Two Sides of the Coin

Chapter 11

Mounting Questions and Growing Worries

Mckenzie was not used to the cold anymore. She hadn't lived in a cold climate for a few years now. Not since she moved to California. When she arrived back in Wisconsin and stepped onto the frozen, Green Bay tarmac, she was struck by the frigid wind and shivered. At that moment, she realized that while she had come home, it was no longer home for her.

The frigid air of Nohr told her the same thing. She stood at the bottom of a pit that was somehow a city, amid the frost crusted Krakenburg yard, eyes glancing at the medieval walls, towers, and guards that patrolled along them. This was not home. Not even close. Yet, she was expected to make it become one.

But how?

She tucked her chin, grimacing. As she did, gentle steps sounded behind her.

"The maids said I would find you here," Emmeryn, one of the few kind people Mckenzie had managed to meet, said. "They say you come out here every night and look up."

"I like the stars. All kinds. Always have," Mckenzie looked over her shoulder at Emmeryn. "When I was little, I always wanted a telescope. I wanted to be able to look through it, out my bedroom window at night, and stare at the vast expanse of space. So much bigger than the trailer I called home…" she scoffed. "Childish nonsense."

"Hardly. To look at something with wonder is natural," Emmeryn said with a soft smile. Somehow, this lady was always so calming. Mckenzie couldn't wrap her head around it. There was a soothing serenity she exuded no matter who she spoke to or what she did. Mckenzie had a feeling there could be a fistfight happening and Emmeryn could simply walk into the room and it would stop.

Very different from Hollywood.

"See any stars you recognize?" Emmeryn asked.

Mckenzie shook her head.

"A long way from home then?"

She nodded.

Emmeryn leaned against her staff. "I've known many like that. The ones I know best are with me in this castle, in fact."

"Samwise and his team?" Mckenzie remarked, a mild taste of derision on her tongue. It had been a week and he had not dropped by to speak with her. Emmeryn insisted he was busy. After all, it had been months since he'd been home. At the same time, if he wanted her a part of his time, couldn't he check in for a moment?

Emmeryn closed her eyes and sighed. "The very same. Walk with me?"

"Where?"

Emmeryn did not respond. She strode toward the retainer's barracks; a place Mckenzie had not been to and refused to enter. That was where Charlotte and the others stayed. As far as Mckenzie was concerned, she would not be welcome, so why bother? She couldn't stand the sidelong glares, the active disgust that radiated from the others when they looked at her. A coward, and a pampered girl, that was all they saw in her.

They were right, of course. She just hated being reminded.

At the barracks door, Mckenzie hesitated. She saw a firelight flickering inside. Warm laughter came through the window panes, a bit muffled, but loud enough to know that a good time was happening inside. She detected the faint smell of liquor from within, making her nose wrinkle. Emmeryn opened the door a crack.

"Coming in?" She asked.

Mckenzie rocked her weight back and forth. "I'm not sure I'm invited."

Emmeryn smiled. "All are invited here, Mckenzie. Whether you can stay or not, well, that is up to Severa."

"Why are you taking me here?"

Emmeryn paused as she nudged the door open a little more. A light laugh escaped her pale lips. "Because, while Sam needs time with his family, he forgets how forgetful he can be."

Emmeryn pushed the door open and then stepped inside. A cheer sounded from the retainers inside. The cheer quieted a little when Mckenzie reluctantly followed her in. Several of the people within, Mckenzie immediately recognized. Shura sat near the fire across from Benny. They were playing a card game with two others she did not know. There was money in the middle. Gambling, because of course they would be.

Charlotte sat at a bar counter, swirling a glass of red wine and glaring at Mckenzie with a mix of surprise and disgust. A man with a dark smile on his lips and an eyepatch sat next to her. There was a wicked look in his one eye as he looked at Mckenzie with what she could only describe as a hungry expression. She made a mental note to avoid that one.

A particularly frowny girl sat at a tall table near the window. Her eyes poked out beneath blue bangs, and she paid no attention to Mckenzie once she entered. She sat across from a young man with a charming smile and lavender hair. He winked at her. Mckenzie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That man's eyes then shifted to Emmeryn.

