Sarah dashed up the stairs and to their bed chambers and jumped into a warm shower to rid her skin and hair of her own salted sweat. Under the warm jets of water she reflected upon her actions today and the words her Father had spoken to her. Neither of them required much thought, they were as straightforward as a desert road. Onya was coming...

...Coming? Hell, she'd been right here...

and nothing would stop her. Sarah had seen a second glimmer of hope when Ares had told her to bring Duncan to him. The faint flicker in her heart began to die out as she fully understood what Ares wanted. Her Father would test Duncan. Rules of the tests given by Lord Ares were simple, you passed you lived, you failed you died. Nothing more than that. Lord Ares would find some particularly hard task for Duncan to complete. The hope in her heart tried to rekindle itself as she reminded herself that Duncan was strong, he was intelligent. And if he was also willing and if he would also believe, then he had a solid chance of passing the test Lord Ares would dole out to him.

Those were such large ifs'.

How would she manage to get Duncan to Ares anyway? Duncan did not believe in magick, she could not bring him to Ares in that manner. What other way was there? In return for his showing her how to sword fight properly Sarah had tried relentlessly to help Duncan believe in magick. He would listen and he would try but his heart was unaccepting of the concept and that rendered him incapable of seeing anything through to fruition. Sarah had tried to show him how to tap into her own power, to open and close the Connection between them for himself. They would sit together on the bed in the evenings completely nude with Sarah holding his hands, when she felt he was ready she would place one of his hands on her stomach and one on her third eye. The first time he had actually gained entry to her mind it had frightened him badly, there was so much in there and none of it made any sense at first, just flashing images and brilliant cuts of colored lights.

Slowly, she began to show him how to use his mind to find her center, the place where the switch to the Connection was kept. That place was very clear and Duncan was unsure if he was actually seeing what he was or if Sarah had given him an image with which he could relate to. There was a large gray metal box which was marked CONNECTION, it had a red flip handle switch with three settings, Off, Normal and High Voltage. With her mind Sarah showed him how to shut it down if he ever needed to. Along with the gray metal box there were several other smaller switches, some were red, some were green, some were blue, some had no color at all. Sarah had told him in no uncertain terms that he was never to touch any of those switches only the one which held her end of their Connection.

Night after night as they sat on the bed, he would turn it on and off at her request. Even with his refusal to believe, he had become quite good at that. Getting out of her mind was not as easy as getting in once the Connection was shut down. Sarah warned him that he had to get out quickly before it could shut down completely or he would be stuck inside her mind until the switch was thrown again. From the way he zigged and zagged inside of her, Sarah got the distinct impression that Duncan felt like a rat caught in a maze as he raced blindly through her mind searching for the exit.

In order to better help him with that task, Sarah had given him the small piece of her talisman which Markus had given to her and told him to wear it at all times so that he would always know where she was. Sarah had cleansed and blessed the piece of Herkimer before giving it to him, he still remembered her placing it around his neck and the cold feeling of the crystal laying against his bare skin. He did not want to wear it but he did so because she had asked him to. When he had balked at putting it on she had told him that not only would the talisman always keep them connected, that he would always know where she was, it would keep her from being able to hide her Quickening from him. Sarah had been deadly serious as she looked into his eyes that night and told him that she never wanted to have that particular advantage over him, it was far too dangerous.

Since she had given it to him, their instructions had turned in other directions, she now wanted him to learn to use the power of the talisman to enter her mind when she did not give him permission to do so. Duncan would try, sometimes he got it and sometimes he didn't

Duncan was already a skilled Charmer (even if he didn't believe it), Sarah knew if he would just believe in the powers of magick, Duncan could be a great sorcerer. If he opted not to become that, at least he would then be able to communicate with her on all levels. But he did not believe and so there were levels they would never communicate on. Things he would never know about her because those things were too difficult to put into words. Those were things Onya wanted to lay out for him. The things Sarah felt it best he never know anyway, so maybe it was good that he didn't believe in magick.

Duncan did not possess either the power, the strength or the will to believe in magickal things. Getting him to Lord Ares was going to be her task, just a small puzzle to figure out, a little something to sharpen the mind before moving forward.

Sarah sat at the vanity and did her best to tame her hair. Duncan was downstairs, she could feel him and she could see him in her mind, he was milling about and grumbling down stairs in the game room. The weight of their conversation and her actions laid heavy on her heart as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. So many words yet to say and actions yet to complete. So little time left.

