| Chapter 47 Lyn sat in the kitchen staring blankly at her cup of coffee. Everyone was milling around, trying to wake up and get the day started. The girls where busy cooking breakfast while the guys busied themselves with the morning paper, and news shows. It had been two days since Brian had been taken. Two days of worry, and sleepless nights. Lyn sighed, looking up as Kira placed a plate of bacon on the table. Kira stepped over to her and placed her hand on Lyn's shoulder, "Can I get you anything?" Lyn shook her head, looking back down into her cup. She didn't want to eat, talk, sleep, nothing. She just wanted Brian back, and that was the only thing on her mind. She hadn't noticed when Leighanne sat down next to her with Tara Gail in her arms. The toddler was smiling and laughing as Gary made faces at her from the living room. "Lyn, I know this is hard, but you need to take care of yourself too," Leighanne said. Lyn closed her eyes and shook her head, "I can't. I can't even think about anything else, but getting him back." "Honey, he will come back. I just know he will, but you need to be ready when he does," Leighanne said. Lyn looked at her, confused. "He might not be well when he comes back, and who's gonna take care of him if your sick?" Leighanne said. Lyn looked away. She knew what Leighanne was trying to do, but she also knew she could be right. Brian might be injured when he returned, and if she didn't take care of herself, how was she gonna take care of him? "Let us fix you something to eat," Leighanne urged. Lyn looked back over to her, "OK," she conceded. Leighanne smiled at her, "Here take Tara for a sec," she said, handing the child over to Lyn. Lyn looked down into the most innocent blue eyes she'd ever seen. Tara Gail smiled at her, looking at her with an intensity that was beyond her years. The next thing Lyn knew, the child had reached up and was hugging her tightly. Lyn closed her eyes and returned the hug. Somehow she felt like a weight had been lifted from her. Just as Leighanne returned with a plate of food, Tara Gail pulled away and giggled. Lyn looked at Leighanne with tears in her eyes, "Your daughter is an angel. I hope you know that." Leighanne took Tara Gail back so Lyn could eat, "I do, and thank God for her everyday." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jarab walked into the command tent, "Nickolas, they're on the move." Nick looked up from his battle plans, "Where? And how many?" "A few hundred, it's not the main army, just a few companies. They left the gates not more than an hour ago," Jarab answered. "Any idea of where they're headed?" Micah asked. Jarab nodded, "Earth's realm." Nick looked at Gideon in shock, "They're trying to lure us there. We can't fight them in Earth's realm." "I know that, but where exactly are they going?" Gideon asked. Jarab looked at Nick, "All indications point to your friends." Nick quickly got up, grabbing his sword, "Micah, you're in charge here. Gideon, Tara, you two with me. Jarab, send three companies to Lyn's, then you and Michael stay here and help Micah. Keep the watchers in their places, and let me know if anymore leave the gates." Jarab nodded, leaving the tent. "Nick, you know we can't fight them there," Tara said. "I know that, I'm hoping we can deter them for a while," he said, as the three vanished from the tent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evi dipped the wash cloth into the cool water and rang it out, gently placing the cooled rag on Brian's neck. He was laying on his stomach, his arms to his sides. She had spent the better part of the night cleaning his wounds and applying ointment to them. The poison was ruling his body, and she feared that he wouldn't make it through the night, but somehow he did. Brian had a high fever and his breathing was ragged. She took the rag from his neck and gently wiped the beads of sweat from his pale face. She knew what she was expected to do to him once he was back on his feet. It seemed odd to her to be ordered to take care of him, then once he was better she would break him down. Why not just kill him and put him out of his misery? But it wasn't just his misery now was it? Nickolas was seeing this, and that had to cause him great pain. Evi smiled at the thought. She hated Nick for who he was and for what he'd done. But looking at Brian, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was directly paying for hers and the demons hatred of Nick. Sure, according to the demons, Brian was one to be dealt with because of his faith and his influence in the world, but she still felt like he was an innocent in all this. She sighed, re-wetting the rag again, "I'm not suppose to feel this way about you. I'm suppose to hate you like everyone else does, but I just can't. You didn't ask for this, and you don't deserve it. But.... I still have to do what they tell me, I just don't have to feel good about it." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hey guys," A.J. said, as he stood in front of the windows. No one was really paying any attention to him. "Guys! Something is going on out there," he said, pointing as everyone came over. "What the hell?" Kevin asked, as hundreds of angels suddenly appeared around the house. "I don't have a good feeling about this," Lyn said. The group watched as Nick, Tara and Gideon appeared. Nick turned to the mass of angels, quickly shouting orders. "Oh my God! Look!" Leighanne said, pointing over the water. Everyone looked over to see an army of demons coming across the water towards them. "Oh fuck," A.J. mumbled, as he and everyone else realized what was about to take place. Howie took Kira's hand in his protectively, "Guys, this might be a good time to pray." Everyone gathered around, holding on to each other tightly, trying to calm their fear. They bowed their heads and began to pray. