Angela sat there and she had a checklist as she looked over Lewis, “Well… It’s been a week.” She started to poke and prod Lewis and got a bunch of ouches.

“You sadist goddess! You are doing this on purpose,” Lewis grumbled at her, and to that she prodded him again to get him to yell more.

“Well, his mouth works fine,” Angela sighed a bit as she bound the arm up for him and set it once more. “Believe it or not my prods were necessary but you shouldn’t complain while you are being actively looked over.” The goddess gave her wisdom and nodded to Xeik. “You’ve done well to keep it stabilized. It should fully be healed in a month thanks to Simone’s healing abilities. You are very fortunate to have such a loving wife who shares her regeneration skills with you.”

Her green eyes moved over to Simone who had a sullen look on her face, “You know the conversation that is coming don’t you?”

“Yes,” Simone let it out and it almost sounded painful.

“I’m afraid that it’s as you fear I can’t mend what doesn’t exist anymore.” Angela sat down at her desk and looked between the three of them. “The unique properties of Simone’s new body also can’t regenerate what didn’t exist to begin with. I’m going to look into other things but it’s not looking hopeful not.”

“I blew my only chance of getting it back…”

“Simone, your survival depending on you doing what you did. It’s like Lewis told you… You had no idea when you were going to be rescued and there was no guarantee that the curse was going to come off of the womb once Alvaro was dead since it was still active to begin with.”

“What does that mean?”

“Someone else cursed it in his stead just in case so you couldn’t have it. It probably would have killed you as soon as you got it back. Without the specifics of the curse on it… I can’t tell you but if he knew you well… He would have planned on your murder like that.”

Simone had a deep-set frown, “I see.”

“Like I said… It doesn’t mean I’ll stop my research into helping you both have a biological family but until then I know plenty of orphanages with children who need homes. You have twelve beautiful children and your energy goes towards Lila and Janus… Not to mention Glyn. I know it’s not a lot of hope and I’m asking you not to get so hopeful but… Do you understand what I am saying, Lewis? Simone?”

Angela’s poking and prodding was something that Lewis had gotten used to, but today seemed almost sadistic in comparison to the usual. If anything, maybe Lewis had gotten used to Xeik being remotely careful when it came to comfort, whereas Angela seemed to just go for it. But, when it was all said and done, Lewis was still alive and still on the mend, and it was thanks to Angela and Xeik both.

“Thanks, I guess,” Lewis grumbled as he hopped down from the examination table. Angela moved on to talking to Simone, and Lewis knew that this wouldn’t be an easy conversation. As he put his shirt back on, which took longer than it should have due to his arm, he winced at the harsh reality of Simone’s situation. If anything, she was lucky that it had been destroyed. That, alone, was enough to devastate Simone.

Of course, they still had their children back home, all of which they loved so very dearly. Angela was right. They had to keep strong and focus on the kids they have now. Lewis walked over to Simone and put his left arm around her, his right hanging uselessly.

“We’ll manage, ‘Mone. We always do.” Lewis pulled her in, kissing her cheek. “I love you. I love you and the children. I would do anything, and you know it.” He looked at Angela. “If you find a way…please let me know.”

Simone snuggled into Lewis and smiled up at him the best she could. “I know, I love you too…”

Angela nodded to Lewis, “Of course, but there is a matter of you.” She leaned over and grabbed a file of papers and slapped them down with a look on her face.

“These are the tasks that you are limited to and you can choose from for the next four weeks. STICK to one of them. You might like them. The idle mind is a death trap. Most people go batshit crazy or die from being bored so I’ve gone ahead and researched the number of activities that Xeik can accompa– DON’T YOU GIVE ME THAT LOOK,” Angela pointed at Xeik.

“He is your friend. Your responsibility. It is your job to make sure Lewis stays on the mend. I’ve already gone ahead and moved all your stuff off schedule for the next four weeks. As it happens, I have more free time right now so I can afford you not being here. Also Xeik,” there was that look again, “Please stop ignoring Mia about the baby situation and grow a pair. Thank you.”

Simone actually started to laugh at the last bit, “You knew that would make me laugh.”

“I thrive on knowing people,” the goddess shrugged a bit. “Might I suggest fishing and farming for you though? The climate for your island is perfect for grapes and I think you would rather good at making your own wine. Gods know Xeik could use getting onto the island for fresh air and out of his office before I throw him out.”

Xeik was glaring at Angela through most of her lecture to Lewis. It was less avoidance and more that he wasn’t sure how to handle the whole situation. The thought of kids was a lot to take on, and he knew he had to deal with conversation at some point or another, but for the time being he at least wanted things to feel…normal. He was worried that a baby would interrupt that normal, and that he’d be thrown into chaos.

