“Is all your homework done, Jack?” Sebastian asked before bed time. Jaxsen nodded as he looked up from the book he was reading. “Mhm. I did it in class when I was done with my assignments.”

Sebastian nodded and pushed himself off the door jamb of Jaxsen’s door and entered the bedroom. Jaxsen was laid out on his back, propped up by three body pillows.

“What’s that?” Jaxsen asked pointing to a box cradled in Sebastian’s hands. Sebastian smiled and sat down on the bed at the boy’s feet. 

“I got something for you.”

Jaxsen’s eyes lit up. “For me? What is it?” He took the brightly colored wrapped box and shook it lightly. The contents thumped and it was kind of heavy.

“Open it, silly boy.”

With great vivacity he ripped the paper from the box and peeled away the tape that secured the edge and looked inside. He gasped as he brought the book out of its cardboard confines.

“I know that you will never be able to replace the one that got messed up, but I thought maybe you’d like another one,” Sebastian said in a light, perhaps nervous tone.

Jaxsen stared at the authentic, camel leather binding of the journal in his hands and couldn’t breathe. The covers were textured under his fingertips and he could tell the paper inside was recycled. Just like his old one. 

“Open it,” Sebastian prodded gently. He did and before he could ward them off, tears filled his eyes. On the back of the front cover was printed a picture upon which he’d never before seen. He’d recognized the faces immediately, running light fingers over them.

“They really loved you, Jack.”

Jaxsen nodded, not able to form words. Within the captured moment Jaxsen looked upon, he saw his father standing alongside his mother, his infant self lying incumbent in her arms, but gripped his father’s finger. Glen Michaels looked into the camera, his eyes a shine with excitement and love. 

“I really loved them, too. I miss them.”

Sebastian pulled him closer to his side, squeezing his shoulder and dropping a kiss to his head. “I know you do, sweet boy. I miss them, too.”

Jaxsen smiled lightly up at him. “Thank you, Bastian. This…this means a lot. Thank you.” 

Sebastian smiled back gingerly and wiped the boy’s tears. “The pleasure is all mine, sweet boy. I’m glad you like it. Now, how ‘bout you get ready for bed, huh?”

With a final ruffle of the silken blond hair, Sebastian stood only to be stopped at the bedroom door by the call of his name. Jaxsen stood on the bed and hugged Sebastian fiercely needing to convey what he was afraid to speak aloud. 

“How did he like it?” Nizhoni asked as he climbed into bed. Softly she closed her book and took off her reading glasses to better focus on his face. He smiled at her. 

“He loved it.”

She smiled back, leaning in for a kiss. “I knew he would.” She leaned in to kiss him and he deepened the kiss instantly. With one arm around her back and a soft palm against her cheek he felt himself melt into her and he felt ready to pour his heart out to her.

He pulled back with a smile before dragging his eyes to his hands for a moment as he gathered the rest of his fortitude to say what he needed to say. To ask her an important question. He’d been convincing himself over the last six weeks that it all wouldn’t go up in flames.

“Nizhoni?” She met his eyes, the nervousness in his voice catching her attention immediately. “I…I have a confession to make and a question to ask.”

She frowned trying to prophesy what his uneasy trepidation could be stemming from. “What’s up?”

He steeled himself by taking a very deep breath. “Nizhoni, I…” He paused and met her eyes, taking her hand in his. Her touch calmed and soothed him, this was no exception. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered just before pressing his lips to hers again. 

“I love you, Nizhoni. I’ve been in love with you most of my life. I love you…more than I’ll ever be able to express. I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to tell you. I’m sorry that I stopped telling you, even as a friend, after Daniel died. I know it hurt you, Nizhoni, and I’m so sorry. But…I can say it now. And I’ll say it from now on. I love you.” He took a deep breath. “I hate it when you go home and are away from…move in with me? With us.”

Nizhoni smiled. “I’d love to.” Tears filled her eyes and spilled over, her smile never wavering. She’d been waiting so long for him to say those words to her again. Sebastian smiled a genuine smiled that went from ear to ear. He kissed her deeply, his hand on her hip and guiding her down to the pillows.

