Jax was the first to wake. He looked down at Brenda, finally sleeping peacefully in his arms. She had spent a very restless night, obviously having nightmares, since he had felt her constantly moving in her sleep and heard her calling out his name several times. He had lain awake most of the night, trying to soothe her. It had taken until almost dawn before she settled down to a peaceful sleep. He didn't want to disturb her now that she was finally sleeping soundly by getting out of bed, but he had things he needed to do, preferably before she woke up. He tried to gently extricate himself from her embrace, but as soon as he moved, she moaned his name and seemed to wrap herself more tightly around him. Obviously she was not ready to let him go, so he decided to just lie there for a while until she was more soundly asleep.

He was having a hard time keeping the anger he was feeling from getting out of hand. Someone had been in the house or had set up some kind of prank in the house that had frightened Brenda, and he was not going to stand for it. This house was her sanctuary from the troubles of the world, and no one was going to interfere with her peace here, he made himself and her a silent promise as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her sleeping form.

About an hour later Brenda had finally fallen so deeply asleep that Jax was able to extricate himself from her embrace and gently get out of bed. After putting on his robe, he went into the sitting area, closing the bedroom door most of the way, but leaving it ajar enough so that he could hear her if she had another nightmare. Once in the sitting area, he picked up the intercom to call Benton. He asked for a pot of coffee and three cups to be brought up to the suite and for Benton to ask Thomas, if he was awake, to join him here.

A few minutes later there was a gentle rapping on the door. When Jax slid the doors open he was faced with Thomas holding a tray. "You ordered breakfast, sir?" Thomas asked with a huge grin, which immediately disappeared when he saw Jax. "What's wrong, mate? You look like you didn't get any sleep last night."

Jax quickly put his hand on Thomas's mouth, "Shhh! Brenda is finally sleeping. You're right though, I didn't get any sleep last night. Brenda was having nightmares all night and kept thrashing around in the bed and calling my name. I'll tell you something, Thomas -- I never thought I'd see her like that again. It reminded me of … never mind. It made me promise myself that I would get to the bottom of this, and quickly! Do you have any theories who did this?

"Weeell, actually I do but I think you're going to think I'm loony!" Thomas had set the tray Benton gave him down on the table by the window. There was a pot of coffee, three cups, and a covered plate that contained an assortment of sweet rolls and Brenda's favorite breakfast treats. Thomas poured a cup of coffee for Jax and himself and started to pace about the room, not exactly sure how to explain his theory of what had happened last night. Eventually he decided the direct approach would be the best.

"Jax, I spent last night checking every door and window in this house. None of them had been disturbed nor had any of the alarm circuits been tampered with. Even if someone had entered the house before the system was activated, there was no evidence that anyone tried to exit the house either last night or this morning. That would have to mean that they were still in here. I promise you I have been over every inch of this place, including the secret passages, and there is no one here!" Thomas was on a roll now. All he had to do was get up the nerve to tell Jax the rest.

"I don't doubt that, Thomas. My question is, what did happen last night?" Jax took a sip of his coffee and quietly walked over to the bedroom door to look in on Brenda. She was still sleeping peacefully, probably having a very pleasant dream finally, about him he figured, judging by the smile on her face. He quietly closed the door again, walking softly back over to where Thomas had taken a chair by the window, "I know you, mate. You've got a theory about what happened, so why don't you spill it -- whatever it is?" Jax sat down in the other chair by the window, waiting for Thomas to explain.

"You're right, I do have a theory. Now, I want you to promise to hear me out before you call for the men in the white coats, okay?" Thomas's expression convinced Jax he was not going to like what he was about to hear, but he promised anyway to keep an open mind until Thomas was finished.

"Okay, here goes. Remember all the strange things that were happening while we were getting the house ready? Remember the scent of roses and the woman Jerry claimed to have seen in the hallway outside this room? Well… I think those things and what you and Brenda smelled last night are connected."

So far what Thomas was saying made perfect sense to Jax. He didn't understand why he had been so hesitant to talk about this. "Okay, that makes sense, so who's behind all of it? Jerry? My Father? Who?????"

"Before I answer that, let me start from the beginning of what I've found out. After the first few incidents, I figured there was a logical explanation for everything that had happened, all we had to do was find it. Then when we found Jerry in the hallway, I was sure we had found the source of the mystery, until he mentioned the woman he saw. Then I started wondering about who else had lived in this house, so I asked Matthew for a copy of his research on the house itself, and I asked Travis for a copy of his report on the previous owners and tenants." Thomas seemed hesitant to continue.

