“Mo gra” he whispered hoarsely “mo bean chéile.” He sincerely hoped he looked like he was smiling, and not grimacing in pain. He trembled as he felt her warm, soft hands caressing his suddenly cold flesh. He guessed she must have felt it too, as she immediately summoned several quilts to the bed. “No, gra, ….you….I need your warmth.” he croaked out as he futilely tried to escape his quilt cocoon. But he needn’t have worried, it seemed she was more than willing to share her warmth with him.

He sighed with contentment as he felt her hot lips lock over his, her heat all but pouring into him as she kissed him with a passion that left him speechless. He felt himself melting as her hands once again returned to his face, cupping it in her small hands as she deepened the kiss. “Sirius, you had me so worried.” she choked as she held back her tears. “I thought I had lost you forever.” she explained, only to kiss him again as she quickly found herself at a loss for words.

“Does this mean we can ’be’ together now?” Sirius whispered between kisses, smirking as he saw the mildly shocked, yet amused look on her face.

“I don’t believe you,” she sighed, shaking her head, “back from the dead and the only thing on your mind is sex. A true man without a doubt.” she quipped, but the barely contained tears in her eyes said more than any words ever could. They spoke of her fear and of her relief, of the doubts she hid within her, and the trust she was longing to place in him once more.

“I love you.” was his only reply. He slowly reached out for her with one shaky hand, only to wince as a lightening bolt of pain coursed through his body. Before he could even register the full extent of the pain, she was there, her arms wrapped around him, comforting and soothing him with her words and her touch. “How bad?” he asked weakly.

“Very, very bad.” Cat whispered back, kissing his face gently as she pulled back the quilts and carefully helped him to sit up. “I’m worried about you, Sirius. Your body has been through so much…..I don’t know if I have the skill to heal you…”

“Shhh, of course you do.” Sirius cooed as he leaned heavily on her shoulder, his arms hanging limply by his side. He was having such a hard time staying focused and awake, but he was terrified that if he fell asleep now it would be the end of him. “Wha…what are …you.”

“Hush, Siri, conserve your strength.” Cat insisted, her voice soft and low as she slowly rubbed more salve into the wounds near his shoulder. “It will help stop the bleeding and ease the pain. I’ll have to wrap you as well. Do you think you can withstand the pain a bit longer?”

He tried to laugh, but it came out sounding like the half-hearted bark of an old dog. ‘withstand the pain’ that was all he had been doing for years, he could do it a little longer, especially when it was her inflicting it. So the salve stung a bit, so he was uncomfortable sitting like this, so he felt as if half of his face had been burnt off, who cared? Right now, all he knew was that it was her fingers gliding over his skin, her arms holding him tightly, pausing to stroke his hair and coo softly into his ear whenever she felt him flinch or moan with pain. “Marry me…” He sighed as he felt her tense momentarily, it appeared she still hadn’t changed her mind about that.

Cat’s heart nearly shattered as she heard his throatily whispered proposal. Zeus, how she wanted to say yes, to put aside all the worries and responsibilities of her clan and simply follow her heart. Gods, it could very well be the last thing he ever had the chance to ask from her. As happy as she was to see him awake, she knew the road to his recovery would be long and hard, and the cold winter winds would not help him any. Rubbing her cheek against his, she sighed softly “Siri….if my father saw you like this, I’d be afraid to hear what his response would be.” She would have said more, but she was stopped by a sudden pain in her abdomen, followed by what could only be described as a ‘fluttering’ feeling.

“Gra? What is it?” Sirius asked. He tried to lift his head from her shoulder and look at her, but his body felt so heavy to him, so ‘dead’. “Gra?” he pleaded, waiting anxiously for her to respond to him.

“Its nothing, Siri, just a cramp….you know, woman’s world and all.” Cat replied, not entirely sure that he believed her. She closed her eyes as she carefully embraced Sirius and thought of the probable reason for the sudden quickening in her womb. It certainly didn’t feel like a menstrual cramp, and it had been so long since she lost her baby, she couldn’t remember if this is what it had felt like.

As they rested against one another, an image of Siri playing happily with a curly black haired, green eyed baby flashed through Cat’s mind. Could it be? Could she finally be with child after all this time? Almost absentmindedly, her lips found Sirius’s neck, placing one soft kiss after another on him as the fluttering in her belly continued. If only she knew for certain; she was positive he would accept the child if she was. He had proven it time and time again, especially were Edana had been concerned, and look what he had suffered for Callista’s sake. “Sirius, look deep inside your heart and tell me the truth. Would you be able to accept Severus’s child as your own? Never once bringing it up to anyone, including me, that she wasn’t yours from conception?”

