Rebuilding

By Donna and Abs

Several days had passed since the storm. Andrew and Gideon had stayed at Katherine's house to help John Clayton with the repair work and chores. Once Connor returned from his voyage, it left them free to go to Gideon's place to inspect the damage there.  

For the most part the forest fae had tried to protect the cottage, but there was some damage to the thatching on the roof. "How do I fix this?" Gideon asked, a puzzled look on his face. "I don't know how."  

It was not very severely damaged, but thatching was an art.  Andrew, looking at it, got an idea and suggested, "I can stay and help you, Gideon, if you want me to."  At the same time he could not get the image of Shannon out of his mind.  She had not stayed at Katherine's, being too pregnant to help with repairs and not needing to shelter herself from the elements, and he missed her. 

"I would like that, Andrew," Gideon said with a happy smile on his face. The two men then started to pick up all the debris lying around. Later on that afternoon, Andrew returned to Katherine's farm, and with the help of the men there, cut enough water reeds from along the riverside to do the repairs. They then heaped the wagon full and then drove it out to the cottage, where to Andrew's delight, he found Shannon sitting with Gideon on the bench, reading to him.  

"I forgot you usually came to read to him," Andrew lied, mentally asking forgiveness at the same time.  Shannon looked up from the book and smiled, giving him the feeling he was not fooling *anyone*. 

"She reads to me every night," Gideon said. "This one is a book of poems." He then proceeded to quote verbatim one that she had just read to him.  

"Very good, Gideon," said Andrew. 

"So," said Shannon, "you're helping with the repairs on the cottage?" 

"Yes," the Angel replied with a mischievous grin on his face. "I'm a jack of all trades. Actually, Connor is the expert here. He says he has done this more than once or twice." Behind him, the Highlander chuckled as he and Clayton unloaded the wagon.  

"Oh, I daresay he has.  So, they'll have it done in an hour or so?"  Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Andrew.  If Connor were fixing the roof it would be done quickly. 

"Not if he doesn't stop gabbing and help!" Connor laughed as he climbed up onto the roof and started to strip off the damaged sections. Gideon laughed as well and them asked what he could do to help. "Hand me up the sections of reeds when we are ready for them," Connor called out. "Come on, Andrew, quit flirting with the lady and get your tail up here!"  Andrew looked up and frowned.  The last thing he wanted was a quick fix! 

But by the time all the damaged area was removed, it was obvious the job would take more than a few hours. It was dark before that part of the job was even finished! Climbing down, Connor looked up at the roof and shook his head. Thatching was a very labor intensive job, and all the men had stripped off their shirts and their sweaty bodies were covered with chaff. "We will have to work on it tomorrow, Gideon. Are you coming back to the house with us?" 

"No, Connor," Gideon said. "I want to sleep here tonight. Would you like to stay with me, Andrew? There is an extra bed in the back room if you do."  

The Angel perked up immediately.  Maybe he hadn't sinned so much, after all.  Things were certainly going his way.  "Of course," he said. 

Shannon put the book aside and said, "It will be a fine night.  No need to worry about getting wet through that hole in the roofing.  But you will need extra blankets." 

"I have some," Gideon said as he went to go get clean clothes to put on. He didn't have an indoor bathtub, but there was a little hot springs pool near his cottage that he used to bathe in. Connor and Clayton washed off in the nearby stream and then after saying goodbye, left to go home.  

While Gideon was bathing, Shannon looked at Andrew and said, "You next?" 

"Yes," he grinned. Being what he was, he hadn't sweated like the other men, but he was still covered with bits of chaff from the thatching.  

"Well," she smiled, "then I will see you tomorrow, if you are still here when I come to read with Gideon,” and she turned to go into the cottage. 

Andrew followed her in, sniffing in appreciation at the smell of the good food that she had made for Gideon's supper. "Do you have to leave? Gideon told me you always read to him before he goes to sleep."  

"But I have already read to him," she said.  "I just came early today."  She went to the pot to stir it.  "And I am not needed to watch over him if you are here." 

"I was just thinking we could maybe take a walk in the moonlight or something," he said hopefully.  

She smiled knowingly.  "There is very little moonlight tonight," she teased. 

"Who needs the moon when one is in the presence of one as beautiful as you?" he replied, pouring on as much charm as he could. He was nowhere near as good at it as Michael was, he thought to himself. No telling where he was right now! And of course, if he *was* there, he might lose whatever chance he had!  Michael was unbeatable.  Shannon looked at him and then away; it was then that he noticed she was actually *blushing*!! 

Andrew stepped a little closer and smiled. "You are so lovely. There is nothing more beautiful in all creation than a woman carrying a child."  

"Even if it is another man's child?" she asked.  There was more to the question than it seemed.  Clearly, Shannon would never be Gideon's.  But she *could* belong to Andrew. 

"Even so. Gideon is a very special person. Does he know the child is his?"  

"Vaguely.  He is not sure how or why, but he knows that it is his." 

"He is good with children. They like him," Andrew said with a soft smile, remembering some events in the man's life.  

"Which is why we chose this.  I am honored to bring his child to life, though he will be as fae as possible."  She stirred her pot but her mind was on the growing mass in her middle.  The baby was getting large very quickly.  She would be delivering in about two months! 

"If you don't mind, I would like to be there when he comes into this world," Andrew said quietly. "I've always been at the other end of the lifespan. This would be a very special thing for me, especially knowing that the child is Gideon's."  

She said a very soft, "Of course," but deep down she was pleased with the request.  She had not quite thought about what would happen *afterward*.  "He will continue to grow quickly," she said.  "That will be difficult, but also exciting.  I hope I am up to it." 

"I can be here to help you if you like," he said, reaching out to touch her hand.  

She startled a little, and he was surprised to find tears in her eyes.  "I-I can't ask that of you." 

"That’s why I offered," he said with a smile. "It looks like this assignment will be a long one!"  

"Are you sure?" she asked.  "I thought you had to get back." 

"We have been offered the choice to stay or return. All of us are leaning to staying. This world needs angels too, don't you think?"  

"Yes," she said softly.  "I think it does.  Though not in your previous capacity." 

"No. Apparently death is a slippery concept here. But if I am ever needed again in that capacity, it would be good for me to be here."  

"Let us hope there will be far more births than deaths," Shannon said.  "I believe this is done.  Perhaps we shall all eat together tonight." 

"I would like that!" he beamed. "Let me go do a quick wash up. Gideon is on his way back anyway." 

As he turned to leave, the door to the cottage opened and a freshly scrubbed Gideon walked in, smiling happily. "Are we all staying here together now?" he asked with his child-like way of seeing through everything the so-called normal adults had to deal with. 

"Yes," Andrew said, "I think we are."