Blazing Tears

by Knitting Dragon

Blazing Tears is a story of loss and second chances. Love and the choices we make. It is my first published story so reviews are welcome but please be gentle.

Pokémon Center Canalave City

, Sinnoh

Kaily cradled the pokéball that had just been sent to her and thinks about her instructions from Professor Birch, "Help him heal he says like that is going to be easy?" She sighs softly she got her pick of pokémon once they were straightened out but, there were days she was sure that was because she never kept them. Well not this time. She sometimes wished the professors hadn't discovered her ability for helping pokémon recover from emotional trauma. Well at least he didn't wait to call her in on this one. "Tammy can you check this one with the machine I don't think I had best let him out here." She looks over at her friend and can see the worry in her eyes.

"Sure Kaily, so what is it this time? Out of control temper, hates humans, abandoned, or abused? You never keep them in unless they are likely to attack." Joy takes the ball and sticks it in the recovery machine. "I wish you would stop talking these jobs one of these days your going to get hurt too bad to get back to town!" Joy yanks the ball out of the machine as soon as it is done and shoves it across the counter. "He is healthy other than being dehydrated."

Kaily gives her friend a stern look. "None of the above this one is a suicide watch. Lost his trainer to that big mag rail crash that was on the news, an dug him out of the wreckage himself. Tammy Joy I love you like a sister but you need to get over yourself. You work with hurt scared pokémon every day but you are not the only one qualified to do so." Kaily turned to leave cradling the pokéball close to her as tho to protect the pokémon inside.

Joy blanched and rushes around the counter. "I am sorry Kaily please don't be mad. It is just the last one broke your arm. I worry with you being out on the island without any help if things go wrong."

"I know Tammy, but I need my island you know it, I can't live in a town." She hugs her dearest friend, "Riley is out there if I need him. I could no more turn away a pokémon that needs me than you could. I have to go I have shopping to do before head home and I don't like to make the crossing at night." She hugs Tammy tight and lets go. "Best you get back to being Dr. Joy before someone catches you being Tammy Joy."

Tammy watches at the front window until Kaily is out of sight before going back to work. "Chancey did you know I would not be a Doctor if Kaily hadn't seen what I really wanted an pushed me to go for it?"

At The Market

Kaily added the additional things she would need for the new member of the household to her standing order then picked up a treat for lucario as no doubt she and Riley would be over as soon as they sense the new comer.

"Hey baby why don't you forget that junk an let me give you a ride?" Chad smirked.

"Hmm oh I don't know how I could resist a romantic offer like that Chad. Maybe because your a greasy punk who hasn't improved your lines since high school?" Kaily laughs softly as she turns.

Chad clutches his chest dramatically and stagers back. "You wound me I may be greasy but I am no punk. You know I am the best mechanic around."

Kaily grins at her friend. "Oh so not denying the part about your lines?"

Chad laughs, "Now why would I do that they are the same lines that have been serving me well all this time. They just never worked with you."

Kaily gives him a hug. "I have known you all our lives of course they don't work but if you can talk Tammy into coming with you I will have a cookout next week."

Chad blushes, "T..Tammy?! Oh come on she would never go out with me, she is a doctor I am just a mechanic!"

Kaily just laughs. "Don't tell me big bad Chad is afraid of sweet little Tammy?"

"I am not afraid I just don't want to waste her time." Chad start backing away ready to bolt.

"I will see you two next Sunday then." She calls after him still laughing.

Old man Klive leans on the counter laughs as Chad runs off. "When you going to take mercy on that boy and go on a date?"

"Never he is Tammy's he just hasn't figured it out yet. I take it all but the extras have already

been loaded?"

Klive nods "Ya sent them to load your boat as soon as you pulled in to dock. Seen you head straight for the pokémon center. An your getting extras so you got a new batch of trouble. Should I have someone come check on you in a few days?"

She shakes her head, "Not this time Klive this time the pokémon is more likely to hurt himself than me." She looks sad for a moment. "I wish it was the other way around the ones that fight me at least are still fighting for something."

Klive just nods, "That is what your mama use to say. I use to envy her when we were kids ya know. I stopped bout the time I figured out she lost more to that gift of hers than she ever gained. What with about a third of the pokémon not making it, having to send you off to that gym in Kanto for training, an your daddy taken off on her when he got tired of liven out on the island." He shakes his head. "I hear she is doing well in Kanto teaching at that gym."

She nods. "She is Sabrina is good to her an she can finally live in town. Every gift has a price but mama sure paid more than her fair share. I heard last week that the slut he ran off with dumped him with all her very high bills and took up with someone her own age."

Klive grins, "Could not have happened to a more deserving guy." He hands her, her change. "So a cookout? Is everyone invited or just those two how many supplies should I ship out to you?"

"Oh them, you, an whoever you think needs to come out. You just ship me what I need when you know how many are coming." She waves as she leaves him to puzzle out the details and heads for her boat.

On The Boat

As soon as she was halfway to Iron Island she stops the boat and turned to lets the blaziken out of his luxball. "Hello Roark. My name is Kaily, Birch asked well he told me to fix you. But then you already know that because your luxball lets you be aware of the outside world." She sets on the side of the boat while he stares off at nothing. "What you don't know is I am not even going to try. Because there is nothing wrong with you. Grieving when you have lost someone you care about is natural and healthy. That being said killing yourself with it by refusing to eat or take care of yourself is not. So if you are going to kill yourself here and now is the place and time. Because all of my pokémon have suffered in one way or another and I won't have you doing that to them."

Roark jerked around to look at her in wide eyed shock. Before walking to her side and peering down into the dark water beneath them.

"While your making up your mind you might also think about how your trainer would feel if he was here and knew what you where contemplating." She stands and walks to the back of the boat giving him time. She knew she was taking a big risk but he was a fighting type and would not respect her if she tried to obfuscate. So she had told him the absolute truth. Now she just had to hope he would decide to live.

Roark turned from the water and watched the woman needlessly check the strap down on the boats load. What would Martin think if he just jumped off the boat and took a deep breath. He would be horrified, and devastated. He would have cried and yelled and jumped in to save him no matter the cost. He sighed and moved to the center of the boat and set down.

Kaily nods to him and walks to the front of the boat and gets it started again. "I have three other pokémon living with me right now. Your going to have to be careful with them but feel free to kick there asses if you spar with them well except for Angel she can't fight anymore. Butterfree is with me because Riley found him and knew he was depressed. He is grieving because his boyfriend got captured. Angel is with me because her trainor's boyfriend tried to beat her to death an Angel got in the way and took the beating so her trainer could escape, and Gale," she sighs sadly after that name. "Gale is a lopunny, her trainer did worse may he rot from the inside out and suffer the tortures of the damned."

Roark looks down at his claws still scuffed and chipped from digging through the wreckage trying to save Martin. "Great I am going to the island of screwed up pokémon."

Kaily looks back at him. "Pretty much but it is named Iron Island. An lucario is very well balanced. The wild pokémon are alright to it is just the ones I look after that are delicate."

Roark froze shocked for the second time in less than half an hour. "You can understand me?"

Kaily nods not looking back at him. "Ya there is a bit of psychic gift that runs in my mother's side of the family. I can pick up emotions and a few words without trying an if I try I can understand every word." After a few minutes she pulls into the boathouse at Iron Island cuts the engine and jumps out to tie off. "By the way watch out for lucario she isn't one of mine but she gets lonesome an comes over being a fighting type she may challenge you."

Iron Island

Roark slowly stands and walks over to the side of the boat eyeing the jump more a long step really. "How are you going to get your supplies unloaded?"

"Once your on the dock I can pass them to you. Normally I would pass them to one of my pokémon or Riley and lucario but you are here." She holds out her hand to him offering help he doesn't need.

Roark meets her eyes realizing what this offer is, she made him make the choice life or death so that when he chose life he would stand by it. Now she was offering him another choice one a lot harder to make. She hadn't referred to him as one of her pokémon. He wasn't hers yet he could go on with her but alone or he could take her hand and belong, be hers. He looked away from this to knowing female and stepped from the boat to the dock without taking her hand.

Kaily drops her hand to her side and hops into the boat quickly unstrapping the supplies and passing the crates up to him. "It may not mean anything to you but I am glad you chose to live."

"How could I not when you remind me to think about what Martin would have felt."

"Far more pokémon still do it that you would think. That is why I don't normally off that choice not out there where I couldn't stop them anyway." She passes him the last crate and climbs onto the dock.

"So the choice is a sham then?" He frowns wondering if he has been played.

"No it is a true choice I couldn't stop you or any other pokémon if they really wanted to end it. I would still try because, those who are not sure and determined can be dissuaded."

He nods slowly, "So why then, why there?"

"Because you are different. I run what is basically a halfway house for pokémon out here. This is where the professors, Jennys, Joys, and rangers, send the worst of the broken, abused, and despairing. I get the hardest cases because I have the highest survival rate. You are none of the above your grief tho powerful is healthy now that you have snapped out of your shock enough to make a choice, and you are a fighting type I hardly ever see those in my line of work. Mostly because they don't survive long enough to end up here when things go wrong. You are nowhere near as fragile as the others that are sent here, if I lose you in front of them I could well lose them all I won't let you be a trigger. For the others this is just a stop on the road to somewhere else for you unless you choose otherwise this will be home." She picks up a crate and heads for the door leaving him to follow or not.

Sighing he stacks three of the remaining crates picks them up and fallows. "So I have been given to the keeper of a pokémon rehabilitation center."

"Yes but the good news is you are your own pokémon as far as I care I am not a trainer I don't battle unless it is to protect my home or those in my care. Everyone has chores but no one is expected to do more or less than anyone else. The exception to that rule is if someone is hurt or ill they are giving time to heal." She looks back at him for a moment. "This is a great place for healing hearts but it can get damn lonely too. If you ever need to go to the mainland let me know."

Roark eyes her as they walk up the path to a house built into the mountain above. Why did she say that did she get lonely out here with no one but pokémon that were not hers to keep, someone named Riley and a lucario that wasn't hers ether. "Why do you live out here?"

"Big gifts come with big price tags. Enough psychic ability to talk to pokémon is too much psychic gift to live around a lot of humans. There are artificial shields that could let me live around people but they are expensive and hard to maintain. The psychic type gyms have them and some businesses but they cost a fortune so unless I want to work and live in a gym. This is home."

"So sanctuary and prison all in one just without the locked doors."

She looks sharply back at him almost tripping. "Very perspective of you. There are those that have known me my whole life and not figured that out."

"Who is Riley?" He shifted his crates to balance against him with one hand and reaches past her to open the door.

"Riley is an aura guardian he and his lucario train and live out here most of the time. Then they disappear for months at a time. He is a good guy but odd." She takes a startled breath when his warm feathers brush her arm as he opens the door. "Th-thanks"

Roark just grunts and shifts the crates in his hands.

In The House

She walks in calling, "Butterfree, Angel, Gale, I am back and we have someone new!" She set the crate down just inside.

She barely set the crate down before a butterfree wearing a dark smokey grey scarf came flying into the hall at full speed and crashed into her arms sobby and knocking her against the wall.

Roark stacks his crates with hers and watches concerned the full speed tackle might have harmed her. "Is there a problem?"

Butterfree looks up nearly startled out of his tears. "Oh pretty."

Kaily sighs and gives Butterfree a gentle shake. "Butterfree what is wrong where are the girls?" She looks worried as she straightened up with a wince.

Butterfree starts to tear up again and clung to Kaily. "Angel is hiding, Gale dropped a glass."

She curses softly and hugs him gently. "It is going to be okay. I want you to be strong for my and go get the a crate from the dock can you do that for me."

Roark watches confused by the drama over a broken glass.

Butterfree shakes his head. "No you can't Kaily she'll hurt you again. P-please!" He started sobbing again.

Roark frowned. "What is he talking about, what you are planning, and why would someone hurt you?" He didn't like this, he didn't want to be here or care, but the idea of anyone hurting this delicate looking little female with the to knowing grey eyes and the clever tricks made his blood run cold.

"Butterfree go get a crate I promise I won't make that mistake again." She tries to pry the butterfly pokémon off looking at Roark. "The broken glass triggers flashbacks the last time I tried to shake her out of it and she struck out in self defense before she was back in the here and now."

"She broke your arm. You can't go in there." Butterfree held on tight trying to keep her in place.

Roark looks toward the door Butterfree had come through. "Do you have a plan that wouldn't get you hurt?"

She sighs, "I was thinking of throwing a pillow at her."

Roark just looked at her. "A pillow? That is your plan for dealing with her?"

She shrugs, "She doesn't respond to sound and I can't leave her like that at least a pillow keeps me out of reach."

"My Arceus why do you not have one of your pokémon do it she wouldn't be able to break them as easily?" He rubs his head like he was getting a headache.

"Are you volunteering because Butterfree can't, an Angel can barely stand?" She hugs Butterfree until he relaxes his hold on her.

"How did you deal with this before?" He helped her gentle remove Butterfree and set him down.

She shrugs, "I got bruises, cuts, broken bones, and in between times I have had pokémon that are better equipped to help. A croconaw just went to a new trainer last week. An plastic cups was part of the shipment I picked up today."

Roark just looked at her for a long time. "Butterfree go get the largest pot in the house fill it with water and dump it on her head." He points a claw at her. "You stay out of it. If Gale is as emotionally fragile as you say hurting you can do her nothing but harm."

Butterfree shivered once then took off even faster than he had come.

She looks after him bemused. "Well damn looks like what he needs is a trainer. I know he was released to be with his mate maybe I should arrange a reunion." She grabs Roark's pointing claw. "Thank you sometimes I forget that this place is not well balanced without the masculine perspective."

Roark blinked shocked yet again by her, she should have been yelling at him angry he had told her what to do, an taken charge, not thanking him. "Butterfree is is a natural bata. He is strong enough but needs someone in charge." Just then there was a loud splash and a startled shriek.

"Oh Arceus Gale!" She ran past him and into the living room to find a wet trembling Gale staring at the broken glass and water on the floor. "Gale look at me right now." There was all the command she lact with Butterfree in her voice now and the dazed lopunny jerked her head up to meet Kaily's eyes. "That's it now breath nice and slow your okay everything is going to be okay."

Butterfree floated down by Roark in the doorway still holding the pot and looking pleased with himself. "That was a crazy idea but it sure worked. Just like something Ash would have come up with. "

Roark looks away from her for a moment, "She said she had a water type to help before it made sense that water would snap her out of it."

"Gale I want you to jump to me okay right here to me don't look down just jump." Kaily helds out both hands ready to catch the wet rabbit pokémon.

Gale takes a desperate breath and closes her eyes before jumping for the only being she trusted to catch her when she fell.

Roark saw Kaily wince when Gale landed in her arms but she turned the momentum into a quick spin out of the living room and back into the hall with him and Butterfree.

Gale hid her face in Kaily's neck and burst into sobs.

"Shhh there now see you're alright." Kaily leaned against the wall and let herself slide down to set on the floor with Gale in her lap like a little girl. "I am here now just let it all out."

Butterfree wandered off Roark had no idea where and he just stood back and watched Kaily soothe and comfort until Gale had cried herself out. Only then did he hear the soft swish and tinkle from the living room and realize where Butterfree had gone.

Gale whimpers softly. "I broke it again."

"No baby girl it's just a glass. Nothing but a glass everything is alright." Kaily gentle strokes her back until Gale's breathing evens out. "There we go. Lets go get the rest of the crates and get cleaned up before making dinner okay?"

When Gale nods and gets up she almost runs into Roark in her haste to get out the door. An seeing him jumps back in surprise.

"Gently little one no need to rush the crates aren't going anywhere on their own." He reaches out and ruffles her ears before shooing her out the door.

"That was well done very few people handle her that well on first meeting." Kaily looks up at him with interest. "Perceptive, adaptable, clever, and strong enough to survive here do you want my job?" She starts to push herself to her feet with a groan.

He grips her upper arms gently and lifts her to her feet but didn't let go. "How bad is it? An don't pretend not to know what I mean."

She sighs, "Bruises by the feel of it I will have bruises by morning."

