“I’ve been thinking,” Hunter said into the silence. Moira and Morgan both looked up. “Oh, good, that’s coming back,” Moira’s mum teased, and Hunter looked at her with a pained expression. She laughed- she laughed more often now.

“Despite your attempts at wit,” Hunter went on, as both Moira and her mum laughed, “I’ve been thinking that this is good, what we have, the three of us.”

“Yes, it is,” Morgan said, her eyes shining. “I’d like to make it permanent,” Hunter went on, his voice softer. Morgan’s eyes widened, and Moira stopped eating, her spoon in midair. His sculpted face caught the candlelight, and Moira saw the smile gently curving his lips. “Morgan, for the second time, will you be handfasted to me? You’re my hearts love, my heart’s ease, my savior in every sense of the word. Will you be my wife?” Hunter reached across the table and took her hand. Moira held her breath. She’d known this would be coming and hadn’t been sure how she’d feel. But now she knew- it was right. It was perfect.

Morgan looked at Moira, then back at Hunter. “Yes,” she said her voice clear and firm. “Yes.” She looked again at Moira, love and hope showing plainly on her face.

Moira was speechless, looking from one to the other. She felt strange and happy and surprised and excited and a tiny bit sad as well.

“I think it’s a very good idea,” she said nodding. “I really do.” Morgan tilted her head back and laughed, and Hunter laughed, too. Reaching out, he took hold of Moira’s hand, and she reached for her mum’s, and the three of them sat around the table, joined. They had gone through pain and horrors and tests of fate to get here. But they had made it. And they were a family.

Hunters POV

My gaze was switching from Morgan to Moira. It has been a very long time since I’ve felt this happy, but here I was, holding hands with the two women I love the most. How would have thought it possible, not me, that’s for damn sure. Morgan had tears in her eyes, but I knew they were tears of joy. I could see it in her eyes. I had been wanting to ask her since we got to her house (which was our house by now) right after the Dark Wave was battled by my daughter. MY daughter. I still couldn’t believe it. I had a daughter. And a really strong and beautiful one at that. But after the Wave I became truly weak and I collapsed. But now I was stronger. I had gained weight and had become physically strong again. Even my magick was returning and I was so happy about that, that I felt like I was flying.

Moira disengaged her hands from ours and looked clearly at me. “Well, don’t just sit there, you twat! Kiss her!!” For a brief moment I was shocked, but at the same moment I threw my head in my neck and started laughing, I could hear Morgan laughing too. Then I got up, took Morgan’s hand and gently pulled her out of her chair. My arms slid behind her back and slowly I placed my mouth on hers. Instinctively she kissed me back and it was like we were never apart. I felt her hands in my neck and on my back. And I swear, I felt like the nineteen year old me, in her kitchen, the first time we had ever kissed. When we pulled apart, her brown eyes were glittering. “I love you,” Her voice filled my ears. “I love you too, Morgan.”

The rest of the evening went by easily. Moira told us about her plans with Ian the next day and updated us about her school. Morgan told us about the healing she had been doing with a man in the next village. After a motorcycle-accident he had been an invalid. But now he could slowly stand again and take little steps. She was to go to him once more and he would have been healed completely. I was so proud of my girls. At ten Moira got up. “I’m heading up,” she said and we wished her sweet dreams. Now it was only me and Morgan on the couch and she scooted closer to me. I put my arm around her shoulders and her head rested on my own. “ I must admit,” I started. “I am not looking forward to going to bed.” She looked up at me. “Why?” she asked softly. My nightmares hadn’t gone away yet and every night I returned to the Island in my dreams. I didn’t want to go back there ever again and it was torture to have to endure it in my sleep. In my dreams I kept replaying the memory when Iona had lied to me and told me that Morgan was dead. She had found it such a delight. Joy was radiating from her body while my heart was breaking! I looked into Morgan’s eyes. “The nightmares won’t go away…” I whispered and concern filled her eyes. “love…” she said while she placed her soft hand on my cheek. “You have been on that godforsaken island for 16 years…” I could hear in her voice that she was struggling with the idea of what I went through. “Give it some time. Time and some tender love and care will do you wonders. I promise!” I nodded, she was right.

She got up. “Maybe we should go to bed too.” She said. I groaned to myself , but eventually nodded again and got up too. When we arrived up stairs and I was opening my bedroom-door she stopped me by placing her hand on top of mine which was resting on the doorhandle. I looked into her eyes and got lost in the deep brown colour of them. “Where do you think you are going?” She asked. I looked at her with confusion. A slight grin played around her mouth. “We are engaged now…” She said. My mind was racing. What was she saying. Then she squeezed my hand and slowly escorted me towards her own bedroom. I must not have been thinking straight because I still didn’t understand where she was getting at. She must have noticed the confusion on my face, because she chuckled and said: “Hunter, would you mind sleeping beside me tonight?” I could feel my eyebrows rising and wordlessly I nodded. Was this really happening? Were we really, after more than 17 years of sleeping apart from each other, going to sleep together? When I finally found my voice back, it was low and slightly hoarse. “Are you sure?” I asked. She nodded. “Are you really sure, Morgan? Colm…” I couldn’t speak any more for she had placed her finger on my mouth. “Colm would have wanted me to move on.” She said matter-of-factly. “Move on with you…” Then she got on her toes and kissed me. She dragged me into the bedroom and I let my hands wander over her body. She had changed since I last held her like this. She had become more curvy and her body had become soft and feminine. Not that it wasn’t before I... uhm…left, but due to pregnancy and years her breasts had grown and her hips had expanded. She pulled back from me and walked away. She closed the door and shut the curtains. It was really dark now in the room and despite my magick coming back, my magesight hadn’t yet. I couldn’t see a thing. Then I felt Morgan drawing power to herself and the next instant the room was alit with about fifty big candles. It was perfect. She got to her bed and started to take of her shoes and socks. I got to the bed too and did the same. Then I felt her hands on my shoulder, and she leaned forward so she could kiss my neck. A shiver flew up my spine. I turned to face her and took her head in my hands. Gently I kissed her, and she wriggled closer to me. I could feel her body pressed against mine. Goddess, she felt good. Goddess, this felt right, like coming home. She touched the back of my head and started playing with my hair. Just like she’d always done. I didn’t even have to try and remember what she liked, I just knew it. As if I had done nothing else in my life than being with her, making love to her.

