Page 31 of Sidhe
“So it's not all or nothing, it's all oreverything," Nathan chuckled darkly. "We're in this war one way or another." He looked up at the sidhe, at both of them, standing side by side now, with kinder versions of Malak’s form, but still intense, still radiating power. Nathan could feel Jim and Sasha watching him.
“If you choose us," Gwen said, "you, Nathan, will be our warrior, not merely a vessel, as Malak would have you. And your crew can fight beside you.”
Frightening as it all was, something in those words spread a warmth through Nathan’s chest. In a way, what they were offering was Malak’s deal exactly, except Nathan would have tofight just as he was instead of being imbued with power. And hell yeah, he liked the sound of that better. He wanted to still be angry, but it was hard when he could see the truth before him, hard when he knew that Dave’s touch, a strong but kind hand over his eyes to take that awful blackness and his mark away, was like every kind of peace Nathan had ever longed to feel. He didn’t know what Dave was, who he really was, but he wanted to hope that it was something he could believe in.
“Choosing us now will not be enough to keep you out of Malak's clutches forever," Oberon said. "That choice still lies ahead. Be you, Nathan, and I am certain all the choices you make will be the right ones.
“We can’t tell you what’s coming. We don’t know. When we do, we will help you as much as we are able. Malak will likely be making further plays for you and for others to join his cause. Your guardian will return to you to speak on our behalf and…onDave’sbehalf very shortly.”
“Guardian? You said that before. Do you mean Walter?” Nathan said. “He hasn’t appeared to me since I woke up, not even away from the Gatehouse.”
“He will,” Gwen said. “He is waiting for you just outside, actually. He’ll fill you in on what comes next.”
“In the meantime, we have an army to prepare,” Oberon said. “And so do you, from those who remain in this realm. It is your job to gather them, and to lead when the time comes. I think the three of you should be able to handle that. We’ll see you again. Soon.” He nodded at his companion.
She tossed her own joyful smile at each of them. “Things have a way of working out,” she winked at Sasha. “You’ll see. ‘Til next time.”
Then, after only a blink of Nathan’s eyes, the king and queen of light fae were gone.
It took Nathan a few moments to convince himself that all of that had really just happened. He could admit that as heavy as this new burden was—saving the world—it had him feeling strangely lighter.
He turned in his seat on the couch and saw the crestfallen expression on Sasha’s face next to him. He scooted closer, knowing what had to be plaguing the incubus’ thoughts. “Hey, you heard what the chick said. It probably wouldn’t have made any difference. Might have even taken longer before I got out of there, and believe me, baby…I wouldn’t have lasted another minute.”
“But if I hadn’t made that deal…I’d still be able to keep you.” Sasha smiled sadly at Nathan, his eyes damp.
“You got me out,” Nathan said, and it’s all he needed to say because he didn’t care about consequences that he believed in his bones they could one day fix, and he didn’t care about ‘what ifs’ that couldn’t change anything. Not anymore.
“Hey,” he said as it dawned on him, “if you recognized Gwen so easily, how come you never said anything about Malak’s chick suit?”
Sasha took a moment to think about that. “I didn’t know Gwen by appearance. I just…knew, being in her presence. It always bothered me when Malak was female. Guess now I know why,” he chuckled.
Nathan had to laugh in kind. “And here I thought you hated the male version most.”
“Oh I do. He always seems to touch you more in that form,” Sasha scowled. “Like he does it on purpose to piss me off. Only I get to touch you like that,” he said, fingers reaching up to clutch at the fabric of Nathan’s shirt. They were already fairly close anyway, so it wasn’t all that hard to lean in.
“Damn straight, only you,” Nathan said, smiling as they got closer. “Well, maybe straight isn’t the best—” the kiss cut himoff, Sasha’s last lunge forward silencing him the best way possible.
“You are a good man, Nathan,” Sasha said when they pulled apart. “You can do this. We all can.”
Nathan opened his eyes, saw that brilliant blue, that face he loved. “If you say so, baby,” he grinned, going in for another kiss that led to him teasing his tongue over Sasha’s lips and nipping gently at the soft skin.
“Do you two mind?” came Jim’s amused voice from behind Nathan’s back, though there was a tinge of tension in his tone still. “What about what they said? About Walter?”
Nathan pulled away from Sasha with a start. “Waiting just outside…” He shot Sasha an apologetic look, glanced gratefully back at Jim, then took off for the sliding door they had never bothered to close. He headed for the main doors, assuming that’s what Gwen meant, and shot out into the night without a second thought.
“Walt!”
“Here, Nathan.”
Nathan spun about, searching for his Spirit Guide. He finally found him leaning casually against their car, is if he had been patiently waiting since their arrival. He looked as he always did, in a white button down shirt and dark slacks, with his blond hair, but his usually shimmering brown eyes seemed…too normal. His eyes looked tired—no, more like aged—and very human.
Walter smiled with more radiant joy than Nathan had ever seen on him. “I have watched you all this time, but being here whole is very different. I think I might be a bit…cold.” He shivered, and pushed away from the car. “I would like to go inside, if you don’t mind, now that I am capable of entering.”
“You…what?” Nathan faltered a few steps in front of Walter. He took a moment to really observe…and saw a shadow on the ground, connected to Walter. He’d never had a shadow before,because he wasn’t ever really standing there. But his eyes, his shadow, the way he looked tired and so very human…
Nathan made an abortive jerk forward, then tried again, reaching out until he clutched Walter’s arm, as solid as ever, more so than any time before.
Walter’s smile widened, and he raised a hand to grip Nathan’s on his arm. “Nathan, I have always been with you. I could not be with you like this, solid and visible as I am now. I could not interfere when the choices you made held me back. But I was always there. I thought perhaps you saw me when Malak tried to claim you, though you had refused him. Finally, you had given me the power I needed to shield you from him completely. And from there…I have been granted this gift.”