"I will help Gale with the crates you help Butterfree with the glass. Then have a soak that always helps with bruising." He slowly lets her go and hurries to help with crates confused why he is fussing over her and trying to help with her little flock of damaged pokémon. Maybe it was what she said earlier, the others would heal and move on but for him this was the last stop.

Out Side

The last stop he stops halfway down the stairs and sets down hard pressing his hand over his heart as it hits him again. Martin was gone, there was no family, or close friend he was alone now. Maybe that was why he needed to keep her safe she had his pokéball so he at least had her even if he didn't want her. He growled under his breath from the pain not noticing Gale coming up the stairs with a crate.

"You should let her help you. You won't start to heal tell you do." She looks at him with damp eyes full of a world of pain.

He shakes his head, "I do not think she can. Not like she helps you."

"If she was not what you needed you would not be sent here. You may not be damaged like we are but you need what she has. More she needs someone like you who will protect her from us." She smiles slightly and edges past him.

"How do you know I am not like you?" He doesn't look at her just down the stairs to the boat house path.

"The professor called and briefed her on you how do you think she knew to go to the pokémon center to get you. With ears like these not much is said in this house I don't hear. Your hurting but your not broken. I talked about it with Butterfree an we are sure the professor didn't send you here for you. He sent you because she has been getting hurt too often. Your not here to be saved, you are here to save her." She looks down at him. "An you need someone to save don't you?"

He looks at her sharply. "What is with this place and everyone knowing too much."

She shrugs and heads up the stairs to the house. "I didn't know how did you know to throw water at me?"

Roark finally stands an runs down the stairs to get the last three crates. "This place is weird."

In The House

"Thank you Butterfree you did good looking after things while I was away." Kaily smiles for him while she she mops up the water." You didn't let anyone get hurt an you stayed to watch over Gale even when she scares you."

Butterfree looks down. "I couldn't protect Gale or do anything by myself."

"Butterfree you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. I think you need a trainer to help you see your strength. I am not a trainer." She watches him out of the corner of her eyes as he uses a gentle gust attack to dry things out.

Butterfree stills and looks at her. "You think I am ready to go?" Tears start to well in his eyes again.

"I think we should invite your old trainer to the cookout I am having next week. I am thinking seeing old friends would be good for you." She rung out the mop letting him think about that.

"Ash." He fluttered looking hopeful. "Angel should meet him he is just plain good like her."

She smiles and puts away the mop. "Help Gale and Roark put the supplies away. I am going to get Angel now that the mess is cleaned up."

Gale comes in just as Kaily mentioned Roark. "I like him he is cute for one of us."

Kaily shakes her head, "Gale be gentle with him he is hurting let him grieve or it will just last longer."

Gale looks away but nods. "Yes Kaily."

Kaily tiredly closes her eyes for a moment before heading to Angel's room.

Angel's Room

"Hey there Angel baby." She sets on the floor by the bed. "Your tail is sticking out."

Angel whisks her tail under the bed. After some soft clicking of claws on tile cinnamon brown eyes gleam from the darkness under the bed.

"Why don't you come on out and meet the new guy. He seems nice, even took Gale in stride so far." She leans down to see under the bed easier and smiles. "Or I could come under there and tickle you?"

Angel sighs crawls out from under the bed and drapes herself across Kaily's legs and just goes limp.

Roark stops at the door Gale directed him to stunned at seeing Angel for the first time, thin, scarred, with her scythe broken off half way up, he had never seen a pokémon in worse shape. "Kaily, Gale offered to cook and Butterfree is threatening to throw more water on her. She said I should get you."

"That is because Gale's cooking is an offense against nature." Kaily gathers Angel in her arms and slowly stands. "I will be right there."

"I could carry her." Roark didn't know why he offered but there was something about the absol that made him need to offer.

She nods and passes Angel to him. "Thanks she just can't walk that far most days."

He shifts her in his arms until she is cradled like a baby looking down at her for a moment he saw Martin laying there in his arms with blood bubbling from his lips as as he fought to breath with lounges crushed by mag train wreckage.

"Roark," She snaps jerking him back to the here and now.

He locks his eyes on Kaily's face trying to push the image away with the look in her to knowing eyes. "How do you know?"

"You stopped breathing for a moment. An my mother was the keeper of this house before me other than going away for school I have always been here and seen those that are sent here." She turns and leads the way to the kitchen.

The Kitchen

Roark carefully lay Angel down on a window seat and looks around at the spacious kitchen and dining room. "This is a beautiful place."

"It can be. Do you like spicy food I know a lot of fire types do but there are always exceptions to that sort of thing." She starts washing berries.

Roark shakes his head. "No actually Martin has," he draws in a sharp breath. "Had a sensitive stomach an I never developed a taste for spicy foods. When I did eat something other than what he had I liked the heat level medium."

She sets to berries down turns off the water, walks over, and hugs him ignoring how stiff and unresponsive he is in her arms. "How does berry curry with shrimp skewers for those of use that are omnivores sound."

"That sounds good." He tried patting her on the shoulder hoping she will let go. "Oh look Gale is helping."

"What!" She lets go and looks around in alarm.

Roark takes the opportunity to bolt out of the kitchen and out the first door leading outside he can find.

Courtyard

Butterfree fluttered around the courtyard practicing quiver dance until Roark came bolting out of the house. "Hay watch it." Be dodges straight up.

Roark barley skids to a stop before the wall at the far end of the courtyard and looks up only to realize that he was in a courtyard with the house on three sides and a sheer cliff on the fourth.

Butterfree frowns. "Hey are you okay?" He drifts over ready to sleep powder him if he is having a panic attack.

"I have to get out of here." Roark examines the cliff for claw holds noticing that it is only smoothed off for about twenty feet or so.

"Why do you want to leave?" He moves off to the side to catch Roark's attention. "An if you want to go out use the door please."

"That female hugged me. An what door?" Roark looks around hoping for a quick exit.

The outrage in his voice would have sent Butterfree into fits of laughter if he did not know he would have to eat Gale's cooking if Kaily found out. "The door by the hedge leads to a hall take the first right to get outside. I don't blame you I would run to if Gale hugged me I don't need my wings soaked."

Roark shakes his head while trying to work the doorknob. "Not Gale, Kaily."

Butterfree sighs, "Oh," He flaps his wings a few times hitting Roark with a full strength sleep powder before he knows what is happening.

In The Kitchen

"Um Kaily," Butterfree hovers in the doorway looking worried.

"What's the matter Butterfree?" She looks up from stirring the curry.

"I um sleep powdered the new guy out in the courtyard." He flutters over to land on the back of a chair.

She slowed turns to face him still holding a dripping spoon. "You did what?"

"He was panicky and not making sence. I thought better to put his to sleep and get you than take chances." He fans his wings gently.

"I see, will he be awake for dinner?" She slowly sets the spoon down.

"Well you see I was practicing my quiver dance so um maybe tomorrow." He eyes the curry sadly having already figured out he messed up just by her tone.

She turns off the stove. "Dinner will be late. Go get Gale to help you move him to the grooming room then go find Riley and lucario an invite them to lunch tomorrow." She shakes her head at him. "You meant to help and made the right choices based on what you knew thank you."

Angel lifts her head as Butterfree hurries away. "You will be lonely without us."

"You think I will have an empty nest soon?" She looks sadly at Angel.

"I am dieing, Butterfree is ready to face the world again, and Gale is as healed as she will get here time to go back out there and learn to deal with the world again." Angel lays her head back down. "Yes for a time your nest will be very empty."

She sighed and made Angel her dinner of mashed berries. "This nest is never empty long. Your right Butterfree and Gale are ready. " She kneels and helps Angel swallow to berry mush bite by bite. "That said I have no intention of losing you."

Angel sighs, "You don't have a choice my insides aren't working right."

Kaily stills, "Are you sure?"

Angel just yawns, "Yes and so are you. You were told my chances were poor before I ever came here, but this is a good place to spend my final days. Go tend to the fighter and let me watch the sunset."

Kaily strokes Angel's fur quietly tell the sunsets before wrapping her in a blanket and leaving to take care of Roark, "I am going to miss you, my wise one rest in Arceus's peace."

In The Grooming Room

"Gale I need you to pack. Your ready for the mainland and I need to take Angel there after I am done here." Kaily puts on a dust mask and picks up a brush.

Gale gives her a startled look then runs out.

Once Gale is gone Kaily starts to brush the sleep powder out of Roark's feathers. By the time it is gone and she can get some chesto berry juice in him the tears are flowing freely.

Roark woke rather quickly an was disconcerted to find her wearing a dust mask and crying let alone be somewhere he had never seen before. "What, where are we?"

She washes her hands before taking off the mark. "We are in the grooming room." She waves as the shower head above them and the waterproof shelves of grooming supplies. "Butterfree got worried and dusted you. Not a problem normally but he had been practicing quiver dance."

Roark sets up an looks more closely at the room. "That explains why we are here but why are you crying?"

She sniffles, "Because we have to take Angel to the mainland." She looks over her shoulder at him. "Can you wash the rest of the sleep powder out of your feathers while I pack an overnight bag."

He nods slowly realizing that she would be hurrying if going to the mainland would help Angel and remembering the feel of her frail body in his arms and how much she reminded him of Martin. "Sure I can do that."

Twenty Minutes Later

Roark helped a silent Gale carry her bags down to the boat while Kaily carried Angel wrapped in her favorite quilt. Once Gale and her things were loaded he lifted Kaily by the waist and lowered her into the boat so she doesn't have to put Angel down then casts off before getting aboard.

Gale shifts about restlessly while Kaily places Angel on her cushion. "I don't see why we are doing this at night."

Kaily sighs softly, "To start the new day without a sad task ahead of us, and because it is tradition to ferry our lost ones across with the shadows. In the old days it was called showing the shades the way home."

Roark watches as she lights an old-fashioned lantern and hangs it on the prow before pulling slowly away from the dock and turning toward the mainland. "How long have your family been the keepers of Iron Island?"

"Oh about about a thousand years or so. Keepers is the right word you see in the beginning there was a lighthouse, later Keeper became a title. When a fort was added then about a hundred and fifty years ago the son of the keeper at that time went to the mainland and made a great fortune. Tho he never returned one of his children did and built the cliff house which is the latest in a long line of fortified homes to stand in that spot. His daughter become keeper there. We still maintain a lighthouse on the other side of the island along with a newer one." She sighs softly.

"Your family has always done more than keep the lighthouse haven't they? Your gift runs in the family doesn't it." He looked out at the water. "You take pokémon whose light is flickering and shelter an rekindle there light before sending them back out stronger than before. You also give the ones like Angel a place to rest."

She nods sadly. "Yes the gift runs in the family. Those who can stand it spend several years on the mainland an add to the families fortune so we can maintain the island. I served my time while attending school in Kanto."

"Kaily am I one of the lights you are sending back into the world." Gale could not help asking, not seeing herself that way at all.

"Of course you are Gale your strong, and beautiful with a light so bright that what was done by that scum who had the nerve to call himself a trainer couldn't put it out." Kaily draws a slow deep breath, "You are going to finish healing and spread that light."

Roark nods and pats Gale on the back. "You are going to be okay. I have known Kaily less than a day and I already know she would not just send you out."

"He is right Gale. You are going somewhere your light is needed badly. There is a orphanage in here in Sinnoh where children who have had bad things happen to them or seen bad things happen live. They need a pokémon there who understands what that is like and will be able to protect and comfort. Pokémon who haven't been through the fires themselves are not always good with fragile children. I know you will heal there, but more you will heal others and be an example for them." She slows the boat as they approach the harbor coming in at little more than drifting speed. "Sometimes we have to have broken before we can mend ourselves or others."

Roark watches the docks drift closer and realizes they must be an eerie sight from shore with just that one dim flickering light drifting so slowly toward shore. "It is called showing the shades home for more than one reason. You make it spooky on purpose. To spook the ones responsible. A reminder that there sins will come home to roost someday."

She gives a sad little laugh, "You see so clearly. In the old days it was not so much an empty reminder. There used to be ghosts types that would come to the light and hear the names and sins."

"You mean they would do a little haunting if they felt it warranted." Gale waves a paw at Angel, "Would they have for her do you think."

She shakes her head, "They might have for you, but not for Angel she provoked the attack on herself to save her trainer. She knew what she was doing and what it would cost her. For her there would have been an honor guard waiting."

"What happened to the ghosts types?" Roark watches as lanterns appear along the dock one by one.

"There home was torn down in my grandfather's time and they moved to the old lighthouse. They just don't make the trip to the mainland to haunt without a request any more. But the town remembers and a call ahead still brings out an honor guard even if it is smaller than it used to be."

At The Docks

At the end of the dock waited a very old man holding a lantern with a houndoom on either side of him. Every few feet along the dock was another town's person with a lantern and a partner pokémon. Tammy Joy and Chansey, Officer Kathleen Jenny and two arcanine, Klive an his raichu, Chad an delcatty, and so many more. When Kaily cut the engine there where many hands ready to secure the lines. But when Kaily gathered Angel in her arms once more Roark moved to lift her onto the dock before anyone else could.

The old man bowed stiffly the her as Roark and Gale follow her onto the dock. "Keeper Of The Light Kaily Lightken we have come the gather our honored sister in and bring her to the Lost Tower."

Kaily bows in return, "We thank you for the honor you do our sister in the light, elder." She then walks slowly along the dock an lays Angel in an open casket waiting just on shore.

As the casket closes Tammy moves up beside Kaily and gently rests a hand on her shoulder. Before the two back away and a pair of dragonite step out of the shadows lifts the coffin between them and take off.

"Let's get the things from the boat an you can stay at the pokémon center tonight." Tammy pulls Kaily into a hug. "I know it hurts but we can't save them all no matter how we try."

Roark unloads Gale's things finding no lack of willing hands to help infant he barely lifted things before they were whisked away. He looks to check on Kaily and sees her with Officer Jenny and Tammy, just as the lights come on all over town making it apparent just how dark it had been just moments ago with only lantern light.

Gale blows out the lantern on the prow and looks back at him her eyes full of wonder and pain. "I think we have seen something terrible and wonderful here."

He nods at her as they climb out of the boat. "It is a kind of love this tradition. Love for there keepers, an guilt for the burden they carry, along with respect for the pokémon given a hero's goodbye."

Kaily meets his eyes with that to knowing look and a tiny nod. "Tammy we would be happy to stay at the pokémon center tonight."

"We? Oh." Tammy blushes as Roark and Gale move up to stand just behind Kaily. "Of course I don't know how they slipped my mind."

"Perhaps because you have not been introduced. Dr. Tammy Joy let me introduce you to Gale and Roark. Gale is ready to leave on assignment in the morning. Roark arrived just today." She watches Tammy's eyes widen slightly.

Roark bows slightly, meeting Tammy's eyes steadily. Before gently nudging Kaily toward her. He looks down at chancey, "If you can communicate with your tainer get her to examine her."

Kaily shakes her head at him and slips an arm around Gale's shoulders. "Can I use the centers kitchen I didn't get to chance to fix dinner."

"Better than that you relax and I will do the cooking." Tammy leads the way back to the pokémon center.

Pokémon Center

Chancey gathers up everything needed for a check up, an as soon as they are eating tugs Tammy into the exam room so she can see.

Tammy frowns, "You want to do an exam? But who do you think we should examine?"

Chancey leads her to the dining room and points at Kaily.

"Did that pokémon, Roark put you up to this?" She watches as Kaily an Roark quietly talk to Gale likely soothing nerves about leaving.

Chancey pats her on the leg. "Chancey chan chance."

Roark looks over meets Tammy's eyes an nods.

Tammy strolls over, "When you are done eating it seems there is a little conspiracy to get you an exam going on." She sets down boxing Kaily in. "Now I have to ask myself why would that be unless you have hurt yourself again and are trying to hide it?"

Kaily glares at Roark, "Trader." Sighing she looks at Tammy, "I might have overdone it and gotten a bruise or two but it really is nothing."

"I see and being new Roark isn't use to you getting banged up all the time and having lost his trainer is maybe being over protective?" Tammy smiles at Roark.

