Beneath the Surface
by Skye & Ruex

Matt Hogan sighed heavily as he pulled his bike into a spot behind the building and headed into the employee entrance at the back. The security scanners made no protest at his entrance despite his appearance; a well muscled six foot three, wearing dusty leather and chains, dark glasses with bright blue hair showing beneath the leather dew cap on his head.   The pool game in progress as he entered the lounge paused, the players turning to watch him. Matt simply stalked past them on his way to the elevator, not bothering to say hello. He'd known he should have walked around to the main entrance... he kept meaning to. Before the elevator doors shut behind him, he heard the conversation at the pool table resume, with him as the topic. The words "What the fuck is Graves..." the last thing he heard before the doors shut.     He'd expected a similar scene in the guest lounge but the room was empty as he passed through to the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee on his way, the mug in his hand bearing a picture of crossed six-shooters and a stylized letter 'N' on the far side. The lobby didn't exactly fall silent when he entered but things did quiet down a bit. A small group of people sat in the seating area, flipping through magazines, and the pretty young secretary standing by one chair speaking to its occupant lowered her voice as he appeared and kept stealing glances in his direction.   The familiar blonde he'd expected to see manning the high front desk that dominated the room was no where to be seen. Instead, a bubbly brunette sat smiling down at him. "Good morning, Mr. Hogan. You're late. The meeting is already under way. Next floor up and down the hall. I'll take the files you failed to send in yesterday, however though."   Not bothering with his normal attitude or scary demeanor, Matt pulled a slim red disc out of his pocket and handed it to her. He'd discovered that Lucy Patterson was not easily intimidated."My connection went screwy... I saved them to disc." he said simply before heading past her and turning down the hall. He ignored the soft mutters of the other secretaries and young hunters as he past the offices heading for the stairs.   He paused outside the conference room door and took a deep breath, exhaling in a rather heavy sigh, then opened the door. All heads turned and looked at him; the expressions running from surprised, to disgusted, to afraid.   "Thanks for finding the time to join us, Graves." Lady Chaos said with a sarcastic smirk and Matt shot her one in return.     "Not a problem... thanks for waiting for me." he said, plopping down into the closest empty chair and slouching until he was fairly comfortable. All eyes continued to be on him as he gave a loud sniff and took a drink of his coffee. "What?" he asked then made a shooing motion with his hand. "Carry on."   Matt faded in and out of the meeting as they discussed a few cases that were being reopened; some recent problems with police, private detectives or feds; how some of the new hunters were coming along... he was wondering why he was even here when he realized the room had gone quiet and every one was looking at him again.     "Are we boring you, Graves?" Lady Chaos asked as she tapped her fingernails on the table top.     "Actually, yeah, you are." Matt said, pulling his sunglasses off. "Why the fuck am I here?" he asked, ignoring the rest of the people seated around him and looking at Kay. "I'm not a member of this fucking team... I work alone for the most part and on the road. But once a month you insist on me driving across the entire fucking state to sit here for three hours while we talk about shit that has nothing to do with me, then drive all the way back. It's bullshit." he said simply. "For those of you who have no fucking clue.. that's about a five hour drive, give or take. You expect any one else here to spend ten fucking hours on the road to attend these stupid fucking chat sessions of yours?"   The silence in the room was deafening. After a moment, the tick tick tick of Kays fingers nails resumed. "You're employed with this company under contract, Graves. Stated in that contract is that you attend mandatory meetings. Something that for the first part of your carreer with us we didn't enforce as regularly as we do now. If you have transportation issues, we can arrange for someone to open a portal for you."   Matt snorted in reply. "No... I don't have 'transportation issues'. I have other issues. The biggest of which is the fact I'm wasting my fucking time sitting here. It's been..." he glanced at the clock and smirked. "Two fucking hours since I got here... and in that entire time... not one fucking thing you've discussed has had anything to do with me. You can't give me that bullshit line about 'mandatory meetings' when I passed half a dozen other hunters and 'investigators' on my way up here. If it was 'mandatory, why the fuck aren't they here?" "Do you have a problem with the way we run this company, Graves?" Kay asked softly.   The chairs on either side of him suddenly shifted away and he realized his boss was extremely pissed at him right then. Aside from the bright red eyes that were watching him, he didn't notice any out ward reaction... but obviously the others did.   "Look. This obviously works for you. It doesn't work for me. The first few years worked fine. We didn't have any fucking problems. I don't see why shit had to change to this." Matt said simply, wondering if he was committing professional suicide.. and wondering if it mattered. He felt his phone go off, the vibration setting rattling the chains decorating the pocket of the coat. He pulled it out and checked the caller then sighed.     