Bridging the worlds

Shawn and the others reached the end of the hill, where they could look down. What he saw was totally unexpected. It was the Irish festival he and Gus and Jules had visited the day before. He could even see the cart where he and Gus had got themselves their Popsicles.

„What?" he cried and looked around. „Since when is there a hill behind the festival place?"

„There is one now." O´Reilly explained. „That´s the eclipse. The two worlds are olready connected. This side is the other world. Down there is the world ya know."

„I see." Shawn said.

They were now walking down the hill and he could already hear the music that was played on the festival. Some fast rhythmic Irish dance music, played by that awesome group of singers. The Celtic Women. A day earlier he had seen Gus and Jules dance to that music. Gus had been better. Much better. He himself had been wise enough to not even try. His feet were not meant for things like that. He would rather break his toes in the process.

They now crossed the border between the shadow thrown down from the half completed eclipse and the still shining sunlight and entered the crowd. It was strange how normal everything seemed.

„Mr. McCleary!" a man cried and came running to them eagerly.

„Timmy." Angus greeted.

The little cheesy guy stood before them with an all business look on his face. He looked like a lawyers secretary in his shirt and brown waistcoat. Skinny as he was, he could have been a bookkeeper as well. But the weirdest thing about him was … he looked awfully similar like … Lassiter. He could have been his brother. If one ignored the fact that he was smaller and that there was no scowl imaginable on this face. Maybe brother was too much to say. But he could have been his cousin third grade.

„Excuse me." Shawn raised his hand. „Who are you?"

„This is Timmy." Angus answered for him. „My personal assistant. For thirty years now."

Lassiter had paled looking at the skinny man. „He is the child I replaced." he understood.

„What?" Shawn cried. „Dear god. You mean that was supposte to be the real Carlton Lassiter?"

He looked at the guy again and just couldn´t believe it. „I never thought that I would ever say that. But I´m glad that you are the way you are, Lassie. Despite all your obsessive and slightly cracked up attitudes. But this …" He chuckled and shook his head, when he tried to find the right words to describe the other man he saw. „I´m sorry if that sounds cruel but … I think you both were better off with this exchange."

„Thanks, Spencer." Lassiter said in a tired tone while poor Timmy looked just confused.

„Is everything ready, Tim?" Angus asked his assistent.

„Yes, sir." the little guy answered eagerly, happy to know again what was wanted from him.

„Then you might go and announce us." Angus said and little Tim hurried through the crowd to a stage that was in the middle of the place.

Shawn threw a look back over his shoulder to the hill they had just left. He noticed that no one in the crowd seemed to notice it.

„This is weird." he said.

„What ya mean?" O´Reilly asked startled over his comment.

„The people." Shawn said. „Don´t they wonder why there is a big hill behind the place all the sudden?"

O´Reilly shook his head. „For them this hill has ever bin there." he explained. „That´s the effect of the eclipse. The two worlds are gettin one right now. For all these people this hill has always bin there. They don´t knoo the difference."

„So … you mean this is not just some optic trick? They could actually walk up there?"

„Of course." O´Reilly said and then he understood. His eyes started to glow and he nodded smiling.

On the stage little Timmy was now talking to the crowd.

„Ladys and Gentlemen." he cried with his high almost squeaking bookkeeper-voice. „Ya have joined us over these last few days in celebrating the fabulous Irish culture with joy and passion. And because ya did, this festival is what it is. A great success and unique magical event."

Some in the crowd nodded and agreed with him by applauding.

„So now that we come to the end of this last day …" he went on and got some disappointed cries from the audience. „... we invite ya once more to join us … when we crown the two kings of the new Irish world and the other world, the world of the leprechauns and fairies. In order to combine the two worlds and make´em one."

The crowd started to applaude at this again while Angus and his little group of hostages, that included Lassiter, the two O´Reillys and Russel, were led up to the stage. Shawn didn´t seem to be invited to this performance.

„Is that Lassiter up there?" he suddenly heard the voice of his dad.

