Chapter 17

Mending

I woke up and went to breakfast. It was the second week without Dad here. I missed him, but he'd be back. Alex was screaming and crying.

"I know you just woke up, but could you hold Alex? He's been like this for an hour." Fox asked and she left to get something.

"Ok." I held him. "Alex, it's me, Talia. What's wrong?" I asked.

He didn't answer, but he slowly stopped. I rubbed his back. He hugged me. Fox came back and tried to take him back, but that just made him upset again.

"I guess he wanted you." She sat down.

"Ok, Xander, I hope you like looking at the table. Cause I'm not holding you while I eat breakfast." I put him on my lap and ate. He behaved and didn't wiggle too much.

I gave him back to Fox and he floated back to me. "What's up with you today? Go back to Mommy." I frowned.

He buried his head in my shirt. "Maybe you should go play with him for a bit."

"Ok." I went to the playroom and got some toys out.

He wanted to cuddle instead.

"Why are you so clingy?" I asked.

I sighed and held him until he fell asleep. Then I tried to teleport, but my wound opened up again. I winced.

"Talia, what did I tell you?" Puck scolded me and smacked me upside the head.

"I didn't think it'd be so sensitive." I coughed away from Alex and bloodied my arm.

"Stop with the magic! You're not well enough right now. I'm serious. You won't get better if you keep reopening it." He teleported us to Alex's room and put him in his crib.

"Puck, what are you doing here?" Fox asked.

"Talia didn't take my warning seriously. Promise me you won't do any more magic until you're fully healed, Tai." He crossed his arms.

"I won't." I sighed.

"Won't what?" He frowned.

"Dad, come on." He wasn't budging. "I promise I won't do any more magic until I'm fully healed."

"That's my good girl." He brushed my hair behind my ear.

"Go back to the hospital before they find you missing." I said.

"I have to heal you first, little trickster." He closed my wound.

"I miss you." I hugged him.

"I'll be home in a week, Sweetheart." He kissed my forehead and smiled. "Behave for me, ok?"

"Ok." I smiled.

"I love you." He kissed my nose.

I wrinkled my nose and giggled a little. "Love you too, Daddy."

Puck smiled and disappeared in a green flash. Fox touched my shoulder and we left Alex's room. I went to my room and tried not to play with my magic. There wasn't a lot to do when you're grounded and hurt.

"Talia?" David called from the hall.

"Come in." I sighed.

He opened the door and scanned the room, frowning. "Puck gave it to me."

"Ah." He nodded. "I cleared my calendar tomorrow afternoon."

"… You wanna do something tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes." He said.

We sat in awkward silent for a minute.

"You don't know what to do, do you?" I asked.

"No, I just wanted your opinion." He lied.

I sighed. "I dunno, lunch or something."

"Ok then." He looked around one last time before he left.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

Xanatos walked in the room. "Hello, sir."

"Owen, do you know what Talia likes to eat?" He asked.

"She likes simple things. Nothing too spicy or strong. I think she misses fast food." I told him.

"Thanks. And Owen?" He looked at me.

"Yes?" I asked.

"We all can't wait till you come home." He smiled.

"Me too." I said.

Owen's POV End

Talia's POV

The next morning, I ate breakfast and did what school work I could without Owen then I went to the Great Hall where he said to meet him. Fox and Alex saw us off. He seemed happy I was trying to get along with his dad. However, he was still kinda clingy from yesterday.

"I'll be fine, Alex. Your daddy's gonna be with me." I told him.

"He's just a little worried. You were gone for beginning of his life and now you got hurt." David said.

"I'm gonna be fine, Alex. Besides, I don't want to miss Dad coming home. Or my birthday." I tickled him and he giggled unwillingly. He hated it when I used his ticklish spots to make him stop pouting.

"Your birthday?" Fox asked.

"It's next week. Before Thanksgiving." I said.

"Puck's going to have my head forgetting your birthday." David laughed.

"You didn't really celebrate my last birthday either." I shrugged and Alex pfft-ed. "Elisa just got me birthday pizza and Owen signed the card in your name with 100 bucks."

"I know, buddy. We made some mistakes. But this year will be different. We can talk your birthday at lunch." David said to us and we went to lunch.

It was some fancy restaurant I never thought I would be able to afford. I got lasagna and he got steak.

"So, your birthday?" He started.

"Yeah." I said.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Um, cake?" I shrugged.

"That's not what I meant." David shook his head.

"The things I liked before… I can't be certain I'll like them anymore. I'm not that person who made those memories. Sometimes, I get angry when I remember my old hobbies. It's like walking on a brunt bridge. You never know when it'll crumble. All because you had to go to the other side." I laughed bitterly and drank my water.

"It's definitely stronger in you." He smiled.

"But… I'd like a guitar. Puck forgot to bring the one I got during my road trip home and I kinda miss it." I said.

"Is that what you're calling your little stunt?" David paused as our food came and we ate.

"Got when I ran away." I sighed.

"I shouldn't have treated your attempts to run away as lightly as I did. I wasn't ready for you. We weren't ready for the responsible of raising a child, much less a teenager." He apologized again.

"I'll do my part and you do yours." I ate more of my food.

"Yes." He smiled. "Now what else do you want for your birthday? Fox and I need to get you something. And the clan. They'll want to celebrate with us."

I thought and came up with a few more things as we ate dessert. I got a to-go box and then we went home. Alex seemed to know how it went and was happily babbling when he saw us. I put my stuff in the fridge and played with him until dinner. After dinner, I read a bit before going to bed.