The world was on fire and no-one could save me but you

It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do

No, I’d never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you

And I’d never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you

No, I don’t wanna fall in love, no

Pinging noises filled the air as I woke up. I looked around. What the gnome was that? I got out of bed and threw my clothes on, sliding my feet into my boots. I opened the door and looked out, finding the source.

No, I don’t wanna fall in love

Aron was on the little multi-colored zylohone.

“Hey, kid. It’s like, 8 in the morning. What are you doing?” I asked him, walking towards him. The little boy stopped hitting the metal bars and looked up at me.

“Awntie” He smiled. I started down at him warily. Aron put down the wooden stick and, with a focused face, stood up.

“What do you want?” I asked him.

This world will break your heart

Nobody’s falling in love

“Hol, hol me awntie” He said, walking towards me with slow steps. I shrank away from him.

“Uh, no, kid. You don’t want me to hold you.” I said, taking a step back. At that moment Aron lost his balance and fell. His little face puckered up and he began issuing little huffs.

“Awwwwwwntieeeeee” He cried out, holding his hands out.

“Oh gnome, kid. Don’t cry, you barely fell. You don’t want me to hold you. You don’t…” I paused, staring down at the tiny thing. “I’m not someone you want to get close to.”

What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way

“Lo.” His soft voice floated to my ears. I breathed in. “This isn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself. Don’t keep your family at arms length.”

“Ezra?” I asked, looking around.

“Be strong my fire goddess. For me. I need you to be strong.”

“Ezra…”

“Don’t be afraid, darling. It will all turn out okay, with or without me.”

“Awwwwwwntiiiieeeeeeeee” Aron wailed louder, breaking whatever state I had been in.

What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you

Spenser came out of one of the rooms at this time.

“Oh, thank gnome. Spens, he’s not stopping.” I said, staring at Aron. Spenser smiled and reached down to pick him up.

“All he wanted to you to pick him up.” She said, ticking Aron. He let out a series of giggles that were just about the cutest thing ever.

“He can do something other than cry and bang on stuff?” I asked, stepping closer to the two.

“Yes…” Spenser said, staring at me. “Here, hold him.” She pushed him into my arms and let go.

What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way

Reflexivly I caught him before he had moved down even an inch. A baby. I was holding a baby.

“Awntie!” He giggled, smiling up at me.

“Uh, hey there…kiddo.” I said, looking to Spens. “What do I do?” I asked. Spenser shrugged.

“Tickle him, throw him in the air, talk to him, whatever you want. Just don’t drop him.” She laughed, then turned to walk into their nursery.

“Ah! No, Spens don’t leave me with him!” I cried. Aron giggled and wiggled in my arms.

“Pway Awntie, pway!” He cried, bouncing up and down.

What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you

“Open up to them Lo.” His voice spoke again. “Children can bring out the best in a person. They’re hope, they’re unconditional love. They will never question your love and will always return it if you offer it. Let them teach you how to love.”

I gulped and looked at the child in my arms.

“Pwease, pway wif me Awntie” Aron said, frowning. His big blue eyes watering up.

Gnome. If I didn’t figure out how to play with him he’d start crying again.

No, I don’t wanna fall in love, no

“Uhh, okay, okay. Don’t cry kiddo.” I said. Tickle, throw into air, talk. Those were the options Spens gave me. I wrapped both my hands around his tiny torso. “You ready to be a, uh…rocket?” I asked.

“Ya, ya! I wanna be Awntie rocket!” Aron smiled.

Here goes nothing. I lifted him off my hip and threw him into the air. He went above me a little bit then landed safely back in my hands, giggling like a mad man.

“Woosh woosh!!” He giggled. I smiled. “Again again!”

No, I don’t wanna fall in love

I kept at it, throwing little Aron into the air and catching him again in my hands. His giggles filled the house and brought a smile to my face. He was pretty cute. Maybe I could do this, be an aunt. Maybe I could play with my nephews, love my nephews.

This world will break your heart

Nobody’s falling in love

I caught him again and put him on my hip like Spenser had held him.

“Bad things happen to people I love.” I whispered to him.

“No.” He said, forcefully. His little brow was furrowed. “No, Awntie.”

At first I was shocked. “Do you even know what you’re saying no to?” I asked him.

“You’d be surprised how smart they are.” Spenser said. I looked up and blushed.

“Oh, uh, I didn’t see you there.” I said.

No, I don’t wanna fall in love, no

No, I don’t wanna fall in love

“Give him here.” She said, smiling at me. I passed him to her and she gave him a bottle, setting him on the ground. “Drink up your potion Aron. It’s yummy like milk!” She smiled at him.

“Mmmmm, popo!” He exclaimed.

“Potion?” I asked.

“Yes. Both he and Cal are witches. The government, while it doesn’t question Hidden Springs residents, it does test all the residents randomly to make sure none are supernaturals. The potion I give the the boys, and to Silven, will dull their powers, making them untraceable.” Spenser explained.

This world will break your heart

Nobody’s falling in love



“You mean they can’t use their powers?” I asked. Spenser nodded.

“But, Silven, he cherished his powers. He was always the one training them, always the one trying to better them to protect us. How can he just get rid of them like this?” I ask. Again, Spenser smiled.

“Sometimes Logan, when you love someone, you’ll give up anything, change anything, to protect them. Sometimes, the people you love are more important to you than yourself. This isn’t a permanent solution. This won’t last forever.” She smiled down at Aron as he toddled over to the block toy. “From Silven’s perspective, if he can live without his powers for a little while, until the government is overthrown, then he can protect his family.”

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you

It’s strange how desire make foolish people do

Would I give up anything to protect Ezra? The man who protected me. The man who pulled me from the wreckage that took my dad, that held me as my world fell apart, that still held faith in me when I had lost it myself.

Would I change anything to protect the man who sat outside my door for nearly two week talking when I didn’t even pay attention to him half the time, the man who had patience with me, who retrained me, who kept my nightmares at bay? The man who left, the same night he told me he loved me, to keep the Weres away long enough for Rowan to take me away to safety.

I’d never dreamed that I’d love somebody like you

And I’d never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you

The answer I came up with scared me to my core. It scared me more than any Were could. I bit my lip and looked to Spenser.

“I…I need to be alone.” I said.

She nodded with a smile and turned her attention back to the twins. I moved down the stairs and out the front door. My feet carried me to the backyard. The winter air was cool against my bare skin, but I hardly felt it.

No, I don’t wanna fall in love, no

No, I don’t wanna fall in love

I sat in a chair and let my eyes wander over the landscape. My thoughts ran a million times a minute. Every thought of Ezra. His black hair and gold eyes. His smile, his laugh, his voice. I smiled, thinking about the nights he held me close, keeping the nightmares at bay.

This world will break your heart

Nobody’s falling in love

I thought back to that night of the fire, with the heat bringing sweat to our faces. Did he love me even then? While my world fell apart and I fell further than I ever had before, was he trying to hold it all in for me?

“Does your decision still scare you?” His voice asked.

“I…” I paused, thinking it over. “I don’t think so.”

“Then what do you feel?” He asked. I thought long and hard, processing everything. The result was surprising.

“Relief.” I whispered to the wind.

Nobody’s falling in

Nobody’s falling in love

No, no no, woah, no, no, no, no

I had fallen in love with Ezra, and I wasn’t scared.