"It certainly did.", Bebinn smiled, looking at him, "We did it, Preston, I'm free...", kissing him happily, and he held her warmly, his heart joyful and tearful with relief and love as he wouldn't have to lose her, to see her die in that bed back in the physical world, to have the few memorable hours they had, but now, he can be home finally with her.
Preston smiled as they pulled back, "You're free...", before noticing that at last he's empty of his load, and blushed softly, "Let's get dressed quickly, and find Nicholas. After all, we can't waste any more time, especially if you're right about this dark god getting suspicious sooner or later of why this place isn't functioning to his orders.", as he gently drew from her, popping free of her.
Bebinn nodded as she mentally conjured her clothes back on, grasping Preston's hand to stand up as he did the same in getting dressed back in his clothes, and she then motioned with her hands to let the shield disappear away, as the half-corrupted demons snarled and growled in confused, yet angry reactions.
Bebinn exhaled and inhaled, using her magic to follow Abraham's imprint that's part of Nicholas for a minute in the 30 person group, and smiled in relief, looking at Preston, "We are in luck, Nicholas is in this group, but first, we have to help the others get home to the heavens for limbo and such...We can't leave them if we are giving Nicholas special treatment, Preston...Those are scared, almost newborn babies who are forced to grow up, their souls needing to be reminded of how they used to be safe and warm within their mothers' wombs and all...", with a determined, upset, and weary look.
"No one deserves to be in a place like this... especially newborns...", Preston nodded. "We won't leave until we help all of them.", he assured her.
Bebinn smiled, kissing her husband on the cheek warmly, and went to the first one, replying as her hands glowed, as the first one growled in cowering defense, baring its teeth and flaring its wings, "Peace, little one...You are lost, waiting to be found...Do you remember your mama? Do you remember her sweet, loving voice, talking and singing to you? Do you remember being safe and warm and happy?", as the first one blinked in confusion before seeming to think, whimpering as it looked like a lost boy, "Master say mama hate me...", almost inaudible thanks to its growling undertones.
"Nonsense. You are a sweet, pure, innocent soul. Do you want to see your mama? She loves you...She wants you to be safe and free...", Bebinn gently shushed the child as her glowing hand rested on its head, murmuring a spell of memory recall.
The demon-child widened its eyes as it whimpered, "Mama safe...Wanna go home...Scared...", and Bebinn whispered, "Your mama's waiting for you...You can go home...go with her in the heavens that is really bright with a warm sun, pretty flowers, and fluffy clouds where you can fly anywhere you want...can you be brave for your mama?".
"Wanna mama! Wanna go see Mama!", the demon-child looked determined and peaceful as its body became a warm, glowing orb of a newborn soul, and then crossed over to the other side with a happy melody in the air.
Bebinn smiled at Preston, "Encouragement and a gentle voice, along with a memory recall spell, okay?", and Preston nodded, "Got it...", as he went to the next one, while Bebinn went after the third one.
It seemed to last 15 minutes as some of them seemed more eager to join their friends, with a few being hesitant before realizing that they don't have to see the scary master anymore, and then finally, they reached the last one that is clearly Nicholas by the feel of the soul within the body, after Bebinn had carefully assisted Preston.
The lost boy, looking like 6, almost 7 years old, looked wary yet hopeful, "Me go heaven too?", and Bebinn replied, "If you want to, Nicholas, but don't you want to come with us?", and the lost boy looked confused yet bewildered, "N-Nicholas? Me thought it dream name long time back when little...You wanna me come? Me not special...Master say family freaky, hate me...", with a frown.
"Well, your master's a liar. He lives upon the hopeless, despair, just all the negative emotions. I promise you, Nicholas, your family doesn't hate you, they've missed you for so long.", Preston tried to tell him.
The lost boy blinked in confusion, "How you know?", and Preston glanced at Bebinn for a moment before she murmured a spell as her hand glowed, resting on Preston's temple, and then little bubbles appeared like a cloud from Preston's mind, revealing Abraham and Thaddeus in a bubble, with the twins Klaus and Rachel in another bubble, all in color and vibrant.
"This is Abraham, your daddy who loved your mama, Greta, like a first love/best friend before your mama fell in love with a woman, Grace who was Thaddeus's wife, now in heaven, and your daddy and mama was so excited to meet you when you got lost, stolen by your master, while they grieved for you, hoping that they would see you again in heaven, not knowing that being stillborn in the physical world meant your soul being like a prisoner here...This is Thaddeus who fell in love later with your daddy, and became a papa together with your daddy, with your younger siblings, Klaus and Rachel who suffered bad things like you before reuniting with your daddy and papa, becoming part of a family, having part of both mothers and fathers...They all miss you, and grieved for you every Halloween which is when you became lost...Preston here, he's your uncle, for he's like a brother and best friend to your daddy and papa, and I...well, I am hoping to be your and the twins' aunt, even after being married to Preston here for some hours here.", Bebinn explained with a warm, gentle look.