Sirius smiled as he thought of the child he had cradled in his arms not more than a few minutes ago. “Without any doubt in my mind or my heart, gra.” he whispered, as a feeling of contentedness and warmth spread though his body. He could feel the relief flow through Cat’s body, softening it as she tightened her embrace ever so slightly. He basked in her affection, drinking it in until it nearly intoxicated him. He would have been content to stay like that forever, if it hadn’t had been for the sudden feeling of drowning that over came him as he drifted off to sleep.

“Sirius?! What is it?” Cat cried out as she felt him suddenly throw his arms around her, tighten his embrace to the point of hurting her. One look in his frightened eyes told her all she needed to know, “Siri, my poor, sweet Siri,” she cooed as she gently rocked back and forth, caressing and coddling him as if he were no more than a child awakening from a nightmare. “You’re safe now, gra, nothing can hurt you as long as I’m here. I promise, you will never be left alone again, not here,…..I never, ever thought you would wander into the woods on your own. You’ve been told how dangerous….”

“I had to, I heard the puppy… Calli…..she needs Starry…” Sirius began, a haunted look still flickering in his eyes as the flash of a thorn encrusted branch swung through his mind’s eye.

“She needs you every bit as much as she needs that dog, and much, much more.” Cat gently chided, “Surely you realize how much she’s come to rely on you. You will never replace her father, but right now, she sees you as the next best thing. You are her hero, Siri. She looks to you for support and approval; Harry and I wouldn’t be the only ones crying ourselves blind if anything happened to you.” she sniffled. “You should see Luke and Siobhan, they’ve both peeked in here several times since Duncan and Paddy brought you home, and they have both left crying. I can’t imagine what they must be going through, keeping the children downstairs,” she smirked slightly through her tears, “it’s a good thing we haven’t taught Harry to apparate yet, or there would be no stopping him, I’m sure.”

“Harry” Sirius smiled, “my Harry.” He wanted to say more, he wanted to tell her how much she and Harry meant to her. How loved they made him feel, how they were the reason he fought to come back, how he yearned to be the husband she wanted and the father the children needed. But all he had the strength to say was ‘so tired’.

“Of course you are, Sirius. You’re damn well lucky to be alive. I’ve only heard of two other wizards who have survived being attacked by a morpheus tree, and neither of them had more than a thorn or two in them. Poor Bruid had to be sent in to get you, and his skin is like a rhino’s hide. Nowhere near as soft and tender as yours.” she explained as she ran her fingers over his naked back. “Let me bandage you so I can bring Harry up, he must be half mad with worry by now.” she suggested.

No matter how carefully or slowly she moved him, Sirius grimaced and groaned with pain. Many of the wounds were bleeding again, usually so much blood would concern her, but in this case, it was a good sign, it meant the poison was no longer thickening and slowing his blood. Now as long as she could talk Tris or one of the others into giving him a bit of their vampyric blood, that particular symptom would right itself quick enough. “Just be still a few minutes, Sirius, I need to get the bandages out of my kit. Poor baby, you’re going to look like one of those Egyptian mummies ‘til I’m done with you.” she kissed his lip tenderly as he gave her a half hearted smirk.

“You said other wizards……” he asked as he watched her dig through her bag, more to keep himself awake than for any real curiosity.

“Yes, two others, well one was a wizard the other a witch. Rip Van Winkle, was one and the other was Aurora Jigger, Arsenius Jigger’s sister, but neither of those trees were anywhere near as large as what we have in these woods. Although in the Jigger girl’s case, it did prompt her brother to research and discover many new potions. After all, the venom of the morpheus tree makes the draught of living death look like a small hangover…. It was a real shame no one has ever figured out a remedy for it, not even us.”

“Why not?”

Cat flushed a sickly colour for a moment and swallowed deeply before answering. “Because so few have survived, no one has had the chance to …..” she shook her head, forcing the image of Sirius’s lifeless body from her mind. “just be still and try to rest.”

“No. Cat… I’m afraid to sleep.” he confessed “Every time I start to drift off…it feels like I’m drowning, gra.” He smiled gratefully as Cat immediately came to his side, taking his hand and kissing his palm as she sat next to him.

“Don’t be afraid to sleep, Sirius. You’ll need lots of rest to truly recover, that and warmth, good food, love…..”

