Topic: Home for the Holidays

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-18 20:51 EST
DAY ONE (December 19th):

Gerry stood at he helm of their ship, not entirely sure when it was they had crossed over through the nexus, but it had gotten warmer. He shed his wool coat and stared ahead as the land approached. Could it really have been this easy, after all these years? Was it really such a simple matter of being in the right place at the right time to get home? Ginny stepped up beside him, glancing up at her big brother. A bright smile crossed her lips as she took his arm in her's holding on tight as they rolled onward toward the docks.

"Welcome home, Big Brother." she said, turning those big blue eyes up at him. Home. This was not home. Hadn't been for a long time. But the smile on his sister's face, was enough to bring one to his. She rested her crimson head on his shoulder as he turned his gaze forward. This was gonna be a long trip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rose and Bill Finnegan were a simple couple. Now into their 60's, they were a solid couple. Bill, tall and broad much like his son. A little beer gut had worked its way to him over his later years, but he was still strong as a bear. His hair grey and thinning, thick glasses on his face. Rose was a tiny, frail-looking thing with big brown eyes and a kind face. Her long brown hair streaked with silver and perpetually in a pony tail. 19 years ago, they lived through a nightmare. Something no parent should ever have to face. When Gerry went, he took a piece of them with him. It took years before things got anywhere near normal again. It didn't help matters that their Daughter kept up with her pointless search, dredging up the memory they wished they could forget.

Gerry was gone and he was NEVER coming back.

Today, Rose was running around the place like a mad-woman, cleaning. Ginny was coming home for the holidays, and of course that meant an insane cleaning spree. For her, anyway. Bill sat in his recliner, an old war movie playing out on the screen, a beer in his hand. He glanced over in annoyance as she plugged in the vacuum and sighed loudly as she came nearer and nearer.

Over the sound of the vacuum, she said without looking, "Swear to god, Bill, you say one word about me blocking the TV, this thing's goin' up your backside sideways."

Bill opened his mouth to say something and she shot him a look. So, he just smiled politely and drank his beer.

"Will you get up off your ass, and go make sure the stove is on?"

"Aw! But...but..." He pointed at the TV almost petulantly, like he was clearly doing something important.

She gave him a withering look. "Spoiler alert, Bill. The Germans lose. Go check the oven."

"Ugh! Fine-uh! But because *I* want to." With a grumble he got to his feet and wandered into the kitchen, putting on a show like a disgruntled teenager. Rose smirked after him, going about her cleaning.

The bell chimed out it's merry little tune. "That would have to be Ginny." she thought.

"ROSE, GET THE DOOR!" Bill shouted from the kitchen.

"I'm getting the-"

"ROSE, THE DOORBELL!"

Rose bit her lip, staring in wide eyes annoyance at the kitchen as she heard him snickering. "Yeah, laugh it up. I make your food." she muttered, trudging over as the bell rang again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, kid. Keep your pants on."

She opened the door, expecting to find a slender redheaded girl standing there. This was not what she found. She looked up...and up at the tall man before her. Well, he was a handsome fella. And those eyes...they looked so familiar.

Gerry stared wide-eyed, his mind going a mile a minute. He went to speak but no sound would come. Ginny stepped out from behind him. "Mom..."

Her mom looked to her a moment. "Gin...who..." She turned back to Gerry. Rose's heart dropped as she realized, her smile slowly falling. She stared up at him her mouth agape. "Oh my god." She said in a quiet voice, her eyes welling with tears.

"Hey, Mom." He managed in a tiny voice.

Rose suddenly grabbed him and pulled him down into a tight hug. She was unable to say anything at the moment, her voice catching in her throat as her body shook. Gerry's arms slowly wrapped around her as Ginny looked on, smiling through tears.

"My boy. My boy, my baby boy..." Rose muttered over and over again, clinging to him as if he might disappear again.

"HEY HON, I THINK I MIGHT BE BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN! SHOULD THERE BE SMOKE?!" came Bill's shout from the kitchen.

Rose sighed. He was luck she loved him. Bill leaned out from the doorway with a mischievous grin that would look familiar to anyone who knew Gerry. And there he found his wife, clinging to some strange man. And...Ginny. Oh no. Who was THIS meathead?

And why was Rose crying? Oh hell. Was Ginny engaged? Was this brick of a man going to be his son in law? Wait...no...Ginny wasn't into men.

Gerry glanced up to him and suddenly, it was like Bill was looking into a mirror, 40 years ago. He froze in place.

"...Gerry?" he managed. Rose reluctantly let go and looked back at her husband, the bliss on her face shining bright, though she sobbed.

Gerry couldn't help the grin the crossed his lips. "Dad." he gave his mother's shoulder a squeeze and stepped around her, the two men heading right for eachother. Ginny stepped up beside her mother and put an arm around her, a proud smile on her lips. The boys more slammed into an embrace than hugged. Bill laughed holding his son tight for the first time in 19 years. He pulled Gerry away, holding him out to look at him. "God...I thought I'd lost you, boy!" He looked him over a moment, before the smile came back and he grabbed him again.

Rose and Ginny made their way over. Rose placing a hand on her husbands shoulder as he finally stepped back, his big meaty hands taking Gerry by his cheeks. "Look at this guy! Rose, you see our boy here?!" Gerry couldn't help but laugh.

Rose smiled, clutching her husband and looking him over. "Yes. Yes I do."

Bill shook his head, the smile never faltering. "God...where the hell ya been, kid?"

Then Gerry's smile faded a bit as a silence hung in the air. Ginny cleared her throat. "Uh...daddy. Let's get him settled in. Then, maybe we can sit down and talk."

Bill glanced over to his daughter and then back to Gerry. "Yeah. Yeah, sure kiddo. Come on, we'll get you set in the guest room."

Gerry and Ginny exchanged a look. This was the part neither had really thought about in this whole plan. This would be the hard part.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-20 03:01 EST
Gerry laid it all out for them. The Nexus...the ship. His life as an actual pirate. His struggles growing up and becoming a respectable businessman. It was a lot to take. At the end, his parents just stared dumbfounded.

"I know. It sounds ridiculous." He said quietly.

Rose nodded slowly, considering. "It's...a very...bizarre story."

Bill looked less than amused. "Look...you don't have to lie, Gerry. If...if you ran away and-"

"I didn't run away, Dad. It's true. All of it." he interrupted. Bill put his hand up nodding.

"But if you did...I'd understand why you might want to...make up this...other life."

Ginny stared across the table. "It's true, Daddy. Every last word of it. I went over there. I saw...I saw so much. It's unbelievable. A whole other world."

Bill knew Ginny wasn't much in the imagination department, and she certainly wasn't a liar. Hell, half the time she was viciously honest.

Gerry looked to his father. "Dad. I would love for it all to have been a dream. Or just some...fairy tale. I saw things...had to do things...that still keep me up some nights." He shook his head. "I need you to understand. Both of you. I didn't want to leave. I went to bed and I woke up on a ship in the middle of the sea and went through hell for months before it became home."

Rose reached out and took her son's hand, her's dwarfed in his. A small smile crossed his lips as he looked to her. Bill was still considering it, silent in his thoughts. Gerry felt like it was his own eyes staring back at him, then.

"You want a beer?" Bill asked, the corner of his mouth upturning to his son. Gerry lit up at that.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd love one."

Bill scooted back from the table and stood. "Ladies. The boy and me are going downstairs. If you need us, hollar."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill stood behind a small bar in their wood-paneled basement, reaching down to the fridge and pulling out a bottle, twisting the top off.

"So. Married, huh?" he asked Gerry, offering him the bottle.

Gerry took it, "Oh yeah. Big time."

Bill grabbed another bottle and popped the top. "Atta boy. Where is she?"

"She, uh...she thought it would be better if I came alone." Gerry answered before upturning the bottle.

Bill gave his son a look. "...and you believed her? Christ, kid. You're an amateur." With a chuckle, he took a swig.

Gerry breathed out a laugh. "You still working sheet metal?"

