Disclaimer: The Night World is the property of L.J. Smith.

Spoilers: None so far it is based on the Night World Series but I don't spoil any of the books, just the Night World concept really

Part 8

"Suddenly I know exactly how you feel," Truth said to Emma as she sunk into the bench beside her at lunchtime.

"About what?" Emma asked.

"About Midir," she whispered, "we had class together earlier and he looked so lonely sitting on his own. I was going to sit with him but then I remembered."

"Hard isn't it," Emma said.

"Must be worse for you," Truth said seriously, "I mean I'm not in love with him. Though he is kind of cute and funny."

"Hey," Emma exclaimed and they both giggled.

"I'm so glad you know," Emma told her softly, "I knew you were the right one to tell."

"It's not like I'm not the only one who would understand," Truth argued, "Clea or Nathan or Trist or even Psyche would probably have understood."

"Clea might have," Emma agreed, "but Nathan and Tristram are guys; I'm not sure I could tell them. And Psyche's a witch and she knows what Midir did."

"I know what Midir did," Truth replied, "though I guess it is different for the others. Even my first reaction wasn't one of acceptance more of fear and thinking you'd lost your mind."

"That's how I felt too," Emma told her.

"But," Truth continued, "I could see how you felt about him and I knew if you trust him then he's trustworthy. If you believe in him I believe in him; he's changed."

Emma smiled at her friend she had definitely made the right choice.

"How could I be anything but happy for you? You found your soulmate. I can't even imagine how that must feel and if he's your soulmate he has to have good in him," Truth finished.

"Thanks Truth, it's comforting to know that when this all gets out I'll still have at least one friend."

Truth looked slightly conflicted; she was biting down on her lip and twisting a ring on her finger.

"Em, I'm not sure you want to hear this but I don't think you're giving the others enough credit. They're not like that; they're not going to stop being friends with you over this."

"I'm not so sure. You know what it's like for most of them, Hayden, Stella, Hazel and even Psyche a little, they're in hiding; they're all running from something and to them Midir represents that something, that shadow presence that's always there. Even though they're safe here they don't really believe it. Remember what Stella said, "If Midir Boyce can come here who else can." Midir embodies all their greatest fears. His coming here eroded a lot of their confidence in their safety here. I don't think they're going to accept him just like that."

Truth sighed, "Don't you sometimes wish we lived somewhere normal?"

"Sure but if we did we wouldn't have the friends we have and I'd never have met Midir."

Truth grinned, "Good to see you looking on the bright side of life."

"Have to," Emma replied, "if I looked at the other side I'd probably have a break down or something."

The arrival of Hern and Tristram ended their conversation but Emma felt ten times better. Having someone to talk to helped a lot, which made her feel even worse for Midir who had no one to talk to. He had her but that wasn't what she meant maybe he could talk to Truth, they seemed to get on sort of.

"Did you guys hear?" Psyche asked as she and Stella joined the group.

"Did we hear what?" Truth asked.

"About Gwen and Liam?" Psyche said.

"No what about them?" Emma inquired dutifully knowing Psyche was dying to share whatever gossip it was she had.

"Mr. Kelly caught them kissing in his room," Psyche told them drawing out each word for added effect.

"That room seems to be seeing an awful lot of action," Stella said with an acidity in her voice which scared Emma as she remembered her and Midir's own encounter there and the shadow in the window.

"Yeah," Hern agreed, "wasn't that where Rachael and John got caught too?"

"Well it's their own fault," Truth said, "if they're kissing in a classroom what else do they expect but to get caught."

"Yeah," Tristram said with a grin, "they could at least have had the decency to hide in the hedge or the trees or something, that would be so much more modest than kissing in a classroom."

"If a lot less comfortable," Hern added.

"And how exactly would you know that?" Truth asked sweetly.

Hern wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Emma didn't even hear the rest of the conversation she was too busy watching Stella trying to work out if she had meant Midir and her. She didn't seem to be acting any different towards Emma but somehow that didn't give Emma much comfort.

***********************************************************

Truth giggled nervously and looked around the table.

"This feels like a summit meeting," she said, "I feel like someone should be taking the minutes."

Emma gave a small smile, "It does have a very serious feel about it."

"It is serious," Midir said, "isn't it?"

"It's serious," Truth agreed, "we've got to think of a way to tell the others and keep them from losing the head over it."