“Fine, fine…I’ll talk to her,” Xeik relented. “I can’t promise anything, though….” There was a solid huff noise that came from the other side of the door, and the healer sighed. “Look at what you did,” he hissed. That earned a snarky smile from Angela. He looked at Lewis, and sighed. “So…take a look over the paperwork. I’ll be there bright and early tomorrow, and we can do something, okay? Oh, and I’m bringing Mia so expect…well…Mia.”

“I could ask Rex to drop by. I’m sure he and Mia can run around together and burn some energy. And Hazel needs to get away from Sularia a bit.” Lewis smirked. “If she’s not careful, I’ll burn half the city down since they don’t like her much. Least I can do for a daughter in law.”

“They aren’t married yet,” Simone quipped. She was already starting to feel better. “Though I can tell this is going to last. Our dear Rex…”

Angela spun around quickly, her body shaking as though she were trying to hold something like laughter back.

Lewis cocked his head to the side. “What…?”

Xeik rolled his eyes. “That’s just cruel, Angela.”

“Oh, now she’s mad… She’s probably going to do that thing she does where she kicks you out of the room and you have to sleep in your chair,” Angela was starting to laugh hard.

“She gets mad at Xeik?” Simone tilted her head.

“Once in a while. Mia is very expressionate,” Angela was still laughing.

Once she had spun around and been called out she blurted out, “Hazel is pregnant. Don’t tell Rex. I heard from Leilah that Hazel hasn’t been feeling good but I don’t know anything about her pregnancy just yet. It’s too early to tell just how many she’s carrying. Considering she is a progenitor of a lycanthrope race… She could be carrying multiples.”

Simone was in shock, “I’M GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER!” She was overjoyed for once. She had been worried. “Wait… You’ve been making potions for Rex…”

“Yeah, it doesn’t shock me. I meant to tell Xeik to adjust them for his lycanthropy but I thought Xeik would have caught on by himself. Must have slipped his mind,” Angela shrugged. “Whoops.”

Xeik was already gone, having gone after Mia, but it was true that he had, indeed, forgotten to change Rex’s dose for his potions. This, of course, resulted in the news that Simone had received. It seemed, though, that Angela was much more forgiving about this slip up due to the amount of sheer chaos that the Terrowin family seemed to bring. Either that, or the Goddess very well knew that Xeik had forgotten, and had opted not to tell.

With the news that Simone was to be a grandmother out, her mood improved immensely, and as Lewis and Simone went home, she greeted the children with a much renewed sense of love and devotion, of course keeping her mouth shut about Hazel and Rex.

The day dawned, and Lewis found himself with Xeik out in the fields on the island.

“Well?” Xeik asked. “What did you decide?”

Lewis took a deep breath. “I want to try starting a vineyard. We have enough space here, it’s just…” He looked at the field. There were massive rocks and debris scattered about. “I only have one arm, but…” He looked to Mia and Rex, who were both practically jumping up and down. “These two seem raring to go.”

“Wanna race Mia!?” Rex asked, bouncing. “See who can clear their side faster?”

Mia was jumping up and down with excitement before they started she stomped her way over to Xeik and picked him up swinging him around and giving him so many kisses that she almost drowned him before she dropped him going back to Rex. She put her hands on her hips and huffed at Rex with a nod.

Simone came out with carriage Janus and Lila were sitting up looking at them while Glyn was on Simone’s hip. “Good morning everyone!”

Mia threw some hand signs at Simone and the mother nodded looking over at Rex, “Okay, starting positions. Rex. Mia. Are you ready?” Mia nodded and placed herself by a huge boulder stuck in the ground. “GO!” Mia hugged herself to the boulder before throwing the boulder out of the ground over to a pile of debris to be hauled away.

After that, she went on a rampage to clear her side faster than Rex. She was hyper and excited and by the end of it, she was clapping and jumping up and down that she had won. “She’s terribly excited today.” Simone went over and kissed Lewis gently. “How’s the arm handsome?”

Looking up at Xeik she smiled, “And how’s the Mia situation?”

Lewis was combination impressed and terrified at the strength that Mia possessed. Rex had finished almost half of his side by the time Mia had finished hers, and it seemed as though she hadn’t broken a sweat, whereas Rex was already slowing down. There was, of course, a few things that Mia had over Rex. Time and experience was the biggest thing, but Lewis had a feeling that there was something else that was pushing Mia.

“Arm is fine,” Lewis replied, stealing a second kiss.

Xeik rolled his eyes. “You can’t tell?” He sighed, looking at Mia. “She almost killed me last night. This month is going to be rough…” He let out a longer sigh. “I love seeing her happy, though. I’m just worried…”

“You’ll be fine,” Lewis replied. “You handle out kids just fine.”

