| Author's Note: here's chapter 1, I hope you enjoy it! All of them are different, have seperate personalities. Please don't be offended when you read how certain one's are more in tune with there sexual drive. I'll tell you now that one of these four is a sex fiend, another has sex when its there, and the other two are completely the opposite. Another thing is that there characters are not exactly matching up to the way they usually do in the SM series. There all different in there own way and I hope you guys will like this. Its the way I wanted them to be. Anyway, this first story is about Lita, just to let you all know. ***** ~Earth~ Here, on earth these emerald eyes, Spirit and growth reach to the skies, Forest and Mountain inside of me, Star of the North I call to thee, Spirits Green and Night of my birth, Come to me, For I am Earth. ~By: SailorPerfect c 2002 ***** Beyond the Emerald Earth Chapter 1 Acapulco, Mexico May, 2002 The heat wave consumed the small city by the sea, sent rippling waves of it over the air that was humid to the touch. Tourists and there famalies littered the streets, going from shop to shop, admiring tokens handmade. The delight in the souvenirs, in the beauty of the beach, almost took away from the blistering heat. Sitting by the pool at the hotel she was currently staying at, the Copacabana, in her black, skimpy bikini, her wild, brown hair loose and spread around her, sunglasses perched on a sharp nose, Lita Flanagan lay on a chair, stretching luxuriously when the humid breeze swirled around her. The sun beat mercilessly on her, but she didn't notice. She was too busy enjoying the attentions of a man who was doing laps in the pool, his body bronzed and well built, his black hair plastered to his head, his blue eyes wandering to linger on her every now and then. When she saw his eyes wander to her again, she purposely stretched her long, slim body, knowing well her breasts strained against the tight material of the bikini top. Pleased when he gulped up a mouthful of water and began to choke, she snickered softly and debated whether or not to allow him to make the first move. She didn't notice the bellman until he was in front of her, holding out a note to her. Blinking a moment, she scowled at the distraction."Que quieres?"she snapped, sitting up. "Perdon, Senorita Flanaghan, pero esto llego para usted."he held the note out to her again. Glaring at him a moment, she snatched the note from him, ignoring him when he apologized again before walking away. Unfolding the paper, she scanned its contents, frowning deeply at what she read. It was from a stranger, from someone she didn't know, but the name rang some sort of bell, sent off a current through her. Before she knew it, the earth was shaking beneathe her. Even as she heard the shouts, the sound of glasses crashing to the floor, she was clutching the note, her hand beginning to tremble. The power simmered inside, boiled to the surface, and she felt it. Just as the fear and anger came with it, the rejection of what she was, the earth seemed to scream to a high pitch. Hissing, angry beyond belief, she shot to her feet and shouted above the rumbling of the land,"Stop! I won't accept this, I won't!"she nearly stumbled when the ground stopped, stood still, and an eerie silence filled her ears. The hotel staff was in an uproar, racing to replace fallen chairs, chandeliers, and calm ruffled nerves. The man she had been admiring had leapt from the pool and was striding toward her, taking her arm when she could only stand and stare. "Are you all right?"when she didn't respond, he took both her arms, shook her."Are you all right?!" She blinked, focused on him."What? Oh. Um, yea I'm fine."when she finally noticed it was him holding her, she struggled to push aside what had just happened, crumpling the note in her hand and making her eyes narrow with desire."I'm sure glad you care cutie." He stared at her a moment, then began to smile, slow and brilliant."I care a lot." "Lets go to my room and you can show me just how much you care." But even as he ran a hand down her curved backside as they walked toward the elevators, she gripped the crumpled note in her hand, knowing something had been opened inside of her because of it. Andros Island, Bahamas Mina Ryan sat in the small beach house she'd purchased some years before, eating cereal for breakfast and watching the raye's from the sun reflect off the clear waters of the reef. It was a warm morning, perfect to her mind, as last week it had been raining immensely and had gotten in the way of her research on the lagoon. She dived when she wanted, but when a storm such as the one that had hit last week came, she didn't dare go near the water. Remembering the article she had been working on the past night, she nearly toppled the cereal in her haste to