The world had come to an incredibly slow crawl for Christopher Kingston the last several hours. He felt every single second pass on as if every tick of a clock was the painful reminder of what he had lost. He would have ordinarily said "they" as he lumped his father, stepmother, stepsisters and even Michael into the group, but he was thinking entirely inwardly now. He was despondent. Unable to say anything. Unable to do anything besides stare out into the void of space. Part of him wished that he was the one who had died and Cameron was there instead. He was the one who had wasted his time and goofed off. He chose to chase after girls instead of the boyhood dream he had once had to be a Champion. That became Michael and Cameron's paths. And the two were too good for him to overcome.

But now it was just him and Michael, both unable to process the loss of the third in their trio. Both saw so much of Jane inside of Cameron that it made them all too protective of a girl who clearly did not need it. Now, Chris knew he had nothing left to remember his mother by besides a laundry list of memories he would soon chalk up to having a lively imagination. His father only showed occasional pain at the reminder of his deceased wife, but was too happy with Shannon and her daughters to care for too long. Chris and Cameron would be quiet and mourn her together if they both felt the need to. Occasionally, Michael would be with them.

Cameron meant far more to him than that, though. She was his sister. A rival, a playmate, a ceaselessly faithful fan and adoring friend. The kind of sister an older brother could only dream of having. A part of who he was would always encompass her. But now he only saw his compass spinning in multiple different directions. Without her, he was completely and utterly lost.

No one could possibly understand what he had lost. And so, no one did. His father remained by the tent that now housed the final physical memories of Cameron Kingston. His stepmother and sisters remained there to comfort him, though Katrina offered to be a shoulder for her stepbrother to cry on. He politely declined and elected to be alone. There was no one he wanted to see. Not his wife, who seemed so dejected at his insistence on being alone. Not his prodigal brother, who was in no position to be able to comfort him. Not a single soul could help him get over this devastating loss.

In his solitude, he recalled the furthest back memories he had. To the times when it was just the three of them and his parents. His fondest memories were the nights they would be tucked into their beds, with his mother singing them to sleep. How his sister would occasionally fuss in her crib, but would stop once his mother's voice began to sing. How he and Michael could sit in complete silence and awe as she sang a lullaby about a Little Wishing Star...

{}

Little Wishing Star

Shining oh so Bright

Give these lambs their dreams

Save them from Extremes

Each and Every Night

Sweep up all their tears

Help them brave their fears

Keep them in the fight

All throughout the night

Little Wishing Star

Always see the light

Never fear the dark

All my love I give

As long as I live

To my lambs I hark

Little Wishing Star

Make their smiles warm

Let the dreams take flight

All throughout the night

Brave life's harshest storm

And when the night ends

And dreams go afar

Let them light my world

Their love so unfurled

Little Wishing Star

{}

And for every child, she gave a special final line. To Cameron, she would say:

Sleep sweet, my precious angel

To Michael:

Sleep sweet, my gentlest angel

She would then always stop by her firstborn last. She would take him up into her arms and shower him with kisses before lowering him into his bed and beaming down at him.

Sleep sweet, by brightest angel

Those were the singular positive memories he had left from any time before Michael's return to Arcana. Any other ones he had would only be burned by what had unfolded since. His journey around Arcana, his first genuine sprout of romantic feelings, even becoming the Pokemon Trainer everyone knew he was capable of being was tainted now that his biggest supporter during all of this was not there for him. In no memory of his past was Cameron not a part of it. Now, there was no portion of his future where she would be.

With little recourse, he sat in silence overlooking the ravaged Crag Hills and all of those who would not have fully sound and structured families anymore. Children without parents, parents without children, lovers separated. It was all too much for him to bear. He rose and looked down on the hills, still coated by the gooey remains of Mewtwo's clones. He glared down at one gooey remain in particular, as if thinking this one had been responsible for what befell his sister and not Courtney. In a fit of anger, he lunged onto it and began to punch it. His hands would get enveloped by the sludge, but he kept going. He only stopped when his grief encompassed him once more and he fell onto his knees. He noticed a movement nearby and prepared to lash out, but stopped himself. He noticed Cynthia walking by herself. She paid him no attention and was looking out into the heavens. He initially intended on leaving her alone, but the grief on her face made this all but impossible.