The sound of tires on the gravel outside came to her ears and Sarah crossed the room to the window to see Brett's old pick up parking on the side of the drive way. He had come to collect his drum kit and brought Michael with him. Sarah quickly tossed a lavender sundress over her head and went down the stairs to meet them. By the time she reached the landing, Duncan was already opening the front door.

"Hey, MacLeod." Brett said cheerfully

"Sarah here, MacLeod?" Mike asked as he made his way inside.

Sarah stood on the landing out of their sight for a few moments and wondered why everyone called him ‘MacLeod' or ‘Mac'. Not one of them called him by his right name, except for herself and Marie. Even Jareth had used his surname rather than his given one. "Right here," she said with a smile as she continued down the rest of the steps. "Come for your kit?"

"Yeah, gonna clean up some space for you." Brett laughed as the three of them made their way down the hall to the game room. Brett, like Michael, waited for Sarah to say that she was going off on tour with Chris Lawless. She did not say any such thing. Both boys were disheartened by her silence, they had hoped she would change her mind and go with him. After last night, none of them could understand why Sarah would come back here at all. It was the first time any of them had heard her play an instrument other than the piano and that was only for class. Watching her and Chris Lawless, then having been allowed to actually play with such greatness had been more than any of them had ever dreamed of. Their Miss Cooper, pretty, funny, slightly off, Miss Cooper, could rock and roll with the best of the lot. She had been uninhibited last night as she played and sang, her voice powerful, the notes from her guitar sending shock waves through the body, she had looked Divine.

"Hey, who took it down?" Brett asked as they entered the game room to see the four piece kit neatly stacked in the corner, stands and cymbals laying next to it.

"I did." Duncan said from behind them. "Couldn't sleep last night." He said quietly as he looked over Michael's shoulder at Sarah.

"Thanks, man. Saved me a lot of hassle." Brett nodded his head and smiled.

"Me too," Michael added in, "thanks." The boys began the business of taking the unassembled kit, piece by piece, out to the pick up truck.

Duncan sat at the bar and watched them work. Sarah racked the balls on the pool table. "What are you doing?" He asked as the boys left the room for the first time.

"Playing pool?" Sarah asked as removed the rack, the balls sat on the table in a neat triangle, one solid one stripe, all the way down. She picked up a pool cue and chalked it. "Want to play?"

Duncan rose from the stool and took a cue from the mount on the wall. "All right." He chalked the tip with the blue cube Sarah had set down on the rail of the table. "You break."

Sarah leaned her slim body over the table, one leg raised in the air behind her so she could tilt forward better, pulled the cue back and snapped it briskly forward. The white ball rolled quickly across the green table, smashing into the colored and striped ones at the other ends with a loud crack. Smaller clicks and cracks were heard as the triangle broke apart, sending the balls scattering all over the table. The 13 ball sank first, Sarah called stripes, and watched as three more balls dropped into the pockets. Deftly she circled the table looking for her next shot, she decided on the 11 ball which rested about three inches from the left side pocket, she pulled the cue back and sank the ball. Sarah's practiced eyes scanned the table, while her fingers rechalked the cue. She decided on the 9 which now rested almost on top of the bottom right pocket, she leaned over the table and prepared to make the shot. Duncan coughed. Sarah shot, the ball bounced into and then out of the desired pocket to rest on the table once again. Her turn over, she stepped back and allowed Duncan to take his own.

"Who's winning?" Mike asked as they came in for a second load and saw them hovering over the table with the cues in their hands.

"She is." Duncan said as he lined up his cue and sank the 2 ball in the left side pocket.

"Yeah, you shouldn't play with her, man. At least, like, not for money, you know?" Brett laughed as he and Mike picked up the bass drum and carried it from the room.

"Another secret?" His voice was scornful as he cocked his arm back and sunk the 6. Duncan straightened himself to look at her from across the table.

"No," Sarah stated as she returned his stare. "It's no secret that I play pool, we have played together before."

"And I won." He said with a mocking smile. "Did you let me?"

"Why should I do that?"

Duncan's mocking smile grew brighter as he shook his head from side to side, he was not going to encourage the boys to hang about this afternoon. It was past time this whole sorry mess was dragged up and put on display for both of them to look at, Duncan was not inclined to let this go any longer. "Did you let me win?" He said slowly.

"No," Sarah looked away from him. "Shoot, it's still your turn."

