Peace <3

3. Silver linings

Callen looked outside the window from the first-floor bedroom. It was evening and the streets were busy. People buzzing around and going through their lives seem to ground him for what's to come. Shan felt her time was near but Cale knew exactly the time it would happen. Tonight their dear mother would pass away. He had already contacted Super Rock to let others know about her soul. He made sure his entire family spent time together until a few days before. That was when it happened, the first time Shan collapsed. The doctor informed us about her deteriorating health. Father has been looking after and taking care of mother. Tia is worried but trying her best to stay normal but she ends up spending most of her time with Cale as it helps her calm down. Just like now, she coloring a book in his room. He also made sure that Shan was not in any pain throughout this journey. Tia's voice called him out of his verifying everything for nth time.

"Oppa."

"Yesh."

"Ish Mama Sickh." She asks not looking up at him. In the original timeline, Tia was only one year old when Shan passed away. But this extra year has created memories she won't forget like she originally did. He knows she is an adult inside and understands what is happening but compared to him she is still a child. He has never lied to his family, especially children.

"Yesh." He said while softly patting her head.

Tia feels the small hand of her Oppa caress her head. Her dear brother was really smart and mature, who was as beautiful as an angel, and always told her the truth. He always seems to know everything. This exact brother told her Mom was sick while gently patting her head. That was all the confirmation she needed to know what was happening. Although their father tried to hide both Tia and Cale were not ordinary children. She couldn't ask her worried father or sick mother about the situation but she knew her brother would know. And he will never lie to her. She looked up from her book to meet his eyes. He had that calm smile on his face he did whenever she would cry or through a tantrum. His baby face which looked just like their mother's smiling softly looked so much more mature today. He never stopped patting her and continued to talk.

"It ill hart but it ill be otay." He said and hummed a song their mother sang for them. Tia knew her Oppa was talking about her and not her mom. She lay her head on her brother's lap and closed her eyes. 'Yes, it will be okay. Because you and Papa are here.'

Cale looked at Tia's sleeping face before falling asleep. It was time to visit his domain again in a long time. Once he opened his eyes he was still in his study. He went down towards the living area and was immediately hugged by Jour, Glutton, and Crybaby. Others were also hovering around to see if he was okay. He closed his eyes and hugged back his companions who stayed with him through countless deaths.

"Ahem." Shan coughed awkwardly and everyone looked towards her. Cale while still being hugged. 

"Hello, mother." He called with a smile that seemed to light up the place. Shan just looked at him flabbergasted. Although he said he would be here she did not expect him to be a god who would invite her in the afterlife. And he was so beautiful surrounded by what she could only be assumed to be angels who had told her about her son being the God of Peace before he arrived. 

"You are so beautiful." She blurted out her response and immediately panicked.

Cheap Stake started to laugh loudly saying she was just like Jour.

"Jour here also called Peace a 'cutie' when they first met." Sper Rock kindly explained. She knew Jour was his mother in his previous life and had decided to accompany him during immortality. After learning that he was in the mortal realm for some work she had been worried. Because anything that requires a God to intervene must be dangerous but she was assured that he will protect their family. 

"How are you feeling?" Her son asked as he sat in front of her. Jour came and sat next to her, holding her hand. She smiled as a thanks and answered.

"I feel overwhelmed but more from learning your identity than my death." She laughed and continued.

"Being able to be your family, has been my honor. Thank you." She saw him looking at her for a moment before replying with a loving smile.

"Thank you for exactly the same." She smiled and closed her eyes feeling her soul drifting with the wind. She knew that everything would be fine once she saw his smile and decided to rest in peace. 

"I have stored her soul with the rest of our family Peace," Glutton reported munching on some bread.

"Thank you, I should go back now, Tia is alone and Father will wake us soon."

"Be safe cutie, and remember we are always here for you," Jour said while hugging him.

He smiled at everyone and went back to his study. He heard a creak and knew his father was approaching them. He did not open his eyes and waited for his father to organize his thoughts and calm down. After becoming the God of Peace it was very easy for him to detect someone's distress. So he waited patiently for his father to grieve because he knew and as their father, he would be busier taking care of them than himself.

Gallahan entered the room and saw the most serene scene of his beautiful babies sleeping together with Tia on Cale's lap. He smiled thinking how they patiently waited because their father was worried and taking of their mother. He knew despite being young they were both very caring towards both Shan and himself. He slowly approached the twins and sat in front of them gently patting Cale's head and Tia's shoulder. Cale opened his eyes and saw his father's haggard face. Tia soon woke rubbing her eyes and sat up. 

Cale shifted closer to his father and put a hand on his leg.

"Aar you otay, Papa." He asked with a stoic face but his eyes betrayed the concern they hid. Tia also looked at Gallahan after hearing her Brother's question. Because they both knew how much their father loved their mother. 

Gallahan smiled at his concerned children before embracing them. Both hugged him back as if trying to show that they were there.  He replied to them sincerely.

"I am sad but everything will be okay." 'Yes, I will protect them, Shan.' Gallahan promised in his heart.

Gallahan put the twins to bed after Tia insisted she wanted to sleep with her Oppa. He told them tomorrow they had to attend a funeral and he was a little busy. They both did not ask many questions and agreed to what he had arranged. They will be moving to the Lombardi mansion later this week, both Tia and Cale felt this would drastically change their lives but Cale knew it for a fact. He remembered reading how his sister was treated in that house in her first and started to finalize the things he would do after moving.

Just like that a week flew by and Callen opened his eyes in the Lombardi Mansion for the first time. 

"Oppa!" He saw Tia's face as she stood beside the bed poking his cheek. He smiled at her as a greeting remembering how his children used to wake him by poking him with their paws. He saw Tia laugh at him and say again.

"Oppa wakey."

"yesh. I am awake." 

"Hehe... lest go, Pancake."

"Otay" he answered getting up. Tia still preferred sleeping with him and their father let them. She probably felt calmer sleeping in his presence and their father would read them books every night before bed. Since by now both Gallahan and Tia were used to him waking up late they directly meet him during breakfast. Once they arrived in the living area they saw their father waiting for them while reading the newspaper. He looked up and smiled at them and they both ran to hug him. Laughter filled the room and he kissed both their cheeks. 

They all ate breakfast while chatting. Cale saw his father's and sister's smiles and started to think that this was their new beginning their silver lining. Now it was time to put his plans to work to find the despair fragment, heal the protagonist, and help his family. It will be a slow process as they are just two years old but now he could earnestly start to research. In the original, although the second prince had a happy ending he was still traumatized. Even as Tia became the matriarch the Lombardi family wasn't fully complete which was one of grandfather's regrets. 'Even if the adults are beyond saving I should at least take care of my siblings.'

Cale started to smile his scammer smile. 'Yeah, this is just the beginning.' It made both Gallahan and Tia who saw him shudder.