Evaline:

When I woke up, it wasn't just the warmth of my son pressed close to my chest that greeted me. There was another familiar heat - steady, grounding, and achingly gentle - coming from the other side of the bed.

For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming, lost somewhere between the tenderness of the past and the aching emptiness of the present. But when I blinked my eyes open, the soft golden hue of a lamp light told me otherwise.

Oscar lay on Lioren's other side, one arm draped loosely over our son, his hand resting right on top of mine. His breathing was slow, even, and peaceful... something I hadn't seen from him in days.

The exhaustion carved into his handsome face was still there, faint shadows under his eyes and a faint frown that never quite disappeared. But right now, he looked... calm. For the first time since Draven's collapse, he looked like he had managed to find a brief moment of peace.

My chest tightened painfully at the sight. I didn't want to disturb him, but the urge to touch him, to reassure myself that he was real, alive, and here with me... it was too strong to resist. I turned my hand just enough to hold his.

I didn't expect that simple movement to wake him.

His fingers twitched, and his lashes fluttered open. Those familiar green eyes, tired but so full of depth, found mine almost immediately.

I froze, guilt flooding me. "I'm sorry," I whispered softly, cupping his cheek. "Go back to sleep, love. You need it."

But instead of obeying, his hand came up to cover mine, holding it against his skin. He turned his face slightly, pressing a kiss to my palm.

"I'll sleep later," he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. "I wanted to see you first."

A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. His thumb brushed it away instantly, but his gaze softened even more.

And then, between us, Lioren stirred.

Our son made a tiny noise... somewhere between a coo and a sigh... and blinked his bright eyes open. For a second, he just stared between us, as if confused to find his parents watching him so intently. Then, with a happy squeal, his small hands waved in the air.

Oscar chuckled, the sound low and rough but beautiful. "Looks like someone doesn't want to be left out."

"Of course not," I said, smiling through the tears. I leaned closer and kissed my baby's forehead. "Did you miss Mama?"

He giggled in response, that sweet, bubbling sound that filled the hollow corners of my heart with warmth I thought I had lost.

We stayed like that for a while... the three of us... cocooned in our quiet world of peace and fragile smiles.

By the time we finally got out of bed, the sky outside was filled with stars. I had fallen asleep around half-past four in the afternoon, and now it was nearing eight. Rowan had left before I woke, but Oscar told me he'd promised to come back tomorrow.

I made a mental note to thank him again. Without him, I wasn't sure I would have made it out of that room.

After washing my face in the bathroom, I felt lighter - the porridge and the few hours of sleep had revived me more than I expected. My reflection still looked pale, my eyes still exhausted, but at least I didn't look completely broken anymore.

When I came out, Oscar was already holding Lioren, bouncing him gently in his arms. The sight made my heart swell.

"Ready to go downstairs?" he asked, smiling faintly.

I nodded. "Let's go."

We made our way down together, Lioren giggling as Oscar made funny faces along the way. For the first time in days, there was a trace of genuine joy in the air - fragile, yes, but it was there.

As we reached the living room, the familiar hum of quiet conversation and soft footsteps filled the space. River was on one of the couches, a laptop open on his knees, his fingers typing rapidly as his brows furrowed in focus.

Across the hall, Kieran stood near the entrance of dining hall, a phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low, his tone firm - the kind he only used when discussing important matters. But the moment we stepped into the room, both of them looked up.

River's eyes softened, and Kieran ended the call almost instantly.

They both looked... put together, in the way they always did. Clean clothes, hair styled perfectly - as if the weight of the world sitting on their shoulders couldn't break them. But their eyes… stars, their eyes told another story. The same sleepless exhaustion, the same pain, the same desperate hope.

I smiled softly, pretending not to notice the cracks. "I hope we are not disturbing," I said.

River shook his head, closing his laptop. "Never," he said quietly. "You look better, love."

I nodded, a little smile tugging at my lips. "I'm trying."

Before any of us could say more, Sera appeared from the hallway. "Dinner is ready, my Lady," she said, her smile warm.

"Thank you, Sera," I said softly.

The five of us - me, my three mates, and our son - sat down at the dining table.

None of us spoke much, but the silence wasn't empty or awkward. It was... peaceful, comforting in its own way. The clinking of cutlery, the aroma of food, and Lioren's cheerful giggles filled the air.

He was in his crib between me and Kieran, playing with the little star-shaped toys hanging above. Every time one jingled, he let out a delighted squeal that made us all chuckle.

For a brief moment, everything felt normal.

After dinner, we gathered in the living room. River was the first to scoop Lioren out of his crib, lifting him high in the air, earning another happy squeal. "Look at you, little alpha," River murmured, smiling softly.

Kieran leaned against the armchair, watching them with that quiet fondness he rarely showed. "He's growing fast," he said, his voice warm.

Oscar sat beside me, his hand resting on my knee, grounding me. "He's going to start crawling in no time," he added, smiling at our son.

I just sat there, watching the three of them play with our child - River bouncing him gently on his knee, Kieran making faces that had Lioren giggling uncontrollably, and Oscar occasionally reaching over to tickle his tiny feet.

The laughter that filled the room was soft but genuine, wrapping around me like a blanket.

I leaned back, sipping the warm milk Sera had brought earlier, and watched them quietly. There was still grief in all of us... an ache that refused to fade... but tonight, there was something else too. A spark of strength. Of determination.

We were all still broken in our own ways, but we were mending... together.

For Draven.

For Lioren.

For our family.