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The flash of rage and agony caught me by surprise "You think I don’t care? That I’oal is to hurt you?" I hated that her assessment of me was so low What the fuck?

"No I know you’re not I know you’re trying your hardest, but it isn’t good enough You can’t expect er just because you suddenly want a kid in your life"

Pressing forward, I hissed, "I don’t want a kid inthee what happened just as much as you No one could’ve predicted the way I’d react, so why don’t you stop fighting it and fucking trust me" My eyes flew to Clara as oblivious to our discussion, stroking a racoon statue

Zel’s nostrils flared, and we glared for a tense moment She was the one to finally back down Her eyes dropped "I’m not comfortable with this, Fox I knoas my fault you snapped today, but it wasn’t my fault before that, or when you stole ood between us, because they aren’t"

Stalking away, she stole my chance at rebuttal

I kneithout a doubt if I let her walk out the door today, I’d never see her or Clara again

That just isn’t an option

I needed another bribe--another contract to keep Zel bound to ive myself time to fix what I ruined between us andmy temper, I said loudly, "You don’t have to pick, Clara They’re all yours And you don’t have to worry about storage either because you can keep them here You and youras you want In fact, I’d love you to ed toward h s and squeezed Holy fuck Don’t lose it Don’t The world swaers

"Kill her"

"Bleed her"

"Do it, Operative Fox"

Zel grabbed Clara and tore her offaway quickly "Don’t touch hih my entire body felt as if I’d been whipped and hter that I’d ever been I was positively buoyant because I’d held on

A child had hugged me, and I hadn’t broken She was still alive, and I’d proven toin the world

Clara tried to free herself frorip Her little face shone "You mean it? I can sleep over? And you’ll make me a sheep?"

Before I could answer, she threw herself at Zel, alround "Can we, mummy? Please Please With a cherry on top?"

Zel s some unruly flyaway strands from Clara’s forehead "How about you let the adults talk? I think I spy a polar bear down the corridor Just don’t go too far"

"Oh really? I want to pet it" Clara took off in a whirl of purple, sprinting out of hearing distance

Zel slowly stood upright, and I fought the urge to take a step back Her eyes blazed with green fire "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

She was so fucking strong So fierce in protecting her offspring My heart swelled to ten ti in my chest It’d only been a couple of weeks, but I would always be indebted to this wo me back to life And because I owed her ree away hter’s life to cos like that in front of a child Now she’ll be broken-hearted and disappointed and she’ll hate ht" She stormed forward "Because that’s ill happen, Fox We Aren’t Staying"

I balledyou to marry me for fuck’s sake or even stay forever If you never want ht to take care of you Give me a purpose Let me provide for you, and be there for you That’s all I’"