Before we knew it, the honeymoon was over and we were flying back to the states. John was in tears when he saw the video of him at the waterfall buck naked, singing soprano, and dancing like no one was watching. I sent it to him and all the pictures I had taken with my phone so he could put it into his memories of us shadow box. I still have yet to see it. It's in one of the spare rooms, but he doesn't want me to look at it yet. He's still perfecting it, I'm just wondering how big this thing is.

Cass was happy to see us and so was Sinatra, who wouldn't leave John alone. Cass loved the pictures and everything we showed him. I went to unpack and before I came back down the stairs I overheard John and Cass talking about the girl Cass liked.

"She told me I was a 'smart, cool kid for my age' and then said, 'but she wasn't into guys who couldn't drive yet.' It really sucked, I thought she was into me, she said 'I like you, Cass.' I mean isn't that what you and Sin told me happened between you?" Cass was looking defeated and it made me want to go slap this chicks face a few times. I was considering it more and more as I kept looking at Cass.

"Cass, how old is this girl?" John asked. "What class were you in with her?"

"My Chemistry 2 class."

"Wait, you're college class?" John asks a little shocked.

"Yeah, does it matter?"

John chuckled, "Yes, Cass it matters. I thought she was closer to your age at least. Not a college student. I will say congratulations on having the confidence to ask her though, at your age I would have stuttered and ended up running in the opposite direction, embarrassed, if she had just smiled at me. You got guts kid, that's admirable."

"Yeah you think so?"

"I know so. Even as a full grown adult I didn't have the same amount of confidence you had. Next time, try asking a girl who's closer to your age. The results should be better."

"Thanks John."

Cass looks at the clock and I come down as his phone starts to go off.

"Hello Mum, Yeah. Yes, they made it back. Uh-huh. Okay, see you in a little bit. K love you too. Bye."

"Moll is almost here for you, Cass?" I stroll up and take a seat on the couch in between the boys.

"Yeah. She said she had a favor to ask of you. So she'll probably want to talk to you when she gets here. It's probably about her and dads trip next month."

"Oh yeah?" I can conclude what she's probably going to ask me.

An hour later and sure enough we will be having Cass stay three weeks with us. I have his class schedule and campus schedule for college. He'll be graduating high school right before the trip, but college classes extend a week longer then the high school.

"John did you know Cass is taking CHEM 2, MICROBIO2, Advanced Calculus, and Computer programming classes at the college? ADVANCED CALCULUS!" I was shocked, I had a hell of a time with Geometry in high school, and this kids doing advanced calculus.

"What did you expect? The kids a genius, Sin. You know he wants to work with us right? Not in the field, but the technical part with creating new gear and other tech."

News to me... "No."

"Yeah, he wants to help his hero take out more bad guys." He looks at me. "His words not mine."

"Well, shucks the kid knows how to compliment a woman doesn't he?" I say kind of proud and humbled at the same time.

We had just finished picking Cass up from his last class of the college semester and we're going out to celebrate, when the Head Director Lewis gives us a call.

"Hey Sin, John. Sorry if I'm disturbing you guys, but I have an opportunity of helping Sin out with that 'gift' and need you to come to the office, in an hour. If you're not able to make it, you may lose out on a rare opportunity to discuss this with a sane individual."

John and I exchange a look, "We understand, Sir. We will see you in an hour."

"Sorry Cass, we have to go into the office, we can celebrate tomorrow." I tell Cass in the back seat.

"Okay, yeah if it's work it's important. Wait.... Does this mean I get to go in to the office with you guys?" Hope fills his eyes with a bit of excitement.

"Cass, that is not a good idea. We are not sure what we are going to be seeing, or who for that matter and we can't get you clearance to just sit around in our office with out one of us present." John breaks the news.

Looking a bit down he says,"I get it. Just me and Sinatra for a while tonight. I'll be fine don't worry about me."

Wow, this kid is pulling on my heart strings. John pulls out his phone and I give him a look as he makes a call.

