A/N: Woopee! Thanks again for all the reviews. Today is Adam's update as promised immediately followed by Chapter 30 in a dual update today. The next chapter will have some more family secrets shared so please bear with me as more confessions will ensue before we get back to business. LOL Hope you enjoy...

Chapter 29

Teela sat at table with the King and Queen, an awkward silence falling over them.

"I see," she reflected. "Then I look forward to knowing about this Keldor," she paused before adding, "Soon, I hope," her bold gaze locking with the King's own steady hazel stare.

"Who's…Kel…dor?" a quiet raspy voice choked out from across the room.

Immediately three pairs of human and one pair of feline eyes went round in surprise. All heads snapped to the bed; Teela whirling around in her chair, Cringer's head snapping up from his floor cushion.

They jumped from the table and rushed the huge king bed disturbing the fine crystal and china which jangled in protest.

"Adam!" they all shouted excitedly as they crowded at his bedside, his mother and father dropping to either side of him and taking his hands in theirs. Cringer bounded onto the bed and stretched across Adam's legs causing Adam to wince in pain.

"Cringer!" Teela swatted at the cat. "You're hurting him, get down!"

Remorseful, Cringer scrambled off of the bed and moved around the Queen. He settled on his haunches and plopped his chin on her thigh, his golden gaze trained on his friend.

Sensing the familial chaos around him, Adam, his eyes still closed, gave a weak grin.

Marlena, her gaze fixed on her son's now animated countenance released a strangled sob, unable to hold back any longer. Randor's eyes clouded over with tears as he squeezed Adam's hand. Teela folded her arms tightly in self-protection, her eyes also filling with tears as she stood near the footboard.

Hearing his mother's sobs, his brow crinkled in confusion. A slight frown flickered across his lips as he slowly turned his face toward the sound, his eyelids still closed.

"Son?"

His father's voice caused Adam to stop and lift an eyebrow. Teela couldn't help but snort a tearful giggle at Adam's reaction.

His eyes moved underneath his eyelids as they finally fluttered open and stared fixed at the ceiling in confusion. They then quickly darted to his mother and father, to Cringer, then finally to Teela.

Teela felt another swell of emotion rush over her as more tears spilled over, her hand going to her mouth in relief to see that sapphire blue gaze once again. She sank to the bed and sobbed as the reality of how close she came to never seeing those eyes again hit her all at once.

The Prince, his brow knit in concern, blinked as he watched Teela weep.

"Adam? Do you know where you are?"

His eyes darted back to his father. He nodded slowly.

"Where?" Randor pressed anxiously.

"Grrreyy…skull…," he choked out softly.

Teela stood and hurried back to the dining table. She poured a glass of mineral water and brought it back to the bed giving it to his mother.

The Queen thanked her and, shifting her position, she swiped at her tears, leaned over, and cradled Adam's head lifting it gingerly from his pillow.

"Take a sip, son," she coaxed softly. "A small one."

Adam struggled as he rose slightly and gratefully took a sip.

"More?" she asked.

He nodded as she gave him another sip of the cool water. He drank and lay back down thanking her with a small smile.

Slowly turning toward Cringer, his smile widened as he reached out a shaky hand to pat his head; the cat had placed his upper body onto Adam's bedside and had begun to purr, his head on his paws.

Marlena smiled as she watched the expression of quiet joy settle over her son's features. She was reminded of when he first found the kitten years ago as a young boy.

Adam slowly placed his hand back on his blanket and shifted a quizzical gaze to his father. "What ha-happened?" he asked quietly, his voice hoarse.

Randor swallowed hard. "Do you really want to know now, son?"

He nodded slowly, a look of apprehension flitting across his countenance.

The King and Queen exchanged worried glances while Adam quirked an eyebrow. He shifted a questioning gaze to Teela who swiped at her tears and mutely shook her head.

Adam slowly knit his brow in response when suddenly the Sorceress materialized behind everyone. His gaze moved from Teela to the Sorceress, a slow crooked smile forming across his lips. Following his line of vision, everyone turned.

"Prince Adam, I am pleased you have awakened," she observed in a reassuring and hopeful tone.

"Sorceress, we're indebted to you for the life of our son," Randor stated, his voice quivering with emotion.

She turned toward Randor and shook her head. "No, good King. It is the other way around," she smiled softly as she shifted her gaze back to the young man in bed.