"Lady Emmeryn, it is a pleasure for you to join us along with such radiant company this evening. Truly, you are-"

"Inigo, shut up already," the grumpy girl grumbled.

Inigo sputtered. "B-Beruka, did you really have to-" he uttered a frustrated huff then shrugged. "Fine, I suppose I must make my remarks with a less loquacious tongue and-"

"Water that tongue with wine already," Charlotte called with a laugh. "No one wants to hear it wagging."

Mckenzie almost laughed at that. However, any laughter would have meant Charlotte said something clever, and she did not want to give her the satisfaction. So, she kept her lips shut as the door closed behind her.

"Yes, Lady Emmeryn," the man beside Charlotte bowed his head, "it is good to see you again."

"Greetings, Niles. I trust you are making Charlotte comfortable?"

"As comfortable as can be," the man slithered, making Mckenzie's skin crawl. "Now," his one eye flicked to her, "to whom do I owe the pleasure? A new face is not often seen here and she looks quite fresh. A bit fearful as well. Rightfully so." He snickered even as Charlotte smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Enough of the unsettling comments, Niles. Dusk Dragon knows Mckenzie is afraid enough."

Mckenzie blinked. Was Charlotte defending her? Why!?

"Evening Emmeryn. Mckenzie," Shura said. Benny nodded in agreement. The latter did cause a small smile to crack Mckenzie's lips. The large soldier was always kind to her in his own quiet way.

"Good evening, Shura. How are your injuries?" Emmeryn asked as she moved toward open seats near the fire. That was when Mckenzie recognized the other two playing cards. They were Corrin's retainers: Gunter and Jakob. Neither talked with her much at the northern fortress.

Shura flicked a coin into the pot in the center of their table, leaned back, and sipped his amber drink. "Fine. Should be right as rain by tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday," Gunter grunted, his scarred face an unreadable mask as he stared at his cards.

"And the day before that," Jakob chimed with a smirk.

Benny snickered, making Shura roll his eyes.

"Forgive an old sod like me for taking a few days to rest."

"You are forgiven, because you needed it," Emmeryn laughed. "Now then, Sam and Severa?"

"Resting," Shura replied. He looked up from his cards and then sighed. "You need me to go get him, don't you?"

"If you don't mind."

"Can't you go?" Shura said, almost whining. "Miss Severa's got a temper when their downtime with the kid is interrupted."

"Severa can speak with me if she has to, and you can tell her that," Emmeryn replied. Mckenzie was surprised by the firmness in her voice. That wasn't a request. It was a command.

With a groan, Shura tossed his cards onto the table. "Guess it's a fold for now, boys. I'll be winning my gold back though."

"Keep telling yourself that," Jakob replied as he took the pot and placed his cards away. "Shall we shuffle?"

"Come, sit with me," Emmeryn said, drawing Mckenzie away from the game and to a sofa. "Might as well relax while we wait."

Mckenzie did as she was told. As she sat, a whistle sounded from the bar.

"What'll it be?" Charlotte asked.

Mckenzie gave her a surprised look. "I-"

"You're one of us, aren't you?" Charlotte popped the cork on a bottle of wine. "In case you haven't noticed, all of us have our own unlikeable qualities. I'm, as Shura puts it, a ridiculous bitch at times, and that is the only time you will ever hear me say that. And no, that is not a pass for you to say so either." She poured two glasses. "Niles here is an incorrigible degenerate and… many other things that I shouldn't mention."

"You're too kind," Niles hummed.

"Inigo is a perv."

"Hey!"

"Beruka hates everyone."

"True," Beruka mumbled into her drink.

"In fact, the only one here that doesn't have a bad quirk is probably Benny. He wisely doesn't talk."

Benny nodded.

"Smartest of us, I'd say," Charlotte stepped around the bar over to Mckenzie. She held out the second glass of wine. "This might not be enough for peace, but let's call it a start."

Mckenzie eyed the glass. She glanced at Emmeryn. The woman nodded, dispelling her suspicions. So, she took it and gave it a sip. It was a sweet, velvety wine. Not bad.

"I can't help but notice you didn't say anything about me and Emmeryn," Mckenzie said.

