Chapter 142 - Ghosts

Later that morning, after Newt had a couple of hours of sleep trying to ignore the argument that was happening across the hall, he went down to have some coffee to try to wake up. Dee and Niall were already downstairs no doubt waiting to find out how things went with he and Delia.

 Newt grabbed a cup and sat down at the table. Dee walked over to join him and Niall and chirped, "Good morning - well - technically it IS still morning although it will soon be lunch time. But I could still prepare breakfast. How late did you stay out?" and continued without giving Newt a chance to respond, "you know, Cordell was getting antsy, but we made him leave you two alone and go to bed."

"Dee!" exclaimed Niall, "Let him be. Quit giving him the third degree."

"It's okay Niall," said Newt, "We stayed out until dawn when Cordell came looking for Delia. He wasn't happy to say the least."

"Oh?" said Dee raising her eyebrow.

"He had a right to be mad," said Newt, "We took off and stayed out all night without a word to anyone. They argued when they came up but from the sounds coming from across the hall, I am pretty sure they made up," laughed Newt. 

Then he took a breath, "Dee, she has been through a lot and I only saw the tip of the iceberg last night. Delia told me she has born 18 children! How does one woman do that? She should be the parent and me the child! I have nothing to offer her."

"Did she say how she did that?" asked Dee. 

"Something about potions she was able to create. She has had a lot of tragedy and uncertainty in her life while I lay asleep hiding, she has even seen and coupled with a ghost AND had a child by him. I wanted to ask her about the possibility of communicating with Adele's ghost, but it seemed like too much to ask."

"Why?" asked Niall.

"Because I have no right Niall."

"Maybe she doesn't know it's possible," replied Niall. 

"She can communicate with ghosts," said Newt.

Niall thought about what Newt said before speaking again. "She communicates with ghosts she had very strong connection with. I am not saying she didn't have one with her mother, but Adele died a natural death. Delia's first husband died tragically and he probably couldn't move on. THAT is who she had the connection with. She would have to find Adele's spirit and bring her ghost to the human world so they could communicate. That can be very dangerous." 

With desperation Niall replied, "But she said she had a ghost baby. She became pregnant by her first husband's ghost and her baby was stuck between the spirit world and the human world and she created a potion that allowed him to make the full transition to the human world," then turning to Dee he asked, "Dee, could she do that if we could conjure Adele's ghost like you said?"

"It's not that simple Newt and anyway Delia may not know the first part is possible. Adele would revive elderly and sick. Delia would have to cure her and reverse her aging so she could survive. Those are insurmountable hurdles Newt." 

"But it's possible. We could bring Adele back. She would be alive again?" asked Newt.

"Yes," replied Niall, "Dee and I both think Delia is very powerful and has the ability to do exactly that. But it is very dangerous. Whoever performs the ritual could exchange their life for the life of the spirit they are trying to revive if not done perfectly. Think long and hard before you ask the daughter you just found to risk her life to try and find her mother. As much as all of us want that, is that what Delia wants? She has found true happiness for the first time in her life. Who are we to take that away?"

"You are right Niall. I have no right to ask her. At least not yet. But I can't stop thinking about the possibility. We could be a real family.

I need to spend some more time with her today. What about her Genie husband. They are powerful aren't they. If the legend is true, they can grant wishes - right.?"

"Not exactly," said Niall, "they use mind control to grant wishes which hurts people badly. Mind control is their one true power. Making others do their bidding. They can't bring back the dead. But he might be able to help find the artifacts and herbs required to perform the rituals."

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The sun was up and Cordell knew it was late in the morning and they needed to get up. He kissed Delia on the shoulder to try and wake her gently. He felt really bad about the night before but the make up sex had been incredible. They both badly needed that connection. 

Delia began to stir when he continued to nibble on her shoulder. She finally woke up and turned over. She looked up and Cordell sitting there grinning at her. "How long have you been watching me sleep?"

"Just a few minutes."

She reached up and kissed him, "Well stop it. I probably was drooling!"

"I love watching you drool, but we need to get up. I smell coffee next door."  

