Jack and I manage to peel away from each other long enough to star headin to camp. Emmi is the first to leap at Jack. He ruffles her hair and kisses the top of her head. I start to think about Jack with a baby. How good of a father he would have been. If the opportunity hadn't been snatched away from him an Molly like a hawk catching a field mouse so fast the creature ain't got time to blink. Lugh gives Jack an empty glance, he still blames Jack fer us getting in all this mess in the first place. Molly smiles at him from where she sits with Ash and Creed, the two of them sit stone faced but they give Jack a nod. Slim jaunties on over with fire gleamin in his good eye.
"Well my good folk I say we should head on back" He says mounting that ridiculous wagon. Jack spots Hermes and mounts him. He reaches out his hand and I take it. His hand is rough an calloused hand is such a striking difference from DeMallo's smooth fingers. The guilt hits in the pit of my summick like churning led. I lean my head against his shoulder in spite of this. He says he accepts me through all that I've done but the question is…Can I accept myself?
We ride long into the night till we reach Cassie an Bram's home. Molly suggests that I lag behind but no I have to do this. Lugh steps out of the wagon.
"I gotta tell her I killed him" He say low his voice barely above a whisper. I grip his wrists hard and make him look at me.
"We don't know that fer sure an it's high time you stop feelin sorry fer yerself an buck up. You need to be strong fer Emmi an fer Tommo." I say motioning towards the two with my head. Emmi is asleep laying against Tommo's shoulder. He peers off into the distance an I realize he really is a man. I heartbroken man and I'm the cause of it.
Lugh and I walk up to the front door. Lugh's hand wavers, shaking above the door. So I knock for him. Cassie opens the door immediately with excitement shinnin bright in her eyes. She esspects to see Bram and she knows immediately what has happened and her face crumbles.
"Get off my property" she says through teeth. I step forward an Cassie throws a bottle, she means to aims it at me but she misses her mark and barely manages to graze my shoulder. I bow my head.
"He died decent, a warriors death. We're so sorry fer yer loss" I say before I take Lugh by the arm and steer him away from the grieving woman. We immediately set forth towards Lost Cause, Jack needs to say G'bye. Molly told Emmi the story an Emmi held her close to her scrawny body. An odd sight to see, a beautiful strong woman being comforted by a child. I don't think it's right proper to call Emmi a child, she is wiser than most. Hell, she's wiser than me. The road is long and the sulfur rains greet us as we reach the ruins.
There is something standing in the middle of the rummage. A light speck is sitting on the dark earth, waiting. Jack hops off Hermes and heads towards the thing. It's a little girl, I start walking behind him. The girl's head jerks up as she hears our approach. Her tangle of black curls is soaked by the filthy rain but those eyes are what draw me in. She stands and I see she had a burn scar on her left leg.
"Is any of yous Jack or Molly?" She asks her voice shaking and bird like. She is shiverin but I doubt that it's only from the cold. Molly and the others join us. Nero circles the girl, she seems to be no more than seven year old. Molly looks to Jack her hand covers her mouth as if she sees a ghost.
"Who wants to know?" Jack answers. The girl coughs and she looks to Jack pleadingly, with her identical eyes.
"Gracie" She breathes. Molly struggles to choke back a sob, I hold her up to keep her from falling. She leans on me heavily, clutching on to me fer dear life. Jack's face turns beat red.
"Listen kid, tell who ever sent you here to piss off. Our Gracie is dead, long dead" He growls with fierce rage in his eyes. But I see a part of him questioning a maybe even hoping. The girl shakes her head and tears begin to stream down her face.
"No, no please. It's me Gracie. I didn't die, the hag that took me poison as a baby to make it look like I was dead. But I ain't you see. They took me, try to raise me as they own cuz they had no children. The lady that took me got pregnant later. She didn't want me anymore. Kept me as a slave, one of the maids told me the truth. Told my momma and daddy's names was Jack and Molly an I could find them at lost cause. Here I am. Please." She pleaded dropping to her knees. Molly escapes from my hold on her and tries to go for the girl. Jack holds her back, his eyes is brimming with burning tears.
"We burned Gracie so she could go into the stars, how do you explain that?" Jack asks his voice high. Lugh has gone pale he looks to me. I am at a loss as well but then again, it wouldn't be the first time the dead come back. Not from my experience. The girl sighs tiredly.
"I was wrapped in a white cloth and put on the pew. When ya'll wasn't looking the lady that nabbed me made the switch. A dead pig I think she said" The girl snorted. I knew what she was thinking, she was no better than a pig.
"Our Gracie had a birthmark, a big purple one on the back of her neck. If you are her let's see it." Molly challenges now standing up straight her arms crossed. The girl only smiles, she lifts up her mane of ebony hair an bares her neck to everyone. I gasp, an there it is a big purple stain on the back of her neck. That's all Molly needs to charge headlong for Gracie. She picks up her daughter and cradles her close training kisses in her hair. Jack hesitates and I shoulder him in the back. He looks to me unshead tears still in his eyes.
"You better git over there before I slap you silly in front of yer daughter." I say with a smile. The tears begin to fall and he is with her in a moment. He surveys her small heart shaped face.
"Hi, Daddy" Gracie says a hopeful grin on her face. Jack kisses her forehead and hugs her so tight I don't think he'd ever let her go. I turn to give them some privacy.
"Saba, wait." Molly calls an I am shocked. She motions me over with her hand. I crouch in front of the little girl.
"Gracie, baby this is Saba. She is yer Daddy's true love." Molly says proud as I ever did see her an Jack's cheeks stain bright pink. Gracie looks confused and huddles close to her mother. I vouch and try to smile.
"Now, now sweetheart. Here is the thing about yer Daddy an me. We ain't never been in love. But we are the best of friends. Saba here claimed your Daddy's heart and a man named Ike claimed mine. I wish you coulda met him." She say a bit regretfully. Gracie gives me a hard look, one very similar to her mother's.
"You better treat my daddy right" She threatens. We all can't help but laugh.
"You got it kid" I say reassuringly. I ain't never seen Jack so happy then at this moment. I feel something grip my hand and it's Jack. He grips my hand tightly an then brings it to his lips.
"I love you" He mouths.
"You better" I say an toss him a sly wink.