As sleep came late, they rose early, still dressed from the day before as they slowly started getting ready for the long day ahead. Wes called not long after and said he was ready whenever Eric wanted to show up. Rachael had decided to go with Wes so he didn't have to drive and could be with his baby daughter when they brought her home while Eric took Lauren up to play with the kids while he worked on setting up the crib.
It was strange to set it up by himself as he'd set it up years ago with Wes during a much happier time. The crib was the same, so at least this time he knew how to get it ready instead of having to wrestle with it again. It was up in no time, even getting the sheets and things ready for baby Ashlynn to sleep in. Curious as to why the three kids were really quiet, Eric moved to Chris' room. Miranda was holding her teddy bear and sucking her thumb while Chris and Lauren looked dead as they sat on the floor. Solemn, Lauren looked up as he came into the room.
"Hi Daddy." She greeted slowly.
Unsure how to deal with their grief at losing their mother, Eric sat on the floor with them. "Do you guys want to play?" Chris and Lauren shook their heads and Miranda kicked out her legs from under her.
"When's Mommy coming home?" She asked innocently.
"She's not." Chris snapped at his sister, frowning. "She left us." Miranda's eyes swam with tears, not really because she understood what her brother said to her, but because of his tone.
"Chris." Eric frowned at his nephew and pulled Miranda to sit in his lap. "Your Mom loved you and wanted nothing more than to stay."
"Why couldn't she?" Miranda asked softly.
"I don't know." Eric admitted and looked to the older two. "No one knows, it's not something you get a reason for." He looked to Chris who was frowning. "It's not your fault." He hit it. That was exactly the fear running through the six year-old's mind, that it was his fault his mother was gone. "Tell me what you're thinking." Eric requested softly, watching his nephew carefully.
"I didn't pick up my room." He said in the smallest voice. "She told me to, but I didn't."
"Your mom loved you so much, she'd have given anything to come back to you, messy room or not." Eric explained carefully.
"Is Dad coming back?" Chris looked sternly at Eric, too serious of questions for his age.
"Your Dad is taking care of your new sister right now; he'll be back for tonight."
Chris thought about the answer for a moment. "Am I going to get a step-mom?" He asked, flooring Eric into absolute silence. "One of the kids at school has one, his parents are divorced."
"No." Eric shook his head. "Not any time soon anyway. Your Dad might marry again in a few years, but not right now. Right now he's really sad because he misses your Mom so much." Chris frowned, clearly not liking the thought of his father as anything but the perfectly man he adored and idolized.
"I have two sisters now?" Chris asked, eyes narrowing.
"Yep." Eric nodded and looked to Miranda in his arms. "Her name is Ashlynn Courtney Collins and she looks just like you did when you were a baby." He gently poked Miranda's belly, causing the little girl to giggle.
"Great, more girls." Chris scowled. "I want a boy. Can you and Aunt Rachael have one?" He asked hopefully. Eric laughed, it was hard not to with a question like that.
"I'll ask her." To be fair, he'd wanted to talk to her about a second child anyway, but this was one thing that was going to have to be shelved again. "Let's go watch a movie." He suggested and took them downstairs, set them all on the couch and put on a harmless children's movie that didn't even go near the concept of death. Happily occupied, he made them lunch before calling Rachael to see what was happening.
Things weren't good. Maybe that was an understatement, but it was the only explanation Rachael had for her husband. Wes was holding it together alright, but it was hard to make decisions on lack of sleep, food, and his temper was shot. He'd shouted at three or four nurses before Arwyn and now both twins showed up, Liam on Avalon, preparing the statement to tell their people the eldest Princess had passed. Arwyn spoke to Wes for a few moments regarding releasing Courtney's body to her for the funeral that would occur in four days time per tradition.
"I would like you and the children to come stay with us for at least a few days." She was wringing her hands as she spoke to him, Rachael, Kaitlynn, and Davina all being doting Aunts to the tiny baby girl.
