Back to back to back, Benjamin found himself in high demand for a series of action films, playing the hot young heroic sidekick, the sweet and confused nerd backing up the hero, the vaguely annoyed elder brother protecting his magical little sister.  It kept him far too busy to keep up with anything, and even had to take a hiatus from his ongoing series, Midnight Gardens of RhyDin.  

Finally, however, he was able to return from the extended stay in Targa, and joyfully returned home.  He spent a fair week reacquainting himself with his horse, his donkey, his chickens, his crows, his fox, and mainly, his bed.  

Thorn's Booze Fest was a grand opportunity to go and see people, meet new friends and greet old ones, and he cheerfully met up with the Holtendirks to get their show on the road.  

A few small midway stalls were set up with various games, a little shooting booth, a ring toss game, darts, each booth stocked with horribly creepy prizes to win and plenty of booze for the tasting or purchasing.  

Along with the spicy bitter Star's Old Fashioned Liniment was the deceptively sweet Cherry Moonshine.  Bacon Moonshine and Apple Pie Moonshine, of course, and special edition jugs of Cucumber Cool and Red Hots Moonshines were available.  And the original plain, of course.  All were available in one pint Mason jars or half gallon stoneware jugs.  

The liniment could be used as liniment, of course, with its spicey thyme-menthol scent, it did have cooling and soothing properties used externally.  It just also happened to be a delicious bitter liquor and it'd kick gin's ass in a martini.

The cherry moonshine was half-packed with ripe black cherries, the liquid tinted pinkish black, sweet and smooth.  

Bacon was bacon in moonshine.  Sweet and savory and Bacony.  Bacon.  Nuff Said.

Apple Pie was a complex mix of apple pie spices and chunks of apple, sweet, spicy and perfect in a hot beverage, or even added to real apple pie.  

Cucumber Cool was infused with fresh cucumber, a perfect, refreshing taste of summer.  Not sweet or sour, but cooling and just a touch bitter.

Red Hots is not for the faint of heart, a good three or four handfuls of the candies were dropped into every jar, and bled a sinister bright color and cinnamon into the moonshine.  Plenty of kick!

As usual, Benjamin had stolen his costume from the last movie, and wore it to the fest.  It had nothing at all to do with trying to explain how short his hair was cut.  Of course not.  

Of course, the little midway featured a ring of straw bales where about twelve old dogs waited for adoption.  Ranging from an eight year old pure bred blue tick hound to a fifteen year old three legged beagle, all were in good health, fixed, housebroken, good with kids and other pets, and looking for a forever home.  A rescue worker sat with the hounds, ready to fill out paperwork.  Each dog's name was clipped to its collar.  

(Want a doggie?  Just pick out what you like and there ya go!)

"What are you doing...?"  Gemethyst asked as she found Benjamin busy in the back patio.  He'd moved most of the furniture to the grass, replaced it with oak timbers, saw horses, chisels, hammers, and iron hardware.  

Benjamin beamed, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.  

"Decided to make a proper bed frame.  Something a little nicer than a couple of mattresses on the floor."  

"I've got furniture you can go through, or we can go shopping,"  she offered, though it was clearly too late for that.  In any case, it seemed Benjamin was able enough with the tools.  A rustic four posted frame was shaping up nicely.  

Gemethyst paused, eying the footboard.  

"...Benjamin...  is that...  a set of stocks?"  she finally asked slowly, her eyes wide.  He glanced back at it, then her, humorously prim and innocent.  

"Is it?  Oh.  Well.  I guess that'd explain the latches."  

Choking on a laugh, Gemethyst rolled her eyes.  The decorative iron rings were definitely not decorative, and the stocks ?!  

"I'll make a pitcher of lemonade and then come help out with the sanding,"  she grinned.  

It was quite a nice bed, after all.

"Benjamin Piers, could you play 'Mama I'm Coming Home' by Ozzy Osbourne.  ...And tell her I'll be there about four in the afternoon."

Benjamin didn't have fairy wings... but still flew in to hang out a while.  

