-From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were, I have not seen
As others saw, I could not bring
My passions from a common spring
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow, I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone
And All I love, I loved alone
         ---Edgar Allan Poe
 

 David Xanatos stood beside the huge stone form of Goliath, watching the sun dip down behind the city skyline.  He stepped back
as tiny cracks appeared on Goliath's stone form, slowly spreading until, with a roar, the Gargoyle woke.

 "Good evening, Goliath," Xanatos said stepping forward.

 "Good evening, Xanatos, to what do I owe this visit?" Goliath asked, folding his wings around his shoulders like a cape.

 "As you know I support several charities, one of these is a children's home.  Every year I allow the child with the highest grades to
spend a week in my home.  I wanted to alert your clan that she would be here next week and that their appearances should be more
...discreet."

 "I understand...I'll inform the clan."

 "And I'll try to keep her inside at night," Xanatos said with a smile.
 

******
 

 Xanatos's limo pulled up to Happy Woods Children's Home on a sunny Monday around noon. He and Owen stepped onto the well
-manicured lawn and were promptly greeted by Dr. Britton, the administrator.

 "Mr. Xanatos, it's a pleasure to see you again," he said with a smile. "And you too, Mr. Burnett."

 "It's always a pleasure John. This is one of the few places that I'm sure my money is being put to good use.  So, where's the lucky young
lady?"

 "Inside, packed and waiting."

 "So, what's she like?" Xanatos asked making no move as of yet toward the house that was home to the sixty or so children under Britton's
care. "Anti-social? Any violent tendencies?"

 "Not really...on either count, " Britton said with a half smile.  "She likes to be alone some times and push her far enough and you've got a
wildcat on your hands, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to push her that far.  She's got a great personality, but she's a prankster."

 "Prankster?"

 "She's come up with some of the best practical jokes I've seen in years, last week she rigged the skeleton in the Ms.Crink's class with fishing
line and spent the entire morning in the broom closet waiting for Ms. Crink to arrive.  The poor women almost fainted when 'Bonsey' started
dancing in the middle of her lecture."

Xanatos chuckled, he'd seen the formal old Ms. Crink.  He'd doubted she'd gotten in much trouble though, for all her toughness Ms. Crink
had a wonderful sense of humor.  He didn't catch Owen's almost imperceptible smile.

 "And as for a physical description, well you’ll see her in a moment," Britton finished.

 "What happened to her parents?"

 "She never met her father, and when she was eight her mother was killed in an accident, she had no immediate family so she was turned over
to the state."

 "Sounds rough...."

 "It had to be, but she's remained remarkably strong.  Come, I'm sure she's finished packing by now, I'll introduce you to our Fairy." Britton
said leading them inside.

The moment they entered they became aware of the sound of flute music. It was more then simple flute music though.  It was almost...magical,
it seemed to lift your spirits and make feel good about just being alive.  Walking into a living room area they found the source of the music.

A young girl was sitting cross-legged on the couch, her eyes were closed and she seemed totally involved with the flute in her hands.  She had long
hair that fell loose past her waist in a black wave, she was willowy and petite, smaller then her fourteen years would have suggested. Dressed
simply she was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a dark blue T-shirt that looked three sizes too big.  Finishing the tune she lowered the flute and
opened her ice blue eyes to grace them with a grin.

 "What 'ya think, Doc?" She asked with a smile.

 "If you get any better I'll hire you out to parties to bring in some extra income," Dr. Britton said with a smile. He turned to Xanatos and Owen. "Mr.
Xanatos, Mr. Burnett, this is Fairy Titania Smith."

 "Fay," the girl said standing up. She put her flute in its case and slipped it into the brown leather satchel at her side.  "My mom had an interesting
sense of humor."

 "She enjoyed Shakespeare’s works?" Owen asked curiously.

 "Yup...Mom used to act,  'A Midsummer's Night Dream' was her favorite play. " Fay said with a sad smile. "Anyway, enough about me.  It's nice
to finally meet you, Mr. Xanatos."

 "The pleasure's all mine, Miss Smith," Xanatos extended his hand and Fay shook it with a firm grip.  "I've heard some interesting things about you."

 "Been telling off on me, Doc?" Fay asked turning to look at Dr. Britton. "Well, as long as they don't hear about the Jell-O incident...."

 "Not a word, " Britton said with a laugh.  He swept her into a bear hug. "Take care of yourself, Fay."

 "Don't I always?" she said with a smile.

 "That you do.... It's going to be awful boring around here without you."

 "Don't worry, Doc, I'm sure my minions will keep you busy," Fay said with a grin.

 "I'm sure they will, too.  Well, I'm afraid I have to take my leave.  Joey and Eddie are at it again, see you in a week, Fay," he said with a smile.
Saying so he nodded at Xanatos and Owen and walked away.

 "Fay, this is my personal assistant, Owen Burnett," Xanatos said motioning to Owen.

 "Pleased to meet you, Miss. Smith, " Owen said stepping forward and extending his good hand.  Fay smiled and reached for his hand.

 "It's Fa...." As their hands touched they were both jolted apart by something akin to a lightning.  With a yelp Fay jerked away, Owen was in a
similar state, too dignified to cry out, his eyes widened as he too, pulled away.   Fay was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

 "And that kids...is how lightning is made." She said with a half smile. Owen felt an almost involuntary twitching of his lips, but stopped the smile
before it reached the surface.  Xanatos's sudden chuckle reminded him that his employer was still there.

 "Well, it seems you were paying attention in some of you science classes, and not just hiding in the closet."

 Fay blushed.

 "Apparently, sir, otherwise we'd be taking someone else home." Owen said seriously, though behind his mask Puck smirked to himself.

 "Of course, Owen," Xanatos said with a laugh.  Still smiling he held an arm out to Fay.  "If you'll come this way?"

 "I'd love to," Fay said smiling, she took his arm.

 "Owen, will you please get Miss. Smith's things?" Xanatos asked, not bothering to turn.  Owen had already picked up the suitcase and began
to follow.

*****

 "And this is your room," Xanatos said, stepping inside a large, well furnished room, with Fay and Owen at his heels.

 "Wow...."Fay said walking in and turning in a circle." And yet another, Wow."

 "I'm glad you approve," Xanatos said with a smile.

 "Approve?" Fay asked turning to face him. "With this room? What's not to approve? This is bigger then the living room of the Home."

 "Well then..." Xanatos said motioning Owen inside with her bag. "I'll leave you to change and put your things away, Owen will come to escort
you to the dinning hall at five P.M. sharp. Come on, Owen."

 Fay watched them leave, closing the door behind themselves.  She smiled and slowly turned, taking in the whole room.  Her eyes stopped on a
blinking red light in one of the heating vents, before quickly moving on. Walking to a full-length mirror on one side of the room she seemed to
be paying close attention to her reflection.  In reality, her gaze was intently focused on the small light, a second later she smiled in triumph as the
light went dark.

