ooc: Paul and I were previously members known as Raina and Luke. Our characters were together but we both ended up leaving the forum for a while. When we returned we donned new characters and agreed our old ones didn't get the send off they deserved! So, this thread/fanfic is going to serve as their wrap up so we can have some closure with our characters. Luke and Raina are going to take turns posting so this thread will read like a thread as opposed to a story.

History
Raina was a guidance teacher at Xavier's sister school. She was also employed at the local aquarium. Raina met Luke shortly after finally being freed from mutant registration camps and a bad break up with a certain he who shall not be named cop.

Luke was a kind hearted business man with some serious fighting skills. Luke also happened to be blind. Lucky for Luke his mutation involved using sonar to see. Upon learning this Raina decided she could use her mutation to introduce Luke to a more detailed world of sonar vision- the kind underwater. Pretty easy stuff for a mutant who turned into a mermaid whenever she got wet. Helped out a lot when Luke decided to go and drown.

Luke and Raina continued getting to know each other and it wasn't long before they fell in love. Their love and relationship saw them travelling the globe doing vision quests in the North where Raina was originally from; to romantic Paris trips cut short by evil Frenchmen. They went on stealthy missions and battled bad dreams. Things were really going places for this power couple... until their players went awol.


IC


"Ainngai Sedna!" came the voice hidden behind the wind blown red hair and snow covered parka hood. "Qanuippit?" The young native woman lowered her hood as she stepped inside the winter hunting igloo. She crouched down across from an older woman with a face like leather. The older woman smiled and the details of faded facial tattoos crinkled under her skin.

"Qanuinngittunga?" said the woman with a grin pushing around the fat that was burning on the little lamp stove in front of her. "It's nice to see you Raina."

"I'm fine Sedna, thanks. I'm glad you're feeling well." Raina gave the woman Sedna as big a smile as she had shared.

"When will you be leaving?" asked Sedna. There was a pause of silence.

"Soon.... tomorrow..." admitted Raina.

"Do you miss him?" Sedna had a way of cutting right to the point. Raina didn't answer. "Well, you're still wearing the pearls I see." Raina stayed silent for a little longer.

"I'm going to the Caribbean." explained Raina "To work with the conservation effort. My mutation comes in handy there." Sedna passed her a cup of tea across the lamp. "Are you enjoying your time out here?" asked Raina trying to change the topic.

"Yes, I got a pimniq yesterday, the skin is drying outside I'll be turning it into a pair of boots sure enough. But these bones are old. I get weary in the ice house I'll be heading inside soon."

Raina sipped her tea "I am happy you go on the land. I am happy you take me. I am lucky I got to experience it."

"...but you're a child of the sea as much as you are the ice. You need to go where the sea takes you." said Sedna reaching across and placing her hand on Raina's. Their eyes met and they both smiled.

Raina had been home in the North for a year now. She'd been using her education to help out at the local schools. Her mutation of ice call helped during the hunting or other times on the land. She had even been able to move the ice for the supply boats when the ice breaker couldn't.

Being back home was nice. She felt much better than when she'd left. Her time in the states really helped her develop herself more and now that she was home she knew what had to be done. but Sedna was right. After being home for a year the sea was calling. The wildlife here was protected but not in other areas of the world. She still remembered the shark finning she'd witnessed in New York. She'd go to the warmer seas and educate about sustainability and enjoy her tail for a while.

"My Raina, you are a qaumaniq. You must follow your heart. I have something for you." she reached into a satchel and pulled out an ulu- a special knife given to young women for skinning furs. "I know you wont use it, but it's a traditional marker of womanhood." Raina graciously accepted the knife.

"I've been a woman for some time Sedna" she said still smiling.

"Oh I know my dear, I know. Just keep this and remember you always have us in you and you in us. Wherever you go you take our love and spirits with you." she gave Raina's hand a squeeze.

"Nakurmiik" said Raina bobbing her head and sipped her tea.

It had been over a year since Luke had thrown himself into making his company better and stronger than it had ever been. He had pushed himself as well as the board of directors to make 'Jacobs & Jacobs' one of the premier security company's both in the U.S. and Europe as well as one of the most mutant friendly companies in the world. He had taken a lot of heat for those changes and there had been a decline in stock prices after he first made the announcement but over time things had slowly been improving. The mutants that they hired had actually made the company stronger by offering advice and showing ways to improve the systems to protect against everyone. They were in no way perfect but they were slowly becoming one of the best in the market.

For months and months he had been able to distract himself by focusing so much on work but now as he came closer to the goals he had set for himself he found himself beginning to brood both at home and in his office. He was fighting of an irritability that was caused by a problem he didn't want to think about. He had purposely stayed away from the Xavier School Mansion where there were friends that might talk to him about the problem and thus far none of his employees dared say anything.

"Am I interrupting?" The soft voice of Luke's trusted friend and the company CFO sounded only a brief moment after the door quietly opened part way. Deborah Langstan had none Luke for years and the two were close friends though they had both been to busy to talk very much for quite some time. "Come in Deborah. Congratulations on your engagement. Is Gregory soaring on cloud nine?" Luke responded with a smile. To any one else that smile would have made it seem like he was just fine but to someone who had known him for so long it only made it more obvious that something was most definitely wrong.

