ZEDD

Once I'm certain Thomas is safely being tended to I toss our bags and staves up to David as there is no way I'm leaving anything behind. I'm actually pretty proud of myself that I remembered Thomas' tribal garb as well. Doing one more quick survey of the place I'm finally satisfied I have everything and signal to them I'm ready. They toss the rope back down and I climb up. Just as I stand up, I feel Thomas' absolute terror through the bond. "Thomas." I see David's puzzled look as I turn away. "Something's wrong."

I allow the bond to pull me toward my mate, but in another moment that's not even necessary. "ZEDD!"

I see Sam backing people away from Thomas even as he speaks soothingly to him. "It's all right, young one. You don't have to."

"Thomas!" I call out just as I see my mate drawing another breath, no doubt to summon me again. I take him into my arms quickly, barely able to hold him, he's shaking so hard. "I'm here, love. It's all right."

He grabs the front of my shirt. "No hospital, Zedd, please no hospital. I'll be fine. The powers will heal me. Please don't make me go. Don't throw me away. Don't let them have me again."

"Easy, love. Easy. It's all right. I won't let anyone take you anywhere you don't want to go, but you have to calm down."

An unfamiliar voice cuts in. "He needs to have scans done on his head."

Tightening my hold on him as there are just too many humans around for my liking with how panic stricken he is, I turn my attention to the unfamiliar man. "He'll be all right. It's just a concussion, right?"

"I don't know. It might be or it could be something worse."

I return my attention to the begging man still in my embrace as he continues. "No, no hospitals, you promised, never again. Please, Zedd. I'll be okay. Please don't get rid of me. I promise I'll be all right."

"Shh, Thomas, I'm not going to get rid of you. You're stuck with me, remember? Why-"

Sam's softer tones cut through his. "He can't see, Zedd."

"What?"

"He can't see" Sam repeats calmly. "The injury he sustained has affected his vision. He can't see anything at the moment."

"I'll be okay, I swear, Zedd please don't let them take me."

And now I understand what's going on. They found out he can't see and, not knowing about the powers he holds and that they can heal him, they're insisting that he go to the hospital. I really don't know what to tell them so that they understand and don't think that we're being negligent. I decide to gamble on the elder man's wisdom. "Sam."

The old man nods at me. He turns to the young man that I'm assuming is the doctor and speaks to him quietly while I go back to calming Thomas. David joins me in reassuring him. "Don't worry, little brother. They'll have to go through Sam, me and Zedd before they can lay a hand on you."

My mate doesn't seem to hear. His pleas soften, but don't stop. Even with me trying to calm him through the bond, he's not really settling down much. I look at David. "I need to get him somewhere quiet - away from the crowd and them." I nod at the medical personnel standing nearby.

He nods in return. "Our cabin suffered very little damage. We'll go there."

I pick Thomas up, talking soothingly to him as David and I swiftly head for the building. Once inside, he shows me to Thomas' room. "David, keep everyone away for a while so that I can calm him down. You or Sam is fine, but nobody else."

He leaves after acknowledging my request. I sit on the bed and settle Thomas in my lap. I switch to Eltarian even as my hold tightens, hoping to make him feel more secure. Gentle kisses on his forehead and cheeks seem to help even more, as does running my fingers through his hair. Finally, he settles down, but he doesn't release his hold on my shirt.

I continue to do the same things, hoping to keep him calm. I know, too, that if I let him speak he's going to apologize for freaking out and it really isn't necessary. After a little longer, he relaxes against me. I'm fairly certain that he's fallen asleep and I'm not about to disturb him. I know that much of what we do is to keep up appearances that he's still fully human, but to hell with it this time. Let him sleep so that the powers can - hopefully - heal him. I hold him for a bit more before I lie him down on the bed and then sit next to him, taking his hand in mine. I'd like to lie with him, but when his family returns, they don't need to see him draped all over me - mostly for his sake really.

I've gotten completely lost in my thoughts when I hear Sam call me softly. I look around to find him in the doorway. "He'll be fine, Zedd, I'm sure. Come. Let him rest a bit on his own, stretch out before you cramp up and then you can return to him. You won't be far."

I can't help but hesitate. After all, he usually rests this well only when I'm near him once he's gotten this upset. Although the elder does have a point - my back is getting a little stiff. "Perhaps just for a short while."

I press a kiss to Thomas' hand, which makes him smile and set it next to him, pull the cover over him and stand up. I stretch and my back cracks in several places. I follow Sam out of the room and into the kitchen, pulling the door mostly shut behind me. I sit in the chair at the table that he indicates and watch him as he pours coffee for us both before he joins me.

When I finally do speak, it's the last thing I intend to say. "Thomas has forbidden me to do this vision quest thing."

Sam nods calmly. "I expected that he would try." I raise an eyebrow at this. "From what the spirits tell me, you are not easily commanded."

"That's true" I agree. "But I don't understand why he's so insistent. He hasn't explained any of it to me."

"Before I returned to the cabin, one of the other elders approached me. There are other ways for you to be accepted without that - other tests that you can take that will offer the same results of being accepted by the tribe."

"Honestly, it only matters to me if it matters to Thomas."

"Since he wasn't raised with our traditions, I doubt it will matter to him all that much."

There's something in his voice that tells me that it would matter to him, though. "And what about you?"

He studies me for a long minute. "While I would like to see it happen," he admits "I also agree with Tommy that it should not be at the possible expense of your well being."

"Thank you." Granted, I have no doubt that his concern is more due to Thomas than myself, but I'll take it just the same. Although, I really could do without all his cryptic spirits talk. He reminds me too much of Dulcea when he does that. "What all have these 'spirits' told you about me?"