 "Well, that takes care of me being caught..." she said with a mischievous smile.  Turning she tossed her suitcase on the giant bed and then opened
the large closet.  Unzipping her suitcase she stepped back and closed her eyes.  A second later her clothes floated out of their own accord.
Hangers floated from the closet and with deft grace intercepted the clothing.  The closet doors closed, and the large dresser beside them opened.
Minutes later everything away save one outfit, which had laid it's self across a chair, she opened her eyes and grinned.

 "Now, let's see if the bathroom is as well equipped as everything else in here.." Fay said with a smile.

*****

 "Owen? Are you ok?" Xanatos asked his right hand as they walked away from Fay's room.

 "I'm not sure, Sir," Owen answered truthfully.  Every since the "lightning" incident, his stone arm had been feeling...well, strange. "But there may
be something...wrong with my arm."

 "We'll stop by the Med-Lab before we check in with Fox and Alexander then...,"he said looking worriedly at Owen. "Anything else wrong?"

 "Maybe, sir.  The 'jolt' Miss. Smith and I received at the Children's Home had nothing to do with static electricity."

 "What?" Xanatos asked stopping to regard Owen.

 "The energy discharge seemed to be of magical origin."

 "How's that possible?" Xanatos's brow wrinkled and he continued toward the Med-Lab.  Owen followed.

 "I'm not sure, sir, Miss. Smith may have some latent magical abilities."

 "I see...Should we be worried?"  Xanatos asked as the door to the Med-Lab slid open.

 "I don't think so, sir, if it is indeed a latent ability then I doubt anything will come of it."

 "Whatever you think best, Owen, you're the expert on these matters," Xanatos stepped to the side of a lab table as Owen took off his overcoat
and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt.  Xanatos let out an audible gasp.  The stone arm, which had extended to his elbow, was now just covering
his wrist and hand.

 "That's latent ability?" Xanatos asked raising an eyebrow.

*****

 At five on the dot, Owen was knocking at Fay's bedroom door, despite the unusual events that had followed the visit to the Med-Lab.  Looking
down he marveled silently at his once stone hand, now completely flesh again. Inside he smirked slightly, Xanatos was right, if this was latent ability....

 The opening of the door in front of him interrupted his thoughts. Fay stood dressed in a clean pair of black jeans, a sky blue turtleneck, and tennis
shoes.  Her hair had been pulled into a loose braid, it still hung over her ears slightly and was still damp from her recent shower.  At
his intense gaze she blushed.

 "I wasn't sure what to wear...." she began still blushing, then she shrugged and gave him a slight smile.  "My wardrobe doesn't have much variety."

 "You look lovely, Ms. Smith," he said surprising himself, he wasn't one to give complements, but she was uncomfortable enough as it was, and
the slight smile that lighted her features was worth lowering his mask. Holding his arm out to her, he waited as she cautiously took it, considering
the last time they touched he couldn't blame the caution.  He noted the curious glance she gave his hand, then saw her shrug it off as a mistake
or imagination that he'd once had a stone arm.  He only hoped it'd be this easy with everyone else, a lucky thing he was mostly a background
figure he supposed.

 "Owen!"

 Owen glanced up in surprise as the small, three-year-old whirlwind overtook him.  Releasing Fay's arm, he picked up his small charge.  Still
little the boy's baby-blonde was giving way to dark black hair, his green eyes were always lit up for some reason, and while still young he was
already learning to read...among other things.  At the moment he was dressed in Spider-Man pajamas, a show he'd grown rather fond of.

 "Ms. Smith, this is Alexander Xanatos," Owen said turning to Fay. "Alexander, this is Fairy Smith... our house guest."

 "Hi, nice to meet you, Alex," she said smiling.  Alex regarded her for a second with serious eyes.

 "You're ok," He said with a smile and a nod.

 "Glad you approve," she said with a grin.  Alex smiled back and then turned to Owen.

 "You were supposed to do my bath tonight...." Alex said with a pout.

 "I'm sorry, Alexander, it had slipped my mind.  I'll do it tomorrow night."

 "Ok, " Alex said after a second of thought.  Then he turned to Fay.  "Will you be here tomorrow?"

 "Yeah...as far as I know," she said with a confused half smile.

 "Good! You can play with me then."

 "Alexander..."Owen began, slightly appalled.

 "It's ok, Mr. Burnett, I'd love to," Fay said with a smile.

 "I knew she wouldn't mind," Alex told Owen defiantly.  He hugged Owen and smiled.  "Night, Owen.  Night, Fay."

 Owen put him down and watched until he disappeared around a corner.

 "Cute kid," Fay said with a smile.

 "Yes," Owen said continuing on without further comment.
 

                                                                *****

 Dinner, as it turned out, was a relaxed affair.  Pizza.  Fay couldn't help but smile at the remberance.  The Xanatos' were wonderful, they
treated her like she actually knew what she was talking about and like they cared about her opinion.  She liked them, and Owen, too.  Owen...
now he was a mystery in himself.  She pulled the over sized tee shirt she wore to bed over her head as she considered Owen.  He seemed
like an emotionless butler, but there was something else there.... Something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

 With a sigh she dismissed her wandering thoughts and settled on her bed with a large leather bound book in her lap.  A Midsummer's Night
Dream was scrawled across the cover in silver letters.  She opened it and smiled slightly.  It was the only link she had to her parents.

 Her father had given the book to her mother as a good-bye present before he left.  Mom had told her time and time again that her father had
a good reason to leave (though she'd never said what), and hadn't known he had a daughter on the way.  Fairy could do little but believe her,
and her mother had never lied to her before so she saw little reason to doubt her word now.  She smiled fondly at the book again, remembering
her mother reading the story to her, changing her voice for the great king Oberon, and his queen Titania, her namesake.  Fairy brushed away
the tear that had snuck down her cheek, looking at the pictures her mother fixed to the inside pages
of the book instead.

 The first picture was of her mother proudly holding Fairy to the camera at two weeks, the second of her and Mom on her first Halloween
dressed as a fairy princess, the third when she was two, of her covered in mud proudly displaying a mud pie, then one when she was three
and dressed up for a formal picture, and so on, as though her mother was trying to somehow include her father.  She picked up the envelope
tucked inside and held it almost reverently.  It was a simple white envelope with her mother's flowing writing across the front and it was un-
opened, mostly because of what the writing said. "To Fairy's Father", Fairy read again, then sighed. She had found the letter the day after her
mother's funeral while she was being taken to the children's home.

 Her mother had always...known things.  Like the time she had pulled a small boy away from a curve, and only minutes later a car crashed into
the spot he'd been standing. So maybe one day the letter would reach her father, it would be like her mom to do something like that.  Fairy
often wondered if she'd known about her own death....

 With a sigh she shook away such morbid musings and traced the inscription inside the book's cover.  It was the only real link she had to her
"father", the only thing, besides herself, that proved the whole thing wasn't her mother's imagination on overdrive.  She re-read the beautiful
old fashioned handwriting as she had many times:

To Samantha, the best friend/trickster/actress, anyone could have,
From Your favorite piece of hockey equipment

                                                                     *****
 

 "So, what's she like?"  Elisa asked about the latest guest in the castle.  It was just after sunrise and she had stopped to talk to Xanatos, Fox,
and Owen.

