They had finally agreed to head to Boreas. It had been seasons since they were separated from their little girl, an event that had left both Gavroche and Bellamy heartbroken. Her husband had taken it especially hard, blaming himself, spending goodness knows how many hours searching even after the larger wolf succumbed to weariness and sleep. Even Ears and Whiskers had done their part to try and find Lucette to no avail. Bellamy had started to believe that maybe… their little one hadn’t made it. Luce had been a reckless child from the get go… and that had been one hell of a storm.

Bells knew in her heart Gav was still hoping against the odds they find a trace of their daughter. But, like her sister, she wasn’t sure how much truth would be in any rumor they might here. They had left Boreas chasing a rumor… and with fruitless results. Maybe it was time they gave up and found somewhere to settle down. Not that she cared too much for authoritative figures… but she felt like Gavroche needed the security of a pack… and if they were going to consider another litter before they got too old… then they would need to be somewhere safer this time.

Her ears perked forward as she lead them into a section of southern Boreas. The trees had started to get thick, growing closer together, and it wasn’t long before the smell of fruit started to fill the air. Most of the stuff growing wouldn’t be ripe this early in the season, but at least it was a pleasant distraction from their thoughts. At last Bells hummed and padded over towards the base of a tree before flopping down bodily.

“We’re resting here,” She told Gavroche. “I’m sure you need it too.” Her gaze softened as she looked at him. “We’ve been traveling for a while now.” Her gaze then shifted to Ears and Whiskers.

“Why don’t you two find somewhere to rest as well? I’d like some time alone with Gav.”

Her companions gave a nod apiece and skittered off, leaving the two wolves alone in a matter of seconds.

The winged male had grown older but it didn’t feel like he had grown any wiser. He had become a father… but at the cost of losing his only daughter. Gavroche held onto hope that somehow, some way, Lucette was still out there. His little girl had her mother’s stubbornness, and his will to survive. She was small like he was, sure, but… he had only been a bit older when he first came to Boreas with Houdini, had he not? Ahh, his rat friend. He missed her too. He had Jessie and James now but they were not there to replace who he had lost. They were their own individuals, small creatures just like he was. But he was grateful for them. He was always grateful for the companion he had now. He had been exhausted, wearing himself out by always looking over his shoulder and hoping to find his little girl. He had barely noticed the change in scenery… he was focused on the ground at his paws as he padded along. Jessie was nestled behind an ear and James rode between his wings, both also quiet. It had been quite a trip back to Boreas but being here had not lifted his spirits like he had hoped it might. He was still mourning their loss and despite Bellamy’s harder demeanor, he knew she cared. He also felt in his heart that maybe she was right. Maybe Lucette hadn’t made it and they needed to accept that possibility too. When Bellamy headed to the tree Gavroche blindly followed. He flopped down on the earth, forgetting about Jessie or James for a moment. Not that his dislodged companions blamed him - they had watched their friend for the past season or so be at a complete and utter loss. James helped gather Jessie up before speaking to the couple. “Right. We’ll follow Ears and Whiskers. You two deserve some time to yourselves.” It was a moment later, when all four companions were gone, that the tiny male moved his head to his larger mate’s shoulder. He hadn’t realized how sore his paws felt… nor how drained he had become. “Bells,” Gav spoke softly. “I’m sorry…” His ears lowered as he stared out across the grass of the orchard. “I guess I was more worn out than I thought…” "Speech," 'Thought.'

Bellamy watched Gavroche as he trudged to her side and flopped down. The male was exhausted - it was clear to see. He hadn’t been paying any mind to his own limits… again. “You really need to stop doing this to yourself.” She told the winged male as he set his head on her shoulder. For a healer he was doing a really crap job of taking care of himself… but she supposed that was her job, wasn’t it? She was Gav’s mate. She had to take care of him when he wasn’t strong enough to care for himself. Her gaze softened and she shifted her head so she could lick his forehead.

“Stop apologizing, you idiot.” She scolded him. “We’ve both been under a lot of stress, Gav. Beating yourself up about it even more isn’t going to get us anywhere.” The woman sighed softly. “The allmother knows you’ve been beating yourself up now for over a season.” It was time. Time to touch on a subject that neither of them had wanted to address. Bellamy drew in a breath and let her own gaze wander, her heart beginning to ache. It wasn’t going to be easy for them to talk about this… but it was necessary if they were going to keep going.

