Everyone gulped with wide-eyes at that implication and Katherine practically lit on fire.
"I have already warned you once about threatening her life," Katherine stood in front of Louis with a deadly tone of her own that he threatened the life of her child, "If anything happens to her or the children… I will expose all the atrocities you are responsible for and your precious monarchy will crumble to the ground. Henry and his future, is the only thing breathing life into this stale ideal system you are so willing to kill for time and time again. You do not want my wrath upon you, Louis."
"If you ever threaten her again, grandfather," Henry got into Louis space having recovered from his initial horror at his grandfather's suggestion, "So help me, God… and you do something so foolish as to actually kill her… I will dissolve the entire monarchy when I take the throne and that is a promise."
"As will I." Edward stepped forward backing his son with an angry red face as well. "Julia and my grandchildren are off-limits to you, father. Leave! You are not welcome here!" He pointed towards the door.
Tony stood frozen behind the closed door to Julia's hospital room. The soft occasional beep from her heart monitor filled the otherwise silent room. He was afraid to approach seeing her so closely for the first time since she was lying bloodied before them on the transport plane back to Kabul. The tiny baby on her chest had been covered with a blanket draped over them both but was starting to stir and fuss hearing the yelling through the once open door.
Kristoff's brows were furrowed considerably as he stood on the far side of Julia's bed looking down at his mother and baby sister who was now whimpering. "You need to pick her up." He suddenly spoke and then looked to Tony.
"What? Me?" Tony asked with fear in his eyes and heart staring to pound at the thought, "I've never held a baby that tiny before in my life! Can't you?" He asked looking over at the boy.
"I'm not allowed yet. She is still too little for me to hold unless I'm sitting down." Kristoff answered, "I can in two weeks." He looked at Tony, "So you have to pick her up. She's hungry I think." He suggested as they watched the baby root around against Julia's skin obviously wanting to nurse.
"Well I can't help with that!" Tony tried to control his panic at the idea, remembering Julia nursing this very same baby, just days ago.
"I will get her bottle. I'm good at helping Grandma with that. You pick her up." Kristoff suggested and turned around walking towards the mini-fridge in the room and removing a packet of frozen breast milk.
Jillian was really getting angry now, not finding what she wanted and a tiny squall of a cry erupted from her body stealing Tony's breath to hear her little cry for the first time.
"You need to pick her up." Kristoff looked at Tony with narrowed eyebrows now, upset that his sister was crying, "Just hold her and give her this until her bottle is warm!" He handed Tony a tiny pacifier and then went back to heating the bottle as was his duty.
"Oh God," Tony tried to calm his breathing staring at the tiny baby, "Get a hold of yourself, DiNozzo." He shook his head bouncing around with nerves opening and flexing his fingers as he reached towards the now crying baby, "You can do this!" He gave himself a pep talk, "You're going to be a father. You have to hold a baby sometime." He reached gently for Jillian and slid her carefully off of Julia's chest, remembering that newborns needed their heads supported and eased her into his arms. "Oh hello…" He tried to calm her bouncing her slightly in his arms, "Please don't cry, please?" He begged as her tiny arms and legs shot out from her sides in anger, "Here…take this, please?" He was pleading for the baby to take the pacifier but she just screamed further in rage.
"Here, like this." Kristoff had Tony leaned down towards him more and then wiggled the pacifier around in Jillian's mouth, "She needs to feel it on her tongue and the roof of her mouth or she doesn't realize it's there." He smiled softly when Jillian stopped crying and started sucking furiously on the tiny rubber substitute. "See." He smiled proudly at Tony and then kissed the baby's head gently. "It's okay Jilly-bean. We'll get you a bottle. I know it's not the same thing as Mama, but it's all we have." Kristoff sighed talking to the baby, soothing her by gently running his fingers through her soft hair.
"You are very good at this." Tony marveled with astonishment at the boy before him, honestly impressed with his ease around this baby when Tony was incredibly tense.
"I had a lot of practice." Kristoff shrugged, "I took care of Rurik for a long, long time all by myself when I was little." He sighed quietly, "Mama helped talk me through it but, I was the only one there to help him."
"You took care of Rurik?" Tony asked with surprise as he found himself automatically swaying gently back and forth unexplainably looking at the baby in his arms wrapped so sweetly in pink and white. "What about Lara?" He wondered why Kristoff hadn't mentioned caring for her and then remembered what Jack had told them about the situation before Kristoff answered.
