Nearly the rest of my evening was a haze. I spent it with people who I loved more than anything in the entire world, my daughter, my..boyfriend.. and a man who I had come to known as a second father.

After Nod and I had kissed and finally told each other about how we felt, Ronin did bring Alisia out to the balcony to see the fireworks. She reacted better than I thought. There were some that did frighten her a little, but she was too fascinated by the colors to cry. She was very brave. We were on our way home now, my arms wrapped around Nod's waist, but my head was in the clouds. Figuratively speaking, we weren't flying that high.

I was happier than I had been in a long time, but unfortunately, Zeeba landed all too soon, and Alisia and I had to go home.

I dismounted off of Zeeba, and Nod followed me. He unstrapped Alisia from her car seat, making funny faces at her as he did so. She giggled and tried to mimic him, but all she could manage was opening her mouth wide. She looked like a baby bird, begging for food. I laughed at them and Nod handed Alisia to me.

I looked up at him and his face was outlined by the stars. I blushed as he put a finger under my chin and lifted my lips to meet his in a goodnight kiss.

I grinned at him. "Good night," I said happily.

"See you tomorrow, Your Excellency," he corrected.

I laughed again, "Stop it, Nod." Nod mounted Zeeba and waved to Alisia and I as he took off. We waved back, and shouted our good byes to Ronin as he followed Nod.

As soon as the guys left, I could fully act upon my craziness. Kissing Nod made me want to jump up and down with happiness, dance. I ran in the house and squealed happily. I twirled Alisia until I was scared of getting her dizzy and then hugged her close.

"Oh my gosh, baby. Today was the day," I murmured quietly, with my eyes closed. I looked down at Lissy and she was looking at me, with those huge blue eyes that I loved so much. She looked tired, so I kissed her nose and walked up the stairs to put her in her crib. But as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, my heart dropped. The upstairs was destroyed, and as I turned to look in Alisia's room, her crib had been smashed in anger.

Someone had been in my house.

Someone

Was

Still

There.

I stared in horror at the blue face I thought I would never see again, and he looked back at me with a pleasant expression on his face. He had been waiting.

I screamed. As I screamed, Alisia began to wail. I turned around and ran back down the stairs and out of the house as fast as I could, still screaming. Ronin had to be home, please, please Ronin hear me. Hear me hear me hear me.

I was too slow, a hand gripped my shoulder from behind and jerked me around.

"Going somewhere?" Mandrake asked me in a suave voice. "You weren't home, so I just thought I'd wait for you."

Suddenly I saw Ronin run out of the house, looking extremely alarmed, sword at the ready. He put finger to his lips in a signal for me to be quiet as he inched up behind Mandrake.

Ronin took the butt of his sword and smacked Mandrake in the back of the head with it, in an attempt to knock him out. I watched Mandrake's face twist in rage and pain, but he didn't fall. He did however, let go of my shoulder and push me to the ground as he swirled around to see his attacker.

"MK! Get N, he'll know what to do! Bird's in front of the house!" Ronin ordered at me as Mandrake took a swipe at him with the rot stick.

Mandrake turned to try and stop me, but Ronin yelled, "Oh no you don't!" He grabbed one of the ears from the bat cape that was seemingly attatched to Mandrake's head somehow, he wasn't usually seen without it.

Mandrake turned back and around and engaged with Ronin in what was the start of an epic battle. But I couldn't stay and watch. I needed to alert the Kingdom, I needed to get Alisia somewhere safe.

It was going to be really hard to fly and hold Alisia at the same time, but I had to try. She was still crying, and she was helping me by holding onto me as tightly as she could with her tiny little fists. I grabbed the reins with one hand and put the other hand on Alisia's back, trying to stay balanced. It was dark, and I prayed I remembered my way to Nod's house. I took off in what felt like the right direction and scoured the ground beneath for his house. As soon as I saw it, my heart leaped in relief. I started to land Ronin's bird, and as soon as he touched ground I leaped off, throwing myself to the ground and sprinting for the door. I didn't knock, I couldn't, not when this was so serious. I opened the door.

