Chapter 6
"Now we have something discuss with you Jason," Aaron began once the desserts had been eaten.
Jason looked around at all serious faces and wondered what was going on.
"Why do you all suddenly look so serious?" Jason asked. "Am I suddenly in an alternate universe, even if I don't normally believe in such things?"
"You know that's the rather good comparison," Shonda told Jason with a small smile.
"You see Jason there is a whole would put there that not many people know about," Aaron began, as he had been elected spokesperson since it was his daughter. Aaron begin to tell Jason all about immortals and magic.
Jason kept shaking his head in denial not actually saying that such things couldn't possibly exist that they were fantasy not real.
"Let's just prove it to him as maybe then he'll believe," Minerva spoke up once her father had finished what he was saying.
"We can do that," Jazz offered and made a small movement with her right waist and suddenly a little globe of blue light appeared.
"What!?" Jason exclaimed in shock as a little blue light formed over Jazz's shoulder. Jason looked around the room and nobody else looked shocked in the least and in fact, they looked, as if they had seen this many times before. Everyone was calm and looked not in the least surprised at what Jazz had done.
Much to his astonishment, as if to prove he wasn't seeing things, Shonda did the same thing and when he looked over at Minerva as she flickered her wrist and he saw the same blue light form out of nothingness.
"Well, I guess you proved that one thing you were talking about was real," Jason said feeling very shaky suddenly.
"We're sorry to shock you Jason," Minerva told him not unsympathetically. "We know how hard it is to get people who have no idea that magic or immortality exists to believe."
"Yes, we do," Dave spoke up. He had been rather silent just observing the conversation but making no comment. "We can prove the immortality to you as well."
Jason stared at the little globe of light that was over Minerva shoulder and then glanced at the other two women and their globes. He still looked deeply shocked and no one could blame him for that as Jason's worldview had just taken a dramatic shift to one side everyone was sure. His world had just been turned upside down and inside out, then shaken and stirred.
"Here drink this," Shonda offered. She had gotten up and gone into the kitchen without Jason even noticing. Just showed how out of it he was as normally he would notice if anybody had gotten up and left the room. Shonda handed Jason some tea from the fridge, but what she didn't say was she had poured a restorative powder from her healer nephew into it. Her nephew was a healer and he was helping people in Egypt right now. Egypt was a city that had a mystic history of its own, as they still believed in the supernatural unlike most of the rest of the world.
Her nephew had left some restorative powders with her as well as his parents just in case. They had never had to use them before, but now Shonda was glad that they had them. She would have to remember to thank her nephew next time they talked.
Jason took the cup into his hands that were trembling a little so that the tea sloshed out onto his hand. He took a sip of the tea and color immediately started return to his face. He took another sip as it was pretty good and everybody watched as he finished the cup all without saying a word.
Finally, his hands quit trembling and he gently put the cup down on the table that was in front of him.
"Feeling better," Minerva asked him, even as she gently rubbed circles on his back in a soothing manner.
"Yeah, I am," Jason answered his voice back to normal. "Whatever was in that tea did the trick.
"Well, you've certainly gotten your color back," Dave observed studying Jason.
"We're so sorry we shocked you so badly," Shonda told him from where she had retaken her seat beside Aaron.
"We know your worldview has just taken a rather dramatic shift," Jazz added.
"That's the understatement of the decade," Jason said with a slight smile.
"I'm really sorry to pile all this on your shoulders Jason, but it was important you know about my family," Minerva said.
"Why was it so important?" Jason asked Minerva looking confused.
"You've already mentioned that you had noticed I deliberately put myself in your sight there in that office at the university. The thing is, I did, because you are my mate. Every immortal has one," Minerva nervously explained.
"Mate," Jason said trying out the unfamiliar term. It wasn't that the term was unfamiliar actually, just in the context that Minerva had put it in. He knew that the word was slang for best friend and was used a lot in England and even here in the states. It could also be used by those who were gay to describe their spouse. It was also used on sailing ships for the crewmen, first mate, second mate and so forth.
However, what Minerva seemed to be saying was that they were soulmates. He knew what he had felt the minute he had laid eyes on this beautiful woman, but he had never imagined that she was his soulmate. The idea had just never occurred to him actually, as he wasn't really the fanciful sort. He hadn't even believed in soulmates but how could he not considering what he now knew. What he felt for Minerva was probably triply as strong then what he had once felt for Sarah, his wife. His feelings were very deep and he knew he'd never stop loving this woman at his side. The question however, was could he handle the fact that Minerva wasn't exactly mortal or the fact that she had what this family called magic.
"OK, I think you more than proved that magic is real, as those blue little globes of light... well, I've never seen anything like them before," Jason finally spoke. "If it's some kind of an illusion it's a good one. I know this time is very advanced when it comes to technology and we have holograms, but holograms can't be touched they're just an image made with lasers.
"Here, you're welcome to hold it," Minerva said and sent the witch light in Jason's direction to where it gently landed on his palm. "This ought to prove that it isn't an illusion or a hologram, as you can't touch those.
