One Month Later
As they had for many years, the Gargoyles rose with the setting of the sun. They still did their patrols, protected the city, but something was missing.
They were missing their friend.
It had been almost two months since Elisa's disappearance, and with every passing hour, every night when they woke, and Elisa had still not been found, their hearts broke a little more.
Brooklyn had been taking on more and more of the leadership of the clan. Not by choice, but because Goliath had been retreating from the rest of them a little more each night.
The clan, with the aid of the Xantos', had been making preparations for a remembrance ceremony. It was an old Gargoyle tradition where a large bonfire was lit in the courtyard of the castle.
The ceremony gave them a chance to grieve for their lost friend, yet express hope that she could yet make it back home.
Brooklyn brushed the remaining stone bits from his shoulders. Feeling the weight of what was to come, he flared his wings and glided down from the battlements to the courtyard below.
Broadway, Lexington and Hudson were already moving the thick pieces of wood that David Xanatos had gotten for them to the center of the yard. Brooklyn determinedly grabbed a beam and hauled it to the pile.
Goliath joined the group, halfheartedly stacking the wooden beams for the fire.
Angela came from her perch, carrying Bronx. She still looked confused at what the clan was doing, and Brooklyn was reminded just how different their upbringings had been. Angela had been raised by humans, and had missed out on a great many Gargoyle traditions.
After the wood had been stacked, Hudson took his place as the eldest in the clan, at the Northernmost place around the bonfire. He had grabbed on of the torches in the courtyard, that were mostly used for decorative purposes, and held the torch to the dry wood.
There was a moment of hesitation before the greedy flames began devouring the wood.
Hudson replaced the torch into its wall sconce, before returning to his place.
"We light this fire," He began in a solemn voice, "To remember those who have gone before us, and as a beacon of light to aid our missing friend back to the shelter of the clan."
"I don't like this," Angela suddenly blurted out. She looked from face to face of her clan mates. "There is still a chance that Elisa is alright."
"Angela," Broadway said quietly, "We all want to believe that, but…it's been months now. If Elisa were…all right… she would have contacted us somehow by now."
Angela felt her eyes well up, and nodded her head. "Yeah…she would."
Hudson patted her shoulder, "Lass, we aren't sayin' that we give up hope…But we have to accept what may be."
"Then why?" Angela burst out. "Why have this ceremony if we still have hope?"
Brooklyn jumped in, "A Remembrance Ceremony is to comfort…It's for us to keep someone in our memories. The flames are lit and kept burning for seven days. We do this to honor the fallen or missing clan members, in the hope that the firelight will help guide the missing back home... and the dead on to the world beyond this one."
Goliath lowered his head and snarled.
"Now, lad," Hudson said softly, reaching to place a calming hand on Goliath's shoulder.
Goliath violently shook his mentor's hand from his shoulder. "No. Elisa's still alive. I know she is." He glared at the clan before him, "I'll have no part in this."
With that, he stormed out of the courtyard.
Goliath needed some time to himself. He'd somehow convinced himself that the other clan members had been keeping a measure of hope that Elisa was alive and trying to find a way back to them…but with them coming out with the proposal of holding a Remembrance Ceremony, it pointed out to him what he hadn't wanted to face.
They were starting to lose hope.
Goliath knew that holding on to hope this long was foolish, but he couldn't seem to accept the fact that Elisa was never coming home.
What am I to do, Elisa? He asked himself. What would you want me to do?
A memory of a night almost two years before crept forward in his mind.
He started to reject the images, but thinking better of it, he finally he allowed the memory to come…
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Two Years Ago
After the events of the Hunter's Moon
Elisa was lying on the bed, curled against Goliath's side. Both were fully dressed, being that the emotional drain of the day had left both content to just hold each other through what was left of the night.
"Goliath?"
Goliath frowned at the top of Elisa's head. She'd been through much this day, with her kidnapping by Jon Canmore, and being used as bait so that jon Canmore could catch the Gargoyles. Elisa had to be exhausted.
In fact, he half expected her to be asleep by now.
"Goliath?" Elisa tried again.
"Yes?"
"I have a question for you."
"Alright," Goliath said quietly, brushing a hand over her hair, "Ask."
