That morning, Kaedan was giving Inarora ver prescription formula for breakfast. It had been two weeks after ver pyloric stenosis correction, and it had been a couple of rough weeks. Kaedan, Byron, and Xarlen had all been struggling to sleep, worried about something going wrong with the correction. Not helping at all was his soon-to-be-ex fiancé, Iris, who kept going to frivolous outings and drinking.

It was clear to Kaedan his fiancée had no interest in raising the child they created together.

Whatever. Kaedan loved his baby with his whole heart. Iris may want nothing to do with the baby, but he did. Right now, his whole world was swaddled in the softest blanket they had, cradled in his right arm as he fed thon with the bottle in his left hand. He cooed at her softly as ve stared up at him with wide, ice blue eyes.

“Hey Mom, Dad,” he started slowly. “What do we do about Iris?”

Byron glanced up from his book and pulled off his glasses. “What do you mean?”

“When she ultimately comes back and finds out…”

Byron sighed. “I know you’re scared, but we will protect you two.”

“And if we need to, we can take y’all to your Sutari’s house and he will keep you safe there,” Xarlen promised.

A loud scream sounded from the front door. Too late! Kaedan clutched his infant child gently and squeezed his eyes shut. Iris discovered she had been locked out. And just when he had soothed Inarora for the morning…

“Let me in, Kaedan!” Her words were muffled but he could still hear a lot of what she was saying. He winced at the round of insults slung at him.

“Dad, please get Iris out of here,” he said, placing an exasperated hand on his face as Inarora began fussing. “I cannot deal with her.”

“Leave it to me, son.” Byron hopped to his feet and rushed to the front door. He opened it and Kaedan could see Iris’s ears were flattened against her head with rage. The woman’s rusty-brown hair was picked up by the wind, and her amber eyes burned with rage. From Kaedan’s view, he could tell this was not going to go well. However, his job was to hold onto Inarora and protect her. 

Xarlen moved closer to his side and gently held onto him. He whimpered quietly, pressing his face into his mother's shoulder. His ears flattened against his head as he held onto his child, swallowing his fear. Please don’t do anything, Iris, he thought. Yet he knew the woman would do something. He just knew she would.

Byron pressed his hand against the screen door and stood tall. “Iris, you are forbidden from entering our home.”

“You can’t stop me, old man!”

Kaedan flinched, screwing his eyes shut. Please don't hurt my dad.

Byron lashed his tail and summoned his staff from the miasma. “You forget, I took magic defense classes and I still practice to this day.”

Iris brandished her wand from the miasma and aimed it at the screen door. Kaedan ducked his head, dreading the ensuing fight. He trembled with fear. Please don’t hurt Dad. Please don’t hurt him.

A loud ‘bang’ followed by the sound of shattering glass told him that, indeed, she was serious. It was hard for him to look up—all he wanted to do was protect himself and Inarora. Suddenly, he heard a ‘thud’ on the floor and he looked up in a panic—his father had been thrown down. Byron lay writing in pain, and Kaedan could only imagine how bad that must have smarted him on a bad pain day. Iris glanced at his father, but then did nothing more to the man.

That’s when she approached Kaedan, Xarlen, and Inarora. He tried to speak, but the words catched in his throat as he tried to swallow his fear. 

“You and me. We were supposed to get married,” Iris sneered. “We have a daughter.”

Xarlen hopped to her feet and stood in between Kaedan and Iris. His mother’s stubby tail lashed behind her. This was not going to go well.

“Mom, please be careful...” Kaedan whispered.

“You are not marrying my baby,” Xarlen growled. “No one deserves what you've done to my boy.”

“You’re so cute, trying to protect your son,” Iris sneered, holding up her wand to attack Xarlen.

“Mom, look out!” Kaedan cried as Xarlen tried to brandish her staff from the miasma.

Before she could attack Iris and stop her, Iris lashed out with a swipe of aeridhani magic—a ball of air shot forth and sent Xarlen flying into the living room, hitting the side of the couch. Xarlen gasped in pain and groaned. Iris waved the wand again and created a wind brace to keep his mother from moving. Kaedan whimpered and clutched his baby, squeezing his eyes shut. I have to protect Ina. I have to.

