Love's True Path

Once again, a HUGE thank you to Timberwolf- you wanna request something hun? Cause we might be able to work it in! ;-) Enjoy!



Mika sat next to Jason in the waiting room of the hospital, clenching her hands to try and hide the shaking in them. The Pard had been called, as had the entire Pack to notify them of the occurrence. They'd been at the hospital now for hours, and Lillian had done her best. Micah, the Nimir Raj had come and forced the change upon the leopard, hoping that would help him, but still, Caleb in the form of his beast was receiving transfusions, IVs... and was hooked up to more wires than she cared to think about. "Jason?" She asked softly.

Jason had his face buried in his hands. "Yeah?" He looked at Mika. Jase had her head on Nathaniel's shoulder. When they had gotten the call they'd both come to support Jason and Caleb.

"It's not your fault... you know that, right?" Mika hugged herself, wishing Richard was back from the cafeteria already.

Nathaniel swallowed, hiding his face in Jase's neck, his eyes stinging yet again. He didn't think he had tears left, but it seemed that he was making a liar of himself.

"I walked away from him and slept with someone else, Mika. This is my fault." Jason looked down at the ground.

Jase hugged Nathaniel tightly. Everything was happening so fast. She felt sick, weak.

The Lupa looked down, at a loss for words. "I'm sorry."

Nathaniel hugged Jase closer, his hand rubbing her back in hopes to help sooth her.

Jason stood up and headed to the bathroom. He was going to be sick...again. Jase watched her brother leave. She felt light headed, like she was watching the world from a dream.

Lillian walked back into the room, rubbing the back of her neck. "Where is Jason?" She asked, looking around.

"He went to the bathroom." Jase told her as she sat up. "Is he going to be ok?"

"Physically? I believe so, though he is going to be scarred where his piercings were ripped out- the flesh is repaired, and whole again- he's intact, but... he will have scarring on his nipples and eyebrow. His penis is functional, and shouldn't scar- that seems to have happened just before they got to him. His left hand will have slightly diminished function. The bones in his fingers healed, and then were re-broken many times, obviously to torture him, but he will be able to use it. I can't begin to guess why the right hand was left alone." Lillian swallowed, shaking her head. "I can't, however, even begin to guess if he will be able to come through this mentally. Most people would have been insane after Chimira... This... this went beyond that. He was violated anally with various... items, and has internal silver burns..."

Mika couldn't stop crying as she saw Lillian gag.

Jase closed her eyes. "Can we see him?"

Jason had been just about to come back into the room, but he overheard what Lillian had said. He began to sob. He couldn't go back in there so he headed outside for some air.

"Tomorrow, perhaps. Tonight, I feel it important that he be left to rest. I don't want to chance that I'm wrong and find out that he is in fact, unstable enough physically for company."

"Jase... Baby, I'm going to Jason, okay?" Nathaniel asked, his tone worried.

"Ok." JAse was crying. "I hope Richard kills him because if he doesn't I will." She hugged Mika because she had to touch someone to know she was really alive.

Jason sobbed hysterically. He'd been having sex while Caleb was tortured. He'd never forgive himself for it. He sank down to his knees and punched the ground several time, cracking the cement.

"Jason! Jason, no!" Nathaniel ran to the wolf's side, pulling him back. "You'll hurt yourself!"

"I don't care! I was fucking Lucian while he was being hurt. I should hurt for this." Jason shouted. He collapsed into Nathaniel's arms, sobbing.

"Ssshhh.... Jason, no..." Nathaniel's voice broke, tears spilling down his own cheeks. "You've got to be strong for Caleb... He needs to know you love him..."

"I slept with someone else. He'll hate me when he finds out!" Jason couldn't live with himself. Caleb had been through enough without having to find out what he'd done.

"Why, Jason?" He asked softly, running his hands over the wolf to sooth him.

"Because I let someone else top me." He was shaking now.

"Ssshh... I meant why did you let someone else be with you?"

"Because I was hurt because Caleb accused me of sleeping with Jean-Claude even after I told I never had."

Nathaniel wiped his cheek on Jason's hair. "Why would he think that? You wouldn't lie to him..."

"I kissed Jean-Claude. We got caught up in feeding and then Caleb accused me." Jason buried his face in Nathaniel's shoulder.

"I don't know what to say, Jason..." The leopard held his friend, rocking him gently.

"I'm going to take a walk, clear my head." Jason stood up shakily. He waved goodbye to Nathaniel before he headed off.

"Jason! Don't do anything stupid!" Nathaniel called after him.

"I won't." Jason called over his shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mika shook as they left the hospital, though she tried to hide it from Richard. She made a pitiful Lupa, hardly even able to help the pack members, and tonight... It had upset her far more than she'd let on.

