Supernova c14: Moonrise

1 Year Later

Eddie Cullen

Chicago, 2231

The last year had been a wild ride.

I was petrified every second of the day, scared for Esther, scared that it was taking too long or that she wasn’t going to wake up, but I knew I had to trust the process, that Axton, Alena and Esther had it all planned. I had seen in her head all those years ago how they went over the possibility again and again. I remember thinking how utterly ridiculous she was being going to these extremes when it would never happen. Oh, how glad I was that my best friend had ignored me.

A few weeks after the spell had been lifted from Esther, her thoughts returned. This was a lot earlier than originally expected and it had been Ivy’s doing. Well Mia’s actually but Ivy was the reason the estranged granddaughter of my sister had helped.

She had been on human blood since the second she started recovering and a few weeks later, after the fallout with Mia and her family, Ivy had come to me with two flasks of blood.

“That’s not human,” I frowned smelling the strange, sweet smell of the blood that she was mixing with the human. I had never smelt it before. It wasn't hybrid or shapeshifter or witch or human. What the hell was it?

“No, it’s not,” she answered and had prepared four flasks from the two she brought.

“Ivy what are you doing?” I asked her and immediately began scanning her mind for an explanation.

“I have it on good authority that this will help her recover faster,” she said, and I saw how she had a delivery consisting of the two flasks with a note.

An apology, and I hope some relief from your pain. One of us deserves that at least.

A very trusted and powerful source of mine said my blood may help your mother.

It won’t wake her right away, but it may speed up the process.

Amirah.

“Mia?” I gasped seeing the note.

“She’s the only creature on the planet whose blood heals others. Her power is connected to her blood. It's why Ignacio had to drink it for their connection to form. It's why she became the catalyst to destroy the demons when her blood was spilt from Ignacio’s death.” She said and I realised she’d been talking to Axton and Alena about it, they had theorised Mia was probably right and even if she wasn’t, it was worth a try.

“Who is the source?” I asked sceptically. “Who knows about blood magic that well?”

Ivy shrugged.

“I trust Mia.” she said, and my eyes narrowed at the words. Even after everything? But then Mia had shown no malice past harsh words to her family. To which I agreed with honestly. I was angry at my sister for coming to Chicago two weeks ago. I had almost yelled at her and her daughter Chartelle. I had only been in Mia's mind briefly but it was obvious just from basic understanding of imprints that the last thing, the last thing on earth Mia needed right now was her mother and grandmother and their imprint husbands to be any where near her. It wasn't personal. Mia still loved her family but it didn't mean she wanted to see an imprinted couple perhaps ever again. I knew those words had hurt Renesmee and I would pay for them later but I couldn't believe how blind she was being. Both her and Chartelle were blinded by their concern for Mia and didn't actually think about what kind of affect they'd have being around her. Renesmee had left to go home a few days before Mia's outburst thankfully but it didn't mean she didn't hear about it. She was on the phone to my wife the second she found out, asking Chloe to track Mia's location. Chloe had refused to tell her anything other than the fact she knew she was safe. I had never been more prouder of my wife in that moment. Renesmee and Chartelle had to grieve too, they had to grieve the Mia they knew because I wasn't sure she was ever coming back. Even if Axton and Ophelia were successful with their plans, Mia would never be the same again. 

I knew it was hard for my sister. Amirah had been kept hidden in La Push for decades, Renesmee had raised her with Chartelle. Mia was probably the grandchild Nessie and Jake had been closest to for the longest, I knew it would be hard for them but they had to let go. They had been holding onto Mia for so long, protecting her, shielding her, but she was a fully grown woman now. A woman who had her choice taken from her, carried the weight of the world on her shoulders for a decade and lost everything anyway. I deeply empathised with my great-niece and my soul mate lying unconscious a few meters from me was proof of that.

“Okay we try, just a little bit at a time but if she reacts badly, we stop immediately,” I said as she grinned and brought the blood over to Esther in the room.

Nothing happened that was any different to when Esther took the normal human blood. I watched as the hope in Ivy’s eyes died down and she set the empty flasks on the side.

“It was worth a try,” I comforted her. And she gave me a sad nod.

A day later Esther’s thoughts returned. Mia’s blood had worked, even if it had just been to speed up her initial recovery to have cohesive thoughts again.

Hearing her voice, even in our head was enough to break me. Her first thought had been my name.

Eddie?

I’m here. I thought immediately taking her still hand in mine and bringing it up to kiss softly. She had no strength in that hand and didn’t grasp my hand back, but her thoughts were there. Her voice as perfect as I remember it, was there.

How long? She asked and I couldn’t hide my thought from her. Even though our connection wasn’t restored, and this was just my ability, my mind was open to her, I had been trying to push it on her for weeks, to try and get any kind of response.

Ten years.

Her answer was shock and grief and relief all in one thought.

They did it? Is everyone okay? She asked. I stared at her still face, still unable to open her eyes but at least she had coherent thoughts now.

They did but no, Ignacio died. Many wolves were hurt too but they were all returned to us through Anelie and Lidiya. Ignacio was the only true casualty. Unless you count Mia.

What happened to Mia?

She left. She won’t let anyone see her or be around her. She’s grieving an imprint. She threatened everyone to stay away.

Esther didn’t have actual words to respond to that, just acknowledgement of the pain Mia must be feeling and pure regret she couldn’t help her.

There is hope. Her friends want to try and find a way to bring Ignacio back. They think they need your help though, when you’re strong. In a few years maybe. They’ve preserved his body, kept it in a status so that one day they might be able to bring him back. I explained.

It took me decades to find the answer for Allesandra. And the loophole was the moon pool. It won’t apply to Ignacio. It could be a fool’s errand. She thought sadly.

We didn’t have Axton and Alena back then. We’re hoping they can work with you to adapt the spell somehow. I explained to her what Axton had already told me.

There was a life exchange Eddie. She said and her mind was solemn and sad as she said the words. I knew the sacrifice of that witch lived with her. That she was grateful every time she looked at her granddaughter and husband for the witch that gave her life so that Esther could have her loved ones returned. She continued her train of thought:

Anelie was still required to give them life. If her ability didn't work on his body before it doesn't meant it will work now. Darcy kept a lot of the details from me back then. I had no understanding of magic or witch powers. Even now, I try and think over what I saw and it was old magic I have no knowledge of. The kind of power we need, the kind of knowledge we need is long dead.