A throat cleared beside him and he looked up to find all the partners giving him dark looks... even Nate who usually couldn't even meet his eye. With a snort Matt stood up and put his sunglasses back on.     "Going somewhere?" Kay asked softly and Matt paused in the door way to look back at them.   "Yeah. I'm going home. I have more important shit to do then waste my time here. If you want me to come to a meeting that concerns me.. fine. No prob. But I'm not doing this shit when I'm not needed."   "Hogan." Kay said and he stopped, not looking back at her. She never called him by his last name and only rarely called him by his first name. "The meeting isn't over. Sit your ass down."   Matt sighed and looked back at her. "Sorry.. but like I said.. you don;t need me here for this shit. And I am needed at home. " he said simply. " You want to fire me, don;t claim it's over my attitude... that's nothing new. You hired me despite my attitude." He turned around, looking at the others still seated at the table, then glanced at her. "You knew when you hired me where I lived and how far a commute I had.. and that I couldn't open portals on my own and hated using them. You knew I didn't have the patience for meetings that dragged on forever and didn't concern me or my work... that's why we did things the way we did for so long. You;re the one changing things.. not me."   His phone went off again and after a quick check at the number looked up at Kay. "We going back to the way things were as far as the meeting are concerned?" he asked.   "No."   Matt shrugged. "Then I quit." he said simply and snapped his phone open. "Yeah... yeah... I'm on my way... Can you look after things until I get there? Yeah... thanks." he said as he let the door close behind him and headed back down the stairs.   He paused at the desk and knocked on the top to get Lucy's attention. "Well... you're out early. Time off for good behavior?" she asked with a smirk as she turned to face him.   Matt handed her his company ID. She raised an eye brow as she hesitantly accepted it. "Nice knowing you, Luc... keep giving them hell. Say good bye to Sylvie for me, will you?" he said as he headed for the stairs.   "Wait... what?" she called after him, standing up behind the desk with his card held out. "Mr. Hogan.. you need this..."   "No I don't, kid.. I quit." Matt called back over his shoulder with a wave as he took the stairs two at a time. It wasn't until he got outside that he remembered he'd parked around back. Five Months Later ~ ~   "Bloody fuckin' marvelous..." Nate MacDonnell muttered as he leaned against the side of his truck. They'd been undercover and out of contact with the company for a week making their way slowly home, and now, just a few more hours away and the truck was starting to give them trouble. By Eire's reckoning it wouldn't get them more than a few more miles before it died.   And thanks to the Fates twisted sense of humor, they didn't even have a cell phone between them; and even if they had, they couldn't risk calling anyone from the office anyhow...   "How far t' th' nearest town?" he asked. "any chance we can get it fixed there.. or rent another?" Eire snorted softly as he looked around, his nose twitching slightly. "This late...not gonna find any one open t' fix it...or rent." He answered, before smirking. "Should'a brought me truck."     "You know that three people can not fit comfortably in your truck, Eire. Not unless one of them is in the back." Came Saffron's voice, from where she sat in the open passenger's door.   "Could'a put Nate in'a the back." Eire said with a smirk, glancing back at her. Saffron gave him a look, pulling Eire's coat tighter around her. "Anyway," Eire said looking around again. "Actually...think...we might be able t' find some 'elp..." He said thoughtfully. "Iffin I'm not mistaken..." He snorted softly, ruefully. "Graves lives 'round 'ere some where..." Nate shot him a dark look. "Wonderful... th' bloody week just keeps gettin' better.." he growled, then sighed heavily. "think th' damned truck can get us t' a pay phone so we can look up his number? Or at least find some one who can give us directions..?" he asked, pushing himself away form the truck. "That is.. ifn' ye think he'd even be willin' t' help... didnae exactly leave in th' best o' terms ye know.." Eire snorted softly. "The most we'd be askin' is t' use the bugger's phone." He replied. "An' no, the truck ain't gonna get us that far. It's dead, mate...I can fix it, but I gotta 'ave the parts first." He said, leaning against the truck.     Saffron snorted softly. "Well, it would beat sitting here...in the dark." She said softly, putting in her opinion. Nate groaned as he turned to look up the road to the faint glow of a town. "Fuckin' great.. so we walk? Knock on doors until we find someone tha' can give us a ride t' his place?" he asked, then turned and shot Eire a look. "an' I don' even fuckin' want t' know how ye know th' bugger lives out here... ye tell me ye know his address an' shit I'll have t' hurt ye...Tha's just far too disturbin'."   He headed to the drivers side and grabbed his coat, pulling it on before grabbing his duffel bag as well. "Might as well grab our things... th' way our luck is runnin' someone'll find th' truck an' help them selves..." "Know his address...no, not persay...know he lives in a church...with it's own cemetery." Eire replied, scratching his eye brow, though his eyes sparkled. Saffron snorted softly, before hoping out of the truck.     