To My Little Wings [Closed]

Sunset perched upon the end of the land as its golden rays covered the forest in its final goodbye before nightfall, the other side of the sky holding a moon climbing to proudly stand in the sky. Footsteps that crunched the falling autumn leaves resonated the power the moon provided, the energy providing power to every step she took. A familiar glow of gentle light followed her path, the natural aptitude her body took in response to nightfall’s coming. It wasn’t her purpose though, not tonight. Something else hung on her mind as trees passed, the cerulean gaze focused on the cobblestone and dirt pathway in a daze. Sorrow and guilt weighed down on the lonesome body, a frown concealed by the orange patterned scarf wrapped around quivering lips. It was hard to stop the tears from threatening to spill, to stain the otherwise ghostly cheeks that had slowly been voided of life. But somehow she did it. They were bitten back and concealed for the appropriate time. If she broke down now… she would never make it.

Eventually, the blur of a walk carried her to the place she had wanted to be. She had heard about a memorial site in Rosebury, and simple directions carried her to where she desired to be. In her arms a box resided, concealing gifts of objects she had meticulously placed inside to ensure their perfect arrival. The haze in her mind faded as the red roof came into view, the world once more coming into focus as she looked at every detail of the building. Such a location was rather well kept and out of the view of many people, something she just so wished. Solace, but also company. As her feet carried her into the opened building she saw the pictures and small shrines dedicated to loved ones long lost. To what their fate had been was something that she did not know, but an instinct for respect had her leave any curiosity behind.

Life that had otherwise gone on normally for her had once more ground to a halt for these next passing moments. An empty corner was quickly found in the little place, its floor colored by glass that the sun’s rays passed through. The rainbow shape built almost called to her as the perfect area. Gently, the box she had been carrying was set down - as gentle as a mother would place their baby. Pain gripped at her chest as she fished the cellphone out of her pocket, fingers quickly swiping through to check for a response from a particular person. Someone she had done her best to avoid ever since her return to Beata and Rosebury, and someone who had tried to avoid her. No blame was bestowed upon them for doing such a thing. He had every right in the world to be mad at her, to want to never see her again. What she had done was unforgivable, but at the same time… Her gut told her this was something he would want to be there for. Even at the very least, he would have knowledge that it existed.

A quick glance told her that no reply existed, but the message had been read. The breath that had been held in an otherwise unknown manner was released, a sigh into the empty air. At the very least he knew.

Gloved hands worked quickly at moving to light a group of nearby candles so as to provide light in the ever-dimming room, a single prayer for every soul she saw within passing her lips in a silent echo upon the stone walls. While her power could be easily used to provide a moonlit glow to the room, it didn’t feel right. The flames flickered their orange hues and provided what she seeked, along with a gentle warmth that was otherwise missing from the area. Lingering beside the flames was hard not to do, as despite the jacket she wore the autumn chill still found its way to bite at her frame.

Moments passed as she was frozen in front of the candles she had lit before she finally set down the lighter that nestled at the base of the group. The mother returned to the box that still sat in its corner, moving it so she could gently take out its contents. It proved so much harder than she had desired, quivering hands reaching in to grab the heavy statue within the box. Constructed of polished alabaster stone and concealed to be invincible to any elements, what it depicted only made it that much harder to securely nestle it into its new home. A twin pair of little girls, angels embracing each other and holding hands in an eternal hug. Serene smiles being depicted upon their gentle faces, long locks of wavy hair tumbling down their shoulders, only disturbed by the wings that reached around them. A craftsmanship done so well that a wing from each child curled around to form what almost made the perfect spot to nestle a gift - to hold whatever offering the person so desired to give.

Silent sobs choked her as the long locks of pink hair fell into her vision, hiding the tears that now freely spilt. As much as she tried to push them back, it was impossible at that point. But she had to keep going. Her hands continued to tremble as she reached once more into the box to pull out the wreath of fake flowers, immortalized in time to never die. Roses intertwined  with daisies, bluebells, lilies, purple irises, and morning glories made up the perfect shape that she tried her best to place around the statue. What would’ve been a simple task had been made hard by the unavoidable trembling, frustrated gasps for air chiming as it took a few moments to get it placed in its position. Almost like a perch for the two angels, it wrapped flawlessly around the base. At its front, placed just beneath the curve of the outstretched wings a place for another object dipped.

