"No one can hurt you. He can't hurt anyone. You're safe."

Cassie was staring at him.

"He's gone. They're all gone. You're safe."

She drew a deep breath.

Minutes passed. Finally she closed her eyes.

Thank you, God. Jessica stepped forward and took Cassie's pulse. It was steadying.

"Is she okay?"Travis asked.

"For now. She's in a deep sleep."

"Will she have another nightmare?"

"Not likely. She's never had two in one night." She turned to Teresa. "Please keep an eye on her."

"I will." Teresa stared at Travis. "I'd keep him around."

Jessica nodded tiredly. "I'll be back soon." Mellie. She had to check on Mellie. She left the room, hurried down the hall to the blue room.

"Mellie?"

No answer.

She crossed to the bed. Melissa also appeared to be in a deep sleep. She took her pulse. Almost normal.

Melissa's lids slowly opened. "Bad…time. You almost…lost us."

"How do you feel?"

"Like we've been hit…by a truck." She was looking over Jessica's shoulder. "Thank…you."

Jessica turned her head to see Michael Travis standing a few feet away.

"For what?" he said.

"Later…sleepy…" Her lids fluttered closed again. "Thank…"

"Good idea. Go to sleep." Jessica pulled the sheet up around her sister's shoulders. "I'll check on you in a few hours."

"Don't…have…to. We're…fine."

"I'll do it anyway." Jessica motioned for Travis to follow her. "Good night, Mellie."

Melissa didn't answer. She was asleep.

In the hallway Jessica turned to Travis. "Why did you follow me?"

"What else was I to do? Evidently, you had no more use for me with the little girl, and that Secret Service man was staring a hole in me."

"You had no right to barge into my sister's bedroom."

He shrugged. "You left the door open, and when I saw you were taking her pulse, I thought you might need me."

"I didn't need you. Mellie…was just…tired."

"Oh?"

"Thank you, everything's fine now. You can go."

He shook his head. "I'm wet to the skin and I'm not going out in that storm until I dry off and have a cup of hot coffee." He started down the staircase. "If you'll point me to the kitchen? You needn't come with me. I'm used to fending for myself."

She could see that he was. His manner was as casual as if this were his home. But that he was also very wet was true. She'd been so upset, she'd not even noticed. "I'm sorry." She hurried down the stairs. "Are you cold? I guess I should have let you get an umbrella at the gatehouse, but my mind was on other things."

"I don't think you even realized it was raining." He followed her into the kitchen. "And you're as wet as I am. Or didn't you realize that either?"

She hadn't. "I'll get us a couple of towels after I put on the coffee."

"I'll get them. Tell me where they are."

"The armoire in the powder room down the hall to the left."

"Right."

Jessica had put the coffee on and set cups on the table by the time he came back.

"Nice house." He tossed her a big white towel and started drying his hair with the one in his hand. "It's not often you see antique armoires in a powder room. It must be like living in another age."

"Sometimes." She wiped her face and neck before dabbing at her hair. "Particularly when the electricity goes out." She tossed the towel aside. "Do you take cream or sugar?"

Travis shook his head. "Does the power go out often?"

"No, my parents had the place rewired when I was a kid, but it still has its quirky moments." She poured the coffee. "The President said you lived in Europe, so you must be familiar with ancient houses."

"Only in the slums." He sat down and cradled his cup in his hands. "The houses I grew up in usually fell down before they had a chance of becoming historic landmarks. When I became an adult, I usually preferred modern houses with all the conveniences because I was moving fast and hard." His eyes twinkled. "And I didn't have time to fix quirky electricity."

"Who does? It's a choice you make." She sat down across from him. "I want to thank you for helping me with Cassie. I know I must have seemed like a crazy woman when I came pounding on your door."

"It was definitely unexpected."

"But you came with me anyway. I'll always be grateful. I was terrified."

"I could see it." He sipped his coffee. "Tell me about Cassie."

"Everyone in the world knows that she's suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome."

"But everyone doesn't know about those nightmares. Does she talk about them?"

"She doesn't talk, period."

"Then how do you know she's dreaming about Vasaro?"

She glanced down to her cup. "It's logical, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"And you were able to bring her out of it because you were at Vasaro."

"Also very logical. Why did you think she'd react to me?"

"You were a new element. It shook up the structure of the dream. When the President first told me about you, I had an idea you could prove useful."

He smiled mockingly. "I'm glad to have been of service. However, I don't think Andreas would agree I was the right candidate for the job."

"You're the only candidate Cassie will accept. He'd agree to anything to help his daughter."

"Then if you want to use me again, you'd better get on the horn and tell him so. I'd make a bet the Secret Service guys will be reporting in."

"What?"

"Call him and tell him you need me. He can't be any more stubborn than that Secret Service man you were ready to take on to get me into Cassie's room."

She had been so tired and numb, she hadn't thought past this one episode. But evidently Michael Travis had already been considering the next step. "I might not need you."

"Do you want to take that chance?"

No, she didn't. "It might not work a second time."

"And then again, it might."

Her gaze narrowed on his face. "Why are you so willing to help me?"

"Why do you think? My kind, generous spirit?"

"I don't know anything about you except what Andreas told me."

"That should be enough. Though it may be a little unfair, since I've made a study of you since I arrived at Juniper."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm no Peeping Tom. I read your book. It was very revealing."

"Oh."

"I didn't have anything else to do. It's been a very boring week. This is the most exciting thing that's happened to me since I left Amsterdam."

"You sound exhilarated. I'm glad what happened to Cassie furnished you with amusement."

"Amusement? No, but I have to admit that helping the kid did bring me a certain rush. I'm sorry if that offends you, but it's the nature of this particular beast. I can see you believe I should be as profound and selfless as you obviously are, but you won't find that in me. I don't get involved."

"Then why are you offering to help me?"

"I have a passion for disrupting the status quo. It interests me to change what most people think of as set in stone."

"How very…cool."

"You mean cold." He smiled. "I'm not cold, Dr. Riley. And changing the status quo isn't always bad. You had no objection to my doing that with Cassie."

And he hadn't been cold when he'd been talking to Cassie. His passion and forcefulness had jerked Cassie out of that deadly nightmare.

"Many things aren't black or white." He was reading her expression. "I promise I won't hurt your Cassie."

"She's not mine."

"Isn't she?"

He saw too much." I want her well."

"And, unlike me, you do get involved."

"Most people do." Jessica studied him. Strength. Intelligence. A hint of recklessness. What else lay behind that face? "Why do you want to help Cassie? It isn't only boredom."

He chuckled. "You drew me into the situation as a pawn. I forgot to tell you that I also have a passion for control."