rated H for healing

Katherine set up the table for Father Alec and Michele like she had been doing every day for a week now. The two of them had been meeting to talk at the Captain's Lady every afternoon at three. She had Michele's favorite French roast steaming in a cup and waiting for him, as well as a pot of tea for the priest. A fresh bouquet of wildflowers was in a mason jar in the middle of the table. Then exactly at three, the door opened, and the two CLims arrived.

Michele smiled as he and Father Alec walked in and he saw the fresh flowers. When Katherine came to the table to ask if they wanted anything else, he took her hand and kissed it. "Bonne après-midi. Vous regardez très gentil aujourd'hui. {Good afternoon. You look very nice today.}" Father Alec was pleased to see the change that had grown in Michele this past week, and smiled as he watched him with Kat. The intensive counseling he was undergoing both with Sean Burns and himself combined with the anti-depressant medication he was taking was making a big difference already.

Katherine smiled at Michele and kissed him gently on the cheek as she hugged him. "Thank you, dear heart." She then gave Father Alec a warm welcome hug as well.

"Hello, Katherine; you look wonderful, as usual. Anything new since we were here last?" the priest asked as he sipped his tea.

"Yes, in fact. I talked to Toni, and Fitz would like to treat us all to dinner at the Bistro tonight. On the house," she said with a smile.

"Maybe we can all take a walk somewhere until it is time to go. He said five would be grand."

"Well, I always find the beach peaceful for my meditations. Why don't we go there?" Father Alec asked, looking at Michele to see how he liked the idea.

"Bon. I'd like that." Michele smiled as he sipped his coffee. "Now that I'm feeling better, I really like to be outside in the sunshine. But do you mind if I finish this first?"

The priest laughed, and smiled, "Not at all. I'm sure Katherine wouldn't either."

"Take your time," Kat suggested. "I will help Connor and Jeremy get ready for closing in the mean time."

Michele looked around thoughtfully at the lace curtains and the Celtic decorations and smiled to himself. He was feeling particularly good today and it seemed that everything was making him smile. It had been a long time since he felt this way and he was determined to enjoy it to the fullest.

Katherine busied herself around the coffee shop, getting ready to close while Father Alec and Michele conversed quietly at their table. Michele was finding more than just a counselor in the young priest. He was finding a friend.

"I think it was wonderful of Fitz to invite you like that, Michele. You see, I said would fit in fine here, with so many people wanting to help you," he said.

"J'apprends. {I'm learning.}" Michele smiled. "You know, I really wanted to talk to you that night that we were watching the twins. Somehow something kept me from it. I wish we had started this earlier." Katherine came by to see if they needed a refill on their drinks. The two men were so intent on their conversation, they hardly noticed her warming up their cups.

"Well, the important thing is that we are talking now," Father Alec said, and he nodded in agreement.

"Is it hard for everyone to get used to this place? I wasn't bothered by so many people with my face after the first few days, but the castle still seems so strange to me. And I never know what's going to happen there. Rayden and his parents have different ideas about a lot of things. Ev is nice, but she doesn't have a lot of time, with the babies."

Katherine smiled as she overheard the last comment. All men tended not to understand the connection between women and their babies, or even to begin to comprehend how much time and effort a little baby demanded. A new baby in the house was a perfect example of minority rule.

"I think that Rayden and his parents like to surprise us poor unsuspecting mortals," the Father chuckled. "As for Ev, yes, the babies do keep her busy; but she would always sit down and talk with anyone who needed it." He hoped Michele understood what he was saying here.

Michele considered that. "J'essayerai. {I'll try.} They all seem to be so close and always there for each other. I think it scares me a little. I've never been part of something like that."

"Well, then, it's high time you are." Looking at Kat, he smiled, "It looks like we are all ready to go. Shall we?"

Katherine nodded and kissed Connor and Jeremy goodbye. Father Alec did not miss the longing look that Michele had as he watched, and he wondered if Michele was getting a little too attached to Katherine already. Michele realized that Father Alec was watching him, and gave him a shy half smile and pretended innocence. Suddenly his coffee cup seemed very fascinating.

Smiling brightly, Katherine said, "I'm ready. The guys are going to finish closing for me!" The three of them walked out of the coffee shop and headed towards the beach. Father Alec had been right, it was nice to walk there, and he smiled as he took a deep breath of the sea air.

Michele became a little quieter as they walked. He realized that this was the way he had come the last time he was at the beach.

He was afraid he would start to feel the pull of the waves again. It was hard to look over the water with that memory so close to the surface. The priest, walking beside him, knew what he was thinking, and placed a hand on his shoulder in understanding. When Michele looked up, he saw gentle caring and support in his eyes, and felt a little better.

The petite woman walking with them alternated her sedate ladylike pace at their side with occasional mad dashes across the sand scattering birds as she went. When they reached one spot with some large rocks, she even scrambled up on top of them. Then she calmed herself and looked out over the water. She then opened her mouth and began to sing, her clear voice resounding over the waves.

Michele sat and listened in fascination. This was the voice that had stopped him from walking out into the water before. In a soft voice he said to Father Alec, "Elle a la voix d'un ange. {She has the voice of an angel.}"

The priest smiled knowingly, and said, "Yes, son, that she does."

