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[shadowchaser.livejournal.com]

Who: Jalen, Awiergan, Amy and Eli
What: Reunion
Where: Heatherfield
When: During the final battle




The Light washing over him was a welcome relief to his arm, and Jalen gripped his sword tightly, ready to do battle with whatever he faced if it meant getting back to his wife and son. However, when the light faded he was surprised - to put it mildly - to find himself standing on a street corner in a bustling downtown. A very familiar street corner. To his left, a bookstore. To the right, a hair salon. And straight ahead, across the street and two doors down, Kellogg's Pharmacy.

How did-

He rapidly decided that he didn't care how he'd gotten here, the point was that she was nearby; he could feel her. Quickly stashing his sword in the bracelet, he stepped out of the middle of the sidewalk to lean against the salon's storefront. People that had been staring at him when he appeared out of nowhere seemed to be moving on now, in a hurry to get away from the man with the broadsword. Jalen was briefly amused, then his breath caught in his throat.

Amy was just coming out of the bookstore, pushing a stroller and clutching a plastic bag full of books. She appeared irritated, trying to wrestle the stroller off to one side and not drop the bag. Jalen didn't call to her; instead he checked the traffic and hurriedly made his way across the street, coming up behind her as she began to tuck the bag into the storage basket. The seat was facing away from him, but suddenly Eli's voice rose clearly above the noise around them.

"Dada!"

Amy straightened and whirled instantly, the books forgotten. Jalen noted with some dismay that the expression on her face wasn't one of happiness; she looked pissed.

Her eyes were brown.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded. "It's not over already, is it?"

"I don't think so." Jalen reached out and grabbed her arm. Amy- no, Awiergan- glanced down at his hand and tried to pull away.

"Let go of me."

"Amy."

"Let go of me." Awiergan hissed. "You're ruining everything. Why couldn't you have just stayed in your cage?"

Jale!

Shut up.

No! Let me talk, let-

Not now!

Awiergan shook her head as if trying to clear it, then glared at him. "If you don't let go of me this instant, I'll use Barrier to crush you to a bloody pulp."

Jalen didn't doubt that she would at least try. While he knew very well what Amy was capable of with that spell (A shattered ceramic salt shaker came to mind), he didn't know what Awiergan could do with it. He slowly let go of her arm, his hand dropping back to his side. A few people glanced at them curiously as they passed, but Jalen ignored them. He was still staring intently at his wife.

"Saelig."

Awiergan visibly twitched. "Don't call me that, I hate that name. Go away."

She turned and began to push the stroller down the street, in the direction of home. Jalen simply followed her, catching glimpses of Eli's little hand as he waved at passerby. Awiergan ignored him all down the block and across the street; finally turning the stroller into the alley that led to the apartment's stairs, she stopped, moving to lift Eli out of his seat while he chattered happily. Jalen stopped her, taking her arm again. Awiergan's eyes flashed and there was a sudden chill as a portal opened not a foot from his back.

"I warned you," She said, a smirk beginning to creep onto her lips. "But no, if you want to do it this way, I'll-" She broke off abruptly, shaking her head again. The portal seemed to waver, then shrink a little.

"Saelig?" He watched her, concerned. The portal made a strange warping sound as it expanded, suddenly so close to him he was certain if he moved even an inch backward, he'd be inside it. Awiergan raised her free hand to her head as if it hurt, and the chill soaking into his skin vanished as the portal closed completely.

"Damn, but she's hard to fight."

Jalen felt relief sweep over him as the eyes that met his faded to a familiar bluish-grey. Amy smiled wanly, then threw herself against him. He wrapped his arms around her tight, burying his face in her hair.

Eli laughed joyfully, clapping his hands together.



* * *



"So Brownie said you were goin' to be in Meridian for a while, helpin' out with some stuff there."

Tim was watching Jalen carefully as he spoke while Amy changed Eli's diaper in the next room. Jalen made an involuntary scowl at the soda the older man handed him before going to fetch himself a glass. Less bubbles up his nose that way.

"That was the plan."

He didn't like lying to her grandparents, but he didn't want to explain about his wife's 'Shadow', either. It was her story to tell, and she was going to have his sword melted down for scrap when she found out he'd told Ray. As if he'd had a choice.

"What changed?"

The Sprite hissed softly as it was poured, and he shrugged. "I'd rather be with my family."

Tim seemed to accept this, though Jalen felt that he was on the verge of saying something else. Amy came out of Eli's room then, grinning a bit as she saw her husband with the glass.

"Awe but Jale, I like watching you get bubbles up your nose!"

"You shush." He took a sip, ignoring Tim's snickering. Amy stuck her tongue out at him, then turned to her granddad.

"Didn't Gran want you to help her close at five so you guys could-"

Tim glanced back at the clock over the sink and swore. "I can never keep track when it's somethin' important. We'll be back up in a little while, so make sure the bathroom's clear. Your gran'll want the good light to put on her fancy face."

He grabbed a set of keys off the small table by the door as he left. Jalen cast a curious glance after him before looking at his wife.

"And that was?"

"Date." Amy replied simply before going over to cling to him again. Jalen set the soda down and hugged her.

"Was the lie your idea or her's?"

Amy stiffened for a moment before relaxing. "Maybe both of ours. I don't know, it's fuzzy."

"Why'd you leave Radiant Garden?"

She lifted her head to look at him, then shrugged.

"Amy."

"He was in danger," She almost whispered. "Had to protect him."

"Eli?"

"Uh huh."

"In danger from who?"

Jalen waited while Amy seemed to consider this, as if the answer she'd been ready to give suddenly didn't make sense anymore. He was right.

"Seph. But he wouldn't have hurt him. Taken him from me to protect him, maybe, but not hurt him. Awiergan just wanted to use Seph as an excuse. I think she was really afraid of Maleficent and Jagannatha...though I doubt Maleficent wants to hurt Eli either. He'd be too valuable to her."

You're talking too much. Shut up.

Bite me.

Amy pulled away, grabbing Jalen's hand. "I'm tired, can we nap for a while? Eli'll be awake soon, and-"

He nodded, squeezing her hand. "Anything you want."

Amy smirked suddenly, tugging him toward their room.

"I'll take you up on that later."