“So, in other words, I need you” he interrupted, “all of you, my family.” he watched her intently as she paused for a moment, giving him a strange sort of look, only to smile brightly……

Lady Emma ran into her father’s study, cringing as she heard Aeranna screaming in some unknown language, she hoped with all her heart it wasn’t Deo she was addressing in that tone of voice. Both of their tempers were well know throughout the island of Dia, and everyone knew to avoid them when they were in bad humours. “Emma, there you are!” Deo’s voice growled, “Get in here and listen to this!” he commanded from the centre of the room.

Emma paused for only a moment, just long enough to look at the large, glowing crystal which occupied the centre of her father’s study. There was the image of a woman of noble bearing etched within it, upon closer exam, Emma could clearly see the tear stains upon her cheeks.

She took her father’s hand and she approached the crystal and bowed slightly to the woman, all the while keeping an eye on Aeranna who was pacing the floor like a caged animal, all but oblivious to her arrival. “Father?”

“Hush, girl.” Deo barked as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Lady Orpha, this is my daughter, the Lady Emma, it is she and Lady Tara that shall tend to your daughter and her family. I swear to you, nothing will happen to them while they are under my protection, not even your own crones have sway on my land.” he stated firmly and confidently. But before the woman, Orpha, could answer, Aeranna had stepped in front of Deo.

“Who did this, Orpha? Who dared to murder one of the clan on the sacred land of Fernglennis? I know you know more than you are telling us!” she hissed, her eyes flashing with anger, “They have endangered the entire world with their actions, they must be hunted down and punished. The laws are clear…”

“Be silent, woman” Deo bellowed, “this is none of your concern. They are not ‘your’ clan, you have no….” he paused as Aeranna turned on him, a cold, hard fire burning within her immortal eyes.

“The Rion is one of the sisterhood, she and everything she does is my ‘concern’. Anything and everything that happens to her and hers are my ‘concern’. We took the same oath, and ‘we’ keep our vows.” the vampyre reminded him.

“That is enough, Aeranna, please.” Orpha begged, “I have had enough pain and torment for one day, do not add to my burden. Her son’s father had not completely passed over, Cash hopes that his mortal life may yet be saved. But even Kitty has her limits….her godfather is with her now, trying to give her any support he can. We don’t dare allow her son to go to them….” she paused as she closed her eyes, collecting herself as a few stray tears rolled slowly down her cheeks. “Harry is doing as well as can be expected, but he has no idea how hopeless this situation is. It will tear them both apart if she cannot bring him back to this life, she will frenzy, and I fear several of her brothers and cousins may well join her. We are all so very fond of the wizard, he had been accepted amongst us with nary a second thought.”

“Then tell me who did this, Orpha.” Aeranna insisted, her voice now somewhat calmer, but the fire still flashing in her eyes. “We both know that precious few people can enter Fernglennis, let alone have the sort of power it takes to control a morpheus tree. In fact I can think of only three, and I am speaking to one of them now.”

Orpha nodded, “I know, and I have my suspicions as well, I am sure they mirror your own.” she replied softly.

“And is anyone going to make the harpy pay for this?” Aeranna asked, her tone making it quite apparent that she herself would volunteer if she was needed.

“O, yes, Aeranna” Orpha responded, narrowing her now glowing eyes, “I will personally see to this matter. But for now, I need to know that should he survive, they have a safe place for him to recover. I need to know that the lord and master of the land will protect his as if they were his own flesh and blood.” she stated, looking expectantly at Deo.

“My lady,” Deo responded, bowing in respect to Orpha and her power, “you have my oath. By both my blood and my honour, they will be afforded every comfort and protection I have at my disposal.” He smiled inwardly as he saw Orpha smile gratefully at him.

“Aeranna, one thing before I go to Kitty,” Orpha said, causing the vampyre to give her her undivided attention, “the sisterhood…”

“I have already called them, I had heard unsettling rumours regarding our sister from her cousin, Leumadair, I took the liberty of gathering the others at that time. Regardless of what her father thinks, the sisterhood is alive and well, and stronger than ever.” Aeranna responded, bowing deeply as Orpha’s smile widened, “We take care of our own, Mother, you know this.” Aeranna added, winking playfully as Orpha’s image faded away…..

