.:The Air I breathe:.{Eryk}

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen inhaled deeply, then back out. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. She was meeting his father's new girlfriend. This...this was scary. If she didn't make a good first impression then...well then it was all over for her, and Eryk's father would hate her for life. Cerridwen was just slightly on edge if you couldn't tell. She needed to breathe, in and out slowly. Alright...now what did she look like? That was a big one. Was she nice? Kind? Would the three kids get along with her? The three kids being Mae, Eryk, and herself. Yes, she considered herself part of their family, well more like part of Mae and Eryk's special family, no way in hell Cael would take her in. Ha. That was a laugh, it was clear that Cerridwen knew he didn't think highly of her, and that was his own damn fault. She did nothing to deserve that.

It must be awkward though...to date a man and know...or not know, she wasn't sure if Eryk had told his father yet exactly...anyways, to know that his younger son was engaged...it mist just be a slightly weird thought, and with that in mind, Cerridwen would be on extra special behavior.

"Mae!" Cerridwen called smoothing over the skirt she was wearing and looking down at her black tights. She had gone with a gray skirt and black tights with black boots. Something she was not use to. Usually she wore green, but today...today was special, it was a special occasion, which deserved professional looking clothes, not that she was enjoying this to much, though Minerva had helped her, and for that she was grateful. Otherwise she would have failed miserably at even trying to look nice and well not like her normal self...example? Leaves in the hair, or dirt, mud somewhere, grass stains, flowers in hair or in one of her pockets, multiple things such as this would make her look...well not like the young lady she knew she could be. Even if it was for the cause..she still wasn't to happy, and well maybe this was just slightly for Eryk too...to show him he wasn't just marrying some...hippie, tree hugging girl, that she just embraced her gifts, and she could be normal as well.

"Mae! She's going to be here!" Cerridwen called sighing, and where was Eryk.

"Eryk don't make me get on your case as well" Cerridwen called looking around. Cael was bringing home his girlfriend and it seemed she was the only one that was even the slightest bit worried. Mae skipped down the stairs and smiled at her ready. Now it was just Eryk...right. Cerridwen told Mae to stay there so she could go round up Eryk. Clunking her way up the stairs, she went to his room, and knocked on the door. "Eryk..." Cerridwen called softly. Was he even in there, or was he already downstairs hiding somewhere and she didn't even notice?

[eryk]

What Cerridwen found when she walked into Eryk's room was him on his bed, headphones on and looking very much asleep. A notebook with his recipes laid open beside him on his bed, and his music player in his hand. His hair was still wet from his shower and all he was in was boxer shorts, and an undershirt. Clearly the teenager was not at all worried about meeting his father's date. From the lack of being dressed to the every day clothes he had out to wear openly displayed how much he didn't care.

Having not awoken from her calling him he shifted slightly in his sleep his hand tightening and relaxing its hold on the music player. His window was open flipping the pages of his notebook to reveal a photograph, and a letter. The photograph was of him laughing with a laughing Mae being spun in the air. But a giant X in red ink over Eryk ruined the picture. The letter was written in the same red ink. Both of these things were hidden within the pages of the notebook its secrecy betrayed by the wind.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

....he was sleeping? Oh this had to be a joke...and yet no one was laughing. "Eryk!" She scolded. Was she the only one who cared? Who even thought about it? She had to fight Maelee this morning just to get her to clean up and look nice, and now it was time for Eryk...though Eryk...well she wasn't afraid to show him who was boss. She was but not in a sense that made her look like the bad guy. She just cared...a lot. Sometimes a little to much, that and it wasn't his butt on the line, it was her butt on the line. He needed to help her! Calm her down! He always managed that and yet...now he was sleeping? ...she was speechless. Sighing, and going over to him, she was about to shake him awake when she noticed the book with the flying pages and the picture. Not yet, had she discovered the letter but soon.

Cerridwen thought better of waking him...just for a minute as she carefully reached her hand over to the picture, soon after discovering the letter. What...was this. This was not nice. This would have made a lovely picture. Right now Cerridwen was not focusing on the letter but of how someone had rudely ruined this picture. Such a cute picture...she would have to see if she couldn't get it fixed or at least revived.