 "She's...." Xanatos began, only to be interrupted by a squeak from the hallway, followed by hysterical laughter.  They glanced up to see a
very tired looking Fay, still in an over sized tee shirt that fell past her knees, with her hair tosseled. She had Alex slung over her shoulder, Alex
was dressed and laughing.

 "Would this elf happen to be yours?  He just launched an invasion on my room, and I was forced to take prisoners." She said swinging Alex
to face them.  The general reaction was a mixed. Owen raised an eyebrow, Fox and David looked torn between scolding their son and laughing.
Elisa, well her reaction was the most interesting.

 "Magician?" She asked looking at Fay in surprise.

 "Hiya, Detective Maza," she said with a grin. "Haven't seen you in a while..."

 "Yeah, the station has been a bit quiet...."  Elisa said with a half smile.

 "Hmmm....Really?" A slow smile played across her lips for a moment.  "I'll have to drop in on you later...." With that she swung Alex up and
then put him carefully down beside his parents. "There ya go, kid...Let me get dressed and I'll consider playing with you. 'kay?"

 "Ok," Alex said smiling happily.

 "After breakfast," Fox put in quickly, realizing her son on an empty stomach could take it's toll on a person.  "And next time Alex, wait till Fay
wakes up.  Not everyone keeps our odd hours...."

 "It's ok, Mrs. Xanatos, I needed a new alarm clock anyway," she said tosseling Alex's hair.  "Meet ya in a few in the kitchen?" She directed the
last part to Fox.

 "We'll be there, come on short stuff," she answered taking Alex's hand and heading to the kitchen.  Fay smiled and silently reviewed her "grand
tour", mentally locating the kitchen, before turning and offering the remaining adults a half smile.

 "See ya later Detective," she said turning toward her room and walking away.  As soon as she was out of earshot, Xanatos turned to Elisa.

 "How do you know Fairy?" he asked, worried suddenly despite Britton's assurances.  "And why did you call her 'Magician' ?"

 "Fairy's...well one of the runaways I've picked up before.  She's been put into a few... abusive foster homes.  Rather then stick around, she ran
away and lived on the street, until we got her, and either took her back to the Children's Home, or the foster parents." She sighed and looked
disturbed about her last statement, then continued.  " 'Magician' is her nickname, partially because she's a street magician, but mostly because
she's a mini-Houdini."

 "What do you mean?" Xanatos asked, he looked a bit relieved in the knowledge that she wasn't a drug peddler, murder, etc., but was also
interested in the child's plight.  All too many such children slipped through the cracks, forgotten or ignored, and he didn't want to picture that
happening to the vital, little trickster.

 "Magici...Fay, was brought in once after running away from her most recent 'home', she'd been beaten pretty badly, you could tell.  However,
we were told to take her back, only when we walked back in to the cell to break the news to her, she was gone.  The cell door had been
picked and was standing open, she was nowhere in sight, and guard hadn't seen her walk by.  It was like...well magic."

 Owen and Xanatos exchanged startled glances.

*****

 Fairy had taken a quick shower and dressed, all the while thinking about the conversation between Elisa and the others.  As if they didn't suspect
something already, she thought sighing.

 Brushing her long, black hair quickly, she pulled it into a loose braid.  The hair on the sides hung just over her ears.  A style she had adopted
years ago to keep from being teased about her ears.  She pushed her hair back a moment to look at said item. Instead of being rounded like
most ears were, hers tapered to a point at the top.  She'd taken years of teasing because of those points, but they allowed her to hear much
better then most people, and hear things she wasn't supposed to.  She'd listened to Elisa describe her escape from jail from the hallway she'd
"left" by, and frankly, was worried.  She'd seen people try to "help" her before, once, right after her mother's death, she was even put in a mental
hospital.  She still couldn't get near hospitals or needles without flinching.

 With sigh she forced herself to dismiss further dismal thoughts in favor of a few happy ones.  Alex, now he was a great kid.  He reminded her of
...well, herself at that age. Poor kid....

*****

 After a few hours of play with Alex, Fay had convinced him to sit down for a story.  Unfortunately for her he'd read (and re-read) most of what
was in his bookshelf, and didn't want to read it again.  After a bit of serious debate she'd finally came up with an idea.

 "Tell ya what, Alex, how about I read a story to you my mom used to read to me?" she asked him with a slight smile. At Alex's agreement they
traveled to her room for the book and, sitting on her bed, she introduced him to Shakespeare.

*****
 Owen was walking up the hall by Fay's room sometime later, in search of Alexander and Fairy.  The nursery had been deserted and on a hunch
he'd thought maybe they were here.

 Fay's voice came from her room.

'If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear
And this weak and idle theme
No more yielding but a dream
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.'"

 Owen felt a chill run up his back. That voice...Where had he heard it before?  An incredibly expressive voice, yet it was different somehow, too.

*****

 Fay finished the last passage only to find Alex asleep, his head pillowed in her lap.
 
"That's what you get for waking people up at dawn...," she said with a smile. Closing the book she put it on her nightstand and moved carefully
out from under Alex.  Picking him up gently, she watched as the blankets seemed to move themselves down and laid him down.  Tucking the
blankets around him she smiled slightly.

 She almost jumped out of her skin when a soft knock sounded on the slightly ajar door.  Moving quickly she opened door to find Owen on the
other side.  Putting a finger to her lips she motioned to the sleeping boy.  Owen nodded and motioned for her to follow him into the hall.  When
they were out in the hall, the door safely closed, he turned to her.

 "Mrs. Xanatos sent me to look for Alexander and yourself for lunch, seeing as Alexander is resting, I would assume she still wishes for you to
join her.  She expressed an interest in listening to you play the flute, as Mr. Xanatos told her about hearing you play." And she's not the only
one, he added silently.  Fay nodded.

 "I'll get my flute..."

 "I will take Alexander to his room, then walk you to the dining hall."  Owen stated, nodding.  Walking back inside he carefully picked up the
sleeping boy, then walked out towards Alex's room.  Fay picked up her brown satchel smiling slightly as she drew out the black flute case.  A
small, glittery fairy adorned each corner.

 Mr. Ranson, the elderly music teacher at the Home had given it to her one Christmas, fairies and all.  She had been his prize pupil, he always
said that her music could touch the very soul.  He had once, smiling, told her that if he were to die, he would want her to play a happy melody
over his coffin, to cheer his family from sorrow.  And so she had.  She felt an unwanted tear trail down her cheek.  Mr. Ranson had taught her
to love music, to pour her soul into it, and she'd often thought it was the only thing that kept her sane at times.  She jumped at a touch on her
shoulder, and turned to find Owen regarding her with a slightly worried expression.

 "Are you all right, Miss. Smith?" he asked softly

 "Yeah...just pulled under by a couple ghosts of the past...," she said forcing a slight smile in place.   "Well, let's go."

 Owen nodded slightly, walking with her to the dining hall.  There she found Fox waiting for her with a stack of sandwiches.  After being
informed of Alex's nap, she motioned for Fay to sit down.  After a few sandwiches, and some pleasant conversation, she finally got around
to asking Fay to play.

