"I have some visitors," Erik said, walking into the chambers that he and Chloe were being housed in.

"No! What don't you understand about rest? They have had enough visitors for today, tell them to come back tomorrow," Isabella's voice called from inside the room.

"She hasn't changed," I grinned up at Nikolai.

Nikolai laughed, shaking his head. "Did you think she would?" he asked.

"One can always hope," I teased, before releasing his hand and sliding through the door. My heart melted as my eyes landed on Erik holding a tiny little bundle in his arms. "Even if those visitors have traveled the sea to come home?" I asked. Making Isabella and Chloe gasp. The tears were streaming down both Chloe and I's faces before we even reached each other.

"Your home!" Chloe cried, throwing her arms around me.

I simply nodded holding her close for a moment. After a deep breath, I released my sister. "We finished what we could. Plus, I promised Nikolai I'd be his date at some wedding coming up," I said, smiling over at him. He was now standing beside Isabella, a grin covering her face. "Enough about me! I came here to see you and my baby," I said, taking Chloe's hand and walking over to Erik. "Oh, Chloe! He's adorable," I said, peering down at the little one whose dark eyes stared back at me.

Erik chuckled. "Your baby? I'm pretty sure this little one belongs to Chloe and I. You and Nikolai can have your own soon enough," he smirked, a blush crossing my face.

"Erik! Be nice," Chloe scolded, but the smile on her face did not match. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked me. I quickly nodded and took Elias from Erik. "Hello my little warrior. I hear that you have already come into this world as a fighter. I promise to help you learn," I said, cooing at him.

"See! Your future wife isn't afraid to hold the baby! You need practice!" Isabella said. Turning, I raised an eyebrow. "Nikolai has talked to Elias and held his little finger, but has declined holding him," she explained.

"Nikolai, come here," I said. He stayed where he was shaking his head. "Now," I commanded. He sighed, walking over. "Sit," I said, nodding to the couch. He did so and I took a seat beside him.

"We have to work on your ability to say no," Erik said, laughing as Chloe whacked his shoulder.

I ignored the comment and turned to Nikolai. I explained to him how to hold a baby. "Now, all you have to do is keep your hands like that. I'm gonna place Elias into them," I said. Then I slowly transferred Elias from my arms to Nikolai's. "See, it's not that hard," I said, watching Nikolai stiffen up at first. He then quietly started talking to the little boy and loosened up. My heart melted again as I watched him talk to Elias.

"Can we come in now?" Sparrow whispered from the door.

Chloe quickly crossed the floor and pulled Sparrow into her arms. "Of course!" she said, smiling at the rest. "It's so good to see you all home safe," she said, keeping her arms around Sparrow. "Come, meet our newest little family member," she said, guiding Sparrow over to the couch. She took a seat on the opposite side of Nikolai.

"Where's Nate and Emree?" I asked, noting they were the only two not in the room.

"They've gone to sound the alarm. I'm sure within the hour the courtyard will be filled with people waiting to welcome you home," Alakay grinned, walking over and standing behind the couch peering over Nikolai's shoulder. "Well aren't you a dashing young baby. I'm glad you got your mother's looks or I couldn't say that," he teased, grinning up at Erik and Chloe.

"Watch it, now that your home you're back under my command," Erik joked with a grin.

Alakay smirked. "Yes, but you're too busy with your little man here to do anything about it," he said causing Erik to shake his head.

A weight was lifted off my shoulders as I leaned against Nikolai, his arms wrapping around me, as I now held Elias. The rest of my friends and family were now sitting around the room.

"You two are going to be adorable parents," Isabella said, grinning over at Nikolai and I. "Although, I don't know if we are ready for a little one that is a mixture of the two of you," she commented, bringing laughter from the room.

"Sam, you should come over here," Alakay called a half hour later from his position beside the window talking with Chloe and Erik. Raising an eyebrow, I questioned him without showing any effort for getting up. Alakay rolled his eyes. "Stand up, with or without the baby, and get over here," he said.

Nikolai chuckled reaching out and taking the baby. "I'll take care of him," he said.

"Can I hold him?" Sparrow asked with wide eyes from beside Nikolai. He nodded and smiled down at her as he now helped her hold the baby.

I took a moment to watch the three before walking over to the window. "What do you need?" I asked. Alakay didn't respond, just nodded towards the window. I shook my head and moved forward. My mouth slightly opening as I saw the courtyard full of Dragons. "My brothers!" I said. Then without speaking to anyone in the room, I ran for the courtyard. As soon as I reached it, I threw my good arm around Kole first and then James.

"Sam!" my Dragon brothers all called out.

Releasing James, I quickly greeted the rest of my brothers. "It's so good to see you all," I said, the grinning starting to hurt my cheeks.

"What happened to you?" James asked, looking at my broken arm.

"Are those burn marks?" Kole asked, looking closer at my arms.

I bit my bottom lip. "I may or may not have had a few run-ins with La Fray..." I said, seeing the anger that crossed all their faces. "I'm sure we will have a meeting soon. However, for right now can we just focus on being back together?" I asked.

Luke nodded, walking forward pulling me close. "I think we can manage that," he said. He then turned me towards where the Dragons had parted and Alexander and Amber were hurrying forward, each with a small child in their arms.

"Aunty Sam!" Scarlett cried from Alexander's arms. He sat her down and she ran to me throwing her little arms around my legs. I bent down wrapping my arm around her. Her eyes narrowed as she put her hand on my bandaged arm. "You hurt," she said with concern. She slowly reached forward and placed a kiss on it. "All better?" she asked.

I smiled at her nodding. "Yeah, that helped," I said kissing her head before standing up and hugging my brother. Then turned to Amber. "Amber! It's so good to see you. Oh, my look at my youngest niece," I said.

