Title: Stand Still

Author: Pale Orchid

Rating: PG-13

Summary: While on a date Hunter tells Morgan a few things.

Category: Romance – Morgan/Hunter

Spoilers: None that I can think of, cause I ain't read past Changeling.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sweep/Wicca characters or anything even remotely Sweep/Wicca related. I'm just a poor Aussie girl with too much time on her hands.

Archiving: Send me a message, just so I know where it's going.

Feedback: Ya know, it's all good, all the time. PaleOrchids@hotmail.com or press the little review button at the end of the page. Yep, that's the one. Go on, it won't bite. At least, not the first time.


Authors Note: Okay, Coelura this one is dedicated to you! I hope you like it, cause if you don't then I'm in serious trouble. Just kidding.

~ Orchid.



Stand Still.



Chapter One: I Wish I Could Slow The World Down.


"Giomanach? Are you still here?" Sky Eventide's voice floated up the stairs to Hunter's room, startling him out of his thoughts. Hunter was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Yes Athar, I'm still here." He called down to his cousin.

Sky walked to the bottom of the stairs and rolled her eyes. Guys could be so dense sometimes, even if the guy in question happened to be her cousin.

"Well don't you think you better get going? Otherwise Morgan is going to think you stood her up." Sky cocked her head to the side. She grinned wildly when she heard the thud and scuffle that signalled Hunter had fallen off the bed and tripped over his own feet. She heard a groan and then the muffled voice.

"Don't even say it. And don't think about laughing either."

"Of course not." Hunter appeared at the top of the stairs. "Who do you think I am that I would laugh at a witch who is so in love he can't even walk?" Sky placed a hand over her heart. "I'm offended, really, I am."

Sky watched as Hunter blushed ever so slightly. Hey, they were family and since no one else was here to tease him about his love life, it was up to her. Ah, the things she did for her family.

Hunter didn't even bother responding to her. He just calmly walked down the stairs, grabbing his coat and car keys from the lounge. He wriggled his hand with the keys in them at her and walked out the door. Sky correctly guessed that was the best goodbye she was going to get.



Hunter drove along the roads of Widow's Vale navigating his way to Morgan's house on autopilot. Luckily Sky had called out to him or he would have been late. As it was he was actually making good time. As he drove, Hunter let his mind wander.

First and foremost Morgan came to mind. They had been through so much since they had met. So much had changed for both him and her. He was certain that he loved her and that they were destined to be together. But he couldn't help wondering, what about after?

Shaking his head quickly he tried to banish that thought. He would, for once in his life, worry about the future when it arrived. Without him even noticing it, Hunter had parked the car and was walking up the Rowland's driveway. He didn't bother ringing the bell.

The door opened and Morgan appeared. As always he thought she looked beautiful, her hair done in a braid, wearing a pair of jeans and a violet coloured long sleeve shirt. She wore small heeled boots on her feet and no make-up. Just perfectly Morgan.

She walked through the threshold gripping the door knob, turning around to yell, "I'm going now. I'll be back before curfew. Night." Then she shut the door and turned to him.

Morgan smiled at Hunter. No matter how many times she saw him it was always special.

"Hi."

"Good evening. Shall we go?"

"Okay." Morgan nodded and they started towards the car. Morgan slid into the front passenger seat and Hunter back into the driver's seat. He started the ignition, but the car into gear and headed off. They pair drove in companionable silence for a while.

"Hunter?"

"Yes Morgan?"

"Where are we going?"

Hunter actually smirked slightly. Morgan had been trying to get the location of their date out of him for two days now. For two days she had been unsuccessful.

"I thought I told you that it was a surprise."

Morgan twisted in her seat to look at him.

"You did, but I thought that maybe you'd tell me? Please?"

Slowly pulling over Hunter parked the car, but left the engine on. He reached over into the back seat saying, "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to this, but it seems that I will have to."

Morgan watched as his hand brought forth a piece of silk cloth.

"You're going to blindfold me?"

"Yes, I am."

Laying the cloth on his lap, Hunter folded it over several times, so that it couldn't be seen through. Then he turned to her.

"Spin around please."

"Hunter? Do I have to?"

"We're going to do this Morgan. Come on. I don't want the surprise ruined."

"Alright then." She face away from him and smiled slightly as the cloth was slipt in place. It was awfully sweet that he cared enough to try and surprise her.

Tying the cloth securely in place, Hunter turned back to the front and directed the car onto the road. He drove for a while before parking again. Then he got out of the car and went to open Morgan's side.

Even as he opened her door, she was working on the knot.

"Ah ah ah. No you don't. The surprise is still a bit away and you're not taking that blindfold off until we're there. Understood?"

Morgan reluctantly let her hands drop and pushed out her bottom lip, pouting. Using his hands as a guide she got out of the car and started to walk. Or stumble, was more accurate.

Hunter led Morgan to a small clearing in a wooded area just outside of town. A small stream trickled along a few metres away. Hunter smiled when he saw the set-up. There was a purple blanket spread on the ground, under an old oak tree, with a picnic basket already unpacked beside it. Bree and Robbie stood to the side of it all, admiring their handy work.

Robbie saw Hunter leading the blindfolded Morgan through first and nudged Bree to be quiet. She grinned excitedly, almost bouncing in place. Robbie finally guided her away from the couple and to his car, parked beside Hunter's.

"Was that Robbie and Bree?"

"Yes, it was. They were helping me set up your surprise."

"Oh."

Hunter gently undid the knot in the cloth and pulled it away. All the trouble he had gone to was all worth it when he heard Morgan's delighted gasp, as she saw the picnic.

"Hunter, it's beautiful." She spun around and hugged him. "Thankyou so much."

Hunter returned Morgan's hug and whispered into her hair. "How about we get started so that it doesn't all go to waste."

Morgan and Hunter sat down and started to eat their picnic.



An hour later Hunter sat with his back flush to the oak tree's trunk. His legs were spread apart and Morgan was in-between them, her back and head leaning on his chest. Their hands were clasped together.

"I just wanted to thank you again for this."

"You don't have to thank me Morgan. I love you."

Morgan shifted her head to look up at him. "I love you too."

Hunter sighed and looked out over the clearing.

"If I could, I would slow the world down, just this once. I've always spent my life wishing the world would speed up. I was always anticipating things to come. My initiation, to find out what happened to my parents, joining the Council. But now, I just want to stop the wheel of time."

Morgan continued to look up at his face. It was rare for Hunter to talk about his past like this.

"I have let so many things pass me by, always counting that I would have a second chance to see them." He squeezed their entwined fingers. "But this is something that I never want to miss."

"This?" Morgan voiced her question, wanting to make sure that he really was saying what she thought he was.

"Holding you in this moment. The way I feel, I don't want o worry about he future, or the past, nothing but this moment. I just want to stand still with you."

Morgan let go off his fingers and moved away from him so that she could look at him full on.

"I want to stand still with you too."

Hunter pulled her gently towards him and captured her lips with his. When they pulled apart, he whispered, "Then we'll just stand still, my mùirn beatha dàn, my love."



End Chapter One.