, hiding his battered, tear-streaked face in the pillow.

After a moment Pearl moved and took off his boots for him. Then she crawled back up to the top of the bed and laid back where she had been, reaching over to put her hand on his back comfortingly. "Well, I didn't hear any screaming," she said.

Liam moved closer to her once she'd laid back down, still hiding his face. "Nah," he replied, his voice a bit muffled, but still audible. "If someone woulda screamed, it woulda been me." He nuzzled her side, as if trying to burrow in between her ribs. Finally, though, he rolled over, looking up at the ceiling. "An' ta think, last night I was worried about babies..." he said with a faint laugh, even though it wasn't funny. Pearl had said she'd forgiven him, after all, but she hadn't said anything about still wanting to marry him. And as much as it would break his heart, Liam wouldn't really blame her if she called the wedding off. She wasn't wearing her ring anymore either...

Pearl put her hand on his head and stroked his hair. "Yeah," she said, matching tone. Her thoughts had drifted to the rings around her neck and their engagement. She did forgive him, and he didn't really feel like a stranger anymore. But she didn't want to bring the rings out now. She sighed and murmured sleepily, "Let's go to sleep," she suggested, yawning. But she snuggled closer to him and took his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

He kissed her gently, and then lowered his head, resting it against her breast where he listened to her heart beat. The stress of the day was enough that listening to that soothing sound for a few moments was enough to send him into a deep, healing sleep.

Pearl ran her fingers through his hair and drifted off to sleep eventually, giving in to her exhaustion.

Sean lay on the floor, his head on a pillow and a rag around his ear to keep the blood off it. It was starting to hurt now, but he tried not to think about it, or about his brother, or about anything. He just wanted to sleep, and sleep wouldn't come, so he stared up at the ceiling until the wee hours of the morning.



Continued at Pearl and Liam 7.