"We're offering you a chance to come home if you wish... but if you want, you can join the others and move on... be in a place of everlasting peace... no more pain or despair, just absolute peace.", Preston offered. It was a good idea to make sure to allow him the choice of things, rather than making him feel like it was possibly not one like they were certain he had been before during his suffering.
The lost boy looked conflicted, looking between Bebinn at first, "Daddy and Papa and siblings in physical world?", and she nodded, and then at Preston, "Mama and Momma in heaven?", and he nodded.
A few minutes passed as the boy thought hard, and then looked at them, "Memories of bad place and master be gone?", and Bebinn replied, "I can do that, though I can leave the memories with your friends and nice moments of playing harmless pranks, and your few good dreams of your past as a nearly newborn/unborn baby if you want.", with a smile, as it couldn't have been all despair and miserable moments for him and the other lost souls if they had each other sometimes.
The boy exhaled, making a decision, "Me wanna be Nicholas again. Me wanna good memories and leave bad place. Me wanna have family with Daddy and Papa and siblings...Me hope Mama not mad...".
Bebinn smiled gently, "She won't be mad, Nicholas, for she isn't alone as she has your momma, her grownup son and daughter-in-law, and a few new friends in heaven, and I think she would be determined to help your friends have happiness again.".
Nicholas looked relieved yet worried, "Is gonna home hurt?", and Preston reassured, "No, going home to the physical world won't hurt, as long as you're with us, and we won't let you go, we promise.".
With another deep breath, "Okay, Uncle Preston.", Nicholas spoke as Preston smiled, his heart swelling at having another nephew to spoil and love, offering his hand as Bebinn did the same, and Nicholas began to reach out to grasp both hands with his hands when a furious roar was heard in the distance, and Bebinn widened her eyes, "Keep tight, and don't let go, sweetheart!", as she joined hands with Preston with her other hand/his other hand, as they held tightly into Nicholas's hands, and focused on their cores within the link back to the physical world, back to their physical bodies, with Bebinn's hands digging into her Sorcerer Supreme limits, glowing brightly and strongly, and then they vanished from the Dark Dimension, with the sound of roars fading away.
As it was five hours in the Dark Dimension, it was five minutes for the physical world as Abraham and Thaddeus had to shield their eyes away from the glow of Atlantean and Time energy, and then it dimmed away, fading away, revealing, much to Abraham and Thaddeus' awe, a young couple pulling back from their kiss, yet still recognizable as Thaddeus knew it was Preston due to photos and memories, and Abraham shocked to see that Bebinn is having hair again, and looking healthy, no dark magic nodes anywhere, and then his heart pounded, stunned to see a glowing orb of golden magic, and there, in a transparent, almost womb-like membrane, is a full-term, curled and sleeping baby boy, held together under Preston and Bebinn's hands.
Abraham replied, "Is that your new baby?", and Bebinn looked at him, "No...Think earlier...", with a smile, and Abraham widened his eyes, tears prickling as he choked up, "N-Nicholas?".
Bebinn nodded, "I figured that I would find him due to my experience in the Dark Dimension, and together, Preston and I rescued him just in time, but we have to be quick here...He needs to be absorbed immediately into your womb to be born properly within tonight or the next night.", looking urgently hasty.
Thaddeus replied, "Actually, can I have my turn? I know I am not a natural carrier like Abram, but I can be one temporarily.", as the others looked at him in shock, with Abraham looking at him, "Tad, are you sure? I can always go for a third time with Nicholas...", grasping his hand urgently.
"Please.", Thaddeus said. "You've already done so much, at least let me handle this just once...", he told him as Abraham took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright then... you make a good argument.", he gave a small joking smile.
Thaddeus smiled gently and kissed his husband on the temple, as Bebinn replied, "Then sit down, Thaddeus, it'd be easier for you to adjust without standing from shock and losing balance which we can't afford. I'll try to see if I could link some of the maternity care on the outside as well, like you guys sharing breastfeeding with Nicholas, that way he could bond easier with you two than just Abraham since he would know his daddy's voice.".
Thaddeus sat down quickly as Abraham went to support him, resting his hands on his shoulders, their eyes widening for a moment with warm smiles at the thought of sharing breastfeeding together, and Bebinn glanced at Preston, "Keep your magic on, Preston, as I guide and nudge Nicholas to be absorbed, and make the temporary womb and such.".
Preston nodded with a loving smile, "You got it, Bebinn.", his golden magic steady as one hand rested on Bebinn's back, with another guiding Nicholas's membrane orb as Bebinn brought him closer, with her glowing hands, with the Heart outside the window beaming upon them to assist Bebinn and Preston.
It took just a quick minute before the glowing of the beam and the golden magic stopped, vanishing away, revealing Thaddeus having a full-term baby bump as he widened his eyes, his hand stroking gently, "Abram...I can feel him moving...Gods, is this how you felt? He's little yet so active...".
