After folding the baby things, Mara played with her new computer, intent on ordering only the things she knew she needed.
Of course, she'd never shopped online before, and she found herself ordering everything from a co-sleeper to bouncy chairs and swings, trying to imagine where Duke would let her set them up. Even if he didn't want her, she wasn't going to leave him on his own until she knew he was healthy and well. He'd just have to get used to it. If he wanted her out when he was well, she'd deal with it then.
She thought constantly about what appeared to be a one-sided bond with Nathan. In a way it made sense. Her bond with him when she was James's mother had always been one-sided; she had loved him but he had loved Audrey. Now that James had been given to Audrey, that bond hadn't just disappeared. Love that strong never really disappeared. So the only thing she could guess was that it had moved and rewired itself, creating a bond that allowed her to feel Nathan's pain. It didn't work on Nathan because he hadn't had that love for Mara.
Scientifically and metaphysically she understood it, but she didn't know what to do about it. William had left, thinking her gone, and perhaps their bond had died with his hope. But Mara didn't know how to sever this bond to Nathan. She could live with it, of course, and at some point she was going to have to alter Nathan so he would stop aging, making him like her and Audrey.
She just didn't know if she could explain it to anyone.
She finally took her medication, putting the computer away and stretching out under the blankets, daydreaming about what life would be like once Duke came home.
Mara fell quickly into a deep sleep, happy dreams of sitting on the beach with Duke watching two toddlers building with sand. Duke looked so different than he had when she'd last seen him; the lines of stress and fatigue gone, replaced by small laugh lines around his eyes. His hair was longer, still decorated with the small streaks of silver at his temples that she secretly treasured. He was shirtless, tanned and toned and beautiful.
He had a beer bottle in his hand, the sun reflecting off the amber glass and making sparkles against his tan skin. Chuckling, he looked over at her. His eyes sparkled with mirth.
"This is really nice. Not what I was expecting at all."
She laughed. "It's always nice when nobody is bleeding, I think. I guess we've learned to adjust our expectations with time."
He cocked his head and reached out to touch her hair. "I'd never have guessed you had long, curly hair. Or that you'd be so small. How tall are you, anyway?"
She glared playfully. "My license says I'm 5'0. I might have lied about an inch, but at that point, who's even keeping track? I don't know why you tease me about it so much. Audrey's only 5'4. Pick on her about it."
He was still holding her hair, stretching it out to examine it. "You look beautiful. I got so used to blue eyes, the purple will be hard to adjust to."
"Violet. And what are you talking about? You should be used to my eyes by now."
"But this is the first time I've really seen you."
Mara's heart skipped in her chest and then started racing. She looked around frantically.
They were on a beach, but they were alone. And she didn't hurt.
"Oh my god, Duke? You're here? You're really here?"
"You're the one who called me."
She jumped on him, rolling around in the sand as she kissed him breathless. "You're here, you're here. You can see me!" She hugged him hard, pressing her face to his neck as his arms wrapped around her.
"Yeah, I can can see you. Where the hell have you been? I started looking for you as soon as I got here. They said you were dead, but I figured you'd stay close, so I did too. Figured maybe we could team up. Why'd it take so long to find you?"
She kept one arm around his neck, sitting him up so she could sit in his lap straddling him, one hand pressed to his face. "Duke, I'm not dead. There was no joining, she never tried to combine me and Audrey. She was trying to kill me or send me away, make it too hard to get back in time. But I'm alive, Duke. That's why you couldn't find me."
He looked crushed. "You weren't dead? That whole time, you were alive? Where were you?"
"She hurt me and sent me to Mexico. I swear I was trying to get back but I was so broken, I took too long. I'm so sorry. I really screwed up."
His eyes searched hers, his hands rubbed her back where he was holding her. "Hurt you how, Mara?"
Confused, she looked down at herself. Flat stomach, clear skin. Of course. she was dreaming, she wouldn't have brought the scars with her.