“I hate to do this to you, sweetie, but I need you to sit up again so I can bandage your chest and back. You can lean on me if it helps to ease the pain.” Cat cooed as she carefully wrapped her arms around Sirius, allowing his head to rest on her shoulder as she pulled him up from the bed. Slowly she wrapped the cotton strips around his torso, wincing every time she heard him gasp or moan with pain. “I’m sorry, Siri, I’m trying to be careful.” she assured him.

“I know, gra, it just hurts is all, but I like having you this close to me.” he added, nuzzling against her as he felt her kiss his neck. “Hmmm, keep that up and I might think it was worth it.” he teased, only to feel her kiss his neck again, a bit more passionately this time. This time his gasp had nothing to do with the pain, it was entirely over the sensation her lips were causing. A sensation that became more intense as she quickly moved from kissing his neck to nibbling on his ear.

‘Gra….” Sirius moaned as he felt her efforts intensify; if she was trying to prove he was truly alive and all of his pieces were in working order….shazam… she had done it. “It was worth it.” he panted as he lifted his head from her shoulder, kissing her deeply as his body leaned heavily against hers.

“Dear me.” an amused voice commented from right next to them, “Kitty, shame on you, let the boy get his strength back first. Although judging by the looks of him, that may not take long.” Merlin added as he got a good look at Sirius.

“Godfather.” Cat sighed, blushing from both embarrassment and frustration.

“Goddaughter” Merlin mimicked, sticking his tongue out at her. “And still I say ‘shame on you’ young lady. All this carrying on while your poor son is downstairs half out of his mind with grief and worry. Tsk, Tsk.”

“Harry?! Oh my…..I hadn’t even thought….” Cat gasped, finally releasing Sirius from her embrace by easing him gently onto the bed, only to take his hand in her own.

“No, gra, no…don’t leave me, not now, please. I want to feel you near to me….I…don‘t want to be alone, what if I don‘t make it back this time. If it weren‘t for the sound of your voice, for our son…..”

“Shhhh, Sirius, everything is fine now,” Cat cooed as she kissed his lips tenderly, “He’s right, I need to let Harry know you’re going to be fine, he was almost as frantic as I was when Duncan brought you home. I can’t leave him there wondering…” she explained as she gently squeezed his hand. “I never even thought…”

“No, you haven’t thought, have you?” Merlin smirked, “Go on now, go get your son and let him see his father is alive and….well….better that ‘I’ expected, that much is certain.” he laughed, causing Sirius to groan and Cat to roll her eyes. “Go, go go…. I’ll stay with our wizard friend here. I’m sure I won’t keep him nearly as happy as you would, but at least I’ll keep him alive.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cat asked, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

“My dear, after everything he’s just been through? What did you think you were doing with him?” he winked, “It would have been sure to kill the poor boy.”

“At least I would’ve died happy.” Sirius deadpanned, wishing he had the strength to throw a pillow at Merlin and shut him up.

“Hmmm, no doubt.” Merlin laughed, “So glad to see you rising to the occasion, my boy, but you have other responsibilities that must come first. And at the top of that list is the children, most particularly your son. Go on, Kitty, I’ll stay with him, make him rest until you and Harry come back.” Merlin insisted, winking as Cat opened the door to leave, pausing only long enough to cast a cleansing charm on herself and blow a kiss to Sirius. “Dear heaven, but she does love you.” Merlin sighed as he watched the exchange between them. “I shudder to think what would have happened if you failed to come back to us.”

“Now if only you could have waited a few more minutes to come in here and tell me this, I swear, I would be ‘much’ happier to see you.” Sirius commented, sighing as he realized how close he had been.

“Who do you think you are fooling?” Merlin smirked, “You barely have the strength to sit up…As if you’d be able to pull ‘that’ little trick off, ….it ‘would’ kill you. And don’t give me that ‘I’ll die happy’ comment again, or so help me, I’ll beat you.” Merlin chided as he pulled the quilts up over Sirius. Gods but it felt good to feel things again, to be solid enough to touch and move things with his flesh and not his mind. He hadn’t felt this alive, this solid since Sirius and Kitty had been in school together, although considering what he now knew about then and now, he had the distinct feeling that had much more to do with what was currently inside of his goddaughter’s womb than anything else.

Merlin gently placed the back of his hand against Sirius’s forehead, “Just a bit warm, bless my little girl, but she does have an amazing talent for healing.” he smiled as he brushed the wizard’s hair off of his face. He had been through so much in his thirty odd years; his youthful beauty had been robbed from him, just as his life had been, but still, he persevered, refusing to give up or give in. “Listen closely to me, my boy. I do not want to see you out of this bed, do you understand me? And wipe that smirk off of your face! I have no doubt she will stay by your side all night, but none of ‘that’. I want you well, and if you want to live long enough to see this child you insist is in her womb, you will do as I tell you.” he added, raising an eyebrow as if daring him to defy him.

