Darkness. Frigid cold. A dull beeping over and over. Wriothesley's body felt so heavy. Heavier than it has ever felt. Could he still see? His eyes felt so heavy, practically glued shut. He heard shifting nearby. All sounds were unfamiliar. There was a dull ache in his chest that radiated to his arm. His legs felt weightless, almost nonexistent. His tongue felt like a cotton ball in his mouth. His throat felt shredded. Breathing felt like it had to be done manually. His blood felt like sludge in his veins.
He managed to crack his eyes open, just barely. A dull yellow room. The beeping sped up. A firm pressure is applied to his shoulders. It hurt a little, sending an ache through his sore body. His brain doesn't fully comprehend what is holding him down. His heart rate increases. Panic begins to set in. there's nothing he can do, his body wouldn't respond to the panic he felt lighting his body on fire.
But there's a sound he recognizes… a voice he recognizes. Why can't he put his finger on it? It was on the tip of his tongue…
Wriothesley is frustrated. His mind and body won't communicate and he can't figure out why. He just wants to sit up and look around but he's too heavy. His eyes are too heavy. His vision probably wouldn't even focus if he could open his eyes. His heart rate just increases.
Soft fingers caress his face. Familiar… he knows this feeling. His brain is just not loading the information it holds. Why won't it work? What even happened?
He was working… a mission…
Wait, he is beginning to remember. Wriothesley was leading his team on a mission. The final mission in operation: DOCTOR. What happened? Everything hurts. The dull ache began to flower into pain. He groaned slightly. The voice he was hearing became clearer.
"Darling please…" The voice said. Come on brain… work damnit!
Wriothesley grunted a bit. Out of frustration more than anything but also in pain. His eyes slid open a little more. Someone was above him but it was still too blurry to figure it out. They seemed to be shouting something now. It made Wriothesley's ears ring. That goddamn beeping was giving him a headache.
The final mission… he remembered… he got hurt. Thrown against a wall and almost died by an ancient monster the Doctor had created. But help had arrived. They made it up to the lab. Parts were still very blurry to him. He could barely remember what happened between climbing the stairs to the lab and seeing-
His sister… he remembered. He had saved Marina. They were talking… reunited after so many years apart. He remembered Chevreuse yelling to take cover and that the real Doctor was not dead. He remembered holding his sister close. He remembered… gunshots…
New voices joined the soothing one. Warm soft hands left his face and took his hand. Something pulled out of his throat. He gagged. He started to cough. His eyes were forced open one by one and he saw a bright light. The talking continued. There were more familiar ones added to the not so familiar ones. None of them were able to be placed in his head.
The room went quiet for a short time. Wriothesley was fighting to open his eyes. They were starting to give in to his demands. Motion returned to his arms. He squeezed the hand holding his own weakly.
"Beloved it's alright… I'm here and not going anywhere…" The gentle voice soothed. The voice registered. It was his husband… his sweet Neuvillette. He was with him. But where was Wriothesley even at?
Finally his eyes opened, shot open in fact. They darted around, taking in the sights around him. He was in the hospital when he finally registered. He saw machines around him, two IVs in his arm and hand. He followed his line of sight down his arm to his hand to-
He saw Neuvillette sitting in a chair beside his bed. His husband was holding his hand, thumb stroking it lovingly. Wriothesley tried to sit up before he gasped in pain. Neuvillette sprung from his seat and gently pushed his husband back down on the bed.
"Shhh it's okay Wrio. Please dont sit up, the doctors and nurses will be back with pain medicine soon. Do not worry I asked for the strongest thing they could give you that wouldn't trap your mind again." Neuvillette soothed.
"Baby…" Wriothesley smiled weakly. He broke out into a coughing fit. His throat felt dry and torn to shreds. Another hand pressed a bottle of water to his lips. He drank slowly, gasping when it was taken away. He looked to his other side and realized others were in the room with him.
"Welcome back to the world of the living." Tighnari smiled softly. "They had you intubated for a while, that's why your throat is so dry."
"Don't worry, I already sent a text to Navia and Clorinde. They'll be up here soon to see you." Cyno said from a chair next to Neuvillettes.
"They went home to rest for a while. Clorinde had her own injuries and needed to rest comfortably. And Navia wanted to check on Sigewinne anyway." Neuvillette explained.
"How… who was watching Winne?" Wriothesley asked quietly. His throat felt better but he still couldn't hardly talk.
"Candace and Dehya are with her. They were close to her after all." Neuvillette kissed his husband's hand. "She needed comfort after…" He wasn't really sure what Wriothesley remembered from the mission.