And there went Dris!  Benjamin lazily trailed after the bard, enjoying the spring weather in old jeans, a red T-shirt sporting Marvin the Martian and old red chucks.  He may have stolen a kiss from Dris, but dutifully paid up for the Kiss and Tell girls.  

"How am I supposed to pick just one?  I'll take one from each,"  he grinned rakishly.  Tempting Fate, because he knew Jackie's Mum and several of her extended family.  

"I'm Benjamin Piers, by the way.  Loved seeing you at Beltane, ladies,"  he added with a comically flourished bow to Keirra and Saila.  

Of course, then he held out his hand for a reading.  Specifically, saying "I've come to get my palm red, as well."

Just that quick, and Benjamin had an newborn in his hands.  He stared at the babe in a timeless moment that wiped away the panic firmly chained down in his mind, the blood and matter that came with the child's birth, everything.  

Everything.

He stared at the new life in a deep wonder that touched to his soul.  I know you, he heard his own voice saying in his mind.  I have felt you.  I have heard you.  

The babe squirmed in his hands and let out a lusty yowl of displeasure for being evicted so rudely from her comfortable womb.  Benjamin abruptly laughed, almost crying, and stumbled to his feet.  

"Look what I found,"  he grinned to Gemethyst.  Her eyes wide and worried until she saw that smile, then her daughter, Gemethyst gulped air and reached for the baby.  Jack smiled, quietly flexing his hand to make sure she hadn't crushed it in her laborings.

Babies always came with messes, and Benjamin quietly set about cleaning as Gemethyst rested, bonding with the babe and Jack alike.  

Quite a day, Benjamin mused.  Gemethyst had come equipped with a lot of squirt guns, intending on an epic sneak attack on Benjamin and Jack, but the joke was on her.  Particularly when her water broke.  

He'd delivered kittens before.  That was mainly just watching the mother cat and not letting her eat all of the afterbirths, something he was fairly sure wasn't an issue with elves.  He'd assisted with a few deliveries when he volunteered at the hospital, but that was not the same as being the only person with any amount of knowledge about birthing babies in the general area code.  

Benjamin's acting came in handy.  He hadn't shown his worry or fear in the slightest, he'd simply prepared the bed and then nipped into the bathroom to call Dr. Lolita Skullbasher for a quick rundown of what to do.  

Jack had been divinely confident and calm.  Babies were born all the time, and Gemethyst had given birth before.  All would be well.  Because he insisted upon it.  He would not have it any other way.  

His daughter would be born in the warm and sunny bedroom among love and peace, and she was.  He curled Gemethyst and the babe to him, looking over Gemethyst's head to see the little one.  

A poof of downy black hair crowned her head, her eyes were dark and large, her skin gleamed with health.  He smiled upon her and her mother fondly.  

"Does she have wings?"  Benjamin eventually thought to ask.  Gemethyst peered at him in confusion a moment before she looked to the baby.  She cautiously touched at the baby's back, then beamed.  
   
"She does."  

"Of course she does,"  Jack chuckled, shifting as Gemethyst passed their daughter to him.  He tucked the little one into his arm and leaned in, gazing into her eyes and murmuring words meant just for her.  For a brief moment, he could see three tiny stars on the babe's brow.  

Benjamin gently helped Gemethyst clean up and into a clean nightdress before settling her into his bed.  He then took the baby to get her comfortably diapered and bundled before returning her to Gemethyst.  

"May we call her Nyx...?"  Gemethyst asked Jack, her gaze fully within his, a mother's request.  Jack nodded with a smile, leaning to kiss her gently.  

Nyx.  A baby-name.  A real name would be years in the making.  

By the time Benjamin had finished, Gemethyst and Nyx were sleeping under Jack's watchful eye.  He smiled and curled up alongside Jack.  

It was a beautiful day.



(Miss Nyx at five months :3)

Benjamin would totally be participating if he hadn't had such a rough few weeks!  But of course he's stylish to watch the styles...