Chapter 21: The Broken, Now Healed

Michael slowly moves his way through the tracks surrounded by thick woodlands; Kassie, a limping Sebastian and a small band of Vampire and Lycan guards following closely behind him. Everything with quiet, with only the sound of nature being heard as falling leaves touch Michael's pale skin, his dark blue eyes matching the pure coloured sight of the sky. Michael's pulse is rapid, so much that if he could have a heart attack, he would in the next thirty seconds.
"Nervous?" Kassie questions as she catches up to him, smirking at her father happily. "You both look and smell nervous."
"I haven't seen my family in nearly nine months, and the last time they saw me, Kassie, I- I didn't have any of the scars I have, and- well- I was dying in the arms of my Wife and my Daughter," Michael explains. "So, yes, I'm extremely nervous about seeing them again."
"I do know what's it like, father, to die in the arms of someone you love," Kassie sighs, staring down at her feet as she continues to walk with her father. "I do know, and I also know the excitement of seeing that someone, or in your case, people after you rise from death. You will meet that feeling soon enough, I swear it."
"The last time I ever saw them, I didn't know my- beautiful Selene, was pregnant with our second child, and the more I think about how much I haven't been there for her, for Eve, for Lena and David, the more I hate myself," Michael explains to Kassie. "I was too busy protecting them from a new species of Hybrid then, and I've been too busy protecting them Antigen now; I haven't been there, Kassie, not as much as I should have been."
"You won't need to apologise to them, father," Kassie smirks, hearing Michael's heart rate slow down as he calms down. "Trust me, I know you won't, you wait and see."

The small group suddenly enters a clearing; a rocky cliffside, a waterfall clasped underneath the edges the band stands before. Michael stares over the edge of the cliffside, searching the areas below for any sign of what is known as 'The Sanctuary', but with no luck. Michael feels his stress levels rise substantially, the entirety of his eyes fading pitch black as his iris glow dark red for the first time in days. Where is The Sanctuary? Are they lost? Better yet, is Sebastian even telling the truth?
"Sebastian," Michael growls. "Please tell me you didn't hit your head at the Battle of Budapest and forgotten where the Sanctuary is."
"Trust me, Michael," Sebastian chuckles. "It's down there, right on the banks at the bottom, we have to move along the cliffsides, make our way slowly and carefully to reach the bottom, or you can-"
Michael stares down at the river below, watching the extension of its streams as it enters new and larger rivers before leaping off the cliff, backflipping into a diving position as he warps down the large cliffside.
"Jump off the edge," Sebastian sighs, finishing his sentence. "Kassie, follow him, will ya'? It's your family too."
Kassie smirks as she runs towards the edge, leaping off also, following her father into the river below. In several seconds she impacts the water, feeling the coolness of the water soak her entire body instantly, the water surprisingly deeper than most rivers. She rises above the water, seeing Michael crawling on the bank as quickly as he can, using his muddy claws to crawl quicker than he could without claws. That's when she begins to hear his voice.
"SELENE?! EVE?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Michael screams in both panic and excitement. "I'M HERE! IT'S ME! I'M HERE!"

Michael stands still on the river bank, his soaked clothes dripping water as Kassie moves next to him, both Hybrids watching as multiple figures approach them, dozens of them. His heart skips beats as the figures approach at horrendous speeds, the smell of their blood revealing the species of the figures; Lycans. The Lycans speed run their way towards the river banks, holding weapons from axes to firearms; a clear threat in Michael's eyes.
"Dad?" Kassie questions, her eyes fading to a solid cobalt blue colour, her claws tearing from her finger nails.
"STAND BESIDE ME!" Michael roars, retracting his claws as quickly as he can, leaning towards the ground as he growls and hisses at the Lycans. "WHERE IS SHE?!"
"STOP!" He hears a female voice scream from behind the Lycans, almost commanding them. "PUT THOSE WEAPONS DOWN BEFORE-"
The voice stops speaking, filling the scene with silence as the female figure stands before Michael; her hair short with silver tips, her dark brown eyes staring him down in clear disbelief, and her white dress covering a clear baby bump, the sight sending stopping Michael's heart for a solid couple seconds. He gulps down hard as he stares at the woman he's been fighting to protect for months, tears swelling his eyes as he begins to take small steps towards her.
"Michael?" Her soft voice speaks again, making the tears flow down his face. "Is that really you?"
"Selene?" Michael gasps, his steps becoming faster and larger. "Selene!"