She nods reluctantly. "Your right Tammy. I am sorry Roark I didn't think about why you were insisting. I will let Tammy have a look after dinner."

He hadn't actually been thinking about Martin when he set her up just that she looked tired and sore, but he nods gratefully at Tammy for finding a way to get her to do it. "I can already see you take care of everyone but yourself. What happens to those in your care if you get badly hurt, or sick?"

Tammy looks between them and shakes her head. "There are days I want to ask my patients so much just where it hurts and what they feel. Then there are times like now when I am sure you are getting a lecture that I am rather glad I can't."

Kaily nods, "Big time I have just been informed that taking care of myself is part of taking care of those in my care."

Tammy laughs, "Oh Arceus I hope you are staying I have been trying to get that through to her for years." She smiles brightly at Roark deciding right then that she liked him.

Kaily grins, "By the way has Chad asked you to the cookout yet?" Eats some while she is waiting.

"What cookout?" Tammy looks startled then her cheeks turn a delicate shade of antique rose. "Chad is planning to ask me out?"

"Well if he can find the nerve. You have had that man wrapped around your little finger since we were children."

"Have not he is a heartbreaker." Tammy shakes her head.

"Sure he is big, strong, smart, best mechanic around, uses the same cheesy pick up lines as high school, and never asks for a second date. A real heartbreaker there." She smiles. "Tammy you intimidate the poor guy just ask him out already or I will."

"Who is Chad?" Roark looks between them worried for reasons he can't quite put a claw on.

Kaily grins, "Chad was the big guy at the dock with the sweet little delcatty on his shoulder. He has been sweet on Tammy forever."

Roark relaxes somewhat but something nags at the back of his mind as he finishes eating.

"So are the kids coming to visit this summer?" Tammy watches Kaily for reaction knowing it was a touchy subject.

"Of course not if they got to spend time with me all that brainwashing there father's family has done to convince them I am a crazy recluse that wants nothing to do with them might be wasted." Gives a sad little laugh, "but they will be trainers soon and the professors owe me so many favors there is no way to stop me from at least getting a letter and a phone call through."

Tammy shakes her head, "I never understood why you didn't fight harder for them."

Kaily looks down that to table pushing the last of her dinner around to plate with her chopsticks. "They don't have the gift Tammy this calling it is hard on the body, heart, and mind even with the gift and once it takes hold it never lets go. Maybe there paternal grandparents are right maybe this life is not what is best for them."

Roark watches her hard having gone still at her words. "Do you regret the life your live so much?"

"I have no regrets about taking up my heritage as keeper of Iron Island but I have never wanted it for my kids not without the gift to balance things out." She meets Roark's eyes then goes back to chasing her food around the plate.

"That leaves you without an heir Kaily do you have a plan for that?" Tammy blushes and looks away.

"About the same plan I had when I was informed that I would need one before I met my husband. Contact the psychic type gyms and see who they can scrounge up for me." She shakes her head in distaste.

Tammy laughs, "Really that is your plan call the gyms and ask if they have someone qualified for stud service willing to come out?"

Roark glares suddenly not liking this conversation at all.

"Well what the hell else am I going to do? Love and marriage didn't exactly work out for me? I need an heir so where does that leave me? At least with another psychic the kid will have the gift. An I was thinking in vitro I am not exactly fond of making a baby with someone I don't love." She slowly sets her chopsticks down.

Tammy winces, "Arceus I am sorry Kaily I am just worried about you. Your getting careless you have gotten hurt more in the last two years than in all the time I have known you. The professors must have noticed to Roark is the only pokémon they have sent you in the last six months."

Gales words from earlier play through Roark's mind. Your not here to be saved, you are here to save her. Could Gale be right did the delicate looking little keeper with the to knowing grey eyes need saving. "Maybe you should tell them not to send you pokémon for a few years if you are planning to have an egg?" He watched and sure enough she winced at the very idea.

"Tammy has a similar problem the Joys are matriarchal and the only excuse for not having kids is not being able, then they are expected to adopt from within the clan if possible."

Tammy waves that off, "I have extra time because I am a doctor."

Roark leans forward a bit. "Why do you need a heir? Who made it clear?" His feathers started to bristle a bit.

"Calm down Iron Island is held in trust as well as being a miner noble house, if there is ever not a keeper for longer than three years do to anything other than the current keeper not being of age the corporations can move in and take over. The island would be destroyed and the local ecology would be shifted in ways detrimental to the town. A corporation that owns the mineral rights to the island can only dig in environmentally safe way there so long as we hold it in trust. We have been trying to make it a nature preserve for some time but we keep being blocked by the holders of the mineral rights."

Roark calms but is not the least bit happy about the situation she described. "That stinks."

"If it wasn't for the gift you could adopt." Tammy shakes her head. "No maybe not what with the kids grandparents winning custody."

She sighs and pushes her plate away. "Let's get the exam over and get some sleep I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Thirty Minutes Later

Roark stretches out in one of the pokémon center bunk beds and watched the moon light on the wall thinking about all he has learned and aching inside for Martin to be there sleeping in the bunk below him. Instead there was a female with knowing grey eyes and a tiredness that spoke to him. "Where is there father? You speak only of his family."

She sighs and rolls over. "He was a trainer on victory road when there was a landslide. He never even knew he was going to be a father."

Roark hissed softly understanding her attitude toward grief better, she had lost her mate but had to keep going for the sake of her children. "Why did his family take your children?"

"His mother never approved of me he was from a wealthy family an tho mine has a fortune we have tied it up in the trust. I brought him nothing in the marriage other than myself. That was good enough for him because he loved me. But his mother saw me as little more than a hindrance to his future, and blamed me when he chose to be a trainer full time for a few years before college. When we lost him they were devastated he was there only child. I was overjoyed when I found out I was pregnant he had left me a part of himself to love. When I told them they were so excited and supportive especially when we found out it was twins. We were getting along like never before. I thought seeing we had all lost him had opened their eyes. The day after the twins were born I was served with a custody papers while still in the hospital they had started the process before my children were even born. I was later informed by there lawyer that they never intended to let a mad woman who thinks she talks to pokémon rase there heirs on an island in the middle of nowhere."

Roark leans over the side of the bunk and watches her an Gale rolls over listening. "You didn't fight back did you? I can't see you losing if you did."

"Roark I was young barely seventeen, sick, the babies didn't have the gift that I could sense, and there grandparents loved them, I needed the Island but growing up out there is lonely. I just couldn't fight them back then and now it is too late it would mean ripping them away from the only home and family they have ever known." She turns her head away but the moonlight still gleams on her tear wet face.

It was more than Roark could take right then and he rolls out of his bunk to crawl in with her and wrap himself around her holding her while she cried herself to sleep. He turns his head to look at Gale when she whispers.

"Told you, your what she needs." She smiles sadly but settled in to sleep.

The Next Morning

"I shipped your things before breakfast." Kaily finished helping Gale brush and fluff her fur. "I have your pokéball when you ready we will use the pokémon transfer system to send you to the town the school is in. You will be met at the pokémon center by a teacher named Daisy."

"You really think I can do this I just had an episode yesterday?" She fiddles with the edge of her vest.

"An what happened when you were shocked out of it? Did you jump at Butterfree who was within jumping reach? No you yelled because you were startled then you cried because of bad memories and got on with living. From what Kaily tells us about this place that is exactly what these kids need to see." Roark gentle tugs one of her ears kneeling in front of her. "You can do this little one."

Gale takes a deep breath and nods. "I can do this I can be a light in the darkness."

Kaily hugs her. "I am proud of you Gale you have come so far."

Roark stands and helps them both to there feet. "We will call often psychic gifts may not work by phone but I can translate for her."

Gale nods, "Okay do it."

Kaily returns Gale to her pokéball an wipes her eyes. "Damn this is always the hard part. They come to me broken and in so much pain and they heal day by day an you learn to love them and then one day it is time to send them out into the world again." She sniffles, "it is just as heard as the ones like Angel in its own way."

"You have learned all the shades of grief haven't you?" Roark meets her tear damp eyes. "Not all not personally. But I have met most of the ones I have not lived." She turns and walks from the room leaving him alone with his thoughts.

In The Lobby Of The Pokémon Center

Roark catches up with her just as she pushes the button on the pokéball transfer then waits by the vidphone until Nurse Amber Joy called and lets her know Gale is there. "Now remember Gale you have my number any time you need to talk just call."

Gale gentle lifts Amber out of the way and grins at Kaily. "Lop lop op unny lopunny."

Roark moves up beside Kaily, "She says she will call often and," he clears his throat. "She called you mom."

Kaily beams at Gale. "I miss you baby get out there and show them what kind of pokémon you are." She makes her goodbyes and hangs up before she starts crying.

Tammy walks over and hugs her. "You lose your heart to them every time don't you, Kaily?"

She nods and wipes her face with a hanky with a sigh. "Yes if I didn't take them into my heart I could not help them mend their own."

Tammy shakes her head, "You are going to burn out if you don't slow down."

"I will have a rest soon enough Butterfree is ready to. " She sniffles and wipes her face again. "I still have to call Oak."

"Oh no not Butterfree too you will be down to just Roark, the house is going to feel so empty." Tammy looks worried now.

"Don't remind me but this is why I do this so they can go out and face the world again. As you do every day. It just takes me longer." She forces a smile. "Besides my nest is never empty long."

Roark watches and sees that her smile never reaches her eyes.

She turns and makes her call to the Oak Lab, not giving either of them a chance to say anything.

"Oak Labs how may I help you? " A young man with black hair and a red headband comes on screen. "Mister Sketch'em, this is Kaily Lightken calling from the Canalave pokémon center in Sinnoh. Can you let Samuel Oak know I am on the phone please." At her words his eyes widen. "Yes ma'am one moment please." He rushes away from the screen calling for the professor. Shortly after a dignified older gentleman comes on screen. "Kaily my dear this is a surprise what can I do for you?" She smiles fondly, "Samuel it is good to see you. I believe you have a trainer by the name of Ash Katchum that has pokémon on your labs ranch?" He nods, "Yes I am lucky to have him based out of Pallot Town." She smiles brightly, "Wonderful I have a Butterfree on my island that he released some time ago so he could be with his mate. I am afraid the poor dear is bereaved and could use his trainer. Could you let him know to call me please." Oak looks gravely concerned, "Of course I know that Ash will want to help Butterfree. I believe he is in Sinnoh at the moment don't be surprised if he shows up before you expect him. He is never slow getting to his friends when they need him." She nods, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that my friend I am afraid my nest is going to be to empty for him with the girls gone." Oak looks startled for a moment. I will be sure to pass on the message." After making their farewells they hang up.

"You did that last on purpose he will be passing on more than one message." Roark shakes his head. "Too clever for your own good."

"Maybe or maybe just clever enough." She looks away. "I should call the island and check on Butterfree."

"Your stalling." He tilts his head trying to figure her out but he doesn't have to try for long as her phone starts ringing.

She answers with a smile even if it doesn't reach her eyes. "Dr. Wiseman I truly did not expect to hear from you. What can I do for you?"

Wiseman messes with his glasses a bit then sighs. "This is embarrassing but is that fellow with the lucario still handing about your island?"

She tilts her head slightly. "Riley? Yes I am having him over for lunch today in fact why?"

Wiseman tilts the phone down to show a shiny riolu gripping his wrist in its jaws. "I can't get it to let go."

She hides a laugh with a cough. "I see have you captured him?" She shoots Roark an amused look.

"I am afraid he captured me first." Wiseman looks at her a tad helplessly.

"Put the phone down where he can hear and see it please." As soon as he does she starts talking. "Hello little one my name is Kaily Lightken and I know an aura guardian named Riley. He has a lucario for his pokémon partner. So I know you have enough aura sense to tell Dr. Wiseman is not a bad person. I also know you don't want to hurt him or you would have broken skin by now. So here is what we are going to do Dr. Wiseman is going to agree not to catch you and you are going to let go so you can talk to Roark here. I have enough psychic gift to talk to pokémon but it doesn't work over the phone. He can translate for me ok." When the riolu blinks it is enough. "Ted Wiseman the Third you will give your word." The snap in her tone had Wiseman jerking to attention. "Yes Keeper Lightken. I promise not to capture this riolu ma'am!" The riolu drops off his arm an snatches the phone talking excitedly. "Slow down little one I can only translate so fast." Roark leans in a bit. "Okay he is to excited to be very coherent but it seems the Lightken Keepers have a reputation amount the lucario clans. He is more impressed with you than an aura guardian." Roark listens for a bit then nods. "He wants to come here and thinks Wiseman very silly for chasing all over the woods after him and not offering to battle." She blinks once. "I see. Ted I presume you want to study him because he is what is called a shiny?" Wiseman swallows hard. "Yes mam," Ted shoves his glasses back up his nose. "Riolu Ted wants very badly to learn about you. Will you please work with him on that for an hour then go in a pokéball so he can transfer you here to me?" The shout that follows that didn't need translating. "Ted you have one hour." Wiseman bows looking stunned. "Yes ma'am, thank you." She nods and cuts off the call.

"That was unexpected. Let's go shopping." She gives Roark a real smile.

"That bundle of energy is going to run us ragged by weeks end." He follows her out the door oddly pleased with the idea.

"Oh no he won't I am going to point him at lucario she can train him and keep the energy down to a fun level."

"You clearly don't know young fighting types more energy than a whole house full of skitty."

She laughs softly, "Exactly. There is no way the house will feel to quiet or empty with him around."

Roark nods, "That is true. I was wondering what would you do if you didn't have your gift?"

She shakes her head, "I have no idea probably have had to go into business for the trust."

The Market

Kaily examines the goods in the market and picks up a simple black leather vest and holds it up to him an nods then passes it to Klive. Before picking out a few chow toys, an a meowth plushie. "Klive add targets to the next order please."

"Sure Kaily looks like you are expecting a young one." He leans on the counter ready to chat.

"A pleasant surprise this time. A riolu is coming for a visit. Just because he wants to. Do you have a guest list for the cookout yet?" He nods looking away.

"I am sorry Kaily elder Henrik heard me telling Kathleen an he added the whole council of elders." He shakes his head. "You know what that means."

She curses softly. "I knew it was coming soon I am almost twenty seven with no sign of a heir yet. I couldn't have avoided them much longer."

He gives her, her change. "I am sending out fish and shellfish for the cookout Henrik will overeat and fall asleep they are not as pushy without him."

She smiles slightly, "You are a clever devious man. Thank you."

Roark growls as they leave, "I don't like this no one should have to breed unless they want to."

"Says the pokémon, how many times have you been dropped off at a daycare during your season. Why should humans have more of a choice than nature gives pokémon?" She shakes her head and walks back to the pokémon center to pick up the riolu.

"Never actually, it is very uncomfortable but it is still a choice I didn't want to have hatchlings out there I would never know or recognize if I did meet them." Roark looks down uncomfortable with admitting to having avoided the daycare given what happened with her children.

"You show greater restaurant than many. Wear the vest if you want if you don't I can make you an armband." She frowns at the sky. "We are going to have to hurry to make it home for lunch."

"Why the vest?" Roark shifts the bags in his arms to slip on the vest even as he asks.

"The color black is an old sign of one who is in mourning. People here will recognize and respect it. Gale's silver one with red trim let people know her trauma and reaction if startled it is a safety measure black is safe, silver is a survivor, silver with red is safe unless scared. She was given a silver vest today."

Roark looks down at his vest thoughtfully. "This town has many codes and traditional ways geared toward support for there Keepers."

She glances sideways at him. "Perspective as always. Yes they also protect the town from what the Keeper dose."

Pokémon Center

She checks the time and calls Dr. Wiseman. As soon as he picks up she laughs. "Teb you." She laughs harder. Roark peeks over her shoulder to see Dr. Wiseman looking rumpled, ruffled, and with his glasses half off. "Times up send him here." Teb just blushes and nods getting the riolu in a pokéball and into the transfer. "Thank you Lightken I guess I just wasn't up to handling him." As soon as he arrived she let him out. "Thank you for sending him Ted." She says her goodbyes and hangs up.