run back inside, placing it carefully on the table she'd lain out for her work and research. When some milk sloshed out she didn't notice, instead ran back inside, swearing when she jammed her foot against an oxygen tank she had left out the day before. Limping a bit, she went into her room, began sifting through papers, annoyed because she couldn't make out what any of them said. She stopped for a moment, scratching her head."Where did I leave my glasses.....oh!"striding into the bathroom, she found them by the sink, where she assumed she had left them while she was reading a magazine and brushing her teeth. Putting them on, she went back into her room and after more minutes of searching, found the paper. She headed back outside, sitting down in her chair and beginning to read what she'd written so far. Mumbling under her breath, she had an idea and looked about for a pen, finding one finally behind her ear, where she'd stuck it after scribbling down notes for the day. She began adding to the paper, stopping now and again to squint against the sun thoughtfully. When the wind blew a bit fiercely and pushed her hair into her face, she shoved it back, the thick, blonde mass annoying her. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a rubberband and tied it back, satisfied when it didn't bother her anymore. She heard whisteling then and looked up, spotting John, a malacologist working on the island among the group of scientists stationed there, including her. She watched him make his way toward her, his blonde hair wind blown, his warm brown eyes shielded by the sunglasses he wore. He grinned at her, quick and gorgeous."Morning Mina. Working already?"he asked as he mounted the steps of her home. She nodded, blowing a strand of hair that flew into her face."Uh-huh. I'm writing about how reefs today are in such poor shape because of widespread coral bleaching, sedimentation, disease outbreaks--whats so funny?" He couldn't help laughing at her, sitting there indian style on her chair, peering at him through her glasses, her hair messy and tied back by a rubberband, speaking of what she considered her religion. And looking absolutely beautiful."You. Always working."he leaned back against her porche railing, crossing his strong arms over his chest. "Its not work to me, its life."agitated, she pushed her glasses up her nose when they slipped down."And what are you doing here?" "I brought you something."he stepped forward and before she could anticipate him, he swept down and laid his lips warmly on hers."Miss me?" She shoved him away, stood."No. Were not like that anymore. So what did you bring?" Not the least bit discouraged, he took out the small letter that had arrived for her at the research facility."Here, this came for you today."when she reached for it, he held it back, smiling at her."Gotta kiss me for it." Shaking her head, she removed her glasses."Keep dreaming. Hand it over." "Nope. You heard the conditions." "Fine."she leaned toward him, and was a breath away from his lips when she managed to snatch the note and dance away, smacking into the porche rail."Ouch. Anyway, ha! Nice try."opening the letter, she took out the note inside and began to read it. "You know Mina, I haven't stopped thinking about you. Not for one moment."he trailed a finger seductively down her back, somewhat annoyed when she didn't shiver as she had done in the past."How about we go skinny dipping today. You know, like the good ol' days." Ignoring him, she read the letter again, frowning. Putting her glasses back on, she read it again, confused with what it said. When she looked up she saw the water first, waves crashing against the sand, lapping at the surface. And as she watched, the waves seemed to grow higher, more violent, smashing now against the land and drawing higher, nearer. John looked back at them immediately, surprised and frightened."Come on, somethings wrong. We gotta get out of here. Must be a storm we didn't get."he took her hand and pulled. But she held her ground, watched the clouds gather in the sky, dark as night, watched the waves howl in a call only she could hear."Don't."the word came out as a whisper, heard only by her and the sea."Don't." John was shouting at her over the beat of the sea, pulling at her, when the water receded, drew back and calmed. The clouds disappeared, leaving the beach with only the sound of the roaring waves. She didn't see John's confusion, didn't see anything. Racing back inside, she began to pack her things. New Haven, Connecticut Yale University Amy Quinn sat in her office, going over reports and grading them, frowning slightly and concentrating on her work. She could hear the sounds of students laughing outside, talking, playing sports on campus, whatever they found to do during a break between classes. Her morning class, Molecular