Chapter Six
"Faith, you can't just walk away!" Dawson called after her. "And I can't pay him! He's got Clark, and I don't like that kind of sex! Faith! Don't go!"
She was stumbling as she walked and pulling on the leotard simultaneously. His words burned within her. She wanted to turn back but knew she could not. "SO?" she called back to him. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY HIM WITH A FUCK! I'M SURE YOU BOYS CAN FIGURE SOMETHING OUT!"
He knew it would do no good to argue with her. He had to find Lex and let him know that Faith was stomping off so that he could go after her before she got herself into some really serious trouble. He ran as fast as he could, calling for Lex. "LEX!" He hoped Lex would answer.
Faith paused just for a moment as she heard Dawson running and screaming Lex's name. She knew that all she needed would be to have to deal with them both. She tried to shake the thoughts of those she was leaving behind off as she ducked underneath a branch and vanished into the dark forest.
Salem, who had been pretending to be involved in his bathing, got up and headed after Faith. He slowed his pace to keep a distance behind her and hoped that the boys would soon catch up.
Lex had been looking for both Clark and the kids. He found the kids first. He could not believe that Morph and Tom liked the kids so much that they were giving them rides in horse forms. "Thanks, guys," he told both of them to which Morph let out a long, low whinny. Lex smiled at Katrina. "Thank you, Katrina, for all the help you give me with the kids. Don't know what I'd do withoutt you." It was at that moment he heard Dawson's frantic calls. He turned around to look in the direction the sound was coming from only to see Dawson stumble, fall, and pick himself up.
"You're welcome, Lex," Katrina said. "Any time. We'll keep them a while longer. Looks like your hands are going to be full."
Dawson could see Lex, and he ran so fast that he almost knocked him down. "Faith has run off!"
"Damnation!" Lex muttered before he could stop himself. He looked to where he had seen Clark and Will moments before only to find Clark standing beside him and Will left far behind with an odd look on his face. "Clark? Did you just fly here?" Lex asked him.
"No," Clark answered, looking puzzledly at Lex, "I ran. I'm not a bird, Lex."
"No, but you made the time of a bird in getting here! We've got to go after Faith. She's run off." Lex looked toward Will. "Tell Jack we've gone after Faith! We expected her to run off! We'll return when we can find her."
Will nodded, Lex's words catching him even as he rushed to join the group. "What . . . happened . . . ?"
"She's been fighting with Jack over the kid, and she told Jack she was leaving as soon as she got to land. She never stops to think that this is not the time or the place. There's no telling what kind of dangers lie out there!"
"If Faith's anything like what she seems," Will commented, "she doesn't care what danger's out there. I just hope you can find her."
"Me too," Lex said, "and knowing her, she's rushing head first into danger." He started running with Dawson and Clark close behind him in the direction from whence Dawson had just come.
James had been pacing up and down the beach, looking out toward sea and wondering what was taking his men so long. He wondered if perhaps they were thinking of mutiny and were trying to take the ship. Surely they weren't that stupid? It had taken all of them to bring the ship this far. He looked around and spied Samuel further up the beach, trying to keep an eye on the boys. "SAMUEL, BRING MY SPYGLASS!"
Smee heard his Captain and ran toward him immediately. He stumbled in the sand as he reached him but managed to stay standing, pulled James' spyglass from his trousers, and handed it to him. "What is it, Capt'n?" he asked fearfully.
"The men have been gone an awfully long time. I need to check on them." Bringing the spyglass to his eye, he was not surprised to see the three of them arguing with each other. "I believe they are plotting to steal the ship, but they're even more idiots than I give them credit for if they try it."
"That's right!" Smee agreed heartedly, swinging a fist through the air. "If they try to steal your ship, they're asking for it, Capt'n!"
