Reacquainted Souls: Part Three

by Kerri G.

He woke alone, the bedside clock telling him most of the morning had gone. He rubbed his eyes, stretching as he moved over to the window.

He could see Charlotte outside and moved the curtain to get a better look. She held a sword in fighting stance and the other man, Matthew, advanced on her with a sword of his own. He watched as Matthew rained blows down on her. Her movements were quick and graceful, blocking and dodging his blade at every swing, but his offensive offered no opportunity for her to counterattack. His blows drove her across the yard.

Just as he decided he had seen enough of this, she dived beneath a blow, coming up from behind, and knocked the sword from Matthew's hand. She slipped one booted foot behind his and pushed him over, leaning her sword tip on his chest. They exchanged a few words and Matthew jumped up.

He motioned her to take another stance, then came to stand behind her, his arms around her as he took her through the motions.

All right, this had gone on long enough. No touching was allowed. Logan opened the window. "Hey!"

Charlotte looked up. She smiled brightly. "Morning. Give me a few minutes and I'll have lunch on the table." She lowered her sword and said something to Matthew, then moved toward the house.

Matthew looked up and waved.

Logan showered and dressed in record time, jealousy motivating him.

Downstairs, Charlotte bustled around the kitchen, stopping to wind her arms around his neck and kiss him. "Morning."

It went a long way towards soothing his protective instincts. He held her tight, sliding his hands under her sweatshirt, spreading his hands across her back. She was damp with sweat from her exertions, her scent clean and sexy.

"Whatcha doin' out there?"

"Training. Matthew taught Thomas and I swordplay decades ago. I prefer it to other weapons. There's something very satisfying about using a blade."

"And she's very good at it," Matthew added, coming through the door. He held his sword in one hand, cutting his finger on the tip, stroking the the blood along the edge. Logan saw a small flash of lightening close the wound. Matthew wiped the blade clean and resheathed it, setting it on the sideboard. "She took it easy on me this morning." He poured himself a glass of juice from the fridge. "Killer instinct. She's killed me more than once."

She moved away from Logan. "Only in the heat of battle. Don't listen to him," she told Logan. She took a roasting pan from the oven. He could smell the venison roast and roasting potatoes and carrots inside. He was certainly eating much better here than the mansion. She maneuvered the roast onto a platter and set it on the table, adding a basket of rolls and a green salad. "Help yourself, boys."

"How did ya meet?" he asked, not really interested, but wanting to listen to her talk. He still saw the other man as a threat.

She and Matthew both began laughing. "What was it, 1885? 1890?" she asked him. "Thomas and I were traveling in France. It was one of the few times I could get him to come with me. We were in Paris and had wandered around until we found ourselves in a rough section of the city after dark. We turned a corner, discussing the best way to get back to our lodgings when we were surrounded by a group of beggars, who were intent on taking our money and quite possibly our lives.

Thomas defended me to the best of his ability. He didn't want me using my power, it would have called attention to me. He used his knife, as I did mine, to some success, but there were simply too many of them, and more arriving every second. Then a tall blond man appeared at Thomas' back," she nodded at Matthew, "swinging a sword. The two of them quickly dispersed the crowd and spirited me out of there and back to our inn."

"Times were different then," Matthew said. "If she had used her powers she would have been jailed and hanged."

Instead of stoned and torn apart by a mob? Logan thought to himself.

"Anyway, I scanned his mind, completely without permission, found out everything about him, and persuaded him to join our caravan. Thomas needed a companion, someone he had something in common with. Matthew was at loose ends. He and Thomas have been friends since that time, and I felt more at ease allowing him to wander the world, even after the two of them joined the Luna Foundation just after the San Francisco earthquake."

"Alien?" Did she just say the San Francisco earthquake?

"Immortal. Like Sam, without the X-factor. Over the years Matthew has become my second son." She took a closer look at him, the light of challenge in her eyes. "Ready for a rematch? I could use some more practice. How long's it been since you died?"

Thomas came down from the mountain at midnight. Charlotte was waiting up for him with a hot meal ready. Matthew and Logan had both retired early. She wanted to speak to her son alone.

After a long hot shower, he came into the kitchen and stood in the doorway. Again, as always, he marveled that this woman was his mother. She was young and beautiful, his mother, and she deserved to be out in the world, not sealing herself up here alone.

She looked up and smiled at him. He was clad in blue jeans, a sweatshirt and moccasins. His long black hair hung damply down his back, his dark amber eyes showing his exhaustion from the rituals. His own silver raven medallion gleamed against his dark skin, the symbol of the raven spirit that passed from father to son.

There were times when she looked up and caught sight of him, almost believing Raven stood there, that Raven was looking at her through his son's eyes. At these times she felt she spoke directly to her husband. This was one of those instances.

He sat down at the table and she slid a warm plate in front of him. He lifted a fork, inhaling the smell in appreciation.

"Everything all right?" she asked him, watching his face.

He smiled at her, not wanting to worry her needlessly. "Yes. Did you enjoy your day? Is Matthew still in one piece?"

She laughed. "It was good to get some practice in. He was very patient."

"I meant your guest. He wasn't happy to see us."

"Perhaps if you hadn't surprised him in the middle of the night." She turned a stern eye on him, but relented. "I wanted to talk you privately."

He looked at her inquiringly.

"I've decided to go to Westchester with Logan. For the winter, at least."

He chewed quietly, looking at her with shadowed eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"Nothing to say?" she asked.

"I don't think you're asking for permission."

"I want you to understand."

"I do understand. You're lonely. You've found a man you can feel comfortable with and you want to continue to be with him. I understand. And it's about time."

"You amaze me sometimes, you know that?"

"A son's job." He reached out and covered her hand with his large warm one. "I want you to be happy. If Logan makes you happy, go. You'll always have me, but we both know that time moves differently for us. Tomorrow doesn't always come, not for them."

"When did you get to know everything?"

"Came with the manual. 'How to Raise A Mother Without Driving Yourself Crazy.' "

"I love you."

"I love you too...Mom."

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