Biophysics and Biochem, had just ended, whereupon she had come back to her office to take a small break before her next class began. There was a knock at her door and she stopped reading one of her students reports, looking up and calling out,"Come in." The door opened and a young man came in, from the class she had just finished teaching. He was young, in his early twenties, with brown hair bleached at the tips from the sun, and golden eyes. She wasn't so old yet that she hadn't noticed most of the young women in her class eyeing him, whispering to each other, sighing when he walked by. She didn't mind this, as long as they did the work and kept there grades at an acceptable level. "Hello Sam. What can I do for you?"she smiled at him, gestured to a chair. She had remembered his name. A bonus in his mind, since he knew she taught several classes. Which meant she had probably been noticing him, as he had been noticing her. How could any man help but notice when they had an incredibly brilliant, and beautiful, teacher? "I was hoping we could have a word."he sat and gave her a smile that had melted many hearts. She would say yes, he thought. They were nearly the same age after all. She was only....two years his senior, just had a much sharper mind and had gotten a head start in life because of that brain. And he knew for a fact that she was single, had dumped some Professor she'd been going out with last week. She put her pen down, began arranging her papers into neat stacks."Thats fine. What did you want to talk about?" "Miss Quinn....Amy, can I call you Amy?" She nodded."Of course. I would actually prefer if you guys called me Amy, Miss Quinn makes me feel so old, but the school wouldn't like that."she dismissed this with a delicate wave of her hand. Even that one movement had his mouth watering. And because he couldn't hold it in any longer, he blurted it out with less finesse then he'd first intended to use."Would you have dinner with me Amy?" Her smile froze, faltered. She hadn't expected this. She had thought he was coming in to negotiate his grade, which was high, but could be higher. She knew how much he wanted perfection. Worried now and extremely uncomfortable, she decided to take this calmly and speak to him as a teacher would to a student instead."I'm sorry Sam, but thats against the universities policies. I am flattered, but I'm going to have to decline." Ego bruised by both the coolness of her response and the lack of interest, he spoke again, desperate."No one would know. We could keep it to ourselves." She lifted a slim brow, unaware that the simple gesture had his insides melting with lust."I'm afraid I'll still have to decline. I'm very much in accordance with the universites policies here and am responsible for setting them forth as well."giving her attention back to the reports, she began reading the one she'd put down."If thats all Sam, I have work to do." No one had ever flicked him off so carelessly, so precisely. And no one had ever left him so sexually frustrated in a long time. He wasn't sure what it was about her that captivated him and several other men in her classes. Perhaps it was the calm, lovely face, or the small, flashing smile, or the crisp blouses, skirts, and little black heels she wore that made her legs look long and gorgeous. Whatever it was, it was driving him crazy. He was opening his mouth to try again when there was a knock and Professor Smith stuck his head inside. He was smiling, glanced briefly at him, before looking to Amy."Am I interrupting?" She stopped reading, looked up and smiled politely."No, not at all. Sam was just leaving." Professor Smith was the guy she had been dating up until last week. The guy was rich, smart, and a slick, handsome bastard. He knew why she had gone out with him, it was obvious. He'd heard most of the females there sighing over him, enrolling in his classes just to sit in the front and gaze at him. Resigned, he stood, picked up his backpack."I'll see you tomorrow in class, Miss Quinn." "Have a good day Sam."feeling a bit guilty, she watched him leave, then refocused her attention."What is it Smith?" "Busy tonight?"he strode around her desk, ran a hand over her short, sleek hair. She didn't move away. They had been officially a couple last week, and even though she had ended the complications of that relationship, they were still lovers."I'm afraid so. I have enough work to keep me tied to my desk for days."she noticed the envelope in his hand with her name on it."Did I get something?" "Hhhmmm? Oh yea, here. Just came for you. Maybe I could come over and help you out."he leaned in, nibbled at her jawline. Enjoying him, she broke the seal and took out the letter, going over the small, handwritten note. Confused, frowning, she stood and walked away from him, going to stand before the window in