"I don't want to mess up their routines anymore than they already have been." Wes frowned and rubbed his temples. "We'll come the day before and leave the day after." He determined, glad to not have to deal with that aspect on top of suddenly becoming a single father alone.
"Alright." Arwyn hugged him briefly and looked back at her youngest grandchild with her twins. "I was expecting two weddings this year for my daughters, not a funeral." She sighed as she looked over her identical daughters.
"Don't forget to invite us." Wes tried to joke, managing a small smile as she did. "I meant what I said."
"I'm glad." Arwyn nodded. "I'd love to be a part of their lives."
"They'll be proud of who they are if I have to drill it into their heads." Wes managed a smile. "Courtney had me learning French for them, I'll keep trying."
"Rachael can help I hear." Arwyn smiled and wrapped her sweater closer to her body. "I'll have rooms ready for you when you come. A warning, our funerals are not like yours, there is sadness yes, but no one wears black. I'll see you in a few days."
"Bye." Wes stepped aside as she left, giving Davina and Kaitlynn each hugs as they left. Rachael was holding little Ashlynn now, the little girl dressed in the clothes she'd brought that Courtney had acquired for the baby months ago.
As they pulled into the driveway Chris sprinted from the front door, Miranda following after as fast as she could with her teddy bear. Wes went right to them, pulling one into each arm and holding on tightly.
"Uncle Eric says you brought another sister home." Chris gave his father such a suspicious look that he couldn't help but laugh.
"Another beautiful sister for you to protect." Wes hugged him again and kissed Miranda's forehead. Rachael had brought her from the car and lowered the car-seat to show her older brother and sister who peered over the edge at her.
"She's little." Miranda said in awe.
"She's very delicate." Rachael said softly and pulled her up. "Let's go inside." She suggested and went for the door, smiling at her husband who was holding their daughter in his arms, though she was supposed to be too big for that. Seeing the baby, she wriggled until Eric let her down to go see her new cousin. The six of them settled in for a dinner together, Eric caring for the baby as Rachael cooked, leaving Wes to answer to his children's thousands of questions about death and their mom. They were similar questions from before, as if Chris was testing to see if the answers would change. They didn't change, and it seemed to satisfy him, at least for now.
Rachael was wary to leave her brother alone with his three children, especially the baby, but he insisted she leave, pointing out that her own daughter was unconscious on the couch. He convinced her to leave eventually, letting her come back the next morning while Eric went back to the Silver Guardians.
"I feel like I should help him." She anxiously rubbed her hands together as Eric sat next to her on their bed. "He's got an infant to take care of by himself."
"He'll be ok." Eric tried to reassure her. "He's had two before."
"Not by himself with two other little kids."
"Chris and Miranda will sleep through the night." Eric took her face in his hands. "And he's capable of feeding and changing Ashlynn."
"But…"
"No buts." Eric demanded. "Lauren and I need you here." He slid on hand to the back of her head and pulled her to him, placing a light kiss on her lips. Rachael made a noise and pressed into him, gripping his own head, her hands sliding desperately into his hair. They lost control for a few moments, rolling on the bed for quite a while before they regained sanity and came up for air.
"We can't." Rachael breathed.
"I know." Eric said with a sigh, stealing another kiss from her. "Chris asked me to ask you something." He remembered, suppressing a laugh.
"Oh?" Rachael's eyebrow lifted curiously.
"He says there are too many girls, so we need to have a boy." He looked at her to gauge her reaction, pleased to see her go into her 'thinking' mode. "What do you think?"
"Do you want a boy?" Rachael phrased it carefully.
"Either would be fine." Eric was just as carefully. "I believe we've had this conversation before. I got the girl I wanted, you haven't gotten your boy."
"Lauren's a tomboy." Rachael narrowed her eyes, but grinning. "I think she'd rather skate with you than breathe sometimes."
"I feel the same." Eric murmured with a grin. "I love her."
"But you want another one." Rachael smiled as she leaned on her hand to look at him where he lay on his pillow.
"I do." Eric admitted and turned to meet her eyes. "Not now, obviously, but I don't want Lauren to be an only child."
