Title: Winter Fears
(Formerly: A Shaolin Christmas Saga)

Characters: KwaiChang Caine, Peter Caine, Dr. Saborin, appearances from 101st Gang

Warnings: Non

Plot: Peter has become severly stricken with Bronchopneumonia. His prognosis is not good. Memories of the Temple during a particularly harsh winter have brought those fears back to haunt Caine. Only a miracle may be able to save Peter.

It was one of those harsh mid-winter days, the kind of day that noboy in their right mind would be out in. Despite the howling winds, the 101st precinct was buzzing with life, and even more shorthanded than usual. Suspects were being booked, officers were trying to wade through a snowstorm of paperwork, and the buik of the force seemed to have suddenly come down with the flu. Among the chaos of shouting and ringing phones, walked one tiny area of peaceful calm, though the expression on the new arrival's face easily conveyed that something was disturbing him. He walked through the precinct with a grace born of practiced ease. As he approached the front desk, his eyes scanned the room until they fell upon the one whom he sought. The object of his gaze had laid his head down a few minutes earlier to take a brief nap from the chaos only to find that he could not raise it again. The older man moved swiftly to the younger's side to brush his hands along the young man's forehead and was alarmed at what he found there.

"You have a growing fever, my son. I must get you home."

The captain had observed the man from a distance, and had grown concerned at his arrival. She exited the relative quite of her office and watched him helping one of her officers.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Caine?"

"My son is ill. I must get him home."

"Peter's shift isn't over yet. We're short handed as it is so we need all the manpower we can muster. Besides, with the way things are going, I would not be surprised to find him developing a sudden case of the "blue flu." Let him be until he's done with his shift." Icy frustration laced her voice.

"What is blue flu?" Caine ignored the chill that was emanating from the police captain. It was obvious that something more was going on but his immediate concern was for his son.

"It is a term used when cops suddenly get the urge to take the day off when the working conditions become unbearable. You suddenly get a rash of calls from everyone claiming to have the flu and no one shows for work. Those that do come in end up doing the brunt of the work until they, themselves suddenly come down with the same thing. Next thing you know, you have a strike on your hands. I'm trying to prevent that from happening."

"I do not believe this is a case of "blue flu". It is very real."

Kwai Chang again bent down and lifted his son into his arms to help him home.

Captain Simms stepped forward and placed her hand on the young man's forehead, not quite believing the Shaolin. She was alarmed at how warm Peter felt. Up until now she believed the young man was simply exhausted from having to carry so much of the workload because so many officers had called in sick. He had also complained earlier that he was not feeling well, but with the rash of illnesses causing cops to leave their posts, Captain Simms refused his request to leave early by confining him to desk duty. Discovering it wasn't what she was thinking earlier, realizing she wished she had been less harsh on him in the beginning. Motherly instinct, something she had worked very hard to make certain none in the precinct even suspected she had, kicked in. Only three people in the precinct were aware that she even was a mother and she chose to keep it that way.

"Bring him into my office. We'll take his temperature and I'll see if I can get someone to drive the two of you home."

As Caine lifted him from the chair and followed the captain, Peter tried to protest. Unfortunately, he was both too weak and too exhausted for his mumbling to have any effect. His father laid him on the couch, pulling off his brown jacket, and wrapping it around his son's shoulders in an effort to stop his violent shivering. Captain Simms and Caine looked at each other with concern, both thinking exactly the same thing. 'His fever must be extremely high for his body to react in such a manner.' The captain reached into her top drawer and pulled out a thermometer and expertly inserting it into Peter's mouth. Four minutes later, Captain Simms checked it and shook her head, alarm and worry clearly showing on her face.

"103. You're right. He's in bad shape. If it goes any higher we may have to take him to the hospital."

"I will take care of him. I have herbs that will bring the fever down."

As they were discussing what to do with the sick detective, Kermit entered the precinct carrying several wrapped packages. He quickly went to his office and hid them under his desk, glaring at his fellow officers from behind his green tinted shades and silently daring any one of them to say a word. There were bound to be questions sooner or later, but for now, his intimidation worked it's magic. As he exited his office to grab a cup of coffee, he noticed that Peter's desk was wide open and abandoned. Papers were piled nearly to the height of his computer monitor. He quickly looked around and caught sight of Caine standing in Captain Simm's office. If Caine was there, Peter must be also. Seeing that Peter's gun was open and exposed, Kermit slid the drawer shut just as Captain Simms came out of her office.

"Somebody check to see if we have a squad car available," she ordered tersely.

"What's up Captain?" Kermit approached her.

"Good, Kermit you'll do." She waved him into her office.

Kermit stopped short when he saw Peter laying on the Captain's couch and Caine gently rubbing his son's right temple. "What happened?"

"He's got a very high fever. Caine wants to take him home."

"How bad is it?" Kermit was concerned. He had not seen Peter this sick since before he had joined the force, back when Paul had been the captain. In fact, the only times he had seen Peter in bad enough shape to require admittance to the hospital were for poisonings, stabbings, gunshot wounds, and other natural disasters resulting from his chosen career.

"103." Simms replied, rubbing the weariness from her eyes.

"I'll get them home. Let me get Peter's jacket."

"I will lend him mine as well. He will stay warmer that way."

"But you'll freeze out there."

Caine just shrugged his shoulders to indicate that it did not matter, that he was used to being out in all kinds of weather conditions. Kermit helped Caine to support his son and they were soon out the precinct door. To avoid any remarks made by suspects or troublemakers, they left by the back door, experience telling them both that it would not be wise to broadcast the fact that a certain Shaolin Cop was ill. There were those who just might try to take advantage of his condition.

Caine climbed into the back seat of the rental car and Kermit guided Peter in so his head could lay in his father's lap. Questioning the ex-mercenary with a silent gaze, Kermit replied, "My car isn't what you would call winter friendly. With the way the weather's been I would prefer to have something a little more reliable right now. It's a good thing because the three of us wouldn't have fit in the Corvair."

Suddenly, Peter's body was wracked with deep spasms as a series of coughs erupted from him. Alarmed, Caine placed his hands on his son's chest. He could feel that his son's lungs were badly congested, and that fluid was rapidly filling them. Peter coughed again, this time turning his head. Kwai Chang had pulled a cloth from his pouch and placed it under his son's face so he could catch the liquid that was constricting his son's breathing. Green sputum, mixed with spots of red, landed on the cloth. Kermit, too, was alarmed at what he saw.

"Caine, I'm taking him to a hospital right now. He's got more than just the flu. He may have pneumonia."

"Please, do what is necessary to help my son."

Kermit quickly climbed into the front seat, at first deciding to forego the seatbelt, then thought better of it. It would do them little good to be stopped by an over anxious uniformed officer having a bad day. He pulled out his cell-phone and speed dialed the number to Peter's doctor.

"Doctor Sabourin's office."

"This is Detective Griffin. Is the doctor available? This is an emergency."

"Just one moment, sir."

Kermit tapped his left foot impatiently on the floor of the car as he was put on hold, glad to have rented an automatic at least this time around. Minutes seemed like hours as he waited for a response on the other end of the line. Anger began to build at the seemingly insensitivity of the receptionist that had so readily dismissed him. Un-vented frustration did not mix well with an ex-mercenary. Kermit continued to glance into the backseat to check on his passengers.

"This is Dr. Sabourin." a wearilness could be heard in her voice.

"Doc, this is Kermit. I'm bringing Peter Caine in. He's got a fever of 103 and he's just started coughing up phlem mixed with blood. His father is here with him."

Doctor Sabourin breathed a heavy sigh. The symptoms that Kermit had described did not sound good. If it was what she suspected, Peter Caine would be the 20th patient in the last week. "I'll have a stretcher standing by."

Kermit hung up the phone and pulled out the red cherry, placing it on the top of his car. The siren bellowed out its urgent call, forcing drivers who would have normally cursed at the person cutting in and out of traffic to move quickly out of the way. It wasn't long before they arrived at County General on the edge of Chinatown.

"Get that stretcher over here!"

Kermit opened the side door next to Kwai Chang. He reached in to assist the priest but quickly moved aside as Kwai Chang pulled Peter from the car himself then carried him to the stretcher. He continued to hold onto his son's hand and to try to keep him still as they entered the emergency room. Peter let loose with another series of deep hacking coughs. Pain was apparent on his face as he struggled to breath and tears ran down his cheeks. He feebly called out to his father as they took him to x-ray.

"It is all right my son. I will be nearby." In truth, Caine did not want to let Peter go, but the doctors needed to do their jobs unhindered. Waves of helplessness threatened to overwhelm Caine as he watched the stretcher bearing his son disappear through the double doors. Kwai Chang felt a supporting hand on his shoulder as Kermit guided him to a chair to wait for the results.

It wasn't long before Dr. Sabourin came down the hall. Both Caine and Kermit rose to their feet, anxious to hear the results. Dr. Sabourin guided them to a more private space within the waiting area and insisted that they both sit.