I thought over her words before I answered.

They know it’s a long shot but they will find a loophole, something. Axton is determined. I'm not sure he will rest until they’ve exhausted every option.

But her thoughts had given me an idea that I would present to Axton later. She said it was old magic, knowledge that is long dead. But what about someone that was around back then? Axton's own father, Cain, would know the magic Esther is talking about. Cain was ancient, older than Esther herself. I wondered if Axton had already considered going to him or he hoped Esther would have the answer before he resorted to making deals with his estranged father.

He could be looking for a very long time. Esther answered me.

That’s why Mia has no idea. But Axton, Ophelia and Nova won’t take no for an answer not until they’ve scoured the earth.

Nova? She asked catching onto the name. The other two were obvious as to why they’d help Mia. Her granddaughters name confused her.

It was then I began to update her on Nova’s life, then Eden’s, then other members of her family. I was careful not to tell her exactly how hard Ivy had found her absence, but I knew one day she’d know. She’d know how hard we all found it. The scar in my heart of having her ripped from me was still there despite the fact her voice was in my head again.

She slept most of the time but when she was awake, I sat with her and spoke to her. Over the months that followed she began to grasp my hand as strength returned and finally after a year her eyes opened, and she could sit in the bed.

Her eyes, with her human blood diet, had been blood red when she finally awoke.

“Not gonna lie Es, you look like a badass with the red eyes,” I commented when our gaze locked. She let out a small smile in response to my words.

“As soon as I’m strong enough I'll reverse it.” She said as she reached for me in the room. I didn’t hesitate as I closed the space and pulled her gently into a hug. Her grasp was weak, weaker than even a human.

“You should consider keeping it,” I said trying to keep the situation light despite the fact I terrified by the weakness in which she grasped me with. She may be awake, but she was utterly and completely powerless and it shook me to my core seeing her like this. Weak. Vulnerable. Killable. The thought froze my heart. I could barely believe I was watching her move, seeing her smile, and hearing her voice. The emotion overcame me, and I couldn’t help the tears in my eyes.

I had already sent a silent message to Aleksander and their daughters to tell them she had finally awoken. I felt guilty it hadn’t been Aleksander here.

You have no idea how much I missed you. I placed in her head and with great effort she tried to hold me tighter. Don’t ever do that to me again. Ever. I added and I heard a faint chuckle as we pulled away slightly, but my hands remained on her arms, wanting to touch her. To make sure she was real. She reached up to stroke the tear on my cheek.

“I don’t plan to,” she said and even with her red eyes she was still Esther. She was still my best friend. I swallowed, trying my best not to burst into sobs in front of her. I knew one day she’d know how hard this decade had been for me but right then I was just glad she was back. She lent forward brushing her lips to my cheek before resting her forehead on mine and it was pointless. Seeing her, hearing her, being around her scent again, it was too much. My composure cracked and my tears began to stream faster than I could control them.

“I’m here. It’s okay sweetie. You’re okay.” Her voice broke on the words as she watched me cry in front of her. I didn’t even care at that moment how weak I must have seemed to her. I was grateful it was just us. No one else except Chloe got to see me like this. She moved, trying to pull me back towards her as she rested her head on my shoulder. I clung to her trying to control my crying with my breaths as I ever so gently held her. I had to remind myself every second not to hold her tighter, not to hold her so she wouldn’t disappear.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry” she whispered, and I realised she was crying too now. She had seen my pain, she didn’t need her abilities or to be connected to my mind to know that the last ten years had been utter hell, to know without her I had been broken.

“You don’t have to be strong anymore. Thank you for being everything I needed you to be. Thank you for being you, for being my soul mate,” she said trying with her human strength to hold me tighter. It was like hugging a child, a weak sickly child. She was wrong, I still had to be strong, I had to be strong to protect her now just for another few more years. My breathing settled and I wiped my face free of any tears still on my skin.

“I don’t want to live like that ever again. Sometimes I thought I was going to die just from the ache. If it wasn’t for Chloe…” I mumbled my voice still raw from my emotion. I trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence. Chloe had been my rock, my everything. She had kept me strong when I was going to break. She had stood by me, been my shoulder to cry on, been everything I ever needed, and I have never loved her more in my life. Losing Esther was what I thought was the most pain imaginable, but I had survived, and I had learnt one important thing as my love for Chloe grew exponentially: I wouldn’t have lasted a day had it been Chloe in her place. Esther pulled away to look at me, those blood red eyes danced across my face.

“I will atone for that pain for the rest of our lives. I never intended to hurt you” she said, and I gave her a smile.

“I know you didn’t, and you bet your arse you will” I joked giving her a wink. Her laugh was like music to my ears. It had been so long since I had heard that laugh. Before we could continue our banter there was a slam of a door above us and feet pounding down the stairs.

My head span to the door waiting for Esther’s daughters to make it down the three flights of stairs to get to us. I could see in Esther’s head how she couldn’t hear it and I smiled at the fact for the only time in our lives I was stronger and more powerful than the woman sitting before me. I would make sure to use that to get a few laughs out of her over the next few years.

“Your family are here,” I said. In the second it took me to disconnect myself from our embrace Ivana came charging into the room. She stopped suddenly at the end of the bed. Her eyes locking on her mother who was watching her curiously.

“Mama,” Ivy whispered, it was like a prayer and salvation all in one.

“Gentle” I reminded her as she almost leapt for the bed to hug her mother. Ivana started to cry as she clung to the woman that gave her life. I watched Lidiya and Anelie enter next. Lidiya had a huge smile on her face, and Anelie was already crying as they both came over towards their mother.

I moved away from the bed to give them room and the twins paused before Esther reached one of her arms out to her daughters and the three of them wrapped their arms around her. I let out a wide smile at the sight and Esther let out a small chuckle that was broken with her tears.

I turned then to see Aleksander in the hall. He hadn’t stepped to the threshold of the room yet. He hadn’t been in sight of Esther as she hugged their children.

Aren’t you coming in? I projected as he leant against the wall.

The girls deserve a moment with their mother. Was all he responded but I could see that he feared the sight of her. After all this time, he felt like he had failed her, he knew he had failed her and was scared of facing her again. He was overwhelmed with the fact that she was back, that what he viewed was his meaning of life, Esther, had returned.

You didn’t fail her. I reminded him.

