Rescue Me, My Love

My Heart

     JinDe and Mei Ying had reconciled.  The general had been relieved of his duties and sent home to reconcile with his own wife.  All tales of JinDe being impotent were squashed when the news came that Mei Ying was pregnant.  When he found out, he flew straight to Kunlun.  He burst into the dining hall like a gale force wind.  "Fuqin!  Mother!  Guess what?"  Mo Yuan sat down his tea cup and quirked his brow.  "I'm sure you're about to tell us so out with it!!"  "Mei Ying is pregnant!  We're having a baby!!"  Mo Yuan rose from his seat and went to JinDe.  He put his hand on his shoulder and smiled.  "I'm happy for you JinDe.  Very happy indeed!  Do you know if it's twins yet?"   "No, I don't.  We are about six months along.  I'm going to take Mei Ying to see Zhe Yan in the next few days."  Bai Qian came up and hugged JinDe.  "JinDe, my son, I'm so happy for you.  Xue and Meili are close to having their baby.  Now there will be more children!  It's wonderful!"  "Xue told me to ask if you could come soon.  They are having twins.  It has been difficult for Meili, but so far so good.  Xue said she is due this month.  Can you come?"  "It seems we are needed again.  When is Yu Yu due?"  "Any day now."  "We will come tomorrow.  Have our palace prepared for us."
     They arrived around the noon hour.  Ye Hua was there to greet them.  "Da ge, I'm glad you've come.  I need you to sit in on some meetings for me.  Yu Yu is close to having our second set of twins.  I'm looking for it any day."  "Not to worry, Didi, I'll be right here.  JinDe told me you needed me so I'm prepared."  They were about to enter the palace when Tian Shu came running up.  "Tianjun!  Your wife is in labor!  Please come!"  Ye Hua took one look at Mo Yuan and jumped to his rooms.  Mo Yuan got Bai Qian and calmly walked to the Hall of Beautiful Youth.  Ye Hua was holding Yu Yu's hand.  She was breathing hard.  Mo Yuan, being an old pro, talked in his Shifu voice.  "Here, Ye Hua, sit behind her and wipe her face off.  Yu Yu, deeps breaths as the pain hits you.  Rest afterwards.  Qian Qian, sit by her and keep her calm.  I'll go get Zhe Yan."  Mo Yuan landed in the peach tree woods.  He scanned for Zhe Yan and found him in a deeper part of the woods.  He ran there.  "Whoa, Mo Yuan, what brings you in such a hurry?"  "Empress Yu is having her twins.  You're needed."  "Well I'm sure I'm about to travel fast so let's go!"  They arrived none too soon.  Zhe Yan scanned her and was surprised.  "I've come right in time.  Get ready.  He spread a sheet and looked.  " Push, Yu Yu!  Push!"  She pushed with all her strength.  The first was ablack dragon girl!  "Look Ye Hua, a girl!  A little midnight, girl!"  He handed the little girl to Ye Hua.  He snuggled her and his dragon purred to her.  The second baby was coming.  "Push now!  Push hard!  Push!"  Out came a pearly black little boy!  "A black dragon!  A boy and a girl!"  Ye Hua was holding them both and grinning from ear to ear.  His dragon was purring and his little twins were enamored with their father.  Mo Yuan took the little boy and touched his face.  "My how handsome you are!  Just like your father!"  The baby's brow came together when he looked at his Shushu.  He looked around for his father.  Ye Hua looked over Mo Yuan's shoulder.  Now the little boy began to cry.  He was confused!  "What about names, Ye Hua?  Any ideas?"  Ye Hua looked at his twins.  "The boy shall be called Shangdi Long Hei.  The girl shall be called Yu Shenlong."  "Very good names!  Now let's give them to their mother."  That night Ye Hua was feeling rather smug.  His dragon was basking in the light of two new dragons in the family.  Ah what a day!!