Roark scoops him up before he can get into mischief. "Hi there what is your name?"

He tries to climb Roark. "Mom called me trouble but I don't think that is a name."

Kaily tickles him making him giggle and leep for her. "I think we shall call you Kapono if that is alright with you."

Kapono snuggles into her arms with a yawn. "Sure Keeper Kaily. That works." An as fast as that he is asleep.

Roark shakes his head, "How do you do it?"

"I am projecting sleepy thoughts as hard as I can. We can't have him that hyper on the boat. Lets go while it lasts." She leads the way back to the boat at a quick walk.

On The Boat

Roark stows there bags and casts off, as she readies the boat.

As soon as he was seated she passed him Kapono and started the boat. "Hold on tight." Once they are out of the harbor she opens up the throttle and sends the boat racing across the water bouncing lightly.

Roark holds Kapono tight as he jerks awake. An tries to scramble over to the side to look over. "What's going on I want to see!"

Roark lifts him a little higher in his arms so he can see but won't let go. "The boat is going really fast we need to stay right here for Kaily little one."

Kapono growls but stops struggling.

"After I know you can swim we will do this for fun but today we are running late." She slows as they approach the island and pulls smoothly into the boathouse.

Roark sets Kapono on the dock before hopping out to tie off. "Is Butterfree going to be hysterical because of you being away overnight?"

Kapono clings to Roark's leg and leans out to peer down at the water. "Is that deep?"

Kaily passes Roark there bags and catches Kapono before he can fall. "Just fifteen feet or so, Kapono. No Roark I left Butterfree a message if he is hysterical it will be over Angel."

He takes a deep breath and offers her a hand out of the boat. The same helping hand he refused only the day before. A silent offer of unconditional acceptance, support, and comfort in times of trouble.

She meets his eyes and takes his hand with a smiles as he helps her out of the boat. "Thank you."

On The Path

Riley was setting next to the path waiting for them when they headed for the house his hat pulled low to shade his eyes. "You were going very fast out there Kaily."

Kaily smiles an snags Kapono before she can trip over him and tosses him gently into the air before catching him. "We are running late and I had to leave Butterfree alone with just a message last night."

Riley tilts back his hat so they can see his eyes. "Butterfree returned to us last night after he got your message we are sorry for Angel's loss she was a very brave and kind being who held much wisdom."

Kaily nods hugging Kapono then tossing the giggling young pokémon up and catching him once more before letting him go to explore. "Thank you Riley I am glad you were here for Butterfree."

Riley smiles seeing Kapono scamper about, "You seem to have acquired some new friends."

"Allow me to make introductions. Roark this is Riley the aura guardian I mentioned he can read your aura but can't talk with you the way I can."

Roark nods and makes eye contact before going back to keeping an eye on Kapono.

"An the little bundle of energy trying a paw at rock climbing is Kapono, Ted Wiseman was trying to study him and ended up being the one captured. He called me trying to track you down and the little one demanded to come here."

Roark passes her the bags and makes a sprint for Kapono catching him as he falls. "Slow down and feel if the paw hold is stable before committing your weight to it." He lifts Kapono up to get a paw hold again.

Riley smiles, "Roark seems good with the little one."

"He was just as good with Gale, an Butterfree. He even charmed Tammy an Chancey." She laughs looking more relaxed than she has in some time. "Perspective, clever, strong, and steady he even managed to make me get a check up."

"He sounds like just who you need around here." Riley stands and takes half the bags.

"If only life was that kind I am having a cookout next Sunday and the council has invited themselves. You and I know what they are going to try."

Riley shakes his head as the walk toward the house, "Not another attempt at matchmaking?"

"Arceus above not that again! " She pinches the bridge of her nose as if to stave off a headache. "The last time they tried that Henrik volunteered his grandson."

Riley looked horrified, "Not Kiel? He is old enough to be your father and addled from that fall through the ice when he was younger."

She nods and opens the door in time for Kapono to dash past them and skid on the tiles sliding down the hall. "The rest of the Council reacted about the same way and the subject was dropped in favor of making Henrik go see a doctor about memory loss."

Roark comes up behind them and takes the bags from her hands leaving Riley holding the ones he has. "Told you young fighting types have more energy that a house full of skitty."

She laughs and chases after Kapono leaving Roark and Riley alone.

In The House

Roark eyes Riley trying to decide what to do then shrugs and heads for the kitchen he at least knew where it was and some of the bags had food in them.

Riley follows trying to make sense of what he is picking up from Roark. There is enough grief to have broken many, overtones of worry directed, at Kaily, affection toward Kapono, an mistrust toward himself, and under all of it almost smothered by everything else are shades of envy of himself. "I can't figure you out. You are in a great deal of emotional pain yet it is like it is in the background with a layer of everyday life on top of it."

Roark calmly sets down the bags in his hands an waits for Riley to do the same before grabbing him by the throat and throwing him against a wall growing. "You stay out of my head. You haven't earned the rights she has."

Riley goes very still making no move to free himself recognizing control when he sees it. "Okay I just stepped over a boundary but I can't tell what you are saying to know what it is. Can we work on helping figure out what I did?"

Roark drops him and steps back before nodding.

Riley sighs in relief, "This would be easier with Lucario to translate. Okay I said I couldn't figure you out."

Roark glares, an start stalking around the kitchen.

"You don't like that, but it is not what made you angry. I spoke about your emotions."

That got a growl from him.

Riley nods, "You don't like my reading you?"

Roark nods and stalks out of the room heading for the courtyard.

Five Minutes Later

Butterfree flutters into the kitchen to find Riley putting things away. "Hay Riley where is everyone it is not like Kaily to leave a guest on their own."

Lucario laughs at Butterfree as she comes in behind him. "Riley can't understand you remember?"

"Lucario will you translate for me?" Riley frowns as he gets out what he needs to fix lunch.

"Sure Riley what is up?" She moves to help him with lunch.

"Kaily is chasing a riolu around the house, and I seem to have mortality offended a blaziken named Roark and I am not quite sure how."

Butterfree lands on a chair back, "Oh man you must have done something stupid Roark is. Huh not sure how to explain it to a human. Roark is an alpha pokémon, that means he is calm, steady, strong, protects, an takes care of those around him. Unless you are a male pokémon and his equal. An you qualify as both. But this is Kaily's house so you both go by her rules." He looks toward the doorway. "So if he is that pissed you invaded his personal space without permission." Butterfree looks back at Riley, "You are here, unhurt, and he is not so I am guessing he warned you off and went to calm down so he doesn't upset Kaily."

As soon as Lucario translates Riley rubs his eyes. "Arceus I told him I couldn't figure him out based on his emotions. How is that for getting in his personal space. But Kaily told him I have that ability and I know she is upfront about her gift with all the pokémon sent here."

Butterfree and Lucario both shake their heads.

"You are male, and this house is Kaily's territory, plus she is as open to us as we are to her. She earns her rights with every tear and every bruise she takes for us. You don't have those rights not in this house. Outside it you are a working aura guardian with rights granted by your calling here you are just another pokémon. That is why you come here and stay on the island so much right because here you are free to just be yourself." Butterfree flys out in a huff.

Riley looks at Lucario, "Are you mad at me too?"

"No but I am thinking that you are very lucky Butterfree was the one giving you what for and not Kaily." She cuts vegetables for soup. "We are use to her making this house open to us like our own so long as we share the work as well as the benefits. I blame myself for not making the lines clear, but she has never had an alpha here. They are inherently stable."

In The Courtyard

Butterfree found Roark on the cliff face in the courtyard jumping up to above where it was smoothed off getting a claw hold then back flipping way from the cliff to land on his feet in the courtyard. Butterfree drifts up to just above his mark with a few wing beats.

Roark keeps his claw holds on the next jump. "Do you need something Butterfree?"

"That depends on your having calmed down enough to listen." Butterfree drifts waiting.

"Okay we can talk." He pushes off the cliff and back flips to land on his feet.

Butterfree drifts down nice and slow. "He is human you know it is easy to forget. He just doesn't know all the little rules that are instinct for us. I gave him a talking to with Lucario translating."

Roark looks down then meets Butterfree's eyes, "Thank you."

"He is going to push you now to see how you react. Not to challenge you but to make sure Kaily is safe." Butterfree lands on a bench and looks up at Roark.

"An why would he think that his place?" Roark tenses again.

"The same reason he would bring me to her. Because she is his friend and this is the only place he has to lay down his burdens and rest." He waved his wings gentle.

Nods sharply, "I will keep that he is human in mind." Roark looks away.

Kapono comes running into the courtyard with Kaily running after laughing and out of breath.

Roark scoops him up as he dashes past and holds him out to Kaily. "I believe this one escaped you?"

She laughs and tickles Kapono. "Thanks I want to introduce him to Lucario." She smiles at Roark and Butterfree. "It is good having him here this place needs some laughter."

Butterfree lifts off the bench and drifts around them. "So this is our newest resident Lucario is going to try to steal him for training."

Kapono settles into Roark with a happy sigh. "This place is nice."

"I should start lunch." Kaily turns toward the house.

"Riley and Lucario are cooking." Butterfree fallows her leaving Roark with Kapono to catch up.

In The Kitchen

By the time Roark walks into the kitchen Kaily is setting at the table with Riley having tea. "I'm thinking of inviting my old school to send a few classes over on a field trip that should keep the elders off my back for a few months."

"That will only buy you so much time Kaily you need to at least think about fighting there grandparents for summer visits unless you have another kid the twins are your heirs." He catches one of her hands. "I know you don't want your calling forced on them. But a calling is a calling weather they ever see this place or not. An what if they grow up and one of their kids needs this place they need to know where to come home to nest if they need to."

Roark walks over and drops Kapono in Riley's lap making him let go of her to steady the pup. Before resting a hand on her shoulder and going down on one knee so they are eye level. "He is right Kaily you don't have to clip their wings just teach them this is a safe place to land."

She bites her lower lip and her eyes get wet before she throws her arms around Roark and bursts into tears.

Riley sets Kapono down and starts to stand alarmed by Kaily's tears only to have Lucario put a paw on his shoulder and push him back down.

Roark gathers her close and lets her cry rocking her gently in his arms.

Lucario whispers to Riley as she picks Kapono up and takes him with her the stir the soup. "Hush Riley this has been a long time coming."

Butterfree watches as he sets the table. When she finally cried herself out Butterfree was there with a napkin.

"Thank you both I don't know why I am such a mess lately." She wipes her eyes and face finally letting Roark go.

Roark strokes golden brown hair away from her face with the backs of his claws. "You lost a good friend in Angel, Gale left on assignment, Butterfree is ready, an you keep having to talk about your children of course you're upset. We aren't the only ones with a right and need to grieve you need that to."

Riley looks between Kaily and Roark and sets back a bit. "I would give a great deal to know what is being said right now."

She sniffles and laughs. "I am just being reminded that I grieve like anyone else. It seems I have forgotten, that just because I have done it before doesn't mean I get to skip it this time."

Riley tilts his head watching Roark, "Why do you hear him when he tells you what everyone else has tried to tell you?"

Roark stands and hands Kaily her tea, before walking over to take Kapono from Lucario before he can spill the soup with his vigorous stirring.

"I don't know he just has a way of making things clearer." She sips her tea before setting it down and unwrapping the plushie meowth they got at the market earlier.

Roark walks over and sets at the table with them holding Kapono he regards Riley for a long thoughtful moment.

"Kapono look what we got you at the market today." Kaily places the plush in Kapono's reaching paws as he chatters away exited over the toy.

"I can see he will have to spend time with Lucario and I or you two will have him completely spoiled." Riley relaxes finally getting what Butterfree meant.

Roark nods once an lets Kapono climb down to explore while keeping him in sight. "Balancing hard work with play is important in young fighting types. Having Kaily be the fun one will work out nicely."

"Roark I have never once been accused of being fun." Kaily laughs softly looking pleased.

Riley grins, "Really I think Kapono would disagree with you, Kaily he seems to have a lot of fun with you."

Lucario laughs, "Males even when they can't talk to each other they gang up to tease us."

Butterfree gets a berry from the bowl kept on the counter not talking much but floating around watching everything.

Kapono wandered over to Roark about the time the soup was done. "I get to train right he said so earlier." He waves a paw it Riley.

Roark stands picks Kapono up and sets him in his chair. "Yes why don't you talk about it with him and Kaily while I help serve lunch?"

By the time a schedule for training, chores, lessons and lots of play time was worked out the food was on the table. "Do I have to take lessons?" Kapono asked as Roark lifted him and set down with him on his knee so he could reach the table.

"Yes you needs lessons both in wild survival and stuff like math and reading they are skills that will serve you well no matter your path in life. I was lucky that Martin saw the value in education. I was left to make the plans and decisions more than once when he couldn't see straight from a migraine." Roark hands Kapono a spoon and scoots his bowl a little closer.

Butterfree nibbles on a berry. "Ash wasn't much for books but he made sure we could count, and read signs."

Roark takes bites of his soup in between helping Kapono. No matter how many times he splashes or spills Roark wipes up shows him how to hold his spoon and ignores the mess. "It is okay Kapono you will get it eventually eating with utensils is not easy."

Riley shakes his head. "You are either a natural with children or have the patience of a saint."

Kaily grins passes over another napkin. "Really Riley a saint I thought you were a strict Arceusest."

Mopping up the latest spill Roark takes the spoon and feeds Kapono half his own lunch. "It is no big deal we both needed a wash any way."

Lucario shakes her head, "You are hereby elected to teach all young pokémon how to use utensils."

Roark smirks, "Then Riley gets to clean up after lunch."

Kaily laughs, "Definitely not a saint. Go get cleaned up."

Butterfree and Lucario nod laughing.

Five Minutes Later

Kaily points her spoon at Riley. "I don't know what you did but you work things out with him. I don't want to know about it you to are both healthy adults who can work through their problems."

Butterfree takes off to do his garden chores, and Lucario starts the dishes leaving Riley at Kaily's mercy.

"Why is it automatically my fault?" Riley stands and starts cleaning up with Kaily's help.

"Because he has a serious problem with you and you are just puzzled by him if he had been the one at fault you would be offended." She gives him a stern look. "This island and this house is always here when you need a home but this is his home to so work it out."

Riley bows, "Yes Keeper Lightken."

She smiles and shakes her head at him. "I am lucky in my friends."

Riley frowns as he mops. "There is a new energy to you, and you have laughed more today than you have in months. I was starting to think you would break under the weight of your calling. " He looks up to meet her eyes. "Now I think it was something else altogether. Is the council right do you need family or a companion?"

She looks away knowing he can read her as easily as she can read him. "All the more reason for me to tread with care if I do."

Two Days Later

Roark was helping Butterfree in the berry garden when he saw something moving out on the water. "Hey Butterfree fly up and see if you can make out what that is."

Butterfree flys up and out over the water before hurrying back. "Company is coming that is Klive's boat but he is not do for three days and he is coming in slow."

Roark starts putting away the garden tools. "Go find Kaily and tell her then go to Lucario and tell her to keep Kapono with them tell we know what is going on."

"Roark I am not sure that is necessary it is just Klive." Butterfree helps put away the tools.

"As far as I know he is not do, did not call ahead, and is coming in slower than normal. Until I know why I am going to treat it like trouble. Now go." He heads for the path down to the boathouse.

Butterfree looks after him then takes off trouble or not Kaily will want to know about company and so will Riley.

Kaily is just setting leppa berry cookies out to cool when Butterfree rushes in. "Butterfree what has you in a flutter?"

"Company is coming, Klive's boat is coming in slow and Roark is worried I am to tell you and Lucario." Butterfree hovers there not sure what Kaily will want him to do.

"Take the basket on the end of the counter when you go snacks will help with Kapono." She takes off her apron and heads into the pantry. "Stay with Riley until he says it is time to come back." She uses the step later and swings out the top shelves to get at the safe opens it and takes out a heavy black duffel.

Butterfree looking worried grabs the picnic basket and leaves as fast as he can.

At The Boathouse

Klive pulls up to the outside dock and cuts the engine. "You youngsters just hop over and tie off the lines. Before helping me unload. Keeper Lightken isn't expecting guests so you pull your own weight or I am taking you straight back to the mainland. If I didn't know she was expecting Ash there sometime soon I wouldn't have brought you out at all."

