By Sherry

She was in trouble. The message she was staring at on her computer screen was all the proof she needed. It quite simply said, "Please stop by my office at your earliest convenience. Madeline." Of course, she had known she was in trouble before the message had ever arrived. The deadline was fast approaching and she was nowhere near completing the assignment. That thought made her laugh. Completing her assignment? She hadn't even begun and couldn't figure out how to start. No matter what she tried, nothing worked. And she knew what Madeline wanted -- to turn the screws a little tighter. More pressure - exactly what she needed. Like that would help move things along.

Sighing, she threw on a pair of shoes and headed out the door. "Might as well get this over with," she mumbled to herself. She made her way quickly to Madeline's office. Standing outside the door, she paused to collect herself. Losing her temper wasn't going to solve anything. She would simply have to sit through another speech from Madeline about the Why’s and wherefore of Section and then she could get back to work. Or, at least, try to.

After taking a few deep breaths she punched in the code to Madeline's security door and waited for the summons from within. "Come in." The door opened and she entered the lion's den.

"Hello Sherry. Thank you for coming."

Sherry smiled. Like she really had any choice in the matter. Madeline motioned to the chair in front of her desk and Sherry sat. After sitting down there were, of course, the mandatory "make 'em wait and quake in their boots" moments of silence for which Madeline was famous. Sherry had been through this before, however, so it didn't bother her much anymore. And it wouldn't today. It didn't matter how long Madeline sat there quietly assessing her; it wouldn't move the process along any faster.

Finally, after waiting what seemed an eternity and having grown tired of it, Sherry decided to give Madeline more ammunition for her file and broke the silence. "Is there something I can do for you, Madeline?"

Madeline smiled. Sherry was coming along very well, although she did have a tendency to speak her mind whenever she was tired or under pressure, regardless of the consequences. Of course, that fact alone only helped Madeline understand her that much better.

"Yes. I thought we needed to have a little chat."

'Great, here it comes,' Sherry thought to herself.

Madeline smiled. She realized that Sherry knew why she was here. It would be interesting to see how she would react to this little meeting.

"What is your covert identity that Section uses from time to time?" Madeline inquired.

Sherry paused and looked at her. "Amani Jensen."

Madeline nodded. "And what does Ms. Jensen do?"

Sighing, Sherry answered. "She's an author."

"And what exactly is it that authors do?" Madeline queried.

Sherry was getting fed up. "Really, Madeline, is this necessary? You're wasting both your time and mine."

Madeline smiled. "Answer the question, please."

Shaking her head, she replied, "An author writes stories, novels, whatever and has them published."

Madeline nodded. "Good. Then at least you remember what you are supposed to be doing."

"How could I forget? You remind me practically every day that the deadline for the next publication is looming."

Madeline continued. "We think you've played around long enough. It's time to get down to serious business."

Sherry was now upset. "Played around! If it's so easy, why don't you go ahead and write the next best seller. I'm sure you could sit down and whip one out in a matter of hours."

Madeline sighed. "You know, we could always have someone else do it. We could simply retire you as Amani Jensen."

Sherry smiled at that statement. "Oh, I don't think so, Madeline. As you know, I've taken a few precautions in that regard. There are a few well-placed people outside of Section that know who Amani Jensen really is."

Madeline was brought up short. She had to keep her wits about her. She had just let Sherry get the better of her. Of course, she knew Sherry had friends, rather well placed friends, who would wonder about someone else claiming to be Jensen. There were a few FBI agents, a Commander in the Navy JAG Corps and his partner, and a mysterious man named Jarod, who just might prove to be the most dangerous one of the bunch.

The two women stared at each other for several moments. Of course, as is wont to happen, they were both becoming more agitated as the meeting progressed. Madeline decided to take control again. She didn't usually lose control, but Sherry had a tendency to put up a fight when she felt justified.

Madeline thought for a moment and then spoke. "Perhaps a change of scenery for a while might be a good idea. Long enough to get the book written or at least an outline prepared and most of the chapters finished."

Sherry stopped in her tracks. Where would they send her? "Let me guess… Abeyance."

Madeline smiled. "As much as I would like to at the moment, Abeyance is not exactly conducive to the creative process. So, no, you will not be placed in Abeyance. Just be prepared to leave soon. And get the team ready. You will need your entire team: personal assistant, agent, chauffeur and bodyguard. We'll let you know shortly where you are heading."

Sherry nodded. "Is there anything else?"

Madeline watched her for a few seconds. "That will be all."