     Nearly two weeks later Xue sent a message to his father.  "It's time!"  Mo Yuan found Bai Qian in their garden and told her.  "We must hurry!  I'll need Ye Hua to go get Zhe Yan again."  They arrived at Bai Xue's palace just as Ye Hua did.  "Didi, I need you to go get Zhe Yan.  Hurry!"  "Fuqin!  Come quick!  Something is wrong!"  Mo Yuan hurried into their room and stopped in shock.  Meili was groaning loudly and blood was soaking the bed.  "Fuqin, what's wrong?  What's wrong?"  He was holding her hand when she screamed.  Meili fainted.  Zhe Yan came in, saw the bed and rushed forward.  "Mo Yuan, pass some energy to her while I assess the situation."  He scanned her twice before making his diagnosis.  "It's not going well.  The babies are big and she is bleeding too much.  I'm going to rush this if I can."  He placed his hand on her stomach.  One baby was in place.  He pushed on her stomach.  "Meili, I need you to push!  This baby is crowning now.  Push!"  Mo Yuan fed her energy as did Bai Qian.  The baby came out.  A white dragon!  A boy!  Zhe Yan handed him to Bai Xue.  "Take him Xue!  We have to take care of this other baby."  It was now in place.  "More energy!  She's weak!  Push now!"  Her energy almost spent, she made one last push and collapsed.  Zhe Yan had to pull the baby the rest of the way.  Another white dragon!  A boy!   When he handed the baby to Xue, he was shocked at the amount of blood pouring out.  He tried everything he could and everything he knew to stop it.  Meili, dragon's mate, wife and mother breathed her last breath and left her mate alone for eternity.  Bai Xue's dragon came forward as he thrust the babies into his mother's arms and grabbed his mate.  He brought her limp body to his chest and roared the anquished cry of heartbreak.  He sat there rocking her body in his arms.  He could not be consoled.  For three days he held her and wouldn't let her go.  Her parents were heartbroken for him but they wished to bury her among her beloved flowers.  Finally Mo Yuan cast a sleep spell on him and put him to bed so Meili could be cleaned and dressed.  Bai Qian had taken the babies to her hall and Ye Hua had gotten Yu to feed them until they could find a wet nurse for them.
     Meili was buried with great ceremony and sorrow.  Bai Xue walked silently beside her coffin and said nothing.  He stood like a stoic tower of no emotion.  JinDe knew his brother was suffering.  He knew he was blaming himself.  He tried to talk to him, but he would say nothing and turn away.  When her coffin was laid to rest, Bai Xue, the great white dragon, transformed and took to the air.  He circled around them three times, cried a heartbreaking scream of misery and left.  Mo Yuan transformed and followed him.  He flew straight to Kunlun.  He went into the dragon den and threw up a barrier.  Mo Yuan was grieved to see his son, his first born, in such misery.  He left and returned to the nine heavens.  Bai Qian was upset that Bai Xue hadn't touched his sons since the day they were born.  He hadn't even named them or held them.  Mo Yuan called Baohu to him.  "Baohu, I need you to come with me to Kunlun.  I want you to talk to your Da ge.  Come now!"  Bai Qian stood at the door to his study.  "Dearest, we should name these boys soon.  Xue Xue needs to take them home."  "I know but I need to help him get himself in a better state of mind.  We shall return shortly."  Mo Yuan flew as fast as he ever had with Baohu standing next to him.  They could hear the dragon moaning when they landed on the mountain.  Die Feng met Mo Yuan as he hurried to the den.  "Shifu, Bai Xue started wailing this morning.  He hasn't stopped.  We were about to come get you."  "It's alright.  I will stay here for now.  Have Chang Shan bring me some spirit recovery elixers as soon as possible."  "Yes Shifu!"  The barrier was still up.  "Baohu, talk to your brother.  Ask him to talk to me.  Read his mind if you must.  Go now."  Baohu stood by the barrier and probed his brother.  His spirit was weak and his dragon was struggling.  "Da ge!  It's Baohu!  Please talk to me and Fuqin!  You're scaring me!  Please?  Baohu will break your barrier!  Please talk!"  Bai Xue said nothing, but the barrier came down.  Mo Yuan and Baohu rushed into the den.  He was coiled into a ball facing the wall.  He was still crying.  Mo Yuan touched his back and spoke softly to him.  "Xue, you must come back to us.  Your boys need you!  They have lost their mother, they don't need to lose their father too.  Talk to me please!"  "Fuqin, I don't ever want to lay eyes on them again!  They killed her!  They killed their mother!  Just keep them out of my sight!  Do what you want with them.  I don't care.  Now leave me in peace.  I will stay here in seclusion for a time.  Just leave and tell JinDe not to come here!"  With that he refused to talk any more.  Chang Shan brought spirit elixer and sleeping potion.  He looked at the situation and left.  Mo Yuan placed one of each elixer in his hand and magicked them into Bai Xue's mouth.  "Swallow these, Xue.  If you don't I will force you!  Now swallow!"  He swallowed them.  Mo Yuan put his arm around Baohu and as they turned to leave, Baohu spoke out loud.  "I love you Da ge.  I always will."  They left to return to the nine heavens.