She didn't even know who they were talking about and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. But if it got them out of the way, before their...'big problem' found them again, then maybe they'd have a chance to resolve this case. Nate sighed, tossing Eire his own bag. "Fine.. we'll head towards town. If anyone stops we can ask fer directions at least. " he grumbled to himself as he started walking, knowing the others would catch up in their own time. "should've stuck t' th' main mains.. least then we'd have a shot at hitchin'.." "I 'eard that...now who the hell would'a picked the lot o' us up?" Eire asked, amused as he waited for Saffron, who joined him a moment later. "Though I'm sure some one would've offered Saff a ride, jus' t' get her away from us..." He added, smirking wickedly. Saffron smacked him in the shoulder and started past him. Nate smirked softly as he walked. It was actually a nice night for a walk... would've been nicer if he'd had someone to enjoy the walk with.. and wasn't stranded in the middle of nowhere. He wondered what Graves had been up to since he quit. He'd mentioned being needed at home, but Nate had never really looked into the man or his personal life. From what he knew, Graves had always kept things to himself and the personel file held only what they absolutely had to. The fact that Eire had looked into it enough to find out where abouts he lived was a bit curious... but then Eire tended to play things close to the chest as well. No doubt he'd tell him sooner or later.     The three of them walked for almost an hour without seeing any cars, and the few houses they passed were dark; either the people weren't home or were the 'early to bed' variety.The road ahead was darkened as trees crowded the sides of the road. Nate sighed and glanced at the other two. "Lovely... ye keep yer nose out fer critters, E'... fuckin' sleepy hollow..." he muttered to himself. Eire snorted, before handing his bag to Saffron who took it, with a raised eyebrow, before Eire suddenly shifted into wolf form and bound off ahead of the two. Saffron shook her head, watching him run for a moment. "Well, if he finds anything, I'm sure he'll let us know..." She said softly. She was quiet for a long moment. "Where are we going again? And why is it the two of you sound like you'd rather have your toenails ripped out, then actually go?" Nate snorted as they walked slowly towards where the trees turned the road into a dark tunnel. "Graves used t' work fer Chaos. He quit a few months back.. wel.. almost half a year now. He's a necromancer... not t' mention a complete fuckin' asshole..." he muttered softly. "Never got along with th' man... hated workin' with him. Eire didnae mind as much, or at least he didnae let on he did... but then E' had a thing fer Grave's car..." "Hmm, must have been a very nice car then, for Eire to be interested." Saffron said softly with a weary smirk, watching the silver wolf dart in and out of the trees as they walked, scaring out rabbits and other small creatures. Something about the name Graves sounded so awfully familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Nate snorted. "It was a fuckin' hearse..." he said softly as they entered the tree line. "Guy had zombies an' shite painted along th' sides..." He wasn't sure how long they'd been walking when he first noticed the bits of moonlight that made it through the trees hitting a stone wall that ran along the side of the road just inside the tree line. Saffron shook her head again. "In a way, that sounds exactly like something Eire would be interested in, a hearse..." She said softly, though she frowned again, before glancing up the road as the silver wolf came out to sat on the side some way up, waiting for them. Nate snorted softly, not replying to that as they walked. By the time they'd reached the wolf, he had started noticing glints of moonlight off of stone deeper inside the trees as well. The sight of the lane way the wolf was parked at at first brought a sigh of relief... then he drew next to the mail box and he tried to read the name. "Oh bloody hell... fuckin' Hogan... we just walked past th' bloody graveyard!" "Supersitious?" Saffron asked softly, looking at the cemetery for a moment, before she turned her gaze toward the old church that had obviously been converted. For a moment, something in her memory flashed and she couldn't stop the gasp, but she had no idea why the place seemed all to familiar.     The silver wolf had shifted back to Eire by that point and he narrowed his eyes, watching Saffron a moment, before turning to Nate. "Ye wanna go knock or do I?" He asked. Nate just headed off down the lane towards the church, muttering the entire way. "Course I'm fuckin' superstisious.. bloody fuckin' witch..."   There were eerie blue white solar lights stuck in the center of the circular drive way, showing a well kept flower bed. More lead up a short walk to a short set of stairs. Tall stained glass windows on either side of the door glowed from lights on inside so they knew the occupants were home and awake... The first such sign they'd seen so far that night.   Drawing a deep breath Nate knocked on the door. A moment passed and he knocked again and the door was suddenly yanked open. Nate blinked in surprise as he found himself looking eye to eye with a rather pretty young blonde in a sleep short set. "Can I help you?" she asked , jolting Nate out of his shock.     "Sorry... we're lookin' fer Matt Hogan..." he said, suddenly sure they had the wrong house. To his surprise the girl shoved the door open wider to admit him and yelled over her shoulder.     "DAD!! Company!!" she turned back to him. "come on in... don;t mind the mess."   