“Once you’re settled,” Brogue’s eyes had settled to the mug as well. “Would you feel comfortable if...if Bashir doesn’t mind, do you think we could-if I could see you just to see how you’re doing, how you’re settling in?” He let out a deep breath and looked at her then.
Happy anticipation had rendered Marci speechless for a moment. Brogue took that for the answer he didn’t want.
“It’s fine Marcella I-I understand if seeing me makes you think of-”
“I’d like it if you came to see me. In all this...you’re really the only thing, the only one who's… familiar.”
Reaching out then, Brogue smoothed his thumb back and forth across her cheek.
Marci relinquished part of her death grip on
the mug and put her warm hand over his.
~~~
“Persephone?”
Bashir Cannon approached the couple sharing the loveseat in the suite’s alcove. Hill remained seated while Persephone stood.
“I just wanted to thank you,” Bashir said. “Marci um...we had the chance to talk a little-she told me where you met and what a good friend you were to her.”
Persephone shook her head. “It’s not hard to be friends with someone like Marci.”
“I want to thank you for bringing us back to each other I-wasn’t even sure it was her when I called out back there-just a feeling...thank you Persephone.”
“Oh Bashir, I didn’t-”
“Yeah Persephone, you did. We rounded up a lot of Shelanon’s staff, but a lot of them died. If you hadn’t been the one Mars found down there, she could’ve been one of them. She told me what you said to her down there, so thank you for my sister’s life and for bringing her back to me,” he pulled Persephone close for a hug.
“She really wants to spend some time with you-a good, long stay once she’s in a better place inside her head,” Bashir was saying once the hug ended.
“Yes, yes definitely,” Persephone’s nod was an eager one. “There’s always a room waiting for her at my house.”
“Think that room might be available for the next few days?”
“Well sure…” Persephone gave a curious smile.
Bashir chuckled. “I need to assist with the transport of the staff. Hill’s going and we thought maybe I could tag along with him back to Hawaii and pick Mars up from your place then.” His expression hardened. “I don’t want to leave her, but I can’t take her down there-”
“And you shouldn’t. This is great, of course she can stay with me. The girls’ll be coming back with Hill’s folks but we’ll have a nice quiet amount of time to ourselves before then.”
Bashir grinned. “Ah that’s great Persephone, she’ll be happy to hear it. Thanks again.” He squeezed Persephone’s arm, nodded to Hill and set off.
Persephone turned, smiled down at Hill. “Did you know he was going to ask that?”
“It’s alright, isn’t it?”
“Sure it is,” Persephone grabbed a small throw pillow from the chair and used it to hit the side of Hill’s head before she settled back to the loveseat. Hill caught her waist and settled her to his lap instead.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He shrugged. “Yeah, I do have a great lap, don’t I?” He purposefully misunderstood her gratitude.
Persephone responded by dropping a playful slap against his cheek.
“It makes sense for Marci,” Hill said. “Being with you instead of being with Bash down there. It'll be a while before she can be on her own.”
“You think she’ll be okay?” Persephone’s worry was evident.
“She already is,” Hill nodded.
Persephone followed the gesture to the bar area where Brogue and Marcella stood talking. Brogue’s hand rested on hers where she held a mug.
“Is that another love affair that bloomed on the island?” Persephone wondered.
Hill was shaking his head. “No...I think this one is new. Marcella was friends with us all, but nothing more. For me and the guys I hung out with most, she was like a little sister.”
Persephone smiled. “Well she’s found her big brother, so it looks like Brogue will have to find another role to play.”
Hill laughed. “Knowing my cousin, that won’t be a problem.”
“Will you guys forgive him?”
“I can’t speak for my brothers or my dad,” Hill replied after a moment of consideration, “but my mother has never held Brogue at fault. She’s healthy and as happy as I’ve ever seen her. If she thinks he’s worth forgiving, then he’s family I think I can trust again.”
“And are you okay?” Persephone focused on him then. “That was quite a claim he made about the night with Eva. Do you think it’s real?”
A small furrow appeared between Hill’s brows. “I want to believe it is...but that’s just me looking for an excuse to explain away my actions. I’ve never stopped looking for one in all the years this happened. Now that I have one, hmph, I don’t know what to do with it.”
“You know there’s nothing you can do about it now.”
