THE CRANE AND THE WOLF

PART SEVEN

by

BlackFury

Sabrina brought herself back to reality as she sat in her hotel room. She obviously didn't remember the funeral and burial but, she remembered waking up in her secret place, a place the Great Mother, Gaia, had taught her to go to when necessary. Since then, she had resumed her life as a mercenary and had destroyed anything to do with Laura Caine. She wondered if Kwai had given the ring to Peter. She realized that, even if he had, it was now buried with him back on the plateau. She looked down at the wolf's head pendant she constantly wore that was the companion of the ring. She hadn't lied to Caine, it had belonged to her father but, it was older than even he could have imagined.

She sighed as she composed herself to try and go to sleep that night. It was hard but, somehow, she managed. The next morning, she packed her backpack and, after paying her bill, mounted her motorcycle and roared away from that part of her life. A few days later, she found herself in Carlsburg, New York. She had a couple of old mercenary friends who lived here so, she decided to look them up. She roared down a residental street and parked in front of a modest house. She strode up to the front door and rang the bell.

A willowly blonde wearing sunglasses answered the door and Sabrina smiled. "I know it's short notice, Annie but, mind if I come in?" Annie Blaisdell broke into a huge grin. "Sabrina! Come in, it's been too long. I thought that was your machine I heard coming. Paul's at the precinct and the kids are scattered all over the neighborhood." Sabrina heard the pride in her voice and smiled again, Paul had been very lucky to find this woman and he was relieved when his two older daughters, Carolyn and Kelly had accepted her at once. Then Annie had become pregnant and had given birth to Diane, now a healthy, happy eight year old girl.

Annie closed the front door and led her guest into the kitchen, where a kettle of water was heating on the stove. Annie pulled a second mug from the cabinet and set it on the counter. "Tea or coffee, Sabrina?" She asked. Sabrina smiled, "Coffee, if that's ok." Annie nodded and got the jar of instant coffee from the cupboard. She then turned to Sabrina. "Did you know that Paul became a Police Captain?" Brina's eyes widened. "No, I didn't. So, he finally decided to try and settle in one place?" Annie smiled, "Yes, not long after Diane was born. Especially now, with Peter added to the family." Sabrina froze.

She turned slowly and looked at the beaming Annie. "Who is Peter?" Annie smiled, "Oh, that's right, you didn't know. About a year after we had Diane, Paul went to PineRidge Orphange to give a talk and met this angry fourteen year old boy named Peter. Paul liked what he saw so, we became Peter's foster parents. He said he didn't want to be adopted cause he didn't want to give up his family name. The girls love him and he's really opened up about his father and losing his mother when he was two."

Sabrina's heart stopped in her chest, it couldn't be and yet, why not? Stranger things had happened in Sabrina's life. Taking a deep breath she looked at her friend. "Annie, what was his father's name?" Annie was puzzled by the question but, she answered. "He said his father's name was Kwai Chang Caine, why do you ask?" Annie heard Sabrina when she sat down in the chair and mummured, "Oh my dear Gaia." Annie was next to her in an instant. "Brie, what is it, what's wrong?"

Sabrina looked at her. "I need to talk to both you and Paul, as soon as is humanly possible." Annie nodded and picked up the phone. "Paul, hello darling, listen, I need you to come home, now. Sabrina's here and she says she need to talk to both of us. I think it's about Peter." Annie hung up the phone. "He's on his way. Brina, what is going on?"

What was going through Sabrina's mind right then was, "Dear Gaia, my son, alive?" She turned to Annie. "One thing, my friend, does Peter wear a ring with this carved on it?" and laid her silver wolf's head pendant in Annie's hands. Annie felt the pendant and Sabrina saw the woman's eyes widen in suprise. "Yes, he does. He said that his father kept it for him and gave it to him when he was ten. It was left to him by his mother, Laura."

Just then, Paul Blaisdell came in the door and, after kissing Annie's cheek, turned to his guest, one of his oldest mercenary companions. "All right, Sabrina, what does Deathdancer want to know about my foster son?" Annie knew who Sabrina really was so, that came as no suprise but, Sabrina's next sentence floored both of them. "It's simple Paul. Peter Caine is my son."

End Part Seven