Ava Graves sat in the passenger seat, silently watching the world go by, her chin resting in her hand. It had snowed quite a bit since they’d left two weeks ago. Finn had sent her a picture from when it had first come down, along with a beautiful little girl with blonde hair and amber eyes standing in the middle of it, bundled up in a puffy pink coat and knit hat with a rainbow pom pom on top. Her smile alone had made the trip that much less miserable. 

Her driver on the other hand…

She glanced over at him, silent and stoic as always, his mind nowhere in the Mortal Realm, not even on their destination. When had he smiled last? Like really smiled? She fought the urge to reach over and tuck a loose tendril of his long black hair behind his ear. Tied up in a messy half-knot at the back of his neck, there was no containing it. She loved her best friend and master, but he had become far too distant and edgy lately. Not that she blamed him, of course.

She sighed and turned her gaze back out the window. Not much longer before they arrived at Helman Hall and she could be with her husband and daughter again. She drew her hand into her coat sleeve, absently twirling her wedding ring around as she let her thoughts wander. Anything to keep her mind off the situation they were facing. 

Seven years…

Seven years since it all began. Since the doors were sealed and the barrier made nigh impenetrable to all the Divine left behind in the Mortal Realm. They couldn’t even call it Earth anymore. Whatever the planet had once been was now long gone thanks to those Rogue bastards. 

Seven years…two hundred thousand exiles dead, nearly eighty percent of the population. Human cities had been destroyed, humans themselves hunted down and killed for their souls, or because the Rogues believed they were hiding exiles and other magical creatures. While the human casualties weren’t near as high, they were still lamentable. World governments were calling a state of emergency, and all the exile officials who had once worked so hard to protect and help their fellow Divine were nearly wiped out. Those that weren’t had gone into hiding with the rest. 

The facilities where the souls of the dead were supposed to have been kept safe had become more like restaurants to corrupted angels looking for a quick meal. Even if they had been drained of all their lingering emotional energy and memories, it didn’t matter. If the angel was hungry enough, they would eat the soul in its entirety. Those that were in charge of protecting the facilities were having to fend off more and more attacks, leading to more and more senseless deaths. Even the demons could no longer keep themselves in check. Too many human bodies had been found mauled and destroyed from demon hunts that got out of control.

The Kanaki Exile Military Force was doing everything they could to stem the tide. For the most part, they were making headway, beating back the Rogues, relocating the survivors to more secluded and secured areas, capturing and imprisoning the terrorists, and reestablishing and aiding government leaders in the care and protection of their people. The only thing they couldn’t provide, the one thing everyone continued to call for, was more help. The Divine they had in this Realm was the only Divine they could reach out to. It didn’t matter how strong Natsu’s link to the Helmans may still be, there was nothing any of them could do.

They were on their own.

Ava glanced back at Natsu, his eyes on the road, his hair in his face, his gaze far away, the tremors in his hand more noticeable. There was no tension between the two; there never was. He just had very little to say anymore and she refused to press him on anything. She knew where his mind was, knew what and who he was thinking about. Getting him to divert away from that, especially with the mood he was in, would not be a good judgment call on her part.

“You’re staring.” 

Ava sighed, sitting back in her seat. His voice had gotten deeper, his features harder. He was still incredibly beautiful, especially with the small amount of facial hair he had been able to grow, but it was now a dangerous, dark beauty. There were more scars, he didn’t sleep, barely ate, and when he spoke, people shuddered.

“You’re moping,” she replied. High Prince Natsu Helman Kanaki may have come to inspire fear among so many, but she was immune.

He frowned. “I’m not moping.”

“Then what do you call it?” she asked, turning slightly. “We didn’t lose this one, Natsu, we got what we went there for.”

She saw his jaw clench. “Not everything,” he said under his breath.

That part she couldn’t argue. “We’ll keep looking,” she said softly. “That’s all we can do, Tsu.”