“You remind me more and more of my father every time we meet.” Sirius groaned, “He’s always telling me what to do too.”

“Now if you would only have enough sense to listen to us, most of your problems would be solved.” Merlin replied, laughing genially as the wizard pulled the quilt up over his face, mumbling something about fathers and sons.

“Sirius? I am glad you made it back to us. I have grown awfully fond of you over the past few weeks, and I am hoping to see you around for many, many years to come.” Merlin said softly, pulling down the quilt from Sirius’s face to place a fatherly kiss on his forehead. “Orpha is making arrangements to move you all to somewhere safe, and much warmer. It is very important that you stay warm and continue to recover.”

“Just as long as Cat and Harry are with me, I’ll be just fine. I don’t need to leave, I’m very happy here.” Sirius replied, smiling warmly as Merlin tucked him in, taking great care not to jostle him.

“I’m glad to hear that, my boy, truly I am. But the cold is our biggest concern right now, and whoever did this to you may well be able to get to you again. All it would take now is a few minutes out in this cold and you, my dear boy, will be at your final end.” Merlin shook his head sadly. “No, as much as I would love for you to stay here, Orpha is right, you need to go somewhere warm, somewhere she cannot reach you.”

“She?” Sirius murmured sleepily as he snuggled beneath the warm quilts. Part of him was still deathly afraid to fall asleep, but his body was yearning for rest. Merlin was right, he needed rest he was barely able to sit up; every fibre of his body hurt. But despite the pain, he was happy; he was still with the people he loved most and that wasn’t even beginning to mention being here, in Cat’s room, in her bed. The scent of her was everywhere, the soft sheets, the warm quilts….it spoke of comfort and warmth, it was the place he felt safest.

Merlin didn’t bother answering Sirius’s question, he could see the wizard was half asleep as it was. Besides, it really wasn’t his place to tell the boy about their fears and suspicions, the ball was now firmly and completely in Orpha’s court, and he had no doubt his long time paramour would see to it that her charges remained safe; even if she had to kill everything within kilometres of them to keep it so.

Merlin sat on the bed once more, holding Sirius’s hand as the wizard fell into a fitful sleep. “In a way, I pity you, my boy.” he sighed, “Kitty is very much like Orpha, you know. They can both be the sweetest, kindest angels ever to grace the face of the Earth, but harm their family, and the devil himself would run and hide from the sight of them. Orpha is already on the warpath, and if Kitty ever finds out that this was more than an accident, or worse, actually discovers ‘who’ did this to you….” he clucked his tongue and shivered, “May the goddess have mercy upon their souls and the souls of anyone around them, because either of them have within themselves the power to either destroy or heal many, many worlds. Praise the maker they were both raised by kind and loving families who understood that power such as theirs cannot be controlled with force from without, but must instead be tempered with love and kindness from within. If only more people understood such things.” he sighed……

The wind whipped wildly around Orpha as she stood defiantly at the entrance of Maharet’s haven. “You heard me you treacherous old hag! Get out here and show yourself to me, face me as if you had some dignity, or at least something that you’ve convinced yourself passes for honour.” The only reply was the howling of the bitterly cold wind as it buffeted Orpha, thrashing strands of her long, silver-white hair around her ageless face. “You just refused to let it be, you couldn’t let her be happy, you had to control every aspect of her life. You’ll just keep doing that until it kills her and then what happens to your precious prophecy?”

Orpha gnashed her teeth as she listened to the eerie silence coming from within the haven’s walls. She could easily sense Maharet was there, along with several others, at least two of them other crones that were well known to Orpha. She had hoped it would never come down to this, to a face off between them, but she could no longer stand idly by and watch her daughters die off one by one, all at the whim of a woman who should be nothing more than dust. “You can’t beat me, Maharet, you know that as well as I do. And ignoring me won’t make it any easier for you. We both know you are living on borrowed time, …we both know I know how to destroy you.”

She became suddenly silent as a peculiarly unnatural presence flared just off to the left, near the threshold of the haven. Narrowing her eyes, she pointed her finger at the shadowy figure. “I know you. You tried to take Bruid from us once” she smirked as she heard the figure snort disdainfully at her comment. “so, now you try to take more? I think not….”

