A/N: Tis the last chapter, this is! :) Thank you to those who continued to read.

A bit of a warning: sex in this chapter at the end. Not overly graphic, I don't think.

XVI. The Beauty and the Tragedy

For I am finding out that love
kill and save me
Taking the dreams that made me up
And tearing them away
But the same love will take
this heart that's barely beating
And fill it with hope beyond the stars
Only love
-Trading Yesterday

The final bell rang. That was the last exam. Today was the last day of school. It didn't quite bring the sigh of relief it usually did with Hunter and the Sons of Ipswich. Rowan was still gone. Yearbook signing was a half-hearted activity. Even the most gregarious students didn't know what to say to them. After Nana's funeral in April, they returned to Ipswich to wait. Two months? It felt more like two years.

Caleb didn't linger after school. He went straight home to feed the dogs who became disruptive when left alone too long. When Caleb was home the three animals would follow him around afraid he would disappear as Rowan had. It was comforting nonetheless, even if his nights were spent with four-limbed fur balls.

He met up with Hunter in the parking lot. Pogue was staying behind to help Kate pack up her dorm.

"Hey," Hunter greeted. He didn't look to great either. There were dark circles under his eyes and his smile was heavy.

Before Caleb could reply his cell phone rang. Hunter watched his brother's face when he answered. Emotions that spanned from weary to confused to tentative hope flashed on and off his face before Caleb said: "Hospital."

----

The regular hospital staff wasn't surprised to see the gathering in the waiting room. Caleb and Evelyn were forefront while the rest hovered in the background. Glenn Simms had been on call when he had heard a girl had been brought in after being found walking along the highway. He had just known it was Rowan.

"Tell me what is going on, Glenn," Evelyn demanded in a near hysterical voice.

"You can't see her right-"

"What do you mean I can't see her?" Evelyn shot back. "I damn well can!"

"Evie," Rosalind soothed, "they're doing a physical examination right now."

"Is she badly hurt?" Caleb asked Glenn.

"I only saw her for a minute," Mr. Simms replied. "She…she doesn't look good."

"What does that mean?" Reid blurted harshly, unable to keep quiet anymore. His nerves were about to snap he wanted to see Rowan so much.

"Mrs. Danvers?" A doctor in green scrubs walked into the waiting room.

"Yes?" Evelyn said.

The doctor eyed the crowd fleetingly. "If you could come with me-"

"I want to see my daughter," Evelyn ordered.

"This is Dr. Reynolds," Glenn told Evelyn.

Dr. Reynolds smiled that doctor's smile that wasn't gloomy but wasn't happy either. It was polite. Doctors rarely met people for the first time in hospitals under good circumstances.

"Tell me what is happening with my daughter," Evelyn said again.

The doctor paused, eyes flicked to the gathering.

"They're family," she said shortly.

Dr. Reynolds nodded. "She was found walking barefoot in the city wearing a long cloth. She has acute pneumonia, and some bruising over her body. There is evidence of restraint-"

"Restraint?"

He tried to put it delicately. "Her wrists are heavily abraded which is consistent with prolonged rope burn. Her back…There are five lashes on her back. Not too deep, it could leave some light scarring, but they're fairly recent. We also performed a rape kit…"

"Reid," Tyler said quietly, putting a firm hand on his friend's rigid shoulder. He saw that Reid's eyes were heavily dilated, almost black.

Evelyn eyes closed. "Please tell me my baby wasn't…" She couldn't say it.

"No, ma'am. There is no evidence forced penetration. Her hymen is still intact."

Tyler felt Reid's body relax slightly. He noticed his did, too. There was a collective sigh of relief to know that Rowan hadn't faced that indignity.

"I haven't spoken with the police yet, but they do want to talk her," Dr. Reynolds was saying.

"I think not! She doesn't need people interrogating her," Evelyn exclaimed.

"Can we see her?" Caleb interrupted.

"She's sedated," Dr. Reynolds said. "Immediate family for now."

