It was supposed to be a simple delivery. In fact, it was one of the easiest jobs that Xeik had had in months, yet the goddess Angela insisted that the Divine Mender bring along help. Sure, it was an entire chest full of medicine, but Xeik could have easily handled it. But, apparently this was in order to get Lewis and Simone out and about, and away from their new babies. After all, they were far too doting on the boys. There had to be a time of separation at some point, and Angela figured the parents would struggle more than the babies.

Angela wasn’t entirely wrong, either. Simone seemed almost depressed as she sulked behind Lewis. The ex-assassin had the chest in his arms, hefting it behind Xeik.

“Are you really going to make me carry this the entire way?” Lewis asked.

“If you get too tired, I’ll just take over for you,” Xeik responded. He wasn’t entirely heartless when it came to Lewis’ plight. He figured some hard work might take his mind off of Remy and Damond.

“Look, we just want to hurry up and finish this so we can-”

“Get back to your boys, yes I know,” Xeik replied. “You’ve said it four times already, Lewis. I get it. You’re worried about them. But this is good. For them and for you. They need to learn how to be separate from you, or they might develop separation anxiety.”

Simone huffed, “Well if they have it now, it’s because of you.”

Xeik rolled his eyes. “Just stop complaining…”

Lewis sighed, “You’re right, though. The boys don’t even like cuddling as much as they used to. They’re growing up so fast. I can’t believe it. We’ll have to try for more soon…”

Xeik stopped in the middle of the street, and Lewis almost slammed into him. “What the hell, Xeik. Give me a warni-”

Xeik spun around, and glared at Lewis. “You literally JUST had the twins. Both of you need to calm down with this children thing. At least wait a few years or something.”

“It’s not like we try to find them,” Lewis responded and dropped the chest for a moment, letting his arms rest. “Xeik, the world just works in mysterious ways.”

“Mysterious ways my ass,” the Divine Mender responded gruffly.

“It’s not like we actively go looking,” Lewis snapped back. “It just happens.”

Xeik glared at Lewis, throwing his hands up. “I swear you two could dive in the nearest dumpster and find one with the stupid luck you have!”

Simone got bored halfway through and watched a cloaked figure run through the alleyway. “I’ll be back…” She reassured Lewis who trusted his wife to handle just about anything. She tracked him all the way through the city until she watched him throw a sack into the nearest trashcan. After the man left Simone investigated it. Her eyes got large as the resonance had cut off just before so she could leave Lewis to his little fight with Xeik.

“Lewis! Xeik!” She yelled as she tore through the alleyways. “Xeik you have to help her!”

“Help who?” Xeik stopped to look at the frantic Simone.

“She got thrown in a trashcan… She’s having a spasm I think…” It was a little elf. A newborn from the looks of it. “It was a good thing I followed that man… She’s not going to make it unless you treat her though.” She was so tiny… Even smaller than the boys had been. Was she premature?

“It’s probably drugs… I heard the usage is on the rise in the smaller communities.” She handed the little girl off to Xeik and Lewis had this look on his face.

“What?” Simone looked between them.

It didn’t take long for Lewis to tell Simone about the argument that Xeik and Lewis were just having, but it seemed as though Xeik had dropped the issue entirely for the time being in order to save a life. It was quite impressive on how he was so quickly prepared to handle any situation like this as he started to check the baby girl’s vitals.

“She’s very small, and it looks as though…” He pulled out a kit and pricked her finger, and without hesitating tasted the blood. “Definitely drugs, probably a cocktail. Not sure what, but based on the area…” He thought carefully, and put his hand over her head, sending a small healing pulse through her body. The baby girl seemed to stop spasming, and she seemed to settle down.

“There isn’t anything else I can do here,” he said as he picked her up. “Lewis, there’s a clinic that I helped at down the road from here. Meet me and Simone there after dropping off the medical supplies.”

“FIne, fine,” Lewis responded as he picked up the chest again and started off. He knew that Simone would keep him informed.

Xeik led Simone to the small clinic, and within moments had the mystery baby on a table, wrapped up. She was very cold, but she was still alive.

“I’ve done what I can for now,” the Divine Mender said with a sigh. “All we can do is wait to see if she pulls through.”

