A/N: Final chapter… I'll keep this author's note short and the one at the end will be longer. Hope you're satisfied with the ending. :)

The next day was colder, but still sunny as if the sky was trying to make Douxie's extra days here as pleasant as possible. Speaking of the boy, Dr. Lake thought she should check on the young wizard. It didn't matter if he was actually nine centuries old; he still seemed like a teen to Jim's mom.

During her time in the medical field, Dr. Lake had seen many different injuries. Some were worse than others but Dr. Lake never flinched or got disgusted by them. She had also seen many young children with injuries, which Dr. Lake took care of as best she could, but they always made her heart clench because she couldn't help but imagine if it was Jim.

And sometimes it had been. There was the time when Jim had been fighting goblins, and his sixteenth birthday when he was being chased by a stalkling. Of course, at the time, Barbara hadn't known what was going on but it still made her heart stutter and her breath quicken when she saw Jim on a hospital bed.

When Jim had come to the hospital asking for her help with one of his friends, she had automatically agreed. Her professional side had taken over and she didn't think twice when she found out that her patient was a wizard. She hadn't expected that wizard to be a teenager – one she actually knew - but again, she didn't blink.

It was only later when she found out that Douxie didn't have any family outside of the dragon - yet another thing she had brushed away - and the pink-haired witch Zoe, that Barbara's protective mom side showed its face. She made the necessary arrangements for him to get medical treatment at their home while Archie was filling Zoe in on what happened.

She was relieved when Zoe came to get her, saying that Douxie was awake. Dr. Lake had noticed the signs that Zoe had been crying, but stayed respectfully quiet. When they had gotten back to the room Douxie was staying in, Dr. Lake happy to see the boy sitting up and alert. She asked him the routine questions and gave him some pain-killers which made him fall asleep almost immediately. Zoe had taken up her offer to stay at the Lake household, and the next day, Douxie had joined them at the crowded house.

Dr. Lake's thoughts were interrupted as she reached the room Douxie was staying in and quietly opened the door, not wanting to wake the boy. When she didn't see anyone in the bed, she started to worry. She called out his name softly, but no answer came. Not letting her fears take over, Dr. Lake went downstairs to see if maybe Douxie had woken up earlier and gone to get a snack or something.

When she was able to see into the living room, she relaxed, a smile coming to her face. She crept quietly the rest of the way down, not wanting to wake the two boys fast asleep on the couch. Jim still had the tv remote in his hand, the small appliance falling out of the loose fist. Dr. Lake saved it, slowly taking it from her son's hand and placing it gently on the table.

Douxie stirred and Barbara froze, relaxing when the young wizard settled down again. He was looking much better than the night before which made Dr. Lake happy. The blanket the two boys were sharing was falling off of the older one and, as gently as she could, Barbara pulled it back over Douxie's arms, the older teen's mouth twitching in a faint smile.

She couldn't help but notice how similar the two boys looked. The same long, black hair, one with blue tips, and the same face shape. If she wasn't the mother of one of them, she would've thought that the two were brothers.

Even if they weren't related, they still seemed like brothers, just in the way they interacted. She didn't know all of it, but she knew that their experiences were similar too, both natural leaders with too much responsibility thrust upon them at too young an age.

Leaving them to sleep in peace, Barbara went back upstairs to her and Walt's room, checking on the changeling familiars on the way. The babies were sleeping peacefully, only one - the mischievous one - fussing a little. The red-head went to him and rocked his cot until he fell back asleep. She smiled, remembering Jim as a baby. He was generally well behaved, but a picky eater sometimes. This baby - Thomas - was kind of like baby Jim, but a little more cheeky. The other babies, another boy named Hunter - the shy one - and a girl named Ariana - the dramatic, but well meaning one - reminded Barbara of Jim too, at some point or another. These three were the only ones who hadn't been adopted yet, but with everything going on right now, Barbara understood that taking in a baby would be challenging.

She and Walter had already decided that if these guys didn't get adopted in the next few weeks, they would adopt the little ones themselves. They hadn't told Jim about the decision yet, but she wasn't worried as the babies seemed to have grown on him.