"Gahhh, I need some," said Delia as she scooted out of bed and headed for the bathroom. 

They got dressed and started to go across to the walkway to the Thorn's apartment. Delia grabbed Cordell's hands before they left. "Baby, I hope you understand that I don't love you less because of all that is going on. In fact, I think I love you more if that is possible."

"I love you too. I will try to control my jealousy while we are here. We haven't even discussed how things went last night."

Delia grabbed Cordell and forced him to look into her eyes. "Look at me you big over-protective Genie! You will hear it all. It's just...just something I have to do alone. With just me and Newt. I can't explain it. But it doesn't mean I love you less."

"I need to call the band and let them know how much longer I will be gone. I also need to call home. I  miss the kids. We have never been away from them like this. Now go on. Get some coffee and bond with my family. I will be right behind you."

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Cordell walked over to the Thorns apartment. "Good morning! I smell coffee and maybe some pancakes?"

"Hi. Good morning to you," said Dee, "Help yourself to coffee. Where is Delia?"

Delia will be right down, she needed to make a couple of phone calls."

"Oh good. We can talk over breakfast."

Cordell walked over and began to apologize to Newt for his behavior the previous night. As they were talking Delia walked down the stairs. Newt's gaze immediately locked onto his daughter and everything Cordell was saying was nothing but noise. 

When she saw her father looking at her she couldn't help but walk straight over to him. He never stopped looking at her. It was just like they had this weird connection all of a sudden. 

Cordell stopped talking when he realized he no longer had Newt's attention and realized what was distracting him. Cordell couldn't help it, he wanted to punch the man that stole his wife's attention. 

Fortunately Dee broke the spell Newt had Delia under calling out, "Pancakes are on the table. Get them while they are hot everyone!"

Niall started the conversation, "Cordell said you were checking in with the kids, How are they holding up without you?"

Delia laughed, "Well, I think Jewel is ready for us to come back! She is only accustomed to dealing with one 11 year-old. That's not too bad, but now she has a 10 year-old, a teenager AND a 4 year-old whose father spoiled her rotten!" 

"Hey, I don't spoil our kids!"

"Yeah, who are you trying to convince Ge...uh...Cordell!" 

Newt was very quiet during the exchange. He kept thinking about how much he had missed out on with Adele and Delia and how hard it must have been for Adele not to have had anyone in her life. He felt so undeserving to be here now. The more he listened to them talk and remembering the intimacy they had obviously shared the night before, the more he wanted - no needed - to have Adele back. He would do anything to make his relationship with his daughter work, but he would always have a hole in his heart where Adele was concerned. He decided he would approach Delia today and tell her what Dee and Niall said. Adele was Delia's mother. Surely she would also want her back in her life as much as he needed her in his.

After breakfast Newt pulled Delia off into the corner. "Delia, would you mind joining me again outside. I would like to continue our conversation from last night. There is so much I want to say and I want to know. I have no doubt you have many stories that I long to hear."

Delia looked over at Cordell. She knew this was going to be hard for him but she had to do it. 

"Of course Newt. But I need to let Cordell know. We don't need a repeat of last night."

Newt got embarrassed thinking about the sounds he heard coming from their bedroom. He swallowed and said, "Of course. He had every right to be angry. We were out all night Delia."

Delia lowered her voice and said, "Well it was more than being worried. I am afraid he is quite jealous."

Newt laughed and leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I would be jealous too if my beautiful wife stayed out all night long with a man she just met."

Delia laughed. "Okay. One minute and I will meet you outside."

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"Thanks for agreeing to spend this time with me. I know it is causing a strain on your relationship with your husband. I don't want to interfere," said Newt.

"You aren't interfering and he will get over it. Cordell is a good man. He is jealous and protective, but not unreasonable." 

Delia and Newt sat down at the table they were at the previous day. 

"I want to know more about your experience with your first husband - uh his ghost."

"Why?"

"How did he die?"

