Realization dawned in Steven's eyes, "You mean that my great-great . . . well you know, that she was a faerie?!?" Nimor's smile widened as Steven sat back in astonishment, "Oh my gosh." Lia giggled and hugged Steven tightly. "Wait a second," he said, holding up a hand, "so you're saying that there's faerie blood in my lineage."
"Correct," Nimor replied.
"But what does that have to do with me knowing how to speak fae, or speak to animals, or the visions, or even the headaches?"
"First of all," Nimor began, "all faeries are born with the ability to speak to the creatures of the forest, it is a gift that is passed down through our bloodline, as is the ability to speak the fae language. You didn't realize this because, of course, you had lived your life as a human, so you never had need to use either gift. It wasn't until your faerie heritage began to awaken that you began to find you could use these gifts. Such as the incident you had with the bear."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Steven said, holding up both hands and indicating that Nimor needed to stop, "You said my 'life as a human', are you saying that I've always been a faerie and just didn't know it?"
"Not exactly," Nimor replied, "you have faerie blood in you. Even though Sylviana became human, she never gave up her heritage. That passed with her down through her bloodline, of which you are a direct descendant, thus, you inherited that heritage as well. However, Lia was the one who started things in motion that led to your transformation."
"What?" It was Lia's turn to look at her father in surprise, "Me? What did I do?" Steven laughed at seeing her caught off guard, winking at her.
Nimor smiled, his eyes twinkling with merriment, "Daughter, when you first met Steven, what did you do to him?"
Lia looked over at Steven, who held up his hands, "Don't look at me, you were the one who apparently started all this." He chuckled as she gave him an annoyed look.
"Father, I don't understand what you mean. I didn't do anything to Steven. The first time we met was when he fell into the pond and I saved him." Lia thought for a moment, "You don't mean when I healed him, do you?"
Nimor shook his head, "No, I'm afraid you are not thinking far enough back. Lia, what did you do the very first time you saw him?"
Lia thought for a moment, thinking back to the first day she had seen Steven. How he had been distraught about his fiancée, he had laid down under the tree . . . Gasping, she realized, "I read his thoughts!"
"Exactly," her father said. "The moment you touched his mind, you awoke the heritage that had been dormant inside him. It took time for it to manifest itself, but that was where it began. Of course, the more you interacted with him, the more you helped to awaken that heritage. In fact, by shrinking him down to our size, you accelerated the change."
"Hold on just a minute," Steven said, "if that's the case, would you mind telling me why I began to have headaches and visions? That doesn't sound to me like I was 'getting in touch' with my heritage. Honestly, I thought I was dying there near the end."
"In regards to the visions, what you saw of the gathering was your heritage reasserting itself, trying to get you accustomed to the changes that were beginning to occur inside you. Possibly, they were memories that Sylviana had when she was still one of us that she passed down through the years. It has been known to occur."
"And the dreams I had?" Steven asked, "what about them? In one of them, it practically mirrored my death. In fact, you were in it. You told me that . . ."
"That Lia could not save you. That you had to cross the threshold and that you had to let go of your fear," Nimor intoned, almost exactly the way that Steven remembered it from his dream.
Steven's eyes were wide as he nodded, looking at Nimor in surprise. "How did you know that?"
"Because, I sensed it when we linked the day before you jumped. Although I admit that I misinterpreted it as a warning that your humanity was rejecting the magic. Had I been sure that you had a faerie heritage, I would have been able to help you make the crossing. Instead, . . ."
"Instead, we had to do it the hard way," Steven finished. "Next time I have a vision, somebody warn me about these things, okay? I don't want to be jumping off cliffs again."
Nimor chuckled at Steven's humor, "At times, faeries are able to foresee things; typically things that will happen to themselves. I believe that your dream was due to the fact that your body was already undergoing the change."
Steven frowned in confusion, "You keep saying 'the change'. Would you like to explain that some more? I understand the part about me having faerie heritage, but what does that have to do with headaches, visions and the rest?"
"Humans and faeries once worked and lived together," Nimor replied, "They shared the magic that the Maker gave us, and together our people's lived in harmony. In order for one of us to cross over from faerie to human, or human to faerie, there came a point where a decision had to be made. If the individual wished to cross over, they would seek the help of their elders, and undergo the change. It involved releasing all holds on your previous life in order to accept the new life that was about to begin."
