Disclaimer: I do not own Diagnosis Murder or any of the characters. They are owned by CBS and Viacom. I am not making any money just having fun. All Disclaimers Apply.

I would like to thank all my friends who kept telling me that I should write DM Fan fictions besides coming up with ideas for others to write.

This is a Steve hurt/comfort and/or a Steve/Mark Relationship Story. This is a Steve based story.

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The Homecoming

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Beach House

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“Dad, why aren’t you ready, you promised me this time there would be no excuses and you’d join me at our cabin. We both managed to get a week off together. You know that doesn’t happen very often.”

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“I know son. I’m going trust me. I just want to see a few of my patients before I take off.”

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“That’s what you said last time Dad.”

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Mark sighed. “I promise Steve. Look go to the cabin and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

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“Ok Dad but I don’t want to spend my vacation by myself alone in the cabin.”

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Steve heads for the cabin while Mark heads for the hospital to check on a couple of his patients.

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Before Mark could leave he heard the PA system go off. All available doctors were needed. There had been a major accident.

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Mark spent several hours tending to the wounded. Finally there had been a break. He would call Steve and let him know what happened. He knew his son would understand.

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Meanwhile Steve had arrived at the cabin. He was bored waiting for his father to come. He had been in the cabin for an hour or more waiting for his dad. He was sure his father would at least call. Steve decided that he had to do something to occupy his time. He decided to go on a hike. Hiking always relaxed Steve. By the time he came back he was sure his dad would be there.

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Steve returned to the cabin. He noticed there had been someone in there while he was gone. Steve didn’t see his father’s car so he knew it couldn’t have been his dad. Steve drew out his gun and quietly entered the cabin.

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The blow to his head stunned him. When he had come to he had been tied up.

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“Look I don’t know what’s going on but you better leave soon. My father will be here soon and he’ll have the police swarming this place.”

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“Don’t be stupid cop. I know all about your father and you. Your father’s not coming to the cabin. You know that and I know that. Anytime now your father will call and give you another excuse why he won’t be able to come and join you.

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“He promised he’d come!”

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“My, my such trust! We’ll just see who’s right shall we?”

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Mark called Steve at the cabin to tell him what was happening and to tell him he was sorry he wouldn’t be able to join him. He was needed at the hospital.

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The phone in the cabin rings and the intruder gives the phone to Steve. He has a gun pointed at Steve’s head.

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“I’m really sorry son. An emergency came up. I won’t be able to come. I tried Steve honest I did.”

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Mark heard a sound of someone hanging up the phone.

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Mark put down his phone. He felt terrible. Steve was more upset then he’d thought he’d be. His son had never hung up on him before. He’d make it up to his son somehow. Right now he had to get back to his patients.

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The intruder knew that Steve was about to tell his father he needed help and so he pushed the disconnect button.

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“Well like I said cop. We have all the time in the world.”

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With that the intruder took out a syringe from his pocket and injected Steve with it. He was going to enjoy this.

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He called for his friends to come out of where they were hiding. One of them went to get the truck that had been hidden in the bushes. Then they all carried Steve out of the cabin and put Steve in the back. Then they went back to the cabin and grabbed everything Steve had brought with him so there would be no sign that anyone had been in the cabin.

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After opening up Steve’s truck with the keys that they had discovered laying on a table when they had first come in, they put all of Steve’s belongings in. Then they drove both trucks back to the beach house. They made sure Steve was still unconscious. He had been given a strong dose of the drug and was still unconscious. They all took out Steve’s belongings from his truck and with his key he had they put his things into Steve’s part of the beach house. They left Steve’s truck there after wiping it clean of fingerprints.

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Next they drove to the nearest psychiatrist hospital. They went in and showed them their FBI badges. The nurse on duty was willing to do her patriotic duty and help the agents. They told her they had come across a man who was obviously insane. One of them said that he was a medical consultant to the FBI and he would be handling the case. He owed it to his father.

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Mark came to the cabin. He opened the door and there was no sign of his son. Maybe he had given up and had decided to go home. Mark knew his son was upset with him but he still didn’t like it. Steve could have called his father and told him he was going home. Now Mark had to drive all the way back home.

