Chapter Forty Four
This time I don’t think I black out, I do. Like, literally, honest to hells, black out. Buffy grabs me by my arm and holds me up which is good, but I really do only pass out for a half second because I hear Jaak shouting.
“My heart! Meadow!”
Those two words revive me like a shot and I take off running across the town square for him. I think that even if I wasn’t super powered, I would have still closed the space between Jaak and I in the same amount of time. As it is, it’s only seconds before I’m close enough to touch my husband.
“Jaak!” I scream and throw myself into his arms so hard that Jaak rocks back on his heels from the force of it when he catches me.
I wrap my arms around him and hold him as tight as I can manage.
All around us I can feel our bond coming back to life.
It wraps and winds itself around us, warm and bright, the feel of it reassuring.
“You came back to me.”
“Meadow. Oh my Meadow. I did not intend to break my promise.” His voice breaks and I can’t take hearing it sound like that. My tears turn to sobs.
I shake my head. “No. No, it wasn’t your fault.
It wasn’t.” I cling to him and pepper his face with kisses.
Jaak shifts me so I’m sitting in the crook of his arm and lifts me higher.
I’m just a bit taller than he is now and take advantage of my new vantage point by touching his horns.
I want to touch him everywhere. I need to.
“I never meant to leave you.”
“You didn’t. You’re here now. You didn’t leave me.” I laugh through my tears and lean forward to hold him close. I can feel the beat of his heart. It’s strong, so strong. Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum. This is my new favorite sound, my new favorite song. I will never get tired of hearing his heart.
I lean back to look down at him. “I don’t understand. I-you were gone. I felt it. The bond was gone, you were gone.” I’m crying, of course I’m crying, so is Jaak. There’s tears in his eyes. I reach down to touch his face and I freeze.
His eyes.
They’re brown. Rich amber, tawny with gold mixed in them.
They’re not silver. I touch his face, cup it in my hands and stare into the eyes I’ve fallen in love with.
Jaak’s tears wet my fingertips and I laugh.
Happiness bubbles up in me, effervescent and uncontainable.
I’m like an over poured bottle of spirits.
I couldn’t keep my joy silent if I tried. There’s no keeping it inside.
“You’re eyes. They changed.”
“When Mort revived me, Eri's curse was finally broken. She no longer has any hold on me. My will is my own.”
“Mort? Mort brought you back? How?” I look around for the Oculus and see him standing a few feet away with Charlie.
The pair of them are smiling at us. Mort gives me an awkward wave, and Dina is beside them, crying in the arms of Clyde.
Behind them, I see dazed looking mages slowly leaving the building.
Some of them sit on the ground and cry, a few lay down to do their crying properly but there’s more than one that stands and watches us at a distance.
I see the Sheriff's backup has finally arrived in the form of a dozen officers getting off honest to goodness horses and there’s even a wagon.
It’s a blessing that they go straight for the robed cult members and start rounding them up.
Good. They can be the authorities' problem now. Maybe they’ll have better luck dealing with people like my parents than I did.
“You did this? You brought him back?” I ask Mort and he nods.
“My line has rejuvenation powers. It’s easy enough if the spirit is strong. Jaak’s was exceptionally so, I hardly had to do anything at all to bring him back to his body.”
“Thank you.” I burst into tears again. I’m ugly crying, I know I am. There’s nothing I can do to repay Mort, not ever for what he’s done for me. “Thank you, whatever you need, whenever you need I’ll be there. I swear it, Mort.”
Mort gives me a slight bow. “A most gracious offer from a friend that I accept.”
“We’re the best of friends. Not just friends,” I tell Mort.
I look back at Jaak and shake my head. “I feel like I’m dreaming. Please don’t tell me I’m dreaming or if I am, don’t wake me up. Leave me here in my delusion. I’m right where I want to be.”
Jaak gives me an affectionate squeeze. “You are not dreaming, but if you were I would wake you. I would want you to live a long and beautiful life. That is how I would go on, Meadow.” The sincerity in Jaak’s voice makes me want to cry.
I’m not bringing up the fact that I was ready to bring down the Chamber of Commerce on myself to avenge him.
We’ll save that for another day, another day a very, very long time from now.
“No more talking as if you aren’t here. You are, and you’re never leaving me. We’re going at the same time and that’s final.”
Jaak chuckles and dips his head in acquiesce. “As you wish, my heart.” When he says that I burst into tears again. I can’t help it. Everything feels like a dream but for once it’s not a nightmare, it’s a dream come true.