her office. "Something wrong?"he followed her, slid his arms around her. "I think....I'm not sure....."she heard the screech of it before she saw, both of them looking up to look out the window and watch as the wind began to blow fiercely outside, papers of students flying, the trees bending with the force of it as people began running for cover. "What the hell?!"alarmed, Smith turned and raced out of her office to see what was going on. She lifted a hand, trembling, and pressed it to the glass as the wind swept up into a screaming howl, searching for its mate."No."it came out as a whisper, from a throat gone dry."Don't, please." And she watched, with dull horror, as the wind obeyed and died away. New Orleans, Louisiana In a city where summer broiled and parties ran well into dawn, Serenity Lyons felt at home. She'd visited New Orleans before, during Marti Gras, had partied, gotten drunk, flashed her breasts for beads or just for the hell of it, and lived on Bourbon Street for days. She'd met men, had slipped into an alley and had raw, passionate sex while several people laughed, drank, and partied around them. The worst she'd done ever had been one night when she'd had sex with three different men. But she hadn't been wasted enough to not use protection on each one. Amused with her thoughts, she went out onto the balcony of her hotel room, dressed in a thin, white robe with only underwear beneathe. Her latest conquest, a dark, large man she'd met the night before at some bar on Bourbon Street, slept on, wasted by the pumping sex they'd had well into the night. He'd been a handful, she mused smugly. And God he'd been huge inside her. Work had brought her here this time, as it had all the other times. She loved when they wanted a story on this city, loved coming and having a grand time. Not that she didn't have fun wherever she went. She'd been sent to Africa last month, had met a photographer out there and had sex in the back of his jeep. That had been fun and interesting. She noticed a man on the street below stop to stare up at her. He was handsome and lanky in build. Not at all guilty because she had another in her bed, she kissed her fingertips, blew it to him, watched him grin. A knock came at her door, and she left him with some regret. Walking through the bedroom and to the door, she opened it to a young man, the bellboy who'd brought her luggage up days before. Cocking her head to the side, her silvery hair sliding over her shoulder, she studied him. Twenty, twenty one. And not bad. But she had an age limit on who she took to her bed, after all. But that didn't mean she couldn't flirt, especially when he was blushing all the way to his neck. "Something you want?"she leaned on the wall, let her robe fall open and allowed him to see her slim, perfect body. He swallowed, held out an envelope."This came for you today, Miss Lyons." She took the envelope, let her fingers trail along his hand."Thank you. Hhmm, well. What would you like for a tip?"she leaned forward, watched his eyes drop down to her breasts. "N-no, t-tip."he stuttered it out, his face turning even redder. She laughed, long and throaty, unaware how quickly the blood drained from his head and into his groin."I'll give you one anyway."she touched her lips to his, enjoying him when he froze, relaxed, and finally responded. When his hand came up to rest on her bare hip she eased back, nipped his bottom lip."I'll give you more next time sugar."and with that, shut the door in his face. Pleased with herself, she opened the envelope, read the print, and felt something inside her shatter. The roar of it echoed in her head before she knew it. Smelling heat, she went out onto the balcony once again, watched as a small shop across the street caught fire, and smoke billowed into the air. Hearing the call and seeing herself, she spoke softly."Cease."it came as a command, but she knew it heard."Stop now." And watched, without surprise, as the fire hissed, sparked, and disappeared. Mayo, Ireland One Week Later She stood waiting by the beach, where she knew they'd met for the last time so long ago. The memory of it was vague, as were many things, but she understood what had happened, and she knew it been left to her to bring them back. She'd been the one to remain, the only one to stay and wait. It was a warm morning as the beach wind swept up the rise and teased at her dark, long hair, her dark eyes watching the surf, the tide as it teased at the sand, only to draw back, then return once again. This land, this place, had been waiting for them for sometime. It was time they came back. And she knew they would. She knew her letters would open something in them, something they had either embraced early in life, rejected, or denied. The call was strong, a vow they had made so long ago under this dark sky, filled with