Revolting

First thing in the morning, Hannah was dragging Michael by the hand back toward the big farm house. Without using words to communicate, Michael knew that she was determined to go see her friend and the new baby. She did not go to the front door, but instead circled around the house to the back door, and knocked smartly. After a minute, one of the kitchen workers came to the door, and smiled warmly. "Oh Hannah! It's so good to see you! Come in!" The woman stood back and allowed them to enter. She pursed her lips slightly at Michael, but did not deny him entry.

The luna was just coming out of the dining room, and caught sight of them in the hall. "Hannah, Michael." her lips stretched in a friendly smile.

Michael shifted his weight uncomfortably. "She wants to see the baby." He explained gruffly.

"Well of course she does!" Nina reached for Hannah and tucked her under her arm. She gave Michael a mild look, "Why don't you head on into the dining room and get yourself something to eat Michael?" "Yes Luna," Michael ducked his head in acknowledgement.

He headed for the dining room while Nina steered Hannah down the hall towards Daisy's small bedroom. Nina knocked softly and waited for Daisy to call enter before she escorted Hannah into the room. "I've brought you a visitor," Nina said softly.

Daisy looked a little worse for the wear. Her face was pale and puffy, and her eyes looked slightly bruised and one eye was bloodshot. But she grinned widely and motioned to her friend, "Come Hannah! I want you to meet my son." She tipped the bundle in her arms. "This is Gabe."

Hannah practically tiptoed to the bed and leaned over to stare at the baby. She smiled softly at the infant. With his dusky skin and a little tuft of dark hair on the crown of his head, he resembled his father. His little lips worked for a moment, and he squirmed before yawning and making a little squawk. Hannah's face broke out in a delighted smile. She took her friends hand and squeezed it warmly. Then her eyes went to Boyd.

The tall, thin man was sitting on a chair pulled up close to Daisy's bed, where he was watching over his new little family protectively. Boyd nodded and smiled at Hannah. He clutched his heart, and then made a sweeping gesture toward Daisy and the baby.

Hannah nodded in understanding. Daisy watched the exchange with interest. "You two seem to have a language of your own," she said, pouting a little. When she saw an apprehensive look on Boyd's face, she reached out and patted his hand. "Don't worry," she whispered fondly, "We'll figure it out."

Nina moved around the room, tidying up a few things that were out of place. She looked over her shoulder at the couple. "When you've marked each other," she said off-hand, "You'll be able to communicate through the mind-link." "Oh, that's right," Daisy brightened. And then for a moment a shadow crossed her face and she looked down at the baby in her arms. "I've never been able to mark or be marked before." Gabriel, the father of the baby, had been a human. She felt a little stab of guilt at being able to share things with Boyd that she'd never been able to share with her first love.

Nina, sensing her uneasiness, came and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Daisy. You and Gabe had something beautiful and special, and nothing will ever take away from that. You've got this handsome little man here as a testimony to the love that you shared. But it's okay to love again. Gabe would want you to be happy, you know that."

Daisy chuckled sadly and wiped a stray tear off her cheek. "Yeah, I know." She sent Boyd an apologetic look. "I'm trying." Boyd nodded in solemn understanding and laced his fingers through Daisy's. Daisy turned to Hannah. "Would you like to hold him?"

Hannah nodded eagerly. She carefully gathered the blanket wrapped bundle to her chest and backed slowly into a chair that was situated in the back corner.

She'd sat in this chair before, she realized as a hazy memory overwhelmed her. She'd sat here in this corner and watched as Gabe was restrained in the bed, his body convulsing in violent seizures. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the unhappy memories to leave her, but they didn't. They settled heavily in her chest. She gazed down at the little baby and sighed, tracing one chubby cheek with her finger. "Baby," the word came out in a breathy, effortless whisper. Nina and Daisy shared a look that was equally surprised and pleased. Boyd smiled too, his hand tightening slightly over Daisy's. Daisy turned her tired face toward him, and for a moment they were lost in each other's eyes, oblivious to what was going on around them.

They were torn from each other's gaze when the baby began to squirm and fuss. He was hungry, and he wanted his mom. Hannah stood and carried him back to Daisy's waiting arms. Boyd helped Daisy prop herself up with more pillows, and Nina poured her a glass of juice. Hannah touched her friend lightly on the shoulder.

"Thank you for coming," Daisy whispered, as she bared one small breast for the baby. He latched on and made greedy little noises as he began to nurse. She smiled down at her baby before she looked back up at Hannah, "Isn't it amazing how something so beautiful could come out of something so terrible?"

Hannah nodded. She kissed her fingertips and brushed it over the baby's soft head. She gave Boyd a smile, and then she turned for the door. Nina followed Hannah out, closing the door gently behind her.

"Hannah," she put her hand on her arm. "I've asked Alpha Eudora if she would see you next week. The Alphas will be gathering here to discuss Michael. Eudora is a powerful healer, and maybe she can help you."

Hannah looked at her for a long moment, and then pointed a hand back at the bedroom they had just left. She took a deep breath and screwed up her eyes, drawing on all her inner strength. "Boyd." She tapped herself on the chest, and shook her head no, and then pointed at the room, and nodded.

"I know what you are thinking," the Luna said with a smile. "That's really sweet of you, that you want to help your friend. I didn't know about Boyd when I asked for Eudora to help us. I don't want to over-burden Eudora with requests. But maybe Raine..."

Together they pushed through the swinging door to the dining room. "Speaking of Raine..." Nina whispered.

Michael was sitting awkwardly in a chair that was much too small for his massive body. A half-eaten plate of pancakes was pushed aside in front of him. Raine, the toddler with black curly hair and wide gray-blue eyes had climbed up into Michael's lap and snuggled into him as he awkwardly read from a board book.

"And the big, bad wolf said, 'I will huff, and I will puff, and I will blow your house down!"" Michael made a big blowing noise, making the girl in his lap erupt in giggles. He looked up, suddenly aware that he had an audience, and his face flushed. "Erm," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "she wanted me to read to her."

The luna shook her head, and handed a plate to Hannah. "Michael Bishop, you are full of surprises."