Yes I did. He answered and I knew he had promised her he would be strong for their daughters, that he would support Ivana through it but he had been weak and unable to process his own grief long enough to be there for Ivana in the way she needed. This was running through his head at that moment. How he blamed himself for Ivana’s pain.

“Where is your father?” Esther asked after a moment when the three girls pulled away to look at their mother on the bed. The three of them were sitting on the edge of the mattress and Esther’s eyes fell on the door.

It was that moment Axton and Alena descended the staircases with a smile on their faces.

Esther returned that smile as they entered, momentarily forgetting the fact her husband still hadn’t shown his face.

“Esther” Alena said in awe.

“I’m so proud of you both” Esther said immediately as the pair paused at the door. Axton turned to look at Aleksander who was out of sight of Esther in the room.

“We’ll come back.” Axton said taking Alena’s hand and immediately teleporting from the room. Esther’s smile dropped to a frown. Her daughters moved from the bed reluctantly. Ivy leant forward to kiss her mother’s forehead.

“I missed you mama” she said through her tears. “We’ll come back in a bit” she said and looked to her older sisters who nodded and stood from the bed.

“No, stay.” Aleksander said instantly and everyone in the room turned their heads to the door. Aleksander stood from the wall and took a deep breath as he stepped into the threshold of the doorway.

Esther knew something was wrong. There was no smile on her face at the sight of her husband. I had warned her in her mind over the months that Aleksander had changed somewhat from the man she knew but I didn’t tell her much more than that. This was the moment she would see what he had become, and I ached to stand beside her, but I knew this wasn’t my place. I wanted to give her privacy in that moment, so I didn’t enter her mind as the couple looked at each other. I wondered what he looked like through her eyes. He was a shell of who he used to be, could Esther see that just in one glance?

“Aleksander” she said his name as a beckon. He moved as if involuntarily over to her. He fell to his knees at the side of her bed and took her outreached hand in his. He bowed forward and rested his forehead on their joint hands, as if he couldn’t bare to look at her.

“I failed you” were his first words to her. I reached my hand forward to beckon Esther’s daughters over to me at the edge of the room.

You don’t need to leave. Aleksander thought and even though I felt I was intruding; I knew that I would find out what happened here one day when mine and Esther’s minds were reconnected. Aleksander knew it too, he wanted to atone to everyone in this room not just Esther.

“I don’t believe that” Esther responded and tried to pull her hand out of his grasp to make him look at her, but he was like a stone statue, and she was entirely too weak to move him.

The pair remained like that for a moment before Esther sighed in annoyance.

“Aleks” she said her voice becoming frustrated. She looked at me as if for answers, asking me to read her mind.

What is going on with him? 

Its not my place to tell you. I answered but she scowled at me.

You are my other half. We don’t hide anything from each other. There isn’t a single thing we don’t share. She said with the feistiness that I missed. I resisted the urge to smirk knowing that this wasn’t the time.

We don’t share spouses. I joked but she took the moment to widen her grin.

I’m not sure about that, we share Chloe. I love your wife and I’m fairly sure she loves me back. Just saying. She joked and I nearly sobbed at hearing her joke with me again. It was all too much, our banter, our shared personality flooding my mind like nothing had changed. She turned back to her husband as if she knew this moment needed to be reserved for him.

“Aleksander Balev” she said with as much energy as she could muster. He slowly raised his head to look at her.

“I am not worthy of you anymore” Aleksander voiced; he was speaking Bulgarian. At his words Lidiya stepped closer to me, her arm brushed mine, so I reached down to take her hand in mine and squeezed it.

What is he talking about? Lidiya thought.

Why does he want us here for this? Anelie thought at the same time.

Ivana’s thoughts were still on her mother and the fact she was back.

Can you open a link with his mind? Please Eddie. Esther begged me. I looked between the couple by the bed.

“Aleksander talk to your wife before I let her into your mind. This is your chance to explain.” I told him slightly angry at my friend now. I may be Esther’s other half; I may share a mind with her, but I did not want to be the one right now in the middle of them both.

“I failed you. I was weak and I let our daughters grieve on their own. For ten years I was a shell of the man you loved. I spent most of the time avoiding anyone other than Eddie and the only reason I let him in was because he reminded me of you. And the fact he wouldn’t take no for an answer” Aleksander began, still speaking Bulgarian. I didn’t miss the way he said ‘loved’ as if he wasn’t fully convinced Esther would still love him. Esther answered in English.

“I am sorry my love” I saw her squeeze his hand to the best of her ability.

“I am not worthy of your forgiveness; I am not worthy of you. Not anymore” he said and hung his head.

“Well too bad” she murmured in response. As she rested her other hand on his cheek. “Look at me” she ordered him, but he wouldn’t raise his head. “Look at me” she repeated, her voice angry.

He slowly lifted his head to look at her face. I knew in his mind he hated seeing her red eyes, but he forced himself to look at her anyway.

“I put you in the most unimaginable position. I gave you no time to process it and I took away your choice.” She voiced but I could see how tired she was. She needed to sleep again, and this conversation wasn’t helping her strength.

“I was meant to help our daughters. I was meant to be their father. I wasn’t. Eddie was. I failed them all…” he said and looked up to where his three daughters were standing by me. Lidiya’s hand still in my own. “He was there for them. I wasn’t.” he repeated and looked between all three of them. “I’m so sorry” he said now to them. It was the first time he had said it to them, in eleven years.

“Eddie has always been their other father. That doesn’t change a thing. He was going to be there for them if you were or weren’t. If he wasn’t I would have beat his ass and he knows it” Esther said giving me a side glance. “I asked you to look out for them because I wanted it to give you purpose. I wasn’t worried for their wellbeing in the slightest. They’re fully grown women.” Esther said with an exasperated sigh at her husband. “You didn’t fail me. I was just desperate to keep you in their lives when two of them spent so many years without you” she looked over to the twins and back again.

“I wasn’t a father to them. I wasn’t anything to anybody. I don’t know how to be anything anymore. My life ended when you left. I can’t…” Aleksander trailed off, but I could see how frustrated Esther was. This wasn’t the conversation or reunion she had hoped for, but she understood all the same that it was her fault. She had done this to him. She had broken him.

“I didn’t mean to break you” she said voicing her thoughts. Her voice broke. I saw Ivy flinch as if to move to comfort her mother, but Anelie reached out to wrap her arms around Ivy’s waist from the back, hugging her little sister to her chest as they both faced their parents. Ivy relaxed into the touch, but her face was still full of concern.