When Cerridwen moved again, she picked the letter up and starred at it as she began reading.

[eryk]

The blaring music in his ears kept him from hearing the scolding voice of Cerridwen, or hear her moving over to him. So the boy remained asleep oblivous of his fiance's distress over meeting his father's girl friend. Oblvious to the fact that she was now looking at two things he'd tried to hide. Just before falling asleep he had found and read the letter, so he hadn't found a good place to hide it just yet. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but nights mostly consisted of him not sleeping anymore.

As she picked up the letter and began to read...

Dear Beloved,
I cannot believe you're still with that wh*re that stole you from me. Did you like the picture? I just took it the other day. Just to let you know how close I am. This is a warning. Come back to me, or the ones you love will suffer the consequences. First I'll start with the little angel in the picture, and then your pathetic father. I'll only stay clear of your wh*re because she happens to be royalty and I'm not stupid. But I can make her life miserable. Simply by hurting you. Do you want her to be miserable? I can attack her flower shop. I can burn down that little ginger bread house you're building. I mean it Eryk. Come back to me and leave that thing that you put a ring on. Yes, I even saw you that day. Her touching you. You kissing her. It took everything I had not to kill her. Meet me after everyone has gone to sleep tonight outside behind your father's workshop. If you do not come the pain will start. So come back to me, my beloved. Leave that wh*re and come back to me. You'll be happier. For she can never give you what I can. Never.
X
Eryk stirred in his sleep curling into a ball his eyes tightening and his hands curling into fists. It was almost as if the letter being read was affecting his dreams. Nightmares plagued him constantly now ever since he'd found out Xavier was back. Laying there curled in on himself the wind carried in the husky scent of wolf.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen read the letter over and over, and again, over, and over, and over. Nothing could help her now. Nothing. She was the reason for his suffering. She...her...it was that...that thing that kept following him. For a year and a half now she had tried...tried so hard to get him to go away. To get him to leave. She had attacked him, threatened him, tried everything. Now it was finally time to just kill him. She couldn't do anymore. She had tried threat after threat, and he still wasn't going away, and now that...she knew he was following them, she was probably sure he was watching them as she read the letter. Shit.

Shaking her head, this put her...just put her at the bottom. She felt low...like this was her fault. She couldn't be near him, and she sure as hell wouldn't let Xavier come near Mae or Eryk, and even Cael she would protect if Xavier came. This was her family...and he certainly did not mess with any family of her's without consequence.

Watching her sleeping Eryk rest, she leaned down and slipped everything into his book again and placed a soft kiss on his forehead before slipping out. "Mae..." Cerridwen called "I'll be right back" Cerridwen whispered and with that slipped out the door and around to the shed. He would be there...he better be at least. He wouldn't hurt her. He had clearly stated that...didn't mean she wouldn't hurt him. Then again maybe she wouldn't. She really wasn't feeling in the mood to get dirty that day. Rounding the corner she looked around. "I know your here somewhere..." She said glaring around her voice crisp, sharp, sarcastic, annoyed. "Don't waste my time. Get your ass out here and we need to have ourselves a chat." Cerridwen griped shortly.

[eryk]

Eryk didn't even shift and eye at the kiss and never even knew that his fiance had been in the room. Shivering from being damp from the shower and the cold breeze coming in he tightened his curl. If he had known what Cerridwen was going to do he would've stopped her. Instead he lay sleeping trapped in his nightmare.

Mae lifted her head up from her school work as Cerridwen ran out of the house. Was something wrong? Her homework could wait until later, Ri-Ri didn't look happy. Wondering where Eryk was, and if that was the reason Cerridwen had left she ran up to her brother's room. Finding him asleep she went over to him smiling. She was just about to tackle him when she saw Cerridwen running outside to the workship. Why would she be going there? Mae went over to the window leaning out to watch Cerri run to the back of the house.