She blew a kiss into the room as she left, bringing back the tradition from when Jim was younger. Once the babies were a little older, she would get them to try and 'catch' the kisses like Jim had.

It made her a little sad to think how much Jim had changed in just the past year. Was he really 16 now? What happened to years 13, 14, and 15?

"Is anything the matter Barbara?" A gravely voice with slight British accent brought her back to reality. She hadn't realized that she had gone into their room already.

She looked at Walt, still not entirely used to him being there. Their history was… complicated to say the least, yet here they were, sharing a room in a house soon to be both of their's. "Everything's fine. I was just thinking about where the time went."

The changeling was wearing custom made pj's, with slits for his wings in the back. He was still getting used to being in this form all the time and it amused Dr. Lake to see him struggle with something. She usually ended up helping him with whatever it was, but they still laughed about it when she teased him. "Thinking about Young Atlas again?"

He was also very perceptive, able to read Barbara's emotions like one of his large history tomes. "Yeah. He seems so grown up now, but still so young." Barbara couldn't help but think how that description fit a certain wizard she knew. As if sensing her thoughts, Strickler asked about Douxie.

The redhead smiled as she recounted what she had seen. Walt chuckled when she finished talking. "At least they're getting well deserved sleep."

"Hmm." She agreed, then got up to get ready for the day.

When she went downstairs for the second time, she saw that Douxie had woken up. Well, he had his phone out and was doing something on it, but he seemed to still be half asleep and hadn't moved his position on the couch, only sitting up slightly. As Dr. Lake reached the landing, she saw his eyebrows scrunch up and he squinted at his phone screen, bringing it close to his face to see something. She saw him frown a little, then type something, looking slightly satisfied after a few seconds. Dr. Lake stepped forward, causing the floorboards to creak quietly, but it was still loud enough to alert Douxie to her presence. He looked up and gave her a small, cheerful salute, his phone still in hand.

He mouthed 'good morning', not wanting to disturb Jim, who was still snoring quietly. Dr. Lake smiled at him and mouthed the sentiment back, creeping quietly to where her son was sprawled on the couch.

"Did you sleep well?" She whispered, amusement in her voice.

"Your couch is surprisingly comfy." Douxie whispered back, smiling mischievously.

"If you need to go brush your teeth or something, feel free to go. Jim should wake up soon anyway." As if sensing them talking about him, Jim shifted slightly. Both Douxie and Dr. Lake froze and watched him, waiting until the younger teen settled back down.

"Alright." He moved slowly, partly due to him not wanting to wake Jim and partly due to his still healing injuries. As he sat up, Dr. Lake noticed him wince, but said nothing, waiting for him to slide out of the blanket and off the couch.

She stopped him before he left. "The pain meds are in the top cabinet in the bathroom. They should be right in front, in the small blue container. Take one before you come down."

He looked a little surprised then nodded and crept upstairs. She watched him go then sat down gently beside Jim, brushing the hair out of his eyes. She inspected him, taking in every detail of his face. He looked so much like his father - the man that they were both better off without - but she could still see parts of herself in him. His eyes were definitely hers, the nose too.

He looked so peaceful, as if his dreams were the only place he could be a normal 16 year old boy. The lines on his face weren't there when he was relaxed and stress-free like he was now, no longer making him look older than he was.

It struck her quite suddenly that the age difference between Douxie and her son was not a lot. Though Douxie was centuries old, he was 19 in mind and body which was only 3 years older than Jim. Neither boy looked their age, unusual circumstances causing them to age prematurely. She had seen the scars on both of them and they belonged to a war veteran who was over 50 years old at least. They had seen and experienced things a person three times their ages wouldn't have and it showed in their movements and in their eyes.

She was somewhat amazed at how cheerful and childish Douxie could be even after some of the things he had been through. Barbara had been unfortunate enough - she stopped herself; it was wrong to talk about him in this way and fixed the statement. Barbara had met Merlin, and she couldn't say she was a fan of the guy. According to Jim, and Claire, the old wizard had been… different at the end, and she could see how much of a toll his death had taken on his apprentice, but she couldn't ever imagine Merlin being a good, fatherly role model. He just hadn't seemed the type of person who could ever take care of someone else.