Sherry got up and left Madeline's office. Once the door closed behind her, she stopped and took a deep breath. She knew she shouldn't get so riled up around Madeline. It only gave the woman more fodder for her file and fuel to use against her when the time was right.

Knowing she didn't have much time to get ready, Sherry headed for North's office. She knocked on the door and immediately North called for her to enter.

"Hey Sherry. How's it going?" Seeing her friend's face, North answered her own question. "From the looks of things, not so well."

Sherry flopped down in the nearest chair. "You can say that again."

North put away the folder she had been working on and turned back to her friend. "So let me guess. You just came from a meeting with either Operations or Madeline."

Sherry laughed. "Got it in one. It was the female Ghengis Khan."

North laughed at the description. "What did she want this time? If you can tell me, that is."

"Oh, I can tell you. Amani Jensen is really up against it this time. There's a major deadline approaching and Attila the Hun wanted to turn the screws a little tighter."

North nodded. She was one of only a handful of people -- herself,

Operations, Madeline, Michael, Birkoff, Walter, Davenport, Mentz and

Petrosian -- who knew about Sherry's cover as the reclusive author whose books had become quite popular. Her cover had been used on different occasions as a way of gathering intelligence. Ms. Jensen never made public appearances, but did occasionally travel to private, high security functions, when Section could control things and use it to their advantage.

"So I guess that means we'll be heading out on a mission in the not-too-distant future," North added.

Sherry nodded. "Yeah, only a bit sooner than you think. Well, I guess you can't exactly call this a mission. It seems that Ms. Jensen needs a change of scenery to get her newest book written. So you might wanna start packing."

North nodded. "Any idea where we're going? It would help with the

packing. I don't want to take winter clothes and end up in the tropics, or vice versa."

Sherry laughed. "Well, after that meeting, my guess would be Siberia. I don't think Maddy appreciated what I said."

North shook her head. "Uh oh. What did you say?"

Sherry shrugged. "I simply pointed out to her that the reason Section had such a high attrition rate among operatives was because they got themselves killed on missions so they wouldn't have to come back and listen to any more of her little speeches."

North simply stared at her friend for a few seconds and then burst out

laughing. "You didn't."

Sherry smiled. "Yeah, I did. So be prepared. Maddy wasn't in a

particularly good mood when I left her office."

Just then Sherry's cell phone rang. "Hello."

It was Birkoff. "You and your team will be leaving for Kauai in three hours."

"Kauai? Hawaii?" She couldn't believe her ears.

"Yeah, Hawaii. Three hours. You will be taking the private jet."

Sherry hung up the phone and North laughed. "Did I hear right? We're off to Hawaii?"

Sherry smiled. "Yep. I guess Madeline decided Siberia wouldn't provide a very good backdrop for my next novel. So, now we know where we're going. Be ready in 3 hours. I've gotta go round up the rest of the team. See ya later."

************

Three hours later the team was assembled and ready to go. Along with

Sherry, the team consisted of Northstar, who was Amani Jensen's personal assistant; Petrosian, Amani's agent; Mentz, Ms. Jensen's chauffeur and bodyguard, and Davenport, Ms. Jensen's senior bodyguard.

Petrosian greeted North enthusiastically as she and Sherry arrived. "Hello my most beautiful Northstar."

North bussed his cheek. "Hello, Egran. It's good to see you again. I've missed you around CLHQ recently."

Petrosian smiled. "I am most pleas-ed to hear it, my dear." Then sending a pointed glance in Sherry's direction, he continued. "I do hope there will be some private time for us during our stay."

Sherry smiled knowingly and said, "Well, I'm sure once you two do your thing and get me properly settled, you will have plenty of time for … whatever. Especially once I get the book started, if I ever do."

Petrosian watched Sherry for a few minutes. "I understand you have been hav-ink some trouble getting started vith this one."

Sherry nodded. "You could say that. As of this moment I am at a total loss. I don't even know where to begin."

North wanted to put a positive spin on things. "Well, hopefully the change of scenery will give you some ideas. Maybe the surroundings will jump start the creative process."

Sherry nodded. "I hope so. I don't know what I'll do if this doesn't work. Madeline has already subtly threatened Abeyance, but she was kind enough to hold off for now. And I'm just so sure Abeyance will get the old creative juices flowing - it's so conducive to free thinking and expression."

The entire group laughed at that and then boarded the jet. Mentz and Davenport sat together and went over the intel on the location where they would be staying. It was their job to provide security for the team. North and Petrosian sat together and caught up with one another.