"It does take some getting used to.", Abraham chuckled. "But trust me, you will, and it'll all be worth it.", with a smile. "The pain probably won't be...", Thaddeus countered.
"Fair enough; but aside from that...", Abrham laughed warmly. Preston gave a hearty chuckle, "Pregnancy suits you well, Thaddeus.", as a voice cleared their throat, and the group looked to the door to see Nola smiling with relief and awe.
"Hello, everyone...Can I check to make sure everything's good with you, Bebinn, and see how soon that baby would arrive?", Nola asked.
Bebinn nodded, "Of course, Healer Nola.", as Nola came in, and murmured in Atlantean with her crystal scanning Bebinn's body while taking out the IV injection from Bebinn's arm, "Looks like you are completely healed, and the dark magic is nonexistent, and you can leave the healer center, er, the hospital now, and oh, congratulations, you two...".
Preston smiled as he kissed Bebinn's ring on her hand, and Bebinn blushed, smiling happily, "Thank you, Healer Nola.", and Nola chuckled, "Please just call me Nola. We're family to Preston, meaning that you are family too, Bebinn. Now, let's see about this baby, Thaddeus.", before turning her attention on the baby bump, scanning.
"Looks like you did well, you two, along with the assistance of the Heart. The temporary womb is completely perfect from the placenta to the cord to the water bag, and he's absolutely healthy, active, and full term/positioned headfirst, and for the birth canal, it's taking its time to form, which, from what I can tell, will take about 9 hours before he is ready anytime to announce his arrival within the contractions, so, possibly late by tonight, or tomorrow for you to be in labor then, Thaddeus.", Nola nodded.
Thaddeus exhaled, looking relieved yet excited, "Good, it would take time for me to adjust with the balance and the weight, and Nola, I don't want to insult you, but somehow, I'm feeling adamant that he wants to be born at home instead of here.".
Nola looked a bit surprised before smiling, "I'm not insulted, and I couldn't blame your boy for wanting to be born in a safe place, especially if he had been rescued from a bad place which you'd have to tell me the story sometime, eh?", looking around at the group with a nod.
Abraham smiled in relief, "We will sometime, Nola...Thank you, I feel relieved and better as I wouldn't want Tad to be overstressed or such.", and Nola nodded, "Of course, and I believe the twins would be wondering as they have been a bit worried for Preston and such. I just checked in on them in the childcare room.".
Thaddeus's belly growled, and he smiled, "Well, looks like Nicholas wants to meet his siblings and get something to eat...Can we invite you for dinner and to stay for the night?", looking at Bebinn and Preston.
Preston chuckled, "Is my old room still available?", as he got up, helping Bebinn from bed as she stretched her legs, and Abraham smiled, "Of course it is, you are always welcome, and your wife counts as company, or haven't you forgotten, my friend?", as he helped Thaddeus get off the bed, assisting him as he carefully caught his balance, adjusting his body as he cradled the baby bump protectively.
"Careful; you can't move exactly like you used to for a little while there.", Abraham reminded. "How on Earth did you manage to make all this look so easy when you went through it?", Thaddeus asked as Abraham smiled, "Quite a bit of practice, I'll tell you.".
Thaddeus chuckled, "Good thing that I'm great at adapting to situations.", with a smile as they left the room, with Nola going another direction to check on other patients and talk with Joshua, as she had breastfed the triplets while being in the childcare room to check on Rachel and Klaus.
A few minutes later, they made it to the childcare room, walking in as they searched for the twins amongst the other kids who were the children of other healers and such, "Daddy! Papa!", and Abraham smiled as Rachel and Klaus ran to them before widening their eyes, "Papa?", slowing down.
Thaddeus chuckled, "I know, kiddos, I look different...I'm temporarily pregnant with your missing brother, Nicholas.", stroking his baby bump fondly, and Rachel gasped, "Nicholas?!", as Klaus was in awe, reaching to touch his papa's baby bump, "Rachel, he's moving! Feel!".
Rachel joined him, and widened her eyes, "He's kicking! Nicholas, are you coming home?", and Thaddeus gritted uncomfortably yet smiling at another eager kick, awed by the kids' quick acceptance as Klaus looked at Abraham, "How Nicholas back, Daddy? You said brother was hurt and didn't breathe, and because dying, he went to heaven...We mourn every Halloween until bad camp in old life for him with Momma, I remember...".
"It's a bit of a long story involving Preston...", Abraham said as Rachel giggled. "Then tell us the story, we have plenty of time!", she argued as it was hard to disagree with that. Thaddeus smiled, "Are you hungry, kiddos? This one needs to eat, so we're heading home, unless you want to stay here?".
Klaus replied, "No way we're staying here! I'm hungry too! Where's Grapa Preston?", excited to see his adopted grandfather again, and Preston gasped, dramatically planting a hand on his chest, "Did you see that, Bebinn? They are so focused on their baby brother that they didn't notice that I'm back, and younger than ever!".