She walked until she sat on a boulder, her eyes still fixated on the rain clouds overhead as both of them began to be rinsed by the watery storm. The still rampant flames across the battlefield began to die out from the rain, as the gooey piles were also washed away without much resistance. Despite how wet she was getting, Cynthia simply lowered her head and let out a mournful moan until Chris approached her side.

"She told me she loved me" Cynthia admitted. "And for some strange reason, I never reciprocated it. I don't know if it was because I didn't or if I just wanted to keep focused on other things, but I never got to tell her. And now she's gone."

"If there was a way for her to go" Chris explained, "it would have been protecting someone she loved."

Cynthia did not look at him. "It feels weird to have someone die for you. When you're the one who has been willing to fight to the bitter end for others." She pounded her balled up hands into her thighs. "I have been through so much in my life, but I've only ever had to be saved twice. And ironically, both times it was by Kingstons. And both, in their own ways, earned my love and respect. It's a shame that in the end, I never got the chance to express myself properly to either of them."

"My sister was all I had for the longest time" he recalled. "After Mom died, it was basically her and I against the world until we found Michael in Orre. No matter what happened, it would continue to be us against the world. Maybe add a person or two to our side in the end. But now, what is there left to do but mourn? She's gone. And I'm the only one left to pick up the pieces of what we lost." He sighed and felt more pain stinging him all over. "She should be here, not me."

Cynthia winced at those words. "Part of me agrees with you. The world would be a much better place if she was here instead of me."

"Where did you get the idea I meant that?"

She shook her head. "You three make the world a better place for everyone. You fight with all your might, you dedicate yourself to the protection of others and on more than one occasion, you each have chosen to sacrifice yourself for the safety of someone else. Michael has taken more hits than anyone I know. You were out of commission for almost seven months. And Cameron...she paid the ultimate price. All to make sure I survived." Her face tightened as rain began to mix with tears on her face. "I have to ask myself now, would I do the same if I were in her place? Would I have given it all to save someone I care so much for? Or am I just another person who focuses on her own needs before others?"

"If you have to ask it, I'm not sure you'll like the answer you find" Chris answered.

"I guess I feel like it would go by a case by case situation" she reasoned. "But how can I even think I'm anything like you guys when that could never be the case?"

"You're barking up the wrong tree. Cameron was the one who-"

"And she got there. She made more growth as a person than I have ever personally seen in such a short time. It used to be all about what she wanted. To be a Champion. To be adored by millions. But it got to a point where she just...I don't know...changed. She began to see the world in the same lens as I read James Kingston would. The same lens Michael does. The same lens even you got to look at the world in. I was so happy that she got to see it that way and was no longer such a stick in the mud. But now? All of that growth sent her to meet the same end I so hoped I wouldn't have to see her go down." Cynthia finally looked at Chris and put her hand on his shoulder. "Here I am, talking about how much she meant to me, when I have her brother right beside me. Sorry."

Chris cracked out a soft smile and took her hand off his shoulder, holding it as his sister would have. "Don't be. It does my heart good to know that in the end, Cameron did succeed in making herself beloved by so many people."

"The way she looked at me, the way she could talk to me in ways she may not have even been able to with you both, it made me feel special." As the rains began to fall harder, she lowered her head and closed her eyes. "When I was younger, all I wanted to be was someone who could be a leader for others. But you three personified that for me in such a profound way, I know that I failed Sinnoh."

"I doubt Dawn and Lucas agree with you."

"Those two are probably the only ones who haven't seen this side of me" she revealed.

"Sometimes, an aura of invincibility helps. I know Grandpa would never have wanted us to see his weak sides."

Cynthia rose to her feet. "I've only ever felt this empty twice in my life. The first time taught me that I had a long ways to go to be the woman I wanted to be. Now, I still see I still have a few tall hills left to climb." She hoisted Chris to his feet beside her and yet still showed little but a face full of regret and sorrow. "Mainly the hills about who I am." She patted Chris on the shoulder before departing to be on her own. Chris watched her walk away as the sound of thunder rumbled in the skies above.