Sherry sat alone and tried to relax. She didn't want to admit it to anyone, but she was really beginning to worry. It had never taken her this long to get an idea for a story. She was fearful that this time she had simply run out of ideas. One thing was certain, she had a SEVERE case of writer's block.

Several hours into the trip, North decided to check in with Sherry. She had felt that Sherry seemed a bit distracted lately. Now she knew why. She was concerned about her friend. She would do everything in her power to help her come up with an idea. No one was certain what would happen if Sherry failed to deliver. The publisher was waiting for the book, but that wasn't the important thing. Section, itself, was counting on the publication for future intelligence gathering missions. These things were planned well in advance. If the book didn't materialize … well, Operations and Madeline, not to mention Oversight, would be very unhappy. And that was too much pressure for anyone to be under, much less someone trying to be creative and write a book.

North sat down beside Sherry. "Hey girl. Now tell me, how are you really doing?"

Sherry looked out the window and then back to North. "Do you really need to ask? I'm totally blocked. I've tried everything I can think of to get inspired. I've walked around the city people watching. I've listened to music. I've watched movie and after movie after movie. I've read books. I've actually had an idea or two and tried to make them work, but … nothing."

Nodding her head, North sighed as well. "Is there anything I can do that will help?"

Sherry smiled at her good friend. "How are you at writing novels?"

They both laughed at that. North shook her head. "Well, let's just say that's not a good idea. But anything else, I'm willing to try."

"Just throw out any ideas you might think of. I need all the inspiration I can get."

Petrosian had walked up to them and sat down nearby. "Vhy don't you try writink vhat you know?"

Egran Petrosian was not one of Sherry's favorite people. She didn't know why Operations had ever put him on her team. The only reason she could think of was because he had many contacts all over the world, which could come in handy. However, at this moment, Sherry didn't want to deal with him.

"Write what I know? Gee, now why didn't I think of that? Do you know how many times I've had that quaint little phrase thrown in my face in the past month? Every writer knows that, and apparently everyone else as well."

Petrosian sighed. "I am sorry. I did not mean to offend you. I can certainly see vhy you and Michael get along so vell, however. You are both ungrateful and in-com-pe-tent."

Seeing the storm clouds gathering in her friend's eyes, North decided to intervene. "Egran, that was totally uncalled for. I think you better go back to our seat. I'll join you in a minute. And Sherry, I know you're under a lot of pressure, but being snide with your team really won't help."

Sherry nodded and turned back to the window. North and Petrosian moved

back to their original seats. "I'm worried about her," North told him.

"As you should be," he replied. "She vill have a big problem ahead of her if she doesn't get the job done. I think Madeline did the right thing sending her avay from Section for a vhile. She is much too tense. The sooner she relaxes, the sooner she vill be able to complete the mission.

As they neared their destination, Sherry called the team together. "First, I want to apologize to you, Petrosian. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Egran nodded his acceptance of her apology. "Do not vorry about it. I understand."

Then Davenport went over the security measures that he and Mentz would be putting into place, and the team went over the whole scenario one last time. A few minutes after they finished the briefing, the plane landed.

Mentz, in his capacity as chauffeur, and Petrosian, as her manager, disembarked. Davenport, North and Sherry remained on the plane until the other two returned with a high-security limousine befitting the lifestyle that Amani Jensen maintained. She and the rest of her team deplaned in an area of the airfield that was a good distance from the airport itself. No one, other than those who were meant to find out, was to know the identity of Amani Jensen.

Once everyone was settled in the limo, they headed off to their new temporary home. Sherry could feel herself begin to slightly unwind. It was wonderful to be away from Section and all the constant pressure. Thinking of that, however, she could feel herself tensing up again.

North noticed and shook her head. "Sherry stop thinking about it. We're here, in Hawaii. Let yourself go … relax. If you're ever going to get anywhere, you're going to have to."

Laying her head back and closing her eyes, Sherry sighed. "I know. I'm trying, truly I am. I just wish…" but then she stopped her sentence and remained quiet.

North had a pretty good idea what she was wishing, but didn't say anything. If all else failed, then North would act on her idea.

After traveling for what seemed like forever, the limo stopped. Petrosian got out and went to see the manager of the resort. They wouldn't actually be staying in the resort, but the resort owned the property where they would be staying, and Petrosian needed to get the keys and let the owners know that Ms. Jensen and her party had arrived. He also made it abundantly clear that Ms. Jensen was not to be disturbed by the press or anyone else. If she needed something, either he or Ms. Jensen's personal assistant would see to it. As far as the resort was concerned, they were not even here. He explained that Ms. Jensen was looking for a special location in which to set her new novel, and this island and this particular resort just may be it. However, if things did not go well, she would definitely change her mind.