"And… what are you waiting for?" Jax was beginning to become angry with his friend. It was not like Thomas to drag things out like this. "Come on, mate, get to the punch line -- who's responsible for all of this?" The frustration started to show in Jax's voice, as he had to catch himself from speaking so loud as to disturb Brenda. At this point the last thing he wanted was for her to wake up and hear this.

"Okay, okay, keep it quiet. Well, I put the two reports together and did some additional research of my own. Here comes the part you're going to think is loony. I think what we've all been seeing and smelling are the ghosts of the original owners of this house!" Thomas waited for Jax's reaction. He had a feeling that the only thing that would keep him calm was the prospect of a loud reaction waking Brenda. He steeled himself for Jax's outburst - which never came!

"What led you to that conclusion, Thomas?" Jax asked in a sincere enough voice that Thomas thought Jax was actually considering the possibility.

"Well, several things actually. First of all I looked through the collection of pictures of the family that built this house, the Stanhopes, that Matthew had assembled, and I was amazed at the resemblance between Madeline Stanhope and Brenda. Secondly, I discovered after a little digging that Madeline held the patent and copyright for a very popular line of lady's cologne of that time called Evening Rose. I also found out that the furniture that was arranged during the night was done exactly according to the original floor plan, something that no one -- not even Matthew -- was aware of at the time. Who else would have known where 'she' wanted everything?" Thomas was amazed that Jax was still listening so intently as he continued his story.

"When you factor into all this the fact that Jerry encountered the woman outside this room, the master bedroom, and was warned that he did not belong here, nor was he welcome here, it sounds like a woman protecting her home. Add to that the fact that Jerry swears that the woman he saw was Brenda in a white, Victorian gown. Jax, one of the portraits of Madeline Stanhope has her standing by that fireplace…" He pointed to the fireplace they were sitting next to. "… wearing a white, Victorian gown. I'd swear if you showed Jerry that portrait, he'd tell you that was the woman he saw."

Jax had not said a word nor had he moved, except to sip his coffee, during Thomas's explanation. "Okay, say I buy your theory of Madeline Stanhope helping us and protecting this suite from Jerry. Where does the bourbon smell last night fit in? Is she a closet alcoholic, too?" Jax couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice, even if he did almost buy Thomas's story.

"Of course not! Let me finish before you decide I'm nuts! Remember how excited Matthew was when the furniture for the library was delivered? It seemed kind of ironic that the original furniture for that room was now back in it again don't you think? Well, my guess is that when the furniture came back, so did its original owner. From what I could find out, Everett Stanhope became pretty much of a recluse after his wife died. He moved the family to London and devoted his life totally to business, to the point of turning his children over to a series of nannies and boarding schools, until, that is, his son was an adult and he moved back to Port Charles and back into the family house. Everything I was able to find out indicated that Everett became a progressively heavier drinker, until he eventually died of a heart attack brought on by complications of alcoholism. Get this, Jax -- Everett's drink of choice was bourbon -- VERY expensive, English bourbon. My guess is that if we got a bottle of that stuff for you to sniff, it would be the same thing you smelled in the library last night." Now that he had told Jax everything, Thomas waited for his reaction, but none came - at least not from Jax.

They were both startled by the sound of another voice in the room, "Thomas, are you trying to tell us that our dream home is haunted?" Brenda asked incredulously. She walked over to where both Jax and Thomas had stood up, when they realized she was in the room, and wrapped herself tightly around Jax.

"Hey, you, what are you doing up? You didn't get much sleep last night. I thought you'd sleep 'til noon. Did we wake you?" Jax wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, why don't you go back to sleep for a while." Jax tried heading her back toward the bedroom, but she would not budge. "What's wrong?"

"I'm waiting for an answer to my question. Thomas, do you think this house is haunted?" Brenda looked up at Thomas, never letting go of Jax.

"I think it might be. I told Jax he'd think I was loony before I started explaining my theory. I have to admit, mate, you have been remarkably patient during this whole story. What do you think about what I've told you?"

Both Brenda and Thomas looked at Jax, waiting for his answer. Brenda could see the wheels turning in his head, as he tried to wrap his mind around all that Thomas had just told him. She had not heard everything Thomas had said, but she had heard enough to figure out that he thought that the house was haunted. What she didn't know was whether he thought these ghosts presented a danger to Jax or herself.

"What do I think of your theory? Well, call me crazy too but I think it makes SOME sense." He looked at both of them, realizing that he had given them the answer they had both been waiting for. "What I need to know now is whether or not the 'original' owners present any kind of a threat to the current owners. What do you say, oh wise, aboriginal seer?" He looked at Thomas with a slight smile on his face, the first he had allowed himself all morning.