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Mark came home and saw Steve’s truck in the driveway. Mark was tired and was beginning to be furious at his son for not having the decency to call. He decided it was best to cool off, get some sleep and then father and son could work things out in the morning.

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The next day Mark made Steve’s favorite breakfast as a way to make up to his son. After he was finished and he was sure the smell would wake Steve up Mark made his own breakfast.

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Mark had made sure he would have a few days off left. Maybe Steve and Mark could spend some father and son quality time together away from their work. It seemed to Mark lately that was the only time he had been spending time with his son- when they were both working on one of Steve’s cases.

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Steve’s breakfast had become cold a long time ago. Mark decides to go downstairs. Maybe Steve was too upset with him to even want to go upstairs to see his father. Mark reaches Steve’s entrance from the stairs and knocks. After not hearing anything Mark enters. He sees Steve’s camping equipment in his son’s living room. Then he searches his son’s other rooms. There was no sign of his son. His bed looked like it hadn’t been slept in.

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Mark went outside. Steve’s truck was still there.

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Mark called Captain Newman. Maybe Steve had decided to go back to work instead of seeing his father.

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Captain Newman hadn’t seen Steve and was surprised that Lt. Sloan had just disappeared.

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A search of Mark and Steve’s cabin didn’t bring very many leads except for three different tire tracks. One of them was confirmed to have been left by Steve’s truck the other was from Mark’s car. They could not account for the other one except it looked like it was from a truck also.

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Steve had officially been declared missing. A search around the cabin had proven futile except they had found evidence that someone or some ones had taken a walk in the woods.

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Mark had confided in Jesse that he was very worried. Something had happened to his son. Mark was only too aware of his own feelings of guilt. He should have gone straight to the cabin when someone on the other end of the phone had hung up the phone. Mark realized someone had to be in the cabin with his son. Now his son had been abducted and there was no trace of him.

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All medical hospitals in the area had been searched. Steve’s picture sent out. Even a plea from a distressed father to the media didn’t help.

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Almost six months had gone by since Steve’s disappearance.

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Steve had spent the nearly six months hidden in the psychiatric hospital spaced out on drugs going through everything imaginable- even electric shock. After months of the treatment Steve had stopped trying to get someone to listen to him that he was a police officer and those people who had brought him there were not government agents. It wasn’t because he no longer thought they would eventually help him it was because Steve had forgotten his past life.

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After wiping his former life from Steve’s memory they had begun to invent a new life for Steve.

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Steve had been happily married but a tragic accident on New Year’s Day had changed it. He had learned that his wife would have lived through her injuries but the doctor operating on her had been so inept that by the time she had been transferred to a more competent doctor it had become too late and his wife had died. To make matters worse his wife had been pregnant with their first child. The inept doctor who had caused his wife’s death, was Dr. Mark Sloan of Community General Hospital. Steve vowed to make the doctor pay for causing his wife’s death.

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Mark had spent most of the months at Community General or at Jesse’s apartment or Amanda’s house. The beach house just wasn’t home without his son, Steve.

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Steve had been dropped off at the beach house. He had been given keys to the house and a gun- his keys and gun. Steve walked in and didn’t see anyone in there. Mark Sloan had to come home some time and when he did Steve Baker would be waiting.

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It had been the end of another day. Another lonely day without his son. Mark had berated himself over and over again for not coming to the cabin sooner. If he had gone with his son as planned Mark was sure his son would not be missing now.

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As Mark was deciding where to stay tonight- the on call room or one of his friend’s houses, the telephone rang. Mark answered it. It was his neighbor. She had seen lights on in his house and called to see if everything was ok.

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Mark told Jesse the news. Mark wanted to race home right then. He was sure the person in the beach house had to be his son. Jesse wanted Mark to be careful and call Captain Newman first. Mark had been too excited to listen to Jesse’s warning. Mark raced home to what he hoped was a happy homecoming not realizing what could have prevented his son from coming home earlier. It was up to Jesse to call Captain Newman and ask him to come to the Beach House.

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Steve heard a car stop and park in the driveway. This was it. Dr. Mark Sloan was finally going to pay for killing his wife. He and Delia had loved each other so very much. He had been looking forward to becoming a father and Dr. Sloan’s incompetence had taken it all away from him.

