A/N: Fagan/Cadi fluff. This takes place a year after the movie. Since I haven't read the book, I'm assuming Fagan's about four years older than Cadi. Again, the misspellings in the dialogue are merely my attempt at conveying the Welsh/Irish/Scottish accents.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of The Last Sin Eater characters. They belong solely to Francine Rivers.


Flowers

Young laughter could be heard echoing throughout the mountains. Fia Forbes smiled as she recognized the high voice of her eleven-year-old daughter Cadi. Her smile widened as the second voice carried to her motherly ears. Fagan Kai. He was a good boy and close friend of her Cadi. She knew the two children had been through quite a lot together and it felt good to hear them laughing like the young ones they were. She turned back to her laundry and prayed a silent thank you to Heaven for her precious Cadi.

Back in the forest behind the Forbes's house, Cadi and Fagan lay amongst wildflowers, staring up through the high tree limbs to the patches of blue sky beyond. They were laughing for Fagan had just bragged about being able to climb higher in the tree than Cadi. Half-way up, he looked down. Although he denied it to Cadi, she could see he was deathly afraid. For some reason it struck her as funny that a boy who tramped through the mountains all the time would be afraid of heights. Fagan insisted it was just a different angle that he was not used to, but had to smile at Cadi's laughter.

Now they lay close together on the ground. Laughing spontaneously as they each remembered what had just happened. The laughing went on a while before they finally calmed down. Cadi suddenly thought of something that frightened her and she sat up straight, gasping a little.

Fagan sat up slowly. "What is it, Cadi? Something wrong?"

"Your fifteen now."

"So?" He turned towards her. "What's that got to do wit' anything?"

"Will ya be looking for a wife soon?"

Fagan laughed softly. "That's still a long way off, Cadi. No need to worry."

Cadi looked sidelong at him. "I was na' worried. Just lookin' out for ya best, that's all."

"Why? Ya think I would a marry someone I would na' like?"

Cadi shrugged. "I do na' know what ya like."

Fagan nodded. "That's right. Ya don't. Now do na' ya go looking for someone for me, Cadi. I'll know what I want when the time comes."

Cadi nodded then stood suddenly. "I'm going to find some flowers for my mama. Ya want to join me, Fagan?"

Fagan looked up at her for a long moment. Cadi felt her cheeks flush strangely and she turned away. He was very handsome, just like Lilybet said. She did not look at him again.

"Ya do na' have to come, if ya do na' want to."

She made her way through the trees to her favorite picking spot. She did not turn to see if Fagan was following her.

Fagan sat for a while, watching Cadi leave. She was so full of life and spunk. Fagan had to admit to himself that he felt something for her. He always had, right from the beginning. The first time he had spoken to her down by the base of the Narrows, he remembered it like it was yesterday. She had seemed beautiful then, even as she did now. He stood and followed her down to where the wildflowers grew in abundance.

There she was, kneeling with her face to the sunshine. He watched her silently for a few moments as she slowly lowered her gaze to the flowers around her. Tentatively, it seemed, she reached out and plucked one from the earth. Then she turned to another, and another. Fagan looked down and noticed a lovely flower near his feet. Reaching down he pulled it up to his face and breathed deeply. It smelled wonderful. He stared at it. It was deep pink in color and he as he raised his eyes to Cadi's kneeling form, he noticed how nice it would look in her hair.

Walking over, he knelt beside her. She pretended not to notice him but he could see the soft blush flow over her cheeks as he reached over to stay her hand. She turned to look at him. He smiled slightly and placed the flower in her golden hair.

"I'll wait for ya, Cadi. Do na' ya worry. I'll wait for ya."

She blushed deeper but did not refuse the flower nor pull away from him as he touched her cheek tenderly. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she looked into his serious ones.

"Are ya sure ya want to wait that long? I'm still a young one yet."

Fagan's intense expression did not change. "I can wait as long as I need to."

Cadi adverted her eyes, the situation growing slightly awkward. Suddenly she turned back to him. Kissing his cheek quickly, she jumped up and started running, calling behind her shoulder, "Race ya home, Fagan!"

Fagan grinned widely, his heart singing with joy. As he jumped up and raced after her among the flowers, he felt as if he could spread his arms and fly way over the trees, no matter what the height. The children's laughter rang far over the hills and meadows, and Cadi thought she could almost hear the sky open up and God laughing along with them.