Tin Man

Imaris

Chapter Ten-Starting Over

Cain's embrace tightened around me. I pressed my face into the hollow grove of his shoulder, enjoying the soft darkness. He kept his arms wrapped around me, his chin resting on my shoulder. I felt him gently put a hand on my back. He held onto me for a while, which I didn't really mind one bit. In fact, I never wanted him to let me go. He went to release me, but I grabbed a bit of the vest and shirt on his back and held onto him.

"No. Don't let me go just yet," I said, my voice muffled by his shirt.

I felt his arms slowly encircle me again. I quickly leaned into his embrace as he leaned into mine.

"Emma, I was terrified last night," he whispered into my ear. "I seriously thought you'd died on me. If you had, I didn't know what I would do without you."

I felt a warm smile forming on my face as I finally slowly pulled back from the embrace, but kept my arms slinked around his neck. Our faces were inches apart.

"Well, I'd probably come back and haunt you," I said lightly, but I had a serious expression on my face. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

He didn't even crack a smile when I had said that about coming back to haunt him. My heart hammered in my chest slightly and I could feel it in my throat too. I'd never had this type of serious and intense moment before. Err, rather a 'romantic' moment if you will. The most guys ever got to being romantic, those I'd dated before, and their idea of romance was having me buy dinner at some local expensive restaurant, and then burping out loud when they'd finished eating. Half the times I wanted to die of embarrassment. When the date was over, they'd insist on walking me home only to think that I'd want to sleep with them. One guy actually tried to force himself on me until I sprayed mace into his eyes. But bringing it back to the present, now with Cain sitting there, our faces inches, I began realizing that all that happened back them was now officially history. I would never again have to worry about jerks wanting to date me. I had a wonderful guy right here that loved me dearly and in all honesty, I was crazy about myself. I felt a smile forming on my face. He smiled back. He took my face in his hands.

"I'm not going anywhere either," he said searching my face. "DG told me all about those horrible guys you had dated before. They didn't respect or appreciate you…or no girl for that matter. But I would never even think about doing those things."

I broke into a grin.

"I know," I said softly. "I hope DG didn't spill my entire bad luck with guys cause that would just be overly embarrassing…not to mention pathetic seeing the losers that were attracted to me as I wondered if it was me that was at fault and not them.." I rambled on but not before he moved his face closer to me and gently kissed me. Pleasantly surprised, I kissed him back. About a few seconds into the kiss, a familiar flash went off before my eyes causing me to cry out and pull back. Lightly digging the heels of my palms into my temples, I opened my eyes and Cain's face vanished.

I saw a log cabin…It seemed peaceful and tranquil and then the scene shifted to the inside of the cabin. I saw myself sitting at what was the 'kitchen' table eating. A little girl around the age of 5 was sitting across from me. I grinned at her and she grinned back. The door opened and I saw Cain come in. He had an urgent expression on his face.

"Come on! We have to hide. The Lunar's are seeking Elizabeth out! DG said she would be able to help us! No time to grab your things," he said as he reached out and scooped up the little girl in his arms before grabbing my hand and yanking me to my feet. The flash vanished.

Once the flash vanished and Cain's face appeared before my eyes again, he knew immediately what had happened.

"What happened in the vision?" he asked alarmed.

I blinked a few times before I answered him.

"I saw us in a log cabin with a little girl," I said closing my eyes and trying to remember the details but I saw them clearly. "You came bursting in saying "The Lunar's are seeking Elizabeth out. DG said she would be able to help us and that there was no time to grab my things," I relayed to him opening my eyes.

He had a puzzled expression on his face. "The Lunar's? Does that mean anything to you?"

I shook my head. "No. But you looked pretty alarmed in the vision." I slowly broke into a grin. "But I think the little girl, Elizabeth, was our daughter."

His face lit up and he too, broke into a grin. He happily threw his arms around me, pulling me into another tight embrace. Sighing contently, I leaned into it and pressed my face into his neck. I was so happy now words couldn't describe how I felt. It was a pleasant change then what I had been faced with before. Nothing was ever going to take this happy feeling away from me. Even whatever that vision was telling me, I didn't care. As long as I had Cain and my family in my life, that was all I could ask for.

Part II-5 Years Later

"DG," I called as I hurried into her bedroom. The morning sunshine was pouring through the windows, creating little rays of light on the floor and those that broke through the windows had little dust particles dancing in the light. I knocked on her door and poked my head into her room, breaking into a grin. She was sitting at her vanity mirror, brushing her hair. She turned and grinned when she saw me.

"Hey you," she said lightly. "I hope I'm not babysitting the munchkin again. She scares me!"

I laughed and opened the door more so she could see Elizabeth standing beside me, holding onto my hand tightly. Once Liz spied DG, she released my hand and tore into the room, arms outstretched for DG. DG laughed again and scooped Liz up in her arms, giving her a big hug and several kisses. Liz giggled and sat on DG's lap sideways. DG raised her eyes to mine.

"It's only for an hour," I responded still grinning. "Wyatt and I are just heading down to the Lake country. He was called in for an investigation on a murder that took place there a few days ago. He told them that he wasn't on the force anymore, no longer a Tin Man, but he'd come highly recommended."

"By whom?" DG asked, lightly tickling Liz on her side causing her to squirm and giggle.

"Mom," I said breaking into a grin. "She figured since he'd helped restore light to the O.Z, he must be fairly good."

DG grinned back as well but then the grin faded. "A murder? What happened?" she asked solemnly.

I folded my arms over my chest hugging myself.