She turned to leave to follow when she caught sight of her face in Eryk's notebook. Going over she picked it up and frowned. Why did he X himself out? He is depressed again? Then she saw the letter and picked it up. Bad, mean hurtful words. Someone was after Eryk, and her and Ri-Ri and da. But what hurt more was that Eryk was putting it all on himself. He would never tell, and he'd get hurt over and over again. Just for them. She sniffled whiping at her tears dropping the picture and letter she ran out of the room. Down the stairs and out the backdoor.

Leaning against a tree he watched Cerridwen leave the house and the go around back. Eyes narrowing he pushed himself off the tree and followed her. Eryk was sleeping now anyway. He missed the little girl finding the letter, and reading it. Moving through the trees he followed Cerridwen to the workshop shed. She was calling him out, but he wasn't stupid. She'd hurt him before and he wasn't about to run out at her. As she called out he spotted the little one run out of the house. They'd left Eryk alone. Perfect. He left quickly going back to the house. An open window was so easy to sneak into.

"Ri-Ri! Wait! Don't do this alone! Wait till Da comes home. We can get help!" She ran as fast as her thin legs could take her. Catching movement to her right she looked but only saw a blur. She whimpered and ran fists pumping. "Riii-Riii! Somethings in the trees!"

Scared she ran to Cerridwen feeling stupid for following her now. "I want Da! Cerridwen he's out there isn't he? Why is he doing this? Where's Da?" She yelled moving to hug Cerridwen. As the girls were outside, Xavier was crawling into Eryk's room grining at his sleeping form. As Xavier was sneaking in Cael was entering the house Sylvia right behind him. The old fae knight heard his daughter yelling and he moved quickly to the back of the house followed by Sylvia.

"Maeleeown? What's wrong?" He ran to the back yard finding his little girl gripping Cerridwen and crying. "What's happened? Where's Eryk?" Cael looked around frantically glaring at Cerridwen. A woman with long, curly dark blue hari came up beside Cael.

"My, isn't this a great way to meet. Mae, what's wrong?" Maelee let out a wail and ran into her father's arms. Her words streamed together trying to tell her father what was going on and all he caught was Xavier, letter, and something in the trees.

"Eryk!"

Eryk whimpered his eyes wide over the hand covering his mouth. His hands gripped at Xavier's arm and he thrashed trying to get away. A knife dragged down his exposed stomach and he cried out but the window was closed and a hand covered his mouth. Xavier shushed him his hand dragging the knife lower...and lower. Eryk screamed shaking his head but he wasn't strong enough to get Xavier off of him. To get the blade away. Moving the blade Xavier pressed his fingers into the long cut all the way down. Then he slipped lower still making Eryk scream again...

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen looked around. Mae? "Mae!" She hissed glaring at her. She'd never been mad at Mae, but when she didn't want to be followed, she didn't want to be followed. She sighed about to kneel when she heard the girl's words. "Riii-Riii! Somethings in the trees!" Oh...my...god. She waited for a moment, please...don't hurt her...not Mae. Cerridwen waited..and waited. Nothing. What was this guy playing at anyways? Cerridwen waited a few seconds more before she heard a door slam and thinking it was Xavier, she instantly turned waiting. Cerridwen held the girl close looking around being careful, listening carefully. Something she had obtained in all her years, sharp hearing. Her eye sight may not have been as amazing but her hearing was excellent. "Shhh..." She whispered to her trying to get her to stop wailing so she could listen more clearly.

"Shhh it's alright" She tried though the agitated voice was there, she couldn't help it. She had told Mae to stay put, she always did, and this time she hadn't listened. Why? Ughhh.

When Cael came out back, she relaxed slightly. Was it Cael that had been in the trees? No...because...? Cerridwen watched the man before her come up to them, followed by an insanely beautiful woman. Who--THIS was Sylvia? Holy crap...wow. Cael had at least good taste. Though as she felt Mae leave her, she narrowed her eyes. Then it hit her. Who was with Eryk? Oh...my....god. "Eryk" She hissed and hurried, pushing past Cael and Mae. This was her fault. If she hadn't left...if she hadn't done something so stupid, trying to be the big hero...she couldn't be the hero in this story...that was Eryk's job and as much as she wanted too, she couldn't. This was Eryk's story, he needed to be the hero.