He sighed, turning the truck down the road that would lead them home. “Six months, V. Six months, and the only thing they can tell me is a name.”

“That’s still more than what we had six months ago,” she said. “We’ve been after these guys for years, we’ll eventually catch up to them.”

Natsu didn’t respond. She did notice a twitch in the corner of his lips and she sat up straighter.

“A wave?” she asked, hoping that small amount of contact would be enough to shift his mood, even a little bit.

He swallowed, his Adam’s Apple bobbing. He gave one small nod but said nothing. He’d tell her later. Right now he just wanted to enjoy it, sending out a wave in response, letting Toji know he felt him. She reached over and gave his forearm a small squeeze before turning her attention back out the window. Helman Hall was in sight, the front door opening as they drew closer, pulling up to the massive garage before coming to an easy stop. They couldn’t risk damaging their cargo.

Ava hopped out of the truck just as Finn and Cameo came racing out to meet her.

“Mama!” the little girl squealed, arms outstretched, her bright smile wide. Ava scooped her up, kissing her all over her pudgy face and hugging her tightly.

“Hi, baby! Ooo Mama missed you sooo much!” Ava said, her eyes lighting on her husband who walked up to greet her with a kiss.

“Hey, you,” he said, his amber eyes shining. “How’d it go?”

Ava nodded at the truck as Natsu climbed down, shutting the door before making his way to the back. He dropped the tailgate and Finn hopped up. He caught the motion of a figure as he made his way around the side of the house.

“Pete, come help me with this,” he said, gesturing to Peter who had heard them pull up, knowing he would be needed. Finn tossed back the tarp with a low whistle. “Damn,” he muttered. “That’s a lot of blood.”

Natsu nodded. “That’s everything they could find.”

“In the entire country?” Peter asked, dumbfounded.

“South Korea isn’t a very large country,” Ava said. 

“Fair enough.” He reached up, taking one of the crates Finn handed down to him. “I’ll get Darius to help haul these to the cellar.” He glanced over at his boss. “I know it’s pointless to ask, but were you able to get any more medical supplies? The infirmary is running low again.”

Natsu’s eyes slid over him once before he turned away. 

Peter flinched. “Guess that’s a no.” He shared a look with Finn and headed back around the house, calling for the anishif he mentioned.

“Uncle!” Cameo said, reaching out an arm to him.

Natsu gave her a tiny smile, one that didn’t touch his eyes, as he took her from Ava, giving her a hug. “Hey, Princess,” he said. “Miss us?”

“Yep!” the four year old said. “Did you bring me a present? You said you would.”

Natsu gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, not this time. I couldn’t find anything that would suit you. Next time, yeah?”

Cameo rolled her eyes dramatically, adding in a heavy sigh for good measure. “Fiiiiine,” she said. Natsu handed her back to her mother, patting her on the head. 

He turned and made his way slowly across the drive, not bothering to glance back at the small crew that had arrived to unload the truck.

“Ava,” he said, his voice low but still audible. “I’m going for a walk.”

She sighed. “When will you be back?”

As was his way, he said nothing, just kept walking as though she hadn’t said anything at all.

“Yes, master,” she mumbled.

Finn sighed as he hopped down next to his wife and child, watching after his friend. “Still nothing?”

Ava shook her head. “No,” she said. “He got a small wave on the way here but that’s it.”

“What’s it been now, a year?”

“Little over that, yeah.” She absently kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Seven to one,” she said under her breath. “That’s what he said.”

“If it’s hard on him, I can only imagine how it’s been for Toji,” Finn replied, reaching for Cameo. Ava handed her over and the little girl rested her head on his shoulder. “Makes me wonder just what is going on up there.”

“Same.” She turned to him, a smile on her face. “It looks like I got the rest of the day off, though.”

“That you did.” A mischievous glint came into Finn’s eye, an almost hungry smile on his lips. “What ever shall you do with the time you’ve been given?”

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