I give Jaak one last kiss before he puts me down. I grab his hand and start to drag him towards Buffy. “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
Buffy is smiling ear-to-ear when she sees us and she’s not alone.
Sunday has driven a car right through town, probably the only car that’s ever been on these streets, and parked it in the town square right beside Buffy.
She’s outside and looking around like she doesn’t approve of the town or people here.
I bet no one even says a word to her about the car.
Elijah, Nina, and Wrath get out of the car, Wrath a little slower and with Elijah’s help.
Buffy goes to him and helps him walk over to us. The second Wrath comes to a stop in front of us, his face goes funny. Maybe he’s in pain? I hope not.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet my husband, Jaak.”
Sunday looks Jaak up and down and lets out a low whistle. “Power and an older man, Meadow? Nicely done.”
I roll my eyes at her. “That’s Sunday, she’s just like that,” I tell Jaak before I grab Buffy’s hand and introduce her to Jaak.
“This is Buffy, my best friend, and her husband Wrath.”
Jaak steps forward to take Buffy’s hand with a bow when she offers it. “ An honor to meet someone so dear to Meadow. Thank you for coming today.”
She shakes his hand and drops into an awkward curtsy to his bow. “It’s an honor to meet my bestie’s husband. I’m glad you’re, you know, not dead. We tried to come sooner. I thought I was going to help with the fight but Meadow had it all handled.”
Jaak smiles affectionately at me. “My wife is fierce. There was no other outcome but victory today.”
“Why are you curtseying?” Nina asks. “He’s not the Queen, Buffy.”
“I don’t know! He’s bowing, it just seemed right,” Buffy tosses back to Nina. “That’s Nina, she’s dead.”
“And proud of it,” Nina replies. “Nice to meet you, Jaak! That’s Elijah.” She points to Elijah who waves enthusiastically at Jaak.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I hope you’ll join us for dinner tonight.”
Jaak nods at everyone, greeting them warmly with smiles and assurances to Elijah that he will make himself available to judge cinnamon rolls in the future. Charlie and the others have joined us by now and my heart feels full seeing everyone together. This is how it should be. This feels right.
Nina tilts her head to the side and looks us up and down like she’s just realized what we’re wearing before she points at Charlie. “Why are you all dressed like Robin Hood?”
Charlie throws his cape out with a flourish and encourages Dina and Mort to do the same. “It’s called fashion, honey. Look it up.”
I giggle. “It’s a long story, but we can talk about it over dinner.”
“Dinner is perfect. Dinner is great. I love that. What do you think, Wrath?” Buffy asks. It’s then that I realize the only person that hasn’t said anything is Wrath. He still has a weird look on his face, but I don’t think it’s from pain. Not with the way he’s looking at Jaak.
Buffy looks between Wrath and Jaak. She’s just noticed what I have too. “Wrath?” Buffy pokes him in the side. “Is something wrong?”
The poke snaps Wrath out of it and he nods at her. “Yes, everything is perfectly fine, my treasure.”
“Then what’s with the awkward staring. You haven't even said hello yet.”
Wrath looks uncomfortable. He blushes when he looks at Jaak again. Holy hells, why is he blushing? I look at Jaak to see if I can read his face but there’s nothing there. He’s looking at Wrath with curiosity too. He doesn’t know what’s going on either.
“My apologies, Jaakobah. My, um, my Lord. I didn’t- I mean, I never imagined I would ever meet an esteemed archdemon such as yourself. In fact, it’s been many years since I’ve kept the company of other demons. You are, you have always been an inspiration. I’m a big fan of your work.”
My mouth drops open. “My Lord?” I repeat.
“His work? What kind of work do you do?” Buffy asks Jaak.
“He is the Lord of Chaos and Strife. Bringer of War and Calamity. There is none like him in all the worlds. He is known through all the realms for his power.”
Buffy bites her lip and nods. “Oh.”
“That’s not who I am anymore. I am retired now. My will is my own once more and I have no wish to sow dissent and destruction. I will live my life in peace with Meadow and the ones she loves.”
“Wrath is retired too,” I tell Jaak. “But also not really. He helps us keep the peace when things need a little more firepower. We’re lucky to have him.”
Wrath smiles at me. “It is I who is lucky to be welcomed with you all. I would do anything to keep Buffy’s home safe.’
Jaak puts an arm around me and holds out his hand to Wrath. “Then I will as well. We will be brothers-in-arms in the quest for peace together.”
Wrath shakes his hand. “This is a day beyond all measure. There will be no safer place than our home.”
Our home.