“You deserve better than me” his words were barely above a whisper, and I saw as Esther barely managed to comprehend what he was saying. “I should go. You need to heal. I will only cause you stress,” he said dismissively and suddenly he was standing, his hand left Esther’s and he walked over to his daughters. I knew at the look on Esther’s face in that moment she hated how weak she was, she hated that she couldn’t just get up and force him to face her, to talk to her. She had to let him process everything on his own whilst she lay defenceless. Aleksander looked between his three daughters before speaking “My biggest regret is not being strong enough to be there for you. I will always be sorry.”

“Papa-“ Ivy said reaching out to her father but he was already gone, using his full speed he was out of the room and up the stairs.

“Eddie” Esther sobbed. I didn’t need to read her mind. I didn’t need to ask her what she needed. I knew what she needed me to do. Even without our link, my mind was still conditioned by hers. I dropped Lidiya’s hand and was out of the room faster than the three girls could turn to me.

I followed his scent to his house and even if I couldn’t have traced him, I would have heard him. There was a clatter of furniture and a roar so primal I stopped at the door for a moment, my hand on the handle.

I waited just for a moment to let him get out his anger before I finally stepped inside the house.

“You waited eleven years and you didn’t even give her a kiss” I said shaking my head in disappointment. He didn’t need me to sit him down and tell him how everything had gone wrong, he didn’t need to be reminded of his own thoughts, so I used the only other technique I had, humour.

“Eddie” he said, his voice was strained as I surveyed the living room, it was a mess.

“If you wanted help redecorating you could have asked me.” I said and I saw his lips twitch in a smirk but it dropped as quickly as it appeared.

“She is lost Aleks. I’ve been filling her in as much as I can the past few months, but she has no real idea what the last ten years have been like. I kept most mentions of you and Ivy away from my thoughts, I wasn’t going to take away your decision to tell her how hard it had been. That was your place, and Ivy's, to inform her or keep it from her. But what you’re doing to her, that’s not fair. She thinks you’re going to leave her,” I told him, and he turned at those words.

“Shouldn’t I? She deserves someone that is strong, that can handle grief, that can live and breathe without the need for her. She deserves someone that can be better, that can continue her legacy and be an example of her values when she isn’t around. You are that person. Not me. I wasn’t meant to be her husband.” He said and his gaze locked with mine.

“Well as much as I love Esther with every part of my soul, I would rather not fulfil your role if you don’t mind” I said with an overexaggerated shiver as if I was disgusted at the thought.

I was. Thoroughly, Esther was a sister to me, not my wife and any thought of a relationship with her made my last hunt churn in my stomach.

“Not to mention Chloe might have something to say about that one,” I added with a smirk and he shook his head as if I was missing the point.

“I can’t compete with you,” he said sadly.

“She doesn’t expect you to. I’m her soul mate, her best friend, her brother.” I said walking over to him and resting my palm on his shoulder. “You are her life partner, her mate, her husband. She chose you. And she would choose you, again and again. She would scour the earth to keep you by her side and she did. She raised you from the dead. She deserves your loyalty, your unending presence. She doesn’t need you to be her example. She does enough of that herself. She needs you for her. She needs you to be the one she comes home to after a day of saving the world. She needs you to be the one she doesn’t have to be strong and legendary Esther Josephson around.”

He waited as the words settled between us. As he thought through what I was saying before he answered.

“If a hundred and fifty years of a relationship can be unravelled in ten doesn’t that say something?” he asked as we stared at each other across the room. There was no anger in his voice, just pain.

This was far from the man I had come to know over the centuries. That strong fierce loyal protector that stood by Esther's side, the man I had grown to consider one of my closest friends, was no where in sight.

I shook my head.

“All it tells me is that she is a part of you, and you cannot live without her. You loved her so fiercely over those decades that without her you are nothing. Whether that’s a good thing or not remains to be seen but Esther is the kind of person that you can’t just love a little. She is all consuming. She is the kind of person that people travel the world for just a glimpse of her. The kind of person that has an entire religion in her name. Be honoured you have been chosen as her mate. Be better to be worthy of her.”

Aleksander watched me as I spoke, and his mind raced. I saw the spark, that want and need to be better, the understanding that he wasn’t the only one that fell under the effect of Esther’s lure, and it might not be entirely his fault. When you’re addicted to a drug, ripping it away is not the best way to sober up.

“I need time, to face her.” He said his voice breaking and I realised that in that moment Esther was right. He was broken. I thought he had broken a long time ago, but it was finally facing Esther and what he viewed as a failure that truly broke him. I gave him a soft nod.

“She’ll be in that room for another few weeks until we can move her. I’m sure she’ll want this house to be where she recovers but I know Chloe wont mind if its ours instead. Just… let me know” I said after a moment and moved back towards the door.

“Eddie” he said his head hung low as I turned to him.

“Tell her I love her”

“She knows” I said but nodded anyway as I left.

I returned to the Volturi mansion and the room two floors down where Esther was being kept. I walked in to find Ivy, Lidy and Annie laughing with their mother. They were all perched on the bed in some way, Ivy curled into Esther’s side as she half lay down, half sat up, Anelie was lying on her stomach, her legs swinging in the air as her head rested on her hands looking at her mother. Lidiya was sitting cross legged at the end of the bed grinning widely at her mother and sisters.

All of them turned to look at me as I entered.

He’s okay but he’s not coming back in right now. Just give him some space. I placed in her head and Esther nodded as if she already knew this would be the answer. I replayed the encounter in my head for her, but she didn’t say anything or even acknowledge it except for a small thank you.

“Come sit” Anelie said looking at the space on the other side of Esther. It was a large bed, big enough for three people to sleep in side by side.

I sat with Esther and her daughters for nearly an hour as we just talked. We avoided any subject of their father and just enjoyed updating Esther on the past few years.

Axton and Alena made a return and reinforced the protections around the room, informing Esther of the blood bound spell that only let those related to her into the room, with them and Aleksander and myself as an exception. They spoke for a while, going over spells and strategies to keep Esther safe as she recovered.

“The disciples. Eddie told me about them. Do they know I’m awake?” Esther asked looking at the twins.

“Yes, but Zio has managed to build enough of a relationship with their priestess to convince them they can’t meet you yet. They have shifts of their strongest members guarding the top entrance to this level of the mansion. No matter what Zio says, they refuse to leave you unprotected by those they think are your true subjects” Axton explained, and I saw Esther shiver at the words.

