Can There Be Peace Ch. 16

"Please don't go," Darkstar wailed as she clung to Jane.

"I must." She kissed her forehead and continued walking down the driveway.

She was able to catch a ride to her little apartment. She tossed a couple pairs of jeans and tee shirts into an old day pack, went by the station to say she needed to get away. Taking an indefinite leave of absence, she hitched her way out of town and headed south. She got herself a job as a waitress down in a bar in Key West and wondered how long it would be before Karen sent them to find her. She knew that her mother knew where she was due to the bond they had.

It was a busy Saturday night when Liliy walked in and sat at the bar. Jane looked towards her mother who glanced at her and the gave her a little toast before turning away. While she was pondering what to do Jane realized all except Karen were already in the bar. Instead of being together they were scattered throughout and dressed in anything from club wear to jeans and tacky tees to finally office clothing.

And then, there she was, dressed in a purple latex hobble dress and fingerless gloves sitting at one of her tables. Instead of going and taking her order Jane went to the bartender and said, "Jack, give me a bottle of Jack Black Label and a glass with some ice in it."

The bartender looked at her as if she had lost her mind. After a second he shook his head and got her the bottle, "You know Fred is going to be pissed right?"

"I know, but the customer is an old friend. Just charge one hundred for it. That will make Fred happy." Jane replied taking the bottle and glass to Karen's table. Setting them down she said, "I had to say I would charge you one hundred for it. But I'll cover it."

"You know you're coming back don't you," Karen said as she opened the bottle and poured herself a glass.

"You must," Tiffany said from behind her. "Sister, we, all of us need you."

Before she could turn and reply Tiffany walked by. Instead Jane replied to Karen, "I can't and you know why Karen." She watched as Cat walked past her and sat at the table. "Let me guess, another glass with ice."

"That would be nice sister," Cat replied.

Turning around Jane found herself face to face with Baby Girl. She looked down and saw the woman had a pistol pointed at her belly. "At least it's not a shotgun. Put that away, have a seat and I'll get you a glass too."

"Or you could just come home," Baby Girl said. "Don't make me shoot you Jane but I will do what I must to save our family."

"You won't shoot me Sandy and we both know it. We will settle this tonight but not in here and not now," Jane said. "Now please put the pistol away or I will be forced into taking it from you and hurting you in the process. That will make Karen cross with both of us." She caressed Baby Girl's cheek, "Please trust me. I won't order it, I won't make you, but I do ask it."

"If you sneak out, I will hunt you down and hamstring you," Baby Girl said uncocking the pistol and tucking it under her tee.

Jane went got a couple more glasses with ice and returned to the table. Setting them down she smiled, "Can I get you anything else?"

"A chance to talk alone," Karen replied.

"I get off at two," Jane said turning away. She found herself face to face with her mother. "Hello mother."

"You and I will talk now," Lilly said grabbing Jane by the elbow, leading her outside and off to one side. "You must come back Jane."

"Mother nothing has changed, you of all know that," Jane said. "Don't you realize it is killing me? In there is the only person I truly loved but to save her I had to leave her."

"You have to come back. The whole time until we dragged her down here, Karen just sat in a corner and kept repeating; Nothing mattered anymore." Lilly sighed, "Mother I know you don't listen to me but please help me show my foolish daughter that my Mistress and sister needs her." She sighed and turned back to Jane, "How would you feel if someone healed you and your family and then said, fuck it... I'm gone. Our family has been all but destroyed by your leaving. What happens when your Mistress, sister, and god turns away from you?"

"Mother, say I go back? How will that solve anything?" Jane asked. "I can't kneel in complete submission and that set up a conflict."

"Are you or are you not a priestess in her name?" Lilly countered. "You accepted the job, you are reaping the benefits but what have you done in her name other than move away?" She closed her eyes and counted to ten to calm herself down, "Daughter, I love you with all my heart but you will be going back even if I have to sit on you. Now go back in, work your shift, tell them to keep your paycheck. Try any funny stuff and I will be very cross with you."

Jane smiled and went inside. She worked a few rounds before going into the small kitchen. Stepping out the back door she saw Red and Sherry waiting for her. "I don't take it you two will let me pass will you."

"Not a chance," Sherry replied. "Red will you give us a minute."