"Gregory is just fine... we make each other happy." Deborah answered as she walked over and gracefully took a seat across the desk from Luke, "A lot like the way you and a certain young woman made each other happy, once upon a time."

Luke's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and his mouth tightened even though he was doing his best not to show any reaction. "That was a long time ago Deborah. no need to drag up old wounds. Is there something I can do for you?"

For a few moments Deborah was quiet as she studied Luke's face. he thought she might even be about to get up and leave when apparently her resolution strengthened. "The first thing you can do is get off your butt and do something! You've lost your heart and frankly, I don't like you or this company when it doesn't have its heart. It reminds me of when your Uncle was running things."

"Deborah," He began before she cut him off, silencing any objections. "Be quiet and listen Mr. Jacobs! You've always been a good man, trying to help everyone around you, and you've been doing the exact same thing for the last year or so. You've thrown yourself into work to make things better for everyone else without thinking about yourself. Well it's time you started being selfish! There is a woman out there that you're pining for and she deserves to know it!"

Shock completely froze Luke in place for several moment. Deborah had never spoken to him like that before, sure she had always been straight forward but she had never lectured him before. If it had been anyone else they probably would have been fired but she could get away with it. "Things are different now... life got in the way and she and I moved on. Besides, I don't even know where she is since she left New York."

"I can tell you still love her Luke Jacobs so stop trying to lie to me! While you've been pouting I've been working. I used my resources to track her to a village in Canada that you once visited." Reaching into her pocket Deborah pulled out something and set it down on the desk in front of him. "There's a plane chartered that leaves this evening. I suggest you pack warm."

"You don't understand Deborah!" Luke suddenly snapped as he slammed a fist down on the desk, "I left! I left for Europe to try and make things better over there instead of focusing on her! She needed me and I just disappeared. When I finally came back she was gone. I don't deserve her!"

"But you do need her... that's the part your not saying." She responded quietly as she stood back to her feet and walked toward the door, "Some people never find love but for those that do its normally only a once in a life time experience. Don't waste it."

The door closed leaving Luke behind with his own reflections once more. Turning to the window his sightless eyes stared out at nothingness while the suns rays warmed his face. His sonar was restrained to only cover his office but he knew that if he extended it all the way he would 'see' the people walking along the streets of New York. It was a city full of busy people that Luke had once protected from the shadows. Wraith had done good work for a while but after he had met Raina the midnight trips had become more rare. It wasn't good enough to just focus on fighting for others, he needed to live himself but without her...

"Raina." He spoke the name softly, the first time in months that it had come from his lips. It was like that perfect musical note, filling the room and momentarily making his heart skip a beat. He had blessed one time to be able to see through another persons eyes and he vividly remember the poster down at the aquarium. Her shining red hair and the bright smile that always seemed to make a person feel better. Her voice, her laughter... Luke had been trying to deny just how much he missed her but then Deborah had come in and broken down every wall he had tried to build. "I'm coming."

Raina slid away from the computer and rolled the chair back. "How was skyping?" asked Naveed giving her a knowing smile.

"Eaves dropping are we?" grinned Raina right back. "It was fine, everyone at the mansion is happy. I let them know about my flight tonight and left my new contact address." She leaned back far in the chair. "They were happy just to hear from me."

"Do you have everything you need? I mean, it's strange for me to think you'll be leaving all this ice and snow for sun and sand. Uh, sunscreen?" he gave her a helpless shrug.

"Yes Navi, I've got sunscreen." she laughed standing up and stretching. The long sit had given her a crick in her back. "You and Sedna, so occupied with sunscreen."

"Well, Sedna's words are wise. You should heed them." Raina rolled her eyes at the lecture.

"Have you come to see me off then?" she asked leaning her weight against the computer desk and idly braiding her hair down the side.

Naveed was silent for a moment. "I... I just want to make sure this is really what you want." he said solemnly avoiding her gaze.

"What do you mean? What else could I want?" she asked

"New York, your mutant family, Lu-" she didn't let him finish before cutting him off.

"He left me. No the other way around. I wont Navi... You know how long I waited... I make no apologies for needing ... for needing warmth. God knows we don't get much of it up here." her eyes dropped and her posture sagged. "I waited and he never came back, he stopped calling, stopped writing. So I did exactly what he does and filled my time with work." it was clear she was still hurt. In truth, if she hadn't felt a little pressured by society to move on after so long she might still be back in New York pining away for a man who apparently forgot her.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up then." said Naveed obviously realizing his good bye was crashing into flames. "I just want you to be happy."

Raina crossed the space between them and embraced her brother. They pressed their forheads together in a common northern gesture. "I am. I will be. I've done all I can here brother, it's time for me to move on again. I can't let a wraith hold me back." Naveed nodded in agreement. "Besides, I didn't think you liked Luke one bit."

Naveed shrugged "I'll never like and man of yours. But I do want you to be happy. If going south will make you happy again, then you need to do it. Just remember to allow yourself to grieve Raina. You've lost someone and you refuse to face it. It's all going to catch up if you don't."

