Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:05:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mary Barrett <mommab_78@yahoo.com>
Subject: To Rise Again Ch. 12 Gay Male-Sci-Fi

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction that came from the recesses
of my own mind. Any names or places are all of my own creation. Any
characters that may engage in sexual activity are over 18. If reading this
is illeagal where you are from then please do not continue, you know your
laws. I hope you enjoy what I have tried to create.

A BIG Thank You to my editor and good friend Nate.

You can also find my story located over on www.thestorycloset.org  You must
be a registered member to read chapters that are posted beyond what is
available here.

Let me know if you like it, love it, hate it...I enjoy hearing from my
readers, it let's me know that I have at least 1 reader :-) I can be
emailed at mommab@thestorycloset.org


Chapter 12

"Ma, I love you and all...but this better be a life or death situation or
I WILL hang up and call you back later." Eithen hated the fact that he had
to interrupt what River had been doing to his body, but his mother only
called if it was important. There was no way he could ignore it even if he
had wanted to.

"Don't you take that tone with me Eithen Alexander Donovan! You know darn
well I wouldn't call you unless I really had the need to."

"I know Ma, I'm sorry. What can I do for you today?" Eithen asked as he
watched River get up and start to pace. This call needed to be quick. He
really wanted to pick back up where he and River had left off at.

"Eithen, ever since I realized River and I were sharing dreams I started
thinking," she hesitated for a few seconds. "There is a part of our family
history that you never knew about and it was never recorded in the Pack
archives for certain reasons. I promise to tell you about that later
though. If what I think is going on is right, then you need to make sure
that you really listen to River when he has an episode or even talks about
one of his dreams. It is very important that you get any and all details
that you can Eithen."

"Ma, I already have my own ideas when it comes to you and the dreams. As
far as listening to River...I already do Ma. He has told me about his
dreams in vivid detail and from what he has told me, well...let's just say
that there is no way that I couldn't pay attention.  Whatever it is that is
causing him to see what he does is hurting him Ma. I need to find a way to
make it stop...I can't stand to see him in pain like that."

Eithen glanced back over at River, he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of
the man for more than a few minutes. When River moved, it was with an
elegance that made his eyes follow all the curves and lines of his
body. The thought of seeing all of that beauty and grace vanish in a flash
and be replaced by pain and suffering was something Eithen did not want to
endure if he could help it. He would give anything to take the pain and
make it his own. Eithen tuned back into what his mother was saying as he
pulled his eyes away from River and what he was doing.

"Eithen...listen to me...I'm thinking that I may be connected to River's
little girl in some way as well. My main purpose for calling you has to do
with her. I fell asleep earlier in the chair waiting for your father to get
back and I had a dream not too different from the ones I have shared with
River. This one was a little different though...Eithen..."

"What did you see Ma?" Eithen was worried now by the way his mother
sounded. "You sound scared."

"I dreamt of a little girl, she was around 3 or 4 and had long black
hair. She was hiding in a house that looked to be empty. I could see
everything that was going on around her along with what the others in the
house were doing... If it is Raivyn that I truly saw then you need to find
her and do it fast son. From what I saw, she is safe...for now. I was able
to see and hear things she couldn't and I tried to lead her out. She's in
danger Eithen, the ones that hold her plan to sell her to some man. If he
arrives to collect," her voice seemed to falter, "I am afraid that she may
be lost to us forever."

Eithen could hear his mother trying to muffle her cries on the other end,
whatever it was that she saw...he didn't know if he wanted to think
about. "What else can you tell me Ma, there's more isn't there?"

"No son, at least nothing else that I saw, just a feeling that I have. You
need to promise me Eithen... promise me that if River has another of his
episodes or he has anymore dreams that you get him to give you as many
details from them. I know his episodes are painful son, I know it hurts you
to see him like that...but you need to talk to him through it. Hold him
tight, support him, but ask questions.

"River and his daughter have a bond between them Eithen...a bond so strong
that I think she is the cause of his pain. She is trying to reach out to
River and he doesn't know what it is or how to control it. I guarantee you
that he will have another one soon. Raivyn was talking to her daddy in my
dream. Keep an eye on him son. I need to go now, just remember that your
father and I are here for you and your future mate. We love you Eithen."

Eithen stared at the phone in his hand after his Ma hung up, he had so many
questions, but they had to wait. Right now, all he wanted was to feel River
in his arms again. Just as he was about to go pull River back into what was
interrupted he heard River start to moan and then fall to his knees. He was
by River's side in a matter of seconds. Eithen held him in his arms,
stroking his hair and rocking him gently as the attack ran its course.

Eithen whispered softly, "Hey baby, I got you. I'm right here, I'm not
letting you go.  Can you talk to me baby? What are you seeing? Is it
Raivyn...is that who you see?"

