The next day Peter and Joe drew up in a cab at the address that Catlyn had given Jacob. As they looked at the brownstone, Peter said, "This used to belong to a couple who were helpers." Joe looked at him, surprised. "Do they own it now?"

.Peter shook his head. "No, their grandson owns it."

Joe looked up the steps again. "Well I think we should get this over with."

Peter looked at him. "You sound nervous."

Joe shook his head. "Not really. I guess I am just a bit unnerved by the description of this woman that Jacob gave."

Peter put his hand on Joe’s shoulder. "I think we were all a bit shaken." Then they walked up the steps and rang the doorbell.

They waited for a moment for someone to answer the door. Joe looked at Peter. "Maybe she’s not home."

Peter nodded and turned. "You might be right."

They were just about to walk back down the steps when the door opened.

"Yes, may I help you gentlemen?"

Peter and Joe turned and were shocked to see Catherine Chandler standing in the doorway.

Joe cleared his throat after a moment’s stunned silence. "Are you Catlyn Channing?"

Catherine nodded wearily. "Yes, how may I help you?"

Joe smiled. "Do you know a young boy named Jacob?"

Catlyn smiled but after a moment frowned thinking that she could be in trouble. "We just talk at times. I was never going to hurt him."

Joe said quickly, "No, no, we understand that. May we come in and talk to you?"

She hesitated for a moment until he pulled out his identification. "I’m the District Attorney of Manhattan but I’m also a very close friend of Jacob’s father."

Catlyn looked at Peter questioningly. He smiled. "I am his surrogate Grandfather. His mother was like another daughter to me."

Catlyn nodded. "Do they want me to stay away from him?"

Peter could hear the sadness in her voice. He raised his hand and shook his head. "No, his father is just curious about you."

She looked up at him again, feeling a bit more at ease. "Would you both please come in?" She moved back and so that they could enter the foyer.

Closing the door she turned toward them again. "We can talk in the library." They followed her into the room off to the right of the foyer

As they entered the library she smiled. "Please have a seat. Excuse the mess, I’m just getting settled."

Joe and Peter sat down. "The reason that we are here is that Jacob has asked his Father and his Grandfather if you can be introduced to their small community."

She smiled lovingly. "He is such a precious child. It is very sad that he has had to grow up this long without his mother."

Joe smiled. "Yes, but his father loves him very much."

She sat down in a chair by the sofa. "Yes, and Jacob loves him right back!" Rising once again she asked. "Would either of you like some coffee?"

Joe and Peter smiled. "Yes that would be nice."

As soon as she was out of earshot, Peter looked at Joe. "My God Joe, can you believe this?"

Joe smiled and shook his head. "No! I bet Jacob never dreamed that the woman he has gotten so close to over the last few weeks is really his mother."

Peter agreed. "I just wish she could remember them."

Joe sighed. "Well, maybe she will in time."

"I can’t wait to tell Vincent," said Peter, with a smile.

Joe frowned. "Should you?"

Peter said, "I don’t think keeping this from him would be a good idea."

Joe looked at him and sighed. "But she can’t remember him."

Peter thought a moment. "Yes, but knowing that she survived will make him very happy, and maybe in time she will remember."

At that moment Catlyn came back from the kitchen and the three of them settled down and had a wonderful chat.

><><><><><

Later that night Peter arrived at Father’s chamber. He found Vincent and Father in the middle of their nightly chess game. They both looked up when he entered the chamber.

"We weren’t sure if you would be coming below tonight," said Father.

Peter sat down. "Yes, I have news for you both."

Vincent set the chess piece back on the board. "You’ve seen her?"

Peter nodded and took a sip of tea from the cup that Father offered. "Yes. Joe and I saw her this afternoon."

Father looked at him doubtfully. "So what did you find out about this woman?"

Peter put his cup down. "All I can say is that it’s a miracle."

Vincent looked over at Father then back at Peter. "A miracle?" His heart began beating faster as the hope once again built up in his chest.

Peter put down the cup and put his hand on Vincent’s arm. "Catlyn Channing is really Catherine Chandler."

Vincent and Father sat in stunned silence for a moment, then Vincent spoke again. "Are you certain?"

Peter smiled and nodded. "Yes Vincent. Joe and I both saw and spoke to her. It is definitely Catherine."

Vincent suddenly rose from his chair. Father looked up at him. "Are you all right?"

Vincent stood with his back to them for a few moments. When he turned to face them again, the two older men saw the tears streaming down his cheeks. "I’ve dreamed that something like this could happen,"

Father and Peter smiled. "We know Vincent; I think we’ve all had that dream." Father told him.

