"I'm sorry, I have to go."
"What are you saying Varlen?"
Varlen took one last look at the frail green haired, wolf eared girl, and then sighed as he saw her eyes tear up. He pulled her into his arms leaning his head on hers.
"You can't leave me! Not like this!" the girl sobbed into his chest.
"I have to. Subara I do love you, but I'm not safe for you or for him." Varlen growled rubbing the girl's stomach.
"You want him to grow up not knowing his father?" Subara snarled her ears going back.
"I'm sure you will tell him all about me."
"I don't want to tell him all about you! I want him to grow up being able to play catch with you, to learn from you!"
"I know and I am sorry. Goodbye my little frail, fierce, sweet Halfling." Varlen said giving her one last kiss before he turned and walked away.
Even though he could feel her watching him, he did not look back. Instead, he shifted forms and ran faster than he ever had in his life. That night he found a cliff close to her home and howled so that she could know how hard it was for him.
"Damnit!" I snarled waking up.
I had promised myself that I would stop thinking about him, and that included dreaming. I got up and went into Shay's room to wake him up, nearly tripping over our cat Carmel.
"Morning Shay!" I smiled at the ten-year-old boy.
"Mommy, when's daddy going to come home?" Shay asked already up and waiting for me.
"I don't know sweetheart. You need some breakfast, come on we'll eat out at our favourite diner!" I sighed looking into his bright green eyes that had tints of red in them.
Sometimes I could just cry when I looked at him. He looked exactly like Varlen, except for his eyes and his frame those he got from me. I do not know what it is about him but I always know that he will be there for me.
"Yay! To Darla's Diner!" he cried jumping off his bed.
I smiled and followed him out the door of his room and down a flight of stairs. I caught him and gave him a big hug.
"Now what's the first thing you are supposed to do when I come and wake you up?" I growled playfully.
"Give you a hug?" Shay asked his black wolf tail swishing nervously.
"That's right munchkin!" I laughed picking him up.
"I love you mommy." He said wrapping his arms around my neck and his legs around my waist.
"Love you too sweetie." I said putting him down so that he could go get his shoes on.
I grabbed my running shoes and slipped them on. I looked myself over in the hall mirror. I was wearing jeans, a simple t-shirt with a sweater over top of it; my days of wearing a Japanese schoolgirl uniform were long over. I then looked over my son's outfit and smiled. He had copied my outfit. I took his hand and then walked out of the house. We lived in California so it was beautiful all year round and we both had perma- tans thanks to the sun. We walked down the street to the diner that we always ate at. When we got to the diner, I was surprised to see that someone was in our regular booth. I took a close look at the person sitting in the booth and gasped as I recognized him.
"Morten? Is that really you?" I asked going up to him.
"Subara! Long-time no see! How's the little tyke doing?" the person said looking up at the two.
"He's fine, always asking about his father, you know how it is." I sighed my ears going back.
"Yeah. Varlen says hi by the way, he is here and wanted me to see you before he did." Morten said getting up to give me a hug.
"What? He is in the city and he didn't come visit me yet? That ass hole!" I growled my arm protectively wrapping around Shay's shoulders.
"Mommy! Don't swear!" Shay reprimanded me.
"You're right sweetie I shouldn't swear around you. I'm sorry." I said looking down at my son.
"He's here in this building, his nose led us here." Morten said looking at me with a pained face.
"You weren't supposed to tell her that yet." A voice growled from behind me.
"Varlen!" I gasped whirling around shoving Shay behind me.
He just looked at me and smirked. I suddenly felt a very dark and deep hatred rising up inside of me. I could feel my eyes dancing with fire and my teeth sharpening. Varlen's smirk grew wider as I started to shake.
"Morten take Shay and order him a breakfast I need to talk to this idiot, alone!" I snarled grabbing Varlen by the arm.
Morten sighed but took Shay to the ordering till while I dragged Varlen out into the street. Varlen came along without any complaints or saying anything.
"What the hell is your fucking problem you fucking ass hole? You leave me and then ten years later you come back and expect me to allow you to come into my life? And what about Shay?" I snapped shoving him up against a wall.
"Look I had to Subara! I wasn't safe for our son. I wasn't even safe for you. I was just doing what I had to to keep you and Shay safe!" Varlen growled.
"That doesn't excuse you!" I growled.
"I don't expect you to forgive me right away for abandoning you when you needed me the most but I hope that over time you can forgive me. I swear I'm here to stay." Varlen said pulling me against him.
I could feel my muscles turn to jelly as I leaned into him and found where I fit perfectly. I breathed in his scent and sighed. He began to stroke my head and murmur to me just like he did ten years ago. I started to cry, the tears just broke the dam open and spilled over, and soon his shirt was soaked.