"He froze to death outside our home. I am still not sure what happened. I was devastated. About 6 months later I dreamed that he came to me and - well he made love to me. Only it wasn't a dream. It was real. I became pregnant. But I was in denial. Our oldest son's wife was pregnant and that is how I realized that was what was wrong with me. I rationalized that I must have become pregnant right before he died. I left town to have my baby - told our sons that I needed to get away. It was horrible. I left my children to hide. I gave birth to a beautiful little girl. My first girl. I had already discovered the potion to reverse the aging process." 

"Do you know how he was able to contact you?"

"Not really. He just showed up randomly. I didn't try to get him to materialize. I let him into my bed again years later. Only this time the result was the ghost baby I told you about. That was when I knew that the visits from him were real and not dreams. He began to talk to me and tell me things. He always came to me when I was sad. "

"You said you fixed your ghost baby. Made him human. How did you do that?"

"I found a recipe for ambrosia. It restores the human body to a ghost. But the ghost has to consume it. My child was in this world. But sort of caught between the two worlds. He was born a ghost but acted like a human in almost every way. That was one of the worst times of my life. His father actually visited him a few times when he was a toddler and picked him up. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen. Needless to say, I never allowed my dead husband back into my bed."

Delia started to cry, "It was awful. And so stupid. I was alone. It was just me and Alex. I was so messed up. The man I finally let into my life then was evil but he fooled me and said he could help me 'cure' Alex. I think he was a ghost hunter and thought if I could create the cure he could use it."

"I got pregnant on our honeymoon and he was not happy. When I got pregnant a second time he was furious and stopped sleeping with me at all. Alex was 16 when we finally cured him."

Delia looked up at Newt. "I have a basement full of mother's things. She was trying to find a cure for herself I think. I haven't even read all of her journals. I couldn't. But everything about that side of my life, the potions, the mementos, they are all there. He found a Philosophers Stone and was using it to conjure and transmute items. It backfired and killed him. I ran again."

Newt got up walked around behind his daughter and put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry. You have been through so much. I didn't mean to make you live through it again."

"Buy why, what is this really about Newt? Why the interest in my ghosts?"

Newt sat back down. "Is he the only one you have ever seen?"

"I saw Vladimir a couple of times and talked to him. He was murdered. Victoria, our daughter that drowned, came to me when her son was turning into a wolf and we were trying to figure out what was wrong with him. She told me what to look for."

Delia got up again when it suddenly hit her why Newt was so interested in ghosts. She looked at him across the table and demanded, "Newt, again, why the interest in my ghosts?"

"I - I just hoped that if you were able to communicate with ghosts - well that we could try to summon Adele. That I could tell her I tried to find her."

Newt ran his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry Delia. I hoped you would want to find her too. Dee and Niall..."

"Dee and Niall?! They put you up to this!"

"NO! It's all me. They told me not to. But I had to ask." 

Delia turned around. She couldn't look at him. She felt betrayed somehow and she wasn't sure why. 

"Don't you understand. All I wanted was to tell her I tried and I never stopped loving her...Please turn around Delia. Don't shut me out. Without you in my life, I have no life."

"Wrong! You have a life and now it is up to you to make it worthwhile instead of chasing ghosts. I am not what defines your life. Mother made a life without you and she never stopped loving you either. But she moved on." 

Newt pulled her back around so he could look at her. "Delia, you are obviously the parent in this relationship and I am the child. You are so much wiser than me. I am sorry. It's like I went to sleep and when I woke up only a day had passed when in reality 180 years passed me by. You have much more life experience than I do. Forget I asked. You are right. She is gone. I thought I had accepted it but when Dee and Niall..."

"I will talk to Dee. She shouldn't be getting your hopes up. I guess she also hoped. God. They wanted a chance to say they are sorry too." Delia hung her head and said more softly, "Newt, I don't know how to summon a ghost. They just came to me in my time of need. They tried to help me and ease my pain. If I could, I promise, I would do everything in my power to bring back my mother for all of us." 