Randor blinked in confusion as he reflected on those words.

"Come. We must remove the catheter," she stated with purpose as she approached the bed.

Adam's smile disappeared, quickly replaced with utter apprehension. He seemed to recoil, sinking farther under the bed covers. Randor and Cringer grimaced as the women's eyes went round.

"Who inserted…?" Teela trailed off as the Sorceress cocked her head to the side and stared quizzically. Teela promptly blushed a deep crimson.

"Greyskull, Captain Duncan," the woman finally replied as Teela mouthed, "Oh".

She shifted her gaze back to Randor. "King Randor, would you please assist?" she turned to Marlena and Teela. "Ladies, we will leave the men to it."

Randor nodded as she gestured arms open wide to everyone else. Marlena kissed her son's hand as she and Teela stood and followed her out of the room.

"You too, Cringer," the Sorceress tossed behind her shoulder as the cat reluctantly left his friend's side and headed for the bedroom door.

xxx

The women waited in the hallway. The three of them, all trained and accomplished warriors and unaccustomed to feeling helpless, wordlessly looked at one another; Marlena and Teela wore frustrated expressions while the Sorceress' countenance was serene and calm. Unbeknownst to them, she was communicating telepathically to Man-At-Arms the news of Adam's awakening.

The Queen broke the silence. "My arms are aching to hold my baby now that he's finally awake," she complained more to herself than to anyone else.

"Me too," Teela muttered absentmindedly as she chewed her lip.

Their eyes flew to one another's and locked before softening in amusement.

Suddenly Adam's loud and gravelly protest caused them to flinch and throw sympathetic glances at one another. Although empathetic, Teela couldn't help but blush once again. Marlena slapped a hand to her mouth with worry as Cringer cowered in the corner, his paws over his eyes.

After several agonizing minutes that seemed to go on forever, Randor finally swung the door wide.

"Come in, ladies. Cringer," he nodded toward the tiger.

They entered and moved to the bed eyeing him sympathetically. He remained under the covers, both eyes squeezed shut in pain. Marlena looked at her husband.

"Goodness Randor, what did you do?"

He shrugged innocently. "I simply removed it," he responded wearing a 'What did I do wrong?' look on his face.

"You did fine, King Randor," the Sorceress reassured.

xxx

A couple of hours later, the Sorceress had excused herself and Adam could feel the strength slowly returning to his limbs as he lay in bed, his back slightly propped up with extra pillows. With Cringer curled up beside him, he stroked his fur as he listened intently to his family's tearful recounting of the last ten days and what they were like for them. He froze and sent them a look of confusion.

"I died?" he asked incredulously.

His family nodded.

He shifted his troubled gaze to his quilt and struggled to remember what occurred. "I remember the argument, Evil-Lyn showing up...," he rasped. Then his eyes suddenly went round. "I remember. I didn't have time to…," he shot a look at his father's worried features, "…to grab a weapon so I jumped in front of Teela."

Teela swiped at her tears. "Why did you do that, Adam? Don't you know you're too important to this world to risk your life like that?" she chided with a sniffle.

He furrowed his brow. "What do you mean why? You're important to me, Tee. I wasn't going to stand there and let you die in front of me if I could do something about it," he replied before taking a hoarse breath expelling it from his lungs. "Besides, I would have died anyway if you had that day," he added quietly.

Marlena inhaled sharply as Adam and Teela locked gazes.

Randor, his eyes shining with unshed tears, took his son's hand causing Adam to jerk his head down to glance at their clasped hands. He then shifted his gaze to his father's eyes.

"My son, I died the day you stopped breathing."

Adam looked stricken, a tinge of pain in his blue gaze. He swallowed hard as he and his father stared mutely into each other's eyes.

The Queen dabbed at her tears with a kerchief and rose from the bed. "Teela, let's leave these two alone," she suggested while holding her hand out. "Cringer, come on, boy."

Cringer leapt off the bed and headed for the door. Teela nodded and, leaning over, she placed a kiss to Adam's cheek. He flinched in surprise and turned his head toward her, their cheeks grazing as she pulled back inching her way off of the bed.

"We'll see you later tonight," she promised with a sad smile before taking the Queen's proffered hand.

He nodded blankly and turned back to his father.

The two women walked out of the room hand in hand. When they reached the door, Teela released Marlena and glanced over her shoulder.