She never even flinched as the creature ran at her, its long, cruel talons extended, prepared to tear through her flesh and bone. She merely smirked as she extended her hand, palm out as a blinding flash of light shot out of her hand, incinerating the beast, leaving nothing but a few charred bones where the creature had stood. With a grim look on her face, and a commanding tone in her voice, Orpha lifted her face to the mountain, “She has turned on me, she has turned on our clan, she has sacrificed her own flesh and blood, and she will turn on you. Catrianna is my child, her children will be my children, and ‘he’ will be my child as well.” she yelled as she spat at the doorway of Maharet’s haven. “Mark my words and cleanse your souls.” She turned, walking several paces away, before stopping suddenly, an evil grin on her face.

“Just in case you have any ideas of revenge, I am telling you right now, you will never harm him again, Maharet. I have taken several precautions against it. Including one you will find most delightful.” Orpha’s face grew almost devilish as she felt the uncertainty radiating from the haven. “I have cast spells and Catrianna has willingly taken a potion, only a child of Merlin will be able to conceive a child within her now. If you kill him, you kill our clan and your wretched prophesy with it.”

Orpha nearly laughed out loud as she heard Maharet’s angry scream echoing within the mountainous haven……

“How ‘dare’ you not tell me Lady Orpha is your mother, you ungrateful, undead bi….” Deo ranted.

“Foster mother, and mind your tongue around me. I’m not one of your subjects, and as for ungrateful? Who do you think it was that suggested Tara as a husband to the MacLeod boy? Hmmm. Who ‘arranged’ the marriage, all but walking you through the door of Clan MacLeod’s good graces. I’ve more than paid back your ‘kindness’ to me.” Aeranna snapped. Normally Deo’s outburst were nothing more than an annoyance to her, but today, now…after hearing what had happened at Fernglennis. “I hope you intend to keep your word to her, Deo. You swore an oath, and I may not be able to take your honour, but I swear, I ‘will’ take your blood.” That had done it, Deo was now all ears. He knew she never made idle threats, especially were blood was concerned.

“I also keep my oaths.” Deo hissed, “And I am sure I do not need to remind you how important, how prestigious such a responsibility is. With Clan MacLeod firmly behind me, no one will ever dare to usurp my throne ever again……Speaking of which, that girl I gave to Emma, the Damia….can she be trusted with something so important? Or does she have her father’s blood?” he scowled.

“Kalliope?” Aeranna laughed, “The girl is all but enthralled by Emma and myself, she is eager to please and quite powerful as well. And in my many conversations with the girl, I can tell you there was no love lost between her and her father. She despised what he was doing, and for a very long time, she actually wished you had killed her, rather than make her live with the shame of his memory.”

“And her feelings about death have suddenly changed?” Deo asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

“Being treated with kindness and respect will do that. Apparently her father treated her worse than you treat Tara,” Aeranna explained, smirking as she saw the angry flash in Deo’s eyes, but then she never could resist pointing out his flaws to him. “and I have given her a purpose, I have given her responsibility, I have given her training on how to properly use her power. She is altogether changed from the frightened, sullen girl that was brought to you in chains.”

“Do you think he’ll make it?” Harry asked as he looked up at Cash and Duncan, tears still shimmering in his eyes. “Honestly, do you think he’ll live to see Imbolc?”

“Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, and many, many more” Cat smiled as she held open her arms for Harry, who all but flew into them. “He’s going to be just fine sweetie, I told you he would be. He’s got a strong will to survive, and he has this crazy idea he needs to stick around and protect the two of us.” she added, grinning crazily. “You want to come up and see him? He’s very tired and may not say much, but…”

“Let’s go, I don’t care if all he does is snore, I want to see him.” Harry stated firmly as he pulled Cat up the stairs…….

“Cash, Duncan, come in here with Luke and I” Orpha whispered “now.”

Cash and Duncan exchanged worried glances as they hurried to Orpha’s side. One look told them despite Cat’s words, things must have gotten worse. “Is she wrong, Orpha? Sirius is alive, isn’t she, or do I need to be upstairs?” Cash asked, already half way out the door, prepared to get to Sirius within a moment.

“No, Cash….. I am certain Kitty is right, despite her rather …..’frail’.. emotional state, she could not make such a mistake. She certainly wouldn’t bring Harry to see him, not if she weren’t positive.” Orpha stated.