"It doesn't matter right now, we'll have plenty of time to talk about that later."
"But how? You can't stay with me if you're alive. I don't want you to leave me. I've been looking for so long, and I only just found you after I heard your voice yelling for me."
"I won't leave you, Duke. Not like you're thinking. I was yelling for you yesterday, do you remember saying you'd wait for me?"
"I remember dreaming. It was weird, I haven't dreamed since I died. I dreamed we were in a bunch of white fog and you were telling me to wait. When I woke up, one of your little balls of Aether was dancing around and led me here."
"Orbs." Mara corrected automatically. "But I'm not letting you go, Duke. I refuse. I need you. You have to hold on, stay right here and wait. You're safe here. Are you listening, Duke?"
He was staring at her lips, his hands stroking over her lower back and hips. "Yup. It's safe, wait. It was the need part I got stuck on. You look so beautiful. Is this what you looked like before?"
She couldn't help but laugh, grabbing his face and kissing him. "Yes, this is what I looked like before. She changed me so I looked different, but it was cosmetic, my DNA didn't change. So after I got hurt, I went back to normal."
He pulled her close, kissing her again. He tasted better than she remembered. "How long do we have, Mara?"
She stared at his dark eyes. She had put extra energy in that orb...
"You know, I have some extra energy to share... if you have something in mind."
His lips curled in a predatory smile and he rolled until he was above her, pulling her tank top over her head and off. In a fraction of a second, his mouth was at her breast. She groaned, arching against him. "I will never, ever let anyone touch me but you, Duke. You're all I want and I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
With a last lick and nibble, he backed up, pulling her leggings off and unbuttoning his fly. He kicked the jeans off, coming up to press his body against hers again. He spoke between kisses to her throat. "I know. We both screwed up. But you're here. You came looking for me. And then I knew for sure that you loved me. I want you to show me. I want to feel you."
She gasped and he settled between her thighs, kissing her hungrily. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling at him and nibbling at his chest and shoulder. "I've missed you so much, Duke. Please."
He pushed into her, and his moan sounded more like a growl. Mara pressed her mouth to his and held him tightly, moving to push against him every time he thrust. It was magical, beautiful. She felt complete, beautiful and wanted and unafraid. She was burning, her blood boiling, but there was no pain.
Desperate for touch- specifically for his touch, she cried out, dragging her nails down his back.
"I love you, Duke. I've always loved you and I will never stop."
"I know, Mara. I know. And I love you too. I wish like hell I'd told you sooner." He pulled one of her legs higher, thrusting deep, and she shouted, her body clenching around him, begging for more.
She refused to close her eyes, staring up at him. She didn't even want to blink, afraid to miss a second or a single look on his face. "I need to feel you, Duke. I need to see your face. I've missed you too much, make me feel you."
He bit her neck, pushing harder, over and over until she was rattling apart. "God you're beautiful. I didn't think you could even be more beautiful." His mouth crashed down on hers as she cried out, their tongues dancing together. His breath caught, a low groan rising in his chest and he thrust harder, claiming her on this magic beach. She shouted his name and he came inside her, the look on his face burned into her mind. They panted in each other's arms, clinging to each other.
He kissed her again as he pulled out, lying next to her and pulling her tight against him. "This. This is what I've been looking for, what I was looking forward to. All the madness gone, just here with you."
"I promise I will take you on vacation. But I need to bring you back. I need you alive, Duke."
"I've seen you do a lot of crazy things, Mara, but I wasn't aware you could give life."
He didn't know she was pregnant- had no way of knowing she was pregnant- so the words struck her as hilarious. First she tried to choke down a chuckle, and when she couldn't she laughed harder and harder until she was howling with tears running down her face, clutching her ribs. He was looking at her like she was insane, and that just made her laugh harder.
"Why is that funny?"
Mara was trying desperately to contain her mirth, but it had been so long since she'd laughed, it felt so good.