"She has cousins." Rachael tried, but he frowned. "Ah, an excuse, you just want another baby." Eric was still for a moment as she caught his little fib. In retaliation he pinned her under him in a moment, loving the feeling of her laughter underneath his chest. "You do." Her eyes were bright from laughter, the brightest he'd seen in days.
"I do." Eric repeated himself. "I love you, I love our daughter, and I love the idea of having babies with you."
"We will." Rachael promised with a smile. "When things settle down."
"Deal." Eric kissed her again happily and moved to the bed, pulling her into his arms for the night's sleep ahead of them.
Three days later they were driving to Briarwood, following Wes in his SUV to see the palace. It had been really hard to explain to the children about what that part of the family was. But if there was one thing Miranda understood, it was Princesses. Her Mommy was a Princess, which made her a princess. Wes parked outside of a small record store and went in, leaving Eric and Rachael with the children, emerging from the store with Davina and a man who looked to be her age with dark hair and tanned skin.
"Hello." He greeted them. "I'm Nick." He shook hands with Eric and Rachael, bending down to shake hands with Chris who'd presented his hand stoically. "You must be Chris."
"Are you dating my Aunt Davina?" He asked seriously. Wes tried to protest but Nick stopped him.
"I am." He replied. "Is that alright with you?"
"For now." Chris replied and took Miranda's hand as Nick straightened. Davina smiled at him, touching his arm.
"You ready for this?" Davina asked with a slight wince. "It takes getting used to. Everyone holds a child." She pulled Ashlynn out of her carrier and bundled her into a few blankets, handing her to Wes who knew what was coming. Eric picked up Lauren while Rachael held Chris, and Nick picked up Miranda. Davina took Eric's hand, gesturing to Rachael to do the same. They were confused, but obeyed. Wes held Nick's shoulder and they moved to separate trees.
In seconds they were rolling onto the grass behind the palace under the huge old oak tree that towered over the gardens. Eric and Rachael stood quickly, awe on their faces as they surveyed the huge palace in front of them. They didn't notice Nick return for their bags as they started at the huge gothic palace that before only existed in faerie tales. Chris summed it up in one word.
"Whoa." The six-year-old stared.
"That was my first impression too." Nick laughed and scooped up Miranda who was staring wide eyed at the palace. "Let's go find your GrandMère." They stared for the building, the children walking, Ashlynn back in her carrier.
The next few days were a blur of pain and rebuilding their lives. The funeral was a beautiful ceremony, one Wes was pleased with. As royalty, Courtney was dressed in a traditional gown, a beautiful deep violet that matched her eyes that were now closed. It had a gold sash and fell into violet slippers on her feet. Her hair was brushed to a shine and lay behind her head, decorated with white flowers. Instead of a coffin she laid on an ornate board, a glass lid would cover her after the ceremony. Wes brought Chris in at his request to see his mother one last time, heart breaking to watch his son touch his mother's cold hand with his smaller one.
"I love you Mommy." He said in a small voice and kissed her cheek, leaning up on the flowers. Wes held his son for a moment as they were alone in the room before telling him to go find Rachael. Alone, he turned to the woman that had been one of his best friends for seven years. She was his wife, the mother of his three beautiful children, she'd been perfect. The first of many tears fell from his eyes as he knelt next to her, resting his head on her hand.
"They miss you." Wes said softly. "I think Chris understands, but Miranda doesn't know why you're not coming back." His voice caught. "Ashlynn misses you already." The tears were flowing freely as he spoke to his wife. "She's just a baby, but I can't calm her like you would. She needs her mom. Damnit why aren't you here?" He swore angrily. "I don't want to live without you." He mumbled. "I love you." Standing and wiping his eyes he looked at her one last time and bent over to place a kiss on her forehead. "Good bye." He murmured and walked from the room, not able to look back at his wife.