Being used to celebrities and all their eccentricities, the resort manager was completely gracious and agreeable to all demands from the group. He knew that somewhere along the line, the press would most likely get wind of Ms. Jensen's stay, which usually happened when celebrities came to visit, but he swore he would see to it that it didn't come from his staff.

Once Petrosian was back in the car, they drove for another few miles until they reached their destination. It was late afternoon when they arrived and everyone was tired from the trip. Of course, they couldn't get out of the limo just yet. Not until Davenport and Mentz did a sweep of the house and the surrounding area. Once that was done, the doors were opened and Sherry, North and Petrosian got out. Sherry took one look around her and fell in love with the place.

"North look!" she exclaimed. "This place is wonderful. It truly is paradise."

Northstar was looking around as well, admiring the place they would be calling home for a while. "Madeline certainly outdid herself this time. She must have really admired your standing up to her to get this kind of treatment. And she apparently knows you very well."

The retreat was totally secluded. Not another villa, house, hotel, anything to be seen anywhere. There was a large, white, two-story house in front of them, with a wide veranda encircling it on both levels. There were beautiful exotic flowers planted around the house and in the gardens behind it. There was a beautiful white beach a short distance down a small slope from the house, which surrounded a large lake.

Not too far from the house and surrounding the whole area were trees… actually it was a rainforest. According to Davenport's Intel, there was a waterfall not too far away from the house. Sherry made a mental note to check it out at her earliest chance. She still couldn't believe her eyes. This place was like heaven. If she could have chosen the perfect place to live … this would be it.

Once they had taken in their surroundings, everyone grabbed their stuff and moved into the house. It was just as lovely inside as out. There were four large, airy bedrooms (each containing their own bath), a living area, a dining room, a huge kitchen and a sunroom.

Sherry was given first choice of a room. She chose one that overlooked the lake and beach. North took the room next to hers, which had a connecting door; Egran took the room on the other side of the hall from North. Mentz and Davenport shared the room next to Petrosian and across the hall from Sherry.

Once everyone's bags were unpacked, North volunteered to make dinner for them. Sherry protested, but North insisted. Egran volunteered to help. Sherry decided to take a walk along the lake, which would soon become her nightly ritual. As she headed out the door, Petrosian called out to her. "Vhere are you going?"

Sherry stopped and looked back. "I'm going to take a walk along the lake. I won't be long." Knowing she wanted to be alone, but having orders to follow, he responded, "You can't go alone. Take Davenport and Mentz with you."

Sherry didn't want any company, but she also didn't want to fight. "Fine. Come on guys, let's go. Just don't hover. I want some space to relax and think."

Davenport and Mentz made sure they had their weapons with them and headed out the door behind her. Sherry didn't really mind their company; she liked both of them. But right now, she simply wanted solitude. And she was impressed with the way they held back and didn't encroach on her personal space. She could feel herself relaxing a little. This was great… it just might be exactly what she needed.

She didn't wander too far from the house since North was preparing dinner. After walking for a while, she sat down on the beach and stared out over the lake. Watching the fish jump in the lake, she let her mind drift. This place would make a wonderful setting for her book. Now all she needed was a plot and some characters. Closing her eyes and simply sitting, she tried to empty her mind and let the thoughts flow freely. Something would eventually pop into her head.

After sitting that way for a while, Sherry started to feel the pressure once again. What would she do if she couldn't write? What would Section do to her? There was too much riding on this. She had to come through. As the thoughts swirled around in her head, she completely tensed up again. Sighing, she decided it would take more than a few minutes by the lake to calm her fears. She wasn't quite sure what it was that she needed, but she hoped that, whatever it was, it came soon.

Getting up off the beach, she called to Mentz and Davenport to join her. Maybe just listening to their friendly banter would help. Anything to stop the endless thoughts running through her mind.

Davenport walked up beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, kiddo, it'll be okay. You'll come through, you always do. Stop worrying. I know you can do it." Sherry smiled and leaned against him. "Thanks Davenport. I appreciate the vote of confidence. I just wish I could believe it."

After dinner, Sherry went to bed. Mentz and Davenport did another sweep of the area, checked the security cameras and other security measures they had taken. North and Petrosian sat together in the living room. They sipped some wine and talked about everything and nothing. Once she was certain Sherry was going to stay in her room, North got serious.