"A family had spent the weekend there. Apparently, from the sole survivor, the mother, a group of wolves attacked them," I relayed as fear crept into my eyes. "Now the woman claims that they knew exactly where her husband and son were. Regular wolves would've just attacked them all, if they were starving and rogue. They suspect intelligence, which means shape shifters. Now, I know Wyatt knows its not me, nor does the police, but I can't help feeling that they're suspecting me anyway. I was home with you guys so how could I have done it?"

DG nodded sympathetically. "Em, don't worry. We'll stand by your side no matter what. And I know Cain isn't about to let anything happen to you or miss tizzy here."

She playfully tried to kiss Liz, but she giggled and wiggled out of DG's grasp. I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I whirled around, heart hammering in my chest. It was Ambrose.

"Well sorry. I think you're probably going to need a new pair of underwear now," he said lightly and jokingly. I playfully swatted at his arm. DG burst out laughing and stood up coming over to us.

"Hey Emma," she said as her lip twitched. "Next time Cain wants to spend a romantic evening with you, make sure you tell him one thing."

I slowly lifted an eyebrow at her, trying to keep a stern face.

"And what would that be?" I asked slowly hiding a grin.

"You complete me," she said and with two index fingers, she traced a heart into the air.

Bursting out laughing, the two of us had to lean against the wall to hold ourselves up. I'd never seen DG so happy before, but it was a good thing. Ambrose was even chuckling at that.

Liz was giggling, even though she had no idea what we were laughing at.

"And why on earth are you lot laughing so hard?" a voice asked behind us amused. Trying to catch my breath, I turned around. It was Cain. He was already dressed in his grey rain coat and wide brim hat. He had an amused expression on his face as Liz let out a squeal and charged for him. He grinned and bent down to scoop her up in his arms. He had one arm around her waist, as she placed her hands on his chest. His other hand was placed on her hip making sure she was secure. DG was still letting out the occasional giggle but managed to regain control as she slowly slipped past us and poked Cain in the ribs as she headed off down the hall. Cain flinched involuntarily and grinned as he returned his eyes onto mine.

"I think I'm going to go pick something," Ambrose said suddenly and shyly as he followed DG.

"Just make sure it's not your nose," I called after him.

I heard DG let out a snort of laughter and Ambrose's disgusted "Eww" echoing up the hall.

"You are disgusting," he said lightly as he stepped closer to me and leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah I know," I said offhandedly. "But you still love me right?"

He grinned. "Of course. I wouldn't trade you in a million years."

I winked at him and then DG came back up the hall with a game. "I'd managed to find this. It's an old game, similar to the game back 'home' called Hungry Hungry Hippos. Remember that?"

I grinned. "Naturally. Well have blast you two!" I said as I stepped closer to Cain and gave Liz a kiss good-bye before Cain handed Liz over to DG. I was dressed in a pair of jeans, a white tank top with spaghetti shoulder straps and a light blue zippered jogging hooded jacket over that. I had zippered it up half way. Around my neck was a small butterfly necklace that Cain had given to me on my birthday this year. In my ears were the matching dangly earrings. I had applied light pink eye shadow and clear lip gloss. My cheeks were naturally rosy now since living here. I didn't know why exactly but it was a rather nice touch. Cain and I set off for the Southern Lake Country. We were going to meet the Commissioner of the police there. He knew I was a shape shifter and thought perhaps I could change and sniff around, to find out any clues as to what had really attacked that family. It was such a rarity that a murder happens here in the O.Z, that the police really don't have a special team for that. Cain and I had gotten two horses, since it would be a lot faster that way then walking like the last time. I slipped into the saddle of my horse, an ivory white gelding named Aeris and gathered up the reins. Cain was on his bay gelding named Ryker. We spurred them into a gallop and began heading toward the country.

Once we arrived there, the police commissioner named Alexander Dawes greeted us. We dismounted from the horses and tied them up to a tree. We walked toward him.

"I'm so glad that you will be able to help," he said with a worried expression on his face. "This has never happened here before. We're almost beside ourselves because we have no idea what to do."

"It's okay," Cain said reassuringly. "Emma can sniff around and see if there is any clues to what really happened here. She's good."

Commissioner Dawes nodded and then all eyes were on me. I shut my eyes and concentrated. Within second, I felt the burning sensation and the roaring in my ear. I knew once that stopped, I was in wolf form. Opening my eyes to the familiar 3 toned way of seeing, I put my black nose to the ground and began snuffling along. A bit of dirt was inhaled by accident and I sneezed.

"Bless you," I heard Cain call. I raised my head and gave him a playful bark, wagging my tail but then returned to sniffing around. I could smell the earth, and three humans. But then another smell hit my delicate nostrils. I stopped snuffling and felt my body go rigid.

"I think she's sensed something," Cain whispered to the Commissioner.

I sniffed around a bit more making sure that the scent I had detected was still there, lingering. It was. Unfortunately, I couldn't detect who they were, but what they were was clear as a bell. As I finished snuffling, I trotted back to Cain, my paws kissing the dirt lightly. I stood in front of him and then changed back into a human. I slipped my hands into the pocket of my hooded jacket, feeling a bit chilly now.

"Okay," I said to the Commissioner and Cain. "What I picked up was definitely wolves. Not shape shifters. But the strange thing is, they had human scent as well. Other shape shifters smell mainly human, but have that small percentage of wolf or animal, whichever they turn into. These smelled 95 percent wolf, 5 percent human."

"What does that mean?" Cain asked curiously.

I turned my eyes onto him. I didn't think they really existed, or for that matter, existed here in the O.Z. I inhaled deeply.

"Well, the only conclusion I can come up with is…werewolves,"