"They won't be able to handle her by themselves." He grew silent, trying to read the lips of his crew. All of a sudden, his eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at giant tentacles coming out of nowhere, wrapping around the ship, and squeezing it as though it was a ripe tomato. "I'll be damned! I thought they only existed in books!" He gave the spyglass to Smee withoutt a warning.
Smee looked questioningly at James but took the spyglass. His heart nearly stopped as he looked through it to find long, slimy, green tentacles crushing the ship. He froze as he watched the creature rear its ugly head out of the ocean. He trembled as the being tipped the remainants of the ship and shook it, sending the men straight into its waiting mouth. At that, Smee screamed, dropped the spyglass, and leapt into James' arms.
Still holding on to Samuel, James reached down and picked up the spyglass. "What did you see, Samuel?" he asked as he looked at the now-empty space on the ocean. There was nothing there but floating debris.
"It -- It -- It ate them! It just shook them out of the ship and ate them, James!"
"Well . . . They're gone now, ship and all. We had best go look for Captain Jack and tell him what's going on. He's not going to believe this, either."
Smee nodded but did not attempt to move from James' arms. James headed off, carrying Samuel and looking for Jack.
Xena and Gabrielle had been sitting on the shore, discussing how much crap had hit the fan since Aphrodite had visited and left. If Aphrodite had remained a little while longer, they would not be in the shape that they were now. Xena hoped that after Aphrodite learned about their situation, She would take a hand in it and help bring about their rescue. She looked at Gabrielle and then out toward the ocean when she heard the screams. Whoever was out there was doomed, because there was no way to reach there from the shore. They were a long ways out, and not even her keen eyes could tell what was happening.
Gabrielle's gaze followed Xena's, but she could not tell what was happening. All she knew was that the screams were suddenly silenced and the ocean left withoutt a ship again. She made a face. "I'm not sure I even want to know."
"Neither do I," Xena replied, "but from their screams, it was horrible." She glanced up toward movement that was coming toward them and, for a moment, she could not tell what it was. It turned out to be James and Samuel heading their way.
James saw a woman he did not know but recognized as a warrioress due to her clothing. "Have you seen Captain Jack?" he called out to her.
"Not in a while. Is there something I can help you with?" She looked at the tall, thin man who carried the short, fat man and recognized their relationship. It seemed on this trip, she was finding more and more people with open minds.
"I'm looking for the Captain because of what happened to my ship."
"I'm not Captain Jack," Xena told him. "I'm Captain Xena or, at least I was until my ship died. What did happen out there?"
"I'm not really sure, but I believe it was some kind of a monster octopus. It not only destroyed my ship, but it ate the men who were on there. If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it. I was on my way, hoping to find Captain Jack and let him know what was going on."
"I've seen stranger things," Xena noted, "in my travels, but I've never seen a giant octopus. Could it have been something else?"
"Hardly likely, ma'am. It had huge rubbery-looking tentacles that wrapped completely around my ship and crushed it. The only consolation we have is that it can't come on shore."
"Did you see its face?" Gabrielle piped up.
"I did," Smee almost whispered from the safety of James' arms. "It was mighty ugly!"
"But did it look like an octopus?"
Smee nodded in answer to the blonde.
"The last time I saw Jack, he went up the hill to check our surroundings. He hasn't come back down. Perhaps we should go up to him?"
"That sounds like a good ideal, Captain Xena. By the way, my name is Captain James Hook, and this is Samuel Smee."
Gabrielle's green eyes widened as she stared at the two in disbelief. "Captain Hook?" she whispered. "Aren't you supposed to be in Neverland?"
"Yes, ma'am, but we escaped from that horrible nightmare last night during a storm. We are free at last even if we don't have a ship. How did you know of me?"
"A . . . childhood tale." Gabrielle continued to gaze suspiciously up at him. "But what do you mean 'escape'? Didn't you want to be there, to kill Peter Pan?"
"I hate the silly boi, but no, I didn't want to kill him. It was all an act as a punishment. I've been there for an eternity but never of my own choosing."
