Cassie was seated in the living room downstairs, chatting casually with the others as they waited for the main event of the day. She was rubbing her swollen belly slightly, focusing her attention on the others. She couldn't quite remember the last time they had all been together like this. 

A tiny hand grasped at Cassie's hand.

"Mommy! Mommy! How do I look in my dress?" asked a tiny girl, no more than five years old. Her dark hair had been pulled into pigtails, and she was wearing a white dress with bright green straps that complimented her emerald eyes.

"You look lovely, Celeste," Cassie said, pinching her daughter's cheeks.

"What 'bout me, Mommy?" as another hand tugged on hers. Cassie turned toward her other daughter, Annie, who was wearing a similar dress, though a few sizes smaller to suit her three-year-old frame. Her short blonde hair had been combed for once, and her green eyes shone brightly with excitement.

"Yes, you look beautiful, too," Cassie teased, listening to her daughter shriek in glee.

Marc bent down to pick up both Annie and Celeste in his arms. They giggled at this act, bouncing slightly in his arms.

"Don't bother Mommy too much," he warned. "She's tired."

Cassie turned and smiled at him, looking at their children in his arms. Celeste looked more like Marc, with her darker complexion and brown hair that so similarly matched her father's. They had even given her the same middle name as Marc's mother, Elena. They had carried on the tradition by giving Annie the middle name of Jane for Cassie's mother.

Cassie glanced at her younger daughter. Annie had a lighter complexion, similar to Cassie. Cassie wasn't sure where the blonde had come from, but her youngest daughter's hair had always been golden. Her mother always stated that Annie reminded her of a young Cassie—wild, fun, and free.

"Here, Mom," came another voice. Cassie glanced up, watching Elijah bring a glass of water to her. It was hard to imagine that he was thirteen years old now. He got along extremely well with the girls, thankfully. Even if they weren't biologically related, he was very kind and protective toward his younger sisters. Cassie hoped Irene would be proud of him. Her son had quadrupled in size, his height taking after his father. He was reaching closer to Marc's height every day.

"Thanks," Cassie said, taking the glass of water from him.

"When are you due?" Cherie asked as she sat on the couch near Cassie. She was still running Francesco's cabin. It was mostly empty now that everyone had left, though she occasionally took in visitors, if only for a few nights. It was nice being back at the cabin for a little while. It reminded Cassie of simpler days.

"January," Cassie answered. It was October currently. The cool autumn day reminded Cassie of her wedding nine years prior. Though this time, it was a different wedding they were celebrating.

"And another girl?" Wyatt asked. It was hard to believe he was twenty-six years old now. He had entered school and gone through college, and now was in medical school to become a doctor. His girlfriend was outside, helping with last minute wedding preparations.

"Another girl," Cassie replied gleefully.

"Don't you ever want to have a boy, Marc?" Cherie teased.

"I already have a son," Marc replied, referring to Elijah. Cassie smiled at this response. Raising Elijah had been difficult at times, but it had prepared her for the birth of her own children. Elijah would always be her first child in her mind.

"Have you thought of names?" Cherie asked.

"A little bit," Cassie replied.

Celeste and Annie were beginning to get rowdy again. Marc set them back down while Elijah took them aside. "How about we go play on the lawn for a bit?"Elijah suggested. He turned to Cassie for an approval, and she nodded, watching him take the kids outside.

"He's such a sweetheart," Cherie said, referring to Elijah. "You've raised him well."

"Thanks," Cassie replied. "I wish the girls were as calm as he was when he was their age."

The sound of a door swinging open caught the others' attention. Conny had entered, his hands interlaced with his girlfriend's, Carly. After about two years of written exchanges and a sparse visits, they had finally begun dating. Cassie was happy for the two.

"Where do we put the wedding presents?" Carly asked.

"This way," Cherie said, standing to lead her into the kitchen.

"How are you?" Marc asked, engulfing his brother in a hug.

Cassie braced herself and stood up slowly, practically waddling over to Conny to give him a hug as well. He made a sound of surprise as her stomach brushed against him but quickly moved on to giving her a tight hug.

"How are you doing?" he asked Cassie.

"A little tired. I'm excited for today though," Cassie said, moving down to her seat.

"Where are the kids?" Conny asked.

"Elijah took them outside," Marc answered. "But I'll let them know their uncle is here."

Conny took a seat beside Cassie. "When is your family coming?"

"Soon, I think," Cassie replied. "How is Carly doing?"

"She's doing well," Conny replied.

"So, when will we be celebrating your wedding?" Marc asked, taking a seat next to his brother.

"Don't...don't say anything, but I'm planning to propose soon," Conny said quietly.

Cassie clapped her hands together excitedly. "That's great!"

"Keep it on the down low though," Conny hissed. "Probably before the year ends I'll do it."