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Mark hurriedly got out of his car and raced to his front door. He quickly opened the door and walked inside.

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“Steve, son are you home?!”

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Steve stepped out of his hiding place with his gun in his left hand pointed at Mark.

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“Hello Dr. Sloan we meet again.”

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“Steve what are you doing?!”

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“You and your ineptitude killed my wife and our unborn child Dr. Sloan. I swore I’d pay you back one day.”

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Mark could not believe it. His son stood a few feet away from him threatening to kill him over the death of his wife and unborn child which Steve had never had.

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Mark knew that Jesse had called Captain Newman. All he had to do was to keep Steve talking.

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“Steve I don’t remember your wife can you tell me what she was like?”

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“Dr. Sloan you remember my name. You must remember Delia!”

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“No..I don’t Steve tell me about her. How did the two of you meet?”

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“We met one year when my father didn’t go to our cabin like we had planned and I got hurt. She was the nurse that took care of me.”

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Steve had mentioned ‘father’ Mark hoped he could reason with Steve.

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“Steve you mentioned your father didn’t go to your cabin. Who’s your father?”

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Steve didn’t know how to answer this at first. Finally he said “I don’t know Dr. Sloan.”

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“Steve, please things are not the way they seem. I know you Steve, and your dad. I don’t remember operating on Delia.”

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“You’re just stalling for time Dr. Sloan.”

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“Steve I can prove I know you. You have scars on your hands from a fire years ago..You have a scar on your chest and stomach from being shot.”

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“And just how do you know all these things Dr. Sloan?”

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“..I’m your father Steve.”

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Steve had had enough stalling from Dr. Sloan. Dr. Sloan was too much pretending to know his father. He didn’t know anything about his father but he was sure he wouldn’t be friends with Dr. Sloan.

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Steve pointed his gun and was about to fire when Captain Newman who had come using the silent alarm burst through the front door. He took one look at the situation and decided he had no choice. He fired at his favorite detective. Not enough to kill him but enough to gain control of the situation.

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Steve dropped to the floor unconscious with the gun falling harmlessly from his left hand.

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Mark rushed to his son’s aid. Not caring that he had just tried to kill him. “Captain Newman we need an ambulance. And tell Dr. Travis we are going to need restraints.”

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Mark looked at his son’s wound. He had been shot in the left shoulder. Although it wasn’t life-threatening Mark knew it was going to be painful. He also knew that they had to figure out a way to help Steve realize that what he believed to be true was in fact just a fantasy.

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The ambulance came and Mark insisted on riding with his son to the hospital. As the ambulance was speeding to the hospital Mark wondered how, or if, he was going to get his son back.

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Jesse was there to greet the ambulance. He had been informed by Captain Newman of what had happened. To say Jesse was shocked was an understatement. Jesse had a hard time grasping that his best friend had almost killed his father. Mark and Steve had a very special relationship that not all fathers and sons were lucky to have. Jesse knew this for a fact. His own relationship with his father had been strained for many years until his father came back into his life when someone had been trying to kill him. Even now Jesse and his father didn’t see each other very often. Jesse was hoping that the same thing, or worse didn’t happen to the two people he cared the most in this world.

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Jesse gave Mark a sympathetic glance and then took off with his patient. Jesse had to take care of his shoulder wound and make sure Steve stayed in restraints. Steve had already proven he could be violent especially towards his own father.

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While Jesse took care of Steve, Mark went to the doctors’ lounge and paced with worry. How could this have happened? How could things change between them so drastically in the almost six months Steve had been missing.

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Mark had thought some more. His son had absolutely no idea that he was never married. He also kept saying ‘Dr. Sloan’ as if he knew him, but not as his father. Somehow Steve had been… conditioned. ’Conditioned’ that was the word Mark had been searching for. The people who had his son all this time had erased Steve’s past from his memory and created a new one. Steve’s new memory was every bit as real to him as the doctors’ lounge was to Mark.

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Jesse came into talk to Mark. “How are you doing Mark?”

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Mark couldn’t hide his feelings from Jesse. “I’m worried about Steve.. Jesse how am I going to get my son back?”

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Jesse sighed. “I wish I knew Mark…I just wish I knew. In the meantime though I’ll take you to see him if you’d like. He’s still asleep and as a precaution I restrained him like Captain Newman told me.”

