Legacy Part Four Watching as the lorry containing Lauren made its way out of the port was the hardest thing Julian had to do. He knew it made sense, but he wanted to be with her. They had only moments to embrace and whisper loving words before she had got inside the lorry. Those words echoed in his mind even now, “Remember Lauren I love you, and if anything should go wrong, find the place Lauren, that secret place, and I’ll find you, come what may, I’ll find you I promise.” Clinging to him, Lauren had felt her tears falling, “I love you Julian. Take care, see you soon huh?” Julian nodded, “Be Well Lauren. I love you.” And then within moments, the great lorry’s engine roared into life, and Julian stood watching Lauren’s sorrow filled face pressed against the glass, as the driver drove towards the highway. Quickly now, Julian made his way across to Firecracker’s trailer, ever conscious of the many eyes upon him. Hoping that Lauren had got away safe, he couldn’t be sure of his own escape. For suddenly there were suited men striding towards him in every direction that he looked. Firecracker held open the door of the cab for him, “They after you?” he motioned towards the men, as a long black car slowed to a halt beside them. Julian nodded, “I think so. My father has found me. Can you radio through to your mate and tell him to look after Lauren, tell her to stick to the plan and not to worry, and please don’t tell anyone where they are headed.” “That’s one thing in your favour son, there are a whole bunch of Zedtac trailers on the road today, once Woollyback reaches the highway, there’s no telling which lorry will have your girl inside. Don’t worry he’ll take care of your girl. He has daughters that age himself.” then as the door of the car opened, he added, “Good luck son.” before climbing into his cab to mind his own business. *** *** *** Gabriel alighted from the car, facing his son with a sneer, “So you thought you could outsmart me. You have much to learn. Get in!” he held open the door, as Julian looked around him quickly. His father’s men had now formed a circle around him, there was no-where to run, and with a defeated sigh, Julian obeyed his father, watching as Gabriel got back into the driver’s seat and with a curt nod towards his men, closed the door. In silence they drove back towards his private boat, and in silence Julian allowed his father to lead him on board, his heart was with Lauren, feeling the distance separate them, and he prayed that with each passing mile that shetravelled, her safety was assurred. *** *** *** “This could be good. This might be something. Could use this. Yes, find good use for this.” Mouse mumbled to himself as he picked his way over the debri discarded outside a factory for collection by the refuse truck. With his bright eyes used to finding and selecting items suitable for his gizmos and inventions, the blonde haired fellow rummaged through the various items, until he was satisfied he could carry no more, then making his way through a well known ally, he entered an old burnt out pancake house, and disappeared inside. Daylight filtered through the broken windows, and his sudden movements made the dust particles dance, just how he liked to see it, and for a moment he hesitated to watch. He remembered as a child, how he had believed it to be fairies dancing on a sunbeam, and had never forgotten how happy that belief had made him feel, to know he was not alone in the world, to know that someone watched over him. It had been so long ago since he had felt so alone, not since before the day that Vincent had found this gentle scavenger, living amongst the rubbish, seeking scraps and waste thrown out at the back of bars and diners to keep himself alive. He had been unable to talk then, only muffled sounds, frightened and alone. Until Vincent with his velvety words and gentle speech had won him around, taken him Below to a life he had never before known, to a place where he was welcomed by people who accepted him as one of them, and who had given him the affectionate name of Mouse. And in time Mouse had fallen in love with and married another member of the tunnel community, Jamie, and they had two children of their own. Yet Mouse had never forgotten the joy of scavenging, and though Father despaired at him often, the young man just would not give up going Above to see what he could find. This day, watching the fairies dance again, he smiled when he thought of his friend Vincent. This latest design was for him, something to bring the sunlight Below, something to bring Vincent happiness. A movement in a corner caught his eye, “Who’s there?” he turned quickly, “Vincent?” “No.” came the soft frightened voice. “Who are you?” “That doesn’t matter, can you help me?” there was pain in the voice, and despair. “Are you hurt. I know a doctor?” “Yes,” the word came forth on a sigh, “A doctor yes, I need one, can you bring him to me?” “No, he is old, can’t walk far, I’ll take you to him.” “No, I wouldn’t make it. Please bring him to me. Mouse shook his head, “Can’t. But wait, I know someone. Wait here, don’t go, promise?” “I promise. I don’t think I could move anyway. But please hurry, I think I am having my baby.” At