Raina nodded. "It's almost like he's dead, but he's not." she admitted. "I wont dwell on it any longer." she shook her head and pulled away from her brother. She grabbed the parka hanging by the desk and pulled it on. "You ready to take me to the airport? There's only one plane going out and one plane going in tonight. Next one wont be for a few days. I can't miss it and customs will take a while."

Naveed nodded gathering his things. He followed her out the door.

Once a decision was made Luke threw himself into it with all of his energy and the decision to chase after Raina was no exception. The next hour or so had been a whirlwind of activity as he set into motion two promotions, Deborah to CEO and Gregory to CFO. He finished every bit of business he absolutely had to and passed everyone else on to whomever might be capable of dealing with it. With the company taken care of it was a rush to the apartment to pack and then another rush on to the airport. He had no idea how long he would be gone but at the same time he hadn't wanted to be weighed down with to much luggage. If it became necessary he could just buy more clothes so he had settled on just one large back pack carry on bag. He was dressed warmly and carried a heavy jacket over his arm as well to add to the layers once he arrived in the great white north.

The private plane had only been able to go so far and then he had moved on to the one flight that would go near Raina's tribal area. He was fortunate because if he had missed that flight he would have been delayed by at least a few days. Now instead he sat in his seat, sightlessly staring ahead as he tried to think of what he could say to the red haired beauty. They had both had love in their hands but yet he had let it slip through is fingers. Why? It wasn't just because he felt some sense of duty to help during the situation in Europe it was more than that. He had never wanted to admit it but now, as he sat with nothing to do but think, he was forced to realize that he had been scared. The man who had prided himself on never showing fear in the face of his enemies had been running away like a little child because he wasn't sure what to do next. It had been his own stupidity that had let their contact dwindle and his own foolishness that had made him stubbornly bury himself in work instead of chasing her down right from the start.

"She may not forgive me but I have to try." He murmured quietly to himself as he leaned his head back against the seat. He had to see if they could have one more chance at making things work.

*********************************************

There weren't a ton of people at the airport when Luke disembarked from his plan but it didn't take a huge amount to fill up an area as small as this one. If memory served him correctly then Luke was pretty sure they only had one flight in and one flight out ever few days so there was only one terminal but there was still the annoyance of going through security and customs. Even as he was walking through the building he could feel the chill from outside that seeped into the building. Bringing the extra jacket had definitely been a good idea and he paused by a chair where he could set down his bag in order to pull the warm garment on.

"OK... clear customs, get a ride to the village, and try to avoid being killed by her big brother if he happens to be there. Almost sounds like a mission." Luke forced a quiet laugh. He wasn't exactly feeling jovial but he was feeling better than he had the past few months. At least now he was actually doing something about the situation! THAT was a definite improvement.

Naveed and Raina were hugging at her gate. There were all of 5 gates in this airport and they were in the one at the farthest end. She had her carry on luggage- everything else was all ready checked. She passed her brother her big parka in favour of a lighter jacket. "Keep it for Sedna" she instructed. "She's so stubborn and wants a new parka the old way, but her eye sight is failing she wont be able to sew it." Naveed grinned and folded the parka over his arm.

From the corner of her eye Raina thought she saw someone. She did a double take. A business man who looked rather out of place in the community- walking with a posture she recognized. By the time she turned her head she knew it had only been her imagination. Damn Naveed for bringing up Luke.

"So... this is it." concluded Naveed after a moment of silence. Raina nodded and wrapped her arms around her brother one more time.

"You can come, you can come and visit me you know. "

"Hell no. Too warm." Naveed gave a belly laugh. Raina put her hand on her hip and gave him a look.

"I was just saying" she punched him in the arm. "I love you, I'll skype when I get the chance, or at least email at the air port. I dont know what the communication is going to be like on the Island. All the documents are being forwarded to the mansion via fax so something should end up there in a few days."

"Good bye little sister. Be safe. Be happy. Work hard. And. Sing." he gave her a knowing smile.

She waved and turned to get on the plane.

Naveed watched from the window as the passengers boarded the plane, it drove around the runway a little, and finally took off. The other expected planes of the day had landed and it was time to go home. It was always exciting when a plane came in. Movie stars were often detoured here for connections to avoid paparazzi. He figured they just weren't afraid of a few dozen natives with cameras. Sometimes the kids went south for sports trips too. They loved to travel, but they always loved to come home.

He was thinking about these things, remembering his own childhood when he nearly walked into a familiar face. A very familiar face. His own face stiffened and his eyes went wide in confusion. He couldn't process this moment. It made no sense. "Luke?!"

***

Raina watched the airport from the window of the plane until it became a little speck of nothingness. The plane gained altitude quickly and soon they were above the cloud cover with nothing but the Arctic ocean and ice flows beneath. She didn't mind swimming in cold water something about her mutation made it tolerable... but warm waters would be a welcome change.

All of this would be a welcome change. A new start. She came home to help herself heal and move on. She did her best to do it and to make a difference in her community. Now she was moving on for real.

