"Mewtwo Wh-what's that s-ound?"

mew asked, and my eyes dart around as I try and locate the disturbingly labored eyes slowly settle on a hunched on form in the corner, and I let go of mew as I take a step towards it, and the breathing stops for a split second, before a small, strained voice calls out.

"daddy?"

my heart seemingly stops, and my blood runs cold. Behind me mew sobs and clings to my back as we both know the voice. Our lost little girl. Jessie. My mouth feels dry and my body unwilling to move as she slowly comes into view, her little body thin and her fur filthy and unkept, her dull purple eyes pleading at us to help her-but neither of us can move an inch.

"J-..Essie?"

my voice cracks as tears spill down my face for the first time in a long time, the wound her death had left now freshly slashed open and hurting bad. Mew starts towards her, but I pull her back.

"that can't be her."

i say softly, though inside, I want to rush over and hug her tight, tell her I'm sorry... But I don't. I stay stock still, holding mews shoulder to prevent her from going any closer. The tears spill faster as the child's sweet, sugar and oak wood scent reaches me and a sob claws it's way out of me.

"mommy?"

everything about her just seems perfect. Her eyes, body, fur, voice, scent... I force the image of her stuff fur and cold paw from the funeral into my mind. The casket. The grave. She's dead. She can't be here. She dead.

"mew, don't."

I repeat as my mate struggles to get at our little girl. But it isint her. It can't be...can it? As she gazes at us, Jessie starts to cry. It's a heartbreaking sound after all this time, and I feel mY resolve wavering. She's so small... I let go of mew who looks at me in confusion as I step towards our daughter before breaking out in a run and scooping up our baby. She feels cold as ice, but her purple eyes gaze into mine as I hold her, she she smiles.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie.."

i say, and suddenly her gaze isint longing, it isint kind-it's full of hate.

"you should be."

she whispers, her voice almost dripping with venom. I look at her in horror, as does mew.

"Wh-what?"

"you killed me."

she says simply, and suddenly her eyes roll back and her body seemingly melts away leaving a white skeleton in my arms, and I scream and drop it., the skull and bones clattering loudly onto the stone floor. It's silent for a long time, before mew rushes to me and clings to my midsection as she sobs brokenly, but I'm numb as I put my arms around her, staring blankly at the skeleton of our baby girl.

"He's playing mind games with us."

i say quietly and feel a tear slide down my face as I rub mews back comfortingly, unsure what else to do as I sit.

Neither of us could move from our place there by the bones for hours, but soon after we where back to trying to find our son, far more wary than before. Neither of us say anything, too shocked and hurt by the sudden reminder of our daughter. I hear running footsteps behind us, and we whirl around before I'm tackled to the ground, but I hesitate to attack-thankfully, as it's Alec who was there.

"Alec?!"

The boy was crying, and had cuts and bruises all over his body as I help him to his feet after getting up myself.

"What happened to you?!"

mew looks at him closely however, though I kneel down infront of him and trace a paw down his cheek as he hugs me.

"w-antes to help find emery.."

i nod a little, continuing to gently stroke his face and head trying to comfort him before mew looks at me.

"How do we know it's him? Really?"

i shrug a little. There wasn't really any way to know. So, we would just have to wait and hope this is truly our son. But..

"how did you get here?"

I asked him curiously.

"I followed your scent, just like you showed us!"

he said proudly, and I smile a little.

"So you got the hang of it then?"

alec giggles a little.

"Well, duh."