"We hadn't found her yet." Kristoff answered with a shrug, moving the bottle around in the warm water to heat it evenly, "We didn't find her until she was almost two. But Rurik and I have been together since he was just two weeks old. There were lots of people taking us back and forth then. I learned how to change his diaper and feed him from Aunt Casey when he was two months old." His voice faded and Tony's eyes narrowed having never heard that name before.
"Who is Aunt Casey?" He asked quietly.
"She was Mama and Aunty Anni's sister." Kristoff answered removing the bottle and handing it to Tony.
"Where is she now?" Tony asked surprised to hear of more of Julia's siblings and their roles in her life.
"The bad guys killed her in the war." Kristoff answered softly watching as Tony removed the pacifier and tried the same technique he had shown him with the bottle nipple to get Jillian to latch on and eat. He smiled at Tony when she eagerly began to suck and curled her tiny hands into fists by her face.
"I'm very sorry to hear that." Tony answered him with a heavy heart hearing of yet another family member of Julia's who had lost their life in the war for freedom. He saw the chair that Katherine had been sitting in beside Julia's bed and sat down carefully, while feeding the baby.
"A lot of my family died in the war." Kristoff felt Jillian's foot and her toes splayed out at the touch. He turned around and dug through the baby bag and found two tiny socks. "Her feet are cold."
Tony was continuously marveled by this little boy, who had only just turned nine years old and yet, seemingly so mature for his young age and knowing exactly what to do in order to care for his baby sister.
"I lost my mom when I was a kid. I was eight…I miss her all the time." Tony found himself volunteering this information and completely unsure why staring into the big blue eyes of this little boy before him. Tony's eyes glanced back towards Julia's still body in the hospital bed; her beautiful face so peaceful, the blonde hair splayed delicately in long soft waves around her head and visions of the last time he saw his mother flashed before his eyes. "I never got to say goodbye." He found himself speaking again without realizing it. "She passed away when I was asleep."
Kristoff regarded him carefully for several moments and saw the tears building in Tony's eyes. "I'm sorry, Tony." He whispered and wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulder and patted him for comfort. "I remember when they told me that Mama died. I was very little but I remember because I have a super brain like Mama's. I can remember everything, even from a long time ago. I still have dreams sometimes about seeing her body lying in the hospital bed not moving. I never got to say goodbye then either."
Kristoff's eyes filled with tears as he looked over to Julia in the bed now and gently lifted her hand to hold. "Mama used to sing to me all the time when I was a baby, before she went away. One of the songs was 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' and whenever I saw that movie I would cry because I'd remember Mama and I missed her. I missed her voice and I really missed the way she smelled. Like Mama." Kristoff sniffled, "No one smells as good as Mama. Do you know what I mean, Tony?" He asked quietly wondering if this man who lost his own mother as a child understood what he meant. "I don't ever tell people that because they'll think I'm weird. Mama says she understands, because she lost Grandma Kristin when she was little too and still misses the way she smells."
"I don't think its weird." Tony swallowed hard with tears rolling silently down his cheeks staring back at Julia in the bed and Kristoff holding her hand. "I miss the way my Mom smelled too. Like roses and sunshine." Tony smiled softly at the memory, "And sometimes, like movie theatre popcorn." His response had Kristoff burst into spontaneous laughter and smiles.
"Your Mama smelled like popcorn?" Kristoff asked in disbelief still giggling. "She must have smelled yummy then 'cuz I love popcorn. Movie theatre is the best! Lots of butter! Mama likes it that way too!"
"Yes, it is the best!" Tony smiled laughing with him and feeling as though he found his childhood twin soul in this little boy, "My mom used to take me to the movies all the time when I was a kid. It was kind of our thing to do. When I smell buttered popcorn to this day, I think of my mom."
"What was your Mama's name, Tony?" Kristoff asked still playing with Julia's fingers.
"Isabella." Tony smiled saying her name for the first time in a long time through his tears. "But everyone called her 'Bella' for short. And that means 'beautiful' in Italian."
"I like that name. I am named after Grandma Kristin." Kristoff smiled with pride, "Her name meant 'bearer of Christ."
