by -=/\=-Zanh Liis
81022.16
After the wedding reception
-=/\=-
-=The O'Sullivan Residence; Ireland, Earth=-
81022.16
After the wedding reception
-=/\=-
-=The O'Sullivan Residence; Ireland, Earth=-
The cake had all been served.
The Meade shared among the guests, and the traditional toasts made.
A ways off in the distance, Keiran's family began taking down the tables and chairs inside the tent, their continued chatter making for a sweet soundtrack as the bride and groom looked up at each other from across the garden and realized that for the first time all night, they were finally alone.
Liis' hair had half fallen out of the clip by now; tendrils cascading loosely around her face tossed about by the evening breeze.
Her lips turned up into a slow, sultry smile as she saw her husband approaching.
His tie was now hanging around his neck undone; the top buttons of his shirt unfastened. She looked down again at his wrists and found to her amazement that he was still wearing his wedding gift.
He had never in his life looked more handsome.
Smiling at her now in the way that only he could, Keiran stole her breath away.
He curled his finger and beckoned her nearer with the mangled one-word local greeting that, when he said it, had the power to stop her cold.
"Cmereawantcha."
The autumn air was chilly and as he observed her shivering, he quickly removed his jacket and draped it over her bare shoulders.
"I'm sure this looked much better on you than it does on me," She laughed, grateful for the warmth of the coat and the man who had given it.
"Don't bet on that," he replied reverently, reaching out to caress her face.
Liis closed her eyes and smiled. "Careful, O'Sullivan. You'll spoil me."
"You've been through a lot. Seems to me you could stand a wee bit of spoiling."
Her lips parted in surprise as she looked up at him.
This was not the first time he had spoken those very words to her.
She remembered clear as day that he said exactly the same thing during their first real conversation in this timeline. In the arboretum, the day that they were officially introduced.
The day that his smile had so taken her off guard, only at the time she had no idea why.
Before she could recover enough to speak, he took her hand and tugged her gently across the lawn, away from the last of the dwindling crowd.
He led her toward the arbor, and Liis saw two chairs arranged side by side beneath their favorite tree.
The placement of the furniture looked rather...premeditated.
"What's all this then?" She indicated the scene with a curious tilt of her head.
"You'll see. Please, sit down," he rumbled with soft laughter as he observed her slowly swivel her hips to the side in an attempt to sit gracefully in what she had been referring to all night as 'this thing'. "If you can." He added.
"I am so glad," she sighed slowly as she finally settled in and straightened her gown, "that you didn't suggest a blanket on the grass this time."
"A wise man plans ahead for these things."
"Indeed he does." Now she was really curious. The look in his eye told her that he was up to something, and she was dying to know just what. "So, what else have you been planning ahead, a chuisle?"
"Mmm, soon enough." He smiled, positioning his chair in just the right spot so he could observe, not what was about to take place, but instead her reaction to it. "Close your eyes for a moment. Please."
Liis pretended to be annoyed, but secretly she loved every minute of this. "All right. They're closed."
He took his combadge out of his pocket and tapped it.
"O'Sullivan to Salvek, stand by."
[Acknowledged, standing by.]
In turn, from his vantage point down the meadow, Salvek executed the next command in the perfectly scheduled sequence.
[Salvek to Fate and Destiny,] he addressed Ensigns Hok and Todd simultaneously as they piloted their respective shuttles. [Stand by for countdown.]
"O'Sullivan to Cristiane." Keiran continued, seeing to the last small, but important detail of his plan.
[Here,] Dane answered, causing Liis to crack one eye open in wonder as to where 'here' was.
"No no! Keep them closed until I tell you, Missus O'Sullivan."
[Sir?] Dane asked, sounding rather confused.
"Fine." Liis sighed again, the anticipation driving her mad.
"Ready, Dane?"
[Aye, Sir.]
"Salvek?"
[By your leave.]
"Go." Keiran held his breath and watched, waiting to see if the plan that he had put together with the help of a full quarter of the Sera's officers in the past two days was about to come together, or fall apart.
Each person on his team began a synchronized ten-second countdown; and Keiran counted softly aloud along with them.
When he reached 'one', he wrapped his arms around his wife and pressed his lips to her ear.
At 'zero', the sound of music began emanating from every open window of their house.
"Liis, my darlin'," he whispered. "Look up."
Her eyelids fluttered open and she puzzled as she tried to figure out what she was looking for, exactly.
She heard the initial explosion and startled as she raised her eyes heavenward.
The instant she recognized the song that was playing and saw the first flashes of light explode miles above, she started to cry.
Fireworks erupted across the night sky, set off not only by two of the Sera's shuttles flying in formation overhead, but also from launchers on the ground that Salvek, Lair and Dengar had taken great pains to set up. They had been careful to situate them down the hill and obscured from view to keep their existence secret, until now.
-=/\=-
"We did it," Dane sighed with relief, slumping down onto the front steps of the house to watch the show.
"We did it," Kellyn clapped her hands in excitement, grinning at Rada, and then at Salvek.
"Pretty!" Arie exclaimed, spinning in joyful circles as she watched from a safe distance with Wren and Tam.
-=/\=-
Forgetting she had ever felt cold, Liis allowed Keiran's jacket to drop from her shoulders and fall across the back of her chair.
Rising slowly she took a few steps forward, wrapping her arms around herself as she wept tears of disbelief at the beauty surrounding her.
She was simply overwhelmed by the meaning of Keiran's gesture, and all the trouble he'd gone to in order to make it.
He followed in her footsteps and stood just over her shoulder. Placing arms around her waist he leaned down, resting his chin on her shoulder.
He whispered a few carefully chosen words in her ear.
Liis' shoulders shook. His words were a reference to the song that they used to sing in the camps.
The song Liis' grandmother used to sing to her, when she was so very small.
The song she had blocked out the words to for so many years because it was just too painful to remember them.
"I know we're a little late for the Perseids this time," he added, "but I hoped this would be the next best thing."
"It is...you are..." she stuttered breathlessly, "perfect."
She grasped hold of his arms tightly as they encircled her; finding that, he too, was trembling.
Streaks of heliotrope, crimson and gold lit up the darkness of night, illuminating her features in soft colors as Keiran held her close.
"That girl, that child of war, may be a grown woman now. Still, you've always carried her pain," he explained, his voice breaking. "My prayer is, and has ever been for you to sleep peacefully." He kissed the crown her head. "I pray that you'll find peace now, and at last, a home. Knowing you're always, always safe in my arms as you sleep. I..." he closed his eyes, "I love you, Liis."
Liis sobbed, and slowly he rotated her around to face him.
She clasped her arms around his neck as they slowly began to dance, swaying side to side beneath the stars.
She kissed him deeply, unaware that anyone else in the world existed even as Keiran's family emerged from the tent in the distance behind them.
The O'Sullivans gathered now without a sound; in awe of the fireworks, but more amazed still by the sight of their brother as they had never seen him.
In love and at peace, finally having found his way home.
-------------------
-=/\=- Zanh Liis
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
-=/\=- Zanh Liis
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012