"I'm really worried about her, Egran. She's under way too much pressure."

Egran pulled North close to him. "I know. I understand how much you care about all the girls at CLHQ, and especially your close friends. But I don't vant you vorry-ink yourself sick. We will do everything we can to help her, but ultimately, it is up to her."

North sighed. "I know. It's just that…"

Petrosian leaned down and kissed her. "Enough talk about Section and Amani Jensen. We have some time to ourselves. Vhat do you say to taking a stroll on the beach with me?"

North smiled. "I thought you'd never ask. Are you sure it's okay?"

Petrosian called out to Davenport. "Northstar and I are going for a valk. Please stay here and make sure that Sherry is not alone. If I find you have doz-ed off when I return, it will be your heads."

Mentz walked into the living room. "No problem. We just finished the security check. We will be here if she needs anything."

North and Petrosian walked hand-in-hand down to the beach. They returned several hours later, looking very much the happy couple. 

************

The next morning began what would become the ritual for the remainder of their stay. After everyone was up and had breakfast, they took off exploring. This was Sherry's time to relax and unwind, and everyone knew it. After lunch, she would retire to her room to work and the rest of the team was on their own until dinner, as long as someone was at the house with Sherry at all times. After dinner, Sherry would again take a walk, always along the beach around the lake. The others took turns going with her if she wanted company. If not, Mentz or Davenport would follow and keep an eye on her.

At the end of the first week, Sherry came down from her room, very dejected. North was the first to notice her expression.

"What's wrong, Sherry?" North inquired.

Sherry flopped down on the sofa. "What else … we've been here a week and I haven't been able to write one page, or even come up with a plausible idea. I'm beginning to think it's hopeless."

North exchanged glances with Egran and nodded. "Don't talk crazy, Sherry. We've barely been here a week. You're only now starting to relax. I think you're still pushing too hard. From what you've told me, you have to let it come to you, not force it. I think you're still trying to force it."

Sherry sighed. "I guess you're right. But I'm running out of time. I can't let it go much longer."

North nodded. "Okay, but how about this? Tomorrow, let's completely forget about why we're here, forget about the book. Let's just pretend we're on vacation and we can do whatever we want all day long. No locking yourself away in your room to work. Just do whatever you want. If you simply want to sit by the lake, then do it. If you want to hike through the rainforest all day, do it. Whatever you want."

Sherry smiled. Maybe North was right. "Sounds wonderful. Okay, I'll try it. Certainly can't hurt anything. Thanks, North."

North nodded and then continued. "We actually have another suggestion as well."

Sherry looked at North, who was looking to Petrosian. "We? Okay, what is it?"

Petrosian answered. "We were thinking that you need to have an office. Get your computer and writing equipment out of your bedroom. Your bedroom should be a place to rest and relax. You can't do that if you see the computer sitting there waiting for you every time you walk in the door."

Sherry thought for a moment and nodded. "That's a good idea. But where would I get an office? It's not like we have any spare room."

North answered. "Well, we were thinking I could move in with Egran and you could use my room as your office. That way your room and your office are connected if you have a desire to get up in the middle of the night and work."

Sherry laughed out loud. "Oh, that's a great one guys! And I appreciate both of you making such a sacrifice for me."

Everyone laughed. "Well, what do you think?" North finally asked.

"Sounds good to me. And it gives you two a reason to room together to boot! Couldn't have planned it better myself." The group then went to work moving North into Egran's room and creating a comfortable office for Sherry. Once they were finished, Sherry headed out for her evening stroll by the lake. As she headed out the door, she turned around and called "Thanks you two. I know it was quite a sacrifice." North picked up a pillow and threw it at her as she headed out the door.

The next day Sherry slept in late. She had a leisurely breakfast out on the veranda. Davenport told her that North and Petrosian had gone for a walk. After breakfast, she decided simply to sit by the lake and read for awhile. She grabbed the book she had started reading before they took this little trip. She lost herself in the story she was reading and forgot about everything else. Once she realized she was hungry, she headed back to the house. And she noticed she was actually feeling more relaxed.

North and Egran returned to the house very lovey-dovey. They had found a lovely little cove of trees in the woods and had enjoyed a picnic. Sherry smiled at them. She was glad for her friend. She knew how North felt about Petrosian, and also that she rarely got a chance to spend any time with him.

The group spent the rest of the day simply lazing around. No one talked about the book or Section. Sherry told Davenport and Mentz to get out and do something for themselves for a change. She would be fine. After a little cajoling, they consented.

