Disclaimer, Summary, ect. : See beginning of chapter one.
Author's Note: In this chapter we reveal where the title of this story came from. Those who were paying attention to "Dad" might recognize it. Thanks to MissKitie for giving me the whole thing.
This Chapter Written By: Tigerwolf
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Chapter 3
A Wish Your Heart Makes
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I'm in a pile of hay. I'm not sure how I got here, or even where 'here' is, but it all seems strangely familiar. There's a voice, distant, soft, floating on the nonexistent breeze. It is familiar as well. And the song, I know that song...
"Gentle comes the morning,
Softly comes the sun..."
I attempt to push myself up and quickly remember that it is difficult to get leverage in a haystack. I manage to extract myself, after a few moments struggle. I have to find where that voice is coming from. That familiar, loving voice.
"Kiss away the dew drops,
Hold you in my arms..."
I'm in a stable, a distantly familiar stable. I go toward the door, even though I can see it's daylight outside, I pay no mind. I have to get to that voice, a voice I'm beginning to recognize. A voice I haven't heard in 259 years. My mother's voice.
"Love to greet the song,
Hold you in my heart
For now and ever more..."
I'm running now, through the sunlight that can't harm me. Not now. Not here. Here I'm safe. I see the estate, the same way I remember it. I vault over the fence and run up to the door. I freeze, is she still there? I listen carefully. Yes, there it is.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Hush now, don't you cry..."
I stumble through the doorway, almost surprised that I can enter. There she is… She's sitting in her rocker that my father made for her when Kathy was born. She's rocking a baby. My limbs suddenly feel like lead. I can't move.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
That's an Irish lullaby."
She finishes the song and smiles at the infant. I can't see it clearly.
"He looks just like his father, Liam," she says quietly. She holds the baby so I can see. It's Connor. Somehow, I knew it would be.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "Mother, I'm so sorry. I never meant... I was going to come back, but there was Darla and..."
"Hush, child. That was all so very long ago. Pay it no mind. What is important is that I finally get to meet my grandson." She smiles lovingly at Connor, who appears to be asleep. "He's beautiful."
I feel tears in my eyes. "I don't know if I ever said this, but I love you, mother."
She smiles at me and motions me to come closer. I oblige, slowly walking toward her. "Where is father? And Kathy? Are they here too?"
"No, they were not necessary. I have a message for you."
"A message? From who? Is it the Powers? What are they doing?"
"So many questions, Liam. You always asked a lot of questions and then you didn't bother to wait for the answers. It's a bad habit. The message is that your son is safe. He is not being harmed."
"Is he dead?"
"In one sense, yes. In another, no."
"Will I... Will I ever see him again?"
"You can see him now." She holds Connor out to me. He yawns, he's always so cute when he yawns. I accept him and cradle him to my chest, my tears dropping onto his blanket. "I love you, Connor. I'm so sorry. I miss you so much."
"You need to say goodbye, for now. Liam, I assure you, his story is just beginning. But he has to come with me. Say goodbye, my son."
"I can't, I don't want to let him go again."
"Time is short."
"I know." I hug Connor as tight as I dare, in a vain attempt to convey all my love in that one simple gesture, then hand him back to his grandmother.
"Goodbye, Liam. I love you."
"I love you, too. Mother."
They don't leave, instead the room fades away. The only thing that remains is the song floating through the air.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
That's an Irish lullaby."
I wake up. I'm still in the bed, with the blanket that Cordy put on me tucked tightly around me, Connor's teddy bear is sitting on the nightstand. I still feel upset, but the dream has comforted me a little. I lie there a few more minutes, then get up and prepare myself to go downstairs. It's time to try again. To try to live, for her, for him. I have to keep going.
Author's Note: In this chapter we reveal where the title of this story came from. Those who were paying attention to "Dad" might recognize it. Thanks to MissKitie for giving me the whole thing.
This Chapter Written By: Tigerwolf
==++==++==++==++==++
Chapter 3
A Wish Your Heart Makes
==++==++==++==++==++
I'm in a pile of hay. I'm not sure how I got here, or even where 'here' is, but it all seems strangely familiar. There's a voice, distant, soft, floating on the nonexistent breeze. It is familiar as well. And the song, I know that song...
"Gentle comes the morning,
Softly comes the sun..."
I attempt to push myself up and quickly remember that it is difficult to get leverage in a haystack. I manage to extract myself, after a few moments struggle. I have to find where that voice is coming from. That familiar, loving voice.
"Kiss away the dew drops,
Hold you in my arms..."
I'm in a stable, a distantly familiar stable. I go toward the door, even though I can see it's daylight outside, I pay no mind. I have to get to that voice, a voice I'm beginning to recognize. A voice I haven't heard in 259 years. My mother's voice.
"Love to greet the song,
Hold you in my heart
For now and ever more..."
I'm running now, through the sunlight that can't harm me. Not now. Not here. Here I'm safe. I see the estate, the same way I remember it. I vault over the fence and run up to the door. I freeze, is she still there? I listen carefully. Yes, there it is.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Hush now, don't you cry..."
I stumble through the doorway, almost surprised that I can enter. There she is… She's sitting in her rocker that my father made for her when Kathy was born. She's rocking a baby. My limbs suddenly feel like lead. I can't move.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
That's an Irish lullaby."
She finishes the song and smiles at the infant. I can't see it clearly.
"He looks just like his father, Liam," she says quietly. She holds the baby so I can see. It's Connor. Somehow, I knew it would be.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "Mother, I'm so sorry. I never meant... I was going to come back, but there was Darla and..."
"Hush, child. That was all so very long ago. Pay it no mind. What is important is that I finally get to meet my grandson." She smiles lovingly at Connor, who appears to be asleep. "He's beautiful."
I feel tears in my eyes. "I don't know if I ever said this, but I love you, mother."
She smiles at me and motions me to come closer. I oblige, slowly walking toward her. "Where is father? And Kathy? Are they here too?"
"No, they were not necessary. I have a message for you."
"A message? From who? Is it the Powers? What are they doing?"
"So many questions, Liam. You always asked a lot of questions and then you didn't bother to wait for the answers. It's a bad habit. The message is that your son is safe. He is not being harmed."
"Is he dead?"
"In one sense, yes. In another, no."
"Will I... Will I ever see him again?"
"You can see him now." She holds Connor out to me. He yawns, he's always so cute when he yawns. I accept him and cradle him to my chest, my tears dropping onto his blanket. "I love you, Connor. I'm so sorry. I miss you so much."
"You need to say goodbye, for now. Liam, I assure you, his story is just beginning. But he has to come with me. Say goodbye, my son."
"I can't, I don't want to let him go again."
"Time is short."
"I know." I hug Connor as tight as I dare, in a vain attempt to convey all my love in that one simple gesture, then hand him back to his grandmother.
"Goodbye, Liam. I love you."
"I love you, too. Mother."
They don't leave, instead the room fades away. The only thing that remains is the song floating through the air.
"Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-ra li
Too-ra-loo-ra loo-ra
That's an Irish lullaby."
I wake up. I'm still in the bed, with the blanket that Cordy put on me tucked tightly around me, Connor's teddy bear is sitting on the nightstand. I still feel upset, but the dream has comforted me a little. I lie there a few more minutes, then get up and prepare myself to go downstairs. It's time to try again. To try to live, for her, for him. I have to keep going.