** Not as long as the others; but this is a huge chapter for my characters I feel like. A lot of this chapter pays homage to 'The Power of Love,' back in my first book. 'The Heart of Everything,' hence why it felt fitting to do a part 2.
Side note: This chapter having some strong language was absolutely necessary to describe Brooklyn's thoughts, in my mind anyway. **
~Chapter Twenty Three~
The Power of Love: Part 2
Another terrible wave of nausea rocked through Rose as she kept her face plunged inside of her toilet and vomited, over and over again. No matter how much she let it go, the sickness wasn't seeming to want to let up.
Breathe. One, two, three. Breathe, two, three. Breathe, just breathe.
Crying, gasping and trying to gain control of herself, she closed her eyes, spit, and quickly flushed the contents down so as to not make her even more sick by the smell. She tried to push Brooklyn away as she vomited, but he stayed behind her the entire time holding her long hair away from her face and rubbing her back in comfort. He hadn't said a single word, but what they had just found out was something none of them could barely comprehend just yet. A shock so intense, it seemed to shake them both down to their core.
Kevin is really back, he's alive once again, and knows where we live… he's back… this isn't just a nightmare anymore… it's real
Those terrible thoughts pushed through her mind like hot, black tar, and with each second they remained in her brain, the more pain, fear, and anguish it brought to her. To make matters even worse, she could feel Brooklyn's own fear, anguish and pure rage pulse through his mind and body. He was in a state of complete shock and disbelief. Their night of blissful romance and beauty had been quickly shoved to the side by one moment of unspeakable horror and madness.
She continued to cling to the white porcelain bowl, thinking that the worst was over. She spit a few more times, breathing heavily, and then slowly closed the lid and laid her head down upon it. Her entire body was shaking, mind racing, and stomach clenched with sickness and horror.
No… Rose begged in her mind. Not this again… anything but this again…
"Rose?" Brooklyn finally said quietly, after her thoughts quieted down and he patiently supported her as she fell ill. "Are you okay now?"
Are you referring to the nausea or my mental state? Rose wanted to ask him, but he heard her thoughts.
"Your sickness."
"I think so-" She gasped from the toilet and felt another shudder of nausea overcome her. "Oh… no, maybe not."
Opening the seat up again, she sat up and emptied vomit into the bowl again. However this time, nothing was coming out- nothing to relieve that awful sensation of nausea, the horrible brick in her stomach, nothing to take away her gag. If Brooklyn was disgusted, he didn't show it, but instead continued to gently rub her back. When the wave passed, she spit, wiped her mouth with toilet paper, flushed again. When she closed the lid and rested her head, she began crying, out of pure exhaustion.
When Brooklyn pulled her to his side to hold her, she didn't try to stop him because she needed his comforting touch.
"Why is this happening?!" She sobbed in his arms as tears fell down onto his bicep. He slowly stroked her hair, still not saying a word. "I don't understand what I've done wrong in this life to deserve this hell!"
She slowly raised her face up to finally look into his and saw that it was passive, unreadable…and numb.
"Brooklyn?" She choked out, begging him now. His eyes remained somehow distant… but still watched her with great pain. "Why can't Kevin just let me be? Let us be? Was me leaving him, escaping his abuse and my death, truly the reason that I'm now being hunted down again? Him, who is an undead corpse, along with the powers of Hel, are joining together to try to kill and capture my soul? Is what I did to him so sinful and full of betrayal that it's worth this much… torment?!"
Brooklyn's eyes welled up with tears and she could tell that he was on the verge of breaking down as well. His jaw trembled and suddenly looked away from her; as if her tears were indecent.
"I-I don't know." He finally managed to also choke out, his own breathing erratic. "I don't know why this is happening to you… to us… I'm so sorry."
Rose closed her eyes in his embrace and wished that he had answers for her, but since she didn't even have answers for herself, she couldn't expect him to know either. Minutes passed as she sobbed in his arms, but slowly, she calmed down. More minutes passed, and when her mind was more clear, she was suddenly shocked out of her woes. Brooklyn had been very still as he held her, but he wasn't upset... no.
He was enraged.
Stunned, his anger and rage was animal-like, a hunter to his prey, a livid beast full of vengeance. She slowly turned to look into his face and saw that his eyes were brightly lit, his claws clenched so tightly that he was drawing blood from his own skin.
"Brooklyn?" She breathed with uncertainty, and upon hearing her soft voice, his eyes faded back to normal as he looked back down at her, but the rage was still there.
"I swear…" He growled shakily, a conviction in his tone so fierce she didn't dare move a muscle in his arms. "I swear to you my love… I will find Kevin this time and will end his secondary-cursed life with every ounce of life and strength I have left in me. He will not exist to see another day; I killed him once… and I will gladly do it again."
"But… but we don't know where he is." Rose begged, but that didn't seem to matter to him.
"I don't care. I won't let him win, you're my mate, not his! Never his!" Brooklyn suddenly snarled, standing up and pulling her with him. "Not even the powers of Hel can't tear you away from me. Gods forbid it. I will tear his flesh and bones apart… when I finish him off… there won't be a body to house his soul."
She stared into his eyes, and froze.
It was terrifying to see him in this vengeful state, so foreign and strange to think that the enraged Gargoyle standing in front of her was the same beautifully sensitive male that made passionate love to her just a few hours ago under a heaven full of stars. Those intense eyes full of rage staring at her, were once soft and peered deeply into her soul with such light and love as he moved and shared himself within her.
Now, there was nothing.
He didn't scared her, but the strong warrior in him was radiating off what he was truly capable if anyone crossed him, his Clan or his mate; and it was unnervingly awesome. It was obvious what he would do for her, for his Clan, if it came down to it. He would sacrifice himself for it all, without question, he would die for her.
Rose stayed silent, took a deep breath and lowered her gaze from his as he snarled and turned to face the door. When he did, he suddenly froze, and to his horror, the dawn so close to breaking, he had run out of time with her.
Cursing under his breath, he whipped around to face her. "Damn my existence right now…"
"What?" She asked in confusion, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"The sun is about to come up, we've just got a few more minutes." He then reached out for her and held onto her upper arms tightly, and looked at her with wide, pleading eyes. The eyes she knew him to truly be.