But he had evidently done some good things if Douxie was anything to go by. She had only met the teen a few times before all of this, but she could still sense a change in him, as if he had matured or had dealt with a big loss. She supposed both things were true. She was just glad that she didn't see it causing any major changes in Douxie. She knew from observing other's experiences that the loss of a loved one - especially family - could change a person drastically. From what she could tell, Douxie had stayed more or less the same, personality-wise.

She sensed more than felt Jim waking up. Her son blinked sleepily, smiling when he saw her next to him. "Hey mom." He yawned. He got up slowly, stretching and rubbing his eyes. "Where's Douxie?"

She chuckled at his first concern being the wizard. "He's upstairs. He should be down in a minute. Did you have fun camping in the living room?"

She smiled and shook her head in amusement as Jim looked around, seeming to only realize where they were then. He just shrugged it off, yawning again. "Alright sleepy head, off you go to brush your teeth." The only response she got was a half-asleep nod and another, smaller yawn. She wondered briefly when the last time was that Jim was fully rested. Her thoughts were cut off as she heard loud crying.

It was probably Thomas or Ariana, trying to get attention or food. She swore those two knew how to tell time, always crying when it was time to eat and making sure they were never forgotten. She sighed as she went upstairs, then stopped as the crying ceased. As she crept closer to the 'nursery', she heard someone talking softly.

"Shh, shh, shh. Come on, love, don't want to bother Dr. L any more than we have to, yeah?" She knew who it was immediately from the accent. Even so, she peeked around the doorframe to see what exactly was happening.

Douxie was somehow carrying Ariana even with his arm in a cast. Dr. Lake wasn't worried about him dropping her however, as she saw the blue wisps of Douxie's magic supporting the baby girl where he couldn't. She saw him gently rocking her, talking some more. Barbara could tell that the action was uncomfortable for Douxie with his injuries, but that didn't stop a genuine smile from lighting up his face. With his good hand, she saw him use his magic to make a small blue butterfly that flitted above Ariana's head. She giggled and grabbed at it, catching Douxie's blue-tipped hair instead. He only chuckled, and kept talking.

"That's better." He said softly, talking to Ariana as if she could understand him. She looked like she could, her attention on Douxie when he talked. "Dr. Lake's done so much for us. We wouldn't want to cause any more trouble now, would we?" Ariana smiled back, as if agreeing with the wizard. "Exactly." He nodded. Gently, he placed Ariana back in her crib before turning to the other two babies in the room. "Keep that in mind eh? No trouble for Dr. L." He waggled his finger at them like he was telling them off and they all looked back at him intently, agreeing to whatever he said. Hunter, the usually shy one, even smiled back as if saying 'i already knew that'.

Before he left, Douxie waved his hand and conjured up some teddy bears in their cribs for them to play with, smiling as the infants started exploring their new toys; Thomas - the ever mischievous one - trying to climb on top of his.

Dr. Lake made sure to be out of sight before Douxie came out of the room, not quite knowing why she didn't want him to know she had seen him. She thought about how at ease Douxie had seemed among the little ones, and how he seemed to be a natural at calming them down.

Then, what he had been saying to the infants seemed to click in Dr. Lake's mind. She felt her cheeks warm up, knowing how much Douxie appreciated what she had done for him but couldn't express it. She found it incredible that the same boy who had fought so many monsters and had been willing to sacrifice himself for his friends was too shy to express his gratitude.

Breakfast was simple, just eggs and bacon. Dr. Lake had told Jim to take the day easy after seeing how exhausted he had been even after a full night's rest. She couldn't stop him from still making the breakfast, but at least he was open to Strickler helping out.

It made Dr. Lake smile to see the two most important people in her life work together willingly. It was definitely an improvement over the two wanting the other dead.

Douxie being there seemed like a normal thing now, their diverse family accepting him easily. Barbara was even starting to see him as another son, as Jim no doubt saw him as the older brother he never had. The two teens spent breakfast talking and laughing, making Walt and Barbara smile too.