"I am afraid your son has a severe case of bronchopneumonia. It looks like it started out as a simple flu bug but became worse. Do you know if Peter may have had cold-like symptoms in the last week?"

"Everyone at the precinct has had some kind cold or flu this week," Kermit said. "I just assumed it was more of the same thing. I've rarely seen Peter sick and usually it's only for a day or two."

"I have not seen my son for several days. I was aware that he was ill but . . ."

"I know, trying to persuade Peter to take a few days off because of the flu is like trying to stop a tidal wave with a teacup. As soon as we have him settled into a room, you can see him. Don't be too alarmed when you do. We have him on a ventilator and we're trying to keep his lungs clear. He'll be on an IV as well, so we can get the antibiotics into his system as quickly as possible. I am afraid his prognosis is not very good. Since you brought him in, his fever has risen another full point. He is the most severe case we've had so far this year. Still, if we can continue to keep his lungs clear, he may have a chance of pulling through. We'll do all we can."

For a moment, neither man spoke. Kermit broke the silence,

"Caine, I'm going to head back to the precinct and inform Captain Simms. I take it you're staying here?"

"Yes," Caine nodded, worry distorting his features. He had always feared that Peter might be killed in the line of duty as a cop; that he would arrive too late to stop the next bullet from reaching his son. Never had he imagined that death would come from a sudden illness such as this. The doctor's words echoed in his head. He searched his mind for any little thing he could have done to prevent this, but he knew there was nothing. Now, the only options open to him were to wait, to try and strengthen his son's chi with his presence, and to stay by his side to let him know that he was not alone.

Kermit arrived back at the precinct. A lull in the chaos had brought on a silence that sought to remind everyone present just how many of the 101st's inhabitants were out with the flu. With Peter's desk empty, the place felt even more dead. As Kermit entered, Captain Simms spotted him and immediately broke off the conversation she was having with Sergent Broderick in regards to requesting relief from the other precincts.

"Kermit, my office."

Kermit quickly changed course, entered the Captain's office, and waited for her to join him. He rose to his feet when Karen Simms entered and closed the door.

"How's Peter? Did you get him and his father home safely?"

"No, I took him to the hospital. It turns out Peter's got bronchopneumonia. He's not doing too well, Captain. I've never seen Caine so worried or Peter so sick." Kermit rubbed his chin and realized that he had not shaved. It was all ready proving to be a long day.

"Okay, I'll let Broderick know. That's at least a dozen out with the flu or worse. If this keeps up, we'll have a real emergency on our hands. We'll be left with nothing but a skeleton crew. You'd better take whatever caseload Peter was working on." She released a frustrated sign and continued. " He had taken over both Skalany's and Jody's before this happened. I'll check on their progress. Maybe one of them will be back to work tomorrow."

"Uh, I'm going to need to run an errand myself."

"Detective, I need you here." The force of Karen Simms' voice was more an order, not a request.

"I need to go and let Annie know."

'I see. Oh, all right, go tell her, but come right back here. I need you detective. Crime doesn't stop for illness."

Kermit was about to leave when Karen Simms called him back.

"Wait, tell Annie that Peter will be in my thoughts. I really don't mean to sound so callous, it's been frustrating. There's been five mysterious deaths within as many days, all within the Chinatown district. The mayor and the district attorney are both breathing down my neck to get these cases solved. Let Caine know that I really do care."

"Thanks Captain."

Kermit drove up to the house that had been like a second home to him for the past several years. There had been many evenings when he had found himself seated at the Blaisdell's fireside reliving old memories with Paul, and now with Annie. He had promised Paul that he would keep an eye on both Peter and Annie while he was away. Kermit's only two wishes for this new year were for Paul to return and for Peter to be well. If anything were to happen to both, nothing would stop the ex-mercenary from seeking out his own brand of justice, not even Caine.

As Kermit mounted the steps, Annie pulled open the door. He had always found it uncanny how she knew when there was trouble. It hadn't surprised him to learn that patterns had been long established when it came to telling any news, good or bad. Peter, Paul, himself and the girls generally used the side door, or those leading from the deck more often than the front. Good news always seemed to come rushing in like a storm through those doors, never waiting at the entrance but barging in, shouting at top volume. Whenever there was bad news, on the other hand, it was given painfully slow, with quiet reserve, and with a much more formal approach. By default, it seemed the front door was always the one to receive those deliveries. It was becoming known as the door of sorrow and pain, though not always. During Holidays and special occasions, the front door would positively ring with joy. On this day, however, Kermit fervently wished that the news was not "front door" news.

"Kermit? I thought it was you. Is something wrong?"

"Annie, I . . . how did you know . . ."

"I could hear you trudging through the snow. The front walk has not been shoveled and I know you don't have a key to the front door. It was taking you longer than usual to come in. Plus, as Kwai Chang puts it, "your chi is disturbed", so spill it. Don't spare the blind chick." Even though the insistence in Annie's voice invited no argument, her attempt at humor was only a cover to the deep concern she was experiencing.

"It's Peter . . ." Before Kermit could get out the words, Annie broke in,

"What's happened?" Her voice betrayed no emotion. Deep fear and imagenings of the worst kind rose in her.

"He's in the hospital. It's not what you think though. He hasn't been shot or anything, but . . ."

"But what? Tell me Kermit, I have a right to know."

"It's bronchopneumonia. It's bad."

"I'll get my coat."

Kwai Chang Caine sat on the floor of Peter's hospital room. The sound of the ventilator breathing for his son only served to remind him thath his own breathing was far from calm. With each "breath" the machine took, Caine also tried to keep his breathing slow and even. The machine also reminded Caine of other times, in the pst, when he had felt inadequate to help his son.

*****Flashback*****

"The herbs are not working, Master. Peter's fever continues to rise and he has developed a deep cough. Three other children have become ill because of my inadequacies as an apothecary."

"You are not to blame Kwai Chang. Perhaps a doctor in the town may discover what it is that ails the children?"

"Perhaps you are right. I do not know what else to do." Deep worry threaded the father's voice. "I do not want to lose my son."

*****End of Flashback****

It had turned out Peter had contracted bronchitis while the other children had developed a form of influenza that had not been seen before. They were all given antibiotics. Ping Hai and Kwai Chang had continued to give the children infusions of tea to help clear their bodies and to keep Peter's fever from rising too high. The other three children had recovered within a week. Peter's bronchitis, however, had only grown worse. It had taken six weeks before he made any progress.

Each time Caine's thoughts returned to the present, the machine would force his mind back and he could not help recalling other times when Peter had become ill. Always it had been at the same time of year, during the month of January. Though Kwai Chang remembered that northern California had some cold temperatures, it was not nearly as severe as the winters here in this city. Peter would always come down with some kind of flu, cold, or upper respiratory infection that would leave him sick and weak for weeks. It had taken Peter twice as long to regain his strength and stamina. It was also during those times that Peter would become depressed and allow thougts of failure and frustration to enter his mind. Kwai Chang would ache for his son and he would try to be as patient as possible. Other monks, however, were not so kind. In particular, he recalled how Master Dao had always been especially harsh on Peter after suffering from another illness. The worst, however, had been nearly a year before the Temple had been destroyed. Kwai Chang again thought back to that time.

*****Flashback*****

Peter did not feel well and his throat was becoming increasingly sore. Master Dao had worked the class harder than he had remembered and Peter had faltered in his training with the three sectional staff, dropping it several times. His concentration was marred by the increasing irritation in his throat. Other members of the class snickered at what appeared to be the incompetence of the son of Kwai Chang Caine. The class was ordered to do 50 pushups while Peter was ordered to continue his training with the staff for another two hours, repeating each step over and over until he could do it correctly. By the time he had finished, Peter had missed lunch and the scratching in his throat had become even more unbearable. On his way to attend his meditation class, Peter was no longer able to ignore his throat or the loss of energy, so he decided to go back to his room instead. Even though he knew that his father would question him for skipping his meditation class, Peter was certain that he would understand once he'd learned the reason. Peter went to his quarters, pulled off his soft shoes, and laid back on the bed. It wasn't long before he drifted into a fitful sleep.

A few hours later, Kwai Chang Caine entered his son's room. Hearing that Peter had not gone to his meditation class again had angered the Shaolin more than he realized. It was the third time this week that Peter had skipped his class and he was not going to tolerate such disrespectful behavior. He was about to launch into another lecture, this time including a suitable punishment, but was brought up short when he saw Peter lying very still on his bed. This normally would not have alarmed the priest except, when he moved in closer, he could see beads of perspiration on his son's forehead. Kwai Chang Caine sat down next to his son and placed a hand on his forehead. Peter's body was radiating heat like a furnace. The fever that raged inside him must have been at least 102. Concern and fear replaced all anger as he quickly pulled the covers around his son's body, so that he would not get chilled, and carried him to the infirmary.