"I know she's gone." Wriothesley practically whispered. "Give me… time… and I will hear the final reports."
"Just waking up from surgery and you jump right into work." Cyno rolled his eyes. "I'll give you the status report once it's complete. Chevreuse has a team at the lab still collecting evidence. I have Alhaitham, Kaveh, Faruzan and Collei helping her out. Your chief is at the other hospital getting final reports on the victims found earlier in the mission."
"Right now you need to rest." Tighnari pushed Cyno's hat, trying to distract him enough that he'd be quiet. "You've been through a lot, Wriothesley. We had to perform field surgery on you to get you stable enough to come to the hospital for actual surgery and it was long."
"How… long…?" Wriothesley asked.
"Darling it's over 24 hours past the mission ending." Neuvillette said softly. "You had surgery and have been out for quite a while. The doctors said if you didn't wake up soon they would have had to put you into a medically induced coma and hope it was enough to heal your severe injuries."
Wriothesley nodded weakly at the news. He looked past his friends from abroad and noticed there was a window in his room. Pitch black outside. He really lost an entire day unconscious. Had his friends and husband been here the whole time? Had Chevreuse been working this whole time?
The nurse came in shortly with more pain medicine for the captain. He sighed in relief, a warm blanket of relief hitting him the moment the medicine left the IV and entered his veins.
He laid there resting, Neuvillette humming a calming tune as he stroked his hand lovingly. Cyno and Tighnari went back to playing a card game they had been using to entertain themselves. Navia and Clorinde arrived a few hours later. They wanted to give Wriothesley a chance at a little rest before they arrived.
They slipped into the room and took a seat quietly. The hospital allowed more visitors than normal given the circumstances behind Wriothesley's hospitalization and his status within the police force. Navia had put a blanket from home over the sleeping duke, startling him in the light sleep.
Wriothesley opened his eyes to see a rainbow blanket being tucked around him by Navia. She brushed his hair away and kissed his forehead before she had even realized he was waking up again. Wriothesley knew how much that blanket meant to Navia. A tear slipped from his eye because of it.
He noticed Clorinde near his bedside. Her face was red and puffy like she had been crying for days straight. Her arm was in a sling thanks to her broken collar bone. She had a brace on her other free wrist.
She was the one who noticed Wriothesley was awake first. She reached out and dried the tear sliding down his cheek. "Are you in pain?" She asked quietly.
"No… Now that you guys are here, I'm great…" Wriothesley smiled weakly at the dark haired girl. "How bad did you end up?"
"A broken collar bone, some sprains and exhaustion. Would have been way worse if a certain captain did not take on the hardest enemies himself." Clorinde smirked.
"Your captain kinda sounds like a reckless idiot." Wriothesley joked.
"Yes but he's my reckless idiot." Clorinde leaned down and kissed him softly, practically ghosting over his lips in fear of causing him pain. "I'm so glad you're alive, Wrio…"
"You really scared us." Navia added, brushing her fingers gently through his salt and pepper hair. "We really thought we lost you…"
"I think you almost did." Wriothesley looked down his bed and noticed Neuvillette fast asleep at his bedside, resting his head on the bed about where Wriothesley's hip was. Tighnari and Cyno were asleep on the long bench under the window, practically curled into each other. "What time is it anyway?"
"Almost 6am." Navia said. "We wanted you to sleep more before we came up. And you know… forcing Clorinde to rest is actually a chore. She wanted to come up the moment we saw you were awake but she needed sleep too."
"Chevreuse and the Chief will be here in the late morning to give you the final status report." Clorinde said. "I do not know what's going on yet either. I have a feeling it is by design."
"Maybe you guys should take Neuvi home soon. He can't be comfortable sleeping like that." Wriothesley suggested. His hand petted his husband's white hair softly.
"Yeah good luck with that." Clorinde snorted. "We haven't been able to convince him to leave. We were considering bringing Sigewinne to try and get him home."
"Not a bad idea." Wriothesley smirked. "However I would love for you guys to bring Sige up here at some point. As long as I don't look too traumatizing."
"I think…" Navia paused to sort through her thoughts. "She isn't taking Marina's death as hard as I thought she would. I mean she lost her mom… you'd think she would be devastated. It's almost like she was prepared for it."
"She probably was." Wriothesley admitted. "I'd have to confirm with Dehya and Candace but I had a feeling my sister had more of this planned out than we know." His attention turned to Clorinde. "He's dead right?"
"Of course he is. Chevreuse has never missed a shot." Clorinde confirmed.
Wriothesley nodded, acknowledging the response. Unfortunately the Doctor didn't miss his shot either. Wriothesley wracked his brain trying to think of what he could have done differently. What could he have done to keep his sister alive?