"It Reni!" Scareltt said her hand grasping my pant leg.

Raising an eyebrow I looked at Amber. "Serenity, Lettie can't quite say that so her nickname is Reni," Amber said.

"I love Reni! And I love Lee-Lee!" Scarlett said bouncing up and down.

"I'm sure they are going to love you too!" I said smiling down at Scarlett. Taking her hand we made our way back to Chloe and Erik's chambers. My brothers said they'd see us soon, well beside Kole and James who followed us up.

As soon as we entered, Scarlett broke from my grasp and ran over to where Sparrow was holding Elias. She quickly crawled into Nikolai's lap and started talking to Elias. "He's gonna be a good daddy," Amber said, standing beside me.

I smiled, nodding my head in response, but not taking my eyes off of Nikolai. Before long I was seated on the floor in front of the couch with Nikolai, Isabella, Sparrow, Scarlett, and the three apprentices. We had a leather ball and were passing it back and forth. We had been playing for about ten minutes when the door opened and Nate, Emree, and Yavana walked in.

"Momma!" Sparrow cried, leaping from the floor and running into her mother's arms. She held tight as her mom hugged her back. Rowen was quick to follow; quick words flowing between the three at a speed I could not keep up with.

Glancing over to Mikkel, I watched as he slowly started his approach. The room fell into silence knowing that the reunion that was about to occur was one that no one ever expected to happen.

"Yavana," Mikkel said softly.

Yavana froze at the voice. Her body tensed as she slowly turned to the man that had stolen her heart as a youth and broken it as an adult. Tears came instantly as she looked at him. Her body shook as she closed the distance between. Then she reached up and touched his cheek. "How dare you come back," she whispered, rearing back her hand and slapping him, hard, across the cheek. Then she turned on her heels and with head held high exited the chamber.

Rowen quickly followed his mom out while Sparrow hurried to her father. She reached up and took his hand guiding him to the couch. "She's just a little upset right now... Row will calm her down. He does that when she and I get into fights," Sparrow explained, placing her hand gently on the spot where her mom and just slapped him.

Mikkel smiled, slightly laughing, at his daughter's comment. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "Do you cause trouble for your mother often?" he asked.

Sparrow shrugged her shoulders. "Only when we don't agree on how things should be handled," she said.

"Like when you knock out the boys who tell you girls can't fight," Nate said, from his spot on the floor beside Emree.

Sparrow glared at Nate. He, beside the Nivitarians, Ikaika, and I, were the only ones that spoke Nivitarian well enough to understand the conversation between daughter and father. "I had to prove my point!" she defended herself.

Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "This sounds just like you, Sam," she said looking at me.

"And I turned out to be a fine young lady," I said, defending both myself and Sparrow.

"Who still has to work on her temper," Alakay said with a smirk. "Poor Ben's head has been the target one too many times."

"And where are we at with the stocks being built?" I asked, turning to look at Nikolai.

"What are stocks?" Scarlett asked, finding her way into my lap.

"Stocks are where you go when you get in trouble and need to think about how to be good," I explained.

Scarlett scrunched her face up for a moment. "Like my think chair," she said, mentioning a stool that she had to sit on when she wasn't listening.

"Yeah, it's like your think chair, but for grown-ups," I said, trying to hide my laughter.

"Smooth," Alakay said, shaking his head at me.

Half an hour later, Rowen and Yavan walked back in. "Sparrow, it's time to go home," she said, holding out her hand. Sparrow nodded as she stood and hurried over to her mother. "Mikkel, we have a spare bed if you'd like to join us," she said, turning to her husband.

"Thank you, I'd like that," he said, standing and walking over to join his family. They said their farewells and left. Rowen had been given permission to spend a few nights with his family if he would come to the compound for training during the day.

Emree and Elakim were given chambers next to Chloe and Erik's for however long they would be in town. My brothers, Kole, and James headed for the compound not long after Elakim and Emree were shown to their chambers. Alexander, Amber, and the girls headed home as well.

"I think it is time we take our leave," Nikolai said, standing and helping his sister to her feet. He turned and pulled me into his arms. "I can't tell you how good it feels to have you back in my arms," he said, kissing my cheek.

"Me too," I said smiling up at him as I returned the kiss to his cheek. Then turned to Isabella. After a quick farewell I was left with Erik, Chloe, and Elias. Tonight I would be staying with them. Erik had said it was so he could debrief me, but he got 'distracted' with paperwork leaving Chloe and I to spend the rest of the evening together.

The following morning I yawned and stretched out. When I felt my hand hit something hard I bolted up. Turning to see who was in the bed, I smiled as I saw Chloe beside me. Quietly I slid out of bed and walked into the sitting room. Erik was on the couch talking to Elias. "Good morning, sorry I took your bed and wife last night," I said, taking a seat beside him.

Erik chuckled, handing me Elias. "When the two of you started into your conversations I knew it was what you both needed. She may not say it, but it was very hard for her to not have you here. One night won't hurt me," he said, smiling at me.

Nodding I kept my eyes on Elias as I talked. "I know what we did was the right thing, but the consequences are hard to face," I said thinking of not only missing out on the birth of Elias and Serenity, but feeling as though we were nowhere closer to catching La Fray.

"There will be more nieces and nephews born that you will be here for. You will be here as these three grow up," he said quickly realizing the two problems I was facing. "As for La Fray, we will find him. Later today we will meet and debrief your trip. Then we will start conversations of what is to come. However, the biggest concern you have is preparing for your wedding. Chloe, Morgan, Isabella, Queen Vivian, and Jone have already begun and have so much in store for you," he said, laughing as my face dropped. "Weddings are fun, especially when it's the wedding of the queen."

"Maybe I will have two stocks built," I said, shaking my head as my comment only made Erik laugh harder.