Kate's pov:
- It's okay, baby, it's okay. You're here with me and daddy now. The big, scary man won't get to you unless he goes through us, okay?

My little boy is still shaking in fear from being with Blake's father. Apparently, Blake's father didn't do anything to Damian, but seeing him for real instead of his dreams sure has made an impact on him. He's refusing to let me go. He's holding on to my shirt for dear life while his breath is still cramping. A part of me wants him to let me go for a little moment just so I can talk to Ivy, but on the other hand Damian really needs me and so I am going to be here for him. After all, I'm sure Ivy isn't on her own. She's probably with Blake's mother whom I have no idea how I'm going to deal with when the time for that comes.

- C-Can I just share the bed with you tonight? I don't want to sleep alone...

I hold my arms slightly tighter around him. He's resting his head on my chest and I plant a soft kiss on his forehead. The fear that he's experiencing is something that I'm sure won't go away in the next couple of days. He might very well remember this for rest of his life as the first time when his nightmares actually came true.

- You know, even if you wanted to sleep alone, I wouldn't let you. There's no way I'm leaving you out of my sight for the next couple of days...

I let out slightly comforting before I hear the door open and I see Blake enter the room with a tray in his hands. I can smell the scent of some nice, warm tea. I just know that's what Damian needs to calm down and get some rest. He's been through so much over the past couple of hours and I don't want him to stay awake and not be able to sleep. He needs his rest.

- Hey there, champ...

Blake lets out as he sits down on the bed next to me. Damian removes himself slightly from my grip and seeks Blake's comfort. Blake holds him closely to his chest as I sit myself slightly closer to the two of them. Blake eventually extends his arm around me and pulls me closely. I manage to place a hand softly on Damian's cheek as he still tries to let the comforting calm him down.

- Hey, I brought you something that'll help you calm down. It's a little bit of tea...it's not too hot so you can actually try to take a sip or two...

Blake mentions as he stretches over towards the tray and grabs one of the cups. Damian sits slightly up so he can hold the cup for himself and have a sip...or two, before he hands it back to Blake and settles down on top of his chest. I immediately see that he's more relaxed and turning slightly more and more sleepy. After a while he's completely asleep and I sense Blake's attention turn towards me.

- Now, over to you...how are you holding up?

I want to tell him that I'm doing just fine. In fact, I would love to tell Blake that I'm happy because he managed to bring back our family and everything, but there's something that keeps bugging at the back of my mind. I even look at Blake and I can tell that he knows.

- Mostly I'm fine...I mean, I worried to death for a second there when you didn't respond to my calls through the link, but I hung on to the faint hope that everything was going to be fine. What a relief it was when I saw you by the tree line with the kids. It's unlike anything I can ever try to describe...

I leave the sentence hanging a little bit. He nods weakly because he knows what would've come next if I in fact had it in me to talk about it.

- Mostly fine...I'm guessing that has something to do with my mother coming with us as well...

I sigh deeply to myself for a moment.

- Why did you bring her with you? I mean, I know she's your mother, she's family, but...I just...

He plants as a soft kiss on my forehead before he answers.

- Ivy...

I lets out in a deep breath.

- When I got there and I was going to take them with me, Ivy refused to leave without her. I did not take my mother with us because she was my mother or because I have some sort of hope that we will one day be mother and son. I only brought her with us because of my daughter. She seems very connected to her and I was not going to let my past with my mother get in the way of that...

I nod weakly to myself. Most people would save either of their parents from someone like Blake's father, but Blake was in a tricky situation given the fact that he can't trust either of his parents. It still doesn't give me a single clue as to how I'm going to deal with it. How do I handle her presence? How do I look at her, a mother who had one job for her kids and that was to protect them, and not want to scream at her or give her a beating? How do I even...I don't know. I honestly don't know.

- I guess it's fair to Ivy...

I let out eventually.

- It is and that is my priority too. I can't just think about myself. No matter how much I want to do it sometimes, I just can't.

He answers. I snuggle closer to his neck as I look down on our little boy, at ease and asleep. There's nothing in the world that I love more than watching him sleep like that. It's almost like when he sleeps, he's free from all evil...

Blake's pov:
There's this moment of silence filling the room. I keep trying to divert my mind away from what I'm about to do, but this silence makes it nearly impossible. My heart is in a terrible conflict about what I'm doing, but my mind is set on it. I look down for a little moment and I see my son fast asleep on my chest. There's nothing more relieving than to be able to give him a break from what he's just been through.

- Speaking of that, did you make some of that tea for me too? I'm a little unnerved by your mother's presence and I could really use some relief...

Kate then asks. I manage to give away a smile before I hand her the other cup and she takes a rather big sip from it.

- ...or else, I'm gonna pay your mother a visit and say some things in front of your daughter. Also, I don't really want to talk to her right now...

She goes on. My hands moves slowly up and down on Damian's back as I chuckle weakly to myself.

- You know, I'd imagine that to be a very interesting encounter, but I do hope you manage to resolve things with her. I mean...I know I'm angry with her and I'll have a hard time doing that myself, but I hope that I will get through it one day. She's Damian's grandmother. He deserves to know her, like he knows your mother...