When he came back into the grand room, the family sat in the first row, the children quietly staring from their seats as several different people spoke, including Arwyn, whose words moved Wes back to tears, and those around him. There was no way to avoid crying when it came to burying his beautiful twenty-seven year old wife, who'd barely begun to live her life. Kaitlynn stood in front of the crowd, and through her red eyes started to sing a hauntingly beautiful song as the glass lid rose unaided and covered Courtney. Miranda chose that moment to being sobbing hysterically, as if she was watching her mother leave her. Most of the guests left, leaving only family who stood together and watched Arwyn bewitch the coffin to have it proceed them. Their procession was slow, the children, save Chris, were carried.
They followed it to an ornate building that sat behind the palace, off to the side near a small chapel. The building was built with white marble inlaid with gold leafing and just the aura of magic. Dozens of glass coffins lined the walls; Courtney's going into the space ready for her. Under it was engraved,
Courtney René Collins,
Loving wife, mother, and daughter.
January 29th 1982 – August 16th 2010
Arwyn said a few words in French, understood by most present, whispered translations to the loved ones who didn't. It was something of a prayer for her daughter's soul, for her children, and for Wes. Quiet, they exited the mausoleum, met by the other guests who began speaking with them, music beginning to play.
Within a few hours it was a party, a celebration of Courtney's life. It was strange to see smiling faces reminisce happily about her at her funeral, but it was nice. This is why no one wore black; there were brilliant jewel tones and pastels. Even Alan had come, giving his son an uncharacteristic hug before greeting his newest granddaughter. He lived in Boston most of the year now, visiting California and his grandchildren when he could. Everyone spoke highly of Courtney and her life, comforting Wes the best they could.
Thankfully he didn't notice his sister's disappearance. Rachael told Eric the day before what her plan was, and told him as she was leaving for the small thing she had to do. It was strange to be at a funeral dressed in a navy blue dress, but it made it easier when she activated her traveler and opened the hole to 3008. Black heels clicking on the empty floors of Time Force, Rachael made her way to where she knew six people would be waiting, unsure why she'd wanted to talk to them. She entered the room, immediately tearing up when she saw them sitting around the room, no knowledge of what had happened in 2010.
"Oh my God." Bronwyn gasped and hugged her friend tightly, letting her cry in her arms for a moment. The other rangers were floored, they hadn't ever seen Rachael even remotely emotional like this before as she pulled back and wiped her eyes with an already damp tissue. "Rachael, what?" At a loss for words, Bronwyn tried.
"I was at a funeral today." She explained as the tears came back.
"Whose?" Bronwyn whispered the word, terrified it was Wes or Eric.
"Courtney." Rachael sat in Bronwyn's seat, tears falling again. The rangers were silent, pain for their friend evident amidst the relief it wasn't Eric or Wes' funeral.
"Wasn't she pregnant?" Bronwyn asked after a moment.
Rachael nodded. "They saved her, it's a girl." She wiped her nose and eyes again. "It's been a long week."
"How's Wes handling it?" Jen's voice was small, her face set in a frown.
"He's ok." Rachael frowned and nodded thoughtfully. "Just ok. He's holding on."
"I can't believe it." Katie stared at her in shock. "She was younger than him, wasn't she?"
"Twenty-seven." Rachael smiled. "He's almost thirty." Courtney had been teasing him about turning thirty, how he was going to be old, and her way of helping him cope was to give him his third child. "Eric turned thirty last month." She commented. "He took it well."
"How are the kids?" Katie pressed.
"Chris has been asking a lot of questions, but he seems to be doing ok, Miranda has problems accepting her mother isn't coming home, Ashlynn frets a lot, and Lauren is terrified Eric and I are going to leave her." She sighed mentioning her own child. "How's Ava?" She murmured, looking up at Bronwyn then to Lucas, neither sure how to answer.
"Good." Lucas replied with a nod. "She likes fast cars."
"Just like her Daddy." Rachael smiled weakly. Bronwyn sat on the edge of the seat Rachael was on and took her friend's face in her hands.
"Are you ok?"