He looked around and found him a few feet away in the crowd, together with chief Vick and Gus. Another quick look around told him that no one was watching him any longer. Obviously Angus was convinced that he, Shawn, was no threat to him. And wasn´t that true? Of course it was. He couldn´t do anything, as long as he had the two women as a pledge. Not alone at least.

„I think he is." chief Vick said now. She shook her head and laughed. „I had no idea that he was helping with these performances."

„Actually he wasn´t." Henry stated. „He was completely against the idea to even come near this festival."

„Well, maybe he changed his mind." the chief suggested.

In this moment Shawn had reached them. „Dad." he cried. „We have a problem."

„Shawn." his father said and looked him up and down. „What the hell are you wearing?"

Shawn, who had been on the edge until now, barely able not to jump up and down in his excitement, halted now and lay his head askew. „Really?" he asked. „You don´t wonder about the hill, but you criticise my clothings?"

„What are you talking about?" Henry asked. „Why should I wonder about the hill, for gods sake?"

„Never mind." Shawn said. „Guys. We have a major problem." he now addressed them all. „It´s Jules. She is taken hostage. Up there on the hill. She and another woman." The three of them were listening very closely now.

„Mr. Spencer start at the beginning." chief Vick demanded.

„If I do that we´ll still standing here tomorrow." Shawn cried.

„Is it the three schizos?" Gus asked worried.

„No." Shawn said. „Yes. I mean. Sort of. But it´s not them."

„What?" chief Vick asked confused looking from Gus to Shawn and the other way around.

„See the guy up there, with Lassiter? That´s the bad guy." Shawn explained as simple as he could. „I can´t explain it right now." he said. „But we have to hurry. Lassie tries to stall us some time. But we have to be quick, before he shoots himself."

„What?" came it from all three the same time.

„That´s … hard to explain." Shawn said. „But we need tu hurry. We must get Jules and Bonny free before they finish this act up there."

„All right." the chief said dismissing all the parts she didn´t understand and focussing on the ones she did understand. She pulled her gun. „Henry, you´re coming with me. We will approach them from behind."

„Sweet." Shawn cheered. „Gus and I create a diversion."

„You´ll stay put, Mr. Spencer." the chief ordered. „You don´t even have a weapon."

„Oh no, that´s all right." Shawn assured her. „There is only one guy up there. And he doesn´t have a gun either."

„There is only one guy?" Henry repeated in disbelieve. „Are you kidding?"

„No. He is a really big guy." Shawn said. „And he is mean."

Chief Vick closed her eyes for a second and shook her head.

„All right then." she said. „Whatever. One of my detectives is in trouble. So let´s go."

While they were leaving the place to climb up the hill, on the stage Angus and Lassiter were standing opposite of each other now. O´Reilly was placed next to Lassiter and Russel next to Angus. Kyle had a special position on a small platform in the middle of the whole setup. There was a book in front of him as if he were a priest who was about to perform a marriage. In the background there were Angus´ men, watching them closely and making sure that no one got any crazy ideas.

„Read the words, boyo." Angus ordered Kyle in a quiet voice.

Reluctantly Kyle opened the book. He picked a page completely randomly and still he immediately found the words, that were inquired to seal the ceremony of the crowning. He swallowed dryly and then he began to read.

„Get on your knees." he said.

Angus went down to one knee dignified like a man that was about to be knighted. Opposite of him Lassiter did the same.

„Do you, Angus McCleary and you Seamus McTiernan swear to rule the people of the two worlds the way their laws and customs demand it, each of you in the world he is supposte to rule?"

Some people in the crowd laughed when they heard this speech, in plain believe that all of this was meant as a nice little joke.

„I swear." Angus said. He looked over to his fellow man and gave him a demanding look.

„I swear." Lassiter echoed the words through gritted teeth.

Angus smiled at him. „One day you´ll thank me." he said quietly.

...

On the hill Shawn and Gus had almost reached the ring of stones. Finally realisation seemed to come home to Gus and he looked at the stones with confused wide eyes.

„What the hell is going on here, Shawn?" he asked. „This hasn´t been here all these years, has it?"

„No, it hasn´t." Shawn affirmed.

„But … just some minutes ago I was sure that … I don´t know."