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Jesse took Mark to Steve’s room. Steve’s left shoulder had been bandaged. Steve was not as critical as he usually was when he had been shot but there was something else quite different this time- Steve’s arms and legs were in restraints and for added precautionary measures Jesse had put on a restraining vest on his best friend. Keeping Steve firmly tied in the bed. Mark was afraid of what that may do to his son when he awoke.. Right now though Mark could see no alternative.

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Mark stayed in his son’s room watching him sleep. Steve looked so much like a little boy while he slept. The little boy who tried to be so brave but would come to him to chase the monsters away. Mark hoped his son would come to him again to chase the demons that were haunting Steve’s mind now.

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Mark did not want to leave his son’s room. Even as tired and hungry as Mark felt he couldn’t be persuaded to leave. Not until Mark noticed his son was waking up. With great reluctance Mark took one last look at his son and then quickly and quietly left the room before his son was completely awake and saw him.

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Mark told Jesse that Steve was waking up. Jesse suggested Mark try to get something to eat and then some sleep.

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Jesse walked into Steve’s room. Steve was wide awake now and looking around. He had been surprised that not only was his shoulder hurting him a little but that when he had tried to move even the slightest he had been prevented from moving. It wasn’t hard for Steve to figure out what had happened- Dr. Sloan had seen to it that Steve be restrained.

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“Hello I’m Dr. Jesse Travis” Jesse tried to sound cheerful. “I’ll be your doctor Steve…I’m sorry Steve..I don’t know your last name. It’s not in your charts.”

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“My name’s Baker. Steve Baker.” Steve said aggressively. “I bet it was Dr. Sloan’s idea that I be restrained. Well it’s not going to work. You can’t keep me like this indefinitely and when I’m released I’ll find Dr. Sloan and make him pay for what he did to my wife.”

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?Jesse didn’t know what to say to Steve. Finally an idea came to Jesse. “Steve, Dr. Sloan’s son loves his father very much. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to him..It was his idea.

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“Dr. Travis why do you insist on calling me ‘Steve’? we’ve never met before.”

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“…I don’t know Steve I guess I’m just very friendly.” Jesse says with a smile on his face trying to ease Steve into at least trusting him.

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After Jesse examined Steve and made sure he was reasonably ok he asked how his shoulder was. Steve told him it hurt and he knew Dr. Sloan was behind it too. Steve thought, Whoever that guy was who rushed in just as he was about to kill Dr. Sloan would pay too- after he had killed Dr. Sloan.

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After Jesse gave Steve some more pain medication for his shoulder he waited until Steve had fallen asleep. Then he went to talk to Mark.

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Mark had been out in the hall waiting for Jesse to come out of his son’s room so they could talk.

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“How is he Jesse?”

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“Well Mark that depends. Physically all Steve has is a bullet wound to the shoulder. It’s painful but he will recover.. His mental state is the real problem. Mark why does he hate you so much?”

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“Jess from what I was able to gather, Steve blames me for the death of his wife.”

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“His wife?!” Jesse sounded shocked. “Steve’s never been married.”

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“I know that Jess, and you know that, but somehow Steve has been ‘conditioned’ to believe that he had a wife and I caused her death…and the death of their unborn child.”

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“Mark what are we going to do? I mean I can’t keep Steve in a restraining vest with his arms and legs secured forever.”

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“I don’t know Jess. I just don’t know how I’m going to break through Steve’s fantasy world that his captors created for him.”

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“Mark why don’t you show Steve photos from yours and Steve’s past?”

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“Jesse it wouldn’t do any good. I doubt very much Steve would comprehend that those were pictures of us.”

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“Can’t Steve see he looks just like the guy in the pictures?”

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“I don’t think so Jess. I told him I was his father. He didn’t believe me.”

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“How was whoever did this to Steve able to keep us from finding him all this time?”

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“I don’t know Jess but it’s a good question. It would have to be somewhere where they could hide Steve. Keep him from leaving until they had finished..

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“Brainwashing him?”

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Mark sighed. “In a matter of speaking yes Jesse. That’s what I mean.”

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Mark didn’t know what to do next. He thought of what he had told Jesse. Where could Steve be kept until he had started to believe what his captors had been telling him.