Newt pulled Delia to him and kissed her on the top of her head. He hugged her last night when she cried and he had wanted to kiss her but was afraid. But he needed to do this now to show her how much he cared for her. She definitely has had a rough life but has weathered it like a champ. He was proud to call her his daughter. He just needed to make her proud to call him her father.

Newt didn't want to let go of her so he grabbed her around the waist and said, "Come on, It's already way past dinner time and I think there is one Genie up there that is about to come unglued missing you!" 

Delia leaned into his embrace and put her arm around his neck and together they walked back up to the elegant tree house that Dee and Niall called home. 

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Chapter 141 - Father Daughter Day

After Newt saw Delia and her husband, he went back into his room and sat down. He couldn't go downstairs. He knew Dee had made dinner for them, but he wouldn't be able to sit there and eat. He just couldn't make himself move.

Dee and Niall welcomed the couple in. Dinner was already ready so they invited them to sit down and begin. Looking at the empty chair, with a plate in front of it, Cordell finally asked the question that hung in the air, the one he knew his wife was afraid to ask, "So, when is the man of hour going to join us? Is he okay?"

Niall knew Dee was concerned that Newt hadn't come down yet. "He has been doing really well. Dee gave him a special potion that she whipped up which really helped him get his strength back. He took the last of it two days ago. He should be down shortly." Then looking at Dee, said, "Right Dee?"

"Um. Yes. I will go fetch him before dessert. He may not know you are here. Don't worry."

Here I am worrying about Delia thinking I am a loser and here I sit proving it. She came all this way to see me. I need to get my shit together and just go, but what do I say to her. It was too hard so I quit looking for you? Newt took a deep breath and got up. At least that's a start. One foot in front of the other Newt - just get it over with. So what if she despises me. What have I lost? Nothing I already had. Newt finally talked himself into getting up and making his way to the Thorn's living quarters.

Newt made it as far as the front door and stopped. He looked in the window. There she was sitting there chatting looking beautiful, but he could see the disappointment in her face. He had done that to her.

Delia suddenly gasped and stopped talking. "What is it Delia," asked Niall.

"Someone is looking in the window," said Delia.

Cordell started to get up, "I will go check," stay here.

"No," said Delia as she stood up and locked eyes with the handsome man starting at her through the window. "Stay here. It's him...Newt."  Delia walked towards the door hoping he wouldn't leave. She was furious that he hadn't joined them.

When she walked out the door he just stood there looking at her like a deer in headlights as they continued to stare at each other. Delia quickly decided she had had enough of his games.

"Newt I presume. Why are you hiding? Am I that much of an inconvenience? We had to find sitters for our children just to come and meet you and you won't give us the courtesy of even a hello? Well, don't bother, we will leave in the morning!" then she turned to walk back inside.

 Newt's heart sunk. It was becoming a self-fulling prophecy. All his fault, but he couldn't do this here in front of everyone. He needed to get her alone so he could explain. "No, Delia. Don't leave. Please. I'm sorry. Follow me. Let's go down to the gardens. Please."

Delia's stomach knotted when he spoke. He sounded so nervous and she had just lashed out angrily. He was as nervous to meet her as she was to meet him. "Okay, sure. Lead the way," she said not sure she wanted to let him off the hook just yet.

Newt couldn't even look at her anymore. He just turned around and quickly started walking down the steps towards the garden patio where they could sit and talk in private.

Once they got where he was going he stopped and turned around. "Delia, can we start over. I am so sorry . . . I didn't mean to be rude, I just don't know what to say to you."

Delia smiled and stuck her hand out. "Sure, let's start again. Hi, I am Delia Shinn, your daughter. Very nice to meet you - uh Newt."

"Newt is fine," he replied, "It is very nice to meet you too," and he started to pull his hand away, but Delia pulled him closer. His eyes unnerved her. They were exactly the same as hers. She couldn't stop looking at them and involuntarily reached up to touch his face.

Delia whispered, "Your eyes, I have your eyes."

"Yes, you do. And they are beautiful on you," he said as his blue eyes began to shimmer with tears.

Delia realized she might be overstepping and pulled back. "I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright" he said as he swallowed back his emotions. "Why don't we sit down. I would like to get know all about you."

