Dan sighed as he watched Jacob walk on unsteady legs. Usually that would make him feel proud, but right now, he couldn't help but worry about James. Poor James was sad with Katie gone.
He was snapped out of thought when Jacob bumped into him. He looked down at him.
"Uppy!" Jacob said.
Dan smiled and lifted his son up off the ground. "Hey, big guy."
Jacob snuggled up against Dan's chest as Dan pulled him close. He could hear his father's heart beating like a steady drum.
Jacob eventually fell asleep, listening to that big, pounding heartbeat.
Dan put Jacob in his crib for a nap. He then looked out the window.
"I wonder how James is doing?" He sighed.
Just then, a knock was heard at the door.
Jemma called from below. "Daniel, James is here!"
Dan rushed down to see James standing in the doorway, looking rather pale and ill.
James' clouded gaze turned to Dan, he smiled weakly.
"James, are you okay?" Dan asked. "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine, perfectly fine." James looked nervous. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Cause you're awful thin." Dan glanced at James' gaunt figure. "And you look very pale."
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" He smiled nervously.
"James Andrew Filon, quit lying." Dan frowned. "Have you been eating well?"
"No…I haven't, I actually haven't eaten in a few days." James sighed.
"James!" Dan scolded his friend. "You need to eat. You can't starve yourself. Think of your children!"
"I know, it's just…." James let out a sigh. "I don't know how much longer I can hold out…without her… The kids miss her, I miss her, so does everyone in the village."
"I know James, but Denton's trying to keep her safe." Dan said. "She misses you and the twins too."
"I believe that." James sighed.
"Katie wouldn't want you to do this to yourself." Dan said. "What would she do without you when she returns?"
"You make a fair point." James sighed again.
"Come on, let's get you a nice big meal." Jemma said.
Jemma fixed a big lunch, and Dan wasn't surprised that James scarfed down his food in the blink of an eye.
Jemma smiled. "Feeling a little better?"
James nodded, mouth too full to speak.
Dan picked at his food. He couldn't help but think Denton was trying to play nice and then turn around and attack them, kill Katie and the baby, and Stormfly.
James noticed Dan's anxiety, and, using an old spell he learned to read minds, he slipped into Dan's mind, seeing images of blood, Denton, and dead bodies.
Dan could sense James' presence in his mind, and quickly tried to block him out, but it was no use. LifeLight magic was more powerful than DiamondLight's current magical state.
Dan sighed, "I just hope Denton's really changed….I can't bear the thought of…"
"Dan, I trust him. After what Summer has told me…I have a right to believe he's changed." James said. "We just have to trust him."
"It's hard for me to trust an enemy." Dan sighed. "After all he's done…"
"We should be glad he's showing efforts of changing." James said, putting his hand on Dan's. "If he really has changed…I think we'll know when we see it."
"Aren't you worried? You haven't seen Katie for 5 months!" Dan said, looking at Jemma. "I'd be depressed if I went that long without seeing Jemma."
James smiled. "But I know she's not scared. She was scared during her first capture, and she's perfectly fine from all the pictures I've been receiving."
"But-"
James silenced his friend. "I understand you're scared for her, since you two are family, but know this…"
James hugged his friend. "If anything happens to her, we'll get through it together."
Dan sighed, and pulled away, walking down into the basement.
James looked taken aback.
Jemma sighed, "Sorry, James, but Dan's been out of the loop lately. I think he's still trying to get used to the fact that Denton's changed."
James felt a sickening, queasy feeling inside as he thought of Dan killing Denton out of mistrust, seeing the image of Dan standing over Denton with a bloodied blade embedded in his body, a crying Stormfly holding a tiny baby in arms, and smoke and ashes everywhere filling his mind.
Jemma could see the horror on James' face. "For Stormfly and the baby's sake, I hope Dan doesn't kill him."
There was a knock at the door. Jemma went to answer.
There was a man in armor standing there. "Excuse me, miss, but is this where I can find a Dan Middleton?"
Jemma looked nervous. "Yes, he's downstairs…"
He handed her a letter. "Be sure to get this to him. It's from Katie."
James jerked around at the mention of her. "Are you one of Denton's guards?"
"I am." He said.
"I-I'm James…" He said. "Did she have anything for me?"
"Yes…" He smiled. He handed James a box. "For you and the kids."
James's tail wagged. "Thank you. You have no idea how happy I am to get this."
"Wait till you open it. I saw what Katie put in there. You and the kids are sure to love it." He smiled, turning to walk away.
"Be sure to tell her I love her, okay?" James said pleadingly.
The guard smiled. "I will. And James?"
James tipped his head.
"She said happy birthday."
James' eyes watered. "Tell her I said thank you."
"I will. Farewell." He walked off.
Jemma shut the door.
Dan came back upstairs. "I heard what was going on."
James sat on the couch with the box. He was smiling so bright it made Dan happy to see that grin he missed so much.
James tore open the box, seeing a tape recorder inside, along with two knitted toy bears, probably for the twins. One blue, one pink. There was a second tape recorder with a sticky note on it with Dan's name, and a small blue blanket with white polka dots with Jacob's name embroidered on it. And for Jemma, was a red and white knit beret with her name on it.
"She's got things in here for all of us." James breathed. He handed Jemma her hat and Jacob's blanket. He handed Dan the tape recorder with his name on it.
Dan took it and his letter down into the basement, and set the tape recorder down on the worktable.
He ripped open the letter, seeing it was an old picture. It was of him holding a baby when he was young.
"This must be me and Katie." He breathed, putting the photo in a frame.
He looked at the sticky note on the tape recorder, which said:
Made one for you and for James. Hope you enjoy what I have to say.
-Love, Katie 3
Dan chuckled at the text heart. He played the tape.
There was static. Then, Katie started talking:
"Dan, you have no idea how things at Denton's place are. Denton's been so kind to me and Stormfly. Speaking of whom, she's really happy that she's going to be a mother. I've seen that light shining in Denton's eyes. It's the same light I saw in James' eyes when he found out I was expecting his children, and the light I saw in you when you found out Jem was going to have Jacob. I hope Jacob's doing well. I bet he's growing bigger by the day! Jem sent me some pictures. He reminds me so much of you, Dan. He's as handsome as his father, Denton said when I showed him the picture. That made me think…. why would Denton say that about you? Does he like you? I remember rumors of your mother marrying him, but never thought they were true. And I was diving into family history recently. Remember how you said your mother was holding me in your flashback of my birth ceremony? Well, that made me curious, so I pestered Stormfly for answers. She said that there were 5 girls and 2 boys in my mother's offspring. The childrens' names you'll know. But one of them will baffle your mind Dan."
She took a breath and spoke. "My mother's daughters were Kaida, Summer, Stormfly, Stardust, and Katie. Her sons' names were Yoshi and Daniel."
Dan gasped. Was Katie his sister?
She began to talk again. "Dan…Stormfly said that you are our brother. We were sworn to keep it secret. We were supposed to tell you after Mum died…but…. with Dad missing, and her gone, then Kaida died from her disease…it's too much…we couldn't tell you anything. Everything just made it worse. But Stormfly said you needed to know. You really deserve the truth, Daniel."
She made a kissing sound. "I love you big brother. Bye for now."
Dan breathed an "I love you too, sis." to the recorder. Tears fell from his eyes. Now he missed his little sister more than ever.