Cash eyed her suspiciously as he saw her hand clasped tightly in Luke’s, as if she needed his support to talk to them. “Sooooo, what’s this all about then? ‘Cause its obvious something has you bent the wrong way.”

“You always did have a way with words” Luke said flatly, the tone in his voice betraying his feelings towards Cash’s attitude.

Cash looked from Luke to Orpha to Duncan. Luckily, Duncan appeared as confused as he felt. “What the hell is going on here? Luke, when have you ever taken that tone with me? You’re usually the one egging me on?”

“Tonight is different, Cash. Sit down and listen to her, you too, Duncan. This is not going to be pleasant.” Luke instructed, giving Orpha’s hand a reassuring squeeze as they all took their seats.

“Alright, start talking, Orpha…..but first, tell me no one else has been hurt.” Cash began.

“No, Cash, no one else has be hurt that I am aware of, and believe me, I’ve check.” she sighed, pushing the loose strands of hair off of her face. “The horrible truth of this whole situation is - it was no accident. Although I’m sure you’ve all figured that out already.” she sighed deeply before continuing. “What you may not fully understand, is how dangerous it is to allow them to stay here.” She raised her hands as Duncan began to yell. “Listen to me, Duncan, just…..just listen. They are not going to leave because we are in danger, they are going to leave because ’they’ are in danger. Whoever did this to Sirius can freely enter Fernglennis without any of us thinking twice.”

“Whoever? Orpha….” Cash growled, knowing she knew more than she was telling them. “I’m not in the mood for games, Orpha. I’ve lost more of my clan in the past two months than I have the past two decades. Spit it out and let me handle it.”

“I’ve already handled it…..I went to Maharet’s haven.” she paused as she heard a collective gasp. “She refused to let me in, and then sent one of Bruid’s former fellows on me.” she gave a small smile as she heard Cash snort and smirk with amusement, he alone knew what she was capable of. “However I may have made matters worse, my anger got the better of me, and I said something…..I’m not sure that it was the wisest thing to do.”

“What was it, Orphie?” Cash asked, still sporting an amused look on his face. “What did you say to the big, bad crone?”

Orpha sighed deeply as she gave Cash a withered glance. “I told her that I gave Kitty a potion and cast spells over her so that the only man who can give her a child would be Sirius. I mentioned that Kitty agreed to the terms of the spell and if she kills him, she ends our clan’s bloodline.”

Cash’s eyes grew wide with shock as he stared at Orpha. “I can’t believe that our little girl would agree to anything like that, Orpha. I know how much she loves Sirius, but to never be able to have children if….if… gheez Louise woman.” Cash gasped as he saw the flush on Orpha’s face. “YOU MADE IT ALL UP? You lied?”

“I had to do something to stop her from attacking him again. I could tell she was planning something else, even as I stood there, I felt far too many people in that room with her. I panicked, I needed to buy some time.” Orpha sighed.

“So…..how pissed off is she?” Cash asked as he materialize a jug of barley bree and several glasses to the table.

“I heard her screaming from inside the haven, and I didn’t exactly have to strain my ears to hear her.”

The only response was a low whistle from Cash as Luke and Duncan stared at two of the eldest members of their clan. “So, now what do we do?” Duncan asked as he took a glass from Cash, swallowing it down in one large gulp. “I don’t want to see Maharet put your ‘spells’ to the test.” he growled.

“He’s got a point, Orpha. She’s done this sort of thing before, usually with tragic results.” Cash stated, staring into the amber coloured liquid as memories of the past played in the back of his mind. “How can we protect them? Is there anywhere that is truly safe for them?”

Orpha nodded, “I can think of one place, and I’ve already made the arrangements. Dia, - Maharet has no power there, the land will obey only Deo, and since it is an island, Mac Lir controls everything surrounding it.”

“And its warm there,” Luke chimed it, “that will certainly help Sirius heal quicker. And Kitty could really use a tan, she looks like death warmed over herself.”

“But can we trust him?” Duncan countered, “Maharet has swayed many people over the years with promises and lies. How do you know he won’t betray us for her?”

“Because he has been wanting the backing and respect of our clan for decades, he even ‘gave’ his daughter to us as a ‘living sacrifice’ as he calls it. She is Tanja’s mother, Tara, wife of Sebastian.” Orpha explained, “Luckily the two of them did fall in love…it broke her heart when he failed to return to her.”