Jason's hand closed around the global of light and he noticed that it wasn't really hot or cold. He felt the texture but it was just smooth with no other texture or anything to it.
"This is what is known as a witch light," Minerva said once Jason had examined it. "Every magical child can produce one by the time they're five. Some do it earlier of course."
"A witch light is the simplest piece of magic there is," Shonda continued. "It doesn't take much power to produce. It's basically a flashlight, except of course, produced by magic."
"Now, that you have recovered from your shock we can demonstrate our immortality," Aaron offered.
"How exactly?" Jason asked Aaron.
"The normal way is one of us will cut ourselves usually on the hand," Minerva explained. "Deep enough that it would need several treatments with a healing wand and be wrapped up in between. The gash of course, will heal within a few seconds."
"Since I know you probably don't want to see Minerva hurt herself until you're sure what we're telling you is real I'll do the demonstration if you like," Shonda offered.
"That would be good," Jason said. "While I would like to tell you immortality isn't real, considering I just saw the ladies produce what you call a witch light out of thin air. I'll keep my opinion to myself until afterwards."
"I appreciate that," Minerva said.
"We all do," Aaron offered with a small smile. "That you're willing to at least let us demonstrate means you're intelligent and are willing to let us prove it."
"Thanks for doing this mom," Minerva said.
"Of course, honey," Shonda told her with a gentle, loving smile. "No thanks necessary."
Jazz handed Shonda the knife that had been used to cut the tart and she took it without a word. Jason watched closely as Shonda calmly cut the palm of her hand and he could see that it was empty. Jason couldn't help, but notice that Shonda winced when she cut a deep gash in her flesh, which meant immortals could feel pain just like mortals. That they could feel pain, even if it disappeared a lot faster than it did for a mortal made Jason relax a little. It meant immortals weren't so different just longer lived.
Jason watched as the gash, on Shonda's palm, which was fairly deep, heal within a few seconds. Jason blinked and then blinked again trying to believe what he had seen. The palm of Shonda's hand showed no evidence of injury, except for the drying blood, which was turning a dark brown quickly, as the air oxidized the iron in it.
"That was amazing," Jason finally spoke. "So if I'm understanding you right, I'm your mate, but how can I be when I am very mortal?"
"Jazz and I were once as mortal as you are," Shonda spoke up.
"I met Dave first in the town that both Shonda and I grew up in known as Moonlight Gorge," Jazz immediately took over the explanation. "He was just passing through at that time, but when he saw me for the first time he knew that I, was the one, his mate, who he had been wanting to find for a very long time.
"Jazz owned a bakery and had only been in operation for a few years," Dave added taking over the explanation. "I had stopped there for a cup of coffee and I remember snorting at the name of the place as it seemed rather egotistical. It was called Jazz's Stupendous Delights. The tagline read you'll never want to go anywhere else once you taste the delights within. The taste is simply magical."
Jazz said nothing simply smiled.
"I went in and the place was extremely busy so it was clear it was a popular bakery to stop at for a cup of coffee and some kind of treat. Once I had gotten my coffee and the dessert I chose I decided that maybe the owner wasn't just being egotistical, as it was the best cup of coffee I'd ever had before or since and the almond cookie I had also bought was also very good. Certainly much better than those brands you could buy in the grocery store at the time. I found out not much later that Jazz had her own blend of coffee."
"I was at the register for once, since the employee who usually ran it had an emergency involving her son," Jazz continued. "I'm glad I wasn't back in the kitchen that day or Dave and I may never have met. It's possible we would've run into each other at one of the few eating places that Moonlight Gorge had or somewhere else in town, but it's not a sure thing."
"The minute I laid eyes on her I knew," Dave said. "I knew she was my mate, the one woman that would complete me. Just to be clear I'd been around for many centuries by the time I met Jazz and I'll explain another time how I became immortal, because I was once as mortal as you are now, Jason."
"I wasn't exactly eager to get involved with anyone, as I had sworn off men entirely, but Dave broke down every single barrier I had erected around my heart from being hurt again, having no trouble doing so," Jazz said. "I doubt any other man could have gotten past the barriers, at least not as easily as Dave managed. I have never once regretted letting Dave into my life or letting him turn me immortal. I've been very happy for centuries now."
Everybody took turns telling the rest of their history and they only gave Jason the bare bones of it. They could explain more in-depth later when Jason wasn't so overwhelmed.
"So you want to turn me immortal than," Jason finally said seeming to be going over the story in his mind.
"Yes, that's it exactly," Minerva answered before anyone else could. "I love you and I know you love me."
"I do, but living for centuries isn't all it's cracked up to be, I'm sure," Jason said.
"While that's true, it's why all of us keep ourselves busy," Jazz said. "For me that's opening a bakery every time Dave and I move somewhere new. Baking treats for others to enjoy is my passion and my life's work. That I've made a fortune over the centuries is only a secondary consideration, since Dave would never allow me to do without."