"Yes sir. We have an underage minor in our company that we are responsible for. Do we need to get clearance to have him sit in Sins office during this meeting? Uh-huh, no sir, he's Caspian, very well mannered and smart boy. Yes sir, he would not cause any issues or speak about anything to anyone. He actually is going to school to work with us. Yes, no problem. Okay, thank you sir. We will see you soon then sir."

He hangs up the phone and gives Cass a grin. "So who's the man who just got you the clearance to sit in Sin's office?"

"John, you're awesome! I can really go!" He high fives John and sits back excited.

John gives me one of his charming smiles and raises my hand to kiss it softly. I mouth thank you to him and head to the office.

I sit Cass in my office and tell him to play on his phone, nothing else. "I will know if you do." I give him a pointed look that says I mean business and he waves us off.

We head to the Heads office and give the door a knock.

"Come in."

We walk in and close the door. Director Lewis smiles at me and points for us to have a seat.

"So who are we meeting?" I ask as we take a seat.

"They'll be here in just a minute." He sits back and strikes up meaningless conversation to pass the time as we wait. Ten minutes go by before a gentle rapping is heard.

We turn as the door opens and if I had not been sitting prior, I would have fallen down.

In walks in an elegantly poised, curly wispy haired, male fairy. The male was quick to look us over and nodded in hello. We nodded in return as Director Lewis stood up to greet the fairy male.

"Thietian, (thee-shen) it is an honor and a privilege to have you come this evening. Thank you for taking the time to stop by." Lewis smiled and pointed for him to take a seat at his desk.

"I wouldn't thank me yet, Director Lewis. I have merely arrived and have not assessed the situation to see if I could even be of any help." He walked over and took the seat offered.

"Can I get you a drink?" Lewis offered.

"No, thank you." Thietian responded waving director Lewis off.

He left his office and shut the door. Thietian sat there looking at us both and kept a very keen eye on me.

"So lady, you are the one who was helped by a fairy and now wish to be rid of your helpful enchantment?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well first things first. I can not confirm if I can or can not help with out knowing every bit of information that you can give me. So tell me what happened, I will stop and ask questions as needed. You may begin." He gestured for me to begin in a aloof manner.

So I told him what happened, where in France, the date and time, our conversation. He was quite intrigued about the conversation and requested me to retell what was said as precise as possible. Then he wanted an accurate as memory served description of her. I showed a picture to him of the painting of the fairies face and he seemed alarmed.

"This is who you saw? This is who you spoke to? What is the gift she gave you, other then an extension of life and youth obviously."

"I do not die... well I do but my body heals itself and I come back to life." I tell him getting nervous.

"Ah.... now I see, do something good, with out the fear of death." He clasped his slightly pointed chin with his hand and seemed to be in deep thought.

"I could lift this gift from you, but why do you want it lifted?" He asked bewilderment on his face.

"I want to live a normal life, to grow old with the man I love." I said clasping Johns hand tightly needing the steadiness of him to anchor me to the ground.

"Oh I see. Then my lady I am afraid I can do nothing to help you after all."

"What?! Why!?" John asked confused after being told he could help.

"Because, If I do it, my lady, you will die instantly. I am not the one who cast the magic and the one who cast it has not been seen within my realm since before your first world war. If you were to chance upon her a second time in your very long future, of that which I am certain of, maybe then she could. However, the man next to you will no longer be living on this earth by the time you do."

A slight blue light flashed in his eyes at that. He stood up and bowed.

"My apologies, but my king has requested my return and I must go." Thietian was walking by to leave when I called him.

"Thietian, Thank you for your time. If I may ask one last thing, you know who the fairy woman is, will you tell me who she is?"

Thietian paused, "My mother, our Queen, Lirael of Mab." He then left as soon as the words were spoken.

"Lirael?" Me and John popped up and went after him but when we walked out he was no where to be seen and the director Lewis merely looked at us and asked if it went well.

"He couldn't help me." I said about to walk away. "Thank you director Lewis, for trying. I do appreciate the gesture."

I went to my office and told Cass to get up and let's go. He started to ask questions and John motioned to leave me alone. As we got home, I quickly ran upstairs and didn't say a word.