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Nick, they're here," Tara said. Nick turned to see the army walking across the water, advancing on the house. He looked to Gideon, then to Tara, then stepped forward, "Stop!" The leader of the demon army came forward to meet Nick. The two eyed each other for a moment. "What are you here for?" Nick asked. "To destroy that which you love so much," the demon replied. "You know you can't fight here," Nick said. The demon shrugged, "I don't see why not." "Because if we do Earth will no longer exist," Nick explained. "And why would that matter to me?" the demon asked, annoyed. Nick sighed, "Where are you going to go if Earth no longer exist? You can't come into our realm, and I'm sure you don't want to stay in yours for all of eternity because you messed up. What would your superiors say if you went back and told them because of your mistake, they no longer had Earth to roam in anymore?" Nick smiled when he saw the demon hesitate. He was considering Nick's words. The demon finally glared at Nick, knowing he was right. "We'll have our day," he spat. "I know you will, it just won't be here," Nick said. The demon looked over the army behind Nick for a moment. Nick thought he was changing his mind, and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "When we come, you won't win. You are to soft from years of being stagnate," the demon noted. "We'll see about that," Nick said, glaring at him. "That we will," the demon said, turning and walking back to his troops. Nick stayed where he was until the entire army vanished from sight. "Gideon, take a company and follow them. Make sure they go back through the gates," Nick ordered. Gideon nodded, quickly choosing his men, and disappearing in pursuit. Tara took Nick's hand, "I thought he was going to change his mind." Nick nodded, "So did I for a second. I'm glad he didn't." "Yeah," she said, turning with him to face the remaining troops. Nick looked over them for a moment, then walked over to a captain. "Take them back to the main army. Tell Micah to move three companies back to the city," Nick instructed. "Yes sir," the captain said, turning and ordering the troops back. Once they vanished Tara looked at him, "Why are you moving some of the troops?" Nick smiled at her, "I dunno, I just felt like I needed to." "So He's talking to you again?" she asked, as they walked up the trail to the house. Nick smiled, "Yes. Nothing about Brian, but He's guiding me again." Tara squeezed his hand, "Well, that's a start huh?" Nick laughed as they reached the house and walked in. He and Tara smiled at each other as they saw their friends circled in prayer. Tracy was there with them. She looked up seeing the two standing in the door, "Everything alright?" Everyone looked up at the sound of her voice. Nick nodded, "Yeah, it is now." "What was going on?" Kevin asked. "They just needed to be reminded that they can't fight here," Nick said, walking over and greeting his friends, "Everyone OK?" They all exchanged glances, all their eyes falling on Lyn. Nick walked over to her and hugged her, "I know you're worried, I am too." Lyn broke down in tears, holding on to Nick for dear life, "I'm so scared for him. What if they hurt him?" Nick bit his bottom lip, holding her tighter. He didn't want them to know what Brian was having to endure. He knew if he told them, it would only increase their already overwhelming concern. "Bri is strong. He will make it through whatever happens, and we will get him back. I promise," Nick said, pulling back and looking Lyn in the eyes. She wiped at her tears, trying to take comfort in Nick's words. Nick brushed a tear from her cheek, "Keep praying alright? That's the best thing we can do for him." Lyn nodded, "I will." "Nick, has the war started?" A.J. asked. Nick nodded, "It has. We haven't had a major battle yet, but we've had a few skirmishes." Tara could see the concern on everyone's faces, "Don't worry, we haven't lost yet." This brought a smile to their faces. "That's good to know," Kevin said. Nick looked at Kevin, "You haven't told anyone about Brian missing have you?" "No, just Jackie and Harold," he answered. Nick nodded, "Alright, don't." "But what about his promotion of the book?" Leighanne asked. "Yeah, he has interviews starting tomorrow," Lyn remembered. Nick looked at them, "Then you guys fill in for him. Say he has the flu or something, and do the interviews. You've all read it, you can answer most of the questions they're gonna ask. This book is important to us, we need all the help we can get out there." Howie looked at Tracy, "Is this our part? Our way of supporting Brian?" She smiled at him, "I think it very well may be." He smiled, "Great, I'm ready to do something." Kevin laughed, "I think we all are." "Good," Nick said, smiling at his friends, "We need to get back, but you should be safe now. I don't think they'll try this again." "That's a relief," A.J. said, sinking onto the couch. "Be careful you two," Kevin said. Tara and Nick flashed him their famous grins, "We will." "You guys take care," Tara said. "We'll bring Brian home when we can," Nick added. Everyone looked at one another for a moment, then Nick and Tara held hands and vanished. Chapter 48 |