Gabrielle glanced sideways at Xena, wondering what she was thinking. Had she even ever heard the tale?
"What was the punishment for?" Xena asked.
Hook did not know how much he could trust the other Captain, but he saw no reason for hiding what his crime was. "I was part of a group that tried to take over the world. We were caught, punished, and scattered to the four ends of the earth and beyond. I was sent to Neverland. Never figured out exactly why I was supposed to kill Peter Pan. Something to do with the forces of Good and Evil. And if given the ample opportunity, I would probably have killed the boi. There is no denying that. He is a hateful little brat, most annoying. He cut my hand off and fed it to a crocodile, would you believe! And ever since then, the infernal thing has followed me everywhere, wanting to eat the rest of me! I never did a thing to that brat until he started picking on me for being a Pirate. In fact, my boi, Connor, was rescued from Peter Pan."
Gabrielle looked at Hook in disbelief. "Who would need rescuing from being a Lost Boy?"
"Connor did not fit in with the others and was mistreated by the others. Pan left him out to die in the middle of Winter one year, all because he didn't want to fight us! Smee and I found him and took him home and taught him to be a Pirate. He hates Pan with a passion."
Gabrielle slowly shook her head in amazement. If what Hook was telling them was indeed true, then the tale was completely wrong. Of course, she reasoned, that certainly wouldn't be anything new. Countless bards tended to stretch the truth a bit to make their heroes shine in the best light possible.
"All I can tell you, ma'am, is that yes, I tried to take over the world and I don't regret it. I just regret failing and that I never wanted to have to fight against Pan, but since the minute that Smee and I were delivered there to Neverland, Pan has been a constant thorn in my side and, of course, he's the hero! Always the little hero even though he makes everybody's lives miserable! Still, I bare the lad no malice as long as I never have to look at him again."
Xena took charge and began to lead the others up the hill. Gabrielle paused long enough to look worriedly at the group of survivors that she had intended to tend to but smiled when she found Joxer amongst a group who was doing just what she should have been doing.
Delvira had been watching James in concern as he had been talking rather excitedly with Xena and Gabrielle and she had been walking with Elvira toward Wolf. She had began to wonder if trouble was arising between the four when she saw Xena stand and begin to lead the way toward the hill that led to Gods only knew where. She glanced back to the Jolly Roger and was surprised to find it vanished without a trace as far as her eyes could tell. She started to speak, but Elvira spoke before she could.
"Wolf!" Elvira called as they closed in on the object of her thoughts.
It was then that Delvira felt her sister stumble. "Elvira!" She caught her quickly.
Wolf ran toward the two. He had no ideal what was wrong with Elvira, but upon reaching her, he scooped her up into his arms. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked her worriedly.
"Nothing," Elvira attempted to assure Wolf, her hand gently touching his cheek. "I just lost my footing. It's not easy walking in high heels in this sand."
Delvira shook her head. "Don't start lying to him now," she told her twin. Looking at Wolf, she explained, "She needs to eat. I'll be back in a bit with some blood."
"Okay. I'll watch her for now and forever. We'll wait for you over here in the shade." He carried her tenderly and sat her down, sitting beside her and pulling her into his arms. She was cold and trembling, and he wished he had a coat to put around her. "Don't ever lie to me, Elvira. I know what you are, just like you know what I am. We don't need any secrets between us. I would have went and gotten you some blood if you'd only let me know. I'm not ashamed of you for needing it. After all, you are a Vampire and a very beautiful one, I might add."
Elvira smiled at his words. Despite the cravings that were taking their toll on her, she was about to respond to him with a flirtatious remark when she stopped herself. If she truly wanted to know if she loved Wolf, she needed to know if there could be something to their relationship besides just great looks and even better sex. She needed to know, among other things, if she could trust him. "I . . . " she looked down for a moment. "You may not be ashamed of me, Wolf, but I am. Yes, I'm a Vampiress, but so what? I drink blood, but that's about all."
