Rp- Add on thread to Bella's release

[musical_rocker]

Albert wasn't aware of much because he had Bella in his arms and she was still babbling away about this and that, mindless stuff which all seemed so important. He couldn't believe how much she'd grown in this short space of time and she say so much more now. A minute or two later she was wiggling in her arms to get down and Albert carefully lowered her to the ground, and holding Moo in one hand, Bella took hold of Albert's with her other and started to tug him towards Mac.

"Move," she said, tugging at his hand and grinning as he started to walk. Soon they were by Mac and Bella reached to put Moo in Albert's pocket before reaching up to take both Al and Mac by the hand. "Sleepy," she said softly, yawning, "Moo's sleep too.. bedtime!"

Comments

[not_soperfect]

Mac took the child and Al through corridors made of marble and stone. Delicate and etheral so different to the dark, dang world Hawken brought them from.

The quarters themselves were filled with light.With gentle soft comfortable furnishings. Each place had it's own private hot spring sunken bath, closed away from the rest of the living rooms. It was obvious as Mac entered the room, and Bella cheerifully skipped into the area set aside for her, she had been there before.

Mac turned to Al, still not quite sure what to say to him.

"The bathing room is that way." He pointed. "Do you need some food?"

[musical_rocker]

He walked with them silently, his eyes taking everything in as they walked down the corridors and into Mac's quarters. Feeling Bella's hand slip from his own, Albert stood so unsure of himself in this place.

Of himself with Mac.

His gaze shifted as he was spoken too, and Albert shook his head, "Just a wash up and some clean clothes if you have any spare." He didn't want to be a burden. "She'd gotten big," he said mindlessly as he walked towards the bathing room, pulling on his shirt as he did. Albert's skin was like a map of their journey, filthy, bruised and covered in cuts.

[not_soperfect]

Mac stood in the doorway leading into the bathing room. He had to take his eyes off Al unable to look anywhere else. Mac’s gaze settled on Bella who by now had got herself settled in her own bed and was watching him in return.

“I can have attire sent to you.
She missed you.”

[musical_rocker]

"Thank you," Albert said softly and rubbed the back of his neck and then shoulders, everything felt so tense and he wasn't sure if he could remember how being comfortable was supposed to feel.

The rest of his clothes came off and he moved towards the sunken bath, "Shame we can't stay here," he said as he started to slip into the hot water. "Just the three of us..." In other words no Selene and no Eothian.

[not_soperfect]

Of all the things to come out of Al’s mouth, Mac wasn’t expecting that. He thought about what to say and came to the conclusion there was only one good thing he could say,

“I’ll find you some clothes.’

Leaving Al alone, Mac went in search of someone who could give him clothes to fit Al. Then he returned with an armful of items. Taking them into the bathing room Mac purposely kept his back to Al as he laid out the items for him to wear.

“These should do you.”

[musical_rocker]

Slipping into the water, Albert closed his eyes and let out a soft breath, loving the feel of the hot water on his skin. Closing his eyes he just let the warmth sooth his aching body, listening to nothing but Bella playing in the next room.

He didn't notice the return of Fia until he spoke, and Albert opened his eyes. "Can we talk? I... I need someone to talk too... please." There was something in his voice, a pain from deep inside, "I need to ask something of you, a favor I know I don't deserve."

[not_soperfect]

“Yeah, I know we need to talk. So I guess you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

He didn’t want to hear the pain in Albert’s voice, it wasn’t like he didn’t expect to hear it either seen as this was the first time they had been in the same room, almost alone, for a while.

[musical_rocker]

Running damp hands through his hair, Albert let out a soft sigh. "You're not going to like this Fia, but I need your help. Please, if you don't help me I'm going to end up doing something we both don't want to happen... I'm going to end up beating the crap out of your brother."

He let his words hang in the air for a moment, "He's convinced he's in love with me and is determined to be around me because he's convinced I can't live without him. He's got it half right but he's connecting it to the wrong person." His voice softened, "And if he tries to kiss me again I swear to god I'll break his nose. And we both know you don't want me hurting Eothian, you've just got him back."

[not_soperfect]

“Convinced ---“ Mac couldn’t help sound astonished at Al’s statement. “You want me to help with what, exactly? The old man has every right to be convinced he’s in love with you. You wanted him. Now that he is back, and available, he isn’t good enough for you?”

His voice was low as he spoke; there was a clipped tone to his words.

"I would have thought your one over riding thought would be Bella. Not, how to have Eothian stop kissing you."

[musical_rocker]

"I wanted the attention he gave me, I was young and foolish and had no connection to any male figure in my life. My own father... I was like him, convinced that attention was love. You and Bella proved me otherwise. Love isn't lust, it isn't..."

"She is, which is why I know that if your brother doesn't leave me be then I will either have to leave her in your care or ask mom and dad, or even Brea and Hawken to adopt her. I know I can't cope with him trying to force himself on me, and when I asked him to call you to help us find Bella. All he wanted to do was follow me around and try to make me kiss him back." He fell silent for a moment, "I had this idea, I was going to get that house near mom and dad you and I talked about, I was going to a great dad and have Bella live with me and... and I was hoping you'd come and see her there, or take her out if that's what you wanted. But with him around I can't, we both know she's happiest when there is no fighting and with Eothian around there would be nothing but fighting."

Albert wanted to reach out and take his hand, "And I hoped that you'd realize that everything you want is in that house with Bella and I and..." He fell silent then, tired and emotionally exhausted. "I can't believe how big she's gotten..."