Peter had contracted strep throat, his worst illness to date. His fever raged for days, soaring as high as 104. They had to bring Peter's fever down by wrapping him in a blanket and placing ice over him. During that time, there was no doctor in Braniff. A recession had hit the town hard and many residents left hoping to find work elsewhere. The closest doctor was 20 miles away and Kwai Chang had no means of getting outside help for his son. He had to rely on what little skills he had as an apothecary and the skills of Ping Hai. He vowed that day to learn as much as he could, even if it meant leaving the Temple and his son behind for long periods of time. He believed, at the time. He believed the knowledge he would gain would be well worth the price.

****End Flashback****

Kwai Chang Caine was brought back to the present by the sound of an alarm going off. He looked down at his son and was startled to find that Peter had stopped breathing. Doctors and nursed pushed their way through the door. Kwai Chang Caine watched in horror as they stripped Peter's hospital gown off and began the procedure resuscitation on his son. If only he had gotten to Peter just a day or two before, this would not be happening. Soon the ventilator was replaced by a more substantial piece of equipment that forced air into Peter's lungs. An EKG and EEG were hooked up not only to monitor Peter's heart but his brain waves as well. The IV that had been hooked up to Peter's right arm was replaced. Doctor Sabourin came over to speak to Kwai Chang but he did not hear her words. His eyes remained fixed on Peter. What was she saying? An allergic reaction to the antibiotic nearly killed him? Giving him antihistamine and a different drug? Her words barely registered through the fog that was paralyzing his mind. Why was he reacting this way? He should be doing something, using what knowledge and skills he had as an apothecary, but every scrap of knowledge he had seemed to vannish where his son was concerned. Kwai Chang needed help to regain the balance that was lost to him and to banish the fear that was gripping his mind and soul. Losing Peter this way, or any other way, would be the end of his life as well. He would no longer have a reason to go on living.

Annie and Kermit arrived just as the doctors and nurses were leaving Peter's room. Kwai Chang spotted their arrival and went to greet them, his face pale and drawn from the strain of watching them try to revive his son. It had felt like an eternity before the antihistamine to take affect, but it soon eased the distress that his son had been experiencing. As Caine approached them, his knees gave way. Kermit rushed forward to support Caine before he hit the floor.

"Caine, what's happened? Is Peter . . .?" Kermit refused to even voice the thought.

"No." Relief colored his voice, although there was still deep pain. "He had an . . . allergic reaction? . . . to one of the drugs they were treating him with. It was close but they were able to get to him in time."

"Oh my baby," Annie cried. "Why didn't they look at his bracelet? They should have known."

Caine gave Annie a questioning look until he remembered that she could not see it. "I do not understand."

"What drug did they give him?"

"I do not know."

"Was it erythromycin?" Annie asked with concern.

The name sounded familiar to Caine but he could not be sure. The doctors had mentioned some kind of antibiotic.

"Six years ago, Peter contracted a staph infection while in the hospital for a gunshot wound. The doctors had given him erythromycin and Peter reacted very badly to it. It nearly killed him. Peter does not like to take a lot of drugs. He use to beg us to get him some kind of herbal remedy every time he would have a fever, but . . ."

Kwai Chang smiled in response. Even though his son did not like the taste of his herbal medicines, it was apparent that he preferred them to any modern drug. There must have been some deep seeded response still left over from growing up in the Temple. Modern medicine, especially drugs, were rarely used in a Shaolin Temple. Kwai Chang still wanted to know why the doctors would not know of his son's newly discovered allergy.

"I do not understand how the doctors would not know this."

"Peter should have been wearing a medical alert bracelet. In case he's not able to tell them himself, it warns paramedics and doctors about his allergy. Caine, I need to go to him, please."

"The doctor will only allow one person at a time in his room. He is on a ventilator." Caine sighed deeply, that his fear and worry were more apparent than he would have wished. "I will wait with Kermit. Come."

"He'll be okay Caine. He's got to pull through this." Kermit laid a comforting hand on Kwai Chang's shooulder before watching him lead Annie to Peter's room.

Annie could hear the sound of the ventilator breathing for her son. She let Caine lead her to a chair and immediately reached out to grab her child's hand, feeling the heat radiating from his body from his fevered body. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The allergic reaction had put Peter deeper into a coma. Caine was about to leave his son, knowing he was safe with his mother, when Annie called him back.

"Caine, isn't there anything you can do?"

"I may be able to strengthen his chi, but pneumonia is not an easy illness to cure with herbs. I can try to increase his immune system somewhat, but his lungs must remain clear to even give any kind of medicine a chance to work. Even my herbs will not help him if he cannot breath."

The brutal honesty was the hardest to take. Facing the fact that even Caine's abilities as an apothecary were limited was not easy. This time, they would have to rely on the doctors to help Peter through the worst.

"I will give you time alone. I will not be far."

In truth, Caine did not wish to leave his son if there was any chance that he would cry out either in sleep or through the growing link they shared. As Kwai Chang was leaving, he reached out his chi to touch his son's, and felt that Peter had distance himself from whatever pain he was suffering. The further Peter retreated, however, the harder it would be for him to return. Caine feared that Peter would simply leave him entirely. The spirit at times could be tenuous and fragile. Faced with great trials, one's spirit had a choice; to remain and face the suffering or to depart to a better place. Caine could only hope that Peter chose to remain. They had both had suffered much, but if Peter were to die, Caine knew he would never recover from this loss again. Peter had to live. They were still not whole within themselves, even after completing the training that Peter insisted he do just four months ago.

At times, Caine could still feel the conflicting emotions warring within both Peter and himself. Though he was proud of his son and could clearly see the destiny that awaited him, Caine could not help but feel the conflict of wanting to protect his child from harm each time danger arose. He had made a promise to his long dead wife years ago to protect and nurture their son. When the Temple had been destroyed and he had believed Peter lost, Kwai Chang had felt as if he had betrayed that promise. Now, just a few short years ago, he had been given a second chance. Would that chance now be taken away by this latest round of suffering? He did not know. All he could do was to be there, wait, and keep hold of a hope that was slowly fading.

The rumor was true. Peter Caine was in the hospital fighting for his life with pneumonia. Good. That meant that his father would be in great turmoil as well. Still, he could not help but think that this newest development presented him with a perfect opportunity to reclaim what was his. Peter Caine's soul would be the perfect bargaining chip. If his plan failed, and he could not succeed in acquiring the elder Caine's soul, at least he would still hold the priest's son's. The young man was already weak from his illness, it even was possible that he could die. It would be so easy to place thoughts in his mind that only he could control, thoughts that would isolate the young man and drive him further into the void. Even if his father were to win, he would still lose and Diablo would still claim a soul by taking Peter's.

Diablo thought back to the last time he had faced Caine, when he'd posed as a magician at the Magic Club. The Shaolin had been right about who he was, only the son of a demon could have done what he was capable of doing. Though Diablo had made light of it at the time, he knew he should have been more careful. The problem was that his human half always fell prey to the most human of faults, arragance, while the demon craved the challenge between good and evil. Still, he should have known better than to announce his presence the way he had. The women that he'd enticed and enslaved had been his feeding ground. He had known that, in each case, their futures were already fated to end in tragedy. He had merely providing the means for them to end it sooner. The last one should have been his to feed upon, to ease the insistent hunger in his soul that would not be quenched any other way. It was the untimely interference ofa priest of the light and his son that had stopped him from claiming what was his.

Since that time, his soul had remained empty and he hungered. Like a starving wolf in winter, Diablo again stalked his prey, this time allowing nature to choose his victims for him. After all, this was his time. What did it matter by what means they died. There were many ways to acquire what he needed. The cold always managed to take the lives of those who were weak from hunger, sickness, and even despair. More deaths occurred during this time of year than any other. From city to city it would vary, but the results were the same. If one were to look across the globe, one would see that winter was the death season, a season to be feared above all else. It was his season.

'Don't I also serve a purpose?' he thought. 'Is it not my duty to end the lives of those whose suffering had become too much for them to bear? They feed me, and I give them the release that they crave. So, too, will be the fate of Peter Caine. In this way, the Shaolin's soul will also cry out for release from this world and he, too, will be mine.'

Diablo looked out across the city. It was not time yet. Peter Caine's soul was still too strong to let go of life. The thoughts that he intended to plant within the young man's soul had to be powerful enough to lead him to despair and isolate him from the warmth of the other. In order to do that, Diablo needed one more soul to provide him with the strength necessary to combat the Shaolin. Again, he would leave no clues. Death must appear natural, as if the person had succumbed to the cold. It must be someone unknown, a homeless person without any hope. Diablo scanned the souls that were closest to him. It didn't take long to come across one that fit his needs. It would be simple to wrap the woman's mind in a blanket of warmth and comfort, allowing her to fall asleep in the bitter cold. Then, as her spirit left, he would feed and he would finally be ready to take on Peter Caine and the Shaolin.

