Liberty Jones

Chapter Six

Ivan watches them all leave.

Last walks Matthew and his Ana. He can tell that their conversation is very private just from how close together their heads are.

He's all alone.

He heads off to bed, and then remembers who's been sitting in the silence all evening, waiting for now.

Al looks up at him and smiles.

"I hope you had a nice evening, Fredka."

"Da. It was very pleasant."

Ivan freezes.

Al smiles, and Ivan simply stares. "How can I hear you...?"

"Well, it was a simple matter involving a little bit of magic, and a lot of sacrifices for Ana." Al says, stretching. "You see, when I realized it was getting close to the end, I asked Arthur for a bit of help. He was able to give Ana the ability to see, touch, and hear me, but he only had enough time to allow you to be able to see me before I died."

"So, Ana thought about it, and we spoke. She told me that she had grown up now, and that there was someone who needed me more than she did."

"Arthur transferred her magic to you. Ana can only see me now. She can't talk to me, or touch me, but she can see me."

Ivan could hardly believe it.

Then he felt the touch of Alfred's hand. It was not exactly warm, but it wasn't cold, either. This spirit was, in a strange way, still living.

But most importantly, it was solid.

Alfred smiled. "It's not exactly the same, but it's still me, Vanya."

Ivan picked Alfred up, dropping him back onto the bed, and kissing him. After forty years, they had a lot of lost time to make up for.

Outside,the wind began to howl again, but Ivan's concern for his daughter was short lived. Matthew was with her, and they had left several minutes ago. They would be fine.

And for the first time in years, he got to hold his husband, his lover, his reason for existence.

And at that moment, that was all that mattered.