"What else is there to it?" he asked. "Your body requires blood. I'm not sure how often, but if you tell me, I'd be more than happy to fetch it for you."
She sighed. It was going to be harder to explain herself than she'd thought, but she knew she shouldn't be surprised. After all, she'd never came clean with any one else. "I should be able to get my own blood and to . . . to channel the Vampire. I know Delvira fed herself. She probably just snatched one of the dead and sucked them up, but I just . . . I can't be like her. I don't have that kind of . . . of power . . . of talent . . . "
"The fact remains, darling, that your sister and I are both more than willing to get your blood. Why should you dirty your hands getting it yourself?"
"Because she does," Elvira answered as though the answer were obvious. "Most any -- "
"You don't have to do everything the way your sister does it. You're not your sister. You're you. She doesn't expect you to get it, and even though you're triplets, she probably likes taking care of that little detail for you. It's one of your few weaknesses and maybe she's not as all powerful as you think she is. Just because she's strong in an area you're weak doesn't mean that she's strong in every area. You probably have done many things that she wishes she could do. Have you ever actually talked to her about it? Maybe she could teach you if you're so set on doing it?"
"She offers all the time," Elvira told him, "not only with the regular Vamp stuff but the Sorceress too."
"Then why don't you take advantage of it? It'd probably make you two be even closer, and it'd take her mind off of the King."
"Wolf," Elvira sighed, "I don't want to be just like her. I don't want to follow in her footsteps. I want to be my own woman, but I . . . I want to be as good as she is. I mean, really. Look at her. She's got it all together, and me? Hell, if it weren't for you and the others, I wouldn't even be alive."
"You were raised two different ways, Elvira. You can complement each other. You can teach her the things that she wishes she knew, and she can teach you the things that you want to know. Good bonding time for the both of you."
She shook her head but fell silent as she saw Delvira beginning to return. He just didn't get it. No one did. While she loved Delvira, she wanted to be like her by being able to pull her own life together and not always trying or appearing to be following in her sister's footsteps.
Wolf did not know what to say, but he gave Elvira an extra-reassuring hug. "I see your sister returning," he said.
Elvira nodded but did not try to speak again. When Delvira reached them and bent to give Elvira the pot of blood, Elvira accepted it, thanking her as though nothing had happened and quickly swallowing the blood.
Familiar voices talking around her brought her slowly to, but even when she was conscious again, her eyes remained shut, tears hiding just behind their closed lids. Gods, she had done it again . . . She had known she should have left them when she'd had the chance, but she had failed. Would her stupidity never fail to get good people killed? She pressed her lips more tightly together, silencing a sob, and tried to concentrate on the words around her.
Lorne was sitting, holding Crys, when a young, blue boy materialized in front of him. Jack grinned at the green Demon. "I take it you're Lorne?"
"You must be Jack," Lorne greeted him. "Crys' cousin? Good to see you. Don't know exactly what happened during that hurricane, but it seemed all Hell broke loose. We're lucky to be alive." He stroked Crys' wrist where he held her gently but firmly. She might be out, but even if she was, he wanted to make sure she wasn't going anywhere and he knew she could wake up in an instant and he'd lose her completely.
Jack grinned as he floated, bobbing up and down in the air in front of Lorne. "I've been looking forward to meeting you ever since she told me about you." He then solemned, all traces of boyhood mischievousness and joy vanishing in an instant. "I'm just sorry it happened like this, and that wasn't a hurricane. It was a blizzard."
"That explains the snow. I've never seen any before. You don't have to tell me what caused it. I know. Do you have any clue as to how to get rid of it?" he inquired.
"I wish," Jack breathed in a sigh, "but if I did, I would've done that a long time ago."
"What about any chance of the blue crystals?"
Jack shook his head. "When I found them, there was only two. They're the ones we wear," he explained, fingering the necklace he never took off. "That's why her babies don't have any."