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Suddenly, a painful realization occurred to Mark. He took out his phone book and looked up psychiatric hospitals. He skimmed until he saw the one he wanted.

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In his search for his son he had come across a psychiatric hospital. Mark had of course known it was there during the few times he had actually camped with his son but he had never had any reason to give the place a second glance.

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Mark was going to check the place out himself but then thought he should call Captain Newman. If Mark was right that was no place to be snooping around in.

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A few days had past. Steve was right. Jesse couldn’t keep Steve hog-tied the way he was. Jesse removed the restraining vest after warning Mark. Mark had to keep away from Steve. There was no telling what Steve was capable of.

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Mark reluctantly stayed away for the most part. He did ask Jesse or the nurses to tell him when his son was asleep. Then he would sneak in, watch his son as he slept and then leave before Steve was aware there was somebody in his room.

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Captain Newman called Mark. His hunch as usual had paid off. There had been a major bust at the hospital. It turned out that Steve had not been the only one who had been abducted and then had been taught to believe what his captors had wanted him to believe. And the people who had abducted Steve had used fake ID’s to gain the trust of one of the employers. One of the few there who were actually trying to help the patients.

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Mark sat back in his chair. His heart filled with guilt. How could he have let his son down like this? When Mark had driven past the place a few times while Steve was missing he had considered going in there but each time he had decided it was a waste of time.

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Jesse didn’t know what to do. Physically Steve was fine. He couldn’t keep Steve restrained indefinitely. Jesse was going to have to release Steve within the next day or so.

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Captain Newman came to see Steve that afternoon. Steve had not forgotten that the man in front of him was the one that had shot him. Preventing him from killing Dr. Sloan. The man Steve knew was responsible for his wife Delia’s death and their unborn child.

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“What do you want? Came to shoot me again?” Steve says aggressively.

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“No…Look I’m very sorry I shot you. At the time I didn’t see any alternative.”

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“You could have let me kill Dr. Sloan!”

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“… No I couldn’t do that.”

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“Why not? He killed my wife!”

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“Look I don’t know how to explain this to you but would you please listen?”

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“Listen to what?”

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“I brought a lady with me. A very courageous lady. She has something to tell you.”

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Captain Newman mentions for the receptionist from the psychiatric hospital to come in. Mark, Jesse, Captain Newman, and the receptionist had all met earlier with a psychiatrist from Community General. After being informed of the situation it was her expert opinion that Steve just be told what happened to him and not who he was. To gain his sanity back he was going to have to learn for himself who he really was.

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“I work..worked as a receptionist for a psychiatric hospital near where Dr. Sloan and his son have a cabin. You were..abducted…and were given false memories in order to hurt Dr. Sloan.”

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“What?” Steve says confused.

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“You were never married. You never lost a child. It was just false memories planted in your mind to give you a reason to hate Dr. Sloan and want to kill him.”

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“But why? It doesn’t make any sense. Why use me? Why not use Dr. Sloan’s son?”

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“That’s a very good question.” Said Captain Newman. “I’m sorry I just don’t have the answer.”

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“What’s your interest in all of this?”

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“..I’m Captain Newman. Dr. Sloan’s son works for me. I’m also quite fond of father and son.”

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Captain Newman and the receptionist left Steve alone to ponder what he had been told. According to them he was never married. Had no reason to want revenge on Dr. Sloan, and had in fact been used as a pawn to gain revenge on Dr. Sloan and his son. But why? There was still this nagging question why him? Why not use the doctor’s son. Surely that would cause Dr. Sloan more anguish. Then a stranger being abducted and programmed to kill Dr. Sloan.

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Steve decided he had to see Dr. Sloan. Jesse was more than willing to arrange for Steve to see Mark. As a precaution Steve had been put back in the restraining vest and was still strapped to the bed with his arms and legs secured.

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“Hello you wanted to see me?” Mark tried to sound nonchalantly. He had missed seeing his son awake for such a long time.

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“Yes…Thank you for coming…According to what this Captain Newman told me I have..had no reason to want to hurt you. I was only being used for revenge against you and your son Dr. Sloan and for that I’m truly sorry.

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“There’s no need to apologize Steve.”

