Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. I ended up with an emergency hospitalization in March and have spent the past months seeing specialists. The pain makes it hard to sleep more than 4 hours a night at best, so my creativity side has plummeted. Gonna give this a shot cuz I need a distraction and readers are asking for updates. :)

"Get up!"

Something shook her shoulder hard. Rubbing her eyes, it took a moment to see anything in the middle of the night until Sleet flipped on the firefly lantern.

"Silver, get up!" He whipped on clothes and his weapons holster. "I smell Alamur. They must be using the cloak of night for their attack."

Jumping up, she pulled on a new dress that would hide the small baby bump. "Can you smell how close?"

"No, but they have to be in or nearly in Pixie Hollow." Sleet slid his sword into the holster and then held out a hand to her, his pupils already slits surrounded by pools of red. "I'll leave you with Lord Milori—"

"No! You agreed that you'd stay near me in case the Creatures—"

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her through the cabin to the front door. "Every Alamur is here to hunt me. You're not going to be within range." Before she had a chance to respond, he stepped out the door and blew an acorn. The air slowly filled with Bright Fairy glows as soldiers headed for the beach that would be the battlefield.

Then he turned in the doorway and cradled her cheek while his other hand rested on her belly. "I love you. Promise that you'll keep yourself and the baby safe."

Her hands cupped over his. "I'm not going to be killed and you won't get captured. Promise you won't do something heroic. I can't lose you."

His mouth crushed down on hers with the love of a thousand years, and warmth flooded through her glow as his heart pressed to hers. There was so much fear in his glow around her heart, but it slowly suffocated, as if he knew the Alamur would feed on it to find him.

Her eyes fluttered open when he broke the kiss, just in time to see him shoot into the skies and then blur away, creating a clap of thunder.

Seconds later, Lord Milori landed with Blizzard. "Silvermist! You're riding with me to save all your energy and dust for as long as possible!"

When they arrived at the beach, soldiers already had the Creatures' cages at the ready for war.

Her heart stopped upon spotting Sleet darting around the cages, riling the bloodthirst of the Creatures. They still had the coal powder dusting their skin to be visible to Bright Fairies, their skeleton-like arms swiping between the cage bars as their hideous talons tried to shred Sleet.

"Alright, go as high in the clouds as you can. I'll blow Blizzard's acorn whistle once we can see them," Lord Milori said with Blizzard hovering over the edge of the ocean.

With one last look back, her eyes searched for Sleet.

"He has to lead them out," reminded Lord Milori.

Turning her head out to sea, the moonlight glinted faintly enough to see something black shoot out to sea, skimming the surface. "No! This wasn't our plan! He's heading right for the Alamur!"

A strong hand squeezed her knee. "It's the only way to lure out the Creatures toward them. And it was the only way I knew how to get you close enough to protect him without him knowing. He wouldn't have agreed otherwise."

Her eyes widened as it all made sense. She was to still hide in the clouds, but follow Sleet from above to protect him from the Creatures. Sleet would use the cover of the night sky to hide from the Alamur—he'd be up in the clouds with her.

"Be careful, Silvermist."

She dove off the side and flung her wings out, rapidly climbing so her white wings wouldn't stand out. Once in the cloak of the clouds, she threw up pixie dust onto her wings and tore out to sea to catch up to Sleet. Just as the whistle blew that the Alamur were spotted.

The sickening stench of sugar and blood of the Alamur burned his nostrils a split instant before his Alamur eyes spotted a black swarm coming closer. Making a hard pivot into the sky, something brushed against his leg and, suddenly, every sense sharpened almost painfully hard. It had to be a Creature. Whipping his head around, he flapped faster. There—a Creature followed less than a length behind. It opened its giant mouth to reveal hideous fangs eager to sink into flesh. A claw pulled back, close enough that there was no chance of escaping.

Screams filled the air. Creatures must've reached the Alamur.

Something slammed from the right the moment a bony hand brushed his ankle.

The hit was so hard that it knocked out air and stunned for an instant. Small arms fought to hold him as massive white wings flapped with powerful strokes to climb higher.

"Hold on! You're too heavy!"

He wrapped his arms and legs around Silvermist, unable to use his wings with how she held on. His heart still pounded and he caught her glance at him.