“Now where were we...?” Iris asked with a twitch of her ear.

“Please stop. You keep…hurting me…” Kaedan trembled, feeling the fur on his tail stand on end. “You need help. Serious help.”

Iris’s facial features twisted in an acerbic smirk, but then held her hand up. Kaedan flinched away, but was not quick enough to avoid the incoming slap across his face. He recoiled against the pain, which now radiated with heat against his cheek. Without thinking, he reached his hand up to his face to gently massage the pain away. Taking advantage of his distraction, Iris reached to snatch Inarora away and Kaedan could not stop her.

His precious angel began screaming bloody murder. Which, honestly fair. Kaedan wanted to do the same but couldn’t.

“What are you doing?” his voice was weak with worry. 

“I’m taking my sweet baby.”

“No!” Kaedan snapped. “Ve’s my child.”

“Ve’s our child,” Iris cooed, cradling Inarora. “Yes you are. You are ours.”

“There is no our,” Kaedan's voice trembled as he spoke. “I don't know how you could even say that, given you barely helped when ve was suffering from pyloric stenosis, or after ver surgery!”

Iris flicked her ear dismissively at him as she continued trying to soothe Inarora back down. Not that she could––Inarora never responded well to Iris. Conflicting feelings rose up: his fear against Iris and his protective father side. Yet, he couldn’t let Iris have Inarora. He trembled and fought the conflict—he had to protect Inarora. Struggling against it, he watched helplessly as Iris walked deeper into the kitchen and then reached for a knife. She cooed at Inarora, cradling ver in one arm as the tiny baby screamed.

“Now, now, Inarora Alwheni-Sukartil…there’s no need to scream. Mommy’s here for you.”

Rage boiled in Kaedan’s blood. How dare she talk with such honey in her tone? As if she was not terrorizing Kaedan, his father and mother, and his baby. As if she had done anything for Inarora except carry ver for ten months. Iris continued trying to soothe the crying infant, but Kaedan didn’t understand why she was trying at this point.

Finally, he forced himself to his feet, adrenaline making him tremble. He was not letting that woman harm his child. Her safety was more important than his fear. Lunging at his ex-fiancée, he grabbed ahold of the knife in her hand and tried to pry it away.

“Leave my baby alone!” he shouted. 

Iris kept an iron grip and knocked him back with a swipe of the knife. Hot pain seared his skin as he realized she had grazed his jaw. He placed two fingers where she got him and pulled away only to see bright crimson streaking his fingers. Lovely.

“Oh Kaedan, you know I have the upper hand,” she tsked. 

You can't have my child, Kaedan thought as he narrowed his eyes at her. You will never get away with it. He sensed movement and saw his father out of the corner of his eye. If he could just keep Iris focused on him, Byron could take her down and Inarora could be safe. But how? He racked his brain, eventually coming upon the idea of faking his way through an apology. Can’t hurt to try, at least.

“I’m sorry,” his voice trembled, returning his fearful gaze to his ex-fiancée. “We won’t change the locks on you again, Iris. I’ll get you a new key. Please, just don’t hurt Ina.” 

Byron crept forward, but Iris’s gaze remained fixated on Kaedan. He continued to say whatever Iris wanted to hear, allowing his father the ability to sneak in and—

Iris saw him and reacted.

Pain seized his heart the minute Kaedan saw Iris swipe the knife across Inarora’s tiny and delicate hand. The infant screeched with pain and ves screams turned into wailing. It rent his heart in half and Kaedan immediately began crying; he couldn't hold back anymore. The straw that broke the karsith's back was seeing his baby physically hurt.

“No, Iris, please stop!” he begged. “Ve’s innocent. Ve’s just a baby!”

Anger flashing in his sky blue eyes, Byron lunged at Iris and waved his staff in front of her. A stream of light left it and slapped the knife out of Iris’s hand. Taking the opportunity while she was shocked, he snagged Inarora from her and passed ver back to Kaedan. Relieved that his baby was back in his hands, he cradled ver and held ver comfortingly. To stanch the bleeding, he snatched up the cloth he had kept next to vis bottle and began trying to tie it into a tourniquet.