The two men were staring at each other, tears in their eyes, neither saying a word.

xxx

While father and son talked privately, the women had dinner in the dining hall, the Sorceress choosing to join them.

Teela ate quietly while anxiously mulling over the events of the last two weeks; she couldn't stop reliving the reveal of Adam's alter-ego, his injury, subsequent death, and recovery. So much had happened. She also couldn't stop staring at the gorgeous mysterious woman between sips of soup.

Marlena eyed Teela stifling a grin. She finally broke the silence. "Teela, I'm also aware that my son is He-Man. Did he tell you?"

Teela stopped, her spoon in mid-air as she lifted her eyebrows in surprise and looked into Marlena's eyes. "Oh yes, I'd forgotten, Mum. Yes he told me," she replied thoughtfully before continuing her meal.

Marlena winced at the maternal reference and shot an apologetic glance at the Sorceress. The woman maintained a blank expression focusing on her dish while she ate.

Teela suddenly shifted her gaze to the woman. "Sorceress, I'd love to ask you the details on how Adam became He-Man but…I think I should probably ask him, right?"

The Sorceress stopped and looked at Teela with a proud motherly smile. She replied, "Yes, you are correct, Captain," before pausing to add, "Good girl."

Marlena's eyes widened in surprise and approval while Teela, seeming not to notice, smiled and nodded before continuing with her meal.

Teela'Na watched her daughter for a moment; it was thrilling to have her at Greyskull. To finally be this close to her, to talk with her, to observe her as she lovingly attended to Adam and thought things through…

She finally glanced at Marlena, a small knowing smile tickling her lips.

xxx

The women decided not to disturb the two men for the rest of the night. The light was still on around midnight as evidenced by the sliver of light escaping from the crack underneath the chamber door.

The Sorceress bid them good night as Marlena and Teela hugged each other before retiring for the evening.

xxx

The next morning, Teela showered, changed, and headed for the Prince's bedchambers. Upon entering, she greeted his parents who sat at his bedside having quiet conversation while watching over their son.

The Sorceress entered his bedchamber and approached wearing a pleasant smile. Adam sleepily opened his eyelids returning her smile.

"I have spent the last ten days casting cleansing spells to make you more comfortable during your recovery, Prince Adam," she explained. "I am sure you would prefer a real bath, would you not?"

Adam nodded enthusiastically, his voice still hoarse and unreliable while he recovered.

She nodded. "Come. Your father will help you."

Teela opened her mouth to protest but wisely kept silent as her desire to give Adam a bath may seem…inappropriate to say the least. She wanted so desperately to touch him now that he was awake.

"You'll get your chance. Trust me."

Her mouth dropped open at the sound of Adam's voice in the back of her mind. Her eyes shot to him as he slowly, achingly sat up in bed and pushed the bed covers aside, a small mischievous grin on his face, his eyes locked with hers.

She again blushed a bright pink before confusion overtook her features.

He stole a glance at the Sorceress whose brow was now quirked in maternal annoyance. He sent her a sheepish toothy grin which quickly turned apologetic before clearing his throat and waxing serious accepting the help from his father.

"Come on, son…slowly now…," Randor coaxed while Adam moved to the edge of the bed and threw an arm around his neck. His father wrapped an arm around his waist and he grimaced in pain as Randor helped him to a standing position.

They stood still for a moment allowing Adam to acclimate to this position. Lightheaded and panting with exertion, he swayed a bit as his father caught him.

"I've got you, son. Easy now."

Marlena chewed her lip as Teela looked on nervously.

"A-Adam, are y-you alright?"

All eyes with the exception of Adam's shot to the Eternian tiger.

"He speaks!" Randor shouted sarcastically.

Adam shot a crazy look at his father. "Of course he does," he rasped in confusion, his brow knit.

The room burst into laughter as the Prince quirked an amused eyebrow, clearly not in on the joke.

xxx

Randor had helped Adam bathe, slip on fresh night clothes, and climb back into bed, his muscles screaming in protest with each movement. He was given a nourishing broth and a small chunk of crusty bread for breakfast as he had not eaten solid food for nearly two weeks.

Everyone took breakfast at the table which had been moved closer to Adam's bedside as he was still too weak to stand or walk for extended periods of time. However, in the last day and a half he had made progress by being able to remain alert and coherent throughout the day and walk slowly to his bathing chambers. His voice however was still a bit gravelly and unreliable as it came and went intermittently.