I knew this was coming in one form or another, the ugly, bitter truth that had been nagging me at the back of my mind. I just needed to swallow the disappointment down, as much as I hate to, and continue on enjoying the time I had with the people in my life now. I took a few more breaths and went back out to join them downstairs.

"....but if the day comes and I'm not here for her... Cass promise me you'll take care of Sin. Mary will need your love to keep her going." John was being quiet but I heard enough of the conversation.

"I will do that. I'll do anything I can to help her." Cass said in response.

"You boys sure are whispering a lot down here. Care to fill me in?" I act playfully suspicious.

"We're just discussing things between men." John looks at me concerned as I walk down stairs.

"Oh men things. I got you, so I guess I'll order pizza for myself and the men can continue on without me." I say walking into the kitchen to grab my phone and place an order.

"Pizza! Oh please order Pizza Barn! You know they have the best!" Cass begs.

"Okay, I'll order a medium pepperoni and salami for you Cass. What are you in the mood for John?"

He looks at me slightly puzzled at my casual behavior and I nod at Cass. Realization hits him, I don't want Cass to see me so upset when we were supposed to be celebrating his achievements.

"You know what I like." he says.

"They don't put that on pizza."

John smiles timidly and looks away.

"Alright then, Pepperoni, salami, black olive and light pineapple it is."

We spend the rest of the evening and late into the night eating pizza and watching movies and goofing off with Cass. Cass ends up falling asleep on the couch and I lay a blanket over him. Sinatra hops up and curls right next to him. It's adorable so I take a picture of it.

I look up and John has his phone out too.

"What were you doing?"  I inquired.

"I thought it was sweet how Sinatra was curled up with him, took a picture to show mom." He puts his phone away. "Ready for bed?"

I nod and we head upstairs. I shut the door and take a quick shower and lay back.

"Would you like to talk about earlier?" John asks solemnly.

"Theitian only confirmed the doubts in my mind, it was foolish to grasp on to false hope." I say sounding devoid of emotion.

"Mary, what about the name? Lirael of Mab and you're Mary Lirael. That's seem pretty coincidental, don't you think so?"

I sit up and look at him, searching his face, his body language, to gauge his own emotions at the moment. I give it some thought.

"Yes, it is quite ironic and coincidental, but I can't exactly call him up and ask him more questions. I'm still shocked we got an audience with Theitian in the first place. Prince Theitian at that. Then to also discover the old french fairy who did this to me is the Queen, who's been missing for well over a hundred years.  A part of me just still didn't want to give up hope. I felt that it was a sign of sorts that the day you proposed, that fairies came back into our world."

My voice starts to break . "I knew it was still a possibility and I knew that it was going to happen regardless when I said yes. It's a little much to process when I was informed earlier that I will out live another person I love. That he has no doubt, I will not find her again before you leave me forever." I try to force the feelings down deep, it hasn't happened yet.

"We don't have to give up, just because he said it wasn't going to happen doesn't mean it's true." John starts to get a little defensive in his tone.

"John, I didn't say I was giving up on finding her, but we have to accept the harsh reality too, that it may not happen either. I do not want to accept that one day I will be without you, your laugh, your smile, your childish and sometimes beastly behavior that makes my heart ache with how much I love you."

I take a deep breath trying to stop the tears starting to fall, "I also don't want searching for her to consume our lives. It is going to go by much faster than you or I want to admit, so I'd rather enjoy spending as much time as I can with you. I want to make those memories I can cherish with you later when you're old and gray. That I can cherish forever if need be."

"Okay Mary, my favorite Sin." John wraps his arms around me. "We'll make all the memories we can. Because there is nothing I could want more than you and making you happy. When you're happy, I'm at ease." He kisses my forehead. "I'd like to go to Norway again. I still crave that spring water and I believe my career as a soprano could really take off."

My whole body stops and I can't help but curl the corners of my lips up.

"John, I really love you, you silly man, but I'm glad we are home."

I gaze up into his intense and tender eyes.

"Mary, you are my home."