Avi wasn’t sure how to deal with the strange turn of events. Oryn had returned for him, eyes a swirling pinwheel of colors. She seemed sad and distressed, but also quite rushed.

He really wanted answers but the only thing he’d gotten so far was very strict orders to stay silent and not let go of her hand.  He’d barely had time to comprehend her words before they were dashing through the forest again to some unknown destination. Thankfully it was just back to Oryn’s home in the trees which wasn’t too far.

The fae was quiet and avoided looking at him as she paced back and forth, little pudgey Lia trailing behind her and getting quite agitated at the repetitive path.

Once he finally managed to catch his breath he dared to ask again. “So, are you going to tell me what’s happening now?”

She stopped and looked at him with an expression he couldn’t quite decipher.

“I am sorry, Avriel.”

“For? Is Scott ok? Did something happen? I mean, obviously something happened... “

“Scott is safe. He is at home in your world.”

“But….?”

“He was seen and it was reported to the King. The veil has been closed.”

He just stood there, letting her words sink in. “Closed… as in… for now, but it can be opened again?”

She shook her head, avoiding his eyes. “It is gone, but there are other things you must know.” She took his hand and led him to sit on her bed which was strangely vacant of baby dragons. 

He listened intently, heart beating out a nervous rhythm.

As she recapped the events between father and son, Avi wondered just what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

---------

Scott began to sing softly to himself as he waited. 10am had come and gone about 3 minutes prior … and already the nerves were setting in.  

Mitch was never late, always slightly early or precisely on time.

Sarah was pouting, curled into his belly and just letting out a sigh every now and then.

Where are you?

------------

Avi was the one pacing back and forth this time and it was Lily the pudgey hot on his heels and looking quite pleased to go in circles.

“So what you’re saying… is I’m stuck here in friggin’ fairy land!”

“No. I am saying that you are trapped in Illyria.”

“Ok, rewind. So the doorway that we came in through is locked.”

 “In a way, yes. Or no…   not really. More that the door disappeared.”

“Like in Monsters Inc when the door was shredded. But there are other doors that lead to other places, right?”

She couldn't quite seem to keep up with his ramblings but she tried really hard. “You are asking if there … are other veils?” 

“Yes.”

“Then yes. There are many but the locations are not always known and the journey will not be easy.”

“Oh my God, we’re going on a quest! It’s like in the movie!”

“You seem overly excited for unfortunate news.”

He stopped his pacing abruptly and the tiny pudgey following his path ran right into his leg. “Sorry, girl.” He reached down and picked her up, holding her in his arms and rubbing her head as if she were a feline.  “You don’t understand. This is literally everything I’ve ever dreamed of. It’s like I died and this is my Heaven.”  He smiled at the beautiful girl. “Do I get a sword? I really want a sword.”

A yawn distorted his last words and Oryn giggled. “You yawn like a dragon.” 

He laughed and she smiled at just the sound of it. She was growing quite fond of his laughter...  and his smile.

“You are the best at giving compliments. Seriously”

“You may sleep here if you like.”

He looked around trying to determine a good place to set up camp and wandered out into the larger main 'sitting' room. “Think the little dragons would mind if I shared their cushion?” He set Lily down on the large, soft pallet that Eve and Ea were already curled up on.

Oryn seemed confused again, but he was so used to it he expected it by this point..

“Why would you sleep there? I have a bed.”

Her innocence and his … less than innocent mind were obviously working on two different wavelengths.

“Yes, but it’s your bed. I don’t want to...  intrude.”

“It is plenty large enough for you. Mitchell’s Scott fit so you must.”

He had that urge again…  that incredible urge to push his lips to that smiling mouth. She was too beautiful, intoxicating really. He couldn’t be held responsible for the thoughts that crossed his mind, he was just a man after all.

But sleeping in her bed…  with her in it….   was just asking… no BEGGING for trouble. Could he actually find the strength to say no to her?

“Oryn, it’s different where I’m from. It’s not ...I mean…” 

She just waited patiently, watching his face as she did. Her eyebrows shifted every now and then to alter her expression, but other than that she remained quiet and let Avi struggle for words.

Finally after more stuttering and the bright coloring of his face, he let out a sigh. “I am a terrible, horrible person.”

Her brow furrowed. “I do not think so.   You are very kind. You are confusing and very odd, but not horrible at all. I think you are a very good person, Avriel.” She grinned sweetly at him.

“I’m going to hell.” He reached up to push a piece of lavender hair from her eyes and they flashed a golden brown in response.

“I have never been to hell, but that is not where we are going tomorrow.”

He laughed softly, realizing he would have to make do with the baby dragons. She was too naive, too trusting and he couldn’t seem to trust his own mind at the moment… or his hands to keep to themselves. “You should rest then. I’ll stay out here and catch some shut eye with these little babies.”

“If that is what you wish.”

He nodded. “You’re sure we’re leaving tomorrow? Do we even know where we’re going?”

Her eyes transitioned to a soft baby pink and her bright smile slid downward once again.. “That is for Mitchell to discuss with the King. I am not sure how long we will be gone or where exactly we will be going to, but we will discuss that when the sun rises again. Sleep well, Avriel.”

She walked over and pressed her lips to his cheek for a moment before giving him a rather shy smile and disappearing into the other room, little Lia trailing behind her.

He stood looking after her for quite some time before he snapped out of it.