Thomas laughed softly as he affected a pose of a soothsayer. "I don't think so. I mean look at everything. If they didn't want you guys around, why would they have arranged the furniture? Wouldn't it make more sense for them to damage it or put it back outside to let you know your presence was not wanted here? Also, if it really were Madeline Stanhope that Jerry saw in the hallway, why would she have told him -- if she really did -- that he was not welcome in this house? If they wanted to cause trouble she would have encouraged Jerry in whatever he was planning.

"No, I think that if my theory is correct, you have nothing to worry about from these two. In fact, they could be your best allies in having a happy life here. So put what happened last night out of your minds and just enjoy your home. I don't expect we'll be experiencing any more 'incidents' from the Stanhopes any time soon." With that said Thomas kissed Brenda on the cheek, swatted Jax on the shoulder, took his coffee cup, and left the room, closing the doors behind him.

Jax and Brenda stood there for a minute not saying anything, not moving. Finally Jax pulled back from Brenda and looked into her eyes. "Well, what do you think? Think we have ghosts, like Thomas says?" He looked at her with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"When Thomas explains it like that, it sure sounds possible. I missed the first part so will you fill me in on what he said?" She tried very hard to stifle a yawn but without success.

"After you answer a question for me. Why are you up? You had a pretty restless night last night; it was almost dawn by the time you fell asleep, so I figured you'd sleep 'til noon. What woke you?" the concern that Jax felt for her, obvious in his voice.

"Well, actually, I woke up because I realized you weren't in bed with me. I rolled over to wrap my arms around you, and all I felt was pillow. I woke up with a start. I looked around the room, and when I didn't see you, I started to panic, until I heard your voice out here talking to Thomas. So I got up, put on my robe, and came out to see what you guys were talking about. I figured it had to be pretty important if it got you out of our bed so early. Besides, if I remember correctly you didn't get any more sleep than I did! Every time I woke up you were stroking my back and whispering to me to go back to sleep, telling me you were there and weren't going anywhere. I don't imagine you slept at all last night, did you?" She looked at him, realizing for the first time how tired he looked. She backed out of his embrace and took his hand, leading him back toward the bedroom. "Come with me, Mr. Jacks. You took care of me last night now it's my turn to take care of you!"

As she was talking, she led him back into the bedroom, closing the doors tightly behind them. She led him over to the bed, took off his robe and pushed him gently down onto it. "Lay down on your stomach" she ordered. Jax did as he was told, surprised when he felt her above him, her knees straddling his waist. "Just relax, honey. Let me work on all these knots…" She stopped talking as she started massaging his shoulders. By the time she was halfway down his back, Jax was sound asleep. Brenda could only smile as she looked down at her sleeping husband. He looked so much like a little boy when he slept like this. She very gently lifted herself off him. After taking off her robe, she climbed into bed next to him, trying to gently wrap her arm around him. He immediately rolled them over so that they were cuddled in a spoon position, never once waking. Brenda quickly felt herself drifting off to sleep, happy to once again be in his arms, knowing there was nothing to fear.

2:30 P.M.

Jax and Brenda had slept until almost noon, both of them finally able to relax and get the rest they desperately needed. After showering and dressing, they had finally come downstairs about 1:00. When they walked into the parlor they were surprised to find Travis there with both Thomas and Benton.

"Well, it's about time you two decided to come down!" Travis said. "I asked Benton to go up and get you guys a couple hours ago, but he refused. Seems Thomas had given him instructions not to bother you until you came down on your own. What gives?"

Brenda and Jax looked first at each other and then at Thomas and Benton. "Nothing, we just had a rough night last night and didn't fall asleep until almost dawn."

As Jax was explaining things to Travis, Brenda walked over to where Thomas and Benton were standing. She reached up and gave Thomas a very big hug. "Thanks, both of you, we needed the time. I do want to talk to you though before you leave. I didn't hear everything you told Jax this morning, and I want you to fill me in on what I missed."

Thomas looked down at her as she released her hold on him. He realized that she was no longer scared of what happened last night. She actually seemed to accept what he had said this morning, even without having heard all of it. He realized that maybe he wasn't so crazy after all. "No problem. Do you want to do this with or without Jax?"

"I think it would be better without. I don't want to be influenced by his opinion. Do you mind?" She looked up at him for an answer.

"Of course not. I think it's a good idea. Why don't we go for a walk after we're through here with Travis?"

"Sounds good to me. Thanks, Thomas." Brenda walked back over to where Travis and Jax had been talking. "What are you guys talking about so intently here?" she asked, looking up at Jax with a soft smile on her face.

