The Path to Reconciliation

[Nurse Emma]

I sat in my seat still. Orientation had ended and the students had gone to their rooms to unpack. I'd sent Elayne with Micha. When Mat and I were the only ones left in the area, I knew I couldn't put this off any longer.

"You." I said, approaching him.

I stopped directly in front of him and gave him a sharp back hand with my right hand, the hand with the blue venetian ring. Then, I grabbed his shirt and kissed him. Good thing there weren't any students around.

I pulled away suddenly, my eyes dry, but my heart leaden. My hands started reining down blows on him as I began to shout.

"Five- BLOODY- years! No calls! No mail! Nothing!" I shouted, the words echoing around campus. Going lower, one blow went below the belt. "I've been wanting to do that ever since I found out that I was pregnant with Elayne, you jerk!"

I stepped back, breathing hard and trying to keep the tears in. My daughter, our daughter was the only thing that I had to always remind me of him. The rings could be thrown away or hawked, but she could not. And it killed me.

I'd gotten a degree in nursing, but I'd hit a speed bump the second I got it. I realized that there were no band-aids for a broken heart. And it was one of the two irreversible things I'd been left with after he disappeared. And it still ached.

[Matrim Aldon]

He stayed through the orientations. Emma had confronted him at the beginning of it. He looked back to her every once in awhile looking at Emma and the little girl. They looked cute together. He knew it was her child but was it his or someone else's? He didn't know and in his heart he hoped it wasn't his, if it was then she wouldn't have been without a father all those years.

When the orientation was over she walked up to him, sending the child to someone that looked familiar. He couldn't tell who but she looked familiar. Then Emma slapped him on his right cheek. He took it without so much as a dazed look. He deserved it, for being away from her for so long. Then she kissed him, he didn't expect that however.

She then started beating on his chest. It felt like really heavy rain beating on his chest. He just looked down taking it. He didn't want to look up at her as he felt so horrible. She pointed out the obvious, he had been gone for five years with no contact to her for that time. It had been with a good reason but he didn't speak except for the uttering word "Sorry" it was so faint he almost believed he didn't say it. She then punched him below the belt and he gritted his teeth hard as it hurt but he would just have to stomach it. Copper filled his mouth from the sudden spike of adrenaline.

She then spoke of her being pregnant with the girl, Elayne was her name. He looked up at her, it had been the name they chose if they had a girl when they were married. He felt the tears well up in his eyes. "She's mine?" he asked in a shaking voice.

[Nurse Emma]

His sorry fell on deaf ears. The last part though...

"Dang it Mat! Of course she's yours! Why else would I still be wearing these?" I said beside him, showing the two rings.

I just sat and cried for a short time. It hurt so much that he had been gone. But now, it felt like he had never left. And I didn't know what to think of him. Where had he been? How could he justify leaving me like that for five years? How could he explain any of it?

"So," I finally managed to get out, "Where hae you been? Running around with some slut? Or just not wanting to have to deal with a wife and daughter?

"By the way, Micha's been like an older sister to her despite my infatuation with her since I needed someone to babysit while I tried to work!"

I was so angry at him. And so sad that he'd been gone. And yet couldn't stop myself from thinking how good his hair looked long and how lean and muscular he'd become. I wanted to crush those particular thoughts, but alas, I could not.

"So, what is it? Did you find someone else or did I become boring after however long we were together?"

[Matrim Aldon]

He looked at her as she told him Elayne was his. He had known in the back of his head she had been his but had hoped not. His heart sank even more. She then asked where he had been off with a slut or just not wanting to deal with his family.

He shook his head. "No...I would never leave you had I had the choice..." he said and he touched her shoulder softly. "Emma...I was kidnapped and tortured...I've only gotten free 5 months ago and I thought by then you had moved on and found someone else. Light I never wished to leave you, you have always been my everything..." he said as tears trickled down his eyes.

She then spoke of Micha being Elayne's 'big sister'. His eyes widened. "WHAT!!! That bloody whore is with our daughter?!!" he shouted in anger. She was someone he could never forgive, when he was a student she had been the person to take away his first girlfriend for his best friend. He didn't mind it later since it allowed him to be with Emma and he couldn't have been happier. But the fact that she used lies and deciete to take her away from him he could never forgive her.

"Take me to Micha now so I can permanently take her away from Micha. You remember why i had beat her up when we were younger right? Well I don't want her ways leaking into our child." he said with ferocity and anger.

[Nurse Emma]

My eyes narrowed. He was completely over-reaction to the Micah part. She wasn't that bad anymore. Oh, wait, her speech, never mind. But I still wasn't taking him to meet Elayne today. Elayne would need to be talked to, especially about what she'd seen at orientation. Just how much had Micha let her see?

"Yes, and 5 years with no word from you wasn't torture. Child labor, oh my gosh. No, if you think about it, being kidnapped is so much more horrible than that." I said, the sarcasm just falling off my tongue. I took a breath, trying to calm down again.