"I promise that the rest of the pack is normal. Shayne was new and an insult to us all. I'm sorry you had to got through that." Richard hugged her before he got into the car.

She bit her lower lip hard, her eyes shining as she nodded, climbing into the car. She didn't dare speak for fear that she would lose control over her tears.

"It's okay, Mika. This wasn't your fault." He kissed her.

She hid her face against his shoulder as she tried to hold back the sobs that shook her shoulders, her hands gripping his shirt. She hadn't been one of the victims- not at all... there was no reason for her to be so upset over the matter, but she couldn't let it go.

"Mika, look at me. This was out of our control. He had no idea this would happen. Now, all we can do is damage control." Richard hugged her tightly, trying to comfort her.

After a minute, she got herself under control. "Richard? Please... I want to see my kids..."

He nodded. "I'll drive you home." He kissed her forehead and got into his car.

Mika scooted closer to him as he drove, resting her hand on his thigh for contact. "I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be sorry, Mika." He said as he drove to her house. He felt bad that Mika was taking this so hard.

"I just... I've never seen anything like that." She bit her lip. "In college we had to study profiles and such of victims.... and... of the people who would... do such things but this was..."

"It was horrific. Shayne is very sick." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "And he's going to pay for what he did.

"What are you going to do?" Mika rubbed her hand along his thigh, hoping to sooth them both with the touch.

"The only thing I can do. Put his to death in front of the pack." Richard pulled into her driveway.

"I figured..." She watched as he parked the car. "Richard?"

"Yes?" He looked over at her.

"Would you... please stay the night tonight? I mean, we don't have to... to... I just want you here..."She took his hand in hers. "It makes me feel safer, and I know you'll protect the kids and I..."

He smiled at her. "Sure. I'd love to spend the night with you." He got out of the car. "Come on. The kids must be worried."

Mika hurried into the house, calling for the children as she pulled Richard behind her, her mind racing with implausible worries.

Richard followed her. Elias looked up from his homework. "We're both alive with no wounds, Aunt Mika.:"

She sighed with relief, hearing Rissa in the living room watching TV. "How's the homework coming? Did you eat? Has Rissy had her bath?"

"Okay. Yes. Not yet." Elias sighed.

Mika leaned over and hugged him close. "Don't heave a sigh like that at me, young man." She held him, unable to get herself to release him for a moment.

"Can't breathe....really can't breath. You're cutting off my air."

"You can breathe if you can talk, Elias Darien O'Sullivan." She pulled back, messing up his hair with a noogie. "Rissa, it's bath time and bedtime in thirty minutes!" Mika looked at Richard. "If you want, I can make you something to eat..."

"I'll make a sandwich and then help Elias with his homework." He kissed Mika and sent her to do what she needed to do.

Mika came back into the kitchen half an hour later, and leaned against the door, listening as Elias explained a calculus problem to Richard. "And the student teaches the teacher..."

"Oh hush. I was never good in calculus. And since you have school tomorrow....bed...now." Richard said. Elias rolled his eyes as he put his homework away.

"Sleep well, sweetie, and remember to shower in the morning, alright? I know you skipped today." Mika padded over to the sink, fixing herself a glass of water.

"Yes, Aunt Mika." Elias said as he headed upstairs. Richard came up behind Mika and wrapped his arms around her.

She leaned back into him, closing her eyes as she rested her arms on his. "Thank you..."

"It was nothing." He nipped at her ear.

Her breath caught, and she pressed back into him a little. "To you... maybe..." Her voice was low and husky as she bit her lip.

He licked her ear. "Anything for you love."

Mika's hands tightened on his forearms, her fingernails scrapping him gently as her hands fisted. She turned her head, kissing his jaw. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her. "I think it's bed time for us too."

She smiled, her lips quirking. "Tired?"

"A little." He tried to hide his yawn.

"Bed, Richard." She turned and poked him in the stomach. "And if you're good I'll tell you a story."

"What kind of story?" He asked as he took her hand and led her upstairs.

"What kind do you want?" She whispered, flicking off the lights as they went.

"The naughty kind is the best." Richard said.

Mika giggled slightly as they entered her room. "How naughty are we talking here?"

"Oh, very naughty." He pulled her against his body.

She gasped at the contact. "I thought you were tired?"

"Tired yes, but I want to forget tonight. Help me forget for just a while." He begged her.

She kissed him tenderly. "I'll do anything you want, Richard... just ask..." She nibbled at his lower lip.

Elias knocked on Mika's door. "Aunt Mika? Could you not do that? I can hear you in my room...and eww...Thanks." He walked away grinning.

Mika growled. Loudly, glaring at the door, and towards her nephew. "He's going to regret that..."

"It's okay, Mika." He kissed her. "Let's just go to bed."