"What would you do…if something were to happen to me?"
Goliath frowned. He didn't even want to think about that possibility.
Elisa felt his hand still on her hair, and hurried to explain, "I was just thinking about what you had said earlier. When you said that you would always catch me, but seemed to have so much guilt hanging on you when you couldn't and thought I was dead."
Goliath frowned at her, silently trying to discourage her from continuing the direction in which the conversation were going.
What I mean is," Elisa said, noticing the look. She knew what Goliath was trying to do, but she was determined to get him to understand, "You went a little crazy, Big Guy. I want to make sure that you're not going to do something stupid."
"I have no wish to continue this conversation."
"Goliath…"
"No."
"O.K." Elisa sighed. "I'll let it drop…for now…but first, I want you to promise me something."
"If it will put your mind at ease," Goliath finally conceded, "Then ask."
Elisa took a deep breath, and sat up in bed so that she could look into Goliath's eyes when she made her request. "If something happens to me, I want you to remain as a leader to the clan and continue protecting the city for me." Elisa placed a hand on his arm, "I just want to know that if something ever happens to me, that you'll go on with your life."
Goliath looked into her eyes. "Why do you ask this?"
Elisa took a moment to put her thoughts together. "I guess it's because I've seen too many people simply shut down after a loved one dies. Even some whose close family members, spouses or friends remain missing for a long period of time just…I don't know how to describe it."
Goliath took all of what she'd said in, and put a hand gently to the side of her face. "This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll agree," Goliath gathered her into his arms, "But I will never have a need to fulfill that promise."
Elisa smiled sadly at him, "Why do you say that?"
"Because," Goliath put a hand to the back of her head, and gently forced her to lay her head down on his chest. "I will always be around to protect you from harm."
Elisa smiled softly. "I know, Big Guy."
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True to her word, she'd never brought the subject up again.
Goliath didn't know why he hadn't remembered his promise until now…
With the happenings of the night Elisa's kidnapping had been discovered …and what he had seen and heard at the crime scene…he'd fallen apart. Goliath had been beating himself up with the guilt he'd felt over having not being able to protect his mate. The grief had been so much; it had seemingly brought his life to a screeching halt.
And, he realized now with another pang of guilt, he hadn't kept the promise he'd made to Elisa on that night so seemingly long ago.
Turning, Goliath returned to the silent group still gathered in the courtyard.
Goliath walked towards Hudson and placed a hand on the old warrior's shoulder in a gesture of apology. His voice was gruff as he said, "I'm sorry, old friend."
"Nae, lad," Hudson said, sounding older and more tired than Goliath could remember. "'Tis I who should apologize."
"No." Goliath said it with such conviction, Hudson blinked. "I've been avoiding having to face the fact that Elisa may not be coming home. If she were alive," Goliath cleared his throat, "If she were still alive, she would have found her way back to us or contacted us in some way."
Hudson remained silent. He knew what it was to lose your mate, and wished there were a way to keep Goliath from having to go through this.
"I didnae mean that I…or any of us…have given up hope tha' the lass is alive…" Hudson said. It was true, and it was hurting the whole clan to even think the lass was dead.
A short time later, with the help of the Xanatos family, a large bonfire had been set up and lit in the large stone floored courtyard.
Hudson had given the traditional ceremonial speech and the clan members had shared their favored memories of Elisa.
One by one, the clan slowly drifted off.
It was gargoyle tradition that after this particular ceremony, the one gargoyle closest to the one remembered was to watch over the flame and keep it burning until sunrise. In their time, the humans would have kept the fire burning all day.
Rather than burdening the humans in residence with this task, the clan decided to let the flames go out on their own during the day. It would be re-lit the next night, and again for the next six nights.
And so, Goliath stayed behind on the first night, trapped in memories of his own.
When the sun rose that morning, it caught the mighty gargoyle leader in a kneeling pose with his head bowed as if in prayer.
That was how Fox and David Xanatos found him.
"Oh, David," Fox said sadly, "Isn't there anything we can do for them?"
"The only thing I can think of," Xanatos said, leaning down to grab another piece of wood, "Is to keep this fire going for them."
Fox nodded and grabbed a piece of wood herself to keep the remembrance fire burning throughout the day for them