"Hello?" Skyler called into the silence. She's waited the hour, then had migrated to the meeting place. She had no idea what to expect.
"Skye!" A familiar small voice called. It was faint, sounding as if it were far away, but she could hear it.
"Liam?" She called out, her eyes straining to see in the darkness. "Liam, where are you?"
"Up here!" He answered, and Skyler felt her heart stop.
There, above the courtyard, on one of the high towers, stood Liam. He waved a hand at her, leaning way too far out.
"Stay there, buddy," Skyler shouted, running for the steps that would take her up to him. "Don't move!"
"I'm gonna fly!" He called.
"What?" Skyler stopped, fear freezing her feet halfway up the stairs.
Suddenly, Liam was airborne.
"No!" Skyler screamed, then raised her arms as if she could catch him. There was no way. She would never be fast enough, strong enough.
Suddenly, Liam's descent began to slow.
"Oh, please, please, please," Skyler chanted.
Liam's fall was slowing, but not enough. He was going to hit the stone ground.
She waited until he was almost level with her, then she dropped her arms and leapt. She wrapped her arms around him, turning in mid-air so that she would be the one to hit the ground and hopefully cushion him so that he would be safe.
She closed her eyes and waited for them to hit. At this height, halfway to the tower top…
Strong arms caught them. It was jarring, but not the deadly hit she'd been expecting.
"That was fun!" Liam said. "Can we do it again?"
Skyler was still afraid to open her eyes.
Especially when Goliath's furious roar echoed from above.
"Uh, oh," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
She opened her eyes and found that it was Brooklyn who had caught them.
"Oh, thank the Gods," She said throwing her arms around his neck. "You caught us."
"Yeah," Brooklyn said, wearily eyeing Goliath who had landed and was currently being assured by Broadway and Lexington that, no, his son hadn't really been in danger. "About that…"
"Very well done," Owen said from behind them.
Skyler blinked from him to Broadway and back again. "This was your test?" she demanded. "Seriously?"
"I had to see if you would be able to call upon your power if there was a danger to Liam," Owen said with a shrug. "It seems that if you truly believe that someone's life is at stake, your power comes instinctively."
"Meaning?" She asked.
"Meaning that Oberon may have taken some of your power," Owen said, that gleam coming again, "but he took only a little of it. A Halfling's portion, really."
"But…" She started, only to stop, puzzled.
"It seems," Owen said, "That both your mother and father must have been fae. You aren't a Halfling, just an untrained, full blood fae."
Goliath came storming up to where the four of them were, and Skyler became suddenly aware that she was still in Brooklyn's arms.
She began to struggle to get out, holding Liam the whole time. "Put me down," She hissed.
"Not a chance," Brooklyn said with a grin. "You're my shield."
"Goliath," She said hurriedly, "I am so sorry…"
"This was not your idea, I am sure of it." He threw a deadly look at Owen.
"We had to find out what had prompted Miss Henrick's sudden display of power," Owen said. "It seems that we may have found it."
Skyler gave Liam a brief hug, before turning the boy over to his father.
"Let's not tell Elisa about this," Goliath said, quietly.
"Tell me about what?" Elisa said, smiling as she came through the door.
"Mama," Liam shouted, squirming in his father's hands to reach for his mother. "I flew!"
Elisa's steps faltered for just a moment. "Okay," She said. "With who?"
"Skye!" He announced excitedly.
Elisa gave Skyler a glance. "Do I want to know?"
Skyler looked up as the offending parties were slowly backing away.
She laughed. "I'll explain later," She promised Elisa.
"In other words, I don't want to know," Elisa said with a sigh.
"Probably not," Skyler agrees.
"I would like to have Miss Henrick to begin training lessons with Alexander Xanatos," Owen said.
"Really?" Skyler exclaimed.
"Yes," Owen said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It wouldn't do to have such untapped power loose on the city, with no way to control it."
"It's not a bad idea," Elisa said, softly. "You can take your training lessons with Alexander, and bring Liam to the castle with you, so you won't have to worry about him. He can play with Christopher in at monstrosity of a toy room, and you can have some hands-on training."
"I am sorry for any trouble I caused you," Skyler rushed to get out.
"Skyler," Elisa said, putting a supportive hand on Skyler's arm. "You saved 2 lives. Probably more, if I'm being honest. I'm sorry that you're getting thrown into the media mess, but I'm glad you were there to help. Both mother and child are alive, and the driver was able to get medical attention before his condition worsened. Whether science or sorcery, I'm glad you were able to help."
"But I've caused so much trouble," Skyler cried. "The pictures…"
"You're a hero," Elisa interrupted her. "No seeone recognized you, thanks to the costume, so you're safe."
"But I could be recognized," Skyler stated. "And bring even more attention to you. They could follow me, and put together the connection with being here, and the Gargoyles…"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Elisa said simply. She set Liam down on the ground, "Go get your daddy, and have him take you to go play with Alex and Christopher," she told her son, then turned back to Skyler. "One thing I've learned in the last few years, is not to deal with the 'what if's'. It will just burn you out. Deal with the here and now. Focus on the important stuff, and we will handle the rest together."
Skyler nodded.
"And right now," Elisa said, looking over Skyler's shoulder, "It looks like someone's waiting to talk to you, so I'll just…" Elisa gestured to where some of the clan had gathered and were tossing a gleeful Liam in the air and catching him.
Skyler turned and found Brooklyn there, alone, waiting patiently to talk to her.
Skyler drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Despite the sleep she'd gotten during the day, she was suddenly so tired. She didn't want another scene with Brooklyn, but didn't know how to avoid it.
He approached her almost hesitantly. "Skyler, just let me say this one thing, and if you don't want to talk to me after, I'll shut up."
"Okay," Skyler said, bowing her head, and letting her hair fall forward as if it were a curtain to hide any lingering emotions that may be on her face.
"You were right," he said in a rush. "I was wrong to make such a big decision on my own, without talking to you. I was just trying to protect you, and chose the worst possible way to do it."
"But, why?" Skyler asked quietly.
"Demona," Brooklyn bit out. "When she was being held here at the castle, she made threats towards Elisa and any other human involved with the clan. I have been alone so long, that having someone to care about is still new and frightening. The thought of something happening to you…" He reached out and one side of her hair behind her ear, and seeing the tears on her cheeks broke what resolve he had. "Skyler," he said, gathering her to him in a desperate embrace. "Don't cry." He said softly, for her ears only. "I love you."
A sob escaped Skyler then. She brought her arms up, and held him close with a desperation all her own.
"I was so scared," Skyler sobbed into his shoulder. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose you, and the only real family that I've had for so long."
Brooklyn stroked her hair and held her as she cried, ignoring the rest of the clan as they silently filed past to give them privacy.
"I'm here," he said into her hair. "And I'm not going anywhere. Never again."
For the rest of the night, the two stayed in the courtyard talking, embracing and just being with each other.
By the time the sun rose that morning, they had mended all misunderstandings between them, and began talking about their future together.
Once the clan was asleep for the day, Owen, Skyler and Elisa had put together a schedule for her training.