River shook his head. "Not seeing anything....it's dark....so dark....I
can hear her....my baby girl....OH FUCK Eithen....make it stop
please....the pain....make it stop."

"If I could baby, I would take it all from you. Talk to me River, share
with me what you're hearing. What is she saying, can you make it out?"
Eithen continued to hold River tight in his arms while trying to get him to
describe what was happening to him.

River tried his best to speak as the pain raged through his head. Whatever
it was about Eithen, it helped to be wrapped up in his embrace. He felt the
strength and security of Eithen's arms as they held him, like a protective
barrier blocking out the worst of it. This time he didn't see anything, it
was just a voice....her voice.

"Just a few words here and there....it's like being in a tunnel....it's
faint and distant sounding. She's calling for me
though. `Daddy...love...need....the rest is just jumbled up...." River
tried to make sense out of what he had heard. "Something about a lady and
being told it was ok to runaway. I need to find her Eithen, help me find my
baby girl."

 River buried his face into Eithen's chest and just took comfort in knowing
that he had someone there for him. Someone that believed what was happening
and didn't think him crazy. He knew that his life would never be the same
again, but he didn't let that bother him. All he wanted was his daughter
back safe and in his arms while he was in Eithen's.

Eithen listened to what River said while he thought about everything his Ma
had told him. He couldn't dispute any of it. What River said he heard and
what his Ma told him fit together perfectly. Maybe he had been wrong to
take River away from where he had gone earlier. He had been trying to talk
to Raivyn and it had been his dreams that led River to the edge of
town. But how could that be, it was Eithen that had dreamt about the park
and the trail and the abandoned house, not River. He never told River about
that dream because it had been so real, 'Unless.... Oh shit...' he
realized that they had shared that dream, both of them, together.

"River....baby....do you remember the dream you had about the park and
the trail and the wolf? Was it because of that dream that you went to the
edge of town earlier?" Eithen tilted River's head up to look into his eyes
as he asked and watched the confusion cross River's face.  Eithen saw the
slight nod of River's head before he continued. "Did you feel her there
River? Is that where you think Raivyn is at?"

Again, he saw a slight nod of River's head. If they had shared the dream,
then he needed to trust in what they had both seen and felt. Eithen had
just dismissed it before, he should have known it wasn't just a simple
dream.  "River...I'm sorry I brought you back here..." As soon as he said
it, he knew it had come out wrong. Especially if the look on River's face
was anything to go by. Anger, pure and simple.

"I knew it...I fucking knew it...what game are you trying to play with me
here Eithen?" River jumped out of Eithan's embrace. "One minute you want me
then the next you are sorry that you ever brought me here. Let me remind
you that it was YOUR idea that I come here. I tried to fight you on it..but
NO...you just had to have it your way."

Eithen got up and tried to pull River back into his arms but he sidestepped
him and moved to the other side of the bed. "Baby that is not what I was
saying...you didn't let me finish." Eithen pleaded with his eyes for River
to listen.

"Don't give me that Baby bullshit Eithen! I was starting to TRUST you. I
was starting to let you in. HA! What a fool I was. Eithen...I feel things
with you that I have never experienced before. Until a few days ago...I had
NEVER looked at another man. I had NEVER been curious. Then you get close
to me...in my personal space...and YOU become all that I can look
at. WHAT...THE...FUCK...ARE...YOU?"

Eithen just stood there and waited for River to get done with his little
rant. "Are you done now? Can I speak? Good...now shut up and let me
explain what I was saying BEFORE you went off." Eithen went from wanting to
hold River in his arms to wanting to strangle him. River could push his
buttons and rile him up quicker than anyone else.

"As I was saying before you jumped to conclusions, I am sorry that I
brought you back here earlier. I should have listened to you instead of
trying to make you do what I wanted. I won't do that again. From now on
when it comes to you and your daughter...we can do things your way. I also
think that WE need to get back over to the edge of town and do a search of
the houses and buildings there for any clues that may lead us to Raivyn."

River felt like shit, he had always been the type to think the worst and
then let it take him where it shouldn't. He knew that Eithen hadn't been
done talking but he had stopped him anyways. Maybe it was his own fears and
insecurities that made him lash out the way he had. From the start of it
all, Eithen had been nothing but supportive in his own way. And here River
was, trying to push away the one person he could count on. River lowered
his head and refused to look at Eithen. He would make it up to Eithen
somehow, someway.

"I'm sorry...." River whispered. "I know you have done nothing but try to
help and to make sure that I stay safe while we find a way to get Raivyn
back. I overreacted, I tend to do that a lot, so you might want to get used
to it." River turned his back to Eithen, he felt lost all of a sudden and
he didn't like it. Then he felt those arms again, those wonderful arms that
made him feel safe, that made him believe that everything would be
ok. River let out a breath and leaned back, allowing Eithen to support him
in every way. Even with all his doubts and questions, he could not fight
the fact that nothing felt more right than being wrapped in Eithan's loving
embrace.