"Well, you're a coward," Charlotte said, making Mckenzie wince. "And Emmeryn has a way of getting involved in business she should stay out of."

And with that, Charlotte spun, went back to the bar, and said nothing more to Mckenzie. For a moment, Mckenzie was left confused, until she saw a small, self-satisfied smile on Emmeryn's lips.

"You spoke to her."

"I may have."

"Why?"

"Because sometimes a problem must be faced head-on. I learned that the hard way. I also learned that you can face a problem head-on with some help. The hard way there as well," Emmeryn folded her hands in her lap after resting her staff against the sofa. "Discontent in a group that needs to work together to function must be addressed immediately and resolved. If I can help facilitate that, then I will. Charlotte just took a large step forward, and I am grateful for it. So, please, don't discount it."

"I'm not, I'm just…" Mckenzie leaned back in her seat, letting the glass of wine rest in both hands. "I don't like others fighting my battles for me. And before you say anything, I don't mean fistfights. Let the boys do that. I don't care. I mean my own personal fights."

"But were you fighting or running?"

Mckenzie fell silent. Mercifully, she didn't have to answer Emmeryn's question. Sharp curses interrupted their conversation. Shura rushed back into the common room with wide eyes and a terrified expression on his face. He rushed to hide behind Benny as a woman wearing a simple nightgown stormed in after him. Her face was almost as red as the hair that fell in lazy waves over her shoulders.

"Teach you to interrupt me, you damnable…" The woman trailed off when she saw Emmeryn. She folded her arms. "What?"

"Severa, is everything alright?"

"I had just gotten Morgan to bed, and me and Sam were finally having a moment of peace when I had Shura come in and tell me you told him to interrupt," Severa grumbled. "I'm peachy."

Emmeryn grimaced. "Well, I was hoping Sam would come out and not you."

"He's asleep. Still recovering from the latest crazy mission your liege sent him on."

Emmeryn's lips thinned. "Fair enough. When will he be-"

"Emm, can't you just let him rest?" Severa massaged her eyes with a hand. "Gawds, he's been home for the first time in months and, between the royals and you, he's still being run ragged. So, whatever it is, I'll deal with it tonight, okay?"

Emmeryn's fingers drummed her lap. "Mckenzie, Severa will take over from here."

Mckenzie almost choked on her wine. "What?"

"Huh?" Severa remarked. She shook her head. "Hold on. What's this all about?"

"Sam wanted Mckenzie to become part of his team of infiltrators. But, he said that a week ago and has-"

"He's forgotten, huh?" Severa shook her head. "Gawds, if he didn't have his head attached to his body, he'd forget that somewhere too. Whatever. Come on, Mckenzie. I'll talk with you in private."

Mckenzie hesitated. Somehow, she had discovered a person pricklier than Anna. Where was Anna anyway? She somewhat missed the surly merchant. At least, even in her grumpy state, Anna did show she cared. Just as Sam did, even if it was in small ways.

She shook her head. Focus is what she needed. Severa was going to question her, so it was time to provide some answers. Hopefully, they would be to her liking.

Severa led her down a short hallway toward a flight of stairs. Up the stairs sat a small alcove with a ladder. Severa climbed up it and Mckenzie followed. At the top, Severa shoved a trap door open, revealing a round, flat roof completely open to Windmire's yawning chasm. Even more stars twinkled in the dark disc over the pit, setting Mckenzie's mind at ease.

"Alright," Severa kicked the trapdoor shut, "time to figure out who the hell you are."

Any ease left.

"Well, my name is Mckenzie Jensen-"

"Don't sass me. I'm not in the mood," Severa grunted as she moved to the edge of the roof, where a small stone bench sat. She took a seat and then waved for Mckenzie to join her.

Strange. One moment, Severa was acting like she was on the verge of ripping Mckenzie's head off. The next, she was inviting her to sit. Now that Mckenzie thought about it, everyone in this palace seemed to live in an extreme. Even Sam, for as level-headed as he appeared, had extremely dangerous work. That, and he was reckless. His scheme to break her free from the bandits served as a stark reminder of that.

Carefully, Mckenzie sat beside Severa.