Roark steps out of the boathouse and shakes his head. Unless they were all trainers the only threat this group posed was emotional. "Blaz blaziken zik laz blaziken."

Klive grins looking up, "Roark I would have called but do to atmospheric conditions your phone is out."

Roark nods walks up the dock and waves at the house. Before turning toward Klive again.

"Had it on lock down huh. I don't blame you not one bit. Well let me make introductions the young man with the Pikachu is Ash Katchum, Lightken is expecting him, those two are his friends Dawn, and Brock. Now these two," he points to a pair of younger kids with scuffed looking but expensive backpacks. "Say they are Eric and Jessica Locklen. I wouldn't have brought them out but I was bringing Ash and his friends."

Roark steps into the boat and lifts the boys chin with one claw looking him in the eyes. Eyes that where grey as storm clouds. He looks at the girl with soft golden brown hair and nods waving everyone onto the dock.

The House On Iron Island

Kaily had the tea going by the time they reached the house having sent off one of the local wingull to Riley with the all clear.

Koark led the little group straight to the kitchen, "Kaily brace yourself some of our visitors are very unexpected."

She turns to greet their guests and pails the teapots slipping from hands gone numb with shock.

Roark manages to sweep her off her feet and away from any splashes of hot tea when the teapot smashed on the tile floor. "Breath just breath." He sets her on the window seat and gets the broom.

Klive was the first one to speak. "Sorry to intrude Kaily but this bunch wouldn't wait tell the phone was working again."

"Quite alright Klive we don't have anyone in residence that would be a problem you know that or they wouldn't be here." She works up a smile for her friend.

Brock moves forward. "Kaily Lockhart Lightken I had no idea you had taken up the mantle of Keeper now last I saw you was at your and Jeremiah's wedding how have you guys been?"

Roark moves quickly to her side worried. "Do you need me to make them leave?"

She shakes her head, "Jeremiah died in a landslide on victory road ten years, seven months, and sixteen days ago."

Brock pails and two of the kids look surprised. "I am so sorry I hadn't heard."

She waves it off. "Not your fault it was not talked about much and you had just started as a trainer back then."

Klive takes over cleaning up the broken teapot and spilled tea.

"Mr. Katchum I believe you are here for Butterfree. I am afraid he is out of the house at the moment but should be back soon." Her eyes skim past Ash to rest on the pair by the door.

"Thank you for looking out for him Keeper Lightken I would have been here sooner if I had known." He paces clearly wanting to run out and check on Butterfree. The pikachu on his shoulder pats him on the head. "Calm down he is going to be okay."

She smiles, "listen to your friend there Butterfree is one tough little pokémon he only ended up here because Riley wanted me to have help an knew I couldn't turn him away."

The twins at the door exchange a look. As she stands and walks to the cabinet to take down a plain serviceable teapot. "Klive add teapots to my next order we seem to be going through them more quickly than normal." She sets the teapot down and gets out the tea while Roark moves to get plates working with her smoothly. "An thank you for cleaning that up will you be staying over or heading back after tea?"

Klive laughed, "I'll be heading home or Jasmin will have my hide for leaving her to mind the shop."

She piles cookies on a tray while Roark pours steaming water from the kettle into the teapot. They set the tea things down about the time Butterfree flies in followed by Riley, Lucario, and Kapono.

"Ash! Pikachu!" Butterfree dives at them latches on to Ash's shirt and starts sodding.

Everything is chaos while everyone sorts themselves out an Kapono gets Roark to pick him up yawning. " Tired."

When the everyone is settled with cookies and tea Kaily finally lets herself really look at the twins. "Eric, Jessica you can't know how happy I am that you are here but we will be calling your grandparents to let them know you arrived safely."

Jessica jerks her eyes up to meet Kaily's in surprise. "How did you know?"

"There housekeeper and your grandfather send me pictures." She turns to her other guests to find Ash and Riley talking about aura and Brock comparing recipes with Klive. "You are all welcome to stay."

Roark passes a sleeping Kapono to Kaily and takes to seat to her right hand. "You need to relax they are here enjoy it."

She smiles, "Thank you." Turning back to her guests she chats with them relaxing slowly.

Eric watches the exchanges between his mother and the blaziken not understanding but getting the strong feeling that his grandmother was wrong and she really did understand pokémon. That blaziken sure acted like they were talking and treated her like he would protect her from everything he could an stand by her for the rest. He was not sure about coming here before but Jessica had been obsessing over a bunch of new clippings, and pokémon journal articles about Iron Island and the Lightken Keepers for months and had informed him she was coming with or without him. Now that they were here and she was right in front of him he still didn't know what to think.

"Butterfree why don't you take Ash out to the courtyard after tea, Brock if you would help me and Riley bring up the crates I know Klive will have brought with him. An Roark if you would help Dawn, Eric, and Jessica settle in." Kaily nervously crumbles a cookie.

Roark shakes him head. "Kaily you know you need time alone with them. I will get the crates you stay with them." He gently pushes her hair out of her face with the backs of his claws.

"Right I will help you settle in and Roark will help with the supplies." She smiles at Lucario, "Would you put Kapono down for his nap Lucario? "

Lucario nods and yawns, "I think I will nap with him I thought I had stamina until we started training him."

She laughs, "Me to Roark did warn me young fighting types have the energy of a house full of skitty."

Roark nods before standing and putting his dishes in the dishwasher with a glance at Riley that has him gulping the last of his tea and following suite.

"We should be getting those crates before we get Klive in trouble with Jasmine."

Brock nods and gets up to help, "The cookies are wonderful Kaily thank you."

"Klive take Jasmine some cookies and tell her I look forward to seeing her at the cookout." She stands and passing a sleeping Kapono to Lucario.

Ash, Pikachu, and Butterfree took off for the courtyard as soon as there dishes were taken care of an the kitchen empties out tell it is just her and the three kids.

"Follow me do you have a preference in rooms with or without windows?" She smiles slightly. "The House is built into the mountain so those that like it dark normally take rooms back there. We also have rooms on the second and third floor with windows."

Dawn smiles, "I would like windows but Buneary is not a morning pokémon."

"Why not let Buneary out to help pick your room? If you want to share?" She leads them up stairs.

"You mean she could have her own room?" Dawn looks around starting to take in how big the house really is.

Kaily laughs sadly, "This house was designed to shelter a large clan and a great many pokémon in troubled times. Now it is just me and the pokémon for whom this is a stop along the way."

Dawn lets out Buneary, and Pachirisu, "Come on out guys"

The twins hang back watching, but Jessica smiles at the pokémon.

Kaily kneels to be closer to the pokémon in height. "I needs to know if you three want your own rooms and if so what type. Buneary I love your cute vest but I am going to give you a teal one to wear if you go into town there is a color code for pokémon clothing for pokémon staying on the island so people can tell what is safe to do around them."

Buneary blinks and looks down at her vest then takes it off. "Okay can it be pretty?"

She smiles, "Very pretty teal with fringe work we can make it together after dinner. Now would you like your own room or to stay with Dawn in hers?"

Pachirisu ran up and around her, "Hey cool you can understand us tell Dawn her hair won't frizz when I use discharge if she uses a pokémon brush. "

She laughs and translates making Dawn blush.

"You have quite a clever little one to have figured that out so young. Now rooms?"

Piplup waves at Dawn, "She is mine she stays with me."

Buneary nods, "Ya we had best keep her with us."

"Dibs on the pillow." Pachirisu jumps up and down excited.

"Okay if you want to room together she wants windows so east facing or west?"

They all look at each other and yell together, "West."

She sets back laughing. "West it is." Then stands and leads the way to a gratuitously appointed bedroom facing west and the sea. " Here you go one room facing west. The bathroom is three doors down. If you four will excuse us the twins need to call their grandparents." She lifts Pachirisu off her shoulder and passes him to Dawn. "Ash is in the courtyard bottom of the stairs first right the door with a moon above it."

Five Minutes Later

She sighs as she settles into the wing back chair in her study. "You two have no idea how happy I am to see you. I thought I would have to wait for you to become trainers before I would get a chance. That being said I know your grandmother would never willingly allow you nere me. So they don't know where you are." She watches them fidget. "There is no love lost between Evelyn and I how could there be when she stole my children. But they do love you and are probably reliving your father's death every minute they don't know where you are. There is a satellite phone on the desk call them."

Jessica sniffles and rushes to the phone but Eric glares at her. "What do you care you through them away the same way you did use."

She sighs, "If that was so your sister would not have been sent news packets when the headaches started, if that was so I would not have pictures of you both, if that was so you would not have received Christmas and birthday gift from your housekeeper she could not have afforded. I know you have been told nothing good about my side of the family but this isn't about me is it? It is about easing the worry of two old people who have already lost their son."

Eric gives a stiff nod and runs to the phone just as someone picked up on the other end. The voice that spills from the other end of the call is colder than ice, "Kaily if you are calling to request a visit again the answer is still no and will always be no you are not there mother you are nothing but the no good garbage charlatan my son made the mistake to marry."

"Evelyn shut up for once. We are calling to let you know the twins are here." She watches the shocked looks on Eric and Jessica's faces hearing there grandmother. "Great my precious grand babies have been kidnapped by a mad woman and taken to an island full of deranged beasts. I will see you in prison for this." They hear the phone slammed down as it is disconnected.

Jessica dissolves in tears, "How could she say that? Why was Grammy so mean."

Eric slides an arm around his sisters shoulders. "I think you had best tell us what is going on."

She smiles sadly at him, "So like your father." She waves them to the couch. "It is quite simple your grandmother never liked me never thought I was good enough. An when your father decided to be a full-time trainer for a couple of years before going on to college she blamed me. After the accident," she shakes her head a tear escaping. "She was so excited about you and I was grieving and sick then the day after you two were borth I was served papers in the hospital. I could have put up more of a fight but was young, ill, an this place and what the Keepers of Iron Island do it is a calling. Like any calling it comes with hardships. I did not want that for you unless it was truly for you so I made sure there was a lop hole in the custody papers that if you came of your own free will that custody reverts to me. Your grandmother has been blocking a visit from day one."

Jessica sniffles and wipes her eyes. "So you wanted us just not enough to fight for us."

Eric narrows his eyes, "That blaziken wears a black vest, what does black mean."

Kaily meets eyes very like her own. "Black is for mourning. His trainer died in the big mag rail crash last week. He was sent here on suicide watch, luckily he is a naturally stable individual and that is no longer a worry."

"How many others like him have there been over the years?" His looked tense but oddly calm.

"Like him none he never really needed to be here. I get about fifteen cases a year if you don't count the ones that come here to die. An incase you are going to ask even with the gift I get, scratched, bruised, biten, burned, poisoned, and my bones broken from time to time. An because of the gift I need this island as much as the pokémon do." She looks at her children steadily.

"You couldn't have raised us safely." Eric frowns, "That is what you mean about not wanting your calling for us."

"I could have taken lesser cases for a few years but you would have had to go away to school as I did. I believe you should know your heritage even if you don't have the gift your children might. I will understand if you can't bring yourself to accept me or it but you need to know about it and that I love you."

Jessica stands and runs out leaving them alone.

"I don't know what this gift you talk about is but she hears things it started about a year ago. She showed me articles that say the Keeper of Iron Island is psychic. Might she be?" Eric looks after his twin.

She leans forward, "She might I felt no sign of it in either of you as babies but it can develop later. If so she needs training. I am sure Officer Jenny will be out to talk to you by dinner time I should go get started on it." She rubs her eyes tiredly. "Thank you for finally coming home."

He stands and walks to the door, "I am willing to learn about you and this place for Jessica but don't assume anything else." He walks out to look for him sister.

Down Stairs

Kaily was a bit bemused to find her kitchen taken over by Brock but she warns him to expect more for dinner and moves on to find Ash, Butterfree, Pikachu, and Riley in the courtyard talking about aura training she lingers just long enough to let Ash know he can let out all his pokémon. An moves on to look for something she needs to do.

Roark was waiting when she walked into the house and gently herded her into the living room an eased her down on the couch, "The boy has your eyes."

That was all it took she burst into tears and collapsed in his arms finally able to let go. "They hate me."

Roark just held her rocking her lightly in his arms. "Know that I don't believe they would not be here if that was so." He looked up to see the girl in the doorway looking shocked clearly it had not crossed her mind that the pillar of strength the world saw in Keeper Kaily Lightken was only a part of who she was.

As the boy joined his sister in the doorway Roark just pulls Kaily closer and rubs her back, "That is it let it all out."

Eric was confused by what he was seeing where was the calm, logically woman from a short time ago? Why did the sight of her crying make his gut burn? Why did he get the feeling that this was something they were not meant to see? He takes Jessica's hand and pulls her away.

As soon as they are down the hall she stops, "Did you see that?"

Eric nods, "I am not sure I believe her but that was not the heartless woman grandmother talks about, not in there and not when she could tell Brock how long ago dad died to the day."

Jessica nods, "That blaziken, it," she struggles to put into words what was a scene. "He feels for her something strong." That was as close as she could get.

"Of course he does, he is always talking to her or touching her or just being there." He looks blankly at the wall for a minute. "She wears all black. Maybe they lean on each other because they are both grieving."

She meets his eyes and nods accepting his explanation she might hear things sometimes but he just knew things. "Grandmother is going to fight to get you back."

"She will fight to get us both back." Eric looks back down the hall wondering if the woman having a breakdown in her blaziken's arms would fight to keep them this time.

"No Eric she will go through the motions but grandmother doesn't like me not like you. I am growing up to look like our mother."

Eric looks at Jessica and notices the bone structure and hair before nodding she did look a lot like their mother. "That was why you wanted to come here and learn about her you heard grandmother when she wasn't talking?"

She nods and looks away, "All the time lately I have such headaches I am either mad or I don't know psychic? If I am maybe she is for real and knows what to do?"

He takes her hand and squeezes, "Let's go see that Riley guy he seems to know her an I don't think we should interrupt them that blaziken sure seems to know when she needs something." He leads the way back to the courtyard.

About the time Kaily had cried herself out an was presentable again there was a knock at the door. Dawn who was passing on the way to the kitchen opens it to find Officer Jenny outside.

Officer Jenny looks startled, "Excuse me but who are you and what are you doing here this is private property young lady an if you are trespassing I will have to arrest you."

"Really Kathleen Jenny sometimes you are just too much." Kaily gentle moves Dawn out of the way an hugs her friend. "Come in I am told dinner is almost ready. Do let Pyre and Forge out you know you can relax here."

Kathleen release her arcanine, "Thank you Kaily it is always good to be here. Even if it is because of trouble."

She smiles as Roark steps up and rests a hand on her shoulder. "There is no trouble that we can't weather while we stand on our home ground and the coming battle is one I have planned for for a very long time."

Eric draws back into the hall a little watching and listening.

Kathleen Jenny smirks, "I and the council get to watch of course. We have waited a very long time to see that child stealing witch face our Keeper Of The Light."

Kaily mock bows, "It won't be like the old days when these walls helped hold the coast but there are a few battles left in these old walls."

Kathleen laughs, "Like you haven't held this island against the scum of the earth sheltering rare pokémon, and witness pokémon alike in your time last I checked you where still the top sniper in Sinnoh."

She shakes her head, "Things will not be so easy or straightforward this time my friend this will be all faint and bluff with the paperwork being the real weapons."

Kathleen sighs, "True but you can tell me about it after dinner whatever it is smells wonderful."

Roark turns his head and makes eye contact with Eric before turning back to the conversation. "Who know such a delicate looking little healer would also be a fierce warrior."

Eric moves back down the hall even as he hears her laugh and Officer Jenny demanding to know what he said to make her blush. That blaziken did that on purpose he was trying to make a point but what, he already knew that the blaziken knew her better, liked, and respected her, but in a human his actions would be a challenge to another male. That didn't make sense he was just a kid an she was his mother. Unless that was it she was crying earlier and she was his mother was blaziken challenging him because he thought him responsible for her crying? Could he be, that would mean she cared about them. He needed to talk to Jessica she always made things clearer.