“I don’t want to be worshipped like that.” She responded.

“No, I can’t imagine you do” Alena said sadly. “You will have to face them eventually, and hope they respect you enough to follow your wishes if you send them away. However, they are so devout, I am not sure you are ever going to be truly free of them. I am sorry”

“They helped us. You would still be asleep if it wasn’t for them” Axton added “they had the numbers to help search the world faster than the Volturi. Six years into searching with the Volturi, the Luna disciples found answers in a year. They have only proven to be committed to the cause”

“Yeah, for a chance at meeting their saint” Alena cringed.

“You don’t have to worry about them, just focus on recovering. We’ve dealt with them for five years. Zio can continue to deal with them now” I said trying to change the subject.

“Naarah and Ophelia are at the top of the stairs. Is it ok for them to come down?” I asked feeling the mind of her sister and niece present but reluctant to enter the room. Esther nodded weakly. Her energy was fading, and she desperately needed sleep, but she was trying to resist.

I portrayed the permission to the women at the top of the stairs and they immediately began to descend the staircase.

“You need to rest mama. We’ll come back tomorrow” Ivy said reaching to kiss her mother’s cheek. Esther smiled sweetly at her child as the girls climbed off the bed to give Naarah and Ophelia space to see her.

“My grandchildren too, however many are here” she said to her daughters. The three girls nodded as they left, blowing kisses to their mother as Ophelia and Naarah finally entered the room. Alena smiled at her fiancée as Ophelia went to hug her aunt.

“Hey” Esther said softly stroking her niece’s hair as she held her as tightly as she could. Ophelia pulled away to let her mother hug her sister. Esther laughed as Naarah over exaggerated her movements as if she was walking on glass and gently hugged her sister.

“I missed you sorella” Naarah said, calling her sister in Italian. Esther didn’t say anything, she just buried her face in her older sister’s hair and held onto her for a good long while. Naarah knew better than to try and pull away and the two blonde sisters sat for a very long time, content in just holding each other. I saw as Esther’s eyes began to droop with exhaustion.

I showed the image to Naarah who couldn’t see Esther’s face. Naarah gently pried Esther’s arms from her as she lay her back onto the pillows.

“We will talk tomorrow sister. Rest. Gain your strength.” Naarah whispered in Italian as she kissed Esther’s forehead. Esther could barely object as sleep overcame her.

Naarah moved and turned to smile at her daughter who was now standing hand in hand with Alena.

“We will tell her your news tomorrow” she said eying the pairs joint hands.

“Eddie, you should go see your wife. I’m sure she’s dying to know how her friend is” Axton said coming over to me at the edge of the room. I shook my head almost involuntary as I watched Esther sleep. “Alena and I will stay; we’ll watch over her. She’ll never be alone. Not now. Not until she’s strong again. We’ll continue with the system.” Axton said and I nodded at my friend.

We had set up a rotation the day she was lifted from the spell. She was never alone, if it wasn’t me at her bedside, it was Axton or Alena, or Ophelia, or Naarah, or Aleksander or one of her daughters. Someone was with her always and that wasn’t about to change.

“I will be back in the morning” I said to him and turned to the women having their own conversation at the entrance.

“Ophelia and I will stay. Go home to your wives.” Alena said to both me and Axton. We knew better than to argue with her, so we all left with one last glance at Esther sleeping peacefully on the bed.

 

That was the first night in eleven years that I did not sleep.

I had been using sleep as a coping mechanism. Using it to cut down on the hours I would be thinking about the ache in my heart where Esther was meant to be. That ache was refilling, slowly and it felt strong enough that night not to hide away from it.

“Are you sure?” Chloe asked, her hand running through my hair as she stood by me as I sat on our bed.

“I don’t need to sleep.” I told her strongly as I looked up at her. She stared down at me with nothing but love and concern on her beautiful face.

“It’s going to be a few more years yet” she reminded me, something I reminded her constantly. I smiled at her.

“I know, but I’m hopeful. Seeing her today. Talking to her. I just… my heart feels full again” I said and couldn’t help the smile on my face. Her face lit up at the sight, as if she hadn’t seen that smile in a decade. I guess she hadn’t. It was no secret how hard the last ten years had been for me. And no one knew that better than Chloe.

I reached for her, pulling her closer to me and she let me tug her down to sit on my lap. Her hand remained in my hair as she stared at my smile.

“I am so beyond grateful for you. There are no words for how much I love you.” I said and my voice broke with the sheer amount of feeling behind my thoughts. Her smile dropped for a moment and her other hand ran a finger over my lips and my nose before tracing the T of my face.

“You have been through so much. I’m just glad you’re starting to feel like yourself again” she said barely above a whisper.

“I feel like I can breathe. For the first time in ten years. I know its not the end. I know there’s a few more years of worrying, of her being vulnerable but she’s there. She’s back and she’s talking and she’s smiling and laughing and hugging.” I said wistfully. Her face lit up in a smile again.

“You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You can start to heal now.” She said with a knowing nod.

“I don’t know how we’re ever going to go home” I said with a swallow as I looked at her with a guilty expression across my face.

“don’t think of that right now. Home is wherever you feel whole. I don’t care if we never go back to England. My home is wherever you are. And if you need to be by her. If you need to see her every day, I am quite happy with staying here for the next hundred years. Our family can come visit. They’re not the ones that had their soul mate ripped from them for ten years.” She explained and my heart throbbed with the amount of love I had for this woman. How did I deserve someone so strong and understanding? How could I ever live up to being this woman’s equal?

I chuckled slightly at my own thoughts. I had been spending too much time in Aleksander's head. I was starting to think like him now.

“I love you so much sometimes I think I might die from the sheer power of it” I mumbled as I leant forward, burying my face near her collarbone, and holding her close to me. She chuckled as her hands gripped my hair in a gentle tug.

“I have long since accepted you and Esther come as a package deal. I am grateful every day to have any part of you.” she answered, and I pulled back to look at her. My hands moving from her waist to her jaw as I pulled her face into mine in a forceful love filled kiss.

“You have me. All of me. I am yours as I have been for centuries, and I will be for however many more we are gifted.” I said with so much intensity tears rimmed my eyes.

“you’re emotional today” she commented with a smirk as she reached up to stroke my cheek.