He gives me a knowing smile. "They tell me that you are reckless and rebellious at times, but very protective of Tommy. Through them, I can understand the depth of your feelings for him and his for you. You will still have trials ahead and while they do not give me details, they tell me that your trust and faith in one another will see you through them together." He falls silent for a moment. "What you two have - and what it will grow into - many humans search their whole lives for and never find, settling for what they can get. Do not take what you have for granted."

A FEW HOURS LATER

I'm sitting outside with David, not far from the house, talking. I've, surprisingly, been so caught up in the conversation that I'm startled to hear my mate's voice in the kitchen through the slightly open back door. "Hey, Sam."

I can't help the smile at his 'not very awake' voice. I'm about to rise and join him when suddenly David puts his hand on my arm, stopping me. He presses a finger to his lips indicating that I should be quiet. I frown, but do as he's asked - for the moment. Obviously, there's a reason behind what he's doing, but what is it? I get the feeling that I missed something when Sam suggested the two of us come out here. I return my attention to the conversation in the kitchen.

"What are you thinking about, young Falcon?"

"Sam, do you remember the last time I was here before I went to the island?"

"Hmm. Vaguely. Why?"

"Remember I had just broken up with Jessica? We'd had that discussion about finding 'The One'."

"Oh, yes. What about it?"

"I dreamed that I found that One." Okay, now you have my undivided attention.

"Really? Tell me about them."

His voice still has that sleepy quality that tells me that he's not fully with the program just yet. "I only remember flashes, but there was something telling me that this was the person I've been looking for." He pauses for a minute. He speaks slowly. "I remember - black hair, dark eyes. He was - familiar somehow." It's quiet for a minute and I feel a small jolt that tells me he's just come completely awake. "Oh!"

Sam sounds amused. "What is it, young one?"

"It wasn't a dream. I mean, it was but it wasn't. That's why things are moving so fast with Zedd. It's kind of like we're making up for lost time, you know? He's my one."

"Very likely."

Thomas' voice softens. "I saw my parents, too. Both sets."

Sam speaks with an intensity I've yet to hear from him. "What did they say, Tommy?"

"They didn't speak. It was more like feelings. I think that they're proud of me, they love me and that they approve of him. There was a little bit of worry there too, but I don't think it was anything out of the ordinary - at least for parents."

"If they do ever speak in your dreams, or anyone else who has passed, pay close attention. They'll be trying to tell you something important, no matter how silly or strange it might seem."

"I'll remember. There was another woman with them too, but I don't know who she was. It was almost like she was - judging me, but she didn't speak either."

"Did she accept you?"

"No, it was more like she was going to still be watching me." The pair of them fall quiet for a minute. Then, "Where's Zedd?"

"Outside with David. Finish your coffee, Falcon. They'll not kill each other in the next few minutes. Also, I was thinking that your bed is still entirely too small for the two of you to rest comfortably."

Thomas sighs softly. "I know but what else can we do? The ground is far too wet to set up a tent. The room is too small to put up any bigger bed or an air mattress, even if we had one."

"I think David has an air mattress that he's used to go camping sometimes when he doesn't want to go 'full native' as he puts it. We could disassemble your bed for tonight, lean the pieces up against the wall and, if necessary, move the nightstand and dresser a bit and it should fit for tonight. We'll worry about better accommodations tomorrow."

"We'll see. Maybe we'll just head for home tomorrow. I still have a few things to take care of before the holidays. If it's okay with Zedd, we can come and see you again - at least for a day - before we leave the planet."

"There's no rush for you to leave, Tommy. Also, I've spoken to one of the other elders, and the vision quest isn't necessary for Zedd to be accepted. There are other ways."

The relief in his voice is obvious. "That's good."

"Also, your Jeep survived the storm quite well. As sorry as I am that you got hurt, young one, I'm also glad that the mudslide didn't go the other way. If it had, it would have damaged more than half the village and blocked the road out. The last time the road was blocked to vehicles for a week."

"Then my injuries were a small price to pay. I'm sure that supplies - and Zedd's patience - would have gotten thin before the road could be reopened." Sam starts to protest, but Thomas cuts him off. "I know that's not what you meant, but it's still true."

An hour later, Thomas and I are settled on our makeshift bed. It's not a lot bigger than his regular bed, but it's enough. He snuggles into me and I squeeze him lightly, grateful that he's all right once more. We've not traded more than a few kisses, as I know that he'd be uncomfortable mating with his family so close by. I'm surprised when he slides his hand down my body, cupping me gently. He whispers in my ear. "I know you probably need me. If you can be quiet, I'll get you off."

Before I can answer him, he slips under the covers. He draws his tongue along me and it's all I can do to hold back my moan. As he continues to work my body, I know I'm fighting a losing battle. I don't want to stop him and, with his skills, I can't be quiet so I do the only thing I can - grab a pillow and hold it tightly over my face. And I'm just barely in time as he takes me in as deeply as he can. Oh, the little tease is doing everything he can to draw this out, too. I'm almost ready to beg him to finish me when he changes to a more purposeful movement. It's not long after that when I shout my release into the pillow, hoping against hope - again for his sake - that it's thick enough.

Before I catch my breath, Thomas has moved up to lay beside me again. I can hear the suppressed laughter in his voice as he says softly, "Feel better now?"

"I will when you do."

I reach for him, but he stops me. "Mate, I don't need it and I'm not - well, not really in the mood for that."

"What?"

"I'm not in need right now. You were. It's okay." He lays against me as he usually does and I can feel that he's not lying or exaggerating about not wanting anything. It's unusual for him - well, either of us really - but I'm not going to force him if he doesn't want to. "I'll let you know if anything changes, kalleimat, I promise."