"Rose… my love… my mate and precious wife, please… I beg of you… listen to me. Okay? There's nothing I can do further until tonight, so please, go to the Castle and stay there. Stay with Xanatos and Owen, and do not leave their sides. Do you understand me?! Stay there until I awaken and then I will return to you. We'll alert the Clan to what's happened and the hunt will begin again, I swear, we'll stop Kevin again, once and for all."
"Brooklyn, no." She argued back, and she had to pluck up courage to keep staring into his eyes, which suddenly lit up in anger at her. "I'm not leaving you."
"This. is. not. up. for. discussion, Rose. You are to leave. Now."
"No." She snapped again. "I'm staying here with you. This is my home… our home, and I'm not leaving you alone while you're in stone form."
"Kevin knows where we live now, Rose." Brooklyn snarled, shaking her slightly. "You are not to stay here alone. Go to the castle, please! You'll be safe there until I awaken tonight."
"No, Brooklyn." Rose shook her head angrily, ignoring his enraged face. "I understand that Kevin has found out where we live, but I don't care. I'm staying here with you, so he doesn't find your stone form and smash you to pieces."
"Rose." He snarled, clenching his fists up again and looked as though he was about to explode. "Leave me here. That is an order."
At his authoritative tone, she snarled back at him, growing more angry by the minute. "Ummm… excuse me?! I am not a Clan member that you can order and boss around, Brooklyn. I am your wife!"
"You are a part of this Clan, Rose!" He suddenly yelled, roared, and spread his long wings out. She had never seen him so mad before, but she didn't care. "I am your husband and Second-in-Command, and I say you need to leave, right now! It's no longer safe for you here!"
However, by the look of outrage on her face he knew that, once again, he had not taken the right approach and her stubbornness would not budge to his will, nor was it right for him to force that upon her. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him with a fiercely stony expression, and he knew he lost the battle. His eyes then grew large with worry and desperation.
"Please…" He gasped, reaching out to her folded arms and held her to him, pleading. "PLEASE, my love, I am begging you. I can't have him find you, not again… I can't bear… holding your dead body in my arms again. Please… Rose… leave. I'm just trying to protect you."
"He's already found us…" Rose whispered, trying not to burst into tears again at his words. "... again. Whether it's here or the Castle, he already knows where we are, so there's no sense in fixating on that fact. How he found our new home, I have no idea, but it no longer matters. The damage is done. I only care now about what I can do about this whole thing, and that's staying here with you. I am staying here to protect you while you're vulnerable during the day. Just as you would never leave me willingly, unprotected or in danger… I refuse to leave you."
"Rose, no, please-"
"NO!" She yelled, getting inches from his face. "We are mates, goddamn it! Get. That. Through. Your. Head! You protect me and I will protect you as well. We are equals, and there's not a chance in hell that I'm leaving you here alone and unprotected while you're in stone form, not with him out there somewhere hungry for our destruction. He hates you just as much as he hates me, and I won't let him get the opportunity to come in here and smash you to pieces!"
"What happens when he does come again and kills you, and I'm not there to protect you!? Huh?" He snarled even louder, his eyes full of true fear as the night clock ticked down. "What then? I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!"
"Then I WILL KILL HIM FIRST!" Rose suddenly screamed, a pure fury suddenly shooting through her like ice. Red-electrified magic pulsed down her arms and circled around her hands. Brooklyn didn't flinch at her rage, or at her magic which suddenly encompassed around them like flames, but held steady, breathing deeply as their eyes did not leave each other.
"I will… I will kill him if it comes down to it again." She breathed shakily inches from his face with angry tears welled up in her eyes. "I hate him, Brooklyn. I hate him so damn much. I hate what he would do to me, what he's done to us, and what he's continuing to do." She took a shaky breath and then gasped, "I hated my life with him in it as my abuser, and I won't let him come back to plague, soil and ruin this beautiful life that you and I are building together. I refuse to be scared anymore or to let him have one more second of power and control held over my head. I refuse to be his prey or personal whore any longer."
She paused, and realized that this was the truth. Now that the nausea was gone, the shock faded with his return, she was left with nothing but rage and resolve on how best to move on; and amazingly, for the first time Brooklyn seemed to believe and trust her words.
Pain shot through Brooklyn at the last of her words, and he too hated Kevin for all that he'd done, but he hated him even more when he heard that he would treat his mate as his own personal sexual object. Brooklyn recalled the words he heard from her in his mind tonight before they made love… how sad and horrible she felt hearing that he was a virgin when they first had sex with each other, and she wasn't. But he never let that bother him, but it bothered her and he could feel her losing it as she also remembered what she was thinking when he told her that he was a virgin when they first met.
Shaking everywhere, she finally released and admitted the deeply rooted secrets from deep inside of her mind out loud to him, ones she had never mentioned before, but he knew about them and waited for her to come to him.
Angry tears streamed down her face as she shakily snarled, "I hate… that he defiled my body, Brooklyn. I hate that, because of him, I wasn't a virgin or whole for you when we first became one and sealed our mating bond. That I wasn't saved for you, for my mate. For the one my soul was made for! I hate that he was the one that took my innocence away instead of you. I realize it the more I'm with you and feel such love from you… how tender and gentle you are with me. I hate him, Brooklyn. For all he's stripped from me… and I'm not putting up with his shit a moment longer. I'm not just your wife, but I'm your mate, and that bond goes much deeper than any normal being falling in love. Because of that, I'm strong, and also am no longer the full-blooded Human, Rose Connelly from small town Bar Harbour, Maine. I don't care that I'm a member of the Third Race, and daughter of Hel or not, I am yours. I, Rose Connelly and you, Brooklyn, are one. Mates and soulmates. And together… with us fighting against him again… I know we can win and wipe his ashes from the very face of this Earth because we are warriors."
She could feel him calming down as he trusted in her power and abilities, but tears were still streaming down his face. It was a lesson they were both learning as mates, they were equals, soulmates. She drew strength from him and he from her. Yes, he was the main protector, guardian and provider in their marriage, but she was just as much a warrior as he was and could step up to protect when the time came.
And that time has come.
Brooklyn stared into her eyes, exhaled in defeat, but still looked afraid for her.
"I know you're a warrior, that's something I've always known." He whispered, reading her mind. "You're stronger than you've ever realized or given yourself credit for… and I know you've been haunted by this… but…just because you weren't a virgin doesn't mean that I didn't love you any less or see you as anything less than the goddess you truly are."