River stayed there, content to just be held for awhile. He was so exhausted
from everything. He tried to clear his mind and just relax but there was
one thing that still bugged him. He had to ask. "Eithen?"

"Yeah," Eithen whispered as he lowered his head and rested it on River's
shoulder. He just needed to feel that connection. Nothing more than the
quiet intimacy of holding River tight as they looked out the window into
the darkening night.

"I need to know....I think by now I have a right to know. What are you?"
River felt the slight shift and then Eithen's body go rigid for a moment
before he let out a heavy sigh.

"You're right River, you do have a right to know. I was trying to find the
best time to talk to you about that and some other things. You had enough
going on with Raivyn and I didn't think you needed anymore to weigh you
down." Eithen let go and took River by the hand and hoped that his
revelation wasn't too much for River to take. He just needed to figure out
where to start.

Eithen led River out and down the hall to his office. If he was going to
reveal all to River, his mate, then he sure as hell would need a drink to
do it. What would he do if River couldn't or wouldn't accept him?  They
knew that River was different already, but dreams and visions were not
unheard of. The world was full of so-called psychics, but Eithen would be
revealing a world to River that had remained unknown to non-paras.  Talk of
shifters and were-creatures, would River just think him insane?

"You want a drink? I need a drink." River shook his head, he could tell
that Eithen was trying as hard as he could to stall.

 "Eithen, we can hold off on this if you want....tell me when YOU are
ready, not just because I asked. I have already accepted that you...like
myself...are somehow not exactly normal. Neither of us know what I
am....but you," River paused to think of what to say, "there is a story
there that I want to learn. What we have Eithen, I don't think it is going
to change....and if what you have to tell me makes you think I am going to
run the other direction. Then let me assure you," he looked directly into
Eithan's worried eyes, "right here, right now, no matter what it is, I can
handle it. As long as you are there to catch me if I should
fall....again." The last was said with a teasing little smirk as River
pulled Eithen down next to him on the couch and gave him a gentle kiss.

Eithen stared into River's eyes, squeezed his hand and began. "Well, let me
start out by saying that I am not what I appear to be."

****

Raivyn stopped, afraid to turn around and see who's hand was on her
shoulder. She could see out the bottom half of the window. So close to the
outside. She let the tears fall, she would never feel safe again. Never
feel her daddy's arms around her. This was her chance to run away from the
bad people but it was too late. Someone had found her. "I'm sorry daddy, I
tried to get away to find you. I love you daddy." Raivyn closed her eyes
and saw her daddy standing there and she cried harder.

"Shhhh....little one, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."  The man
behind her whispered.

Raivyn wasn't sure if this was just another mean joke, but this man felt
different than the others. She slowly turned her head and looked up at a
really tall man. He was much taller than her daddy. He reached out and
brushed away her tears as he squatted down to be on the same level as she
was. He just let her look at him and take in his features, the kindness in
his eyes and the gentle smile on his lips.

"Are you real?"  She had to make sure. It felt like she could trust him,
and she was starting to listen to her feelings. He pressed a finger to her
mouth to silence any other words and nodded. He stood back up and reached
out for Raivyn to take his hand. She hesitated, but only for a moment as
she closed her eyes and told her daddy that a nice man was there to help
her, that she would be ok. She took hold of the man's hand and together
they walked out the door.

"Hurry little one, we need to go before they see us out here in the yard."
They made it to the side of the house where they could see the tree line
for the woods. That was where they needed to go. He would have to carry her
to lessen the chance of being spotted. "Ok little one, hold on tight, it's
gonna be a bumpy ride." Then tall man smiled as he picked her up and
started to run towards the woods that lay ahead of them.

Raivyn watched the house as they ran, she saw the sleeping man run out with
a gun in his hand. She watched it all happen like it was in slow motion.
The bad man shot at them, once, twice, both just missed them. The third
shot hit it's mark and the nice tall man stumbled and fell to his
knees. "Go little one, run as fast as you can. Go into the woods and do not
be afraid of what you see in there. I will be there to get you when I
can. Just keep running and do not stop. Now go my little one, go."

Raivyn ran as fast as her little legs would go. She never looked back but
she heard what sounded like a dog barking and growling. She just kept
running like the tall man told her. She knew to trust him. She ran until
she fell and couldn't get back up. Raivyn sat there on ground and waited.
He said he would find her. He said not to be afraid. She turned around when
she heard a rustling in the weeds behind her. What she saw was beautiful.
She had no need to fear it. She reached out her hand and waited for it to
approach, never breaking eye contact.