those words, Mouse hesitated just once, dropping the items he had so painstakingly sought all evening, running to a section where he could raise the alarm, then coming back to his place, he waited for help to arrive. *** *** *** Muffled voices and warmth, beautiful glorious warmth, brought a sigh to the young girl’s lips, as gentle hands examined her. And there was a soft amber glow that flitted, in and out of her dreams, and a background sound of gentle tapping that lulled and soothed her tired mind. “Water please Mary.” the words were born on a whisper, the hands were gentle and firm that held a cup to her lips, “here drink this, just a few sips, can you tell me your name?” Taking the liquid down into her dry throat, she swallowed gratefully, “Lauren”, she croaked when the soothing water had eased away the pain. “Lauren.” her name was repeated, “You must try to tell me, how many months are you?” Lauren sought her mind for memories, only one came to mind, “Julian?” She questioned. The name was dismissed, “Lauren try to listen please, you have to try to tell me, how many months pregnant are you?” Lauren shook her head, she had lost all track of time in just trying to survive these past few months. Searching for a place that only existed in Julian’s mind, waiting for a father who never returned, for a boy who had not kept his promise to find her, tears squeezed beneath her lashes, as the only time she could remember came to mind. “July.” She replied. “July? Was that when the child was conceived?” “Yes.” Father did a quick calculation and straightened, telling Mary gravely, “Send for Peter Mary, I don’t like this. The child is well on its way, it will be premature, and the girl needs to be in a hospital.” Mary quickly left the room, as another contraction shot through Lauren, leaving Father with only one thought in mind, “Mary!” he screamed, waiting as she doubled back, “there’s no time, the baby is almost here, we have to deliver the child ourselves.” “But Jacob, we aren’t equipped, we’ll need an incubator.” Father shook his head, “We’ll have to do the best we can Mary, I can already see the head. But the girl is weak, we can only hope and pray that both survive this.” Mary nodded, watching as another great contraction filled the girl with pain, “She is so young Jacob, no more than a child herself, too young to be faced with bringing up a child.” “With a seven month pregnancy, Mary, I shouldn’t worry,"Father whispered so that only Mary heard him, "it will be a miracle if the child survives!” *** *** *** For those same seven long months, Julian, had been kept locked in his father’s house on the island, with no way of making a further attempt at escaping, his only joy, at Lauren’s obvious survival, if his father’s temper was anything to go by. Oblivious and confused as to the reason why Gabriel sought Lauren so desperately, other than the fact that she knew his name, Julian could only rejoice, as week after week his father’s frustrated plans reached another dead end. Simply, the girl seemed to have slipped off the face of the earth. Yet one thing bothered him, had it not of been for his father’s obvious frustration at not finding her, Julian would have concluded that he had, because all sense of her slowly trailed away as the first weeks of their separation went into months, until finally Julian found no sense of her at all within his heart. And then one day, miraculously, joyously, it was there again! It woke him from his dreams. Sitting bolt upright, the sense of Lauren flooded his being, almost as if she were in the same room as him, and she was happy, he was sure of it, deliriously happy, and Julian was filled with a fresh sense of hope. He felt her love for him, and there was something else, something she tried so desperately to tell him, and he could not grasp its meaning, but the joy it gave him made everything he had suffered at the hands of his cruel father worthwhile, and Julian knew one thing, that the days of his aloneness were now gone for ever, for somehow, some way, Lauren would rescue him, and soon they would be together, never to be apart again. ,br>*** *** *** One name, just one name shrieked from Father’s lips as he brought Lauren’s baby into the world. Taking one look at the tiny well developed child in his hands, the name had left his lips without forethought, “VINCENT!” he bellowed, making the poor girl jump, and the baby whimper with fear. Vincent met Mary in the tunnel running to find him, “Vincent you must come quickly, and Catherine...” Mary was relieved to see Catherine bringing up the rear, then instantly afraid, halted her, “No stay here. Catherine wait!” but the younger woman followed her husband regardless of Mary’s restraining hand upon her arm. Lauren was only just coming around, as Vincent charged into the chamber pulling up his hood over his head as he did so, hiding from her view, and stopped abruptly as Father held up the new-born child, his eyes wide with shock. Looking down, first Vincent, then Catherine, gasped at the tiny replica of Vincent himself, a cub-like creature that stared back at them with defiant deep blue eyes, leaving Catherine and Vincent to exchange startled looks from one to