To Rise Again

Unlike River, Eithen didn't have the chance to think about what had just transpired between them. Troy was on the phone giving an update on the search for Raivyn. "Yeah Troy, I'm listening. Has pops been able to locate the couple yet? Uh huh... yeah... ok. Let pops know I will get a hold of him later for a more detailed account... thanks Troy, let me know when you find anything else out."

"DAMIT-IT to hell, so fucking close." Eithen grumbled slamming the phone down, startling River out of his thoughts. "Sorry about that; that was Troy, my uhh... second in charge of security. The lead they had was good." Seeing River getting worked up he made his way over to where he was. Slowly reaching out, he waited for River to pull away from his touch. When he didn't, Eithen pulled River into himself before continuing.

"Shhh... the lead was good, but it didn't pan out. I'm so sorry River that I can't give you better news. My men tracked down where the couple was last located. However, by the time they got there, the people were long gone. It's almost like they know we are searching for them and are just a step ahead of us."

River tried to keep it together, he had to be strong, not only for himself but for Raivyn. What good would he be to her when they found her if he didn't? He knew that Eithen would find his baby girl. Maybe it was time to start trusting again. After what Angelica did to him, it would be hard, but he had to do it. Eithen needed to know ALL about the visions and the dreams. Not just the little bits and pieces that he had revealed to them the night before.

Looking up from where he was being held in Eithen's embrace, River knew it was time to be completely honest. He could see the concern in Eithen's eyes, and something else he wasn't ready to put a name to right now. He needed to let this man in, and trust him to be there for him and offer his support and strength.

"Eithen, I uhh... I wasn't totally honest with you and your parents last night." Looking away, River tried to pull out of Eithen's arms, only to have him hold on more tightly. Giving up, he leaned into Eithen, struggling to come up with the words needed.

"I umm... only told you all a part of what I've been seeing during my episodes. And I have been having dreams as well lately." Stopping for a second, he looked up again to see if Eithen was angry with him for holding back. All he saw was a look of confusion, so he continued.

"The dreams actually started a few days before my first episode, but I thought nothing of them. They were just strange dreams. I dismissed them, thinking that it was due to all the stress. That is until I saw your mother. She has been in all of them Eithen. ALL of my dreams, how is that even possible? I never met her before last night."

"I don't know River, but I do know that nothing is impossible." Eithen replied softly as he started running his hands up and down River's back in a soothing manner. "Last night, when you met my Ma, what went thru you're your head? It couldn't have been easy for you to come face to face with a person in your dreams?"

River thought back to the night before, to the moment that Siobhan walked into the kitchen. What did he feel? What did he think? Disbelief, shock, even that his mind was playing tricks on him. Making him think he was seeing someone that he wasn't. So many things he thought of as he stood there looking at this woman who should not exist.

"Eithen, if it's alright with you, I need to sit down. And I think I may need one of my pain pills before I go any further." River asked quietly, while looking away.

"Of course it's alright. Why didn't you say something sooner River? You should have told me. There is no reason you should be in pain." Not letting go, he lead River over to the sofa in the corner of the room before releasing his hold on him. Once River was seated, Eithen walked over to the wet bar on the other side of his office and pulled out a bottle of water. "Where are your meds at River? You just need to sit there and get yourself together while I get everything you need."

Looking up into those steel grey eyes, River knew that Eithen was talking about more than just his meds. He couldn't think about that right now though. He needed to get everything into some semblance of order, so he could finish telling Eithen about his dreams and the visions. He could reflect on what was occurring between Eithen and himself later. It wasn't a priority right now.

"I think I put them on top of the nightstand beside the bed. Both bottles please if you would." River said as he looked back down at his hands laying there in his lap shaking slightly. He watched Eithen turn and walk out of the room from below his lashes, unable to take his eyes off of this man. As he waited for Eithen to return, River took the time to try and remember everything that he has seen in his dreams and those damn flashes of images. His dreams were pretty simple to explain, just strange. The images, visions, whatever you want to call them will be tougher. Trying to piece them together and all the details he had to remember.

"Here ya go, take these and then continue whenever YOU are ready. River, we don't even have to do this ri..." River stopped him before he could finish. Grabbing Eithen's hand, he gently pulled to encourage him to sit beside him on the sofa.

"Yes I do, I need to talk about it. Maybe if I can describe it to you, then it might make more sense. Maybe all of the pieces will finally start falling into place. Eithen, I NEED to do this." River pleaded while squeezing Eithen's hand, unaware that he never let it go.

Nodding, Eithen could see this was something that River needed to do right now. Turning himself, he leaned back against the arm of the sofa, waiting for River to describe what he had seen and dreamt of over the last week or so. Eithen still wondered what River's connection with his Ma was, he would just have to be patient and listen to what he had to say.