She always knew that he always loved her, regardless that she used to be married to Kevin, but it still was relieving for him to hear those words from him. She wasn't a piece of used trash to him, to him, she was priceless. And she loved him for that. Rose reached up and closed her magical hands around his claws gripping her face, and let her tears fall down in relief. Amazingly, when she touched him, her magic didn't hurt him like it did once before. It didn't burn him, but instead joined with him and acted like a shield around them. He could feel its power pulsing like an active electrical line, and was another layer to their connection, adding another shield to their current one.
"You are my mate, Rose. You're mine." He whispered through his tears, not being territorial, but speaking the truth. "I can't change or take away all he would do to you, as much as I may want to. I can only hold you as you still have nightmares or as the traumatic thoughts and memories enter your mind. You don't say anything to me about those inner most thoughts and feelings, but I can hear and feel everything, and wait for you to come to me, but most of the time, you don't and just hold it all in and I wish you wouldn't. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, my love. Nothing I wouldn't do to reach in and take away those memories, that pain, and replace it with me and all of my life for you. All of me, but never do I ever want to push you. Tonight was… tonight…" He paused and didn't know how to even describe how beautiful their night together was.
But she looked up, and together flashes of what they did went through both of their minds, instantly making them step closer to each other's bodies, keeping those sacred thoughts as close to both of them as they could. Brooklyn moaned quietly, closed his eyes, and rested his forehead against hers- and within her shield of magic, they both shared the vivid images with each other. Shared all they felt and experienced again from each point of view…
Together, they could feel how it felt again when he saw the stars reflecting off of her eyes, the light glow of her body under her soft, silky skin- the light that belonged to her soul that only he could see. They felt the way their connection pulled them together and as close as he was to her, as one, it was never close enough. They felt how her body felt against his, how good she tasted to him when he claimed her sensitive center. What incredible and erotic bliss they both experienced.
They both felt how she felt when he tasted and sucked on her with his lips, tongue and teeth against her, and how she was begging for more. For him to never stop. They felt as her heart and soul's walls shattered down like a dam with the power of his love for her. All past pain and memories, gone. Though scar tissue still remained. She would do anything for him and he would do anything for her…
They both felt from each other's point of view how it felt when he inserted himself into her and began to rock inside of her, feeling every part of her. How his length felt and filled inside of her. His claws all over her body, rough skin against smooth. Hot, sweet breath on each other's faces. They were one… but never close enough. Each motion, each sensation… each kiss, each taste, each touch... when his name fell off her lips and hers off his…
Then they were back.
Rose had to lick her lips and breathe deeply to calm herself down. Heat entered her body, turning her back on for him to do those things to her again, but she had to remind herself that it wasn't the time to do so and that she had vomited just moments ago. The images were almost too sacred to watch from an outside view. They were purely for them… and them alone. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as her, because she could feel his intense heat rising from his body as he stared into her eyes. But they couldn't give into their desires… especially when they were moments from sunrise.
But those images… those sensations…
His eyes were peering into hers and she felt the intense heat off his body. However, it was short lived when he suddenly closed his eyes, his forehead still pressed to hers.
"You have healed me… heart and soul, Rose, as I feel that I have done the same for you." He whispered. "But… I have to be honest with you, and there's no more hiding it. With Kevin back to life... you and I need to be honest with each other and use this gift of communication that we have a lot better. Do you agree?"
Rose nodded, "I agree."
"So, since you were honest with me about what he used to do to you... which consist most of your nightmares... I have a confession to make."
She blinked in surprise. "A confession?"
"Yes. It's obvious why you didn't want to tell me about all of those horrible memories of what Kevin would do to you, because of how much I hate hearing what you went through… but I admire your bravery and am thankful you trust me. So, I wish to do the same with you. The truth is... that there are things, these past few months, that I've held away from you as well, for the same reasons that you withheld information from me. To protect you... because you've dealt with enough. But we are mates... and there are things about me I feel you deserve to see and know if we are to both move on and heal. You told me what unspeakable horrors Kevin would do to you… and I… will always listen when you have those nightmares. But, the truth is that, I too have been having horrible nightmares that have been haunting me... and I need to show you them. It'll hopefully show you why I am... the way I am around you. So protective... so... hard to let you be your own person sometimes, especially around danger."
"Okay." Rose said, looking at him with wide eyes, her heart pounding. "I'm listening."
"These memories aren't pleasant… but we are a team and I need you to help me heal if we are to take on Kevin again. Okay? May I enter your mind and share with you a piece of my soul I've hidden from you? I shouldn't have…and I'm sorry… but I never wanted to burden you with it..."
With a shaky nod, Rose immediately breathed, "Of course you can my love, I want you to share every part of your soul with me, and I will try to be better at doing the same and being honest with you. I'm here for you… please… show me."
He gazed down at her warily, as if unsure, and then tears instantly filled his eyes. He looked as if he was about to fall to the floor and shatter at her feet in his sorrows. His pain was so raw that it took her breath away. Before she could ask or offer comfort, he took her in his arms, rested his forehead back against hers and held her close to him. Just then, she felt his mind re-enter hers and suddenly a horrible image entered making her physically jump. There, in their eyes and minds, were images of them. Moving memories, playing back like a movie.
To her horror, they were back on the ice-cold Castle platform again on the night Kevin attacked, and were at the spot where they had always avoided, never talked about… and it was suddenly as if they were there again. Rose saw and heard everything from Brooklyn's point of view and she quickly realized that she was about to re-live that horrible night with him, from his point of view, from his mind and thoughts.
Before she could prepare herself to not throw up, she felt his physical pain push through her, so heavy and intense that she was sure her brain and heart was about to blow up as she experienced what he was feeling… what had been haunting his dreams...
He was howling a deafening roar of grief into the silent night, his skin was drenched by the ice-cold sleeted snow while holding a broken, bleeding and dead body in his arms.
He was holding her.
Her dead body was limp in his arms, blood was dripping and oozing everywhere. It was all over him, all over the platform, in her soaked hair, on her drenched clothes. At the base of her neck was a huge gun shot wound. The fatal shot from Kevin that had been her undoing.
Kevin's dead body laid not too far away, his own neck snapped in half by Brooklyn's hand- but he did what was necessary and didn't care about it at the moment. What he had to do would always haunt him… but this… there was nothing that could have prepared him for what he was seeing, what he was feeling. He was too late to save her… to save his mate and all of those promises he made to her that he would keep her safe from him.
Broken.
He failed her.