“I am just taking a moment to be grateful.” I admitted. I hated seeing Esther and Aleksander the way they were. I hated seeing my friends so weak and disconnected. I knew I had truly tested Chloe’s love for me over the last ten years so I would make sure in this moment she knew how much I bloody loved her, if it was the last thing I did.

“I can think of ways to thank me” she said with a wink as her hands travelled south from my hair. I let out a smirk as I brought her head back towards mine in another searing kiss.

 

 ------

 

Esther

I knew as Eddie entered my room that morning, he had had an eventful night. I smirked at my best friend as he came to sit next to me, replacing my niece and her fiancée. They had told me after I awoke that morning about their news, I was more than happy for them and couldn’t wait to use their wedding as my first chance to dress up when I was strong. From what I understood there was quite a few weddings that were due over the next few years. My granddaughter Eden was marrying a man I hadn't even met yet. She was arriving later today so I was excited to hear all about it. Eddie had somewhat explained the drama that surrounded my granddaughter and her big shot fiancée but he left a lot of it for her to tell herself.

Ophelia and Alena were here when I woke and both told me they wanted to wait however long it took for me to be there at their wedding, which tugged at my heartstrings, and I had kissed my niece before she and Alena left me with my swaggering best friend.

“You had a fun night” I laughed, and he immediately rolled his eyes.

“I did. How was your sleep?” he asked trying to distract me from his blush. If he could blush, he would definitely be blushing right now. I knew him too well.

“I miss our connection” I said, my smile immediately dropping. It was strange talking to my best friend without the connection of our minds. I couldn’t wait to be strong enough to restore it. I had tried to restore it, the second I saw him when I woke, but I had no power, no strength for that at the moment. I could feel power as it tried to build back up in my bones, but it was still so miniscule I wasn’t sure I could use it on keeping a link open, not yet. It needed to recover more.

It was funny. Our connection was as easy as breathing before. I never even had to think about it to keep it open. We were bonded and our minds were one. But even something that simple was too hard for me right now. I felt no stronger than a human infant.

“I will try my best to keep what I can open.” Eddie said but he had to consciously open the link and keep it there, where as my power did it without me even thinking about it. It wouldn't be the same but at least it was something. I could feel his thoughts fill my head instantly. The sheer ache and pain hidden behind his mind was evident to me, even if he tried to hide it. Aleksander may be hurt, but that was nothing on the pain the man before me felt. I stared at him for a good moment, knowing he could hear every thought I had.

It was the hardest decade of my life. He thought and even the voice in his mind broke with the intensity of those words. I wanted to cry, I wanted to hug him and tell him how utterly sorry I was.

None of that matters now. All that matters is you’re here and I can see you and I can hear you again. That’s all I want. I don’t need apologies. I just need you. He thought and I held onto his hand with as much strength as I could muster.

Our moment was interrupted with a pounding on the door above us. My eyes shot to the stairs outside the room.

“Zachary” Eddie answered with a sigh. “He wants to see you” he added.

“Why can’t he come in?” I asked already wanting to see my old friend. To hug him, to be around him and also to apologise, I was sure.

“Axton and Alena have spelled the room to only let certain people in remember? Zachary didn’t make the list of their approved persons” Eddie said with a smirk.

“Help me up” I said as I tried to move from the bed. The look of horror on his face was a picture. “I’m fine Eddie, just help me to the door. Call Zac down the stairs.” I said. I had just woken up which meant I had more strength right now than I would say in an hour or two. I could sacrifice an hour of my time awake to see my friend. I would deplete the bead of power I could feel growing again in my bones to see him. It would come back. And I didn't need power, I needed to see people I loved.

“Es…” he stopped himself from finishing.

“I want to see him” I told him and stared at him long enough for him to do as I said.

“He’s coming” he sighed after a moment and held his hand out. I took it and he wrapped his arm around me as we walked to the door.

By the time I lifted my hand to the invisible barrier on the door Zac was on the other side. I had a momentarily flash of when he was younger, the look on his face was the same look he would have when he saw me as a lovestruck teenager.

“Put your hand on the barrier” I said weakly as I chanted the spell to give him access. I could see as he pressed against it, waiting for the barrier to drop. The second it did he had me in his arms as he hugged me closely.

“Hey gorgeous” he whispered into my neck. I saw Eddie roll his eyes over Zac’s shoulder. I let out a small laugh and held him as tightly as I could back.

“She’s as fragile as an old human woman Zachary, be careful” Eddie scolded my ex as I let out a small gasp at the strength he held me with. He dropped me suddenly but didn’t step away.

“I’m sorry” he said in realisation.

“Your turn not to break me Zachary” I said with a wink, and he beamed a smile that warmed my heart.

“Nice eyes” he grinned widely as his gold ones met my red gaze.

“They’ll be blue again soon” I said determined that was the first thing I was going to do when my magic returned.

“Es, sit down” Eddie said now as he watched me with a concerned look.

“I will” I said and tried to step out of Zac’s iron grasp. He kept his arm around me as he moved me over to the bed. He sat opposite me, both of us cross legged on the bed.

“How are you feeling?” he asked not taking his eyes off me.

“Weak” I chuckled.

“I really wish you’d told me you were planning on doing this. I nearly ripped those little witches throats out when I found out” he frowned at me, his eyes went over my body as if he was checking for any signs of injury or weakness.

“I’m sorry Zachary” I said and I truly was. More than he knew. More than anyone knew. I didn’t imagine what my absence would do to those around me. Eddie, my daughter and husband especially. I knew they’d struggle but I couldn’t imagine the true outcome of my absence.

“You’re forgiven, always” he said with his familiar smirk. I smiled back and turned to look at Eddie who was leaning against the wall by the door. He wouldn’t leave, I knew that no matter how much I trusted Zac, Eddie will never leave my side until I’m strong again. It didn’t matter anyway. Eddie had been in my head, he knew mine and Zac’s history, he knew how we lived as husband and wife in all but legal terms for fifty years. He knew how much I loved Zac anything shared between each other now Eddie would see anyway. Eddie was an extension of me, which was amusing when I thought about Zac and Eddie’s history.

“So you’re not mad at me? You didn’t wallow in grief for ten years? You didn’t hate me every moment I was gone?” I asked with a strange laugh. It was meant to be comical, but I was aware of the truth of it when it came to some people. He seemed to know exactly who I was talking about.

“He doesn’t hate you. If anything, he loves you more than any of us. He didn’t know how to function without you” he said as he looked down at my hands as I played with my wedding band.