„I know, dude." Shawn whispered now that they had reached the stones. „This whole thing is totally weird. It´s almost like an X-file case, I tell you."

He ducked behind the stone and peeked around it. He searched the ring with his eyes to see if he could spot chief Vick and his dad anywhere.

...

„Do you swear that you will do everything in your power, to speak law and justice with mercy the way it is supposte to happen in all courts in both worlds?" Kyle read the next passage of the speech.

„I swear." Angus said and shortly after that Lassiter said the same.

...

„Dude, there they are." Shawn whispered and pointed over to a big stone behind the big guard. Gus peeked around the corner and spottet Henry and chief Vick who had taken position there. They had seen them too.

„That´s our cue." Shawn said and popped up from out of their hiding place. Not even Gus´ desperate Shawn crying was able to stop him now. The guard spun around when he noticed the motion.

„You!" he cried.

„Hi there." Shawn greeted. „We were bored down there." he said. Now Gus had made himself standing up as well. „So we thought we accompany you up here a little. You know the view is so much better up here."

„Stay away." the guard ordered but of course Shawn was already on his way to cross the field between the stones.

„No worry." he said. „We don´t want to make any trouble. We just want to have a look at this amazing … construction-side. I mean Gus here was always a fan of the traditional architecture and this …"

The guard had started to roll up his sleeves and prepared to grab Shawn and Gus, when chief Vick and Henry came out of their hiding place, weapons aiming at the man´s back.

„Freeze." she cried.

„Hands in the air." Henry demanded.

The man turned around and looked at them in disbelieve. He slowly started to raise his hands. Shawn guessed it just in time and cried a warning. The two of them managed it to avoid the blast but they lost their guns and the wave threw them to the ground anyway. Shawn could see the confused expression on his father´s face. They still had no idea what they were dealing with. That they were actually in a battle with leprechauns. It was almost funny. He had always claimed to have some sort of a magical gift and now it was actually Lassie who had the magical powers.

In that moment he remembered something from the day before.

„Why did you shave your beard, Granda?" Kyle had asked.

„Are ya kidden?" O´Reilly had replied. „So that Seamus can catch me by it again?"

...

„Will you with all your power keep up the laws of the Little People of Tir Na Nog and the creed to the powers of the rainbow?" Kyle read. „Will you protect and conserve the holy union between the two worlds that we are about to create with this owe …?"

...

Shawn had no idea what he was doing when he jumped on the back of the big leprechaun-guard. He just followed his instincts the way he always did and the way it usually worked in at least eighty per cent of the cases. He clung to the guys shoulders, reached forward to his face and buried his fingers in the short hair of the guys beard. He lost grip of it and got almost thrown off. But he somehow got the beard again and this time he didn´t let go.

„I´ve got him!" he yelled over to his very confused father and chief Vick.

„Shawn, what are you doing?" Gus cried, totally taken aback by the sight of his friend sitting on this guys back clinging to his beard and crying `I have him!´

„No time to explain." Shawn cried desperately trying not to slip off the guys back. „Hurry! Get Jules. I can´t hold him for long!"

...

„ … who are bound to their duties," Kyle read. „grant their rights and duties the law of the leprechauns has granted them from the beginning of time?"

„I swear I will." Angus said.

„And so will I." Lassiter added.

Kyle swallowed. „Bring the crowns." he said and the guards handed two crowns over to Russel and O´Reilly, so they could set them onto the heads of the new kings. The very moment they would do that, the ceremony would be over and the bridge between the two worlds would be established. Above them the sky had turned darker now. It looked as if a heavy rain was over them though no cloud was to be seen. The eclipse was almost complete. Russel and O´Reilly looked down at the crowns in their hands with despair. The last part was theirs and there was no way of delaying it any longer.

„Remember your promise." Lassiter whispered over to Angus. „As soon as I fulfilled my destiny, you´ll let them go."

„A good Irishman is always a man of his words." Angus said smiling. Lassiter nodded at him. He didn´t smile.

The two crown carriers took their position, each in front of the man they were supposte to crown. Lassiter looked up at O´Reilly.