"Where did you find them? What kind of protection spells are on the babies so that it can't find them? Doesn't he just have to lock on to a signature to be able to locate some one?"
Jack looked forlornly at the sleeping wolf, dragon, and lioness. "He could read their signatures if he tried to. He just hasn't yet as far as we know, and she won't give them up because she doesn't trust them with any one."
"That explains what she was telling us earlier. By us, I mean Angel and me. She said she could leave her babies with us. She's still trying to give us the slip. I don't know what to do to convince her that she'll be safe with us, and I don't want to lose her, Jack." He stared intently at the boy. "But I feel I am fighting a losing battle. She doesn't want to be with us. She carries the weight of the world upon her own slim, slender shoulders, and she won't let any one help. What can I do, Jack, to make her want to stay with me?"
"Lorne," Jack said, looking at the man as though he'd grown a third horn, "you must be blind to think she doesn't want to stay. If she didn't, she wouldn't be here now. No amount of strength or anything else can hold her down, not really. It takes her own heart refusing to listen to her mind. You know, I've had Blue fly around the world to come get me all because she's at the end of it all yet again and turning herself to ice. If she didn't want to stay," he repeated, "there's nothing that would make her."
"Then you think she wants to be with me? If that's the case, she's the first. In fact, she's the only woman that's ever been close to me and not freaked out."
"There's not a creature in this world that could freak my cousin. She's seen as much as I have. Heck, even just growing up, she was introduced to practically every type of being you can imagine. She doesn't judge by looks, and she wouldn't care if you had yellow stripes and purple polka dots running through your green skin."
"Any words of advice?"
"Crys is stubborn," Jack admitted, his eyes turning to his cousin, "but she means well. She's only trying to make herself leave in order to protect you and the others, to keep him from killing you all. I know what she's going through. I experienced his . . . plan far before she ever did. That's why I was able to be with her then. What she needs more than anything is some one who'll just listen to her and try to help her by comforting her but understanding where she's coming from. I know it's hard, Lorne," he continued, his gaze turning back to the lovelorn Demon, "but until she breaks down and lets it out -- I mean, really lets it out -- you're not going to get anywhere with her. I know she's been crying, and she hates herself for the tears. But those tears have been held up for over two hundred years."
"Isn't there any one in your world who could stop it?"
"There's one, but he doesn't believe."
"Who is that one?" Lorne asked. "Couldn't you . . . tell him the whole story, make him believe?"
"Crys tried that. Before he attacked her that first time, she was the apple of everybody's eye there. She was to be the next Frost to take my position, and they all loved her. But when she finally got back home and started trying to make them believe . . . They wouldn't listen. They thought she was just making it up, or at least, that's what they convinced themselves of because they didn't want to think that he was evil, that one of their own could be so wicked and heartless. Even Big Red wouldn't listen, and if he won't listen, no one will."
"Big Red? He's the one who can stop him? There's got to be a way to get proof to him that he could see for himself. Have you tried anything?"
"It's nearly impossible to get hardcore evidence on him, but Big Red watches the entire world. He could have seen him by now if he was willing to. I don't know why, but he's running from the truth."
"Who is Big Red?"
Jack's icy eyes met Lorne's red ones. "Santa Claus."
"If he's all powerful as you seem to think he is, why is he not seeing it for what it is?"
"Because he doesn't want to," Jack replied. "There's a thing about humans, about any creature really," he amended himself. "If they don't want to see something, they have this uncanny ability for putting blinders on. I've seen it before many times. Just last week, I saw a guy's head get chopped off by a Troll, and the people in the next wagon didn't even slow enough to take notice."
"I know what you mean. I just . . . want to find a way to help. If we could somehow prove it to him, we could eliminate it."
"Maybe," Jack admitted. "Hopefully. But we can't be certain. He could destroy Christmas instead."
"Surely Big Red would never allow that?"