"That's…very interesting." Tony gulped thinking about the woman who had given birth to the miracle that was Julia lying in the bed beside them. "What about your Mama? Do you know what her name means?" He asked curiously not knowing the meaning of Julia.
"It mean's the 'youthful child of the Gods." Kristoff smiled, "In Latin, Julia means 'Jove's Child' and Jove is another name for the Roman God Jupiter." He saw Tony's wide and astonished eyes that he knew such a thing, "I have to study Latin." He shrugged, "And Mama is really into the meaning of names. She knows what everyone's names mean. She says it's important as it tends to lead to character."
Julia's name meant 'child of the Gods' and her mother's was 'bearer of Christ.' Tony couldn't argue with Kristoff's point about the meaning of the name holding some weight going towards character right now.
"What does your name mean, Tony?" Kristoff asked with a smile and then saw Jillian getting fussy, "You have to burp her now. She can't eat anymore until you do."
"It means 'priceless.' And how do I do that?" Tony asked with feeling of panic once more, he'd just gotten comfortable holding and feeding the baby as it required little movement and the idea of burping her was terrifying.
"You can put her on your shoulder and pat her back gently or sit her forward on your knee and hold her face carefully, patting her back. That works too." Kristoff instructed him and Tony's eyes went wide with panic again.
"Hold her face?" He nearly screeched in horror at the visuals that presented.
"Not like that, Tony." Kristoff giggled demonstrating with his hands on Tony's face, "Like this. With your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other, holding her jaw and cheeks."
"Oh," Tony sighed in relief, "Well I could do that…I think." He handed the bottle to Kristoff and carefully tipped Jillian forward with his hand like Kristoff had shown him, "Like this?" He asked shaking his head, "I can't believe I'm asking a nine year old how to do this." He sighed to himself.
"Yes, like that." Kristoff nodded with a soft smile, "And she will lean into your hand for support and then you just pat her gently until she burps."
"Okay," Tony sighed again patting so delicately against her back he barely touched her and made Kristoff laugh again.
"No, Tony. Not like that. You have to hit her a little harder if you want her to burp." The boy giggled shaking his head at the dumbfounded man before him.
"Oh man, I better not break her!" Tony could feel the sweat gathering on his brow, "I already broke your mother." He added quietly under his breath. 'The last thing I need to do is break her baby too.' He thought to himself with panic.
"You won't break her. I promise. Jack was scared when I taught him how to burp Lena too, but he didn't break her." Kristoff laughed softly.
"So Jack was just as flustered about this as me too then, huh?" He asked feeling slightly better to hear the stealthy looking man, also had trouble with the idea of handling a newborn.
"Yes, but he learned very quickly and is now very good with the babies." Kristoff smile, "You will too."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, kid." Tony patted a little harder and heard a loud burp. "Wow…that actually worked!" He smiled in surprise. "Now what?" He asked feeling a little surge of pride that he wasn't so inept with kids after all.
"Feed her again and then after another two ounces," Kristoff showed him the marks on the bottle, "Burp her and repeat." He smiled, "See! It's easy once you know!"
"Okay, I got this!" Tony smiled feeling more relaxed. "Thanks for the help, Little Buddy." He smiled at Kristoff.
"Mama calls me that. Buddy." Kristoff smiled looking back at Julia. "I miss her already." His smile began to fall slightly. "I was mad at her when she left. I wasn't very nice and I hurt her feelings. I know because I can feel what she does."
"You can feel what she does?" Tony asked in awe wondering how that was possible, but not doubting anything anymore where Julia and her children were concerned.
"I don't have super hero powers like Mama," Kristoff smiled proudly, "But I can feel other people's emotions. Mama tries to hide hers from me when she's upset. So when I can't feel her emotions, I know she's blocked them because she is upset."
Tony marveled at this boy's incredible logic and insightfulness with deductive reasoning.
"She's been sending me feelings of love since she left trying to make me feel better… but I was angry with her." Kristoff acknowledge quietly. "I still get scared she will leave me again."
Tony felt a wave of incredible guilt wash over him hearing Kristoff's fears and seeing Julia still clinging to life in the bed beside them. He was responsible for her current condition and he couldn't ignore the fact that his emotional response to get to Ziva, had completely blocked out thoughts to anyone else or the repercussions his actions may have.
"I'm still angry that she went away the first time." Kristoff answered blinking back tears, "It wasn't fair. I needed my Mama."