"Trust me!" Without waiting for an answer, she flew parallel to the ocean and started to flap faster and pick up speed.

Tipping his head back to look where she headed, his breath caught. "No! Silver, it's a herd of Creatures!" She was going to fly right through the middle of them.

"Hold on!" Her wings suddenly enclosed, trapping them in darkness as she twisted into a barrel roll to shoot through like a bullet.

Every muscle tensed to pull her as close as possible and use his body to protect her if a Creature tried to swipe through her wings.

Creatures' screams filled the air, and she didn't flinch, as if the demons moved out of her way.

When her wings opened, she rode the whipping wind to slow as they angled toward the beach. The Bright Fairy army stood armed and ready to attack any Alamur that made it past the Creature barricade.

Bright Fairies' glows and dark specs of Alamur in hand-to-hand combat dotted the skies over the ocean in the faint glow of morning. There was no possibility of Silvermist using the ocean to drown the Alamur, as planned. She'd been distracted coming after him and had lost her opportunity. Thankfully there was no longer a risk of the Darkness overwhelming her by drowning an entire army of Alamur, but the Bright Fairies now were caught in a war that they couldn't win, even with the Creatures snatching Alamur from the air.

Being this close to Silvermist put her at too much risk of being slain by an Alamur trying to assassinate him. Shoving away from her, he dropped down and hovered with one last glance.

Her eyes widened, as if afraid of it being the last moment together.

Please, he mouthed. Fighting a battle with her and the baby here were nothing but a distraction that also fed the fear that she'd be discovered and killed.

She raised her arms and shot up toward the clouds, planning something but doing so from a safe distance.

A battle cry came from the left. Whipping around, he clashed swords with an Alamur, Psycho. Thrust, parry. This Alamur had been born years younger, but he was ruthless, unpredictable, and vile, living up to his name well. Sweat trickled in the rapid battle against this monster who always beat his opponent.

One moment. Just find the one moment to slay him. Instinct screamed to turn just as Psycho's dagger slashed at his throat. Shooting to the side, an Alamur from behind thrust a sword right through Psycho's chest. The one moment of shock was enough to cut down this second attacker. Both Alamur fell into the sea.

Sight sharpened. Undetectable sounds suddenly roared. The scent of Bright Fairy sugar in the air created a madness to kill. Complete Alamur instincts slammed full force, like they hadn't in centuries. Something in Silvermist's glow around his heart began to create a frenzy, only it wasn't to attack a female—it was to protect Silvermist with a mad frenzy. He had to get to her. Every fiber of his being screamed to find Silvermist this instant.

The winds increased and waves grew restless as he zipped through the skies, cutting down Alamur who were about to kill their Bright Fairy opponents.

Buzzing through the battle too fast for Bright Fairies to see, his eyes searched for her blue dress. Faster. Get to her now. His hands shook in a panic to find her. A horrible sense of dread grew.

"Silver!" he screamed, the terror giving a burst of speed to the monsters in the skies. The battle had started less than two minutes ago, but each second of searching for her felt like an hour.

There. She hovered just below the clouds, like a beautiful angel, with her arms slowly raising to control the ocean.

Two Alamur shot up behind and grabbed her beautiful wings to spread wide.

Horror slowed the world and stopped his heart. Using the screams and evil surrounding to surge forward weren't enough to be able to reach her on time. "Nooooo! Silvermist!" He reached out, signaling for her to fly to him. An Alamur flew in his way. He sliced the fairy in half without breaking speed, desperate to reach her.

Shock and terror filled her eyes as she suddenly looked across the battlefield at him. In the next heartbeat, a third Alamur flew up and plunged a dagger into her belly.

"Noooooooooo!" He screamed in pure terror as her pain shredded his glow. And then her glow vanished.

In the next moment, she fell backwards and hurled toward the ocean, her wings billowing up like she was already unconscious or….

She was too far away to catch, falling through the skies like a beautiful dove struck down. And she crashed into the sea that rolled with fury, as if sensing its mistress's fatal injury.

A warrior cry of grief ripped through the skies and he charged forward, chopping down anyone blocking the path to her. One body fell from his sword every one moment.

Blind fury took over as the Prince of Darkness slaughtered his way forward without breaking pace.

