I relaxed into the seat of my car as I tried to calm myself down. Hurting Sebastian didn't bring the needed relief to my spirits. If anything it made things worse, he was working for Lilith for years. When Queen found out about that I was sure she'd be hurt even though she didn't have feelings for him. Betrayal was betrayal.

I let Sebastian go like I had promised him but I made my rules very clear. He was to never reach out to Queen again and in no way, shape or form was he permitted to tell Lilith and everyone what he told me.

This was my chance to pull the carpet from underneath them. But I couldn't do it alone. I wondered what Queen would do if I told her that her family wanted me dead so badly that they began spreading lies. I hoped she'd side with me for the sake of our new family, but I wasn't positive.

I opened the car door and shut it quickly behind me as I began walking to the front door. The lights were turned off and I assumed Queen was sleeping until I heard her laugh from upstairs.

I went to our room and eyed her as she ate popcorn and watched some movie on the television. Her eyes moved in my direction momentarily and she jumped as she let out a small scream. The popcorn in the bowl fell out onto the bed and she pouted at me.

"What the fuck, Syn? You scared the fuck out of me," she said as she cleaned up the mess.

I loosened the tie around my neck and walked toward her. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, move," she ordered as she got up from the bed. She crouched down onto the floor to pick up the scattered popcorn. I lowered myself to her level, grabbing one of her wrists to stop her.

"I'll clean it," I said.

She let out a sigh of relief and used the side of the bed to help herself up. "Thanks."

I cleaned up the mess on the floor as she sat on the edge of the bed and watched me. As the silence ensued between us I turned to her and raised my brow. "What?"

"How was your business thing?"

"Hmm?"

She cocked a brow at me. "The business thing that made you leave yesterday. How was it?"

Does she know?

I glanced around nervously and looked back at her. "It was alright I guess, a bit messy, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Hmm."

Hmm? What does that mean?

Maybe she knew something and was trying to see if I would be honest with her. I thought back to all the romance movies she had made me endure with her and tried to compare them to our situation right now. Women always somehow found things out and tested their significant others. Was that what she was doing? A test to see if I was being truthful?

She stood up from the bed and stretched. "I'm glad things went well. I missed-"

"I lied," I admitted quickly as I stood up. "I didn't have a business thing, I went to Juva to meet with someone."

She looked at me as if something was funny and placed her hands on her hips. "Cheating on me?"

"Of course, not."

"Then I don't need to know," she said.

"Wha-"

"I know that you're used to doing things your own way and I'm not here to change that, Syn. As long as you're loyal to me and come home, I don't need to know."

Whew. "Okay...good," I said as I kissed her forehead. My eyes drifted down to her stomach and I laid a hand on it. "How's my baby?"

Queen took a deep breath and shook her head. "Very active."

"You drank the drink I left for you?" I asked. I made sure to have plenty of the concoction we made for Queen and the baby, but it would only be a good thing if she drank it.

"I drank a little bit," she admitted nervously. Her eyes shifted away from mine and I raised my brow at her in question. When she looked at me she noticed my suspicious stare and dropped her shoulders. "Fine, I didn't drink it."

"Queen!" I yelled in frustration.

"Syn!" She mocked, giggling softly. "Relax, I'll drink it now. Stop tripping." She walked out of the room and I followed after her.

"I'm tripping because I want my daughter to be healthy?" I asked.

She looked over her shoulder and winced. "When you say it like that I kind of sound like a bitch."

"Stop joking, Queen. I'm pissed at you right now," I said honestly. There was something about her not taking this as seriously as I was that made me angry. Granted she probably drank more than she needed, but I didn't want there to be room for mistakes when it came to my daughter.

She walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a blood bag and turned to me. "Syn, I've been drinking it for three straight days. She's fine if I miss one day."

I sighed and shook my head as I realized I may have been overreacting. "Fine."

Queen danced in her spot as she downed the drink and I watched her in amusement. A yawn left my mouth and Queen raised a brow at me in shock. "I think that's the first time I've ever heard that."

"A yawn?" I asked as I removed my tie and stretched.

