Erina was freaking out. There was no other way to describe it. She'd gotten a message from Hal that he was okay, and that he would soon come home.

But that didn't comfort her at all. Her little man was in the clutches of his villainous father. Because he'd wanted to save Erina.

He always saved her. It made her heart both swell and ache. She loved him so, she was so impressed by him, but she also felt guilty. Her poor Hal had been through enough because of her.

She kept pacing, eating ice cream to calm herself a little during, but it wasn't really working. The more she thought about her beloved hurting, the more she hurt herself.

Her heart seized when she heard the door open, and Erina immediate ran, practically jumping down the stairs, only to tackle Halian in a hug.

"Hal!" she yelled, crying. He was alive, he was here. "Oh Hal."

"My love," he said, hugging Erina back. Hugging her back with both hand arms, his prosthetic fingers moving smoothly and naturally, no stiffness or spasms to be found.

"Oh, Hal, you're okay!" Erina leaned away enough to pepper kisses all over his face. "Your hand...."

"My father gave me a new battery," Halian said, smiling at her, happy tears in his eyes as he kissed her forehead. "He...he explained everything. I'm so happy you're okay."

Erina paused, frowning, though she kept hugging him. She was not letting go of her little man in a good while. "Explained what?"

"He loves me. He never wanted to send me away. He simply knew that if there was any connection to him and myself, I would never be able to get into engineering school," Halian said. "He realized I would never want to be a member of his gang. So he cut ties to let me find my own way."

Erina gawked at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What? Seriously? But...why not just tell you that then?"

Halian sighed. "He said that I wouldn't feel like I earned my way in if I was still connected to him." He shook his head. "I likely wouldn't have. Even now I am questioning if he didn't pay off someone to help me get in."

Erina hugged Hal again, so very tightly. Her poor little man always got so down about his own self-worth. "That's nonsense."

Halian smiled and nodded, hugging back. "Yes. But I understand the logic behind my father's actions."

Erina nodded, even though that didn't mean she agree that what Enreth had done was a good idea. "I'm just so happy you're okay."

"I am, I am," Halian said, nodding, smiling at her. "Everything is fine." His gaze then grew soft and worried. "I am so relieved you are unharmed. I was so worried about you."

Erina smiled, chuckling a little, her heart fluttering as she petted his head. "Thanks to my hero here, I was just fine. As is my mother. But I was so worried you were getting hurt instead."

Halian shook his head. "No, no, nothing happened to me. I helped my father with something, and he helped me."

Erina frowned, still finding this all hard to believe. "Are you sure it's not a trick?"

"I believe him," Halian said with a firm nod. "I found no lie in anything he said. And he let me go. It would be a strange trick given that he know where we live."

Erina nodded begrudgingly. She just couldn't trust Enreth no matter what. He was a criminal. And he had hurt Halian so.

"Okay. All right." Erina kissed him, hugging him again. "If you're sure it's okay, it's okay. I'm just so happy you're back."

Halian nuzzled his nose in her hair, melting against her. And so did Erina, holding her love so very tight. He was okay, he was home, and if they were ever to be separated like this again Erina would snap.

She pulled Hal along up to their bed. "We are now going to snuggle for a week."

Halian chuckled, nodding. Then he grimaced when they reached the bedroom. "I did take out some toys. I hope that's okay, ma'am."

Erina blinked at him, then puppy eyed. "Oh, pet, of course it is. You went all heroic and fought criminals to save me. Of course I'm not mad you didn't do that with a plug in you."

Halian blushed and smiled awkwardly, clearly embarrassed. "Okay. I just...well, I wasn't allowed. So...."

Erina cradled the man, so, so fond of him. "You're a good boy as always. The best boy."

Halian nuzzled in. "Thank you, ma'am. I love you."

Erina kissed his forehead. "I love you too." She stroked his hair as she pulled him down to nap. "My darling, little man."