He was sobbing through his broken howls, barely able to see past his tears and could barely manage to look down into her face, for it was no longer her in this body, she wasn't here anymore.
Her hazel eyes were wide open, un-moving and fixed, her head falling limp past his arms when he scooped her off the ground and held her tightly to him. Her bleeding, broken body and blueish pale skin, was cold, heavy and lifeless against his.
Rose then felt his grief and it was unspeakable. Unbearable. It was heavier and darker than anything she'd ever felt before. It was physically crushing down upon his heart, chest and soul to the point where he didn't know how to breathe, yet his roars, screams and howls were all he could give as he held the woman he loved in his arms.
And inside of his mind was chaos. Enraged, horrible, grieving chaos.
He was damning this life, damning Kevin and damning the Death Gods, or any God, Power, or Celestial Being that ruled over this universe, for taking her from him. He was cursing and roaring in his mind at them, his thoughts barely heard over the roaring he was making into the night sky, but internally he was screaming at Kevin's ghost and any being that could hear him, that was responsible for this cruel twist of fate.
'FUCK YOU! You insufferable BASTARDS! How dare you take her away from me! It was suppose to be me! NOT HER! Take me! Just take me! Goddamn you all!... take… me! KILL ME TOO!'
However, with each passing moment, with each breath he took… he still wasn't dead. He was still alone and she was still gone. Another terrible wave of grief, sorrow, rage, self-hatred and unbelievable shame rocked through him, and more his thoughts echoed through the memory. Thoughts of regret that betrayed him, slowly poisoning him, taking away his very will to live.
He and Rose never got to make their mating bond a reality and get married, he never would get to live his life with Rose, grow old with her, and experience life through her eyes, smile and laughter. Never again would he feel the warm touch of her hand in his claw when he reached out to her, beckoning for her to trust him and take his hand… which she did every time. Never again would he feel his heart melt over that experience… for he no longer had a heart.
He would never again see her stunningly beautiful smile, hear her song-like laughter, nor would he ever see the light that he loved so much about her shine. He would never again feel her soul within his- and instantly he felt lost without her. She was the other half of him, and now that she was gone, he was fully gone. Yet still alive, still breathing.
He sobbed even harder, roared even louder and held onto her, but the thoughts kept coming of all that he would be forced to endure with her gone.
Never again would he see her bright and beautiful hazel eyes as they were… not the empty, glassy eyes that stared back at him… never would he feel her warm, beautifully sacred body against his, or experience the deep love of mating that he had been longing to dive into for so long with her. Never again would he be able to receive her touch, whether it be a hug or her holding his claw, or when it was more intimate. Never would he feel her naked body against his, or feel the way her hands would caress his beak, not caring that it was different than hers, or her soft hands touching his chest, his arms, his abdomen… with so much reverence, respect and love.
Never would he get to hear his name falling off her beautiful pink lips as they became one…
"NO! ROSE, NOOOOO!" Brooklyn roared out loud again, louder, more raw- his voice almost gone, but the damning thoughts kept coming, shredding the remaining parts of his blackened soul.
'Oh God… no please… not her…' He begged in his mind. Her lips… the ones he truly never kissed enough to make this moment bearable, nothing was bearable right now.
She was gone. Dead. His mate was dead.
Even though they weren't married yet, she was his mate… his life… his very purpose in life. And now that was gone, the light bond shared between them black and empty. Never again would he be able to live, or let his heart love, ever again. He had nothing to give to anything or anyone else, like he gave to her. His heart was broken, dead, gone. A flutter of wings was heard from somewhere far behind him, and he knew the Clan had heard his unearthly screams and roars of grief, and were coming.
He closed his eyes, pulled Rose's body to him and cried into her soaking wet hair.
Then, for one wild moment before he was joined by his family, as he held Rose against him and looked over her shoulders, he saw something small, shiny and sharp on the ground near Kevin's dead body, and more than anything… he longed to go over and take hold of it. The shiny knife was like his new beacon of light like Rose once was for his soul, and he was suddenly drawn to it. He craved to feel it pierce his skin. He wanted to plunge the nearby knife straight into his broken heart and end it all. All of the pain. The thoughts. What he wouldn't have anymore…
However, whether by an answer to a prayer or cruel fate, the thought was pushed back as the Clan landed near him… each of their faces and howls shrieking with shock and grief. He didn't want to share this with them, he didn't want them to see him like this- but he couldn't say anything. He didn't feel anything as Goliath's wings drooped, his claws outstretched for him, horror on his face.
"Brooklyn!" he gasped, falling to his knees next to him and held onto him as he held onto Rose. Brooklyn couldn't feel Goliath's claws around his skin, and longed to rip into his leader, scream, and hurt him as much as he was hurting. Not for anything he did, but because he was the closest being to him.
"There's no words I can say, other than… I'm so sorry!"
'Don't-' Brooklyn's mind pleaded, a fresh grief filling his soul as he sobbed into Rose's hair. 'Please Goliath, just leave me here to die. I have failed her and I will fail you... just leave me... '
But again, no words could seem to leave his mouth. Goliath continued to hold and cry with him, and all around him the Clan, with Akira the closest, were all sobbing. Hudson drew out his sword, placed its tip down on the cobblestone ground and sank to one knee; giving Rose his utmost honor as a fellow warrior.
"Oh lass…" was all the old one could say through his own tears, but Brooklyn could only look at his sword. How easy it would be to knock Hudson down, take that sword and plunge it through him. It was much closer than the knife was, much bigger… more durable and capable of causing enough damage to his thicker skin.
Hatred, that's all he felt for himself. He would hate himself for the rest of his life if he lived on without her. She wanted to live life, she never wanted to die, except for back when he saved her from her death at the Brooklyn Bridge. She was willing to jump to escape from Kevin and the pain he inflicted upon her daily… and now he understood what she was feeling.
He was willing to stab himself to death to be free of this pain of losing her, but was hesitating. Here, his Clan, his family was surrounding him… they loved him. They cared for him.
But not as much as Rose did.
'Oh God…'
Brooklyn held onto her body tighter, when Goliath suddenly whispered, "I wish there was something we could do to bring her back…"
His words sank down into Brooklyn's body, slowly, but deeper, and then suddenly his body jolted with a familiar feeling. A light deep within his soul, one that was so familiar, so very familiar. It was almost as if…
'No, it couldn't be...' He thought, but again, he felt it. A pull on his soul, a light that seemed to speak deeply to him and in it he heard her voice.