 "Sure," Fay said, pulling out the interment’s case, she removed the flute and brought it to her lips.  Closing her eyes, she couldn't help the
memories that re-surfaced of Mr. Ranson.  With a sigh she poured those bittersweet memories into the music.

 Owen tensed ever so slightly as the music began.  It made him think of his centuries of life.  Mortals were great friends, but they had a terrible
habit of dying.  He remembered the friends left in hopes he wouldn't have watch then die.  And, now, especially one.  His Sam....

 Fairy stopped playing and lowered the flute.  Fox's cheeks were wet with tears, and Owen's eyes brimmed with them.  The three were startled
to hear soft clapping coming from the dining room entrance.  Xanatos and Anastasia Renard entered, Xanatos still clapping, while Anastasia
wore a sad, slightly startled expression.

 "I told you she was wonderful, didn't I Fox?" Xanatos said walking over to his wife.  Anastasia went to stand beside Owen, a questioning look
on her face.  After the incident with Alexander had settled a bit she had become a frequent visitor, always checking on her grandson and daughter.

 "She's more then wonderful she's..." Fox trailed off, at a loss for words.  Fay blushed and looked relieved as Alex burst in.

 "Grammy!" he cried, delighted.  He jumped into her arms for a hug.  Then looked to Fay.

 "Now play something happy..." he demanded.  Fay smiled and closed her eyes, bringing her flute to her lips.  She conjured up an image of
her mother, black hair down, chocolate eyes alight with laughter, and mouth open in the laugh.  And she played.

 Alex laughed and clapped his hands, Fox smiled and hugged her husband closer, Anastasia face slowly broke into a smile as she felt the melody
catch her, and even Owen's face seemed to lighten as Fay spun her tune.  As she lowered the flute she smiled slightly, feeling somehow closer
her mother.  Alex smiled at her too.

 "This is my Grammy," he said proudly, hugging Anastasia.

 "Nice to meet you," Fay said re-casing her flute and smiling up at her.

 "The pleasure's mine.  You play wonderfully."

 "I'm ok," Fay said with a shrug. "I'm much better at impressions though."

 "Yeah, and she tells good stories," Alex added.  "Even one about you Grammy...."

"Oh really?" The older women said with a smile, and caught Owen's slightly worried look.

 "Yeah," he said eager to tell her the new story.  "It's called a Midsummer's Night Dream and this guy named Shakespeare wrote it...."

 "Oh, so that's it," she said smoothly.  She turned to Fay.  "My middle name is Titania so Alex thinks I'm the real thing,” She lied smiling, shooting
Alex a warning glance.

 "Really? My middle name's Titania too, mom loved the play," Fay said with a bittersweet smile.

 "It is an...interesting work," Anastasia said softly.  "Anyway though, I need to talk to your parent's Little One, why don't you and Fay go play?"

 "Ok!" Alex said happily, wiggling from his Grandmother's embrace. He grabbed Fay's hand pulling her after him, and asking about playing Spider Man.

 When they were gone Anastasia turned to the others a worried look on her face.

“I wish I could say I only came for a visit….” She began.

“But you’d be lying,” her daughter finished for her with a slight smile.  “What’s wrong?”

“Tomorrow night is a full moon, and the one night when the stars will be lined up perfectly to call up a great evil power…Only a few people know
of the location where the ritual of power must take place.  One is Oberon, the other is Adrian, Oberon’s younger brother.”

Owen tensed slightly.

“What does this have to do with us?” Xanatos asked, looking worriedly from Owen to his mother-in-law.

“Adrian and Oberon have been on bad terms for quite some time, and I fear Adrian will try to call the power up to de-throne him.  However, this
does not worry me as much as what it will require to call up this power…”

“W..what does it require, Mother?” Fox asked, feeling a bit sick to her stomach.

“Like most dark rituals, it requires a virgin sacrifice…Unfortunately, this ritual requires that the sacrifice be of mixed human and Fey blood…”

*****

Fairy smiled at Alex as he rushed around looking for his Spider-Man pajamas.  After all, what else could you play Spider-Man in?  Then she felt it.

It was like the temperature suddenly dropped a dozen degrees.  Then she felt that tingly sensation that always meant she was going to have what
she called her “knowings”.  Those weird feelings came, and then she just…knew stuff, or had a waking dream.  Right now all she knew was Alex
was in danger…and so was she. She stood, looking around the room warily.

“Alex….” She said softly.  “Come here…”

Alex didn’t ask questions, he shivered and walked to her.  Whatever it was, he could feel it too.  Fay silently took his hand and began backing
towards the door.

Suddenly in the center of the room, a green glowing light erupted, then slowly took the shape of a man.  Not just any man though, the first most
notable difference was the fact that he had blue skin, after that one noticed his rather large pointy ears, he was dressed in clothes that hadn’t
been in style for centuries.  His icy eyes swept the nursery’s interior, locking on the small child at Fairy’s side.

“Give me the child, and I’ll let you leave here unharmed girl,” he said in a cold, unemotional voice.

“Sorry, no can do, I have this thing about giving little kids to Smurfs with growth problems…” Fay said forcing a bright smile and gently squeezed
Alex’s small hand.  The man looked both baffled and shocked by Fay’s statement, before his features quickly melted back into their cold mask.

“ Then you will perish,” he said smiling cruelly and raising his hands.  A blast of green energy was quite suddenly coming straight towards her.  She
reacted without thinking, a big over-stuffed chair that sat to the side jerked suddenly upward and took the blast, exploding into pieces.

“Not bad…but not enough,” the man said with a smirk.  Fairy swallowed hard and prepared to play dodge ball with a psychotic Smurf.
*****

In the dining hall, Owen suddenly tensed.

“Something’s wrong…” Owen started, a worried look crossing his usually emotionless face.  Then he began to spin.  A moment later, in his true
form, he looked back up.

“Something’s really really wrong….”Without another word or thought he disappeared and reappeared in the nursery. He dodged as pieces of
furniture flew past him, and looked around for the source.  He quickly found the Fey in room’s center and found immediately afterward the two
children in front of him.

“Not bad…but not enough,” he heard Adrian say calmly raising his hands again, before Puck could react, a blast of power was headed for them.
He felt his mouth drop slightly as Fay raised a hand and Alex's dresser took the blast.  He recovered quickly and flew between the kids before
anything else could be shot at them.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Adrian," he taunted, his hands glowing.

"Of course, I'd be delighted to destroy you," Adrian said smirking.  Fay began her retreat, Alex in tow, to the door.  She watched the two beings
exchanged fire as she quickly opened the door, pulling Alex out with her. She shut the door quickly with a sigh.

"What the hel…heck was that?" she said weakly, a bit dazed.

"A bad man," Alex said, taking her hand and beginning to lead her away.  "We have to get Grammy…."

"Too late child," a voice to their side snapped.  "The Queen and your parent's are ours, as you will be soon."