"My baby brother is going to get married," Marc teased.

"Don't go around saying that. I haven't asked her yet," Conny grumbled, their conversation cut short as Cherie and Carly re-entered the room again.

The stairs creaked, and Cassie looked up as someone walked down them. Lillian was moving toward the kitchen at a sneaky pace.

"Lillian, why aren't you in your dress yet?!" Cherie exclaimed.

"I'm starving. I can't make it to the reception," Lillian admitted, letting out a whine.

Cherie let out a groan. "You go back upstairs and change, and I'll bring you food," she grumbled, directing Lillian away. Lillian caught sight of the others and gave them a slight wave before turning back upstairs. "Brides, I swear," Cherie mumbled as she left.

"Is Eiji with Mitsuki?" Conny asked.

"Yeah," Cassie replied. "I think Diana will be running back and forth between the rooms to help with hair," she teased.

Mitsuki and Lillian were finally getting married. It seemed long overdue. They had been dating for such a long time already, but both had insisted they wanted to date normally first before getting too serious. They had been living in the same apartment for years and often went on expensive trips together, traveling around the world. Lillian had finally admitted to Cassie about a year or two ago that they were finally ready to settle down, and both popped the question to each other on the same day.

They had recently moved into a larger apartment. Mitsuki had taken a job as a personal trainer while Lillian worked part-time as a barista at a local coffee shop and cared for their two dogs in the meantime. It only made sense that they were finally going to get married after all.

The doorbell rang, and Cassie glanced up, assuming it was her family. Sure enough, her mother, father, and sister entered as Marc grabbed the door for them. They engulfed him in big hugs and rushed over to Cassie to do the same.

"Look how big you're getting!" Diana exclaimed.

"Please stop," Cassie grumbled, hugging her sister tighter. "Your boyfriend isn't with you?"

"Eh, I figured it was too soon," Diana responded. Getting back to school meant she also got to return to the dating life she had been barred from, which had spurred her to enter a multitude of relationships, each ending within a few months. But Diana claimed something was different about the new boy she was dating. Cassie had yet to meet him.

"How are you feeling?" her mother asked.

"I'm okay," Cassie responded.

"Where are the girls?" her father asked.

"Playing outside with Elijah," Cassie answered.

"Ooh, I want to see them. I brought them gifts," her mother replied, reaching into her purse. Cassie only rolled her eyes, knowing her mother's joy at being a grandparent. She had spoiled Elijah years before the girls were born.

"I think I'm going to go up and see Lillian and Mitsuki," Cassie said as Diana was making her way to the steps already.

She walked alongside her sister and headed up the tall staircase, feeling as if more steps had been added in the growing years. Cassie placed a hand along her stomach and walked down the hallway, stepping into Lillian's room first. Cherie was still scolding the girl.

Diana slowly opened the door, and she stepped inside. Lillian was already in her long, flowing dress and had a full face of make-up.

"Need me for hair?" Diana asked.

Lillian nodded her head, turning to give Diana a hug. Cassie felt as if the three had truly grown together as sisters during these past nine years. No one got to see each other as much as she wanted to, but when they were together, they got along well.

"Cassie, how are you?" Lillian asked as she broke away from her hug with Diana. "I feel like I haven't seen you recently with the wedding planning."

"I'm good," Cassie answered, giving her a hug as well.

Lillian placed a gentle hand over Cassie's stomach. "Will she kick for me?" Lillian wondered.

Cassie chuckled. "Maybe. It feels like she never stops—" Lillian let out a sound of surprise as a kick rippled through Cassie's stomach.

"Have you thought of names yet?" Lillian asked excitedly.

"No, I was actually..." Cassie let her thoughts drift off. 

"Cassie's going to have a million kids," Diana stated.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I told you, Marc and I said this would be the last one."

Lillian giggled. "Mitsuki keeps asking me for a third dog, but I am set at two. But maybe if we got a cat..." All three of them erupted in laughter.

"I'm going to go visit Mitsuki," Cassie announced. "I promise I won't tell her what you look like."

Lillian shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. We picked out our dresses together. It's meant to be a casual wedding."

"Still," Cassie said, giving a slight wave as she ducked out of the room. She walked merely a few feet before coming to Mitsuki's door. A light knock echoed from her fist, and she entered after hearing a polite, "Come in!"

Mitsuki was a wearing a flowing wedding dress with lace sleeves. Cassie glanced at her from head to toe, noticing the blush rising in Mitsuki's cheeks.

"What are you staring at me for?" Mitsuki grumbled as her brother sat in a chair, chuckling slightly.

"You look nice," Cassie told her. "I think Diana will come do your hair as well."

Mitsuki smiled slightly. "That's good. Is she helping Lillian right now?"

Cassie nodded. "I just came from Lillian's room."

