Engraved in Flesh

Safe

It's been three weeks since Mook was captured, and Aru was a huge mess. She hasn't been able to sleep lately, her mind wouldn't let her. She was plagued with nightmares of Mook being tortured and killed. She was terrified for him.

Xena was mortified when she heard what had happened to Aru and Mook. She scolded herself for getting too caught up with her own affairs instead of watching out for her friends. Aru was in the middle of assuring Xena that everything was okay when she heard her friend mumble something about a soulmate. Aru went crazy as she tried to bribe Xena out of telling her the details, but eventually let it go when Xena promised to tell her later.

Rose didn't allow Aru to walk around alone. Ever since she was able to go back home from the hospital, Rose and the boys accompanied her everywhere she went. They didn't want to risk Aru losing her life or endangering the life of the baby. Aru suspected that she had a team to protect her the night they heard about Mook and the baby. She was annoyed at first, but she felt loved and cared for.

"You're nine weeks."

Aru couldn't help but blush at the doctor's words. She's been carrying around a fetus for nine weeks already. The doctor continued to explain things and scenarios to Aru to help her feel at ease. When the check up was done, Aru thanked the doctor and went out to the waiting room. Xena and Rocky were there. Rose and the other boys had went to visit Dicarius at the library to find parenting books for Aru to read.

"So? How did it go?"

Xena was ecstatic about the baby. She had everything planned to help Aru from baby clothes all the way to the food. Xena had always loved small children and babies, so Aru knew that she was practically blowing up inside when she accompanied Aru at every doctor check up. Rocky didn't show it as much as Xena did, but he was looking forward to the baby as well. The idea of a tiny Aru was a great thought for everyone, even Aru herself.

"I'm nine weeks pregnant!"

Aru was absolutely terrified to have a baby, especially when Mook wasn't there at the moment. Heck, he didn't even know about their baby. She didn't even know how she would find him again, if he was even still around. The baby, in a way, was her only connection to Mook. Even her arm seemed to not be letting her write to her beloved soulmate anymore. She let a small smile form on her face as she tried her best to stay happy in the situation. Mook would not have wanted to her worry too much about the what if's. He would have wanted her to make the best and be happy with what she had so that she could work for something better.

The walk home was mostly uneventful. The three chatted and planned about what kind of help Aru would receive and from who. While they were walking through the town square, however, Aru thought she someone familiar. When she decided t not confront the person in fear of it not really being them, Xena ran towards them. A huge smile formed on the short girl's face as she engulfed the person into a hug.

"SUSU!!!! IT'S BEEN YEARS!!"

Aru felt her feet move on their own towards Xena and the person known as Susu. Before she knew it, she was joining in on the hug. Susu was an old friend of the girls. They had grown up with each other, but were separated when Susu's parents left to find work in another city. Aru introduced Rocky to Susu as Xena began to fill them in on everything they missed. Everything was calm and perfect up until Xena accidentally revealed that Aru was pregnant with her soulmate's baby, who just so happened to have been missing now. Xena and Aru has to quickly calm Susu down as Rocky became alarmed at the sudden movements made by Susu.

The four finally made it to the Kim home thirty minutes after they managed to calm Susu down. Mrs. Kim welcomed Susu with a hug and a few words of appreciation to them. Rocky bid farewell and left to the library to join the other three of the troublesome group of four. Susu and Xena helped prepare dinner as Aru went to wash up.

A man was in the house when Aru came downstairs. Xena tried running away, but tripped over air during their attempted escape. When Aru hesitantly asked who the guy was, Xena covered her face and sighed. She became a stuttering mess as the introduced that the man as her soulmate. She couldn't even finish the sentence before Aru erupted in questions and cheers for the two. After calming down, she made Xena promise to come over the next day with her soulmate so that she could be properly introduced.

The house soon became empty once more. Susu bid goodnight to Aru and her mother as they left home. Aru and mother shared a long and silent hug, Aru softly letting out sniffles as she cried. It was hard for her to smile when she didn't even know if Mook was alive that very second. After a few words of encouragement, Mrs. Kim finally went up to bed. Aru carefully climbed up the stairs and to her room. Yawning, she slowly crawled under the covers and hugged a pillow. Closing her eyes, she let her memories of Mook wash in. As she dozed off.

"Don't you dare start to worry Mook. This baby will be safe and sound."

Aru spent her first night asleep without any nightmares to keep her up.

Things were getting better for her, she just hope they'd stay like that.