the other, and Vincent shaking his head in denial as he began to realise the way his wife’s thoughts were heading. “I promise you Catherine, its nothing to do with me.” Vincent shook his head, “I would never be unfaithful to you.” “I know that. I know that!” Catherine cried, coming into Vincent’s open arms, “But how then?” She whispered. “What’s wrong?” a tiny voice whispered from the bed, “What’s wrong?” “Oh my dear.” Father passed the child to Mary, coming round to Lauren’s side, “Nothing is wrong, the child is perfect, just perfect, and Mary will give him to you, just as soon as she has cleaned him up. Now my dear, can you tell us a little about yourself while we wait?” Peering from one to the other of them, Lauren wanted to trust them but could not, “There’s something wrong with him isn’t there?” she asked. “There’s nothing wrong with him.” Vincent’s velvety voice calmed her, “He’s perfect, in fact he looks just like me.” “Like you?” Lauren queried, “I cannot see you, why do you hide?” “Because I am not as other men. Tell me Lauren, who fathered this child?” Ever cautious, Lauren became silent, until Catherine stepped forward, “Please” She pleaded, “its important that we know.” Lauren trusted Catherine, her beauty spoke volumes, and besides she reminded her of Julian! “My, my, boyfriend.” She uttered slowly, “his name is Julian.” “And where is Julian now?” Father asked gently, “Is he in New York?” “No, his father stopped him from coming with me, we were running away from him.” Vincent and Catherine exchanged looks, as hope pounded in their hearts, and things suddenly, fantastically, began to drop into place. “How old is Julian?” Catherine asked breathlessly, “Fifteen.” Lauren replied watching as Catherine grasped hold of the cloaked figure lest she fell. “Can you describe him?” Catherine whispered hoarsely. Lauren’s face softened. "Oh yes, he’s beautiful. I’ve never met anyone like him, and we have this strange connection...” Catherine sobbed, stumbling forward and grasping Lauren’s hand, as blinded by her tears, she begged, “Tell me! Tell me everything.” Bewildered but relenting Lauren began to speak, she did not know why, but she knew these people meant her no harm, and there was the added reminder that this beautiful woman reminded her of Julian. Instantly she felt her heart fill with trust. “Julian is a wonderful person, he lives on an island owned by his father, but Julian is nothing like his father.” Lauren shook her head as she remembered Gabriel, ”Julian is beautiful with the most wonderful coloured hair that I have ever seen, a rich tawny gold, and the bluest of eyes...” Her voice faltered as Vincent groaned and collapsed to the floor, taking Catherine with him, and holding one another tightly, he whispered, “Can it be so, can it be so?” Lauren watched them, “You know him?” Reaching out to take her hands, Father told her softly, “My dear, these two people are Vincent and Catherine, and it looks very much like this Julian that you love is their son. He was kidnapped fifteen years ago, by a man with white hair and albino eyes. Is that the man you call Julian’s father?” Lauren’s face broke into a smile, but she shook her head, “No, not his father, but the man with white hair, the albino...” Father nodded, waiting expectantly and holding his breath as Lauren went on, “that is Julian’s uncle. I’ve seen him, he lives with them...and for a certainty...I do believe...” She shook her head, unable to believe it herself, yet as everything started to make sense, and especially the likeness to Catherine, she went on, “that...Julian is your son.” *** *** *** “Is there still no news?” Snow poured his brother some coffee, as Gabriel leaned back in his chair, his opened mail on the desk before him. “Nothing”, Gabriel replied, with a mixture of frustration and despair, “Seven whole months and nothing, where the hell can she be Snow?” Snow shook his head, “She could be anywhere, what did you know about the family anyway, no mother, her father now dead, no brothers or sisters, no living relatives, she could have gone anywhere. Might even be dead. Have you thought of that?” “She’s not dead that I do know.” “Oh, and what makes you so certain?” Gabriel raised his eyes indicating the room above, “Him. He’s so darn cheerful. Seven months cooped up in this house, and he’s still capable of singing. Somehow he knows Snow, despite the distance, he knows she is alive, just like the beast knew whenever Catherine Chandler was in danger.” Gabriel stood up, and went across to the window, “If I thought for one moment he would lead me to the girl, I’d set him free.” “But you don’t think that’s possible?” Snow asked. “I can’t say, and I don’t really want to risk it. I might lose him too.” “Then what will you do, what else is there? If she had of been pregnant, the child will soon be ready to be born, how much longer dare you leave it?” “Do you think it would work?” “Its worth a try, but where would you take him, where would you start him off?” “It has to be the mainland, Snow, and he has to believe that he has escaped. Look give me a day or two to work things out, to get my men onto it. If the girl is alive, he’ll lead us to her huh?” Snow nodded, “I