„Repeat the words that I will read now." Kyle said with a dry throat. „I swear to fulfill and to protect …"

„I swear to fulfill and to protect …" Angus and Lassiter repeated the words unisono.

„… all the things that I promised here today."

„All the things that I promised here today."

„By the power of the sacred shamrock."

„By the power of the sacred shamrock." the two kings said.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment. „Crown them." he read the last words. „So the bond will be sealed … and the two worlds be one forever."

Above them in the sky, the eclipse was complete now. Angus lowered his head in preparation to get the crown. Lassiter threw a look up and looked into O´Reilly´s eyes. His hand had wandered beneath his cape and was now lying on his gun. The old man had seen it and looked at him with sad eyes. But then he nodded. Lassiter nodded as well. They understood each other.

Then he lowered his head as if to get the crown. He took one last deep breath to prepare himself. His fingers were clinging to the cold steal of his gun. So many times he had fired it to keep up law and justice. So many times he had believed that he had done the right thing. If those times had been right he didn´t know for sure. But he knew this one thing. What he was about to do now, was not only the right thing, it was the only thing to do. He had chosen the words well, he had made Angus promise. As soon as he fulfilled his destiny, O´Hara and the others were free. And this here was his destiny, he now knew that. It had been his destiny all along. He had never been meant to live this life of another man. No matter what Spencer had said. He had stolen this life and now he would pay for it.

The crowns were slowly lowered down. Lassiter – he still wanted to think of himself as Lassiter not Seamus. Seamus McTiernan was dead. Carlton Lassiter was the man he was today and if he was supposte to die, he at least wanted to die by that name – pulled his gun and put it to his temple.

„Objection, your honor!" someone cried.

The crowd gasped in surprise and turned around to see who was disturbing the show. And then Lassiter heard another voice that made the hand that hold his gun, shake with relief.

„Carlton!" O´Hara cried. „Carlton, don´t do it!"

A hand grabbed his wrist and he was dragged up to his feet. „What is´at?" Angus demanded to know looking at his gun.

Lassiter threw a glance down to the audience. He spotted Spencer and his partner, who struggled their way through the crowd. „That´s not important anymore." he replied with a grin. „It´s over. The crowning is not gonna happen."

O´Reilly and the two young men cheered at this. A young woman ran up to the stage and joined them. Kyle immediately hugged her when she reached him. He was laughing happily and so were the others. O´Hara and Spencer were standing at the edge of the stage now, looking up at him. Spencer gave him a thump up and for the first time since he had seen Kyle Johnson´s face in his station, Lassiter felt good again.

„Angus McCleary." he said. „I arrest you for kidnapping my partner and for attempted conquer of the human realm."

„Ye must be kiddin, Seamus." Angus said.

„I´m not." Lassiter replied still grinning.

„This is not over, Seamus." Angus said and pushed him back with his hand – or better with what came out of his hand. Lassiter flew backwards but this time he only flew a meter, so that everybody who didn´t know what happened, had to believe he´d only been pushed very hard.

„Let it be, Angus." O´Reilly cried. „It´s over. The eclipse has passed. There is no bridge to be build anymore."

Angus looked up into the now slowly brightening sky and cursed in silence. When his gaze fell on Lassiter again, it was full of hate. Immediately O´Reilly stepped halfway between the two opponents. But Angus didn´t even pay attention to the old man. He was staring at Lassiter, building up his need for revenge. He made a swipe to attack but in this moment not only O´Reilly but also Kyle was next to Lassiter. Together with their combined powers, the three of them threw Angus from his feet. The fat leprechaun landed on his butt with a surprised groan. The audience gasped and then there was a stunned silence. Everybody wondered what they´d just seen.

„Halleluja! The king is beaten!" Shawn cried out loud and jumped up onto the stage. „The tyran is beaten!" he cried with his hands in the air. It worked. All the sudden the audience was hauling and clapping enthusiastically. Shawn threw a brief look over his shoulder at Lassiter and the others. O´Reilly came forward and stood next to him, addressing the audience.