Running around she was about to enter the back door when she thought better of it. No...he would here me coming up the stairs, taking flight with her wings, she circled the house, once, twice, looking, each time, she listened, for something, anything. Then she heard it, silenced screaming. He was hurting her Eryk...flying to one of the window's she made sure that Xavier's back was to her. She watched, mesmerized for a minute. Oh my...Eryk! Nooo...Cerridwen felt almost as if she had failed him, as she heard every muffled scream, every inch it moved down his stomach further, and further. It pained her, made her sick to her stomach, made her want to drop like a fly and vomit in the bushes...no maybe that wasn't just her thinking...it felt real...and slowly she dropped, lower and lower until she dropped and the contents of breakfast came up.

Not. Good.

Here she was on her hands and knees as he was being tortured, sitting there she felt weak. Small. She needed to fix this, she urged her wings to pick her up, and slowly, ever so slowly she pulled herself up again and this time made a decision. Surprise him. Surprise that bastard.

Pulling herself back away from the window, she got herself ready. Cerridwen shot herself forward like a cannon and through the window, throwing her body against him her body force throwing him to the side as she at least wanted him away from Eryk. The sickness in her stomach was still there. That whole thing...seeing Eryk like that, had just made her so upset. This was not cool, and now here she was...putting herself in this position once again, for Eryk. She blindly started thrashing about trying to wound him, hurt him in anyway as she winced hitting her leg hard on something.

[eryk]

Xavier turned at the sound of glass and cursed as she tackled him. He kicked at her and brought down his knife at her and brought his fist at trying to get the crazy woman off of him. Curses flew from his lips now wishing he had waited till night to torture Eryk, but he just couldn't help himself sometimes.

"Stupid wh*re get off of me!" Xavier moved his arms to shove her off of him doing his best to get away. He needed to get out before the other's came.

Eryk sat up eyes wide as his gentle Cerridwen crashed through a window and tackled Xavier. Holding his side blood flowed from between his fingers as he stood making his way over to the scrambling pair. He didn't want this. She would get hurt.

"Cerridwen get off of him! You'll get hurt. Dammit leave her alone!" Eryk growled as he stumbled his way over to the two fighting on his bedroom floor. She was always the one protecting him, why couldn't he just protect himself? Eryk grabbed Xavier's leg yanking him away from Cerridwen but ended up falling onto his back as Xavier kicked him in gut. The taller, older boy jumped to his feet and ran jumping out of the window.

"Eryk? Eryk! What's going on up there?" Cael's voice came from downstairs and the sound of three sets of feet came from the stairs. "Cerridwen? Eryk?"

He burst into the room eyes wide at the blood, Cerridwen, and the broken glass. His son lay holding his side the blood staining his beige carpet. Eryk flinched trying to sit up, and Sylvia pushed Cael out of the way.

"Dear spirits, Cael who did this?" Sylvia grabbed a random shirt from Eryk's floor and ripped it into long shreds then began wrapping them around Eryk. He winced trying to push her away to get to Cerridwen. Cael went to the window but saw nothing to tell him where the person who had done this went.

"Cerridwen, ignore me. Is she okay?" Eryk pushed at Sylvia who ignore him and continued her makeshift first aid. It was happening again, why couldn't he stop this? He saw the letter on the floor and new that someone most likely her had found it and read it. Dammit, I knew I should've hid that better. Crying out as Sylvia pulled the bandaging tight he gripped the leg of his dresser. This had to stop. Even if it meant breaking her heart.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Why...why every time? Do I do this? Have to come here. Protect him. Throw Xavier around. It hurts so much...and sometimes I just...can't figure out why I do it, and then a little voice in the back of my head just tells me to keep fighting, that it will be worth it in the end. Will it? Will it ever truly be worth it? To go through all of this? To be like this...always living in fear of Xavier coming back? Clearly they would never be able to kill him, it was that simple. They couldn't kill him no matter how hard they-- how hard she tried...so why bother? Her thoughts clearly as she was wrestling with Xavier, trying to get the knife from him, put it to his own neck. He had sliced her, once lightly on the neck already and that was a scary thought. If he had been deeper it would have been bad, but she wouldn't let those thoughts effect her right now.

