A Game Of Hearts

Calm Before the Storm

      You closed your eyes as the warm beach airlifted your sweaty (h/c) hair off of your neck giving you a slight reprieve from the goofy sun's harsh rays. Looking up from your book you watched as your husband chased your daughter at the edge of the water. You smiled as you watched her blond pigtails flurried around her, her beautiful laughter seemed to fill the beach with laugh. Setting your book aside you stood up, wiping the sand from your bottom you went and joined your family. Sensing your presence you watched as your husband pushed his wild red hair from his face and your (e/c) eyes connected with his blue ones. You walked towards him until you were nestled in the crook of his arm and you both watched your daughter jumping through the waves.

"Do we have to leave?" You hadn't even realized you had spoken aloud until you felt Spirit's arms tighten around you. Today had been the last day your family would see a beach for god knows how long. Tomorrow you would begin a new life in the landlocked Death city.

"All of Maka's friends are here, this is all she has ever known..." Your voice cracked and faded into nothing. You knew that only memories and danger waited for you in Death City. You sighed as you felt Spirit's soft lips pepper kisses on your neck. You tilted your head up partially to give him better access to your sensitive flesh, but mostly to keep your tears from falling.

"You are Maka's mother and you will always be Maka's mother. But you know she's always had questions about Ingrid and being in Death city will let her connect with her memory." You took in a deep breath as shame flooded your body. You were jealous of a dead woman, how pathetic. You thought back to how you had met the father and daughter pair.

~~~Flashback~~~~

You sipped your coffee carefully as you basked in the warmth of the sun. You never got to relax with your hectic schedule at the hospital and this was one of those rare days you weren't on call. Taking a deep relaxing breath you set down your almost empty cup and decided it was time to break in your new hammock.

Your peace was quickly shattered as a heartbreaking scream pierced the air. Nearly falling out of your hammock you jumped to your feet and tried to find the origin point of the scream. The minutes seemed to feel like hours as the blood rushed in your ears. Another scream filled the air, listening carefully you traced it back to a small summer beach house that was usually empty this late in the season.

Taking off in a sprint you reached the house in record time. Not even bothering to knock you busted through the door to find a startled man bouncing a fussy baby on his shoulder. The adrenaline that had surged through your body evaporated and your legs began to shake. The baby let out another ear-splitting scream scaring the both of you.

Your heart broke as you saw tears pool in the man's eyes as he tried to calm the crying baby. Stepping forward you reached out your hands and gently took the baby into your arms. Without ever breaking eye contact you put the baby on your shoulder and began bouncing on the balls of your feet while making a quiet shushing noise. The baby's fussing soon turned into quiet hiccups, then only her light snoring could be heard. The sleep deprived father had said nothing at all as he took the sleeping child from your arms and laid her in a red bassinet surrounded by moving boxes. Confused yet exhilarated at what just happened you slipped out of the house to continue your day of relaxation, yet you couldn't get the red headed mystery man and his beautiful blond baby girl out of your head.

~~~End of Flashback~~~

It had been fifteen years since you had first became entangled in Spirit and Maka Albarn's life and you had loved every minute of it. Yet as you packed up your beach gear and headed back up to your beautiful cliffside home your eyes lingered on a little dilapidated beach house and a sense of impending doom filled your soul. Death City had never been kind to you even before you had met Spirit Albarn and you had a feeling it wasn't done with you yet.