"Liar." Duncan whispered as he leaned across the table for his third shot of the game. He heard Sarah sigh and watched from the corner of his eyes as she reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. He pulled his arm back, Sarah coughed, he missed the shot. Tit for tat, the smile on her face told him as he looked up at her.

"Last load, Sarah." Mike said as he came back into the room and picked up the high hat. Brett followed close behind and picked up the snare. Absently, Sarah's free hand scratched at the scar on her back.

Sarah tossed her hair over her shoulder as she began to line up her shot. Sarah righted herself as she looked for her next shot and saw nothing. There were too many solids still on the table. Sarah cocked her arm back and purposefully scratched the cue ball, defaulting her turn.

Duncan fished the white ball out from the side slider and placed it on the table in a position of his choosing. He lined up a shot, cocked his arm back and knocked both the 10 and 4 into the right bottom pocket. Now there were no longer too many solids on the table, Sarah would not scratch out the next time her turn came.

"That's all of it." Brett said as he poked his head into the game room for the last time.

Sarah laid her cue on the table and walked over to him. "Have fun last night?"

"Fun? Are you kidding? It was a blast!" Michael said excitedly. "You should have seen my mom when I showed her those pictures. She was so jealous! Wanted to know why I didn't call her and tell her he was here cause she wanted to sit on his lap too." Michael's face was red as he burst with laughter as the though of his middle-aged average mom sitting on the lap of a famous rock star. Michael thought she'd probably just wet her pants right there and then. He smiled brighter.

"So...umm..you, like, discuss, that thing anymore?" Brett asked as he raised his eyebrows.

"No, I'm not going." Sarah said strongly as she smiled at the boys. "It's not the right time. Maybe next time he goes off on tour." She said hopefully.

"That sucks." Michael groused. "That really sucks. You should go."

"Knock it off, Mike." Brett said easily as he elbowed his friend lightly in the rib cage. "Ain't none of our business anyway."

"What's done is done, it doesn't matter now." Sarah stared across the room at her husband as she spoke. "I'm glad you guys got to meet him."

"Shit yeah! Me too." Brett agreed happily as his face reddened. This was certainly a tale that he would tell to his grandchildren one day.

Sarah laughed and held a hand to her chest as she smiled at them and began to lead them out of the game room.

Brett glanced back over his shoulder, "See ya, MacLeod."

Duncan raised his hand in return as they left the room. He waited for Sarah to return and finish the game but she did not return. Soon, Duncan went off in search of her, he stopped in the main parlor to look out the window, the truck was gone, the boys had left. Where had she gone? To the kitchen perhaps for a cup of coffee? Duncan closed the curtain and began to make his way down the hall toward the kitchen. Soft low music was coming from the family room and it stopped him, Duncan peered inside to see Sarah sitting on the couch holding something in her hands.

"What have you got?" He asked as he entered the room.

Sarah turned to him and smiled, her large doe eyes sparkled at him with mischief. "Jareth left these." She held up the plane tickets and the hotel brochure. "Let's go, Duncan." There was hopeful excitement in her voice.

"To Greece?" Duncan took the tickets from her hand. His eyes scanned down to note that the first class tickets and dates were open ended. They must have cost Jareth a small fortune. In his hands he knew he held the last rabbit Jareth had to pull out of his hat, a last gift to her. He did not care for it.

"Yes. Let's go. Please." Sarah rose and took his hand. "Come on, Duncan. We can leave tonight." She squeezed his hand tightly as she rushed the words from her mouth.

The prospect of going to Greece was unappealing to him in that moment, too many things could happen there. Too many things he would neither be able understand nor control. "I've already been." Duncan said and tried to sound conversational as he tossed the tickets onto the coffee table.

Bring your Champion to me, Ares had told her. Bring him she would.

"I haven't." She whispered hurriedly. "You can show me." Sarah picked up the tickets. "We haven't had a proper honeymoon." Sarah reminded him softly. Just a little push, she promised herself as she voice lowered further, "Take me to Greece, Duncan. Say you will."

Duncan felt lightly intoxicated as he closed his eyes and sighed. "All right, we'll go to Greece." He opened them again to look at the soft delicate face of his wife, "we'll leave tonight."

Sarah reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, she hugged him tightly as she laid her head against his chest. "Thank you," she whispered, "you won't regret it." Sarah stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek before letting him go and turning her attentions to making travel arrangements. Much to her dismay when she called the airline she was informed there were no more flights leaving for Greece tonight, Sarah made arrangements to take the first flight which left tomorrow morning at 11:30.

