Mirror Lake 2 The Journey to Save the Magic

Ethan and I didn’t wait around for the party, we split as soon as we could. I ended up driving to give Ethan a break. I know he was sore from our first few hours. This leg of our drive only took about three and a half hours.

I gave Ethan the job as navigator, and it looks like we’ll be staying in Washington for another day. There is a small island called Orcas, but we have to catch a ferry to make it there.

It’s ironic if you think about it, two fairies have to catch a ferry across the Sound. But we are staying in Anacortes for the night. We'll be at the dock about six in the morning.

We went to an old hotel in town. It’s decent enough for the night. The place has clean sheets and towels, and a breakfast buffet that's open right when we need to leave. I’m not complaining as long as we can get the rest we need before heading off to our next destination.

In the meantime, I have a call to make!

I pull out my phone and she picks up before the end of the first ring.

“Nate! I missed you! I have been going crazy over here without you! And you know I love Becks to death, but I can’t snuggle up to her when I need to hold someone!” she rambled.

I chuckled. I love hearing her talk. It’s like she has no filter when she speaks, just projects whatever is on her mind and that makes me so happy! It means she trusts me with her innermost thoughts and feelings.

“I’m sorry I’m not there to hold you, my butterfly. How are you feeling, by the way? Did you go to the doctor like Ethan ordered?” I chuckled a little to lighten the mood, even if this isn’t something I would joke about. My poor girl is sick and I’m not there to take care of her.

“Umm… well, yes I did go to the doctor…” she hesitated.

That didn’t sound good. My heart rate picked up a bit. Was it worse than we thought?

“And?” I demanded.

“Well, are you sitting down?” she squeaks.

Now I’m having a full blown panic attack.

Ethan noticed my state and came over and sat next to me on the bed.

“What's wrong? Is Lissa okay?” he questioned.

“Mel, I’m gonna put you on speaker, okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure…” she replied.

I put my phone on speaker and placed it between us.

“Okay, baby, what’s wrong?” I ask the question that has been bothering me for a few days now.

“Well, okay. Hey, Twix, make sure my man doesn’t pass out, will ya?” she called out to Ethan.

I’m gonna pass out if she doesn’t just tell me what is going on right now!

“Melissa! Tell me what is going on!” I panted out.

“Okay, okay… Now how do I do this without everyone freaking out? Umm… Okay, I got it… So, uh, Nate… Man this is harder than I thought it would be. Okay I’m just gonna come out and say it! Guys, I’m pregnant!” she announced.

Silence.

I think the world just spun off its axis.

My mind is completely blank.

“Hey, sis, I think we lost him over here!” Ethan chuckled.

“I was afraid of that! How do you think I felt when Becks and I were at the doctor's office and she looked at me like I was a lunatic and asked how I got myself knocked up? Man, Dr. Levett is a snob! I am definitely looking for a different doctor now, one who is nice!” Melissa grumbles, while my mind is still trying to process what she was just saying.

“Is Becky okay with all this?” Ethan asked

Not sure what’s going on between the two, in fact I'm not really sure what’s going on with anything. My world just exploded.

I have always wanted to be a father, but I always thought I’d be with my wife when we found out and not miles and miles away from her! We were supposed to be together for that special news that we were going to be parents and raise a family together.

What if she thinks I abandoned her and the baby? What if she thinks I don’t love her anymore? I couldn’t handle that!

What am I supposed to do? What if I’m not good enough for them? What if Melissa leaves me for someone better? Someone who can be with her while I’m not?

Suddenly my body started shaking and my respiration picked up. Sweat appeared on my brow and a knot formed in my belly. I think I’m gonna be sick!

I needed to be with her! I needed to get home… I can’t stay here.She needs me.

She has no idea about what fairies go through when they are pregnant, or how long it takes, or the fact that the farther apart we are the more it will impact her body!

“Hey, Lissa, I think your man is having a panic attack! What should I do?” Ethan cut through my spiraling thoughts and brought me back to reality.

“Nate, baby, talk to me. Are you mad at me?” Melissa’s sweet yet unsure voice soothes my panic.

The last thing I want her to think is that I am mad at her! I could never be mad at her!

“No, love! I’m not mad! I’m just overwhelmed. I want to come home to you and take care of you,” I tried to reassure her.

“Are you sure?” she murmured.

“YES!” I shouted a little too loud.

I cleared my throat, embarrassed by my panic. “Butterfly, I need to be with you through this pregnancy. It will hurt you the longer we are apart. It’s part of the magic!” I tried to explain.

“Well, then you just need to hurry up!” she snarked.

I chuckled.