*****

Peter Caine raced through the fog of his own mind, searching for something unknown. Despair and loneliness filled his being. He should have been aware of the warmth of another's presence but it was as if that presence had been separated from him by the coldness of another's desires. Though a fever wracked his body, this place froze his soul. Peter cried out into the darkness but no warm answering light responded. He felt lost within this world. Finally, a light reached out to him, beckoning him to follow. It promised an end to the despair and pain, if only he would come closer. Peter started to move forward, but suddenly became afraid. Though inviting, the light held no warmth. Peter turned away and ran deeper into the void. As the darkness swallowed him, the light smiled.

*****

The alarms went off for a second time. Caine raced to his son's bedside only to be shoved back by the doctors for the second time that day.

"Caine, what's happening?" Annie, frightened by the many voices shouting around her, reached out.

"I am here Annie." Kwai Chang took Annie Blaisdell's hands in his and tried to reassure her, though his own anxiety and fears were far from under control. In the process, he maneuvered Annie away from their son's bedside so the doctors could get to Peter.

"Please, tell me what's happening."

"Peter has stopped breathing. They are trying to revive him."

"Oh, no, no." Annie clung to Caine's presence like a lifeline. "Caine, please, before it's too late. Help him."

"There is nothing I can do." His voice was a whisper, the ache in his heart coming through. All he could do was pull Annie close and try to keep hope alive while the doctors worked on their son. Once again, the urgent shriek of the alarm cut through his thoughts. He knew that, even if he tried to get near his son, the doctors would not let him. For now, he would do what he could to help calm Annie's fear, and to suppress his own.

"He's in full arrest, again. Damn! We've already lost three from this damned pneumonia. I don't intend to lose a fourth. We must work faster people."

"Where's that epinephrine?"

"Here."

Caine watched, transfixed, as the doctor plunged the long needle directly into Peter's un-beating heart. He was grateful that Annie could not see what they were doing to their son.

"Still no pulse. Pressure's falling. Sixty over thirty."

"Paddles!"

"Clear!"

As he heard the click and saw Peter's body arch off the bed, he felt Annie flinch in response. The disturbance in her chi was palpable.

"Nothing!"

*No, my son, no. Do not leave us. Your mother needs you, as do I.* Kwai Chang reached out with his chi to call his son back but encountered a cold vale between them. He did not know what it could mean, but feared that Peter had already made his choice.

"Peter! No." Annie cried out for her son.

"Clear!"

Again the sound. Again his son's limp form moved under the jolt, and again he could feel Annie's response.

*Peter!* Kwai Chang called again. Faintly, as if from a distance, he felt the flicker of silvery light that was Peter's life.

The screaming alarm stopped, replaced by a rhythmic beep.

"He's back, barely. Come on Peter, fight. Stay with us."

"Pressure's coming up." An audible sigh flooded the room as the doctors and nurses were finally able to relax for the moment, at least until the next emergency.

"Okay, people, good job. Mr. Caine?" The doctor approached and flicked a cursery glance to the blind woman clinging to the worried father. A look of surprise crossed his features when she responded to his unspoken question.

"Annie Blaisdell, Peter's mother, uh foster mother."

The doctor continued his assessment. "We have him stabilized for now. Between his lungs filling with fluid from the pneumonia, and the allergic reaction, we won't be able to take him off life support for some time. If he comes out of the coma and begins breathing more on his own, we may be able to take him off, but he is very weak. If his heart stops again, we may lose him."

The doctor shook his head. He had not seen a case this severe in some time. It also puzzled him that the patient had gone into arrest so soon after the last time. He understood how a severe allergic reaction could cause cardiac arrest, but there had been no cause for it in this case. The antihistamine that had been administered should have helped to alleviate any lingering discomfort, but the patient continued to remain in a coma.

"We'll do all we can. If he gets through the night, he'll have a chance. We must wait and see."

Caine shook his head helplessly. Tears welled up in his eyes and guilt filled his being as he faced what may be the inevitable. Though the doctor's words were vaguely hopeful, Caine knew in his heart, from trying to reach Peter's chi, that his son's life force was slowly fading.

'My son is dying. I am responsible for this,' he thought, 'I should have brought him in sooner.' Suddenly, Caine was aware of another presence in his mind.

*You are correct, priest. Your son is dying. What would it take to keep his soul?*

*Your son is dying. What would it take to keep his soul?*

Caine's eyes widened and his face paled then became stern. He knew the voice all too well.

*You have done this to my son.* Anger flared at the fact that someone, anyone would harm his child.

*You're partially right. I did stop his heart, but not the first time. The pneumonia and the allergic reaction did that. Still it did make it easier to stop it a second time. I could do it again . . . * The voice was arrogant.

*Enough! What is that you want?*

*You, Kwai Chang Caine, to be exact, your soul. But of course, if you refuse, I do have another I can take, I've already shown you that.*

*You cannot have him. He is not yours to take!*

*We shall see priest.*

Annie became aware that Caine's presence was no longer within the room. She could feel him withdraw. Something was taking his attention away from her and their son. Fear and concern filled her.

"Caine, what is it?"

"Annie, I must leave. It is vital that you remain here with Peter."

"I don't understand."

"Someone is trying to take our son's essence from us. I must find a way to stop him before it is too late. Do what you must to let Peter know you are here. I will return as soon as I can. Do not leave our son's bedside. He must not be alone."

"Caine, please, do what you must to save Peter. We cannot lose him."

Caine did not say a word but ran his hand along Annie's cheek. He understood just how much Peter loved this woman. He saw strength of character and unconditional love, two things that Peter surely gained from her. It was no wonder, at times, he also found himself drawn to Annie. Her spirit reminded him of his long dead wife, Laura. Paul Blaisdell was a lucky man to have found such a woman. Before leaving, Kwai Chang bent down and kissed his son's fevered brow.

*I will be back my son. Please, do not leave us. It is not your time. I need you. I love you, my son.* Caine's heart was breaking. If he were to lose Peter, he knew what that would mean. Caine gathered his strength and steeled himself for the conflict to come.

Kermit was worried. No one had returned to tell him what was going on. He had been pacing the waiting area like a caged tiger, ever since he had seen the doctors enter Peter's room a second time. He hoped it did not mean what he was thinking. Kermit whirled around and rushed up to Caine as soon as he was aware of his approach. The look in Kwai Chang's eyes was enough to alert him that there was trouble, and it involved more than just Peter being sick with pneumonia.

"Caine, what's happened?" Thoughts of Peter lost in a void flashed through his mind and he shot a questioning glance at the priest..

Caine was surprised that Kermit had picked up on his thoughts. He usually kept them more guarded than that.

"Someone is trying to take my son's essence. Annie will remain here. You and I must find the one responsible. We must hurry." Kwai Chang continued toward the elevator core with Kermit right behind him.

"I don't understand, I thought Peter was . . ."

Caine stopped and raised a finger to silence Kermit.

"Peter is extremely ill, but he will die if we do not intervene. We must see the Ancient. Only he can provide us with what we need to stop this demon."

Kermit's eyes narrowed behind his protective shields. Demon? He did not like the sound of that. If a demon was trying to take Peter, what hope was there for the rest of them?

"Caine, who is this demon?"

"Two years ago, several young women died mysteriously. Their deaths were linked to the Magic Club. A magician by the name of Diablo was responsible. Only he was not just a magician, he merely used that as a cover to feed on the troubled souls of those young women. He used trickery to enslave their minds to him."

"I remember that case. Blaisdell turned out to be a founding member of the club."

"Yes."

"You think this Diablo is back?"

"I know he is back. It is he who has issued the challenge."

"Caine, what will happen if . . ."

Kermit did not voice the rest of the question. He already knew. Kwai Chang Caine had to win, for the sake of his son, and for his own soul.

Kwai Chang Caine rushed from the hospital, followed closely by Kermit. Caine simply would have taken off by himself through Chinatown had Kermit not placed a resrtaining hand on his shoulder and led him to his car in the hospital's underground parking. Kermit' presence helped to reassure Caine that he was not alone in this.

"We must stop at the Ancient's, and then at my apothecary."

Kermit drove through the snow as quickly as he could but allowing for the conditions. The weather had worsened as the day drew to a close. Large heavy flakes of snow was coming down thick and fast. A winter storm warning had been issued and much of the area was already blanketed by an endless a sea of white. Kermit cursed under his breath at the foolishness of some of the drivers weaving in and out of traffic. Luckily, because of the storm, the roads were becoming increasingly empty as the snowfall piled ever higher. The ride to the Ancient's home took just about as much time as it would have taken with heavier traffic and no snow.

"You are deeply troubled, Kwai Chang Caine. You are concerned for Peter's safety." Lo Si had not turned around as the two men entered his home.

"Yes, Master," Kwai Chang responded without surprise. "I need the book of Shambhala."

"You intend to fight this demon that threatens to take Peter's soul."