His father shook his head. "Retired 2 years back. 'bout 3 years after you disappeared, had an accident and my arm wasn't ever the same. Was getting pretty bad toward the end there."

Bill rolled his sleeve and showed the gnarly scar that ran along the back of his arm. "Check that out. Pretty rough, huh?"

Gerry winced at that. "Damn. Check this out." Gerry pulled up the side of his shirt, showing a scar at his ribs. "Got in a bar fight in a place called Tortuga, guy pulled a knife on me. Barely got away with no punctured organs."

Bill's eyebrows raised and he nodded. "Wow. I can beat that." he said pointing to his son. He showed a burn at his collarbone. "Some dumb ass showed up to the factory drunk, and was waving around a red hot metal rod like a cheerleader. Hurt like hell!"

Gerry laughed and pointed to the scar at his forehead, this one looking recent. "Okay. This was...a week ago. We get in a shipment from these fellas. They run quiet. Discreet. Well, one of their people didn't rig a crate right. Whole damn thing comes crashing down, almost crushes one of my guys. Damn thing just bursts, explodes! Chunk of wood catches me when I shove this guy out the way."

His father gave him a look. "And that beats the metal poker?"

"It was a crate FILLED with rubber dicks."

Bill snorted into his beer, his eyes wide.

"So...I got pelted with wood shrapnel...and giant rubber penises."

Bill roared with laughter. For about a minute before Gerry couldn't help but laugh with him. The two laughing just at eachother laughing after a bit. And in that moment, Gerry was incredibly glad he made the trip. He had an amazing father, who was just like him. A mother who loved him, even in the face of an unbelievable story. Today, life was good.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-21 20:47 EST
Six beers later and Bill was snoozing away on a recliner. A slight buzz on, Gerry glanced over before shutting off the TV.

"I'm the king of this ship, Tom Selleck..." his father muttered in his sleep, drawing a laugh from Gerry. He slipped up the stairs into the kitchen to pilfer the fridge.

"There's some ice cream in the freezer." The voice came from behind him. Ginny leaned against the doorway, watching him.

He smiled over to her. "You want some?"

"Yeah, what the hell?" she said, pushing off the wall and making her way over. "So? Whatya think?"

Gerry pulled a tub of Neapolitan out and went about grabbing bowls and spoons. "It's...good. Weird...but good."

Ginny pulled up a chair at the table and sat down. "Happy you came?" she asked hopefully.

Gerry plopped a scoop into the bowl and nodded with a smile. "I really am..." he answered. For a moment, he looked around, vague memories of this place coming back to him. "It's...different. But the same, you know?"

She nodded as he placed a bowl in front of her. "Yeah. That's how I felt when I came home from college."

Gerry sat across the table from her with his bowl and picked up a spoonful of ice cream. "Dad's amazing."

Ginny smiled over "This is the most alive I've seen him in years." her voice was distant. "He would joke around, but there was just...this sadness to him after you went. For a few years he was..." Ginny frowned.

"Well, he wasn't doing so well. But you being back here...he just seems lit up. It's good to see again."

Gerry nodded, swallowing another mouthful of ice cream. "And mom?"

Ginny sighed "Mom...Mom seems happy..."

"But she's not sure what to make of it?" Gerry filled in the rest for her.

Ginny just nodded.

"I understand. My story's a bit of a tall order. If I hadn't lived it, I'd think it was Bull**** too." he said with a grin.

The two siblings sat eating their ice cream, silent for a long moment.

Gerry perked up "Hey. We should go out tomorrow. Go out, hit up a bar? Grab a few drinks. See if anyone from the old days is still around."

Ginny opened her mouth about to protest (she was not a fan of bars, especially townie bars around her)...but her big brother wanted to hang out with her. That was a rare occassion.

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good."

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 01:58 EST
DAY TWO: December 20th

Much of the day was spent running errands with his father (and no small amount of showing him off.) Gerry's worries about a million questions about the past 19 years were unfounded, at least for the time being. People just seemed genuinely happy see him alive and well. He was sure the questions would come at another time, so at least it gave him time to come up with a more plausible story than the truth.

A hearty meal taken down back at the house and Ginny was walking with him to a nearby bar. A favorite stop of locals and college students back in town for break. Gerry pushed open the door and the smell of stale beer and peanuts hit him like a mack truck. Some raucous country song blaring on the radio over the packed bar.

"There he is!" he heard over the din and the place went quiet, aside from the music. Gerry froze, and suddenly felt like he's walked into a trap for a long agonizing moment.

"Uh...Hi." he managed quietly, greeting the crowd with an awkward wave. The place went nuts! People whose faces looked VERY vaguely familiar pretty much bum rushed him, all of them wanting to know if he remembered them from when they were kids. All of them wanting to know the story of what happened. And not a damn one of them willing to let him catch his breath enough to tell them. Frankly, it was overwhelming, but damned if he didn't try to be friendly to all of them and let the ones he recognized know.

A loud whistle came over the bar and drew everyone's attention. Behind the bar was brown haired beauty with big eyes like sapphires, her slender, curvy body in a tight tank top. "Y'all back off and give the boy a moment! Reckon he didn't come here to get pawed at by you nosy sumbitches!"

Gerry looked over to the bartender. She was about 5'6" but carried herself like she was 8 feet tall. And something about that face was so familiar. Then she shot him a lopsided smirk. "Heya, Finnegonads."

A wave of memories came rushing back to him. A short, skinny, scrappy tomboy who got into fights and cussed and was never far away from Gerry was standing before him. But she sure as hell wasn't that skinny, scrappy 11 year old anymore.

"...Oh my god...Kara?" Gerry managed in a whisper starting toward the bar. The bartender grinned and hopped over the bar, flinging herself at him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Damn, Gonads! Where ya been?! Ya never call, ya never write!" she said with a laugh, clinging to him tightly, he head buried against his chest.

Gerry chuckled, hugging back. "Had to get away from your ugly mug somehow."

A snort left her. "Shut up, ass. My mug is glorious."

She pulled back and looked him over. "God DAMN, man. You filled out."

Gerry shrugged modestly and gestured to her. "Well look at you! I thought you were gonna be a rail your whole life! When did you get BOOBS?!"

Kara gave him a look. "Class, Gonads. Class."

Ginny finally made her way over, shoving her way through.

"And holy shit, is that Ginpon?!" She pointed to Ginny. The redhead was never a fan of the nickname, nor was she a fan of Kara. Kara had a habit when they were younger of taking their father's shaving cream and filling a different drawer in Ginny's room with it at random for her to find. So, when Kara embraced her, as well, she was unprepared.

"And lookit you, too, Kiddo! They make 'em pretty in your house, Finnegan."

Gerry gave a little laugh before deciding it was time to move the conversation on. "So, what the hell you up to, K?"

Kara spread her arms out gesturing around them. "This is my domain, Go. I'm a respectable business owner, dude. Speaking of...What you kids drinkin'?"

"Guiness if you got it." Gerry said.

Ginny, still weary, spoke quietly. "I'm not a big drinker..."

Gerry gave her a withering look. "You're drinkin'. Get her a jack and coke."

Kara climbed back over to the other side of the bar in a swift, smooth motion and immediately set about pouring their drinks. The smile on her face wide. "Man...I gotta tell ya, Go...it's damn good to see you again."

Gerry's blue eyes shifted up to her from his stool, a small grin on his lips. "Yeah. You too."

One thing he had not expected on this trip was that his best friend as a child would still be his best friend after a 19 year absence. But here she was. Different, but still the same old Kara. Once again, he was glad to be home.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 02:24 EST
3 Hours Later

Ginny was wasted. She just rambled on in an obliterated slur. "You...youse guys are the BEST. I wan-I-I wanna tell *hic!* I wanna tell you a secret..."

Kara glanced amusedly to Gerry and then back to Ginny. "Yeah? Tell me."

Ginny pointed, holding her glass. "You...were a total bish! I hated your dumb face when-when we weres kid-*hic!* kids! But...BUT!" Ginny pointed HARDER. "You're pretty kickiss now. And your f..." She stopped suddenly, blinked, and then, as if it had just occurred to her to do so, laid her head down on the bartop and fell asleep.

