And Then There Were Four (Lilith Carrie)

Damian.

I never really thought about what it would be like to die. However, the moment I faced it, the only thing I could think of was Ivy. Her beautiful blue eyes. Her long, enchanting hair. Not to mention how she trembled beneath my fingers when I took her, kissed her, and loved her. The way she deserved to be loved.

That moment ran through my mind often. Plagued my dreams with nightmares as I tried to forget what had happened. I was alive now.

But, even though I was, it didn't stop the nightmares from coming.

Two days ago, I opened my eyes. Two days ago, I breathed life into my lungs once more. Now that I was awake though, it forced me to face everything that happened, and the one thing that upset me the most was Ivy... my beautiful mate was unconscious. From the looks of it, she didn't seem like she would wake up soon.

I felt bad that she was injured, but my brothers repeatedly reassured me that she knew what she was doing. That she wasn't dead, so that we simply had to give her time to wake back up.

I couldn't help but worry, though. What if she didn't wake up?

What if we lost her again because of me... because she saved me?

Slowly, they had filled me in with all the details of things I had missed. Chaos that had happened. Things that happened to Ivy, and even the day she gave birth to our children. They helped me pick up all the missing pieces, so nothing was left out. I was still broken, though.

To know I had missed out on the birth of my children killed me.

I would use this second chance at life to fix things that had happened to me previously. I would learn to forgive and forget and to love with unconditional devotion.

Because that was what a person with a second chance did.

Standing in the nursery, looking down at Pollux and Castor sleeping, I couldn't help but wonder what a future would have been like had I not been part of it. What they would have gone through had I not been here.

I knew they would have been taken care of and had my brothers, but still, I couldn't help but wonder what they would have missed out on without me here.

Ivy had made me whole again, and for that, I would be forever indebted to her.

Turning my gaze away from the crib, I looked over to Ivy's bed, where she lay, sleeping peacefully. The soft pinks of her lips were so plump, so delicious. I wanted more than anything to kiss her, but in the end, I only wanted her to be awake. For me, to hear her reprimanding me for some stupid shit I had done.

For her to tell me I'm being an asshole.

For her to put me in my place, that was all that I wanted.

I just wanted to have her back.

To know that she was OK.

My brothers and I hadn't always been good to her, especially me. Yet, time and time again, she forgave us though and tried to make our family whole Time and time again, she put her life on the line to save us. But this would be the last time she

needed to do that.

This would be the last time she ever had to put herself on the line for one of us, because I was our turn to protect her and to keep her safe.

"How are they doing?" Talon said, causing me to look over my shoulder at him. He walked from the open doorway of Ivy's room, through the passageway to the nursery, and smiled down at the twins.

"I still can't get over the fact that I've missed out on so much already."

"Dude, it's been like two weeks. You have plenty of time with them. Trust me, Pollux is one who likes to get up multiple times in the middle of the night. So you can have all of those shifts." Talon replied as he clasped a hand on my shoulder.

"I would take that a million times over if it meant being able to have my family whole."

He knew what I meant, and without having to say another word, he nodded his head in agreement before turning his glance over towards Ivy and slowly making his way to her bedside.

"I wish she would wake up and let us know she was okay," he said softly as he brushed his hand through her hair, rubbing his thumb against her cheek.

"She just needs time to heal."

Talon didn't waste a moment of time before looking over at me and shaking his head once more, laughing. "You're sounding like Hale. The only difference is he sounds like a broken record and you just sound like an echo." "The only difference is I'm better looking," I replied, causing us both to laugh.

As much as I used to hate the comments Talon made, I was glad for them. I had missed this between us and was ready to make amends with it. I was ready to be the brother they needed.

**********

-Six Months Later-

I still wasn't sure what was going on. She still hadn't woken up, and it had been six months since the day of the war. Even though the world outside kept turning without her there, she laid upstairs in the bed, still fast asleep.