"Don't go down that road." Neuvillette mumbled softly. He peeked his head up from his arms, smiling softly at his husband. "You're attached to heart rate monitors and it just increased. Your thoughts are giving you anxiety. You're thinking about what you could have changed aren't you?"
"Nothing is getting past you." Wriothesley smiled. "I'm sorry… I'm going to go down that road. I need to reflect on what I could have done better on that mission… I feel like I failed the mission since we didn't get everyone out alive and the bastard will never be brought to justice."
"You didn't fail." Clorinde interjected. "Missions have unknowns. It happens when we face powerful foes. But he's dead. We took down one of the biggest threats to Fontaine in the history of this nation. We should be proud, Wrio. We saved so many people… so many people get to live their lives now."
"It just feels like a failure to me because of the life that was lost…" Wriothesley admitted. "Shit… Sigewinne is gonna hate me isn't she? I broke my promise to her."
"I don't think Bun is able to hate anyone, especially her daddy." Navia smiled warmly. "But no… she's not mad in any capacity. She's mourning, don't get me wrong but she's so happy you're alive. She's so happy she still has her family. That she has all of us."
"She's really taken to us in a really short time." Neuvillette added warmly. "Which I am extremely grateful for. I have to admit, it feels right having her in our family."
"Not now… we need time… but…" Navia bit her lip, an anxious tick of hers. "Maybe we can talk to her about two of us adopting her officially. Of course all four of us will be her parents but the courts only allow two names for filing purposes."
"I think that's a wonderful idea." Neuvillette smiled.
"Via, don't be mad," Clorinde began, putting a hand on her wifes shoulder. "But I think it would be Neuvillette and Wriothesley on that paperwork."
"Honey, why would I be mad?" Navia laughed. "I feel the same way."
"Are you two sure?" Neuvillette asked. "We can discuss it with Sigewinne as well and see who she prefers."
"She's going to prefer you two." Clorinde chuckled. "Sigewinne adores her daddy and her papa. Yes, she loves Navia and I as well but we see it. There's nothing wrong with it. Especially because Wriothesley looks so similar to Marina. It likely comforts her."
"I'm the default parent arent I?" Wriothesley joked.
"Yes you are." Clorinde smirked.
"I truly don't deserve such an honor."
They talked for a little while longer before Wriothesley dozed back to sleep. The anesthesia still running in his veins made him feel utterly exhausted. His family didn't mind. Neuvillette fell asleep again while Navia and Clorinde went down to the cafe for an early morning coffee.
Wriothesley's eyes opened again when the sun was finally up. He heard the door open then close quietly. There were multiple soft voices in his room. At least this time his eyes didn't feel glued shut.
In his room were his partners, Chevreuse, the Chief, Cyno and Tighnari. The small hospital room definitely felt cramped now. Wriothesley slowly sat up in bed, Neuvillette helping him when a soft groan escaped his lips.
"I take it that it's time for the final debrief?" Wriothesley asked.
"As long as you're up for it." The Chief replied.
"How are you feeling, captain?" Chevreuse asked.
"Hurts like hell… but on the upswing." Wriothesley smiled softly. "Coulda came out a lot worse than just a gunshot wound and some permanent back pain."
"I'm just glad to see you alive." Chevreuse smirked. "We found… a lot."
"Shall we begin?" Clorinde asked.
"Yeah… I have the report of the other hospital. The victims from the safe house are slowly being released from the care of the hospital. Most of them were in good shape, diagnosed with dehydration and malnourishment. All live victims have been interviewed by detectives and are being compiled as we speak." The Chief reported. "However… two did not make it. The sick young lady and the victim whose experiment failed have both passed away."
"Autopsy is still finishing up their reports but…" Chevreuse sighed. "The ancient monster you fought… was a victim of genetic modifications. The coroner is still finishing her identification… right now she thinks…" Chevreuse took a deep breath. "She thinks it's a young kid… like a toddler…"
"How is that even possible?" Clorinde asked. Her face was tight with shock.
"Based on what notes I've read through, he used the eggs of one of his victims and did the genetic modifications after he fertilized the extracted egg." Chevreuse gritted her teeth. "It's disgusting to read through so I could only go through so much at a time but yeah… he pulled the eggs, fertilized them and added the ancient DNA and raised them in a tube."
"I'm glad he's dead." Clorinde admitted.
"So the death toll of the operation is at four." Wriothesley sighed. "Do you know who the mother is?"
"Not at this time. I think there were more victims that didn't make it. But it's just a theory at this time. Only the research data will show if my theory is correct or not." Chevreuse said.