“He isn’t the same. He’s different now. Everyone else, you, Eddie, my daughters, even Ivana they seem happy, they seem normal." I knew Eddie wasn't normal or remotely over the last decade but he was good at hiding it from everyone that wasn't me or Chloe. "Aleks… he barely talks to me. He’s here all the time, even when I was sleeping, I knew when he was here, but he never spoke to me. Not like the others, even the immortal twins, they would all tell me stories, or even read a book to me. But Aleksander, when it was his turn to watch me, to be with me he was silent. He was here but he wasn’t… here.” I said and I wasn’t expecting to have this conversation with Zachary of all people.

But then should I really be surprised? He was my best friend for fifty years. If I had to name three people in the world that knew me better than myself, they would be Eddie, Aleksander, and Zac.

We may not be romantically involved anymore but Zachary Cullen was and always will be the man that kept me sane through the hardest time of my life, the man that knew every single thing about me.

“He’ll come back to you. I promise.” he said with a sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Do you want to know the first thing he said to me?” I asked and I felt the tears filling my eyes. Zac didn’t answer he just waited. “He said he failed me. He said he didn’t deserve me… I think he might leave me.” I said as I felt the tear fall onto my cheek. I saw Eddie flinch as if he wanted to reach for me, but he kept back and let Zac reach for the tear instead, he then dropped his hand into mine and began stroking my thumb in comfort.

“He won’t leave you” he said but I knew this was just reassurance. He couldn’t know for sure. “Any man is an idiot for leaving you” he said and gave me a signature Zac wink. I wanted to smile at his own jab at himself, but I couldn’t muster it. I couldn’t joke about my husband leaving me.

I swallowed back any more emotion I had and gave a small nod in response. I needed to change the subject. I had to push Aleksander out of my mind until he was ready to talk to me, or I was strong enough to face him myself.

“I’ve been caught up with all my family. I know what they’ve been up to for the last ten years. Has anything changed with you?” I asked changing the subject away from my rocky marriage.

“Not really. Clara found a new man though” he said with a wink.

“She did?” I frowned. He never raised his stepdaughter, but I knew he loved her as if she was his own. Even if they didn’t share the typical father daughter relationship.

“They just got married”

“Who Zachary?” I sighed annoyed my telepathy hadn’t returned.

“Axton” he said with a knowing grin, enjoying every bit of me not knowing his every thought.

“of course, I should have guessed.” I smirked knowing how much Axton cared for Clara, the fact he was unwillingly separated from Mia ten years ago now he was bound to fall for his friend again.

“I’m happy for them, even though I worry sometimes about him. She’s happy so that’s what matters.”

“I think he’s finally proven he’s one of us” I scolded my ex on his reservations.

“I know and he brought you back so I can’t be too judgemental. I’m just being the protective dad, after all Edward isn’t fulfilling the role” he said with an eyeroll.

“Edward is Clara’s father in nearly every sense of the word, if he approves maybe, you could too” I winked, and he just smirked back.

“I do, and Madeleine likes him a lot. She likes that he can protect her.” He said with a knowing nod.

“He can definitely do that” I agreed. “Sophie?” I asked for an update on his second daughter.

“Still saving the world” he said with a large grin. “She did so much during the dark years. Especially during the eclipse. She was in a new place every week just doing what she could to help” he said proudly. I beamed back at his smile just watching him talk it warmed my heart. To be surrounded by my family again. Zac watched me for a moment and for a split second it was centuries ago, when it was just me and him.

“I missed you” he said his voice broke and the tears flooded my eyes instantly. As quickly as the emotional moment came I watched as Zac pushed it away, he reached for a moment to wipe the tear on my cheek. As if he didn't want me getting upset at the thought, he changed the subject. It was a natural Zac thing to do, to distract me from any of my pain. He'd learnt every single one of my tells, every time I was about to break down he'd do something silly or arrogant or romantic just to get a reaction out of me.

“So, did you feel time pass in the spell? Or is it like it was yesterday?” he asked.

“Like it was yesterday. It’s not the same though as being living. I was in a limbo. No sense of anything really” I explained.

I sat with Eddie and Zac for what had to be another hour, or at least that’s what it felt like before Axton came down to check on me.

“What is he doing in there?” he asked his eyes falling on his father-in-law.

“Hello to you too son-in-law. I happen to be Esther’s old flame and care about her very much or did you forget our little encounter eleven years ago?” he asked turning to Axton. Axton rolled his eyes as he continued to look at me for explanation.

“You should be conserving your power, not expending what you have on letting risks into the room.”

“I am not a risk to her,” Zac answered insulted at the words coming from Axton. I saw Eddie snigger in the corner, his hands coming up to cover his mouth. I ignored him and stared at Axton.

“He is on the approved list. There’s a few others I need you to add onto it too” Axton looked uncomfortable with the request.

“The idea was to keep the list small, for your safety” he answered me.

“I need my family, and not all my family are blood related to me. I need you to add Chloe, Carlisle, Micah, Aurora, Zio and Matthew Cullen; and Tony Black.” I informed him rattling off the people I wanted to see in the next few days as I regained my strength. I would have asked him to add Eden's new fiancée on there but I knew it would be a step too far. From what I gathered they had done what they could to verify his intentions but the absence of me had caused them to give him an ultimatum of vampirism. I needed my full abilities back before I could risk someone in who I hadn't seen their mind.

“They’re… acceptable.” Axton said but his voice was tense. “No one else.” He added and I nodded at my protector.

“Thank you.” I said and he sighed as he went back upstairs, probably to acquire the people on my list to allow them entry into the blood spell.

“Little shit” Zac sighed turning back to me.

“He’s the one keeping your old flame safe Zachary. He’s the only reason she is alive, and the world isn’t ending. May want to have a little respect for the little shit” Eddie responded pausing before he continued. “He’s also the man your stepdaughter loves, you may want to remember that when you get on his bad side, and he puts you on your arse quicker than you can blink.”

I chuckled slightly at Eddie and Zac as they stared at each other.

“I just don’t like how he insinuated I would ever hurt Esther.”

I reached out to take his stone hand in mine. It felt colder than I was used to, like my body was human and I was surrounded by the stone gods of vampires.