She popped her ear buds in and fell asleep with her head against the window and a little Joel Plaskett singing in her ears

ooc: feel free to Gmod Naveed

If Luke had been more aware of his surroundings... if he had been listening to what was going on around him instead of planning his next move... if he had been acting more like Wraith and less like Luke Jacobs then he might have heard Raina's voice. He might have heard it and been able to react to catch her. Instead, the musical quality of her voice floated right by without his realizing it. In fact he was so distracted that he almost ran into another person. "Oh, excuse me." Luke quickly apologized before his mind could even register the facial features that his sonar was trying to show him. Just as he recognized the person, the other man spoke confirming what Luke had just realized.

"Naveed?"

For a few moments the two men stood simply looking at each other. Both of them were shocked by the situation but for very different reasons. While Naveed was trying to process the fact that his sister's ex had just arrived in the airport only moments after Raina had left, Luke was trying to figure out how in the world he had bumped into Naveed already when he had purposely wanted to avoid the other man until he could speak with Raina first.

"So... what brings you here?" The taller man was the first to speak, his eyes locked on the blind man that had given Raina so many happy moments but then broken her heart without a word.

It was actually a better response than Luke had hoped for. He had been expecting for Naveed's fist to connect with his face the moment they saw each other but instead Raina's big brother seemed content to just talk for at least the moment. "I came to see your sister. There are some things I need to say and I'm ho ping she's at least willing to listen."

It would have been so easy to just tell Luke that Raina was gone and send him back to the mansion. It would have been easy to tell him that the opportunity was already gone and there was nothing that he needed to say that Raina needed to hear. That would have been easy but Naveed had seen Raina's expression when he mentioned Luke and now he could see the seriousness on the other man's face. He wasn't sure what to do yet but he knew he couldn't just send Luke home without at least hearing him out.

"You talk with me first and then we'll see about Raina. Come with me." Naveed instructed, his voice making it clear that he was not giving Luke a choice. This was an order and he expected it to be followed. Nodding his acceptance, Luke fell in behind the other man as they made their way to the airport. His latest adventures in the great white north had now begun.

Naveed gave Luke a clap on the back and invited him to his car. Naveed had one of the few cars in his community and the red paint still made him gleam with pride. He could remember the day it came off the boat, the sun shining and Raina singing the ice out of the way.

In Nunavut there were few roads, cars idled often, and when you turned it off for the night it was common practice to wrap up the battery in a blanket so it wouldn't freeze. He still had his dog team, but the car was nice for runs to the co-op and other local stores.

They drove in silent, it was dark and the headlights helped a lot. Soon they arrived at his small home where Raina had been staying only hours earlier. Naveed grabbed the little bit of luggage Luke had without waiting for a protest and led the way. The house was a bit chilly and Naveed kept his boots on. He flicked the light switch and put the thermostat on. "In here." he grunted to Luke motioning to the TV room. "Have a seat, I'll get us something warm to drink."

A glow was already coming from the TV room. The local channel APTN was running a news broadcast that was being spoken both in English and Inuktitut. Naveed found himself in the kitchen fumbling over the coffee maker. The shock of seeing Luke had finally worn off and he wondered what his sister would think of him. He could have told the man his sister was on a flight out- hell, Luke might have even caught her. Now he was stuck here as Naveed's house guest (Raina would kill him if he turned the guy away). A pretty nervous house guest from the looks of him.

Naveed had no idea what his sister saw in the man. He was blind for God's sake. (something Naveed had actually forgotten until this very moment since the man blended in so easily) Naveed easily towered him, and probably doubled his weight. Naveed was strong. Luke was a coward, especially if he ran away. But... he was here. There had to be a reason and it had to mean something.

He filled two cups of black coffee and put them on a bone tray from Sedna. Like she taught him he delicately placed the milk and sugar with his sausage fingers and carried the tray out to Luke. He sat it down on the tv dinner stand between the two of them, and took his own seat in an easy boy chair offering the couch to Luke. "Late flight to come in on." he commented wondering what else he should say. "So why did you?" he looked at the man curiously. "come in... I mean?"

*******

Raina's flight was going pleasantly enough. The windows were all shaded now for night time, she'd been given a blanket and a pillow, and she was curled up in a seat all on her own with a book. In her hands was the latest Game of Thrones books and she was lost in a world of Lannisters and Starks.

She fingered the necklace around her throat absent-mindedly, twisting it into a loop and unravelling it again. She hated Naveed for bringing up Luke. Sure, she pined for him and he entered her thoughts now and then. Especially on those cold nights alone in bed. But she'd been keeping the wraith at bay until now. She'd been keeping the sinking feeling in her stomach away too. Now Luke was creeping into her dreams and her thoughts the way he crept through shadows in New York.

Would she really ever see him again? She couldn't know. What lay ahead was so unsure. Her future, so foggy.

The ride to Naveed's house was carried out in silence and Paul found himself getting more and more nervous. Raina's big brother hadn't punched him yet but that didn't mean that he wouldn't eventually get around to it. Finally they arrived at the small house and without even asking Naveed grabbed his bag and carried it inside with Luke trailing behind. Speaking in the grunts that seemed to be his trademarks Naveed instructed Luke to sit near the TV while he prepared some warm drinks.

The minutes continued to slowly tick by until the larger man returned carrying a tray with what smelled like coffee. Once settled into his chair he finally decided to throw a question the blind man's way.