[not_soperfect]

Mac didn’t want to talk about Eothian or any possible future with Al. He had to stop himself from thinking about what he and Al were doing all the time Mac was away. At the mention of Bella, he moved to the door, leaning up against the door jam. From where he was he could see she had curled up on her bed with her toy cow, to sleep. For the briefest of moments he let a soft smile cross his features as he watching her. Pulling his thoughts back to Al, he spoke again, this time his voice didn’t sound as hard.

“She asked about you every day.”

[musical_rocker]

Albert couldn't help but watch him as he stood at that door and he pushed his lips together, a lump rising in his throat. He felt his heart sink suddenly, maybe Fia would be better for Bella than he could ever be. He could keep her safe in ways that Albert couldn't and maybe... No he couldn't think like that. He couldn't think of Fia raising Bella with her.

Tears fell down his cheeks and he drew in a shaking breath, "I was so scared," he said softly, "Scared something might happen to her, scared that when I got here she'd be all grown up and not remember who I was.. scared I wouldn't be able to bring her home because.." Because he wasn't anything special. "I missed her every day, she's what kept me going."

[not_soperfect]

Turning his attention back to Al, he spoke again,

“She won’t forget us.” Mac was certain of it, and wasn’t just telling Al to make him feel better. He didn’t like seeing Al cry, yet he understood how much the other had been through. His expression softened.

“Are you finished with the bath? There is some food if you need it.”

[musical_rocker]

Albert looked up at Fia as he spoke and then ducked under the water again to wet his hair and surfaced. He looked scruffier than usual with how much growth he had on his face, he was sure he'd look like a homeless man or something.

"Can you pass me a towel or something, please." His voice was soft and he moved towards the end of the bath to climb out, "You only asked me to stay here because you knew she'd want us all here together."

[not_soperfect]

Finding a cloth used for towelling body’s dry, he held it out to Al. Waiting for Al to come out of the bath.

“Would you have preferred to stay with Audr’s daughters, or Brea and Hawken?”

[musical_rocker]

He took the cloth and climbed out of the water, slowly shaking his head, "You know there is no where I would rather be but here with the two of you." But Al would have to keep reminding himself over and over again that this was going to end the moment they left here and things would go back to how they were before.

He dried himself and dressed in the cloths Fia had found for him.

[not_soperfect]

“We can have that for now.”

Turning away he left Al to finish up in the bathing room. A few minutes later he had served out some small delicacies, mostly fruit, berries, and nuts, on a serving tray and poured him self a goblet of wine.

When Bella murmured unhappily in her sleep he went to her, speaking softly, and covered her back up with the bedding. She settled again letting him go back to his wine while he waited for Al.

[musical_rocker]

For now.. but soon it would all be over.

Dressing he ran his fingers through his hair, turning it into it's usual mess and he tried to flatten it, but it didn't work. It never really did.

Moving back into the main room, Albert stood on the edge of it looking a little uncomfortable until his eyes fell upon the sleeping form of Bella and he smiled. "She's going to break a lot of hearts when she's older."

[not_soperfect]

“You think I’m going to let those hearts, near our daughter?”

It was the only time since they had been together did he allow a light teasing sound come into his voice. Still, he looked a little pensively at Bella; knowing Al was right.

“Are you hungry?”

[musical_rocker]

"I'm not sure you'll have a choice, and lets not forget that the small one has you wrapped around her finger and can get you to do anything she wants you too."

They both knew that was truth. Big scary Fia was a push over when it came to the small child asleep in the room.

"A little, tired more than anything. after the journey we've had and everything else, my mind just wants to shut down." He looked at the food and then around at the room, wondering where he was allowed to sit, or even end up sleeping.

[not_soperfect]

Placing his wine goblet down, Mac walked towards what looked like a wall of draps. Pulling back the curtain pull revealed a large poster bed surrounded by silk drapes and bedding.

“There is only one bed.” He said explaining as he tied the drapes back. “You can have it. I’ll sleep on one of the chairs.”

[musical_rocker]

He looked at the bed for a moment before shaking his head, "I'll take the chair, it's your bed."

Swallowing he moved slowly towards a chair and sat down, reaching behind him to rub at his stiff neck. "How long has she been here?"

[not_soperfect]

Moving to sit near Al, Mac poured himself another drink.

“Take the bed.” He wasn’t going to argue about it. At Al’s question his gaze went to Bella. “They had blocked the betweens, and I couldn’t get to her when Hawken told me to leave.”

His voice remained soft as he thought about his own time trying to get to Bella. “A week or more.”

[musical_rocker]

"He told me you weren't coming, I'd never felt so much hate in my life when I heard those words." Leaning forward he placed his head in his hands, really he was such a mess still, "And all the way here, I couldn't help but hate you for abandoning her, your own daughter because of me." He turned his head a little to look at Fia, "And I hated myself more than I ever thought possible because I hated you."

His attention turned back to Bella, "She looks older, and the way she talks now." There was a moment's silence, "What do we do if she doesn't want to go home, because here is the only place you and I are in the same place?"

[not_soperfect]

“I am Hawken’s ambassador. My job was to oversee negotiations, I couldn’t come with you.”

The words almost echoing Hawken’s words when the goblin announced matter of fact, Mac wouldn’t be going with them. “She’s our daughter Al; I’d give up breathing before I’d abandon her.”

Some part of him hurt to know Al thought so little of him. Believed he could just ---then he realized with everything they had been through he hadn’t given Al much reason to think otherwise of him when it came to important matters between them. He remained quiet and when the silence drew out he spoke again.

“I’ll stay with her.”