CHAPTER 2
BOTH
Rose gently laid her finger tips on Mari's temples and synched their breathing as she whispered the spell for the tath meanma brach. Then she was in Mari's memories. Rose looked around, slowly gaining her bearings. She was in a large house with no furniture nearby. The windows were tall and let in the harsh moonlight. Rose slowly moved to the windows and glanced outside, just barely able to make out the glint of a river flowing nearby. It was eerily silent as she scanned the room she was in for Mari. "Mari?" she called gently, but received no answer.
After searching the first floor thoroughly Rose slowly moved upstairs, checking every nook and cranny as she went. When she reached the second floor, she paused as she took in all the doors that were open, but one. Making the easy decision, she made her way to the closed door and knocked softly. "Mari? Can I come in?" she asked softly as she slowly pushed the door open. What she say inside broke her heart. There was a young girl sitting on the floor holding a stuffed hippo staring at a spot on the floor silently. "Mari?" Rose asked again softly, hoping the little girl would look up. The little girl didn't look up but said "Go away," and turned so that her back was facing Rose. Rose sighed and moved to sit so that she was sitting across from Mari's back. She didn't want to force her, but she needed to understand what was going on. "Mari, do you know who I am?" she asked gently, trying to keep her voice light and cheerful. "No, and I don't care!" Mari said, bending her head down to bury it in the hippo. "Mari, sweetheart, my name is Rose and I'm a good friend of yours. We live together in a town called Haven. Does that name sound familiar to you at all?" she asked, hoping for some thread to grasp at for pulling Mari out of this. "I don't live in Haven," Mari said, still turned away. "I live here with my daddy and you can't take me away! I'm not going anywhere! I'm staying here!" Rose could see Mari's shoulders start to shake, as if she was crying. She heard Mari sniff. "Oh Mari, what have you done to yourself?" she said softly to herself before taking a deep breath. "Okay, well Mari, tell me do you like movies?" she asked, slowly getting an idea as she looked around at the blank walls that surrounded them. "What kind of movies?" Mari asked slowly. Rose smiled slightly. "Fairytales, where the sleeping prince is saved by the heroic and kick ass princess." Mari slowly turned her body so she could look at Rose and wiped her nose with the back of her arm. "I don't know any movies like that," she said. "Well I do. The princess is a badass and she's one of my best friends. Almost like a sister to me. Can I show you that movie?" Rose asked, hoping that, if this worked, she could bring back the memories. After a few moments, Mari looked at her with big eyes and said, "Ok."
Rose smiled and began projecting her memories onto the blank wall behind her. She started with the first memories she had of Mari from when she first came to Haven. She slowly continued to show the fun and interesting memories that she had of her adventures with Mari, paying particular attention to the loving relationship between Mari and Duke and Mari and Jace, hoping that it would trigger some sort of reaction in the little girl. "Who's that?" Mari asked pointing to Duke. "And that?" when Jace came into view. Rose smiled. "That," she said pointing to Duke, "Is the Pirate with a Heart of Gold. he's a smuggler and a restaurant owner and he's your half-brother, Duke. He loves you very much. He wants you to come back. And that," she said as she pointed to Jace, "is the Demon Hunter and all around big teddy bear that helps to keep you happy and safe when Duke isn't around. His name is Jace. You know, he has been laying next to you ever since you came here and he hasn't left your side once. I think he really loves you a lot." Rose hoped that the explanation made sense to the little girl side of Mari, but she didn't know how else to explain it. She watched as Mari watched the memories run across the wall. Mari got up and walked to the wall, putting a hand out to touch the images of Duke and Jace. Suddenly he hugged her hippo tightly and sunk down to the floor, burying her head in the hippo and sobbing. "What's wrong Mari?" Rose asked softly. "I don't want to go…" Mari said quietly through tears. "I'm scared." "Oh sweetie, there's nothing to be scared of. I promise you that Duke and Jace and Dwight and I are all there to protect you. We love you sweetie," she said, trying to get Mari to see it. Without warning, Mari ran to Rose, wrapping her arms around Rose's waist tightly and shuddering. Will you take me away from the dark?" she asked Rose, talking into Rose's shirt. Rose wrapped her arms tightly around Mari and nodded. "Yes I will. I will take you away from the dark and into the light my darling. You ready to go?" she asked hopefully. Mari nodded, her head still buried in Rose's shirt. Rose smiled in relief and gently stood up, still holding Mari. "Let's go home," she said softly and she carried the little girl down the stairs and out the front door of the house.