"Into your house? You led and I followed." Luke replied with a tight smile before turning serious. "If you're asking why I traveled north to this particular village then its just like I said. I need to talk to Raina and hopefully she'll be willing to give me at least some of her time."

For a moment Luke fell silent and the other man didn't bother to speak. Obviously he was still waiting for a better answer and saw no reason to either acknowledge Luke's little joke or the reasoning that he had already heard.

"I blew it. I got so busy trying to save the world that I neglected the woman that meant the world to me. I know that I hurt her and she may even hate me now but I have to talk to her. She deserves an apology and to hear just how stupid I was." His voice was quiet but sincere as he simply sat back in his chair and stared straight ahead without ever turning his eyes toward Naveed. He was able to watch the other man's body language with his sonar but he was to busy berating himself that he didn't bother with the things he normally did to make another person comfortable. "And... I want to ask if we could have another chance."

Naveed watched the TV while Luke gave his reason. It might have sounded good to the blind man but it wasn't good enough for him. This man had hurt his sister bad enough for her to go running away from New York and the friends she had made there. Now she was finally venturing out to start something new and here came the blind man blundering in to mess everything up. He knew that Raina wasn't completely over Luke but he also knew that she was doing her best. Did he really want to steer this man in the direction that would allow them to meet again?

"You broke her heart." Naveed spoke bluntly in the manner he was so used to. People had said he was tactless but there had been a few that actually appreciated how straight forward he was. Of course, if he managed to ruffle the blind man just a bit then even better. "She had to come back here and spend time with me and Sedna just so she could heal. Whatever Raina does, she gives her all to it and it was the same with you. She gave you her whole heart, without apologies, and you trampled it. Maybe you didn't mean to do it, but you did."

"I know..." The pain was evident in Luke's voice but so was the determination to carry out his current mission, "I messed up the best thing that ever happened to me. But whether she's willing to give me another chance she still deserved to hear an apology. She deserves to have some sort of closure."

Naveed took his cup of coffee, black just the way he liked it, and took a large swallow. The liquid wasn't scalding but it still felt quite hot as it moved down his throat. He was a little confused about how to handle the blind man but as he sat there an idea popped into his mind.

"Raina's already gone. She left in order to work somewhere else. I don't like you, never have, but tomorrow I'll take you to see Sedna. If you can convince her that you really should see Raina, then I'll tell you where to go and how to find her. Fair?

The statement that Raina was gone was shocking enough to make Luke's head snap around his sightless eyes staring unnervingly at the larger man. His first instinct was to call any charter airline he could find, no matter was the cost, and get the first plane he could to chase her down. Of course, that would require his knowing where Raina went and for the moment he didn't. Which meant that for now he would have to go along with Naveed.

"Fine... but I want to go see Sedna as early as possible. I've put this off far to long already. I can't put it off any more."

ooc: Sorry for the delay
IC

Raina had finally arrived at her destination. It took several plane rides and then a boat ride but she was now on a remote Caribbean Island with fellow volunteers running along the docks to meet her. She was embraced before names were even introduced. Island native children smiled up at her with bright eyes taking her luggage.

She was staying at a resort that has been converted into a school and a place to house volunteers. Right away she noticed the difference in the environment. She fished sun glasses out of her bag and stuck them on, answering a flurry of questions while she strolled down the dock.

They'd been waiting excitedly for her all day. She was getting briefed on how the week would work out, and children were pulling on her arms. She turned to look down and smile. They spoke something in Spanish that she didn't understand, so Raina turned to look at one of the women who she'd just met.

"They want to see your tail." she said with a wide smile.

Raina kicked off her sandals and was thankful she was wearing a dress. She gave one of the kids a pat on the head and passed him the remaining bag she was holding. With that she kicked off the dock, did a twist in the air, and crashed into the water- sunglasses and all. The children screamed and hooted in excitement as she surfaced, laughing herself. Her tail broke the water behind her and she thumped it with a FWAP right against the surface.

-------------------------

Sedna, was no longer on the land. She was in her small quaint home sitting at the kitchen table painting. It looked like your average house except for the seal meat she'd left to dry on a piece of cardboard by the window. She was still wearing her boots and had a quilt around her arms.

As Naveed led Luke in she made no motion of acknowledging them but instead said, "Ainngai" as if she'd been expecting them all along.

Naveed (with a puffed up chest) gave Luke a little shove from the back to get him moving. Luke said he wanted to see Sedna early, and well the woman was usually all up and doing her usual routine by 5:30am. Being up early never bothered Naveed. The sun didn't stick around much in the north so it always looked like night time for nearly 2/3 of the year. "Ainngai Sedna. I've brought a visitor." he kicked the snow off his boots as they moved into the main room.

Sedna was still painting away as they entered. Not until she'd finished everything did she dip the brush in the glass and look up from her work. "Ah, Luke. Yes. Ainngai" she greeted him with bright old eyes and a crooked smile. "Have you told him yet that Raina is no longer here Naveed?" she turned to Naveed and he could feel his face redden. "Obviously not if you brought him to me." she commented not giving Naveed a chance to answer for himself.

"Well, I-" he protested.