"Why are we going there?" Duncan asked as walked into the main parlor where Sarah was sitting on the couch with the phone still in her hand. His mind felt as though a great fog were lifting from it and he didn't even remember it descending upon him.

"Because it's necessary." Sarah turned away from him while she hung up the telephone.

"Taking me home to meet the family?" His dark mahogany eyes narrowed upon her. She had been in his mind again, he had been so steadfast against the idea of going and then suddenly..poof...he was saying yes to it all. Sarah had pushed him, ever so slightly, but she had done it. She had promised him she would never do it again. A lot of promises were being broken by her lately, if he looked behind himself he had no doubt he would see a trail littered with them. Maybe he shouldn't be so harsh. This was the only true promise she had broken, as for the others, well she'd never told him of her former drug use so smoking the joints last night did not qualify. As for the cigarettes, she had told him she had quit but she had not actually promised him that she had. Sarah was gaining a real penchant for not only stretching the truth but just leaving it out altogether. Not this time, he was not going to follow her half way around the world to the very place where all of this had begun hundreds, possibly thousands, of years ago without her telling him exactly why they were going.

"Are you afraid?" Sarah looked at him peacefully from where she sat, knowing that her push had worn off. That was all right, she had not expected it to last beyond the moment that she needed it to. She held a small hand out to him but he did not move from where he stood, Sarah lowered her arm. "Duncan, I know how you feel. I know you don't believe in magick and Gods and Sorcerers. I wish you did." Her voice cracked as she lowered her eyes from his. "Maybe you don't have to believe. But you do have to accept."

"That you're a Goddess? Or some part of you is? How do I accept that, Sarah? Tell me how and I will." Duncan ran the palm of his hand through his mid-night hair as he thought of this morning and Onya. Was it possible to accept that woman in his life? At the moment he didn't see how that was possible at all. Onya was beginning to come forward more and more, he had known that much, but up until last night she had still been content to lay in the background. Then Chris Lawless had waltzed in and changed everything. Duncan had to admit that his first formal introduction to the Goddess living inside of his wife had been a hell of a show. One that was worthy of the Rock Star Himself.

You are not in control here. I am.

Duncan frowned as the words rang inside his head. Control was not what he wanted and control was not what he thought he had, not consciously at least. There was no getting around the fact that he did see himself in the role of teacher and guide, just as he had done countless times over the centuries with other young immortals who had sought out guidance. Did she truly see him as controlling her? As the prison warden? He hoped not, he did not want to be put in that position. Never wanted her to have anything less than control of herself and her own free will

Onya had plenty of that.

At the thought of her a great wave of guilt and shame washed over him. In the midst of the most intense moment he had spent lost in the trance she had given him, Duncan had wanted her. There was no denying that, especially not to himself. Trance or not, he had wanted Onya. There was another part of him, smaller in comparison to the other. It was the part of him which had tried to scream but was only able to whisper its warning to him. That part of him felt angry and violated.

...(Raped)...(Cheated)...

Onya had held him there with her mind while she had taken what she wanted from him. While she danced around Sarah's secrets and taunted him with the taste of her. The Little Warrior Goddess had rewarded him with that warm euphoric sensation when he gave over to her and punished him with the weight of lead when he did not. When she had finished with him, she simply left him there. Alone. It was clear to him now that someone, long before Chris Lawless had come along, had taught Sarah--and Onya-- about sex, power and control. Some one at some point in time had shown Sarah that she must give everything she had and everything she was, she must accept nothing in return, in order to keep a man in her life. Duncan would like very much to find that little bastard and kill him...

(...if he wasn't already dead...)

But Onya was going to change all of that. She was going to take the hurt and anger inside of Sarah and turn it all around. No longer would she nor Sarah be a victim. Daughter to Ares, how far would that rage take her? What would she do while enrapt in it? The image of her coming in for that third pass, the gleaming sword in her hands and her cold black eyes shinning at him like the mid-night sun made him shiver.

She sat there, calm and reposed, smiling a sad smile at him and her eyes suddenly wet with tears. "I don't know." Sarah whispered to him. "You have to find the way for yourself." Sarah sighed deeply as she brushed a coming tear away from her eye. "Do you think I like this, Duncan? That I wanted it? Asked for it?" She shook her head slowly from side to side as she raised her eyes to look at him. "This time, it's me who wishes I could change everything and cannot."

