The mountains are brighter now, the peaks higher yet even more beautiful. The wind is no longer knives of ice, but are now kisses of air against my skin, through my free and wild hair. I am not alone on the mountain anymore, as he sits beside me, his arms wrapped around my body waist and his lips at my ear, whispering promises I know he will keep. I allow myself to bask in his words, my body a gondola on the river of his speech, floating and dipping under bridges and under lakes and reaching all the covers of the earth solely powered by the three words he repeats over, and over.

I turn to him, and I meet his beautiful iridescent gaze.

"Alessandra..." He whispers, and his voice doesn't break anymore. His eyes don't waver with the memories of the monster. He is steady, grounding me. My rock, my strong hand to grab me tight and make sure I don't float away.

He leans forward to kiss me, his lips reaching closer and closer to mine....

"Alessandra, wake up." I groan as I hear Octavius' whining next to me, accompanied by Xander's wails.

"Ugh, I got him last time." I mumble into the pillow, stuffing it over my head trying to block out the noise and resume my dream.

"No, I did. Sandra, please." He groans, shaking my shoulders.

"Look," I start, sitting up. "You seem pretty awake, Octavius. So go put your son back to sleep."

I glare at him, but my stare wavers as I hear Xander's whimpers. A pang floods my heart and I sigh, getting up from the bed and wrapping a robe around my bare body. Before I leave however, I swat Octavius upside his head, causing him to wince.

"Love you." He groans, throwing his head back onto the pillow.

"Yeah, yeah." I respond incoherently, my bare feet shuffling on the wooden floors as I cross the hall and enter Xander's nursery.

"Hi, baby." I coo, moving towards his crib, where he squirms and screams. I reach down, wrapping my hands around his back, lifting him into my arms. The crying stops almost immediately, his big blue eyes squinting with glee.

"You little trickster." I whisper, and settle down on a rocking chair with him in my arms. He settles into me, lifting his arm up and down against my stomach.

"Now, I hope you realize you interrupted a very nice dream that mommy was having." I scold jokingly, rocking back and forth with soothing rhythm.

"Don't worry, you're always going to be mama's boy." I whisper, placing a kiss against this skin.

He coos in my arms, his little chest moving up and down slower by the moment. He really is a fast sleeper. I gaze down at his sleeping face, the long lashes cloaking the space under his eyes, and think of the eyes underneath his lips, so much like Octavius'. I smile, and begin to hum:

"The moon called down to me

a lonely rogue alone

For the hunter came to see,

To fight for tooth and bone.

But I was much much wiser

Oh you see this is right

For the hunter hit a geyser

And I ran out of sight.

But even this old gunner

With his weapon shining red

Knew he was no runner

So he chose to hide instead

He waited til the nightfall

When all the pups go play

He never raised a warning call

That red stained winter day"

I stand, Xander's sleeping form cradled in my arms as I lower him back into his crib, kissing his head one last time. I place the stuffed lamb that Klaude gave him when he was born next to his, and his little chubby arms wrap around the fluffy form, hugging it close.

Even through the long nights and the interrupted dreams, I wouldn't trade this moment, this little boy, for anything. I thought I had lost my family that day, god, it seems so far away now. But now, I not only had my son and my beautiful mate, but my son had his grandfather.

I sigh, collapsing into an armchair next to Xander's crib, sinking deep into the cushioned material.

He's still scarred, my father. The doctors did all they could to make sure he would live, and he will. But the scars from years of torture and suffering are imprinted into his flesh forever. I try to tell myself that it isn't my fault, that there was nothing I could have done. But a voice in the back of my mind wonders, how the hell did I not realize he was still alive? Why hadn't I jumped in front of Titan's wrath on that fateful day?

"Sandra, come back to bed, please. I can hear your thoughts from three rooms away." I look up at Octavius, who is standing in the doorway with his bare chest soaking in the silver light from the moon.

"I'm fine." I whisper, pushing myself from the chair quietly, and tiptoeing out of the room.

"Sandra..." He whispers skeptically once I shut the door behind me. I can't meet his gaze, he always knows when I'm lying.

"I want to go back to bed, Octavius." I say, my voice monotone and steady.

I feel a hand under my chin, Octavius' grip gently guiding my eyes to his. His dark blue eyes are filled with concern and curiosities and question to which I have insufficient answers.

"We're okay, Sandra." He whispers, wrapping a hand around my waist, pulling me into his body gently. I immediately relax as my skin comes into contact with him, and I reach up to wind my arms around his neck. My head is against his chest, his heart pounding beneath my ear. I let out a ragged exhale, holding myself to him tighter and tighter.

"Last night was the first time I didn't have a god-awful nightmare about...about..." I whimper against his chest, and I feel his grip on my waist tighten.

"Shhh..." He whispers, pressing his lips to the top of my head. "You're safe with me, Sandra. And no one is ever going to harm you again."

I lift my head, and gaze through tear-filled eyes at my mate.

"How can you know that, what if-"

And he cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine. I melt into him, like an ice cream on a hot summer's day, our lips moulding together. The kiss is sweet and slow, like his hand rubbing across my back in comforting circles. His stubble grazes my cheeks, tickling me gently and creating an ache low on my body. He pulls away too soon, pressing his forehead against mine.

"No more 'what-ifs'." He whispers hoarsely, the movement of his lips causing them to brush with feather-like touches against mine. I nod slowly, and allow him to guide me back to our rooms, watching as he locks the door behind him. I look at him with a raised eyebrow, confused.

"Klaude." He explains, and I let out a short giggle.

"Good." I smile, and he moves towards me, hoisting me into the air, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He steps towards the bed, his knees bending as he settles me down into the mattress, holding himself over me.

"I love you." I whisper, and lift myself, brushing my lips against his teasingly. He growls lowly, his hands tightening around my thighs. I gasp against his touch as his nails graze along my skin, raising goosebumps all over me.

"I love you more." He growls, huskily, and he captures my lips with his, moaning into my touch.

"Not possible." I mumble in response, and let him kiss me again, and I don't have time for words anymore as we become coiled together in a night-long dance.

I wake up to the gentle sound of scratching, and I lift my head from the pillow, or what is left of it. I look around me at the bed, and gaze in shock and humor at the soft layer of pillow feathers surrounding me. I laugh slightly, lifting a handful of the white and watching it fall from my fingers.

"Wow." I whisper in wonder.

"You guys sure are messy, huh?"

I jump up and shriek, hurriedly pulling my robe on from the floor.

"KLAUDE!" I scream in anger. He rolls around laughing, his golden hair falling in every direction.

"Oh, Ale, how you humor me." He grins, and prances over to the bed, settling down among the feathers.

"How the hell did you get in here, Octavius locked the door."

"Good old Tavi has gone to a meeting, and he asked me to watch after you and Xander whilst he is gone."

"Great." I groan, throwing myself back onto the pillows.

"So...." He asks, placing his chin in his hands. "How did all these feathers get here, hm?"

With a sigh and a laugh, I lift up a pillow and hit him square in the nose.

"You wound me, Ale." He says in mock sadness.

"Cry me a river." I joke, laughing loudly.

"Well, get dressed, we have an adventure of a day ahead of us."