"Never mind all that. Make yourselves comfortable on the couch. I will bring us some tea" it only took the woman a few moments to bring them tea made with loose tea leaves. It seemed she'd been brewing it before they even came.

She set two mugs in front of them and sat adjacent in an old driftwood rocking chair. "Naveed was right to bring you here first." she said. "Regardless of how angry it may make you," she blew the steam from the cup then took a cautionary sip. "Tell me Luke, why must you find Raina?" her eyes seemed to shine at the question.

(OOC: And apologies for my delay. Life can get so busy sometimes.)

IC:
Luke had tossed and turned through the night, sleeping only in chunks of 30 or 45 minutes. He mind was in such a turmoil that a full nights sleep was impossible but strangely enough when he had to get up the next morning he didn't feel tired. Perhaps it was the exciting of moving one step closer to his goal or maybe it was just all the training he had subjected himself to for so many years.

The trip to Sedna's house was made in silence without a word spoken between the two men. For Naveed that was simply part of his makeup while Luke was to busy thinking about the situation to make pleasant conversation. Finally they arrived at the house and with a little shove from Naveed, Luke found himself propelled into the kitchen of the small house. Sedna, the woman he had encountered so long ago was sitting there, going about her business without really acknowledging them for several moments. Naveed explained he had brought a visitor but until the woman was finished with her project, she did not look over at them.

Finally she turned, giving him the strange smile that he remembered from his previous visit. On his last trip to the North he had learned to respect this woman that Raina admired so much... he didn't particularly understand her or want to send a lot of time with her but he could show her respect. She had proven to be a wise lady that gave good council.

After nodding his own greeting to the woman, Luke remained silent, waiting until she would address him. It was obvious she already knew the situation from the conversation she carried on with Naveed and if he remember one thing about her it was the fact that she refused to be rushed. After brewing tea and then taking a seat in a rocking chair near the couch where she had directed them to sit, Sedna broached the subject of why her visitor had come.

"Naveed was right to bring you here first. Regardless of how angry it may make you. Tell me Luke, why must you find Raina?"

For a few moments, Luke didn't respond, instead taking the time to raise his mug of tea and sip at the hot liquid. He had always been a tea drinker, especially herbal teas, having decided that he didn't really want his body being addicted to even something as minor as caffeine. The taste and heat in his mouth had a familiar feel to it that helped him relax and clear his mind. "Because we both need closure. She deserves to hear me admit that it was my stupidity that let this relationship fall apart and I need to find out if I've screwed this up beyond repair or if there's a chance of us fixing things."

Turning back to his tea he took another sip, thinking about what had happened. "She was the best thing that ever happened to me and if I'm completely honest then I'd have to say that I just got scared. Every where I looked it seemed like there was someone better... someone better suited for her or more like her or more able to compliment her abilities. I've always put on a persona of complete confidence. I learned that both in the business world and on the streets you can't show fear or the enemy will eat you up but even though that's what I try to project to the world Raina knew different. She made it all the way into my heart where she saw the abandoned and forsaken child that had never quite gotten over it. she tried to reassure me but eventually my own fear took over. I tried to explain it away by saying that I was trying to help the world around me but really it was just fear... fear and nothing else."

The silence in the room was comforting and Luke enjoyed the quietness as he took another swallow of his beverage. It was up to Sedna now. She could just give him the information he wanted, ask more questions, or reject his plea. Everything was in her hands.

Sedna hummed to herself quiet as a mouse as she rocked the chair and listened to Luke. Her eyes were closed but her body was alert. Naveed sat stiffly and awkwardly as far away from Luke as he could holding his tea cup like a giant.

Sedna hummed and hummed and when Luke finished she began to hum a little louder. Soon she was making noises while rocking back and forth. The singing didn't exactly surprise Naveed... so much as the fact she'd just started doing it randomly without embarrassment.

When Naveed didn't respond Sedna became louder and he looked at her quizzically. she was making animal sounds and she finally opened her eyes to meet Naveeds.

"Sedna..." he began when she stopped the noise. "I doubt Luke is interested in a throat singing match with you." Sedna's eyes glinted in that odd way.

"No, I'm not challenging Luke to a match," she paused "You are."

Naveed's face went taught and red. "It's for women." he said curtly.

"You both need a little women in your life right now." Sedna observed. "There is no embarrassment in mimicking the animals around us. Your dog sled moves you from place to place, the seals provide meat and warmth, and the great white bears are bold predators. Why should only women mimic these great beasts? I think you two have a lot to learn from them." she continued rocking as they sat in silence.

"You've got to be kidding me." said Naveed plopping his forehead into his large hand. Sedna simply smiled and waited. Finally Naveed turned to what was probably a confused Luke "Remember your vision quest? It's a bit like that. On the days and night on the land women used it as a mark of challenge. The woman who could mimic the animal sounds perfectly was always well respected. I am thinking Sedna wants you to prove you've got the traits of the animals in you. The warmth of the seal, the courage and strength of the bear, the loyalty of the dogs."

Without much else Naveed sat with his legs crossed on the floor. "Sedna may not look it but she'd one of a few shawmen left, and one of the only women." Sedna just beamed at the mention of her name and motioned for Luke to sit across from Naveed.