Duncan stood across the room from her and watched his wife sitting on the couch. As he watched he came to understand her more, and how afraid she was for herself. Also he came to understand how determined she was to see it through to the end, Sarah had accepted her fate, she would no longer rail against it. Not after today. The Goddess in her had shown Sarah Her power and Her strength, Sarah realized she could not fight Onya forever. The time had come for her to fulfill Ares' prophecy. Had Duncan not felt His undeniable presence and the sheer divinity of Him? "I know you would rather be Sarah MacLeod than anything else." Duncan whispered to her. "I want that too." Slowly he made his way across the room and knelt by her side. "We'll see it through, Sarah. You and I." He took her small hand in larger one and brought it to her lips. "Whatever happens, I love you."

Sarah bent down and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "And I you." Sarah hugged him tight to her body revealing in the feel of his strength and warmth, her face burying itself in his hair, she breathed deep of the scent of it. "Come to bed, Duncan. It's time for a last lesson."

Duncan rose to his feet while scooping her up in his arms, he began to carry her up the stairs to their bedroom as he kissed her.

"I can walk." Sarah protested lightly.

"I want to carry you." Duncan held her tighter as he took her up to the room they shared.

Together they sat on the bed, completely nude and face to face. Sarah smiled for him as she reached out for his hands. "You can do this." She encouraged and squeezed his hands tightly. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Duncan's eyes scanned hers for any signs of Onya. Sarah's eyes were bright and sparkling, not black and distant. Still, something was off. Something was different about tonight. Was it the way she was looking at him? Was it the sudden peace and calmness which seemed to have come over her? Perhaps it was the serene tone of her voice? As hard as he tried he could not come up with a definitive answer. Nothing other than the fact that something was off about this session. The look in her eyes, it seemed to important to her that he get this right tonight, she had never put the slightest bit of pressure on him before. She was trying hard not to now.

"Remember, three lefts and a right." She reminded him as she closed her eyes and slowly placed one of his hands on her forehead and the other on her tight belly. "Go, Highlander." She demanded.

Duncan's lungs took in a mighty breath as he closed his eyes and felt the energy radiating from her through his hands, up his arms, across his shoulders, and toward his heart and head. The light blue mist which rose in his mind smelled faintly of smoke and salt water. Before him was the labyrinth, the maze of twists and turns which lead to Sarah's center if he took the right path. If he took the wrong one, he would be lost in the labyrinth forever, not even Sarah would be able to extricate him. Quickly, he ran to the opening and did as she commanded, only in reverse, he took the first right he saw and then the next and the next, then he took the direct left through the maze. When the corridor opened he saw the high fencing with the high voltage box and the switches and buttons next to it. Sarah stood there waiting for him. Duncan reached out quickly and grabbed the lever on the gray metal box, he pushed it into the OFF position and turned swiftly to run away from her. What little light there was in here began to fade, all began to grow cold as he ran. He made the first left and then the next, the blue mist once light and flowing now grew heavy with frozen moisture and hung thickly in the air, soon it would solidify and form an icy floor beneath his feet. The last left came up as his legs raced for it and his heart pounded. He could hear the last the crackles of the Connection fading away inside his head. He was almost out. The coldness set in quickly and the floor beneath him iced, his feet slipped out from under him and he crashed to the floor of the labyrinth with a harsh thud. As the light began to fade away completely, he scrambled to his feet. The last turn was within his view. He could make it out before it all shut down completely. Duncan pushed onward and ran for the opening, he pushed through and rounded the corner, the light still pulsed outside but it was turning in on itself. Duncan dove through the tunnel of light and returned to his own mind.

Sarah opened her eyes and smiled brightly for him. "Very good." She hugged him closely. "Much better."

Duncan felt tired, drained, as though he hadn't slept in a week. But the pride in her eyes was enough to lift that feeling for a while.

She gazed deeply into his eyes while she held his hands in her own. Drawing in a deep breath she fixed her own mind. Duncan's eyes were tired and drawn, the experience had left him open. Just as she had hoped it would. Sarah bent forward and kissed his cheek. "Do you know why we don't make love?" She whispered as she swallowed hard.

Duncan felt her soft whisper hot against his neck, her words danced around in his mind. His head lowered against her shoulder. "No. Why?" He asked as his heart leapt at the chance to finally have an answer to that question. If he only had an answer, then he could fix it or at least understand.