Kermit listened to the conversation between the two Shaolin. How Lo Si knew of Peter and Caine's needs had always puzzled the ex-mercenary, but he did not question it. In truth, he really didn't want to know. He had seen some amazing things that both Caine and the Ancient were capable of accomplishing, so why begin to question now? It was best just to accept that which he had seen to be possible. He did have one question, though.

"The book of Shambhala? Isn't that the book that took you and Peter to some other dimension or something, with Bon Bon Hai?"

"Yes, that is the one. It is a means by which we can travel into the demon's realm and confront him."

"I don't understand. This Diablo really is a demon?"

Caine shook his head at Kermit's skepticism. "He is."

The doubt in the exmercenary's voice reminded him of Peter and his fear of losing his son. He quickly squelched these thoughts, knowing that he needed to concentrate completely on the task ahead.

"I thought he was some two-bit magician that used hypnosis to take over his victim's minds. I'm just having a hard time believing this."

"That is one of his methods. Diablo is more than human. Being a magician was just a . . . cover," Caine let loose with a deep sigh, not realized that he had been holding his breath. Convincing Kermit of anything was not an easy task. "The demon's real objective was to feed upon the souls of those whose lives were in despair."

"But Peter is sick with pneumonia, not in any despair. At least I don't he is."

"Peter's emotions are stable for now. But because he is ill, Diablo has attacked when my son is at his weakest. He will find some way to created and magnify that despair within my son to make it easier to take his soul. He will continue to weaken him until Peter no longer has the strength or will to return. But Diablo wants more than just my son, he wants me. He has issued a challenge that I must answer. I should have destroyed his evil when I had the chance."

"You could not have known."

"I knew. In my arrogance, I believed that defeating him would be enough."

Lo Si approached the two men. In his hands was the white book of Shambhala.

"Be careful Kwai Chang Caine. Even if you succeed in defeating him, he may still find a way take your son as payment. The demon must be destroyed if there is to be any hope of saving Peter."

Kwai Chang Caine bowed to the Ancient. As they were about to leave, Lo Si pulled Kermit aside and handed him a small ceramic bottle.

"If anything should happen, give this to him to drink. It will renew his chi. Please, watch over him, Kermit. He is much needed by all."

"I will Lo Si. That's a promise."

Annie sat with her son, giving him comfort while she waited for the return of Kwai Chang. Doctors and nurses came and went checking his vital signs, replacing IV bags, and checking his progress. He seemed to be hanging on but not getting any better. Finally, Annie could not stand it any longer. She needed to know what exactly was being done for her son.

"Have a seat Mrs. Blaisdell."

"Please Doctor, I need to know what is being done for my son. I cannot see the process so you have to tell me word for word. First, what exactly does my son have? I thought with Bronchopneumonia there would have been at least some coughing."

Doctor Maxwell let loose a deep sighed. He had been brought in on this case when Peter had slipped into a coma after the allergic reaction.

"The pneumonia that Peter has is more severe than we thought. He has what is called Streptococcal. It would not be the first time this type of pneumonia had been mistaken for another. The symptoms are similar. In this case, it was caused by bacteria rather than by a virus. Peter may have picked up an infection somewhere that traveled to his lungs. It's hard to say what exactly caused it, but that really does not matter. All that matters right now is helping Peter to fight this off. In severe cases such as this, ventilation helps the patient to breathe while antibiotics like penicillin, erythromycin or cephalosporin are administered to fight the infection."

"I don't understand. When I touched his chest, I felt a tube. Why does he need that?"

"Because of the coma, and the ventilation, a chest tube was inserted to assist drainage. We are also giving him fluids through an IV so that he does not become dehydrated. To help combat the infection, we are giving him cephalosporin instead of the erythromycin because of his earlier allergic reaction."

"Why was he given erythromycin in the first place? Why didn't anyone look at his medic alert bracelet?"

"He wasn't wearing one, and it was not noted in his medical records. We would not have given it to him if it were. Do you know who his doctor was at the time, and how long ago the allergy was discovered?"

"He had the same reaction about six years ago and I believe Dr. Franklin was his physician at the time. We almost lost him then, too."

"Dr. Richard Franklin?"

"Yes."

"I might have known. About four years ago, several incidents were reported regarding his lack of competency. There were more than a few cases in which he neglected to write down key information regarding the patients under his care or prescribed the wrong type of medication for treatment. The last case was where a child had a simple appendectomy, but because of Dr. Franklin's neglect, it was not caught in time. She developed peritonitis. After that, his medical license was revoked and he was barred from practicing medicine."

"Oh that poor child. What else is being done to help my son? I must know Doctor." The horrible fate of someone else's child due to a doctor's neglect caused Annie's fear to double. She needed facts and specifics in order to reassure herself that her son was getting the best of care. "Please, what exactly has been done to help him?"

"I can only be honest in my assessment. This is not meant to be accusatory, merely a statement of fact. Because treatment was late in coming, we had to give him a vasopressure to combat hypotension and shock. When he arrested the first time, his blood pressure was too low. The allergic reaction also contributed to that. At that point, we started giving him Dobutamine to help increase his blood pressure. The reason for the second arrested is still unknown. We must wait for at least 48 hours to see if he will respond to the current antibiotic. Hopefully, with the Dobutamine, his blood pressure will increase enough to bring him come out of the coma. If he responds well, we can begin looking at doing some respiratory therapy for a couple of weeks."

"Why is Peter hooked up to EKG and . . . what was the other one . . . EEG?"

"It is a precautionary measure. Because his heart arrested, we need to monitor it to be sure there wasn't any damage. We also have to make sure he is receiving enough oxygen to the brain. There is a concern of memory loss, but we won't know anything about it until he comes out of the coma." The doctor could see the worry in Annie's eyes, despite the dark glasses she wore. "Mrs. Blaisdell, you must have hope. Peter's case is not that uncommon, despite the complications., and the fact that he is young will work in his favor. He should pull through, barring any other complications. We will continue to monitor him closely. I assure you, we are doing everything we can to help your son."

Despite the reassuring words, Annie could not help but think back on what Caine had said about someone trying to take their son's soul. She had no idea how much of that had to do with Peter's current condition, but Caine had seemed to think that it contributed a great deal. He believed, despite the doctor's efforts, that Peter would still die if the demon were to succeed in taking his soul. The doctor believed Peter's condition to be purely medical and that the treatment they were applying would help her son recover. Annie hugged her arms around her body and shivered, not from the chill in the air but from the chill in her soul. She knew the doctor was doing everything in his power to help her son, and although she did not fully understand the Shaolin Way, she also trusted that Caine would do everything in his power to keep their son with them. Any amount of help, whether doctor or Shaolin, could only help to keep them from losing Peter.

"I must go back to my son."

"Of course, I'll have a nurse lead you back to his room."

The doctor called a nurse and Annie felt another arm link through hers. As she was led back, she suddenly sensed a familiar presence, someone else associated with her son.

"Karen, I am so glad you're here."

"Annie, I came by to check on Peter," Karen Simms approached. The nurse, seeing that the two women knew one another, let Karen take Annie's arm and pointed the way to the waiting area. Before they even sat down, Annie found herself spilling the entire story and weeping on her shoulder. Annie's story sent chills down Karen's spine, but she resolved to be strong for Annie's sake.

"Annie, Peter is strong. He won't give up without a fight. Caine won't let anything happen to him. I've seen some amazing things that man has done and I've seen the love that he has for his son. Caine would rather die himself than let some demon, or whatever, take Peter from him. You must have faith. Tell you what, why don't you go get some coffee and I'll sit with Peter. If Caine says he shouldn't be alone, then we'll just have to make sure there's always someone with him."

"I don't know. It's been nearly three hours, Karen. Caine and Kermit should have been back by now."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that. The weather outside may be holding them up. If they don't come back in another hour, I'll put a call out for them. Now, go get that coffee. You look like you could use some."

"Thank you." Annie pulled out her white cane from her purse and was heading toward the elevator core when a nurse asked if she needed assistance. Karen Simms watched as the nurse guided her toward the cafeteria.

Karen entered Peter's room and was shocked at what she saw. Her best homicide detective was fighting for his life, not as a result of his duty as a police officer, but from an illness that should have been taken care of sooner. Anger filled her as she recognized the foolishness of it all. She approached Peter's bed and brushed her hand along his fevered brow.

"You fight this thing, detective, that's an order."

Karen Simms tried to fight back the tears. She did not relish the idea of having to report the news if Peter Caine were to die. She did not want to face the people he had known far longer than she had, nor witness the pain in their eyes at his loss.

"You cannot die Peter Caine. You still have too much work to do. You will not die, not on my watch."

She finally gave in to the pain and bowed her head. She had not prayed for many years, but for this particular person she would make an exception. She only hoped that the answer to her prayer would not be more pain.