He could feel the cold rain washing away his tears and glanced up at a dark cloud formation above them. "Relax Cam, I wasn't going to kiss her. I have a wife, you know."

{}

Lizzie West had been mostly left to her own devices following the news of just how many people had fallen in battle and had to largely grieve on her own time. Many of those who had fallen she only knew for brief moments or through others. So losing the likes of Olivia Novren or James Junior did not affect her too greatly. Cameron on the other hand was a considerably blow to her. She had watched Cameron grow up, for lack of a better term. When they had met, both were mentally on the same wavelength. Young ladies trying to make sense of the world around them. But Cameron blossomed into a confident and strong woman almost overnight, while Lizzie herself stagnated. She didn't mind, of course, thinking of herself as a slow but avid learner. To see someone she had seen accomplish so much in such a short span die was devastating to say the least. She would sometimes stare at the youngest member of Michael's Elite Four and see the little girl she had first met almost thirteen years earlier. Now, all she could think of was how she would never get to further expand on her young yet vibrant legacy.

She had gone looking for someone to help her cope with her feelings of loss. Chris had asked to be left alone and she did not feel comfortable speaking directly to the rest of Cameron's immediate family. His father and Shannon were keeping to themselves, while Renee and Katrina stood vigil at the entrance to Cameron's tent. She sought out Michael to help her sort her feelings out, but came up empty when she heard he and Julia were...ahem..."otherwise occupied", thus forcing her to seek out Mark. She found him wrapping up his own wounds, the same arm he had been shot in weeks ago by Hunter once more in a sling. Dawn was also seated nearby, though she was seemingly eager to find out if Lucas would be coming to see her. This would at least give her some time to sort out what she needed to say with her other oldest friend.

"Has anyone else from the Castle come?" Lizzie inquired.

Mark looked slyly at her. "You hoping Justin tagged along?"

Lizzie immediately waved this off. "WHAT? NO! I was just-I was hoping I could talk to you like we used to."

Seeing the serious look in her eyes, Mark relented. "Alright. What is on your mind?"

She sat down beside Mark and began to look at her twiddling hands. "Mark, how can we cope with this? I mean, how do we move on from so much loss?"

"Everyone's going to take their own paths to do so" he told her gently. "Personally, I don't think I can see how some of the others are going to last like this. Chris and Michael are going to be in pain for a long time. As they should be. But if danger calls, I expect those two to be the first who jump into danger. It's who they are. When the fighting is done, I expect it will take it's hardest toll on them. As for us, well, it all depends on how deeply they impacted us. I know I'm going to have a hard time getting over losing Chief Byron. He was a good friend to me and he helped me get into so many of my favorite game shows before I was well known as a hero and member of Michael's Elite Four. And I know it's not going to be easy for Jon to cope with not being able to walk anymore. But so long as he has Annie and their unborn child, I'm sure nothing bad will come of it."

"How will you cope with it? I mean, Cameron was like a little sister to us, too."

"Being alone is probably the worst way to deal with these losses" Mark theorized. "I don't mean finding love with someone, though that helps. Chris has Piper to mourn with and we know Julia and Michael will be joined at the hip for a while after this. I know for a fact I'm going to get reamed in by Greta if she sees me in a sling once again." He laughed to himself. "But I won't have it any other way. She cares that much about me."

"Who can I talk to then? How can I understand that things truly are over?"

"You can always try Justin."

"MARK!"

"I'm serious. Even if he's just a shoulder to cry on or a set of ears to listen, it's much better than being alone. Being alone is when the dark thoughts creep in." Realizing the rains were getting heavier, he glanced towards Lizzie and nudged her to get into the tent to avoid getting drenched with rain water. Dawn hurried for her own tent she shared with Cynthia, none of them noticing the Corviknight Cab landing nearby. The two barely managed to get inside before the water ruined Mark's bandaged arm. Lizzie offered to help reapply his bandages, but he politely declined. She helped Mark sit on one of the cots in the tent before she made her own way to the other one and slumped in it. She had no time to contemplate Mark's words, as their tent was flung open by two newcomers. A panic-stricken Greta stormed into the tent and anxiously threw herself at Mark's cot, weeping into his arms as she realized he wasn't gone as she had feared.

