Flight Of Fate

Chapter Sixteen - A Father's Rage

Gravel crunched as the wheels of Thranduil's car slowed down and brought the vehicle to a halt. Darkness had shrouded the city, and he shivered slightly as he stepped out onto the driveway and glanced up at the cloudless inky black sky above him. Millions of stars twinkled overhead, bringing a smile to his face.

Every time he looked up at the stars, he was reminded of his first meeting with Kira, after the plane crash.

Kira.

His heart thumped and his smile broadened as he lifted his holdall from the back seat and closed the door. She had certainly changed his life, bringing with her not only their adorable daughter, but a renewed sense of energy and positivity that life was going to be alright again. Any doubts or reservations he'd had over the past had disappeared as she'd come back to him, and he'd openly embraced the changes as he'd let the past go.

His smile widened further as he climbed the few steps leading up to his home. The impressive double doors swung open as he pushed them, stepping into the hallway.

"Kira?" he called as he dropped his holdall onto the floor and closed the door. "Kira?"

The answering silence made him frown a little on confusion. He'd become accustomed to hearing some signs of life around the old farmhouse, be it Eden's infectious giggle, Kira's soft tones as she spoke to her, or the sound of music drifting from whichever room they were in.

He wandered along the ground floor, his confusion growing at finding the lower level in darkness.

Thinking that maybe either or both of them were tired and had gone to bed early, he climbed the stairs towards the upper floor. Again, he was met with silence and darkness. He switched the lights on as he went, and had an instantaneous feeling in his stomach that something had gone terribly wrong while he'd been at work.

He hesitated as he came to his bedroom, the room where he'd willingly welcomed Kira to spend her nights. The room where she'd accepted, and they'd spent the dark hours making love to one another and holding each other. Opening the door, he wasn't surprised to find the room empty.

His eyes closed briefly and he turned to the next room, which was Eden's. He opened the door and switched the light on.

Her crib lay empty.

His heart plummeted.

The house was desolate.

Kira had taken their child and abandoned him.

*****

In the cold, miserable living room of her old apartment, Kira sat cross-legged on the floor with her head in her hands. Eden was asleep on the quilt through in the shabby bedroom, having drifted off after much crying and fretting. She suspected her child was distraught at not having her father with her, but she'd managed to settle her after walking the floor with her for almost an hour and a half.

Hot tears burned her skin as she wept softly.

She'd been crazy enough – stupid enough – to believe that her life was going to turn out for the best after accidentally walking back into Thranduil's life. The prospects he'd presented for their baby were astronomical in comparison to anything she'd been able to offer, and deep within herself she felt guilty for depriving her of them. Luckily Eden was young enough that she wouldn't remember him, and for that small fact, she was grateful.

Her heart was in pieces, nevertheless.

Eden needed Thranduil, and he needed her just as much.

She needed him.

She'd missed him like nothing she'd ever been able to imagine, and her heart had broken as she'd gathered the few items she'd had when he'd taken them to his home. Anything that he'd bought and paid for had been left behind.