Archie was outside with Nari and the two were having their own meal. They had apparently made plans to rejoin Zoe at Hex Tech later on, then all of them would come back here to check on Douxie. The wizard himself didn't seem to mind a break from his familiar, surprising Dr. Lake. She had thought that, especially now, the two would have been inseperable, but here they were making plans on their own. She supposed the two would have enough time together after they left though.

When they were putting away the dishes, Jim and Douxie started to plan their own day. Jim said that he was planning to go with Claire and Toby to help out at the school again, earning a look from Douxie that Barbara couldn't decipher. After that, Douxie announced that he wanted to go help too.

Dr. Lake felt bad doing it, but she had to say no to the idea. "I'm sure you'd be a great help, but you're still recovering. And your fever might be better, but if you plan on going anywhere anytime soon, then no exerting yourself."

Both Douxie and Jim protested. "Mom, come on. Douxie's fine."

"Yeah, Dr. L, I promise not to exert myself."

"See mom, I'll personally make sure he's okay."

Dr. Lake chuckled at their joint argument. Now they were really seeming like brothers. "No. And if you keep it up Jim, I'll stop you from going too. You're still recovering too."

The two teens froze and looked at each other, Jim looking apologetically at Douxie and Douxie patting Jim's shoulder in forgiveness. Then they both turned to Dr. Lake and gave sad salutes as if they had been condemned to latrine duty on a ship. Dr. Lake just shook her head.

"Alright you two, enough with the dramatics. Jim, if you're planning to go to to the school, then go freshen up. Walt can drop you off." Jim trudged upstairs, looking back sadly at Douxie, disregarding his mom's comment about dramatics entirely.

Douxie looked at Dr. Lake. "Uhh.. Is there anything I can do? Do you need help with anything? Like chores?"

Dr. Lake looked back at him. "Actually… could you help me with the babies? Get them changed and outside for a walk?"

Douxie' face brightened immediately. Barbara couldn't tell whether it was because of the prospect of being useful, or being with the babies. She supposed it could be both. His smile was the same either way.

Jim left about 10 minutes later, Walt taking him to the school. They would be back in a few hours, bringing Claire and Toby with them.

Douxie helped bring the babies back to the nursery from the living room where they had been fed. He carried Hunter, who despite being shy had seemed to have taken a great liking to the wizard. Dr. Lake brought up Ariana and Thomas.

When they got to the nursery, Douxie went in first, putting Hunter down on the play mat with his new teddy bear and sitting down himself. Dr. Lake placed the other two babies on the ground too, the kiddos crawling almost immediately towards Douxie.

Douxie got their toys too using his magic and played with them as Dr. Lake got out some clothes. "So, Douxie..." She began. "You seem quite good with kids. Well, the little ones certainly seem to like you."

She turned around to see her point proven. Douxie had been forced into laying down, Thomas climbing on top of him with Ariana sitting by his head and seeming as if she was showing him something. Douxie was just smiling and playing with them. Dr. Lake got the clothes and shook her head, going over to save Douxie and get Thomas off.

"Thanks Dr. L." He said, sliding to against the wall where he could half sit up and still play. "You're welcome, Douxie. He didn't hurt you did he?"

Douxie shook his head. "Nah, the little guy was just climbing on my stomach. He wasn't doing any harm, were you Tom?" He looked at the tiny troublemaker who just giggled in response. Dr. Lake swore they could all understand the wizard even though she knew it was unlikely. Babies just like being the centre of attention, so they liked it when you talked to them - or even just looked at them when talking to someone else.

Speaking of attention, Ariana was jealous that she had lost it and crawled over to Douxie. He played with her a bit while Dr. Lake started dressing Thomas, who was still in her arms trying to get out. When the little one started fussing, Douxie gently pushed Ariana to the side before conjuring up his guitar. "Can't have you crying now, can I mate?" He muttered.

He adjusted the volume using one of the knobs on the bottom, then played a soft melody, different from what he usually did. All of the babies stopped and looked at Douxie and his glowing guitar, Thomas leaning his head back to see.

Dr. Lake chuckled. "Like I said earlier, you seem to know what you're doing with these guys and they love you for it. Do you have any babysitting experience or something or is it just natural?"

