noun ~ a natural, instinctive state of mind deriving from one's mood, circumstances,or relationships

I came to my senses drowned in a cocoon of warmth. It cushioned my body with something soft, a striking contrast to the past two or so weeks stuck in the cell. I shifted slightly, the smooths sheets gliding beneath me.

Instead of the usual mind-numbing coldness and constant stomach-ache and headache, I was warm and cosy. My body has never felt so relaxed and pain free.

A steady buzz of electronics was the next thing I noticed; a smooth buzzing accompanied by a regular, faint beeping. My nose twitched, seeking my environment before I alerted someone nearby. It smelt sterile, but I was confused. Where was I and how did I get here?

Celimene? I called. Are you there?

A humming sounded in my mind, a low rumble as she woke from our deep sleep.

'Yes, Nova.' She whispered.

How are you feeling?

'Tired, but much better.'

Good, I breathed. Thank you, Celimene.

She grumbled gently. 'I should thank you for saving us.'

You are the one who gave your energy to me. You came back to me.

'Always, Nova. You are my soul, as I am yours.'

We fell into silence, and I breathed deeply, the sterile air burning my nose. I had slept soundless and dream-free, which was a pleasant change.

But then I was concerned. The last thing I remember is being dressed. Did we even win? Was I back in the laboratory having my blood taken?

The sudden thought had me shooting up in the bed, eyes wide and alert as I took in my surroundings. Dead ahead of me were two pairs of light blue curtains covering a small window. Lower was the end of the bed I lay on, white and blue sheets covering my feet. A notepad was discarded at the foot of it, scrawled handwriting on the top page, its counterpart pen thrown on the floor.

Looking further, I found white walls, ceilings and flooring, a small chill in the air as the blankets fell to my waist. My heart was racing as I realised I was in a hospital, the faint beeping turning into a more rapid rhythm.

Something moved from the corner of my eye and I jumped in surprise when a electrifying zap touched my shoulder. Turning with surprise, I looked to the culprit with wide eyes.

The first thing I saw through blurred eyes were the deep pools of black eyes. My body was tense. I stayed frozen under his gaze. His eyes were equally wide as mine, both of us frozen silent. Was this real? Was I dreaming?

I licked my lips nervously, my throat dry. His eyes dropped to my mouth, and he blinked slowly, body still working behind his mind. He shook his head, lifting his hand again to touch me. I stayed still, watching him patiently. His rough skin touching the bare skin of my forearm caused the tingles to return.

He kept his gaze on mine, cautiously wrapping his fingers around my wrist. I watched as he swallowed, the Adam's apple in his throat bobbing with the movement. My body hummed, my heart racing for a different reason.

"Phoenix?" I croaked, my voice a horse whisper.

He nodded slowly, and I didn't wait a moment further for more confirmation. The buzzing of energy between us had been confirmation enough, although the darkness of his eyes and the room I was in had thrown me off.

I scrambled across the bedsheets, my chest colliding with his own. He caught me, a whoosh of air escaping his mouth as his arms wrapped around me. He hesitated for a moment as I settled my head into his throat, his hands moving the wires in my arms around. I smiled in satisfaction when his grip on me tightened, hands wrapping around my ribcage as he pulled me closer. His head fell into my neck, breathing in my scent deeply.

"Nova." He whispered.

I nuzzled my head into him, his scent a comfort that I had missed so much. I haven't seen him in so long, and then to be kidnapped made me stress even more. I shuddered at the thought of the cold, empty cell I spent the last couple weeks in.

"How are you feeling?" He mumbled, his lips pressing into my neck.

I arched my neck further as they trailed sweet kisses along my throat. He pulled away from me, a whine erupting in my throat at the distance. His hands cupped my face as I sat in his lap, and I looked away from his shirt to meet his eyes.

The warmth of his hands covered my entire cheeks, but it was nothing compared to the warmth I felt coming from the changing of his eyes colour. Darkness lightened to a deep brown before sharpening out to the familiar deep hazel. I stared into his eyes, silence falling upon us as the swirls of gold, brown and green pooled before me. The dark rim around his iris complementing the black of his pupils as they expanded slightly.

"Y-You're..." I stammered.

He shook his head, shushing me gently. "Don't strain your voice, my love."

My eyes closed at the deep tones of his voice, a shiver encasing my body and erupting my skin with goosebumps. I closed my eyes, tears brimming at the overwhelming emotions I felt.

"Is this real?" I asked still.

He chuckled, the sound striking me in the heart. "Yes. You're home safe."

I opened my eyes to look at him, my shoulders slumping with relief. His thumbs wiped the silent tears, a soft expression on his face. My eyes ran along the contours of his face, taking in the features like it was the first time. Dark stubble coated his jaw, his hair unruly and fluffy, freshly washed by the looks of it. I wondered who had coaxed him to shower, because knowing him, he would've refused it to stay with me.

My hands moved from his shoulders to cup at his neck, shakily tracing circles into the skin beneath his ear. He leaned into my touch, lips catching my wrist with a gentle kiss. The beeping monitor slowed with the calming of my heart, my body aching and tired with the adrenaline.

I was home; I was safe. Finally, after wishing so much, I had Phoenix back.

"You should lie down and rest, my love." His voice snapped me from the daze.

I frowned but nodded, allowing him to pick me up in his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist. He stood, moving closer to the bed before laying me down in it, a small giggle escaping my lips. The smile that broke out on his face blew me away, his entire face lighting up with the sound. I had so many questions to ask, so many answers that I wanted to know.