And she couldn't determine if it was bad form to tell him now or wait til he got home.
"I'm sorry," she chuckled, "you just- I'm glad I can still surprise you. I have so many surprises for you when we get you home."
His fingers traced up her bare back and she snuggled in close, pressing a kiss to his chest. "So where is home now, anyway?"
"Oh. Well, about that. When I made it into Haven, Gloria was the first one I really talked to after I found out everything went to hell. We talked and there was a lot going on, but, um... long story short, I'm staying on the Rouge. Just keeping it safe for you, I swear. I'm not changing anything. You won't come home to beaded curtains and puffy throw pillows everywhere. I wanted to be close to you until I could get you home. Which I will do very soon."
Duke shot her a wry smile. "Are you sleeping in my bed?"
"I am. Naked."
He grinned happily. "If you're bringing me back, I'll probably need a lot of care when I get home. You should probably stay to take care of me."
"You're right. I can't leave you alone. I cleaned out that refrigerator. I'll have to get you new Tupperware, because I'm pretty sure the stuff in there was alive and sentient, so it's all gone."
"There's a safe under the kitchen counter. Little latch over the silverware door, click that, the counter swings up. The code is 6-2-8-3."
Mara looked at him curiously. "What's in there? More Tupperware?"
He laughed loudly. "Grocery money. Use whatever you find in there in any way you want. Promise?"
"I got hold of some of my money and bought groceries. Plenty of things to cook for you when you get home. I'm not sure I remember how to eat."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just taken a long time to get to Haven. I only had 600 pesos, and I wasn't in great shape. I mostly use those canned liquid meals."
He frowned at her, fingers rubbing over her ribs. "Promise me you'll eat? Real food, Mara. I mean it. Food is important."
"Whatever makes you happy, but I'll eat when you're home to eat with me."
"What's your plan, anyway? How do you bring someone to life?"
She fought another giggle. "You went into the Void when you- died." The laughter died in her throat, her stomach twisted unpleasantly, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Duke. "My orb brought you to a safe zone, somewhere you can rest safely until I come for you. I'm going to go into the Void and get you, bring you back. Your body here appears healthy and well, so some active Aether infusion on the way back should keep your body strong for the crossover."
"So when are we doing this?" He bent his neck to kiss her head.
"As soon as possible. When I wake up, I'm going to try to take in some more Aether to keep me strong for the trip. I need to get some medical supplies from Gloria and a ride to the nearest Thinny. I can't deal with another day without you. I should have just told you, I should have been honest from the start. I won't screw it up again."
"How are the oth-" Duke froze, staring down at her. His eyes widened as he looked her up and down, and his voice was quiet and strained. Horrified.
"Jesus, Mara, what happened to you?"
Confused, she looked down at herself, nude and pressed against Duke. Her eyes burned with tears. The scars were showing. "Oh no. I must be close to waking. I'm sorry, Duke, I'm sorry. I know I look bad. We can talk about it when you're back."
"No, tell me what happened. Who did this to you? Are you in pain?"
"It doesn't matter, Duke! I don't know how much time we have, and I need to know you'll wait here. Promise me! Swear it, Duke."
There were tears in his eyes, but he said, "I promise."
She leaned up and grabbed his face, desperate for one last kiss. Their lips had just touched when she felt a hard jerk, and suddenly Duke was under her, and she saw the Maze on her- oh, not hers, Nathan's arm.
She couldn't look away, she had to see it exactly as Nathan saw it, as he was seeing it right now.
No. No. No more pain. Nathan had suffered enough.
With every ounce of strength she possessed, she fought, a scream bubbling up from her throat as she woke. The pain, the agony ripped at her, but she scrambled for the phone, dialing Audrey as quickly as her fingers could move.
Her sleepy voice had just started to say "Hello" when Mara cut her off. "Wake Nathan up! Do it now, he's having a nightmare, don't let him see it! Wake him up now!"
