Angela smirked a bit. “‘Higher Daddy higher’ I remember it well. She was a giggly little thing whenever you had her on that swing.”

The goddess shook her head with him and shrugged. “Who knows but she has always been good at sneaking things. They must have asked why fifty times when we went to explain it to them. They just didn’t understand or refused to. They merely gave up for the time being but being kids they would always try again.”

She wasn’t dumb and she knew that Nemesis had been hurt by not being able to be in the twins’ current lives. It was why she was making the moves necessary without him knowing that Emry could be in his life. Emry was every bit his as she was Angela’s. There was a gentle smile on her face and she thought out her answer to his question. “Because I find it deplorable to use one’s children as bait. They didn’t ask to be here but they did ask for us. They asked for both of us every day from the moment they could. They missed one of us when we weren’t around and while they were excited to go with you… I bet they still asked when you were gonna spend time with all of us. As far as I’m concerned I had everything I could have ever asked for… but then I had those kids and suddenly something was missing.”

Her smile wavered for a single moment. “And I found myself wanting a lot more than just them. I settled for what I had and I made it work. That’s why Rezza’s request always made me frown. I would have loved to give them both what they wanted. The circumstances and the danger never permitted it. I was sure that I was going to have to watch my back for as long as you were with the Shira. I have always gone back and forth with myself on if I made the right decisions and what I could have changed. I’ve never found the answer to it.”

There was a chuckle as she shook her head. “Even now when Lucian yells for me when Rezza drives him mad… I’m taken back to memories of when they were younger. Like Rezza stealing all the marshmallows out of his hot chocolate. The fit he threw and I had to give him half of mine. How you had to talk to her about not taking her brother’s things and she told you flat out she wasn’t sorry because they were good.” Gods those memories were precious. “She was so stubborn. She is still is.”

Then she frowned a bit. “I found myself missing you. Not having you to back me up when the twins act up actually hurts. Raeguel is great but he’s different. It’s not the same. I can’t really put my finger on it. He’s also not there as much anymore since he leads his own life. When the twins used to argue in the temple before I found you here… I had actually gone to ask for your advice but you weren’t there. You were always there and ready to help with them. It wasn’t hard, I am used to kids… but it was different because the dynamic was gone. And face it Nessie doesn’t listen to me as much as she listens to you.” She let him have a small smile as she reached out and took his hand in both of hers.

“I suppose what I am going the long route to is that I don’t think Celeste is wrong but I do think many things have changed… and I wouldn’t mind trying. It’s been a long time since I courted anyone and maybe it could be fun. If it works out we can tell the twins and I will have a lot of explaining to do.”

“It was hard on them either way, being far too young to comprehend it. They simply wanted their mother and father under the same roof.” It wasn’t an unreasonable request that children desired, but it had been an unobtainable one for them. “Lucian had begun to understand but Nerezza always kept up the hope of it, even as she matured”, he spoke softly, unusual for him. She was daddy’s little girl, after all, and she wanted for him whenever he wasn’t there with her. He wasn’t oblivious to it, but there wasn’t anything he could do. Too many factors, he would tell her.

“They did. After we were able to leave once Nerezza finished packing, which took forever because she wanted to carry everything with her. Lucian picked up simple and quick, but she would still be packing even once I got to your place.”

Nemesis shook his head at her, “There was nothing on your part that could have changed it. If anything, I hadn’t made the right decisions and there was plenty that I could have changed. But circumstances had led for madness to consume me, which fortunately didn’t follow suit to Revaliir.” He had a more stable mind that he could see the many faults he held in his former life. It also helped him to realize that the chaos he thrived in back then wouldn’t have been suitable for child-rearing or anything more than what Angela sought.

Speaking of which, he eyed her directly, never blinking as she expressed missing him. Perhaps that’s why he found himself nearly always in her company. Gods, he could have used a drink right about now. Celeste had stirred something that possibly would have never come to be, and no matter how much he was trying to fight it, a part of him was curious enough. “Raeguel may be there now, but he wasn’t always there for you three. That part had been me”, he sighed. “Though I do regret not seeing them grow up into the people they are now. I look…every now and then through the mirror you gave me. I tried not to at first, but the urge grew over time and I started to peak ever so often. I’d watch from the office from time to time and see the two of them.”

He chuckled softly, “The girl always wanted to impress me and gain my favor. The thing was that she always had it from just being herself.”

When she went to take his hands, Nemesis watched them move but didn’t put up a fight when they took hold. It became apparent that she had some unresolved feelings for him, and the further this conversation went, the more it seemed as though it hadn’t been only the children that wanted him in their lives more. By now he was sure his wife was basking in her doings, but at least she wasn’t gloating about how right she had been.

“A part of me…misses it too. I spent a good deal in creating a family, and I achieved that with Celeste and Sergei. But I still find myself missing the twins. Missing you, no matter how annoyed I may seem in running into you numerous times. We seem to find each other regardless; some would call it fate. If it is the case then I suppose there’s nothing holding us back this time from exploring it. As you said, if it works, it works. If not, then at least we can finally know once and for all.”

His eyes set onto the once moon elf again. “Are you positive that you want us to see this through?”, he asked one final time.

At least now she could stop blaming herself for the failure of being a family for the twins. “I don’t think we would be having this conversation right now if it had,” Ang’s voice was soft as she spoke to him. “I have little ones that aren’t yours to think about too and if the madness had followed you I don’t know if I could have thrown them into that madness.”

They couldn’t go back now that Celeste had dragged it out into the open. Angela craved Nemesis’s attention and she got it by just being around him and what he showed her in friendship. “And I know that it must break your heart as times to see them and not be able to interact with them. They were your hearts for so very long and that’s why I wanted you to be near them in some way. Rezza probably hurts you a lot for she has always been your little girl and I know in the depths of my heart that she still is.”

The thought on Nerezza made her smile and she chuckled. “Eventually she did figure that out. She said to me ‘Ma I just wanna be Nerezza’ and I told her that was always what you had wanted for her.”

Ang chuckled at him calling himself annoyed with her but from the looks of it, he wasn’t overly bothered. “Sergei and Celeste are Sergei and Celeste. The situation with the Twins and myself was different and it was different because Celeste and I are different. It’s not the same family business some would say.” Angela offered him a smile.

Celeste seemed pleased with what she had done. “Yes, it will cut down on the fighting and I get to be a grandmother to little Emry.” Angela started laughing now that she realized what Celeste’s end goal was in all of this. “I also get more little children around the house and that does please me even if they aren’t my own.”

“That pleases me to hear. They always need more family to help guide them.” Angela looked at Nemesis and kissed his cheek. “I have to go pick up Wisteria now but make sure to keep in touch until we figure things out.”

Angela disappeared after that almost as easily as she came. Celeste stood up and looked up at her husband. “You should plan a date. Since you two will be courting for a while before anything happens… Try to impress her. Gods know you already slept with her so she doesn’t have to wonder how that will be.” Celeste was cheeky as she offered a smile. “I think this will be best for everyone after all. So roll out the red carpet and win her. I don’t know when the last time was you worked towards impressing anyone but… This might be good for you too.”