The one hardest of all for her to grab.

Somehow she did it - the matching marble slab being held in her fingertips and placed in her lap. Tears that had been soaking into her scarf now fell freely atop it, a gentle finger tracing the words engraved into its surface for any and all to read who came to visit. A poem, from mother to daughters she would never get to see. Engraved in the flawless cursive manuscript of the woman herself, finally being nestled upon its place.


While short and sweet, the words had been long debated. As the stone was placed in its position, the words were slowly mouthed. Any attempt to voice them would be lost to the sea of a broken voice that would follow, her hand pausing to frequently swipe away the tears that blurred her vision. A deep breath calmed the storm of emotions that had brewed, at least temporarily.

Candlelight had exclusively taken over any lighting within the walls of the memorial as moonlight filled the outside world, its energy calling to the figure inside. Finally she listened to its calling, her hands working to shape its energy to reside as she wished. Her fingertips brushed over every flower around the wreath, the soft blue glow becoming another source of light to the room as it was embedded into the wreath. ”To shed light upon your world even as you rest…” The words fell as a whisper, anything stronger would surely be broken and cause yet another surge of tears she was still fighting off. It brought a gentle glow to the whole little shrine that had been crafted in honor of her children, a luminescence never to fade until she herself left the world.

It had been completed, the memorial she had pondered days over and perfected to the best of her ability. What she had poured many nights of tears into, to finally be put into place. The box that had carried every object here had been cast aside, leaving only the mother on her knees in front of the area to cry and let the grief that had been placed upon her shoulders to be released as she put the children she never got to see to rest.

Leo didn't want to go.

No, not because he didn't want to face the death of his children that could have been but were not. Rather, because she was there. Leo had been a mess each time he'd seen her since she left, each time he felt lesser about himself--Leo felt selfish. Leo had every right to say no, and keep her away from Shepard. But how was he any better than the mothers of the world who control the courts and forbid fathers from seeing their child? What would he do in her place?

Scratch that, he never left. Leo was never going to be estranged, come back, leave, then force his family into a vicious cycle of wondering if they were ever going to come back. If they were ever going to see their parent again. Leaving that wonder, and a gut wrenching feeling for Shepard--who would think that his parents did not love them enough to make an effort to stay. Staying--creating a schedule for children to follow and to know what to expect was key for the development of their lives. When they had a schedule to follow, it comforts them into security.

An unknown variable could be disastrous for a child, and cause unnecessary stress on the child's life.

Or that's what he had told himself, convinced himself that this was the correct path to take. Then again, he was barely an adult. Leo was never ready for this, but he was there anyways. Despite his desire to take a step back and earn a break from responsibility, it was not an option, and he would have to make choices himself. To make his bed and lay in it.

Which is why he found himself there that day, feet tracing a worn path far into the woods around Rosebury. It was not silent, an ever present chirping of crickets, and birds filled the air. What was silent, was the spark in his eyes--the glint of amusement, humor and everything in between. A trademark shine that seemed to draw others toward him, each appreciating the shine of his eyes and blinding smile in their own way. It was silent. Despite the noise, Leo felt mute.

Even as his footsteps brought him a mere meter away from his once girlfriend. For the slightest moment he felt connected to her as he once was--but just as his smile and gleeful eyes had gone silent--so did his love.

Of course, there would always be residual moments where he would wonder a life that had not gone down a twisted path that was their current lives. That the two of them graduated together, picking out the other in the crowd as they accepted their diploma, as they started their lives with their children in their own home, and worked though their issues together. Not to leave but to stay and seek the other though the difficult times. A dreamer, is what he found himself to be. Those daydreams were drowned out by reality, and soon enough they fade away just as suddenly as Keirsta had vanished.

