Author's Note - By popular request (okay it was one person, but I like the idea. Thanks Sage) I'm including a neat little Q & A segment before some chapters. If I have time, and get enough reviews to warrant it, it may be every chapter, once a week, or just when I get a really good question. If you don't like this, fine, skip ahead to the good stuff and blame ShadowSage2 - it was their idea! giggles insanely
Okay, just FYI, I'm not going to give away the plot, twists, key elements or the ending, so don't bother asking how it ends. Otherwise, have at me!
ShadowSage - Great idea, thanks again. I'm glad you're enjoying this so much. Hearing such great things make me want to write better. A climax? sly grin Yes, I can safely say a climax is coming. Am I Wiccan? Not really, no. I just like doing research and I'm pretty good a BS-ing what I can't find out. As it gets more into the witchcraft part, that'll probably become more obvious.
The X-Pig - Glad you enjoyed it. I laughed outloud when I finished that sentence. It was too perfect.
TriStateCopFan - Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm actually looking forward to the end, but only because this began as a twenty page idea and has exploded into a full-blown novel. Sheesh, I cannot write short stories!
Rach - Hello! Good to see you too. Thanks for the review. Hope this is soon enough for you. Tootle-oo! (Sorry about the cheesy rhyming, it's very late)
Shell - Thanks, glad you like it. I pride myself on my originality.
08Starbaby08 - Wait no more, the chapter has come! Thank you for your support.
Sw33tangelgrl - YES! That's what I love to hear. It's no fun when you see it coming.
KendraC - I'm givin' 'er all she's got, Cap'n. We got no more dilithium crystals! Really, I'm working as fast as I can, but I've got a job, you know. It's not nearly as much fun as this, though. I hope you're not really confused. Hopefully, things'll straighten out in the next few chapters.
Strawberry-ksc - Of course Munch knows what's going on - he's a witch - er, warlock. I've actually been planning that from the start. And yes, Raum is a jerk (among other things). I'm glad his words creep you out - wait'll they meet him! Thank you - twenty, woohoo!
netherfield - Thank you!
justawriter - Thanks, I try to update twice a week; Friday and Monday.
Claire M C - Thank you very much. I was hoping it would make sense after the fact (as much sense as the situation could make, anyway).
TrinityWildcat - Thanks for checking it out and saying such nice things. Maybe I will de-lurk one of these days. And I haven't just seen THE KISS, I bought the DVD!
"Actually, we prefer the term 'warlock'," Munch said, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "And before somebody says it, because I know one of you will, I couldn't have prevented any of the things that happened." He cast his eyes downward. "Except Kia's death. I never should have asked for her help."
"Who was she?" Alex found herself asking.
"The head of my coven," he said, and his voice caught as he added, "My friend."
"I'm sorry," Alex said, and she meant it. She glanced around at the others, surprised by the hostile looks on Elliot, Fin, Cragen and even Olivia's faces. Sledge had backed away and was practically hiding behind Dr. Huang, who was scowling at Munch. Bobby was observing again, his face absolutely blank. Alex cleared her throat. "So, what do we do now, burn him at the stake?" For a second, she thought Fin was going to go find some matches, but then they all turned away, leaving Munch standing alone at the far end of the room. With a glance at her partner, Alex and Bobby made their way over to him.
"Well, that could have gone better," Munch said dryly.
"They'll get over it," Alex said. "Now, what can you do about this curse?"
"I told you, nothing. You have to do it. I can help; we're all going to have to help, but you have to lead the ritual."
"Ritual?" Alex asked, swallowing hard. He nodded.
"Don't worry, there's no demon calling or animal sacrifices. You just draw a circle and spread some salt. It's all very repetitive, very formulaic. Not even Elliot can screw it up."
"Is Raum like you, a warlock?" Bobby asked. Munch nodded.
"A warlock, yes, but not like me. He works outside the laws of the Council, outside the laws of nature, sometimes. He's one of the most powerful, most dangerous, most deserving of his name." They glanced up as Fin approached.
"How long?" he asked, refusing to look at his partner.
"Long time," Munch replied. "Long before I came here."
"And it never occurred to you to tell me? I'm your partner, John, your friend." He finally made eye contact, not even bothering to hide the anger, the pain in his eyes.