While Mark comforted his "special lady friend", Lizzie was left to tend to the second newcomer. As if Mark were a prophet of sorts, Justin was the second newcomer. He quickly rinsed the heavy rains out of his jacket before spying Lizzie on her bed. He looked for a place to hang up his jacket and hung it on one of the poles that kept the tent up before making his way to her side. He took up a chair from a nearby table and sat in it opposite of where Lizzie sat.

"You're okay" he responded nervously. "I was-well...we were all worried about you."

"You didn't need to be" she insisted, trying her best to be independent. "I am a strong Pokemon trainer."

"It wasn't that. I-well you were turned to-I mean..."

She eyed him for a minute, as if Justin were trying to do advanced math equations in his head. "Is everything alright?"

"I just wanted to-never mind. I'm not supposed to say anything." He took a deep breath. "What matters is that you're safe, Lizzie."

"Not everyone is" Lizzie solemnly confirmed, doing her best to not press on what was troubling him. "So many people are hurt. So many more are gone. Chief Byron, Michael's father, Cameron Kingston."

"I doubt I would have made much of a difference, I'm afraid" he admitted. "We were having our own problems at the castle with all of us on pins and needles."

"Well, you didn't need to worry" Lizzie replied, feigning a desire to be alone. "We took care of things around here. You should go and give your respects to Madeline, though. After all, she just lost her father and her brother has been crippled in the fighting."

Justin shook his head. "No. I came to make sure you were okay."

"And you know that I am" she replied distantly.

"Are you?"

She glanced past Justin and saw Greta giving a cheeky grin at her for what was being said. She prepared to fire another angry retort at Justin, but paused. For the first time, when she looked into his eyes, she saw a deep and firm worry about her own well being. The rest of the world could hang for all he cared at that moment. As long as she was okay, he would be. This certainly caused Lizzie to take on a different tone with the situation.

"Truth be told, Justin, I don't know. I've been trying to come to terms with what we lost, despite our victory. Cameron...she was like a little sister to me. And now that she's gone..." She tried desperately to hold back the well of tears building up inside of her, before she collapsed into her pillow on the cot and sobbed.

Justin sat beside her and patted her back. "There, there. It will be okay."

"How do you know?" she snapped, the pillow muffling her words.

"Because I believe when things happen" he offered, "it all happens for a reason. I like to believe that the people who are gone, even the bad ones, were called away for a specific purpose. My uncle is gone because it was time he answered for the many wrongs he committed in this world. Cameron? Well, perhaps the powers that be had a stronger purpose for her there than they did here. The same goes for all those who sacrificed their lives for the protection of their homes. The Realm of Arceus has brought in many more who will now adorn his plains with their lives."

Lizzie blinked at this, recalling that Jane Kingston was an angel in the service of Arceus. Perhaps Cameron would now be reunited with her mother. Maybe there would be some use for those who had fallen in the Celestial Plains. "Do you...do you really think so?"

"That's what I like to believe. We all have a purpose in life. Sometimes it's to make people laugh. Sometimes it's to help people. And for others, well, maybe their discoveries are made long after they're born and others the moment they are. But we are all made for some reason. And if we're having a hard time figuring things out, the powers that be can give us a bit of a push."

Lizzie was in awe. "That was incredibly profound, Justin."

"I hope so" he laughed nervously. "It was paraphrased from a scene from The Crown of Kalos."

This prompted Lizzie to giggle. "Seriously? It's always a TV show with you, isn't it?" She pushed herself up and smiled at him.

"Well, I figured I'd just stutter my way through if I had to-"

Lizzie flung herself at Justin and hugged him. "No. This is fine. Perfect, even. I'm just glad to know you, Justin."

"I'm...I'm...glad to know you too."

Lizzie was more than content to be in his arms, hugging him. When her eyes finally opened, she spotted another had entered their tent. Madeline Kingston was standing in the tent, her eyes fixated on the situation unfolding on Lizzie's bed. She quickly tried to distance herself from Justin on her behalf, while Justin, immediately confused and immediately flustered, rose from where he was kneeling to properly address her.