"Let me get you a drink. You've been asleep for a few days." He smiled.

I blinked furiously at the confession. A few days? It barely felt like a couple of hours! I suppose forcing my eyes awake, being tortured and constantly on edge had that effect on you.

Celimene chuckled darkly. 'One way to look at the situation.'

Phoenix stood and walked away from my bed. I tensed as the open air hit me again, pulling the blankets further up my chest. I watched as he walked to the corner of the room, a small corner designated to act as a mini kitchen. A small sink, electric kettle and even a microwave sat upon two white cupboards.

His shoulders tensed as he bent down to open one of the cupboards, the muscles on his back tensing and bulking with his movement. The cupboard door revealed a small fridge, and he pulled out a jug of water from the side door. Filling a cup, he placed the jug back in the fridge before making his way over to me.

I took the cup from his hands gratefully, admiring how domesticated he was. A small blossom of care began in my heart at his slight gestures, still so unused to him taking care of me. He wouldn't get away with it for long. As soon as they cleared me to leave, I hoped to get right back into things. I couldn't dwell on what happened, since I could see myself falling into a spiral of emotions once more. My stammer was already creeping back up on me.

For now, however, I would admire his form as he served me a drink and stroked the hair behind my ear. Domesticated Phoenix was a delightful change from brooding Alpha Phoenix. He'd be a great father-

I choked on my drink as the thought sprouted in my mind. I heard him ask if I was okay, but my eyes widened at my most recent revelation. He was going to be a father! Did he know?

A napkin was being pressed to my chin, causing me to stiffen as the memory of Master's hand gripping my cheeks flickered through my mind. Phoenix hesitated, but I looked at him from the corner of my eye as he then continued. I swallowed the remnants of the water, studying him.

He was never this over-dramatic with my care. Wiping my chin as I dribbled water was a matter of stupidity on my part. Sure, he enjoyed taking care of me, but now I was wondering if he knew. I haven't spoken to him properly, not having enough time or energy whilst I have been awake.

Does he know?

"You okay?" He wondered.

My eyes refocused on his face, his eyebrows drawn tight. I squeaked a yes, covering up my voice failure by sipping more of my water. The soothing taste of it distracted me from my embarrassment and I gulped the remaining contents.

"Nova?"

I lowered the empty glass, a blush covering my cheeks. He was studying me curiously, but a hidden concern was beneath the depths of his honey eyes that had me swallow nervously. His large hand slid the cup from my fingers, quirking an eyebrow at me. They soon returned to my face, trailing fire down the side of my face from my eyebrow. I sighed, my body relaxing at his touch automatically.

"You sure?" He chuckled softly. "I didn't know water could be so deadly."

I bit back a smile that wanted to erupt on my face, shaking my head. His hand fell to hold my own, leaning forward in the chair he was sitting in. He studied me quietly, searching for something. I stared back at him; the room falling silent as both of us just absorbed each other's presence once more.

A few minutes passed by, and I felt my anticipation grow. Anxiety crept up on me, my stomach churning and sending my heart monitor into a faster rhythm. I glared at it, cursing its existence for spoiling my secret, when Phoenix turned to study it.

"Everything okay?" He wondered, turning a curious eye back to me.

I exhaled shakily, knowing I'd have to tell him or the anxiety would just build up. Then it would get to where I'd lose sleep and feel guilty, so I know I would have to tell him eventually... Even if he knew, surely putting it out in the open would make it easy to talk about.

The door swinging open suddenly disturbed my ever-growing nerves, and I turned my head to see Kate hurrying in. My eyes fell to her stomach almost automatically, surprised to see the blossoming of a bump beneath her scrubs.

"Nova! I have been itching to get in here. I'm so glad you are okay." She breathed, rushing towards me.

I couldn't help but smile widely at her, pretending I did not stare at her ever-approaching bump. Would that be me?

"Hi." I squeaked.

The hand that was not clutching a notepad came to pat me on the arm, a warm smile on her face.

"How are you feeling?" She wondered, moving to stand behind Phoenix.

She checked the monitors, pulling pieces of paper and pressing buttons as she waited for an answer.

"I'm okay." I breathed.

"Any pain?" She asked, tapping the IV bag.

I swallowed, shaking my head.

"Good. I couldn't give you too strong pain killers so unfortunately it's been just human medicine today." She explained with a shrug of her shoulders.

My face blanked as I blinked up at her, but she was too busy writing in her notepad to notice. From the corner of my eye, I saw Phoenix stiffen, which made me wonder if he truly figured it out. He told me Alpha wolves could smell pregnancy from four weeks, so was he just avoiding it as much as I was?

"Everything looks great. Your blood pressure is a little high, you feeling okay? Not too worried about anything?"

The two of them stared at me, awaiting an answer, which just caused me to stare like a deer caught in headlights. How would I answer that? How do I even bring this up? This is too awkward for me, I don't even know how to say it.

Oh hi, yeah, I'm just stressed because apparently I'm pregnant? Yeah, what's that about by the way, because last time I was here, we agreed I may not carry unless I have a period? So now I am told that I am miraculously with child? Yeah, don't see that going down well.

"Nova?" Phoenix asked.

I jumped slightly, my mouth running ahead of me. "I'm pregnant?"

Immediately my eyes widened again, once again stuck between headlights. Phoenix was frozen, his face blank with shock, whereas Kate grinned down at me.

Well... That was one way to announce it?

****

reunited and it feeeels so gooood

Question of the Day:

Europe, hows the storm treating ya? My garden gate is broken but otherwise so far so good lol

wc: 2310