Kara chuckled and shook her head. "She's adorable. You must have a lot of fun with her." she said to Gerry.

Gerry sipped his beer. "Oh yeah. She's a barrel of laughs."

Kara grinned and leaned back against the bar. Most of the people had gone home. Gerry told some story about how he'd run off and bounced around the country for a bit like that dude in Kung Fu. But Kara knew better. She appraised him a moment, enjoying a sight she never thought she'd see. When he left, her world fell apart. He wasn't just her best friend, he was family. The one person she always knew she could count on.

"How's your old man?" he ventured to her.

That was not a happy topic, he could tell by her face. She'd spent a lot of nights at his family's house when her old man would come home drunk. And always, she would play video games or hide and seek or just curl up with Gerry. At the time, of course, neither of them thought anything of it. He was 11 and still thought any girl other than her was gross. Hell, she was barely a girl.

"Don't know. Took off when I was 17, ain't heard from the bastard since, and that's the way I like it." she said bitterly.

"I'm sorry." Gerry regretted bringing it up in the first place. He had hoped things got better, but it sounded like they never did. Kara poured herself a shot of Fireball and downed it quickly.

"Yeah." she said, before remaining quiet a long moment.

"Gerry?" her voice came out softly. "What happened? I mean...what REALLY happened? Why'd you leave me?"

His heart sank. Of course she knew. But...would she believe the truth? That, he wasn't sure of. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

Those beautiful blue eyes locked on him as she leaned against the bar. "Try me."

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 13:31 EST
Blink.

Blink blink. Kara stared at Gerry, having heard the whole unbelievable story. "...a pirate ship." She said simply and slowly, azure eyes squinting as if trying to comprehend the words. "You went to bed and got Narnia'd onto a Pirate ship."

"About the long and short of it, yeah." He nodded.

She was taken aback and stepped away. Gerry was certain she didn't believe him. Kara blinked and looked away.

"You okay?" he asked cautiously.

"Dude..." She turned those eyes on him and a corner of her mouth raised up. "Even if that is total bull****...that's effing AWESOME!" she exclaimed with a laugh. Those eyes were lit up as she stared. "So...you're married, huh?" Was that a bit of disappointment in her voice?

Gerry smirked and held up his ring hand and wiggled his ring at her.

She stared at the band on his ring finger a long moment. "It serious?"

Gerry's brow quirked at that. "It's...marriage. So...yes?"

A light shove and a look that said he was the dumbest man in the world came from the slender brunette. "I'm fucking with you, man. That's great. I'm...I'm happy for ya, Go."

"What about you? Got some Tapout-wearing, muscle head douche boyfriend somewhere? Three illegitimate, yet charming children?" Gerry asked with a grin.

"Ew. No. Just no to all that."

"How come?"

"Dude...the kinda guys around here are all THAT dude or wanna be cowboys. The dating pool's pretty shallow. And so is the gene pool, for that matter. They're all bunch of mopeds around here."

Gerry chuckled "Mopeds?"

"Yeah, fun to ride, but you don't want anyone to see you riding one?"

Gerry belly laughed. "I'm sure there's some lucky guy wandering around out there worth your time."

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear "There was one a while back who I thought I'd always end up with."

Gerry perked up at that. "Oh yeah? What happened."

She blushed a tiny bit. "He ran off to become a pirate."

Gerry's smile faltered and he looked down. "K...I never wanted to leave. I tried like hell to get back here. For years."

She nodded. "I know. I know. It's just...when you left, everything went to shit. I hated being home because that asshole was there...and I didn't want to go by your family because I felt like I reminded them of you."

She let out a breath. "I didn't sleep for weeks after. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, it felt like years before I smiled or laughed again. I was lost without you, Go." Kara's voice was weak, soft. The pain she carried never really went away. She just eventually learned to deal with it.

"I'm sorry, Kara."

"I don't blame you. It's just...it's really good to see you again."

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 14:38 EST
DAY 3 (December 21st)

The night ended shortly after their conversation and Gerry carried a snoring Ginny home. It was 9:30 am when he was down in the kitchen with his mom, enjoying a homemade breakfast.

"You and your sister have fun last night, Ger?" Rose asked with a smile.

"Yeah, actually. Saw a lot of old friends. Ginny might have had too good a time, but...yeah. Fun."

"Oh. I know about Ginny. I heard how good a time she was having while hugging the toilet for dear life." A moment a quiet passed before she glanced over to him, "You see the Maitland girl?"

Gerry nodded with a mouth full of eggs. "Mm. Yeah, Kara?"

"She got very pretty, didn't she?"

"Yes. Yes she did."

"I didn't see that coming."

Gerry's brow furrowed. She had that tone mothers get where they've got an agenda they're playing at. "Nope."

"I did always like her, despite her family. She was a good kid."

"Good. Hey, maybe I can run off an marry her!"

"What?!" she turned to him with wide eyes.

"Mom. Come on. I see what you're doing. Yes. Kara's...gorgeous. She's funny, she's sweet...but I've got a wife. I love her. This is just a visit, alright? "

Rose blushed. "Well..where is she, Gerry? Why isn't she here?"

"She didn't want to come. Wanted to give me time with you guys."

Rose gave him a look. "Gerry. If she really cared about you, she would be here, regardless of how scared she was to meet us."

Gerry was starting to get upset. "Mom. Enough. You don't know Keirra. Like...at all. My wife loves me. I love her. Let's just enjoy the time we have together. Okay?"

The tension was still there even though she conceded and apologized. Luckily, a horn blew from outside, drawing away Gerry's attention. "That'll be Kara. When Gin wakes up, tell her, we went shopping for gifts." He shoved a few pieces of bacon in his mouth and stood from the table.

"Have fun, honey." Rose said, cleaning a dish. Gerry moved over to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, mom."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gerry slipped into the passenger seat of Kara's beat up old hatchback.

"Good GOD. What is this? A clown car?"

She slapped his arm lightly. "Hey, you leave Bonzo alone. This car is awesome."

"Kara...this thing looks like the rust is the only thing holding it together."

"Rust and being the BALLS, you mean." She said with a grin, flipping on the radio. Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" blaring out.

"Oh-ho-ho...man." Gerry chuckled before doing his best Eddie Vedder "Jar-oh-mee Spooooookerrrn! Clay-hay-uh-yasssss tuhdeeeeeeeeee!"

Kara laughed and followed suit, deepening her voice and adding unnecessary R's to everything. "Cleeeely I remermberrrr! Pickerrrn awn the berr! Seemed a hahmlesssssslittuhfuh!"

The two glanced to each other with a smirk before, simultaneously "OOOOOHBUTWEUNLE-UH-EASHED THE LI-AWWWWWWWWN!" The two of them bust up laughing as they drove along to the mall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walking along the crowded Mall, Gerry was totally taken by surprise. Home was nothing like this even on the holidays.

"Jesus, this is a madhouse..." he muttered.

"Yeah?" she asked, glancing over to him. "What's Christmas like where you live?"

"Quieter. Marketplace is lit warmly, the bars are a little warmer, but there's not much of a mad dash to buy presents and...all this stuff."

"That sounds nice." she smiled.

"It is. Though, you don't see a ton of Christmas trees over there. Not like here where there's like...a dozen on every corner. I like it."

Kara nodded. "Well...maybe you should move back here. You and the wife, that is. What's her name?"

"Keirra."

She stared at him a long moment.

"What?" he asked. "Will you quit gawking at me. People are gonna think we just broke up."

"Seriously, dude? You got hitched to a girl whose name is PRETTY MUCH mine? Come on, man. That's just not fair. Next thing you'll tell me she cusses like a fucking sailor and gives everyone inappropriate nicknames." She said with a roll of the eyes.

That was when she noted the look on his face. "WHAT?! Dude! What the fuck, Gobot?! You're basically married to my doppleganger, man!"

Gerry snorted "Ko makes you look like a choir girl."

"Oh, shit. I gotta meet her." Kara decided.

"Yeah." he said none-too convincingly. "Yeah, that'd be great."