The next morning Sherry awoke quite early -- 4:30 a.m. She lay there for a moment and when she opened her eyes to check what time it was, she groaned. She had a migraine. And it was a doozy. Closing her eyes immediately, she lay there for a few more moments and then decided she had better get up and take her medication. The headache was pretty much full-blown, but hopefully the medicine would ease the pain.

She made her way down to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk. When she turned around to pour it, she almost dropped the milk as she saw a gun pointed at her. It was Davenport."

"It's only me, Davenport. You can put the gun away."

"Sorry, Sherry. I heard someone moving around and thought I'd better check it out," he apologized.

"No problem. I just needed to get some milk to take my migraine medication."

Davenport waited until she had taken the medication and then asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No. I'm going back to bed and I'm going to stay there until it let's up. The way it feels it will be a while, so you can tell the others that I probably won't be up and about for a while. Oh yeah, and try to have everyone keep the noise level down."

"Will do. Hope you feel better soon," he said as he escorted her back to her room.

"Thanks." Then Sherry closed the door to her room and crawled back in bed. She tried to go back to sleep, but she had no luck. She knew why this was happening. She was beginning to relax. When she first started getting the migraines, the doctor told her that it was her body's way of relieving stress. She had been feeling more relaxed every day. Yesterday, forgetting about the pressure she was under must have been the trigger. She had finally relaxed. And now she was paying for it.

A few hours later she heard the others getting up and moving around. As of yet, she hadn't been able to get back to sleep. All she could think about was the pain in her head and her left eye. Oh … and the nausea in her stomach. If she could only cut out the offending part of her brain!

As the sun rose in the sky, the light coming in her room was getting stronger, even through the curtains. She wanted to get up and cover the windows with something, but she just didn't have the energy.

A short time later, there was a soft knock on the door and North entered. "Are you asleep?"

Sherry groaned. "I wish. No such luck, however."

North walked over and sat down on the side of her bed. "Can I do anything for you?"

Opening her eyes was painful, but she managed. "If you don't mind, could you find some blankets or something to cover up the windows? I can't handle the light."

"Sure, no problem. Anything else?"

"Yeah, around 10:30 could you bring me another glass of milk? It'll be time for another dose of medicine then. Oh, and you might want to check and make sure I'm still alive every once in a while."

North agreed and quickly found some blankets and covered the windows. It helped. Sherry sighed. Any relief, however momentary, was more than welcome. She heard North moving around her room, so she opened one eye and watched her. "What are you doing, North?"

"I'm taking your weapon. I've heard you say more than once that when you have those headaches you wish someone would just shoot you. I'm not taking any chances, even though I know you wouldn't do it."

Sherry groaned and North then chided, "Besides, if the phone would happen to ring, you might shoot it. I don't think the resort people would appreciate that. And, it's not the kind of reputation Amani Jensen should have."

Sherry sighed. "Oh all right. A girl can't have any fun."

After taking the second dose of medication, she finally fell asleep and slept all day. Unbeknownst to her, her colleagues were taking action of their own. North and Petrosian discussed the problem and then he made a call to Section. North had decided it was time to pull out all the stops. If Sherry didn't soon get things moving along, Madeline would take matters into her hands.

When she finally woke up, Sherry glanced at the clock and noticed it was after 8:00 in the evening. Taking a deep breath, she sat up. She was actually feeling much better. The headache wasn't completely gone, but it was better. Getting up, she went into the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth. Throwing on some clothes, she grabbed another pill and went downstairs.

The living room was quite cozy. There was a fake log blazing in the fireplace, and the room was lit with candles. North and Egran were huddled close together on the sofa talking softly.

Sherry tried not to disturb them as she headed for the kitchen, but North saw her. "Hey girl, how are you feeling?"

Sherry turned and smiled. "Better. I'm gonna take one more pill to get rid of the last of the headache but I feel better."

After taking her pill, Sherry grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the door, only to be stopped once again by Petrosian.

"Vhere do you think are you going?"

Sherry sighed. "I'm going for a walk on the beach, same as I've done every night we've been here. Do we really need to have this discussion again?"

He nodded. "Fine, if you are up to it, but you have to take someone with you. Especially after the day you've had. You are not yourself yet."

"Well, Davenport and Mentz are out on their security rounds and I'm not gonna disturb you and North. I'll be fine. Stop worrying."

Petrosian, however, wasn't about to give up. "That's vhat we're here for. To worry. Now you will either take one of us with you or you'll wait until the others get back and take them with you."