Cerridwen groaned slightly as he made one last quick swipe at her, catching her side, stabbing it, not a long drawn out stab but a quick, deep one, making a smaller hole in her side that shouldn't have been there. She would chase him down if she had too, but she was going to repay him for that.

An angry groan escaped her lips as she clawed at him. Then footsteps could be heard and Cael was there, and Xavier was gone. "No!" She screeched clearly upset. Not this time, not this time would she let that ass get away. Up as fast as Xavier, Cerridwen's head spun. Woah there. Cerridwen looked to the window hurrying to it grasping the sides for support. She could fly...she could see clearly...and yet, then again she couldn't...but she had to get him, she had to repay him. Her wings fluttered as she pushed herself out, and up, and then down, slowly down. Well maybe going through the trees would work to her advantage. So she thought until she could feel the grass beneath her, and that was certainly not a good sign. She couldn't even hold herself up? She felt sick and she was bleeding on the side, maybe...a nice little nap on the grass didn't seem so bad...

Now on the edge where the trees met the yard, Cerridwen came to a stop and looked forward. A nap...and then she would get him...yeahhh...and with that she laid upon the grass and that was that. Cerridwen passed out and let the side bleed freely not really paying any attention to it or the blood on her hands.

[eryk]

Cael sighed in frustration as his son tried to go after Cerridwen. He pointed at Eryk and Sylvia nodded pushing the teenager to the floor. Cael ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out the back door for the second time that day. He ran to Eryk's window side of the house and followed the small drips of blood to Cerridwen's side.

"Stupid girl. Going to get yourself killed, then where would Eryk be." Very carefully he rolled her over and put his arm under her legs then under her back. He lifted her then started toward the house. Sylvia watched from the window and he shook his head at her. She nodded relief flooding over her features as she went back to Eryk. Cael took Cerridwen in and up the stairs to the guest bedroom and laid her down.

"Mae, watch over her. I've got to get a healer." Cael touched his daughter's head as he left the room. Mae sniffled and nodded going over to Cerridwen's side. Not too much time had passed before Sylvia was in the room moving Mae aside to start bandaging up Cerridwen as well.

"Mae, go to your brother make sure he doesn't get up." Mae nodded again and left the room. Sylvia sighed actually having real first aid items this time as she started caring for Cerridwen's wounds. "Poor girl. Fighting for the man she loves."

Eryk was holding his side and was just about to walk out of his room when Mae got to his room. "Eryk! Get back in bed."

Mae pushed at him lightly and he glared at her pushing her gently away from him and going down the hall. He ignored her as she tugged on him to go back to bed. At the guest bedroom doorway he saw his lovely Cerridwen unconscious and her side covered in blood. He couldn't let this happen again. Never again.

"Eryk, get back into bed. Please, you're wounded." Eryk ignored her going over to sit beside Cerridwen leaning over to kiss her forehead. Sylvia sighed watching him and he got up then left the room. She frowned pointing for Mae to follow him. The little girl stomped her foot but went after her brother anyway. She was getting sick of being told what to do.

Cael came up the stairs and glared at his son. "Eryk, get into bed." Eryk ignored him pushing past him or at least he tried to. "Eryk dammit! You're not going after him in your condition."

"Yes. I am. He's going to die for hurting her." His father let out a frustrated groan before shoving his son rather roughly back into his room and into bed. Mae threw up her hands declaring everyone insane and went to her room. Sylvia came out whipping the blood off of her hands.


"The healer will be here soon, and I have contacted her sister." Sylvia nodded glancing into Eryk's room gazing at the angry teenager who was glaring at his ceiling.

"Does this happen often? To Eryk I mean." Cael nodded and Sylvia sighed wrapping her arms around his waiste. "What are you going to do?"

