Inspired by the lasting moments of All It Cost Her. Bash ends up reuniting with his true love and family in the afterlife.
I got bored and wrote this because I got annoyed with how they destroyed Kennash. To be honest, I stopped watching after Kenna left and only a few episodes until Francis' death which annoyed me greatly even though I knew it was coming. Then, I scanned through the events of the other episodes to see if it was worthwhile. It wasn't. Hope you enjoy.
His eyes finally closed and he could feel the darkness taking over. His life was slipping away and he allowed it to happen.
Bash was tired of fighting death, of fighting overall and it was time to let go. Time to accept death and be done with it.
Then it was over and a bright white light nearly blinded him as he awoke back in the place he'd called home for most of his life.
The French Castle.
"Bash?" He heard a feminine voice call out. "You made it!"
Bash turned over in the bed to see Kenna running towards him, finally jumping on his frame and planting a soft kiss on his lips.
"Kenna?" He breathed out, confusion on his features. "What do you mean that I 'made it'?"
She sighed. Something which would have been music to his ears if it didn't sound so sad and forlorn. Her brown eyes met his greens.
"I died in childbirth, Bash," she said softly, standing back up. "I know you believe that it was... Renaude's but it wasn't. I saw her before I died, she had your green eyes and she died in my arms too."
Bash looked at her in disbelief. His marriage had been hostile since they separated after the events with Antoine but he never imagined getting his estranged wife pregnant.
"H-How?" He asked, not quite knowing what to say.
"I had the dates mixed up. The baby came early but in truth, she was right on time. We were in Sweden, I intended to give her away but when her eyes met mine, I knew that she was all I had left of you," Kenna replied, kneeling before him so she could place a gentle hand on his cheek. "She's all you with my nose. My nose is prettier, I guess."
She smiled, hoping it would prompt him to but he pulled away from her. He was so confused, he was sure he loved Mary. He couldn't betray Mary after he confessed that he was still in love with her.
By the strained look on his estranged wife's face, he knew that she knew what he was thinking.
Without Francis nor Kenna in their way, Bash and Mary were free to be together but all of them knew it wouldn't be possible. She was a queen.
"I'm not mad, who am I to think that you ever truly loved me?" Kenna asked him. "When it's her time, I won't stand in your way."
"She will always love Francis," Bash said, his voice breaking slightly as he watched his wife stand up.
Her face lit up when she heard the soft babble of a baby. Her daughter. His daughter. Their daughter.
"Is that...?" He asked, unsure.
Kenna faltered slightly. "Yes," she said. "I don't think you'd want to meet her. I'm not Mary and you didn't think she was yours."
She turned her back to him, composing herself before turning back around and smiling at him.
"Forgive me. This is the afterlife, we're supposed to be happy here," she said. "Francis is lurking around somewhere. He enjoys the outdoors because he's free to do so. At least you'll have your brother to spend this with you until Mary arrives."
Bash felt guilty when she left. In his heart, he tried to make her his priority. When they became closer and in love, he never thought about Mary.
Then, when Antoine, Rowan, Delphine and Renaude came in the picture, he did all he could to push Kenna further away. Giving himself reasons not to trust her, to believe her. Letting his mind be poisoned and his wife's heart be full of pain.
He drove her into another man's arms and he ended up nearly killing him after he betrayed their family. That moment when Kenna warned him of Renaude about to harm him, he knew he couldn't deny the respect and love he had for her even after their separation.
Now, Kenna had died giving birth to his child. Not Renaude's daughter, his daughter and that innocent baby had died with her.
The sound of a baby laughing pulled him from his thoughts. Pulling a white cotton shirt on, he followed the laughter all the way to the gardens.
There he saw Francis holding a brunette baby to his chest as he hummed to the baby and spun her around. Kenna was not too far, reading a book by the lake.
"Bash!" Francis called out, finally noticing him. He looked down at the child. "Your papa's here, Aude."
Kenna turned around in surprise, her eyes daring him to step any closer to her baby but Francis initiated the contact between father and daughter, planting the girl into Bash's arms.
"Audrina, meet your father Sebastian," Francis told the child as if she could understand anything.
Francis then beamed at Bash before turning and getting onto a horse. He then waved at the child and her parents before riding away.
"Audrina, hmm?" Bash asked his wife. "Would have gone for something French to balance it out."
Kenna remained impassive, watching him nervously cradle the baby. She knew he was keeping her at arm's length because of his uncertainty but she owed him nothing.
She wanted him. She opened her heart and broke her walls for him. She loved him. He never truly devoted himself to her and it still pained her but she would let it go.
"I became a Druid," he finally said, changing the subject. "I have some powers."
He had no right to rename her child, he never acknowledged her as his in the first place. He should have let her explain herself, wait so they could truly try things again. He'd told Delphine that he intended to do so because she had some of his heart no matter how small compared to Mary.
"You have powers?" Kenna asked, a small smile playing on her lips. "Of course, you would have - you're everyone's hero and knight in shining armour. I expected no less from my husband."
"I had," he corrected, a smile brightening his face. "I tried to hone them but I died." He looked down at Audrina. "She never cries."
"Why does she need to?" Kenna replied softly. "We're happy here."
He paused for a beat. "Kenna-"
"I was selfish, naive and a terrible wife." She quickly cut him off. "I expected too much from you and I'm sorry-"
"Mother!"
They both turned to see a healthy Pascal running towards them, hugging her tightly.
"Pascal," Kenna breathed out, blushing. "Why the rush?"
Pascal shook his head, smiling. "I just wanted to tell you that you were looking pretty today."
"I took him on when we were reunited," Kenna explained to Bash who seemed taken with his daughter. "We're a family, him, Aude and I."
"Hello, Pascal," Bash said softly.
Another thing to feel guilty about. He promised to protect the boy and Kenna. He only succeeded in one during the Plague and she took his death hard.
He should have accommodated the boy more. Accepted him instead of seeing him as a threat which would have taken his wife from him. He needed to make amends in the afterlife.
"Hello," Pascal said, almost shyly. He was still unsure of Bash but the gentle squeeze on his shoulder from Kenna made him comfortable in the man's presence.
"A family, hmm?" Bash asked. "May I join this family? Be the father you both deserve?" He glanced at Pascal and Audrina.
Kenna gasped softly. "I'm not Mary," she repeated. "Nor are my children any that belongs to her. Be certain, Sebastian because this is for eternity."
"Who needs a Mary when you can have a Kenna?" Bash replied, a cheeky smirk on his face.
His words seemed to have thawed her stone-cold exterior because Kenna finally gave him a nod.
"If this is for eternity," he continued. "Then expect me to be there by your side in bed and me to be home every night on time. Now that we are no longer living, I have all the time to make up for leaving my side cold and to be a better man. A better husband."
"And a better father," Pascal whispered which made Bash laugh.
"Fine, yes and a better father. I'm new to this, forgive me, son."
Kenna beamed. "What did it cost you to get all of this?"
"My life."
"And do you regret letting go?"
Bash sighed. "God forgive me when I confess I don't. It was always you, Kenna although I wasn't expecting this. I expected darkness."
"I'm just glad I get to set my eyes on you again. See the eyes our daughter got hers from. I'll admit, I missed them," she told him. "Shall we see what Francis is doing?"
Pascal nodded excitedly. "He's been showing me how to cut wood! You will teach me how to ride a horse, won't you," he asked, taking Bash's free hand and the man tightened his grip on Audrina.
He pulled Bash towards the woods and Kenna assured him that it was safe.
This was the afterlife and all it cost was them letting go and accepting death.
The End
