Embers in the Dark

Confessions

"Javier?!" she gasped.

The audience died down and Javier stepped forward, then Lilly saw Uncle come through the crowd.  Then Reverend Swanson, Mary-Beth, Kieran, Lenny, Bill, Strauss, Mr. Pierson and Trelawney.

"What the fuck?!" Lilly screeched happily, giving the kids to Arthur and rushing to everyone from the Dutch van Der Linde Gang.  "I missed ya so feckin' much!  Oh my god!"

They all laughed and Lilly kissed everyone on their cheeks while hugging them individually.  Happy tears dripped from her eyes as she looked at them all.

"I canna believe yer all here!" she laughed while grasping her red locks.  "And Kieran!  Ya got yer eyes back!  How?!"

"Darrach gave him new eyes," Mary-Beth chuckled, her arm looped in Kieran's.  "They're made out of those doohickey acorns Darrach's got."

Lilly blinked profusely.  "That is fucking nuts!"

"No pun intended?" Mary-Beth giggled.

Lilly threw her head back with a laugh.  "No, I didna intend that at all!"

John, Abigail, Sadie and Charles came walking up next and Lilly rushed them all into a big hug.  "I missed ya too!" she said.  "How's the farm doin'?"

"Well, we actually sold it," John said as he smacked his lips.  "We moved back here after you left."

"Oh," Lilly said, looking at everyone.  "Does that mean...you guys are living here, too?"

"Yep!" Uncle laughed.  "We ain't gonna want for nothing for the rest of our lives!"

Lilly jumped up and down excitedly as she brought Uncle into a big hug.  "I'm so happy!"

"Darlin', I know you're excited about all this, but it's almost four in the morning," Arthur complained.  "We gotta get these little chiselers to bed."

"Oh, right!" Lilly said, turning and rushing to her husband to grab Aoífe.  "Let's go."

Brian and James came padding up to walk alongside their sister as everyone began walking back to the house.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Brigid had a frown on her face as she watched Lugh walk away, slinging an arm around Lilly and laughing happily.  She was happy that Lilly was back, that was for sure, but even though her heart was made of stone, Brigid still felt...pain.  It had been going on ever since Lugh and her had that fight in Vietnam.

Brigid flinched when something solid fell from her eye and she wiped her face, pulling back a small stain of blood.

"What in the world?" she said as she looked down, spotting a blood covered pebble on the ground.  "Oh dear..."

"Your heart is cracking," Darrach said behind her.

Brigid whipped around with a yelp, covering her chest and taking a breath.  "You startled me, Darrach," she chuckled.

"Apologies, Queen Brigid, but..." he took a step closer, his hands behind his back as he held his cane.  "What do you plan to do now that you are running out of time?"

Brigid shrugged casually.  "Nothing lasts forever, not even a god," she remarked.

"This is very true, but your time to die won't be for a while.  Not if I have anything to say about it."

Brigid arched a brow.  "You have plans for me, then?"

"Yes."

"And what are these plans?"