“Give him a break. He’s had the world on his shoulders for the past ten years.” Eddie answered and I smiled proudly at him. Eddie had kept his promise, he’d protected and stood by Axton and Alena. He’d trusted me in deciding they had been the right people for the job. He’d supported and been by their side through it all and he had come to see them as I did. As true allies and now, now they would be family after all. With Axton already married into Eddie's family and Alena to be married into mine.

“You know I’m technically your uncle. You don’t have to talk to me like I’m a child,” he glared at him.

“Uncle? You look ten years older than my grandfather, old man,” he teased him back. Zac opened his mouth to give what I expected as an equally snarky come back.

“Stop it, both of you.” I sighed looking between two of the most important men in my life.

“Sorry Es,” they both uttered in unison as if they realised who else was in the room with them.

“I need to get some rest Zachary, thank you for coming to see me.” I said squeezing his hand that was still in mine. He reached forward, placing a kiss on my forehead, and placing my hand in my lap.

“Anytime. And I will be back as soon as your guard dog over there lets me” he said with a wink and I grinned at him as he climbed off my bed and headed to the door, but not without pulling his tongue at Eddie as he left.

Eddie shook his head and spoke entirely too loudly to make sure Zachary heard it.

“Childish little shit”

“that’s not how you should talk to your elders Edward” Zac answered, his voice travelling down the stairs, and I saw how Eddie wanted so badly to go after him and say something back, but he held his tongue as his eyes focused on me.

“Stay” I said as the weight of exhaustion began to overcome my senses.

“Always” was his answer before I slipped into unconsciousness.

-----

I had been in and out of sleep for days, so I wasn’t aware of when Axton had let those I asked for through the barrier, but at some point, after I had just downed my fourth flask of blood for the day, the sight of my best friend’s wife appeared at the doorway. I grinned widely at Chloe and her expression danced with delight.

“Esther” her perfect voice broke at my name, and I was immediately moving from my sitting position to the edge of the bed before her stone body collided with mine. I laughed at the shock of the sudden impact. These slow reaction speeds were hard to get used to.

“Hey Clo” I murmured taking in her scent. At least I could still smell that. She climbed onto my bed so we could hug sitting next to each other. She didn’t let me go as I looked over her shoulder to her husband who was smiling widely at both of us. Eddie was here more than anyone else. In fact, he seemed to always be here, even when my family came to visit, he’d just leave for an hour and be right back when they were about to leave me. I wondered how Chloe felt about her husband being so absent, but I guess they spent time together when I was asleep. I hoped so at least. I watched Eddie as Chloe and I continued to hug. I thought I almost saw a tear, but he blinked fast as he kept his emotions hidden.

Chloe moved, resting her face into the skin of my neck and shoulder. Her arms almost completely supporting me now. I reached up, stroking her hair as she seemed to adjust to the moment.

“I hate how much I missed you” she whispered after a moment, lifting her head to look at me, but we didn’t move from how close we were. Her hand ran down my arm to take my hand in hers. I smiled at her, I looked over her face as if I was checking she was still her. Checking her expression and her tells, checking she was still my friend, that the last ten years hadn’t changed her too. I needed her to stay Chloe. My Chloe. Not a new one.

“When I meet someone with time travel and copy their power I’m going to go back to when you were a teenager and show sixteen year old you how much you love me in the future” I grinned widely and she laughed, the laugh was like music and my gaze locked on Eddie who was now sitting, as if he couldn’t handle the sheer joy he had seeing me and his wife interact. His grin was the widest I think I’ve ever seen.

“She still wouldn’t believe you.” she joked. “She’d still be scared you were going to take her man”

“Little did she know we would share him anyway” I said and winked at her. She grinned wider and reached to hug me again before pulling away laughing.

“I’m pretty sure it’s more like, me and Eddie sharing you” she responded squeezing my hand. I flinched at the strength and Eddie’s smile immediately dropped and was standing in front of us on the bed.

“Careful Chloe” he said, his voice strained and aggravated.

“I’m sorry” she gasped dropping my hand when she realised what she had done.

“it’s okay, I’m okay” I said cradling the hand in my other.

“I’ll get Ivy” Eddie said and headed for the door.

“No, I’m fine, honestly. Nothings broken I promise” I said reaching for him to come back. I knew he was scanning my mind to see if I was lying.

“I’m… I’m so sorry” Chloe said, her voice broke in fear.

“Hey, it’s okay.” I said reaching to stroke her cheek as she stared at me. “I’m just… I’m not me right now.” I said with a sad smile. I looked up to see an expression on Eddie I’ve never seen before. The sheer panic and worry, the concern, and the pain. It knocked the breath out of my lungs. I looked to Chloe to ask if she had seen this from him before, but she had a look of acknowledgement, as if she was very used to this version of Eddie.

What had I done to this man? I had seen him cry as he held me again for the first time, but that had been just a glimpse of what I saw now. He was terrified.

“Eddie, I’m okay” I said grasping his wrist. He looked down at the contact and then shook his head before his gaze locked with mine, as if he was shaking himself out of a dream and was forcing himself to remember I was here with him again.

“Eddie, go get some air. I won’t touch her I promise” Chloe said moving from the bed to stand by her husband. She reached for his jaw to force him to look at her. “Get some air” she said as she stared at him. This was clearly a regular coping mechanism he had developed over the years. He watched her for a moment as I was sure they had a silent conversation in their heads. I hated that I couldn’t hear it.

I hated being weak.

I hated what I had done to those closest to me.

I hated myself for the pain I had just glimpsed on my best friend’s face, for the fact my husband was hurting, the fact my daughter had struggled. Eddie gave his wife a small nod and reached forward to kiss my forehead before he disappeared from the room. Chloe turned to look at me with a sad smile.

“Is that what he’s been like?” I asked, petrified for the answer. She sat on the chair this time next to my bed as she clasped her hands together between her knees.

“He has a lot of healing to do. We all do” she said, and her sad eyes fixated on mine.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to tell her of my guilt, and of my regret. I knew it had been the only option. The world would be in a very different place right now had those demons taken control of my body, but still, the sight of Chloe, of Eddie, Aleksander and my daughters and trauma I’d caused them made me feel sick to my stomach. Would anything ever be the same again?

I knew I needed to give them time, time and patience and support. It was all I could do.

-----

So I wanted to write all the reunions of Esther's family but decided to stick to her immediate family and three best friends. If there's anyone you're interested in seeing reunite with Esther that I missed let me know and ill post a small snippet as bonus content. This chapter just got insanely long to include anyone else in it.