After taking his meds, River just sat there for a few minutes gathering his thoughts. "Ok, well let's start with your question from before. When your mother walked in last night, everything from my dreams came flooding back, like someone had flipped a switch. It was surreal ya know. I thought my mind was playing tricks, there was no way that the woman from my dreams was a real person. Yet, there she was; standing right in front of me. That's why I froze up, no way was I going to admit to anything. I told myself that surely none of you would believe me, thinking that I was crazy and in need of some serious help.

"The dreams, even though I thought them strange, they are pretty simple to explain. So let me start with that ok." Glancing up, River saw Eithen watching him and he knew then that he was really being listened to and not just being placated. "Like I said earlier, they started a few days before my first episode, which was Saturday morning. They are always the same for the most part, only the location of where the woman enters changes from dream to dream."

River seemed to go into a trance-like state as he began telling Eithen of his dream. Staring ahead, yet unseeing, his eyes glazed over as he brought the dream to the forefront of his mind, remembering it. River was reliving all that he had dreamt.

"It starts out with me walking in the park alone, always alone. I'm searching for Raivyn, hollering her name, just like I used to when she and I would play hide-n-seek. Raivyn, oohhh Raivyn, where's my angel? I wonder, oh gee I wonder where my Raivyn could be? After that I would stop and listen, waiting to hear her giggle, always giving away her hiding spot. But it never comes, there is only silence. With the silence comes the fear, I can't find my baby girl. I start running, still searching, still calling out to her. By now, I know that I won't find her, I never find her.

"As I slow down to a walk again, the scene changes. I am no longer in the park, I find myself standing in a field of wildflowers. All around me, as far as I could see was this field, nothing else. Slowly turning in circles, trying to figure out where I am, which way I need to go. That's when I see her, the woman. She just appears a few feet in front of me. Beside her is the most beautiful wolf that I have ever seen. He is huge for a wolf, but for reasons I can't explain, I am not afraid. I watch as the woman gently strokes the head of this animal beside her. She then leans down, whispering something in a language I don't recognize.

"I am captivated by this animal before me, unable to look away. His coat is a magnificent shade of black, reminding me of a newly polished onyx stone. And his eyes, his eyes are the color of brushed steel, they never waiver from watching me. I feel the need to get closer, to touch, to run my hands over and thru that fur.

"I can't move, no matter how hard I try, I can't move. The woman is watching me now. She speaks, but I don't understand. She keeps repeating it over and over again. The same phrase, I just don't understand it. As she continues trying to get her message to me, the wolf at her side walks towards me. He watches me, never taking his eyes from me as he circles around where I stand. He stops just to the right of me, I try to reach out, but still, I can't move. He seems to sense this. He makes his way closer to my side, and places his head against my hand.

"In that instant, once we are connected, it's like magic. I can feel it, I know that this beautiful animal would never harm me. I also realize now that we are touching, I can understand the words the woman is trying to tell me. Turning my attention back to her, I listen to her message. But it makes no sense to me. Repeating it over and over again, she tells me to trust in myself, believe the unimaginable, see with my mind, and listen with my heart.

"I want to ask her what it all meant, but as quickly as she and the wolf appeared, they were gone. No trace they were ever there, just gone. After that, the scene changes back to the park, where I began. I am still searching for Raivyn, always searching. This time however, I am not alone. This time, my beautiful wolf is beside me."

River seemed to come back to himself as he finished detailing his dream to Eithen, right before he passed out from overexertion. Eithen was immediately across the sofa and had River held against him. He wasn't sure what to think, what to say or what to do. He had sat there listening to River, what he heard was to say the least, amazing.

There were stories of old, which he had read about growing up. Pack myths and legends, talking of Native American Shamans, being able to take on the form of their wolf brothers in dreams. They were known as Dream Walkers. But as far as Eithen knew, only the descendants of the Shaman were able to enter the dream world. Nowhere in his studies of pack lineage, was there a mention of any pack member being related to the Native American Shamans. The question now, how was his Ma capable of doing it and not be aware of what it was?

What really got to Eithen was when River talked of the wolf in his dream, the black onyx coat, the steel grey eyes, he knew without a doubt that it was him. When in full wolf form, he stood larger than any other in his pack, his fur was the blackest of blacks and his eyes only seemed to become a more startling shade of grey. Eithen also knew that he was very intimidating in wolf form, which is why none have been ballsy enough to challenge him for the Alpha status. They knew they wouldn't stand a chance against him. But, why would he appear in River's dreams beside his Ma? Were they all connected some way? The only answer Eithen could come up with was that River and he are to be future mates.

Eithen sat there, holding River, stroking his hair away from his face. "What are you River? Normal people don't have dreams and visions like you've had. I can't even imagine the pain and heartache you have had to endure. I promise from here on out that I will be here for you, giving you the strength you need to continue with this fight. Be the shoulder to lean on when you need comfort. Whatever you need River, I will give to you, this I promise. If only I could say these words while you were awake." Eithen whispered as he continued stroking River's hair and face gently, waiting for him to come around. He had so many questions that only River could answer. At some point, Eithen fell asleep with River in his arms, where he was destined to be.