The KOTLC Family

OMG

Linh POV:

There's shadowflux in your stomach. Linh's jaw dropped open, and she just stared at Elwin unblinkingly. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S SHADOWFLUX IN LINH'S STOMACH?" Fitz was the first to respond, yelling at Elwin angrily.

Elwin put his hands up in defense and backed away, "I don't know, this is the first time something like this has happened. Fitz, calm down."

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HER?!" Fitz shouted, clenching and unclenching his fists. 

Linh grabbed Fitz's hand gently, forcing him to look her in the eye. "Fitz, please stop. I'll be alright. Tam's here, isn't he? He's a Shade. I'm sure he knows what to do." She glanced at her twin, who was in the corner, shadow-whispering with his eyebrows scrunched in concentration.

Tam nodded slowly, "I guess I can remove it...but it'll hurt a lot, based on the location of the shadowflux. It's really deep in your stomach. Are you sure?"

Linh replied, "Is there any alternative option?"

Elwin cut in, "I could give you elixirs to drink to treat the pain and vomiting, but I have no idea how the presence of the shadowflux would affect the baby's development."

Remove the shadowflux forever, with risk of extreme pain? Or leave it in there, but risk the harm to her baby? Linh knew what the right choice was. 

"Tam, do you need to prepare anything? I want to remove it."

Her twin shook his head, "Nope, I just need to focus. But..." He directed the question to Elwin, "Is there anything you can give Linh for the pain? I think it's pretty much guaranteed that it'll hurt a. lot. " 

Elwin looked defeated, "Unfortunately, at Linh's stage of pregnancy right now, it's unsafe to give her sedatives or painkillers. So, I'm afraid she'll have to bear the pain. Sorry." He murmured, pushing his iridescent spectacles up his nose. 

Linh nodded, "Okay then, should I lie down or sit or what?"

Cracking his knuckles, Tam said, "Lying down would be advisable."

Thus, Linh lay down on the cot, and Fitz adjusted her pillows so she would be comfortable. 

Squeezing her hand reassuringly, Fitz sat down on a chair next to Linh's cot. 

"Remember, Linh. I'm here, okay?" He helped to pull Linh's hair into a ponytail. It was a little messy and lopsided, but Linh was touched at the gesture nevertheless. 

Boys can never do it as well as girls can, she chuckled inwardly.

"Ready, Linh?" Tam asked, "I'm going to start. Brace yourself." He started whispering unknown words under his breath, flicking his fingers in a certain pattern, and then he made a pulling action. Hard.

The pain kicked in as soon as he did it, rippling through Linh's stomach like fire. It was so intense that Linh started tearing up, restraining herself from screaming. 

"Linh, squeeze my hand to let go of the pain!" Fitz begged, eyes sparkling with tears of his own.

Linh squeezed his hand as hard as she could, gritting her teeth as she waited for the pain to go away. She saw Tam gave a final tug, sweat trickling down his face from the effort, and felt the pain slowly fade away.

"Well, I think it's done. Are you feeling okay?" Tam asked, wiping his brow and bouncing the ball of inky darkness from palm to palm before slipping it into a sealed glass bottle. 

Linh nodded, "I literally cannot believe what just happened." She shook her head in disbelief and retied her hair. 

Fitz hugged her shoulders, "You were so brave." He smiled the iconic movie star smile that would've melted any girl who saw it.

Elwin ran a few tests on Linh again, then gave her a few elixirs to drink and told her to get a lot of rest.

"You'll probably feel tired now, but that's just because of the elixir. Go home and get some rest, okay? Tomorrow you'll be fully cured." He said, after Linh drank all of the elixirs.

Just then, Tam asked, "Linh, do you mind if I come over to your house? I'll tell Biana to take Aurora and Piper somewhere today, and I can help Fitz take care of you."

"I don't mind, but you don't need to-" Linh started, shaking her head, but her twin cut her off. 

"You're my sister, of course I need to." He smiled a little, shaking his bangs out of his eyes.

Linh relented, "Fine. But promise me you'll go back early to see Aurora and Piper if they return." Tam nodded immediately and he wrapped his fingers around Linh's hand, with Fitz taking the other, and stepped into the light and glimmered away.

            *back to Linh's house*

"I'm actually not tired at all, guys. What do you say we go shopping at the pet shop?" Linh said, a glint in her eye.

Tam face-palmed, "Please don't tell me you're going to get a friend for...Princess Purryfins." He sighed at the name, and Linh had to snicker.

"Who knows? Let's check it out. Should I hail Biana to check if they left yet? She can come with us." Linh took out her Imparter and hailed her friend.

Biana picked up immediately, and after hearing Linh's request, she