She heard the phone drop on something that sounded soft- probably the bed- and she heard Audrey urging Nathan awake, probably shaking him. When Mara heard Nathan's sobbing, she let out a shaky breath, reaching for her pills. She took an extra with this dose, drinking the last of her bottle of water as she lay back, shaking as tears ran down her face.
As she waited on the open line, Mara thought about everything.
She wouldn't be able to keep the bond a secret anymore. They would want to know why Mara knew Nathan was having a nightmare. She wouldn't lie. Lies had hurt enough people. She hoped it wouldn't make them too uncomfortable.
Duke's distraught face as he looked at her body. He had looked sad and upset, but not disgusted by her. Mara knew his heart well enough to know that he wouldn't stop loving someone over scars. It's not who he was or how he was built. He loved with his heart, not his eyes.
But she still wished she could be pretty for him.
It was only midnight. She had to see Gloria to get the medical supplies she might need, and she would take in as much Aether as she could hold before she went in. She could collect more to refill her stockpile while she was looking for Duke. She wouldn't be able to see Gloria until morning. The time would fly for Duke, but every minute here seemed to take an hour.
Years ago she had managed to sneak around the Lucy personality and program the Aether inside Nathan to block the memories of his abuse at the hands of his biological father. Perhaps she could do it again, locking up the memory of watching Duke die so Nathan wouldn't suffer so much. If she let Nathan keep the knowledge but hid the specific memory, he could still keep his vow to be a better friend and to appreciate Duke, but he wouldn't be haunted every night.
She had to get permission, though. She knew what it was like to have your mind toyed with, and it had to be Nathan's decision. All Mara could do was make the offer and try to convince him that it was for the best.
Audrey and Nathan were still talking quietly. They had probably forgotten the phone, so Mara hung up and got out of bed, grabbing a dust rag and going over the ship again, trying to make everything perfect for Duke's homecoming. No matter what, she wasn't coming back without him. Either she would bring him home or she would stay with him in the Void.
Grabbing a pad of paper, she sat back on the bed, making a list of all the things she would need for the medical bag. IV kits, medications, triage tools- he might come through just fine, and she could probably use Aether to repair anything that was actually wrong with him, but how much would she have to take in and how much she would need to use? If she got overloaded, she would need the regular medical gear to do the smaller things like treating shock or dehydration. She had to save her abilities to change him from spirit to living man. She was only one person.
Audrey had the ability to use Aether, but not the training. Mara would have to teach her at some point, but for now Mara was the only one who could help.
Thinking about Audrey, she realized that Duke would want to know what had happened in his absence, and Mara quickly put tranquilizers on her list of medical necessities. Duke would be furious when he found out everything that had happened, perhaps more angry than Mara had been herself. She didn't want Duke to accidentally sicken himself or break something. Some injectable and oral tranquilizers could save them a lot of fuss.
The baby kicked, pushing Mara's stomach out at a strange angle and bumping her hand, making her writing bounce across the paper. This, at least, was one good thing she could give Duke. Her love and the promise of a family.
Mara pulled on the satin robe, though she wasn't sure why. She'd been walking around naked without any trouble at all and it was the middle of the night, there was nobody around to see her. She went to the kitchen and checked for the hidden switch Duke had mentioned, a little afraid their time together had been a dream. She didn't need his money, she just wanted to see if the safe was real, to prove that they'd actually talked.
Her heart fluttered when she felt the latch and she exhaled the breath she'd been holding as the counter swung up. She pressed the numbers; 6-2-8-3, and pulled the handle on the door, opening it to reveal a large opening full of money, two guns and several small boxes and envelopes. She was sorely tempted to snoop, but was content to run her hands over everything, just happy to have this proof- this tangible evidence that she had really been with him.
