Whatever Happened to the Fosters? *A Kotlc Fanfiction*

The Wanderling Woods- Fitz

The Wanderling Woods had never been so quiet at a funeral, nor had so many people come.

Every Elf there had the same expression on their face.

Shock.

Who could blame them though? No one had expected this. They had so much life left to live. A family, a home, a future... No one could believe life had been so cruel as to steal that from them. Yet there was their trees. Growing from the soil from which they had been planted moments before.

Fitz tightly clung to his beautiful daughter's hand. He rubbed the back of it with his thumb in slow, comforting circles. He had not wanted to bring her today. After all, she was only six. He had thought she should not be exposed to the realities of their harsh world so early. She had been admit though. Her arguing reminded him of her mother. Admit, yet gentle. Naturally, that made him break.

Linh had decided it was a fine idea.

"She should be there to support her friends," Linh had whispered.

Fitz slowly glanced down from the familiar trees at his little girl. She stared back up at him with her innocent teal eyes. Just like his own. Her black hair was twisted into a complex braid by his sister, Biana, with emeralds in it. She was dressed in green like everyone else there. A color he hated seeing her in.

"Are you alright?" He softly whispered.

Turning her attention back to the growing trees, she nodded slowly. Maybe a bit timidly.

"I just don't understand, Daddy," she whispered, "I just saw them."

Fitz felt angry tears sting in his eyes. She was right. They had just visited them a day before... the accident. That had been just a week and a half ago.

Fitz caught Linh watching him carefully while holding their son's hand. Radiating worry, her silver blue eyes lingered on his clenched fist.

Fitz forced himself to inhale. He had come a long way from his younger days. In the moment he had yelled at the people he cared about. Hurting them, which he deeply regretted later. Now, he wanted to work on controlling his anger even more. For the sake of his friends and family. Thankfully, Linh had been more than willing to help. Fitz often wondered how he had so many amazing and forgiving friends. He certainly didn't deserve them, yet they had helped him through so much. Even after the war with the Neverseen. He just hoped to grow from his boyhood issues.

"Children," Linh whispered softly. "Why don't you visit with your friends? Mommy and Daddy will be along later."

Fitz's daughter timidly shuffled over to her brother, who was staring blankly at the trees. His silver-blue eyes fixated on the shimmering leaves.

"Come on," his little girl whispered to her brother. She gently took his hand into her smaller one. "I think I see Uncle Dex over there."

The children stumbled off into the crowd.

Fitz returned his gaze to the thriving trees. He became so lost in his own grief he failed to notice Linh silently weeping. Hugging herself tightly, she had tears streaming down her face. Her jaw clinched to probably suppress a cry. He silently scolded himself. Was he a bad husband for not noticing her pain sooner?

"Linh," He softly whispered.

He wrapped her into a embrace, which she immediately accepted. Wrapping her arms around his middle, Linh burred her face into his chest. While soaking his tunic in her tears, Fitz ran his fingers through her black and silver hair. He was aware that her flood of tears were probably going to ruin his tunic. However, he did not care. All he wanted was to be there for Linh. He wished he could be more comforting. However, he was battling his own form of grief too. At this point, he figured they were supporting each other.