„That´s right!" he cried throwing his fist up in a victory position. „And now it´s time to send ´im back where he belongs."

„To the dungeon." some enthusiastic guy cried.

„No!" O´Reilly replied as if the idea was idiotic. „We´ll send ´im back where he came from. Those are the rules. Now I need ya all that you are of the Irish blood here, to help me send ´im away. Say it with me together. Away. Away. Away."

Juliet was the first who joined in with him. Then Lassiter and Kyle and though they were not Irish of their own, Shawn, Gus and Russel joined in as well, simply overcome by the power of the words. Eventually the audience started to join in one by one and soon there was a choral speaking that repeated it over and over again. Away – Away – Away. Away – Away – Away.

From his place on the ground Angus started to snarl in anger, but all his energy was lost in this battle. The constant Away finally did its work and when the next wind boe rushed over the crowd and into the stage, he got carried away and vanished in a cloud of glittering dust. For a moment the audience was stunned again. But this time they overcame their astonishment much faster, simply accepting the seen thing as a very well done special effect. Again they applauded and cheered. What a great performance it had been.

Juliet climbed up the stage and gave her partner a happy hug, what made the audience cheer even more. Shawn looked at Gus in front of the stage, where Jules had been standing before and went down to his knees to give him a fist bump. When his dad and chief Vick had managed it to find their way through the people, the sun in the sky was getting brighter again and the day was actually a day again.

Shawn turned back to Lassiter again. Just in that moment something happened to the detective slash leprechaun. He had both arms opened and he looked down on himself as if he was missing something.

„Lassie?" Shawn asked. „What is it?"

But Lassiter only looked at him confused as if he didn´t know it himself. It was O´Reilly who finally gave him the answer. The old man nodded smiling. „It´s the trade, Seamus." he said. „Angus gave ya yer powers back only for one hour. Now they are gone again. I´m afraid there is nothing we can do about it."

Lassiter smiled at him. „That´s all right." he said. „I did good without them these last forty years."

„What does that mean?" chief Vick asked now standing next to Gus, looking up to them confused.

Shawn was about to say something when O´Reilly stopped him and shook his head with a knowing smile. Shawn needed a few seconds but then he understood. He turned back to the chief and smiled at her.

„It means nothing." he said. „Just part of the play."

The chief looked at Henry with raised eyebrows but then she seemed to accept what he had said. And so did Henry. It was amazing. They had been up there with him but now they truly didn´t remember anything as it seemed. How was that possible? What about Gus? Had he forgotten too? But a look into his friend´s face told him that he hadn´t. He still remembered – and so did Jules – what they had been through on this hill that now was slowly vanishing with the increasing sunlight. The gate between the two worlds was closing itself again and barely someone would even remember that they had ever seen the other side, even if it had been only from far away.

Shawn turned around to O´Reilly and his grandson. „Don´t you have to go?" he asked with a motion of his head at the hill. „Before the gate is closed, I mean."

„What?" Kyle laughed. „No way, dude."

„I lived in this world for over four hundred years." O´Reilly told him. „I´m too old t´ change my address again."

„Same here." Lassiter agreed and made O´Reilly look at him. The old man smiled at his former enemy and the smile was returned.

„Ya truly took a good decision, Seamus." he said and then halted. „Carlton." he corrected himself. He reached out his hand and Lassiter took it. „I´m proud to call ya´a fellow leprechaun." O´Reilly said.

„Not anymore." Carlton replied with a smile.

On the second stage that was on the other side of the place, music started to play again. The audience turned around and when a group of young women all dressed in long white dresses entered the stage, they applauded again.

„Ouu. That´s what I was talking about!" Shawn cried excited tapping Lassiter´s shoulder. „Seriously, you have to hear that. It´s awesome."

„Then why a´we still standin here?" O´Reilly asked. „Let´s go celebrate."

And together they left the stage where they had defeated the evil leprechaun and went down to join the already dancing people.

...

Soon they were just overwhelmed by the energy the music created. O´Reilly started to step to the rhythm right away and Kyle and Bonny joined in with great pleasure. Gus of course was more than happy to join in too but it was Lassie´s dancing that made them all cheer and applaud and what made this festival end with a real highlight. No one believed they had ever seen him happier before this day.