"No, it wasn't fair." Tony acknowledged the statement thinking of what happened with Kristoff and Julia, and his own mother's dying and leaving him. "I have been angry that my Mom went away when I needed her too."
"You are?" Kristoff wheeled around with wide tear filled eyes, surprised to hear of the adult man before him say he was still upset about his Mama leaving him too.
"Yeah," Tony nodded softly with a deep sigh, "I was just talking with your Mama about this a couple of days ago."
"You were?" Kristoff asked even more surprised.
"Yes," Tony nodded remembering well that conversation he had with Julia. "See, I wasn't being very nice to your Mama." He admitted shamefully and saw the immediate narrowing of Kristoff's eyebrows and defenses go up. "I wasn't listening to her and giving her a really hard time when all she was trying to do was protect me and my family." Tony added thinking how true that statement was given the members of their team. "I was doing those things, I realize now, because I was scared to lose the woman that I love, Lady Ziva." He smiled softly thinking of Ziva and the little boy Rurik's name for her on the ranch, "It took me a really long time to have the courage to love her and be with her, because I was scared to have my heart broken again if she went away."
"Like your Mom?" Kristoff asked losing some of anger at Tony for being mean to his Mama, and more curious now.
"Yes," Tony nodded at this young lad's perception that was apparently so obvious even a nine year old could make the connection where the root of his relationship issues began. "Your Mama was in charge of protecting Ziva and it was hard for me to not be scared that something bad would happen and I would lose Ziva, like I lost my mom."
"Mama is really good at protecting people though, Tony, when she is The Phoenix." Kristoff tried to reassure him, "It's when they take her powers that she can't protect us." His eyes flashed to the woman lying still in the bed, "Like, now…that is why she is here because it is safe when she doesn't have her powers. They can't hurt her here."
"I know," Tony nodded softly feeling terribly for what happened, "I know that now. But sometimes, I do things when I get really scared and I don't think about what will happen next."
"I do that too. Mama says I have to think about the repercussions of my actions before I do things or I hurt people." Kristoff sighed in understanding.
"Exactly." Tony nodded thankful the boy understood repercussions, likely better then he did. "But sometimes, I just get so scared of losing Ziva like I lost my mom, that I say and do things I shouldn't. I was mean to your Mama and didn't listen to her because of that and because, in a lot of ways, Kristoff, she kind of reminds me of my own Mom."
"She does?" Kristoff's eyebrows rose to his hairline in deep surprise looking at the man before him.
"She does." Tony chuckled at his expression and found the baby fussing again, this time he knew exactly what to do and changed positions to burp her without having to be told. "They were both blonde and beautiful with dark eyes," Tony smiled softly thinking about his mother and Julia's similarities now patting the baby's back gently and then hearing the tiny burp. He marveled once again at his new abilities with the baby and went back to feeding her. "And you know what else about your Mama…reminds me of my own?" He asked Kristoff who shook his head 'no.'
"How very, very much, your Mama loves you." He smiled emphasizing the 'you' to Kristoff, "My Mom loved me like that." Tony paused a moment, "I was angry that my Mom left and never came back, because I missed her so much… and I realized I was getting mad at your Mama now, because, well," He smiled shaking his head and swallowing the lump in his throat with a teary smile, "because your Mama came back to you. I was jealous…that she came back for you and mine didn't. Couldn't." He corrected himself.
"You were?" Kristoff asked in a gasp of disbelief.
"I was." Tony nodded in confessing it out loud now to Julia's nine year old son, "And this is what your Mama and I talked about when I apologized and tried to explain why I get so scared and say mean things some times."
"You did?" Kristoff continued to gasp in a near whisper and swallow hard. "What did Mama say?"
"She said she understood, because she lost her Mama too, and always wished her Mama would come back." Tony answered him honestly, "But she also told me, that you felt that way too. And that sometimes, you get angry with her still, for leaving."
Kristoff's posture fell completely to hear his mother had been speaking about this with Tony, "I hurt her feelings and make her feel bad. And I know it wasn't her fault. They took her away, she didn't want to leave me."
"Right," Tony nodded softly, "She never wanted to leave you. Just like my Mama, and hers'…never wanted to leave us." He failed to blink back his tears this time, "Your Mama loves you so much, Kristoff…she fought the whole world to get you back. That's very special."