Douxie thought for a second, still playing his guitar. "You could say I have some babysitting experience. It's an easy way to make money on the side. But I guess part of it is that babies and the majority of magical creatures are similar in terms of how to calm them down or distract them."

Dr. L raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Changing the babies' clothes was quick and easy when they were distracted by Douxie's story. They couldn't understand any of it, but Douxie used his magic and his guitar to set the scene and provide visual and audio representations of the story. Dr. Lake was also intrigued, listening to Douxie's story and laughing at the kiddo's reactions.

After they themselves were changed - taking turns to look after the young ones while the other went to change - Dr. Lake and Douxie went on a walk around town. Dr. Lake led the way, leading them on the trail she had gone on with Walt so many times before. As they walked, Douxie and her talked.

They talked about different things; mainly about Douxie. Barbara was curious as to how he managed throughout the years, with schooling and jobs. They talked about what Douxie would do in New York; the other teens and him had talked about it, but only the recreational stuff. Dr. Lake talked about the more technical stuff like how Douxie would get food, and what jobs he should go for.

When they were talking about New York, Barbara couldn't help but think about how much it felt like a discussion between a mother and son about the latter moving out or going to college. She felt the same worry she had felt on Jim's first day of school, and later of high school. It was the same worry that had shown its face when she was waving goodbye to Jim as he left with the trolls to find a new home for them. It was a mother's worry.

It was made even stronger by the realization that Douxie had probably never had a mother fuss over him or worry for his well being. He had Archie, sure, but that was different. Archie looked after Douxie as a familiar and a friend, which was still good, but a mother's worry and a mother's love was always something else. And Douxie never had that, for better or worse. From the stories Douxie had told her, if he did have a mother, she would have passed out from fear for her son too many times to count. The thought made Barbara smile to herself.

When they got back to the house, Douxie insisted on helping Dr. Lake with other chores. She felt bad asking him to help, especially when he was there to recover, but he persisted and seemed to hate feeling useless, so Dr. Lake gave in and got him to help with various jobs. Nothing too stressful or hard, just little things like sweeping and dusting. Though most of his jobs had included doing those two things, he looked happy doing it for her, likely because he could help her with such trivial things.

She had expected him to just use his magic to sweep, but was surprised to see him do it like any other person. She supposed he was just tired and didn't want to use his magic.

The two spent the day just tidying up the place, talking when they were working in the same area. Thomas and Hunter had fallen asleep after their little walk, the visual stimulation making them tired. Douxie stayed with Ariana, entertaining her until she also fell asleep some time later.

After a few hours, Dr. Lake suggested that Douxie also rest, giving him some painkillers when she noticed him wincing again. He was reluctant to leave her to clean by herself, but eventually sat down on the couch with his guitar, the two having made the compromise of Douxie not having to sleep but just sit or lay down and not do any strenuous activities.

Just before Douxie could start playing, one of the babies upstairs started crying. Whoever it was woke up the other ones and soon, the other two had joined in. Dr. Lake was about to go upstairs then was stopped by Douxie who went upstairs instead. Barbara stayed by the stairs in case Douxie needed help, but went back to work when the crying stopped, a muffled voice talking to them. Then she heard some soft guitar music that continued for about half an hour. When it stopped, the redheaded doctor went up to check on Douxie and the little ones.

What met her eyes was Douxie half sitting, half lying down against the wall, his guitar beside him on his left side, his hand still loosely holding on to the neck of it. Thomas had once again climbed on the young wizard, or maybe Douxie had placed him there because the little guy was out of the way of Douxie's injuries. Ariana was curled up by Douxie's right side, her head on his chest. Hunter was sprawled by Douxie's waist, his tiny hand clutched onto Douxie's black sweatshirt.

Dr. Lake quietly crept into the room and placed a blanket on the group, giving the babies their individual blankets while a bigger one went on Douxie's legs. She also moved Douxie's guitar out of the way, leaning it against the wall by the closet so it wouldn't fall, before leaving them to sleep in peace.

Later, she went down to paint, having found some inspiration in the sleeping wizard with a red guitar made of blue magic next to him and babies sprawled around him.