the twinkling stars and the magic of there past. Just as she had waited, the others had waited as well. And the waiting would come to an end, she thought as she watched a car pull up at the top of the beach, park, and a tall, dark woman step out. The first to arrive, she mused, watching her watch the sea, remaining by the car as if considering whether or not to come down. The call was greater and soon she was making her way down the sandy hill, toward her. The first to arrive and the first to face her destiny. She waited patiently until she was standing before her, her brown hair tied back into a long, streaming ponytail, her green eyes cutting across to study her suspiciously."Raicheal? Raicheal Donovan?"the tone was hard, equally suspicious as the eyes. "Aye, I'm her, but call me Raye. And you'd be Lita Flanagan?" Lita squinted at her against the sun."Yea thats me. Whats this about?" "I'll explain what I can when you've all arrived." Lita opened her mouth to demand an answer, then saw the other woman glance up toward where she had parked her rented car. She looked back, saw two more cars pull up together, one behind the other, and two women step out of each one. Her writers eye quickly assessed them; one with short, dark hair and a calm face, the other with silvery hair, a knockout face and killer body. She watched a fourth car pull up behind them, watched a tall, slim blonde woman climb out, then look down at a piece of paper she held in her hand, as if making sure she had followed directions precisely. When she saw the other women, she studied them a moment, then slammed her door and followed them down the hill. Raye waited patiently, watched them come down the hill until they stood together, eyeing one another curiously. "Which one of you is Raicheal Donovan?"Serena asked, staring at each one. There was something about them that reminded her of something past, a shadow in her mind. "I am."Raye watched them all turn there eyes toward her."And welcome home, my sisters." "Ok, enough. I want to know whats going on right now."Lita's voice was impatient and deadly."I was having a nice little vacation in Acapulco when you interrupted with your wierd letter. So I want to know what the hell this is right now." "Still impatient, I see. I'll tell you what I can, then all of you may decide what you'll do with your future."Raye turned back to the crashing waves, glanced back at Mina."Have you felt a connection with the water Mina? Have you heard the call of it, even when your beneathe it?" Fascinated, but nervous, she shifted, shoving her hands in her pockets."This is highly irregular, but yes, I have." "And you Lita. This earth, the mother, have you felt power from it, reaching out to you?" Lita's eyes narrowed, but even she couldn't deny it."How the hell would you know that?" "The air, this breeze. Can you hear the song in it, hear whispers on it Amy?" Amy glanced about, then looked back at her."I've heard something, I've felt something, yes." "And the last."Raye faced them again, looked into Serena's smoky eyes."The heat, the scorching fire, the hissing passion you can't deny. Have you felt its cry for you?" Serena studied her, glanced at the other women."Everyday of my life." "And have you all answers for this?" "No, but I got a feeling you do."Lita eyed her narrowly."You gonna spill it now?" "Long ago, very long ago, the four of you represented earth, water, air, and fire. In this land, you lived together, lived as sisters."she watched them take this in."And were feared for what you each posessed. No one knew you had these powers, of course, or you would have been killed instantly. When the fear became too great, when each of you had loved and lost, you decided it was time to leave."she gestured to where they stood, what surrounded them."Here, you made a promise, cast a spell, that you would return to one another, and the men you had each lost. Or given up."she added, looking at Serena."Its why you stand here now, its why you couldn't turn away from a simple letter sent to each of you a week ago." They were silent a moment, staring at her. Lita broke the silence. "Your crazy, you know that? I can't believe I hauled my ass across the world just to listen to some crazy ladies rantings."but she was shaken beneathe, because the moment she'd entered Ireland, she'd felt the power begin to grow inside her. "You know this is true. You can each feel it inside, can't you?" Mina glanced at Lita, then back at Raye."I feel something, but I'm not too sure I want to know what it is." Amy nodded agreement."I've been aware of this most of my life, researched on it, but never imagened this." "You two were always ready to accept, and to trust."she flicked a glance over first Lita, then Serena."It was you two who were prone to arguing every step of the way." "All right, fine. So what