"I know." Kristoff nodded with tears dripping off his chin, "I should be grateful she came back for me but, Tony… I'm still scared she will leave or something bad will happen again. I don't want to be mad at Mama, I just am sometimes." He shook his head.
"I understand. That's how I feel about my Mama too and now with Ziva." Tony reached out and ran his hand down the side of the boys face, both in tears.
"I know my Mama will fight the whole world all over again if she has to and find me. I know that. I know she'll come for me, because she's always come for me. Every time the bad people took us away again, Mama always found us again and again. I know she'll come back its just…" Kristoff sniffled and wiped at his tears and Tony pulled him closer to the chair, wrapping his arm around him a little more, "So many people in my family have died, Tony… Mama is the one person, I can't ever imagine my heart being able to beat without. Mama is my heart, Tony. If she dies, I will be sad forever."
Tony's heart was breaking, he understood this all too well. It was as if he were speaking to his child self. A boy's first love, his heart, is his Mama. His heart had been broken when his own mother died as a child and that was why he feared loving Ziva and losing her as well. And Kristoff, had experienced the same heartbreak already in losing his Mama once, when Julia was taken away. They both shared the same fears, just as Julia had told Tony on the roof. She did understand him better then he realized.
Jillian had finished eating and he carefully set the bottle aside as she drifted back to sleep again in his arms, he stood, kissing her tiny head and then gently lay her back down on top of Julia with skin to skin contact, remembering what Katherine had said about the touch speeding Julia's recovery. When he sat back down in the chair again, he pulled Kristoff up to sit on his knee as both had tears in their eyes.
"I understand how you feel, Kristoff. I really do." Tony nodded speaking quietly, "I thought I would be sad forever too, after I lost my Mom. But then I found Ziva, and she made my heart happy again. You are right. Mama's are very special. I miss mine every day. And I understand you are scared your Mama will break your heart again, if she leaves. But Buddy, let me tell you what I've learned about your Mama in the short time since we've met…there is no force on this whole planet, that will keep your Mama from coming home to you." He smiled through his tears realizing that was true, "She's even fighting death, right now, to come back to you. That is how much she loves you. That is a miracle. The love your Mama has for you is stronger then anything I have ever seen, or heard of my whole life. I think God is making sure, that you have your Mama for a long, long, time." He reached up and wiped at Kristoff's tears, neglecting his own trailing down his cheeks. "Do you know the one thing that not even death can take away from you?" He asked looking over at Julia and seeing flashes of his own mother.
Kristoff shook his head, "Love." He answered quietly, "Mama says that all the time. That even though so many of our loved ones are gone, we always carry our love for them and theirs for us, inside our hearts."
"That's right." Tony nodded that Julia really was amazing in so many ways, "Your Mama's love will always be in your heart now and forever. Just like my Mom's love is always inside mine." Tony tapped his chest, "Even when I'm mad at her." He smiled softly, "Even when you're mad at yours." He sighed deeply, "Let's make a deal, Kristoff. Next time, I am afraid to let your Mama protect my heart in Ziva, I will call you and you can tell me its okay… Remind me how good your Mama really is at that as The Phoenix."
Tony smiled softly thinking it would likely be the best deterrent ever for getting him to listen to Julia in the future should they ever need her guidance again. Speaking to her child who was terrified of her dying. Kristoff's face and tears would likely never leave Tony's mind again and forever be linked with not thinking through the repercussions of his actions.
"And the next time you are afraid about your Mama leaving again and you feel like getting mad at her… you can call me if you want to talk," Tony offered with a sigh, "and I'll remind you, just how much your Mama loves you and how awesome she really is and how she would never, ever leave you if she can help it." He added quietly, "Okay?"
"Okay." Kristoff agreed softly with his tears stemming. He wiped the tear tracks from his cheeks with the back of his hand as he slid off Tony's lap and stood, "I think you will be a good dad, Tony." He gave him a small smile and then surprised Tony by hugging him.
Tony was tense at first and then relaxed, returning the hug. He hadn't ever been hugged by a child before in his adult life and feeling the tiny body holding onto his own, he felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness and confidence that maybe Kristoff was right, he just might be okay as a dad after all.
Kristoff pulled back and smiled at him, giving him a pat on the back. "Thanks Tony."
"No, thank you, Kristoff." Tony smiled softly understanding now exactly what Julia meant about children being the balm to the wounds of the soul. He hadn't felt this at peace with his mother's death for as long as he could remember.