"It's going to be difficult," Emma said.

"How difficult exactly?" Truth asked. "I mean how big a big bad were you?"

"The biggest," Midir replied, "I've done terrible things, things I can never atone for even if I spend my long life trying. I killed without mercy or compassion, not because I liked it, I took no pleasure in the taking of a life. It was a job; I killed for money, which is almost worse. I never even saw them as people just a paycheque and I never even felt guilty. I was cold clinical and detached. I think that that was worse than some psycho killing people at least they can blame insanity, I have no excuse. I was just evil I guess."

"You're not evil," both girls said at the same time, which drew quick smiles from both.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Midir said softly.

"Look," Truth rushed loudly and angrily, "I have no reason to trust you only that Emma does. I have no reason to believe in you only that Emma does. I hardly know you but I know you are not evil, not because you're Emma's soulmate, which means you must have good in you but because of the choices you've made.

It's our deeds and our choices that make us who and what we are. Sure you've done terrible things in the past, things you may never make up for but you chose to stop; you chose to try and make up for those deeds even though it seemed unlikely you would. You chose to change; you chose not to be evil. You said it yourself you didn't take pleasure in the kill; you didn't see them as people but now that you do you feel guilty about what you did. Right?"

"Right," Midir answered.

"See you're not evil. Look I only invited you in last night because I trust Emma; I only listened to what you had to say because of my friendship with Emma. The only reason I tried to be cordial to you; the only reason I accepted you was Emma but the more time I spend with you, the more I'd like to have you as a friend, because of who you are not who your soulmate is and believe me if you were evil I wouldn't feel that way."

Midir visibly relaxed beside Emma. Emma smiled at him, somehow Truth had known exactly what to say, known exactly what Midir needed to hear. That someone other than she believed he wasn't evil, believed that he had good in him and would like him as a friend. Emma knew that meant a lot to him, acceptance from someone other than his soulmate who was pretty much had to love and accept him.

"Thanks Truth," Midir said, "I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," Truth said with a smile.

"If only the others will react like this," Emma said thoughtfully.

"Maybe they will," Truth responded, "you won't know until you tell them. I was more understanding than you expected maybe they will be too."

"I don't think so Truth. I wish it would be like that but I think you were somewhat of an anomaly," Emma told her.

"Thanks, I think," Truth replied. "She meant that in a good way right?" she asked Midir.

"I think so," Midir said with a shrug, "maybe you should ask her."

"I meant it in a good way," Emma clarified for her.

"That's okay so. Anyway maybe we should get down to business; do either of you have any ideas of how to go about telling people?" Truth asked.

They both shrugged with blank stares on their faces.

"Well how about who we should tell first?" she asked.

"What's this we stuff?" Emma asked.

"I thought you might want some moral support," Truth snapped. "And we're in this together now because when the others find out I knew about this, that I've been spending time with the two of you I don't think they're going to be too happy with me."

"Oh Truth, I'm sorry. I never thought of that," Emma exclaimed. "I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

"It's okay Em. Just remember this next time I need a favour."

"It better be a pretty big favour," Midir said.

Truth smiled, "When you've lived in Glenalta long enough you'll realise that there is no other kind of favour."

"I don't think you'll ever need a favour big enough to make up for this," Emma said softly.

"Probably not," Truth replied with a grin, "but I'll definitely have fun trying to come up with one."

"I was just thinking, "Midir said breaking into the conversation, "do we have to tell everyone?"

"Yes," both girls said in unison.

"It was just a thought," he muttered.

"I know," Emma said softly with a smile, "but if we don't tell them now they'll find out some other way and it will be a hundred times worse."

Emma put her head down on Midir's shoulder and sighed. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Maybe I should give you guys some time alone," Truth offered with a grin.

Emma smiled, "Nah, I think we need to sort this out now. The longer we leave it the harder it will be."

"So who should we tell?" Midir asked.

"I don't know," Emma replied, "maybe Clea."

"I think I see a pattern her," Truth announced, "you want to tell all the humans first."

"I guess," Emma replied, "it's just I think the humans, as you put it, will be more understanding about this than the Night Worlders."

"You're probably right," Truth agreed, "but I think you should tell Psyche."

"Psyche?" Emma asked, "Why?"

