Every Breath She Takes [CURRENTLY ON HOLD]

Chapter 30: Reunion

A/N: Slight change, dear readers. Little Sarah's nickname is Pixie, and she will be called that - just to save from confusion between her and Caliana's mother. Happy reading!

Caliana was outside with the children when Sarah came into the kitchen. By chance, I was the only one there, Jack holed away in his workroom. At the slight noise, I turned around, meeting her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, deciding not to fuss over her.

She didn't reply for a while, sliding into one of the chairs. "Safe," she finally answered. I nodded absently, and pushed a plate of food in front of her.

"Here. You need to eat something."

She ate slowly, watching me. "You're happy with him?"

I nodded, sitting opposite her. "Yes. We're happy with each other."

The older woman nodded, her eyes, despite her thin face, sharp as she studied me. "You deserve it," she murmured.

"And you?" I asked quietly, rising again. "He let you keep Caliana?"

"Yes. He made me pay for it."

I could imagine what he'd forced her to do all too well. "She's coming out of her shell."

"It's good for her to be with your children."

I turned, meeting her gaze again. "You're hiding something, Sarah," I said bluntly. "If it's putting the children in danger..."

She shook her head, pushing the empty plate away. "It's not," she said firmly. "I could never do that."

"Then what is it?"

She sighed. "It was Jack," she finally said, meeting my eyes evenly. "He told us."

I didn't speak for a long time, turning it over in my mind. Finally, I nodded. "That makes sense."

She stared at me. "What? You're...not annoyed?"

I shrugged, turning back to making dinner. "Why should I be? I can't change it, and it's helped you get here."

That forced a chuckle out of her. "You always were level-headed."

I smiled to myself, chopping the vegetables. I knew the children would complain, but they would still eat them.

"You truly don't mind us turning up on your doorstep?"

I lifted a shoulder. "I couldn't stop you, could I?" I asked her. "Caliana's only thirteen - he can't get her back."

A sigh was my response. "He hasn't touched her."

"She said he tried."

"He did. I made him stop. It was...painful."

I looked over my shoulder at her, seeing the remembered pain in her eyes. "It's been too long, Sarah," I murmured, but she smiled at me.

"You had no choice but to leave us. You would have died!"

I stopped what I was doing, looking down. "And you?" I challenged in a whisper. "I left you with him."

"Rökiga, there was no way he would have let me go. To his mind, I'm his. You know that."

I nodded, slowly resuming cooking. "I know. How did you get out?"

She was silent for a long time, and I sensed that she didn't want to talk about it.

"It's alright," I said quietly, looking at her again. "There's no need, really."

At that point, little Pixie came in, and stopped, her dark grey eyes wide. "Mummy?"

"Yes, Pixie?" I answered absently, looking in the fridge. "What is it?"

"Who's that?"

I looked up, sighing, and sat at the table, drawing her to me. "This is Sarah," I told her. "She's Caliana's mum."

"Oh." She studied the older woman curiously, and then looked at me. "Is there any cake?"

I laughed, brushing her flyaway hair out of her eyes. "No," I told her. "Dinner's soon. Why don't you play with the others and Buddy? They're in the garden."

She nodded and ran out. Sarah looked at me.

"She's beautiful. You've done well."

I smiled, proud, and returned to the dinner. "She's a lovely little thing."

"Her name's Pixie?"

I shook my head. "No, we just all call her that. Her name's Sarah."

She was quiet. "You didn't need to, Rökiga."

I shrugged. "We wanted to. It suited her."

She sighed again, sounding exhausted.

"You should go back to bed," I said, hearing her. "You've have little to eat, and need it."

"I will. After I talk to Cali."

"She's protective of you."

"She's had to be." To no surprise of mine, she sounded bitter. "She's grown up too fast."

"Cam gets along well with her."

"Really?" She sounded surprised, and I looked at her.

"Yes. They've become quite close. I think it's good for her."

Footsteps interrupted us, and I didn't miss the tension that appeared in Sarah's shoulders.

"It's only Jack," I assured her, and true to my word, he appeared in the doorway, coming over to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and nibbled my ear. "Jack!" I tried to push him away. "Not now. Do you want dinner or not?"

He grinned, but let go of me, nodding in greeting to Sarah. "Nice to see you up," he said. "Good to see you out of that place."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you for getting us out," she replied.

"My pleasure. Ro, when's -"

I knew what he was going to ask. "About half an hour," I told him. "Time for you to clean up."

He snorted with amusement, but didn't argue. As he passed me, he kissed my neck, not giving me enough time to swat him before he vanished.

"He loves you," Sarah observed. I smiled.

"Yes," I said simply.

She nodded, watching me. "You're the lucky one," she murmured, just a Caliana burst into the kitchen, her face flushed with laughter. She saw her mother immediately.

"Mum!" The girl flew for her mother, who caught her. "You're up!"

"Yes, honey. How have you been going?"

"They're nice, Mum. Are we going to stay forever?"

Both of us smiled, but I answered. "You can stay as long as you want, Caliana," I said. "It's no trouble at all."

Thankfully, the girl smiled back at me, and ran off, presumably to join my children.

"I haven't seen her so happy for a long time," Sarah said softly. "It's good for her."

I nodded, returning to the dinner. "Anything to help, Sarah," I said quietly. "Anything."