Which meant just Evelyn and Caleb. They followed the doctor to where Rowan was staying. She was hooked up to an IV, bandages around her wrists. Her face was bruised. She looked like she had gone through hell and back.

The automatic doors hissed open to admit them. Dr. Reynolds went inside, too, but respectfully stood aside. Evelyn and Caleb went on either side of Rowan's bed. Caleb gently took Rowan's hand. It was scratched and bruised. Her fingernails were broken. She looked broken.

"Your daughter is extremely malnourished and dehydrated," the doctor said, his voice modulated. "I believe she's been deprived of food and water for the better part of a week."

"Hey, Row," Caleb whispered in her ear. "It's Cay. We're going to get you out of here soon, all right?"

The door hissed and a nurse came in, whispered something at the doctor.

"Mrs. Danvers?" Dr. Reynolds said. "The police are here."

Sheriff Reeves and Deputy Kirk were just outside, looking through the window.

"Do we have to talk to them now?" Caleb asked.

Dr. Reynolds was sympathetic. "Your sister won't be waking up for a while."

Evelyn took a breath, pried her eyes away from her daughter. "I'm taking her home."

"Yes, she can be released-"

"No," she responded forcefully. "She's been gone for two months. I want her home now. I'll have Dr. Simms arrange for in-home care."

"Mom?"

"Mrs. Danvers, I really must-"

The doctor didn't get his way. Neither did the police. Rowan was discreetly transported in an ambulance to the Danvers' estate. Glenn and Rosalind Simms would oversee her health care. It was unorthodox, but even the families had to admit it was a wise decision. Rowan had returned from God knew where under less than normal circumstances. Whatever would be forefront in her mind when she woke up would be things that no one outside the Covenant needed to hear. And they also knew Rowan would prefer to wake up in her own bed than in a hospital.

Atticus Crane held back Sheriff Reeves with a studied hand and legalese, giving the Danvers' time to situate Rowan. The search that had been going on for Rowan Danvers was called off. Atticus also took care of the bothersome press. Magic could also be a valuable legal aide.

And the sun had been set for three hours before Rowan woke up. Her vision was blurry; she felt the exact same way she had when she'd woken up in the seventeenth century. Wait, no, she felt worse now. Her back was on fire, the rest of her body ached. For an instant a crippling fear overcame her. What if she were back in the dungeon? Had her invocation worked? Or was it all a bad dream?

"Row?"

That was her brother's voice. She'd know it anywhere. His face was a huge blob at the moment.

"Let me get you some water."

Water? Rowan coughed when it touched her tongue. When was the last time she had water?

"Where'm I?" she asked.

"Home."

"Is she awake?" Reid asked quietly. He must have been hovering outside the door.

She didn't have the energy to move her head. Good thing breathing was one of the body's automated functions.

"Nana."

Quiet fell like a heavy drape.

"Nana," she repeated louder. "Where's she?"

"Rowan, try to rest, okay?" her brother said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"No." Her pulse was rising, breaths came in spasms. "Where is she?" Her hands rubbed at her eyes in vain, trying to make the blur go away. It hurt. She summoned whatever she could within to raise herself.

"Don't get up," Caleb said.

"Come on, Row, you need to rest," Reid added.

"Let go!" she screamed. Rowan knew that would bring more people, she had to get out of here. Had to get to Nana. Because…because…she didn't want to hear what they had to say. "Let go of me!" Rowan ripped the IV needle out of her hand.

"Get Tyler's dad," Caleb ordered.

"No!" she yelled. Her hand connected with something; likely it caused her more pain than it did her brother's face.

"Please, Rowan."

"Where is she?" she sobbed. She was sick of being man-handled. Heat infused her brain like the sound of crashing waves, hurtling her back to the dungeon. "Let go! Let go!"

Her eyes flashed white and she heard her brother grunt and fall back. Her bare feet touched the floor, but her legs wouldn't support her and she went down hard. That small spurt of power sapped her strength. Rowan knew she was screaming like a crazy person. But all she wanted was to hear Nana's gently accented voice telling her it would be okay. Instead she felt the jab of a needle, and the world went dark… She was getting used to that.