"Alright, Mckenzie," Severa folded her arms, "where are you from?"

Mckenzie grimaced. Straight to the point. Directly to the one question she wasn't sure how to answer. Sure, she had flippantly spouted off her origins to Sam in a moment of fear, panic, and unbridled anger; but that was different. There was no need for any explanation then. It could have easily been dismissed as insane ravings of a deathly afraid young woman. Now, though, it was a question as blunt as a hammer and it hit just as hard.

"I don't like that silence," Severa said. "Tells me you're trying to hide something."

"I-I'm not," Mckenzie stammered. "I'm just figuring out how to word it all."

"That also tells me you're hiding something."

"Well, what would you do if you were in my shoes, huh?" Mckenzie snapped, only to suck in a sharp breath due to the glare Severa gave her. God, the woman was intimidating.

Severa leaned back and hummed to herself. "Probably get pissed at the stupid questions. Threaten to shove a stone brick up someone's behind. Kick someone's teeth in-"

"That sounds rather violent."

"I've found that can solve a lot of annoying problems. Hell, even the threat of it does a pretty decent job of shutting idiots up. Works with Inigo, at least," Severa puffed out a breath. "Doesn't seem to be working with you though. You're not squirming."

"Well, you just admitted that it's an act so…"

That actually made Severa snort. "Fair enough." She shook her head. "Gawds, I should just go get Sam. He's better at this nonsense than me."

"He is?"

"Talking to people is kind of his thing. Ever since I've known him, he's had a knack for getting information out of people without them even realizing it. He says it's his stunning charm."

"And you?"

"Well," Severa leaned back in her seat, "I say people tend to underestimate him, so they aren't actually afraid of him learning stuff until it's too late. I even made that mistake. Now, look where I am; in love with that idiot."

Mckenzie arched an eyebrow. The way she said that wasn't very convincing to her. Severa must have noticed her doubt because she rolled her eyes.

"Believe me when I say this, Mckenzie: words don't break, Sam. He's tough, I'll give him that. Patient as hell too. Gawds, he's got to be to stick with me. Naga knows I'm not easy to be around."

"At least you're self-aware."

Another glare. Mckenzie pursed her lips. This time, though, Severa let out an amused snort.

"Fair enough, blondie," Severa got to her feet. "Alright, I'll give Sam's way a go and-"

The trap door creaked open. A yawn came from it, then Samwise's head poked out. His one eye blinked sleepily toward Mckenzie and Severa.

"Sev, what are you doing?"

"She's trying to be you," Mckenzie said before Severa could answer.

"Is she? Hm, she's not handsome enough, I think?"

Severa's cheeks flushed, although Mckenzie couldn't tell if it was out of embarrassment or irritation.

"She'd also have to close an eye, and I know that won't go well," Sam grunted as he climbed out of the trap door and then closed it behind him. He didn't even shiver as an icy wind managed to sweep across the roof. Mckenzie felt a chill run up her spine.

"Yeah- well-" Severa scoffed then stamped a foot. "We'll have words!"

"We are, yes."

"I should call you a smart ass."

"I'll add that one to the collection," Sam countered with a wry smirk.

Severa's cheeks turned redder than her hair. "You. Should. Be. Resting."

"I'll be fine, Sev," Sam replied with a lazy chuckle. "God, you're so tense lately. Have you talked with Emm about that at all? No, wait, you haven't. I know you, and…" He sighed and moved up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders with a touch as gentle as a feather, "and I'll be downstairs resting with you soon. Let my forgetful brain handle this for now and thank you for trying."

Were Mckenzie's eyes deceiving her, or did she detect a slight pout on Severa's lips?

"You're welcome," Severa muttered.

Sam kissed her forehead, smiled then stepped around her. Severa hesitated at the trap door, huffed, then returned indoors, leaving Mckenzie alone with the one person she actually did want to speak to. As soon as the trap door clacked shut, Sam groaned then massaged his neck.

"It's amazing how quickly you can wake up when the person sharing your bed isn't there anymore."

"I wouldn't exactly know that."

Sam snorted. "There's a detail I probably shouldn't be aware of but-"

"Are you from my world?"