"You'd rather eat a can of AIDS wouldn't you?"

Gerry smirked and glanced to her. "A WHAT?"

"It's cool, dude. I get it."

"No, Kara...I mean...she's kinda territorial about me. Get's a bit jealous."

"Dude. I get it. I would be too, if I were her. You're a fucking catch, man. I'd probably stab me too if I were her."

Gerry laughed "She's not a psycho!"

Kara scoffed "She's just hiding it on ya. We're super good at that. Haven't you ever been on the internet? It's all on there."

Gerry chuckled and the two continued on with their day.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 16:54 EST
The next few days were pretty mundane. Mostly going out drinking and hanging out with Kara and Ginny. Seeing some of the now-grown kids from the neighborhood. Gerry even managed to gather everyone for a game of wiffleball on the little league field one night. Though, in the back of his mind he just really wanted to get home. As fun as it was being with everyone and reconnecting with his childhood best friend, he missed his wife.

Christmas Eve and Day went off without a hitch. Gerry and his father spent the majority of their time either watching movies or throwing some manner of ball or another around outside. Bill was on cloud nine with there being another man around to talk to. Kara, of course was there for both days, celebrating with the family like it was old times.

Ginny couldn't help but notice how close the other girl kept to her brother. Something about it gave her conflicting feelings. On one hand, she felt good to see the two of them together again in any capacity. On the other, she felt a little guilty. She could read body language pretty well, and that girl was ALL about her brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~
DAY FIVE (December 26th)

The last day of his trip was spent at the parent's, sitting around going through old photo albums that ended with him at 11. There was one of him and Kara dressed as T-rexes, with her riding his shoulders.

"Oh man." she muttered, leaning against him. "Dude, we should find those costumes and re-enact this picture. You know. For posterity."

That was an image...Gerry smirked back at her. "Yeah, fine. But I get to be on top this time."

She shrugged "You like bein' on top, huh?" she said with a sly smirk.

He had a dumb expression as he realized what he just said. "No! Sometimes...shutupleavemealone."

Kara giggled...actually giggled and rested her head on his shoulder.

Bill was out cold in the recliner beside them and Ginny was dead to the world in the other. Rose had long ago gone to bed.

Kara looked up at him. "Hey. Let's go downstairs and get fucked up on your old man's liquor stash."

That sounded like an AMAZING idea and nothing bad could ever POSSIBLY happen because of it! "Oh hell yes!" he responded, as she got to her feet.

The two of them snuck down the stairs and made their way to Bill's bar. Kara's comfort behind the bar was apparent as she set up a pair of shots for them. "Okay. So. I wanna play a game." She said, a sly, challenging look on her face.

"Oh?"

"For every shot, we tell each other a secret." A grin crossed her red lips.

Gerry made a face "Are we in 8th grade?"

"Shut up, dickface. Just play the game."

"Alright, alright. Who starts."

"You start."

Gerry brought the glass up and stared at the brown liquor inside. "Okay...I had a 3 way on my honeymoon."

Boom, he shot the whiskey back. Kara's eyes went wide. "Whoa. Really?!"

Gerry licked the booze from his lips and nodded, letting the shot take affect. "Yep. Crazy redheaded chick. And I do mean crazy. Wouldn't stop calling us."

"Effin' NICE, man! Musta made an impression..."

"I like to bring my A game to certain situations, yes. You're up."

Kara nodded and thought a moment. "Right, right. Okay...I..." sapphire eyes drifted up, thinking of something. "One time, when the old man was passed out, I drew a dick on his forehead that he didn't notice for 12 hours. He just thought all his jokes were super funny."

Gerry laughed while she slammed her shot.

"Your turn." She said, pouring another for him.

Gerry's fingers plucked up the glass, holding it up. "You know that song 'I Love You, Always Forever'? That's totally one of my favorite songs."

"Oh...man. Did it make you spontaneously grow a vagina at some point?"

He snickered and downed his shot. Kara took her's. "I've never slept with the same person twice."

Gerry frowned at that. "Really? Why?"

She smirked "Not in the spirit of the game, sir."

"No, I'm serious. Why not?"

Her smirk faltered and she took in a deep breath. "Just...take your turn."

Gerry nodded. Pushing her wouldn't help matters at all. He took his shot "I don't dislike Nickelback. In fact, I find the majority of their songs pretty catchy."

"Good god, you're a monster. And you're not getting away that easy. Come on. Give me something real." she refilled his shot. "Come on. Real talk."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh there are rules for the secrets, now?"

"Spill it!" she slid the glass to him.

He sighed and plucked it up, thinking a moment. "I'm worried that my wife is really unhappy with me and is slowly starting to leave me."

THAT got her attention. "Why?"

"She was spending a lot of time away from home. She made this new friend and she spends all her time with him. He says he's gay, but...I dunno. She spends most nights over at their place while I sit up at home alone, waiting for her."

"God, Go...That sucks."

He shook his head and put on a fake smile "It's probably all in my head. I'm kind of a worry wort like that. It's just...I work a lot. So...I can't be there to do all the stuff they do. I want to. I want to be there for her to have fun with. I want her to be happy with me. I just..." he sighed. "I don't know."

Kara's heart was pounding as she reached out and took his hand. "I get it. It hurts when you don't feel like someone's as invested as you are. I totally get it."

The two just sat a moment in silence. She looked to her glass. "My turn."

Kara reached over and lifted it, staring off as if building up to something. Her eyes locked onto his, searching desperately. "Don't go." She set the glass down without drinking.

Gerry tensed. "What?"

"Don't go. Please."

"Kara..."

"Please, Gerry. I just got you back, I can't lose you again."

His heart sank.


"Kara...you know I have to. My wife is there. My future daughter. I can't stay here."

"Please..."

"Kara-"

She grabbed him by the shirt and kissed him hard, out of nowhere. After the second of shock, he pulled away. The silence in the air was crushing as he just stood and stepped away.

"I'm sorry." she said in a small voice. "I'm sorry, Go..."

"Kara...don't."

"I'm sorry! I just...I've dreamed of you for 19 years. Coming back and making everything alright again. Making me feel like you used to when we were kids. And then, here you are. And you make me feel that. And more. I just...I lost my head, I'm sorry."

Gerry's hand ran through his hair, a lungful of air exhaled heavily. He didn't know what to say. What could he say?

"I think...I think you better go." he finally muttered.

Kara was absolutely destroyed. He couldn't bear to see the look on her face at that moment. Teary, bloodshot eyes, filled with pain, turned down to her shot glass. She brought it up and knocked it back before rushing to the stairs, and disappearing out the front the door.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 19:35 EST
DAY SIX: (December 27th)

Gerry was quiet much of that morning, the events from the night before weighing heavily on him. What the hell happened? One minute everything was cool, the next, she was kissing him.

Had he been unclear? Had he led the girl on? The last thing he'd ever wanted was to hurt her. He knew leaving wasn't going to be a simple thing, but he never imagined this.

Ginny stood outside the car on her phone, while Gerry's mom worried all over him about his trip.

"Come on...pick up." She muttered. The plan was, a contact was to get them to a portal and then back home. That was the plan, anyway. But now, after he'd received payment, he wasn't answering her calls.

"Mom. I'm fine. I've done this twice, and I sailed for most of my young life. I've got this."

Rose smiled to her son, petting his face in that adoring mother sort of way. "Oh...my handsome boy. I just want you to be careful is all."

Gerry smiled to her, but he was distracted by Ginny's raised voice. A quick squeeze was given to his mother's hand and he stepped out of the car. "What's going on?"

Ginny's head snapped back to him before she went back to the call. "He's not picking up."

"What do you mean he isn't picking up, Ginny? I thought you had a deal with this guy."

"Gerry, get off my ass, I'm trying to call him and he's not answering. He's supposed to be here."

Gerry glanced around, irritated. "Well where the fuck is he?"

She hung up the phone. "God dammit, Gerry, I don't know!"

Gerry glowered over her "Well you better figure it out! I need to go home!"

Ginny gave him a shove. "Get out of my face! I'm trying to get you home, you jack-ass!"

