Love Guardians Part 4: Love Bird

The Light Within

I woke up the next morning and instantly looked for Ella. I rushed down to the kitchen and found her eating cereal. She stopped eating her cereal and smiled at me. She stood up and ran towards me, embracing me.

I froze, feeling a bit warm inside and somehow connected to her.

Katy looked up from her breakfast and smiled. "She had a little nightmare last night."

Ella's embrace tighted. "You listened to the boogie man and became evil. And then, you didn't want to believe in the tooth fairy or Santa Clause. You forgot all about me and let these things called fearlings get me." Ella looked up at me. "But then you start believing again. You came back and you saved me."

I smiled and petted her head. "Don't worry. The boogie man just wants you to stop believing."

She let go. "Why?"

I squatted to meet eye to eye with her. "Because if you stop believing the guardians grow weaker and can't help kids like you."

"The guardians? Who are they?"

I smiled, remembering what Toothiana said. "You've known them since before you can remember. The sandman keeps the boogieman away from your dreams, and the tooth fairy makes sure you'll take care of your teeth, and Santa makes sure you'll always be good."

Ella grinned. She looked lighter on her feet and she looked stronger, like she would always believe too.

I poked her nose. "I'll always believe." 

Ella nodded. "I will too." She held out a pinky.

I blinked as it got close to my face. I wrapped my pinky around hers. "No matter what."

Katy smiled and offered to take us to the park after I ate. Ella and I played multiple games while we were there on the playground. We played games where the sand was lava, a pirate game, and a dungeon game. I don't know why, but it was easier to swing around on the playground. I felt really light.

Eventually, we got hungry and Katy took us to a sandwich shop I never heard of. I asked Katy if she could take me somewhere so I could buy something for Toothiana. I bought the gift without her noticing and hid it in my sweater. We had to go back home because Katy had some paper work she had to do for work the next day. I put my gift in one of the drawers in my temporary room. Then, Ella and I ate popcorn and chips while watching movies. Ella would point out her favorite scenes and why she liked the character so much. I thought she wasn't  going to run out of energy, but by the fifth movie, she was really exhausted and sleepy.

 Ella's eyes were half way open. "Damian?"

"Yes?" I smiled at her.

"Do you think the tooth fairy ever sleeps?"

I paused, wondering if she actually did. "Well, she could if she wanted to. She has billions of helpers, so I'm sure she does if she wants to."

Ella's eyes were completely closed. "How come you know so much about the guardians?"

I grinned. "Because the tooth fairy told me everything when I was smaller."

"Oh..." She began to breathe deeply.

I gently picked Ella up and took her to her bed. I didn't know what to do after that, so I went to my room and waited for Toothiana to arrive.

I started drawing after five minutes of waiting. I drew dragons and elves around it. I then made the dragon a mountain and the elves became nasty, hunting gremlins looking for the dragon.

"Ooh. What's that?"

I jumped and fell onto the floor.

Toothiana laughed and hovered over me. "I didn't mean to scare you."