It was good to be home. Good to be around his family again. Farr'in's grin
widened as he watched Meena sitting at his parents table talking to his mother. 

The two of them seemed to have hit it off right from the start. But then he
knew they would. Demee being in the picture had helped. That little one was
a charmer for sure.

Already he had the twins wrapped around his little finger. He could see them
over on the other side of the hall, playing with the other children who
lived here. 

He took a sip of the beer Lonnie had brought him, and politely listened as
his younger brother, talked about the new woman in his life.

"Well she's more of a friend, but I'm hoping maybe someday," the young man
sighed. "Right now she doesn't even know I'm alive ... except for being
Lenna's brother."

"And who is this wonder woman who's changed your life where no other woman
before her could?" Farr'in asked and couldn't stop grinning when he saw
Lonnie cringe. 

"I think you know her," he admitted. 

"Oh do I now?"

"Katrina, Lenna's partner."

"Kat?" Lonnie nodded his head. 

"I haven't even been back to Telnor to see Kisma or to visit Jamiede in
Marrid.. All I think about is Kat... and it's hopeless... that rider from
Keldarra is always around her when ever I see her."

"Have patience little brother," Farr'in counseled. "If it's meant to be time
will tell."

He got up then and wondered back to sit beside Meena. 

"Having fun?" he asked and saw her smile. 

"Yes I am," she nodded her head and gave him the first real smile he'd seen
from her in a few days. 

He could help but notice how much more relaxed she looked just being here. 

But then his mother was good at getting people to relax and enjoy themselves. 

[insert the part with B`rand and Lenna here...]

Dan'yar
*********

"Love maybe it would be better if we just stayed home tonight," he told her,
concerned over how tired she was looking. "I'm sure mother would understand."

"No I want to go," she told him and took his hand, smiling up at him. "If I
get to tired we'll just come home."

"Home.. he liked the sound of that coming from her... and wished it where
true. One home for all of them. Not his place and her place, but a home for
them all to live in together and be a real family. 

They got to the joining party and paid their respects to his parents and
stood there for a few minutes talking with them. 

Off to the side he spotted his older brother Farr'in and was thinking about
excusing them and going to say hi, when he heard his mother asking about the
baby.

"Brisse, dear, how long are you going to carry that baby?" Danki asked, smiling.

Brisse laughed.  "Oh, S'lomon says not much longer.  I'm already beginning
to dilate."

"She's ready to come, too," Dan'yar added.  "I think I got bruised last
night from all the kicking."

Brisse started to laugh, which quickly turned into an "oof" as the baby
began kicking.

Then she felt something in her body give way and felt a gush of fluid wash
down her thighs.  She looked in surprise at Dan'yar, who stood for one
moment in shock, then yelled, "Get a healer!"

He would remember what happened next for the rest of his life as the healer
placed the squalling little baby boy in his mothers arms. 

"What are you going to name him, love?" Dan'yar asked. Inside he wasn't sure
if he was happy or glad that the child didn't have red hair. 

At lease Lenna could quit worrying about it being B`rand's baby. 

She considered.  "I don't know.  Ask me in a few hours."

She guided the child's mouth to her breast and, after he had latched on,
drifted into an exhausted sleep.

Dan'yar didn't last much longer, but fell asleep in the chair beside her
bed, after finally deciding he was going to press his luck and ask her to be
his mate the first thing in the morning. 

Surely she had to see for herself that they belonged together... 

[The Family]

They were all out in the hall waiting for something to happen. Farr'in
noticing Lenna not looking to happy, but trying to put on an act for the
benefit of everyone else. 

She didn't want to be here, but couldn't make herself leave. She had to know
if the baby was B`rand's or not. 

"Lenna...It won't matter," B'rand tired to reassure her. 

"But... what will you do if it is yours?" she wanted to know...

.......

"I'm sorry the party had to end so soon," Farr'in was saying to Meena as he
sat next to her in the waiting room. Danki was on her other side and Thina
was sitting next to her mate across the hall from them. "I can show you to
where we'll be staying tonight if you'd like."

He didn't hear her answer for at that moment the door down the hall opened
and the Warrenlady walked in followed by the mapmaker. 

Gods... why her.. why now?

He wasn't ready to see her yet. The past was still to fresh in his mind. 

"Easy son," he heard his father say and felt his hand settle on his arm. "We
need to keep our minds focused on the reason we're here right now."

Farr'in drew his eyes away from the woman coming towards them. Away from the
shock he had seen in her eyes when she spotted him. 

He met his fathers eyes. "You're right Da.. But it's too soon.. I can't stay
here. Please understand."

He got up and walked away. Walked right past the woman he held responsible
for the murder of his nephew My'kel and his dragon Voger. Walked right out
of the med center and didn't stop until he felt someone pulling on his arm
and turned to find Meena had followed him outside. 

"Are you okay?" she asked and he could see concern in her eyes. 

"I thought I was ready..." he started to say. "I though I'd be able to
handle seeing... but then she was there and the feelings came back....I just
couldn't stay there and be in the same room with her."

He felt her arms slip around his waist. 

"I'm sure your family understands Farr'in," she said in a soft comforting
tone of voice. 

He held on to her, wondering how he had gotten so lucky to have her come
into his life when he'd need someone. 

"Come my friend," she pulled away after some time and took his hand. "Let's
go for a walk."

They walked... and talked... and he told her about the anger he had bottled
up inside of him, since the day Dan'yar had brought My'kel's body back to
the warren. 

He told her how he had blamed Cynthia for killing the boy, even when
everyone else had forgiven her, when they'd learned about the spirit who had
taken over her body and soul. And then he'd told her of his reasons for
leaving his home and family to try to start over somewhere else. 

"But it wouldn't matter how far away I go... the memories are still inside
me. I couldn't understand how she could have done what she had to someone
she'd known since the day he was born..."

Their steps had led them to the very spot where My'kel's body had been given
back to the earth who bore him. Try as he might, Farr'in could see no sighs
remaining to proclaim what had taken place here that night. 

"Farr'in? Have you ever told her what you were feeling?" Meena asked in the
same soft voice. "Maybe talked to her and see things from her side? No now
don't interrupted me yet... You've told me a lot about your life before you
all moved here to the Cleft. About growing up with the people of Telnor and
how you and your family came out here to help build the Warren and support
Cynthia... because she was as close to you all as any other member of your
family. I know you're hurting... but don't you think you own it to
yourself.. to her.. to talk this out between you and see if together you
could find some common ground? I'm sure she's hurting over what happened too."

He didn't want to admit it.. but now that the words were out, he couldn't
help but think about the things she had just said. 

He reached for her hand and pulled her into his arms, taking what comfort he
could just from her being there. 

"How did you ever get to be so wise my friend?"

.................

Later that night as he laid in bed still awake. He thought over the things
she had said... talk it out... as close as family..... 

He realized she was right. 

He did own it to himself... and her to find a way to deal with this...
before it ruined both of their lives. 

Tomorrow... before they left to go back to Norwall, he would go see her.
Maybe.. just maybe.. they'd be able to find a way to deal with it all... 

Tomorrow... if she'd agree to see him.

*****Submitted by: ******

Farr'in & Tergath 
Norwall Warren... formerly of Cleft