He stood and walked forward, looking down at Julia's beautiful face in the hospital bed and instantly, it flashed to his mother's and tears welled in his eyes. A small smile graced his lips as he leaned over, hovering just a moment he closed his eyes and whispered, "Goodbye" and then dropped a light kiss to her forehead. The tears escaped his eyes as he held his lips to her skin for just a moment and then pulled back. Smiling down the image of his mother faded and Julia's beautiful face once again appeared. "Thank you." He whispered to her and dropped another kiss, this time with eyes open and just for Julia.
When he turned around for the first time, he was surprised to find Ziva and Henry now looking at them from behind the glass wall. The tears in Ziva's eyes let him know they had been there long enough, and he acknowledged them both with a soft head nod. Henry returned it with a soft smile and Kristoff made for the door when he saw him. He jumped into his father's arms and held on tightly, with arms squeezing around Henry's neck as Tony passed.
"Thank you." Henry whispered to Tony quietly with an appreciative nod and then stepped back into the room with his son.
"Are you okay?" Ziva asked reaching up to wipe the tear trails on Tony's face, wondering what happened only having come upon the scene just minutes ago with Kristoff sitting in Tony's lap and then hugging him, before Tony kissed Julia's forehead and noticed them.
"I am." Tony smiled softly, leaning down and kissed her tenderly, "Maybe, for the first time in a long time."
When Liat's eyes began to flutter open, her heart immediately began racing at seeing the light. She woke with a gasp, hoping that what she remembered of her conversation with Ziva wasn't just a dream, and forced her eyes open sitting forward rapidly.
"Hey," Malachi's voice was soft and soothing as he leaned forward and carefully touched her forearm, "You're okay." He stroked her skin gently with his thumb, "You're safe now, Liat." He smiled softly at her. "You are safe." Ziva's words were ringing loudly in his mind at seeing her like this and his heart was breaking over and over to see the fear in her beautiful dark eyes.
"Where is Ziva?" Liat asked quickly choking back her tears as she tried to calm her heart and remember this was real, that they had rescued her and Malachi wasn't a dream sitting before her now.
"She is sitting right outside. Would you like me to get her?" Malachi asked making a move to stand from the chair beside her bed, seeing she was honestly scared.
"No," Liat quickly shook her head trying to force herself to calm down, taking deep breaths, "I am okay…as long as you are real." She added softly and Malachi smiled.
"How can I prove that I am real?" Malachi asked quietly moving closer to her and staring into her beautiful eyes.
"I don't know." Liat shook her head with tears welling in her eyes to see him this close, and looking at her in this way again.
"Can I kiss you?" Malachi asked softly remembering what Ziva had said about Liat needing to be reminded of loving touch and human contact again, but also not pushing her.
Liat nodded only slightly and shivered as he cupped the side of her head with one hand. To her surprise, Malachi kissed her forehead gently instead of her lips.
"Is that okay?" He asked in barely above a whisper having felt the shiver run through her body and not sure what it was from, fear or the contact between them.
Liat nodded and Malachi kissed one cheek and then the other with the same gentleness. "Okay?" He asked again quietly and again Liat nodded.
Finally, he tilted her face up gently to his with intent eyes showing her that he only loved her and she had nothing to fear, he moved in slowly and brushed his lips against hers in the barest of kisses, his thumb grazing lightly back and forth over her cheek. He pulled back just an inch as both had pounding hearts and asked, again, "Okay?" And Liat nodded, swallowing hard. "Do you believe I am real now?" He asked breathless still maintaining the close proximity.
"I'm getting there." Liat answered and saw him smile.
"Then let's try again." Malachi whispered softly and moved in just as slowly, this time when their lips met, his tongue darted out just enough to graze her lip and Liat responded, meeting his with her own in a gentle kiss.
Both had tears in their eyes when they pulled back having not kissed this tenderly since the night they first made love and their last.
"How about now?" Malachi asked through blurry eyes with a smile.
"It still feels like a dream." Liat answered him honestly, "But a good one."
Malachi smiled and sat back down again in the chair, giving her space, but still holding her hand, "Well, then it's a start."
AN: Wanted to let you know that I will not be posting tomorrow evening as I am spending time with my sister who is in town! I wish you all a fabulous weekend!