"Lots of reasons," Truth told her, "I think you need to tell one of the 'Night Worlders' and Psyche's the most likely to understand. Her mom's a Daybreaker if anyone is going to understand about soulmates and people changing she should. And you can use her reaction to gage how the others will react."

"Okay," Emma replied, "lets do it."

"That was a hell of a lot easier than I expected," Truth said.

"I know," Emma said, "but I just, I just want to get this over with."

"When do you want to do this?" Truth asked.

"How about now?" Midir suggested, "There is no time like the present."

"Only problem is," Truth said, "Psyche lives all the way out in the woods, well at the edge of the woods. How're we supposed to get there?"

"I could drive us," Midir said.

"In what? We don't have a car," Emma replied.

"Yeah we do. Well I do," Midir told her.

"You do? How some I didn't know that?" Emma asked.

"You don't know everything Emma," Truth said.

"No just 99% of everything," Emma replied brightly.

"So are we doing this or what?" Midir asked.

"We're doing this," Emma answered.

As they pulled into Psyche's yard Emma felt fear begin to gnaw at her stomach. She wasn't so sure Psyche's reaction would be a good one. There was no way she'd get two good reactions, she just wasn't that lucky.

When she was alone with Truth and Midir it was easy to believe things would be okay, easy to believe everyone would be as understanding as Truth. Now as she stared at the small bungalow that was Psyche's home a wave of apprehension and realisation hit her.

She remembered what exactly it was she was asking Psyche to do. She was asking her to trust an assassin, to invite into her home someone that had worked and killed for the people who had been chasing her mother for years. She was asking her to put her mother in danger. Emma knew Midir wasn't a danger to Psyche's mom but Psyche didn't. She couldn't ask Psyche to do this; she couldn't expect Psyche to do this, what was she thinking.

"We have to go," she told the others, "I can't do this. Let's go please."

"Em, I know it's hard but we're here now. We can do this," Midir said softly.

"Yeah Em, don't give up now, you're almost there," Truth said

trying to give encouragement.

Emma didn't need encouragement; she needed to get out of there. Just as she was about to tell the others this, the outside lights came on. Someone had heard them pull up, there was no backing out now.

Emma's hands were shaking as they stood on the porch. Truth rang the doorbell and they waited. Emma's stomach had tied itself into about fifty intricate knots and her palms were sweating; she felt sick.

Psyche opened the door looking, as she always did to Emma, like a nymph or some other nature spirit. She was tall and slender with long hair that was the rich brown colour of chestnuts and deep reddish brown eyes that seemed to hold the knowledge of all nature's mysteries.

"Hey guys," she began and then saw Midir.

Emma watched as fear and anger spread across her friend's face.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Psyche asked angrily.

"Did you bring him here? How could you? How dare you? Truth, I thought you'd know better than that, I thought you cared about my mother. Why did you do this? Why is he here?"

"Psyche Midir isn't going to hurt your mom," Truth told her, "We're here because of Midir and Emma."

"Midir and Emma," Psyche said with disbelief evident in her voice.

She looked at Emma whose hand was now entwined with Midir's. Psyche shook her head gently and tears appeared in her eyes.

"Emma what are you doing with him? Don't you know who he is? How could you bring him here? Why would you do this? You know how we all feel about him. You know what my mother's been through, why would you bring someone like him to her home?"

Emma began to cry too, "Psyche I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have."

"If you know why did you do it? Why are you with him? Have you any idea the kind of danger you've put my mother in? Do you even care? I want you to leave now, all of you."

Emma turned to leave pulling Midir after her. Truth just stood there with disbelief all over her face.

"Emma," Psyche called, "one last thing. People like him carry evil around with him if you're with him expect bad things to happen, you too Truth."

When she finished saying this Psyche slammed the door.

In the car Truth turned to Emma and she was crying too. "I'm sorry Em. This is all my fault; I never thought she'd react like that."

"It's not your fault Truth. You're the person least to blame in all this. Please don't blame yourself."

"But I should have known, I should have realised she'd feel like this. I'm supposed to be her friend; I should know her better than this. You knew though, you wanted to go back and I forced you to tell her."

"Truth this is not your fault. It's no one's fault," Emma replied, "Okay. Let's just go now please."

She pressed Midir's hand and asked, "Are you okay? You're really quiet."

"I'm okay, just worried about you," he told her.

"I wonder what she meant," Truth said softly, "when she said "expect bad things to happen"."

"Me too," Emma whispered, "me too."