"I know, and I've lost friends, I've lost wives, because of this, because they couldn't handle what I can do, what I am. I didn't want to risk losing you, too." They just stared at each other for a moment.
"Do you have any idea how queer that sounded?" Fin finally said, shaking his head as a cockeyed smile lifted the corner of his mouth. Munch laughed, the tightness across his shoulders easing. There was nothing worse than the thought of losing your partner; Alex knew that first hand. She glanced up at him, but he was a million miles away. Without thinking, she reached up and laid her hand against his cheek, letting his stubble scrape along her palm. He looked down at her, a question in his eyes, one that she couldn't answer. Was it just the incubus driving her to touch him, or something more? She didn't know.
His hand caught hers as she started to turn away, bringing it up to his lips. He planted a gentle kiss upon the back of her hand, then let her go and walked away.
"Okay, um, the curse, yes," she said to Munch, suddenly finding it difficult to convert her jumbled thoughts into a coherent sentence. She kept glancing at Bobby as he dragged his chair a little closer and straddled it, his faded jeans tight across his thighs, his arms resting on the back of the chair. Irritated with herself, she looked away. "Let's fix this."
"There's only two problems that I can foresee," Munch said. "Foresee being the key word. If Raum decides he wants to play, there's no telling what could happen." He'd gathered them together around a central pair of desks, on which he'd spread out the various magickal implements that he'd brought. There was the silver and black dagger, a tarnished silver goblet, a flat black stone about the size of her palm with a star drawn upon it in white paint, and a long, thin, slightly twisted stick of some pale colored wood. Beside these were a bag of sea salt and an assortment of dried plants, some she recognized, like a faded white iris blossom and a branch of holly with a few withered red berries still attached, but most were just dead leaves to her.
"All the officers found by the lake was a handful of pea gravel," Alex said. "I think we can assume he's not done with us." She sighed angrily. "Okay, what are the foreseeable problems?"
"The first is the incubus. It needs to be fully sated for this to work." All eyes turned to her and Bobby and she felt the color creep up her neck.
"Well, I think we can take care of that later, don't you?" she said caustically. "What else?"
"The second is just numbers; we don't have enough people."
"How many do we need?" Olivia asked, glancing around. Alex did her own quick count. Her and Bobby, Munch and Fin, Sledge, Elliot and Olivia, Cragen and Dr. Huang made nine.
"Twelve," Munch said. "Thirteen if you count Detective Goren. He can't actively participate since he's the center of the spell. And four have to be women."
"Why four?" Alex asked.
"One for each of the compass points. Traditionally, a coven is supposed to be entirely female. Women are simply better at this than men, they have a closer connection with nature, but we don't have that luxury. So four will have to do."
"So, two more women make ten," Olivia said, taking Bobby out of the equation. "We just need two men."
"Sorry to disappoint," Cragen said suddenly, his arms folded across his chest as he stared down at the table, "but I can't help you. I've got a department to run, and I - I just can't."
"That's all right, Captain," Munch said, picking up the tarnished goblet and pretending to rub at a spot to hide the frown on his face.
"Count me out, too. I'm Catholic," Elliot said, almost defensively.
"And I'm a Jew, what's your point?" Munch replied. Elliot scowled.
"I'm not going to Hell for him," he said, jabbing his finger in Bobby's direction. "This - this witchcraft is - is -"
"Evil?" Bobby supplied. Elliot narrowed his eyes, but didn't correct him. "Detective Munch, isn't it true that magick itself is neither good nor evil? That distinction lies in the person using it, in their intent, whether they mean to harm or heal with their power?"
"That's right," Munch said.
"So, as long as your intent was good, you'd have nothing to - to fear." Elliot smirked at Bobby.
"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," he said. Alex wanted to shake her head at him. Didn't he realize that Bobby had stepped into that one a little too easily? She felt it time to put her two cents in.
"Speaking of Hell, how does the Church feel about divorce?" she asked, watching him stiffen. "Unless your wife was cheating on you, I think it's a sin." She glanced at Bobby, who nodded. "Or are you having your marriage annulled?"