"However, because humans abandoned the old ways, they forgot about the crossing, and in time, the thought of crossing over became lost except to faeries, who remember the old ways. In your case Steven, when your heritage was awakened, and you began to desire to remain with Lia, the change began naturally, but without someone to guide you, your human side began to fight it. That is why you began to have the headaches and pains. Your humanity was fighting the change that your faerie heritage was trying to bring about. The more you accepted your heritage, the more your humanity fought back"
At this point, Nimor frowned in regret, "Sadly, when I first saw you, I didn't think it possible that you could have been a descendant of one of our people. Even though I felt a stirring inside you that I should have recognized, I thought that your pain was due to your humanity rejecting the change. I believed that because humans had forgotten about the magic, that it had become deadly to them, and that if you continued to deal with us, you would die. So I told Lia that she needed to send you away."
Steven's eyes lit up, "That's what did it!"
Lia, who had sat quietly at Steven's side during her father's explanation realized what Steven meant, "Father, you're saying that in order to make the change, Steven had to give up his humanity and everything that held him to it?"
"Correct," he replied.
"So in leaving his parents, and everything else he loved in his human life, he was essentially undergoing the change by himself, only without help," she continued.
"Except for one thing," Nimor interrupted, pointing at Lia. "He had not given you up. Even though once he had changed you would be together again, he had to be willing to let you go. Because he did not understand this, the change could not be complete, and that is why it became painful for him."
Steven looked over at Lia, having finally found the final piece of the puzzle, "So when she let me go, that released the final hold I had to my human life. In other words . . ."
"In other words, Steven," Nimor continued, "Lia helped you complete the change, although she was unaware of it at that point. By the time you jumped off the cliff, you were already nearing the end of your transformation, and your human body was little more than a shell. That is why we could not heal you . . . because there was nothing left to heal."
For a few moments, Steven stared off into the distance, as Lia leaned against him, her arms wrapped around his waist. Finally, he looked over at Nimor and asked, "So what happens now?"
Nimor laughed, a rich laughter that surprised Steven, who up to this point had rarely seen Nimor smile, much less heard him laugh. "What happens now is up to you, and my daughter." Lia smiled demurely, ducking her head and blushing. "I must warn you, Steven, joining with her has extremely serious meaning, and will entail further changes."
Steven groaned, "Not more changes. Nimor, if I have to go through more headaches and pains like last time . . ." Steven stopped and looked down at Lia, feeling a rush of warmth spread through his body, "On second thought, I'd gladly go through them to be with her."
Grinning, Nimor shook his head, "No, no headaches, and no more pains this time. Please, stand up." They all rose and Nimor indicated that Steven should clasp Lia's hands in his. "Lia, if you truly wish to be one with Steven, then your responsibilities as guardian of the forest must become his as well." Lia nodded and glanced up at Steven, a smile spreading across her face. "Steven, if you truly wish to be one with Lia, then you must accept the responsibility of being a guardian of the forest. Do you accept this?"
Steven nodded and squeezed Lia's hands gently, returning her smile. "Then," Nimor intoned, "let this union be sanctified and your love strengthen you both, all the days of your lives."
A bright blue glow surrounded Lia, causing Steven's eyes to widen in surprise. She smiled gently and closed her eyes. Gradually, the glow spread up Steven's hands and up his arms until his entire body was wreathed by the glow. He gasped as he felt Lia's presence and became aware of the forest with which they would care for. Steven could feel her love in the link and he projected his love back at her, sensing her joy at their union. As the glow died and they opened their eyes, Nimor smiled and squeezed Steven's shoulder.
"Welcome to our family, son."
Steven grinned and clasped Nimor shoulder in return, "It's good to be home." Looking over at the gravesite, Steven's face grew troubled.
"What's wrong, Steven?" Lia asked as she wrapped her arm around his waist.
"I wish I could tell them," he replied, seeing that Robert and Lucy were still seated beside the gravesite. "I wish I could let them know I'm all right."
"You can," Nimor replied. "Remember, you are a direct descendant of Sylviana, as is your father. You can contact him if you wish, it would not cause a change in him because he does not wish to cross over."
"But what about my mother? She doesn't believe. She won't see me."
Nimor smiled gently, "Try, you might be surprised. In any case, I must be returning to the rest of our kin." With that, Nimor leapt into the air, "Farewell to you both. Perhaps we'll meet again someday. I think that others may wish to return, now that they know that humans have not completely forgotten us." With a final wave, Nimor disappeared from sight.
Robert and Lucy stood quietly beside the casket of their son. Everyone else had left, giving them some time that they needed to say their own private goodbyes. Michael had been the last one to leave, hugging his mother and father with tears in his eyes, before he turned and joined his wife in leaving.
