Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

As Dylan sat down across the table from Ashien, she could see how stiff he was. He was uncomfortable, waiting for the next bad thing to happen. Reaching across, she took his hands in her own and squeezed them tightly. Her gaze was kind and gentle, struggling to understand what he was going through.

"I love you, Ash. I need you to know that no matter what happens, I love you dearly." She murmured softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Even if I lose my mind and tear up the manor like Durban?" He asked with a bitter smile. "I'd call you the crazy one then." He rounded the table and settled beside her, his arm looped loosely about her waist. "It's one thing for me to get scared and hide in a corner. It's entirely another for the most steadfast and powerful man I know to have lost his mind because of someone dropping boards, and end up in tears on the floor."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ash, no one is expecting any of you to be as brave as you once were. What you went through was horrible. There will be low moments, but we can only hope that the good outweighs the bad. He has a family that loves him, a wife that supports him, and children that simply want to show him all of the good things in their lives. He'll get back to the man that you once knew." Dylan murmured as her husband's strong arm held her tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I guess I'm just afraid one of us... Especially Durban, might become Da. It was like seeing the keep torn up after one of Da's rages. I'm only glad none of my brothers has turned to drink like him."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Your Ma would never let that happen." Dylan promised him. "I would never let that happen to you. I know that your brothers have strong women at their sides as well. They will never let it happen either. None of you have to worry about turning into your father."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ma's the strongest woman in Scotland, love. Even she couldn't stop it the first time. She couldn't stop it when it started to happen to Brogan either, before Julia came along." Ashien seemed resigned to the idea that whatever demons had overtaken his father were threatening to take all of them at any second.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You are as stubborn as they come, Ash." Dylan said with a soft laugh. "Won't even let your poor wife try and comfort you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm sorry, love. It's just hard to get out from under this sort of fear," Ashien leaned lightly against her, his appetite gone.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan pressed her head against his own, letting out a soft sigh. "If I could take away your pain, I would. We'll get through it all together. And we'll be stronger because of it, love. Never forget that we're a team."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be okay... eventually," Ashien promised her, keeping his arm about her in less of his usual protective embrace, and more one of needing protection himself.

Durban and Marri finally arrived just after dinner, Durban looking pale and tired and not saying much, until he put on his 'father' face for his children.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da!" Elise cried as she saw Durban enter the great hall.

She and Seamus rushed to him, Elise beating her little brother by moments. She wrapped her arms around her Da's legs, holding him as tightly as she possibly could.

 

[KieranSoares]

Durban scooped up both Elise and Seamus, kissing Elise's cheek with a small smile. "Evenin', love." He was quiet and deeply wounded, but he could still hold up most of the façade.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I got scared for you." Elise murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, burying her face against his shoulder. "I got you a cookie at the market. Chessie is keeping it safe right now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' you be scared," Durban murmured, taking a seat and setting her on his lap. "Yer Da jus' needs some time t'be 'imself again. I know y'know what 'appened, so I'm no' gonna try t'make it sound like anythin' less. But I'm gonna be alright, Elise." He rarely called her by her proper name unless he was being serious. "Yer Ma'll get me through it, 'long with th'rest o' the family. An' ye've been so good t'me an' yer Uncles, keepin' things quiet."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you don't like loud noises so I try to keep Seamus quiet." Elise murmured softly, knowing that her father was struggling with many different things since coming back to them from his injuries. "Because I love you."

She hugged her father as tightly as she could, unable to express her love and worry for him in any other way.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I love you too, darlin'," he murmured. Little did Elise know, her unconditional and deep love was just what he needed at the moment. Everyone around them could see Durban start to relax. He welcomed Seamus into his arms too, knowing the boy was waiting patiently despite his usual rambunctious nature.

It was a couple more weeks before Brogan suddenly appeared at lunch one day. The scar on his throat was vicious and so bad that it would never fade completely, not to mention the indentation in his skin. Julia was beside him, looking at least somewhat relaxed now that Brogan had emerged at least in front of their family. For Dylan, who had not yet met him, it was a sad first impression as Brogan took his seat that had been empty for so long, and he couldn't even make eye contact with anyone, hardly even Julia. When his own siblings approached, he seemed to shy away. The only people who seemed to be able to be near him without making him flinch were Julia and Kitty. It wasn't that he was afraid of anyone, it was that he held a deep shame from all that had happened, and feared every shadow that might take away his home and try to destroy everyone and everything again.

After lunch, once Ashien got the chance to talk to Brogan, Ashien brought Dylandra to him in Kitty's parlor where Brogan, Julia, Kitty, and Vincenzo were sitting together.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If he's not ready to meet me, I can wait." Dylan said as Ashien led her towards his mother's parlor. "I can be incredibly patient. Especially when it comes to the stubborn men of this family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He does want to mean you. He's just not himself." Ashien kissed her cheek before he opened the door and they found Kitty and Julia on either side of Brogan while he drank tea Vincenzo had made for him. Brogan glanced up, trying to hold eye contact with Dylan as he rose to greet her for the first time.

"Hiya, lass," he muttered, his voice terribly hoarse.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan crossed the distant between them to save him from moving too much. She smiled sweetly and took his hands, giving him the same gentle kindness that Ashien knew so well.

"Brother. It is very nice to finally meet you. Ashien has told me many things about you that I am hoping are mostly true." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well if 'e made me out t'be a fool, 'e's been pretty honest," Brogan told her with a small smile.

"Durban still has you beaten by sheer seniority," Ashien assured him before they all sat down together.

"You 'ave us both beaten by 'ow long it took ya t'bring this lass home," Brogan hugged Dylandra gently, almost weakly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"He was petrified of how his Ma would react. I can't blame him. Kitty does seem to like me more." Dylan said as she hugged Brogan and winked at Kitty, laughing at the look that crossed Ashien's face. "Van should be coming in a day or two. He was shutting down the manor before he left, hoping to make good time up to Scotland."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It'll be good to have him here. It's been far too long since I've had my two sweethearts together," Kitty said with a smile to Vincenzo. "We need to get Carmena up here someday too if she can make it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I might have mentioned that she needed to come and visit as well. We'll see if he can get her to come all this way." Dylan said as she smiled at Ashien and then at Kitty. "We wouldn't want her to miss her favorite grandson's second wedding, right?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm hardly her favorite. That probably goes to Brogan or Durban."

But you're the one with the nickname that she and Vincenzo love so much," Brogan insisted quietly with a small smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And now I know that nickname. Something to use from time to time when we're at home." Dylan said with a grin towards her husband, leaning over to kiss his cheek gently.