Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"And you're lost without her." Luna said softly as she squeezed her father's hand. "We can all work on this together. I think it would do her some good and Ruben some good too to figure out how our family will work now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's afraid that you two moving out means she won't see you more than once a week. Especially once you have your own families. And she's scared of becoming something terrible because of it." Kreston hugged her tightly against his side. "And you're right... I am lost without her..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll all get through this together." Luna murmured softly as her father held her tightly against his side, the sadness in his heart weighing down on her heavily.

Selena was fighting a battle with herself. She knew her step father and Valentina were there, but she couldn't bring herself to talk. When Vincenzo called her name, she would open her eyes, but her listless gaze looked up at him before she closed her eyes again. Her heart ached as much as her head, her very soul feeling heavy. She was lost and as much as Kreston thought she could cure herself by simply finding a hobby, but her ache went much deeper than that.

When she closed her eyes, she could see rolling highlands. They reminded her of the lands that she had left behind when she moved with Kreston. In the distance, she could see a familiar figure. Her father, standing stiff and stern, much like she remembered him was standing over a girl that looked much like herself when she was younger. The girl was a beauty, long black hair with bright dark eyes. She had a smile that seemed to break through even the tough exterior of her father.

"Krestina?" Selena murmured, opening her eyes to look around the room for a brief moment.

Valentina turned from where she and Theo were preparing herbs, looking towards her sister with a gaze of concern. She watched as Selena cast her gaze around the room before letting out a defeated sigh and closing her eyes once more.

"She's looking for her dead daughter." Valentina whispered softly, looking at Theo would concern.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo sighed as Valentina whispered to him. "I jus' wish we knew what t'do..."

Vincenzo quietly sat down at Selena's side, helping her sit up despite how she didn't want to move. He'd brought a cup of strong herbal tea, mixed with some herbs even Valentina didn't really know, and made drinkable by a dose of honey. He helped Selena drink every last drop, and it slowly lowered her into a deep dream. It would calm her mind and body so no more damage could be done while Vincenzo sought to find the existing damage.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena opened her eyes once more as Vincenzo helped her to sit up. Her gaze turned towards him, watching him closely as he helped her to drink an herbal tea. Part of her didn't want to. If she could have spoken, the stubbornness inside of her would have turned her into that petulant child who never wanted medications. She was docile for the moment, however, drifting off into sleep as the herbs spread through her system.

She was there again in that highland, staring at a girl that she was so afraid to approach. She looked happy and healthy, long black hair just like the fur that her father had. Her dark brown eyes were beautiful. She was the spitting image of Selena in her youth and suddenly Selena was aching for the chance to hold her.

"Krestina?" She murmured again, watching as the girl turned to look at her, a small smile on her face.

"Grandpa told me you would come back." The little girl said as she stood from her spot. "He told me everything about you."

Tamblin had been keeping her company, guarding over her since the time she had been stolen away by fate from her loving family.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's th'least I could do... take care o' her since I messed up so much with you kids," Tamblin murmured, his hand resting on Krestina's shoulder. He reached out to Selena, brushing a lock of hair from her face. His own expression was calm and dark. "Y'look awful, lass."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena wanted to ask Krestina if she were being treated well, but she bit the words back. It would have hurt her already wounded father. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. As he reached out and brushed her hair away from her cheek, she tried her hardest not to flinch away. How many times had that hand touches her cheek in a violent way before?

"I feel like my heart is gone." Selena said in a numb voice, watching as krestina's eyes grew sad.

"You have to get better. Ruben and Luna still need you." Krestina murmured softly.

"They don't need me anymore, love. They're getting too old for their Ma."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena wanted to ask Krestina if she were being treated well, but she bit the words back. It would have hurt her already wounded father. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. As he reached out and brushed her hair away from her cheek, she tried her hardest not to flinch away. How many times had that hand touches her cheek in a violent way before?

"I feel like my heart is gone." Selena said in a numb voice, watching as krestina's eyes grew sad.

"You have to get better. Ruben and Luna still need you." Krestina murmured softly.

"They don't need me anymore, love. They're getting too old for their Ma."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No one's ever too old fer their Ma," Tamblin told her firmly but gently. "You're no' too old fer yours, neither are any o' yer brothers an' sisters. I thought I was too old fer mine, then she died an' I regretted every day I didn' make th' most o' what time I'd 'ad with 'er. But Ruben an' Luna 'ave always known how much they need you. Jus' because they're adults doesn' mean they don' need t'come runnin' home every so often t'Ma to feel safe an' loved."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know what to do without someone to care for." Selena admitted, showing her father the scars that were still on her heart from her childhood. "When I didn't have my brothers and sister to care for, I had Ruben. Then when Ruben was getting big, I had Luna. What do I have now?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"You 'ave an entire family, a husband, an' yerself. Ye've got everythin' a woman needs. Yer little ones'll always need ya." But then Tamblin paused. "What d'you want now, Selena? What d'you want out o' life?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I want to be happy." She said after a long moment. "I just want to be happy with my life. I don't think I truly ever have."