Turning, they found themselves facing a being similar to the one that had attacked them in the nursery, only with a lighter skin color.  Alex pressed
close to Fay, whimpering slightly as the sounds of fighting in the next room intensified. Closing his hand tighter in her own, Fay glared at the man.
If only….She felt her power re-act to the anger, slowly building, until she felt she might explode.  Instead, her hands began to glow with a green light.
Driven by an inner instinct she raised them and was shocked to feel the power release, in the form of a ball of green fire.  The man's eye's widened
and he screamed as the ball caught him squarely in the chest.  He fell unconscious to the floor.  Fay pushed her shock back and grabbed Alex's
hand, running in the opposite direction.

*****
The former dining room would not have been recognized by anyone as such, in fact, it now reminded one more of a dungeon.  One wall now held
a worse for wear Puck, chained by iron, and in the center, a cage held the now transformed Titania, Xanatos, and Fox.
 

"What do you mean you lost them?!" Adrian snarled at the man kneeling before him.  The man, Roan, the captain of his forces trembled slightly.
"They're children!"

"I did not expect the girl's power, M'lord...but my guards are searching the castle as we speak.  They'll not escape us again."

“For your sake, they’d better not,” his Lord growled.

Worried looks that passed among the captured onlookers.
 

*****
 At the moment, the discussed children were watching as the said guards passed below them.  As the guards went out of their view Fay counted to
fifty, then slowly allowed herself and Alex to float downward from the ceiling beam they'd been perched on.  It was true, no one ever looked up.

 "Ok, kid," Fay said crouching down in front of him.  "What the heck's going on?"

 "I…don't know how to explain…." Alex said hugging himself, his eyes filling with tears.

 "Shhhhh…."Fay took him in her arms as he sniffled.  "It's ok kid…"

 "N..no it's not, the bad man has Mommy, Daddy, Unca Puck, and even Grammy, and I'm too little to help!" he cried softly into her chest while
she gently rocked him.  Suddenly his small head snapped up, his eyes alight.
 
 "I've got an idea!" he said excitedly. "I'M too little to do big magic, but you're not!"

 "Magic? C'mon kid, I can lift things, sure, I can apparently blast things now too, but that's it.  I don't know what it is but…"

 "It's magic, like mine.  Only you got more I think, but you don't know how to use it, I know how to use mine, but I'm not big enough to do much," he
said excitedly, taking a breath he continued. "You wanna know what's happening, and you gotta know some more about magic to help everybody."

 "Ok…yeah I guess so.  So what's the big idea?"

 "Unca Puck taughted me to show him what's in my head, I can do that to you!"

 "I don't know kid, what if something goes wrong? I wouldn't know what to do…"

 "You got a better idea?" he asked drawing himself to his full height.

 "No…I don't," Fay said with a sigh.

 "Ok then…" Alex closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they glowed.

 "Mind of mine,
 To mind of thine,"

  A green light burst from Alex's eyes, Fay only had a moment to be surprised before the light shot into her own eyes.  Then….

 It was like she WAS Alex.  Alex, who somehow could remember his babyhood, who knew Gargoyles (Gargoyles were real?), whose
Grandmother was Titania (THE Titania?), who's teacher was Puck, Puck who was…(Owen!?), who had been taught from birth to use his magic,
who could already speak some basic Latin, and who knew so much more about magic then his simple years suggested...

 Then it was over and she pulled away with a gasp.

 "See, I knew it would work…" Alex said proudly. Fay smiled weakly.

 "Yeah, kid, it worked.  C'mon, we need to get you to the Gargoyles."

 "So that the bad man won't sense my magic?"

 "According to you, yeah.  The Gargoyles' own magic should confuse the search."

  "What about you?"

 "Well…. I'M going to go confuse the bad man," Fay said with a grin.

*****
 Adrian paced the length of dining room irritably.  So far, no one had been able to locate the children.

 "A couple of kids too much for ya Adrian?" Puck taunted from his wall.

 "Silence, nephew!" Adrian snarled.  Puck flinched slightly, David and Fox looked surprised. "You above all should appreciate what I'm doing!
Oberon no longer even acknowledges you as his blood! I was always second best to Oberion, a full blood.  Even when the throne of Avalon
should have been mine!  I was the eldest! But no, I was nothing but father's dirty affair."

 "My heart bleeds," a sarcastic voice said from the doorway.  "You should really have your own soap opera, 'The Blue, And the Restless'."

 "You!  Who are you?"

 "Fairy Titania Smith at your service," she answered with a mock bow.

 "What's your reason for being here?  Where's the boy?"

 "I was sorta pulled into this thing and I wanna make sure I get outta here with my skin intact, and as for the kid, how should I know?  What am I
his babysitter?"  Had Adrian been paying more attention, or been a bit less angry, he might have noticed that a young girl that looked exactly like
the one in front of him was creeping in the shadows toward the iron cage.

 "You seemed rather concerned about him only a bit ago," Adrian said his eyes dark.

 "That's before my survival instincts kicked in, last I saw him he was running in the opposite direction." The other Fay put a finger to her lips as
the occupants of the cage noticed her.  She silently crouched down, pulling a set of lock picking tools from her pocket.

 "Then perhaps we could…work something out? I'll let you leave here, in exchange for the boy."

  "Hmmm…" The Fay seemed to consider.  While the other Fay finished picking the cage's lock, pulling the door open slightly and moving to
Puck's wall.

 "I don't know…That kid's as slippery as an eel, can't ya get another one?"

 "No! It must be…" he paused, a gleam starting in his eyes.  "It must an innocent mixed blood…."

 Fay floated upward and began picking Puck's locks.  The other Fay's face remained calm as the Fey Lord advanced.

 "You can't be over…twelve in human years," Adrian said smiling.

 "Fourteen, not that it's any of your business," the girl shrugged.  And the other Fay finished picking Puck's chains, and floated with him softly to
the ground.

 "Then maybe I won't need the boy after all…" Adrian lunged for her, only to feel an illusion dissolve in his hands.  He looked confused, then
spun and found himself face to face with two very angry Fey.

 "It's over Adrian, "Titania said coldly.  "Give up now and perhaps Oberon will be lenient with you."

 "Never, I haven't quite ran out of options, yet." Adrian smiled.  "You see, I don't HAVE to have your precious grandson, just an innocent mixed
blood.  The child at your side more then fits the bill."

 "Like we're going to let you have her," Puck said angrily.

 "I'm afraid you don't have a choice, trickster," Roan's voice said suddenly from behind them.  All Fay got was a single cry of alarm, before her
world was thrown into darkness by a well-placed blast to the head.

"Payment for earlier…." The captain said with a smile. Jerking the limp girl against him he transported to his master's side.

"Now, if you'll excuse us.  I'll see you again when I'm your King," Adrian said with a laugh and disappeared with Fairy.

The doors to the dining hall suddenly filled with Gargoyles.

“Xanatos?” Goliath’s voice rumbled.

“Here, Goliath, but I’m afraid you’re a bit late…” he said with slight smile.

“Daddy! Mommy!” Alex broke free of Lexington to run to his parents.  “Where’s Fay?”

There was a brief silence as Fox and David hugged their son and exchanged glances.

"Where's Fay?" Alex repeated looking from one parent to the other.

"We don't know hun," Fox said softly hugging him close.