I rolled us over so I was on top of her, and my weight was pushing her further in to the soft mattress. Her hands were on my back, and I could feel her fingertips tightening through my shirt. “Goddess, I have missed this so much…” I whispered in her ear. She made an incomprehensible reply and I started to place tender kisses in her neck. Then she gripped my back tight and rolled us over again only now with her on top of me. She sat on my hips and she started to undo the buttons of my shirt. Swiftly it fell open. Her hands were caressing my skin and her fingertips were examining a scar I couldn’t even remember how I got. Her face was solemn, but her eyes were filled with emotions. Love and want but there was also sadness when she looked at my scars. I was examining her, taking in everything about her. I placed my hands under her shirt and she gasped. She let her self fall in to me and she slanted her mouth across mine. We were drowning in each other, comforting the other with our bodies. She shifted her hips, and my brain was begin to cook over with love and lust. I had been afraid that I couldn’t do this stuff anymore. Not having to for 17 years takes it’s toll. But I was relieved that that particular part of my body still worked. In fact, it still worked perfectly, and she felt it. She pulled on my arms to make me sit up, which I did. And she pushed my shirt of my shoulders. I, in return, pulled her shirt over her head. And discovered to my joy that she still didn’t wear bra’s. I let my eyes and hands wander over her beautiful body, while she was doing the same on my body. We were rediscovering each other. “You are getting muscular again.” She said in her slightly husky voice which made me tremble. I grinned at her and then I swooped down to kiss her neck and collarbones. My hands automatically searched her breasts and I could feel her shiver when I found them. Her hands were stroking my back and neck. I lay back down again, and rolled us over. I started to kiss a path down her torso and when I got down to her lower belly I unsnapped her jeans. Moments later they lay on the floor and she had started on getting me out of my pants. Then we were both naked, rolling together, while our bodies were performing a dance we hadn’t been able to do for so, so long. I felt her closing around me and I lost my mind. We made love and when we fell on the bed panting and sweaty, she automatically reclaimed her spot on my chest to rest her head on. When she had gained enough oxygen to be able to speak she said: “Hunter, Hunter…I have been longing for this night, for so long. I can’t believe we can finally make love again.” I still hadn’t regained enough oxygen and I was panting hard. But I managed to make a sound in my throat to confirm I felt the same. Then we fell asleep, we fell asleep the way we should! In each other’s arms and it felt good and safe and natural. That night I didn’t dream about the island. That night I dreamt about Morgan.

Morgans POV

The next morning I woke up in Hunter’s arms. I could feel him staring at me. Slowly I opened my eyes to meet his, and when I looked deep in to his green eyes (which were slowly turning into the shade of green they were so many years ago) I could see warmth and love in them. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. “Good morning, sleepy,” he said, and with a flood of warmth I remembered that had been the exact sentence he had always wished me good morning with. “Good morning,” my voice sounded thick and sleepy and he chuckled at the sound of it.

A sudden scream from the bathroom ripped through our peaceful waking. Within seconds we had put on our clothes and burst through the bathroom door. “Moira! What’s wrong?” I asked. I found my daughter crying in front of the mirror. “What’s wrong, Moira?” asked Hunter. She turned to face us. “Look at me!!” she yelled. “Look at THIS HUMONGOUS THING on my chin!!” She was practically shrieking now. “How can I face Ian with this zit?” she asked, looking hopeless. We were still shaking with adrenalin but now we were laughing our lungs out! When Hunter had found his breath again, he said: “Just wait here, I’ve got the perfect solution!” and with that said he turned around and didn’t come back until he had made an extract of herbs. He took Moira’s chin in his hand and started to put the extract on the impurity. “I used to have these every morning! Keep this on for ten minutes.” He gave her a swift kiss on her forehead and then he went downstairs to make breakfast. I looked at my daughter. She was examining the rapidly decreasing pimple on her chin, and within seconds she gave a little gasp and turned around. It was gone, completely gone. “See Moira, Hunter comes in quite handy,” I joked. She gave me a smile, grabbed my hand and started downstairs. When she saw Hunter she flew into him, her arms tightly around his back. He enfolded her into his arms. “I told you it was the perfect solution.” He said. She let go of him, and looked at him, then she said: “Thanks, Da…” I could feel my own eyebrows flying up, and his eyes were spontaneously filled with emotions. “You’re very welcome, sweetheart.” He gave her another big hug. “But seriously, leave that on for another couple of minutes or the pimple returns in an hour or so. Now go get ready for your big date with Ian.” He let go of her, and she ran upstairs again. He looked at me, and I could see one small tear leaving the corner of his eye. I walked over to him and buried my head in his chest. “She called me Da…” he said softly. “Yes, she did.” Was my choky reply.