Just then a voice came from the doorway. "That won't be necessary. I'll go with her."

************

Sherry turned around and couldn't believe her eyes. "Michael? What are you doing here?"

Michael walked over to Sherry and kissed her.

Petrosian took the opportunity to speak. "Well, Michael, it seems you're timing is improving."

Michael glared at the older man, and North poked him with her elbow. "I'm glad you got here so quickly, Michael," North added.

Michael nodded. Sherry was still wondering what was going on. "Is somebody gonna tell me why you're here, Michael?"

North sighed. "It was my idea. I knew you were still having trouble with the book, and I knew you were wishing Michael was here. Egran and I discussed it and he made the call to Madeline. She agreed it was a good idea. She's also using it as great publicity for Amani Jensen. It seems that Ms. Jensen is getting engaged during this little excursion. The news will hit the papers tomorrow."

Sherry stared at them in surprise. "You're kidding. Engaged?"

Michael put his arm around her and said, "You would rather marry someone else?"

Sherry turned to him and answered, "Well, Davenport and I have been getting pretty close since we've been here. I was kinda hoping…"

Michael pulled her close and kissed her soundly. "Don't even think about it. And I'm gonna have a talk with Davenport."

Petrosian interrupted the happy couple. "Michael, I assume you paid a visit to the resort manager?"

Michael nodded. "Yes. He was only too pleased to accommodate Ms. Jensen's fiancé-to-be. I'm sure he called all the local papers the second I walked out of his office."

Petrosian nodded. "Good."

Sherry pulled Michael toward the door. "Sorry to break this up folks, but I need to get out this house for a while. We'll be back."

As they walked on the beach, Michael asked, "Are you okay? You look a little pale and tired."

Sherry laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm okay. I just had a killer migraine today. I actually slept most of the whole day."

Michael kissed her forehead. He thought it felt slightly warm, but wasn't overly concerned considering what she had just told him. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're feeling better though."

They reached a secluded area and Sherry sat down. Michael moved in close to her and reached into his pocket. "I have something for you," and he held out a small jewelry box. Sherry took the box and opened it. Inside was a beautiful sapphire ring with a small diamond on each side.

"It's beautiful." Sherry whispered. She looked at it again and then it hit her.

"Michael, this is the ring I said I liked at that jewelry store we passed the other week."

Michael nodded and then took the box from her and removed the ring. Then he placed it on her ring finger. "Will you marry me?"

Sherry smiled and said, "Of course I will. It's not like I have a choice."

Michael was a bit surprised at her answer. Sherry looked down at the ring on her finger and wished that it could be real - not just a prop for Amani Jensen. She apparently sighed out loud because Michael asked her what was wrong.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking and wishing…"

"What were you wishing? Tell me," Michael prodded.

Sherry shook her head. "No, it wasn't important."

Michael turned her face toward his. "Tell me."

Sherry sighed. "Fine. I was just wondering what it would be like if this were real. If you really were proposing, and this wasn't just an act for Section."

Michael smiled and kissed her forehead again. "But Mon Cherie, it's not an act. I am serious."

Sherry pulled back. "Michael, don't tease me. That's cruel."

Michael pulled her close to him again. "I am not teasing. I am very serious. I am asking you, Sherry, to marry me, Michael. And before you say anything else, I've already made it clear to Operations and Madeline that this is what I want and they decided to give in."

Sherry smiled. "I'm sure there was a bit more to it than that. I can't imagine them giving in so easily."

Michael was quiet for a few seconds and the replied, "I have my ways."

Sherry got nervous then. "You're serious? You really want to marry me?"

Michael smiled. "Deadly serious. I love you with all my heart, and I thought you loved me."

"Michael, I do. You know I do. I'm sorry."

Michael continued. "So, now that we have that settled, will you marry me?"

Sherry laughed. "Oh Michael, yes. Of course I will. I can't believe this is actually happening," and she threw her arms around him.

"Believe it. And as soon as we can arrange it, we're getting married," Michael quietly ordered.

"Is that an order?" Sherry asked.

"You better believe it," Michael answered.

Sherry acquiesced quite easily. "Oh, okay." Then she was thoroughly and soundly kissed by her fiancé.

It was much, much later when the couple returned to the house. North and Egran were still up, and North noticed the look on her friend's face.

"Is there something you want to tell us Sherry?" she asked.

Sherry smiled at Michael, who nodded. "Oh, it's nothing really. Michael and I are getting married."

North squealed and jumped off the couch and hugged her friend. "That's wonderful!" she said and then hugged Michael as well.