"It's easy really." explained Sedna. "You face Naveed, but still ignore him. Focus on the sounds you're making, imaging yourself transforming into the sounds around you. You aren't limited to the animals I picked, make any sound. But you must beat Naveed. Then I will tell you where Raina went."

Naveed looked smugly at that. He started making a low guttural noise that started almost like a groan. The sound seemed to acquire a few layers and he grunted in different octaves. He stared at Luke intently while doing it. To close ones eyes and listen you'd swear you were hearing a heard of caribou moving across the tundra.

"What are you waiting for Luke? It's not a turn taking challenge, you must join in and overpower him!" she leaned over and gave him a swat on the back.

The humming was like buzzing in the background at first but it slowly became more and more pronounced. It had an almost musical quality to it but Luke wasn't exactly in the mood for music. He just wanted to find Raina... that was his only purpose for coming here. As Naveed began to talk to her, what she was doing began to make a bit more sense but at the mention of a match between himself and Naveed he had to raise an eyebrow ever so slightly. A match of... throat singing? Until this day he had never heard anything about throat singing much less heard it actually done. Sure it was a nice custom, and it was probably even beautiful in its own way, but Luke wasn't in the mood. Sitting around singing was not going to get him any closer to Raina!

Naveed went on to explain what was going and then Sedna picked up where he ended, offering the whereabouts of Raina as a prize should he win. Standing from the couch, Luke turned away and walked over to the closest window, his blind eyes staring out without seeing while his radar swept the landscape around him. He was tempted to just walked away and use his own vast resources to find Raina. There would be immigration records and some sort of paper trail that he could follow, but that would take time. "I'm not a singer! I don't even know how!" He thought somewhat angrily to himself as he tried to come to some decision. He could hear Naveed behind him, getting louder, waiting for someone to compete with him and while Luke didn't want to he knew that he had to. Raina would respect him for having taken this path to find her but if she found out he had turned away from her native roots... there would probably be no future for them.

Turning, Luke strode back over and sat cross legged on the floor across from Naveed. He was behind, quite obviously, the the crescendo from the other man seemed to be filling the room. Unfortunately the native man knew the animals better than Luke, at least, the animals here in the north.

Allowing his eyes to close, Luke spend a few moments focusing his breathing, pushing aside the sounds that Naveed was making and bringing to his memory the sounds of the animals that he had known for years. He was mostly a city dweller and while most didn't think of the city as a place for animals he had learned different. There was the chattering squirrels in the park, the cooing doves and pigeons, and the shrieks of the falcons as they hunted the other birds. There had even been the baying of dogs from the more run down parts of town. This was to be his mode of attack. He would start with the quieter animals, perfect those before building to form his own crescendo with a final note. He didn't know if could pull it off, after all he had no experience with this, but for Raina he would try. The animals noises from Naveed that were discernible and recognizable to Sedna seemed like nothing more than noise to Luke which meant that they were easier to ignore. Hopefully Sedna would be able to recognize his own sounds or he would fail this test.

Beginning with the quietest, he focused his mind on the memories of time spent around nesting pigeons. Their cooing as they moving around their perches. Not loud, but soft and steady. It was barley discernible over the sounds from the other man, but it was there. Slowly growing in strength and accuracy as Luke focused himself. Having been blind for so many years had enhanced his hearing and while he had never previously used it for this application, it gave him natural ability when it came to mimicking other creatures.

From the quiet pigeon he moved on to the chattering and barking of the squirrel. The annoying sounds that filled the city parks on sunny days. While not necessarily the most pleasant sounds in the world they were far stronger and more powerful than the doves he had begun with. His volume was rising but still it was below the level of his competition. Though he couldn't see it, there was an ever so slightly disappointed expression on Sedna's face. She had been hoping for a better showing from the city dweller. Hopefully he had some surprises that were yet to be shown.

The shrill cry began softly, but as it was uttered again and again, it echoes off the walls and began to fill the room. The call of the falcon filled the air, echoing and slowly building to meet and eventually surpass Naveed. Luke's throat was hurting, almost burning, from the effort of creating sounds he had never attempted before but he refused to stop. Raina was worth everything he could give and any sort of pain he had to go through. With each call the sound was becoming more accurate as he dialed in the sound. He would never reach that perfect pitch and tonal quality that a falcon could create but he would get as close as he could... as close as physically possible.

Suddenly as though a switch had been thrown, both men stopped. Reaching up Luke massaged his throat as he waited for Sedna's decision. Whether he had won or lost didn't really matter... he had tried. Whether he got the information of Raina's whereabouts from Sedna, or found them on her own, the red haired beauty would respect that he had at least attempted to go the native route. At least, Luke hoped she would.

ooc: holy typos in my last post |@_@ went through and fixed them, sorry about that!

IC:

Sedna sat pleased with herself as the two men came to a stop. Naveed had sweat on his brow and sat quietly, reserved. She was impressed with Luke's insight to use animals from him own journey. It spoke volumes to her. She got up from her seat and disappeared into the kitchen. The men were left to sit in their own silence for a moment- the only noise being Sedna's own shuffling through things.

Naveed sat pensively watching Luke. Such a small man, he could easily squash. He did indeed rise a few points in Naveed's respect however, for even attempting the throat singing.