“I know Mum said she felt him die,” Duncan interrupted, “but did anyone ever find his body? Its not easy to have closure without the physical proof.” ………

“Sirius, Sirius” Harry whispered as he sat down on the bed. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Sirius look so bad, he cringed as he saw the blood stains on the sheets and the dried blood in his hair. “Come on Sirius, say something, please.”

“Take his hand Harry,” Cat instructed, “hold it firmly and think about him, think about how much he means to you, all the good times you’ve had with him, think about what you want the future to hold for him.”

That’s an easy enough thought, Harry mused as he did as Cat instructed. In less than a minute, he felt Sirius’s hand squeezing his own, although he still didn’t open his eyes. “Mum?”

Cat was immediately at Harry and Sirius’s side, “He still has a slight fever, he won’t be very talkative for a few hours at best, a few days at worst.” she explained as she wiped Sirius’s forehead with a damp cloth. “Don’t worry Harry, I won’t leave his side.” she stated, hoping to reassure him.

“You mean you two are going to stay here tonight…together?” Harry asked, a bit surprised to hear her admit that in front of him.

“Does that upset you sweetie?” Cat asked, a bit confused by Harry’s comment. She had thought that he would encourage them to spend time together no matter what the circumstances.

“No, not at all, its just….Mum,” Harry licked his lips as he gathered his courage and looked into her eyes, “When are you going to marry him? And before you tell me it isn’t that simple and clan law, don’t. I saw the look in your eyes, Mum, when we all thought he was going to die, I saw inside of you. You were full of anger and pain and grief, just like I was, just like ‘he’ was when we thought you would never make it out of the hospital after your heart stopped.”

“I don’t want to lose either of you, you and Sirius ‘are’ my parents, I love you both, and I ‘know’ you love me and each other. You wouldn’t have reacted that way if you didn’t love him. So why won’t you marry him?” Harry asked as his eyes pleaded with her for an ‘honest’ answer.

“Because it ‘isn’t’ that simple, Harry” Sirius croaked “but gods above and below, I wish it were.”

“Sirius!!!” Harry yelled as he wrapped his arms around his godfather, “you’re alright! You’re going to be fine!”

“Not if you keep squeezing him like that he’s not.” Cat reminded him as she gently pried Harry off of Sirius. She laughed softly as Harry grinned sheepishly at them, “Alright, you’ve seen and talked to him, you can honestly say he’s alive and soon to be well, so why don’t you let the others know he is going to recover. Especially your Uncles Duncan and Luke, they were almost as frantic as I was.” she grinned. Seeing the look of disappointment on Harry’s face, she added “And yes, you may gladly come back later to visit with him, but give us some time first, I need to re-check his wounds and clean him up a little.” she explained softly, “I know you want to spend more time with him, to talk to him, but I don’t want him to over do it, k?”

“Okay, Mum” Harry grinned as he kissed her on the cheek. “Get better soon Sirius,” Harry whispered as he also gave Sirius a kiss on the cheek, “Cash says he doesn’t like to change plans, and boy, does he have plans for you.” ………..

“Rick, please, for Catri’s sake if not for mine.” Severus pleaded, “You told me the letters I receive were forgeries, that she had actually ‘asked’ me to go to her home. I am asking, begging you, take me to her now. She cannot be alone at a time like this.”

Rick hesitated, looking from Severus’s pleading eyes to the wraith-like figure of Roel, who laid still as stone on the bed, the soft murmuring of the clan being the only indications his brother was still living. “I don’t know that now is the best time, and trust me, she is anything but alone. She is surrounded by her family, her brothers alone would fill up a room.”

“That is hardly the same as ‘me’ being there.” seeing how distracted Rick was, Severus tried to explain it another way. “It is the same as knowing your ‘clan’ is here with him, but that is of little comfort to you if ‘you’ are not here with him.” he paused, all but glaring at the vampyre as he attempted to get his point across.

Sighing deeply, Rick acknowledged Sev’s point, “I understand that, Severus, trust me, I do. But you are unknown to everyone there but her, Harry and Remus; and if what Orpha said is true, being a stranger and being there is ‘not’ a good thing.”

“I will take that chance.” Snape replied coolly, refusing to be dissuaded. “It should not take you more than a few moments, judging by what I have seen here. I take it this ‘jaunting’ as Catri calls it is some sort of self-generated floo network. You will be back with Roel in no time at all.”

“Would it bother you at all if I told you I have no idea what a ‘floo network’ is?” Rick asked.

“Not in the slightest. Simply get me to Catri, that is all I ask of you.” Severus replied. “I am more than willing to go it alone from that point on.”