Sam froze, his one eye widening. Mckenzie stared at him, holding her breath.

"Pardon?" Sam replied.

Mckenzie's gaze bored holes into him now. "Are you from where I'm from?"

"That being?"

"Wisconsin! The USA! Planet Earth!" Mckenzie threw her hands up in frustration. "God, what am I saying!? What am I doing? How the hell is this happening to me and why? I just wanted to go see my mom for a day, get back on a plane, and fly back to Los Angeles for a casting call. But noooo, here I am in medieval hell, quite literally in a pit, rambling like an idiot to someone who probably has no idea what I'm talking about. I mean, Bingo might just be a multiversal-level term, right? Right!?"

"Uh…"

"Because that was his name-o, Bingo. The dog. And- and-" Mckenzie felt her eyes watering. "I'm losing my goddamn mind."

Her head fell to her hands. Tears burned in her eyes. She sniffled, and wiped at them, but was unable to stem the tide. All of the stress, fears, and disbelief washed over her at once, making her shudder.

"Don't you get it?" she whimpered. "I'm alone in all of this. Not like that's anything new for me, but… but in this version of events, it's cold, I'm wearing itchy clothes, and there isn't modern plumbing."

Sam's shoes tapped against the cold ground. He sank to a seat beside her, wincing as he braced his knees with his hands. Mckenzie sniffed as her hands fell onto her lap.

"All of this happened because of that damn bridge over Lake Winnebago too. Not that you even know what I'm talking about. Just my brother, with his stupid, gas guzzler of a truck swerving out of control followed by hitting the water. I don't even know what happened to him. Knowing my awful luck, he's probably dead and I've been cursed to endure this nonsense."

"Was Lake Winnebago frozen?"

"It was fucking January of course it was-" Any further words froze in Mckenzie's throat. Her gaze shivered to Sam. He sat hunched over, elbows resting on his knees, a distant look in his eyes. Her mouth fell open.

Then she hit him. A hard slap against his shoulder. Hard enough to make her palm sting. Sam didn't flinch, and somehow that made her even more furious. She smacked him again. No reaction. When she reached back one more time though, his hand snapped out faster than she could blink, snatching her wrist and holding it in place with shocking strength.

"I've still got a nasty bruise there, y'know."

"You-you-" she managed to wrench her hand from his grasp when he slacked his fingers. "Who the hell are you?"

Sam drew in a deep breath. He sat upright and looked up. His one eye closed.

"That is a damn good question if I'm honest. I've been many things. Here, in Windmire, I am a retainer to a prince and therefore a trusted counselor. Back in Ylisse, I was a spymaster. In Plegia, I was basically a nice drill sergeant. In the ruined husk of Archanea, I was an unwitting survivor." His eye opened and he lowered his gaze to Mckenzie. "But back in Appleton, I was just an unlucky guy who happened to get hit by a bus."

It took a moment for his words to sink in. When they did, the color drained from Mckenzie's face. She was seeing a living ghost.

"You're Samuel Wheeler," she breathed.

Sam blinked. "You've heard of me?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "on the radio, right before Joey's tire blew and we plummeted into the lake. The announcer said you got hit by a bus and then vanished. That was… only a couple of weeks ago."

"A couple of weeks?"

"Yeah," Mckenzie whispered, mind reeling, "but, here you are, clearly not twenty-two anymore, down an eye, and plus a kid." She raked a hand over her head. "What the hell is going on?"

Sam's lips thinned. "In my experience, it's best not to think too hard when it comes to the time shenanigans."

"Time can have shenanigans?"

"Time is a motherfucker, so absolutely."

Mckenzie drew back, stunned. "I… I don't even… huh?"

"Normal reaction there." Sam winced as he got up. He briefly massaged his left knee and then rolled his shoulders. "Also, another bit of advice, and this is from personal experience, don't lie about who you are. The only exception is if the truth will get you killed. Then, lie to your heart's content. The goal of all this is to survive, after all."

Mckenzie continued to sink. Her heart thudded in her chest as her mind reeled. Samuel Wheeler, the guy she heard about on the radio, was alive, and he was here, in another world. He was older now too, by several years.

