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It was tedious, but the benefit was worth it. The amount of people that that failed to pass were proof of Malcolm’s reach. Considering how many residential properties he owned, it wasn’t surprising that finding jurors that weren’t connected to him in some way was hard to accomplish.

While the preparations were being made for the trial, so were others..

Yuletide was just around the corner, and Skye was busy running around like a mad woman with Murdoc. Gathering the items she needed for the gifts for the troops was more difficult that they had planned. Apparently, thanks to Skye: giving a gift basket with targeted goodies was a popular idea.

The basket weavers and the glass makers that Skye had ordered from were swamped. She and Amara ran back and forth to help make sure that they had enough materials to work with. Skye provided the sand, and Amara melted it down so it could be blown into bottles.

The weavers needed flexible bark for the baskets, so Skye requested a birch tree seed, and sped up the process. Her help guaranteed that her orders were a priority, but Skye still wanted to make sure that the Highlanders all had their gifts for Yuletide.

As she helped weave a basket, Skye thought about how much fun they had last year..

Helping decorate her parents’ home, taking the trip into the village to hand out presents, and when Nicolas showed up with Tidas and Petrie in green tights. She giggled as the mental image popped up in her head, earning her strange looks for the surrounding weavers.

As she found her calm, the best part of last year flashed across her mind’s eye: meeting Zazzy. Having her completed her and Tidas’ little family, and made her feel whole..

.....

‘Fer now.. I really wanna see a tiny Tidas runnin’ around. Ohh! And I canna wait ta see Magnus melt over a granddaughter! It’s so adorable ta see him fussin’ over Lawrence’s children!’

Tidas stood in the doorway to the weavers’ shop, watching Skye be happily lost in her own little world as she worked. It brought a smile to his face as he listened to her giggle on occasion. Right after Malcolm was taken away was rough on them all..

************

Tidas thought about how heartbroken Amara and Petrie’s family had been at the funeral pyres. Since Mickey’s body was the only one retrieved, only three pyres were built. One for Mickey, one to represent the Alconians lost, and one for the other Highlanders lost as well.

Amara had lit the wood herself, and stood in the falling snow with a thousand Highlanders. The entirety of the remaining RMC was outside as well. The Council had wanted it broadcast, so a small camera crew were off to the side.

Murdoc, Tidas, and Petrie gave speeches about Mickey and some of the others lost. Afterwards, anyone who knew a deceased could come up and speak. Toasts we’re had in the memory of the fallen, but Amara, Petrie, and his family cried throughout the entire night.

Turned out that Mickey was always randomly helping out someone. Whether it was fixing something, or running errands for elderly Highlanders in his neighborhood; more people had good things to say about Mickey’s life than bad..

As Tidas thought about it, he recalled a specific moment.. Walking over to Skye as she watched the three pyres’ flames twist and try to meld together as one. They danced in the night sky as snow steadily fell all around.

His wife’s words echoed in Tidas’ mind as he remembered how the gentle light from the fire looked on her skin.. “If I die at the end of this Catalyst thing, please keep bein’ the good man that ye are..”

It was a crazy thing to randomly say, but considering what she was staring at: Tidas couldn’t blame Skye for her mind going to such a place. When he had told her that it wasn’t going to happen, she asked him why with an odd seriousness that unnerved him..

“Because you’re my better half, Skye. If I lose you, all that’s left is the bad. If you die, I hope we’re dying together.. I don’t want to end up like Roland Snare,” Tidas replied with equal seriousness.

“...That isna healthy at all,” Skye commented as she stared at him.

Tidas cupped her cheek tenderly as he’d spoken; “I know, but that’s how it is for me. If we’re apart, that’s one thing. I know I’ll always make it back to you. But if you died, I might as well be dead, too.”

Skye wanted to argue, but a drunken, grieving Amara had shown up, and ended the conversation. They spent the rest of the night listening to stories from her, Petrie, and Murdoc about Mickey and some of the other fallen Highlanders.

Gavin stayed by Amara’s side, and held her hand all night. He even carried her home when she was too drunk and exhausted to walk. Mickey was the last connection to her son that she had..

Petrie knew Daryl, but Mickey had spent his final years with him. Petrie and Mickey were childhood friends, but they didn’t spend much time together after he had moved to the boarder village. Mickey had attached himself to Daryl after that, and Amara became like a second mother to him.

