SECRETS | Fate: The Winx Saga ~ Alternate Season 2

Chapter 2

Alone in the greenhouse, Ben had finished watering and cherishing his plants. He sat for a moment on one of the chairs, holding his head in his hands, exhausted. He thought of Rose, whose absence was still sorely felt. Going to bed alone at night without feeling the body of the one he loved snuggled up against his own hurt terribly. It had been thirteen years since a monster had taken her life, and twelve since he had been arrested. He missed his wife terribly, and raising their two children alone had been very complicated. Since their early childhood, he had explained to them the tragedy that had taken their mom from them forever. Every day he thought of her, and it was not unusual for his two friends to find him prostrate in the greenhouse, crying.

This is what happened that evening. Saul was working late, and Farah had taken the opportunity to go into the greenhouse to see if their friend was there.
Hearing muffled sobs, she approached and found him sitting at a table, cowering, with his head in his hands.

Affectionately, she placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Ben, this is really hard for you, but we both know it would have hurt Rose to see you cry like this," she murmured, also close to tears.

He stood up and hugged her, very moved. His friend's presence was consoling him a bit.

"I know, Farah, but I can't help it," he acquiesced, his voice choking.

The mind fairy shuddered. All this suffering was her fault. Rose had been murdered because she was alone that day, and she would live with her death on her conscience for the rest of her life.

"I'm so angry with myself for refusing to go jogging with her just because I didn't want to move..."

Her friend grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, looking a little stern.

"Stop blaming yourself, you're torturing yourself for nothing," he chided her gently. "You couldn't have known that a freak would take her life. I never blamed you, you know, but I curse myself for not being there enough."

"You were a loving husband, Ben, and she was so happy to be your wife," she said with a smile. "And you had two beautiful children, of whom she must be very proud of where she is."

Professor Harvey smiled back. Farah could only be his late wife's best friend. They were so much alike, and the headmistress always found the words to comfort other people. Unfortunately, she was not at peace with her past after the ordeal she had to go through, as her everyday life was affected by it.

"And you, how are you?" he questioned, worried about her health. "Are you still having nightmares?"

She nodded, a shiver of fear running through her body. She hated to talk about it, but it had to be said.

"Yes, every night, and Saul comforts me as much as he can," she answered with a sigh. "I feel like it's gotten worse in the last few weeks, I hardly sleep."

Her friend took her hand and held it in his, looking serious.

"Farah, it's no coincidence that you're having so many nightmares, you should tell him..."

The fairy knew only too well what he was getting at, but she couldn't do such a thing.

"Tell what?" asked Saul as he entered the greenhouse.

He walked over to his wife, put his arm around her waist and placed a kiss on her temple.

"The truth to Sky," replied their friend, emphatically.

"Darling, I was just telling Ben about my many nightmares about my past, and he thinks that if we continue to keep it a secret, I'll keep having my nights tortured and sleepless," she explained, placing her hand on his.

He gazed at her with compassion and a serious expression.

"I never thought I'd say this, but maybe it's time to tell him," he admitted, embarrassed.

The Specialist had been dreading this moment for almost eighteen years, the truth being so dark and violent, especially for a teenager.

"Saul, I can't do this," she refused, her voice trembling, on the verge of tears. "It's beyond my strength. I can't break Sky's life, I can't tell him that his whole life has been a lie. He'll hate us. He deserves a happy life, free from horror."

"But he also deserves to know the truth, Farah," her husband protested, his hands caressing her neck.

Ben walked towards them, laughing nervously. Once again, he would have to intervene to ease the tension. He always knew what to do.

"Okay, let me be very clear with you two. For the moment, Sky is still innocent, he only knows that his father was Andreas and he has the image of a valiant warrior who died in battle. He is sure that you decided to adopt him after his mother passed away in childbirth. Except that one day, one of us may blunder, and if he finds out, yes, he will hate you, and I am not sure he will ever forgive you. You're not going to like what I'm about to say, Farah, but Sky is almost an adult, and now is the time to tell him the truth. He will most likely be shocked, maybe even angry, but he will eventually understand that you were trying to protect him."

The mind fairy sighed. Her friend was right, as always. She was so afraid of losing Sky, but if her nightmares rolled on, she was in danger of spiralling into madness. Her unconscious kept sending her a message, making her relive the worst, and instead of opening the box, she tried desperately to close it, knowing full well that it was impossible.

"I'm not going to make it, I don't want to fall apart in front of him," she whispered tiredly.

Saul hugged her tenderly and stroked her cheek.

"I'll be with you, sweetheart, you won't be alone, we are in this together," he reassured her gently. "We are his parents, the ones who raised him, this is about us."

Ben slipped away quietly to leave them alone. He felt they needed a moment of privacy to take the pressure off.

"Sky will always love us, beloved," the headmaster continued in a whisper. "And we love him more than anything."

"I hope so," retorted his wife, snuggling up to his chest. "You're a wonderful dad, he's so much like you in his character."

He ran his hand through his fairy's hair, really proud of her.

"And you are the best of all moms and wives."

She laughed softly, with that innocent laugh he was so fond of.

"Because you've had other wives?" she teased him.

He gave her a mischievous look.

"I know grumpy Farah, radiant Farah, melancholic Farah, passionate Farah," he joked, his mouth pressed to her ear. "You are the one and only."

A wave of warmth swept over the fairy, who slipped her lips into the neck of the man she loved, revelling in his touch. He took advantage of this moment to cover her with kisses. It was his way of comforting her when she wasn't well.