In The Kitchen

"I am hosting a cookout in a two days I hope you all will attend." Kaily looks around the table smiling. "In fact I would love to invite you all to stay the summer."

Roark setting next to her feeding Kapono rather than have him struggle with his spoon at dinner nods.

Ash who would normally be the first to rush ahead on his journey nods. "Thank you Keeper but if we stay we should be assigned chores instead of doing whatever we like that needs doing."

She beams, "Your mother must be so proud of you. There is a blackboard in the back of the pantry with a weekly chore roster just put your names in for what you want to do special chores are added in red as the week goes by."

Brock looks around the table at the smaller pokémon in tall chairs and the arcanine setting on the floor but eating at the table. "I must admit it never crossed my mind to have pokémon set at the table in less they were human shaped it just didn't seem like they would be comfortable."

"I know that pokémon are often not treated like equals but the truth is they are just as smart as we are, stronger, with wonderful abilities, and more in tune with nature. I see my job as helping pokémon recover from emotional trauma created by humans. This is not always the case but the majority of the time it is. The first step is always letting them know they are equal to any human guest in my home. In fact I make a point of making request instead of orders unless it is important."

Roark reaches out and slides the backs of his claws down her spine. "An giving us imposible seeming choices that turn out to be simple and easy."

She smiles at him, "Do you regret the choice?"

Roark shakes his head. "Never."

"I need Kathleen, Eric, Jessica, and every pokémon attending the party in my workroom after dinner can the rest of you see to the dishes and who else sews?" She eyes her other guests. "This is going to be a formal party so after dishes everyone else to the workroom to."

Brock nods, "I can sew but not fancy stuff."

Dawn raised her hand, "I do the outfits for me pokémon."

"Wonderful just the skill sets we need. This is going to be fun." She exchanges a looks with Kathleen.

"Iron Island formal oh the council is going to be, " Kathleen brakes down in giggles. "Put Tammy in charge of there formal wear or who knows what they will do remember Henrik's last costume for spring festival."

Kaily covers her eyes with one hand, "Don't remind me so many wrinkles whatever possessed him to think at ninety eight he should enter the contest for the king of spring festival I will never know."

"Kaily that also means you have to have a first knight to stand at your right hand they will demand a full court." Kathleen shakes her head I can't not since I am grand marshal this time.

"Not a problem Roark is my right hand." She glances at Roark and he nods not sure what they are planning but trusting Kaily to know what she is doing.

"It sounds like you are planning some cross between a costume party, a formal gathering, and a cookout?" Jessica looks between them confused.

Kathleen nods, "That about sums it up, you see the Keeper Of The Light, holder of Iron Island is the only functional noble title left in Sinnoh that the government recognizes. As such the laws are somewhat different on this island and the islands ties to the town are old and complex."

She nods, "Roark as first knight will have to wear light weight armor and stand at my side for the formal parts. An we have to make it formal because the twins grandparents will show up. The laws are all on my side but a show of power never hurts when it comes to heading off a fight. I only have to hold her off until the twins can get there trainers licenses then they will be legally adults and neither side can tell them what to do."

Riley nods, "So that is the plan you are kinder than many former Keepers would have been."

She shakes her head. "She is not a pirate or a poacher she is just a sad bitter old woman with to much money and a husband with a will of jello."

Jessica looks between them wide eyed. "You are just a little bit scary when you decide to fight. Between the party and her not having a legal way of winning grandmother is going to be so angry, and a little helpless."

"I hope I am. I will offer you guidance but I will not make you take a path you don't choose. As such I will not name either of you heir until you know what that means and the price a Keeper pays and choose it freely. To give you your freedom I will have to be very scary indeed." Kaily meets her children's eyes.

"Enough of this Kaily eat you needs it." Roark gentle taps her hand and gets her eating.

She nods at him and turns her attention to her food as the others start talking costumes.

After Dinner

On the way to the workroom they hear a bell. "I need to get the door Butterfree if you would show the way to the workroom."

"Sure Kaily, this way everyone." Butterfree leads everyone but Roark off as she heads for the door with him following her.

She smiles when she sees a Pelipper waiting outside. "Roark come meet Patty she and Haile run the Pelipper Express she flys small packages between here and the mainland and out to boats. Open up Patty."

Pretty opens her bill and lets Kaily reach in an pull out three pokéballs. " Thank you Patty I needed these guys."

Roark bows, "Thank you for making the trip would you like to come in?"

"Welcome Kaily anything to help. An no thanks Roark I have an egg to get home to. See you at the party." Pretty takes off with a hard flap heading for the mainland.

She grins looking at Roark an holds up the pokéballs, "My mom's alakazam David, and the offspring of two of Jeremiah's pokémon. I called a ranger at the preserve where they live and had him ask if they were willing to send any of their children to be partners with his. He called back just before dinner to tell me we had to many volunteers so I asked him to let them down gently and ask for the two best suited to be starters."

Roark hugs her, "You are kind to give them this connection."

She relaxes into him and hugs him back. "Thank you I hope they understand."

"They will and even if they don't now they will as they grow." She hugs him tighter then lets go. "Let's go we have to get you measured for some armor!"

He nods and follows her feeling contented the ache of losing Martin was still there and likely always would be but it didn't take away his breath anymore. "So real armor?"

"Of course I wouldn't insult you will something fake or flimsy. I was thinking the kind swat team pokémon use!" She hurries to her workroom.

Workroom

Everyone looks around the huge room lined with cabinets with several work tables and at least six sewing machines of different types, the overhead lights are fully adjustable and here and there are comfortable setting areas in short if you didn't mind not having windows it was probably a sewers dream.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Kaily hurries in with Roark easily keeping pase. "Before we start I have a little surprise for the twins" She holds up the pokéballs. "Your grandma Lacey sent her alakazam David to help with lessons." She lets David out only to have him take one look at her sewing room and teleport somewhere else. She shrugs and holds up the two remaining pokéballs. "An these are for you the children of Jeremiah's pokémon for Jeremiah's children."

Eric stared at her shocked what did she mean the children of his dad's pokémon? Didn't they die with him? Jessica just burst into tears and sets down hard.

"Oh dear did I over do it maybe you wanted a normal starter?" Her smile wilts a little.

Roark steps up behind her and hugs her. "I think they're just overwhelming."

She leans back for a moment then takes a deep breath. "Right Dawn, Brock if you would open the cabinets with blue knobs. We can start picking fabrics."

While the others got started Eric slowly approached her. "I thought all his pokémon died with him."

Roark gives her a last squeezes before moving off to help lift down bolts of fabrics, and leather all in shades of blue.

She waves them over to a setting area after Jessica joins them. "Far from it a trainer can only travel with six pokémon when they catch more than six pokémon the new ones are automatically sent to a designated caretaker such as one of the professors or a family member. Your dad was working with Oak so his went to Oak's lab and ranch. Of the four that were with your dad that day three were safely in there pokéball. Of those three." She shakes her head. "Houndoom survived for her pup, and vaporeon, just disappeared one day." She looks down at the pokéballs in her hand. "I called the preserve where most of your feathers pokémon retired and had the ranger ask if any of their children would volunteer as your starters I am afraid he had to disappoint a lot of hopeful pokémon." She holds out the pokéballs again. "I don't know who he sent."

It was Jessica who reached out first and carefully takes one running her thumb over it before clicking the button and releasing a young scyther. Jessica sniffles and smiles, "beautiful."

Eric takes the remaining pokéball and releases a growlithe, "wow."

"Why don't you guys get to know them and think about names I have to go help before this place is a mess." She stands and moves to a work tables covered in mounds of fabric and leather.

Buneary was first to decide on a shimmering ice blue fabric, "I want this one like my white contest dress."

"Dawn Buneary would like a dress like her one for contests out of the ice blue." She smiles at the bunny pokémon, "Why not an everyday vest out of the teal suede with fringe?"

Buneary's happy squeal doesn't need any translating an Dawn grins. "Thank you for making your work room and materials available Kaily."

Roark moves the chosen materials to one of the work tables. "Kaily you look like you are having fun maybe you should put on pokémon fashion shows here or in town at one of the festivals?"

Eric looks over when she laughs and Roark makes eye contact before turning back to Kaily leaving him feeling confused.

Brock notices the exchange of looks and walks over after picking out some midnight blue satin, "Hey Eric why don't you help me cut this out?"

Eric nods and follows him to the farthest work table with his new growlithe. "I don't know much about sewing."

"Not a problem but you looked worried about something else," Brock easily starts cutting out material for a bow for happiny.

Eric glances over at the others then nods. "It is that blaziken it is acting weird it keeps looking at me then doing things to make her smile or laugh almost like it is challenging me or something."

Brock nods, "Very observant of you. He is in a way. Do you know anything about courtship rituals in blaziken?"

Eric shakes his head looking shocked.

"Well there are a let more males than females so rather than fight and risk a female getting hurt if she doesn't like to winner an decided to challenge him herself. A male will approach her around her family and other males and prove his worth by making her happy. Now blaziken will court each other and humans for a lot of reasons. But it all comes down to one thing and that is forming a strong bond with another being." Brock looks over at Roark and Kaily as she touches his arm and looks up at him. "Your mother has been alone and hurting for a long time I think it is great that Roark wants to bond with her."

"A strong bond? I thought they already had one." He watches them as they move together as a team helping pick out fabrics and put away anything not picked.

Brock cuts out a bow tie for croagunk from the same material. "They might blaziken maintain courtship even after bonding. It makes them some of the best battlers out there because they will push to the very limits but it also means that losing whoever they bond with can be fatal. I am guessing that is how he ended up here." Brock looks over at Eric, "Next time he gives you one of those looks try giving him a little nod he should relax a bit after that."

"Thanks Brock I think I will. It was really confusing not knowing why he was doing that." Eric looks over to see Dawn helping Jessica with some sky blue leather while scyther leans in looking fascinated.

Just then Ash and Riley walk in.

"Hay Riley I have a set of formal gear for you an Lucario on the top shelf of cabinet nine." She waves at the cabinet without taking her eyes off chimchar. "Ash can you come here please?"

Ask jogs over. "Yes Kaily?"

She smiles and nods at chimchar, "He wants a vest. But I am concerned about his tail charing it. So would you like to learn how to make chainmail?"

Eric moves closer interested at the idea of chainmail. "You know how to make chainmail?"

She nods, "I learned in school it was the telekinetic equivalent of fine motor skills training. I don't have telekinetic ability but I learned anyway because I liked the look of it and would sew patches of it on my clothes."

Eric frowns, "Your school taught psychic skills?" He looks over his shoulder at Jessica.

"I attended the Saffron Academy in the Saffron City gym from the time I was eight tell two months before you were born." She leads the boys over to another cabinet and pulls out drawers with spools of thick wire an tools.

"I would recommend you and Jessica attend school there as well there academic program is excellent an if either of you are going to come into a gift it will be much safer to do so there. It would make having a relationship with your grandparents easier." She takes out two spools of blued steel and passes them to Ash before getting out a metal rod, wire cutters, and needle-nosed pliers for both of them.

Eric's eyes widen slightly, "You want us to stay in contact with them?"

She frowns at him, "I have never once." Sighs, "Your grandmother and I will never get along but she is still your grandmother. I will never make you choose between us but she might."

He winces but nods. "Ya she might." They follow her to a table.

"Okay to make chainmail you first need rings. To get those you just wrap the wire around the rod for the whole length then snip the wire on one side so when you slide it off you have rings." She leaves Ash and Eric to make rings.

So things went for a couple of hours then Roark just picked her up. "Enough you're half-asleep."

Riley looks over from helping with leather work and blinks at seeing Kaily carried out. "Okay looks like we are calling it a day."

Jessica starts after them, "What just happened?"

"Your mother forgets to take care of herself when she is working on something. So Roark has taken over doing so. I was worried the first time he just picked her up and walked off until I realized he was making her take a break and eat something." Riley laughs shaking his head. "Only being I know that can get away with that or tell her in a few words what others have said for years and have her listen." Riley stretches tell his joints pop. "It is getting late."

At Breakfast

"Sorry Kathleen I didn't get around to telling you what I need you to do last night." Kaily points her spoon at Kathleen an Roark pushes it down tell it is in her oatmeal with nuts and berries.

Kathleen laughs, "Eat before he starts treating you like Kapono because if he does am going to film it."

Kaily takes a few bites then scoops up a spoon full and holds it up to Roark. He leans in holding eye contact and takes the bite.

Kathleen fans herself, "So not fair not only do I not have my camera out you two make that look way to fun."

Roark leans back and glances at a sleepy looking Eric and his confused sister before going back to feeding Kapono.

When Roark looks up again Eric gives him a tiny nods then looks away.

"Okay Evelyn will be in town by now and likely getting a very cold shoulder. I want you to track down that Looker fellow from the International Police that is hanging about because of Team Galactica and give him the file on the counter. Then tell Billy More that he is to bring them over the night of the party but not until after she bribes him with enough to pay off that boat of his."

Kathleen nods her eyes gleaming. "I will be glad to an I think the robes from the harvest festival parade of elders will work for the council."

She nods eating, "I want swat gear for Roark's armor only with the Keeper's emblem instead of swat if you cannot get it in time barrow some and I will make a leather cover for it. But still order some. Send Maggie out to fit everyone for formal dress make sure she brings her helpers and they know they are staying for the party. Oh and have Klive send caterers I am not cooking for the whole town."

Roark puts Kapono down and digs into his own breakfast. "I have to wear armor you have to dance with me."

Kaily stops her lists and turns to stare at him. "What type of dancing?"

He meets her grey eyes, "Name it and I probably have had lessens Martin wanted to learn to impress a girl and made me take the lessons to thinking the smooth movements would help in battles."

"Okay Kathleen we are going to need the DJ to bring music for dancing I finally have a dance partner." She smiles like she had just been given her favorite treat.

Kathleen just nods as everyone else stares at them.

"Okay that is just plain spooky, every time I think you two are almost perfect you turn out to be more so than I thought." Riley shakes his head and adds more honey to his oatmeal.

"That should be all Kathleen, everyone else needs to finish there pokémon outfits and be ready for fitting when Maggie gets here she will need the work room. " She finishes her breakfast and gets up to wash her bowl. "Roark I need you to come to the vault with me."

Ten Minutes Later

Roark followed Kaily deep into the maze of unused rooms and hallways in the cliff part of the house now realizing that the house is really a newer face on a very old fort. "How are you finding the way?"

"The pattern in the tiles is a code." She looks back at him. "Roark I have a doctorate in pokémon psychology. I just want you to know that I can tell the difference between bonding courtship rituals, an courting behavior. You have been displaying both."

Roark stays quite as they take several turns then reaches out and places a restraining hand on her shoulder. "How do you feel about my actions?"

She turns and pulls him into a tight hug. "I am okay with it either way you are a wonderful being that I am very grateful to have in my life."

He sighed and held her close for a while before they continue on to the vault. "What is down here that we needed anyway?"

"Family heirlooms for the twins and a very special bit of jewelry for you and me." She takes his hand. "Do you know what mega evolution is?"

Roark shakes his head, "Never heard of it."

"It is a transformation an not a true evolution. With it a fully evolved pokémon can go a step farther and get a big jump in power just like a real evolution but afterwards they charge back. It has been a secret of the Kalos region for a very long time. You see long before there was a Keeper on Iron Island there was a war to end it the mad king of Kalos made a great and terrible weapon powered by the life force of many pokémon when he ended the war with it the very bones of the earth broke under the force of it and all that life energy was locked into stones."

He drew a shocked breath, looking down at her. "You can trace your bloodline back that far?"

"Well yes and no there have been a few adoptions along the way but always gifted ones who are blood relatives from the wrong side of the blanket." She clears her throat, "The life force was driven into the shattered stones of the battlefield and flung across the region. Two such stones landed on a badly injured warrior and his blaziken battle partner. That was the first mega evolution. My ancestor was a child at the time and wandered onto what was left of the battlefield looking for her brother who had gone to fight. She had a gift and finding mega blaziken trying to save his partner she helped him for she saw great light in him. When the warrior and blaziken left that place they took her with them for her brother had died and she had no one else. They came to this reagan and the warrior eventually married her the fortunes of the family rose and fell over the years until one of there descendants became Keeper here."