He looked at Peter again. "Did she remember you or Joe?"

Peter sighed and shook his head. "No, she didn’t."

Vincent sat back down heavily, staring straight ahead. "Father, how am I supposed to function, knowing that the woman I love more than anything is alive, but that she doesn’t remember anything about me or our relationship?"

Father reached over and put his hand on Vincent’s arm. "She could remember in time."

Vincent looked at Peter. "Do you think that’s possible?"

Peter shrugged. "I can’t make any guarantees Vincent but anything is possible."

Vincent stood once again. "I want her reintroduced to our community immediately."

Father looked at him. "Are you certain that is a good idea right now?"

Peter looked at Father. "Jacob, I agree with Vincent. The sooner we bring her to the tunnels the sooner she might start to remember her past."

Father thought a moment. "We need to let everyone know about this so that they aren’t shocked."

Vincent agreed. "We can tell them tomorrow at the community meeting."

Peter rose. "I have to go but Joe and I will bring her to the tunnels day after tomorrow." Then he put his hand on Vincent’s arm again. "I know it’s hard because she can’t remember you right now but the most important thing is that she ‘s alive."

Vincent looked at his father’s dear friend. "You’re right, Peter, that’s what’s important."

Once he was gone Father looked at Vincent again. "What are you going to tell Jacob?"

Vincent moved toward the steps. "I’m going to tell him he truth."

Father nodded in understanding. "When are you going to tell him?"

Vincent thought a moment. "I’ll tell him tonight."

As he climbed the steps he said, "I’m going to the falls for a while."

Father waved his hand. "Yes of course you go on."

Vincent left the chamber.

Later that night Vincent entered Jacob’s chamber and found him sitting on his bed reading. "Jacob I need to talk to you about something extremely important." Jacob looked up as his father moved over. Vincent sat down on the bed beside him.

Jacob closed his book and moved up against the headboard. "Is everything all right?"

Vincent put his arm around Jacob’s shoulders pulling him close. "Yes, my son. Everything is fine." After a moment, Vincent rose from the bed and walked across the chamber. After a moment he turned and looked at Jacob again. "I need to tell you something about your friend Catlyn."

Jacob smiled upon hearing her name. "Did Uncle Joe and Grandpa Peter talk to her?"

Vincent moved back to the bed and sat down once again. "Yes, they saw her this afternoon."

Jacob leaned forward eagerly. "Is she going to be a helper?"

Vincent smiled at his son’s excitement. "Something like that," he responded. With that he rose again. "I have something to show you. I’ll be right back."

Jacob watched as his father left the chamber, wondering what ‘something like that’ meant.

A few moments later when Vincent returned, Jacob noticed that he was carrying a large covered object. "What’s that?"

Vincent placed the painting against the wall of the chamber and pulled the cover off.

Jacob’s eyes grew wide when he saw the two people in the painting. "That’s you and Catlyn!"

Vincent walked back to the bed and sat down again. "No, that’s me and your mother, Catherine."

Jacob looked at him with wonder in his eyes. "She’s my mother?"

Vincent put his arms around Jacob holding him close. "Yes she is."

Jacob leaned back, wonder in his eyes. "You’ve always told me that my mother was murdered the night I was born."

Vincent tightened his arms around Jacob. "We all thought she had been."

Jacob moved back in his father’s embrace. "Is she going to come back home to us?"

Vincent smiled one of his rare smiles. "Yes, she is coming below tomorrow to be reintroduced to the community."

Jacob looked down for a moment.

Vincent could feel his sadness through their bond. "What is it?"

Jacob looked up at him again. "Will she ever remember us?"

Vincent sighed and pulled him into his arms again. "I’m not sure, Jacob, but we’re going to keep the hope that she will." After a moment he released Jacob and rose. "Now you should get back to your lessons and go to bed."

Jacob grinned. "Okay I will try to concentrate...I love you, Dad."

Vincent turned in the chamber entrance and looked at his beloved son once again. "I love you too." As Jacob turned his attention back to his book Vincent quietly left.

The next day Father and Vincent gathered everyone in the main chamber. "We have discovered some wondrous news that we had to share." Father announced. He looked at Vincent and nodded.

Vincent spoke quietly, but everyone heard him. "Yesterday Peter and Joe found out that the woman that Jacob met in the park a few weeks ago is in fact Catherine, our Catherine Chandler!" Everyone began talking at once asking many questions. Vincent raised his hand to silence them. "She’s coming below with them this afternoon, but she doesn’t remember anything or anyone from the tunnels."

