Page 84 of Lahaina Noon

It was almost go time. Bridget took a deep, steadying breath. She ran through her mental checklist one last time. She practiced some of the hand movements Siobhan had taught her. She rechecked her gear for the tenth time. Finally, she had to admit everything was ready. She walked back to the room Liam and Gabe were sharing. Liam wasn’t there, but Gabe was.

He was lying on the bed, throwing a tennis ball at the wall and catching it. His expression was thunderous.

She sighed; she knew he was upset that he wasn’t going with them this time. “Gabe,” she said softly.

Thump. Thump. Thump went the tennis ball.

“Gabe, baby, please.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Gabriel Ridgeway, you sit up and talk to me right now.”

He sighed and set the ball down, sitting up. He didn’t look at her, though.

“Honey, I know you are upset, I know how much you want, maybe even feel you need to come, but it’s just not safe. I can’t do what I need to do if I know you are there somewhere, unable to defend yourself.”

Gabe turned hurt eyes full of angry tears on her. “I can take care of myself!” he declared.

Bridget shook her head, the mantra of all teens. “I know in a regular situation you could, you’re super smart and very fast. But Gabe, this isn’t a video game. These are real weapons, real teeth and claws, deadly magic, and real shadows. I need you here, where I know nothing will take you away from me. I couldn’t stand to lose you too,” she said softly but firmly so he knew she was serious.

He stood and clenched his fists. “I know that!” he yelled at her.

She was taken aback, he’d never even so much as raised his voice to her before.

“What if something happens to you? What happens to me then? Do you have a plan for that? Don’t leave me, Mom. Don’t leave.” Suddenly, he threw his arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

She wrapped her boy in the tightest hug she could and held on.

Vaughn stood in the doorway, watching the heartbreaking scene in front of him. He couldn’t imagine what the boy was going through. He’d lost his father, and now his mother was going off to do something extremely dangerous with no guarantee she would return. He knew that pain as well, having seen his own mother cut down in front of him. His father, well, that was a whole can of feelings he was not going to open just now. He walked in silently and wrapped his arms around them both.

He tousled Gabe’s hair, like he’d seen Bridget do, and began speaking softly. “Gabriel, I swear, I will do everything within my power to get your mother back to you. Even at the cost of my own life.”

Both mother and son looked at him, protesting. Gabe grabbed Vaughn in a hug, saying, “No! Don’t you dare. I need you, too.”

Vaughn stood there, with his emotions at war as he struggled not to breakdown with how much that moved him. He hugged him back. “You got it, Gabe. We will both come back to you.”

Jorrie walked in and added herself to the hug, Jack right behind her. Jorrie added, “You better bring Jack back, too. I don’t want to lose my Margarita buddy.”

They all laughed, which broke the tension.

Jorrie would be staying behind with Gabe and Bunny. She wasn’t super happy either but recognized that she was safer here as she had no magic, or claws. She didn’t have fighting skills like Jack, either. Before they walked out, Jorrie grabbed Vaughn’s sleeve and indicated he should stay. As the other voices faded down the hall, he looked at her quizzically.

She looked down for a moment and then spoke quietly. “While we are making requests, I was wondering if I could ask that you please bring Liam back to me as well.”

Vaughn kissed Jorrie tenderly on the forehead and nodded. “I know, I love him too.”

In the dining room, Vaughn paced the floor. He’d been waiting on a few people to show up that were uncharacteristically late. He was uneasy. With the attacks from the Shadows getting stronger by the day, he’d sent a small team to shore up the warding at Cloud Warrior headquarters. He glanced at his watch again and pulled out his phone to call Killian. As if he’d summoned him with his thoughts, the phone lit upwith Killian’s name. Vaughn sighed in relief and answered impatiently, “What the hell is…” He trailed off, hearing sirens in the background.

He listened then in stunned silence as Killian shared terrible news with him. Tears streamed down his face unchecked, and he whispered, “No.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Bridget enter the room with concern on her face. She’d sensed his distress. He hung up with Killian after softly instructing him to hurry back.

He filled Bridget in through their mind link, the actual words being too painful to say out loud. “I have to tell them. I don’t know if I can do this.” He saw her eyes fill with tears as well; he knew she would also feel this loss deeply.

She cupped his cheek and kissed him gently. “Just do it. They deserve to know before someone else finds out and they hear it that way.”

He nodded, “Let’s go find them.”

In the living room, only their closest friends and family were assembled. Liam looked up at them and grinned, “Hey, Drake, where’ve you been? We were…” He trailed off, seeing the grief plain on his Godfather’s face. He leapt over the chair and slowly made his way over to stand in front of Vaughn.

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