----

It was time to open her eyes. Her sub-conscious was at an impasse, get alert or stay in this fog of semi-existence. The puffiness was gone from her eyes, her vision was clear again. The aches in her body were less crippling. Ernie was sleeping in the crook of her arm, Bubbe was up by her head, Bruce Lee was…nowhere to be found.

There was no needle in her hand. When did I get off the IV? It was five in the morning and Rowan wasn't aware of the day or week. She vaguely remembered occasional intervals of wakefulness, but it was still pretty hazy. The date on her alarm clock read July second. Thinking back she recalled the flashing white light, then the feeling of being catapulted forward. Then the wandering, the sounds of vehicles whizzing by. A kind lady getting out of her car and asking her if she needed help. The hospital…waking up at home…asking for Nana.

Nana.

Rowan felt her heart breaking because she knew the truth. Nana was dead. And Rowan hadn't been there for her.

She extricated herself from Ernie, rose slowly, then tried her legs. A minor wave of dizziness gripped her and she balanced herself with one hand on her bedside table. Slowly, she made her way to the bathroom; the tile was cold beneath her feet. Rowan braced the palms of her hands on the counter, head hung. The image in the mirror was a shell of herself. Dark circles rimmed her eyes; her cheeks were sunken, hair limp and oily.

She looked lost.

She stripped the nightgown off of her. Ribs visible. She turned around. The five lashes on her back were scabby. Rowan ripped off the bandages around her wrists. The redness was gone, but Rowan knew those tiny scars that formed a band around her flesh were there to stay.

Rowan emitted a shaky sigh. Shower. She needed a shower. The water felt good on her body, hot water. She scrubbed herself three times, washed her hair twice. After, she put lotion on, detangled her hair, trimmed her finger and toe nails. Brushed her teeth two times. Put on some ChapStick.

By now it was six. She donned one of her gypsy skirts, tee, and a light zip up hoodie.

"Breakfast?" she asked Ernie and Bubbe. She needed to find Bruce Lee.

She had to walk slow. Her legs still hurt and she was definitely still weak.

----

Reid heard Ernie and Bubbe padding down the halls before they showed up in the kitchen. He had just been giving Bruce Lee his breakfast. Reid didn't normally function this early in the morning, but operating on a normal level seemed to be a thing of the past. He was just about to greet the animals when Rowan appeared too.

Reid stopped cold when she noticed him.

Reid, Caleb, Tyler and Pogue had been banned and barred from seeing her since she got back because she became hysterical whenever she saw them. He figured they reminded her of their ancestors. Glenn Simms even forbid them from looking in on her when she was sleeping. Only Hunter was allowed.

The fever that had gripped her for the past two weeks spawned bouts of night terrors, nonsensical rambling, crying, and catatonia. Too much. Reid wondered now what Rowan would do, seeing him standing across the kitchen.

She was as still as a statue, watching him warily like she was afraid, like she thought he would hurt her.

"Hi," he said quietly.

Rowan's eyes scanned the room. "It's early," she finally said.

He half-smiled. "Yeah." There were so many things he wanted to say to her but he couldn't form the words. I missed you. I love you. Can I hold you?

"They need breakfast," Rowan said.

Rowan observed him warily, and she hated that she was. Flashes of her ancestors came to mind. The resemblances. Remembering their faces as they tied her to the stake.

"It's all right, Rowan," Reid's voice broke through.

"I…" Don't cry.

He found himself three feet in front of her, and she took a cautious step backwards. Reid tried to hide his hurt.

I really hate my ancestors right now, he thought, and not for the first time.

"Coffee?" he asked, covering up the silence. "No, tea. Tyler's dad said it would take a while before your stomach could handle that."

Rowan sat down at the table while he made her tea. Bruce Lee hopped up on her lap and the other two animals curled up under the table.

"You woke up sometimes long enough for Hunter or somebody to give you some broth," Reid was saying.

