Life After High School - Ten Years Later

By Risty and Silver

Disclaimer: Uh...err...heh...Oh damn, we don't own them.

Summary: ::yawn:: read and find out.

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(Lucas' POV)

I left late that evening for Hobbiton. I quickly checked on Crystal, Galia, Blaze and Forrest who were all fast asleep, and called the hospital to find out how Emma was. Damon sounded like he was about to drop dead of exhaustion, but I could hear the relief in his voice when he told me that although she had not yet woken up, she was now stable. She wasn't going to die and the doctors had predicted that she would soon wake up.

My relief was short lived however, when I opened the bar door and found a notice pinned to it. The corners of the paper looked like they were stained with blood. Written on it were many names, the names of myself, all the members of my group including Benny and Damon, Galia, Emma, Emma's three children, Jaime and Ria. By the names of two of my men was a large red cross. It looked like a hit list and that worried me. Swearing that I would check it out as soon as I got back, I put it in my pocket and rode to Hobbiton as fast as I could.

(Kane's POV)

As Benny had promised, Lucas arrived the evening following the phone calls. I was glad to see him, Jaime had been very kind to us but now that I knew that my grandfather was on the loose, I did not feel safe there. While we got our rucksacks, I heard Jaime talking to Lucas. First she asked him how mum was and Lucas said that she was getting better, and then she asked a lot of questions about how safe our home was. Lucas answered the best he could and promised Jaime that Ria would call her every evening and that Benny or Damon would keep her informed of the details of the investigation. His voice was very cold, like he did not really care one way or another. Thinking about it, I guess he didn't. Really care about Jaime or Ria I mean.

As we were coming down the stairs, I saw Jaime put her hand on his arm, but Lucas shook it off. Jaime looked very upset.

"You have day to day contact with Emma and Damon" she said quietly. "Lucas, do you think things can ever get back to how they used to be?"

"No" the man said without hesitation. "Maybe all this, will bring your family and Emma's back together in a way…after all you both love your children, that much I know. But too much has been said and done for the pair of you to be good friends again, Damon often says that your friendship was in the past and that is where it should stay. You don't like or trust him Jaime, I can see it in your eyes. You are grateful to him for saving your daughter, but that is it. He is not a perfect man like Frodo, but until you can honestly accept him, faults and all, then forget it." 

He turned to us and smiled. "Hello guys" he said. "You ready to go? Ria and Kane can ride their own horses, but you are coming with me Vince." He glanced down to where Ria's dog was leaping excitedly around her feet.

"Sorry kid" he said. "No can do with the dog. It will have to stay here with your mum. We have four dogs, one of them a pure breed wolf by nature, and they would soon make short work of that little thing. And besides, there is nowhere to put it. You will be sharing with Benny's daughter, Galia, and she won't have a dog in her room."

"But…" Ria began to protest but Jaime gave her a warning look and she gave up. "Okay" she said reluctantly. "If it is for the best…"

Ria said goodbye to her mum, dad and siblings, then we got on our horses and slowly began to make our way home. Lucas said that it would take us two days to get home and since we could not stop at Bree, we were going to spend the night in Rivendell. In front of me, I could hear Vince cheering. I smiled shyly at Ria and she smiled back. I was looking forward to being in Rivendell again, but I was also looking forward to showing Ria around my house and introducing her to everyone.

"Ria" I said carefully, not looking at her. "I am so glad that you are going to be staying with us."

"So am I?" she told me. "I'm glad we get to spend some more time together."

I couldn't say anything else. I just blushed and kept my eyes firmly on the road until Rivendell came into view…