"A yawn from you," she corrected.

"It doesn't happen often," I said. Usually, I didn't get tired like I was now, but I suppose it was a long day.

Queen tossed the bag in the trash and grabbed my hand. "Let's get you into bed." She dragged me into the room and sat back on the bed to continue her movie.

I removed my clothes until I was in my boxers and I crawled onto the bed so that my head was laying on her lap. My brows furrowed as I yawned once again and Queen ran her hands into my hair, further relaxing me. I felt drowsiness begin to dominate my senses and I closed my eyes. Before I completely went to sleep I laid a kiss on Queen's stomach. "Goodnight, baby girl. I can't wait to meet you."

꧁꧂

I opened my eyes to find myself in the garden of the palace. I was sitting on the bench with a cigarette in my hand somehow and I furrowed my brows. I had no idea how I got here. The coughing of fairies above me made me frown as I recalled the night Queen and I met.

It was in this spot that we were alone for the first time. The moment I realized that I wanted Queen to be mine. My eyes moved beside me and I jumped as I saw myself sitting beside me and smoking a cigarette.

What the fuck is this?

The clicking of heels in the garden made the both of us turn in the direction of the palace door and I smiled as I watched Queen unknowingly come towards us. I glanced at myself to see me with a serious expression on my face as I rolled my eyes.

Oh, how things have fucking changed.

I sat back on the bench and relaxed as I watched the scene unfold in front of me. "What are you doing here?" My past self asked. I watched as Queen jumped in shock and I bit my lip as my eyes traveled down her body as they did when we first met. I hoped I was a lot less transparent than I was now.

I closed my eyes momentarily to relax and when I opened them, I saw a woman sitting on the bench behind Queen. She was watching Queen and my old self engage in some conversation that I was no longer paying attention to.

Queen sat down on the bench nervously as the me beside me ordered her to. If I closed my eyes I could almost picture how terrified she looked back then. The woman next to Queen watched her in adoration and Queen didn't seem to realize she was there.

"Excuse me?" I called.

"Hold on. This is my favorite part," she said as she waved her hand in my direction. I was partly shocked that she could hear me since no one else here seemed to notice my existence. I sighed and sat back as I watched what she was speaking about.

Queen stood up abruptly from the bench and adjusted her short dress. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"For a walk," she replied.

I watched as I stood up and put out a cigarette on the floor aggressively. Queen eyed my movements in terror and I laughed softly in my spot. "Okay, I will come."

Queen laughed nervously and shook her head. "Actually, I'm going back inside." She pivoted on her heel and I watched as her heel got caught in a crack. I stood up immediately to catch her but halted when my double caught her and held her against him.

"Aww," the woman on the bench cooed. The dream versions of Queen and I drifted away into thin air and I was left alone with the woman.

"Can I speak now?" I asked.

"Yes, of course," she said quickly as she faced me.

"Who the fuck are you and why are you here?" I said dryly.

She frowned. "Why are you cussing?"

"Answer my question."

"Answer mine," she argued. I scoffed and rolled my eyes and she immediately did the same to mock me. Her deflection began to irritate me, but she was the only person here.

"I don't know you and I can already tell you're fucking annoying," I said rudely as I glanced at the cigarette in my hand that still hadn't gone out.

She crossed her arms and tapped her fingers rhythmically against her forearm. As I watched the movements I recognized the same beat I did, and it caused me to be further confused.

"I didn't know you were this mean," she said in a tone full of amusement.

"You don't know me at all," I said.

"Hmm, funny you should say that."

"How so?" I asked.

She shrugged. "No reason."

"Well, if you're not going to be of any use to me, please just leave."

Her strong and defiant composure fell slightly at my words and she looked at me sadly. "You want me to leave?"

"I would love that," I replied.

"How are you going to ask to meet me but be an ass?" She asked as she threw her hands up.

"I never asked to meet you, you're insane."

"You did. You said 'Goodnight baby girl. I can't wait to meet you'. You couldn't wait so I decided to be nice and come to you instead and you're going to be rude to me? I love you, dad, but I didn't think that I'd be one of the people who deserved that," she ranted and my mouth dropped. "We talk every day, and I could've sworn you cared about me but maybe I was wrong? Ugh."