Nate stepped inside to find himself in a large but decidely nice room. The mess the girl mentioned was a scattering of toys over by the sofa. the rest of the room was fairly neat. "Um... there must be some mistake, lass..." he started to say as he heard Eire and Saffron come inside behind him.   "Mackenzie, damn it.. keep your voice down... I just got him to sleep!" Matt said as he came down the stairs and stopped as he spotted Nate. "Fuck... what do you want, MacDonnell?" he asked as he came the rest of the way downstairs. The blonde had retreated to the sofa where a second, slightly darker blonde head could be seen resting on the one arm.   "Sorry dad." Mackenzie said as she reached the couch and smacked whoever was sitting there to move over.   Matt hit the bottom of the stairs and froze as his gaze fell on Eire and Saffron. Eire had entered behind Nate, his hands in his pockets, his bag on his shoulder as he glanced around the place a moment, not failing to notice the look of surprise on Matt's face. He managed to restrain the growl that wanted to escape him, knowing it was the appearence of Saffron that had shocked Graves.     Saffron on the other hand, had froze in the door way, her eyes wide as her gaze looked around the room. It felt all to familiar, and...comfortable. A feeling like she was home. Which scared her slightly because she was positive she'd never been here before. IT took a moment before her gaze landed on Matt and her eyes widened more as she stared at him. She thought he was only a figment of dreams she had from time to time, but here he stood for real. And she didn't even know who he was... or did she...? Every one stood where they were, staring at each other. They were startled out of it by a shout from the couch. "Close the damn door! you're letting the bugs in!"   "Mercedes!" Matt snapped, his gaze breaking away to look at the couch.     There was a groan of protest and a second girl flopped half onto the floor before righting herself. She shot them a cursory look as she stomped to a black shoulder bag and dug out out a wallet, then dropped it back in. She shot Matt a glare as she dropped a coin into large jar already half full of coins and decorated with Halloween stickers, mostly skulls and ghosts. She turned to head back to the couch when she froze, spotting Saffron in the door way. "Oh shit... Saff?" she asked. Saffron looked ready to bolt. Not since they'd rescued her from LiVed had Eire seen her so damned terrified. Eire groaned softly, before moving over to her, one hand shutting the door, as he started to slip his other arm around her. She jerked away from him. "I know this place..." She breathed. "I KNOW this place..." She turned and pulled the door open to leave. To get as far a way as possible.     "Nate, do me a favor, mate an' go get 'er." Eire growled at Nate, as Saffron fled. When Nate gave him a questioning look, Eire growled. "Please, Nate!"     Saffron had slipped on the front steps, landing with a thud and merely sat there, frozen, her mind spinning, trying to make sense of everything. Not having three years worth of memories, was a terrible thing. Nate just nodded and slipped out after her. He hesitated then sat on the steps beside her, not sure what to say if anything.." Saffron sat where she was, staring out over the front yard, but not really seeing it as it was. Instead, she saw it as it had been...to her. "I don't understand..." She said softly, knowing Nate was sitting beside her with out even having to look. "I don't remember...and yet I know this place means something...I know he means something..." Nate sighed softly and reached out to rub her back lightly. "If it does.. it'll come t' ye lass..." he said simply. Saffron sighed softly. "That's what was said about everything else..." She said softly, closing her eyes for a moment. She frowned deeply at hearing a childs wailing cry from inside, before she stood suddenly, turning back toward the door, staring.   Matt was staring at the door and both girls had left the couch. The one who had answered the door, Mackenzie, had shoulder length golden blonde hair, a light dusting of freckles... and Matt's lavender eyes. Eyes that were locked on Eire. The other girl looked almost identical, except her hair was cut short and was a darker honey tone.. and her eyes were on the darker side. Both girls were fairly tall, but were obviously either preteen or early teens.   "That was Saffron..." she said softly and Matt broke free of the paralysis that seemed to have held him in place. He headed for the door, shoving Eire aside. "Saff?!" Eire grabbed Matt's arm. "Don't." He growled. It was an internal struggle, knowing some how Saffron obviously had a life here before LiVed had gotten a hold of her again and the fact that now...she and Eire had started dating. He wasn't sure if his reason for stopping Matt was Saffron, or his own jealousy. "She doesn't bloody remember. She doesn't 'ave any memory o' the last three years." He growled.     Matt grabbed the front of Eire shirt and slammed him into the wall. "That is my fucking wife." he growled. "Don't you ever fucking tell me what to do with my family." he said. A piercing wail sounded from upstairs and Matt released Eire. "Get the fuck out of my house.. and take the witch boy with you." he said. "Girls, go look after your brother." he said heading for the door again.   Eire was only momentarily stunned by finding out Saffron was married to Matt, before he snarled, for a moment, ignoring the cry from upstairs. "Did ye not jus' hear me, Graves?" He growled. "She doesn't fuckin' remember! Not since LiVed wiped three fuckin' years o' her memory! LiVed, jack ass!"     Matt froze at hearing that name. "LiVed...?" he said softly, turning back from the door.   "Dad?"   