think that’s all you can do, but remember he’s a clever one and you are going to have to plan for his every move.” Gabriel nodded, he knew that, but for the first time in months, he felt exhilarated, at least this way they were in with a chance, and maybe if they planned it well enough, then everything would go his way at last. *** *** *** “This place is something else, you know that.” Lauren remarked a few days after she had been carried down from the burnt out pancake house to the hospital chamber in Vincent’s strong arms. “And its just how Julian described it.” “I cannot believe that he could remember. It was so long ago, he was only six months old when they took him from me. Its comforting to know that he never forgot his roots.” Catherine replied, as she and Lauren walked together through the tunnels, between the chamber she had been given on the way to the one Catherine and Vincent shared. Arriving at the chamber, where they had arranged to meet Vincent, Father, and a few of the tunnel community, Catherine and Lauren entered, to see if any plans had been made. “Is the baby sleeping?” Father asked. Lauren nodded, “He’s in Mary’s safe keeping.” Father chuckled, dear Mary what would he have ever done without her all these years? “Well, while you have been gone, we have formulated a plan. Its not going to be easy and its going to be dangerous, but we believe that the only thing possible is to get the help of the D.A.’s office, and that Catherine, and her old colleagues go over to that island, and bring Jacob back with them. And hopefully...Lauren? What is it my dear?” Father stopped in mid speech as Lauren’s face whitened, and then slowly began to light up, and his plan faded and died as she shrieked, “Its Julian...I can feel him again! He’s free! And he’s coming to find me!” *** *** *** Julian couldn’t believe how easy it was. After seven months of captivity and joy at his father’s frustrated plans, he had been let out to accompany Snow to the mainland on what his father had called a good behaviour reward. Julian knew it was nothing of the sort, as cunning as Gabriel, he knew that his father would be following his every move, knowing that as a last straw Julian would lead them to Lauren. And who was he to disappoint them? But first he’d lead them on a wild goose chase, and think up a suitable escape plan en-route. It was great to be free, and with every mile he covered, and with the aid of the Zedtac trailers, but different drivers to those he had met before, Julian could sense Lauren’s joy, and he knew that she knew he was coming to her. Arriving in New York, it was all he could do not to go straight to her, he could sense she was close, but nothing would make him lead Gabriel to where she was. He had some money, and went along to the J.F. Kennedy airport and booked a flight to Los Angeles, a flight he had no intention of making. Then he went into a large department store, bought and paid for various items of disguise with the last of his money, and inside the airport toilets, changed into them, donning a black wig, and tucking his unruly tawny hair, that his father had refused him to cut these past seven months, beneath the black locks, and then satisfied with his reflection, he exited, and made his way from the airport. Gabriel’s men had been watching the toilets, and took no notice when the black haired youth left the toilets and walked straight past. As they leaned against a pillar behind a newspaper, Julian passed them by, grinning from ear to ear, they had not recognised him! His father would board a private plane and await his arrival in L.A., and he would wait in vain. Julian rejoiced, he’d done it, happy that for once he really had outwitted his father! *** *** *** Lauren sensed his happiness a few days after she had first felt him coming to her, “He’s coming!” She whooped for joy, leaving her seat in Father’s study and started forward. “Wait!” Catherine called out after her, “I’ll come with you, you’ll get lost by yourself.” Together they set off at quite a pace through the candlelit tunnels, faster and faster as Lauren felt his approach, “He’s close, I think in the park. I can feel him above me.” Behind them Catherine was aware that Vincent followed, his joy seared through her, matching her own. “If he’s being led by Lauren, you should take her to the park entrance.” Vincent called, and Lauren’s face lit up, “Vincent, I didn’t know you were there.” she laughed happily, “This is kinda like a pied piper procession huh? Julian led to me, you led to Catherine, is there anyone else?” She joked. “You’d better believe it” came a feminine shout from behind, “just try stopping us, this is our brother you know.” Lauren thought her heart would burst, Julian didn’t know it, but this was really going to be one happy reunion. Expecting to find only herself waiting for him, he’d soon learn that not only had she found his secret world, but also his real parents, his brother, his sister, his grandfather, and a host of other people who knew him as a child, and not only that but he had a son of his own now. Leading her to the park drainage entrance, Catherine asked, “Is he still coming?” Lauren nodded, “Yes, he changed direction when we