"Trust me, she's fine. I told Elayne to only politely nod at the right points and agree with Micha but listen to absolutely nothing she says." I put my hand on his on my shoulder. "And, you doubt me that much? You think I'd leave you behind and just move on? How else do you think Elayne could be the age she is? How else do you think I could still wear the rings I showed you earlier?"

I gave a sigh. I'd probably challenge him on the torture bit later, but now was a time to just get this over with.

"I guess all it comes down to is whether or not we still want to be married. All Elayne knows about you is that you're gone. It could be easy for you to leave us again and I'll just transfer out of here after my contract is up. You could forget us and never have to see us again. Your choice."

[Matrim Aldon]

He looked at her and then down. "Alright fine, as long as we make sure she will never take up anything Micha says." he said shaking his head. He really disliked Micha, she was a permanent addition to Mat's shit list, the only living one now since he had taken out the other one in his years at 253.

He then looked at Emma's eyes, those Royal blue orbs he had fallen in love with so many years ago and still could never forget or stop loving, he loved her and tried everything he could to break free to go back to her. "I understand why you say that, I haven't been there for you or Elayne but you have no idea how much I wanted to." he said softly tears still falling from his face.

"Emma, I will stay with you, not out of pity or because I wasn't there before but because I love you and Elayne, I may have never spoken to her but I love her because she is a part of you and me something beautiful we created in our love for each other." he said looking at her as he placed his other hand on her shoulder.

"Also, if you want to know that i've been tortured since I know when your sarcastic you should know every scar I have ever had right?" he said rhetorically. He didn't wait for her to say anything as he took his hands away and grabbed the collar of his shirt and tore it off. "I have a few more to add to the collection. Now you look me in the eyes and tell me those aren't from the shrapnel and knife scars I told you about when we were younger." He said looking at her. He was bare chested now and there was at least a hundred more scars, criss crossing whip scars and burn marks across his body, some where scar tissue was still forming. "I would never have left you ever, I love you too much to let you go..." he said softly.

[Nurse Emma]

I was about to say something like 'you sap', but the words were caught in my throat by him taking off his shirt. I couldn't stop my eyes from taking in the beauty and horror of it. My free hand wandered across his chest, steering clear of the half-healed marks.

"Oh, Mat..." I said, forcing more tears back. "I believe you..."

My hand went to his, taking the top one off and kissing his palm softly. I intertwined my fingers with his, smiling weakly. This was really real. It wasn't all a half-crazed dream and Elayne wasn't here to tell me different. Besides, if it was a dream, it was a bit too nightmare-ish to be my cup of tea.

"But," I said, softly, "I don't know how Elayne's going to react if you suddenly pack up and leave if she got to know you. For the past five years, she's been my everything. She was the only living thing left of you and we all know what happens with me and rings." I was referring to what had happened the day we met when I got rid of my engagement ring to a man who I despised.

"I don't know what we're going to do, really. Elayne and I are in the dormitories, and I have no idea where you live. I think it'd be best for her, though, if we didn't move in right away or anything rash like that.

"We have to take it slow, as much as I wish we didn't and I didn't have a child to make dinner for so that we could do the very same thing we did the last time we saw each other. But we have to be good parents, okay?" I looked up at him, smiling lightly and restraining myself from kissing him to bits.

But, that wasn't to say I wasn't still mad. Not in the least. I had quite a bit of fury left, but that could be dealt with later. No need to beat him up now.

[Matrim Aldon]

Mat could only nod. He understood everything she had said and every reason why. He couldn't imagine what it would do to Elayne if he just came out and said he was her father. She would go into shock maybe and change heavily. They would have to ease this in.

He looked at Emma and pulled her close in an embrace. "I'm still sorry...and I could expect you to ever forgive me for this even if I have a good reason but I promise you I'll do anything and everything to make up for it." he said and kissed her forehead.

He then moved the subject back to Elayne. "Well obviously we cant tell her straight away. We will have to ease into it, maybe start me off as a family friend you haven't spoken to in a long time, then maybe after a few days we start easing this into the fact that I'm her father and finally after a few weeks we tell her that I am her father." he said still holding her close. He didn't know if that would work but he hoped to the Creator it did.

[Nurse Emma]

He was suddenly holding me. I hadn't felt that hold in five years. It was so nice to have it again. He was sorry that he'd been gone and he said he'd do anything to make up for it. Good.

"Hmmm..." I said, agreeing with the last bit. I didn't want to leave this embrace, but I knew I would have to eventually. Besides, I couldn't leave Elayne with Micha all night. That would definitely scar her for life.

"So, old family friend," I said, lifting my head to look up at him, "fixing dinner for just two is getting rather old. Would you like to make that number three for tonight?" I gave a small smile at him. It was getting old, that much was true. Besides, maybe I could guilt him into staying the night and talk with him until he fell asleep on the couch.

