Fading {Book Two of The Descendants series}

Chapter Twelve

Garmadon sat by his wife's bedside and squeezed her now cold and limp hand. Hadn't it been just this morning that she greeted him with a kiss and made him his favorite breakfast just because? And now he was sitting here by her lifeless body. He always knew that he would outlive her because he had his father's blood in him and she didn't. She was almost seventy-five after all but that still seemed too young.

"Sir," a soft voiced nurse said behind from him. He hadn't even noticed her enter which was not normal for him. "We need to take her body to the morgue."

"So soon?" he asked squeezing her hand tighter. A single tear slipped down his cheek.

"Preparations must be made, sir," she said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

Garmadon merely nodded and she left him. Misako had lived for a short ten minutes after her emergency surgery. She had managed to say 'I love you and always have loved only you' before she passed on. She had no idea how much that meant to him.

"Dad?" Aira asked poking her head inside the room. She squeezed her eyes shut as soon as she say Misako's pale skin and closed eyes. She began to cry. She had decided she would be strong for Garmadon but that didn't go as planned.

Garmadon stood up and placed an arm around his daughter-in-law's shoulders. "Where is Lloyd?"

"He couldn't bare to see Misako like this. He wants his last memory of her to be of when she was alive," Aira said shaking with sobs. "But I couldn't just leave you back here alone to bear this."

"You are a strong, compassionate woman, Aira," Garmadon said, his voice cracking. "They are going to come take her in a few minutes. Lloyd needs you more than I right now. Go to your husband."

Aira nodded without looking up and hurried from the room. Garmadon watched her go, turned, walked to Misako, and planted a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Goodbye, my love."

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"Lloyd," Aira cried. She flew into his arms and sobbed into his chest. "I'm so sorry. I know how you feel."

"Shhhhh," he said gently. He held her close. "Why did you go back there? You knew what you would see."

"I couldn't bare to leave Dad back there," she sobbed.

"You are so caring, Aira," he said softly.

"Why are you the one comforting me," she said. "I should be comforting you."

"Sometimes having someone else to comfort comforts you more," he said. "It gives you someone other than yourself to think about. Don't you remember? That's how you handled your mother's death. You focused your attention on me."

"I love you," she said controlling her sobs and listening to his heartbeat.

"I love you too."

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"Kyle, why?!" Julia said crying into his chest.

"We will all feel the loss," Xavier said from the couch. Katrina was holding on to her husband's hand for dear life.

"It's not fair," Jacqueline said. "Why do people die?"

"Death is just the beginning of another adventure," Garmadon said stroking his granddaughter's blond hair.

"Ya ya we've heard that all before," Haden said bitterly. "That doesn't mean it's easy."

"No, it's not easy," Wu said sadly, not looking up from his tea. "For any of us."

"Where did Dad go?" James asked suddenly, looking around the room for Lloyd.

"Your father is probably going to take this the hardest of all," Aira said taking James's hand. "Mostly because he blames himself whenever something like this happens."

"He always has," Garmadon said. "I was the same way. I learned the hard way that I couldn't do that without almost destroy on myself."

"It's not Daddy's fault that Grandma had a heart attack," Jacqueline said tearfully. "How could he blame himself."

"He always finds a way," Wu said sadly.

*************************************
*three days later*

"Kai," Aira called.

"In the training room, Aira," he called back. She walked in and he stopped what he was doing. "What can I do for you?"

"I can't find Lloyd anywhere," she said worriedly. "Have you seen him?"

"Not since this morning," Kai said raising and eyebrow. "He's been keeping to himself the past few days. It's understandable."

"It never bodes well when he is this upset and is left to himself," Aira said pointedly.

"Don't worry, Aira," Kai said reassuringly.

Aira nodded but didn't feel so convinced. She couldn't help but worry about her distressed husband.

**************************************

Lloyd opened the door to his and Aira's bedroom silently. That was one of the benefits of being a ninja. He could slip into places silently.

He undressed quickly and slid into bed next to his wife. He knew immediately that she wasn't asleep.

"Why are you still awake?" He asked.

"Why were you still out?" She asked. She didn't sound angry but she didn't sound happy either.

"I was thinking," he said.

"Please don't make me worry like that again, Lloyd," she said choking.

"Aira," he said sitting up suddenly. "What did you think I would do?"

"I didn't mean that," she said. "I just worry about what's going on in your head. You're too hard on yourself."

"I won't be gone that long again," he said lying down and putting his arm around her.

Aira turned and snuggled up against Lloyd's chest. "Promise?"

"I promise," he said gently.