She spent a few minutes trying to understand the code. Not the birthday of anyone she knew. But it had to mean something. When she'd ruled out dates of people she knew, she glanced at her phone, comparing the letters that corresponded to each number and then using them to make words.
When she finally saw it, she laughed. The code spelled 'Nate'. Of course it did. The thing Duke cared about most, his best friend, that only the people who truly knew him could ever guess. A stranger wouldn't guess the smuggling, law-skirting pirate was so attached to the lawman. He tried to keep his heart hidden and protected. When he was home and safe, Mara would give him enough love for a thousand lifetimes.
There was a knock at the door, and Mara reached for one of the guns, not bothering to close the safe and counter. She felt certain she knew who it was- why she had known to put the robe on in the first place- but she was still going to be cautious. She couldn't afford to get hurt or mess anything up when she was so close to getting her life together. She called through the door, one hand on the lock.
"Who is it?"
"It's us, Mara." Audrey sounded like she was trying to be quiet- James must be asleep. Mara unlocked the door and stood back to let them in, closing and locking the door behind them and heading back to return the gun to the safe. While Audrey put the diaper bag down, Mara put the teakettle on to boil and pulled out a few large envelopes, putting the cashiers check and receipts in one and cash in another, leaving out several hundred dollars that she put into the wallet Audrey had gotten for her when she was shopping. She put the photo album on top and closed the safe as Nathan and Audrey stared.
"How'd you find that?" Nathan asked. "I didn't even know that was there."
She gave him a soft smile. "I talked to Duke. Longer this time, I had sent him an orb with extra energy in it. He surprised me, I thought I was dreaming. He told me about the safe so I'd have money if I needed anything."
Audrey raised her eyebrows, asking, "Is that what happened to your neck?"
Mara looked at her curiously, but moved to the closest mirror- there was a perfect bite mark on her neck and she remembered him biting her as her face turned red. "Yeah. Sorry, I hadn't noticed that. He must have intended to leave a mark."
"Does he know about the other mark he left on you?"
"Audrey!" Mara laughed a little, shaking her head. "No, not yet. I was dreaming, not everything carried across. I thought it would be better to tell him when he's home. I don't want him worried about me going after him." Mara sighed, turning off the stove and pouring the water over the three tea bags before she went to sit in a chair, leaving the couch to Nathan and Audrey, James asleep in his carseat on the floor by their feet. "I didn't have control over the last few minutes and he saw the scars. I didn't have time to explain, but he was upset. I wish he hadn't seen that."
Nathan looked fierce as he spoke up. "Of course he was upset. He doesn't want to see you hurt. None of us do. But it doesn't change who you are and it doesn't make you any less beautiful. You know Duke will think so too."
"Thank you. I do know, I know he's not that shallow. I just don't want him worried right now. I'm going to go after him tomorrow. As soon as Gloria gets to work, I'm going to get a medical kit put together. I already made a list, and then if you guys don't mind I need a couple of favors."
"Anything, just name it." Audrey said. "We'll help however we can."
"I need to borrow a ring. I can travel the Void without it, but a ring will save time. The one Nathan has, it was mine originally. I left it with Garland so he could give it to Nathan when he was old enough. I don't want to keep it, just to use it for the trip. Once I get Duke, I'll have him wear it so he's safe for the trip home. Then I need a ride to the closest Thinny, and I need someone to wait for me. I could drive the Land Rover, but I can't take care of Duke and drive at the same time. Depending on how long I'm in the Void, it could affect me, too. I'd rather be safe."
Audrey nodded. "Of course, we'll do it." Her expression didn't change at all as she asked, "So if you get sick from the Void, will that affect Nathan?"
Mara's eyes shot to Audrey's, then looked back and forth between her and Nathan. She finally sighed, slumping her shoulders and resting a hand on her belly. "What do you know and when did you find out?"