"Subara I'm so sorry for doing this to you. I never wanted you to hurt this much." Varlen whispered.
"I'm fine, I'll be fine. I'm sorry about your shirt, it's kinda soaked now." I hiccupped wiping my eyes and nose on my sleeve.
"It's fine. Can I go meet our son now?"
"Sure, he's been asking about you. I haven't told him much, but I think his 'uncle' Morten has been telling him all about you." I sighed backing away from him.
"Oh no you don't." Varlen growled pulling me to his side.
I leaned against him and allowed him to lead me back into the diner. I spotted Morten and Shay right away and led Varlen to them. Shay looked up at my face as I approached and started to growl his ears going back. I smiled at him and then scooped him up into a big bear hug.
"Shay, darling, I want you to meet your daddy." I said handing him over to Varlen who took him into his one good arm.
"I look more like him than you mommy!" Shay said surprised looking deep into Varlen's eyes.
"You sure do munchkin!" I smiled.
Varlen put Shay down on the floor and grabbed me around the waist.
"What are you doing?" I protested.
"I haven't done this for ten years. I hope you don't mind." Varlen chuckled into my ear.
"Mommy! I want up!" Shay cried stretching his arms up towards me.
I laughed and then picked him up, hugging him against me tightly while Varlen hugged me. The next thing I knew Morten was taking a picture of all three of us. I had Shay make a funny face for the picture, so he crossed his eyes, stuck his tongue out while pulling at the corners of his mouth with his fingers.
"That was perfect! Good job little tyke!" Morten laughed.
"I'm so proud of you munchkin!" I laughed giving him a nuggie.
Varlen laughed and then kissed the top of Shay's head. I looked at him shocked and he just looked back at me as if to say 'Well? He's my son too'. I shook my head and then paid for Shay's breakfast and carried him out of the diner, only to run into another old friend.
"Jasmin! Geez! Is this come and see Subara after a few years day?" I snapped rubbing my head.
"Subara! Sorry about that hun! Shay's turned out quite nicely huh?" Jasmin said smiling at me.
"It's fine. Yeah he has, he's so adorable! I could just eat him up!" I said kissing Shay on the cheek.
"My boy is not supposed to be cute! He's supposed to be fierce!" Varlen said coming out of the diner behind me.
"What are you doing here?" Jasmin snapped her green-blue-grey eyes narrowing in anger.
"He's here because he wants to be and he feels that he is safer for the two of us." I said catching her attention before she tried to take him on.
"As safe as I can be for you two you mean." Varlen corrected me placing his left arm around my waist.
"So you're here to stay?" Jasmin snapped her eyes narrowing even more.
"Looks like it."
Jasmin just glared at him and then turned and smiled at Shay, "Ready to go kiddo?" she asked opening her arms so that Shay could climb into them.
"Where are you taking him?" Varlen snapped his eyes narrowing as Shay leaped into Jasmin's arms.
"To school. He does need to learn something while he's still this young and not spoiled by you. And Aunty Jas will do just the trick!" Jasmin snapped back turning around to walk away just as Morten came out of the diner.
"Is that Jasmin I see?" Morten asked his eyes lighting up.
"Oh my god Morten!" Jasmin squealed turning around to beam at him.
"It's been forever!"
"I know! We defiantly have to get together later!" Jasmin laughed.
"Am I missing something here? Are you just going to let her take our son?" Varlen growled at Subara.
"Yes I am going to just let her take Shay for a few days to teach him about the forest and the animals that live there." I said.
"Is that a good idea?" Varlen snarled.
"Yes it is! I trust her with my life Varlen. She was there for me when you weren't." I smiled oh so sweetly.
"How about we hang out now instead of later?" Jasmin asked Morten ignoring Varlen's death stares.
"Ok!" Morten agreed catching up to Jasmin and Shay.
They walked away leaving Varlen and I alone. I looked over at Varlen and then turned away. Varlen caught this and looked at me quizzically before he turned her around making her look at him.
"What's wrong Subara? And don't say nothing." Varlen said.
"You."
"What do you mean by 'You'?" Varlen asked.
"Exactly what I said Varlen. You leave me when I told you that I'm pregnant and then you have the nerve to come back to me ten years later when you think you're 'safer' for both Shay and I!" I snapped my ears lying flat against my skull while my tail wagged back and forth between my legs.
"I'm sorry Subara! I never meant to hurt you like this; I just wanted you and our child to be safe!" Varlen said his eyes staring deep into mine.
I didn't say anything to him I just glared at him. He backed down after a few minutes of this and looked away uncomfortably, I smiled in triumph and then took his hand in my own.