They made love slowly, finally dropping from pleasurable exhaustion in the early morning hours. He kissed her sweetly and smiled. 

“I love you, Nizhoni.”

“I love you, too, Sebastian. Good night, Bich’aah naasha.”

“Bastian, come on, it’s time to go!” Jaxsen called as he stood impatiently by the front door. “We can’t be late, you know,” he chided as Sebastian walked down stairs sliding on his jacket. 

“Jaxsen, it takes less than twenty minutes to drive to Basil’s house, and his mom doesn’t have to be at work for over an hour. We’ll be fine, I promise.” Sebastian smiled as Jaxsen bolted to the truck. About half way there Sebastian noticed how quiet Jaxsen had become. “You okay back there?” Sebastian asked reaching around to pat the boy’s leg and glanced in the mirror. He saw him shrug.

“I get nervous when he sleeps over. What if I have bad dreams and I wake up screaming?”

“Well, you haven’t so far, right?” The boy shrugged again. “Don’t worry about it, sweet boy, you’ll be fine. You always have fun, yeah?”

Jaxsen nodded and they continued in silence.

“It was nice of your dad to let me stay tonight. I always have fun over here.” The boys sat in the living room on the floor, a big bowl of pop-corn between them, and a movie playing on the television. Jaxsen paused, his hand mid-way to his mouth with a fist full of extra buttery pop-corn. He dropped his hand.

“It was nice. But Bastian isn’t my dad.” Basil noted his friend’s sudden demeanor and his slightly upset tone.

“Oh. I’m sorry, Jaxsen. I…I didn’t know. Though I wondered why you always called him by his name.”

Jaxsen nodded. “I know.”

“Who is Bastian to you, then?”

“My foster and godfather. I’ve only been here a few months.”

Basil nodded. “I don’t remember much of my dad anymore…but I remember when he left us and how sad it made my mom.”

“Do you miss him?”

Basil shrugged. “Only sometimes. But…I’m not sure if it’s really him I miss or the idea of having a father around. What happened?”

“They…died.”

“You miss ‘em?”

“Every day.” Jaxsen’s eyes drifted to the area rug on which they sat, his face falling slightly at talking about his parents.

Basil threw a meaty arm around Jaxsen’s shoulders and slightly grinned at his friend. “Well, you’re not alone anymore, Jax. You’ll always have me.”

“Thanks, Basil. That means a lot. You, too, you know. I’ll always be your friend.” Jaxsen threw his own arm around his friend and smiled in reciprocation. 

At just after midnight Sebastian came into the living room and found both boys sound asleep on the large pallet Nizhoni had set up for them. Smiling at the sleeping pair, Sebastian shut off the television and made his way upstairs.

“They asleep?” Nizhoni asked as she slipped into a comfortable t-shirt and shorts. She hated sleeping in pants and tended not to, hating how pants bunched up around her knees.

“They’re both out. From the looks of it, they’ve been out for a while. Neither of them moved when I shut off the T.V.”

Nizhoni smiled. “He’s a good kid,” she said speaking of Basil.

“Yeah, he is.”

“He’s good for Jaxsen, too. They even each other out well.”

Sebastian smiled. “Yeah, they do. I don’t think I’ve heard Jack laugh that much since he came here.”

Nizhoni laughed quietly. “Yeah, I think you’re right about that one.” 

Sebastian sat on the bed and toed off his shoes, stripped to his boxers and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. “I’ve been thinking…and I wanted your opinion on it.”

Nizhoni frowned slightly at his serious tone. “What’s going on?” she asked sitting next to him. 

“I’ve been giving a lot of thought about adoption. I mean…it might seem soon after a few months, but…” He shrugged helplessly at her. “What do you think?”

She smiled. “I think that it would be amazing if you adopt him. I think it would be good for you both.”

“Think so?”

She nodded. “Right now you have each other, that’s true…and the bond between you is growing ever stronger…however, you are still a childless father, and he is still a parent-less son. I think the finalization will help you solidify what’s building between you.” She kissed his temple. “Let’s get some sleep, Bich’aah naasha.”

He pulled her close against him, his arm wrapped protectively around her, inhaling her, and allowing sleep to claim him.