"Not you?"

Reid stopped what he was doing. "You wouldn't let us see you."

Her brow creased. Then she nodded slightly, recalling it. She accepted the hot mug he set before her. He sat across from her.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's not your fault," he replied.

Silence. "I called you Malachai?"

"Yeah."

"You're not Malachai."

"Hell no," Reid said, he was rewarded with a tiny smile from Rowan.

"Tell me about Nana."

For the first time Rowan looked him in the eye. There was so much pain in them that Reid almost shut his own so he wouldn't have to see, knowing there was nothing he could do to take it away.

"I went there four days after you were gone."

"You were there? Why?"

"I think I needed to see her."

She bit her lip. "It was fast?"

"I think so. That vamp Raphael was there. I think he…" Reid stopped himself. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say.

"Oh." Pause. "Then it was painless, too." Her face softened.

"We all went to her funeral," he told her.

A tear slipped down her cheek. "She's really gone."

He wanted to reach over and take her hands in his, but the space across the table might as been as wide as the Grand Canyon.

----

A few days went by; with each Rowan became more active. She took walks in the garden, played fetch with Ernie. Went back to her sanctum sanctorum. She accepted her brothers' presence, but she still wouldn't let anyone touch her. Rosalind Simms came over everyday to take Rowan's vitals. The rest of the families visited her too.

If you caught her at a particular time Rowan would end up talking about Lucius and her time in the seventeenth century. It was usually in the middle of night. She had trouble sleeping, had the occasional anxiety or panic attack. She went back on her medication which helped a little. She tried venturing into town, but the sounds of the modern day were almost too much for her to process.

There were a lot of memories in her mind to compartmentalize and disassemble that it was overwhelming. A lot of the time she would sit and stare out into nothing.

----

Rowan was sitting on a swing rocking it back and forth with her foot. The setting sun was warm on her face and the breeze was soft. A month and a half she had been back now. She'd regained some of the weight she lost, food settled in her stomach better and she had more energy.

Her brother was sitting on the other swing. It was a sight seeing the eldest Son of Ipswich on a child's play set. The kids at Spensers would be beside themselves. He watched his sister out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were closed, head leaned against the chain.

The others were sitting on the grass; Pogue tossing a ball for Ernie; Bubbe curled up next to Tyler; Hunter tossing a smaller ball for Bruce Lee; Reid sitting closer to Rowan.

"Lucius said that you guys sounded like a more grounded lot than the others," Rowan stated idly.

Caleb chuckled.

"Said you guys sounded like good people."

"Maybe it was just the way you told it, Lil Bit," Pogue said wryly.

"Hey!" Reid chided. "Speak for yourself."

She opened her eyes. Her irises were light brown today. "No. I could have written it down and he'd have come to the same conclusion. You guys are better. Said I was lucky to have a Shepherd, too."

Hunter smiled. "What was he like?"

"Lucius was a cross between Gorman and Nana," Rowan said, her voice easing into a nostalgic, affectionate tone when mentioning Nana. "And he thought Pogue's middle name was amusing."

They all laughed, and Pogue looked scandalized.

After a minute Tyler said, "I don't get how they could just take Putnam's word for it."

Rowan knew she should tell them what had gone on. They were their ancestors, too, after all.

"They were addicted," Caleb said, disdain apparent.

"Only Putnam," Reid said disgustedly. "The others just followed."

"Why didn't Lucius try harder to convince them?" Pogue said aloud.

"There wasn't anything he could say," Rowan sighed. "We had the entire town against us."

"Mob mentality," Hunter worded.

"Stupidity," Tyler amended.

"They loved their power too much," Caleb added; his voice was distant, thinking of his own father.

"Yeah, well, those shitheads got owned in the end," Reid spat.

"Us, too," Tyler reminded him, blue eyes serious.

And they were all thinking: Can it be undone?

Rowan eyes were closed, drifting off again as her brothers and Reid discussed their ancestor's follies. It struck Rowan's mind that she would have to write about her time spent with Lucius. Put in the archives maybe. For future generations. Somebody like Lucius shouldn't be forgotten.