"What happened?" she whispered.

Sam hesitated. A glaze crossed his eyes as his gaze grew distant. The corner of his mouth twitched.

"Why didn't you try to find a way home?"

Sam twisted, looking at her. A solemn expression rested on his face. "To tell you the truth, Mckenzie, I don't really know if there is one. The one chance I had, I didn't take."

"Why not?"

He glanced at the trap door. "Guess I found someone I didn't want to leave behind. Funny how that works, yeah? You fight so hard to survive to get home only to discover that, if you made it home, it wouldn't be the same anymore. And, the place you were so desperate to escape, is now the only one you feel comfortable in." A heavy breath escaped him. His expression softened when Mckenzie slouched in her seat. "Don't get like that now. Just because I didn't find a way doesn't mean you won't."

"And if I did find one, what would you do?"

The glaze that had momentarily taken over Sam lifted. A wry smirk twitched across his face.

"Me? Well, I already made my choice. What you do with such an opportunity is your business. But, enough with the heavy stuff tonight. You've got a lot to mull over, and I've-" he yawned and covered his mouth- "I've got to get back to bed before Severa forces me back into it, and not in the fun kind of way."

Mckenzie blushed, but she still managed a light chuckle. "Better head back down then. I think I'm going to stay up here for a while longer. Um… before you go though, got any idea what constellations I should be looking for?"

"That's a Leo question, honestly," Sam said with a shrug. "Maybe ask him next time you see him." He yanked the trap door open. "Goodnight, Mckenzie."

He stepped down the ladder. The door slammed shut behind him, bouncing off the roof Mckenzie sat on. She stared at the door, feeling both shaken and relieved at the same time. It turns out, she wasn't alone in this. Samwise, or rather, Samuel, was like her: an outsider. Someone thrusted into this world without any idea of how it happened or why. He could guide her. Mentor her through this craziness so that she didn't go insane.

But, he also mentioned that he never found a way home, and the one time he had an opportunity to, he rejected it. Why? Why would he want to stay in a place like this? Why not just leave and take Severa with him if he cared so much about her?

I know I won't want to stay. Mckenzie shook her head. This is not for me. I will find a way out, no matter what.

She closed her eyes, sighed, then looked up, gazing at the stars.

I wish I could see something familiar.

Severa brushed a thick lock of red hair out of Morgan's eyes. She was asleep already, her little chest rising and falling in peaceful, happy breaths. The sight warmed her heart, one of the few things in this world that could even manage to do that. As her hand fell from her daughter's brow, the back of her knuckles brushed against her soft cheek.

"Rest well," she whispered. "My little impossibility."

The door gently opened and then squeaked closed. Severa rose from Morgan's bedside, stepping around the privacy divider to see Sam sneaking in, eyes barely open. He trudged to his chair by the window, flopping into it. For a split second, Severa felt like scolding him. He always did this to himself: pushed beyond his limits. It was a terrible habit of his that she noticed even back when they first met so many years ago.

However, she saw a look on his face that gave her pause. He was pensive. Pondering. Chin resting in one hand as he gazed out the window, toward the flickering torchlight that sat along the ascending walls of Windmire's pit. So, instead of getting cross, or scolding him, she moved to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. He reached up with his other hand, grasping hers, thumb massaging circles into the back of it.

"You're thinking hard over here."

Sam snorted. "What gave it away? The distance, or the smoke coming out of my ears?"

Severa rolled her eyes. "Both. Now, what's it all about?"

Sam's thumb stopped moving. He craned his neck to look up at her. "What would you do if there was a way back?"

"Back where?"

"To my home," Sam continued. "Earth. Wisconsin, I guess."

Severa raised an eyebrow. "It's… well, it's not really something I've thought about. Why?"

Sam's lips thinned. "Not sure."

"Oh no." Severa reached over and cupped his face, turning it to face her again. "No shutting out this time."

"When have I ever shut you out?"

She gave him a frown. Sam grimaced.

"Other than when I feigned amnesia?"

Her frown deepened.

"Or when I forgot to mention what I knew regarding the Plegian war?"