Her glow didn't even flicker around his heart. No. Neverland, no, she wasn't dead. His sword parted a head. Stabbed a heart. The Darkness latched on and swarmed inside, feasting on the grief and death of a mate and baby he'd been destined to never have.

The shock and grief slammed like a wall, every sword thrust fueled by a scream of agony as his heart shattered into a million pieces.

The sea raged, as if seeking revenge, and began to shift and sway to build a hurricane.

It was another premonition come true—to be taken prisoner and forced to watch his beautiful Dewdrop and baby rot away before his eyes. Her glow was gone. Tears blurred everything as his chest heaved.

Then he blinked and The King of Horrors hovered in the way, sword and dagger poised. And a smile on that disgusting, scarred face. "I knew if we killed your siren, we'd lure you in, One. Surrender and I'll let you fetch her body."

Every muscle trembled with blinding fury and his nostrils flared with pants like a crazed animal.

He blinked. And held The King's head by the hair in one hand as the body fell into the sea. Raising it up, he slowly turned to face all the Alamur near who stared in shock.

"Enough! I'm your king now!" he screamed, choking the hilt of his sword in the other hand and prepared to assassinate them all. "Drop your weapons! Now!"

It was just enough distraction to stun all the Alamur. Creatures tore through and snatched them. And he soared through in those five seconds to cut down the ones left behind.

Cheers erupted from the Bright Fairy soldiers at the victory.

Grief slowed every heartbeat, losing the will to live.

In the seconds since she'd been gone, he'd become a monster again—now The King of Horrors.

To live without her would be to turn into something too dark and heinous for any land. He closed his wings in a free fall and crashed through the ocean, letting it swallow him up. At least this way, he'd be able to hold her in his arms as he drowned.

The sunrise cast enough light to see something drifting in the black depths. The water push him closer, as if encouraging him to be there to protect her for eternity. But as he swam toward it, a bubble encasing her body became visible. Sugar soaked the belly of her dress.

As he opened his mouth to let out a silent sob and the rest of his air escape, her head turned and she slowly held out a hand.

He stopped in shock. It had to be a hallucination. Her glow couldn't be felt. But the sea shoved him forward to pop the bubble. She floated into his arms and weakly held on.

When the sea started to push him toward the surface, he snapped out of the stupor and used even his wings to take her up.

Breaking through the surface, he kicked hard to keep their heads above water. The sea seemed to help, gently nudging closer to shore. "Milori!" he screamed, unable to fly with wet wings.

"Heart," she breathed, her glow barely flickering as she grew lax.

Her glow. She'd pulled her glow from his so he'd think she was dead and the Alamur would sense his grief—and protect her and the baby from being discovered alive. But she couldn't survive with their glows separated.

Shifting her dead weight in his arms, he pressed his heart to hers and held on tight as it grew hotter. Even as her glow brightened, she remained unconscious.

Lord Milori, Silvermist's friends, and dozens of soldiers crowded the waiting room for hours to hear if Silvermist and the baby were going to survive surgery.

Everyone knew better than to interrupt his endless pacing, much less speak to him.

Queen Clarion emerged from the operating room and held out a hand, concern on her face.

He darted over, distantly aware of Lord Milori following at a distance.

She set a hand on his arm. "They're both alive. The knife missed the baby, but it hit her vital organs. The baby's draining dust from Silvermist too fast, and I'm having trouble keeping up with both of them. Did your Alamur sugar exposure test come back clean?"

He nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat.

"Good. Come." She handed him a surgical mask, pulled hers back up, and grabbed his wrist without waiting.

Gore never bothered an Alamur, but he stopped in his tracks and felt faint upon spotting Silvermist cut open as Spruce and nurses dug inside her.

"Sleet. She needs you." The Queen stepped behind and pushed him toward the table. Silvermist looked so pale and fragile hooked up to a breathing tube, wires, and monitors.

"Captain, she's reacting like the glow connection was severed. Was it?" Spruce barked, the polar opposite of his usual cheery demeanor—a grave omen to Silvermist's condition.

"Yes, I think she did it when she was stabbed so the Alamur would sense my grief, keeping her and the baby safe until I could get to them." His voice sounded strained and weak. His hands shook. "We obviously weren't able to consummate to fully reunite our glows."

