Title: Greet the Sun
Author: Shatterpath
Feedback address: shatterpath@shatterstorm.net
Date in Calendar: 21 June 2014
Fandom: Light, Water, Muses
Pairing: Dace/Catherine
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1452
Summary: A retrospective visit to some old friends for today's holiday.
Advertisement: Part of the FSAC:DD14

Disclaimer: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Alliance Atlantis, and CBS Productions. "The Division", the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Lifetime Television, Kedzie Productions, Viacom Productions, and Paramount. All original characters belong to ShatterStorm Productions and the Light, Water, Muses universe, and are the creations of A. Magiluna Stormwriter and Shatterpath. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigators," "The Division," their owners/parent companies, or any representatives of the actors.

Note: Happy twentieth calendar, everybody!

Beta: ariestess

06-21-14)

++ Dace ++

This is one of my favorite rituals. This great upswell of power we all feel as the seasons tilt one to the other, this breaking of the shortest night of the year.

It is also the first year that my kids have decided they no longer need me with them at this important milestone.

"I can hear you obsessing from here," Catherine murmurs, rolling half onto her back to smile blearily. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Not much," I confess, snuggling into her compact frame and sighing heavily. There's not much else to say about this, about missing my twins being small and eager and my little shadows. That time has passed now, as I always knew it would, but true acceptance isn't happening with any sort of grace.

But who understands better than Catherine? Lindsey had been even younger when she had left for New York to make it her own. And boy has she! The younger Sentinels and Guides look to her and Jamie as example more than myself and peers now. They are all making their own way, their own rules, their own very reality.

As it should be.

But some days…

"I know, Love," Catherine murmurs, reaching out to stroke my head where I show even more gray hairs than she does. "It's a parent's destiny to be left behind. None more than us and the others who had such extraordinary children."

"As usual, your voice of reason is my sanity," I admit and snuggle into her beloved warmth for an indulgent moment. But the power of solstice is close and we can both feel it and the indulgence is brief. No matter the larger changes around us, everyone has a role on solstice!


++ Jamie ++

"I feel weird dropping in like this."

It takes some effort to not chuckle or roll my eyes at Lindsey's fretting, but she's being ridiculous about this. "Honey, when are your folks not ecstatic to see you? Besides you feel it even more than I do that this solstice is important. You've certainly been muttering and kicking in your sleep enough lately."

The affectionate tease works and she finally smiles. Instantly her mood calms and we both relax, as in tune as always. Growing up with my emotions and even mind intertwined with my partner hasn't always been easy, the lack of privacy and having one's destiny forced on us and all of that. But it's been worth it, the good far outweighing the bad. Even still painfully young-- Linds can't even buy booze yet-- we make a huge difference in New York and points beyond. Keeping a low profile has been remarkably easy, shunting off the spotlight to the police and other civil servants from lawyers to firefighters and all shades in between. Heck, even the waste management crews are local heroes as they keep getting credit for finding bodies and evidence in the damnest places. Rats will always scuttle around the darkness, but we do a hell of a job keeping their numbers as low as possible.

"You think there will be other drop ins?"

Lindsey's voice, thankfully still calm now, shakes me from my musings and I give her knee a squeeze, leaving my hand there in comfort.

"When your emotions are this riled up, there does tend to be larger effects. So, yes, I'm willing to bet that some of the others will be drawn here too."

"Thanks Jame," she murmurs sweetly, hugging my arm to her so that she lean over and kiss my cheek. I grin at her out of the corner of my eye, keeping my attention on the roads as we make our familiar way to the ranch in the desert that is the true heart of our kind.


++ Art ++

Satisfied with a good morning's work-- I like to keep my dogs tuned to the sun no matter when it rises-- I pat Titan where he shadows my heels and head back to the house as the sky starts to lighten around us. I like this new fellow's tendency to walk with his head at my hip so that I can rest my hand on his ears. It's comforting as the presence of his breed has been to me for so many years.

Many of my dogs have passed over the Rainbow Bridge with time. Most with age and health reasons, some by sacrificing themselves for others, both close by and in lands far from here. Some, not even on this world.

It goes all the way back to my beloved Cooper, whose presence I still feel every day, just as I do Lucky. I can still see them both in the wonderful dogs that have come from their line and others that have contributed with time and careful breeding. I've become renown in my field for my dogs and they are highly prized as both working dogs and as companions. Stargate Command still gets the best I have to offer and it comforts me to know that my pups help protect us from the insane threats few will ever know of.

At the house, it's a riot of controlled chaos as the children have clearly swept through to get in a decent meal before the festivities kick in.

In fact…

Like an air raid siren, techno music suddenly blasts through the still morning air as the customary signal to gather and greet the summer sun. A harried Sam willingly enough lets me grab her to be kissed and soothed from the clearly chaotic morning.

"Dishes and stuff can wait," I grin and follow the noisy gaggle as they race to the center quad that is the true heart of our odd little community. "Let's find Janet in the throng and greet the sun!"


++ Alex ++

The time is close and family has drawn closer. Some have dropped in at the last moments from all points of the compass, few of us willing to miss this ritual that has become so central to our lives as a people. At our core, we are the same bunch that came to this dry place so many years ago, following Dace on this mad path. More have joined up over the years, swelling our numbers and adding more homes to the now double ring of homes here. This green path of grass and shrubs and the magnificent, towering pines has become even more of an oasis, nurtured by the magic as well as the mundane. Even they have doubled their numbers, more and more pines reaching for the sky in sentinel watch over us all.

"Welcome, family," Darya speaks in a calm, ringing tone that instantly silences the murmuring crowd. "The sun is almost here."

There has never been many words here, the very act of coming together is ritual enough. I can't stop the chuckle as a frazzled-looking Luna scampers away from her family to be scooped up by a welcoming Kat. The Drewson's youngest is the most obviously extraordinary among us and has always shared a special bond with Kat and Michel. At not even six, she still has trouble with the power of these sorts of events and is always happy to have Kat in particular to cling to as anchor. I stroke my son's curly hair just as he does to Luna's little foot as she clings to Kat like a leech.

"Look, Luna," Kat stage-whispers and turns her body so the child can see to the east. "The sun."

Subconsciously, I admire the somehow perfect timing of a haunting violin solo wafting over the speakers set up all over the compound. Really, I don't know how Dace does it, I never do. A strong pair of arms draping over Rachel and myself makes me spare a quick glance to the towering blonde who drew us all here. Our regal lion of a leader, she smiles faintly as the first flash of sunshine over the low mountains flashes gold in her expressive eyes.

Like a bright spear, the rising sun spills over the land and we all sigh over the rising tide of magics that slowly begin to settle warmly around and in us. Even the children are still, caught up in the moment where they sit among their parents and caretakers.

And with her usual perfect timing, Dace calls out to bring everyone back to the here and now. "An excellent showing! Happy summer solstice everyone. Now let's go hit the big house and make some pancakes!"

With a great rush of sound and enthusiasm, the whole mass of us are on the move to the largest building, moods high and happy.