Matt glanced at the two girls. "Mac... go calm Caleb down... Mercey... you owe another quarter." he said, sounding more tired than anything.   Mackenzie raced upstairs but the other girl scowled. "Shit." she mumbled softly.   "Two quarters." Matt said automatically, earning another scowl as she did as told. He sank down onto the stairs, not daring to look towards the door. "He took her?" he asked softly. "fuck... gods damn it... I knew something was wrong, but... fuck...I though she just ..." He slid both hands through his hair and held his head for a moment before looking up at Eire. "Least tell me she's with you because you killed the fucker to save her?" "If the fucker was dead, ye'd 'ave no doubt heard 'bout it. She's been livin' at the offices...for the last couple months, tryin' t' recover her memory." Eire said, an edge still to his tone. "It's been hard on her." He added, perhaps a little more coldly then he meant.     He looked back at the door as it opened again. Saffron seemed to hesitate, before entering again, though her gaze seemed to go up the stairs, rather then look at any one else. Eire felt the urge to just take her and leave, not wanting this to upset her any more then it obviously was, but he also knew she'd refuse... Matt forced himself to stay sitting even though every muscle screamed at him to go to her. "Hi..." he said softly, feeling the thud of footsteps coming down the stairs above him. "Um.. Eire Montgomery.. Nate MacDonnell... these are my daughters... Mackenzie and Mercedes...or.. Mac and Mercey.. and my son Caleb." he said softly as Mackenzie appeared with a struggling black haired toddler in her arms. Matt reached out and Caleb all but leaped into his arms, snuggling against him, hiccuping. "And no... I didn't name any of them..." he added shooting Nate a look. "The girls are thirteen... Caleb's one... "   The girls stood unsure what to do with no clue what was going on. Caleb sniffed loudly and turned his face to look at the strangers, his eyes falling on Saffron. "Mumma!" he called out and stretched out towards her, whimpering. Saffron stared, eyes wide again, before the memory flashed through her mind, having a son. LiVed had tried to take that memory from her. And had almost succeeded. She had a child, all this time and hadn't remembered. Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh my god..." She breathed, as her knees gave out, dropping her to the floor. She closed her eyes as she cried softly.     Eire pulled away from the wall, and moved, kneeling beside her. He brushed the hair back from her face, whispering to her softly and Saffron shook her head. Eire sighed, and whispered something else.     Saffron was still for a moment, before she opened her eyes, looking up at Matt and the toddler, afraid to move toward them.     "Bring 'im to her, Graves..." Eire growled softly, standing, though he didn't move away from Saffron more then a step or two back. Matt stood, struggling to keep hold of Caleb. "I won't fucking tell you again, Montgomery... shut your fucking mouth when it comes to my family." he growled softly as he went to Saffron, squatting down in front of her.     Caleb was whimpering, his arms outstretched and his hands grabbing for her. Matt held him out so the boy could reach her. "Mumma." he repeated.   Matt let go of Caleb, letting him crawl into her lap and brushed her hair from her face. "We missed you, baby." he said softly. "We missed you so much... even Mac... right brat?"   There was a soft snort from behind him as Mackenzie crossed her arms over her chest, but she answered "Yeah." Saffron let her arms slip around the child, holding him closer. Some how knowing it was her son, her child, even if all she had were scant memories, of being pregnant and of him as an infant. "Caleb..." She said softly, frowning slightly. "Caleb Lucas Hogan..." She added just as softly.     She raised her eyes, looking up at Matt, her gaze a mixture of confusion and thoughtfulness, the tears still evident. She bit her lip, before raising a hand hesitantly, lightly touching his hair. "I know you..." She said in a whisper, staring at him.     Eire clenched his jaw at that, biting back the retort he wanted to fire off at Matt's words to him, but not wanting to upset Saffron any more then she already was. He was half tempted to be the one to go outside at the moment, to wait this out, but at the same time, he couldn't make himself leave. Matt swallowed hard, holding on to every bit of will power he had not to pull her into his arms and never let go. "Yeah baby... you know me. You married me two years ago... secretly... no one knew...That's how you wanted it." he said with a soft smirk and held up his hand to show the black and gold wedding band. "You adopted my girls when the bi... their mother died.. and you're the only one giving me a shot at a relationship with my son.. my other son, Travis. He hates my guts.. but you.. you he fucking adores..."     "How many fuckin' kids do ye have, fer fuck sakes?" Nate asked softly, still in shock over everything.    Matt glanced over Saffron's shoulder at him and Eire. "Four. I've only got custody of three though... and the girls only the last few years. What's the matter, MacDonnell... having trouble picturing me as a real person?"   Nate blushed furiously but crossed his arms. "What d'ya mean ye've been married t' her fer two years!"   Mat smirked darkly. "Call Sylvie and ask her... it's in my file... if you still have it. But Sylvie will remember anyhow. I was married two years ago on April Eighteenth... Saffron's name is on file although with a note that she went by the name 'Angel'. My kids are all listed too. I told you all when I quit that I had better things to do and I was needed at home."   