Chapter 17：A Place Called Home

I couldn't sleep at all that night. I only tossed and turned and worried about what was going to happen in that war room. I put my long dress on, brushed my hair putting it in a french braid before going down stairs. I reached the kitchen to grab and peal and orange before walking the gardens as I did every morning. The only reason why I did it was because it reminded me of Edward. I then turned to go into the palace. Seymour, like always was waiting for me at the door. His arm looped for mine as I took it and we walked to the war room. Like the day before, Edward was waiting, hands behind his back, looking out the window. He turned at our arrival as the knots in my stomach turned. Edward bowed his head slightly walking to the table as Seymour did the same thing.

"The verdict?" Edward asked, seriously.

"I want to apologize first." Edward's reaction didn't change as he looked at his brother. "For taking what father said to far. For not realizing that I have wasted the better part of my life chasing a dream that doesn't exist. I can not make Jaq happy. I started to realize that when we were in the limo headed here. She belongs with her people and I wish to take a closer relationship with you and your daughter since now, I have nothing to look for." Edward nodded.

"You have someone to look for still." Edward said looking still at his brother from across the room. "There is someone out there for you, Seymour but you have been so stuck on chasing your dream of finding the last Virgoians that you let the most important people in your life slip by you."

"Yes.. I understand that now." Seymour said. "I would like to make it a habit to visit every weekend." Edward nodded.

"That would be what both of our mothers would want." Seymour nodded, placed his hand at the small of my back and pushed me towards Edward. He caught me before I could trip into him.

"Take her home." Seymour said leaving the war room.

"Edward?"

"Shh...." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the door he had exited yesterday. He didn't say anything as we walked down the hall way, out to a limo that was white and long. He opened the door and almost shoved me in as the driver started the engine. Edward got in, closed the door and as the limo took off he wrapped his arms around me pulling me to him.

"Jaq.. I am so sorry." He said his voice held emotion that made my heart drop. "I should have been there to stop him. I should have seen this years ago." I felt the tears start in my eyes as he held me to him. "I would never take a stranger into my house. Something about you made me do something I would never have considered. You came in, took care of Alora and even took care of me. Talking, loving, and being everything that my first wife never was. I've wanted you for so long but knew I couldn't keep you. People could not be owned. I was not going to turn into my father. Never showing mother love or compassion. She taught me magic behind his back making the excuse that I turned out not to have the ability as it was a 50/50 chance of not taking when she knew that no matter who a Virgoain marries or mates with, that the child will always be full Virgoians.

"I came up with the idea of a wife." He continued moving me from him and rubbing my tear stained cheek. "Because I needed someone to be there for Alora but I didn't want you to feel trapped in my house. I didn't realize how you have become so much a mother to Alora till you left after the first try. I didn't see it. I couldn't see it. I was too caught up in loving you that I drank every night knowing that I had no right to. No right to keep you there, no right to love you when all I had asked for was for you to take care of Alora. I knew my feelings that night I made you cry when when I announced the first women to come over. I felt my heart hit the floor. So mad at my self and didn't want to see that you really loved Alora and that is what I wanted for her. Someone that loved her. I didn't realize that I wanted love also. After my wife died, I swore I would not marry for love because it seemed that it only made things complicated.

"Then you showed me a new side of love." His hand came across my cheek again as I looked down at his jacket. "One that a family should have. I thought it would be too late when I finally figured out that you were what I wanted for myself and Alora. I wanted to give you time. I wanted to see if you felt the same way I did but nothing had changed. You smiled, you played, but never said anything to indicate how you felt. You didn't ask to spend extra time with me when you put Alora to bed but yet you acted like a wife and mother should have been. I did what you wanted when you came back after that first time. I kept my distance no matter how much it killed me inside. Your reaction to bringing a second choice in should have been the red signal. But I refused to see it. I knew that when I woke up the next morning you were going to be gone, so I went to your room that night. Not expecting you to be in bed naked. Finding out how truly innocent you were through my thinking process so far that I didn't know what to do. When I found you, I wasn't going to let you go. I wasn't going to let you leave without telling me you loved me.

"Seymour called." He continued, sitting back against the seat pulling me to his side as he did so. My hand laid across his chest as I looked at him and listened. "I thought to keep him happy, and since Felicia was our long ago friend it wouldn't hurt to have them over. I had no intentions of marrying her. None at all. Then your reaction at knowing I was having someone else come to the house was more then what I was looking for. If the door didn't ring when it did, I would have pulled you to me and proposed then. I didn't think anything of it when Seymour acted the way he did till the mall when he told me about you. He was leaving the next day and taking you with him regardless of what Alora or I wanted and if I got in the way, he was going to kill both of us and make it a point to you about not getting others involved. I knew he would but didn't want to reveal who I was. So, I had to let him take you. No matter how much it hurt until I could think of some way to get you back and him to see that he was wrong."

"I think my mopping helped." He chuckled landing a soft gentle kiss on my lips. "You never said anything about loving me. I was getting so confused that I didn't think it mattered if I left or not. And when you proposed in Alora's bedroom, it threw me way off. I didn't think you loved me, because I was right there and you brought women in to take my place. To replace me. I thought I had done something wrong."

"Edward..."

"Yes?"

"No more women?" He laughed pulled me on his lap and looked into my eyes. His hand on my hip as his other was at my neck, messaging the tension there.

"Only one."

"Who is that?"

"The only one I love."

"I guess she can stay then." His lips came down on mine. I didn't pull back but let his lips linger for a moment. "I love you too."

Epilogue

"No no let me do that!" Felicia yelled at me as I went to reach for a cup in the cabinet. My stomach had a decent bulge to it as the little boy who occupied the space gave a nice kick to my back. I have a sigh and moved away as Felicia got the cup I wanted. She had taken to being at the house since Edward and I got married. She enjoyed her 'new friend' and wanted to be closer like a sister to me. And since she had been staying, Seymour had been dropping by more and more recently. The kitchen door opened and the mixed colored eyes looked from Felicia to me. A smile across his handsome face as I gave him one of my own.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me walking over to us as I heard Alora in the living room with her dolls casting magic on them to move on their own.

"Oh, as well as a pregnant lady can feel." He walked over placing his hand to my swelling belly and for a reward he got kicked.

"Being a little active today isn't he." He kissed my forehead, turned to Felicia and then kissed her on the lips. She blushed slightly as he took the tray of tea and cookies to the living room.

"You changed him dramatically." She said as we loaded the dish washer. "He seems happier then I have ever seen him." I shrugged then nudged her.

"Someone else is happy too." I teased her and she blushed. She then left the kitchen as I took out a gallon of milk to pour me a glass. The door opened again and I turned to receive arms around my swelling belly from behind.

"Wow Seymour was right. He is active." Edward kissed my ear rocking back and forth. "Think this will help?" He asked. I smiled, chuckling my hands at his hands as he squeezed me lightly.

"Maybe but if it does, your going to be the rocking chair king." He laughed, kissed me again and pulled away. I handed him the other tray of small cakes and he went to the living room. I looked out to the garden and smiled. I never thought I would have such a loving family...

That would include Seymour!