"I will go to the police station after this and read through some of the documents. Compile some reports." Cyno added.
"I will join as well. It sounds like you guys could use some assistance, especially with two of the three members of the team out of commission." Tighnari said, his ears flattening a bit out of worry.
"Speaking of." Chief cleared his throat. "I do want to offer all three of you full retirement from the Fontaine special forces. You have done so much in a short time, taking injuries and duties and burdens that would send most normal officers over the edge. It would be an honorable discharge."
"With all due respect chief." Wriothesley chuckled softly. "I cannot speak for my entire team on this one but I have zero intentions on retiring. I still have too much work to do. There's going to be more bad guys out there. I'm literally built for this career, made for it, born for it."
"I agree with Wriothesley." Clorinde said. "I will need recovery time, as I think all of us do. This operation was absolutely brutal both physically and mentally. But there's so much good we can do in this world still."
"I'm in the same boat. I didn't retire when I lost my eye, I'm certainly not retiring now." Chevreuse smirked. "Plus who would ever replace us?"
"I had a feeling you'd say that." The Chief laughed. "I will make sure all medical leave forms are done for you three and you can return to duty as soon as medically cleared. That includes you Chevreuse. You and Clorinde watched your captain be shot in the line of duty, you both need time to sort through that trauma."
"It is appreciated sir." Chevreuse replied.
"But with the operation complete, your team will have to be recategorized. I've talked it over briefly with our friend Cyno here." The Chief motioned to Cyno who was sitting by the window with a grin plastered on his face. "I'd like you three to become the elite team within the Fontaine special forces. It will be a big responsibility but I think you guys can handle it. You'd be taking on hard to complete cases, whether it's because they're dangerous, challenging, a lack of evidence or a long ride. Some training of future detectives will be added in the future. As for your team name… with the permission of Dehya and Candace…"
"I suggested the name team Cerberus for you, Captain Wriothesley." Cyno grinned in the corner. "An honorary name… for your sister… for you all to carry on her legacy."
"If that's alright with you captain." The Chief added.
"It would be an honor to carry on her legacy." Wriothesley's smile was soft as he tried to push back tears. "We will take on the impossible and win just like we did this mission."
The Chief passed Wriothesley some paperwork to go over in his free time in the hospital. He took Cyno and Tighnari when he left. The evidence had been moved out of the lab and into the storage area of the special forces.
Chevreuse stayed to talk for a short while but left to get some sleep. She hadn't gotten more than 6 hours of sleep in the past 3 days and was running on fumes. Navia and Clorinde offered to drive her home. Neuvillette needed time alone with his husband anyway.
Wriothesley brought Neuvillette's hand up to kiss it softly. "You look like you have something on your mind my love. Is it because I'm not retiring?"
"No… nothing like that… nothing bad at all…" Neuvillette smiled with tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. Wriothesley was about to say something before Neuvillette continued. "I know you are made for your work, as Navia and I are. Just…" He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Listening to that mission will stay with me for a while. I have no idea how to put into words how scared I was when you said goodbye the first time. Then when I heard the gunshot…"
"Baby I'm so sorry." Wriothesley brought Neuvillette's hand to his face, allowing his partner to gently cup his cheek. He leaned into the gentle touch. "I cannot begin to imagine the emotions you felt… I had no time to process emotions at the moment. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"
"You being alive is more than enough." Neuvillette smiled. Tears dripped down his cheeks. "I realized all the things unsaid… all the things I want to tell you and haven't had a chance yet. I was so scared you would never hear them. I was so scared Sigewinne was going to lose both you and her mother. I was so scared that we would all drift apart because of the intense loss."
"You were scared about drifting apart…?" Wriothesley raised a brow, confused.
"Darling you are literally the glue of our family." Neuvillette chuckled weakly. "You brought us all together… you pulled us all out of some dark places when we first met… you make us all feel so loved and without you… I fear we would have never recovered. And before you ask yes, the girls and I have discussed this while you were in surgery. We all feel the same on the subject."
"Baby you all would have made it work." Wriothesley tilted his head deeper into Neuvillette's hand. "You all are my partners, my family, the loves of my life… you, Navia and Clorinde deserve everything the world has to offer."
"Wrio…" Neuvillette took a deep breath. "You probably do not remember this… you were in a very fragile place when we all first met you. But we were all in such a dark place. You accepting our friendship and love pulled us out of it."
Wriothesley thought for a moment before he shook his head a bit. "No I don't remember… I wasn't in the best state of mind either when I first got out of jail. I remember trying to push you away and you refused, which I am so grateful for."
