"Sis…wait up!" A young boy with deep blue hair panted as his sister-eight years his senior-easily outpaced him.
The brown-haired girl stopped at his cry and waited, "Are you okay, Tommy?" She asked in concern after he caught up. She was very protective of her brother. He had been weak since birth and she made it her mission to look out for him.
"Y-yeah," he wheezed, "I just need to catch my breath."
"It's okay. Take your time."
Tommy-Thomas was his given name, but his family and friends called him Tommy-hated that he could not run and play like the other children, and he hated having others wait on him when they could be having fun themselves.
"I'm okay now," He forced a smile and started off, "Come on! Mom and dad are waiting!"
"Mom! Dad!" Tommy's sister ran up and hugged her parents while Tommy was a bit more reserved in his shows of affection despite his young age.
"Hey, kiddos," their dad ruffled their hair, "How was your night?"
"Good," Morgan replied, "Lucy and Cindy challenged us to a pillow fight."
"I'm sure Chrom and Sumia loved that," their dad smiled knowing full and well that they probably joined. Chrom more than Sumia.
"You didn't cause any trouble while we were gone, did you?" Their mother asked.
"We were both really good," Morgan assured and Tommy backed her up. Not that their parents had any reason to expect otherwise. Morgan and Tommy were exceptionally well behaved for children.
"Well," Their father, Robin, smiled, "Now that we're back, how about we have a family outing?"
Robin and Lucina had been celebrating their anniversary, but they missed their family. Both enjoyed their trip, but they were happy to be back.
"Yay!" Morgan cheered while Tommy smiled lightly.
Deciding to go a bit further out of the way, the family decided on a place outside of town that Robin and Lucina had found earlier. The area was well-patrolled so there was little risk of brigands and it got them away from the castle for a bit.
"How are you doing?" Lucina stepped in beside Tommy as Morgan and Robin took up the front. Lucina was especially doting on Tommy. It had been rather touch and go for weeks after his birth and he had not fully recovered, and Lucina made sure that her son's needs were met to the best of her ability. She had yet to return to her duties as she did not feel confident leaving him with the nursemaids and her mother had two children of her own to care for. Fortunately, Morgan was more than eager to help out.
"Just a little…tired," He tried to put on a brave front despite his young age. He seemed acutely aware of other people's feelings, perhaps because of his own condition.
"We can take a rest if you'd like," Lucina smiled gently.
"I don't want to be a bother."
"It's no bother," Lucina called out to Robin and Morgan to secure the site and set up while she stayed with Tommy. "Are you sure you're okay?" She gently rubbed his back and cast a glance around at the sky worried that the heat may have been too much.
"I wish you didn't have to stop because of me," Tommy said dejectedly.
"Don't worry about it. It's okay."
Tommy looked on sullenly.
"Come on," Lucina sat down on a tree root with him, "So, you're not as strong as others, but you are kind, gentle, and before long you will probably be smarter than I ever will be with your father teaching you." Lucina hugged him tight, "And you will always be my special little boy."
"Mom!" he laughed. He and his mother were really close. He was close with his sister and father too, but he seemed to have a special bond with his mother.
"Now, if you're ready, we should meet up with your father and sister."
The next day, Tommy made sure to find his sister.
"Morgan!" He huffed.
"Tommy! What's got you so excited?"
"I want you to train me!" he stood tall despite his labored breath.
"What? Why?" Morgan crossed her arms.
"I don't want to be slower and weaker anymore. I know mother is training you, but she won't train me, so I want you to teach me what she teaches you."
Morgan sighed. She had been receiving training. It was sporadic at first, but it was becoming more and more regular as Tommy got older. Still, there was one glaring issue, "Look, Tommy, you're breathing would get in the way. You don't have to be super strong."
"But mom and dad are!" Tommy exclaimed, "I keep getting tired and being a bother, and I want to be stronger! I'll train and exercise until I'm stronger. Please, sis, help me."