"Nod? Violet?" I called frantically. "Please help me, Ronin's in trouble!"

Nod and Violet both came running around the corner from a hallway. Nod crossed the room over to me and placed his hands on my elbows. "What's wrong? What happened?" he asked seriously over Alisia's screams.

"Mandrake's back, he was at the house, Ronin's with him, he needs help!" I said as fast as I could.

"Stay here," Nod ordered as he sprinted out the door.

I resented being told to stay, but I knew I should. I wanted to protect Nod and Ronin, but there's no way I could do that. I resented that I couldn't protect myself, protect my own daughter. I needed that Leafmen training. I was going to do it. Become a Leafwoman. I had to.

My eyes followed Nod out the door as he jumped on Ronin's bird and flew off. I didn't know if he was going straight to Ronin or if he was going to alert someone else. I shifted Alisia to my other shoulder, her cries had quieted to mewls as soon as she saw Nod. I put my hand on her head and kissed the side of her head. "We're safe now. It's okay," I whispered to her. But all I had to do was look at Violet to start crying again. I was shaking and my legs were weak. I collapsed onto the couch behind me, staring ahead. I was cold. I felt a blanket being wrapped around my shoulders, a hand rubbing my back.

"Maybe you should sleep," a comforting voice whispered in my ear.

"I can't," I whispered. "Not until I know they are safe." I realized who I was with and looked into Violet's eyes. I smiled gently. "I told him tonight. We kissed. It was magical," I used small sentences. It seemed to be like all I was capable of right now.

Violet stroked my hair gently. "That is amazing, dear," she said quietly.

Nod rushed to MK's house. Ronin's bird couldn't fly fast enough for Nod. He'd already lost one father. There was no way he was going to let himself lose another one. He didn't even wait to land, Nod leaped off of the bird, tumbling down and expertly landing on his feet, like a true Leafman.

He whipped his sword out of its sheath, holding it at the ready as he looked around for Mandrake and Ronin. He couldn't see them.. where were they? Suddenly he heard a groan.

Nod's eyes started searching the ground, and as soon as he saw the heap on the ground, his stomach lurched. He sprinted over to Ronin and threw down his sword, turning Ronin over, holding him in his arms.

"Ronin, what is it? Where's Mandrake?" Nod asked, scared to death. Ronin had to be okay. He just had to.

Ronin looked at Nod with bruised eyes. He looked a bit like he did the night the pod bloomed. Bruised, battered. "He got away," Ronin muttered. "Damn bastard," he groaned.

"Are you okay?" Nod asked. "Do we need to get you to the medic?"

Ronin exhaled heavily. As much as he hated admitting that he needed help, he knew that he needed medical attention. He suspected some broken ribs. But both of Mandrake's knees probably had fractures, thanks to the combined efforts of himself and MK.

"I guess so," Ronin growled.

"Alright," Nod said, trying to get as much of Ronin's upper body off the ground. Ronin grimaced and stood with Nod's support.

"Are you in any shape to fly?" Nod asked. Some people did use bugs to get around, but the Leafmen's main source of travel was the bird. They didn't have any bugs.

"Well it's not like we have any other way to get there, do we?" Ronin snapped as Nod led him to the bird.

"Gosh, pain makes you angry," Nod remarked, grimacing himself as he helped Ronin onto the bird.

"This is awful," Ronin moaned as they took off to the medic. "I can't believe he's alive. Now that he's reappeared, so will the boggans. We'll have to double security. I don't even know if MK and Alisia can live there anymore. And if they can, they definitely can't live there alone!" Ronin ranted.

All of these thoughts were racing through Nod's head as well, but then he felt Ronin's forehead against his back.

"Ronin?" Nod asked. "Ronin, wake up," he said a little more frantically.

Nod landed the bird in front of the medic and carefully slid off. Medics rushed out from the building and helped take the unconscious Ronin off of the bird.

"What happened?" one of them asked Nod.

