Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Covenant

A/N: Another story, another time in their lives. I got a few inquiries as to whether I would continue on after their high school days, so I decided to continue as long as you'll read. :)

I. Cauldron of Changes

Cauldron of changes, Blossom of bone
Arc of eternity, Hole in the stone.
-Unknown

Reid woke up with a gasp. An empty pain thudded in his chest.

"Christ," he said under his breath.

That dream. He didn't want to think about it. It was too real. Vestiges of how it felt to be without Rowan…

Rowan.

His blue eyes snapped to the left side of the bed where his wife had been sleeping in his arms when he last closed his eyes. It was unoccupied now, though it was obvious she had been sleeping there. Reid got out of bed, his body coated in cold sweat. The animals weren't in here either. For the past week since he and Rowan returned from their honeymoon, they had been staying at the Danvers' estate. He planned to show Rowan the house he had tabs on in a couple of days as a surprise.

Reid was used to waking up without Rowan next to him. She had insomnia, nightmares that woke her in the night. It was a common occurrence on their honeymoon. They were in the process of learning a lot more about each other as a cohabitating couple. Reid went downstairs, to the apothecary, where his husband-sense was tingling.

He felt a weight lift off his shoulders when he saw a light flickering in Rowan's sanctum sanctorum. He didn't realize how badly that dream had affected him until he saw Rowan with his own eyes.

"Hey," he said.

Rowan smiled. "I was just coming back up." She had a few sticks of incense in her hand.

"How long you've been down here?" He scratched the German shepherd behind his ears.

She shut off the light. "Ten minutes, give or take."

Reid hugged her tight. Sighing contentedly into the crook of her neck.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah." He pulled back a bit to look at her. Her brown eyes were upon him, laced with worry. "I just want you back in bed."

Bubbe meowed at his feet.

"The animals, too," he tacked on, smirking.

They walked back up to her bedroom, Ernie, Bubbe, and Bruce Lee at their feet. Back in the room, Rowan lit one stick of incense before getting under the covers next to Reid's warm body, which she didn't fail to notice, had cooling perspiration on his skin.

"What woke you up?" she asked.

Reid got comfortable, spooning his form to hers. The animals jumped on, too, and it took a moment for them to get settled.

"Reid?" she said his name quietly.

"Nothing," he answered. "I just didn't feel you next to me."

"I'm sorry." She often worried her erratic sleeping habits would take a toll on him. More than once he had sought her out on their honeymoon in the middle of the night.

"I could sleep through an earthquake, but you tip toe away and my eyes pop open."

Rowan laughed softly. She could feel that wasn't all that was bothering him. Something more had woken him up from his deep slumber. Well, if he didn't want to talk about it now, that was all right. She didn't narrate each and every one of her nightmares either.

Ernie jostled the mattress as he tried to scooch closer to Reid's rear end.

"We're getting a bigger bed," he said.

xxxxx

Judy felt something crawling in her hair. A feeling she was getting used to.

"Bruce Lee," she mumbled sleepily.

A ferret dook sounded and he burrowed under the covers, disturbing Caleb.

Judy smiled. She loved waking up next to Caleb. She was officially de-virginated, just a few days after the wedding two months ago. They had been dancing at the reception, closely, and he had invited her to stay with him because they'd have the mansion to themselves.

"I can't guarantee you won't wake up with something crawling on your head or a wet nose in your face, but I can promise you breakfast in bed, candlelight dinner, a massage…" And Caleb had smiled sexily at her, causing shivers to reverberate down her spine.

The initial stay had been a week before she had to leave for a family vacation in Colorado. Now she was back. Evelyn Danvers was out of the state again, traveling as a food critic for popular magazines. She would return for Reid and Rowan's "debut" as a married couple that the Garwins were throwing for them.

"Bruce Lee," Caleb groaned. He plucked the ferret off of his head. It was hard to be angry with such a cute animal.

"So cute," Judy said.

"Morning." Caleb kissed Judy, gently putting the ferret aside.

The couple was getting more involved when the door opened further.

"Hey, the ferret in-" Reid stopped in his tracks, a slick grin lighting on his face.

"Do you knock?" Caleb demanded.

"Dude, your door was open!"

Judy was blushing furiously; covering up her body with the bed sheet despite that she wore underwear. Ernie and Bubbe then bolted in and jumped on the bed, creating more havoc.

"Get out, Reid," Caleb ordered.

The blond held his hands up as he retreated. "Going, going. Come on, guys. Breakfast."

That got their attention. Three furballs planted their feet on the floor and exited the room. After a moment of quiet Judy started to laugh until tears filled her eyes. Caleb was smiling, enjoying the sound of her laughter. He couldn't think of anyone more perfect for him. His mom loved her; his sister loved her, his brothers. Judy Miller fit right in.

Fifteen minutes later they were in the kitchen where Rowan was making breakfast. Reid was making the coffee.

"Try this new blend," Reid said, pouring two cups of coffee.

"The only thing in the kitchen you're good for," Caleb said.

"Hey!" He pretended to be insulted. When Reid handed Judy her mug, he said, "Sorry about earlier, Red." He winked.

"Reid," Rowan warned as she flipped a pancake.

"Need help?" Judy asked her.

"Sure."

Reid and Caleb were delegated to setting the table. Bruce Lee, Ernie, and Bubbe looked on longingly, taking deep whiffs of the cooking food.

"So, I come back from my honeymoon," Reid was saying to Caleb, "and you're living in sin."

Caleb glared at him. When the blond opened his mouth to speak again, the elder Son knew exactly what was going to come out. "Don't even ask, Reid."

"What?"

"I know you," he answered.

Reid laughed. "I'm happy for you though." He slapped him on the back.