*****

Miles away and hours upon hours later, a groggy Fairy was slowly waking up, and beginning to wish she'd stayed unconscious.  She was in the
center of a stone structure, one she recognized almost immediately.

"Stonehenge?" she asked weakly.

"Very good, child," Adrian's voice brought her completely awake, she tried to sit up, and found almost immediately she couldn't.  Her arms and
legs were chained down, she was resting on a stone in the center of the other large pillars, and was utterly helpless.

"Don't attempt to free yourself, the chains are iron," he said walking to her side, and looked amused as she none the less struggled against the
restraints.

"It's no use, soon you'll die and I'll be king of the Fey."

"You'll forgive me for being less then enthusiastic, I don't like the whole part where I die," Fay shot back, straining against her bonds.

"So spirited…I wonder who's child you are? The Fey blood is strong, you must at least be a half breed, and your other must have been a Gifted
for your powers to show without training," Adrian mused walking around the stone slab.

"What? You're saying my dad was a Fey? Like a pixie?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"No, I doubt he was a pixie, they're simply the most commonly known of our race.  You assumed it was your father, why not your mother?"

"My mom's dead, my dad left before I was born," Fay looked away, feeling the ache in her heart start again.

"I see, well, it's really too bad I don't have the time to track him down. It would prove interesting to see who's blood was strong enough to sire
one with such power," he said with the casual interest one shows livestock breeding, then reach inside his cloak to withdraw a dagger. The blade
shone in the moonlight as he toyed with it.

"Well, I'm afraid our little chat is almost at an end.  This blade has enough iron to kill a full born Fey, and that should be enough to finish you off."
He sounded almost absent minded, as though he did this all the time.

"Do I even get to know why the Hell I'm being killed?"

"Why not? We have at least a little while longer.  You see child, long ago, before even my time, there was a half-breed such as ourselves.  He was
banished from Avalon because he attempted to overthrow the then king, my grandfather.  Swearing revenge, he came to this place and used dark
magic to call up enough power to defeat those that opposed him.  However, my grandfather refused to allow him to take Avalon and using the last
of his strength sacrificed himself to drain all of the evil ones power, later these stones were erected as a warning."

"So, what does that have to do with me?"

"To break such a powerful seal, the Dark forces require an innocent sacrifice, but the sacrifice must contain power too, thus the sacrifice must be
an innocent mixed blood."  He glanced up at the sky as he answered, smiling slightly.

"It is time," his cold voice made her shiver, and despite her failed earlier efforts, she again began to struggle.  Adrian began to chant in an ancient
language, a language even older then Latin and even more powerful.

As his chanting reached a point known only to him, he raised the knife above her chest, just over her heart. For a moment that lasted an eternity
he paused, then plunged the blade deep into her heart.

She felt it then, a building of power.  Her entire being seemed to be pulsing with it, and she realized her purpose in this ritual, she was the one who
channeled the energy, the thing the energy had to pass through.  Adrian drew the knife from her chest, and she felt the power start to seep out
with her blood.

"No…" Adrian jerked to look at her face as she uttered the single word in a weak voice.

Pulling on her last bit of waning strength Fairy concentrated on stopping the power from escaping.  It built within her till she thought she'd have
to release it or die, but still she held.  She used what little she knew of her own power and directed it to heal the wound in her chest, she felt a
searing pain as it complied and the wound closed.  Again directing the new found strength she shattered the chains holding her and set up.  She
looked into Adrian's horrified face a moment, before with a single thought he was slammed into a pillar and thrown into unconsciousness.

And still the power built….

She felt herself begin to panic, she had no idea what to do with so much power, it felt like it was eating her up whole.  She fell to her knees,
struggling not to be lost in the building power, and afraid to let her fragile hold go.

She almost screamed when a hand touched her shoulder. Looking up, she thought for a moment that Adrian had roused himself somehow.
Then she noticed this being's hair was white, instead of black, still the similarities were amazing.

"W..who are you?" she asked weakly of the being in front of her.

"I am Oberon, King of Avalon," he answered. His voice was soft, but his tone still seemed to command attention.

"Sure…why not? I've already met Titania and Puck…" she flinched as once again the power within managed to double and her control almost
slipped.

"You're too young to control such power, I offer you my help," he said holding his hand out to her.

Fairy hesitated only a moment before taking the offered hand.  Oberon helped her to her feet, then quietly tilted her face up.

"Open your mind, child, let me help you guide this power."

 "I..I'll try…" Fay said weakly, closing her eyes she tried to open herself.  Whatever she did must have worked because she felt some of the
power's burden lift.  She felt a mind much more ancient then her own help her guide the power back to it's resting place, then felt her lips begin
to chant in the same language Adrian had used, and the power was locked down again.  A sudden weakness overtook her, and before she was
plunged completely into darkness she was vaguely aware of Oberon's arms catching her.

*****

The scene at the castle Xanatos called home could only be described as chaos.  For the entire night/day Fairy had been unconscious they had been
searching for any clue to tell them where Adrian would have taken her.  Lexington had exhausted all his computer resources. Owen, Fox, Elisa (who
had appeared shortly after the gargoyles), Goliath, Angela, and Brooklyn were all in the library going over anything that had to do with Feys.
Broadway and Hudson had been watching all the videos in their extensive collection on the subject. Xanatos had been using his contacts. Titania
had gone in search of Oberon, only to find the king had vanished too. Both Titania and Puck with Alex tried tracking spells; again nothing came
of it, meaning Adrian had put up blocking spells.

The thing they all had come to agree on was that when the Fey wanted to keep a secret, they sure kept it a secret.

As the sun had rose the humans and Feys had continued the search to no avail, nightfall found them out of ideas and each had a growing sense of dread.

They were all gathered in the library, half-heartedly going over texts they'd already reviewed, when a green glow began to form in the room's center,
Owen almost immediately turned to Puck, and everyone else went on the offensive too.  They were all equally shocked to see Oberon appear. In his
usual manner he quickly scanned the room adjusting something wrapped in his cloak.

"Husband?" Titania questioned hesitantly.

"Wife," Oberon greeted with a nod. "Where is the child's room?"

Titania's eyes widened as she realized what the bundle was.  Everyone else seemed to come to the same conclusion, as Oberon was suddenly the
object of attention. With a sigh, Puck was suddenly Owen again and, with a nod to Oberon, led him to Fay's room, leaving the others to simply
look shocked.

Pulling the blankets down on the large bed, Owen watched as Oberon's cloak unwrapped itself from the young girl's body.  His eyes widened
slightly at the sight of blood on her shirt, along with a gaping hole.  With a wave of his hand, the king of Avalon clothed Fay in a white night gown
and laid her down, with surprising gentleness he tucked the blankets around her and turned to Owen.

"An interesting child, very spirited," he commented.

"Indeed," Owen said carefully, while his mind worked to figure out what the heck Oberon was getting at.

"She reminds me of another I once knew…He was spirited, but I fear I didn't appreciate him for that until now." His voice was soft, and it was
the closest he would ever come to apologizing for the curse he'd put on Puck.  In fact Puck's mind was still in shock he'd gotten that. With out
another word Oberon turned and walked back to the library for the explanation he knew he'd have to give to at least his wife, leaving Owen to
look with no slight wonder at the child he was left with.