Nathan watched her face as Audrey spoke. "After Nathan was calm again, I realized I'd forgotten you were on the phone. You'd hung up by then, but with everything calm it hit me that you- well, everything hit me. I remembered how many times I'd see you and Nathan rubbing the same places. Your hands, your shoulders, and I realized that you couldn't have known he was having a nightmare unless you saw it."
Mara pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "I only realized a little before you guys left for the night. No, Nathan's not in any danger. I tested it. It's one-sided. I don't know how to break it, I'm sorry. But it won't affect your lives."
"How did it happen, Mara?" Nathan's voice was calm and gentle.
"I don't know for sure. I have a few guesses, but I can't be certain. Does it matter? Will knowing help you?"
"Can't hurt. I'd like to know."
"You remember when we were talking about punishment and I told you how I felt about my mother severing the only thing that connected you to me? All the emotion and metaphysical power behind that connection had to go somewhere. You can't just make half a century of love- what I felt for you and what I felt for my baby- you can't make it disappear. It had to go somewhere. But now it's... she basically made it so my James never existed. She overwrote his entire existence like it was nothing, there is no more real memory or mark or anything regarding my son to put that energy into. So it rewired itself to bind me to you."
She was embarrassed, staring down at her belly where she could see the baby's foot moving, her belly pushing out in moving bulges and lumps.
"Why can't I feel you? Your bond with William went both ways, right?"
Her cheeks burned with the heat of her blush. "When I was bonded to William, yes. I believe the
bond broke when he believed I was dead and he left, or maybe this bond broke it. But they're different. You don't feel me because our relationship was one-sided. You didn't know I existed. You loved Audrey, not me. So there was nothing in you to be rewired. And no need, because James is still your son. You didn't lose anything, you actually gained. You get to raise him and keep him. The extra emotion was only mine, and so the bond only works one way.
"I swear I'll never abuse it- not that I could, like I said, I'm bonded to you, not the other way around. I'll just be useful if you get hurt or have nightmares. I'm sorry about this, both of you. But it doesn't change anything."
Audrey's eyes were red-rimmed. "I'm so sorry, Mara. I love James so much, but I wouldn't have hurt you like that and I hate that you're suffering. That you lost that. You've already lost so much."
"I don't want you guys to think I'm upset with you, or even what's happened. I love him, I always have, and that's why I gave him to June in the first place. You're perfect, he's in an ideal situation and I want that for him. You're the perfect mother for him, Audrey, and he should always have been yours. He wasn't meant to be mine. But for awhile he was, and those memories will always exist for me. Even when Sarah went away, I thought of him every day. This- you and Nathan together, raising him... his biological parents happy and in love, it's the ideal environment for a child and I know you'll keep him safe and happy. Now that Paige is gone and you're yourself, this is what I wanted for him. I just didn't realize that losing that connection that I barely even got to acknowledge would hurt so much."
Mara stood to finish making the tea and brought them each a cup, making a second trip for her own.
Nathan cleared his throat. "We talked, and I know it's not the same, but we want you and Duke to be his godparents."
"Audrey told me earlier. Thank you. Just, please, I don't want you thinking you need to make me feel better. I want what's best for him. Audrey is the closest thing I have to a sister- if it wouldn't make that woman your mother, I'd wish we were sisters. This baby, Duke's baby, will be your niece or nephew and that's important to me. I'm okay. Or, I will be once Duke is back. I'd like it if the kids could grow up close. I never had cousins or anything, and I know Audrey didn't either."
"We want that too, Mara. And I don't care about 'that woman'. You are my sister. You proved that when you came back and freed me. You did more than save my life, you saved my heart and my sanity. You could have kept all of this a secret, but you acted to keep Nathan from suffering more when you knew he was having a nightmare. You've proven yourself to us. If you can't be his biological mom, be his aunt and his godmother. Our DNA is close enough to be sisters, right?"
"Scientifically? Yeah. Fraternal twins, technically. Not identical because of the alterations to make us look like you."
"Will you be my sister, Mara?"