Shawn took his fingers to his mouth and whistled like a sportsfan in the stadium. Next to him Jules did the same, though her whistle was a little weaker than his. But to make up for it, she was clapping more enthusiastically.

When the song was over Lassiter threw his hands in the air, shouting: „I am the …" and stopped when he realized what he was doing. Everybody looked at him startled, except for Kyle and his grandfather.

„You are … what?" Gus asked.

Lassiter looked over to O´Reilly again and got an understanding smile from him. This somehow released him and he smiled. „I am the luckiest man on earth." he said.

„You should have come here with us earlier." Juliet told her partner. „That was amazing."

„It´s long ago since I did this." Lassiter replied flattered. Then he turned to Shawn. He was still smiling happily. „Thanks, Spencer." he said.

Shawn raised both eyebrows and then pointed at him with his finger. „Now, I really believe it´s a holiday." he said.

„We have to talk about a lot of things." Lassiter said seriously, addressing them all.

„That can wait." Juliet said. „For now we celebrate." She gave her partner another hug and told him: „We´re glad you´re still with us, Carlton."

„We really are." Shawn agreed.

„That´s true." Gus chipped in.

Lassiter looked at him and raised an eyebrow. „You didn´t even know what was going on before you came here." he said.

Gus answered him with a blank face. „You better be a little more grateful." he said. „Cause now I do."

„Is that supposte to be a threat, Guster?" Lassiter asked.

„Maybe." Gus replied.

„Guys." Jules chipped in, holding Lassiter back who was about to walk in on Gus. She chuckled though. „Come on." she said. „You can play with each other tomorrow again. Now I want to dance. So what is it? Must an Scottish Maiden beg before she is asked to dance?"

Lassiter and Gus were looking at each other for a few more seconds. Then they both cracked and smirked at each other.

„My dear lady." Lassiter said offering Jules his arm.

„It´s about time." she replied and linked arms with him.

Shawn and Gus watched the two of them walking a few steps before they faced each other for the dance.

„I´m next." Shawn said. „And the next, and the next … and the next, of course. You know that."

„Of course." Gus said with rolling eyes.

„But for now let him have this one." Shawn went on looking at Lassiter again. „He deserves it."

„You know that´s right." Gus replied. Then he peeked at Shawn with asking eyes.

„What?" Shawn asked.

„You still didn´t get my tapioca, did you?"

„Seriously, dude?" Shawn cried. „We just saved the world by defeating an evil leprechaun."

„I know." Gus replied.

Their argument went on while the next song had started and the clear voices of the singers echoed into the distance, while the people on the place were dancing to it.

I don´t know if you can see

The changes that have come over me

These last few days, I´ve been afraid

That I might drift away.

I´ve been telling old stories, singing songs

That made me think about where I´ve come from

That´s the reason, why I seem so far away today.

...

Let me tell you that I love you

That I think about you all the time.

Caledonia you calling me, now I´m going home,

If I should become a stranger

Know that it would make me more than sad.

Caledonia´s been everything I´ve ever had.

...

Now I have moved and I´ve kept on moving

Proved the points that I needed proving

Lost the friends that I needed losing,

Found others on the way.

I´ve kissed the fellows and left them crying

Stolen dreams, yes, there´s no denying.

I´ve travelled hard sometimes with conscience flying,

Somewhere with the wind.

...

Now I´m sitting here, before the fire,

The empty room the forest choir,

The flames have cooled, don´t get any higher

They´ve withered now they´ve gone.

But I´m steady thinking, my way is clear

And I know what I will do tomorrow,

When hands are shaken and kisses float

Then I will disappear.

...

Let me tell you that I love you,

That I think about you all the time ...

authors note: The song Caledonia belongs to Celtic Women and was only used here because it fitted so damn well to this story. I don´t own the Celtic Women or their wonderful music.

Also, for all of you who are interested: There is a sequel coming up, so keep your eyes open for it if you like. Thanks for all your kind reviews. You guys are great.

And thanks for reading.