"Darling." Neuvillette began. He mustered up a serious tone. His husband needed to know this. It was something he and his partners agreed on. "When you first met us in high school, I was deeply depressed. I had no interest in continuing my life if I was honest. Everything in my life felt superficial before I met you. Navia was borderline suicidal after she lost her father, turning to self harm as an outlet. Clorinde was so stressed out from trying to be perfect in the eyes of her parents and peers that she had begun losing her hair in clumps…"
"I had no idea." Wriothesley's eyes were wide. His partners never told him any of this information. Was he so wrapped up in himself?
"I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty." Neuvillette reassured, seeing the look on his husband's face. "I'm telling you this because you saved us all. You pulled me from my depression and gave me a reason for my life. You pulled Navia out of the darkness and showed her that no matter what life is worth living. You showed Clorinde that is okay to not be perfect, people would love her anyway. YOU saved us… you think we saved you but it is the opposite. And the thought of losing you is so hard… so much to process if not impossible to process.."
"I think you guys saved me too." Wriothesley smiled at his husband. "You all made me feel loved and safe after prison, a feeling I had never really felt before. You didn't reject me when you found out the truth, if anything you embraced me. I think maybe we all met at the right time. And I'm so grateful for it."
Neuvillette pushed himself up from the chair and kissed Wriothesley softly. He poured as much love into it as he could without pressing too hard on the injured man. "You are such an amazing person, Wriothesley. I'm so thankful to be your husband and partner. I do truly hope Sigewinne allows us to adopt her officially. We will ask when the time is right."
"I love you so much Neuvillette." Wriothesley pressed another kiss to his husbands lips. "Speaking of… do you think someone would be able to bring her up soon? It's almost afternoon but if I look too rough I understand waiting till I'm home."
"I already sent a text. They should be up here within a few hours. Do you want to rest more?" Neuvillette asked.
"No, I'd rather talk with you. Listen to you… I'm tired of sleeping…" Wriothesley smirked. "I just like hearing your voice… being close to you."
"I assure you I'm not going anywhere. I've been by your side since you came to the hospital." Neuvillette smiled softly.
"I know you don't want to," Wriothesley began. "But you should consider sleeping at home tonight. I know you don't want to leave but I also want you to get a decent night's sleep. We can confirm with the doctors when they come in next that I'm not a high risk case anymore. I wanna know my release date anyway."
"I will… consider it." Neuvillette chewed on his bottom lip. "Do you remember how you felt when you got stabbed shortly after high school?"
"Yeah the thought of you being in another room damn near gave me a panic attack." Wriothesley chuckled. It clicked just then. "Is that how it feels for you right now?"
"Pretty darn close." Neuvillette admitted. "I feel like if you leave my sight you may disappear…"
"Maybe I can convince the doctors that I'm alright to leave soon then. That way we can both go home together." Wriothesley offered.
"Our house is going to be very full for a short while." Neuvillette laughed. "All our friends are staying in the house and the in-law's den out back. But the house is plenty big enough. We made it work in Aaru after all."
"Sounds like our house will be very busy but also very entertaining." Wriothesley smirked. "Hopefully our friends stay until I leave the hospital."
The doctors came in shortly after to check over Wriothesley and administer medication. The medical staff was impressed with how well Wriothesley was doing given the extent of his injuries. The doctor said he should be able to leave in the morning as long as his vitals remained this strong. It truly was a miracle.
Wriothesley took a short nap. He was still exhausted from the events of his mission, surgery and recovery. Neuvillette took the time to tidy up the small hospital room and to take care of himself, realizing he hadn't eaten in quite some time.
Wriothesley had just woken up when he heard a knock at the door to his room. Neuvillette helped him sit up completely before the door swung open. To his surprise, someone he hasn't met before was carrying Sigewinne. She had teal pig tails with gold clips holding her hair into place. Her dress was mid length and white with blue and gold accents. The sleeves on the dress were cut, exposing her shoulders. Behind her was Dehya and Candace. They waved at the two men.
"How you feelin' captain?" Dehya smiled.
"Daddy!" Sigewinne squeaked happily. She fumbled to be free from Faruzan. She wanted to launch herself at her injured parent.
"Hold on, let me set you down." Faruzan chuckled. She leaned over and let Sigewinne free. The little one sprinted to hug Neuvillette and tried to climb up to see Wriothelsey but was simply too small.
Neuvillette reached down and scooped Sigewinne into his arms. He sat on the edge of Wriothesley's bed so she could see him without accidentally irritating a wound. Sigewinne teared up a little bit but smiled at her parent.
"Hey there Sige…" Wriothesley smiled. He offered his hand to her. "I missed you sweetness."