Simone stood there with a sly little smile on her face as she thought about the small girl. They did in fact find a baby in a dumpster.

“Angela told me that drug users can sometimes give birth early… Do you think that’s what happened?” Simone was concerned and she asked all the necessary questions. She was used to this after all… She saved children all the time even if she and Lewis didn’t keep them. Most of the time they didn’t have to.

The acting doctor began to ask questions. “Whose child is she?”


“I found her and if we can’t find her parents… My husband and I are willing to take responsibility for her.” Simone answered as she was handed some paperwork.

“I doubt her parents will come looking. We see this a lot but most of the time the children are dead… I would just fill it out for you and your husband.”

“Alright…” Simone frowned a bit but she immediately sat down to get to work.

“What’s the child’s name if she has one?”

“My husband and I decided on Teagan,” Simone answered after a few short minutes. “Last name Terrowin.” She began to spell everything out. The doctor thought Xeik was her husband but soon Lewis joined her and Lewis was looming near where Teagan was.

“Sorry, Xeik… I couldn’t leave her there… Not when I saw her suffering like that.” Simone frowned a bit knowing he didn’t like them having so many children. “She’s just so small.”

Lewis did not run into any issues as he dropped off the medical supplies, and within half an hour he was back with Xeik and Simone, hovering over his wife and waiting for his part in the paperwork. Once it was all finished, the attending doctor took it, looking ot over.

“Mr. and Mrs. Terrowin, congratulations. You are now the official parents of Teagan. If she makes it,” he said somberly as he went to file the paperwork.

The ex-assassin gave a dark look in the doctor’s direction as he left, and Simone giggled. “I know he’s just being realistic, but…”

Xeik shook his head, “He see’s it all the time. It’s not his lack of skill, but his lack of time. There’s too much suffering and not enough help to go around. It was pure luck on Simone’s part.” He sighed. “I really need to keep my mouth shut about you and finding kids. It’s getting absurd….”

“You’re just mad because it happened,” Lewis shot back.

“Anyway, Teagan should be fine. I can see her life energy, and it’s stable. It’s only a matter of time before she wakes up. Congratulations, you two…”

“I’m going to hope for the best… We haven’t had to bury any children yet… and I don’t want to start…” Simone frowned and Lewis came over to comfort her. It was a painful thought for her… Especially to see such a young child like Teagan.

Mone gave Xeik a smile before Lewis put his arm around her. “We’ll just have to wait by her side… I suppose we should send a message to Henry to prepare a nursery… We haven’t had a little girl since Lila…”

The doctor came with his fees and Simone happily paid him for his help and then some. They got Teagan her own little room in the small place. Where they didn’t have to have the dying others around them. Lewis made his way back from the castle and put a shawl around her.

“Thank you dear…” She snuggled into the shawl and waited for more. It was a full three days of them taking turns until Teagan was stable and awake. It was early in the morning when Lewis came with the boys in tow. They were fussing up a storm as he held them on his hips. They were old enough now that they were wide-eyed and looking around while being able to sit up.

“Hello my beautiful boys,” Simone kissed them. “Look who’s awake finally…” She pulled the blanket from her and Teagan wide awake looking up. “She just started being responsive. The doctor said she can go home tomorrow.”

Remy and Damond had been quite the good boys, and seemed to understand that there was something new and exciting happening. Their excitement was easily translated into impatient fussiness as they adventured into the doctor’s office to get introduced to their new baby sister.

Teagan was wide eyed as she looked around the room. It was probably the first time that she had ever seen anything and explored the depth of the world, and it was very likely overwhelming to her.

Lewis smiled, “Well hello there, Teagan.” His voice was smooth and calm, and Teagan seemed to focus on that. She smiled, enjoying the sound and making cute baby noises towards it.

“Oh, is this our new sister?” a voice said as Janus appeared from behind Lewis. Lila appeared on the other side, staring tentatively at Teagan.

“She’s so tiny. Smaller than Glyn,” Lila said with awe. “So very tiny.”

“She’s going to need a lot of help over the next few months. Teagan is her name, and she gets to come home tomorrow,” Simone replied as she took Remy and cradled her baby boy. “It’s up to all of us to see her grow up safe and strong.”

“I’ll protect her, just like I protect Glyn,” Janus said confidently. “No one will hurt her.”