Mage Chronicles: The Journey.

CUDDLES.

MAHINA.

I watch in fascination the range of emotions flashing through everyone's faces. The thrill I had felt while punching a hole through Angeline's chest flows through me again at the sight of their apprehension and nervousness. Good.

No! Not good! Snap out of it Mahi!

I mentally chastise myself trying to find some semblance of sanity in the fucked-up mess that was my head.

"Mahina, I'm so glad you're awake," Raphael says moving closer to where Khalil was now clutching at one of my hands.

"I'm not," I counter with a pointed glare at Rhys or Rhian whichever idiot I was stuck with now. He/they were the reason I was up.

My answer has silence reigning for an awkward pause before everyone begins speaking at once.

"Mahi..." Papa starts in admonishment.

"How do you feel?" Frets Khalil speaking over him.

"You should eat something," goes Nona Ellie.

"Well, I'm still glad you're awake," Mama says.

"Classic Mahi with the jokes right off the bat," jokes Ax and nervous chuckles flit around as if in agreement.

I'm tempted to tell him that I hadn't been joking but then think against it at the last moment.

"Where is my baby?" I ask instead and you could hear a pin drop in the subsequent hush that envelopes the room. They all find other things more interesting to look at with some even going as far as leaving the room, cowards!

"We'll take you to him," Killian offers and I could see the relief on the remaining people especially both sets of parents.

"I'll come with," Andrei offers moving to help me up only for a glare from Khalil to stop him. Andrei drops his hands with a grumble and Khalil stretches his instead.

I accept his offer as he helps me up into my shoes before he speaks, "Are you sure you want to do this now?" He asks what everyone else was thinking but was too afraid to say out loud.

"Yes dad, I want to do this now, I..." I heave a breath fighting tears. I wasn't going to break now, "I ...need to do this now."

"Very well," he concedes, "He's at the Manor, let's go."

I follow him out with everyone trailing behind us. We walk slowly which is entirely my fault. I was going to blame it on my muscles being lax due to all the lying down I had been doing but deep down I knew I was just delaying the moment set to break my heart and soul.

A warm hand twines around mine and I turn to look at my brother's concerned gaze, "You don't have to do this now Drac." His words have everyone else stopping around us with equally concerned looks.

I squeeze his hand in silence then continue walking expecting them to join me, whilst I had no idea where the hell I was headed. All I knew was that if I stopped, I wouldn't dare move again.

"We'll take a portal home from my office," Khalil says saving me from my dilemma.

I don't even register the rest of the way there, or the portal travel to the manor until we stop directly outside my room. A cold vice wraps itself around my heart and I clench my jaw and fists trying to curb the tremors running across my limbs.

They only intensify until my whole body was shaking.

"Shit!" someone exclaims from behind me and it has me turning to see everyone holding onto some sort of support to stay upright.

Were they also shaking?

I turn back to the door and take a step closer reaching for the handle when a memory assaults me.

                                                    *****

"Come on mama! I want to see our new room!" Blue squeals shooting ahead of me making me wonder how his little legs could move so fast.

"Slow down Blue! You're going to hit your head on the...ouch!" I wince as my baby smashes his forehead on the door handle that has an abnormal length, taking up half the door.

I see his face crumple before he remembers his important mission. The pain on his face disappears in an instant though he continues to rub at the spot while looking at me impatiently.

"Mama! Door!"

"Yes, bad door! Nothing hurts my little boy!" I play along properly chagrined.

"No! Door!" He insists will looking at me like I was the biggest disappointment to ever grace his presence.

"Oh!" I exclaim finally catching on, "You want me to open it?"

My baby's face transforms into a 'you think?' expression and I drag my embarrassed, gown clad self to the door. You have not felt shame until you get stared down by a tiny creature that couldn't yet walk straight.

I hold the handle prepared to battle out the push or pull options until one won when the door clicks open. I stare at my hand dumbfounded while Blue sprints inside, more like stumble-runs but he gets there eventually.

Door magic is forgotten when Blue's excited squeals reach me and I move into the room to find him jumping on a very, very bouncy bed.

Thank you Dru; for this wonderful treasure; note the sarcasm, for I shall now never know peace.

"Oh! mama look!" Blue squeals running around identifying everything.

He especially loved that his crib was in the same room as my bed, right next to it in fact.

"Mama and Blue sleep together now.

"You really hate sleeping alone don't you baby?"

"Yes," he says resolutely, "Mama have no cuddles when sleeping alone."

Now it's my turn to do the face crumple. I birthed an angel.

Blue sees the tears on my face and he scrambles down the bed as I kneel to gather him into my arms. "Don't cry mama, Blue here now, lots of cuddles." He sooths while frantically trying to calm the waterfall now running down my face.