"Just a minute," Red replied. She moved forward and rested her hand on Jane's chest, "Jane, you helped me. Let me help you in return. There is a way without complete submission to her will. But you have to be willing to listen." She looked at Sherry and walked around the front.

"What did she mean there is a way?" Jane asked looking at Sherry.

"We both know that if you want to run again I won't stop you. So here is your chance sister." Sherry said. She waited a moment before continuing. "Jane, while Karen is my Mistress, she is also my sister. Unlike from what Cat and Baby Girl tells me other mistresses are like, she is different. She wants and needs our input along with our submission to her will." Sherry looked down, "At times it is hard to speak up when asked and equally difficult to keep quiet when we must." Raising her eyes, she said, "We had to drag her down here to talk to you. I know it was hard on you but it destroyed Karen. Even if you don't return with us, you must talk to her; heal her. Please for all our sakes."

"I'll talk to her little sister, but I still don't see a solution to the other problem. If you girls came up with one, I would love to hear it," Jane replied.

"So would I," Karen said as she came up.

"Mistress, perhaps Cat or your sister would be better to explain it." Sherry said looking at Karen.

"No Sherry, I want you to tell me," Jane said. She added, "Just pretend you are talking to me and another sister."

Sherry smiled slightly, "Okay." She took a breath and then said, "Jane, Mistress needs you to keep her stable. She and we need your advice and guidance so we, your sisters, thought that you could become High Priestess under Karen and her adviser instead of slave. That way you can always say no, that's a really bad idea." Sherry bit her lip, "We haven't talked it over with our Mistress but wanted to see what you thought before posing it to her."

She looked at Karen for a long moment before saying, "I think it would work. What do you think sister? Do you think Karen would promote me and allow me to advise her instead of controlling me?"

"Speaking as your sister I think it's a good idea." Karen paused and then added, "Because Mistress is lost and needs your guiding light." She looked at Sherry, "Do you think she will go for it?"

"I don't know sister. But if she doesn't she is a fool." Sherry said. She smiled slightly before adding, "I would hate to think I fell in love with a fool."

"It's better than falling in love with a damn fool," Jane replied with a smile. "I hate to look a good idea in the mouth, but did she ever find out why I was off limits? I would hate to get both our hopes up only to have the Great Mother say ummm...no."

Before Karen could answer Jane heard the Great Mother in her mind. "Say yes."

"Yes," Jane said without thinking. She gathered her wits about her and then looked Karen in the eye, "If she agrees, I do also." She looked at Sherry, "Sister, will all her other slaves agree? I would hate to have say; Baby Girl be unhappy."

"Yes Jane, we all agree. It's the only way we all know that. We realized it the moment you walked down the driveway," Sherry replied. She realized she was babbling but she couldn't help herself.

"In that case I guess I'm done with sunny Florida," Jane replied. "I've got to get back to work," she added and went inside. There she found the manager who was pissed. "Take it out of my pay and keep the rest," she said after listening to him rant for a solid five minutes. She turned to go and he made the mistake of grabbing her. Without thinking she grabbed his lower arm with one hand and his elbow with the other. "Don't you ever touch me again," she hissed as she extended his arm. "For that matter touch anyone and I will have to come back and hurt you...hurt you very bad."

She released him and walked out. She went by the table where Karen was once more sitting with Cat and Baby Girl. She grabbed the bottle and said, "I quit, let's go home." She continued out and out the front door. Jane stopped and looked at the bouncer, "If Fred touches one of the girls call me and I will come kick his ass."

"I will," the bouncer replied.

Jane looked left and then right thinking. Finally she walked over to a bench and sat down. She had no idea where they parked and until she knew walking would be pointless. The first one to make it out and over to her was Baby Girl. "Ah just the person I was looking for," She said. "I knew Army Rangers were pussies. But I didn't realize they were that bad. I mean a Ranger needing a pistol to take out a Marine. Pitiful, just pitiful."

Baby Girl sat down next to Jane and took the bottle from her. She took a drink and handed it back, "What's wrong Jane, no one down here to pick on?"

"No there are more assholes down here than I have ever seen in one place before. But if you ever bring a firearm into a night club or bar again I will seriously fuck you up." Jane looked at Baby Girl, "I mean it Sandy. This shit has to stop here and now."

