Glowing in the Dark

By Donna and Ev

Katherine had come into town for choir practice and to do some shopping. While she was thus occupied, Connor made his way to Joe's Cantina. He planned to stay there, happily socializing, until she was done.

Rayden had been reading in the library for a couple of hours.  He emerged back outside to stroll outside in the fresh air for a while before going back to the boarding house to see if Ev needed any help with Aidan.  She liked to get a nap before dinner to make up for the sleep she lost at night.  As he walked down the street, he spotted the little midwife that had delivered Aidan, carrying her packages from the trading post to her wagon.

"Hello Katherine.  Would you like some help with that?"  He smiled and there was a slight brightness around him, as if a stray beam of sunlight was on his face.

Katherine tilted her head, studying him as he put the packages in the wagon for her. "Just the man I have been wanting to talk to. Do you have time?"

He blinked in surprise and realized that he had been glowing.  It must have been the memory of the day Aidan was born.  He scolded himself for being so careless.  "Certainly.  I have time." 

"Good. I know a very special place," she said with a smile. Slipping her hand in his, she then led Rayden to the small, almost hidden gate to the Secret Garden. "We can talk in here."

He studied the gate in fascination.  This was a place he had not seen before.  The flavor of the magic was fae.  He was pleased all over again to be a part of this unusual place.  "Why do we need to talk here?" 

Katherine knelt down and went through the gate and curious, Rayden followed. As he stood up on the other side, it was as if he was in a whole new world. A world filled with magic!

His eyes sparkled as he surveyed this beautiful new place.  He forgot again about the glow, as well, in his delight.  "This is wonderful!  I never knew it was here!" 

"It's a secret. Like the one you have been keeping from us, right?" Kat said as she led him to a bench.

He sighed.  It had really not been in his nature to hide, but he had made a promise.  "What secret would that be?"  He hoped she was talking about something else. 

"You aren't human. You aren't fae. You aren't an angel like Andrew, though he comes close to what you are. Tell me. It won't go beyond this Garden."

He smiled and shrugged.  "I am not good at hiding, I suppose.  What is it that makes you ask?  I promised the Old One to keep what I am a secret." 

"I saw you glow. Aidan too. It's not normal for even the fae to glow in the dark. And when I touched your hand, I felt something similar to the Quickening that is in me and other Immortals, but different. Like you are electrically charged." Katherine tilted her head, her eyes meeting his. "And I have a sneaky feeling that you had something to do with that electrical storm we had last year."

He chuckled, a little embarrassed.  "Yes.  I did.  That was not intentional.  Levina and I just got carried away."  He paused, trying to decide the best words to use and not really able to decide.  "It's true, I am not like the humans, Immortals or fae.  Or the angels." 

"What are you then?" Katherine asked softly. Very carefully, she dropped the shields that she normally had to protect herself from being overpowered by the emotions of other, and for a moment, Rayden could feel her mind, gently waiting for him to share.

He considered for a moment, then decided it was better to just tell her the truth.  "I am a god.  In the place I came from, I am the god of thunder and lightning."  He smiled gently and took her hand.  "I asked the Old One if I could come here and he made me promise to try and fit in with the people here.  I think there is a lot for me to learn yet." 

Katherine was quiet for a moment. "I can see why the Old One requested that of you. And for the most part, you are fitting in very well. Does Ev know?"

"Yes.  She knows.  She has been helping me.  Before she helped me, I was wearing my white robes.  And she has taught me many things."  His eyes sparkled with that remark, making it plain what he meant. 

"Good for her!" Katherine chuckled. Suddenly a tiny blur ran past them. It was Aquarius, the daughter of Hydra and Herrara. Giggling, she paused long enough to give Rayden a good dousing from the water she had cupped in her hands. "Got ya!" the little girl said with a high pitched giggle as she dashed away again.

"Uhh ohh," Katherine said.

Rayden was puzzled at her reaction.  "It's only water.  Isn't it?" 

"It could be. It could also be water from Endora's fountain."

"That would be bad?"  He looked around him.  Nothing in this lovely garden "felt" bad to him. 

"She is a fertility fae," Katherine chuckled. "From what I have been told, Father Philip made the mistake of ducking his head in the fountain twice, and now he has twins! They were conceived the very first time he made love to his wife after their wedding!"

Rayden chuckled.  "That could be a problem!  I don't know who it will be a problem for right now, though.  Ev has promised Danziger that her next child will be his.  And Levina may choose someone else for her next one, as well, after that announcement by Methos," he sighed. 

The midwife shrugged. "If it is the water from the fountain, the next lady you make love to will be bearing your child," Katherine said, her eyes sparkling with merriment. “It is pretty potent stuff.”

His eyes sparkled with mischief.  "I wonder who it will be!  Please don't tell anyone.  You already have two men, don't you?" 

"Yes," she chuckled, patting her rounding belly. "Working on baby number two now."

"Maybe I will meet someone who will be interested.  It should be someone who does not already have a child by one of the men with my face. There seem to be a lot of them," he grinned. 

"A few," chuckled Kat. "I live with two of them, you know. Connor MacLeod and John Clayton." She rose to her feet. "Speaking of Connor, he will start tearing up the town looking for me if I don't show up on time. And I suspect Ev is wondering where you disappeared to as well."

"Yes, she is.  I take care of Aidan so she can get a nap before dinner.  Ev told me that babies aren't supposed to glow when they are born.  Is that how you knew?" 

"Yes," Katherine said, smiling. "You were glowing too, by the way."

"When I am happy, sometimes I forget," he said.  "Aidan is my first child.  I am surprised every day by him.  I hope I have many more children."  He smiled, glowing softly. 

"I'm sure you will," Katherine said softly. "Ask Levina if any of her sisters would like to have a child *NOW*."

"I will do that. The fae love children, I'm sure one of them would be interested. That is a good idea. Thank you!"  He paused as if listening to something a long way off.  "Ev wants me home.  Aidan woke her twice last night to eat.  Ev says he is having a growth spurt.  She is very tired." 

Chasing after little ones can be tiring," Kat said with a grin. Together they left the garden, and then went their separate ways.