Peter struggled to regain his sense of self. The void he found himself in continued to prevent his senses from finding or even reaching out to others. The light that he had sensed earlier was still present, drawing him forward. Despite the icy chill it was constantly eminating, each new pulse felt more inviting than the last. Despair and fear continued to fill Peter as his enhanced awareness confirmed that he was truly alone, that his coonection to his father had been completely cut off. As he felt the last of his strength ebbing, he realized that he was no longer even able to reach out to him.

"Father, I'm so tired of fighting. All I want to do is enter that light but I'm afraid. I want you here with me, to guide me, to help me find the right path."

Suddenly, he felt another's presence, familiar yet alien. It wrapped him in a blanket of warmth, security, and love, and Peter was no longer afraid.

*****

Kwai Chang Caine reached out with his chi as he gathered the herbs from his apothecary shop. Although he could sense his son, he knew that Peter was still not aware of his presence. The void that he had felt before had grown stronger, but despite it's efforts to to separate father from son, Kwai Chang could easily sense that his son was still weakening at an alarming rate. He could also feel his son's weariness and fear and knew that time was running out. He had to stop Diablo before it was too late.

"Kermit, we must get back to the hospital. Peter needs me."

"I thought we would be confronting Diablo."

"It is not yet time. My son's chi needs strengthening. We must break him free of the void that he finds himself in."

"We . . . I don't understand, what do you need me for?"

"Your chi is strong and can be drawn upon, if necessary. I will be the one performig the actual process, but you must be there as an . . . anchor?"

Caine picked up the book of Shambhala and placed it in his leather pouch along with his herbs. Quickly grabbing his coat and hat, he again followed Kermit to his car. This time, however, there would be no easy route. As Caine had been gathering his herbs, the city's snow removal vehicles had come by, sweeping piles of snow from the streets and effectively blocking the alleyway leading to Caine's apartment. The snow, piled up as high as the hood of Kermit's car, mocked them.

"Damn, we'll never get through that in time!"

"Patience Kermit. There is always another way. Please, take hold of my arm and concentrate on Peter."

"Caine, what are you planning to do?"

Kwai Chang pulled out the book of Shambhala and opened it. Light surrounded them and Kermit suddenly felt as if he were falling through a tunnel. He shut his eyes tightly to keep the vertigo from causing him to black out. When he opened them again, he found himself standing standing next to Caine in Peter's hospital room. Kermit suddenly expelled the breath that he had been holding.

"Neat trick Caine. How many frequent flier miles do you get with that?"

Karen Simms jumped at the sound of Kermit's voice. She had fallen asleep in the chair she had been sitting in while waiting for Annie to return.

"Caine. Kermit. I didn't hear you come in."

Kwai Chang Caine crossed the room and laid his hand over his son, confirming what he had sensed back in the apothecary. Peter's body was weakening faster because of the isolation of his essence. Without it, Peter would not have the strength to recover from the severe pneumona that was still ravaging his system. If he did not act now, he would lose Peter despite Diablo's threats. Caine would need to free him if he was to have any change at survival. Kwai Chang pulled out some herbs, a bowl, and what looked like a small container of whipped honey. He took each of the ingrediants and added them to the bowl.

"Are those the same herbs you gave me when we were trapped in time?" Karen asked Caine as she watched him prepare the mixture.

"Yes."

"How will you give it to him if he's on life support?"

"They are not for Peter, at least not yet. They are for me. I must strengthen my chi if I am to break through the void surrounding my son's essence."

Karen Simms looked over at Kermit. She had never told him about how Caine had been able to break them from the prison of the past. Maybe this was the time.

"Maybe we should leave you with your son and go check on Annie."

"Please, bring Annie here. Peter will need the energy from all of us to help give him the strength to break free from the prison the demon has placed him in."

"I'll go."

Before anyone could protest, Kermit left the room to find Peter's mother. He was not looking forward to what Caine was about to do. He fingered the small bottle that rested in his pocket and hoped that Caine's own strength would help him succeed without needing the Ancient's potion. They still had to confront Diablo.

"Kermit?"

Kermit was startled out of his musings by a light touch on his arm. It disturbed him more than a little that Annie had somehow approached him without him being aware.

"Is everything all right? I can feel you're disturbed."

"Caine is with Peter. He'd like you to come, too."

"Is something wrong?" Fear rose in Annie as the thought of Peter breathing his last came to her.

"No. Well, nothing more than before anyway. Caine's going to try to help him in some Shaolin way. He needs your strength."

"Of course." Annie laced her arm through Kermit's and allowed him to lead her back to Peter's room. Kermit said a quick prayer to the powers that be, though he had little faith in such things, just in case. It was time to face the lion in his den.

Kwai Chang Caine ate some of the herbs from the bowl then passed the mixture to Karen. Caine watched with surprise as Karen gave some to Annie, took some herself, then passed the bowl to Kermit. He did not expect the others to follow suit, but with their added strength , it would aid him in this endeavor. After Kermit placed the bowl to the side and nodded to him, Kwai Chang sat on the bed down near his son's feet. He wanted to be as close to his son as possible. He would have preferred to gather his son in his arms, but the tubes protruding from his arms and chest prevented that. The last time he had done this, he had entered Peter's Bardo. When he had returned to awareness and found the empty bed, his heart nearly sunk. When it turned out that Peter had just been taken to surgery, and his heart stopped pounding, he had realized that Peter's spirit had been healed, at least for the time being. This time, however, there would be no Bardo. Kwai Chang had to enter an unknown void to prevent Peter from entering into a light that was not the source of all things. He had to warn his son that the false light led only to oblivion.

As Kwai Chang settled on the bed in a more comfortable position, a nurse came in to check Peter's vital signs.

"What is going on? Only two people are allowed in here at a time."

Kermit approached the nurse, his face a stern, intimidating mask behind green shields.

"Just try to make us leave."

The nurse became flustered. "I'm getting the doctor."

"You do that."

Kermit closed the door behind her and turned to Caine, "If you're going to do whatever it is you're about to do, you'd better do it now. The doctor will be here any minute."

Kwai Chang nodded to Kermit before turning back to his son. Drawing a deep breath, he closed his eyes and reached out a hand, placing it on his child's still form. He could feel the heat radiating from Peter's fevered body through the sheets. The physical connection would aid him in this journey. Kwai Chang focused his mind and reached out with his chi. The void was still present, ever widening, between himself and his son. Kwai Chang tried to push through the vale. It felt like he was moving through a thick fog that had somehow acquired both substance and form. Without warning, he was thrown back from the jolt of what felt like an electric shock.

*I would not do that if I were you.*

*You cannot stop me from reaching my son.*

*I just did. You are in my world Caine. Are you willing to go so far as to die for the soul of your son?*

*If I must.*

*Really.* This was better than Diablo hoped.

*It is you who has issued this challenge. I will fight you on one condition, you will allow me to see my son and release him regardless of the outcome.*

*Very well. I do not think it will do him any good. He may be beyond your help anyway.*

*We shall see.*

Kwai Chang could sense that his son was still far from him. He could also sense another presence that surrounded Peter. One that did not threaten, but rather protected the young man. He reach out with his chi to determine who that presence might be, but could not penetrate enough of the void to reach his son. Whatever, whomever, was protecting Peter, was blocking him from getting through as well. Was this another trick of the demon's? Perhaps Peter truly was beyond his reach now. Tears fell down Kwai Chang's cheeks both outwardly and inwardly. He feared that he was too late.

*****

The others watched as Kwai Chang settled himself on the bed. He did not move. Annie could sense that Kwai Chang had slipped deep within himself and was being drawn into a blanket of cold clammy fog. She was aware of this sensation, having sensed it several times in her life in regards to Paul. She knew, without question, that Kwai Chang was somewhere else.

Karen watched the Shaolin sink deep within himself. She did not fully understand what Kwai Chang was attempting to do, but hoped that he would be able to reach Peter and and bring him safely home to them.

Kermit watched Kwai Chang enter into a mysterious world that he, himself, knew nothing about. Witnessing the Shaolin in this state caused shivers to run up the ex-mercenary's spine. He watched as Caine's body relaxed and his breathing became very shallow, making sure to pay strict attention to the priest's condition. If Caine were to become dangerously weak, he still had the bottle of what it was that Lo Si had given him. As he maintained his vigil, Kermit observed tears running down the older man's cheeks. Whatever was happening, he hoped that it was tears of joy he was witnessing and not tears of pain.

*Peter, my son.* Kwai Chang called softly. As he reached out, he could feel the despair that had filled his son. This despair was not of his child's own making. His anger with the demon rose as he began to suspect the evil being's treachery. The small blanket of protective warmth that had surrounded his son, however, puzzled him. If Peter was protected, why was he still feeling despair? Persistent thoughts of failure pounded in his mind, but Kwai Chang forced them away. He had to let his son know that he was near before the void took them both.

****

*Peter, I am here.*

Peter's awareness flared as he felt his father's presence. It had seemed like an eternity since he had last felt that love. Despite its pull, however, he did not want to return to the void. He wanted to remain here, in this place of warmth and safety, wrapped in a warm blanket of love and security ha had not known since infancy. In truth, what he wanted was to go with her and simply end all of his pain and suffering.