Morgan could tell he was going to try this with or without her help, so she reasoned it was better to help him with it and make sure he did not seriously hurt himself, "Okay, but we start slow, got it? You don't need to overtax yourself too much."
"Thank you, sis!" He hugged her tight and she could not help but smile. He was nothing if not determined.
It was not easy, especially at first, but Tommy applied himself to overcoming his handicaps. Gradually, he was able to improve his stamina. He would never be completely free of his ailments, but he took great strides. Morgan's lessons became a highlight of the week for the boy.
However, they were eventually caught.
"I don't think it's that bad," Robin replied after Lucina had explained the situation.
"What if he collapsed and no one was around to help him?"
"Morgan was watching out for him, and from what I've seen, he's made great strides. He's no longer panting for breath every ten steps and he's able to lead a much more normal life."
"I can see that, Robin, but I just don't want him to get hurt."
"Lucina," Robin said gently and lightly grabbed her shoulder, "Neither do I, but you have to admit that you do baby the boy."
"I suppose I do," Lucina sat on their bed, "Seeing him when he was newborn reminded me of the few children that survived childbirth in the later years in my world. They were so weak and feeble. None of them survived," She looked her husband square in the eyes, "I vowed that I would not let him suffer the same fate."
"But he's growing up now," Robin sat beside her, "He's been working really hard on this. You don't have to worry about him like those children in your world. He is already well on his way to maturity."
"I…suppose so. Perhaps he doesn't need me as much as he used to."
"Well, let's not go too far. He is still a kid after all, but perhaps you don't have to…baby him anymore."
"Father does insist that I can go back to work whenever I feel ready. Maybe I should go back. Morgan has proven that she can keep an eye on him."
"If that's what you want," Robin pulled her close.
A few months later on the eve of Morgan's fourteenth birthday, she was called in to meet with her parents. Alone.
"You wanted to see me."
"Yes," Lucina started, "We were going to wait until you were older, but we agreed that you were mature enough to know."
"What we're about to tell you does not leave the Shepherds and Tommy can't know until he's older," Her father explained, "None of the other kids know yet either. Do you understand?"
"Yes, what is this about?"
Lucina started softly, "I…am not from this world. I came from another world which had come to ruins. I came here to save this world."
Morgan laughed awkwardly, "What did you really want to talk about?" She noticed the hard stares her parents were giving her, "Wait, you're serious?"
"We are," Lucina answered, "I am Lucina, princess of Ylisse. My parents were Chrom and Sumia."
"Chrom and Sumia…are your parents?"
"In a sense," Lucina replied, "They are not my real parents. They died back in my world, but the Chrom and Sumia here accepted me as their daughter. In a sense, I was adopted."
"I-I see," Morgan's voice trembled a little.
"I know it's a lot to take in," Her father spoke up, "But remember not to tell anyone outside of the adult Shepherds."
"Okay," Morgan replied.
After expounding a little more on Lucina's past, Morgan's parents made to leave, but Morgan caught her mother in a hug. It was different, but knowing that her mother had been adopted too made her feel closer to her mother.
Lucina patted Morgan's hair. Robin smiled at them and Lucina motioned for him to join them.
"Hey!" They heard Tommy who had peaked in after Robin opened the door, "I want a hug too!"
Robin laughed, "Come on, kiddo!"
As they all stood there in a family embrace, Lucina thought back on how that a decade prior, she had little hope that she would ever have a family of her own. Now, here she was with the people most precious to her.
They all had their difficulties to overcome. Robin had his heritage. Morgan came from an abusive home. Tommy had his physical weakness. Lucina had her own past scares. Then there was the difficult patch after learning of Lucina's condition, yet they had come together as a family despite the odds.
She loved it, and she loved them.
A/N: I'll probably call it here. Hopefully it was okay. Should hopefully move on to my next project in an indeterminate amount of time.