"And on what grounds?" Bobby asked, stepping out of his place in the circle to inch closer to Elliot. "You didn't understand your vows? She deceived you? She coerced you?" Alex circled around behind the silent Elliot.
"Or were you planning to remain celibate for the rest of your life?" She cast a pointed glance at Olivia. "Adultery is a mortal sin, isn't it? Even with the best of intentions?"
"All right, you two, just stop it," Olivia said, stepping between them. She grabbed Elliot and hustled him away. Alex smoothed the front of her blouse and tried to look repentant, but it was hard. God, did she love doing that! Especially to someone as self-righteous as Elliot. Once everyone had more or less turned their attention back to Munch, she glanced up at her partner and shared a private smirk.
"Okay, is there anyone else who feels unable to participate?" Munch asked. He grimaced as Sledge raised his hand. "Any particular reason why?"
"Magick makes me uncomfortable."
"It makes you uncomfortable?" Alex asked. "How do you think he feels?" Sledge glanced at Bobby, but he looked like he couldn't care less. It wasn't until he returned his eyes to her that he seemed genuinely sorry.
"Sorry, Eames, I just can't." He walked away. Alex snagged Bobby's sleeve as he started after Sledge. She shook her head.
"Let him go." With a sigh, she turned to their shrinking group. "Is anyone going to do this, or do we need to find another option?" She didn't need to see the look in Munch's eyes to know that there was no other option.
"I'll do it," Fin said, sounding like someone was twisting his arm, but Alex had the feeling his scowl was mostly for show.
"For the record, we should all have CAT - scans," Dr. Huang said with a smile, "but otherwise, count me in."
"Me too," Olivia said, returning without Elliot. Alex did a quick recount.
"Okay, that means we need two women and five men. Could we call your coven?" she asked Munch.
"No," he replied, rather quickly. "They're ... in mourning, for Kia." There was more to it than that, but Alex decided not to push. He had the right not to endanger his friends.
"Okay. Let's come up with some names, then, and start making calls."
"What about Detective Welch?" Olivia asked. Fin shook his head.
"You kidding? She won't let her kids go trick-or-treating or hunt Easter eggs 'cause it's too pagan. What about Melinda Warner, the ME?"
"She and her husband are on vacation, in Hawaii." With a sigh, Olivia pushed herself back from the desk. "That's it then, I'm out of ideas." She groaned and stretched, the sound of her spine popping filling the room like trees cracking in the dead of winter. "God, I wish Alex was here. She'd have really gotten a kick out of all this."
"Who?" Alex asked.
"Our old ADA, Alexandra Cabot," Elliot said. He'd rejoined the group, even making half-hearted suggestions, but was still adamant about not participating. Casually, he stepped up behind Olivia and began to rub her shoulders. "She had to go into Witness Protection a while back." He sighed. "She was a great attorney."
"Didn't the two of you have a thing?" Olivia asked, her eyes closed as she enjoyed her massage.
"Didn't you?" he replied, and they smirked at each other as he rubbed her neck. After a moment, he glanced over at Alex. "So, who've you got so far?"
"Well," Alex said, her eyes raking over the list in one short sweep, "I'm pretty sure Deakins will agree; he'd do just about anything for his 'Dynamic Duo'." She heard Munch snort, but ignored it. "Carver won't be so easy to convince, nor Logan, nor Bishop, for that matter, but we really don't have a choice. We're still two guys and a girl short." Olivia looked up at Elliot, who pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned.
"Okay," he said with a sigh, "let's call Novak." Across the room, Fin groaned.
"What?" Alex asked, glancing around. "Who is he?"
"She is our current ADA," Munch said dourly, "and a bigger pain in the ass than I am."
"And that's sayin' somethin'," Fin said. He glanced over at Alex. "Don't you two have any friends?"
"Not really."
"We don't play well with others," Bobby added, making her smile. "Besides, after ... what Raum did, we should be careful who we endanger." The room was silent as his words sank in. Finally, Munch spoke.
"Okay, let's make those calls and get our expendable friends over here. Maybe they know some guys who won't be missed."
Disclaimer - Law and Order: CI and SVU, and the characters protrayed therin, are the property of Dick Wolf and Assoc., but Detective Sledge is all mine, Mwa ha ha ha! Er, ahem ... please don't sue.