“Sweetheart, we will finish this as fast as we can, I swear it! But also, fairy pregnancies are not like human ones. They only last about 3 months. You will need me around so my magic can help you with the accelerated pregnancy and to soothe your aches. For the next few days without me all your magic is going to go straight to the baby and until I’m there to help replenish yours, you will more or less be exhausted and weak,” I tried to explain the best I could.

“Huh… Well, that does sound like it will suck, but I am the fairy queen now, and I have responsibilities to all those who are still stuck in those crappy bubble things. It’s a good think Jack is no longer alive because I swear I’d kill him for all this!” Melissa complained.

Just hearing her taking her responsibilities seriously filled me with pride. She will be a wonderful ruler.

But aside from being my Queen, she is also my mate and there is no way I won’t worry about her. I can’t stand it if she gets weaker because I’m not there to help her.

“Hey, Lissa, I’m gonna call Josh and Jeff. Now that I’m gonna be an uncle, we need a few “royal guards” to protect the heir,” Ethan joked.

“WHAT!?!” shrieked Mel.

“Hey, we need to make sure you are safe, along with Becky and the baby! We are dealing with a lot of angry people!” Ethan insisted.

“I don’t need your buddies to watch out for me! I’ve been looking out for myself forever! Well, except for when you protect me! But I have magic, shouldn’t I be able to take care of myself?” She complained.

“Not if what Nate says is true. You will not have enough magic to protect you when they baby is basically a cute little parasite stealing all your energy,’’ he laughed. “You need someone else to watch over you and my new nephew or niece… or hey! Maybe it’s both!”

While I agreed with him wholeheartedly. However, I didn’t want someone else watching my mate! That was my job! I am the one who is supposed to protect my family… Besides, what if she liked one of them better than me? It sounds like she knows them, if they were Ethan’s friends.

I don’t want anybody near her but me! I should be the one watching over her and my child. I should be the only one who can look at those beautiful green eyes. I should be the only one to hold her hand; and I most definitely will be the only one to kiss those lips! They were mine and no one else should be around her.

Ethan must have guessed where my mind is going because he suddenly bursts out laughing.

I grumbled at him.

“Dude! Don’t forget whose child she is having! It’s all you, man! She wouldn’t want those guys anyway. Plus, they both have long time girlfriends!” He reassured me.

I sighed in relief.

Ethan really did know just what to say to make me feel better. He is very talented at that. He’s done it to not only me, but Melissa and Beckey as well.

Everything he just told me was true. She was having MY baby, not those two losers! She would not want someone else. Plus the hormones going through her body would only draw her to me! She was mine! I could relax even more when Ethan mentioned they both had girlfriends!

I don't think Ethan would hang out with friends who would likely cheat on them. He is too honest for that.

Reluctantly I nodded my head, knowing my woman and child needed to be protected. And if I was going to finish this quest, I most definitely would feel better if someone was there for her. Becky was a sweet girl, but I don’t think she would be able to handle it if someone came to hurt my mate.

“Kay, so Lissa, you know I love you and all, so I am totally going to veto your decision and call my buddies and have them guard you! I don’t think Nate would be able to focus on anything else if you were not safe!” He explained his reasons.

And he was completely right! I would not be able to focus on our mission if I wasn’t sure she was safe!

But even though she was protected and safe, I would still worry about her. I will still try to finish our mission as fast as possible, so I can be with her.

I heard a lot of grumbling coming from my mate, but she eventually gave her consent on the stipulation that her “babysitters' ' don't stop her from doing whatever it is she felt was needed.

I guess we had to agree to that… At least for the moment.

Ethan talked to Becky for a moment and then handed the phone over to me so I could talk to Melissa in private.

“I love you,” were the first words out of my mouth. “I’m so happy we are starting a family. I just wish I was there with you when you found out.”

“I love you, too,” choked Mel.

My sweet girl was going to have a lot of issues with mood swings and I really wish I could hold her.

“And I can’t wait for you to come home to me and our baby,” she sobbed.

Man, my heart cracked! I don’t know how much of this I will be able to take.

“Place your hand on your belly,” I whispered to her.

She didn’t even hesitate and just answered “Okay.”

I sent a wave of love through our bond. Even at this distance she will be able to feel it.

She gasped.

“How…” she choked out.

“I will always be with you my love. And you, my little one, even though I have yet to be near you, I will always love and protect you,” I promised.

“I miss you so much!” she sobbed.

“I know, my butterfly. But I will return to you soon! I promise! Now, you need to get some rest. I will be dreaming of you,” I said.

“Night, Nate!” she whispered and hung up the phone.

I looked over at Ethan. He was on his phone chatting away, I’m assuming with his friends to set up some kind of security team for his sister and girlfriend.

I would let him handle it as I laid down and closed my eyes.

And just as I said I would, my dreams were filled with my mate.