"He's Santa Claus, Lorne," Jack spoke sadly, "not Zeus. Even he can be killed."
"What happens if he dies? Doesn't some one else take over?"
"He's the one and only St. Nick. If he goes, Christmas goes with him."
"You mean there's no one to succeed him? He doesn't have any children?"
"His children are the world's and the peoples of the North Pole, but he has no . . . " Jack paused, searching for the right phrase, and then resumed, "Technical flesh and blood."
"So he's supposed to live forever?" Lorne asked. "Surely no one can do that, not even Big Red?"
Jack gazed at him. "You'd be surprised."
"You never did tell me where you found the blue crystals."
"The highest mountain," Jack told him. "Not Mt. Everest. Mortals only think that's the highest peak. The highest is actually in the North Pole, about ten thousand feet higher than Everest."
"You looked all over for more and couldn't find any more? I'd like to have a chance to look there myself."
Jack nodded. "I've returned since many times, but I've never found another one. You could go to the North Pole."
"Me? I'd freeze to death up there!"
Jack shook his head. "There are ways to survive. Crys alone could keep you from doing that."
Lorne believed Jack. He figured that Crys could do about anything she set her mind to do, including deal with snow and cold and protect others from it.
"Besides," Jack added, "there's always Happy Valley that you could stay in."
"Happy Valley? What is that?"
Jack grinned. "Sort of . . . Easterland."
"Easter! You mean with the chocolate bunnies and the eggs? Don't tell me there's a real Easter bunny!"
Jack grinned, winked, and gave a little chuckle. "I've a bigger surprise for you too."
"What's that?"
Jack waved a hand toward Crys even as he began to disappear. "She's awake." His body vanished then, leaving only his smile in his wake for a second longer.
"Open your eyes, beautiful, and welcome to a whole new world."
Joxer was pulling his hair out! He just could not believe how things had fallen apart in a matter of seconds! One minute Paige had started crying. Then Piper had tried to comfort her and now was desperately fighting against the tears in her eyes. Carl had gone to try to comfort the two, but he'd only ended up breaking down with his arms around Paige's back. Prue had returned with Phoebe, and he had tried to get a word in edge-wise with Phoebe, but upon seeing their sisters breaking down, they broke down! It was a river of tears, and he was drowning!
Desperately he thought of trying to find some one to handle the problem. He looked for Xena and Gabrielle but did not see them. He knew better than to look for a man. This was definitely not a man situation. Who could he get? Their aunt? He ran calling, "HELP! 'RO, HELP! I'M DROWNING IN A SEA OF TEARS!" It was then that tears began streaming down his own face. He prayed she'd answer soon.
Ororo was finishing filling a second round of pots that Wesley and Winifred were waiting upon when they heard Joxer screaming for her. She turned and was just in time to reach out and stop the man from running right past her. "Joxer," she asked in deep concern, "whatever is the matter?" She could not help wrapping her arms around the poor lad in a gentle, reassuring hug.
Stunned by the gentleness of her hug, it took Joxer a moment to tell his sad tale. "The Halliwells -- are crying a river of tears! We're all going to drown!" The suddenness of her hug had also caused him to stop crying. "What can we do!" his trembling voice asked.
Ororo was not surprised to learn that her girls had broken down; she was only surprised by their timing. Reassuringly patting Joxer's back, she dismissed the clouds with a single thought and spoke first to Wesley and Fred. "Continue caring for the others. If you need more water, come and get me after a bit." Her attention then turned back to Joxer. "Joxer, I know you're upset that they're crying, but, in a way, it's good that they're finally letting their tears out. You know what happened in Port Royal. They lost their mother and grandmother," she gently reminded him, "and nearly every true friend they'd ever known. What I need you to do is to dry your tears, go find Cole and send him to me, and then get Katrina -- " She paused a moment. "That is the black catwoman with red hair, correct?"