They at last stand before a very modern bank vault. "Through all that time we have kept the keystone and the blazikenite." She slowly opens the vault.

"You think we need them?" Roark watches her unsure if that would be a good thing they sounded like a weapon an he didn't want her anywhere he would need such power to keep her safe.

"I hope to Arceus we never do but I would rather have them and not need them than not have them and need them." She hugs him. "I wish I could say we will have peace but I can't promise that."

He hugs her close, "If we can't have peace we can at least know we stand together."

After a while they walk into the vault and she gathers up books, a cedar trunk, and a simple wooden jewelry box. "Such a long history to have gathered so little that is worth passing down."

Roark picks up what she has gathered and walks with her from the vault waiting as she locks it before making the long trip back there footsteps and breathing the only sounds around them.

"You plan to crush her don't you?" He looks down at her wondering if he was going to need that armor as more than a statement.

"She has already been broken I am going to make her publicly confront me so that she has to acknowledge her own wounds and get help. I can't stand her but she is family."

He leans in and nuzzles her cheek. "You're a good female with a stronger will than any steel type."

In Her Study

Eric stops in the doorway seeing Kaily on the phone, but she waves him in and points at the couch.

"Thank you Lance I look forward to seeing you here and thank you for passing along the invitations. See you later." She slumps in her chair as the children come in.

Jessica stared, "Lance as in Lance the dragon master?"

Roark follows them in with a tea set.

"Yes that Lance, have a seat please." She pours steaming tea into four lovely but sturdy cups. "I am sure you are curious about our little trip down to the vault. So open the truck on the coffee table. Oh and the books to they are family histories of the last three hundred years or so, there are more down there but this is enough for now."

Eric opens the cedar trunk only to find it carefully packed with baby things. "What is this for?"

Jessica lifts a beautiful baby quilt and spreads it out on her lap.

"The baby quilts, knitted blankets, and handmade plush my mother an I made while I was carrying you. The ones wrapped in tissue paper are made from your father's favorite clothes." She sets her tea down before she can spill it.

Roark turns her chair and kneels taking her trembling hands in his. "Hey know you can do this an I am here to lean on when you need me just like you're here for me."

She leans into to him for a moment gathering herself. "Your right some of this is just harder than I expected."

Eric lays his hand on a knitted dratini that was soft as a cloud. "Why didn't we see any of this growing up?"

"Any package sent to you had to get past Evelyn she knew about these. I made her a lap quilt out of his dress shirts and gave it to her a week before I had you." She sets up straight still holding Roark's hands.

"How did you meet dad?" Jessica carefully folds the quilt thinking about the one her grandmother hid in her room the crying quilt.

"Your dad came to the Saffron City gym for a battle and saw me coming out of class. He was so sure of himself he told me we were going out to celebrate after he won. I told him if he won I might tell him as my name and walked off. " She laughs sadly, "It took him four tries to win and six months to get a date. A year and a half later we were married."

Eric lifts an old looking book opens it to find it is a hundred an fifty year old journal. "Did grandmother ever realize you are a noble?"

"No she just saw I made my own clothes, lived simply, and worked for the gym while I attended school and decided I was poor. She was not far wrong most of the money is tied up in the trust but I chose to make my own way because I wanted to be chosen for myself and not money." She lets go of Roark's hands to rub her eyes.

Jessica watches her, "I think I should track down Dived for my lesson before fittings. Than you for showing us this it will take us time to go through it all and I am sure we will have questions." She grabs Eric by the wrist and drags him out still holding the book.

"Hey what is the big idea?" Eric frowns at his sister.

"She needs time, and so do we she is fighting to give us that time. I know we want to know it all now but I think she can't do that and fight grandmother both so we wait." She gives him a pleading look and he nods.

In The Grooming Room

She examines his claws as the water flows over them, "We don't have to do this if you aren't ready."

He looks down at his claws still chipped, cracked, and scuffed from digging Martin out of the wreckage then nods. "It is time."

Spreading out the towel with the tools she needs she starts the slow work of trimming, filing, honing and polishing his claws.

Jessica slides to a stop in the doorway clearly having run, "Someone named Maggie is here and wants to see you?" She gasps finally taking in the sight of Kaily in her bathing suit the yellow-green bruises across her back, shoulders, and down her right arm to the elbow clearly visible.

Eric catches up just as she gasps and follows her gaze. "What the hell?"

"Jessica please ask Maggie to start without me. Is something the matter Eric." She didn't take her eyes off the claw she was working on to much and it would crack in battles to little and it would be dull and snag.

"Other than you being covered in bruises, and scars no not really." He moved forward to see better not caring if he got wet.

Roark looks at him for a moment then nods seeming to approve of him for the first time.

"Oh that I got knocked into a wall by a panicked pokémon no big deal." She lifts Roark's claw to get more light on it.

Jessica edges into the room fascinated, "An the scars?"

"Burns, bites, slashes, frostbite, and more my line of work isn't easy." She moves on to the next claw.

Roark slips an arm around her and rests his chin on top of her head.

Jessica's eye widen and Eric stops in his tracks looking Roark in the eyes. "I thought pressing your face against a pokémon's neck was a big no no?"

"It normally is do you know why?" She lets his claws go and hugs him.

Jessica leans against the wall, "No it was just one of those don't do it rules they teach at school."

Kaily nuzzles Roark's throat gently. "If I was another pokémon in this position I could kill him before he could fight. Because of that letting anyone at their throat is a gesture of extreme trust. Without that trust the pokémon can't help lashing out. It is only really safe if the pokémon initiates the contact an when they do they are willingly putting there life in your hands."

Eric takes a step back, "we should go let them know you are going to be a while."

Eric almost made it to the door when Jessica asks. "Is Roark your boyfriend?"

"Jessica I don't know yet. That is a very perceptive question but it is one without an easy answer." She turns to look over her shoulder at them when Roark lifts his head meeting their eyes.

Jessica nods, "It is okay by me if he is, it wouldn't be if you couldn't talk to him because you both could get hurt." With that she walks out leaving her stunned brother looking after her.

"She is wise for her years tho I have seen it work without the gift but it is never easy." She turns back to working on Roark's claws.

Eric looks back at them before leaving. "If you do end up a couple never let grandmother know she will try to use it as a weapon."

"She can't not on this island you should really read those books."

An Hour Later

By the time they walked into the workroom Roark looked like a different pokémon his feathers had a metallic shein, his beak gleamed, his claws looked like onyx and twice as sharp.

Riley having been trapped by Maggie for a fitting shakes his head. "Kaily only you could take a battered looking warrior and turn him into a show pokémon in less than two hours."

"Why Riley even I can only bring to the surface what is already there." She smiles at Roark. "An if fools underestimate ether of us on looks all the better."

Roark slides the backs of his claws down her spine locking his eyes with Riley's, "I don't know Kaily do you think Riley would be better in pink. Mew is said to be the first aura guardian after all."

She burst into a fit of giggles looking up at him, "You are wicked to even suggest it. I love it! Maggie Roark thinks we should put our local aura guardian in mew pink."

Riley shakes his head. "Absolutely not no way." Maggie and her assistance laugh at his reaction.

"He got you there me boy. No pink for you not with your skin tone. Kate finish up with him and start the next one." Maggie waves Kaily and Roark over to one of the work tables. "I need to know what we are doing then get you measured to make sure."

Riley watches thoughtfully as they walk away Kaily was right Roark had a problem with him. Oh he had noticed the bonding behavior but making sly digs was not part of that. He was going to have to find a chance to talk to him with Lucario's help.

"Kaily please tell me I can use color this time." Maggie pleads as Kaily takes up pencil and paper drawing quickly. "Oh yes Maggie you get to use dark smokey grey, with black accents, and silver lace." She hands the drawing to Maggie. "I also want a vest for Roark with the Keeper's emblem."

Maggie looks giddy as she studies the drawing, "Yes Kaily should the vest match your dress?"

Roark shakes his head, "I am not sure I am ready for that not this soon after losing Martin."

"No Maggie not this time black with silver trim no lace it would look silly on him." She strokes his arm.

Maggie looks at them then peers at Kaily's eyes before nodding. "There is no hiding that strength with a bit of lace." She smiles at Roark. "It is good to see the sparkle back in your eyes Kaily it surely is."

"Let me measure then Kate can do me and we can get out of your way." She grabs a tape measure.

He sighs in relief the idea of smelling of some unknown female when he was courting Kaily made his skin crawl. "Thank you Kaily."

She smiles and starts measuring, "We need to go to the old lighthouse and warn our ghostly friends about the company so they don't pull any dangerous pranks."

Riley hearing her calls, "Lucario and I can go with Roark while you attend to things here."

She gives Riley an odd look then nods, "If that is what Roark wants it is fine with me."

Roark nuzzles her cheek, "I will go if you promise to have a snack you only ate half your breakfast. "

"Fine, fine, you go play with ghosts and I will eat I don't know a cookie?" She writes down his measurements and picks up another paper to start sketching.

Roark flicks a claw at Riley in a follow gesture scoops Kaily up and walks out much to the amusement of Maggie and her assistance.

In The Kitchen

Roark set Kaily down an strokes her hair before getting her a sandwich, fruit, and a glass of milk.

Riley watches slightly bemused, "I take it that it is snack time?"

"Really Roark I am not hungry." She shakes her head but nibbles on a berry.

He kneels taking one of her hands. "Kaily I am not going anywhere tell you eat I could count your ribs earlier."

She leans in and kisses him on the cheek, "Okay I'll eat now get off the floor."

Riley frowns, "What exactly is going on?" He looks between them starting to worry.

"Roark said I am to skinny and he is not going anywhere tell I eat."

"Hallelujah praise Arceus finally someone who will make you set still and eat." Julia walks into the kitchen with her crew fallowing. "You called for a caterer."

Riley looks at her hard, "Huh he may be right you are skinnier than you used to be. "

Roark moves between Riley and Kaily glaring. "Back up."

"Hi Julia good to see you how is the new place?" Kaily ignores Roark and Riley unwilling to translate male posturing.

After Riley backs up frowning Roark goes back to getting Kaily to eat by putting her sandwich in her hands.

Lucario walks in to find Kaily chatting with Julia while a frowning Riley watches Roark coax her into eating.

Roark finally lets up when she has eaten her sandwich. "I know I am being mean making you eat but I am worried."

She hugs him, "It is okay I know I forget to eat. Go have your talk with Riley and invite the ghosts over to the party. They will come any way but they behave better if invited."

He hugs her back, "I will be back as soon as I can." Roark looks at Riley and nods to Lucario before walking out.

Riley sighs and follows with Lucario.

Ten Minutes Later

Roark stops turns and glares at Riley. "This should be far enough."

Riley nods, "So we are to work out our differences." Riley leans against a tree and watches him flex his claws into fists.

Lucario sighs softly, "Use words please Kaily needs you both looking your best tomorrow."

He nods sharply, "Don't worry Lucario I remember he is human an won't do anything to upset Kaily."

Lucario resigned to being stuck translating male posturing tells Riley what he said.

"You have a problem with my being human? I didn't think you had a problem with humans?" Riley struggles to put it together Kaily was right Roark didn't upset him so he had to be the one to figure it out.

"I have no problem with humans. A human male, living here, who can since feeling, and leaving her hurting all these years I have a big problem with. " Roark slams a fist into a rock by the path shattering it.

Riley froze an Lucario's eyes widened neither of them expected this. Not this level of anger or this problem. Riley opens the aura sense they have been keeping carefully closed around Roark do to his reaction when they met and was met with a wall of anger fueled by fear and pain. "I have done all I can to help but unless she is willing to let me help there is only so much I can do."

"Tried is that your excuse I see the way you look at her, but you never see her, thin to the point I can count her ribs, covered in scars from neck to knees, hardly ever sleeping, and weary to her soul." Roark shakes his head.

Riley looks down shocked by the description had he been so blind to her distress? "I had not realized she was getting that bad again."

Roark growls softly, "Well you can just stop looking at her she's mine now."

Riley jerks his head up finally getting it Roark was plenty pissed he hadn't been looking out for Kaily very well but he was also jealous he wasn't just bonding he was courting an saw Riley as a rival who had failed to take care of her. "I believe that is my cousins choice to make."

Roark takes a step back with a shocked hiss of breath.

"She has never tolerated being taken care of by anyone yet she accepts it with a smile from you. I will never stop loving her like the sister I never had but I am more than than willing to leave her in your care." Riley meets Roark's eyes knowing he was giving up the right to interfere.

Roark nods and turns back to the task at hand slowly relaxing as they walk. "I will take care of her."

"I know." Riley shares a look with Lucario. "You should know there have been more than a few pokémon in our bloodlines over the years whenever there was a baby that could not be explained they were adopted that can't be done by today's rules but the rules no longer demand someone be married ether." They walk past Roark while he stands there stunned.

"A family?" He stands there outside the old lighthouse contemplating a possibility he hadn't even thought about.

Lucario shakes her head as they come out, "Riley I don't think he has moved in half an hour. You better not have broken him or Kaily is going to kill you."

Riley shakes his head at her. "Roark time to head back to Kaily."

Roark nods at them and takes off running leaving them to try an keep up.

Five Minutes Later

As soon as he stepped into the house Roark knew something was wrong there was a lot of work going on but everyone was quite an tenses. Kapono came running to him to be picked up and clung tight in a way completely new for him.

Eric ran after Kapono and almost slid into Roark trying to stop. "You need to get to the study grandmother found a way to get out here early."

He nods and gestures for Eric to follow him as he strides down the hall Jessica falls in step with them.

Roark strides in to the study to find Kaily setting behind her desk looking regal while an older woman glares at her from a wing back chair and a weary looking older gentleman sets on the couch watching two men in suits one of whom is wearing a trench coat read through files. He takes his place at her side and nods for the twins to take a seat on the chaise lounge off to the side. "They deserve to be here since it is there future."

She smiles slightly and not, "Of course they do I had wondered what they were waiting for." She nods at Eric and Jessica. "Thank you for letting him know."

Jessica smiles, "Of course we let him know he is your right hand." Eric nods.

Evelyn frowns, "Eric are you alright that awful woman or one of her creachers hasn't hurt you has she?"

Eric shakes his head at her. "Who ever could you mean grandmother? Surely not my mother The Keeper Of The Light, holder of Iron Island, renowned pokémon psychologist, and licensed pokémon rehabilitation expert or her companions?"

Evelyn flushes and turns her glare back on Kaily only to find she has been dismissed in favor of tickling the riolu that her blaziken past to her much to Evelyn's announce.

Reginald perked up at the sound of the riolu laughing paying attention for the first time since they arrived he had no heard that barking laugh scene Jeremiah and Tate left home to start their journey. Seeing one here playing with Kaily made his heart hurt for what could have been an made him smile slightly. "I haven't seen a riolu sense Tate evolved on their first summer journey."

Kaily smiles, "Reginald please meet Kapono." She waves toward Reginald drawing Kapono's attention to him. "Kapono this is the twins grandfather why don't you show him your toys?"

"Okay." Kapono runs across the desk jumps down and offers Reginald a paw.

Reginald wipes his eyes and stands with a smile letting Kapono lead him away. "Thank you Kapono I am sure we will have much more fun without the lawyer."

"Reginald where do you think your going get back here." Evelyn turns on Kaily with a snarl when her husband ignores her orders for the first time in years.

Jessica rubs her forehead and winces.

"Evelyn let me tell you what Mr. Looker and your lawyer are going to tell you. In coming to me the children have activated a lop hole in the custody papers and custody reverts to me. By coming to this island they have triggered a sanctuary law that prohibits the removal of any Lightken from these shores without criminal charges against them. Between the two you could fight me for years and not win." She smiles coldly. "That said I refuse to make this home, this sanctuary, this place of peace, into a prison. Eric and Jessica have agreed to attend Saffron Academy in the fall I have already made arrangements for there trainers licenses they are free of this little war of yours."

