“I don’t want you to go.” Scott held onto his hand, just hoping to keep him for as long as possible.

“Scott…” Mitch’s eyes were still golden, but silver flecks danced there along the outer rim.

“Come back home with me.”

Mitch really didn’t want to leave him. The last few hours had been both perfect and heartbreaking. There were so many things going on in his head, so many decisions to to be made, but Scott was a master at distracting him…  first at the studio… then in the shower as they cleaned the paint from their skin… and then in the sinfully comfortable bed that Scott had held him so close in..  He really wanted to go back with him. He wanted to hear the sweet words of endearment Scott whispered into his ear again, to feel his heart beat against him, to feel safe and warm in those arms, but he knew he couldn’t….   shouldn’t. He needed time to think. He needed to sort out this unexpected turn of events and he couldn’t do that with Scott so close.

“I am sorry. You know I cannot.”

Scott released a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I just got you back. I’ve spent years with this… hole in my heart and I finally get you back …” His eyes stared into Mitch’s as he tried to be ok with the situation, to trust Mitch and his needs,  but he just couldn’t find it within himself to let him go. “I finally get you back and all you want to do is leave me again.” 

“I love you.” It was the only response he could come up with. Scott’s pain was also his own. He’d mourned for so long and walking away now was not a decision he was taking lightly. 

“Then why are you doing this!?” Scott pleaded.

“Because I must! It is not a simple decision, Scott. We have known this day would come. You knew my standing and I knew your human limits. We ignored the limitations that come with being who we are simply because all we could see was each other. We were young, naive … but now we must face many truths we previously disregarded because it is necessary.  It is not only our hearts at stake.”

Scott knew he was right. He knew he was being selfish, but years of feeling like he was incomplete, like he was losing his mind…   like he was broken…   it was too soon to forget all of that; it was too soon to let Mitch out of his sight.

“It’s too soon. Just give us tonight, please. Stay with me.”  

“I am sorry. I need to think. I will be back tomorrow.”

“Mitch-”

“No. I must go.” He didn’t mean to be cold, but he had to remain steady in his resolve or he would crack and they would end up in the same mess all over again until he let go.

“Can’t I go with you?”

“I need space..  isolation. Please understand.”

Scott looked away, hurt and afraid… confused and upset. He wanted to toss Mitch over his shoulder and carry him back to his car, but Mitch was far more spry than he and what good would it do him anyway.

“You’ll come back?”

“I swear it.”

“10 AM tomorrow morning? You still have the watch?” He stared into his eyes, not sure what he was going to do with himself until then.

“I will be here. I promise, Scott." 

“And you’ll at least try to think of something? You won’t just say it’s impossible and come here tomorrow just to break my heart?” 

“Of course I will try. I do not want to be without you, but I must think on this. I must do what is right.

Scott knew he was crying, but didn’t care. This was killing him and he wanted Mitch to know it. “I love you.”

Mitch hated seeing him cry, it always ripped his heart in two, but the time to be selfish had passed with their youth and it was time to make those hard decisions. It was only one night apart for now… he would be back in his arms in but a  few hours. He could be strong for one night.   “I love you, too. My heart is yours.”

He was pulled into another kiss by strong arms wrapping around him and holding him against Scott’s warm body. This was not helping. 

“Alright…” Scott whispered, leaning his forehead against Mitch’s. He ran his hand over his cheek, giving him one last peck before Mitch backed away. 

“Oryn should be bringing your friend through within the hour.”

He nodded, knowing if he kept speaking that he’d lose the grip he had on his composure.  “10 AM tomorrow. Right here.” They stood unmoving and minutes passed in silence.  “I hate this.”

Mitch nodded. “I know.”

Gold eyes met sparkling blue and then he turned… taking the last few steps before he was gone.

The moment Mitch was through the veil Scott let himself really feel it.  He leaned against the giant rock they had perched on so many times through the years and let his face drop into his hands.

Could he do this? Could he be this half person again? Could he keep going day after day knowing what he could have had a world away?

He was abruptly brought out of his sadness by a nudging at his pant leg and a strangely familiar gravelly yip.

“Well, well... what are you doing here?  Someone’s far from home.  What in the world am I going to do with you?” He smiled sadly down at the creature, lifting it into his arms and welcoming the snuggles into his neck.    

“It’s Sarah, right? You…” He held her little body up in the air with both of his hands so that they were eye level. “You are too cute.”  He laughed at the bright smile the pudgey was giving him. “We need to get you back home.”

~~~

“I wish we had more time.” Avi sighed as they made their way through the forest, Oryn leading the way.

“And I as well. I should very much like to finish the story, if you would ever want to come back.” She looked over at him, eyes a stunning dark amber. 

He gave her a bright smile. “Of course I want to come back. I just don’t know how we’d-”

He was cut off by a hand on his mouth, and before he could even realize what was happening his back was against a tree and her body was against his… pressing him backwards into the bark. His brows furrowed in confusion but her lips moved to his ear, close enough he could feel them as they moved. “Do not move, do not make a sound.” Her voice was so quiet he barely missed the words, but he gave a hint of a nod to let her know he understood.

She was tense, alert.

He tried not to think about the amazing body pressed tightly against his.. but it was not an easy thing to do. He tried to focus on the changing color of her eyes.. the subtle switch between bright pink and orange and back again. He didn’t have very much time to wonder what it was she was waiting for because her eyes shifted to a bright ruby red and he heard the distant sound of voices. He couldn’t understand a word, could barely even make out the sound, but even long after it had faded she still remained stone still against him.

Her eyes were a storm of color when she finally released him. “I must warn him..” She looked at Avi, obviously torn as to what to do. “Come… there is no time.”  She took his hand and yanked him forward… 

“What’s going on?”

She didn’t answer just moved at top speed back in the direction they had just come from.  Thankfully it wasn’t far or he probably would have ended up on his face as his legs struggled to keep up.

“Stay here, do not move. Do not speak and do not leave. It is safe here. I will come back for you.” 

“What’s happening?”

“Avriel, there is no time!”  She motioned to the hanging leaves that hid the entrance to the cavern they’d just left and nudged him through. 

He turned to ask another question, but the girl was already gone… not a leaf disturbed from her flight, no indication that she’d even been there.

He let out a sigh as he plopped down right behind the curtain of greenery, the only place where light still peeked through.  He pulled out his iPad again… settling in for a long wait and lots of worrying.