"Yes, ma'am. That's Katrina Lewis," he said, hastily trying to dry his eyes. "But I don't know where Cole is. I haven't seen him in a while."
Ororo thought. "I'm sure he's not too far, but see Katrina first. Being a cat, her nose should aid you in finding him, but while you're with her, get her to fix something for Brendan. Knowing that poor boy, when he wakes, his first thought will be for Prue, and I don't think she needs to see him naked right now."
Joxer looked at 'Ro strangely. "I thought he had a kilt? What happened to it?"
"He wolfed."
"Oh." Joxer nodded knowingly. "I've seen that happen. He's ruined some mighty fine clothes. I'll get Katrina." He raced off in search of the catwoman.
Ororo turned her attention to searching for the girls as Joxer ran off. She found them almost instantly and was not surprised to find Carl draped in the middle of them, his arms around Paige's back and Phoebe's unknowingly around both Paige and Carl. Shaking her head sadly, she hurried to join them. When she reached them, she did not speak but wrapped her arms as far around the five as she could get. She wished she could stop their pain and sadness but knew that it was best for them to let their tears run.
Cole had been walking along the beach, wondering how he could present himself to Piper in the daylight. He had no problem at night being her champion and companion. In fact, he loved it, but in the daytime, he feared that she would not want him near. Something on the wind made him turn toward where he had last seen Piper talking to Paige, and he was surprised to find the group huddled. What had happened? He must go forward and find out even if Piper didn't want to see him!
He shimmered to her side and listened to their words and tears. He knew they were grieving for their lost family, but he didn't know how to help. He was surprised that Piper, amongst them all, was quiet. He gazed lovingly at Piper, willing her to look at him. She was still clinging to her sisters.
"Piper," Ororo spoke gently, touching a reassuring hand to her back, "it's okay. You can let them go now. I have them." Her words went unnoticed by the others, but Piper looked up with tears in her eyes. It was then that she saw not only her Aunt Ororo but Cole, as well.
Cole stretched his hand out toward her, hoping she would take it. He knew she would not break down in front of the others. He would take her somewhere so that she, too, could cry.
Piper reached a trembling hand up for Cole's. Her fingers grasped at his even as her mind wondered why he did not run from her weakness.
His hand closed around hers, and he shimmered them to a place on the beach where he had been only moments before. He pulled her close to his side. "I can't help much, Piper. I know your grief is very deep. All I can tell you is that I'll be here for you and offer you a shoulder to cry on. There is nothing weak about tears." He smiled down at her.
Piper did not answer him with words, but within the next few heartbeats, his shirt began to be soaked by her tears as she finally let them run freely.
His hand slipped up and down her back, rubbing her reassuringly. He wished there was more that he could do, but he knew that what she needed now was a chance to vent her tears and know that she had some one that she could lean on. He kissed the top of her head gently and held her tenderly as she clung to him.
Breezes wafted over his body, and the slapping of the waves against the shore played a melody in his ears. It was the scents that met his nose that woke him, however -- the smells of the ocean, the shore underneath him, unfamiliar surroundings, his few friends, but most of all, Prue and the salty scents of tears heralding from the same direction. He woke with a start. "Prue?" Getting instantly to his feet, Brendan forgot all else in his concern for Prue. His narrowed eyes scanned the shoreline until coming to rest on the spot where Prue lay in a trembling huddle on the sand with Phoebe and Paige. He could tell from the scents that intermingled with their natural aromas and the way their shoulders shook and bodies trembled that they were crying. Ororo and Carl clung to the girls, but he dismissed all but Prue in his concern for her.
"Prue," he whispered her name with concerned tears touching his own eyes. He then broke out into a run, heading straight for her and never pausing long enough to give the wolf or the funny breezes flitting throughout his groin area a thought. In that moment, all he cared about was erasing her tears and the pain that engulfed her.