"Miss Madeline, forgive me" he begged. "I offer you my condolences for the passing of your father and your brother's injuries." He bowed to her with his hand over his heart out of genuine respect.

Lizzie was horrified. She was expecting Madeline to explode, trash talk her or even perhaps drag Justin off to jail for being emotional towards someone other than her. The month and a half he spent dodging her could come to roost for her and she might even lose favor in the Kingston Family besides with Michael and Chris. This could cause her a nightmare of problems both via logistics and otherwise. The last thing she wanted was to cause strife in the family of her close friends. She was about to beg Madeline to see things clearly, perhaps even to arrest her in his state.

But the new Police Chief did none of this. She smiled politely to the two of them and shook her head. "I appreciate your condolences, Justin. I just...I wanted to make sure everyone here was okay." Lizzie knew this was a lie, but she didn't have the courage to respond. Madeline was making an incredibly adult choice despite all that she had lost. Her affection towards Claude's nephew was being put on the furthest back burner for her. And Lizzie respected that. Admired it, even.

Justin, however, was slow to the uptake and gulped nervously. "I understand. I've been distancing myself from you for a long time. I just-well, if I must, I must. If you need someone to help you cope with your woes, I am here for you." He reluctantly offered the young woman his hand. "Shall we be off, then?"

Madeline simply took his hand, shook it, and closed it for him. "No thank you, Justin. A part of me learned a very important lesson, today. Even in the midst of darkness, life goes on. And the part of me that might have needed you...well...doesn't anymore. I feel like the Jacques Family and the Arcana Police Force will get along quite well in the future. But in the meantime, Justin, I have a feeling you'll be needed somewhere besides being my escort and holding my hand everywhere I go." She departed from the tent and back into the driving rain.

"Did...did Madeline just dump you?" Mark asked curiously.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day" Greta commented.

Justin himself was confused. "I supposed she did?"

"Well, all things considered, I think Madeline handled herself quite professionally" Lizzie responded cheekily.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing" Lizzie beamed. "Nothing at all." Seeing the snickering going on between Mark and Greta over their current situation, Lizzie decided to remove herself and Justin from the equation. "This tent is getting a little too crowded, if you know what I mean."

"But, didn't Madeline just leave?"

She sighed. "That's not-never mind. Come on. Let's give Mark and Greta some quiet time." She then walked over towards Justin, grabbed his hand and led him out of the tent and into the driving rain.

{}

It was the beginning of evening when the storm finally began to let up. Following the rapid exit of their tent from Professor Wong, no one dared to interrupt the King and Queen as they spent the remainder of their day together. Their children were well cared for, their duties were temporarily put to the side and all that mattered was their ravenous desire of one another. After several long hours of pure devotion to their love, the King and Queen decided it would be best to make the rounds around the campsites. To visit the wounded and the deceased to pay their respects. Some of the families thanked them dearly for even thinking of it. Some of the patients were jubilant to be in the presence of Arcana's Royal Family. Tommy Queensbury even offered to be a Guard for the Princess and Prince as soon as he recovered, though Michael could sense that the boy was likely going to need surgery to repair the damage done to his eye.

Michael spoke with his Aunt Shannon and Uncle Jeice, both of whom were warmly receptive to his presence. Though he was always more close to Jane than he was either Jeice or Shannon, he made it clear to them that family still matters and would remain the strength that holds Arcana together through these tough times. Once he had finished with them, he brought Julia with him to meet with some of their old friends who had taken up nursing duties. While Rui stole away Wes for who knows what, the couple reacquainted themselves with Lance, Iris, Steven Stone and Diance, all of whom in some way they had affected the lives of and vice versa. Once they were sure no duties were needed of them by Jenna Kingston, the group gathered together outside one of the empty medical tents to speak to one another. Though they talked mostly about the affairs at hand, Michael's heart felt good about knowing his friends had come to help him in the end.

"As long as we're needed, we'll be staying in Arcana" Lance assured the two. "I won't take a friend for granted, ever again."