“I know losing Lucette was hard on both of us… but especially you.” Bellamy began. “You can’t blame yourself for the will of the divinities, Gav. The storm was what separated us, not your negligence. You are a wonderful father… and you showed our little girl nothing but love from the day she was born.” Bells let her ears lower. “We have to accept that… maybe… she won’t be found.” Her voice had become quiet. “That doesn’t mean we don’t love her, it doesn’t mean we don’t want her to be alive, but Gav… we spent how long looking for my sister, a trace of a phantom, before we realized what we were chasing could be a false hope?” Her tone, while soft, was somber.

“We can’t throw away our lives…” Bellamy hesitated for a moment here. “If Lucette had survived… we can only hope she’ll make her way to Boreas. But even if she doesn’t… what if she has made herself another life? What if, just like us, our little girl had to grow up fast, without her loved ones?” Her gaze shifted to her paws. “I want you to stop blaming yourself… and start living again…”

Bellamy scolded him. Of course she did, Gavroche told himself. He wasbeing an idiot. He wasn’t caring for himself and was letting the past hang over him like a dark cloud. He hated that she was right… but he had always admired Bellamy’s brutal honesty. The woman wouldn’t sugar-coat things to spare feelings… she would tell you what needed to be said no matter what the result. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, no, but hiding from the truth wasn’t going to get him anywhere, was it? The winged male knew this… but that didn’t mean he wanted to talk about the thing that had been weighing on them. His ears flicked back and he whined softly. “Bellamy, I don’t want to talk about this.” He tried to interject, to stop his mate from pressing forward on this topic, but Bellamy wouldn’t have it. Tears began to prick his eyes and the male narrowed his gaze at the ground. “Well damn the divinities and their grand plans!” The words were spoken with a fierceness uncommon for the winged male. “She was a child, Bells! A child! She shouldn’t have had to go through what we went to! What do they want from us? To damn not only us but an innocent pup…” Gavroche gritted his teeth. “I don’t understand them… they were supposed to lead us on a path of light… but we’ve been nothing but forsaken.” Gav wasn’t looking at her. “What right do I have to live if she could still be out there? Is it not my duty as her father to rescue her?” The tears were rolling down his cheeks now. “Why does she have to suffer…?” There it was. His voice broke and the tiny male crumpled against Bellamy as he turned her head towards her. “What did we do wrong? Why are they punishing us? Is it my wings? Is it…” He trailed off, shuddering. “What if all this really is my fault?” Gavroche whimpered. “What if I lose you too?” "Speech"

Bellamy would be lying if she said she hadn’t heard Gavroche’s request to stop. But she had blatantly ignored him and continued speaking. Her words riled him but the woman expected as much. He’d been holding onto this hurt, harboring it like the wicked emotion would bring their little girl back. It wouldn’t, she knew that. “I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I thought the Divinities had turned a blind eye to us, Gavroche.” Bellamy continued to speak softly, her voice remaining calm. For once she had to be the voice of reason… and it was strange. She was normally the one breaking down.

“...and I agree what happened to Lucette wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair what happened to us, either.” Bellamy sighed. “We were innocent too.” She pointed out to him. Neither of them had done anything wrong when their lives had started going downhill. Their crime had been their birth, something out of their control. How could they be blamed for that? It was illogical. “We hadn’t done anything to scorn the Divinities, yet here we are.” The woman paused. “We’re not meant to understand them, nor their plans… but believe me when I say I do not believe we are forsaken.” Bellamy nosed her mate’s cheek.

“Shh, Gav…” His focus shifted back to blaming himself. “You know damn good and well that Lucette would scold you for thinking that. She never liked being the damsel in distress.” A half-hearted chuckle left her lips. “Our daughter is strong. She’s resourceful. Just because she inherited your size doesn’t mean she’s immediately doomed. You’ve lived this long, have you not?” She licked away his tears.

“You’re not to blame. Stop that.” Bellamy urged. “Even if the Divinities had forsaken us, even if they sent the Dreamends after us, it would take all of them combined and more to tear me away from you.” Bellamy snorted at the very idea. “Don’t think I’m not afraid to fight the God or Goddess themselves, or any of the Divinities. If they were foolish enough to try and separate us I’d ascend to be a Goddess just to ensure that never happened. I didn’t live through Hell just to have some so-called powerful dead guys tell me I’m not going to live out the rest of my days with my mate.” She gave a cocky smirk.