Bill decided now might be an opportune time to check on the kids.

"Ginny, I swear, if you fuck this up for me-"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Easy, big guy!" his father said, hands up to them. "What's going on?"

"The scumbag Ginny PAID IN ADVANCE hasn't followed through. Just completely screwed off with the money. Big fucking surprise!" Gerry answered, angrily.

Bill looked to him reproachfully. "Gerry. Calm down. You know she didn't do this on purpose."

Gerry turned to his father. "I do? Because...she's the one who MADE me come here. The one who guilted and cajoled to get her way. She ran off and pouted when I didn't want to abandon my life, for EXACTLY this reason! I didn't WANT to come home! I WAS home!"

"THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED!" Ginny shouted at him before her father gave her a look.

Gerry was more concerned with his father at that moment. That one hurt. He could see it in Bill's eyes. "I mean...Not..."

Bill nodded. "I know what you meant, son. But you need to calm down. We'll figure this out. She got there and back with you, I'm sure we can figure something out."

Gerry stared at him, his expression softening. "Dad...it took 19 years for me to get here. 19 years. I have a wife waiting for me. She's pregnant with my daughter. I can't wait 19 more years. Leaving Rhydin is ALWAYS easier than getting there."

Bill grabbed him by the shoulders. "Listen. We're gonna get you home. I promise. Whatever we gotta do, we'll figure it out. But this isn't your sister's fault. You know that."

Gerry's head hung low then. Ginny was positively SEETHING with rage.

"...Gin...I-"

"Whatever. Screw you. Do what you want. I'm done." She said with no shortage of venom in her voice and climbed into the back of the car with her mom. Those big blue eyes burning as she stared out the window.

Gerry kind of wanted to crawl in a hole in a die.

"Give her time." Bill said quietly.

Gerry nodded and looked out across the harbor again. "Dad...I'm gonna wait here a bit. Just in case."

Bill grimaced and nodded. "Alright. Well...you call if you need us. I think we better get her home to cool off."

"Thanks, Dad."

Bill patted his son's cheek with a little smile and walked back to their car.

Gerry sat at the edge of the pier and stared off into the setting sun. It was a different sun. A different sea. But, Gerry could practically feel Keirra doing the same thing.

And it tore him apart inside.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-28 20:36 EST
Gerry sat there for hours. Well on into the night. His ship was nearby, so at least he had someplace to sleep when it came to it...but for now, he just sat, slumped back against a post, watching, waiting for someone who would never come. He pulled his coat tighter around him. It was getting chilly out now.

He heard the footsteps come up behind him and glanced back. There was Kara, a sixer in one hand and peace sign in the other. She smile sheepishly. "Hey."

Gerry blinked and gave her a sad little smile. "Hey. What's that?" he nodded to the beer.

"A peace offering?" she said hopefully. "Look...last night was..." she shut her eyes, finding the words and working through the shame. "I was out of line. I put you in a bad position and asked you do something horrible. And I feel awful about it."

Gerry nodded, he had to agree. It was entirely FUBAR and it messed him up pretty good.

"I just don't want you to leave hating me, Gerry."

God, she looked pathetic, just holding out a sixer to him with that worried, yet hopeful look on her face. Oh, jesus, Finnegan, throw her a bone. He reached up and pulled one of the cans out of the ring. A deep sigh left her and she sat beside him, looking at the old schooner docked nearby. Well, that HAD to be his.

Gerry cracked the beer open and turned to her. "I don't hate you, Kara. Far from it. You just...caught me off guard."

"I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Yeah. That was a bad plan." he nodded.

"It won't happen again." she assured him.

She leaned against a post, herself, opening a beer for herself as well.

"How'd you know I was still here?" Gerry asked.

"Your dad told me. I went by the house." She glanced over. "So, you really can't get home?"

"Not yet anyway." he replied. This time, it didn't give her such a hopeful look. No, this time it made her a bit sad.

"I'm sorry. That sucks. I can ask around at the bar, if you want?"

Gerry snickered "Ask what? 'Hey, have you guys heard anything about magic portals to another world? Thanks!' Come on."

She stifled a laugh and thought a moment. "Well, it's not like everyone in this town doesn't already think I'm screwed up in the head anyway."

"Tell you what, you just keep your ears open, huh? We'll go from there."

Kara canted her head toward Gerry "Deal."

The pair sat in silence for a long while, just listening to the water lap against the boats and the piers.

"She's a lucky woman, you know. You're a great guy, Go."

Gerry shook his head. "Right now, somewhere across the universe, she's sitting there waiting for me to come home. And I let her down again. I broke my promise and I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to make it up to her."

Kara gave him a nudge. "Well, unless she's a fool, she'll realize it wasn't your fault. As much fun as we've been having...you know...until I made an ass out of myself last night...you've been thinking only of getting back to her. You're devoted, Go. She'll see it sooner or later."

Gerry turned his eyes to her. "Thanks, K."

She simply clinked her can to his and sat up with him for the rest of the night.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-29 01:37 EST
DAY SEVEN (December 28th)

Kara left at some time after 3 AM. She would be working a shift later that day and wanted to get some sleep, but promised Gerry she'd check in on him.

Ginny found him the next morning, curled up on the ground, slumped over. She gave him a nudge with her foot. Gerry woke with a start, looking around frantically before the soreness set in. "Ohhh..good GOD..." He arched his back, a series of satisfying, cringe-inducing pops coming from him.

"Wake up." said Ginny, staring down at him. The slim redhead slowly focused in his vision.

"Oh...hey, Gin."

She stared down at him, her arms crossed almost protectively over herself. "You seriously slept out here?"

Gerry looked about. "Apparently..."

She sighed and offered her hand, for all the good it would do for someone his size. Gerry took it and got to his feet. "Thanks."

Ginny nodded and walked along the pier with him, headed toward his ship. "I was up all night. Looking up recent activity that might lead us someplace. give us an idea of where we could find a Nexus point."

Well, that certainly didn't make him feel guilty as all hell. "Thank you...you didn't have to do that."

"I know. And remember you said that, because I don't know how this is going to work out, if at all." She said, that bit of an edge to her voice.

"Did you find anything useful?" asked Gerry.

"Well, the problem is that we don't know about any of this stuff until after it happens. So, the best we can hope for is that we discover a pattern. Common occurrences over a period of time." She grimaced at that. "And that takes time."

Gerry nodded. Of course it did. "How much time?"

"Could be days. Could be weeks...who knows? Might even be over a year."

Suddenly, Gerry's heart felt like it weighed a metric ton. "A year?"

"Maybe." She told him flat out. "Look. Don't get discouraged. There's no bad news until there's bad news, alright?"

Gerry nodded, finally letting out a breath as they walked up the gangplank to the deck.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-29 17:23 EST
DAY NINE: (December 30th)

Two days of constant searching, compiling information and mainlining coffee left both siblings burned out. Gerry rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Ginny lay on the bed, her head hanging off the back, red waves falling downward.

A knock came from the door and she managed a gutteral "Come in!"

Kara nudged the door open with her hip, a couple bags of fast food in her hands. "I come bearing sustenance."

Gerry glanced back appreciatively and yawned. "Thanks, K."

She plopped a brown paper bag, nearly translucent from the fry grease in his lap before leaning over and looking at the computer screen.

"Y'all find anything?" Kara asked.

Ginny sat up and dug through her bag, her tongue sticking out in disgust at the grease a bit. "Eeeuch...uh...about 150 possible occurrences. Not much in the way of definites."

Gerry shoved a handful of fries into his mouth while unwrapping a double cheeseburger. "We're figuring out which ones are legit and which are red herrings."

Kara nodded slowly. "Sounds..."

"Tedious as all hell?" Ginny finished for her. "Why yes. Yes it is."

Kara smirked and stole one of Gerry's fries before leaning back against the desk. "I asked around as subtly as I could without looking like I should be wearing a tinfoil hat. Not much came of that. Most of the conversation around the bar has been about 'dem durned libruhls ruinin' 'muricur!' or 'dem dang ol' foreigners takin' our jerbs!'" she said, mocking the accents of the complainers.

