In The Fight To Survive (Golden Trio Era) {4}

Faoladh

As Mikayla and Fred expected, the beginning of breakfast was incredibly awkward. First Úna refused to allow Mikayla and Fred set the table, claiming the pair had done enough for the couple already. Next they had to sit through a five minute pre-rehearsed apology speech from Cairo that Úna insisted he give even though Mikayla had already forgiven him. Lastly, Cairo ended up spilling his coffee everywhere during his speech, scalding both Mikayla and Fred. That added another minute to his lengthy apology speech and a scolding from Úna for his clumsiness.

Mikayla magicked away the scalding substance, and took a sip of CC to treat the burns she received while insisting that there was no harm down. She snuck some drops into Fred's tea to treat his minor burns when Cairo left to make himself another cup of coffee. Mikayla placed her left hand on Fred's thigh under the table, gently moving her thumb back and forth to help him relax more. He hadn't completely forgiven Cairo for what he did to Mikayla, she could see that in his tense shoulders and how he watch the man's every movement. After all, Fred was the one that had to heal all the damage Cairo had done to Mikayla's back last night.

Eventually the food finished and the two couples retire to the living room to talk through last night's events. It started with Úna returning Mikayla's necklace, the Phoenix pendant had broken in half from the blast of the Killing Curse. Úna was incredibly apologetic about the broken jewellery, offering to replace the piece, but Mikayla turned the offer down. Cairo asked her about the necklace, the details behind it's ability to block a single killing curse. "The how is a Carra family secret, I'm afraid, but I can give you a summary." Cairo accepted the offer for a glossed over summary of what went into making the temporary life saving charm.

Mikayla told him that she put part of her magic, specifically her Aevus abilities, into the necklace. She didn't explain how she did it, or how easy it actually was for her to do. She explained that the amount of magic she put in it was strong enough to combat a single killing curse, and how once it was used that her powers would return to her. That the method of how it is done has been passed down through the women of the Carra family for many generations, and named Charity as the inventor of the practice.

As family became the main topic of conversation, Úna got really quiet for a few moments before excusing herself to do the dishes. Mikayla stayed engaged in conversation with Cairo for another few minutes, but soon slipped away to check in on Úna. She found Úna silently crying over the sink, roughly scrubbing the grease from her frying pan, as her body shook in grief. Mikayla knew why, she knew what the Reynolds lost last night and she felt guilty for not figuring out a way to save their unborn child.

Mikayla made a choice, an innocent was bound to die no matter what she did, but she believed that she still made the right choice. Both Úna and Cairo surviving gives them opportunity to have more kids in the future and raise their kids together. Cairo dying left Úna alone to raise a child shortly after losing her husband or with the emotional stress she would've been under, there was a risk she'd lose the child either way, and that would've destroy her. This information didn't make the choice any easier, the Reynolds still lost a child, but they gained a future, one that is happy, with a strong, loving family.

Mikayla stepped towards the weeping woman, placing a hand on her back that she moved up and down to soothe a bit of the ache Úna felt. "I- I, how?" Úna stuttered out, and Mikayla looked to the floor as she tried to formulate a response. "I, um, I can see the future. Last night was a split in the timeline, I was given the impossible choice of who in your family would die." Úna rounded on Mikayla, pushing her away from her as a look of disgust painted itself on her face. "And you chose our unborn child?!" Mikayla flinched at the woman's shouting, instinctively moving her hands out in front of her as some sort of shield.

"I did. It was either you lost your husband, or your child, or Cairo lost you both." Mikayla answered with a wobble in her voice, as her whole body shook in fear. "What's going on here?" Cairo voice from the door where he and Fred just appeared. "I was pregnant, but she decided that our child would die." Úna pointed at Mikayla, who had backed herself towards the wall. "What, is that true?" Cairo questioned Mikayla, drawing his wand. "Yes, I chose to save both you and your wife at the price of your child's life. My only other options were that you either lost them both, or you died and risk Úna losing the baby from the stress and grief of your death."