now? You've told us our family history. Are we supposed to stay here now and pick it up again?"Lita lashed out. "You may do whatever it is you like. I did my part, I formed the circle once again. Its up to each of you to keep it."she was quiet a moment."I have a home here. Your each welcome to stay for as long as like with me."she turned and began heading up the hill. Amy and Mina glanced at one another."I want to know more." Mina nodded."Me too."without another word, they raced after Raye. Lita blew out a breath, kicked up sand."Bull. This is a load of bull. And why haven't you said anything?" "I'm debating with myself. Perhaps its in our best interest to go with her, to remain and see what this is about."she shrugged carelessly, her long, silvery hair blowing gently in the breeze."I'm on assignment here now anyway." "Shit. Well....why the hell not? Its a nice place to do my work too."she jerked a thumb at the retreating figures."Guess we should go catch up." "Guess we should." They went home with Raye, to a large home two stories high, painted white and blue and very pretty. There was a picket fence surrounding the yard, with a garden off to the side that looked to be well tended. A car sat parked in the driveway, and the only sight for miles was green hills and land. They each parked there rented cars and stepped out."You have a beautiful home."Amy commented as she took out her cases from the car. Raye nodded."Thank you. Tis my husbands families home, but they've all gone and moved. So its ours now. You can all come inside, bring your things and I'll show you each to your room." As she walked up the path with the four women following, Mina asked her,"Were you that sure we would stay?" "I was that sure of all of you."she opened the door and let them in. Once they'd set there things in there rooms and gone back downstairs to have a cup of tea that Raye invited them to, they settled comfortably at her kitchen table while she bustled about. "You know, you look familiar."Serena said to Mina, watching the blonde woman take out a pad and paper and begin scribbling notes. Mina stopped, looked up at her and nodded."So do you, but I don't think we've met."because she was having a hard time seeing what she was writing, she began patting her pockets in search of her glasses. She found them and slipped them on. "Hhmm."Serena studied her, tapping her fingers on the table."Wait. What did you say your name was?" "Oh. I don't even think I introduced myself."she put the pad and paper down, held out a hand to Serena first."Mina Ryan." Serena took her hand and shook it."Serenity Lyons, but please call me Serena. And I think I've placed you. Andros Island, barrier reef system, head Marine Biologist. Am I right?" Beaming, Mina nodded."Thats me. And I know you too. Your a photojournalist for National Geographic." "Right. And how about you two?"she turned to Lita and Amy. "Amy Quinn, Head of the Arts and Science Department at Yale University."she shook hands with them both. When Raye placed pastries on the table Lita picked one up, bit into it."Lita Flanagan."and left it at that, knowing her rep would do the rest. Mina stared at her, goggled."Lita Flanagan? THE Lita Flanagan? Wow, oh wow. I've read all your books." Lita smirked slightly."Yea? Thanks." Serena cocked a brow and Lita could see that one gesture alone was dangerous. The woman was so gorgeous it was unbelievable."Lita? I thought it was Liberty Flanagan." Lita bit into the pastry again, shot her a glare."Its Lita. Never liked the stupid name Liberty." "How did you manage to get Lita out of Liberty?"Amy asked her, also taking a pastry and thanking Raye. "Made it up myself. Anyway, I know a little about you too."she said to Mina."And I thought it was Minerva Ryan." Mina blushed, pushed her glasses up her nose when they slipped."Yes, that is my full name, but I don't like it either." "Minerva huh?"Serena studied Mina's glasses, watched how she scribbled notes and mumbled to herself."Suits you." "So you work at Yale?"Lita turned her attention to Amy."You must be smart." "Smart enough. Its a bit hard with the students though. They either try and take advantage that I'm only a tad older then them, or they hit on me."remembering Sam, she sighed and shook her head."It becomes very awkward." "Hit on you huh?"Serena grinned, leaned on the table."Sounds nice." Just then a tall, large man with blonde hair and blue eyes walked into the kitchen, stopped at the sight of the four of them, and froze. He looked quickly to Raye, then relaxed when he remembered who they were. "So they came."he studied them each, admired Serena a bit longer then the others."I wasn't sure they would." "I told you they would."Raye said as she poured boiling water into cups. "And I'm glad I did."Serena went into automatic purr, letting her eyes wander up and down."So who exactly are you?" "Jack Donovan, this gorgeous woman's husband."he replied, going to Raye and kissing her gently.