Rose quickly opened her eyes and looked down at Mari, waiting for her eyes to open. "Mari?" Duke asked in surprise, looking down at her hand. Rose looked down and saw Mari's hand twitch. "Mari!" Duke said again and this time, Mari's eyes fluttered open. Rose smiled happily, feeling tears of relief begin to fill her eyes. "Oh thank the gods," Jace said happily. Dwight gently placed his hands on Rose's shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze. "Welcome back," Rose said to Mari softly. Mari smiled at her. "Thanks," she said. Duke had moved to sit on the bed and was holding her hand in both of his while Jace had her other hand. "Hey guys," Mari said smiling. "Did you miss me?" she asked jokingly. Duke laughed and kissed her forehead. "Not a bit," he replied and Jace wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for coming back," he whispered softly. Mari turned and kissed him gently. "For you, always," she said. Rose looked up at Dwight and he nodded. He gently helped her off the bed and they left Duke, Jace, and Mari alone for a moment. "Hey, where do you think you guys are going?" Mari asked, her voice a little gravely. "This, apparently, is a family affair!" Rose laughed. "It is, but I think your brother and your lover want a few moments alone with you. We'll be right outside, I promise," she said softly, winking at Mari before exiting the room. Mari made a face at Rose's back as she left, but turned her attention to the men on either side of her. "What happened? All I remember was being in the cave, and then I had the strangest dream," she said. Duke's smiled dropped a bit. "We lost Audrey...kind of," he said slowly, trying to think of a way to explain it that was simple. "Her original persona returned. Her name is Mara, but she is stuck under the lighthouse for the moment. Nathan's devastated, but we are hoping we will find a way to bring Audrey back and send Mara back to whatever hell we sent William to." Mari closed her eyes. "Head…" she said, moaning. "I black out and miss all the fun?" Jace smiled slightly. "Well not all of it. You were part of the fun," he said smiling hugely. Duke glared at Jace playfully, but nodded. "Apparently, before returning to Audrey's body, Mara's persona tried to take over your body, hence the passing out thing," Jace explained.
"Wow...I mean I would have chosen me too but...so I guess the weird dream wasn't actually a dream then?" Mari asked hoping they'd say that it was a dream. Duke answered. "No, Magnus said something about you retreating into yourself after you passed out, so…" he trailed off trying to find the right words. I came to find you, Rose said softly into Mari's head. "Well that explains a lot," Mari said out loud. "So how long was I out for?" Jace put a hand on her cheek. "A few hours," he said quietly. Mari could feel the residual worry from him and Duke. She could see herself lying in the bed in their minds. She looked like she was dead. She grimaced and flinched away from the mental image. "Sorry," she said quietly to no one in particular. Duke smiled at her softly. "It's not your fault. You have nothing to worry about. Mara is the one who is going to be sorry, once we figure out how to put our hands on her without her killing us." Mari laughed and then instantly regretted it. "Ow...I didn't by any chance hit my stomach when I passed out did I?" she asked. "Yeah, sort of," Jace said. "You kinda doubled over and then fell, like you'd been hit in the stomach." Mari made a face. "Great, well no clubbing for a while then," she said trying to sit up. Duke made a face and Jace just laughed. "Not for a while, love," he said softly as he helped her sit up. Duke shook his head. "Where the hell would you go clubbing around Haven anyway?" he asked, only half way joking. Mari looked at him smirking. "Oh I know a few places," she said also halfway joking. "I hear the Herald gets pretty out of control after hours," she said smiling. She put a hand to Jace's face. I know you've been here the whole time and I love you for that, but would I be the worst person in the world if I asked you to leave for a bit so I can spend some time with my brother? she sent him, looking into his eyes. She was expecting to see hurt, but instead she saw understanding. He kissed her hand, then her lips lightly and said, "I'm starving. I'm gonna go downstairs and get some food since you have nothing up here. I already checked. Nothing but pasta and sugar." He smiled as he walked through the door. Mari shook her head slightly. She really didn't deserve that kid.
