Great chapter and you leave us wondering how Michael is going to take Fi being gone. I bet he talks her into taking him. Now that would cause a whole lot of problems. Can't wait to read the next chapter. You do such a good job. Happy writing.

I'm so pleased that you have returned to this story; hopefully with more frequent chapters. Fiona's love for Michael Westen is equaled only by her tenacity to make him whole again. Looking forward to how you're going to make it happen.
Thank you,

Good to see another chapter. Please don't keep us waiting so long for the next one

It's baaaaaacccccckkkkk and #Burners couldn't be happier! And so much goodness, Michael has finally turned a corner onto the road of recovery (not to mention bath time!) and a deliciously evil cliffie - will that meltdown Billy has been expecting finally arrive? Can he and Sam handle the damaged spy? Can't wait until Chapter 56 to find out what happens next! Bravo, my friend, bravo and more please soon!

Oooh! It continues! Just for me ! Thank you! Julieta

Always so greatful for an update for this epic story. Am loving the slow but realistic progress as Michael becomes himself and the love of his life and best friend fighting by his side.

One of a spy's most valuable tools is the ability to compartmentalze.
In the most immediate & personal sense, this is the practice of taking feelings, opinions, habits...and memories from a spy's real life which don't fit/aren't useful to/may be harmful to the current cover & mission and locking them safely away. Picture a bank vault where the individual safe deposit boxes line the walls.
But because these are part of the operative's life, in time they must be reclaimed. Re-installed. If not, a hole is left. A void.
And as any engineer will tell you, a void is a vulnerability. Left unfilled, it weakens the whole structure.
Michael is a master of compartmentalization! He removes and then replaces parts quickly, smoothly, with the ease of long practice.
But there is one piece he has neglected and the void it has left has been doing more and more damage. His work with Larry in Chechnya, in particular one terrible mission where the term "collateral damage" had become a very real sound, a smell, palpable suffering.
Michael can NEVER be whole until he internalizes, OWNS his memories and feelings from that awful day. At this moment of his lowest ebb with a nearly total physical, psychological, and emotional rebuilding ahead of him will Michael realize the opportunity? Will he take advantage, fill the void with ownership of the memories thus leaving no room for Larry's darkness?
Once again Purdy's Pal has masterfully led Michael and us through a fascinating and carefully constructed odyssy all leading to this pivotal moment!
Who else could have brought us on this amazing ride, left us on this cliff, and made us LOVE every moment!
Thank you.

Well written chapter; I was hoping that Michael would be in a better place after the long wait. I look forward to the next chapter.
Thank you for the update.

So glad to see one of my favourites by one of my favourite authors continue. This story gets better and better and as Michael gets some of his strength back there is no telling where this story will take us and I cant wait! Great job

So excited to see you back! This is such a good story that’s it easy to fall right back in. Michael and Fiona continue to be my favorite couple of all time. Thank You for continuing to write about them.

OH SO GOOD to see you back on the boards and with such a fabulous update. Michael faces down his biggest fear and comes out the other side triumphant. Loved Fiona and Sam trying out teamwork and finding they can manage it, but onlly just... But the best part was the glimmer of the old Michael Westen, ready to face down his past and do a little prevaricating as needed to get his way. BRILLIANT!

Damn good story. I'll believe that Michael has turned the corner and becomes the man that Fiona wants. Until he accepts her as an equal partner in his life; this rocky relationship is hanging by thin thread.
Thank hou,

Super good writing on the last few paragraphs of this chapter.
As always can't wait for chapter 54. very realistic writing on the
end of this chapter. Thanks so much. '-'

Having grown up as the worshipped little princess of a father she adored (even following in his footsteps in The Cause as a mistress of all things BOOM) Fiona has never fully grasped the terrible void left in Michael by his lack of a loving nuturing dad. She has never understood how the quest to fill that void has shaped Michael's life. He found supportive "father figures", first in the military with his Ranger C.O.s & then in The Agency with his training officer Tom Card & his mentor, Larry Sizemore.
Fi also doesn't get the "older brother-younger brother" relationship between Sam & Michael or that Michael regards Sam as the angel on his shoulder urging him to follow his heart's best instincts toward compassion, fairness, forgiveness & openness to love.
Fi does, however, instinctually know how hard Larry's death has hit Michael but is probably not ready for the wound that will result from learning that it came at Sam's hand.
This may be even more damaging to Team Westen than anything done during Michael's captivity.
This amazing psychological deep dive into the internal dynamic of all of Team Westen could only come from Purdy's Pal who, for so long now, has lived inside the beautiful heads of our beloved black operators! How wonderful that she keeps the dream (team) alive for all of us! Thank you is not enough!

Oh my! Great chapter! Movie movie!
It’s exciting to follow this story! Thank you, julieta