“Danny!” Sebastian sat up abruptly, wild eyes searching for someone who wasn’t there. Nizhoni sat up next to him, his scream of her godson’s name instantly alerting her from a deep sleep. He sat up Indian-style, head in his hands as he tried to calm his breathing.

“You okay, baby?” Nizhoni ran her hand over his back, her chin resting on his shoulder.

“I-I don’t know,” he answered in a shaky breath. He ran his palms over his face and tried to calm his racing pulse.

“You were dreaming about Daniel.”

Sebastian frowned. “Sort of. It was strange…it…I don’t know…felt like a warning of some kind.”

Nizhoni frowned. “A warning against what?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.” He was quiet a moment before turning to his left and gently kissed her lips. “I love you.”

She smiled. “I love you, too.”

He sighed. “Go back to bed, beautiful.” He kissed her again. “I’ll be back in a bit.” He knew there would be no sleep for a good while.

“Want me to stay up with you?” she asked him through her yawn.

He smiled gently. “No, baby, it’s fine. You and the little one need rest. Sleep. Its fine, I promise.” He kissed her once more before sliding his legs over the edge and quietly left the room. He looked to his right to where Jaxsen’s door stood closed and dark. 

The digital clock on the microwave read 2:45, the soft green light mocking him. He sighed. He had just fallen asleep less than two hours ago. He put on some coffee to brew with a nice tot of his favorite Irish whiskey. He hoped the alcohol would settle his nerves. The dream made him nervous. 

‘Dawn is coming…Don’t let dawn destroy you…’

The warning rang out and around his head but he was incapable of deciphering the message. He took his cup into the living room, sinking down heavily into the sofa. He took a long, deep drink of his hot totty, feeling the whiskey burn going down his throat before spreading warmth through his belly. He closed his eyes as he savored the taste, sloshing the steaming liquid around his mouth before swallowing. 

Visions passed through his mind. Memories of the dream mixed with the memories of an incarnadine reality. Daniel’s and Jaxsen’s screams pierced through the light haze of the alcohol that had begun to fog his mind. Sebastian felt his heart clench at the sounds, merciless and un-abating echoes of his sons’ screams. When a warm wetness slowly trekked down his face he merely closed his eyes against the emotional response. The dream didn’t sit well. What was more was he didn’t understand the message his late son was trying to deliver.

“Dawn is coming,” he spoke aloud, his voice quite loud in the sleeping silence of early morning. He felt it was a warning…but against what? He sighed and took another long swallow of the brew. There would be no getting back to sleep tonight. Not with his mind spinning like it was.

“There’s nothing very merry ‘bout going round and round.” He chuckled dryly to himself as he sang the song lyric. Going into his office with a fresh dram, minus the coffee, closed the door and sat in front of his computer. He drank from his glass long and slow, and tried to allow the whiskey to calm his mind. When he began to write the words flowing forth from his fingertips, he had no concept of what he was writing. Free writing. An exercise he’d slipped out of the habit of practice.

Dead. Sebastian started at the word a moment before continuing. My son. He’s been gone for years. The how or the why isn’t prudent. After the accident he visited my dreams. His laughter echoing as I woke before desolation recalled forth in remembrance that it was the echo of a memory. As time passed and the day to day became easier to bear, when Nizhoni no longer had to worry about finding my cooled corpse on her living room floor, the dreams of Daniel’s visitations became less and less. 

I miss him. My beautiful little boy. 

He’s visiting me again. He’s warning me, but I don’t know what the warning concerns. I don’t understand and I know that in this ignorance I’m shrouded in will be my downfall if I don’t deduce this cryptic cipher.

‘Dawn is coming. Don’t let dawn destroy you.’

He took another drink, finishing the glass. He was glad it was Sunday. Nizhoni was taking the boys to the new Natural Science exhibit at the science museum and he would have the house to himself. He was coming up on his deadline and he was behind. 

“Mamma?” Jaxsen asked as he, Basil, and Nizhoni sat at the breakfast table over a meal of French toast and bacon.

“What, baby?”

Jaxsen munched on his bacon and swallowed before speaking. “Where’s Dad?”

Nizhoni took a drink of her orange juice. “He’s in his office working. He’s got to write three chapters before five this evening.” 

Jaxsen grimaced. “Not long. Is that why we’re going out today?”