Evelyn goes pail with rage. "How dare you speak to me like that if not for you my Jeremiah would be alive and you plan to give my grandchildren up to the same thing that killed him."

Roark moves quickly to Eric and Jessica as she doubles over clutching her head.

"Roark take her to David please." She walks around her desk to Evelyn as Roark rushes out and slaps her.

Evelyn gasp shocked silent.

"Allow me to be clear you are a threat to yourself and others if you do not get counseling I will have you arrested. You are trespassing."

Looker glances up from the files he is reading. "Mrs. Lockhart she can do that."

"Moreover I and my council are the judge and jury for anyone arrested on Iron Island. You are getting counseling one way or the other."

Evelyn starts at the younger woman clearly never having guessed she could lose. "What do you want to give him back."

She shakes her head, "They are not possessions to be given or take. They are people. Get counseling the children an Reginald will visit with me for the summer in the fall they will attend school less than fifty miles from your home and you can see them every weekend they are willing."

Evelyn looks at her lawyer.

"Sorry Mrs. Lockhart she has you on all counts my best advice is to do as she says." He shakes his head.

Evelyn finally nods. "Fine but I am going to tie up there inheritance in a trust so you can never touch it."

She laughs, "Look around you Evelyn I could care less about money." She takes her mother-in-law by the arm. "Come on let's get you fitted for a gown for tomorrow night. You too gentleman I am sure Reginald has already been rounded up."

Evelyn finches as she is lead out realizing she never stood a chance. "You are not the same girl I remember."

"Life and death do that to a person. I was just a girl when you saw me last still too inexperienced to stand up to you." She smiles as Buneary bounces past fringe flapping. "You never truly knew me."

Meggie met them at the door of the work room that had turned into a hive of activity. "Keeper Kaily thank Arceus. We need more room."

She shoos Looker and the lawyer toward Kate, "Move the ones that don't need supervision to the old workroom I know it echos dreadfully but I will do what I can."

Maggie nods and starts ordering her troops once that is done she nods at Evelyn. "An her ma'am?"

"Simple but elegant, black and harvest gold." She lets Evelyn go. "Reginald is around here somewhere he should wear the same colors as me. Talk with Mr. Looker and the lawyer about their colors, Evelyn what is the lawyers name?"

"Bridgeton," Evelyn looks about her dazedly as she is whisked away by Maggie.

She meets Eric's eyes and smiles. "She is going to be okay."

He nods, "Thank you for taking care of her."

"She is family I may never like her but I don't have to." She looks over at Evelyn. "She is just broken if I remember that it is easier. If you see Roark let him know I am going to my room." She wanders off pinching the bridge of her nose just like Jessica dose.

In The Courtyard

Eric carries out a tray of with tea, "Hey Dived, I brought Jessica some tea I know it helps with the headaches."

"Thank you Eric she is just about read for that." David gives him an approving glance. "You should try trainer with your cousin Riley I think you might fall into the aura side of the family."

"Aura really wait did you say cousin?" Eric shakes his head. "We can talk about it later. Do you know where Roark is?"

David points up the cliff, "Calming down after his own fashion. I am afraid your grandmother Evelyn did not make any friends today. He cares a great deal for your mother and by extension the two of you."

Eric looks up at Roark making his way up the cliff, "What would he rather do climb or fuss over mother?"

"I believe taking care of your mother gives him far more satisfaction. " David measures Eric with a glance. "You are very calm about that."

"If it was more of a surprise I might not be but it is obvious that they work well together by the time I figured it out it just seemed right."

Roark pushes hard off the wall and tucks doing two back flipping before landing.

"Hey Roark?" Eric walks over hesitating. "Thank you for getting Jessica away from grandmother so fast she doesn't mean to hurt her, took her to a lot of doctors trying to stop the headaches but she doesn't understand that she is the trigger."

Roark looks down at him and nods before ruffling his hair in an aproving manner.

"I think she give mom a headache to. I asked for another tea tray when I got Jessica's. I know it helps Jessica but I think you would have better luck getting her to drink it."

Roark looks surprise but nods once.

"She went to her room." Eric looks away a little awkward about asking for help.

Roark kneels and gives him a quick hug. "Blaz blaziken zik blaz." Then stands and heads to the kitchen for the tea tray.

In Kaily's Room

The soft glow of a kerchief draped lamp was the only light in her suit of rooms when Roark carried in the tea tray and set it down. "How bad is it?"

She presses her face into her pillow and groans. "House full of people and my mother-in-law bad."

"Eric seems to think tea will help." He mashes some berries in her tea cup with a spoon before pouring her some tea.

"He is right. " She rolls over and sets up with a sigh. "Do you get the feeling he landed on the aura side of the family tree?"

He hands her, her tea and slides into the bed behind her pulling her back against his chest he curls around her with a nuzzle. "I can't tell. Want to run away to the cliff garden for a picnic away from this chaos?"

She sips her tea snuggling against him, "You think we can?"

"I think no one will try to stop me if I want to put together a basket and your rooms are cliff side I would not build a fort with only one way out."

She laughs, "You're right I could sneak out." She reaches up an scratches under his chin.

He groans and shivers, "Oh yeah right there, harder, Arceus yes." He pants falling back. "Okay never do that in public."

"Good idea that is definitely a sensitive spot." She sets her tea aside and curls against his side resting a hand over his heart. "Thank you, for helping Jessica."

"Kaily of course I helped her she is just a child and in so much pain. More she is yours." He looks at her with such tenderness.

She kisses him lightly on the beak, "So a picnic huh let's do it but not sneak the way through the cliff is a nuisance an comes out between the lighthouses."

"Sunshine, fresh air, and you sounds good to me." He nuzzles her cheek then rolls out of bed and offers her a hand.

Cliff Garden

They lay on the blanket in the sun talking about the important things like what makes the best spaghetti, if snowflakes are identical in attacks like powdered snow, and if grass types would be white if raised in the dark.

She curls against him it was so good to joke, and laugh, play, and just be with him it felt so right. "I am so glad you suggested this. I love doing things with my people but this many of them together for three days is too much."

"Martin lik... liked cities with all there people and things to do but they always felt crowded an cramped to me. " He strokes her back an concentrates on her in his arms and the sea breeze in his feathers until the first hard stab of pain and grief pass leaving a hard aching in his heart.

"It hurts doesn't it. When Jeremiah died I would be doing something like fixing a meal and think how he would like it seasoned, an it would hit me all over again just like hearing it the first time a dozen times a day. Now it's not so sharp not a surprise for a while I wanted to forget, now I am glad for every memory no matter that they hurt sometimes as long as I remember a part of him lives in my memory. Just as Martin will always be a part of you."

He hugs her tight and rests his chin on top of her head exposing his throat to her again. "You always know what to say."

She closes her eyes tiredly, "I just tell you the true anything else would cheapen what we feel both the good and the bad."

He strokes her back taking in the peace of the moment as the quiet soaks into them, until she falls asleep and he watches the clouds as the feeling of her heartbeat and breathing soothe him to sleep.

When Kapono came running into the garden about an hour before dusk Roark opens his eyes but remains where he is unwilling to wake her or move from his spot with her draped across his chest even when the children follow with their grandfather.

Eric puts a finger to his lips for quite when he sees Kaily sleeping an scoops Kapono up so he won't wake her.

Reginald regards Kaily with regret as the kids set up there picnic at the other end of the garden. It was never her fault what happened but Evelyn couldn't admit it was just bad luck. He shakes his head and looks away never seeing that Roark watched him.

While they have their picnic there voices carry to him not loud enough to wake Kaily but clearly. "Grandpa how do you know so much about riolu? " Jessica spoke so softly he almost missed hearing her.

"Your dad was a clumsy lad always tripping and getting hurt so your grandmother arranged dance lessons thinking that would help," he gave a sad little laugh. " Of course it didn't the teacher quit an told your grandmother he would be better off in martial arts. She wasn't so ridged back then she could still bind without someone as strong as your mother hammering her into shape. So I contacted a breeder and got a fighting type egg an we got him martial arts lessons when the egg hatched out came the most adorable little riolu. Tate was his constant companion from that day till," he sighs.

"Why do you let her push you around like she does?" Eric watches his mom sleep wondering what the future holds.

"To answer that is simple and complex. The simple answer is I love your grandmother always have. The complex answer is that it is more than half my fault she is the way she is. She was always strong but not alway so unbinding. You see your dad was not our first child tho he was our only child. Your grandmother had four miscarriages in the first few years of our marriage after each one she became more controlling trying to prevent it from happening again. An I let her looking back I know we were both grieving and I was depressed. We gave up then a few years later we had your dad he was such a surprise and a miracle an things were good until your dad met your mom. I think Evelyn thought she was losing him, I saw it as gaining a daughter. Then your dad and Tate died an I withdraw into myself like I always did by the time I was thinking straight again you were learning to walk. An fighting her would have done nothing but destroy what was left of my family. " He shakes his head. "We both should have gotten grief counselling all those years ago I know your mother did."

Kapono sneaks away from Eric an over to Roark and Kaily snuggling against them with a yawn he promptly falls asleep.

"We should wake them to go in it is getting damp with the sun setting. I am sure Roark can keep her warm but damp clothes still aren't a good idea." Jessica stands ready to do just that.

"Don't wake her wake the blaziken first." Reginald packs up there picnic and stands letting Eric fold the blanket rather than bending.

Jessica looks at her grandfather but walks around to approach Roark instead of her mother, " Why?"

"Because he is a fighting type. He will react to protect her even in his sleep. He is less likely to react if someone tries to wake him. Besides I doubt he is more than half asleep with us here."

Jessica nods and gently shakes Roark's shoulder while Eric passes there grandfather the picnic blanket and starts gathering his mother's picnic things.

Roark opens his eyes and yawns but otherwise doesn't move.

Jessica whispers, "Sorry but it is getting damp."

He nods and shifts Kaily before setting up the standing with her still sleeping in his arms. He looks down at Kapono then at Jessica prompting her to pick him up.

Once they were ready Roark led them down the path to the house waiting for Reginald to open the door he eased inside and almost ran into Kathleen.

Kathleen looks alarmed at seeing Kaily until she gives a little snore and snuggles into Roark's feathers.

"Hello officer Kathleen," Jessica whispers as she edges inside. "Mother fell asleep in the garden an Roark doesn't want to wake her."

Kathleen getting out of the way so Roark can put Kaily to bed whispers back. "Well as first knight he has every right to see to her health even over her objections."

Roark stops and listens intently.

Eric an Reginald look startled an Eric asks in a soft voice. "What exactly does a first knight do?"

"A first knight is the Keeper's right hand, they ease their burdens, see to their health, and protect them even from themselves. That means they can decide anything that needs to be done for there health even over rule a spouse. The ability to overrule a spouse was put in as a safeguard incase the Keeper has to make a political marriage and the spouse would sooner be widowed."

Roark meets Kathleen's eyes and nuzzles Kaily before carrying her off.

Eric nods, "So basically all the stuff he does anyway only with armor and the title that lets him kick ass?"

Kathleen laughs softly but nods after them. "Arceus help anyone that tries to stop him. No wonder she made him first knight."

At The Ball

After an endless seaming meet and greet with gym leaders, elite, champions, and professors Kaily had been whisked away by the council. Roark changes into his evening vest an rejoins the party to flip through the DJs request book while he waited for the signal to come rescue her. At last he finds what he is looking for and taps the page looking at the DJ.

"You want that one? Are you sure it isn't exactly dancing music."

He nods tapping the page again.

"Okay coming right up."

Roark shakes his head.

The DJ smiles, "I get it you want that song when you are ready to make your move with someone special?"

Roark nods slowly.

Rey smiles he loves this part of the job helping people and sometimes pokémon make that special connection. "Sure you just give me a wave when you are ready." He eyes the blaziken in the black and silver vest wondering who the special someone is.

Roark bows then heads off the save the council when Kathleen waves at him.

She had, had enough. She brought her fist down on the table with a loud bang silencing the council. "Enough I will not name an heir until they are older and have been trained, I will not marry just to make babies, and I sure as hell and high water will not let you arrange a marriage for me."

Roark stalked into the room bows to Kaily, and waves toward the party.

"Now I have to go open the dinner an attend my guest." She sweeps out.

Roark waits tell she is was out of the room and uses flamethrower in the fireplace then glares at the council the threat clear he then pulls a note from his vest pocket and slams it down on the table before stalking out.

Henrik picks up the note in a trembling hand and reads it, "It appears we have reached an impasse she won't hear a word about marriage and it seems her first knight is willing to fry us if we push!" He laughs softly. "I believe we can stop worrying."

She opens the dinner and settles in to watch the dancing and brood about her fight with the council.

Roark kneels at her right hand moments later with a plate of tidbits to tempt her pallet, "Eat for me you are going to need the energy you promised to dance with me."

She smiles and pops a stuffed mushroom in her mouth and strokes his cheek. "How could I forget when I have been looking forward to it."

He nuzzles her palm with a soft coo not caring who is watching.

She eats quickly the smiles at Roark. I ate let's dance." She takes the plate and sets it aside.

He stands waves to DJ Rey before bowing to Kaily and offering her his hand.

Her sweet laughter draws eyes to her as she takes his hand and he draws her into his arms as the song May I starts to play he sweeps her onto the dance floor an rests his chin on her head tucking her face against his throat earning a few gasps from those watching.

She nuzzles his throat, "You have decided on courtship."

"How could I not when you insist on stealing my heart battered as it is." He closes his eyes pulling her closer.

They danced the night away refusing all other dance partners.

Lance leans against a wall an sighs "Hell Cynthia I wish I had known we were coming to a wedding I would have brought a gift."

Cynthia laughs, "I think the best gift we can give them is the summer off to bond as a family. "

Evelyn listens to the talk around her and watches her daughter-in-law what she has lost finally coming home to roost.

"Evelyn may I have this dance my love?" Reginald bows taking her hands in his.

She nods a tear sliding down her cheek as him draws her into the dancing, "We have truly lost them all haven't we Reggie?"

"Nonsense we have regained the daughter our son gave us. Please forgive me Evelyn I should have been the one to insist we get counselling. I was weak."

She presses her face to his chest crying, "Thank you Reggie. You never give up on me even when I am at my worst."

"Of course Evelyn I love you." Reginald pulls her close.

Roark looks down into Kaily's eyes during the last dance. "Please let me be yours in every way now and always. Let me love you with all that I am and make you and the family we will build the center of my world."

Kaily smiles and her knowing grey eyes sparkle, "Only if you let me love you with all that I am an build a family with you to be the center of our lives together."

"With all my heart," He pulls her even closer lifting his chin to expose his throat to her. "My life is yours."

She nuzzles his throat pushing the feathers aside to place a kiss there before biting him just hard enough to leave a mark.

Roark locks his arms tight around her letting out a loud warbling coo of triumphant pleasure.

Heads all over the ballroom turn startled by the blaziken mating call give when a female accepts a mate to express, joy and warn other males away.

Two Months Later

Kaily leans back against Roark as they watch the boats from the cliffs above.

She relaxes with a sighs and closing her eyes. "Thank you for watching them with me."

"I will always love watching boats with you it reminds me of the day we met on those waters. How did you know how to ignite my will to live even then?" He looks at her with such tenderness and love.

"When I first came home after losing Jeremiah and having the twins taken I was a wreck. One day I came here not thinking or planning but standing so close to the edge a hard breath would have pushed me over. It was a haunter from the old lighthouse who stopped me much as I did you. He startled me back from the edge an told me he wouldn't stop me but I should think about what my mate would have felt if I did. I couldn't do it after that so I called Kathleen and made her first knight. She came to stay with me an arranged grief counselling. Six months later she arranged my first patient. It still hurt everyday but I was needed."

A pair of blazing tears roll down his face and he holds her tight. "Thank you Kaily, thank you for not giving up, thank you for still being in this world, thank you for our family, an thank you for stealing my heart, an being my mate." Roark nuzzles his make on her collar bone nibbling gently one arm across her chest the hand resting on her out shoulder the other hand spread over her still flat addendum. "Thank you for agreeing to be my world."