They sat down across from each other. Newt began, "Tell me about yourself Delia. I want to know everything I missed."

"Wait, you first. I want to understand what happened between you and the Thorns. I have their story, and part of my mother's story. I want your side."

Newt was visibly upset at having to relive that part of his life. It took him a minute to compose himself. Finally he started, "Adele - your mother - and I met at a summer festival. It was like we were meant to be together. I had no idea she was a fairy. I didn't even know such things existed. Now I have learned there are many myths that are actually truth and am still trying to understand how we can live in a world surrounded by magic and not even realize it. Sorry, anyway, after it was apparent that we were hopelessly in love, she confided in me. It didn't matter what she was. I loved her. We were married in a secret ceremony. I wanted her to tell her parents. She and I weren't living together and it was painful. She was afraid for me.

I came here, to this house where she lived, to convince her to tell her parents. That was when she told me she was pregnant. I was thrilled. But it was short lived. Her father saw us and dragged us both inside. He locked me in one room and Adele in another. He took Adele's powers away. She was no longer a fairy or at least her powers were suppressed and only the one that takes them can give them back. That night her mother helped her escape. Dee was afraid of what might happen to her daughter - and she thought her husband was going to have me 'disposed of' as was required by Fae law at the time. Her mother put a cloaking spell on Adele so that no one could find her. That night Niall decided to allow us to be together. The next morning he went to her room, but he was too late, she was already gone."

"Newt. I am sorry to make you say it again. You do understand why?"

"Of course. Anyway, I was furious with them but also realized that Niall was trying to come to the right decision and had done so. We set out to find her. We searched everywhere. After 20 years of looking I wanted to die. I didn't 'feel' her anymore and hadn't for about 3 years."

"She died when I was 17."

"That was the same time I stopped feeling her..." Newt began to cry softly. They were both quiet for a few minutes grieving the loss of her mother and his wife. Finally he began again. "I'm sorry I stopped looking. I wanted to die but Dee and Niall said no. They might still find her but I knew in my heart they wouldn't. So I let them put me into a deep dreamless sleep and told them not to wake me unless they found her. I wanted to be dead but they wouldn't allow it. I was a coward."

"Not a coward Newt. Hurting. I have experienced that kind of grief in my life - more than you know. And I ran too, from town to town, hiding and messing up. I have had good times too. I haven't been a stellar mom. Newt, I have had 6 husbands and 18 children, 7 of those with my current husband, well except for Jewel, Her father is dead, but Cordell raised her from an infant so she is like his. The rest are either deceased or think I am. I have done some horrible things in the name of love."

Newt just looked at her for a few minutes letting what she had just said sink in. Delia couldn't wait any longer and said, "Say something!"

"I don't deserve to be called your father Delia. I did nothing for you. Surly you see this. Cordell is your oldest daughter's father. The man that gave her life is less than nothing to her. Delia, all I did was give you life."

"NO!" said Delia and got up. "You tried to find me. The man that fathered Jewel tried to take her away from me. He accidentally killed himself trying to hurt Cordell when he found her. It is NOT the same. You tried to find us."

"Delia."

"No, no Newt! I have done horrible things! I created potions, strong potions that can do things one shouldn't be able to do and used them on myself to keep me from aging all IN THE NAME OF LOVE! I ran from town to town to hide the fact that I never got old. I had sex with my first husband's ghost - and had two children fathered by him. I married a witch and left my son with his sister because I was pregnant with a ghost's child....Please don't lecture me. I did horrible things. I married a man that wanted to steal from me to find the cure for my dead husband's ghost baby. He accidentally killed himself at my house so I ran again. I married a VAMPIRE and he was killed BECAUSE of me! One of our daughters drowned herself in our pool she was so depressed. I had to run again with her illegitimate son pretending he was mine and a werewolf! So no. Don't say you don't deserve to be called my father. I don't deserve to be called your daughter."