When she had finally passed out, Petrie asked Skye about how Mickey had died. Finding out that he’d sacrificed himself had brought Petrie to tears again, but he seemed to handle himself well after that. The party had lasted all night, even with the snow steadily piling up around them.

Zazzy had joined them, and lifted everyone’s spirits with her antics. Someone did get hurt from her swinging her tail around too much, but the Highlander said that it was his fault..

“Shoulda known not ta walk behind a happy dragon, haha!”

************

Since that night, Skye had been off. She and Gavin had also been working on a way to counter the paralysis aspect of Richard’s ooze, but hadn’t figured out how yet. Something else weighed on her, too, but she wouldn’t say what..

‘With everything going on, I should keep what Zazzy told me to myself. Just until I know who they’re sending messages to.. Even though I’m pretty sure I already know who..’

As Tidas finished his thought, Skye finally realized that he was standing in the doorway, and said; “Hey love! Whatcha doin’ here? I thought ye were out and about wit Murdoc?”

Tidas grinned as he snapped back to reality, and walked over to her; “I was, but aren’t we supposed to go to Gavin’s lab today?”

Skye looked up at the ceiling with an exasperated sigh; “Dammit, that’s right.. I forgot. Do ye think we got time ta stop by the bunker real fast?”

Tidas scrunched his face; “We’re closer to Gavin now.. Do you really need ta go back?”

“Maybe.. Gavin should have what I need at his lab, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Tidas sighed in defeat; “What is it? I’ll run and get it while you finish up the basket you’re on..”

Skye jumped to her feet; “Yer the best! On me nightstand, there’s a batter pack that-”

“You think Gavin won’t have batteries? He makes them..”

Skye huffed; “Ye didna let me finish! There’s a pack of batteries that I Modified ta how I want ’em. Can ye please grab them?”

Tidas scrunched his face at her again; “Alright, I’ll go get them.. But you owe me, wife..”

“And what is it I owe ye?” Skye asked with suspicion in her voice.

Tidas kissed the top of her head, smirked cockily as he said; “Surprise me,” then ran out the door.

The surrounding women told Skye that she was lucky to have such a sweet man, to which Skye replied with a smile; “Aye, I am.”

When Tidas came back with the odd-looking battery pack, he and Skye left to head off to Gavin’s. His lab was connected to his home, and he tended to work late, so he often slept at his desk. That was where they were expecting to find him like usual..

When they banged on his lab’s door, they weren’t expecting a robed Amara to answer. The three stared at each other back and forth a minute before Amara managed to say; “It is exactly what it looks like, so keep yer traps shut.”

Skye burst out laughing, which made Amara’s cheeks turn pink. It was made worse by Gavin poking his head out to the the side and greeting them with a big, goofy smile. Apparently, they had been spending much, much more time together since the funerals..

As Gavin invited them inside, and Amara broke away to go dress, Skye held up her battery pack and said; “I got somethin’ new ta try today..”

As Gavin grabbed the pack and looked at it, he stated; “We already tried electricity. It was a bust, remember?”

Skye nodded with smile as she replied; “Aye, but we didna try light..”

Gavin quirked an eyebrow at her; “How or why would that affect the goop?”

“Because Light magic is Dark Magic’s weakness. I think that we can stop it from stickin’ ta everyone if the electric current is focused on brightness, and not power. Ye ken?”

Gavin beamed at Skye; “Canna hurt ta try. But if it does work, how do we apply it ta the soldiers?”

Skye patted his shoulder; “Let’s figure out the method before we get ta the madness part..”

Gavin nodded, although he didn’t fully understand what Skye meant. Tidas kissed her cheek, and readied to leave right as Amara returned. A simple green dress that complimented her hair color flowed around her as she walked over.

Seeing Tidas leaving, she asked where he was going. He smirked and replied; “To hang out with Zazzy for a while. Skye’s the genius, not me. I’ll be back in a few hours to get her.. Take care not to blow things up!”

“I don’t do that!” Gavin bellowed after him.

“Wasn’t talking to you!” Tidas yelled back.

“I’ll kept the damage to a minimum! Kiss our bairn fer me?!” Skye called out as he disappeared.

Turning to Gavin, Skye asked; “So where’s the goop?”