"Does she look pretty?" Mitsuki asked. "Wait, no. Don't tell me. I want to be surprised."

Cassie laughed in response. "I just came in to say congratulations."

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Mitsuki replied, turning to look at herself in the mirror again. "Congrats on baby number three also. You know there's such thing as birth control."

"Mitsuki!" Eiji gasped.

Cassie laughed. "Yes, I know. We just wanted one more," she said, soothingly running her hand over her swollen stomach. It was only three more months until she could meet her third daughter.

"Well, I hope she likes me too. I'm surprised your other kids like me a lot," Mitsuki admitted.

"Of course. You're a lot of fun," Cassie assured her. "They always love visiting you two and playing with your pets."

Mitsuki smiled slightly before going back to fixing her hair. It had grown out long again in the past nine years, though she had heard rumors that Mitsuki wanted to cut it back to chin-length again.

"I should be going, then. I'll see you at the ceremony," Cassie said.

"Thanks, Cassie," Mitsuki replied.

Cassie took her leave and headed back downstairs. The others were already starting to gather out on the lawn. She met Marc and her children out there, hugging the little ones as she took a seat in between Marc and Elijah. Celeste and Annie sat on the other side of Elijah, who was skillfully keeping them from picking fights with each other.

Marc glanced at Cassie and smiled at her as the rest gathered in their seats. She leaned in for a kiss, ignoring the "ews!" that came from her two daughters. Cassie only rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

"It's a nice day," Elijah admitted, staring at the autumn atmosphere around him.

Cassie smiled and leaned against him slightly, him doing the same. She ran a hand around his head and stroked her fingers through his brown hair, just as she had done when he was an infant. She could barely believe he was a teenager now. She expected him to be embarrassed, but he shut his eyes and leaned into her touch.

They were interrupted at the sound of footsteps coming down the porch. Cassie saw Lillian and Mitsuki, arm in arm, proceeding down the green aisle together. They walked slowly, even if Cassie could tell Mitsuki was trying to pick up the pace to avoid stares. Either way, both were staring lovingly at each other and smiling. Cassie grinned at them, knowing how joyful they were feeling. It was the same as when she had married Marc.

The ceremony was short and sweet, and Cassie assisted the others in throwing flower petals as they exited. The reception was held indoors this time to avoid the striking October cold. A beautiful sunset had cast over the cabin as Cherie prepared food inside.

Cassie stood outside on the porch with Elijah, watching the sunset sink behind the clouds. Marc had taken the girls inside to eat, though she had been content staying outside just a bit longer, despite Marc's warnings it was not good for her body, even if she'd been through two other pregnancies before.

"I hope Lillian's not getting too drunk in there," Cassie admitted, turning her head to see her and Mitsuki drinking away through the kitchen window.

Elijah chuckled. "I think they're just having fun."

Cassie smiled and nodded, staring at the orange clouds. She leaned against the porch fence, watching the way the sun illuminated the forest. She missed this sight from her house in the suburbs.

"I was trying to distract Celeste and Annie by walking around the house a little bit," Elijah interrupted. "I found a picture hanging on the walls in the third floor."

"Oh, what of?" Cassie asked.

"You weren't in it. I think it was before you had become a spiritkeeper. But I...my mother was in it, and my father, too, I think. They were young, maybe fifteen, sixteen, in the photo," Elijah said.

"Oh," Cassie murmured. Elijah had always known Marc and Cassie were not his real parents. He had asked few questions about Irene and Miguel throughout the years, even though he had Irene's picture of her and him as a newborn on his nightstand. Every once in a while, the subject would come up though.

"Mom looked happy," Elijah admitted. Cassie knew he was referring to Irene this time.

"I'll have to look at that picture later. I think she was happy with the others for a while. They were her family when she no longer had a place in her own," Cassie stated.

"Did you know much about my father? Miguel?" Elijah asked.

Cassie frowned. "Marc would probably know more. I only knew Miguel in the first few months I lived with the others."

"But you knew my mom," Elijah said.

Cassie nodded. "I think I did. Not as well as I would have liked, but in the end, I think I knew her well. She was a messed up human, like we all are, but she loved you more than anyone else."

Elijah shuffled his feet slightly. "Do you think she'd be proud of me? Do you think she'd like me?"

"Of course," Cassie replied. "She always loved you. It hurt her to be away from you when I first started caring for you. I don't know what would have happened if she lived, but I think she would have wanted to keep caring for you, whether it was me or her doing the direct caretaking. You don't remember much of her, do you?"

"A little bit," Elijah admitted. "I remember her reading me a story one night and holding me close and I felt really comforted by it. You've told me all about how she lived with you all for a while after returning from the Preservers. I don't remember too much. I...I do remember her saying good-bye to me when you all fought. I remember feeling sad. But I guess I never really comprehended her death."