A chuckle escaped Gerry, a quarter of a cheeseburger in his mouth.

Ginny got up "I'll be back."

"Where you goin'?" Gerry asked.

"To pee. Wanna come with, nosey?"

He made a face.

"Didn't think so." With that, Ginny stepped out leaving the two of them alone. Gerry offered her an uncomfortable smile, which she returned.

"So..." Gerry started.

"Yeah." Kara finished.

Silence.

"When you get back...you'll still come to visit, right?" Kara inquried.

His blue eyes turned to her. It would have been easy to hate her. To think less of her. She knew he had a wife and a child on the way and still made her move. But just looking at her softened him. She was desperate. Broken. More than a little pathetic. It was obvious that, despite the exterior she presented to the rest of the world, this was a woman who hadn't been happy in a long, long time.

"Yeah. Yeah, K, of course. We'll just...plan ahead better is all. And, hey, maybe you can visit sometime."

She looked like she was about to agree to that but hesitated. "I...yeah...I dunno. I mean...I got the bar and everything...and...you know, you've got this whole life over there." She nodded.

"Yeah...I guess so." Gerry said, the smile he put up slipping.

Kara stood and moved to sit on the bed behind him, staring at her feet.

Gerry swiveled his chair around to face her.

"What's she like?" Kara asked.

"Ko?" He replied. "She's...tough. Kind of a smartass. Funny...like, she gives everyone dirty nicknames." He smiled softly, thinking of her. "When we met she hated everyone. Even me. Refused to even call me her friend."

Kara smirked, listening.

"She doesn't put up with bull****. But...god...she can be so sweet when she wants to. When it's just the two of us and that guard drops...K, it's amazing. All that prickly, bravado melts away and she just makes you feel lucky to even be near her." He looked to her "And her eyes. Oh my god, her eyes. She's got these big, bright blue eyes, that just light up when she smiles. She flashes those things and I just melt."

A warm smile spread across Kara's face. "God, I wish someone talked about me like that."

"You will." he smiled her way.

"Promise?" She replied, hopefully.

He nodded. "Promise."

"Well..if for whatever reason things don't work out...you know where to find me." she said, half-joking.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-29 19:52 EST
Later that night, Gerry stepped outside to catch a breath of fresh air. It was about 2 am and had gotten chilly. His eyes felt sore from staring at a screen all day. That was a thing, right?

He just needed to get out of the house for a second. The only thing on his mind was Keirra. Where was she? What was she doing right now? God, he could only imagine. He was certain that wherever she was, she was completely freaking out. To be honest, despite the calm exterior he put up, he just wanted to scream. Wanted to destroy something. Wanted to hurt someone, physically, emotionally...it didn't matter. But that wasn't him.

She wouldn't hear him. Of course she wouldn't...but he needed to talk.

"Hey, baby. Wherever you are...I miss you. I'm fighting, Ko. God knows I am fighting to get back to you. So...wherever you are...please, don't give up on me." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I wish you were here. I wish you could meet them. Let them see the amazing woman I married. I'm not giving up. I'll never stop. I'm coming, Keirra. I'm coming home if I have to move time and space to do it. Don't give up on me."

He took one last look up at the stars. Stars that weren't even the same as her's. He frowned, sniffed, and stepped inside.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2015-12-31 02:25 EST
DAY TEN (December 31st)

Gerry was snoring away in his bed while Ginny was hard at work.

"God DAMN it!" she shouted, waking him from his slumber. He peered around a line of drool still on his mouth.

"What happened?"

Ginny flopped back in her chair, her hand going to her eyes, rubbing them. "We're getting nowhere with this. All these occurrences...they're too unrelated...too random. " She sighed, running her hands through her short red locks.

Gerry sat up, a frown on his face. "What else is there?"

Ginny looked to him with tired eyes. "We need to find them."

"Who?" he asked.

"The men who I hired." She knew how unlikely that was. How difficult that would be. And Gerry could see it in her eyes.

"I am so sorry, Gerry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

He tried to give her a reassuring smile and nodded. "I know. But thank you for helping me."

The brought a smile to her face. Ginny wrapped her arms around him and just rested against him. Gerry looked at the clock. 11:59.

"Happy New Year, Gin." he said quietly.

She glanced up. "Happy New Year."

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2016-01-03 01:24 EST
The two siblings contacted Kara the next day, getting her involved in the search. William McTavish was Ginny's missing business partner, and now Gerry's best hope of returning home. Kara would casually mention the name at the bar and see what turned up.

Now, all there was to do was wait.

DAY TWELVE (January 2nd)

Gerry sat out in the backyard, lost in his thoughts. God, he wanted to be home right now. It had only been a few days, but keeping hope alive was becoming more and more difficult as the days wore on. The thoughts of what Ko was doing in response to his absence frankly terrified him. She wasn't always the most rational of women and had a bit of a penchant toward self-destruction.

He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice that Bill had stepped out the door behind him.

"Heya, Kid." Bill greeted his son. "What are you up to?"

"Ohhhh, you know...just driving myself insane with worry. The usual."

Bill grinned and looked over, settling in beside him. "Any luck?"

"Nada." Gerry responded.

"Sorry to hear that."

"I just...I need to get back. Every second I'm here, I feel like something horrible is brewing back home." Gerry complained.

"You know, Kid...When you came back to us, it was the happiest I've been in a long time. Long time." Bill nodded. "Look, I don't want to guilt you or try to change your mind. I know that ain't gonna fly. Just don't forget us. And maybe don't talk about how much you can't wait to disappear on us again."

Well. That was a kick to the nuts. "Dad...I didn't meant it like.-"

"Kid, I get it. You got a wife back home and a kid on the way. You've got a life to get back to. Just...don't forget about us, yeah?" Bill smiled, gave his son a pat on the arm and took his leave. "Dinner's in 15. Your mom's making us McDonald's."

Gerry smirked at him, watching him go.

Kara Aimsley

Date: 2016-01-04 14:43 EST
DAY THIRTEEN (January 3rd)

God, the whole prospect of finding this...what would you call him? A Sorcerer? Tele...porter? Whatever he's called, finding him by asking the vaguest of questions was tricky.

One of her regulars was in the bar tonight. He tended to know what was going on in town.

Madison McCullen. A scarred, rough looking character most people gave a wide berth. A gravelly Scottish brogue in every word and an slightly unbalanced look in his steely grey eyes didn't help.

He pulled the Kangol from his bald head and set it beside him as he sat.

"Mad Mack!" Kara said over the music, moving over to him with a glass and grabbing a bottle of Lagavulin. "The usual?"

"Oi, Love. If yer pourin', I'm drinkin'." he said with a smirk.

One cube in the glass and it was filled. "And keep 'em comin', lass."

Kara grinned and nodded. "You got it." She slid the glass to him.

Hands decorated with scars earned in countless fights and debt collections grabbed the glass and took a drink.

"So, Mack. How's business." she ventured.

"You know I don't talk shop unless we're talkin' shop, Girlie." He answered without looking, his fingers coming up and rubbing together indicating money.

Those azure eyes regarded him a moment before she went on. "How's about you drink for free tonight?"

THAT got his attention. He swiveled around in his chair, leaning forward, resting his elbows on the bar. "Whatever I want?"

She knew exactly how much this man could drink. "That's right. I know I'm taking a big hit here, Mack."

Madison stared at her a moment, staring with those perpetually angry looking eyes. His mustache twitched as he gave her a lopsided, grin. "Well. In that case, I say ask away."

Kara smiled to him. "Looking for someone. Kind of a odd case."

"Once tracked a man who thought he was Jesus Christ reborn through 4 states. Another who thought he turned invisible when he took off all his clothes. Thinkin' I can handle weird."

Oh really, she thought. "This one opens portals to another dimension."

"**** off." he said immediately.

"No, really."

"Look, girlie, if ya gonna take the piss, I ain't up for fun n' games."