----

Reid found Rowan in her room later that night. She was sitting on her bed gazing out the window. She turned her head when she heard him, gave him a soft smile. She patted the empty space next to her. Reid thought that this was the closest she'd allowed him since she got back. She scooched closer so they were thigh to thigh, laid her head on his shoulder.

It was instinctive, ingrained in him to kiss her on her head. She took his hand, eschewed his fingerless gloves to entwine her fingers with this.

"That's better," he said.

Rowan smiled.

After a moment, she said: "When I was locked up in the dungeon, I was thinking that that was the longest I'd ever gone without so much as a hug. All my life I've been around people who love me, and after Lucius was killed, there wasn't anyone."

And then she truly knew the meaning of lonely, she said to him. It was like facing a firing squad, maybe worse though she couldn't think of how. Reid listened as Rowan told him how afraid she was, how the utter insanity in Putnam's eyes made her cold.

"And I could tell all of them but Putnam were conflicted. But they did it anyway." She looked at Reid and had tears in her eyes. "How much do you love your power, Reid?"

"Not more than you. Not even close," he said.

"They weren't even addicted, and they chose it."

"I wouldn't."

Rowan nodded. "I don't want this power," she told him quietly. "But I have it now. It's there." She sighed and snuggled closer to him. "You're warm."

Reid put his arm around her, touched her cheek with his other hand. "I missed doing that."

They kissed. It was like finding each other again. His body covered her like she knew and she pulled him closer. Close so she could feel him against her hip. All she had to do was remember how hollow she felt in that dungeon, those entire two months, and Rowan would hold on tighter. Even in her dreams she'd wanted Reid and his touch. Like now.

His shirt got tossed to the ground. Rowan ran her hands down his smooth muscled back. Addled brained with pleasure and love Reid didn't fully realize how far they'd gone until they were both half naked; him in his boxers, she in her panties.

"Row," he cautioned. The pulling away was damned near painful. His eyes roamed down her face and further down. She was beautiful, scars and all. But still. Rowan tugged him back down, kissed him.

Damn, damn, damn… "We don't have to do this now," he said, his voice husky.

"I want to."

He stared at her, searching for any signs of doubt. There was naked vulnerability in her eyes. Reid stifled a groan when she touched him below the waist. His resolve was pretty weak and he had to shut his eyes to keep the room from spinning. His forehead rested just between her breasts, he could feel her heart pounding beneath her sternum. Reid's lips kissed her softly, whispered across her velvet skin.

He kissed each of her breasts, and Rowan's small hitches of pleasure made him do it again, lingering on each. Rowan cupped his face in her hands.

"I need you."

As much as he knew she loved him, he didn't think she had ever said that to him before.

"I don't have anything."

"I don't care."

"I can't…"

"Reid." She wasn't thinking of that. This wasn't some heat of the moment dismissal. She had almost missed this too many times. She had brushed death too many times to miss this. She wanted to feel for as long as she had felt so numb.

"I don't want to hurt you," he told her as his thumb caressed her cheek.

But they were both there, where they needed to be. They slipped under the covers. Rowan wrapped her arms around him. Her body shivered beneath his; from her breasts against his chest, her inner thighs against his waist.

"Be sure," he said between kisses. I don't want you to regret me.

Her answer was to reach down between them, grasp him gently but firmly. When he touched her his jaw tightened, feeling her like this. He swore his heart was about to drum right out of his chest if it beat any harder. He let it lay like that, trailing kisses down the side of her neck.

Rowan tensed when he pushed a little. Reid went slow. He was as vulnerable as she was, because for once he didn't care about getting his. All he wanted was for this to be right for her. But she felt good around him the deeper he went. He tried to make it as painless as possible when he pushed through her. Rowan muffled the brief moan of pain in the crook of his neck.

Reid relaxed when her body did.

"Don't move," he said. Christ, if she moves I'm going to… He wasn't letting that happen. No way in hell.