He looked back to Saffron and Caleb and reached out slowly to caress her face, afraid of scaring her. "I don't know what happened baby... If I'd known... I can't believe that bastard had you..I'm so sorry, sweetheart.." he said, his voice softer and more tender then either man had ever imagined hearing it. Saffron bit her lip, still holding Caleb in her lap. She flinched slightly when he touched her face, but she looked up at him. Before shaking her head slightly, closing her eyes against another rush of tears. "He just... found me... I don't know how he got a hold of me, I can't remember... all I remember is six weeks in the Black Court... until the others some how got in there...  they weren't even looking for me, they were looking for something else...Eire...found me in the tower..." She said softly. Matt hadn't failed to notice the slight flinch she'd made, and after that first soft touch on her cheek, he dropped his hands away from her.     "Dad? What's going on...?"Mercedes asked softly, her eyes on Saffron.     Matt sighed and looked around at the girls. "She can't remember us... she has amnesia... that's why she never came home. " he said simply then looked up at the two men. "Look... I don't why you guys are here since you obviously have no fucking clue.. but thanks for bringing her home." he said as he got to his feet. "Why don't you .. come on in. Girls... go on.. off to bed."   "But dad!?" Mercedes complained, moving closer to Saffron.     "Mercey... its late. Saff is home... you can see her in the morning, alright? but right now... she needs some time to take it all in."   Mackenzie hesitated her gaze on the two men that had arrived with Saffron. "They staying too?" she asked softly.   Matt sighed and looked at the guys. "I guess so... now go on."   Mercedes dashed forward and quickly hugged Saffron before anyone could stop her. "I'm glad you're home... mum." she said, then quickly pulled back, blushing slightly. Mackenzie grabbed her sisters arm and the two girls vanished down to the basement. Saffron stared after the girls a moment, before looking down at Caleb, who was snuggled against her, on the verge of falling asleep. She looked at him a moment, before smiling softly, not about to deny how right this felt. She moved to get off the floor, having a little trouble, with holding Caleb in both arms. Matt reached down to help her up, his arm slipping around her easily, steadying her. It was a sheer effort of will to make himself let go again after wards though. He stepped back. "Come on into the kitchen... there's coffee.... or I can get you something to eat... " he said softly. "You guys can tell me why you're here... " he added, his eyes staying on Saffron, not failing to notice her wedding ring was missing and wondering if LiVed had it... Eire watched with a slightly raised eyebrow as Saffron turned, heading in the right direction. Eire and Nate followed Matt. "We're only 'ere cause Nate can't get it through his head t' 'ave his truck tuned up before goin' on a job." Eire said as they entered the kitchen.    "We were on a undercover assignment...broke down a few miles from here. No cellphone, no connection with the office, an' we got somethin' out there huntin'..." Eire added. Matt snorted softly. "Surprised your girl Charli let you out of there if the truck was that bad." he said softly. "The girls will be awhile before they actually attempt to go to bed.. but keep your voices down so they'll get bored of trying to eavesdrop quicker." he said with a soft smirk, his eyes on Saff as they entered the kitchen.   "Coffee? I can put more on..." he said then eyed the both of them. "Sorry, I don't have any beer and very little in the way of alcohol... and what I do have is Saff's." he said with a slight smirk. "I have one guest room downstairs along with the boys room... MacDonnell might be short enough to fit Travis's bed. Caleb's been sleeping upstairs since Saf vanished anyway..." he said, then glanced at her. "Plus there's the couch and love seat. We'll find some place for you guys to sleep..." Eire rolled his eyes. "Coffee's fine." He said simply, watching as Saffron pulled out a chair at the table and sat down, Caleb fast asleep in her arms and it didn't look like she was going to give the child up any time soon.    "Hell, the truck'd 'ave been fine...could've been the nasty that's huntin' us that did somethin' to it." Eire said softly, leaning against the wall next to the table. "I can fix the damned thing with no problem once I get the parts. But we couldn't 'ave stayed in the damn thing all night, hence the reason we ended up 'ere." Matt snorted softly as he poured the two cups of coffee left in the pot and set them on the table before setting up a new pot. "It only takes a couple minutes.”  Matt said as he got down two more mugs. "Help yourself to the phone if you want. Couple of garages in town.. neither open until eight though. There is one out the other side of town that does night calls for tows, but he's fucking expensive. You might as well stay the night and call for a tow in the morning." he said, turning to face Saffron. "So... this sucks... with her not remembering, I can't even find out what happened." he said softly.   "Well.. ye must have some idea... ye didnae go lookin' fer her after all..." Nate said as he added cream to the one cup of coffee. The other sat in front of Saffron.   Matt snorted. "I did... it's just .. fucked up." he added softly. "On the upside, it's only supposed t' be a bad memory spell. She remembers more an' more as the days go by...important stuff she seems t' remember pretty quickly." Eire said.    "Yus, thank you for talking about me, like I'm not even here." Saffron suddenly snapped, looking up at the three of them, her eyes dark. Eire snorted softly with a faint smirk.    "Didn't quite mean like it that, darlin'." Eire said with the smirk. "Jus'...tellin'...Graves ye'll remember eventually..." "Matt." he said softly as he poured Eire and himself coffee from the fresh pot then took the seat beside Saffron. He stroked Caleb's cheek, letting his hand brush against hers lightly. "My name's Matt. " he told her. "We were having a rough spot just before she vanished. Not .. relationship wise.." he added with a look at Eire before turning back to Saffron. "Mackenzie's always been a bit of a problem... she's getting better though, but she never used to listen to you, babe. Then my ex wound up in trouble and her lawyer appears and dumps a son I didn't even fucking know I had on our doorstep. Travis is his mothers son.. Montgomery...I think you've met SJ...? anyhow.. he fucking hates me and made our lives a living hell for the most part... but you got through to him some how, baby... he loves you to death." Matt said softly.    " Anyhow... SJ had reclaimed Travis, but that week he'd been back for his first 'official' visitation with us and when he wasn't fighting with the girls, he was fighting with me. Plus Caleb is a very sensitive kid.. he picks up on the emotional state of people around him and reacts to it.. so with everyone being upset, so was he. We were pretty much driving you nuts... plus I'd just quit my job not that long before that... " he smirked softly and looked down at his wedding band. "You have this thing... when you needed some space or air, or needed to use your abilities, you'd slip out for a bit. A walk, go catch a movie.. something, you know? But you'd leave a note... Mac got really good at forgery though so we came up with this code deal... You'd sign with initials that went with something you'd mentioned in the note...The note you left that day was that you'd needed to spread your wings and get some air... and you signed it Y.D.A. ... your dark angel..." he said. "Figured you'd just gone for a walk for some peace and quiet... when you didn't come back, I went out looking for a bit, then called someone to look after the kids while I went out again... when the twenty four hours was up, Ben and his guys.. the police cheif here in town... they officially pitched in, but they'd been looking before that. No one could find any sign of you at all..." Saffron stared at him, listening to everything he said. She frowned slightly, before looking down at Caleb, quiet for a long moment. She closed her eyes a moment, quiet. "I went walking... in the wooded area near here..." She said softly after a moment frowning more. Before she opened her eyes again, blinked. "Rowen Ravenscourt." She said softly. "He was...he was there...in the clearing..." She said, looking at Eire and Nate a moment.    Eire snorted softly. "Ye know Ravenscourt from what ye've seen of Lex's past. He works fer which e'er bad guy can get 'im closer t' his target, Lexine..." Eire said. "So it wouldn't 'ave been the first time he was workin' for LiVed. Anything else...?" He asked her.    Saffron frowned, she closed her eyes again, trying to remember. "Other then he managed to knock me down..no..." Saffron said softly with a sigh. Matt reached over and gently covered her hand with his. "I still have friends looking for you... but, fuck.. Boston? We never thought... New Orleans and Mexico in case you were on your own... and.. well.. a couple of the other realms in case you weren't... No one had heard anything." he said. "I'd begun thinking I'd have to find someone to look after the kids so I could go after you myself. "   "Well.. ifn' ye hadnae quit, ye'd have been there when she was found." Nate said a touch snide and Matt shot to his feet.    "I quit because I was tired of having my time wasted when I was needed here at home by my family. I had a infant son and two teen age daughters living here and partial custody of another son.. all of whom were too much for Saff to deal with alone all the time. If Kay had just fucking left things the way they were with the damn meetings, I wouldn't have quit." Matt snapped as he leaned on the table, glaring down at Nate. "I made the right decision for my family and myself, and I stand by that." "Still, iffin ye hadn't quit..." Eire said, putting in his opinion.    "Stop!" Saffron hissed suddenly, her eyes flashing as she gave Eire a dark look. "Just don't even go there. Neither of you have children. You haven't realizing they're more important in most cases."    Eire raised an eyebrow, "No offense, Saff, but uh...ye don't remember bein' a mother..."    "But that doesn't change the fact that I am!" Saffron snapped before Eire could finish what he was saying and Eire decided not to push it.    "Alright...alright, not gonna say anything..." Eire muttered, shaking his head. He eyed Saffron a moment, and sighed softly, knowing she was lost to him. But then, he really only wanted her to be happy. It was hard to see the idea that this would make her happy. Matt looked down at Saffron and Caleb then sank back down into his chair. "Saff..." he said softly then carefully took hold of her hand. "You don't remember anything... you don't remember being taken.. or anything until you were rescued then... That's a good thing. I remember what you told me about LiVed... and Right.. If you can't remember... don't try to." he said softly, his voice catching slightly. "You can build new memories with us... " Saffron sighed softly. "I do remember, being in the Black Court, what I was forced to do for LiVed in those six weeks. That, I would give anything to forget. This..." She looked down at Caleb for a long moment, before looking back up at Matt. "All of THIS, I'd give anything to remember..." She said softly. Matt raised his hand to cradle her cheek again. "You're remembering bits..so... it'll come back." he said then his lips quirked softly. "Do.. do you remember Steve?"   "Fuck.. ifn ye tell me it's another kid I'm fuckin' walkin' back t' Boston." Nate muttered.   Matt shot him a look. "Why don't you go make your fucking phone call?" Saffron sat still for a moment, thinking. "Steve..." She echod softly, then closed her eyes a moment, thinking. "Steve..." She looked up suddenly, with wide eyes. "My plushie!" She said softly, with surprise. "A zombie plushie! You gave him to me..."    Eire raised an eyebrow, before snorting softly, shaking his head. He grabbed Nate's arm and headed out of the kitchen, toward the phone  he'd spotted  on the desk on their way in. Matt smiled in return and let his thumb brush over her cheek. "Yeah. I did." he said softly. "You'll be fine baby... it'll all come back to you." he said softly, starting to lean in to kiss her then stopped. "I want to kiss you. I'm sorry... you're my wife and .. my fucking soul mate.. and I love you with all my heart... and it is SO hard to not hold you or kiss you.. I..I'm trying." he said softly.   Saffron bit her lip, staring up at him a moment. She really wanted to remember all of this. She wanted to remember being a mother, to all these kids. And she wanted to remember Matt. She wanted to know she had some one who loved her so very much. "If you want to kiss me...maybe...just a small one..." Matt smirked, blushing slightly at her comment. "Just small one..." he repeated. "angel...at the best of times small kisses rarely happened between us... and now after months of being apart...?" he shook his head, smiling softly as he stroked her cheek with his thumb some more. "I'll try, babe... but I can't promise anything." he said before leaning in and letting his lips brush over hers a moment before kissing her softly. Saffron gasped softly, behind the kiss, more memories flashing through her head as she felt him kissing her softly. And she pulled away before it could go any further, staring up at him with surprise, though she blushed deeply, at some of the memories the kiss had brought to mind. Matt closed his eyes as she pulled away, his fingers still caressing her cheek lightly. He swallowed hard, trying to get the tightness out of his throat. "thanks, angel." he whispered softly. With a soft sigh he opened his eyes and looked at her. "I love you, Saff. I swear I do. I'll never hurt you. When they leave...I want you to stay. I'll do my best to back off, just tell me and I will. You can have our room. I'll sleep down stairs with the kids... or on the couch.. just please... don't leave me again." Saffron swallowed hard, looking down at Caleb a moment. "I couldn't leave now...not knowing this..." She said softly. "Not knowing I'm a mother..." She added, looking up at him. She fell silent for a moment, before blushing again. "I remember more..." Matt shifted, pulling his chair closer and turning it so their knees touched. He brushed one hand over her hair. "I'm glad, baby. Any chance I can convince you not to remember the fact that I'm an asshole? I mean.. you'll no doubt figure that out again soon enough, but ya know.." he smirked, then leaned into brush his lips over her cheek in a soft kiss. "There's no rush to remember, angel. Fuck.. it's late. You must be tired... why don't you take Caleb up to bed? You're stuff's still all there... I haven't moved anything.." "I am tired..." Saffron said softly in agreement. She looked down at Caleb, and decided Matt was probably right, she might as well take him up to bed...and try to get some sleep herself. "You have a point...I really should get some rest..." Matt stood and helped her to her feet, Caleb still sleeping peacefully in her arms. "so much for coffee.. I think that's the only cup I've seen you ignore.. well... the only cup made the way you like it that you've ignored." he said with a soft smirk. "Then again... it's late and you look exhausted.. never should've offered you a cup any how.." he said, then slipped his arm behind her, keeping his touch light so as not to upset her. He had no idea how long he was going to be able to control himself, but he knew the last thing he wanted to do was hurt or scare her... if that meant keeping things platonic between them for now.. then he'd do his damndest to stick to that for her sake. Saffron smiled slightly, glancing up at Matt. "Well there's always coffee in the morning..." She said softly. "Thank you...anyway." She added, blushing slightly. She felt shy, but at the same time, she felt safe with Matt. And comfortable. It wasn't that she hadn't felt safe with Eire, because she had, it just hadn't felt like this... Matt hesitated a moment then smirked softly. "Would you like me to go up with you.. in case you don't remember where things are? Or.. would you rather find things on your own..?" he asked. Saffron bit her lip, then snorted softly. "Well considering I don't really remember where things are...It wouldn't...hurt to have a reminder." She said softly, shifting Caleb in her arms. "But...I also need to talk to Eire..." Matt bit back the growl he wanted to let out and nodded. "Sure..." he said then moved to open the door for her. "You want me to take Caleb while you talk to him?" he asked softly, thinking that Marilee would be impressed all to hell with his restraint at the moment... not to mention she'd probably be making a bet about how long it would last.   < < PREVIOUS     NEXT > >

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