"Neither will I" Diance gushed. "I'm only alive because of you two. Who knows what that Team Flare would have done if-"

"You proved you'd do the same for us" Julia replied. "And we appreciate it."

"Have you seen Cynthia?" Lance inquired. "I was hoping to discuss another possible Tournament, but I haven't seen her since we arrived."

Michael frowned. "She blames herself for my cousin's death. I guess she wants to be alone for now."

"Are you gonna be okay, Michael?" Iris asked earnestly, coming up until she was only a few inches in front of him and playfully poking at him. "If you're not, just say the word and we'll be up and fighting immediately!"

He laughed. "Don't worry, Iris. I'll be fine. Just knowing you'll be here to back me up is all I need to know."

Steven then took the lead with his question. "And what about Miss Piper?"

"My guess would be she's trying to cheer up Chris" Julia innocently added. "They are married now, so I've heard."

Hoenn's former Champion looked dejected. "Ah, I see."

Iris laughed. "Looks like Steven missed out."

"Can it!"

Michael joined in as his conglomeration of old friends broke out into laughter. He would have added some support of Steven finding another gorgeous woman in the future, but his attention was distracted by a tap on the shoulder. He feared it would be more bad news, but it was his sister, who eagerly embraced him, sobbing a bit into his chest over the death of their father. Julia took the siblings out of the tent to let the emotions flow if needed, but Tori seemed to only just need that.

"He was going to enjoy seeing his grandchildren more" Tori wept sadly. "Mine and yours."

"He's going to keep loving them no matter what" Julia assured her sister in-law. "He'll be looking down on them and being so proud. Him, Abuela, my parents, all of them."

"Take as much time as you need, Tori" Michael told his sister. "I don't know when things will pick up again and I'd rather you and Greg worry about your child than another battle."

"If you think for a second I'm done battling because I'm pregnant-"

"The life of a housewife wouldn't suit you" Michael concluded. "I know. Just...take care of yourself."

"Oh, there was one more thing" his sister remembered. "Mom told me to look for you. She said she came with Little Michael."

Michael nodded. "Then it's time, I guess."

"You're really going to tell a four year old about his mother's death?"

"No" Julia spoke. "We're going to tell him about a big new room he's going to get at the Castle."

"Until we figure out who gets custody of him."

Michael looked wryly at his sister. "Just make sure you shower your new nephew with as much affection as you do James and Arya." He left it at that and made his way with Julia towards their tent. The sun was just barely peaking out from behind the gray clouds as they rounded the corner. Erin Kingston was standing guard over the young boy, who looked around at the sights with such awe that it hurt Michael to realize he was about to crush this poor little boy's world. He wasn't even sure that the idea of becoming a part of their family would alleviate the tensions, but a gently squeeze of his hand from Julia encouraged him to keep going.

His mother eyed the two coming over and bowed respectfully. Little Michael held a balloon in his hands and tapped his feet playfully on his chair. "He is just the sweetest thing in the world. How Olivia managed to make a child like that, I will never know."

"He was a part of a life she always dreamed of having" Julia remarked. "If her husband had lived, things might not have been this way."

"Do you think he suspects something?" Michael asked his mother.

"Not from what I saw" Erin replied. "He seemed all too happy to be given this kind of attention from someone besides his mother. I took him to toy stores and candy stores, Teller's everywhere I could. But the only thing he really wanted was that balloon. When he asked for it, I knew I just had to get it for him." She sighed endearingly. "My precious little grandson. Soon...wait. What will his future be?"

"We've already discussed it. We're adopting him, and so he will be considered a Prince. But if the Thirteen Families do not let me abdicate, James will succeed me as King, as he was my son before the adoption. But if the boy is as pure and loving as I suspect, it won't be a problem in the future. Arya and James could use a big brother anyway." He collected his inner strength, kissed his mother's forehead to her shock and walked over to the boy holding his balloon. "Hello, there."

The boy eyed him and he grew a bright smile on his face. "Hello, Mr. King sir. Do you like my balloon?"

"It's a wonderful balloon. I hope you thanked Lady Erin for getting it for you."

"Mommy told me there was a Pokemon shaped like a balloon" the boy exclaimed. "I hope to see it."