Sedna returned with a paper in hand and passed it to Luke. It was a print out of Raina's itinerary, all the stops she had to take and plane transfers, and finally the address of a remote school she'd be working for in the Caribbean. "She finally settled." remarked Naveed. "And she signed a year contract after a lot of reflection. Don't expect her to simply run off with you when you arrive."

Sedna gave him a swat on the ear. "Oh be quiet." he crossed his arms a bit embarrassed. He was a cold North bear, but Sedna was supreme. "Another plane arrives tomorrow, it'll take you to Ontario where you can start the process of navigating that way. It may take a few flights unless you can secure your own private one from Ontario." Private jets didn't come to the North. "I think it could take a few days, Raina's planes only lined up by pure chance, she would have only arrived there a few hours ago. I wonder what she's doing?" wondered Sedna out loud with a smile.

~~~~~

What Raina was doing, was unpacking. She'd spent a good 45 minutes swimming with her welcome committee but soon it was time to head up to the youth hostel where she'd be staying. It was quaint but really all she needed. On the walk up there she even dried out mostly- it was that warm! What a welcomed change.

She neatly put her clothes in the small dresser and closet, laid out her things for the bathroom, and took off her jewellery. The pearl necklace was the last thing she removed. She sat on the bed staring at it for a moment. Her eyes were stinging. "Nope" she growled. "Not today." and with that she got up as quickly as she could, and made for the school

(OOC: lol. Typos can be interesting.)

Apparently silence was king up North because when they had finished, no one spoke. Even Sedna rose and left the room without ever speaking. Luke's hand continued to massage his throat before he leaned over, reached for his cup of tea. It was no longer hot but that last swallow of liquid would feel good on his throat. Moments later, he replaced the completely empty vessel where it had previously been sitting.

The older woman returned and handed Luke a paper. It must have been from an ink-jet printer because he couldn't read it but he figured it must hold some sort of meaning. Perhaps this was the information he sought? Maybe this held the secret of Raina's destination.

"Who said anything about running off? As long as she doesn't run away from me I'll be satisfied." Luke replied softly before folding the paper and tucking it in his jacket.

Slowly climbing up to his feet, Luke turned to face Sedna, his expression serious. He could see that the woman was smiling but he didn't feel joyous or jolly right now. What was happening was to important and the whole thing deserved his respect. "I'm sure she's making the best of things... she always does. Thank you Sedna. Thank you for trust me with this information and with Raina's heart." It was something that had really only just clicked in his mind. Naveed and Sedna had accepted his reasoning and provided him with what he needed. That meant that they trusted him not to hurt Raina again. From the over protective brother and the wise woman that meant something very special.

"Don't hurt her again." The larger man's voice was just as serious with just the slightest to touch of menace, "Next time we won't be so forgiving." Sedna glanced over at Naveed and when her eyes returned to Luke she was still smiling though she didn't say anything to reprimand Naveed. That must mean she at least partially agreed with that warning... right?

"Is there a fax machine in town that I could use?"

***

The fax machine was in a little store near the airport which meant that Luke could also go ahead and purchase a ticket from the village to Ontario. Once the ticket was secured he faxed a copy of the ticket as well as the itinerary back to the Jacobs & Jacobs office. On it was a simple hand written note. 'Deborah, Raina's gone again but I know where she went. I fly tomorrow for Ontario but I need a private jet to be chartered and set up for flying to her final destination. Please make whatever arrangement are necessary. Thanks. And thanks for the nudge out the door. Luke.' Once that was done Luke returned to Naveed's little house for one more night of fitful tossing and turning. The last leg of his journey would begin in the morning.

The day had flown by. Raina had awoken bright and early. Quite literally, to the sound of birds! She was surprised however upon leaving the hostel, that it wasn't the usual pigeons that greeted her at the door step. No, not at all. There was a crowd of about 12 Iguanas. She'd been told this might happened if any food was left out. The great green lizards lazed in the sun, blinking their eyes at her. A few cautiously explored the area still keeping watch.

She'd ridden a bike to the school, dressed in a flowery dress and straw hat. She had on about an inch of sun screen but could still feel her pale skin crackling underneath. Still, for most of the day she enjoyed the warmth.

The classroom had been stuffy but she'd gotten used to it quickly enough. 40 students from ages 8-10 were in her class. They couldnt move beyond their grade until they'd achieved passing marks. Since there was so many reading problems quite a few didn't move beyond.

She'd introduced herself and told stories of New York, and the North. Then she'd asked each student to write her a letter telling her about themselves. After that the day was filled with math, spelling games, a little geography, and beach clean up. She enjoyed a light lunch of fruit and shrimp, and before she knew it the school day was done.

She was now spending her time walking along the beach, enjoying the warmth, and taking in the scenery. She'd come so far since her mermaid mutation first appeared. Before, she couldnt even spill water or she'd get fishy. Now she could happily walk in the surf and only feel the slightest of tingling. Raina wouldn't change unless she was mostly wet.

The air smelled good, clean, and sweet. The waves were rolling in. "This is where I'm meant to be," she said to herself, wrapping her arms right around her chest. "My new home."