She glanced towards her father, an ache in her heart as she thought about her very unhappy childhood. It had spilled over to make her a very unhappy adult. She had found fleeting happiness with Kreston and her children, but the weight of the world had come back to her in startling fashion.

 

[KieranSoares]

Tamblin stepped from Kreston's side as Selena spoke, and he came to wrap her up in his arms in a way he hadn't done since before she could remember. He kissed her forehead and murmured, "Y'can be happy, love. I ain' gonna stop you or hurt you ever again. You always find yer own way... An' I'm sure ya will again. You ain' me. You're Selena Ghis, daughter o' one o' the strongest women in th'world, and one o' the strongest yerself. Jus' remember it's okay t'be weak sometimes... Something that took me too long t'learn..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena went stiff as he wrapped her in a tight hug, a frown appearing on her face as her father hugged her for the first time since she was a baby. She didn't want to relax, but she found herself slowly doing so until her arms wrapped around him and she pressed her cheek against his chest. She had wished so many nights for a simple hug from him. It seemed that he had learned many lessons in his afterlife. She only wished that he could have learned them while he was living.

"This is all I ever wanted from you." She whispered in a soft voice. "All I ever wanted was a hug and a kind word."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know, little love," he murmured. "An' I wanted t'give 'em. I was too afraid t'do it. But yer brother helped me clear my mind when 'e took Inverness off my shoulders. Now I know what I missed, an' I won't ask forgiveness. I only ask tha' y'might try t'accept tha' I do love ya and I'm sorry I never proved it."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena couldn't say anything else as he father promised that he had always loved her, but he was too afraid to show it. She did love him, even if it was because he was the person that had given her life. She owed him that, at the very least.

When their hug broke, Selena dared to pull Krestina into a tight hug as well. Her nose was buried against her thick, black hair, taking in the sweet baby scent that she still carried even if she were no longer a baby.

"You have no idea how many times I've wished I could just hold you." Selena murmured. "I'm sorry I had to leave you behind, little one. I hope that you know how much you are missed and loved by all of us."

"I'm happy, Ma." Krestina murmured as she hugged her mother tightly. "Grandpa takes good care of me. He makes sure that I know what is going on with my family. I know Ruben mated with Telma. I know Luna has her own mate waiting for the right time. I'm still a part of your life...you just can't see me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Tamblin let them have their long moment before he laid a hand on Selena's back and murmured, "They're waitin' for ya, love. They're all worried. Yer mate an' yer Da most of all." Of course he meant Kreston and Ghell. It was the first time he'd ever consented to calling Ghell her father. Tamblin might've been her blood father, but he knew Ghell was the man who'd raised her, taught her, and helped her find her way to freedom as a young adult.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're my Da." Selena said softly, looking at Tamblin as he told her that they were waiting for her. "He is my uvore. No one else will ever be my Da."

She meant those words. No one in her life would ever take Tamblin's spot. Even if she loved Ghell and Vincenzo with her life, there was no one that would take Tamblin's spot.

"Take good care of this little girl for me." Selena said as she glanced down at Krestina as she knew she had to return. "She means everything to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

Tamblin finally gave her a small half-smile. "She'll be alright, lass. I promise." With that, Selena was woken to a dark room, rain pattering on the roof. Vincenzo was sitting in a chair to the side while it looked like Valentina and Theo had fallen asleep in a corner. Selena's back rested against her mate's chest, laying behind her absently stroking her hair in a weak hope that it would help to soothe her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena didn't move when her eyes opened and she looked around the dark room. She saw Vincenzo beside her, Val dozing against Theo's shoulder, and Kreston's dark fur coming into her view every so often as he stroked her hair. Her head was a dull ache, no longer pounding and fierce.

"Kres?" She asked in a small voice, slowly turning her head to look at her mate.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston paused, not sure if he'd actually heard Selena's voice or imagined it. He lifted his head and felt his heart leap for joy when he saw her eyes open and clear. "Evening, love," he whispered, lifting a hand to her cheek. "You've been gone for a long time..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"How long?" She asked him as he looked at her with such concern and tenderness. "My head doesn't hurt so much anymore. Just a dull ache."

She was working up the courage to tell him what she had seen and just who she had met. He would believe that she had talked to Krestina, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell him about her just yet.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Three days," Kreston murmured, caressing her cheek. "Jan's been holding us all together... making sure we remembered to eat and sleep. Your family came to see you too yesterday. Durban and Brogan are still here. So are the kids and Kitty, Taqu'un, and my parents."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They didn't all have to stay." Selena said, already starting to deflect just how serious the situation had been. "I don't think I was in danger of slipping away entirely."

She continued to watch Kreston closely, his hand caressing her cheek gently. "I met Krestina. She's a beautiful girl. She looks just like me when I was younger with your dark, ebony locks. I wish that you could have met her too."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston didn't comment just yet on how truly serious the state of Selena's health had been. It wasn't the time to argue. Instead, he sat up as she spoke of Krestina, listening closely. "She would've been... twenty-six this year, wouldn't she? And that heather you brought with us has spread all around the house now."