She studied Audrey's face intently. There was sadness, certainly, but not common guilt or pity. She hurt for Mara, but she was being honest- she wanted to be sisters, she wanted to be family for herself as much as for Mara. "Of course. You need a sister to make sure you stay Audrey. When Duke is home, all of us need to talk and figure out where we are with each other so we can move forward. I do have one thing I want you to consider, if you will."
"What's that?"
Mara looked at Nathan. "When Duke comes home, I don't want your reunion to hurt. I don't want you having that nightmare every night, and I want you to see him as he will be- alive and whole and healthy. I'm not talking about stealing your memories- it's important to remember what we've gone through to get where we are. But I want to take those pictures and put them far away, so you can just appreciate the present, Nathan. I want to bury that memory and the pictures that go to it with the memories from when you were little. I don't want you to be haunted and hurting. He'll be alive and well, and you can't appreciate that if you see those memories every time you look at him."
"You're why I don't remember Max?"
She nodded. "I did what I had to. Garland had been so worried- you didn't speak until you were four. Every time you had a nightmare, he was afraid you'd regress. So I worked around the personality one day. I knew who you were by then, and I didn't want the abuse to change the man I knew you'd go on to be. I could never talk to you or give you anything except the ring I'd already left for you. The only thing I could give you was peace."
The room was silent and nobody moved. Finally, Nathan looked up at Mara with tormented eyes. "Shouldn't I have to remember? How can I do better if I don't remember?"
"I'm not talking about taking away the knowledge. The understanding about how much you love Duke and how much he trusted you, that's the thing that can help drive you. Those pictures, though... watching him die, that can only hurt you and haunt you. Audrey can tell you."
Audrey shot Mara a panicked look, but Mara shook her head. "Too many lies, Audrey."
Nathan wrapped an arm around Audrey and pulled her close, nuzzling her hair. "You know you can tell me anything, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
Audrey grimaced. "When Tommy- or Arla, I guess- killed you, I kind of lost it. I cried over you, telling you I always loved you. It's nothing you don't already know."
"He may know, but it doesn't change the fact that it still hurt you for a very long time. You healed, I know that, but the circumstances were so different. Nathan feels guilty. Guilt is poisonous. Nathan, you did right by Duke. You honored his request. Can't you keep the knowledge but let the pain go? Duke loves you. He's always loved you. He gave me a reminder of that before I had to leave the dream. He's not sad. He's excited to come home, and there is more good ahead of us than bad. You don't have to decide right now, but please think about it. I'd rather you appreciate Duke alive than dream about him dying."
As Nathan and Audrey stared at each other, communicating silently, Mara stood to wash her teacup. "No matter what you choose, I am going tomorrow. I'll ask Gloria to help with the medical kit, we should be at the Thinny ready to go by 9. You two are welcome to sleep here since it's so late."
Nathan was still staring at Audrey as he said, "Thanks. We'll stay. And if you can take away the dreams without making me forget the important things... do it. I trust you."
Mara saw Audrey smile at him, and she came up to sit in front of them, taking his hands. "Okay. Thank you. Just relax. You shouldn't feel anything, really. Maybe a little tickle." She allowed herself to connect to the dormant Aether inside Nathan- still present even with his Trouble inactive- and updated it's instructions, adding the image of Duke's death to the list of forbidden memories. Giving Nathan safety for his sleep.
"Okay, Nathan. No more nightmares now. Time to start having sweet dreams. Do you need anything before I try to rest?"
Audrey reached out to squeeze Mara's hand. "No. Go get some sleep. We can get ourselves to bed. Thank you for everything."
"Don't thank me. But this is our last night without Duke. I'll call Gloria as soon as she gets to work. Goodnight. And thank you. I appreciate all your help."
She closed herself up in Duke's room, laying out all the things she'd need for the next morning. When she was done, she settled into his bed, trying to make herself relax.
Tomorrow, alive or dead, she would be with Duke.