Caleb rolled his eyes. So his time with Judy had been fantastic. Making love to her… Just thinking about it could do things to his body that only a cold shower or Judy herself could cure. He was happy to have his sister back, too. Gone for over a month, it was the longest brother and sister had ever been apart. Well, except for that time she was trapped in the seventeenth century for two months. Rowan called and e-mailed him almost every day she was gone, sent him postcards from every gift shop or country she and Reid visited. It was crazy that he had actually been worried that he would lose his baby sister if she got married.

And more changes were coming. Today his family was helping him move into his apartment by campus. He didn't want to live in the dorms, although Judy would be. So he intended to keep her at his apartment as much as he could.

The four of them ate breakfast then went upstairs to wash up. They weren't leaving for a few hours so Rowan found herself sorting through her wedding pictures. She picked out the ones she was going to put in her albums and set aside the others. She especially liked the candids, even though the professional ones came out great. Before the reception the family was gathered for the photo session. The bride and groom. The bride and groom and the animals. Bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen. Bruce Lee, Bubbe, and Ernie. So many.

Not to mention the plethora of photographs she'd taken on her honeymoon. Reid had taken her to all the places she'd had on her list. When they went on safari in Africa he got a wicked sunburn because he was so fair of skin. Their frequent traveling wasn't complicated as Wayne Parry arranged for them to have their own jet. Incidentally, Reid and Rowan were now seasoned members of the Mile High club. The only two agenda on her list that remained unchecked was attending the Iditarod races in Alaska, and climbing Mount Everest.

"Wow, what are you going to do with all this?" Judy asked. She was sitting next to Rowan in her bedroom.

Rowan grinned. "I have my work cut out for me."

"I'd say. You have movie footage, too?"

She nodded as the doorbell rang. Not a minute later Maria, Hope, and Hunter entered her bedroom. Hunter took his seat right behind Rowan so she was sitting between his legs and settled his chin on her shoulder.

"Is it possible that there are pictures I haven't seen yet?" he asked.

"Probably not."

The five of them gathered around, laughing and pointing out various photos until the other guys came in.

Reid looked at Hunter. "Anyone else, dude." But he was grinning.

Hunter playfully pulled Rowan closer to him, snickering.

"Everyone ready?" Caleb asked.

"We are ready for your big move, Cay," Rowan said.

Had Judy not been present, Hunter would have used his telekinesis to distribute boxes and more of Caleb's belongings to the three cars they were using; Rowan's, Tyler's, and Caleb's.

"It's on the first floor, right?" Tyler asked.

Caleb nodded.

A half hour later they were at Caleb's home away from home. Boxes were unloaded and put into his place. It was a two bedroom, one and a half bath place, with a moderate sized living room and kitchen. The big things such as furniture, beds, dressers, were already there. Rowan went right to work on unpacking the photos and arranging them around the apartment. Some for the living room, some for Cay's room, the hallway. Rowan was used to taking over the decorating duties for her brothers, as they really had no sense of design. So naturally, she hadn't expected to clash with Judy.

Rowan walked into Cay's room with some frames only to find Judy doing some arrangements of her own. They both stopped, their eyes met, knew what situation they had just found themselves in.

"Hey, Jud-" Caleb stopped short, brown eyes flicking back and forth between sister and girlfriend.

The sister hugged the framed photos to her chest. "Um..."

Pogue called for Caleb, giving him an out. He left the room. Rowan set the photos down and stepped up to Judy.

"Listen, Rowan-" she began, but her words were cut off by surprisingly strong arms embracing her. The red head sheepishly hugged her back. "Not that I mind, but what's this for?"

Rowan pulled away. "I'm used to taking care of this domestic stuff for my brother. And I knew the day would come when some girl would have her own input." She smiled. "I'm glad it's you. Thank you for making Caleb as happy as he is."

Judy returned the smile.

"Okay, I'm starving!" they heard Pogue declare.

"Didn't you eat breakfast?" Tyler asked.

The girls laughed and left the bedroom.

"I didn't have time," Pogue replied.

"Uh-huh. I bet I can guess why," Hunter said just as Hope walked in.

"Caleb doesn't have any food yet, so we have to order in," Reid said.

"Isn't it 'order out'?" Maria questioned.

"Diz, I'm too hungry to philosophize," Reid said.

"Whoa, big word," Tyler quipped amidst good-natured chuckling.

xxxxx

The man across the way looked on with loathing. The woman that stood to his left gazed on curiously at the eclectic family.

"You say she is the one who robbed you?" his companion spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

He had already told her so, and knew she was reiterating the past slight just to press his nerves. Something she was getting rather adept at. They had only been companions for five months; yet, they could spar like an old married couple.

"That's kind of funny."

"You don't know what funny is," he replied.

Her brow rose inquiringly, like a child. "Will you show me then?"

Chase Collins' smile was poison. "Oh, yeah." He had plans. So many. It would start out small, culminating into a red miasma that would explode in unadulterated chaos. He would get his Power back. The one that had been unjustly taken from him. "I'll show you what havoc is."

xxxxx

Rowan answered the door. The food was here. A breeze blew, and her eyes slid passed the delivery guy in the dark.

"Miss?" the guy cleared his throat.

"Rowan." Reid came up behind her. Seeing her odd expression, he took the money from her and paid the guy. When he was out of ear shot, Reid asked her if she was all right.

"Oh…yeah." She shook off the strange feeling of being watched. "I thought I saw…something."

He pulled her away from the door, scanned the area himself. Seeing nothing, he shut the door and put his arm around her.

"I'm fine, Reid," Rowan assured him. "Unfamiliar neighborhood, that's all."

Reid decided to chock it up to her being the protective younger sister with the heightened intuition for now.

For now.

Short chapter as an intro. I hope it managed to at least grab part of your attention.

I always love to know what you think. :)

Thanks for reading. :D