and Englehardt's project squared away just enough so it doesn't take all my time day and night, I'll let you start analysis. I won't fight you, I'll co-operate."

She knew he was lying, and suddenly she didn't care. He didn't know he was lying now. Right now he thought he meant it, and even though she saw through the mask with perfect, frightening clarity, she couldn't help herself.

"Will you take a BHE and sign the paternity papers if I do?"

Bahr nodded. "If I get past the prelim."

She leaned back against his shoulder, suddenly infinitely tired, more weary than she had ever been in her life before. "You know, it would have been so easy," she said. "All this running and fighting; it would have been so much easier if you had let me start deep analysis two years ago."

He stiffened against her. "Easier?"

"You wouldn't have the elephant, and the sleeplessness, and you wouldn't be boiling up with hate and beating your fist against the wall in your sleep, and you wouldn't have this prelim coming up."

"And I wouldn't have gotten anywhere," Bahr said.