A meter away, not one step closer. Hands found themselves in his pockets in an attempt to keep warm. Cold winter air slipped past the trees, forcing the blond to duck his head into his hoodie. Dark eyes didn't say a word as the woman wept. It took all of his effort not to cry. He managed to accomplish that, but also bite a hole into his lip as he did so. Metallic tasting blood seeped into his mouth. At least it was something to keep the reality from pushing onward. He had cried in front of Keirsta before, but he didn't want to do so today. Even if the reason was justified. He merely watched, eyes taking in the small memorial the mother had set up.

It was beautiful.

Oh--something warm slipped past his face. Almost shocked, Leo went up to swipe it away. The liquid cooled his hand against the wind, and it returned to his pocket. Right. He had brought tissues for a reason. The father went to wipe away his tears with the tissue when he paused, blue eyes fixating on the one person he had been closest with. The faded love pranged his heart, and a tissue was offered to the pink haired student. It vanished the moment he leaned down to hand it to her. Yet, the hand remained outstretched in offering. It appeared he could still be an angel around her after all.

He didn't notice the yet another tear gliding past his cheek.

She didn’t hear the footsteps carrying themselves into the memorial.

She didn’t hear the shuffling of hands as they dug into the hoodie in an attempt to block out the frigid air.

The moment it rustled a second time to extend a tissue in her direction, she heard.

Her frame jumped in surprise, a hand moving to cover her heart as she stood up. Pinkened cheeks, a cherry tipped nose and reddened eyes. It was clear she had been crying if not for the sobs that had made it obvious. With a silent nod she took the tissue, gently dabbing at her eyes to wipe away any sign of the tears that had flowed moments prior. Crumpling the soft paper up and stuffing it in the pocket of her own jacket, her gaze stayed away from his.

She couldn’t dare look at him. Not after everything she had done, especially not after being the one to call him here. The happiness and joy that he had once brought her was locked away in memories past, to be left with the moonlight that glimmered along the little memorial. It was her final goodbye to it all, and whatever would happen within the walls of the memorial would stay. She learned from her mistakes. A bravery that had once defined her was shattered the moment she had became a coward and ran. The cowardice that cost her so much more than anyone would know, except for the other man who stood in the room.

With the long locks of pink hair still concealing her face, she turned to walk to the back of the little shack. Sure, it didn’t space them much more than when she had rest in front of the memorial, but it was more distance and it would give him the chance to say goodbye as she allowed herself to grieve.

Once the tissue disappeared from his hand, Leo pulled it away into his coat pocket. His own eyes directed away from her as well. However, his eyes lingered on the statue with lips pressed together. Silently, he took up the same spot. Knees touching the ground as he gently felt the soft engravings of the statue.

Leo did not want to cry. At least, not in front of her. If he could avoid it, Leo would not want to cry in front of anyone. However, something like that was unavoidable at this moment. Throat tight, vision blurred, he ducked his head down--biting his lip. The father's cold hands gripped his knees in an internal battle, a struggle within himself. But at some point emotion got the better of him, as it always does for everyone. One moment he was just as motionless as the statue, the next his body shook like a leaf.

He had not been with them. He didn't get to see Keirsta's uterus expand, nor feel the horror of the loss of two, nor the fear for the remaining child. Leo did not have to go through the wild emotions that the event had brought forth. He didn't have to suffer. Because he wasn't there. But it hurt because he lost two children who could have been somebody. It hurt because he lost two children who could have loved their brother. It hurt because he lost two children who could have been growing alongside of Shepard. Who would they be now? Would they be just as happy as Shepard, with his contagious smile and glittering eyes? It wasn't fair. Leo hated this.

For what felt like ages, Leo forced himself up from the ground. He didn't come to the memorial just to morn them. He had something to say to Keirsta. He couldn't forget, it was important. Soaking his sleeves to wipe up his tears, Leo faced her. Head tilted up in the slightest of fashions, his hands at his sides.

"I need you to do me a favor." He began, eyes level with her's. Surprisingly, his strength returned. Leo found it within himself keep his eyes from wavering."I'm sure you know we will be heading to Sofia to help, and we are going on a war against these people in black..."Leo took a breath, feet glued to the ground."If something...happens to me. Shepard needs a parent. You need to be there then. You need to stay. He'd be your responsibility then. There is only so much my family can do, but he'll need you then. So--"

"For our son, our only child left. Be here for him when I'm not. Please. Stay."