"I'm serious, Mack. Guy named McTavish. William McTavish. Least that's the name he gave my friend." she said earnestly

Madison stared at her a long moment, reading her for any hint of a lie. "Let's say, the sake of argument, that I believe your story. What's he do? Why you need him?"

Kara considered that for moment. "I'm helping a friend get home. I need him to do it."

"Ah. Yer big boyfriend who come back, I'm guessin?"

Kara's expression darkened. "My friend."

"Ease up, lass. I'll ask around, see what I can find. If he's 'round still, we'll find 'im."

Kara sighed with a relief, though part of her still ached. She was fairly certain that when Gerry left this time, it would be the last time. She would lose him forever all over again.

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2016-01-04 17:49 EST
DAY FOURTEEN (January 4)
Gerry and Ginny were in the car on their way to meet Madison as Kara laid out some ground rules.

"Okay, so, when you see him try not to look him in the eye too long. He'll take it as a threat." she warned.

"No eye contact, got it." Gerry nodded.

"No, not NO eye contact or he'll think you're a Pus and refuse to deal with you. Just...I don't know. vary it."

Gerry looked confused and Ginny just smirked. Kara glanced in the mirror back at her. "And don't sass him. Seriously. Don't. I've seen him break a man's jaw for throwing him a bit a' sarcasm."

Ginny frowned. "What kind of psychopath are you taking us to?"

"The kind who would believe your ridiculous story."

Ginny opened her mouth the speak, but stopped. "Fair enough."

Kara let out a long breath "Just...don't stare."

Gerry glanced over to her with a quirked eyebrow. "What's he got? A dick growing out his forehead?"