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“…Dr. Sloan could you answer a question for me?”

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“If I can, yes.”

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“Why do you keep calling me by my first name and not Mr. Baker?”

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“..Steve do you object to me calling you ‘Steve’?”

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“…No for some reason I don’t object….I just don’t know why.”

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“..Perhaps it will come to you Steve some day.” Mark hoped it wouldn’t be long before Steve had remembered. Mark thought this was a good step. Steve was questioning himself why it seemed so natural to let Dr. Sloan who must be a total stranger call him by his first name.

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“Maybe it will Dr. Sloan…Dr. Sloan could you do me a favor?”

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“If I can Steve sure.”

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“Seeing that I now realize I have no reason to want to hurt you…could you please have me taken out of this contraption?”

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Mark smiled. “I’d be glad too.” Mark went to get Jesse and told him the progress that had been made. Jesse agreed that Steve could be released. He no longer posed any threat against Mark.

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Jesse was examining Steve with Mark looking on. “Well Steve it looks like you can be released as soon as your discharge papers are signed.”

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“That’s great…but where can I go? I have no place to go. I don’t know where my home is.”

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“Steve you can come home with me…My son won’t be home for a while. You can stay in his unit.”

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“He won’t mind?” Questions Steve.

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“No Steve. I’m sure my son won’t mind at all if you stay in his apartment for a while.

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Mark and Steve were on the deck of the beach house talking as they had done so many times before. Steve’s opinion of Mark had slowly changed. Although he still didn’t know Mark was his father.

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“Your son is very lucky.”

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“Why do you say that Steve?”

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“Even after I’ve tried to kill you Dr. Sloan you’ve done nothing but treat me with kindness. Even going so far as letting me stay here- in your son’s unit... Are you sure he won’t mind?”

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“Steve I told you already. My son won’t mind that you stay in his place while he’s away.”

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“When do you expect him home?”

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“I don’t know Steve but more than anything I want my son back with me.”

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“What happened to your son Mark?”

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Mark was relieved that Steve had started calling him ‘Mark’ . Although it was hard to listen to his son call him by his first name it was better than being called ‘Dr. Sloan’ by his own son.

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….Mark was aware that Steve had been waiting for his question to be answered.

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“We had plans to go camping. Something happened and I couldn’t join him as planned. When I finally came to the cabin he had disappeared and I’ve been searching ever since.”

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“I hope you find him some day.”

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“Thank you Steve. More than anything I hope I find my son soon.”

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Mark had taken a leave of absence from work. Until his son was back with him psychically as well as mentally Mark knew he couldn’t give his best to his patients. Jesse had volunteered to take care of Mark’s patients.

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While Mark and Jesse were talking on the phone, Jesse updating Mark on a couple of his patients Jesse suggested Mark take Steve to the cabin. When Mark asked Jesse why Jesse told him that perhaps Steve going back to the ‘scene of the crime’ so to speak- the abduction would help Steve remember more. Mark decided they had nothing to lose and that if nothing else it would be nice to get away for a while.

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Mark talked it over with Steve. Steve just couldn’t believe how nice Mark Sloan was. Not only offering his house for him to stay in while Mark’s son was gone but actually inviting him to the cabin he and his son shared.

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Steve and Mark enter the cabin. Steve looks around as if seeing it for the first time.

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Steve is silent for a while and Mark asks if he remembers anything.

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Steve says he remembers being bored waiting for his……father. Deciding to go hiking, coming back. Someone in the cabin.. His dad calling … wanting to tell his dad something… Being unable to…. Waking up in a psycho hospital…nobody would listen to him….

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“Listen to what?” Mark gently asks his son.

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“….That my name was….is Steve Sloan… I am your son!”

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Mark starts to cry.

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“Why are you crying?”

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“My son is home.” Mark said simply.

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Mark made a vow to himself. Never again would he stand his son up. If he said he’d be somewhere then he’d move heaven and earth to be there. No one or anything was more important than his son.

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The End

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Author’s Notes:? As you can tell I let my imagination loose again. I know that some of this story is very similar to a story by a friend of mine. I tried very hard not to copy it but some of the things just couldn’t be helped no matter how hard I tried. So I want you to be aware that I know there are similarities between this story and my friend’s story and for that I apologize.

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