*****

Fairy finished folding the last shirt and placed it neatly in her suitcase.  With a sigh and a slight smile she looked around the room that had, for a
brief while, seemed like home.  She had slept for almost a day after being returned by Oberon.  Puck told her it was because she had used so
much magic to put back the ancient power.  He'd kept her confined to bed another day, in which Alex had carted in (with Owen's help) a TV
and VCR and shown her his entire Spider Man video collection.  The rest of the week had been a blur of happiness, toy stores, movies, meeting
Gargoyles, sitting in on Alex's magic lessons, and for a while she'd felt…loved and needed.

She glanced up as Owen walked in, he watched her silently as she fastened her suitcase, and his eyes showed no emotion but for a moment she
thought he looked…sad.  Silly, why would he?

"Mr. Xanatos' offer still stands," Owen began.

"I know Mr. Burnett, but I still won't accept," she did a quick scan, seeing nothing she'd left she put the suitcase on the floor.

"He feels he owes me something, I can't let him adopt me just because he thinks he has to." She smiled at him with false cheerfulness. "Don't think
you're getting rid of me that easy though, I promised Alex I'd come visit."

"Of course, Alex…will miss you," Owen said softly, not adding that he himself was already missing her, she looked so much like…but no it
wasn't because she looked and acted like his Sam, she was a trickster, and reminded him of himself too.  He would miss her.

"Well, I'm supposed to meet Joe, the driver, downstairs, tell Mr. And Mrs. Xanatos bye for me, I've said bye to Alex already, and the gargoyles
too, so you're the last on my list Mr. Burnett.  Good bye, and believe it or not I'll miss you." With that said, before Owen could respond or offer
assistance, Fay tossed her leather satchel over her shoulder and lifted the suitcase.  She was out the door before he could blink, and he suddenly
felt the room, and indeed the castle, was suddenly far too empty.

*****

Fay looked at the elevator doors as she descended, fighting back a rising wave of sadness. She was right, wasn't she? Xanatos couldn't really
want her.  What could she offer? She was a street punk with a couple of cool parlor tricks. Assuring herself she'd done the right thing she
stepped out and pasted a smile on for the driver.

*****

Owen, in his usual fashion, did a brief scan of the room.  He was about to walk out when he noticed the corner of what appeared to be a book.
Thinking Alex had left one of the books he and Fay had been reading he bent to pick it up.

*****

Fay sat in the limo watching buildings and cars go by, she felt like she was forgetting something.

*****

Owen blinked as he read the title on the cover.  He was sure the only copy of this book in the castle was in his personal collection.  It wasn't
quite like the truth, but still, he'd rather liked Will.  With a half smile he opened the cover. And froze. It wasn't possible.  But there it was, plain
as day in his own handwriting.

"Oh Puck! It's beautiful! Leather bound and fully illustrated, and they didn't do such a bad job on you this time," Samantha said
grinning.

"Yeah, well, me and the illustrator had a chat," he'd said returning the smile, he was currently wearing his natural form and
floating in front of her.  He'd met her in the guise of Robin Fellows while trying out for "A Midsummer's Night Dream".  He'd been
wearing a normal enough human guise, long blonde hair, blue eyes, in his twenty's, with a white T-shirt and jeans instead of his
favored clothing.  She'd seen right through it, she had the Sight, and he'd finally revealed himself to her when she'd asked.

"You're leaving aren’t you?" her soft voice drew him back to the present.  He flinched. Damn her Sight, he'd wanted to break it
to her gently.

"Yeah, Sam, you know it's for the best…"

"I know nothing of the sort! I love you Puck, you stupid trickster, you came into town and swiped my heart," she threw herself
into his arms and he held her close, drinking in the feel of her, and her wonderful scent.

"I love you too, Sam, so much…."

"Then don't leave, please Puck…"

"It's for the best…What kind of life would you have with me? You want kids, I'd be terrible dad, I'd let 'em get away with everything.
You want a nice normal guy to grow old with and laugh about gray hairs with."

"I don't care about that, as long as we're together.  Is it because I'm mortal? Because I'll die and grow old and ugly?"

"You'll never be ugly Sam, not ever, even when you're a hundred.  I…I don't know if I could watch you die, so maybe that is some
of it but…Sam I don't want to hold you back, you need…you need someone more reliable then me. "

"Reliable? Puck I've never been reliable either! I'm a trickster as much as you are. I don't care about kids, or picket fences, as long
I have you…" He pulled away gently catching a tear on his fingertip.

"Don't cry, never cry, you're too beautiful…I love you Samantha, and that's why I have to leave.  I hope…I hope one day when
you've got about ten kids, and those picket fences, you'll understand why…" he kissed her forehead, then her lips gently.  He felt her
start to go limp as his sleeping spell took hold.  He caught her and gently tucked her in her own bed, putting the book on the
nightstand. Unable to stop himself he leaned forward and gently kissed her lips again, brushing away tears he turned to leave.

"Good bye my Sam, I love you."

Owen felt the lump in his throat firmly lodge itself, he hadn't even made it past the signature.  Looking down he felt the pain in his heart double.
Fairy was Sam's daughter?  But her age…Fairy was his and Sam's daughter?!  As his mind turned that thought over he saw something sticking
out of the book, it appeared to be the edge of a piece of paper.  Carefully tugging it out he found it was a plain white envelope with Sam's writing
on it. Addressed to…well, him apparently.

He carefully opened it.

*****

In the limo Fay had become rather frantic, she'd just emptied the contents of her satchel and went through them, twice.  Her book wasn't there.
HER BOOK WASN"T THERE!

"Stop! I left something at the castle."

"Well, we'll get it returned to you kid, there's no way I can turn around in this traffic…" Joe began, looking at the halted traffic in front of him.

"Then don't, meet me back at the castle." Before he could protest she was out the door, satchel over one shoulder, dodging through cars with
a practiced ease.

"Damn," he muttered. "I liked this job too…"

*****

Owen opened the letter, done in Samantha's unique scrawl, and found himself smiling despite himself.

Dear Puck,

First things first, SLEEPING SPELLS ARE NOT THE PROPER WAY TO WIN ARGUMENTS!   Well, now that that's over with, I have
an important announcement to make: It's a girl!  I know, I didn't exactly expect her myself.

Well, if you're holding this letter I must be dead.  Blunt, but true.  I had a vision tonight Puck, and I died in it.  Stupid second sight only
kicks in when I don't want it to.  It didn't warn me about Fairy. I hope that I get to come home tonight and rip this to pieces, but…
better safe then sorry.  I know she'll find you, I just know.  And eventually you'll read this, I'm sorry I'm not there to say it's all right,
and hug you close.  But it is all right Puck, Fairy's the best thing that I, that we, ever did.  I'll never regret the time we had together.

And Fairy! She's so much like you! She loves a good joke, but knows when to be serious too.  She's got your ears, but I think she sounds
more like me, and she's so smart!  I could talk hours about her. I know you'll love her Puck, you better, or I'll come haunt you.