     Mo Yuan had paced so much he had worn a spot bald on the flooring.  He was beside himself.  Ye Hua had come to talk to him but nothing helped.  JinDe came in to talk to his father.  "Fuqin, I feel the need to go to Xue.  His spirit is calling me whether he wants me or not.  Mei Ying and I decided if he refuses to take responsibility for his boys, we will take them.  Since I'm his twin, maybe they will accept me.  I just wanted you to know."  "Your mother has told me that they have barely cried any, but they are searching for their father.  They know their mother died.  Maybe you should go see them now.  We'll go from there."  When JinDe walked into the nursery, he was hit with a wave of essence searching for something.  He went to the crib where the little boys were laying side by side.  They looked at him and both raised their hands for him.  He lifted both of them and cuddled them close.  The little boys held onto his hair and stared into his face.  He spoke to them softly.  "No, I'm not your Fuqin.  He is my twin brother.  I am your Shushu.  If you will have me, I will be your Fuqin until yours returns.  Will you accept me?"  He watched their faces closely to see their reaction.  They snuggled in closer to him.  That was his answer.  They accepted him.  He kissed them both.  "I'm going to see your father.  I shall return.  Stay here with Zufu and Zumu until I get back.  I love you!"  Mo Yuan gripped JinDe's shoulder as he turned to leave.  "You can talk to him.  Come back quickly."  He nodded and left.  He landed at the top of the mountain and breathed in the fresh mountain air.  It felt good.  He walked slowly down to the heart of the mountain.  Bai Xue was still in his dragon form coiled into a tight ball.  He transformed and wrapped himself around his brother, much like they had been inside of their mother's womb.  He gently laid his head beside his brothers.  "Go away, Didi!  I don't need you!"  "Well it seems you must because you have two sons that need you.  I just had a little conversation with them before I came here.  It seems they are willing to accept me as their father if you refuse to be one.  I would never have thought you would desert your children, especially since their mother gave all she had to bring them here!  I'm really surprised, Xue.  If this is what you want, then so be it.  I will raise them and I will name them.  You didn't even have the decency to do that.  I will leave you now.  Your boys will be with me at my palace if you decide to be a man and raise them yourself."  He uncoiled himself, transformed and walked out.  His father was waiting for him when he returned.  "Well, any luck?"  "Fuqin, Xue is very heartbroken.  His spirit is fractured.  I can feel it.  I feel he would be better if he would at least bond with his boys. We will see what happens.  Right now I want to take them to my palace and set up a nursery for them.  I will be their father for now.  Let me go tell Mei Ying they are coming to live with us.  She will be good to them as will I.  We also need to name them.  Any ideas?"  "Lets go see them first, then decide."  When they walked into the nursery, the boys started reaching for JinDe straight away.  He looked them into his arms.  "Which one was born first, Fuqin?"  Mo Yuan pointed to the little boy on the right.  He had a mark on his forehead of a perfect lotus.  The other little boy had a perfect peony on his forehead.  "A legacy from their mother.  It must have been her last gift to them.  Let's think on it for now."  Mo Yuan, Bai Qian, Baohu and Jinzi helped them move the boys to JinDe's palace.  Baohu talked to them before he left.  "Fuqin, little zhizi say they are broken hearted because their mother left them.  They will always remember her smell and her songs to them.  They want their father and asked me why won't he come.  I told them he is sick in his dragon spirit and is healing.  They want him, but they say they will love JinDe as their father."  JinDe patted Baohu on the shoulder.  "Thank you, Baohu.  I love you, Didi." 
