The moment I walked in, Elysium rushed towards me, arms wrapping around me in a tight desperate grip. Tears gathered in my eyes as I hugged him back with all my might, basking in the warmth of my son's presence. He's safe. He's alright.

"Mi precioso hijo(My precious son), I'm here"I whispered softly as his sobs echoed in the living room.

"Mamá" The word left his lips in a broken whisper that tugged at my heart strings.

"I'm alright.. Everything will be alright now" I whispered gently, running my fingers through his hair.

I looked up, eyes meeting Landon's sorrowful grey ones. His face twisted into a tight mask of guilt, shame and regret. That was the most emotions I had ever seen on his face.

Eli's hand landed on my back in a comforting gesture. I straightened up and gently cupped my son's face. "Go with Papá okay? I just want to talk with Landon alone for a little bit."

Eli exhaled deeply, his eyes moving from Landon to me but he held Elysium's hand and gently pulled him close. "Come on, little lion"

Elysium nodded but stared back at me, dried tears on his cheeks. "Sé un faro de esperanza para él, mamá... Eso es lo que necesita...(Be a beacon of hope for him, Mom... That's what he needs...)"

My heart ached at his words. I stared into his hazelnut brown eyes with a soft gaze and nodded. The moment Eli and Elysium disappeared upstairs, I walked towards Landon quietly.

His eyes squeezed shut the moment I stopped in front of him as if he was awaiting a slap. But I didn't slap him. I gently touched his cheek instead, watching as his jaw clenched beneath my palm. "Open your eyes, Landon"

He did. And.. God his eyes were misted with pained tears, gaze fixed on the bruise on my jaw. "I'm s-sorry, Celine.. God I'm so so sorry.. No matter how much I apologise, it won't change what I did but God I wish It would. I wish I could go back in time and confess my pain to Eli instead of doing what I did. I was so scared of losing Eli, so scared of watching him build his life with you and leave me behind that I.. I tried to hurt you.."The words left his throat on a sob.

My own chest ached painfully, eyes filling with tears because I understood his pain, how much alone he must have felt the day he lost his parents. I was always empathetic and Dad used to tell me that this trait of mine was both a strength and a sword that could cut me. Because I didn't just understand people's pain, I tried to carry it for them, I tried to lessen it, to diminish the heavy burdens on their heart. Maybe I was too good hearted and empathetic. But I would rather be this way than cold and harsh, than empty and unfeeling with a stone in my chest instead of a heart. Even if with emotions and empathy came pain and sorrow.

"Eli and I forgive you" I said softly, the words reaching Landon's heart like a beacon of mercy and hope.

He stared into my eyes with surprise and disbelief, searching if I was truly serious. "Why? Why would you forgive me after what I did?"His voice cracked.

"Because you suffered enough. And I don't want you to carry more pain because I chose to hold resentment and anger towards you. What you did was wrong. Cruel. I won't deny it. But I understand what drove you to it. I understand your pain, your fear, your sorrow. I do. And I also know why you gave in to Elysium when he asked you to save me. The little boy in you, the 5 year old Landon felt for my son and you chose to do what's right. That's why I forgive you. Not because what you did was right but because you chose your family in the end. You didn't allow your fear, the twisted thoughts in your mind to consume you. That tells me everything I need to know. You're not a bad man, Landon. You're hurt. Deeply so"I said softly stroking his cheek, wiping the tears that begin to fall.

"But you can heal, you can get better. With Eli, Elysium, Agnus and me by your side, you will get better. With the help of psychologists and psychiatrists, you will heal."I said with utmost faith and conviction.

Landon bowed his head like a broken king having lost all reasons to keep going. "It's not easy.. When Eli told me he wanted to leave with you.. My nightmares changed, they started showing you instead of Isabel's face, I saw you taking him away from me, stabbing me again and again.. It tormented me.. It broke me.. My resolve. My shield against my mind broke, I couldn't control it"

I exhaled shakily at his words and placed my hands on his shoulders, encouraging him to look at me. The moment he stared up at me with torment in his eyes, I smiled gently. "You couldn't control it but in the end your mind didn't win. It's your heart that did. I know it's not easy, healing never is. But it's important. If you don't treat a wound and just let it fester, it will get worse. No amount of band aids will help to soothe it if it's not treated. Same thing with your mind, if you don't open up about your trauma, talk about it and reflect on your own past with the right guidance and forgive your parents, yourself for everything that happened, you won't heal. But if you do that, if you do all this?I give you my word, Landon, you will heal. And you will live a happy life. A life I believe your parents always wanted for you"

Landon exhaled deeply and grabbed my wrist as if anchoring himself to the present. To my words. "You really believe so?"

"I do, with all my heart" I said with conviction.

He nodded and closed his teary eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry for everything"

I hugged him quietly like one would hug a wounded soul. "I know, I know you are"

We remained in each other's embrace, my tears falling as his tears soaked my shoulder. Fatigue wore me down but I held him and comforted him, my hands rubbing soothing circles on his back. I let him cry, cry for himself, for his 5 year old self, for his parents, for the loss of them and for everything he felt and kept buried inside for so long.