"Delia, stop. Come here," said Newt and pulled her to him and she began to sob. He held his daughter for a long time. It felt so good just to hold her. He rubbed her back and whispered into her hair. "I have never met anyone as strong as you. You haven't done horrible things, you just survived - and tried to protect those you loved. You mean the world to me already. No, I don't have your mother, but now I have you, and I am here for you, if you will have me."

Delia finally calmed down and stopped crying. His arms were so comforting around her. This was so different from Cordell's love for her. He comforted her too and she knew Cordell loved her, but this...this was unconditional love that she felt pouring out from this man with her eyes whom she had only just met. She didn't understand how that could be. She just knew he would always be there for her...no matter what.

"Thank you. Yes, I will definitely have you. I am sorry about that. I didn't mean to spill my guts out like that, I have never done that before. This was supposed to be about you!"

He just laughed and then said, "My, I haven't laughed in a long time. That felt good!" Then they both began to laugh and Delia threw her arm around his shoulder.

"I think we are getting giddy. It's almost daylight. We have been out here all night long! Uh-oh!"

"Delia!" yelled Cordell as he found the two of them laughing, "I was worried about you! What the hell is going on? You both just disappeared. I woke up and you were still gone!"

"Cordell. Stop it! We have been talking," shot back Delia.

"All night long? What did he do to you? You have been crying!"

"NOTHING! I said I am fine but I am not going to be if you don't stop it now."

Newt was getting upset that Cordell was yelling at Delia. "Hey man, It was my fault. Delia, you should go now."

Cordell glared at Newt, "You keep out of it. Come on Delia, let's go. You need to get some sleep."

Delia was furious with Cordell. He never acted like that. She turned to Newt. "I am sorry for the childish behavior of my husband...Newt - meet Cordell, my husband. Cordell, meet Newt, my FATHER!" Then she turned around and stormed off to the house calling sweetly over her shoulder to Newt, "I will see you later today after I grab a few hours of sleep. Thank you again."

Delia ran to their room and got ready for bed. Cordell ran after her. He knew he really screwed up. He had never seen her this mad before.

When Delia came out of the bathroom and headed to bed Cordell stopped her. "Delia, I am sorry for whatever I did."

Delia crossed her arms and just threw daggers at him with her eyes and said, "WHATEVER YOU DID?" and turned around to walk away.

Cordell grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away. "I am not talking to you! Let go of me." she shot back at him unable to let go of her anger and hurt she felt at the way he acted topped off by his stupid apology.

"Look Delia, I was worried."

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself!"

"Please! Don't do this," begged Cordell.

"I didn't DO anything wrong!" spat out Delia and jerked her arm out of his hand.

Cordell stopped her again. "Delia. I was a jerk. I was jealous. Okay. I shouldn't have been, but someone other than me now has a piece of your heart. I am selfish. I want all of you. I saw you hugging each other. He loves you Delia and I am afraid of losing some of you to him - to them."

Delia's heart broke in a million pieces.

"Please, don't shut me out Delia."

When Cordell pulled her into his strong arms she didn't resist. This man loved her, has loved her like his life depended it on it for the last 30 years. She has been with him longer than any other man in her very long life.

When Delia stopped fighting he relaxed, but continued to try and apologize, "I need you pretty lady. I don't want to share you with anyone. But I know I have to now."

"Cordell..."

"Shhh - pretty lady, don't say anything,"

Delia turned to face him and said, "I love you," and kissed him like her next breath depended on it. She poured every emotion she had been through that day into that one kiss.

He pulled her to him and kissed her back trying to meet her passion.

Cordell picked her up to carry her to the bed and she wrapped her legs around him while continuing to kiss him not wanting to break the contact.

He sat down on the bed with her in his lap. He looked at her and once again couldn't believe how lucky he was to have his very own pretty lady to love. "I love you too, pretty lady."

"Then show me Genie," she said seductively as she lay down on the bed.

He rolled over and kissed her and said, "Oh I plan to pretty lady, I plan to."

Afterwards she fell asleep immediately. Cordell stroked her hair and sat there watching her sleep before he finally got up and grabbed a blanket.

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