I didn't go too much into Conor's worries about Sapphire here, because I'm also writing a Song-Fic based on the song Memories by Beverly Craven about the sibling relationship between Conor and Sapphire. Anyway, I really hope you like this!

Sapphy

xxx

Time to Fly

My dad left us when I was twelve. He disappeared, vanished into thin air. Everyone said he'd drowned, but Saph and I knew better.

There was no way my dad could have drowned. He knew the sea better than he knew himself.

Other said he'd run off with another woman. I knew that couldn't be true. My dad would never abandon us, would never leave Mum. He loved us. Or so I thought.

When I was fourteen, I found out the real reason. Her. That mer witch sang to him, enchanted him away from us. Away from his family. Away from his life. Ingo seemed so beautiful to me at first, so amazing. But then I realised its dangers. It was concealed below the surface, like poison below the surface of a fruit. It took my dad. It...she almost took me. Elvira, with her sparkling green eyes and flowing black hair. She had me under some type of spell. I was so obsessed with Ingo, with her that it was almost unhealthy. And then Sapphy found out. That was when the spell first started to break. She was so young, so innocent, walking blindly into that world, never seeing the danger...all my senses began to scream at me that Ingo was wrong, that it was bad... My sister was in danger, and I had to protect her. I still do protect her. Because even now I'm still terrified that one day she'll go out the door and never come back. Just like Dad. That she may have found a new brother. Faro. That she'll find a new family. Just like Dad. Everyone says that they're so alike, after all.

He found a new family. He found new love. He had new children. I wonder; what happened? Did he leave because he knew his new mer love was pregnant? Saph says I'm too bitter about it, too angry. She says that it's not dad's fault, that we should still love that mer child. She says that he is our brother. He is no brother of mine. I am air. He is mer.

"But you're not completely air, are you?"

I look up and see Granny Carne standing in front of me, blocking the rays of the setting sun.

"Do you mind if I sit?"

I shake my head, and she takes a seat next to me on the rock. We sit in silence for a little while, gazing out over the fields towards the ocean. Finally she speaks.

"Can you see those birds Conor? Those chicks in the nest in the hedge over there? "

I nod mutely.

"Sooner or later they're old enough for their parents to leave. Sooner or later they're all grown, ready to go."

I can feel a prickling sensation in my eyes and know that I'm close to tears.

"Soon it's time for them to fly Conor. Soon it's time to fly."

The sunrise blurs as the tears fill my eyes, and the words burst from me before I can stop them.

"Why did he go?"

She's silent for a long time, gazing out over the land, those sharp amber eyes looking young in her old face.

"Maybe he knew that someone else needed him too."

"We need him!" I cry, tears beginning to fall down my cheeks.

"Remember the birds, Conor. When it gets too hard, remember what I told you. Sooner or later children are grown. Your father knew he had other responsibilities. He knew he had to let you go."

When I look around at her she is gone.

I think about what she said as the sun vanishes below the horizon, streaking the sky with pink and gold.

Maybe...maybe Dad didn't just leave us. Maybe Dad knew that we were ready to last by ourselves. Maybe he thought someone else...our...our brother needed him more.

Maybe Dad knew it was time for us to fly.

Please review.