“...and if I somehow died before you, well, you can bet every feather on those wings of yours I’d haunt your ass until you joined me. Sorry Gavroche, you’re stuck with an asshole of a mate for all eternity, not just until we’re dead.” Her words, while serious, were meant to make him smile.

Bellamy was quick to point out that their daughter would scold him as well. She probably would, Gavroche knew. Lucette was a little fireball and very strong-willed. Adventurous, reckless, strong for her size… Gavroche sniffled, giving a small nod of agreement as his mate asked him a rather important question. He had lived this long, true enough. Most of it had been on his “own” too. He’d been through bad situations, not as bad as Bellamy, but he’d lived through so much… so maybe he was overreacting? Lucette was a combination of not just him but Bellamy as well. The child of two survivors… so shouldn’t she be able to survive as well? She was probably just fine… and one day she’d find them again. He sniffled again. “Now who’s being an idiot,” His words were quiet but Bellamy had earned a smile from her mate. “Taking on all that alone. It’s any wonder you haven’t been slain yet. And for what? To stay with me? You are crazy.” His smile became a bit brighter and he lightly nipped at her. “You’re not happy unless you’re keeping me busy treating you, are you Bells? Do you have an idea what that sort of army would do to you?” He looked into her eyes, his voice taking a serious turn for another moment. “I hope that’s a threat, Bellamy. I don’t want to live without you. You’re stuck with this featherbrain forever, just like I’m stuck with you. Not even death will separate us.” He booped his nose against her own. “I love you with all my heart. That’s not going to change, no matter what happens.” "Speech"

Bellamy’s grin just widened at Gavroche’s words. “Of course I’m being an idiot. Who the hell told you I had a brain? You’ve got to stop listening to all these liars, hun.” She had earned her smile, shifting the mood. Mission accomplished. She let out a laugh as he continued on, calling her crazy. “Again, love, who the hell told you I wasn’t crazy? Do you even know the wolf you fell in love with?” He lightly nipped at her cheek and Bellamy stuck her tongue out at him. This was what they really needed. This light banter and playfully going back and forth. They had addressed the issue with Lucette, and now that it was out in the open maybe they could truly start to heal.

“I was under the impression you liked being busy. Was I misinformed?” There was a sparkle in her eyes as she continued to tease him. “Pretty sure I’d be a mess and a half. Part of me over here, part of me over there, you’d be busy for weeks trying to keep my sorry ass alive.” The idea of being horribly maimed didn’t bother her as much as it probably should have. As long as Gav was at her side it didn’t matter. She’d proudly go into battle, get her ass handed to her, and still pester the hell out of the smaller wolf as he tried to patch her back up.

“Of course it is. What do you take me for?” Their noses touched and Bellamy met his gaze once more. “I love you, Gavroche Kedieo, and I chose you. I said it before and I’ll say it again; no one will separate us. I’d fight Heaven and Earth, challenge the keepers of the Hellgates themselves if I must. You are mine, I am yours, and nothing will change that.” She drew back, tail starting to wag behind her.

“Now that we’ve settled that…” Her cocky grin hadn’t faded. “I don’t think you’re worn out enough.” She got to her paws and, carefully, jumped on top of her mate before she proceeded to assault him with nuzzles and tickles. She couldn’t hold back her laughter as he squealed, not that she’d stop just yet.

Gods above she was trouble. The woman he had fallen for was nothing else if not that very word… and she loved it. She loved teasing him and the winged male found himself more grateful for his mate than he’d ever been. She was right… he couldn’t continue to let doubts and worry about what might have happened to Lucette hold him back. He could be wrong, anyway. He needed to live his life and enjoy the time that he had left with the woman he fell in love with. Even if he spent countless days treating her hurts he wouldn’t take one minute for granted with his fight-happy partner. She had changed him for the better, just as he had her. They would always have each other. He felt better… like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He closed his eyes, not noticing how Bellamy had begun to shift in her position. It wasn’t until his mate had pounced and a squeal of surprise escaped his lips that Gavroche had even realized what had happened. He tried to roll, but soon it became almost impossible to move as she assaulted his belly with her muzzle, tickling and nuzzling him as laughter spilled from both of them. “Bells… hahaha!” Gavroche wiggled in place, helplessly pushing a paw against her chest now. He felt like he was a kid again, playing for the first time with someone he adored. But the important thing was he was smiling, and he was happy. He wanted this moment to last forever; it was times like this that made all the hardship and pain they’d gone through worth it. They deserved this happiness. /End "Speech"