"I know but it has a great intimidating factor," Baby Girl replied. She looked down, "You know I wouldn't have really shot you."

"Fat lot it would have done other than causing a panic," Jane countered. "Then think about all the people who would have gotten hurt trying to get out or shoot you."

"Okay so I was wrong," Baby Girl replied as the others came out and walked over.

When all save Karen had walked up Jane said, "Yes I am going home with you. But before we go I want a few things clear between us. Karen is your Mistress. If she says yes and I say no, you damn well better follow her command. The only one I have any sway over is her. But she has the final word, not me." She looked Karen in the eye and said, "I will advise, guide, help in any way I can but I will not command." She looked at Baby Girl sitting next to her, "I may threaten though, right Baby Girl?"

Baby Girl laughed, "You might say that."

"However as High Priestess you have duties. Such as making sure my priestesses find converts. If you think you are going to sit on your ass while they work, we can just leave you here." Karen said.

"I wasn't talking about that Karen and you know it. I was talking about outside of the priesthood." She looked at Red, "Sister, will you teach me all I need to know so I can lead you properly?"

"Yes," Red replied not looking to Karen for guidance. "I will guide you High Priestess," she added to make sure Karen knew she was not stepping on her toes.

"I assume that is okay with you Karen," Jane said with a smile.

Karen looked at Red and smiled, "Yes, of all here save Lilly, Red is the best qualified."

Jane looked at Lilly, "Mother should I have asked you?"

"Not a chance in the world," Lilly replied. "I will leave it to my little sister. I know how you and your knife are."

Jane laughed and stood. She bowed towards Karen and said, "After you ole leader of the masses."

Karen tilted her head and said, "One last thing I want to say and then we can go." She closed her eyes for a second and then opened them, "Twice now you have run away. Don't ever do it again Jane."

"Let me get back to you on that. I need to think before committing one way or the other," Jane said after a moment.

"That wasn't a yes or no option." Karen stepped forward until she was nose to nose with Jane, "Leave us," she commanded still staring at her. She waited a full minute while staring at Jane. Finally, in a soft voice she said, "I need you. I need your stability too much to allow you to go away again Jane. Without you, I can't bear to face the world anymore. I don't know how to put it better." She broke eye contact and added, "Cat and I connect on a level the others can't see. But you keep me from losing my mind and everyone knows that. We need you and will do anything you want to keep you." She looked back up and whispered, "Just tell me."

In that moment, Jane saw the lost little girl in Karen. She could no more leave her than she could kill a kitten. She pulled Karen into a hug and said, "No matter what happens, I'll stay. You have my word." Releasing her she said, "If nothing else it gives me a chance to drink some more of your nasty coffee." They walked towards the others and as she got close she said, "I hope you know you ruined coffee for me Baby Girl."

"Yep and glad I did too," Baby Girl laughed. "Since I can't pee on your parade, peeing in your coffee seemed the next best thing."

Jane realized they were just walking along and asked, "So where are we parked?"

"Daughter, we didn't drive down. That would take too long," Lilly replied when no one else seemed to speak.

"Okay but flying would take nearly as long," Jane said.

Everyone laughed at that and Karen said, "Trust me."

"I do, you should know that Karen." Jane replied. The other woman wrapped her arms around her and with a smile took a step. The next thing she knew she was standing in Karen's grove. "Well that is faster," she said looking around as the others popped into place around them. "Since we are here, we can do the sharing you spoke of before."

"We don't need to do that since you won't be submitting," Karen said.

"It's not for me," Jane replied. "Most of the issues in the world comes from lack of communication. While, this sharing is a start, from what I gather, it doesn't go far enough." She paused and then added, "Trust me."

"If I didn't I wouldn't have bought a one-hundred-dollar bottle of Jack," Karen replied.

"You didn't, I did and it was just shy of nine hundred before taxes," Jane replied. "Start your sharing thing and leave the rest to me."

"You asked for it," Karen said. She sat and gestured for the others to sit also, "Form a circle so we can share with our sister." She looked up at Jane who was smiling and said, "Join us Jane."

Jane sat between Lilly and Tiffany. Without being told she took their hands and remained smiling at Karen. Without being told she closed her eyes and calmed her mind.