“It's okay, baby,” he whimpered as he tried to calm his child down. “Daddy's here for you, you're safe now. I won't let Iris hurt you.”

Growling, Iris moved to attack Byron again and the older Beservera ducked, ready for what she would deal next. 

“You old bastard!” the woman snapped.

“I’ve already put in an SOS. Intel is responding. At least they’re being useful this time.” Byron responded. “So, go ahead, keep making things worse.”

Before Iris could respond, Byron turned to his wife and zapped the wind brace with a bolt of lightning, breaking the air molecules apart and allowing Xarlen to escape. Kaedan's mother scrambled to her feet and rushed to Kaedan's side, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close.

“Are you okay, Kae?” Xarlen asked gently.

Kaedan trembled and sniffed. “I'll be fine, Mom. I'm more worried about Ina.”

Xarlen took in the sight of Inarora's hand, now covered in a bloody rag, and flattened her ears against her head. Her nostrils flared and she began taking ragged breaths from her suppressed fury.

“That bitch will pay,” she said in a carefully controlled whisper. “How dare she harm an innocent baby!” She leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Inarora’s forehead and took her good hand. “I’m so sorry, baby. Grandma, Grandpa, and Daddy will protect you from that wench.”

“You and your mother need to get Inarora to safety,” Byron said. “I’ll be okay.”

“Dad…”

“Inarora is more important. Go.”

Kaedan swallowed hard, worried about what Iris might do to his father. Unfortunately, Byron was right—Inarora needed to be taken to safety and get ver cut looked at. With a tentative nod, Kaedan and his mother rushed out of the house with Inarora. Xarlen kept close to Kaedan, her staff brandished to cover his back in case something goes awry.

“You cowards!” Iris screamed after them.

Kaedan refused to look behind him as he rushed into the street, clutching his tiny angel. He could hear Byron in the house, fighting Iris off. Iris must have tried to sling something at Kaedan and Xarlen, but Byron shouted and Kaedan heard electric miasma crackle in the air.

As he rushed towards the closest path, he heard alarms. Flattening his ears against his head, he took a shaky breath as Xarlen protectively wrapped her arm around him again, stopping him so they could wait for the medics to hop out.

An ambulance pulled up to the front of the house. The driver caught sight of Xarlen, Kaedan, and his baby and shouted something to the medics in the back.

A pair of medics rushed out of the back of the vehicle with kits in their hands. Kaedan still trembled as he held Inarora while the first medic—an eathyn with multicolored hair and dark skin—began examining the injury to Inarora’s hand and deciding it needed stitches first. The child cried, but Kaedan continued holding and shushing ver.

Another medic, a kharg with green skin and thick, braided hair, started healing the cut on Kaedan's jaw.

“What happened?” the first medic asked. 

Kaedan trembled, unsure of what to say. “My…ex fiancée…she…” He swallowed hard. 

“His ex fiancée was locked out of the house, and when she was able to get inside, she attacked my husband, me, and my son and grandchild,” Xarlen answered for him. “She took Inarora hostage and cut vis hand when Byron tried to stop her.”

Thank goodness for his mom. Kaedan gave a tentative nod of agreement, exhaling shakily. 

“Yes,” he said. “What my mom said.”

“Are you okay?” the second medic asked her.

“Well, I hit my head but I hit it against the couch cushions,” Xarlen admitted, gingerly rubbing the back of her head.

“We should go ahead and take you to the hospital.” The kharg finished the cut on Kaedan's cheek. “A head injury, whether you hit it on concrete or the couch, should be given a look.” 

“I figured that’d be your response,” Xarlen said with a sigh.

With a thoughtful cant of their head, the kharg added, “Hm, I think we may need another ambulance in case your husband gets out with injuries.”

“Mm, yes,” the eathyn agreed.  Then, they  glanced back at Kaedan, “Also, we'll file a report for you. Alright? You and your baby and your family will be safe after this.”

Kaedan nodded and whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

“You’re safe now, Mister,” the khargish medic soothed. “You, your folks, and your baby.” 

“Thank you,” Kaedan breathed. “Thank you…”

“Hey, I texted your Sutari,” Xarlen said to Kaedan. “Miwa Seri’s on his way.”

“Oh, good,” Kaedan exhaled shakily. 