She finally looked up at me and gave me a 'what' look as she noticed my shocked features.

"Y-..you..." I stuttered.

She yelped and covered her mouth as her eyes widened. "Oh no! You didn't know, did you?" I shook my head slowly as my mouth remained open. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. "This...is so humiliating!"

"I-it's okay," I said as I got up from my seat.

She looked at me in embarrassment and cringed. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and she dropped her hands completely. "Umm," I began, but she leaped towards me and wrapped her arms around me. She jumped up and down, making the same squeal her mother did when she was excited, and I remained completely frozen.

"Dad, hug me back," she whined. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and she sighed in satisfaction. "I'm glad you're here." She pulled away from our embrace and took a step back to grin up at me. "Hi," she waved.

"Hi," I whispered. I remained silent, and she looked around the garden. I still had no idea what to say to her now that we were both faced to face. I thought I was more prepared for this.

"You called me an ass," I said slowly. "I should ground you, right?"

"Ehh no, I think you shouldn't. You called me 'fucking annoying'," she said as she quoted with her fingers.

"I didn't know who you were," I defended myself.

"And I-...okay I knew who you were, but I was standing up for myself." She shrugged. "You should be proud of that."

"You kind of have a bad attitude," I said seriously.

She gave me a "really" look as she eyed me and scoffed slightly. "So do you. Who do you think I get it from?"

"I'm the adult here," I responded.

"Well, I'm an adult in this dream," she said matter-of-factly. "And I won't remember any of this after I'm born so you can't hold anything I say or do against me."

"Hmm," I said.

"Hmm," she mocked. She began laughing immediately after and I raised a brow at her. "Mom is blaming me for making her eat right now. Never believe that, because half the time I'm not hungry."I shook my head as she continued giggling. Her laugh sounded almost identical to Queen's and I couldn't help but smile. Before I could think about anything I pulled her in for another hug.

She gasped loudly and tensed. "I've never been hugged first."

I let go of her and shook my head. "I'm sorry, I just-..."

"It's okay, dad," she said as she hugged me once again.

Dad. The word was so foreign and odd to me that I couldn't help but internally cringe every time I heard it...but hearing her call me it felt right.

"Why are you in my dream? And why am I dreaming about this?"

"I like seeing where you and mom fell in love," she said.

"Umm, we didn't fall in love here." I wanted to correct her on the premise of love, but I let it go.

She stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. "Then what was that?"

"Us meeting."

"Hmm," she said. "I watched it happen from mom's mind as well and she thought you were hot. Scary...but hot."

"You're snitching on your mother?" I teased.

"Well no, when I see her I'll be snitching on you too so...it cancels out," she stated.

"There's nothing to snitch on me with," I said.

She tilted her head at me in disbelief. "There is."

"Like what?" I said.

She sighed. "Let's watch this again." The dream version of me popped up on the bench smoking a cigarette and I watched as Queen walked in our direction all over again. "Ahem, so you were thinking she's so beautiful and her shoes look super nice. Her hair is really pre-"

"Are those my thoughts or yours?" I finally asked.

She glanced up at me. "I'm assuming those were your thoughts."

"Not even close," I replied.

"Okay, then tell me what they were."

"I'm afraid those are a bit inappropriate," I said honestly.

Her face scrunched up into one of confusion and she crossed her arms. "Do you forget who you're speaking to? I don't know what that means."

"You don't need to know."

"I think parents are supposed to teach their kids things," she retorted.

"As you said yourself, you're not a kid." She opened her mouth to speak but immediately shut it as she realized I was correct.

"Anyways...you know who I can't wait to meet?!"

"Who?"

"Xavier, and James...ooh and Caspian and Cleo. Also your mom!"

"So essentially everyone you haven't met yet."

"Umm..no. Exactly who I said. I don't want to meet mom's family. They're all mean. Maybe her dad, he's always nice to me."

"You met Jonathan?" I asked in a puzzled tone.

"No, his name was Adam."