Spruce's surgical mask puffed out as he audibly sighed. "That makes my job a whole lot harder. Get your heart against hers. She was stabbed twice, so I'm trying to piece together organs so you can heal her. You are not getting up from her until she's conscious so you can bind glows and then heal her."

He leaned down to press his heart to hers. And stopped as it dawned. "The Darkness."

"What about it?" Spruce didn't look up from his frantic work.

"The baby is half…" he glanced around at the audience of nurses. "The Darkness from the wound is strengthening him, but harming her."

"And as the baby gets stronger, he's draining dust from her," Spruce finished with a curse, his hands moving even faster as the monitors chirped in wild panics. "Sleet, get the Darkness out of the baby. Clarion, you get the Darkness out of him so then he can heal her! Go!"

His wings buzzed in twisted pleasure as one of her arteries squirted sugar onto his wing. He leaned down and held on.

Pain slammed as the Darkness shot from her glow to his. It was a horrific Darkness—one that fed on killing his Silvermist, its power too strong for even an Alamur to survive for long.

"Suction! This liver is bleeding out!" Spruce ordered.

This was a Darkness that claimed any fairy it touched. His knees buckled and hands turned gray. There was no will to breathe, no panic as the Darkness consumed his glow.

The Queen caught his arm. "Milori!" she screamed.

Milori burst through the doors and got under one arm.

"We have to get him in a room where no one will see," she whispered.

As long as he stayed alive, the Darkness wouldn't feed on them. Yet.

They dragged him out and into an exam room. Every muscle grew too lax to protest leaving Silvermist.

"Clarion, he's going unconscious. He's too heavy," Milori panted.

As soon as he was eased onto the floor, the Queen leaned over. "Sleet, how to we get this out? I can feel it killing my dust just being near you." Fear filled her eyes that she was about to lose two fairies.

This Darkness should've killed the baby in an instant. It would be just seconds before it'd claim him.

"Cut my…wing," he gasped, struggling to breathe.

"What?!"

"Suicide," Milori said. "The Darkness needs to think he faded. Spruce can cauterize and transfuse, and you can replenish his dust. Clarion, don't touch him until the last second." He pulled out a dagger and hesitated for a split second. Then he lifted a wing and sliced a very thin, tiny bit off the tip. Sugar gushed.

"Keep me alive long…enough to save…them." Everything grew cold and it was hard to stay awake.

"You're too ornery to fade," Milori retorted as he watch sugar spread over the floor. But his voice quivered. He wouldn't look away from the hemorrhaging, as if willing it to stop at the last moment.

Hearing faded right as the Queen's tearful face faded into blackness.

"My Sleet," a melodious voice beckoned. A light weight laid across him as a soft touch stroked his hair.

Silvermist.

It was too much work to open his eyes, but she held his hand tight. Even breathing was too much effort. A strange noise, as if a grasshopper pumped a machine.

"Keep your heart to his. I'm going to disconnect the ventilator so he doesn't buck it as he gets stronger." It sounded like Spruce. "Ready? His breathing will stop." A tube pulled out of his throat, but he was too weak to even gag.

Machine noise ceased and his chest collapsed as air swooshed out. It took too much effort to draw a breath.

"Sleet, we have to bind our glows." She blew a breath into his chest and pressed her heart to his. She kept still. "I'll give you a breath again if you can't breathe yet." Her fingers rested against the pulse at his neck.

It felt strange to be unable to breathe and not panic. There was no fear in relying on Silvermist for air. His heart began to slow.

She sat up, gave another breath, and then laid her heart to his again. "He's still not breathing."

Her soft lips pressed and gave more life.

"He's extremely weak."

A light flashed in his eye.

"He has pupil reflex. Can you feel his glow yet?"

"No." Her warm skin pressed against his bare chest again.

"Give him a moment. Let's see if he'll breathe on his own as his carbon dioxide builds. Sleet, if you can hear us, we're going to go just forty-five seconds without air."

Her small hands braced against his shoulders, as if ready to pop up and give air at any moment. "It's alright," she promised.

Panic didn't set in as the need to breathe began to set in. Another few seconds, and then instinctual panic did start to grow. But their glows weren't connected for her to feel it. Air. Dewdrop, I need air. But she couldn't hear his silent plea.