It had taken Travis about an hour to talk to everyone in the house and review his findings from the electrical systems scan he had conducted on the alarm system. Everything, unfortunately, had come up negative. Neither Benton nor Mrs. Kelly had seen any strangers around the house yesterday, nor had there been any deliveries, other than the regular boy who had delivered the groceries. Travis was at a loss to explain what had happened and was quite honest about his lack of progress. Jax thanked him for everything he had done and said that for now they would let the incident go. He said there was probably a logical explanation for what had happened, and when they let some time pass, one of them would probably think of it.

When Jax came back into the parlor after walking Travis to the door, he saw Thomas helping Brenda on with her jacket. "Where are you guys off to?" he asked. "Am I invited?" He looked first at Thomas, who just shook his head as he finished putting on his own jacket, and then at Brenda.

"Not this time, honey. I want to hear the rest of what Thomas told you this morning before I came into the room, and I want to hear it without being influenced by you. Do you mind?" She looked at him expectantly.

"I guess not, when you put it that way. Why are you putting on your coat though? Can't you listen in the house where it's nice and warm?"

"I thought it would be easier for Brenda if we weren't in the house, so I suggested we go for a walk around the neighborhood. I promise, Jax, she'll be okay." Thomas looked over to Jax to reassure him that there was nothing for Jax to worry about.

"I know, I'm not worried about that Thomas. I was just wondering why you think it's necessary to talk away from the house, worried about the ghosts?" Thomas noticed the distinct change in Jax , especially when he saw the silly grin spreading across his face.

"What do you think? I thought it would be easier for Brenda to absorb what I had to tell her if you weren't around distracting her, that's all! Got a problem with that?" Thomas stood defiantly in front of Jax, knowing there was no problem but enjoying the playful banter with his friend, something that had been missing lately.

"Well, when you put it that way, who am I to argue? Okay, just promise not to keep my wife out until she turns into an icicle." Jax walked over to Brenda and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a very passionate kiss. "That's to keep you warm until you get back. Tell you what, how's about a hot bath when you get back to warm you up? What do you say?" He looked down into her eyes with that evil twinkle that she so loved.

"Sounds like a plan to me. One condition though, you have to share the bath with me. I mean you don't want me to drown or anything by bathing alone, do you?" She laughed, answering his look with one of her own.

"Well, I guess so. The sacrifices I make to please this woman!" With that said, they kissed each other again, and Brenda and Thomas headed out the door.

About 45 minutes later they returned, both half-frozen but laughing as they came in the kitchen door. After taking off their coats and boots, Thomas stayed in the kitchen and accepted a cup of hot chocolate from Mrs. Kelly, while Brenda headed upstairs to take her hot bath, calling out to Jax to let him know she was back and expecting him to come upstairs with her. There was no answer. When she got to the top of the stairs she called out to him again, still no answer. Becoming concerned she headed into their suite to change out of her wet clothes and go look for him. As soon as she walked into the bedroom, she knew she had nothing to worry about. There was Jax, wearing nothing but his loosely tied robe, lying across the bed, waiting for her.

"It's about time you got back! I was beginning to think I was going to have to get dressed and go looking for you two. Did you have a nice walk with Thomas?" Jax asked as he sat up and reached for her, pulling her closer to the bed.

She was about to reprimand him for not answering her when she called, but she lost the ability to talk when Jax began gently kissing the side of her neck and running his warm hands gently up and down her back underneath her sweater, stopping only long enough to unhook her bra. "Uh, uh, yeah, yeah we had a nice… Jax…" When she could not stand it any longer, she grabbed his face, pulling him to her, and kissed him with as much passion as she could.

When she finally pulled away from the kiss she realized that not only was she no longer cold, she was no longer wearing most of her clothing either. "How did you do that?" she asked, when she looked down at herself and saw she was wearing nothing but her underwear.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Jack, but that's a trade secret. Is this a complaint I'm hearing? Besides, how were you planning to take our bath with all those clothes on?" He kissed her again as he got off the bed. He picked her up and carried her into the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind them. Soon the sound of running water was nearly drowned out by the sound of two people totally in love.

She stood smiling by the bedroom windows in the growing shadows, as day was drawing to an end. This couple was the kind of people who belonged in her home. She was looking forward to watching -- and helping, when necessary -- them enjoy the magic this house had to offer. She had no intention of allowing anyone or anything to interfere with their happiness here, whatever it took. Just as she heard them opening the bathroom door she quickly faded away, no sense worrying them with unwanted visitors in their bedchamber…