“Yep,” she confirmed. “I get a date with my boys while my man gets a date with his imagination.” Basil said nothing but at his inclusion that he was one of “her boys” blushed deeply and attempted to hide his face behind his glass of milk as he took a large gulp. A flash of melancholy reached out a choking grip on his heart as he thought about how little affection he received at home.

Quickly he shoved away the thoughts and feelings for another day. He liked that he was included in their family. He had so little remaining of his own. He was brought from his thoughts by a soft contact on his left arm. Jaxsen frowned slightly in question. Basil shook his head and smiled in answer. He’d never had a connection with another living soul like the one he shared with Jaxsen. They could have full and informative conversations without speaking a word. Communicating with eyes and facial expressions that conveyed more than any words could. He’d talk later, his eyes promised, but he wanted to enjoy the day out. Jaxsen smiled back accepting the compromise with a light squeeze on his arm. 

They arrived at the museum at quarter of ten, before the larger crowds began to file in. Nizhoni walked behind them at a slower pace but always kept them in sight. She smiled as she followed, every now and again joining in their enthusiastic conversations. 

“Wow!” Basil exclaimed upon seeing a poster for an upcoming showing for the planetarium. “Can we go to this, Nizhoni?” he asked, wide eyed with excitement. She didn’t know if it was hormones controlling her, or if it was the look he was giving her; she laughed.

“If you so desire. I can’t say no to that face.” She ran her fingers through his hair and he let out a small giggle.

Basil smiled brightly. “Really? Thanks, Zhoni.” He hugged her from the side so as to not hurt the growing bump of her belly.

“You’re very welcome, sweet heart.” Nizhoni was saddened a bit when Basil hugged her longer than necessary. She remembered what it was like to be deprived of parental affection. She squeezed him a bit tighter and held him a bit longer, trying to convey she understood. When he pulled away tears stood in pools in his eyes.

“Sorry,” he whispered as he dropped his head. Nizhoni knelt down and lifted his chin with her finger.

“Never be sorry for needing a hug, baby. You can have a hug anytime you may need one. I’ll never deny you that, my love.” 

She wiped his eyes gently and he nodded before replying in a broken whisper, “Promise?”

“Honey,” she said before hugging him again, “I promise, baby.”

Jaxsen watched the display with mixed emotions as he remembered a similar conversation between the two of them. He frowned at the surge of jealousy that fluttered through his veins. He swallowed it, feeling it vanish as quickly as it appeared as he saw the silent tears on Basil’s cheeks. He found lately Basil needed their reassurances the same way he did several months ago. He realized that he did still need that extra assurance from time to time, but that his fears of them suddenly up and leaving him behind had quelled significantly. As he watched a tear fall and hit the floor at their feet, he realized that maybe he wasn’t the only one with those fears. Basil needed a mother who would care for and love him, just like he did. He no longer felt jealous, but instead felt happy at his own personal growth, and incredibly sad that a soul as pure as Basil’s could develop scars that matched some of his own.

“What do you boys wanna do until the show starts? We have a little over an hour to kill.”

“I’m hungry, Mamma. What about lunch?” Jaxsen looked between Nizhoni and Basil. They hadn’t had a big breakfast to fully take advantage of eating out on the town.

“Basil, you hungry?” He nodded and smiled. “Yeah, me, too,” she agreed with a definitive nod. She looked around in thought. “Well, how about we grab a quick lunch at the food court area so we’re not rushing around to get back and we can order some Olive Garden to go so your dad doesn’t subsequently starve because he forgot to eat again.” She smiled fondly before rolling her eyes. Jaxsen laughed knowing the truth of that statement well. Basil smiled and looked down. 

As they walked toward a small food court outside that was settled between the science and history museums, Jaxsen wrapped his arm around Basil’s shoulders.

Basil sat between Nizhoni and Jaxsen as the automated voice began its explanation on stellar drift. Basil was completely caught up in the teaching of how since The Big Bang, as it is explained by metric expansion of space, that most galaxies are moving away from each other. Basil was caught up in the showing of the constellations when suddenly he felt a small warmth against his hand. He knew Jaxsen was watching the demonstration with Nizhoni before lunch and hoped that there wouldn’t be any hard feelings because of it. But he realized that as Jaxsen settled his hand on top of his accompanied with a tight squeeze, all was fine.