Rose's voice. So soft, so sweet, so loving seemed to say, 'I'm here… can't you feel me? I'm here…'
Brooklyn gasped, stopped sobbing and suddenly looked down into her wide open eyes. No, she was still dead… but that voice…
Again, he felt it pulling on him, getting his every attention, and then he remembered all of the times that their connection flowed between them and made their souls one. He realized that he could heal her from her wounds… and right as he thought that, the light pulled again.
'I'm here.'
Just then, light filled his entire being- his lungs could breathe again, his heart was pounding in his chest and he started to feel reality around him.
"There's… is still something I can try…" was the only thing Brooklyn had been able to say out loud, and as he searched her empty eyes, but felt the incredible light within him, he knew he had to try. Anything to bring her back to him. He closed his eyes, sat up a bit, and gently touched his claw down upon her chest, willing every single fiber of his being and soul to bring that light out of his own and back into the body that he held.
The connection he was so familiar and in love with filled his being, stronger than he ever felt before, and hot-liquid like sensations poured out of him and into her; and the whole time, he prayed to his only hope. His only salvation for her to come back.
'Save her please.' He begged in his mind as he gave everything he had to her, to their connection. 'Whatever you are, whatever this power is, please save her! Let her wounds heal, let her heart beat again, I love her! I'll give everything I have to her. Please work- please save her!'
And they knew what happened next… what vision they both saw of each other… moments before he returned her soul back to her body, and she gave her first breath of life once again.
Rose gasped in a breath of air when he released her from his mind and memories, then unable to catch her, she crumbled and fell down to the ground at his feet, gasping, sobbing, and felt like she had been drowning in his pain; and instantly Brooklyn lowered himself to the ground with her, watching her with such distress, it made her feel worse. Her magic acted like a shield during their sharing of memories, which allowed them to communicate so effectively, she was sure, but then slowly faded.
On the ground she felt like vomiting again, her stomach was clenching and churning violently, but there wasn't anything left inside of her to vomit. All of those horrible images and his gut-wrenching thoughts shot through her like a bullet, creating physical pain that she hadn't felt in some time. She wasn't there for any of that, but part of her remembered being inside of him… part of it felt familiar, but she still never knew how bad it truly was. Never realized how deeply he felt for her, how much he grieved to the point where he wanted to kill himself to be with her again, and not feel that pain anymore.
Rose held onto herself, sobbing harder and instantly Brooklyn wrapped his arms and wings around her body, crushing himself to her. When she looked up, he too was fully crying now, sobbing with her. The pain was so real in his eyes, and finally she understood why he was so protective of her. She understood, and never truly knew how much she meant to him.
He wrapped his arms around her, leaned forward and kissed her forehead; holding the back of her head with his claw.
"I'm sorry." He bawled. "Baby... I'm so sorry! I had to show you… I'm sorry for giving you this pain."
"No." Rose managed to gasp out through her tears, holding onto him so tightly she took her own breath away. "No, I'm glad you did… because now I understand. I… I'm so sorry for what I've put you through. I… I love you so much!"
"I love you too. Truly… with everything I am. My love for you can not be described, cannot be contained." He breathed against her hair. "But now you know. I truly can't lose you, Rose. I'm not strong enough to endure it. And when… when I held your body after you crashed my bike…" he paused, closed his eyes and sobbed into her hair, his body shaking violently. "It was too much for me, too have your nightmares… but those images are mine. Every single damn day when I sleep and I can't escape them until the sun goes down, I see… I see your face. Your… empty eyes. That is why some nights, when I roar awake, I literally am screaming my head off and the first thing I do is come and find you. Hold, kiss you and feel your heart against my chest. Only then, can I finally relax. I can breathe knowing that you are breathing as well, that you're happy and that you're mine."
"I had no idea they were that bad." Rose breathed, pulling back to look into his eyes. "I had no idea that my death was enough that you were going to…"
She couldn't say it, it was too awful. Her death was horrible, yes, but the thought that he was moments away from plunging Hudson's sword into himself, was unfathomable. And now with Kevin alive again, this nightmare could very well be repeated. They had even more to be afraid of if he succeeded in killing her again or if he killed Brooklyn, she wasn't sure if she was strong enough either.
"I never wanted you to worry about me, and you still don't need to worry." He whispered in her hair.
"Promise?" Was all she could muster in his hair. "Promise you won't ever take yourself away from me?"
"I promise." He breathed, taking her face back into his claws. "I'll never take myself from you Rose, never. As... as long as your heart is still beating and lungs breathing... I will always be here. I will be just fine. I'm truly fine."
She searched his mind, feelings and intentions and knew he was telling the truth. She didn't like it, especially because she was still a mortal and would die sometime... but she would take it for now. Relaxing a bit more, she eased back into his hold, and he stroked her hair in comfort.
"I never told you any of this for the same reason that you never wanted me to know that you were being haunted by your own memories and being chased around by the Draugr, or worry about it. But it's no excuse for not being honest with each other, and I'm sorry."
"Me too." Rose sniffed. "I never wanted you to worry... because... we already had endured so much."
"I know." He replied, still caressing her long hair and holding her close. "I think that's why we were both so willing to blind ourselves from the hurt and the pain of our pasts, both unwilling to discuss it because of how painful it was, in the attempt to further protect each other." He paused and then chuckled darkly. "We put our blinders on and just wanted to focus on our marriage, which isn't a bad thing and I'm guilty of it too, but it's bad when there was important things to discuss that will help us grow together and not hold us down. I wanted to focus on you, your smile, your laughter, our happiness, our marriage, and the light in your eyes. But… then once you told me about the Draugr's and everything else has happened… the memories of that night have been haunting me even worse now. To the point where I am overprotective and on the verge of a panic attack, like I was just now with you… I'm sorry. But now that he's back… I feel like I'm about to lose my mind."
Rose pulled away from him, cupped his beak and nodded her head.
"I understand... so please, you don't need to apologize for anything." She whispered. "I understand why you want me safe…" she paused. "But… it still doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to run anymore. I will fight him, my love, as I always have. With that, I will protect you from him when you're vulnerable, as you protect me, and together we will beat him again."