Joxer had barely managed to reach Katrina when Brendan started running. "Hurry!" he pleaded. "Clothes! Brendan!"
She nodded in understanding, spoke a few words, and a pair of sultan pants appeared on Brendan even as he ran. They molded to his muscles but did not feel tight on him.
Celina could not help a giggle even as she lifted her hands from the kids' eyes. Poor Brendan had not even noticed that he was naked -- nor that new clothes had suddenly appeared on him!
Katrina shook her head. "I can't seem to get that darned spell right! The last time it was kilts! This time, it's silk pants! And, believe me, that's the last thing a Werewolf needs -- is silk pants! It's very frustrating, but at least, he's clothed!"
"Thank you," Joxer said, and he turned to run back to Phoebe."
"You're welcome," Katrina called after him.
Julian looked up at Celina and Katrina. "What's a W-We-Werewolf?" he managed to get the word out.
"It's just a nickname," Celina quickly assured the boy.
"Nothing to worry about," Katrina said. "You know Wolf, and you know Brendan. You know that neither of them would ever hurt you. They are both Werewolf." She would not lie to the boy. He needed to know in order to protect himself and his sister.
Confusion shone in the children's eyes, but Julian was the one to voice the question both were thinking. "They have the same nickname?"
"Yes." Katrina decided to let it go at that. They were too young to know the truth of everything.
Brendan was running so fast that he had to dig his feet into the sand to stop himself. He managed to stop but nearly fell across Prue. Instead, after teetering a moment more and then fully regaining his balance, he called out to Prue. "Prue?"
Tears ran down her face, and her mind was clouded with sadness, but she still heard Brendan. She wondered why he had actually come to her instead of running away again. "Brendan?" She looked up at him.
Never taking his eyes from hers, Brendan knelt before Prue. He reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay," he whispered, stroking her hair.
"It's not okay, Brendan! I'll never see them again, and yet I feel them as though they were here still! I feel somehow I failed them!"
Brendan continued to gently stroke her hair as he spoke in a quiet, reassuring voice to her. "You'll always feel them, Prue. That's because they'll never completely leave you. They loved you and you them. That's why they'll always be with you in heart and spirit."
"And you didn't fail them. From what I have heard, your mother -- Gods bless her soul -- " he spoke, choosing his words with extreme care, "chose to walk into that ocean. She chose her death, but had she felt that there was a way to keep you and your sisters from it, I'm sure she would have taken that way. She didn't want you to die, but she felt that you didn't really have a choice. A death at prejudiced hands would have been far worse than a death of your own choosing."
She nodded even as she clung to Brendan. His scent filled her nostrils and helped to ease the pain in her heart. She knew they had a long way to go, but she knew he was her destiny. She gave a silent prayer of thanks for this man and marveled yet again that he had come to her instead of running away.
As Prue fell silent, so did Brendan. He continued to hold her, rocking her gently and stroking her hair even while trying to fight the feelings that she arose in him. Even then, despite his concern for her, the silk of her hair against his roughened skin, her delicious aroma surrounding his nostrils, and even the feel of her small, tender body within his arms threatened to bring feelings to the fore that he knew were best ignored. Yet, even as he fought them, he refused to leave Prue in her time of need.
Joxer knelt beside Phoebe and pulled her into his arms. It had been kind of hard to wrest her away from the rest of her family as they were clinging to her tightly, but he was her man and he wanted to hold her and comfort her. His hand ran down her back gently stroking her, and he pulled her close to him, rocking her. "It's okay, baby. Joxxy's here. I love you, and I'll take care of you."
Phoebe, too lost in her grief and her sisters' pain, did not answer Joxer. She knew he was there, and his reassuring arms around her lifted some of the pain. Yet she could not stop crying or grieving and continued to cling to him and cry.
Ororo looked up from over Paige and Carl to smile sadly at Joxer. She did not speak but nodded to him to let him know her approval. She was thankful to see how much the girls' men truly cared for them.