"I think I have a Drifblim somewhere" Michael recalled. "Son, I need to talk to you about something. Something important."

The boy cocked his head. "Important?"

Michael tugged at his collar, nervous about how to approach this delicately with a child. "Son...I know. How would you like to pick your very own room in the Castle?"

"My own room?" he responded, his eyes widening.

Julia came to her husband's side. "Yes. And we'll fill it with toys and games and clothes and everything you could ever want. Does that sound fun?"

"Can I see Princess Arry?"

"Of course you can" Michael assured him. "You'll get to see her and James every single day." He smiled down at the boy. He hoped against hope that Olivia's son would not catch on to what was going on. That while Little Michael would spend all his time playing with the Prince and Princess, he would have no idea what actions were going on in the courts. How Michael and Julia would legally adopt him and he would become Michael William Kingston instead of Michael William Novren. The question could be broached at another time, when he was old enough to understand. He grasped Julia's hand as their plan seemed to be falling into place.

But those hopes were quickly dashed when the boy looked around curiously for someone. "And what about Mommy?"

Michael and Julia exchanged nervous glances, wondering what the right course of action would be. Julia mouthed the words "tell him" to her husband and once more tested Michael's resolve. He sighed and fell onto a knee in front of the boy. "Son, your mother-"

Little Michael lowered his head. "Mommy isn't coming back, is she?"

This crushed Michael inside. He recalled how Olivia had died by his side, swearing how she wanted her last moment to be with him. She had died. And left behind a son who was too young to understand why he couldn't just call for his mother and she appeared. Fighting back more tears, he put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "No. No she's not."

The boy sniffled and let his head droop. "Oh."

"I want you to know something" Michael pressed on. "You were your mother's entire world. All she worried about was protecting you and making sure that if anything happened to her, you would be looked after." He put his hand to the boy's cheek. "You are loved, son."

"What will happen now, Mr. King sir?"

Michael remained stone-faced. "Your Mother had it declared that if anything happened to her, you would be taken in by me and Queen Julia. You're not going to be Michael Novren anymore. You're going to be adopted and will take on the name of Prince Michael Kingston. Arya and James are going to be your brother and sister. You'll get to see them whenever you want. The Queen and I are going to become your legal mother and father. Which means you are going to be our son, from now on. Lady Erin will be your Grandmother and her husband your Grandfather." He patted the boy. "I promise you, Michael. Even though your Mommy is gone, we are going to shower you with all the love you could ever need. Okay?"

The boy wiped his tears away and peered up at his adopted father. "Does this mean I can call you Dad?"

Michael froze at this. Can I call you Mom, then? In a flash of memories, he saw Jane Kingston standing over him, giving him the same endearing and loving eyes she always had and promising him he could call her his mother. She was always there for him when he needed. Giving him anything he wanted. Support, love, affection, all of it. And all he ever wanted in life was to get one last reassuring hug from her, which he did. And if fate was ready to make him take up the role she had with him for another, so be it. He nodded. "Of course you can."

The boy reached up to him as if wanting to be held. Michael scooped his son into his arms as the boy's small arms wrapped around his neck. Once he had the affirmation of love from someone besides his mother, the boy wept. He patted his son on the back and bounced him around. "Shhhh. It's okay, buddy. I've got you. Let it all out." The boy clung to him as if his life depended on it and Michael stood there and took it. Julia was by his back and held the boy's hand gently.

"We're here for you, Michael" she told the boy. "From this day until the last."

"Thank you Mrs. Queen, m'am" he replied.

Julia giggled. "Whatever you want to call me, honey."

Michael held the boy for another long moment, allowing him to get out all of his tears and doubts. He realized he would be needed elsewhere when he saw Addison coming up to speak to him. He squeezed the boy in his arms and lowered him. "The Queen is going to take you back to the Castle so you can pick out any room you want in the Castle. And it will be yours." Julia took the boy's hand and led him away as Michael prepared to address the White Mage. "So, Addy? Is everything okay?"

She tried to give him some reassurance, but shook her head. "No. We need to finish this. He still has Ryan."

Michael nodded as he allowed his Kingly persona to overtake him. "Very well. I'll summon the Council."