“Stop using logic, Lewis.” The healer crossed his arms. “Emotions don’t have to make sense.” Ignoring the rest of the conversation, he pulled out the plans that Lewis had drafted, and looked them over. “A vineyard, huh? Gonna try your hand at wine?”

Lewis shrugged. “Maybe. Might just throw the product at Raile and see what he can do with it.” The ex-assassin wasn’t really thinking any of this through. “Figured it’ll at least keep me occupied.”

The rest of the day was spent tilling the soil, and then planting the seeds. With the hyperactive lycanthropes, the work went by quickly. What few mistakes were made were corrected fairly quickly under Lewis and Xeik’s watchful eyes, and soon the sun was starting to set on the horizon.

The rest of the week went by with ease. At the beginning of the next week, though, Lewis found that he needed something to test the soil with. Hazel, having grown her own herbs, knew just what was needed, and had the materials at her house. Wanting to get off of the island, at least for a half day, Lewis volunteered to go with Hazel and Rex to her house at the edge of Sularia.

“Lead the way,” Lewis said as they exited the Sularia Terrowin house. “I’d really like to see your place.” Rex, of course, had told Lewis of her living conditions. Through a lot of effort, Rex had done some minor touch ups on the house, but it was still nothing in comparison to the castle or the houses that the Terrowin family held.

“Right,” Rex said as he took Hazel’s hand.

Mone laughed a bit, “Just take over and be the alpha… I’m sure she would like that and it won’t be so hard on your body. It’s what we have to do right now and Angela has yelled at me to be more gentle with Lewis…” She rubbed the back of her neck and Glyn looked up at her curiously. “Mommy is just saying she accidentally hurt Daddy and your Grandma Ang was upset with me.” She baby talked to Glyn and he just gave her a smile.

Simone looked over the plans and had a smile on her face. It was nice to have something that wasn’t assassinations on their plate. This would give them a much-needed peaceful time to raise their children. They still trained but for now with Lewis’s arm that would have to take a step back. “It’s going to be beautiful.”

–

Hazel held Rex’s hand and nodded up to Rex, “He’s done a good job but it was a learning curve. At first, he kept hitting his fingers with the mallet.”

The little shack was didn’t look as run down as it used to. Chickens were running around outside and it looked like her mother had just been there to feed them. “They are going to roll around… Look how much feed she gave them.” It was three days' worth.

Rex had managed to get them a nicer bed to sleep in which said something since Hazel found herself nauseous. “I still don’t feel good.” She rubbed her stomach a bit concerned. “Maybe I caught something in Benin… It’s been a month and a half.”

She opened the root cellar and went down, “I’m going to need some of the herbs that grow near the lake… Why not show Lewis Kirika Lake? It’s beautiful this time of day.”

Rex nodded at the suggestion that they look at the lake, and the two wandered around, taking in the sights. Lewis wasn’t sure how he would adjust to the idea of a peaceful lifestyle. When he had retired at first, he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He had bothered almost everyone he knew, and ended up unsure of what to spend his time on. He had lucked out, in a way, due to the chaotic happenings of their friends and family around them. But now…

“Dad,” Rex said, giving Lewis a stern look. “You’re overthinking it.”

“How did you-”

“Hazel says you worry too much. And Mom. But…mostly Hazel. She says you both worry way too much about the future. Mom, though, at least knows how to live in the present. That’s something you really suck at, though.”

Lewis smirked. “When did you get so smart…”

“I’m not smart,” he replied, glancing away. “If you’re too focused on the future, then I’m too focused on the present. It’s always ‘what can I do now’ versus what I need to plan for. Hazel and I…where do we want this to go? It’s nice now, but can we really keep things the way they are? I’m scared at what the future brings, which is why I’d rather just live today.”

“Your mother would be great at this,” Lewis replied flatly. “She’s got things planned out before I can ever get a word in. She’s smart…I’m sure if you talk to her, she’ll tell you how to manage.”

“Well, enough about my problems,” Rex shot back. “Let’s just…enjoy the scenery?”

“We should probably start heading back. Hazel’s bound to be done now.”

Rex nodded, smiling. He took a step forward, and froze. His eyes widened. “Smoke?” He sniffed the air, and started running. Lewis was surprised at the sudden shift, but as he followed Rex, he started to smell it too.

The smell of burning.

When they arrived, Hazel’s hut was ablaze. The herbs were already burnt to a crisp. Rex was already running in headfirst, seeming not to care for his own safety.

“HAZEL!?” he yelled. He knew where she would be.

Simone. Emergency. Ezili and Xeik. On me. Now!

With that, he dashed into the fire behind Rex. Even with one arm, there had to be something he could do to help.