"I missed you too daddy…" Sigewinne sniffled. "I was so scared… then when everyone came home except you and papa… I…I…"
"It's okay now." Neuvillette hushed. "I'm so sorry you were scared Sigewinne. We didn't mean to cause that."
"It's alright, we got her calmed down pretty fast." Dehya said. She came over and ruffled Sigewinne's hair.
"We just needed to wait for the green light to bring her up here." Candace smiled. "You look better than the last time we saw you. How do you feel?"
"Been better but got off pretty lucky considering. I owe you my life Candace… without you I wouldn't have made it out of that lab." Wriothesley admitted.
"Think nothing of it." Candace said. "It was a team effort. The hospital staff are the true savors… all I did was field treatment."
"She's modest." Faruzan rolled her eyes. "Not a lot of people could have done what she did. You were in quite rough shape back there."
"Oh you two haven't formally met yet." Dehya remembered. "This is madam Faruzan… She's a professor in the Akademiya and a close friend of Kaveh. She volunteered her invention to help us out in the mission."
"It's great to meet you, Captain Wriothesley!" She smirked. "You have one interesting young lady on your hands. You should enroll her in the Akademiya when she comes of age… she would thrive in any darshan!"
"Her and Kaveh have been teaching her architecture." Dehya groaned.
"The buildings are really pretty and you get to design the house you play with." Sigewinne pouted. "It was really fun!"
"I can't wait to see your designs when I get home." Wriothesley smiled.
"The good news is we get to break him out of here in the morning." Neuvillette pretended to whisper just to Sigewinne but everyone in the room heard.
"That's wonderful to hear." Candace said. "We'll be sure to have your welcome home a comfortable one. Although please prepare yourself… We have some items to give you from Marina. We hope they bring you comfort as you mourn."
"Speaking of…" Wriothesley started. "You guys don't seem… very… mournful? Torn up? Were you… was this a part of her plan all along?"
"It wasn't part of the plan, however it was a known possibility." Candace sighed. "When we received the message of her leaving Sumeru… we began mourning at that point."
"Mama always knew there was a possibility the mean man wouldn't let her leave." Sigewinne chimed in. "She always told me to be brave and stand strong… that she would always watch over me even if she was gone."
"It's okay to still be upset… it's okay for us all to mourn the loss of Marina." Wriothesley said. He gently took Sigewinne's hand as Neuvillette held her still. "Sigewinne… I'm so sorry I broke my promise to you…"
"Silly daddy…" Sigewinne giggled. "You didn't break any promise to me. I'm just happy the mean man is gone. I'm safe now, forever!"
"Yes yes you are, sweetness." Wriothesley smiled. It was challenging to push down the tears he felt trying to escape.
They stayed in the room chatting until the sun set. Dehya and Candace told stories of Marina. Faruzan told stories of her exploration of the desert. Sigewinne was hanging on their every word. Neuvillette smiled softly at his husband and Sigewinne as they curled up together in the hospital bed.
Sigewinne wanted to be close to Wriothesley. She felt safe with him… at home. He reminded her so much of her mother. They were both soft and gentle with her. They both cared about her and her safety. They were both warm. They both felt like home.
The sun had set, darkness setting in. Sigewinne was drifting to sleep, lying beside Wriothesley. Neuvillette looked utterly exhausted as well. Sleeping in a hospital room chair for days left him depleted. It's okay though, the girls had come up with a plan before they left to get Neuvillette back home.
A knock came to the hospital door. Faruzan was the closest to the door, getting up and opening it. Kaveh peaked inside the room and waved. Alhaitham was behind him with a large bag that looked filled with books and a large coffee.
"Good evening everyone~!" Kaveh practically purred. "We have finally arrived! How are you feeling, big man?"
"Fantastic now that I get to go home in the morning." Wriothesley said, pressing a finger to his lip and pointing at the asleep Sigewinne beside him. Kaveh held his hands up and smiled sheepishly, apologizing.
"We came to take the night shift." Alhaitham said, gently setting the bag down in a chair. "You, Neuvillette, need to sleep in a bed tonight."
"Im fine, truly… I-" Neuvillette started but was interrupted.
"You need to go home and rest. We are only in Fontaine for another two or three days. You and Navia are going to be the sole caretakers for Clorinde, Wriothesley and Sigewinne. You can't do that if you're utterly exhausted." Dehya crossed her arms, leaving little room for argument.
"We have instructions to bring you back by force if necessary by Clorinde and Navia." Candace smiled, sickly sweet in her tone. Even Wriothesley couldn't tell if she was joking or was serious.
"C'mon we'll take you and Sigewinne home. You can be right back in the morning to pick him up." Dehya smiled.