Baby Girl looked at Jane and then off to one side. In a loud stage whisper, she said, "Don't look now but someone is already waiting for us."

Ignoring her Karen said simply, "The circle is complete." Closing her eyes, she felt her spirit stand. Opening them she looked off to one side and saw Jane sitting cross legged and smiling at her. "How come your smile makes me think the jokes on me?" Karen asked as she walked over to her.

"I don't know; why do you think the jokes on you?" Jane replied. She watched the others as they joined them. "Baby Girl, any idea why Karen think's the joke is on her?"

"Knowing you, it's the spirit form of a custard pie." Baby Girl said. "How is it you were over here before the circle was complete?"

"A better question is why did you wait?" Jane asked. She looked at Lilly who was trying to hide a smile and said, "We've met here before haven't we mother."

Lilly giggled, "Yes but you were wearing a different face. No wonder mother agreed so readily." She looked at Karen, "Suckered again."

"Who me?" Karen asked looking sharply at her and then turning to Jane.

"No me, it's the story of my life," Lilly said.

"This place is where the enlightened ones come to meditate. Here, the outside world does not matter and can't bother you." Jane said explaining to Karen, "I used to spend a fair amount of time here when I was younger." She looked at Lilly and said, "You too looked different mother. If I remember right, you had just killed the last of your children and was distraught."

"Your mother's spirit had taken over the body of the girl you loved after she had died in an auto accident and then abandoned you." Lilly looked at Karen, "We were two suffering souls who turned to each other for comfort."

"May I?" Jane asked as she gestured to the others and looked at Karen.

"Would it be better if you and I speak alone first?" Karen asked.

"No but thank you for asking," Jane replied with her maddening smile. She looked around before saying, "Each person is more than their past experiences. It is how you deal with them, both the good and the bad, that makes you who you are. Let me start with Jamie. She was my only real friend in the world and I loved her." She shared snippets of her friendship and the love she had for the girl. "I had found a haunted for lack of a better term car. It was an old Jag and needed work. But I lovingly restored and spent time talking about Jamie as I did." She smiled, "Come now sisters, each of you here, have at one time or another thought a piece of machinery that if you talked nice to it, it worked better."

Seeing knowing nods from around the circle, Jane continued, "One day, I was trying to get the transmission back in and all save one bolt lined up. No matter what I did, the darn thing just wouldn't go in. Finding myself getting frustrated, I came here to calm myself." She paused and looked at Tiffany. "Who do you think I found?"

"Momma?" Darkstar said softly.

"Yea, she smiled at me and said she knew I would find a way to free her from her metal prison." She looked down and sighed. In a soft voice she said, "I didn't understand what she meant until later." Raising her head Jane said, "After that the bolt that I had spent all morning slid right in. Finally, my Jag was ready for its first trial run. I had just finished adding all the fluids and a can of gas when Jamie came by." She sobbed once and whispered, "She asked if she could drive it just once and batted her eye lashes at me."

"Oh fuck," Baby Girl said seeing where it was going.

"I couldn't say no to her. I loved her with all my heart," she said looking at her hands. "She peeled out of the garage and down the street burning rubber the whole way. About a quarter mile down the road the front left tire blew and still accelerating Jamie lost control and wrapped the Jag around a power pole." Looking up Jane showed them her tears and the hurt in her soul. "I ran to the car and reached it just as Jamie crawled out of the wreckage."

"Thank the goddess," Red said.

"Yea thanks a hell of a lot," Jane said angrily. "Jamie walked up to me and smiled. In mother's voice, she said. I knew you would free me." She looked at Red, "Had it been anyone else other than my mother, I would have killed her for killing the woman I loved." She took a few breaths to calm down and said, "I never saw her again. Jamie left town that night." She looked around, "Sisters, what did you learn and what do you think I learned?"

"Never trust anything more than a stone dagger," Karen said. "Mom's perversion of Sandy was bad enough. But if she had killed her, I would have killed mother much sooner than I did."

"I'm so sorry Jane," Darkstar sobbed, "I knew mom was wrong to keep you away. But she could have made amends somehow. God what a bitch." She looked down, "I wouldn't have refused Jamie either and like you couldn't kill her no matter what she did."