He definitely wanted his grandfather. After this, curling up on the couch with his parents and his grandfather sounded like the perfect idea. 

Another alarm sounded and when he glanced up, he saw the Intelligence Ward had arrived at the scene. Agents quickly hopped out and circled the house.

“Iris Morozov, you have been surrounded,” the first agent shouted over an intercom. “Come out of the house with your hands above your head.”

Kaedan did not watch. He couldn’t—he was terrified of Iris. Instead, he continued holding Inarora and kissing the top of vis head, petting ver with his free hand. Xarlen kept close to him, making sure he wouldn't be spotted by Iris.

“You’re such a brave baby,” he said gently to his baby. “But you shouldn’t have to be.”

The first medic finished the stitches, performed a healing spell, and then Inarora’s hand was as good as new. Except, a scar remained and the flesh surrounding the scar was bright red with irritation. It must’ve been too deep to heal easily, and likely would remain a scar across vis hand for the rest of ver life.

“There you go, sweet one,” the medic cooed with a bright smile. “Your hand is all better.” They looked at him. “May we give ver a little buddy?”

He nodded, giving his permission. The medic went back to the ambulance and reappeared a few moments later with a satin doll in her hands. The body was a purple satin, except for the arms. The face was made of a soft hemp plastic, and the bonnet on the baby’s head was made of cotton—just like the arms. The doll was made in the image of an elf infant.

“Here you go, little one,” the medic said. “I hope she brings you comfort.”

Inarora had mostly calmed down by this point, likely because the scary situation was mostly over and the pain was gone. Vis eyes widened at the sight of the new friend and the medic tucked the doll into vis arms. Immediately, his baby was in love. Ve squeezed vis new best friend and cooed happily.

“Th-Thank you,” Kaedan said with a shaky voice, his ears twitching at the sound of more alarms ringing nearby. The other ambulance, he realized. 

“It’s no problem, Mister…”

“Beservera. Kaedan Beservera. This is my child, Inarora.”

“What a beautiful name, and an honor to the goddex Inarora.” The medic purred with delight. “May Lairde Inarora brighten your path, little Ina.”

Kaedan smiled but it faded when he heard shouting. When he looked again, he saw Iris leaving the house with cuffs on her wrist. She glowered at him and he looked away quickly. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his mother turning to return a glower to Iris.

“You will pay for this, Kaedan,” his ex-fiancée hissed.

“Don’t say anything,” the medic warned, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“Yeah, don't say a single word to her,” Xarlen agreed. 

“Just give us more of your statement,” the eathyn medic suggested.

Kaedan whimpered and nodded, trying to give more details as he could. When the shouting stopped, he turned again and saw Iris had been shoved into the back of the Intelligence vehicle. He breathed a sigh of relief. As they drove off, Byron was escorted out of the house with an agent, but not because he was in trouble. Byron was giving the details of what happened. 

Why did Inarora have to be hurt? How vile did one have to be?

As they both spoke, Byron was taken care of in the ambulance and Xarlen was rushed to the hospital via another ambulance. A few minutes later, they were joined by his sutari Seri, hobbling as fast as he could with his cane clutched tightly in his hand. Seri rushed up to Kaedan and Inarora and he wrapped his arms around them.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m here now, son.”

“Thank you, Sutari,” Kaedan nuzzled his chest, clutching Ina still.

Once the story of what happened had been told and Byron was taken care of, the agent took the information to his vehicle and left. Then, the medics bade their farewells and left as well.

Byron drew close to Kaedan and put his arms around him lovingly.

“I'm sorry,” Kaedan apologized with a cracked voice.

“Don't apologize, son,” Byron said. “Iris chose to be this way, and she tricked you. But your mother, Sutari Seri, and I are all here for you and Ina. Alright?”

Kaedan trembled and nodded. “Y-Yeah. Thank you, Dad...”

Byron and Seri both rubbed Kaedan's back and gently led him towards the house again.

After everything settled from the morning's chaos, Kaedan was able to soothe Inarora enough and put ver back to sleep for the time being. Exhaustion wracked his bones and when he finally sat on the couch with his parents, he laid his head in his grandfather’s lap and closed his eyes. He needed to sleep and decompress.