"I will be." Rachael nodded with a smile and pulled Bronwyn's hands away, sighing deeply and launched into the entire story from the start. Courtney's rough pregnancy, the first seizure, the following few, what the doctors had said, saving little Ashlynn, and culminating with the funeral she'd just stepped away from.
"If there's ever anything we can do…" Tripp let the end of the sentence hang as she finished the story, horror still on his face.
"Thank you." Rachael smiled and stood. "You guys mean a lot to us." She reached her arms forward and Lucas stood to hug her, the others following and hugging her in turn, Jen last.
"I…" Jen tried, but the words didn't come.
"I know." Rachael shook her head sadly. "I know." She held onto Jen tightly for a few seconds longer than the others. She pulled away and put her heels back on, sighing as she went to leave the room. "I'll be back for my regular shift." She told Bronwyn and faced them quickly. "Love you guys. Bye." She waved a little and left the room before they could waylay her, wanting nothing more than to get back to her husband and child. When she arrived back in 2009 the sun was setting and a single figure was sitting on a wooden swing meant for a couple.
"I was wondering if they knew." Wes smiled as Rachael came for him, sitting in the other half, curling up her legs, once again losing her shoes.
"Not until I got there." Rachael sighed, too tired to cry anymore. "They look good. They're worried about you. I'm worried about you." She added.
"Of course." Wes sighed. "Everyone is, I'm glad of it." He shook his head. "I'm glad I have all of you to help me, but you have to let me do things too." Their eyes met, blue meeting green. "They're my kids; I'm going to take care of them when we get home."
"Who's got Ashlynn?" Rachael couldn't help but ask.
"Davina." He smiled at the thought. "I don't know what it is, but she calms her best."
"She's still a newborn; she'll get to know you." Rachael frowned.
"It took Chris weeks to figure out who I was." Wes chuckled at the memory. "I know she'll warm up to me. I'm her Dad." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"Well if you ever need help, you know where I live." Rachael stood up and grabbed her heels, not even bothering this time. The sun had set and it was getting dark quickly as she held out her hand for him. They walked up to the castle arm and arm, entering the lit building and walking down to the rooms they'd all been given. Dinner had been served to their rooms, and as it was summer, it being dark meant it was late.
"How'd it go?" Eric asked, getting up from the bed he'd been sitting on while his wife entered, throwing her shoes carelessly to the floor.
"Fine." Rachael halfheartedly replied. "I need you." She said without warning and moved into his arms, capturing his mouth viciously, gripping him tightly. At their last sane moment, they grasped at the other's clothing, removing it without care as she tackled him on her bed. Completely lost in each other, they rolled over the bed, not caring what was happening around them, focusing on the here and now. When they finally landed back in reality, Rachael curled up in Eric's arms, pulling the magnificently soft sheets around them. He kissed her head gently as they lay together, Rachael moving her head to see him. "We didn't use anything." She murmured.
"I forgot." Eric admitted truthfully and held her closer. "It wouldn't be such a bad thing right now."
"A new life." Rachael agreed. "I just hope Ashlynn doesn't grow up thinking she killed her mom or something."
"Chris thought she left because he didn't clean his room." Eric told her softly. "That room was perfect when I was in it."
"They're kids." Rachael reasoned. "They're irrational. I hope their Dad isn't."
"He'll be fine." Eric mumbled, sleep starting to set in.
"I believe I once told you to never mention my brother while we're in bed." Rachael grinned as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Sleep." Eric mumbled and rolled over, away from her.
"Hey." Rachael protested as he tore the sheets away with her, leaving her in the cold. "You're going to pay for that." She laughed and threw herself over him, wrestling the sheets away from him. In retaliation, Eric tackled her again, removing the sheet completely, their wrestling turning intimate in seconds flat. It was a wonderful thing to be so in love with your spouse that even after seven years of marriage they still rolled around in their bed like newlyweds, even if this bed wasn't in their own home. Sleep came easier, maybe it was the closure from the funeral, maybe it was the reassurance of everyone being ok, or maybe it was just the sheer happiness of being a couple for a few hours, in any event, it was the best night's sleep either had had in the last few weeks.