Petrosian got up and congratulated Michael. "It's about time, Michael. I vas beginning to wonder if you would ever come to your senses and get around to it."

At that moment, Sherry passed out. Michael caught her and carried her up to her room. Assuming she had overdone it after the migraine, what with the excitement of getting engaged, and the walk on the beach, and not having eaten anything all day. However, much later that night, Michael awoke to find Sherry tossing and turning. He thought she was simply having a nightmare. He reached over to try and calm her and noticed that she was burning up. He tried to wake her, but he had no luck. He got up and got a cold washcloth to hold on her head. She eventually calmed down, but she still didn't wake up.

A few hours later, she hadn't awakened and she was still burning up. Michael informed the others and Petrosian got on the phone to Section immediately. Michael and North stayed with Sherry, trying to keep her cooled down and quiet.

Medlab requested a blood sample. Michael took it and Petrosian immediately forwarded it to Section. It didn't take long for Madeline to report back that Sherry had a virulent strain of a local virus. It seems that the headache they all thought was a migraine was actually the precursor symptom of the virus. Medlab told them what drugs were needed to fight the virus and Davenport was sent after them. Michael and North stayed with Sherry trying to keep her quiet. Michael administered the drug as soon as Davenport arrived. It didn't take long for Sherry to quiet down, but she still didn't wake up.

Two days later she was still out. Michael and North had been in constant contact with Medlab and Section. Michael didn't leave her bedside. North finally made him go into Davenport and Mentz's room and get some sleep. He slept for a few hours and then was right back at Sherry's side.

Everyone was worried. If she didn't wake up soon, there would be nothing they could do.

Unaware of what was going on around her, Sherry was having quite some strange dreams. She was having mixed up dreams about her friends at CLHQ, Michael, kidnappings, bombs, weddings, TV shows, forests, waterfalls, picnics and animals.

They reached the critical time period. Michael administered the final dose of the medication they were using. If this didn't work, she wouldn't survive. They all sat quietly and waited and prayed for a miracle. A short time later, she stirred. Michael immediately moved to sit on the bed and talked to her. After a few minutes, her eyes fluttered open.

"Michael?"

"Thank God," he said. "Really, Sherry, if you didn't want to marry me you could have just said so. You didn't have to resort to something so drastic." He then reached over and felt her forehead. It was finally cool. The fever had broken.

"What's going on, Michael? What are you talking about?" Sherry asked.

"You've given us all the scare of our lives, that's what's going on," North said as she walked into the room. "It's about time you woke up lady."

North went to get her some juice and Michael filled her in on what had been going on.

She was very tired, but she felt more relaxed than she had in months. After drinking some water, she went back to sleep. However, this time, she was sleeping the sleep of the exhausted. Her body needed to recover.

The next morning she had a smile on her face when North came to check on her.

"And just what are you smiling about?" she asked.

Sherry laughed. "I've got it. I've finally got the story for my book."

"So, let us all in on the secret. What are you gonna write your book about?"

"Give me a few minutes to get dressed and I'll fill you all in."

Michael and North both protested that she needed her rest, but Sherry was adamant. I've apparently been doing nothing but resting for the past few days. I'm okay. And I promise I won't stay up too long. I just need to get out of this bed."

Once she moved downstairs with Michael's assistance, Sherry flopped down on the couch and motioned them all to sit down. "Okay, here goes."

"The story is about a female agent in a clandestine government agency. She has the grace and agility of a cat and therefore her colleagues have nicknamed her "Cat." Her partner, let's call him Payne, has recently been killed on a mission. She has vowed revenge against the group that killed her partner. While she's on the mission to take down these terrorists, a Chicago cop and his partner, who happens to be a Canadian Mountie, stumble across her mission. The story gets a bit more confusing when we find out the cop, Stan, is actually pretending to be another cop, Ray. The Mountie, Ben, had been Ray's partner before he was Stan's partner. Both men are attracted to Cat, and she is attracted to each of them. Will she manage to successfully finish her mission without losing either of them? Will she be able to keep them far enough removed from what she really does that they don't get pulled into the agency? Will she avenge her partner's murder? And last but not least, which man will win her heart?"

Everyone sat there quietly for a few moments, and then North spoke. "It sounds wonderful. I'm sure it will be a huge success."

"Of course it will," Michael added. "And as soon as the book is finished … we've got a wedding to plan."

Sherry laughed. "Now that's what I call inspiration."

The End

This story ©copyright Sherry, 2000