"I know we will, but I can't help but still be so scared for you." He gasped out. "I relive that moment on the platform often in my dreams every time I fall asleep, Rose, and it's a nightmare I feel I can't wake up from. I am forced to relive when I held you in my arms, saw the light leave your eyes and soul leave mine… when our bond fade into blackness… when I physically felt you die and leave me completely and utterly alone." She wanted to stop him, but he kept going, his voice shaking and cracking. "When you died, my soul and heart died with you… only my body left to numbly roam this Earth like a Draugr. Unfeeling… and cursed… just waiting to die."
Rose stared at him in horror, and couldn't bear to see him in this much pain. She blamed herself for this and their inability to speak about their torments they've both experienced because of her habit of holding things in. And now, because of it, this pain they both were experiencing was nothing short of being detrimental to their relationship and health. He had been living with so much horror within him, and she within herself for so long. While their love burst through those walls of black smoke like the sun when they were around each other, it didn't take away the fear that was eating at them both when they were alone. The fear of losing each other.
All this time… all of these months… he had been suffering, as she had. But both were so afraid and stubborn to admit their weakness, both so afraid to go back to that awful place and risk losing what happiness they had. Both had not fully trusted in each other as they should have, and didn't' realize it. Her thoughts pulsed through his, and his through her… and both held each other and actively cried again, both apologizing to each other.
Rose hugged him close to her, kissing the side of his face and kissing his salty tears away, as his face dug in her shoulders. His claws were on her back and grabbed at her dress. Their breathing ragged out of sheer pain and vulnerability.
"I'm sorry!" Rose breathed in his hair, crying. "Brooklyn, my love, my sweet husband and mate... I'm so sorry! I had no idea! We should have both discussed this a lot sooner… about that night. About what is coming now for us. He's back, and we need to be ready to face him again."
"I'm so sorry too, and I agree." Brooklyn mumbled through his own tears, rubbing her back and crushing her body against his. "I've been such a hypocrite. When you opened up and told me about the Draugr attacking you a month ago, and how you never told me anything for four months, I was so angry that you didn't. But in reality, I was just as bad by not telling you about what I was being plagued with every day, during my own sleep, for the same reasons you hid yours from mine. You were being haunted by your own nightmares, your own PTSD, and I didn't know how to help you… because I didn't know how to help myself."
Rose pulled away from, grasped his beak and offered him a small smile.
"We haven't faced these emotional scars because we wanted to protect each other, when in fact, we need to face them together. You lost me… and I lost you. This vicious cycle has been poisoning us… and while we've shared everything good and bad with each other, it's time that we completely and totally trusted each other to handle the past. Handle what he did to us… because now that he's back, we have to be unified in our strength. That's the only way we'll win is if we are in this together."
"I know." Brooklyn breathed, his entire body shaking in rage again by the pain Kevin brought them both. "I just… I just am terrified, Rose. I can't lose you again… some nights I can barely breathe when I think about that night… your empty eyes…"
"You won't lose me." She breathed back, stopping him from describing it again, then grabbed onto his beak and stared deeply into his eyes.
"I give you this promise, right now. Okay? I will fight… we will fight him! He's taken away so much from me already… and now that I've experienced so many beautiful nights with you and know what I can lose if he wins… it's unfathomable and unbearable to think about. Brooklyn…" She paused, and then felt more strength pulse through her like never before. "I had nothing to fight for except for my own life before I met you… but I now have an entire family, friends, our bond and love to fight for. Now, because I have so much more to protect, I refuse to let him control my life with fear like he did before nor let him take you away from me. I'm no longer afraid of Kevin, but it's him who should now be afraid… of me."
Brooklyn stared back at her for a few seconds in great intensity, but then as he saw the strength and power in her eyes, as well as the magic that was flowing between them, the strength of their bond and connection… the strength of their love. She was right, as long as they did this together, Kevin didn't truly understand what love was or how powerful it could be.
"Of us." He whispered with a dark smile. "He should be afraid of us."
"Damn straight." She replied, a smile spreading on her face now as well. "He's going to wish that he stayed in his grave."
Brooklyn caressed a talon over her beautiful face, but looked worried still. Seeing the same darkness within her soul that was in him just moments ago, but sensing that her dark side was feeding upon it as if it was starving, unnerved him greatly. He was her light, she was his, but as she stared into his eyes with such dark intensity, he felt like he needed to protect her from herself; from that darkness that was screaming to come out.
"Rose…" Brooklyn whispered, holding her tightly to him. "Now that we are being completely honest with each other. I… gotta tell you that… while I admire you for your strength and resolve, I am worried for your soul and the darkness that lingers there."
"Why?" She was stunned by his change of topic, especially with what she saw and how much pain Kevin put him through.
"You have every reason to hate Kevin, and trust me, I hate him too; but please my love… don't let that darkness consume you. That's what Hela and him want. They want this darkness to consume your soul to snuff out the light that I love so much about you. Don't let them win by giving into it. Be mindful of that part of you that has been hunted and sought out."
With his words, she felt the darkness awakened in her soul jump and hiss back, as if he was speaking blasphemy, words so cruel and evil. The darkness was just as much a part of her that the light was, but she understood his worries, because they were hers as well.
"Okay." She whispered. "I will."
Brooklyn smiled in relief at her, but then quickly looked up over at the window in their bedroom with panicked eyes. He cussed under his breath, stood up, and then glanced back down at her.
"Rose-" But his rushed words were frozen as the sun suddenly peaked over the horizon, and his entire body was encompassed in a hard stone layer. Against his will, he was now frozen in a stone sleep.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say much more to him about how wonderful tonight was- before this moment of madness- how much she wanted to go back to when it was just him and her back on the star-kissed cliff. When it was just her, him, and their love. Their love and screams of releases reached the stars and the stars answered back by giving them the most beautiful night in all history. He planned all of that for her, named a star after her, made love to her so fine and complete… it healed every wound she's ever had in her heart and soul. He made her feel completely alive again, and for that, she was forever his.
But now, it was over, those moments will forever be linked to this new moment of horror. Kevin was back. He had been in their house, and was like a ghost in their life. Watching, waiting, calculating and following them everywhere. Haunting their love with his own insanity and demonic pleasures. Tears welled up in her eyes as she was left alone, yet again. She stood up and faced him.
His face was frozen in a panic, as if there was so much more he wanted to say about what they both shared with each other, but she knew what was in his heart.
They shared a lot with each other, opened up all of their emotional wounds and overcame a great deal just now, but never did she feel closer to him. Again, a new level of love and intimacy unlocked, and even though it was painful, she was thankful for it. She reached out to touch his beak, and her magic flowed suddenly from her hands as she willed herself to hear what he was trying to tell her. Upon touching his stone skin, his voice whispered in her mind and she quickly realized that they were his remaining thoughts which waved through her magic and into her own mind like an echo.