*Your father is calling to you, my son.*

*I don't want to leave here, mother.*

*You must. Your father needs you.*

*I am so tired. I don't want to go back. That place fills me with such sadness despair.*

Laura continued to surrounded her son with love and comfort. With all her heart, she wished that she could take her child back with her to the beginning of all things, but she knew it was not his time. If only she could find a way to communcate with Kwai Chang. Though the essence that was Laura surrounded their son, she could only communicate with the spirit of one who was near death. Her essence could only come so far across the void in answer to Peter's unconscious summons. It was his spirit that was near death. It was a death, however, that she knew would bring no peace or hope of rebirth. She knew that if he did not aid him, the cycle of his lives would end in oblivion.

*Peter, you must go to him, my son. It is not your time. Your father's life is in danger. The void is affecting him, and I fear the demon will take him if you do not go. He will need you for the final trial that awaits. Only you can aid him. Even if your father succeeds against the hunger, he will need you. Without you, he, too, may decide not to remain.*

*I don't know if I have the strength.*

*You do my son. You have always had it. Please, hurry. He will be entering the demon's light at any moment. If he believes that you are lost to him, he may not be able to return. You must be there to let him know that he is loved. Go, quickly. Tell your father I will always love him.*

A mixture of anger and despair flowed through Kwai Chang and he raised his head toward the light. The demon's hunger was palpable. Kwai Chang took comfort in the realization that whatever was surrounding his son was also keeping him safe. He truly did not want his son to ever have to face this demon again. He could sense the demon's power attempting to force him to recognize the hopelessness of the situation. Better to end it here and destroy the demon at its source. The only way to accomplish this task, he knew, was to enter the light and face the hunger.

"Forgive me Kermit. I had hoped to confront the demon another way. If my son survives, please watch over him."

Kermit was startled out of his transfixed state. He had not expected Kwai Chang to speak to him.

"Caine, what's going on?"

"Please, don't do this." Annie spoke as if she knew what Caine was about to do.

"I must. It is the only way. Please, take care of our son." Caine again slipped into the deep meditation.

"Annie, what did you mean when you asked him not to do it? What's he going to do?" Karen came forward, fear rising to the surface.

"Caine is giving himself over to the demon. He's going to sacrifice himself so that Peter will live."

*Father! NO!*

Just as Peter emerged from the safety of his mother's essence, Kwai Chang Caine stepped into the light. It's cold malevolance surrounded him and he could feel its hunger reaching to his very soul, trying to consume him. Within that light, Kwai Chang opened himself and embraced it.

'Too late,' Peter's mind screamed. 'I was too late.' The light swallowed his father and then just disappeared.

"NO!"

Peter cried out as best he could through the life support mask that covered his face. He reached out for his father as he struggled to sit up. Annie and Kermit stepped forward as one to keep Peter from pulling out his IVs and chest tubes, and found that his fever had finally broken. Peter coughed deeply to clear his lungs.

"Father!"

Peter fell back on the bed. The pheumonia had left him weak and drained. He struggled to sit up again but was hampered by the tubes and equipment that had been keeping him alive. The best he could do was rest on one elbow. He propped his head up just in time to see his father toppling from the bed.

"Caine!" Karen cried out as she saw Kwai Chang sway to one side and begin to fall from the bed. Kermit, responding with lightning reflexes, caught the priest just before he hit the floor. Kermit reached for the pulse point and paled at what he found.

At that moment, the doctor entered the room, followed by the nurse Kermit had intimidated earlier. The doctor was surprised, not only to find Peter Caine struggling to sit up in bed, but also to see his patient's father laying limp on the floor, cradled in Kermit's arms. What the doctor could see of the ex-mercenary's face convinced him that something was very wrong. The doctor pulled out his stethoscope and felt for a pulse. There was none.

"Get a defibrillator in here, STAT!" The doctor laid Kwai Chang flat. A nurse and one other doctor came in with the machine. "Clear these people out of here, now!"

Kermit, Annie and Karen were escorted from the room, none too gently. Kermit was about to protest but thought better of it. There was little they could do at the moment. Instead, he centered his thoughts on Peter. If his father died, he knew the kid would be crushed. If only Paul had not left. Peter was going to need all the family around him he could get.

The doctor opened Kwai Chang's shirt and placed the two small metal pads on his chest. The priest's body arched as the electric shock was sent through to his heart. The doctor placed his scope on Kwai Chang's chest and listened. "Again." Again Kwai Chang's body arched. The doctor listened a second time. "I've got a heartbeat. Let's get him on a stretcher and into an ICU unit. Hook him up to monitors and give him something to help stabalize his heart."

"Father." Peter called out weakly. Tears fell down Peter's face as he could hear the doctors working to try to revive his father. Too weak to support himself any longer, Peter's head fell back to the bed. He tried to curl up into a ball, fearing the worst as he heard the shockwaves being sent through his father's body, but the tubes and IVs prevented him from moving too far.

"Father, no. I'm sorry mother. I was too late, too late." The sobs that escaped Peter's lips prompted another round of deep coughing, causing his lungs to burn. Suddenly, he felt a reassuring hand on his arm, trying to ease his pain.

"Take it easy, Peter. We're doing everything we can. You need to rest. You're not out of the woods yet, either. We'll get your father settled into a room then I'll come and check on you."

Kermit held Annie close as he watched the doctors wheel Caine out of Peter's room and into an ajoining one. If he ever got his hands on the demon that had done this to his friend's father, he would kill the bastard. They just got Peter back, they couldn't lose Caine now. Suddenly, Kermit remembered the bottle that the Ancient had given him. As soon as Kwai Chang was settled, he would enter his room and administer it to Caine himself, following Lo Si's instructions to the letter. He could do no less. Karen placed a hand on Kermit's arm, letting him know she was still there.

"Annie, why don't you and I go sit with Peter. He's going to need some reassurance that everything is going to be all right. Caine would not want him to be alone."

Even through his green tinted shades, Karen cought the grateful glance Kermit threw at her. "That's a good idea. I'll wait here for any news on Caine."

Annie nodded and took Karen's arm. The past several hours had been filled with fear and worry for them all, and it wasn't over yet. The waiting was always the hardest part.

Annie and Karen were about to enter Peter's room just as Dr. Maxwell returned. He prevented them from entering until he could check on Peter and remove any equipment that was no longer necessary. The doctor checked Peter's heart and saw that it was sound. He also checked Peter's lungs and he nodded his approval at whathe found. The coma that Peter had entered earlier that had worried Dr. Maxwell wasn't even worth mentioning. Peter's memory of the events seemed very much intact. In fact, new memories seemed to have been added that puzzled the doctor. Peter kept trying to ask him about his father's condition, as if he had been totally aware of what had transpired. Each time Peter became agitated, another round of coughing would commence.

"You need to calm down, Peter. When you get upset, you're aggravating the lungs. From what I can hear, they are beginning to clear. The antibiotic is helping, but you must remain calm."

"I need to know how my father's doing. I know he sacrificed himself for me. I need to go to him. He needs me."

"Peter, you won't do your father any good if you become worse. Your fever is staying down for the moment, but it could rise again and your lungs could fill with fluid. You must stay in bed. If you persist in trying to get up, I may have to put you in restraints. I will allow you to see your father tomorrow, dependant upon the progress that you are making. You are still very weak and need to rest. Your mother and friends are waiting outside. I will allow them to sit with you for a little while, but you must get some rest."

*Oh, Pop, why did you do it?*

*****

The minute Kwai Chang Caine entered the light, he could feel the hunger pull at him, trying to absorb him. Suddenly, he understood just what the hunger was and where it came from. Though it was a part of Diablo, it was also separate and distinct. Without it, Diablo had no real power. It had been a part of Diablo for so long that he could no longer separate himself from it's malevalent grasp. Diable had associated his life with the life of this demon hunger, but was it right to separate the two? Was there even a spark of goodness left within Diablo for him to survive without it? Then Caine thought of all the young women who had died at the hands of this demon and the fact that his own son had also nearly died because of it. It was right to do this. Kwai Chang knew what he needed to do, knew that it was the only way. But he also knew He would pay a heavy price. There would come a day when he would have to separate the darker aspects of himself and face it, including the hunger. It would be a trial like no other. Realizing this, he did something that Diablo did not expect. He embraced the hunger and accepted it into himself. \

*No! It is I that needs feeding. You cannot do this! Only I am allowed to embrace the hunger.*

*To embrace all things means also that one rids oneself of any concept of separation: male and female, self and other, life and death.*

Diablo felt the desire die within him. The demon that was a part of him dissipated. Confusion and doubt filled him. How was the priest able to destroy that which had been an integral part of his being? It was as if he had been divided and yet, the human side remained. Was the demon side ever really a part of him? Or had he been controlled by something else as well, something that gave him the power over life and death? Diablo's eyes narrowed. How dare the priest take what had been his. Still, now that it was gone, could the priest control it?