She heard a knock at the door and opened it to see her son, Claire and Toby outside, Walt still parking the car in the driveway. She let them in, the teens falling onto the couch in exhaustion. Walt came in a few seconds later, kissing Barbara as he passed her.

Jim was the first to ask. "Where's Douxie?"

Dr. Lake replied with a chuckle. "He's upstairs sleeping. Why don't you guys get some snacks while you wait for him to come down?"

The teens complied, chatting while Jim made some nachos. Walt noticed the smile on Barbara's face and pulled her in for another kiss.

"What's on your mind?"

Dr. Lake just pulled him upstairs to show him where Douxie was sleeping. She signalled to the changeling to stay quiet as they neared the nursery. Walt looked confused, looking towards the room that Douxie had occupied for the past few days then at Barbara.

She just opened the door slowly as to not make any noise. Walt looked in, an amused smile forming on his face. Dr. Lake closed the door, then the two crept back downstairs.

It was only when the aroma of nachos had filled the ground floor that Dr. Lake got a text on her phone. She looked at it.

It was from Douxie. She had given him her number in case he ever needed anything when he was in New York. He used it now.

The text message was only one word long, but it made Dr. Lake stand up and head upstairs. 'Help' was what Douxie had managed to text so Dr. Lake went up to 'save him'.

The wizard himself was trying not to wake the little ones on top of, and next to him, while still trying to leave the room. Luckily, Dr. Lake got there fast and gently picked up Thomas, leaving Douxie to support Ariana while picking her up and standing up himself. Dr. Lake got Hunter and put him in his crib too. After the babies were settled, Douxie and Dr. Lake tiptoed out of the room and downstairs.

"Thanks Dr. L." He said when they were far enough from the nursery to talk and not wake the little guys. Dr. Lake just smiled in response. "No problem Douxie. Did you sleep well though?"

Douxie's cheeks turned red and he avoided eye contact with her. "Uhh, yeah, surprisingly. Seems everywhere in your house is a comfy spot." For the millionth time that day, Dr. Lake chuckled and shook her head.

The two went downstairs, Douxie slightly surprised to see Jim and the others back. They were happy to see each other though, and Jim gave Douxie some of the nachos he had made.

Zoe, Archie and Nari came back around mid afternoon, all of the teens talking about what they had done that day. When the conversation turned once again to New York, Jim asked his mom if Douxie would have to stay any longer.

"Well, Douxie, how do you feel?" The doctor asked. The wizard replied quickly. "I feel fine Dr. L. I'm still sore and everything, but I can travel and I promise to take it easy when I get there."

Dr. Lake thought about it. "Well, as long as you promise… you can go tomorrow morning." That statement got the teens excited again and they started talking about it. Douxie gave Barbara a two-finger salute and a 'thank you' before joining in on the conversation.

In the evening, before dinner, Douxie left with Zoe and Archie to wherever he lived to pack his stuff. The others had offered to help, but Douxie assured them that it wouldn't take long. "There's not much to pack anyway." He said, then told them he also wanted to say goodbye to some of his friends so it might take a little longer than he expected.

The three of them were back in about an hour and a half, not as long as Dr. Lake had expected. Douxie had been right when he had told them there wasn't much to pack, and he came back with only one big suitcase full of stuff. That concerned Barbara a little, her motherly worry popping up again, but she didn't get to voice her concerns because dinner was served.

Jim had outdone himself, making sure that Douxie's last night in Arcadia - for a while anyway - would be a great one. He had made plenty of vegetarian dishes for Nari to enjoy too, the demigod seeming in awe at Jim's cooking skills. Even the babies seemed to have fun, a smile on their faces almost the whole night.

The Lake house was filled with joy and laughter, similar to a few nights ago. This time, though there were less people, there was no lack of happiness. Unfortunately, they couldn't stay up too late due to Douxie having to leave the early the next morning, but they still had fun.

When he had gone to pack his stuff, Douxie had picked up some books from the bookstore and the spare key to give to Claire. They had disappeared upstairs for about half an hour, with the books in their arms, and later when they came down again, Claire was smiling bigger than Dr. Lake had ever seen her smile. Claire then went on to tell Jim and Toby what she had learned, Douxie and Zoe watching with amusement.