She shot him a look. "Just...don't stare. This guy's got a short fuse and a hair trigger..."
~~~~~~~

They pulled into an area that could only be described as posh. Beautiful homes, shops. Well-manicured lawns and paint on the houses. This was not at all what either of them had expected.

They pulled into the driveway of an old house that must have been built in the 20's, but looked pristine.

Gerry blinked. "So...if I stare do I not get a cup of sugar or a cookie."

Kara did not look amused. "Funny. Get it out of your system now. I'm serious."

The three of them walked up the steps and rang the bell. The door opened and there was Madison, clad in a sweater vest and white button up. Looking more like a bad-ass grandpa than the dangerous man Kara had described. He peered at them through a pair of glasses, making sure there was no one else. "Right. Inside."

They filed in and he shut the door behind him. Moments later they were sitting in his cozily appointed living room, a clock ticking away in the silence that permeated. Madison sat in an old armchair, looking between Gerry and Ginny, each averting their eyes when he did.

"Well?" he asked.

"Huh?" Gerry exclaimed with worry in his voice.

"If yous ain't gonna ****in' talk, I'd just as soon get back ta' my day." He leveled his gaze on the younger man.

"Uh...right. Uh...we-"

"UH. UH. UH. Spit it out, lad, ya sound like a mental case."

Gerry swallowed.

"We've got this guy we're looking for..."

"Yeah, some prat named McTavish. Wizard of ****in' oz sorta fella. Kara told me. What're yer names?"

Gerry and Ginny introduced themselves.

"Madison."

"Madison?" Gerry quirked a brow.

"What you think it's a lass's name? Think you're more of a ****in' man than me wit' your sissy soundin' name, GERRY? I'll tell ya one thing, sonny, I taken down men far bigger and far smarter n' you, so why don't you shut your smart ****in' mouth before I put you in ****in' traction, oi?"

Gerry just sat there looking like he'd just got hit by a truck.

"What else can ya tell me about the bastard?" Madison continued.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Well...he's got tan skin...uh...dark brown eyes...dark brown hair. Kinda...rogue-ish good looks?"

"So, what, you gave him a shag and he bailed?"

She looked super offended "Uh, no he didn't but could you be a little more rude?"

He rolled his eyes. "Listen, sunshine, I'm just havin' a laugh, but you wanna come your post-feminist art school bullocks with me, I'll have a go and put ya right in your friggin' place and you ain't gonna like it! Now, we got ourselves an understandin' or we gonna row?"

She went to say something but stopped herself. "I paid him and he took off."

"****in' right. Right, so you pay the bloke and he pisses off wit' da money. How you find him the first time?"

"Guy named Isaac." she answered barely disguising her distaste for this man.

"Isaac? Isaac Kaverov?"

"You know him?" Ginny asked.

"Aye, I know him. Tough bastard. Into some serious shit. Well, he's right out."

Gerry furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"Son of a bitch is dead."

Ginny and Gerry responded at the same time. "Dead?"

"Aye. Fell down some stairs. Onto a knife. About 18 times. Bad spot of luck for him."

"God dammit, Kara. Who did you bring us to?" Gerry thought to himself.

Kara entered the room with another man. Tall, slim, with graying hair the two talking like old friends. Great. Now who was this?

"Can I offer anyone a muffin or maybe a cup of coffee or tea?" he asked the room with a smile.

Madison nodded to him "I'll take a tea."

He nodded and turned to the others who declined. He moved to head back into the kitchen, but Madison, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down into a kiss.

Gerry's eyes went wide. Ginny's head tilted. Well. That was unexpected.

Madison turned back to them. "What? What're you two pillocks starin' at? You ain't never heard of gay men? He's my ****in' husband. If you're thinkin' because I'm a gay man, you can take me down, you're lucky ta try, but I guarantee ya, I'll be playin' ****in' football with yer tiny ****in' heads before the night's out! So keep eye-ballin' me, and we'll find out right quick!"

Kara gave Gerry a nudge and a reproachful look. He immediately looked away, like he was scanning the room for literally anything else.

Ginny was the first to speak. "If he's dead, do you have any ideas?"

Madison settled back in. "Well, you're luck, love. I know some a' his associates. We get 'em talkin', we might find yer man."

Gerry looked back to him again, suspiciously. "When you say 'get him talking'...."

"Might need to break a couple fingers." Madison nodded matter of factly.

"Only if we HAVE to, right Mack?" Kara added in a tone as if leading him to the correct response.

"...Yeah. If not, we'll give him punch and pie and kisses goodnight before."

Gerry nodded. "Whatever it takes."

"You sure 'bout that, boyo? Some paths ya don't come back from." Madison asked, leaning forward and peering up at him.

"Whatever it takes." Gerry repeated firmly.

Madison smirked and looked to Kara. "I like him. Boy's got spunk. Ya got a deal, kid."

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2016-01-06 18:58 EST
DAY FIFTEEN (January 5th)

STAR WARS INTERLUDE!

Gerry sat in the theater as the credits to Star Wars Episode VII rolled, his jaw hanging slack. They'd needed a break from searching, so his dad took him and Ginny out. Gerry blinked and looked over slowly. "That. was. AWESOME!" he exclaimed with a laugh.

Bill smirked and nodded happily.

"So, they seriously went 30 years without making a new Star Wars movie?" Gerry asked.

Ginny looked over "Well, there were the pr-"

"EP BEP BEP BEP....." bill interrupted. "Yep. 30 years. 30 long years. Where Boba Fett wasn't a kid. And Darth Vader never said 'yippie' or 'wizard'."

Gerry looked at him with untrusting, narrowed eyes. "The way you say that makes me think those things might have happened."

"Nope! Never happened." Bill said forcing a smile.

"But-"

"Never. Happened." he said through clenched teeth. "So! Ice cream on the way home?"

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2016-01-07 16:32 EST
For days there was little-to-no progress. All they could do was wait. Wait for Kara. Wait for Madison. Wait for any news of any kind.

Gerry and Ginny passed the time with family, movies, the bar...pretty much any way they could. He even went to work at the bar a few nights, just to get his mind off things. In the back of his mind Gerry was trying to cope. Telling himself that, if he HAD to be stuck somewhere away from home forever...this wouldn't be so bad. He had his mother and father, who loved him. His former best friend still thought the world of him and was going above and beyond to help him, at the expense of her own happiness. Would it be so bad?

Of course, that was all bull crap.

Even as he thought it, inside he knew it was a lie. If it came to be that he'd never return, a piece of him would be missing and he would never get it back. Keirra was home. Their apartment was home. The docks, the market, even the campground. For all the drama and all the BS that came with Rhydin, it was home. He WOULD get back there. He had to,.

DAY 26 (January 16th)

Gerry and Kara were lounging the in the basement of his parent's house, Ginny completely conked out on Bill's recliner. "She's All That" was playing. Gerry's head tilted as he watched.

"Is that what high school was like? Did you have an awesome DJ who taught everyone a super intricate dance that EVERYBODY learned to do in sync?"

Kara snorted and looked over at him. Her smirked dropped when she realized it was a legit question. "...No. No, it was more awkward feeling up, smuggling liquor, and crappy pizza. Then my date puking on my dress."

Gerry nodded slowly. "I like Freddie Prinze Jr's better."

Kara sighed "Yep. Me too."

She offered the bag of chips over to him without looking. He grabbed a handful of chips and shoved them in his face.

His phone then went off. Gerry and Kara stared at it, suddenly going still. Gerry swallowed his mouthful and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Oi, prick."

"...Hey, Madison."

"Right, you and perkytits geddown here. I got some good news."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gerry, Kara, and a still-sleepy Ginny stumbled into Madison's home. His Husband, (named Kevin, Gerry had since learned) greeted them. "He's downstairs."

The trio came down to find Madison in an old white tanktop, stained red in a few places, his knuckles busted. Beside him was a tan skinned man with dark eyes and dark hair. One eye was swollen shut and blood trailed from his nose, but Ginny recognized him. "Heya, McTavish. Long time no see."

McTavish turned his good eye up, a specter of fear crossing his battered face. "Finnegan...hey...been looking for ya..."

Ginny cut him off, starting forward before Kara stopped her. "Bull****! You ****ing bailed on me!"

Gerry only stared, a dangerous look darkening his eyes. Kara held Ginny back. "Easy... easy."

Madison ran his hands under the slop sink. "Tough son of a bitch. Seems he don't wanna talk. Been whalin' on him for an hour now. Only thing comin' outta him's been spat blood."

Gerry's face was like stone. "He's said nothing?"

"That's right! And after this, if ya think I'm gonna help ya, you're outta your mind!" McTavish shouted.

Gerry walked up to him slowly, towering over the sitting man. Even if he was standing McTavish topped off at 5'7". Gerry would have loomed over him anyway.

"How do I get back." He said, making it plain that it was not a request.

McTavish grinned his cracked lips up at him. "You hope the **** you train to go **** yourselfville. Piss off!"

Gerry leaned down, his hands on his knees, getting face to face with him. His voice calm. Collected. Never rising above a whisper.

"Do you know who I am? Do you know what my life has been like? What I've been through? What I've seen?"

McTavish smirked "You're a boyscout. A simple hayseed. You think because you got muscles you're scary? I seen men bigger and scarier than you can imagine. I ain't ascared a' you."

Gerry didn't blink. He just stared at him. "You should be."

McTavish spat in his face, a bloody line of saliva spattering his skin. Gerry stood up slowly and wiped it away. Madison, smirked getting ready to see what came next. Gerry moved over to a tool rack and pulled down a hammer, a hacksaw, and wrench. He glanced over his shoulder, setting them on a table.

"Which hand do you write with?" he said quietly.

McTavish laughed right in his face. "Oooooh, scary! Piss off, boy."

Madison liked that. "Right. He's a righty."

"Kara. Take Ginny upstairs."

Kara's face dropped. He was serious. "Gerry..."

"Kara. Take her upstairs. Now."

Reluctantly, Kara led her away, Ginny immediately tried to pull away. Madison had to help get her out of there. Once they were alone, Gerry walked up to McTavish. "I'm giving you one last chance to help me. I recommend you don't waste it."

A shadow of doubt crossed the restrained man's face. "Y-you're not gonna do anything..."

Gerry picked up the wrench and flipped it in his hand before walking over and grabbing McTavish's wrist and clamping down on one of his fingers.

"Last chance."

McTavish's chest rose rapidly with panicked breaths. "You...you're a-"

Gerry pulled the wrench.

A scream came from downstairs, drawing the attention of everyone upstairs.

Gerry grabbed him by the face hard, forcing the man to look at him. "You have no idea who I am and what I am capable of. You've cheated my sister. Left me stranded on this world while my wife and unborn child wait for me. You have no idea how far I will go to get back to them." His eyes burned into his captive's. "I was raised by vicious men. Murderers, thieves. Just because I chose not to be one doesn't mean I can't. You think this is bad? Keep playing the silent tough guy act."

NOW McTavish was afraid. Gerry leveled he gaze down at the man.

"Now. Let's try this again. How do I get home?"

Gerard Finnegan

Date: 2016-01-17 21:36 EST
It didn't take much after the screaming died down. McTavish talked. Gerry made his point and the plan was struck. Madison would keep McTavish under lock and key until the day of departure. Gerry spent the last day with his family and Kara.

He was unhappy with the lengths he had to go to for information. It wasn't his way to hurt people, but if pushed...

For the moment, he consoled himself with the joy that he would see Keirra soon. He would be back with her again soon.


DAY 27 (January 17)
Madison gave McTavish a shove up the gangplank to the ship's deck. "Get movin' ya slag!"

Gerry stared up at the ship with a content smile. Could this really be happening? It felt like a dream. He never thought he'd see this day.

Ginny had said her goodbyes to her parents, promising to come back soon. Now, Bill walked around the to his son. "Well. This is it, Kid."

Gerry turned to his old man, his heart sinking just looking at him. The sad smile on his father's face not helping matters. "Yeah...But...I'll be back."

Bill nodded, not really believing it. "Yeah. I mean, we've got birthdays and next Christmas and Thanksgiving...We'll get together again. Tie a few on. Maybe we'll come see you."

Gerry grinned to him, knowing that was highly unlikely, but appreciating the effort. "Oh yeah. Absolutely. You'll love it."

Bill clasped his son's shoulder. "You turned out a good man, Kid. You're gonna be a great dad."

Gerry stared back, something inside of his stomach twisting. "Dad..."

Bill pulled him into a hug and held him tight. Gerry squeezed his eyes shut tight.

"I'm proud of you, Gerry." Bill whispered. He pulled him back, trying to keep his face stoic and calm. He gave Gerry a slap on the shoulder. "Now, go on. Get the hell outta here, you're buggin' me."

Gerry laughed with a sniff as his mother came up and pulled him down into a tight embrace. "You be good. And next time, you bring my grandbaby home with you, got it, buster?"

A smile crept onto Gerry's face. "Deal. Thank you mom. For everything."

Rose kissed his cheek. "Come back soon."

Gerry promised he would and made his way to the ship. Ginny had just hugged Kara and was boarding the ship as he approached. Kara smiled after Ginny and turned slowly to Gerry. That smile turned into a frown. "Well..."

"Yeah."

She lowered her eyes a moment before a forced laugh left her. "Doesn't seem fair."

Gerry's blue eyes met her's.

"I feel like I only just got you back and you're goin'." she bit her lower lip.

Gerry's brow furrowed as he looked to her.

"You don't know what it meant to have you back here. For all of us, Gerry."

"Kara..."

"I know. And it's not about that. I know you love her. I know you have a life." she interrupted. "I just...it was good." she smiled up at him. "It was good having my best friend back."

Gerry smiled. "Yeah. Yeah it was. Look...maybe you can-"

"No." she knew exactly what he was going to say. "I've got a life, too, y'know? Just...Do me a favor?"

"Anything." he answered.

"Smile for me. Hug me. Tell me you'll miss me. And then...then go. Go home." Those azure eyes pleaded up at him.

Gerry's lips upturned in a small smile. The two of them embraced, he r latching onto him tight, burying her face in his chest. She swallowed hard as Gerry kissed the top of her head.

"I'll miss you, K..."

Her eyes squeezed shut and her arms squeezed him like she might never let go. Eventually she had to. She stared up at him. "Go."

He hesitated a moment and nodded before turning and walking up the ramp.

Bill, Rose and Kara stayed as the ship was ready to sail. They stood on that dock and watched them sail away. Watched them disappear off into the distance.