"Mandrake's back. He tried to attack Advisor Mary Katherine and Queen Alisia. Ronin fought him but Mandrake escaped. I am off to alert the emergency guard," Nod said authoritatively. Nod stared at Ronin as he was wheeled on a gurney into the medic and tears filled his eyes. "Take care of him," Nod choked before hopping back onto Ronin's bird.

Nod flew to Moonhaven, where the siren was. After Nod turned the siren on, all active-duty Leafmen would report to their designated areas of duty.

Nod ran to the siren. If Mandrake was still in the area, maybe some of the other Leafmen would catch him. There was no escaping it anymore. Leafmen tried to avoid killing on principal. But this time – this time it was personal. Mandrake had tried to kill nearly all of his family in one night. And there was no coming back from that. He pressed the button and then ran to the megaphone that was connected to a network of speakers around the inner Kingdom.

"We have a Mandrake spotting. This is not a drill. We have a Mandrake spotting. Citizens stay inside your homes. Leafwarriors to your posts. I repeat, Leafwarriors to your posts," Nod's voice boomed across the city.

Families woke up and comforted their frightened children. Husbands and wives kissed their warriors good bye as they rushed to their posts, a steady eye out for the blue villain.

Nod then was torn, between going to Ronin and going to MK. But then he wondered who Ronin would tell him to go to, and the answer was clear. Nod mounted Sage, Ronin's bird, and flew back to his home.

MK

I was awoken by the sound of a door closing. I jolted upwards. Alisia was no longer on my chest, and I panicked for a brief second, wondering where I was. But then the events of the night hit me. I saw Alisia at the other end of the couch, sleeping soundly covered by a blanket and relaxed. I looked at who had entered the door.

"Nod!" I exclaimed, and leaped off the couch. I threw my arms around him, hugging him tight. "Oh thank God you're okay," I whimpered.

He wrapped me in his arms and put his head down. We held each other for a few moments and then I looked around. "Where's Ronin?" I asked.

It was then that Nod started to cry. I looked at him in alarm. "Nod, what's wrong?" I asked him, concern in my voice. "Nod, is he okay? Where's Ronin?" I asked again.

Nod put his hands up to his face and wiped his tears away, exhaling deeply, trying to collect himself. "I got to your house," Nod started. I could tell he was trying to keep his voice steady. "And Mandrake wasn't there. Ronin is.. he's really beat up. And it's just.. the thought of losing another father—" Nod broke down again, and my heart broke with him.

"Oh Nod," I said sympathetically, and I hugged him again, rubbing his back. "It's okay," I comforted him.
"As long as you're both alive, I couldn't be happier," I said, drawing back and smiling at him. He smiled back and his mom came along the corner, looking just as relieved as I was to see him.
I stepped away and Violet hugged Nod tight.

"Get some sleep," Violet said as she patted Nod's cheek. Then she said goodnight to me and returned to her own room.

I bit my lip undecidedly. "Should we go see Ronin now?" I asked Nod.

Nod shrugged just slightly and sat in an armchair. He looked at Alisia, sound asleep on the couch, and smiled gently. "She's had a rough day," he whispered.

I looked at Nod, concern in my eyes, but I smiled anyway. "She's not the only one," I thought. I sat back down on the couch. I was out of my mind with worry for Ronin. He had to be okay. Mandrake needed to be stopped. He wanted my baby. I couldn't let him have my baby.

Nod came over to me and kneeled in front of me. He kissed my forehead. "Go back to sleep," he reassured me. "I'll watch over everything."

"What about my dad?" I asked. We had to tell him what was going on. Alisia and I would probably go and live with him now. Whatever Ronin decided.

Nod smiled gently at me. "We'll tell him in the morning," he said softly. He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and sat in the chair again. Assured that Nod was alright, I let myself fall asleep.

Plot twist! I gotta tell you guys, I'm just as shocked as you were. Sorry for not updating in so long. But I sat down to type and this is what came out. Actually it was almost a lot worse. I had to edit that part out and replace it lol. Sorry guys, you'll get your Katherinod! But things are about to get hot for our OTP. And our bby Ronin! What will become of him!?

Xxxx

Erin!