Dr. Lake felt a little bit of sadness at the thought of Douxie leaving. She hadn't known him for long, but she had grown used to having him there and it warmed her heart to see both Douxie and Jim so happy. But she knew he had to go. It was what was best for… pretty much the whole world. That didn't stop her from worrying though.

The next morning, everyone - save for the babies - was up early. Most of the teens seemed half asleep, but they had wanted to say goodbye to Douxie. Toby and Claire had stayed over again, Zoe doing the same. Douxie had decided that he would have breakfast at the Lake house, bring the ship from the forest back to the house, then say his goodbyes and leave.

He was bringing the ship now, and the group was waiting by the door. Douxie only took a little while, returning in a sleek white and gold ship with a huge green gem underneath. Barbara and Walt stared at it in awe, the teens not having that big of a reaction as they had seen it before. They still looked excited and sad at the presence of the ship, as if this had all become real with it there.

Douxie jumped down from the ship, wincing slightly as he did. Dr. Lake raised an eyebrow at him, and he smiled sheepishly back. The night before, Dr. Lake had talked to him about what to do and what not to do while he was still recovering. She had given him a small bottle of painkillers and a prescription for more if he needed it. She had also made him promise to check in with her once a day, Archie promising to ensure that he did.

The young wizard walked towards the group, Nari and Archie going to his side. He stopped in front of the door, looking at the people standing there. To each person, he said a few words. To Jim, he just gave a letter, saying that Jim should open it when he needed to. Everyone else looked slightly confused, but Jim seemed to understand. Zoe was next, the two not doing much. Dr. Lake assumed that everything they needed to say to each other had been said the day before. They just kissed and Zoe muttered something to him making Douxie smirk cheekily and mutter something back, earning an eye roll from the pink-haired witch.

The changeling familiars were still sleeping and no one wanted to wake them. Even so, Douxie had left some presents in their cribs for them, different toys he thought they would enjoy. He had chosen them specially for the baby's personalities and Dr. Lake was grateful.

She was last in line and Douxie hesitated.

"Thanks for everything Dr. L. I'll miss you." He looked a little uncomfortable, as if he didn't know how to say what he was feeling. Barbara helped him. She pulled him into a hug, Douxie stiffening for a second before hugging back. "Thank you." He said again, this time only for her ears. "Be safe." She whispered back sternly.

Douxie stepped away, waiting for Nari who was giving everyone flowers she thought seemed to suit them. She said thank you to everyone, then joined Douxie, taking his hand then jumping into the ship. Douxie followed her, Archie flying up and landing on the ship's railing.

Douxie put his staff in the slot where it was supposed to go, and held on, looking back at them one more time. He smiled at the group, saluted then set his eyes forward, lifting the ship and leaving them behind.

A/N: Okay, I've got some things to say. First of all, I don't know why i keep making Douxie fall asleep in the weirdest places. It just seems like something he'd be used to and tbh, it's fun to have Dr. L just find him sleeping everywhere but his bed.

Secondly, the thing with the babies and Douxie. I read in another Trollhunters fanfic about Douxie having baby therapy. I couldn't find the fanfic again, and i don't even remember the title, but i liked the baby therapy part, so i used it and it just worked.

Dr. Lake's pov was pretty fun to write and i wanted to do it because Douxie doesn't have a mom, or a mother figure of any sort. So i just thought since Jim and him had a brotherly relationship, why not have Dr. Lake be a mother figure for our favourite wizard?

Last but not least, Douxie's possessions. It occurred to me while i was writing, that in the show, Douxie just goes to NY without any of his stuff. So i made sure that in this, he actually had clothes and some supplies when leaving.

Okay, if you're still reading, i appreciate your patience with my little rant/speech there. I have planned a part three of this story (part one is A Day as Good as Any to Die if you didn't know), but i'm getting doubts about whether to leave it here or continue. Part three would be about Douxie settling in New York so if you want me to write it, then please let me know via reviews.

One last thing before you go. Merry Christmas! And stay safe during the second (:0) Covid xmas. And if i don't post by then, Happy New Year. (2022 Wow!)

-CrowofArcadiaOaks