+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DISCLAIMER: Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned by the LeSourd Family. I am in no way seeking profit or credit for her story. I am continuing the story of Christy for my own amusement only. Any additions in story line and characters were invented by the writer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ My fellow Christy fans; Didn’t you all feel a little let down by the abrupt ending of The Hostage episode? I did! This is how the scene looked that must have been cut from the end of ‘The Hostage’. I’ll pick up from the part we saw while the credits were rolling: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Title: Recently 'Discovered' Scene from The Hostage Author: Annie Summary: Christy talks to Neil, too! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Christy’s main surprise and relief is that David is still alive, and so her eyes are drawn to him as she cautiously leads Jarvis Tatum out of the cabin toward Miss Alice. As soon as Alice takes the gun and reaches for Jarvis’ hand, Christy runs to David, to embrace him and welcome him ‘back from the dead’. She thanks God for his life. But as the first rush of joy subsides, she becomes aware of the others around them. She quickly senses the suffering of guilt that’s written all over Dr. MacNeill. He’s hardly moved since he first called to Jarvis inside the cabin, and he continues to stand near Christy and David, wringing his leather riding gloves. He looks at them, and tells himself that HE nearly caused the deaths of these two, not to mention young Sam Houston. The self-condemnation about the death of Jarvis’s wife still festers in his mind as well. Neil is rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the strength of the bitter guilt that’s had hold of him since he first heard of the suicide of the young mother. Now Christy releases David, and with a final touch on his cheek, she whispers a request for him to get back to the mission and rest himself. He’d prefer to stay with her, but he can’t miss the anguish on the face of the man standing close by. He knows Christy won’t leave without trying to comfort the doctor. He also feels his strength fading, now that the crisis has passed. With a touch on Dr. MacNeill’s shoulder as he passes, he moves first to speak a few words to Alice Henderson and Jarvis Tatum, and then on through the thick undergrowth to Dan Scott, who’s holding his own horse and Prince. The crowd of men begins to disperse into the woods. Neil’s eyes are bloodshot and wild looking, and once Christy turns toward him, those eyes are fastened on her face, as though he’s hanging on for his life. She puts her hands on his, and gently stops the nervous twisting of his gloves. One hand unconsciously shoves the gloves into his pocket. She entwines the other between her two, moving a step closer. ‘I knew you’d come for me. Thank you, Neil. I can’t tell you what it meant to hear your voice,’ she says in a low voice. Her eyes search his face, trying to comfort him, but he still looks lost and hurt. His mouth has gone dry, and he can only manage to speak one word: ‘Christy.’ She turns and leads him toward Miss Alice and Jarvis Tatum, who’ve been talking and watching since he emerged from the cabin. ‘Mr. Tatum, here is Dr. MacNeill,’ she simply says. She stands to Neil’s left, still holding his hand in both of hers. Jarvis looks first at her, then at the doctor. ‘Doc, I know you done your best to holp Elly. There wasn’t nothin’ you coulda done to stop her. I was right with her all that time, an’ I never knowed what she was thinkin’ on.’ His voice chokes a bit, and he pauses for a moment before he continues. ‘Teacher here showed me hit weren’t your fault. Hit weren’t no one’s fault. I ‘pologize for all the trouble I done stirred up.’ Now Miss Alice breaks in. ‘Mr. Tatum, thee has lost thy child and thy dear wife. God knows the pain in thy heart, and He cares. The people of the cove feel for your loss, too. Please allow us to help in thy time of sorrow.’ She starts to guide him away, but before they leave, he turns back to Dr. MacNeill and timidly offers his hand. Neil, responding to the pressure of Christy’s grip, extends his hand as well. Alice looks back over her shoulder. ‘Neil, please see that Miss Huddleston returns safely to the mission. She may need thy medical attention.’ At this, Neil is aroused from his daze, and turns seriously to Christy. ‘Christy, are you hurt? Sam Houston said you were tied up.’ Not waiting for her to reply, he turns first one wrist, then the other, gently pushing her sleeves back to reveal some reddened and slightly raw rope marks. The knowledge that this happened on his account further tightens the knot in his chest and throat. ‘Oh, Christy! This is my fault! I should have seen the signs in Elly -‘ But Christy stops him with her fingers on his lips. She looks up into his face, and the intensity in her blue eyes silences him. ‘Neil, you heard Mr. Tatum. He doesn’t blame you for his wife’s death. God doesn’t blame you for her death. You don’t need to blame yourself.’ She longs to comfort him, just as Neil had comforted her after Opal McHone’s baby died, just as she had comforted Opal. Her hand moves from his lips to rest on his chest. ‘I don’t blame you. I remember what you told me about all the calls you have to make for gunshot and knife wounds. I know how much you’ve done for all the families of the cove, and for me, too. Maybe now this is a chance for these men to begin to turn away from feuding. God can bring something good out of this.’ Something inside of Neil begins to thaw as she speaks and looks at him with such strength and compassion. The constriction in his chest and throat melts away at the light touch of her hand resting on him. The release of all the pressure of the past day brings a surprising emotional release as well - he can’t stop the rising of tears. Christy’s response is immediate - her eyes fill with tears, too. Her arms move around his waist, and he pulls her close, bowing his head on her shoulder. Christy holds him tightly for several moments, then draws back to smile at him through the blur of tears. He’s not composed enough yet to smile back, but lifts his hand to stroke her cheek with the back of his fingers. ‘Now, doctor, I wonder if you’d like to bring me home,’ she says, with a twinkle in her eyes sparkling through the last of her tears. [Theme music plays (cheers, Sonja!): http://www2.tsixroads.com/~sonja1/christy.mid] Behind the rolling credits, we see Neil on horseback, helping Christy to climb up behind him. Once she’s settled and holding onto his waist, he slowly turns the horse and starts off into the woods. Neil is looking back over his shoulder at her, and they’re talking as they ride out of sight. The End! About The Hostage's new ending I wasn't satisfied with the way the ep showed Neil behaving. The only way I could account for his withdrawal (assuming that the writers and director weren't incompetent, like Molly said!) was to think that he felt overwhelmingly guilty over everything that had happened: starting with the suicide of Elly Tatum, and then spreading to the shooting of David, the kidnapping of Christy and Sam Houston, and now the likely murder of Christy, Tatum, or both, not to mention a possible feud springing up. He believed that his laxness in administering the laudanum rippled out to ruin many lives. When I looked at it that way, then I started thinking that he was sort of in shock by the time she came out of the cabin. That's not totally inconsistent with the Neil MacNeill we've come to know. Margaret told him that each patient who died took a little piece of him. When Opal's baby died, he told Christy not to blame herself ('If you flog yourself over it, you'll be no good to anyone. Take it from a man who knows.'). We know he takes his work seriously. Maybe this time, when Christy was involved, it was too close to his heart - more than he could manage. But the writers were too cruel - they never resolved it! Christy gained strength toward the end of the ep, and Neil faded. That's not what we've come to expect of him - but then again, it's not so strange. People who rely on God know that He gives endurance where we would expect to crumble. Right? His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world! Neil didn't have that faith - so when his own emotional or physical strength reached the limit, that was it. That's why I felt like Christy should be ministering to him at the end, instead of the other way around. Little by little, she's teaching him to open his heart to God. I've always wondered about people who don't know the Lord. I would be so insecure if I wasn't sure that God has everything under His control! Cheers Annie