~~~

Scott put his keys on the hook by the door and took off his shoes before heading over to the kitchen counter.

“So… what do pudgeys eat?” He looked down at his new companion waddling around his feet and as her bottom touched the floor her head tilted to the side in the same manner Mitch’s had so many times

He’d had every intention of returning her to her own world, but he couldn’t figure out the veil on his own and after two hours of waiting for Avi to come back through with a fae to send her back with he’d lost patience.  Avi had driven separately to his parent’s house anyway so he’d be fine on his own. The only questionable thing was Sarah the pudgey.  It was only one night and really one baby dragon couldn’t be that much more difficult than caring for a puppy, right?  Besides she was quite a sleepy little thing. It would be fine and he’d send her back with Mitch the next morning. 

She’d been relatively easy to deal with so far so he wasn’t too worried.    

He had to smile when she moved her mouth as if trying to give him a list of food items, but all that came out were adorable pudgey sounds that were somewhere between barking squeaking and purring. 

“Well that clears that up…” He shook his head and opened his refrigerator. “Looks like the ‘guess and test’ method will have to do.”

Turns out it wasn’t a very long test. He started with fruit and she’d seemed to be pretty ok with that. However, after she scarfed down both an apple and a pear whole, he decided it was time to start slicing.  If she kept this up he’d be out of groceries in no time.

“I hope bottled water is ok.”

She did figure 8’s around and between his feet as he put down a bowl of water and a plate of mixed fruit slices for her. 

“Sorry it’s not Zagat approved, but it’ll do for one night.” He reached out to pet her little head while she dug in. He realized he should probably make himself something to eat, but he just didn’t think he could stomach it right then. 

It had been a long, eventful day and while he had 100 thoughts running marathons through his brain, he knew the faster he went to sleep the faster he’d get to see Mitch in the morning, even if it was with bad news. So he left Sarah to her dinner and went to his bedroom to change into something more comfy. He was pulling on a pair of pj pants when he spotted the golden creature sitting there on his comforter, watching him with a content smile.

“Guess you need a place to sleep, huh.” He tugged on a tank and picked her up, laughing as she climbed up and onto his shoulders, draping herself across the back of his neck and getting comfy.

She remained there as he gathered some blankets and made her a little bed on the couch.  “Here ya go. This is for you.” He lifted her from his shoulders and put her down right in the middle. She began to push the blankets around with her nose and paws before plopping down right in the center of her little nest.

“Sweet dreams, Sarah.”

He turned and went back to his room, settling down in bed and turning off the lights.

It wasn’t long before he felt movement as a pudgey decided to join him… nudging up against his side and cuddling in. “Oh, no you don’t.” He laughed. “You have your own bed, pretty girl.”

He got back out of bed and lifted the pudgey again, carrying her right back out to the little bed of blankets. “You stay here. I’ll see you in the morning. Go to sleep.”

She flopped down with a huff, laying her head down with a dramatic sigh that he laughed at. “Drama queen.”

He rubbed her head again before going back to his room, this time closing the door.

He almost expected it this time when he heard her crying outside of the door, assuming the sounds he heard were her rubbing herself against the wooden barrier.

The whines were pitiful and he nearly got up to let her in, but Sarah was actually faster. He heard the door click open and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as she jumped right back on the bed and cuddled up against him, curling into a little ball and letting out a sigh of content.

He had to laugh. “Just because you have magic doesn’t mean you get to cheat.” He scratched beneath her chin and she closed her eyes… leaning up into it. 

“Good night, little girl. Sleep sweet.” He closed his eyes and found himself drifting off to the rhythm of Sarah’s breathing which just happened to be perfectly in time with his own.

_____

He made his way back to his home, quickly changing out of the clothes Scott had let him borrow after their painting session had soiled his own. He wasn’t concerned that he’d left Scott’s friend with Oryn. She was more than capable of handling herself and getting him back home. The only thoughts circulating in his mind were of Scott.  What was he going to do? He was determined to think of something, to find a way for them to be together.

He was just about to get comfortable and settle in when he heard her calling his name from outside of his room. He didn’t like the distress he could hear in his friends voice and it was mere seconds before he was in front of her.

“Where is your Scott?” Her eyes were wide with urgency and those words sent a shiver down his spine.

“He is at home. He is in his own world. What is wrong?”

“One of the ravens saw him go through the veil. They did not mention you, but your father…   he is on his way to close the veil right now.”

He couldn’t move for a moment. It was strange that he had been preparing to leave Scott, to separate them, and yet now that he was about to be permanently cut off from him…... 

He left the worried fae standing there as he blazed through the forest, using every bit of magic he could to aid him. He had to get there… he had to.