Be safe, be well… I love you more than anything.
Sniffling, she gently pulled her hands from his stone ones as her magic faded then placed a gentle kiss on his beak and whispered, "I know. I will be safe, I love you too, so much."
Minutes passed as the sun pulsed brighter through the closed window, broken sky light, and she couldn't seem to move an inch. Tears fell down her face, and she was unable to help herself anymore; his memories were haunting her now, but not over her death, but the pain he endured, the thoughts of killing himself...
She slid past his outstretched claws and carefully wrapped her arms around his frozen form; holding onto him, needing any form of comfort still, needing him to know that she was there if he was being plagued with them again. She didn't want him to endure those memories all by himself ever again.
She pressed her magical hands into his back and whispered, "I'm here… rest well. I love you so much… I'm safe."
Unsure if her thoughts reached through his stone form, she continued to hold onto him and silently cried. The truth was that she was scared knowing Kevin was back, and that fear was enough to make her feel faint or want to vomit again. She was scared of his return, and that fear fed into her utmost rage at him, which in turn, turned back into greater fear. Rose trembled against Brooklyn's stone form and silently cried, thinking about all that could go wrong. Which to her, was everything. With him back and hungry for hers and Brooklyn's destruction the biggest thing that she was terrified of the most was not her death, as Brooklyn was scared of, but the fact that she had so much more at stake. So much more for her to lose and for Kevin to take away if he got the chance again.
The fear of losing Brooklyn, the Clan, Emily, Katie, Chris and Elisa, felt like bait that Kevin was dangling in front of her face. Taunting and mocking her as if saying, 'Look at what I've been capable of doing to your weak minds since dying? How much I've been able to haunt you and your precious mate's minds? And now you have so much more to lose. Is fighting against me worth their deaths? Will their sacrifices to protect you be worth the pain and bloodshed? Wouldn't it be so much easier to just… give up? Give into me? You're mine … not his.'
Silent tears fell down her face and dripped onto Brooklyn's stone shoulder. He wasn't here to comfort her and Kevin wasn't there… but his ghost felt near to her and seemed to poison her mind with the same stupid fears that he always instilled in her. It came from his mind, or hers, she didn't know, but all of the old trauma seemed to flow back into her mind, unwillingly.
She remembered how small and worthless Kevin would make her feel, how his disgusting hands felt on her body when he wanted to claim her as his, how quickly he would snap from a lustful monster then into a violent one. She was nothing but eye candy for his associates, then a punching bag or plaything within closed walls. She was just a female body to use and abuse at his pleasure, then a piece of trash for his disposal. When he wasn't screwing around with other women, he was screwing with her.
Kevin never did anything kind, selfless, romantic or thoughtful like Brooklyn did. He never respected, loved or cherished her. She was his property and that was it, and now it seemed that even death couldn't hold back his lust for power and control over her. His rage and evil intentions shook the chains of death right off of him- and even though she knew he didn't do this alone- he was in control of this next step. Rose had a feeling that she would soon see his rotting face again, but he wouldn't be alone. The Draugr would be quickly behind him, just like in her vision nightmare a few weeks ago.
He was coming for her… she didn't know when or how he would… but he was coming. It was inevitable. And when he did, this time, she didn't know if she, Brooklyn and the Clan would be strong enough to take him down a second time.
As much as she hated to admit it, Kevin was a very cunning, strong, and smart man, one that learned very quickly from his mistakes and would swiftly and mercilessly attack in different ways, different angles until he succeeded. So much so, it was as if he had never truly been a human. It was if he had the powers of Hel and the Underworld always working with and helping him destroy the light within her soul.
Now, with the Draugr involved and working with him… her life truly was a ticking time bomb and would soon be over. Perhaps this was why Puck couldn't see her future a few weeks ago when all of these issues came to show its ugly face. Maybe she didn't have a future at all, thanks to her ex-husband. Perhaps those feelings she felt daily, when she was still married and living with him, that her death was inevitable must have always been true. Even before she knew she wasn't fully a Human, her gut always told her she was going to die soon. And she had always trusted her gut first and foremost.
More tears flowed down her face, she closed her eyes and held onto her statue husband harder, willing those thoughts away as he would do for her. He would stop her from spiraling and remind her about the bright vision they once had back in the Hospital when he first healed her, after Kevin's attack on Christmas. The future that he was sure was theirs and bet his entire life on, even with the fear of losing her again. The one where they were somehow able to both be out during sunset, without him being stone. They were watching the ocean crash against the beach as various children's voices and the sound of Gargoyle beasts were playing and yelling out happily all around them.
She longed for that to be true… for that 'happily ever after' to belong to them. However, at this moment, she wasn't sure how it was possible. The darkness that was on her heels, drooling and viciously hungry for her death and fall was now breathing down her neck.
The other thing that also scared her about this whole situation, that he was also nervous about, was the darkness lingering inside of her. She apparently was Hela and Demetrius' daughter (the Third Race Gods of Death) and they were most likely behind all of this madness. The pure, unbridled amount of dark power that awakened in her heart and soul the minute she let it weeks ago, has been building up inside of her, calling her home, and it scared her more than anything.
They've happened in small moments; back when her magic first awakened back in November- to now when she was recently possessed during the storm, during Puck's lesson, when she attacked the grave security guard, Ricky, trying to force him to talk… and now… when Kevin dangled his control over her in her own home, in front of her mate. The dark power, mixed with hatred for her ex-husband, abuser and tormentor felt so good to her, yet so evil, and that was horrifying for her to feel.
Even though her mind felt clearer, magic felt stronger, she knew where it came from. She had the powers of Hel, and that was not something that she wished to have, nor was that someone she wanted to be. The only good thing about feeling her powers so strongly, were that they made her feel like she was a true warrior- one who wasn't afraid of Kevin. One that was capable of delivering his unmerciful death, swift and easily, and end his undead existence, instead of letting him play anymore games with her mind. This power made her feel like she was in control of her mind, body and soul; and didn't have to answer to him.