I answer, looking down on him.

- ...the thing is, my mother was actually my mother without cowering in the corner or keeping things from me...

She leaves the sentence hanging for a moment, as she seems to think about something particular to the last statement.

- What is it?

I ask.

- I'm just...it's what your father said about who my true father really was - the man that raised me or Gray. I have sometimes wondered about that because as Damian grew up, I saw more of Gray than my actual father. He didn't really get inside my head with it. I already had those thoughts. My mother would know...everybody has secrets it seems.

That last part hits me slightly harder than I thought it would, but I manage to shake it off as I look down on her. I really do hope she figures it all out and that it doesn't drive a wedge between her and her mother. She's going to need all the support she can get...I even worry that the people she does have won't be enough.

Her head is turning heavier and heavier as she leans her head roughly on my shoulder after a while.

- Did you put something in that tea? I'm getting really sleepy from this...

I smile weakly at her.

- Just an immense portion of love...

I let out as she manages to lean up against me and we share a deep, passionate kiss on the lips before she leans her head back down on my shoulder as we hear movement just outside the door.

- What's going on out there?

She asks.

- I'm sure it's nothing...

I answer as I leave a soft kiss on her forehead as she's slowly drifting off to sleep. I sit there for quite a while and just look at her. It's almost like I can't will myself to move because I don't want to. I just want to sit here and watch her sleep. The fact that I am going to leave just makes this even more emotional than I imagined possible. I don't want to leave her or the kids behind.

I slowly get out of the bed, making sure that Kate's head lands softly on one of the pillows before I place Damian carefully down on the bed right next to her. I grab my coat but I hesitate. I turn my head towards them and I find myself sitting down and watch them rather than walking out the door. They are both sleeping so peacefully that it's hard for me to imagine that I'll be leaving them...possibly for good.

I look down on the coat that I'm holding in my hand. It used to belong to Gray. It doesn't matter if he was or wasn't Kate's real father, it would only be right if I left it here with her. Wherever it is that I'm going from here on, it most likely won't return. After a moment of considering things back and forth, I lay down the coat so that it covers both Damian and Kate. I then plant a soft kiss on Damian's forehead before I just keep my hand on his head.

- I'm gonna need you to be good to your mom, Damian. She's the most amazing woman and she's always going love you and be there for you. You need to be there for her as well. She's going to need you more than anyone.

I let out quietly before walk around the bed and sit down next to Kate. I could look at her, be with her and hold her in my arms for an eternity and that still wouldn't be long enough. I bend down gently and plant a kiss on her mark before I rest my lips gently on top of her temple. I bury my forehead slightly against her neck.

- Oh, my love...you must know that I never wanted this for us. I never wanted to come to this decision at any point of our lives, but this is the only way. I am doing this so that you can all live. This me keeping you all safe...out of love...

I almost choke on my words because I notice that the clock is ticking and I have to be going, but I don't want to. I bend down closer to ear after a short break.

- ...you will always be my greatest love, my only love. There are no words in the history of the world that can clearly express just how much I love you. Right now, I need you to be strong for me, for our children. I know you don't think you are, but I have seen you be stronger than anyone I've ever known...

I stop for a moment, sitting up as I look at her and try to create a mental picture of her. I'm going to need her as a source of strength for no matter how long my last days last. I take a deep breath before I plant a soft kiss on her cheek.

- Goodbye...my love.

- Dad?

Just as I've closed the door to the bedroom, my heart skips a beat as I hear her voice. I turn my head to see Ivy stand in the middle of the hallway in only her pajamas.

- Hey, why aren't you sleeping?

I ask as I walk over to her.

- I had a bad feeling about something...

She starts.

- ...you're going back to him...aren't you?

I can see the tears the question forms in her eyes. I sigh deeply to myself as I lower myself to her height and gently try to wipe those tears from her cheeks.

- I'm doing what is necessary for you guys to be safe. You will still have Kate, Damian..., and your grandmother. You will not be alone...

- ...but I'd be without you...

She interrupts. She looks down for a moment.

- I've been without you long enough already...

I sigh deeply to myself as I catch Robbie in the distance.

- I know...I know, but I have to do this for all of you, so that you can all be safe, you hear me? Hopefully, we'll see each other again...

That's about what I can manage to say before she hugs me tightly.

- You can beat him...I know you can...

She barely manages to say in my ear.

- I sure will try, I promise. Now, get back to sleep. From tomorrow I'm gonna need you to be strong and supportive for Kate, Damian...and for me, okay?

She barely manages to nod before she walks back to her room, looking back at me several times.

- Blake, are you sure about this? Kate is not going to be happy when she finds out...

He mentions.

- That won't happen until you're already there, Robbie. I've made sure that she and Damian will sleep through the entire trip.

I sigh deeply before I walk past him and get to the door.

- Hey, Blake...

I turn around.

- I hope you make it back. If not, know that I will...that we will do the best we can to support all of them. Don't worry about them, alright?

He says. I nod weakly in relief.

- Thank you...