He knew now how Michele had come to the coffee shop, and thanked not only heaven, but Andrew, silently, for guiding him there.

Michele seemed deep in thought for a few minutes. "Who is this Andrew? I don't think I was seeing things, was I?"

Katherine finished her song and jumped down from her perch, smiling at the two of them. "I've seen Andrew a few times myself," she said softly. "A long time before I ever came here."

"Mais qui est-il? {But who is he?}" Michele wasn't giving up yet.

Father Alec was drawn out of his own thoughts, and said, not wanting to lie to him, "Andrew is an angel, Michele. He was the one that helped you find your way back to life by guiding you to Katherine's shop."

Michele blinked in surprise. They didn't seem to be teasing him, and with all the strange things he had seen in the city........ "Un vrai ange? {A real angel?}"

"Yes. A real angel, as in from heaven. God wants you to live very much, Michele. He loves you much more than you know, as He does all of us," the priest smiled warmly.

"A real angel, Michele," a voice repeated. And when he turned he saw Andrew sitting on the same rock Katherine had just jumped down from.

"Mon dieu!" Michele was so startled he nearly fell off the rock he was sitting on. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. "I never met an angel before. I guess I really needed one, didn't I?" He searched for something more to say, but all he could think of was, "Merci."

"You're welcome," the angel said with a bright smile. He and Katherine exchanged looks, and she nodded her head just slightly. The two of them had indeed crossed paths in the past during some of her closer brushes with the true death. Then, turning to Father Alec, he motioned toward the sea and told the priest to tell Michele what was on his heart.

The priest glanced out over the water and sighed. "Michele," he began. "The last thing I knew before I woke up here was sinking underneath water."

Michele turned and studied Father Alec's face. "Qu'est arrivé à vous? {What happened to you?} Did you try to kill yourself, like I did?"

"No, my son," the priest said sadly. "But I chose the path I knew could lead to my death. And I willingly walked it."

"Vous moyen vous avez été détruits? {You mean you were killed?}" Michele was appalled that anyone could do such a thing to such a gentle person.

Katherine took Michele's hand in hers as she watched the priest walk closer to the water, lost in memories. "Father Alec was part of the solidarity movement in Poland. They kidnapped him, brutally beat him, and then threw him in deep water to drown."

Michele looked over at the priest as he stood apart, lost in thought. "Je ne serais jamais assez courageux pour faire n'importe quoi de pareil. {I would never be brave enough to do anything like that.}"

Glancing over at Andrew again, the two again seemed to converse silently. "You are braver than you think, love. Michele, Father Alec, take your shoes off please and roll up your pants," Katherine said. The two men were surprised but did as she said. Then, taking them each by a hand, she led them out into the waves.

Michele realized how long it had been since he had been barefoot in the sand. It felt good. He tried to focus on the sensations instead of looking at the water. The water was warmer today and it felt nice. He kept his gaze on Katherine, instead of looking at the water. They waded out thigh deep, and as the three of them stood with the water lapping gently around them, there seemed no threat from the water. No call to go deeper. There was only a deep sense of contentment and peace.

Michele realized he had been holding his breath. He finally let it out and made himself look out at the water. It was only water now. He smiled and looked back at Katherine. There were no words to fit what he felt. He startled her with a sudden bear hug. "Merci!"

Father Alec seemed more relaxed as well, and smiled down at Katherine too. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, Kat said brightly, "I'm hungry! Let's go eat. Race you guys back to shore!" There was a lot of laughing and splashing as they ran back in, and the walk back along the beach to where they started dried them off fairly well.

Andrew was still seated up on top of the rock, a very pleased look on his face. The three friends gathered their shoes, and he waved at them as they headed across the beach towards The Bistro. Michele looked up and waved back at the angel, marveling again that he had actually spoken to one.

At the restaurant, they found a smiling Fitz waiting to greet them at the door. He shook Michele's hand, smiling, "Michele, my dear boy! It's a pleasure to meet you. And you, Lady Katherine, and you, Father; it's a pleasure to see you again. Come, this way; I have the best table in the house reserved for you." He led them along to a nice table overlooking some scenic gardens.

"This is very nice. Merci." Michele looked again at Fitz. "You look very familiar. I'm not sure why."

Fitz chuckled, then smiled, "Well, there's a rumor that I strongly resemble the lead singer of the Who, Roger Daltrey; I take it as a compliment, as he seems to be a handsome lad. Now then, I had a meal specially prepared for you: filet mignon, russet potatoes au gratin, and a vegetable medley. This will be served with sparkling grape juice, and I have left the choice of dessert up to the lady.

She knows what we have available." He waited patiently for Katherine's selection of dessert.

"Chocolate mousse," Katherine said without hesitation.

Fitz again chuckled, and said, "I thought you might choose that. If you would like your salads now, please let me know what dressing each of you would like on them."

The three of them gave their preferences, and sat back to wait for their meal. Suddenly Katherine started to laugh. Michele smiled.

"Ce qui? {What?}" He had never felt so cared for. It was wonderful.

"I could have ordered the Triple Fudge Supreme Brownies. Better known around here as 'Death by Chocolate'." The two men stared at her for a brief moment in surprise and then joined her in joyous laughter at her little joke.