"I'm gonna miss him," Michael had said, his eyes red-rimmed from crying. "I'll be over tonight. If you need anything . . ."
His father nodded, "Thank you, son. I think your mom wants some time alone before we leave."
Now, as Robert and Lucy were alone, Lucy placed a hand on Steven's casket, her shoulders shaking with grief. "Why is it you never get to say what you want to until it's too late?"
Robert shook his head, "Maybe because you always think there's enough time to say it later." Sniffing, he added, "but later comes before you know it."
"Steven was right," Lucy admitted, "I never accepted Jennifer, and I kept thinking that I could show him how right I was if I kept pushing. Instead, he pushed right back."
"A lot like his mother," Robert commented, "When he believed in something, he wouldn't back down." He looked out over the cemetery, thankful that it had been a beautiful day, unlike the day of the storm. It seemed right that Steven should be laid to rest this way, quietly, peacefully, with his friends and family there to say goodbye. Robert sighed and shook his head regretfully, looking off into the distance.
*Dad?*
Robert's eyes grew wide as he thought he heard Steven's voice. No, it couldn't be. Steven was gone, dead. Robert figured he was just imagining things.
*Dad, you're not imagining things.*
Glancing around, Robert trembled, wondering what was going on. If this was someone's idea of a joke, it was in poor taste.
*Dad, look over here . . . towards the willow tree.*
Looking over the top of the casket, Robert saw a large willow tree about ten yards away on the edge of the forest, but he couldn't see anything.
*On the ground, dad. Look down here.*
As Robert looked at the base of the tree, he gasped in astonishment, for standing there was his son, and Lia, the one Robert had spoken to the day Steven had . . . died?
"Steven?" he whispered, his voice quivering.
Steven waved and smiled, *It's me, dad. I'm okay.*
"But . . ."
*It would take too long to explain, dad. Believe me when I say that you don't have to grieve for me. I'm all right.*
Robert nodded, tears dripping down his cheeks in joy.
*Dad, I'm going with Lia back to the park. I don't know if we'll ever see each other again. Can you see if you can get mom's attention? I want to try to tell her goodbye.*
Reaching over, Robert wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder, "Lucy, come here, I want to show you something." Pointing at the willow tree, Robert said, "Look over there."
Lucy looked over at the tree Robert indicated. "I don't see anything, what are you talking about?" she asked.
*You know what to do, dad* Steven thought to him.
Robert took a deep breath and placed his hands on Lucy's shoulders. Leaning against her, he stared at Steven while whispering in Lucy's ear, "For once, suspend your disbelief and think of Steven." Pointing at the base of the willow tree, he indicated, "There."
Lucy didn't understand, but took a deep breath and thought of Steven as she looked at the base of the willow tree. At first, she saw nothing, but gradually she began to make out two tiny figures standing on one of the roots. As she looked closer, she could see . . ."
"Steven?!?" Lucy began to shudder and she clasped her hands to her mouth. She burst into tears and reached out towards him as she looked back at Robert who was smiling, "Is it really him?"
Softly at first, she heard in her mind, *It's me, mom. I'm all right. Don't grieve for me. I found my heart's desire.* Lucy watched as Steven wrapped an arm around the female faerie beside him, *Mom, this is Lia.*
Beside him, Lia waved at Lucy and smiled, *Hello.*
All at once, the letter that Steven had written to her made sense. He hadn't written it out of despair with the intention of killing himself. He had written it because he had found happiness with Lia. All along, he had been right.
Steven and Lia turned to go. "Wait!" Lucy cried out, "don't leave!"
*I have to, mom. Lia has a lot to show me and there's a lot I have to learn.* Turning back, he smiled gently, *Mom, dad, I love you both. Let Mike know I'm okay. Maybe one day if it's possible, we'll visit, but you know where to find us. Just don't tell anyone else, all right?*
Nodding, Lucy and Robert watched as Steven and Lia leapt into the air. Lia giggled in joy as Steven raced after her until they had disappeared into the forest. Lucy smiled, the tears in her eyes now tears of joy, knowing that their son was alive, and he was happy at last. Robert squeezed her shoulder, smiling gently as he looked out towards the forest.
"He'll be all right," Robert said confidently, "after all he followed his heart." With that, they turned and walked away from the gravesite; content in the knowledge that Steven had found what he was looking for. A noise caught their attention and they turned, listening for a moment until they heard the faint sounds of laughter echoing from the forest along with the words, "Catch me! Catch me!" Robert and Lucy smiled as they headed towards the car, hand in hand, realizing that Steven was finally where he wanted to be.