Nos Ascendemus

22

"Let's go back home. Your wife and babies miss you dearly."

"Okay, goodbye, for now, my little Harp. I'll definitely come to see you more often and I'll bring the other three (3) with me."

"I'll come too with Nova. I know she'd love that."

"She really would." 

After they had said goodbye to Harper's grave in Vaxholm, the two (2) best friends made their way to Elias' car and drove back to the hotel. Once they got there, Benjamin ran up to the room he was staying at and packed up all his things. 

When he had reached back downstairs to the lobby, he watched as his best friend check out for him while looking highly uncomfortable with how the clerk, who was trying to flirt with him. He chuckled and shook his head before making his way over.

"Ellie baby, ready to go?"

"Definitely, Benji baby. Already did all the checking out for you." 

"Thank you, now let us go home."

Smiling, the two (2) laced their hands together and walked towards the giant elegant doors of the hotel. Once they were outside of the doors, the pair started sniggering and gasping for breath at how the young woman's face looked when they interacted with one another. 

Her face was as bright red as a tomato and her eyes held so much embarrassment that it was so comical for them. Once they had finally regained their exposure, they stood up and made their way over to the Bugatti that was parked out front. 

Opening the door for him, Elias quickly ran around sliding into the driver's side and quickly pecked the blonde man on the cheek before speeding off. 

A few hours later, they had just arrived back in Stockholm and had just pulled up into the long winding driveway of The Odin's Riders MC's castle. The moment the brunette man had parked the car, a loud knocking was heard on his window.

Looking up he saw Serah with Nova and they both were staring at the older man in the passenger seat, who was passed out cold. Motioning for them to be quiet, he swiftly made his way out of the car and shut the door behind him softly. 

"He's exhausted, a few minutes after we had left the hotel he passed out cold. He has not been awake since and I think I will have to carry him upstairs for you." 

"Poor baby, okay please do. I'll grab his bag from the back seat."

"Okay."

The two (2) women watched as the younger of the pair, scooped the sleeping blonde man into his arms and made his way to the front doors. Nodding at the thralls and riders who were standing outside, guarding, he went through the doors. 

Serah opened the backseat door that was behind the passenger seat and grabbed the navy blue duffle bag that was sitting on the floor. As she pulled it out, a small silver locket fell out of one of the slightly unzipped pockets.

Curiosity getting the best of her, she placed the bag back onto the floor and pressed the sides of it to pop it open. When the lid flipped up, there one side was a place for a photograph, but it was empty and the other side had the name 'Harper Lin" carved into it. 

The strawberry blonde knew she had never once heard that name before and she was fighting her feelings of jealousy. She did not want to just jump to conclusions when the whole picture had not been painted in front of her yet. 

Feeling a light tap on her shoulder, she whirled around and saw that it was Nova, who was looking at her with concerned filled eyes.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, sorry I just got lost in thought. You go on, I'll be right there, my little star."

"Okay." 

Nodding, she watched as the younger woman walked into the castle and she sighed. She turned back around and slipped the locket back into the pocket of the bag where it had fallen out from. 

Upstairs in the couple's bedroom, Elias was watching over his friend when his wife slipped through the slightly ajar door. Looking up, he smiled at her and waved her over, motioning for her to be quiet. 

Turning back to face Benjamin, they noticed that he had large dark circles under his eyes and his complexion was much paler than he was two (2) days ago. 

The younger man could feel his heart sink as he knew what had caused this and he wished he had noticed his friend's silent suffering. His best friend was never one to want to burden others with his problems and he always fought with him about that. 

Serah had joined them about five (5( minutes later and soon the three (3) watched as the blonde man's eyes fluttered open. He yawned as rubbed his eyes like a little kid while blinking like an owl, this caused everyone to awe at how cute he was. 

"Huh? Kitten? Bub? Ellie? Where are we?"

"You're home, baby. Elias carried you inside because you were passed out cold." 

The four (4) of them spent the next couple of hours just talking and asking him what happened, the only one who was not confused was, of course, Elias.                                                                              He sat there and helped explain any parts that Benjamin may have felt were too hard for him to speak about, without mentioning her name. 

Soon the younger couple decided that it was time for them to take their leave so that the other two (2) could talk anything out. Bidding them farewell, the older couple snuggled up together in the giant king bed and enjoyed one another's company. 

In the back of Serah's mind, there was a nagging feeling that was telling her to ask her husband about the locket that she had found and who the name belonged too. Turning her body slightly to the right, she looked up into the sea blue orbs and poked him.

"Hmm?"

"Who is Harper Lin?"

The minute the name left her lips, she felt Benjamin's body go completely rigid and his eyes were wide with shock. She felt her anger rising and she was about to pull out from his embrace to let him have it, but then he spoke.

"My beautiful Harp, she was our best friend. The grave I went to visit was hers. I got her that locket when she had turned seven (7) and I was given it back when she was killed by her parents before they blew town." 

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby."

"It's okay, I miss her every day and I know that she would have loved you the moment she met you. That's why I suggested naming our baby girl, Harper, in memory of her. Since she never truly got to live her life."

"It was the best thing you could have done."

"Really kitten?"

"Really, I love you."

"I love you too."