Her light bond to Brooklyn only strengthened her, and never once did she feel burdened or held down by him, but he was scared of her dark side. Worried for her constantly… and while it was tiresome, she was torn on how she felt about it. Part of her longed to be protected, but the other half of her wished to master both magicks and make the ultimate decision for herself on who she longed to be. Puck said her magic was a choice… but she wondered if there was a possibility to find a happy medium in her magic, a compromised ground… not evil, but not all light, but living in the balance between the two parts of her soul.
Her tears had slowed and she felt better. Lifting her head up again she looked into Brooklyn's stone eyes and could see the worry, the panic, and she longed to take that burden from him. Longed to take this burden away from them both. Sighing, she kissed him gently again on his hardened, cold beak and then carefully slid her body out of those outstretched arms. She walked over to her bathroom sink, reached her hands out and rested down upon them, looking at herself in the mirror.
She hadn't managed to really keep food down lately, and with all the nights that she stayed up with him or the Clan, or was working during the day with her two jobs, though she was beautiful- the exhaustion, sickness, anxiety, and worry was beginning to take its toll on her. She had lost even more weight- which for her- wasn't a good sign. She was always skinny but blessed with curvy hips and a full chest, but she could begin to see her ribs more prevalent than before, her collar bone sticking out more than it should.
Sighing, she closed her bloodshot eyes, rinsed off all the smudged makeup off her face, brushed her teeth and already felt a lot better by getting everything off her face and her mouth feeling fresh again. Her lightly tanned skin was pale again, but she could see the freckles that softly kissed her cheeks. Her full, soft, pink lips and her bright hazel eyes under her dark brown lashes. Thinking that a bath would do her some good, she turned around and waved her hand in the air, willing the shattered pieces of glass to be picked up from the ground and returned to the skylight, all intact once again.
Light, smoke-like red magic came out of her hands and instantly the glass did just as she wished. It lifted up in every tiny or large speck, lifted up like reverse rain, and attached itself back to the ceiling. Nodding at herself, and feeling extra proud of her growing abilities, she shut the door to the bathroom, locked it, and with another wave; she placed a barrier and shield in front of it, and then willed the barrier to shoot around the walls and ceiling of the bathroom. Keeping herself and Brooklyn protected within. The walls and ceiling shimmered with a red hue, and again, she felt very proud of herself knowing it worked. When she felt safe again, she walked over to the bathtub, turned on the warm water and let the bowl begin to fill.
Shredding her dress off, she walked over to the mirror in just her underwear and stood in front of it, gazing at her own body and naked chest. Overall, she wasn't getting too skeletal, but it was something she needed to start paying attention to. The nausea and sickness needed to go away- she had promised Brooklyn that she would contact Dr. Sato today regarding it, and with his words telling her, Be safe, be well… she knew that's what he meant. He wanted for her to seek out medical care for her continued illness that wasn't letting up, and as annoying as it was, and decided it was probably for the best.
Rose grabbed a brush and began to brush out the snarls in her loosely curled, waist-long deep red and brunette hair. She continued to think about what sickness was ailing her, and even now, without anything more to throw up- she felt a pang of nausea still hovering and building up within her stomach and groaned out loud. She set the brush back down, tossed her long hair behind her back and stared at herself in the mirror, wondering what was happening, why everything was happening… and what she could do about it. Just then, another weird shot of sensation flowing through her body and limbs from her abdomen. It was so soft, yet so electrified that it made her jump. However again, as quickly as it came, it was now gone.
Rose gasped, blinked and gently touched a hand to her naked stomach. Then she realized something that she had never seen before, as she's never paid much attention to it before now. It was so subtle, a change so small that not even Brooklyn would notice, but she noticed and saw the change.
With sunlight pouring in her frosted bathroom windows, she saw the difference. Her body had been slowly losing weight these past few weeks, however, her stomach wasn't as flat as she thought it was, and wasn't sinking in with the rest of her. Turning to the side, she truly began to see it, and if Brooklyn were awake right now… he would see it too. Her stomach, though still flat, had begun to poke out just a little bit near the bottom of her hips. Amazed, she kept touching it and more than ever, that brick she felt in her stomach wasn't an illness at all, it was her actual stomach.
It was hard, but not painful to touch.
Her eyes widened, and she knew what was going on. Ignoring her shields, and the running water, or the fact that she was naked from her panties up, she raced out of her bathroom and grabbed the phone off the jack next to her bedside table. Bringing the phone back inside the bathroom with her, and shutting the door with it resealing herself, she called Dr. Sato and asked for an at-home physical. She didn't want to get him involved, but she needed a real doctor to tell her the news. The only other doctor she knew was Samuel, but she didn't want him involved either.
She spoke quickly with him, and when he agreed to meet at her house within an hour, she hung up and then dialed the other number she knew by heart. A few rings vibrated in her ear before her voice answered, still sounding like she had been sleeping.
"Hello?"
"Em, it's Rose. Sorry to wake you… but… are you busy today?"
"No, I'm not."
"Do you... do you wanna come hang out?"
"Sure." She yawned. "That sounds like fun. But um... is everything okay? You sound upset…"
"Let's just say…" Rose whispered, more tears springing into her eyes as she stared at herself sideways in the mirror. "It's been a very long and dramatic night, one that ended in a terrible way."
"What's going on? Do you need me to come over right now?"
"I…" Rose began to say then stopped. "Yes, please. I'll tell you everything in person when you get here."
"Okay." Emily said. "Chris has to work, so I'll have Katie with me. Is that okay?"
Rose opened her mouth to tell her that it wasn't, but she would protect them if Kevin did dare to show his face in broad daylight. So, closing her mouth she nodded and said, "Of course. Bring her by."
"Okay. I'll be there around eleven, is that alright? I have to get her up, feed her breakfast and all that."
"Yes, thank you, that sounds fine." Rose said through tear-filled eyes, paused, and gently touched her stomach. "And uh… when you come… do you think you can… bring those pregnancy tests with you?"
Silence, then, "Sure... um... what's going on?"
"I think you were right, Em." Rose whispered in the phone, admitting what she knew for some time now, but was now far enough along to truly suspect it.
If she was right, then there was another very difficult conversation that she needed to have with Brooklyn, some great joy to share… as well as great fear. With everything that was going on, it was terrifying to think about what she would lose if she lost to Kevin again. The stakes were now the highest they've been, and Brooklyn would be an ever greater mess of worrying himself over her safety… and now for the soul living within her.
Their shared creation that was an impossible feat for most... but not them. For with the power of their love, nothing was impossible.
She trembled as the words left her mouth.
"I think… I think I'm pregnant."