(Note:he's basically Jediete, but I changed his name because I don't like the name Jediet. So keep that in mind!) Serena winced, immediately dropped the flirting bit."Whoa. Sorry. My mistake."one thing she never did was poach on other women's men. "Its fine."Raye smiled assuringly at her."Ready for tea?" "Bring it on."she placed there cups in front of each of them, watched Amy, Lita, and Serena sip and sigh. "I'm glad you like it. Most Americans tend not too." "Those would be the idiot americans."Lita stated, sipping more before picking another pastry. Mina stopped taking notes of what had happened so far."Oh! I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."she quickly reached for her cup, hit her hand against it and toppled it over with a splash. "I'll get it."Raye went to the sink to wash off a towel and bring it back. "No, no. My mess, I'll get it."she took the towel and began drying it, sloshing tea onto the floor as she worked. Lita watched her and couldn't help the grin that came."Your a nerd, aren't you? And a clutz." "To the core."she agreed, getting on her knees to wash the tea she had spilled on the floor."I've never been otherwise."when she attempted to get up and rapped her head against the kitchen table, all of them burst into laughter. Park Avenue, New York Kenneth Moore walked through the silent halls of his parents home. This was one of the many places he'd spent his childhood growing up. Of course, there had been several places to go and be when you were as rich as his family, but he'd only ever felt peace in one place. Ireland. Both his mother and fathers ancestors had come from there, his grandparents, and so the love of the land and been instilled into his parents as well. Growing up as a child, he'd taken several visits there and had always felt compelled to stay, to wait. Wait for someone. But of course he never had. Years had gone by since he'd last gone. If he remembered correctly, the last visit had been when he was twenty one, and his heart had ached so much, and with such a longing for something he couldn't see, he'd left on the third day. Escaped, was more like it. He hadn't returned since. But in the past months it had been bothering him, a constant throbbing in the back of his mind. He'd attempted to push it away, had attempted everything to ignore the sensation. But it had remained constant and fresh. He'd decided the night before he would return. Whatever he'd been waiting for last time he'd gone, years before, was there now. He knew it. He could feel it. And even though that should have spooked him, he wasn't the least bit afraid. He was ready to follow whatever it was that called. He needed to speak with his mother and father before he left. He couldn't leave without a word to them. His mother would worry, as only a mother could, and his father would become angry. He found them having lunch together in the dining room, laughing softly, his fathers large hand over his mothers. After thirty five years of marriage and one son, they were still as in love as they had been the day of there wedding. "See the yankees last night?"he spoke as he walked in, went to his mother and kissed her cheek. His father grinned, slapped his hand on the table."Damn sure I did. Knocked the socks off the Angels." "I think they got it this year."he sat down next to his mother."I came to say goodbye." His mother frowned."Where are you going darling?" "Ireland. Mayo, Ireland. Been a while since I've gone."he took her hand, squeezed."Its calling me back." She softened, pleased that her son had inherited such romance from the country both his parents loved."Then you should go." "When are you leaving?"his father asked. "Today. In a little less then two hours. I just wanted to stop by and tell you guys, say goodbye." "How long will you be there?" He was quiet, thinking of what he could find, what he'd waited for."However long it takes." "Then we wish you well." "Thanks. I'll take care of what business I can from there. Any calls, emergencies, I'm taking my cell, call me on it. I'll try and keep in touch with my phone and by e-mail."he checked his watch."I have to get going. I'll call you guys when I get there." "Take pictures, lots of them."his mother sighed deeply, imagening the country."Its been so long since we've gone too." "I will. I'll be at the cottage I bought a couple of years ago, I'll have the phone system reactivated so you guys can call me."he kissed his mother again, nodded to his father."I'll see you guys." "Take care." And as his famalies concord flew over land and sea, taking him home, he dreamt of a woman with wild, brown hair and green eyes, waiting silently, sadly, for him. Stay tuned for chapter 2~sailorperfect@yahoo.com |