"Forty-five is too long," she said. Those glorious lips pressed and blew in two deep puffs.

And then all air cut off, his chest and belly spasming.

"Sleet? Spruce, something's wrong!" She scrambled off.

The Darkness is congregating there as Alamur sugar. It's in my throat. Suction out the dust.

Something cold pressed over his mouth and nose, like a mask. A whoosh of air that didn't go in. "His airway is blocked," Spruce stated and grabbed his chin to hyperextend his neck.

Air. Everything tingles. I can't hear you, Dewdrop.

"His heart rate is dropping," Silvermist said faintly in a panic, her voice fading away.

All sound vanished. Her soft touch was all that remained as suffocation took over. Something cold splashed at the base of his throat. Spruce must be getting ready to cut a hole in the windpipe.

It won't work. You have to suction out the dust.

Soft, small hands set against his chest. And then slammed down.

Dust shot up into his mouth. Something cold jammed down his throat. His chest rose with wonderful air.

"...good. Keep going." Spruce's voice faded back in.

The glow finally grew lukewarm.

"I feel it! Sleet, come on," Silvermist pleaded. She pressed his hand to the tiny swell of the baby and rubbed over his heart. But the glow wouldn't warm up. "Don't leave us. Fight this."

I am. I'll hold on for you.

"Have you heard of this, Silvermist? There's orange dust all over in his mouth. It wasn't there before." It felt like Spruce wiped a finger over his tongue.

It's Creature sugar that got on Alamur and then me as I killed Alamur. Suction it out. It's going to keep trying to reach my heart so it can suffocate my glow. The Darkness was so strong that it activated the Creature sugar.

"It's orange, like the Creatures," she said.

Yes, Silver. Keep thinking.

"If it's some kind of Creature dust, it's going to kill his tissues. The Darkness tries to get to his heart. Where did the dust come from?" Gentle hands cupped his face. "Look. It's slowly trying to go down his throat again. Did it wipe off?"

"Yes, it's not sticking," Spruce replied.

"A bronchial wash to get it out of his lungs?"

Yes!

"It's worth a try."

"His hands are shaking. Sleet, can you move your fingers or open your eyes?" She stroked his cheek.

It's the dust starting to cause hypoxia and muscles are locking up. It's getting harder to breathe. Do the bronchial wash, Silver. It's going to cause a seizure next.

"Do the wash. I'm going to keep trying to strengthen to his glow." She pressed against his heart.

Every muscle suddenly started to twitch, the Creature's torture starting to cause a seizure while the victim is completely aware. Silvermist held on tighter, keeping her heart pressed to his.

Don't let go. My heart can't stop if you don't let go.

A silent scream of agony fell on their deaf ears. Next would come muscle spasms that would break his own bones. Fear took hold that she couldn't feel.

Then a loud crack filled the air and white-hot pain shot through his back. His legs went numb. A broken back and severed spinal cord.

"I think a bone broke," she wept. And held tighter. "I'm right here, Sleet."

Don't let go. I'm so scared, Silver.

And then the glow burned hot and wind burst from her.

His eyes flew open as he gasped in a breath.

Silvermist glowed a blinding white and then dimmed back to normal. She sat up with a brilliant smile. "Sleet?"

Tears of relief flooded as he cupped her face. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "Just sore from surgery, but now we can heal each other."

Spruce listened to his chest for a moment. "Alright, do some healing and then explain to me what the Neverland just happened." He walked out and closed the door.

Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice that he wasn't moving as she settled on his lap. As she started to bind their glows, she pulled back and frowned. "Does it hurt to move?"

"My back hurts. Can you do the work?" He gently touched near her surgical wound.

But she searched his eyes and nervousness filled her glow. "Why can't I feel your pain, then? Sleet?"

Holding her gaze, he calmly stroked her cheek. "I think my back broke. Can—"

Before he could finish speaking, she quickly leaned down to touch her heart to his and bind their glows.

Moments later, she got up and touched his leg. "Can you feel it?"

Fear flashed through her glow. "Come, let me see your wound."

It was healed, but the new scar above her naval, as long as his finger and as wide as two fingers, was raised and lumpy from the evil that created the wound. A very fine scar extended it another finger length where Spruce must've widened the incision to repair her organs.