"She didn't deserve to die," Cassie admitted. "I think she made a lot of mistakes, but she had been given a second chance at life and lost it. But she left you behind, at least," Cassie said, resting her hand on Elijah's shoulder. "I promised her I'd take care of you."

Elijah turned and squeezed Cassie tightly. "Thank you," he whispered.

Cassie grinned and held him close, feeling herself growing a bit emotional.

You would love your son, Irene, Cassie thought.

"Elijah?"

"Hm?" he asked, his face buried in her chest still.

"Marc and I were thinking about naming the new baby Irene. What do you think?" Cassie asked.

"I think I'd like that a lot," Elijah said.

Cassie grinned at him and slowly let her arms drop from him. It was getting dark now and seemed time to head inside.

Elijah went off to play with his sisters again while Cassie took a seat on the couch next to Marc, leaning against his shoulder. He protectively wrapped an arm around her and held her close near the crackling fire as the others chatted and celebrated.

"What were you two talking about?" he wondered.

"Just stuff," Cassie murmured.

"Stuff, huh?" Marc replied, laughing a bit.

"Mommy! Mommy! Come watch Annie do a cartwheel in the living room!" Celeste cried, running into the room. Cassie sighed, missing her minute of silence. She and Marc followed the kids to the living room, watching as Annie attempted the bare minimum attempt of a cartwheel. Cassie took a seat and laughed at the two as they played.

Someone had taken a seat next to her. Cassie turned, noticing Lillian. She was a tiny bit drunk, Cassie assumed, though it appeared Mitsuki had stopped her from drinking any more before she turned out as bad as Cassie's birthday celebration so many years before.

"How are you?" Cassie asked, squeezing Lillian's hand.

"Great!" Lillian replied. "I've never been happier."

Cassie smiled. "Listen, Lillian, you asked about baby names earlier..."

"Are you naming her after me? How beautiful," Lillian said, pressing a hand to her chest.

"I was thinking about naming her after Irene," Cassie admitted.

Lillian had gone silent, clearly not as drunk and happy-go-lucky as Cassie thought. Lillian paused for a moment, intertwining her hands. Cassie knew Irene's death still hit Lillian hard. From what she knew, Lillian still visited Irene's grave once a year, around the anniversary of her death, to pay her respects.

"I think...I think that would be nice," Lillian said quietly.

Cassie smiled. "I wanted your approval first. I'm sorry that was a heavy question. It's your wedding day, after all."

"No, it's okay," Lillian said. "I still think about her almost every day, you know, even though I have Mitsuki with me. I see her in Elijah all the time. I can't believe it's been so long without her now. It still feels so raw. But I think...I think using that name would be a good way to honor her."

"I think so, too," Cassie replied, flashing Lillian a kind smile.

"I'll be right back," Cassie said as she stood. "I'm going to use the bathroom."

She walked away from the kitchen and living room down the hall. That was strange. She hadn't recalled seeing Elijah anywhere in the crowd. Perhaps he had gone to use the restroom too.

Suddenly, Cassie felt a warmth in her chest, one that she had not felt in several years. The feeling was strange at first, then utterly familiar. No. It couldn't be. A muffled groan came in the distance, in one of the many unoccupied rooms of the cabin.

"Elijah?" Cassie called, leaning into one of the rooms. He was lying in the floor in the darkness holding his legs close to his body. She rushed toward him, kneeling down beside him. Pressing a hand to his head, she felt that it was warm, and his body was slick with sweat.

"Mom..." he called weakly.

The warmth in Cassie's chest was spreading. She quickly unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt, gasping at what she saw underneath. A blue flame, bright and hot to the touch was lying atop Elijah's chest. She cradled his head, staring down at the tattoo in shock.

"Mom, what is it?" he asked. "I got really cold and hot all of the sudden. I think I passed out."

"They're back," Cassie whispered.

"What? Who is?" Elijah asked curiously.

Footsteps were rushing to the room now. Marc peeked his head in first, staring at the two in astonishment.

"Cassie, what happened? We all felt the warmth in our chest and..." His voice broke off at the sight of Elijah's human-spirit tattoo glowing in the darkness.

"The Guardians are back," Cherie murmured as she caught a sight.

"What? But I thought they were dormant!" Elijah exclaimed, his eyes now falling to the tattoo on his own chest. He stared at it for a few moments before his eyes widened once more. "Wait...but I thought...I'm a human-spirit?"

Cassie looked down at him and nodded. "Just like me," she said, beginning to help him sit up.

"We're spiritkeepers again, baby!" Mitsuki rejoiced.

Elijah looked confused, his eyes widened in fright, but Cassie stroked her fingers through his hair and smiled gently at him. "There's a lot I'm going to have to teach you about these next few years," she said.