And when he had control of himself he started a slow rhythm which Rowan picked up. The hold she had on him, taut and close physically; consuming both in mind and heart. He could hear himself whispering her name, and she would say his back. All this intermingled with soft or deep sounds of pleasure. Rowan wrapped her thighs around his waist, guiding him in deeper.

They both knew they were reaching that point. The flow of their movements became more heated, insistent. Reid had to restrain himself; this was her first time, he couldn't…but this was nothing like he had ever felt before. Maybe love did it make it different.

Reid's entire body seized when he came, a head to toe-curling swell of sensation that hit him twice in succession. He could feel her let go, too. It was in that sharp intake of breath, the ripple through her body, and the arch of her back.

Ecstasy, satisfaction, relief, contentment. Peace.

Reid continued to lay on top of her, he couldn't move. He just breathed; his chin was on her shoulder. Rowan was running her fingers through his hair and he was afraid if he stirred she might stop.

"Did you fall asleep?" she asked quietly.

He chuckled, raised himself up on his forearms. She had tears on her cheeks.

"Oh, shit, did I hurt you?"

Rowan shook her head. "I'm a girl. I'm supposed to cry after I have sex for the first time."

"Sex?" he repeated, as if the word were a slight. "That was making love," he told her with a smile.

"Making love," she corrected.

"That's better," he responded with pompous satisfaction. He kissed her. "You sure you're okay?"

"Mmm-hmm."

He rumbled in the back of his throat, put his forehead on hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I swear if you ever go somewhere again, I'll follow you. You won't be alone."

"That sounds good."

----

At three in the morning Rowan woke up. It was time. She knew it. Gently, she extricated herself from Reid who continued to sleep like a baby. Bubbe had her side of the bed taken before it was even cold.

She put jeans, tee, and jacket, then went to Hunter's room which was three doors down where he always stayed. He was splayed out on his stomach.

Rowan kneeled by the bed and whispered his name. His eyes opened without any trouble.

"Hmm? What? Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. I need you to come with me."

He turned on the bedside lamp. Observed her. Seemed ok.

"I'm not feverous, Hunter," she said. "Come on."

He donned some clothes too and five minutes later they were in her jeep, him behind the wheel as she directed him where to go. It was near where the Colony house was, but way off to east of it. They drove deeper into the forest.

"Stop here," she said. "We have to go on foot now."

They walked hand in hand comfortably. He was fine to take her lead, she seemed to know where she was going.

"This was the trail that led to Lucius' cottage," she finally said. "It's a bit overgrown now, of course."

He looked around. "Not a path in sight, Row."

"Yeah. His cottage was two miles that way." She pointed. "They torched it though. But we're going here."

They went the opposite direction for about a mile. Then they came to a stop. Four trees strategically placed amidst an entire forest were before them.

"We step through south-west," – she walked with him through the lower left side – " and then through south-east."

"But then we're ending up-"

But they didn't end up where they began. They'd gone in an upside-down arc, and now twenty feet ahead was a small cottage. Rowan smiled.

"This is where it all is," she told him.

"All what?"

She opened the door. Candles lit up. It was like a small library. Oddly free of dust.

"I don't think anybody's been here in over a hundred years," Rowan said. "Well, technically, I was in this place over a month ago, just not in this time period." She pointed. "Look."

In the corner a large tome was set on a podium.

"Is this…?" Hunter's voice trailed off.

"Yeah." Rowan's hand ran over the cover of the gilded tome. "The Book of Deliverance."

THE END

And there it ends. :) Just to be evil I won't post the fourth installment until I get at least five reviews. LOL. No, I'm kidding. Ten reviews. Kidding again. Sorry, sugar's kicked in. Maybe I'm not kidding at all.

I was going to wait a while for Reid and Rowan to consummate their relationship, but I felt this was a decent time to do so.

Anywho, the fourth part will be entitled "Keeping Faith" and will of course chronicle their senior year.

Thank you again to the readers. Most appreciated. :D