Jamie spoke then. "Will she get her memory back?"

Father replied. "We hope so, Jamie. It’s just going to take time." The buzz of talk began again as everyone made plans for their visitors.

Later that afternoon Father entered Vincent’s chamber. "Are you all right?"

Vincent looked up from the book that he was trying to read. "I’m just nervous."

Father put his hand on Vincent’s shoulder. "Are you certain that you should not be there to see her?"

Vincent’s face showed the tension that he was trying valiantly to hide. " This is going to be a new experience for her, meeting everyone again. I don’t want to risk frightening her."

Father shook his head. "Vincent, she may not remember you right now but I’m certain that you could never frighten her."

Vincent closed his book and put it down. "Even so, Father, she’s going to be under a great deal of stress and I will not add to that."

Father nodded. "We’ll all be in the main chamber."

Vincent chuckled at his parent’s attempt to get him to join the entire community in welcoming Catherine home. "I know, Father. I’ll wait here for Jacob."

<><><><>

Sometime later, Catlyn/Catherine entered the tunnels with Peter and Joe. "Jacob lives here?"

Joe and Peter both grinned at the sound of amazement in her voice. Peter nodded. "Yes. There is an entire community here."

At that moment they heard a message on the pipes. Catherine stopped for a moment and listened. "They’re communicating with one another,"

Joe looked at her curiously. "How do you know that?"

She looked at him and shrugged. "I’m not sure it just seemed like the logical answer."

Joe looked over at Peter. They were both encouraged by her recognition of the pipes as a form of communication. Maybe it would just be a short time before her memory was fully restored.

A few minutes later, they reached the main chamber and found the entire community assembled. Catherine looked at Joe and Peter who both nodded. She took a deep breath then walked down the steps into the chamber.

She smiled when she saw Jacob standing beside Father. "Hey kiddo, it is so good to see you again," Jacob moved into her arms. He wanted so badly to call her mom but he knew from talking to his father that he couldn’t do that.

"I’m glad you’re here." Taking her hand he guided to her to Father. "This is my Grandfather."

Catherine smiled and held out her hand. "I’m pleased to meet you."

Father smiled in return. "And I’m very pleased to meet you! You can call me either Jacob or Father as everyone here does."

She smiled slyly then looked at her son. "I think I should call you Father. It could get confusing otherwise."

Mary moved forward. "I’m Mary."

Catherine shook her hand. "It’s nice to meet you Mary."

She then looked around the chamber. "Is your father here, Jacob?"

The boy looked at Father then at Catherine again. "No. He decided that it was too soon to meet you."

Catherine sighed and looked down for a moment. "I was really hoping to meet him."

><><><><><

At that moment a wonderfully smooth voice spoke from the shadows outside the chamber entrance. "I’m here."

Catherine swung around when she heard his voice. Her face whitened and she staggered a little as all the memories, everything, all the years, all her love for Vincent, came flooding back, overwhelming her. That voice, that beloved voice, had broken the floodgates that had held for thirteen years, with two simple words.

"Vincent?" she asked, in a half whisper, as she recovered somewhat from the rush of memory. "…Vincent?"

He stepped into the light of the chamber, and lowered his hood. She gasped and cupped her hand over her mouth.

He thought he had frightened her. He spoke very low. "I’ll leave, don’t… don’t be frightened."

"No…no, Don’t leave me, Vincent…please!"

When he saw the tears streaming down her face, his heart leaped, and he decided in a split second to take a chance. "Do…do you remember me?"

Wordlessly she held out her arms, as the words came in a rush. "Oh God, Vincent, hold me…please!"

Tears sprang to his eyes as he gazed at her holding out her arms in supplication. In a moment he was down the steps with no knowledge of how he did it, and she was gathered into his arms. His voice was husky with tears as he murmured into her soft hair, breathing in the beloved fragrance of his love, "Oh Catherine…Catherine, you’re home!"

Everyone in the chamber had tears in his or her eyes as they watched the joyous reunion. Jacob looked up at Father and smiled through his own tears. Father put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder and urged him forward. The boy understood what he was saying and moved toward his parents. When he was at their side he spoke. "Mom,"

Catherine moved back in Vincent’s arms and looked down at the boy she had gotten to know over the last few weeks. "Yes, baby, I’m your mom." Catherine put her arm around his shoulders and swept him into the embrace of both his parents, for the first time in his life.

                                                                                                                   Chapter3