    It was strange having two babies when you are expecting your own, but JinDe and Mei Ying took the little boys and loved them.  They thrived with them and seemed to leave their sorrow behind them.  Mo Yuan decided they wouldn't leave until they knew for sure Xue was coming back.  He visited the boys every day.  He talked to them and told them about their sweet and kind mother.  He told them about their quiet and fearless father.  He told them how he, their Zufu, would always love them.  They seemed content for now.  He decided to go see Bai Xue one more time.  He left without telling anyone.  He decided he would talk to him alone.  He arrived on the mountain top to an uproar.  "Shifu!  Shifu!  Bai Xue came out of seclusion and is in the hall eating!"  He smiled and hurried to join him.  He sat on his dais and took some tea from Chang Shan.  Bai Xue said nothing but continued to eat.  He laid down his chopsticks and looked at his father.  "Fuqin, I'm not going back to my palace.  I'm going to the mortal realm for a while.  Does JinDe have the boys?"  "Yes, he moved them to his palace after he talked to you.  Shouldn't you at least name them?"  "Let JinDe name them.  I told you I don't want them.  I don't ever want to see them again."  "Xue, I usually don't say things to you because usually you are sensible, but any man who deserts his children because he blames them for a death they are not responsible for is shirking his duty and is less than honorable.  As of today, I'm relieving you of all duties in the nine heavens.  I'm packing up your palace and storing your things here.  Your only home will be here when you return.  It's already all over the nine heavens that you are a less than honorable man and how you deserted your children.  Now get out of my sight!  You disgust me!"  For a moment Bai Xue raised his hand as if to say something.  His breath caught with a hitch like he was about to sob, but he choked it off.  He stared his father straight in the eye.  The golden dragon felt the challenge but he chose to ignore it.  He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Xue standing alone and for once in his life he was bereft of any family to comfort him.  He hung his head and walked to the gate.  From there is jumped to the town he always visited.
     Mo Yuan walked straight to his study and threw up a barrier.  He laid down his head on his arms and sobbed tears of sorrow and grief.  How could Bai Xue be so cruel?  How?  He thought for sure he was coming back home but he was wrong.  He wiped his face off, wrote a message to Die Feng and left.  He jumped straight to JinDe's palace.  JinDe met his father at the door.  "Fuqin, did you talk to Xue?"  "Yes.  He still doesn't want to see the babies.  He left for the mortal realm.  I told him he was relieved of all duties here and that I was going to pack up his palace and store everything in it at Kunlun.  I told him to get out of my sight.  Let him go.  Maybe he will come to his senses.  He said for you to name them.  How are the boys doing?"  I hired another wet nurse just to be sure they have plenty to eat.  I'm spending as much time as I can with them.  Mei Ying is too.  Fuqin she is trying so hard to make them happy!  How about this for names.  Bai Fenli Hua for the lotus boy and Bai Ali Huawang for the youngest because they are separated from their parents."  "Those are good names.  Fenli and Ali.  Let's go name them."  They walked into the nursery to loud crying.  JinDe walked in and said, "Fuqin is here!  What's wrong?"  He picked up Fenli first.  "Good day my little one!  Zufu is here too!  I have a name for you.  From this day forth, you shall be known as Bai Fenli Hua.  What do you think, Fenli?"  The little boy kicked his feet and grinned.  "So you like it?  Good!  Here, go to Zufu while I talk to your brother."  Mo Yuan took the little dragon and snuggled him close.  His dragon purred and talked to the baby and made him giggle.  JinDe picked up the baby boy.  "I have a name for you.  From this day forward you shall be called Bai Ali Huawang.  What do you think, Ali?"  A grin was his answer.  JinDe purred to him and held him close.  The little boy snuggled under his chin.  It was a new day.