"When we are done, you will leave me." She whispered strongly. "You will leave me."

"No," Duncan whispered back as he heard her words and felt the coldness strike at his heart. "No."

"Yes." Sarah nuzzled her head against his shoulder and kissed his neck and pushed him for the last time. "When we are done, you will rise and you will leave me." Sarah dropped one of his hands from her own and ran it through his hair. She pushed herself away from his body to stare into his eyes which were distant and faint. Sarah held out two fingers and pointed them at his face, "Look at me, Champion." She whispered as she brought the fingers around to point at herself, Sarah repeated the movement until his eyes fixed to her own. Gazing down into his wide trusting eyes, Sarah eased all of her own will into his mind. Her own eyes soft but serious, her voice nothing more than sparkling tones on a spring breeze. "You will leave me. Forever. You will. Say it."

There was nothing but silence as his eyes looked back at her. Time and again he tried to form the words but they would not readily come out. Something with filled with peaceful strength laid itself over his heart. The words freed themselves from his throat. "I will leave."

Sarah smiled as a single tear ran down her cheek. "Forever," she whispered, "say it." Duncan's head drooped low, she reached out and took him in her arms knowing he was totally lost in the push and the spell she was casting. There were not many nights left to hold him this way, she drew him closer. "Say it and then you can sleep."

"Forever." Came his faded and distant voice.

"Forget now, Champion. And sleep." Sarah drew her hand lightly down across his face. Duncan's eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep. Sarah brought the covers around his naked body and tucked them in tightly around him before rising from their bed. "You are a good man, Duncan MacLeod. And I love you."

Sarah stood back, watchful eyes looked down upon him as he slept peacefully in their bed, she reached out a hand and stroked his hair. She did not doubt that he could pass any test Ares set for him, yes he could. If only he believed. But he did not and so he would not. Still, Sarah would fulfill her Father's wish and bring her Champion to what remained of His altar in Athens. There she would fulfill her Father's greatest wish and bring to life her greatest fear. Duncan would turn his back and walk away, he would not remember anything about her. She would stand alone. Against the world and the Gods.

Sarah bent over him, stroked a loving hand across his cheek as he slept and then left the room to retrieve the suitcases from the attic.

Little One, you are a fool. I will kill him before he steps foot off the temple floor.

"No, you won't." Sarah whispered aloud to the voice inside her mind. She was fully aware that holding Onya back in that moment would be the most Herculean of tasks, but she would do it. Somewhere inside of her, she would find the power to hold Onya back one last time, while Duncan blissfully unaware of what is going around him walked off into the night. Yes, somewhere in her that storage tank of power could be found and in that moment Sarah would use every last drop of it to hold the Goddess down.

I know what you plan. You will not win.

"Yes, I will." Sarah dragged the suitcases from the attic back to their bedroom on the second floor. "You will not take him." She opened the door to find Duncan still deep in the clutches of a peaceful sleep, she hoped he would remain that way for the rest of the night. Quietly she went through dresser drawers and began to pack for their trip. They would not need much, Sarah doubted if they would spend more than two nights together after this one. Having forgotten about her and their time together, Duncan would never return here for what remained of his things. Sarah tried to pack everything that she knew was important to him into the suitcase. They had not been together long and most of the items which belonged to him were small. Sarah found herself packing things which he would probably never miss but she knew she would never forget, his brush, comb, cologne. Her fingers tripped over his wallet, carefully she removed her picture from it and tossed it into the waste basket. She would remove his wedding band from his hand at the altar. No trace of her would remain in his life.

With shaking hands and tearful eyes, Sarah folded his clothes neatly and packed them into the suitcase, her hands holding on to the material of each, feeling it fully. Was it soft? Course? Cotton? Silk? What color is it? How does it smell? Memorizing everything about each one. When everything was packed away and neatly tethered down, she zipped the suitcases and placed them in the corner of the room. Knowing that she would return to the Inn after, Sarah had packed two large suitcases for him but only a small one for herself. He would not notice, Duncan would simply carry them downstairs tomorrow, not opening any of them and load them into the truck.

Quietly she turned out the light and slid into bed beside her husband. Sarah breathed deep and cuddled close to his sleeping frame, she buried her face in his softly haired chest and wrapped her arms around him. There she lay as she cried silently throughout the night, listening to the gentle beat of his heart.