She patted the bed next to her, asking Duke to snuggle with her. He smiled and climbed up, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "You know, Rose may have brought me back, but it was you who showed me how," she said, resting her head on his chest. "What do you mean?" he asked her. "I was back in my parent's house in Oregon. It was just after mom died. She was the only person I ever felt truly safe with. I mean, my dad was amazing, and I'll always love him, but after mom died...I don't know, he just sort of...gave up for a while...anyway, I remember sitting in my bedroom holding Henry, my stuffed hippo, and all I wanted was to be safe again. To feel like I was in a real home, you know? And then Rose came in and I had no idea who she was and at first I thought she was trying to take me away from my dad, but then she showed me movie projections of her memories of everyone here, and when I saw the projections of you and Jace, I don't know, it was like, some part of me remembered feeling safe and loved," she tried to explain. She cursed herself inwardly as she felt tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. She turned and buried her head in Duke's shirt, letting the smell of ocean and boat that was Duke fill her nose. He hugged her tighter but didn't say anything.
ROSE
I stood behind the bar of the Gray Gull, cleaning the last of the glasses that were left over from the night before. Lana wasn't coming in today so someone had to do it. Jace and Dwight were talking quietly on the other side of the bar and I couldn't help but smile. The young man seemed to have won over both Dwight and Duke. "Rose?" a voice whispered from behind me and I froze. Not again! I thought softly as I slowly turned around. Standing behind me was a young woman of 18 years old. She looked so similar to her mother, Morgan, that it hurt to look at her. "Rose, why did you let her hurt us?" she asked me softly. I lost my grasp on the glass I was holding and I quickly stepped away from her. "You're not real," I whispered. "Moira is dead. I saw her. You're not real!" I screamed at the person in front of me. Jace and Dwight were moving towards me slowly, but my sole focus was on Moira. "Oh, I'm very real. See, I can bleed!" she said, laughing maniacally as a cut appeared on her throat and she began to bleed, just like the vision of Morgan had earlier. "NO! Stop it! Why are you doing this to me?!" I cried out in horror as I watched my goddaughter collapse to the ground in front of me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I spun around in surprise, coming face to face with Dwight's chest.
"Rose what's wrong? Why are you screaming?" he asked in concern. I shook my head and tried to bury myself in his arms. "I think Mara is trying to drive me insane," I whispered finally. I felt Dwight stiffen beneath me. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully. I struggled to find the words to explain without giving too much away. "We-we are both witches. And so through that magick we are all connected. A small part of me can feel every witch that exists right now, including Mara. If I were to concentrate solely on one witch, I could communicate with them or, in this case, drive them crazy. Mara is…" I steadied myself. "She's showing me my coven. The ones who were killed. One by one. Each of them bleeding and begging me to save them. When I know I can't…" I felt the tears begin to stream down my face again. "I don't know what else she can do, but it scares me…" I finished softly, knowing that I was willingly keeping a secret from my soulmate. It hurt, but it would hurt much worse to see the fear and hatred in his eyes if I told him or Duke the truth. If they knew that I was related to Mara they would cast me out. There was no doubt in my mind.
Dwight held me closer and kissed my forehead. "She's not going to get you, babe. You belong to us and no one is going to take you away from us," he said softly. He gently poked one of the hickies on my neck. "Don't forget that," he said laughing. I couldn't help but laugh with him. When I finally disentangled myself from him I noticed that Jace had cleaned up the broken glass behind the bar. "Thanks Jace. I appreciate it," I said softly and gave him a brief hug. He smiled in return and the three of us moved to a table to sit down and wait for Duke and Mari to emerge from upstairs.