Well, I guess it's time to leave now, I'm putting this in my (and Fairy's), favorite book.  I know she'd keep it no matter what.

I love you Puck, never forget that.  Take care of our daughter.

Love Always,
Samantha
 

Owen closed his eyes as a tear managed to escape his eyes.

*****

Fairy ran into the front doors of the Aerie building.  She didn't even acknowledge the guard as she went past, hitting the elevator's button.  The
guard shrugged, figuring she'd left a hairbrush or something and watched her get on the elevator.

*****

Owen looked up as a rather distraught Fairy burst in.  For a second they simply regarded each other.

 "What are you doing with that?" Fay snapped closing the distance between them quickly.  He said nothing but quietly held the letter out to her.

 "I can't…I can't read that…." she said softly, looking at him as though he'd done something incredibly wrong.

 "Yes, you can," he quietly pushed the letter into her hands, almost trembling she took it.  Her eyes quickly skimmed it, then widened, going through
again to take in every detail.

"That means…you're my…" she trailed off looking at him.

"If it helps, it's a shock to me as well," he said softly, watching the play of emotions on her face.

"Why?" Her voice was soft and quiet, cracking only slightly.

"Why what?" he answered equally softly, though he could almost sense the answer.

"Why did…why did you leave?" her voice cracked, but her face was turned downward so he couldn't see it. "Mom never let me complain, or
talk badly about you, she always said you were the best…If you were so great how come you left?" She looked up and Owen flinched at the
unshed tears he found there. "She used to cry, at night when she didn't think I heard, and I'd go in and hug her and try to make her stop.  Then
…the night before IT happened…she woke up screaming.  I ran in and she held me till I couldn't breathe, then told me not to worry, everything
was ok.  I knew it wasn't though, ya know?  Then…that day, she seemed all jumpy, I asked her if we could…if we could go for ice cream.  Ice
cream always made her feel better…. and…and the car was on the wrong side.  I laid there and watched her bleed, she held my hand while the
police tried to get us out, and I started healing.  She didn't though, and after a while she wouldn't answer me any more…."

"Where were you then, huh?" she half sobbed, finally.

"I…" he stopped, feeling for all his years as though he were struck dumb.  He felt the tears come unbidden down his cheeks. "I was running,
trying…trying to do what I though best."

"Well…it wasn't…" she sniffed wiping her eyes almost viciously.

"I know…" he said softly, looking away. "I'm sorry…I know there's nothing I can do to make it hurt less…but I am sorry. "

He turned back to her gently lifting her chin to look into eyes that so reminded him of his own, into a face that had the delicate bones of a Fey,
framed by hair that was as black as night, like her mothers, and a personality shown from her eyes that took much from them both.

"I left because I thought she'd be happier with someone normal.  Someone who could give her the family and home she never had and wanted
so badly.  I always told myself that whatever happened it was better then life with a trickster…and all this time she's been…" Unable to complete
the sentence he regarded her silently.  "You look so much like her…"

"No, I don't…" Fay said pulling away. "Mom was prettier."

"She was beautiful, inside and out…"Owen agreed.  "But you do look a great deal like her, from the moment I saw you…I wondered.  But what
where the chances? Do you have any idea how many Smith's there are?"

"A pretty good idea, yeah…" she smiled softly, then looked up questionly.   "Now what?"

"I…I would like it very much if you would stay…"

"Why?  You woulda let me walk out a few minutes ago, how does my being your daughter change anything?  I'm still a street punk, my job skills
include street magic and pick pocketing.  What use would you have for me?" She asked, an edge borne of the street slipping into her voice.

"You're also an accomplished flutist, a talented reader, a magic user in need of training, and…a trickster.  As for use…I…I would like to get to
know you.  In the time I've been with I've learned to enjoy your company.   I'm not exactly father material…but I'd be willing to try…"

"Guess it makes us even…it's been a while since…since anyone wanted me…Well, besides Doc.  That's what I'm worried about…ya see I'm
not exactly…well, honor student material…"

"Nor am I, until this particular life time that is, nor was your mother, I'd want you no other way."

"That's another thing…Do you…Do you really want me?  It's not too late to say no, pretend you didn't read the letter.  If you're doing this
because you think you have to…I'll walk outta here and pretend this never have happened…"

"I want you here, I don't know what you think about me, Fairy, but I loved your mother with all my heart.  I was stupid enough to walk away
from that, I won't make the same mistake again.  I want to know the daughter our love created." He stepped forward, touching her cheek softly.
"Don't walk away Fairy, please, don't make the mistake I did."

"I…I'll stay…" she said softly, suddenly surprising both herself and Owen she hugged him close.  Starting to pull away, slightly embarrassed by
herself she was surprised to feel him hold her back and hear a strangled sob break from his throat.  Suddenly it didn't matter they'd only met a
week ago, what mattered was holding to each other while they cried for a women they had both loved, and lost.  Pulling away slightly to look
at him she smiled softly, weakly up at him.

"S..so I guess there's only one question left to ask…"

"Oh?" Owen said, smiling as he saw a glint of mischief in her blue eyes.

"Do I call you call Dad? Or Father? Or Pops?"

"Let's go with your first choice and work from there, " he said forcing down a slight smirk.  He retrieved a handkerchief and handed it to the
young girl, his daughter, he was amazed at how good the simple phrase made him feel.

"Ok then, Dad, who the heck is explaining this Xanatos?" she said wiping away stray tears, sniffling gently, but still smiling.

"A good question, indeed…"

*****

So, it came to pass, just an hour after sunrise, that the entire Gargoyle clan, the Xanatos' family, and Elisa were all gathered in the great hall,
looking expectantly at Owen and an increasingly nervous Fairy.  Owen cleared his throat and proceeded to tell the assembly in a calm voice
and in no uncertain terms the happenings of a few hours before.  There was a short shocked silence.

"Does that mean Fay gets to stay Unca Owen?" Alex finally piped up excitedly.

"Yeah, kid, that is if no one has any objections?" Fay said hesitantly.

"Objections? Of course not!" David began.  Others quickly joined him.

"We'd love to have ya, lass."

"Yeah! We need another young person!"

"It'll be great to have you, Fay!"

"She can stay in my room!"  Alex chimed in suddenly, met by laughter.

Owen watched a half smile appearing on his face, as Fay slowly smiled looking relieved.

"Can Fay be my sister?" Alex asked as he hugged Fairy.

"I'm afraid it's more like cousins, Alexander," Owen said from behind them.

"I guess that makes me an uncle then?" David asked grinning.  "Uncle David, has a nice ring…"

The chat and arrangements continued well into the night, ending only after Fay began to yawn, followed closely by Alex.  Making sure Alex was
safely in his bed, Owen stopped hesitantly at Fay's door.  Opening it he walked in to find Fay asleep in her clothes, a smile still on her face.  Silently,
he removed her shoes and tucked her under the blankets.  He leaned forward to gently brush a kiss across her forehead, and then looked to the ceiling.

"Sam?  If…if somehow you can hear me, I'll take care of her, My Love, I promise…." Brushing away a tear he smiled softly at his daughter, and
felt, for the first time in a while, like he truly was home.

*****

The End