"I'm fine." She pulled on her dress and pulled the sheet up to his waist. Then she ran to the door.

Spruce entered with her a moment later as he struggled to sit up on the edge of the bed. "Whoa! Captain, don't move! If your back is still broken, you could make it worse." Spruce guided him back down as Silvermist helped move his legs back onto the bed.

"We're going to start with a scan of your spine." Spruce hurried out.

Silvermist quietly wept and rubbed the baby.

"No tears."

Sleet put on a brave face and held out a hand, but the nervousness in his glow betrayed him.

She stepped closer and held his hand. "I'll heal you. Maybe we just need to mate again or longer." He couldn't be paralyzed. Never had it happened to a fairy. He didn't deserve this.

"Dewdrop, stop. We don't even know what's wrong yet. I need you to keep calm, alright?" His Adam's apple bobbed in a hard swallow. "Keep that baby relaxed," he said in a thick voice.

He needed her to keep her head because he was scared.

Pressing a kiss to his brow, she sniffled and then met his eyes. "Whatever happens, we're going to do this together, alright? I love you so much."

Tears filled his eyes and he held her wrist as she cradled his cheek. "Silvermist—"

"No. No matter what's wrong or what might be permanent damage, we are in this together. I'm not leaving you."

His chin quivered and tears rolled down his cheeks. "I can't feel anything."

"That's alright." She sniffled and carefully hugged him. "I love you no matter what."

Spruce came in a few minutes later with a thick medical chart in hand, his face very serious. He held up the films from the bats' echolocation tests. "Right here there's a crack where your vertebrae broke and Silvermist healed it. The problem is when it broke, it probably kinked your spinal cord. For some reason, it didn't heal properly—"

Her hands flew to her mouth. "I did it? I healed him wrong?"

He caught her hand. "You can't heal wrong, dewdrop."

"Right. I don't know why this happened."

"What do we do about it?" He held her hand tighter to brace for the answer.

Spruce lowered the film and slowly met his eyes. "To be honest, I don't know. I've read some about spinal cord injuries in humans, but I've never seen an actual case myself. I can't see anything wrong on these films to fix surgically. The best answer I have is to try physical therapy."

His glow around her heart grew sad. "Physical therapy is for fairies without mates. Let's call it what it is. There's permanent damage, and this is a grasping at straws solution to see if it might work but probably won't."

She looked to Spruce, willing him to deny it.

"I'm afraid so, Captain. I'm so sorry. I'll go to the Mainland and see what research I can do to find some other answers. I do know that with humans, time is of the essence for regaining function. I'm going to start you in physical therapy today. There's one more thing." He glanced at her. "Maybe in private."

Silvermist's hand tightened in his and she met his eyes in concern. "I want to do this with you, but I'll go wait outside, if you want."

He swallowed hard and gave a nod to Spruce.

"You may not have bodily functions. You'll likely need to catheterize—"

"Fucking Neverland," he whispered under his breath, humiliation and anger zinging through his glow. "We'll talk about that later," he snapped. "Just go."

Spruce hesitated.

She pulled up a chair to the side of the bed and held his hand in both of hers. "I'm not going to think anything of it, but if you want to learn on your own, I'm going to ask Spruce to teach me what to do in case you ever need help—"

"Oh, don't you dare," he growled. "I'm not some damn invalid who needs you to—"

"Love you so much that I want to do anything to help you with this?"

He shut his mouth, but a cold glare said what he didn't.

"Sexually—"

"Can we just not?!" Sleet nearly shouted at Spruce and buried his face in his hand.

She stood and set a hand on Sleet's shoulder. "I'll go wait outside."

No sooner did she step out than angry shouting filled the room and Spruce exited with a huge sigh. She blinked. "You were in there for five seconds."

"It's too soon for him to talk about it. See if you can talk him into going to physical therapy this afternoon. I'll be back in a few minutes." He walked away, his shoulders slumped like it weighed heavily on him that he couldn't help Sleet.

A loud bang from inside the room.

She darted in. The bed was empty, with the bed tray toppled over underneath the open window. Running to the window, she leaned out. A fairy in black clothes zipped toward winter. "Sleet!"