"It's not that I've completely forgiven you, though. Inviting you to dinner is just a gesture of kindness most people offer to old family friends. Now, going out to dinner with you sounds excellent, but I can't leave Elayne with Micha for the night. That's too scarring to let our child see. So, dinner sound good?" I kept my gaze directed at him, giving him the biggest puppy dog look I think I ever had. I loved him so much, but I wouldn't forgive him if he left without saying good-bye again.

[Matrim Aldon]

He nodded at her and held her closer. "I could never expect you to ever forgive me. Nothing I could ever do could make up for me not being there for you and Elayne." He said as he started pulling away.

But dinner for 3? How long had he hoped to have dinner with her and the family they would make? How long had he hoped to even see his beloved in the past 5 years. He could barely believe his eyes that he had even seen her again. He just hoped that one day she would forgive him and they could truly be a family again, he wouldn't know when that day would come but hoped it was soon.

With being with Elayne however he would be the greatest and sweetest father he could ever possibly be. Nothing would be too good for her and he would do everything he could to make her happy. He had to make up for all those years he had been gone.

He looked back into Emma's royal blue eyes and smiled softly. "I'll be there for dinner, but just to put the idea in your head...when we are a family again would you like to move into my room? I got more then enough room for the both of you." he said softly.

[Nurse Emma]

"Down killer," I whispered, burying my head in his shoulder again, "I'll see, okay? I don't know how she'll react to suddenly having a father. And I don't want our daughter to become a spoiled brat."

I wanted to be a family as soon as possible, but I couldn't risk Elayne's mentality. I didn't know whether or not psychological disorders skipped generations or not and I didn't want her to become a spoiled brat. That would become unbearable really fast. Really really fast.

I sighed lightly, enjoying this moment. It was quiet, no students around, no Micha popping in to steal borrow any of my cooking wares, nothing to ruin it.

I smiled deep inside myself. He was really here. He was really coming back. I really had a husband and Elayne, a father.

"So, dinner's at six and I'll need some time to prep Elayne, fix dinner, and hope that no students get hurt while they're unpacking." I said, listing all of the responsibilities I had to cover for him to come over. And if any student got hurt, I may just have to point them to the band-aid cupboard.

[Matrim Aldon]

He nodded and kissed her forehead. "I'll be there, and we will start the patch work, but if she has any of my genes she will be fine." he said grinning. That same grin he always gave her when he had been with her all those years ago.

He honestly didn't know if she would be alright but it was just to reassure her. He had had a psychotic episode in his freshman year in which he had learned to utilize his emotions. His sister had broken the barrier he had used to surrpress the horrible memories of his childhood had given him but he had recovered and he hoped Elayne would be better then he was in those moments.

He looked at Emma and grinned. "Well I'll let you go so you can get ready and I well can get a new shirt." he said laughing. He let her go with gritted teeth. He didn't want to let her go, after all these years he had finally found her again, well they had found each other again. He grinned still and kissed her. "Tonight at 6 we will do as best we can to get Elayne to know her father." he said softly as he pulled his lips from hers and looked at her with his cool clover colored eyes.

[Nurse Emma]

I was reluctant to go, but I had to. The dinner I had planned needed fixing and I didn't want to scare Elayne with his wounds. But, he was grinning that old grin and kissing me like, well, he hadn't seen me in years. I smiled and very reluctantly let him speak again.

Let her know she has a father. Yes, that would be interesting. 'Hey, honey, come meet your father whose been kidnapped and tortured all your life.' Oh, yeah, real easy there.

"Cover up. I don't want you to scare Elayne, okay?" I said, smiling back. "And you can come early if you want. I'm sure Elayne wouldn't mind having someone to play with other than Micha for once. I'll see you then."

I very very reluctantly pulled my hands out of his and gave him a kiss god-bye. It hurt like hell, but I had to walk away and fix dinner. I'd probably see him in less than an hour, but it still hurt.

"Stay out of trouble! No getting kidnapped, okay?" It was a joke, ruefully made. I smiled again and walked away from him, towards the school. Sigh, I just got to see him and now I have to leave to fix a healthy meal! Curses.

[Matrim Aldon]

He nodded and grinned as he left. He took off at a jog heading towards the school. It was a mile and a half away but he should be there in less then 6 minutes. He loved Emma and Elayne they were his everything and he had to do everything he could to make it up to them.

He got up to his room and went searching through his dresser to find a decent shirt. He only had those shirts he had ripped save one dress shirt he had for the interview. He decided to put that on along with some camoflauge pants. It wasn't perfect but it would have to do.

He then waited for an appropriate time to go to her room and meet his daughter. His own flesh and blood. His eyes teared up yet again at the thought of being out of his daughters life for 5 years. In his mind he was a horrible person who should never have been graced with a second chance but the Creator seemed to have given it to him as he now was able to come back to his family.

----Thread Ended----