did, he’s entering the drainage culvert now, oh Catherine open the door, open the door, hurry, please.” Lauren jigged with excitement. Touching the mechanism, the door slid back effortlessly, and they saw Julian waiting on the other side, who for several moments had been confused to suddenly feel Lauren so close but to find the area empty, and heard him gasp as a memory of the huge sliding door returned to his mind. And then there she was, his true love, running to meet him and throwing herself into his arms, and Julian never wanted to let her go. Blinded by their tears, Vincent and Catherine could only stand and watch the happy scene unfolding, allowing precious moments for the young lovers to be together, until Catherine could stand it no longer, and stepped forwards, leaving Vincent to draw up his hood, and wait behind, his heart a mixture of emotions at having to do so, knowing his own son might be afraid of him. As Catherine stepped through the doorway, Julian saw her approach, and a memory was triggered in the back of his mind, and suddenly in an instance he remembered everything and his face lit up, “Mother?” He cried, leaving Lauren’s arms, tears brimming and falling down his cheeks, as he embraced her, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it.” He sobbed holding on to her tightly, as she clung to him, her tears exceeding his own. “We can’t stay here,” Catherine told him breathlessly, “Lauren, step inside, he may have been followed.” Julian shook his head, “No its okay I gave them the slip, with this disguise.” He pulled off the wig revealing the long tawny mane of hair, and grinned as he thought about how furious his father would be by now. And then he stopped in that line of thought...his father...? Gabriel wasn’t his father...he knew that now...and slowly... wondrously... little things fell into place... the picture in Gabriel’s drawer... That was his father!... Suddenly Julian knew that without a doubt, he had another father, a father special, unique, a father with whom he shared an amazing connection, a father whom he felt close to even at that moment “Where is he?” Julian asked breathlessly, wanting to know so desperately, as he remembered those piercing blue eyes so like his own, that mass of tawny hair around a beautiful leonine face...that gentle voice made of velvet, that he only now realised he had heard echoed in his dreams all the years he had been away. Catherine closed the door behind them, and Julian seeing a movement in the tunnel a few yards away stepped towards it. “Father?” he queried, “Is that you?” Vincent stepped forwards into the light, and Julian gasped for the sight of him, running the few yards between them to throw himself into those strong and mighty arms never to let him go. With tears and great rejoicing Catherine joined in the embrace, as Crystal and Joseph stepped into the light, and Julian heard Vincent say, “This is your younger sister and your brother,” and as another figure hobbled into view, Julian raised his tear filled eyes to see who it was, as Vincent reached out an arm to draw the old man in, “And this is my father, your grandfather.” Julian sobbed, tears of joy and tears of sorrow for all the lost years, and all that he had now, as a smiling faced Mary came towards them down the tunnel, a tiny wool clad bundle in her arms which she passed to Lauren, “and this...” Lauren’s face lit up, as she placed the bundle into his arms, “Is your son.” Awed by the sight of his child, he could only gasp with wonder, “I never knew, I never suspected, Oh Lauren, he’s beautiful and so like his grandfather.” “Oh my God!” Vincent exclaimed, as the full import of those words reached his mind, “I never realised ‘till now!” Everyone waited in anxious expectation while wide-eyed Vincent struggled to tell them, “Catherine! I’m a grandad!” And all burst into laughter at the stunned look on his face! *** *** *** Everyone had to agree that each time Vincent and Catherine shared a celebration in the Great Hall it surpassed the last and this one was no exception. The naming ceremony was two-fold, an unusual event, but insisted upon as much by Julian as by his parents. Standing there upon the platform, his son in his arms, with Vincent standing proudly alongside him, Julian waited for the moment when Father would nod for him to tell the community his child’s name and reaching out a hand to Lauren, he tucked his arm around her as she came to his side, and together, they awaited the special moment. They had taken much time over choosing their son’s name, not because it was hard to decide, but because of the confusion it might bring forth, but in the end, they knew that this name had to be, that simply there was no other they could possibly chose, and as Julian heard Father welcome the child to a life Below, and nod in his direction, everyone gasped and cheered, when Julian looking at Lauren with eyes full of love announced, “We name our child Vincent.” Vincent and Catherine gazed at one another, mouths dropping open in utter surprise and could only stand and stare, until a deep smile lit their faces, and filled their eyes with joy. “And” went on Father, knuckling away his own tears of joy, and