Michael plunges towards Selene as he drags her into a hug, wrapping his arms around his true love in a beautiful, loving embrace. Tears flow down his face as he releases himself from the hug, staring in the eyes of Selene before placing his lips against hers, kissing her for the first time since he had died in her arms. The kiss sparks the love between them all over again; the affection, the heartbreak, the fighting they did for one another, Michael feels it all over again, he falls for her all over again.
"How did you find us? Antigen-"
"They're gone now," Michael whispers, kissing her cheek lovingly. "With the help of both the Lycans and Vampires, we fought against them, and we won. They're gone, and they're never coming back, we made sure of that. Sebastian found me, saved my life and helped us make up a plan to fight against Antigen; he helped save us all."
"Krasper?" Selene sighs, a tear rolling down her face as she moves her hand along his cheek, touching the thick scar that moves down his eye. "Is he-"
"He's gone, I took care of it," Michael explains, his eyes staring away from her. "I lost- so many people- so many friends- some I would consider family- if they- if they were still here. I never- I never apologised for leaving you- just when I finally got back to after so many years- and- and-"
"No, no apologies," Selene commands to her husband, shaking her hand at him as she grips onto his hand, moving it to the bump on her stomach. "You're here now, that's all that matters, to me, to Eve, and to-"
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Eve stops, her beautiful blue eyes widening as she stares at the man in her mother's arms. Michael notices how much older she looks, realising how long it really has been since he last saw his innocent daughter. "Dad? DAD?!"
"Eve," Michael smirks, tears of relief and happiness streaming down his cheeks as he watches his daughter run up to him and Selene, joining their hug, extending the love they express for one another; a family's love.
"You found us," Eve cries into Michael's shoulder, snuggling her face into his broad shoulders, enjoying the fatherly touch she missed so much. "I knew you would, I always told mother you would come back for us, David and Lena, I reminded them too."
"I'm here now, and I'm never, EVER leaving you again, you understand me, baby girl?" Michael questions his daughter, watching her nod her head, indicating she believes him.
"I believe you, dad, I'll kiss your ass if you leave me again," she says, making Michael chuckle under his breath, something that makes even Selene giggle. "David and Lena will want to see you, let's go-"

"Not yet, Eve, we have one more thing to discuss," Michael states, looking away from his little family, and directly at Kassie, Eve and Selene's eyes following his. "This young woman is Kassie Honshu, she is- well, she was a Lycan, now she's a Lycan-Corvinus Strain Hybrid, my progeny. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been killed at the Battle of Budapest, if not for her, I wouldn't have found the will to fight against Antigen, I would have loathed in my sadness and grief for the friends I had lost, if not for her, I would have been lost in my rage, I would have become a monster, and I would have forgotten what family is. She- is- a Corvin, she may have been born a Honshu, but she is a Corvin. My love, my daughter, I ask of you that with your blessing we make Kassie a part of our family; a daughter, a sister. The decision is yours, my loves."
"Kassie," Selene says softly. "Over here, please."
Michael watches as Kassie quickly steps towards the embraced family, her heartbeat skipping beats as she takes each step. Within seconds, she's before Selene, Eve and Michael, her stature strong enough to hide away how nervous she really is.
"From this day, you are Kassie Corvin, our oldest daughter, and you will be treated, protected and loved like your sister, and your siblings to be," Selene blesses Kassie, kissing her new adopted daughter on the cheek.
"Welcome to the family- sister," Eve smirks, embracing Kassie in a sister hug. "I've always wanted a sister! Come on, come meet your Uncle David and Aunt Lena, they've been waiting months to see father, and they'll love to meet their newest niece."
Michael and Selene smile at one another as they follow their daughters into one of the nearby caves; the entrance caved beautifully and artistically, giving it a sense of home, a sense of sanctuary.
"This is David and Lena's home, they got engaged a couple months ago, they haven't been happier since, well- David could be slightly happier," Selene explains, Michael instantly catching onto what she's speaking out.
"His hand," Michael nods, staring at Selene's beautiful brown eyes. "How is he finding it?"
"His wounds healed quickly, but he's not used to it, he won't be, not for a while, just remember to shake his right hand, my love," Selene smiles as they enter David and Lena's home.