*You may have taken away the hunger but may there never be any peace within your soul priest. May the hunger consume you as it consumed me. May it become a part of your darker self and rise to destroy all that you are as you have destroyed me.*

*I have only destroyed that which had been consuming your soul, Diablo. You are as free as am I.*

*That's what you think. You will never be free of it. This is only the beginning priest. We shall meet again some day.*

*****

Kermit entered Caine's room, focusing on the steady beep of the heart monitor that assured him that Caine still lived. Silently, he moved over to the bed and sat down in the nearby chair. He pulled from his pocket the bottle that Lo Si had given him. Undoing the stopper, he gently lifted Caine's head and brought the bottle to his lips. He poured it carefully so the priest would not choke on it's contents. He was surprised that Caine's bodily reactions automatically took over and prevented the priest from choking as the liquid slid down his throat. He laid Caine's head back on the pillow, placed the bottle back in his pocket and waited for any response. Fifteen minutes slipped by and no response came. Kermit was beginning to think that maybe he should leave and come back in the morning, letting Caine get some much needed rest. Perhaps by then, Lo Si's potion would have had a chance to work. He was about to leave when a hand shot out and grabbed him by his wrist, surprising the ex-mercenary.

"Caine!"

"How is my son?" Caine's voice came out as a harsh whisper but his eyes remained closed.

"He's fine Caine. He's worried about you, though. You gave us quite a scare. The doctor practically had to restrain him to keep him from following you. His fever finally broke and the pneumonia is starting to loose ground."

Relief flooded through Caine's body. Peter was safe.

"Thank you Kermit. I must rest. Go to my son, let him know that I will be with him soon."

Kermit watched for a few moments more as Caine relaxed and fell into a calm, healing sleep. Wonder filled the ex-mercenary. He could not believe just how close Caine had come to dying but still survived. Caine was an enigma to Kermit. Would he ever figure out just what made this man tick? Probably not, he decided. For now, it was enough that he lived.

Kermit examined his own feelings and realized he would not want to find out what his life would be like if Caine were to die, let alone watch Peter live a life without him as well. He had seen the look in Peter's eyes, having lived 15 lonely and pain-filled years without Caine, and Kermit never wanted his friend to have to live without his father again.

Peter sat beside his father and held his hand as he slept. Dr. Maxwell had allowed him to get up, but only if he agreed to use a wheel chair and only for a couple of hours. He did not want Peter taxing his strength or risking coming down with something just as serious. A good 24 hours had past before the doctor had even considered allowing Peter to see his father. He wanted to be sure that Peter's fever would not get any higher from over-exertion. Plus, he wanted to be sure that Caine was getting as much rest as he needed to recover from the ordeal he had suffered.

Peter stifled a cough that threatened to erupt. His lungs were still congested, but they were not nearly as severe as they had been the day before. Being on the life support had helped to clear a great deal of the infection from his system. Also, with the demon's influence gone, Peter's own strength was returning. Dr. Maxwell finished checking Caine's vital signs and, tossing one last warning look toward the young detective, left the room shaking his head. He could not understand how Caine could have healed so quickly after suffering what appeared to be a heart attack.

"My Pop's a Shaolin," Peter said with pride as if that explained everything.

Peter stared at his father and watched his chest as it rose and fell with each breath. He was grateful for the life that had been given back to him, but he was even more grateful that his father had not been seriously harmed. Peter wished, not for the first time since yesterday, that his chi had been strong enough to give his father the energy he had needed to prevent what had happened earlier. He knew though that whatever the demon had done, his father had to face it.

Within fifteen minutes after entering his father's room, Peter found himself yawnin gdeeply. The medication the doctor had given Peter had contained codeine, which always managed to put him to sleep.

Two hours later, Kermit brought Annie in to check on Peter and had found him missing from his room. He was about to start a frantic search when she calmly suggested that they check out Caine's room. Behind his green shades, Kermit smiled at the sight that greeted them as they entered the priest's room. Peter had laid his head down by his father's side and Caine had wrapped his left arm around his son's shoulders. Both were sleeping peacefully.

"I think its best that we don't disturb them."

Kermit led Annie back to the waiting area.

"They are both going to be fine. The fear is gone." Annie let out a sigh of relief.

"How do you do that?" Kermit asked, curiosity and wonder playing across his features.

"When you have been blind as long as I have, you develop other awarenesses and other ways of seeing. I could sense both their "chis", if you will. They were at peace, considering Peter is still quite ill. The pneumonia is losing ground, thank God."

"I'll say, the doctor was surprised just how quickly Peter responded to treatment."

"Oh, I think a certain Shaolin Priest had something to do with that as well. They truly need each other. One is not whole without the other."

"Oh yeah."

Annie looked back toward the room that sheltered her son and Peter's father. Something had changed. Annie thought back to their conversation from the night before when Caine had been taken to another room. Peter had been so upset. Even after the doctor had threatened to put Peter in restraints, it had taken both her and Karen to convince him that getting out of bed at that time was not a good idea. After Peter finally agreed to stay put, and Karen had left to check in with the precinct, Mother and son had had engaged in serious conversation.

*****Flashback****

Peter explained to her how the demon had wanted his soul to feed an emptiness that could never be filled. He had been tempted but something about the light that was suppose to be inviting did not hold the truth. His refusal to enter it had kept him from dying, yet he still would have been willing to leave for the sake of another.

"Mom, you don't understand. I almost went with her. She protected me, but I almost gave up. Dad came looking for me and I was too wrapped up in what I was feeling to notice. I'm a Shaolin, or at least trained. I should have been able to stop the demon myself. Now he's fighting for his life and he . . ." Peter did not finish, choking on the words and trying to stop another round of coughing.

"Peter Matthew Caine, don't you dare blame yourself in this. You were weak from the pneumonia and the demon took advantage of that. There was no way you could have stopped him. Besides, don't you know what a gift you received? Your mother reached out to you to protect you from danger so that your father could stop that demon."

"But he almost died."

"If your father had not done what he did, you would not be with us. The demon would have taken you."

Peter sat back, feeling weary. He took a deep sigh but started to cough again. Annie felt for a nearby pitcher and poured him a glass of water.

"I better let you get some rest. The doctor will have my hide if I don't let you sleep."

"Please, don't go. I don't want to be alone just yet."

"All right, but you lay down and no more talking." Annie tucked the covers around her son. "Besides, I can feel your fever returning. If you intend to see your father tomorrow, you need to get as much rest as possible. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

**** End Flashback ****

Thinking back on that conversation, Annie realized Peter had said something very important that at first, she had not noticed. Had she heard right? Peter was a Shaolin? Was that what Peter had been doing when he had taken that extended leave from the force? He was finishing his training? But if he was, where were the brands? She could feel that the skin on his arms was still smooth. Why had he not told her? Did he think she would not have noticed the difference? Annie felt the pang of hurt feelings, but at the same time, she could not be angry with Peter. There were many times that Paul would leave and stay away for weeks without telling her where he had gone. "A matter of National Security," he would say. Still, it felt awkward that her son would pull the same kind of stunt.

Annie swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to redirect her thoughts and turn a negative into a postive. She thought back on the day when Peter came to them and how hard it must have been for Peter when they learned the reason for the boy's anger and fear. The nightmares had been terrible. Annie could sense that whatever had troubled the boy, it was tearing that poor gentle spirit apart. It had taken nearly a year for him to tell them about the Temple and what had happened. Peter did have a gentle soul, no matter how he tried to hide it or cover it with bravado in trying to be like Paul. Though Annie had been proud of him when Peter decided to follow Paul and enter the police academy, she also wondered how it would affect such a gentle spirit. She even question whether Peter might have become a priest if his father had been alive at that time. With the sudden resurrection of Peter's biological father, she had been 'witness' to a whole new set of challenges in the young man's life, balancing the love he felt for both men. Now with Paul away facing his demons, Peter's life had taken another turn. It would seem the son would be following in the path of his other father.

'I wish Paul could be here to see this. He would be so proud.' She thought. "Kermit, could you go down to the cafeteria. I'd like a cup of coffee. They should be waking soon and I want to be here when they do."

"Of course, Annie."

As Kermit followed Annie's request, she still continued to think how her son's life had changed. It was bound to happen sooner or later that Peter might try to follow his father in some way, even if Caine had not re-entered Peter's life. In truth, she somehow knew that it was a possibility.

Suddenly, a strong burst of emotion washed over her, filling her with a sense of urgency, of a destiny fulfilled, and a son possibly no longer her own. She did not know what it could mean. She only knew that for now, Caine had fulfilled a promise to her, and that their son was safe and getting well. Annie turned back to Caine's room and in her unseeing world, she knew that he would know what she was about to do. She did the only thing she could do to thank him. She bowed in Shaolin style.

"Keep him safe Kwai Chang. He's very special to both of us."

End