"As for me, I own an antique shop and it's been in my family for generations. It had been open for several generations before I was even born," Shonda said. "It's called Walters Antiques and much like Jazz I start up a new antique shop whenever Aaron and I move somewhere new. I only buy and sell real antiques, even if that is mostly smaller items, though I do sell some furniture and other large items."
"It makes our immortality a bit less boring if we keep ourselves busy. You can always teach at another university whenever you and Minerva move somewhere new," Aaron said.
"I'm sure that would require me taking some courses," Jason said thinking about it. "We're learning things about criminology all the time and so the courses at colleges get updated every few years."
"We'll figure it out Jason," Minerva assured him. "If you want to continue teaching once you're immortal that's OK with me. If that's not your true passion and you want to do something else then that's OK too."
"I only fell into teaching, because I wanted to be home with Sarah and Stephen, especially my son. Originally, I was thinking about joining the FBI, the BAU specifically."
"They travel a lot though," Dave mentioned and Jason nodded.
"Yes, they do, which is why I eventually decided against it. Once Sarah died Stephen needed me more than ever, as you just can't leave a 14 year old on their own for days at a time. While I'm sure some friends of mine wouldn't have minded looking after him, seeing he got to school and ate, Stephen probably would've resented me, even more than he does currently."
"No, 14 year old feels like they need a babysitter," Shonda said amused. "I'm sure that's what it would've felt like to Stephen if you had gone that route."
"If I was going be gone for only a few hours no, he didn't need a babysitter, but if I was gone with the BAU where I could be gone for a week or more that's different," Jason said.
"I'm certainly glad you never joined the BAU, as we might not have met if you had and that would've been tragic," Minerva said.
"I have to admit yes, it would have been. I was going to follow my father, who was a detective on the police force before he joined the FBI late in his career."
"So is your father still alive?" Aaron asked him.
"No,"Jason shook his head. "My father died over 10 years ago and my mother a few years later. She died from a broken heart. She stopped eating properly and there was no one there to look after her. I offered to hire someone to help her out, make sure she ate, but she turned me down. She told me not to worry about her that she'd be fine."
"That's what every mother tells her son when something like the death of a loved one happens," Shonda said with sympathy in her expression.
"You know something about that kind of tragedy," Jason observed seeing Shonda's expression.
"My father died shortly after I met Aaron and was around just long enough to see his first grandson born before he passed away not long afterwards. We named the child Michael after my father and that pleased him a great deal. He also knew Walters Antiques would continue for a very long time, as he knew what Aaron was and what I had become. I still miss my father, though not every day like I used to, as we were close."
"We've all suffered tragedy at one point in time," Jazz told Jason. "My parents eventually passed to, though unlike Shonda's mother and father they were healthy until they simply died of old age. When they had passed we all moved away from Moonlight Gorge, even though my two brothers and my sister were still alive."
"I'm sure you realize we can't stay in any one place too long since we don't age," Dave said and Jason nodded.
"I hadn't thought that far ahead, but yes, I see what you mean," Jason agreed.
"I think Jason has enough to think about for right now," Minerva spoke up. "We can tell him more once he has time to absorb what he now knows."
"Yes, I think you're right," Shonda said studying Jason intently.
"Minerva can explain most things to you if you ask her a question and if she doesn't know then she can ask us or you can," Aaron told Jason.
"I trust you won't say anything about what we told you," Dave added.
"No one would believe me even if I did," Jason said.
"Maybe, maybe not, but they are people out there that believe in the supernatural," Shonda said. "We all live quietly for a reason Jason."
"I won't say anything," Jason said. "I swear I won't. I won't say I wasn't shocked that such things as immortality and magic exist, but so long as you mean me no harm I'll keep your secret."
"My family would never harm you," Minerva said.
"I don't think that's what Jason meant sweetie," Shonda said gently. "You have enough experience in the world to know that some people will betray their own mother for the opportunity to get ahead or to become rich or for a lot of other reasons."
"No, it's not," Jason agreed kissing Minerva's cheek.
Minerva relaxed and smiled at Jason. Her smile was tinged with relief that he had accepted immortality and magic, even if he had been deeply shocked at first.
"You'll always be welcome to visit," Aaron told Jason, "with or without Minerva. You are one of the few mortals who knows our secret."
"I won't be mortal for long," Jason said and Aaron nodded.
"True, but that can wait a few days even a few weeks if necessary, as I know you have a lot to absorb," Aaron offered.
"We'll see you sometime," Minerva told her family as she and Jason prepared to leave. The two of them headed for the hotel room that they had rented for the next couple of days.
"Let us know how everything goes," Shonda told her daughter and Minerva nodded.
What Shonda didn't say was Minerva was to tell her as soon as she told Jason about her ability to see the future as that hadn't come up and quite frankly Jason had enough to think about so that could wait a few days.
"I will," Minerva confirmed, even as she and Jason left her parents home.
~~~Jason and Minerva~~~