Michael and Selene walk through the firmly built and decorated hallway of David and Lena's home, Michael's hand placed on his true love's baby bump happily as they began to hear the sound of voices; recognising Kassie and Eve's, but hearing two additional voices.
"Shhh, my love," Michael hears a female voice speak. "They're here."
Michael watches the inside of the room he and Selene approach, seeing a male figure sitting in a chair, a female figure sitting beside him, massaging his left arm, all the way to the stump his hand used to be. That's when he decides to enter the room finally, prepared to see more of the family he had left so long ago.
"Interesting, a dead man stands before my eyes?" David questions, crossing his arms at the sight of Michael? "You're looking older, Hybrid."
"Yeah, well it's a bad part of life when you can't even tell your dearest friend how old you are," Michael snarls back, straight faced. "And you, David, lucky you're right-handed, eh?"
The two men stare at one another for a solid minute, both men straight faced before they finally crack, laughing uncontrollably as David rises from the seat he once sat on, dragging Michael into a loving brotherly embrace. Michael tightens the grip around his brother in-law's shoulders as they embrace, David, doing the same with his one reliable arm. Michael pulls back from the hug, his eyes meeting the beautiful, pale haired Lena, her smile speaking for her.
"Your daughter knew you'd come back for her, to Selene and to us, she's an optimist," Lena smiles before kissing Michael's cheek.
"She got that from her father," Michael whispers, turning to see if Selene had heard, forgetting she's got Vampire hearing. "Sorry, my love."
"Welcome back," Lena says before looking at David once more. "Sit down, David, NOW."
"Yes, my love."
Michael watches as Selene leaves the room and back into the hallway, the look on her face telling him to follow her, and he does exactly what she says, following her into the hallway.

"Is something wrong, Selene?" Michael asks her, his heart skipping a few beats at the thought of her not being okay.
"Nothing is wrong, my love, the exact opposite actually," Selene explains, placing her hand back on Michael's face, caressing his cheek. "For six months, I thought you'd never wake up from one of those cocoons, I thought you were gone again. First, Antigen captured and took you away from me for twelve years, the second, Marius drained you dry but still, you came back for us after three more fucking years, but then, Ezra and Azrael took you from us once more, forcing us to try everything to bring you back from the dead. Nearly nine months later, you're back, and that's the problem; I don't know if I'm dreaming, Michael, and if I'm not; I don't know if someone's going to take you from us again-"
"NO, SELENE!" Michael snaps, unintentionally rasing his voice at the love of his life. "I didn't mean- I didn't mean to raise my voice at you- but I promise that nobody and nothing will take me from you, or Eve, nor David nor Lena, and most definitely not from that baby that grows in your womb. I've fought for months to make sure that the last threat to us will never return, and trust me, they won't, and you have my word on that. This is no dream, Selene, you're not going to wake up and suddenly I'm not going to be there. I've fought, and I've won, not only that, but I helped end the conflict between the Vampires and the Lycans. No more war, no more conflict, no more-"
Selene silences Michael with a kiss, and he doesn't fight it, he enjoys every second of the taste of Selene's lips. The feeling and taste sends healing chills through his entire body and making his heart skip many beats, replaced with eternal love.
"Are you ready?" Selene asks as she pulls away from the kiss.
"For what, my love?" Michael questions.
"I have something to say about the babies," Selene giggles.
"Did I- hear that right?"
"Yes, Michael, we're having twins; a baby boy, and a baby girl," Selene smiles, her eyes glowing a bluish-violet colour as she stares into the eyes of her one true love; Michael Corvin. Michael's eyes become glassy as he takes in the information, his breathing calm and heavy, knowing that no matter what his family has gone through or will go through, the broken, will always be healed.

That's it, guys... my story is over... no more sequels... no more drama for the Corvin family... they are now at peace...
Thank you for those who took their time to read the story I quickly fell in love with... I will always love you guys! And now, I work on an 'The Originals' and 'Thirteen Reasons Why' fanfics! If you wish to hear from me, follow and favourite me! Love you guys!