Leave it to you to want exactly what you can’t have. She’s so far out of your league you can’t even get into the ballpark

He sighed and made his way over to the cushion. It wasn’t quite big enough, but the pudgeys didn’t seem to mind when he relocated them a bit to make room and the three little creatures snuggled in around him.

He had to laugh at the situation. This day…

After quite some time of mentally replaying the excitement of the day’s events, the last thought before he drifted off to sleep was a tiny prayer that this wasn’t all just a dream.

He finally drifted into his dream world full of baby dragons and a lavender haired beauty.

_____

Mitch was rushing about the palace gathering everything that he would need. He’d agreed not to leave until speaking again with his father, but the King needed rest before they rehashed this. He’d attempted sleep, but he knew it was useless. He’d scoured every room in the immense building and gathered every bit of information he possibly could.

He looked over one of the more comprehensive maps once again trying to determine the best place to start looking should his father refuse to tell him where another veil was located.

He managed to stay focused, to keep himself busy until his gaze fell on the pocket watch Scott had gifted him laying there on the carved table by his bed. He didn’t have to open it to know that the time to meet Scott had come and gone in his world and now his love was waiting…   waiting for a man that would not come.

He closed his eyes, tears sliding beneath his lashes. “I did not abandon you. I will find you.”

Suddenly he grabbed at his chest, the pull of magic strong and abrupt. It’s origination was obvious and it sent him to his knees.  He dropped his head into his hands as he let himself be weak just for this moment and allowed himself to fall apart while he was alone and isolated. Soon he wouldn’t have that luxury. 

“Please do not give up on me.”

He felt the tug again, knowing full well what it was and his heart ached with longing.

“I love you.” He whispered out to nothing but walls of stone.

___

Scott waited.

He waited… and waited.

15 minutes passed and he began to panic.

“Where is he.” He looked down at Sarah as if she would answer, but she looked quite depressed slumped over his lap.

No. No he wouldn’t just abandon me. Maybe he lost track of time or got held up.

He didn’t really believe any of that and the tears began to fall.

He looked down at his wrist, wrapping his fingers around the golden symbol and thinking of Mitch. He closed his eyes and let himself see his face there  in his mind.

Please don’t do this to me…     You promised.

~~~~

Scott paced back and forth, hand clamped over the 2 intertwined magical lines on his arm. He could barely see in the darkness, the clouds hiding the stars and part of the moon, but he couldn’t wait. He just needed to see his face, to feel his arms around him, to know he was okay…   

It was less than 3 minutes before he heard his name whispered from behind him.

“Scott?”

He spun around, pulling the surprised fae against him as soon as he was within arms reach. 

“What happened?”

He cradled the slim body with his own, tears of relief and leftover fear falling onto dark hair. “You died. I saw it in my dream. It was so real… and you were so scared. I tried to save you, but… I couldn’t get to you.” There was a tremor in his voice, emotions getting the best of him, but the dream had shaken him so much he’d hopped out of bed without even putting on his shoes.

“I am right here, perfectly fine. Look at me.”

It took a few moments for him to even let up on the tight hold he had around Mitch, but he did and looked into those beautiful golden eyes. “I thought I’d lost you. I’m sorry for calling you like that… I was just … being stupid, I guess. Thank you for coming though.”

The angled face softened as he leaned up to meet their lips in a slow kiss. “You’re far from stupid…” He reached down and slid his hand into a much bigger one, fingers threading between one another. Their eyes met again and he gave a reassuring smile. “And no matter what…  I’ll always come when you need me…  I promise.”

~~~~~~~

15 minutes turned into 20 and soon after that an hour had passed.  Still he refused to move. He refused to believe that Mitch would do this. He had to hold on to something, even the tiniest glimmer of hope.

2…    3…

He got a squeak of protest as he pulled Sarah into his chest, squeezing her close, but she realized his sadness and snuggled in, allowing him to cry against the top of her head. She began a soft whine as she cried with him, already knowing the strong magic that had once been there was now gone.

4… 5…

He began to pace, still not accepting that Mitch wasn’t coming.  He kept trying periodically to summon him with the symbol, but all he got was a look of pity from the baby dragon watching his every move from her place among the flowers.

Something has to be wrong. Avi would be back by now.

He tried to remember exactly where the patch of air Oryn had pulled him through had been, but you had to be staring just right to even see it. He tried every angle, every method he could think of. He walked back and forth, thinking of Illyria, of Mitch. He tried holding Sarah, hoping her magic would help, but nothing he did made any difference and he was still exactly where he had been.

By the time 5pm rolled around his phone was dead and he was out of tears. The flicker of hope was dimming, but the cloud of worry grew and grew..

He finally hid Sarah beneath his sweater, which she was much happier about than the bag, and quickly made his way back to his car. He would come back tomorrow and figure out what to do if Avi wasn’t back. He had to keep believing that Mitch would choose him. He had to or he would fall apart.

The ride back home was a somber one and the little golden pudgey lay curled in a sad ball in the passenger seat just staring at the only thing she had left.

____
A/N

So for those of you who didn't know my wattpad is broken ... (keeps making me verify my email every few hours) so no it's not fixed I just decided to verify it for the 1000th time but it will be broken again in an hour or so :/   I won't get too excited.  

Sorry for all of the silence and delays this wattpad thing is really not fun :(