"We each carry experiences from the past that we don't want to revisit," Tanner whispered. "No one should be pressured to share it if they're not ready to."
Alaric nodded and added, "What's important is that you're safe and healed after what was done to you. We should spend our time resting and putting the stepping stones in place to get Charles behind bars once and for all. The only person we should be mad at is him for trying to break apart our Hive. That's it."
I stared at the two of them, unsure what I could say to combat their obvious counter statements.
"Rest, Bianca," Alaric encouraged.
"We'll be back and then I'll carry Jade to bed and let them know she'll be staying with us for the night."
I nodded and watched them leave, and it took me a long time before I was able to rise up and return to the office. My arrival hadn't wakened Jade in the slightest; her eyes were still closed and her breathing was slow and even.
Alaric had covered her with a blanket, and I noticed Minx was beneath it as I got closer. All I could do was admire her peaceful, innocent face as she slept. With everything she must have endured, she was willing to bring something from another universe to help me.
Words would never express my appreciation to be able to raise the child that Alaric brought home that stormy night. No matter if she wasn't of my blood, she was truly one I considered my daughter, and I would lay my life down to protect her if need be.
Leaning down to press a kiss on the top of her head, I watched the tiny smile that seemed to appear on her lips as she continued to be in deep sleep.
"Thank you, Jade. Mommy loves you."
The uplifting emotion of freedom trickled through me, and I was left with a renewed beginning.
I Want You To Be Happier
~JADE~
* * *
My hands pressed together as I allowed my eyes to close in deep concentration. This was the moment of serenity, to say what mentally needed to be said and thank the woman for giving birth and protecting Zeke to the very end.
I opened my eyes to look at the grave, the new set of bouquet flowers laying upon the concrete while tiny snowflakes rained down around me.
My Trouble Four had the intention of coming over tomorrow morning, but I wanted to have a moment to give my own thanks and wishes to the woman they admired the most.
"Thank you for the sacrifices you made. You may not be able to be with your sons physically, but know that they adore you and they've done so much for me. They've opened my heart in a way I never would have expected it could blossom, like a rose at the brink of blooming. This fight is easier with their support, and I'll protect them as best as I can. Merry Christmas."
I bowed my head and closed my eyes one last time, feeling the rushing wind around me that was far warmer than it should be in the brink of winter. That only proved she heard my words of gratitude, which left me feeling more accomplished.
Opening my eyes, I corrected my posture and noticed the white unicorn sitting next to the bouquet.
"Shadow Jade?" I looked to the tree right next to me and only smirked bigger when I noticed the horn of a purple unicorn poking out from the side. I had to fight not to giggle as I silently walked over and leaned in to whisper, "What are you doing?"
"KILL!" She flinched and her dark unicorn went flying. I reached out to catch it, staring at my poor shadow who was staring at me like I'd hurt her damn soul.
"Evil Jade." She narrowed her eyes at me as she pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Says my dark shadow who’s supposedly evil," I pointed out and offered her unicorn back to her. She beamed at the sight and had it in her arms the next second.
"Mine! Kill!" She beamed and came over to give me a hug. "Jade!"
"Hi Shadow Jade," I greeted. "Where are you getting these unicorns from?"
"Buy!" she leaned back to say with pride.
"You bought them?" I asked and tilted my head. "With your allowance?"
She quickly nodded her head and with a poof her unicorn piggy bank was suddenly visible. She turned it over and only three coins fell out.
"All done though," she admitted with a sad look.
"Wait. You bought those unicorns for all of us?" I questioned. She bobbed her head. "Why?" I couldn't get why she'd go out of her way to find a place that sold the plushies and purchase them for each of us.
The guys had kept their plushies, Zeke obviously rubbing it in that he had two of them. They were lined up in my master bedroom, which made sense seeing as the guys had been staying with me for the majority of this week.
"Unicorns make me happy. After the fight with the evil guy, Shadow Jade wanted to make everyone happy!" she declared while fist-pumping the air.
"You didn't want us to be disappointed because we didn't catch Charles, so you got us unicorns to cheer everyone up?" I translated.
"Ya. Kill!" She smiled widely and had her scythe out in the second. "Will kill Charles! Next year!" she declared, which only made me snicker at the emphasis she was putting into her affirmation.
"Shadow Jade, you're really one of a kind," I praised and reached out to stroke her head. "Did you say your prayer to the Trouble Four's mother?"
"Oh." Her scythe poofed out of existence and she walked over to the grave. Closing her eyes like I had earlier, she pressed her hands together.
"Rest well. We love Zackery, Zion, Zeus, and Zeke. We protect. We love. We will survive together. Thank you and Merry Christmas."
With those words she bowed her head in respect, leaving me to watch in a stunned daze. I was questioning if I'd missed the steps of growth Shadow Jade was showing over the past couple of months.
She was different in comparison to before. Her urge to simply play with dolls seemed to have decreased while she was learning to formulate structured sentences and really get her point across better than before.
It had never been something she'd been interested in - unless it helped us get through missions - yet her communication skills were improving dramatically. Not to mention her ability to do things all on her own. To think she'd gone over and above just to get us unicorn plushies and cheer us up after the chaotic battle we'd endured.
She was hurt in that battle. Her exhaustion was just like the others, but she was willing to spread joy through the medical center with something as simple as unicorn plushies.
Her eyes opened, and she looked over at me. "All done! Kill!"
She skipped over to stand by my side before hooking her arm around mine.
"Go home?"
"Yes." I grinned in approval. "Let's make our way back home."
We began to walk down the path towards the exit of the cemetery, Shadow Jade going right back to singing her Kill song as I was lost in my own thoughts.
It was the evening of Christmas Eve, and we were all staying at my penthouse suite. Calvin and Lisette were staying the night for the celebrations, and I was thankful that we all had the holiday off, including Alaric, Bianca, and Tanner.
Bianca had made a complete recovery from Charles’s assault, leaving me curious as to whether the card Silver had given me had been the culprit of her good health. Bianca had given me the biggest hug when I'd woken up later that night and thanked me for loving her.