With a deep sigh, Neuvillette relented. They were right… he would need his energy to care for his family. There was a lot of healing that needed to happen for them all. He kissed Wriothesley softly and pressed his forehead to the others.
"I'll be back first thing in the morning and if anything comes up, have Kaveh or Alhaitham call me. I will be here in minutes." Neuvillette promised.
"I'm fine baby… I'm probably going to sleep shortly after you leave." Wriothesley snuck another short kiss. "I'll be home with you soon enough my love. Take Winne home and curl up with Navia and Clorinde. I'll be there before you know it."
"We'll take good care of him." Alhaitham reassured.
Neuvillette scooped the sleeping little one into his arms and followed the girls out the door. He looked back at his husband in the hospital bed one last time before finally going home. The room felt empty if Wriothesley was honest, but he was happy to have some company.
"Happy to see you up, captain." Alhaitham offered a soft smile. "You scared us out there."
"Yeah I definitely scared a lot of people." Wriothesley chuckled. "What did you guys bring?"
"Reading material… things from the lab. Cyno gave them to me to read. They Are unrelated to the case, just extra notes. We offered to document our findings. Plus we really wanted Neuvillette to get some rest and we knew it wouldn't happen if you were alone up here." Alhaitham explained.
"Do you need anything?" Kaveh offered. "We're here all night for you!"
"No, no." Wriothesley waved off. "I'm just happy to have company up here. How are things back at home and the station?"
"Station is pretty hectic. It's all hands on deck to go through all of the evidence. The district attorney wants to finish filing as soon as possible even though the Doctor is dead." Alhaitham explained. "Your due process is quite different here. Definitely more efficient."
"That sounds about right." Wriothesley sighed. "Chief and Chevreuse living in the evidence room?"
"Not Chevreuse. She is on mandatory leave like you guys. She was exhausted after collecting all of the evidence from the lab." Alhaitham shrugged. "I'm going to guess you won't be returning to duty for quite some time?"
"Not for a while… I'm gonna need some physical therapy and a lot of training to get back to where I was physically." Wriothesley sighed. "I may be able to do some bitch work for a while when I get back like draft warrants and do records but we'll see."
"It gives you lots of time to relax and get back to where you were. Lots of time to spend with Sigewinne too!" Kaveh added. "She's a great kid… I was showing her my architecture drawings earlier and asked me to show her how to do it."
"She's really smart and curious… if you influence her enough she'll want to follow your career path." Wriothesley smirked. "Faruzan was already trying to let me enroll her in the Akademiya."
"That sounds on par for her." Alhaitham said. He cracked open the first journal. "Honestly Sigewinne would be accepted when she's older."
"Madam Faruzan knows talent when she sees it." Kaveh agreed.
They continued to talk late into the night, Wriothesley insisting he assist in some of the evidence reading. Although at some point, he fell asleep. Kaveh fell asleep shortly after as well, using Alhaitham's lap as a pillow. The scholar however, worked diligently through the night to get through the large stack of notebooks. By the time the sun was up, he had made it through the whole evidence pile and was polishing off his notes.
The doctors came in to give Wriothesley his discharge instructions and dates for follow up appointments. He would be off of work a minimum of two months with physical therapy and many appointments. He would have to get injections in his spine at least twice a year, potentially more as he ages. But he was grateful to be alive.
He had gotten out of bed with the help of Alhaitham and was packing up some of his things when the door opened.
"Daddy!" Sigewinne called as she ran into the room. Neuvillette was right behind her, chuckling at the excitement at the little one. Sigewinne basically tackled Wriothesley's leg.
"Hey there Bun. Hey there baby." Wriothesley blew a kiss to Neuvillette as he came into the room. He leaned down and ruffled Sigewinne's hair.
"Are you ready to go back home?" Neuvillette smiled. He was more than pleased to see Wriothesley out of bed. "Thank you both for staying up here last night… I got the rest I needed."
"Think nothing of it. I got a majority of the logs read through. I made a great pillow for Kaveh." Alhaitham said. Kaveh sputtered, flustered at being discovered that he fell asleep.
"We need to drop these back off at the police station. We will be back at your house shortly after… as long as you're okay with taking Wriothesley home by yourself?" Kaveh explained.
"Oh it's not just Sigewinne and I. Clorinde and Navia are at the entry with the car." Neuvillette smiled.
"Perfect!" Kaveh clapped.
Alhaitham picked up the bag of journals and nodded to the others. "We'll see you back at the house then. We're going to head off to the police station." And with that they left the hospital room.