To be honest he didn't know anymore. Maybe it was time to get officials involved, to get people actually hunting that man down. He probably should have done it long ago. If he had...none of this would've happened. It was his stupid pride that he could keep his own family safe. Going downstairs he awaited the healer and Cerridwen's sister to arrive.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen was not in the realm of the living anymore, at least her mind wasn't. It was else where, she was floating hovering as her mind debated and fought back and forth, back and forth. She'd never actually been unconscious before.. It was rather...well rather nice. Peaceful, tranquil. Here she could really think, and really figure what she needed. Right now, what she needed...was someone she could love. Someone who wouldn't fight her when she protected them. A pet? A sibling? A child? Take Mae hostage? There were just so many options... that natural instinct, to fight and defend was there. It just came with living with Fae Knights, and it wasn't something she could help, she wasn't a fighter by heart, by blood she very well could be.

Minerva was at home, simply at home when she had gotten a hold of by Sylvia. Cerridwen? In trouble? Oh my..Minerva had been up in a second, sure she had been moping around the house since the big bad break up with Cal, but that wouldn't stop her from going to her sister's side. Never.

Up she was and out quicker then a lightning bolt. on her way over she met up with the same healer. "The Davidson's?" She asked arching a brow.

The healer looked to her and nodded gruffly. "The Davidson's, it seems Minerva between you, Eryk and Cerridwen, you three have racked up more bills then I could imagine, and if I wanted to I could retire and live quiet happily. Your lucky...I like my job" He murmured, though being disturbed on a Saturday wasn't exactly his idea of a great time.

How often did these stupid kids get hurt anyways?

Minerva and the doctor both arrived at the same time, one demanding to see the Cerridwen, the other demanding to see Eryk. We could all guess at which was which. Minerva's logic was she needed to see her sister and be by her sister's side. Was it safe and possible to move her home? To her own bed?

The Doctor of course wanted to see Eryk. The last three times he had come, it was always Eryk hurt, never Cerridwen, then again if he treated her first...he would get to feel--no! I'm on the job I can't think that...

"Where's the boy" He asked roughly. He would save the best for last.





Cerridwen was not awake, and she wouldn't be for a bit of time. Not until it grew a tad darker, and then her eyes began to flicker only slightly. Her eyes would open but as far as she was concerned, she felt dead to the world, she couldn't really move, or talk, her eyes moved on occasion but right now she was basically dead.

Where was Eryk? Why wasn't he with her? Where was her sister? Where was...Mae? Was Xavier gone? Cael? Where was he? How did I end up here...Cerridwen was very silent, and very confused and tired.

[eryk]

After many hours in arguing, yelling, and punching things Eryk stormed into his room. Cael wouldn't let him see Cerridwen for she needed her rest. Cael wouldn't let him go after Xavier because Eryk had already gotten hurt once today. Cael certainly wouldn't let Eryk marry the girl not when things were so dangerous and hectic. Eryk stared at his broken window the glass having been cleaned up by Sylvia hours ago. He glanced behind him and went to shut the door softly.

"I'm sorry, Cerridwen." With that he ran over to the door and jumped from the second story landing as a wolf. As soon as he landed he found Xavier's scent and started running toward the forest. His father was going to be furious.

Sylvia sat in the room with the two sisters waiting for Cerridwen to wake up. She had left the two Davidson men to fight not thinking it was her place to get involved. After seeing to Mae and that she got something to eat she went to see how Cerridwen was doing. The girl stil lhadn't woken up. Had she really gotten that hurt? Not that she'd seen it but this was an offally long time to be out. When the girl's eyes opened she straighten in her chair standing.

"Oh, thank the spirits! I'll go tell Eryk you're awake." Sylvia left the room in a rush smiling. She had really started to worry about the girl. Finding Eryk's door shut she knocked softly and waited but there wasn't an answer. So she opened it slowly only to find an empty rool with curtains being blown by the wind. Panic filled her and she ran to the bathroom, not here. Running down stairs she almsot ran into Cael who was carrying up a tray of hot tea for everyone to drink.

"What's wrong?" Cael furrowed his brows not liking the state his girl friend was in. Sylvia's eyes scanned the living room and not seeing Eryk she looked to Cael with fear in her eyes. Instantly he knew. Cursing he set the tray on the stairs and ran up to Eryk's room.

"DAMMIT!" His fist his the doorframe at the sight of his son's empty room. He'd lost him...again.