still amazed that his grandson had an English accent like himself, “that’s not all. Many of you remember the dreadful day when Vincent and Catherine’s first child was cruelly snatched away from them, but we haven’t invited you here to reminisce on that sorrowful time, instead, by their son’s own insistence, we have invited you here to a double naming ceremony, so that their son might from this day be known by the name that his parents first gave him...Vincent...if you would please.” Vincent stepped forward, pulling his firstborn son towards him, hugging him fiercely, and kissing the top of his head, “We named our son Jacob.” he told the group of delighted friends, “And from this day forth that shall again be his name.” Jacob smiled and hugged his father tightly, burying his face into the strength of him, inhaling once again the memory of candle wax, leather and old books, and stepping aside, drew Catherine and Lauren into the shared embrace. And as another cheer went up from the delighted crowd witnessing the event, Father brushed away more tears, and had to agree, never had there been a more wonderful sight to behold than this. *** *** *** Standing beside the fountains not many days after that, Jacob sighed the purest of sighs, “I remember this place.” He told Vincent and Catherine as they stood arm in arm watching his face light up, “And there is another like it...a waterfall! There is a waterfall isn’t there?” seeing Vincent nod, Jacob’s heart pounded in his chest and he shook his head with disbelief, “I love waterfalls and fountains, I always have done. I’ve always been drawn to them for some reason. That’s where I met Lauren, beside the falls.” “What else do you love?” Catherine asked him, delighted when he replied, “Books, and poetry, Shakespeare especially, and Great Expectations, I know why now, you used to read them to me all the time didn’t you Father?” Vincent nodded, his intense blue eyes never free from tears since the day Lauren had stepped into their lives and given birth to his grandson, and Jacob went on, “And this place, I love this place, I never forgot it you know, it was always so real to me, and though I never knew where to find it, I never doubted that one day, given half the chance I would find it again.” He searched both of their faces, happy when Catherine replied, “We never doubted it either Jacob. We knew you would come home. Just as soon as you could.” A shadow crossed Jacob’s face, “What will happen now, to Gabriel I mean, are you going to do anything?” Catherine shook her head, “We’ve talked about it, and he is an evil man, a dangerous man too, but we have no desire to seek him out, and your father has no desire to kill anymore, it brings out a side to him he’d rather left buried,” Vincent nodded, taking up from Catherine, “Until such a time that Gabriel becomes a threat to our world, if ever he does, we will leave well alone. He does not know this place exists, and you and Lauren will be safe here, and it goes without saying that young Vincent, like me, can never leave here.” Jacob nodded, “Gabriel is indeed a wicked man, but in many respects I’m glad of your decision, he did look after me, in the best possible way that he knew, and though his intentions were corrupt, I have much to thank him for. I know you two have suffered greatly from Gabriel’s taking me from you, but if he hadn’t of taken me to that island, I may never have met Lauren even if we did both come from New York. And look what I would have missed. Can you understand that?” Catherine nodded, “Yes, its much the same as my own experience, being slashed and dumped in the park was an experience I would rather not have had.. Yet it was worth it, all the pain, all the sorrow, it was worth it, for look what I gained.” reaching for Vincent and Jacob’s hands in both of her own, Catherine squeezed them tightly, “Had it not of been for that terrible night when I almost lost my life, I would not be here now, and that would have been the greatest shame, but more for your Father than for me.” “Catherine...” Vincent whispered, looking down at her, his intense blue eyes misty with love, and sighed with pure joy, as Catherine brushed a soft kiss upon his lips, “I love you Vincent.” She told him, and turning to her son, “And I love you Jacob. Have no fear, I promise you, wicked as he is, Gabriel will never touch your life again. You are home now, home where you belong, and your future is only just about to begin.” Jacob nodded, that much was true, though he may never again see the sunlight, it did not matter, for this secret, safe world beneath the city streets, held its own delights, and looking up at his dear father’s beautiful leonine face, he knew that he was by far the most wonderful delight of all! And for generation after generation, passing down from grandfather to grandson, the dear name continued to be, Vincent Wells, gentle protector, fearsome beast, devoted husband, each with the same beautiful spirit and the same extraordinary bond as the first, on and on and on, a legacy passed on from one to the other, as leader of the tunnel community, keeping it safe, protected, together, for all time... ...for as long as the fountains continued to echo.