"You didn't forget. You simply chose to omit," Severa huffed. "Also, you made a promise around that same time, if I recall correctly."

Sam slowly nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"So why are you on the verge of breaking it now?"

Sam went quiet again. Instead of looking out the window, his gaze shifted to the little privacy divider separating their space from Morgan's. She could see the adoration in his eyes for the little girl. He almost looked misty as he glanced toward that corner of the room. Any soft melancholy he had appeared to fade in an instant.

"For the first time in a long time, Sev, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think." Her brow furrowed as he drew in a deep breath. "You and I, we've been at this a long time now, you know. How long has it been?"

"Since we got here to Nohr? Gawds, um, at least five years now, I think?"

"I mean since the- you know- the end. The end we managed to escape."

Severa's heart froze in her chest. He was talking about when they first met, during the hell that was Archanea's ruined future. A future created by the greatest monster they had ever faced. He was dead now, but the scars he gave them remained. She did her best to ignore them. She did her best to forget the destroyed relics of her home. Her best was never enough though.

"I think close to eight?"

"Eight years of this," Sam whispered. His grip on her hand seemed to tighten. "Eight years of moving, fighting, surviving, maneuvering." His hand slid from hers, falling to his lap as he stared at Morgan's bed. "I think I'm only now beginning to realize how exhausted I am by it all. And now, Mckenzie shows up, and her mere existence is proof that there is a way to my world. Yet another wrinkle to this insane puzzle we're living in. I don't know what to think about it. Do I press onward and act as if it is nothing? If that is the case, then Mckenzie is nothing. I may as well do what Emmeryn wants and let her handle Mckenzie.

But, if I treat as something then-"

"Then hopes you abandoned long ago are suddenly back," Severa finished for him. "And you can see a home you thought was gone. You can see parents you thought you lost. You can see friends you thought were forgotten." Severa brushed Sam's cheek with her hand. "I know the feeling. I seem to recall a complete nincompoop helping rekindle those in me a long time ago."

Sam cracked a smile. "Yeah, he's a bit of a dumbass, huh?"

"Oh, most certainly. After all, he's getting hung up on things that could happen rather than focusing on things that are happening."

"A nasty habit," Sam let out a light laugh as Severa took a seat in his lap, "just like that omission one."

"Habits can be broken," Severa whispered. Her forehead kissed his. "Don't think tonight, Sam. Leave those problems for tomorrow."

A heavy breath passed his lips again. She could feel the tension in his body. She could sense the strain in his lungs. It made her chest ache.

"I wish I could," he breathed. "But… there's the biggest wrinkle in all this that I've got to factor in." He brushed his lips against hers for a soft peck. "I've got a beautiful lady and a daughter to watch out for now. That requires a little worrying about future problems, I'd say."

"But not for tonight." Severa rested her head on his shoulder as he leaned back in the chair, eyes growing heavier. "Tonight, you just rest."

He began to breathe gently. The ache in Severa's chest dulled. She smiled as she felt his body relax against hers.

While Sam mercifully dozed off, Severa began to ponder the same problems that were plaguing him. Mckenzie was not something either of them anticipated. Four years ago, before Morgan came along, they would have taken such a new variable in stride. A newcomer from Sam's world? Throw a party, break out the booze, and pester her with questions on a way to visit the World of Steel, as she, Inigo, Emmeryn, and Anna liked to call it. They wouldn't have even batted an eye.

But that was four years ago. Then, she got pregnant, unexpectedly. Morgan came along, and both of them became far more delicate in their actions as people, as retainers, and as fighters in the shadow war against the Silent Dragon, whose name could not be uttered within these walls. They were held back, not by shackles or choice, but because they found a purpose greater than themselves and whatever mission they were given. That purpose superseded all things. Morgan had to be protected, and a new variable like Mckenzie could not change that goal.

"I'll do enough worrying for the both of us."

And chapter! This was a VERY intersting chapter to write, as it finally helped me figure out Mckenzie's major motivation, which I've been wrestling with for some time now. It also really helped me delve into how far along Sam and Severa have come as characters. God, they've grown up a lot since Rigged it feels like, but it makes sense, and it feels really good to be able to write it. Anyways, hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to come out. Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!