"I think everything is all gathered. Alhaitham helped me earlier." Wriothesley smiled. "Do you mind carrying it though? This tiny weight limit is going to annoy me fast…"
"I'll carry it!" Sigewinne volunteered. She pulled the bag off the chair and held it just barely off the ground.
"Thank you, Sige." Wriothesley smiled lovingly down at her. He took Neuvillette's hand and left the hospital room behind.
In the main lobby, Clorinde and Navia were waiting. Navia had to restrain herself from not tackling the dark haired man the moment she saw him. It took everything in her not to spoil the surprise waiting at the house.
They led him out to the car waiting nearby, Neuvillette and Sigewinne close behind. The trip was over in the blink of an eye, arriving back home to a very busy house. It had been a long time since the driveway was that full. Wriothesley took his time sliding out of the car, careful not to hurt his tender wounds.
The house was dark when they arrived at the door. Wriothesley thought nothing of it when Clorinde unlocked the door. They entered, the dark haired man going last.
The lights flipped on. A loud 'WELCOME HOME' sounded throughout the house, making Wriothesley jump a bit in surprise. All of their friends from afar and Chevreuse were in the living room, waiting for their return. Wriothesley laughed heartily. He couldn't believe the friends he had made along the way.
They welcomed him home. The kitchen was filled with food and drinks. They talked the day away, chatting and telling stories about the late Marina, tales of their life experiences and more. They played games until the sun sat. The Sumeru crew would be leaving in the morning. They needed to return to their normal lives; to heal and to move on from the tragedies they have witnessed on this case.
Wriothesley was exhausted. He was incredibly grateful for the people in his life. The friends he had made as he lived his life. The people his sister delivered into his life. Each and everyone one of them was a blessing.
The house was definitely at capacity. Collei and Faruzan took the couches in the living room. Kaveh and Alhaitham ended up in Clorinde and Navia's room. Tighnari and Cyno bunked in the in-law's den out back. Candace and Dehya took Sigewinne's room. With the events that had taken place, the family didn't really want to be apart. Wriothesley insisted he would be okay if they shared a bed, not worried about his wounds.
Boy, were they glad they had an extremely large bed. Wriothesley, as always, was in the middle of their cozy nest. Sigewinne had snuggled her way up to be beside Wriothesley, Clorinde right behind her. Clorinde had to sleep on her back due to her injuries, taking the edge of the bed. Navia and Neuvillette laid on his other side, careful of the injured man.
Wriothesley laid there for a while, listening to his partners and Sigewinne. Their gentle sleeping breaths were so comforting to him. He couldn't imagine losing this… losing them. He felt guilty they almost lost him.
His thoughts spiraled a bit. He was supposed to have his sister in the house right now… likely curled between Candace and Dehya. Yes, he was so grateful to have Sigewinne in his care but also he wished she still had her mother. She deserved to have her mother. He deserved to have his sister with him with everything he had been through. Clorinde deserved her best friend. If only he was strong enough. If only he hadn't fucked up the mission. He should have known, he should have expected a trick. All of this was his fault.
He was pulled out of his spiral when he felt a soft hand on his cheek; he hadn't even realized he was crying. He looked into gorgeous lilac eyes, eyes he fell in love with over 5 years ago. It looked like the others remained asleep. Curse his husband for being such a light sleeper.
"Pain or anxiety?" Neuvillette whispered.
"I shoulda saved her…" Wriothesley mumbled back. "She deserved having a mother… Dehya and Candace deserved to have their partner. Clorinde deserved her best friend. I deserved my sister. I was just… too weak."
"I don't think that's it. It had nothing to do with how strong or weak you are. The Doctor's cruel antics just won." Neuvillette reassured. "I know this is hard… but darling you're not alone through any of this. No one blames you for what happened."
"I blame myself for what happened." Wriothesley sighed.
"You shouldn't…" Clorinde murmured next to him.
"We're here for you… through all of this…" Navia yawned. She ran a hand down Wriothesley's front gently.
"I love you guys so much." Wriothesley did his best not to cry again.
"We love you… so much. We couldn't imagine life without you." Navia purred, squeezing his hand softly.
"We'll get through all this. Together." Clorinde promised. She brushed Sigewinne's hair back. She was such a heavy sleeper…
"I do believe we said for better or for worse in our wedding vows." Neuvillette kissed Wriothesley's cheek softly. "We will get through this together."
Wriothesley knew they meant it. They would mourn together. They would grow together. He was never alone… ever. He had a loving, incredible husband. A beautiful, smart best friend and girlfriend. A witty, charming girlfriend. And a sweet, perfect niece he would raise as his own. He could do this… he could. He no longer had to survive, he could live. He would live… for his family.