Waltzing With Fate

Save Them

"Jake, we can't keep them safe here!"
"I know, but they are our children," Jake shouts.
"I understand that they are our children, but the danger here outweighs that. You have no idea what Cadmus will do if he finds them. He is my brother and he was raised to be the kingdom's personal assassin; if he gets his hands on either of them, who knows what he will do."
"We can't give them up Elena, we can't. They have to rule this kingdom one day and they can't do that without the proper training."
"Jake, we have to give them up. There isn't another option. I wish there was because I don't want to give up my children, but this is the only way I can keep them out of the hands of my brother."
"Why can't we leave them with Olivia in the mortal world?"
"He will go after Olivia if we do that and I can't afford to lose another member of my council," Elena says as she paces around the room.
"Mom, what is going on?" The little boy asks as he runs into the room with a toy he took from his sister.
"Liam, go get your sister and help her pack a bag that has enough clothes for a week."
"Why mom?"
"You are going to stay with a friend of mine until your dad and I come back from our business trip."
"Okay, mom!" Liam yells excitedly as he runs to get Leigh.
"Jake. We. Have. No. Choice. I am going to do whatever it takes to keep my children safe even if that means not being able to see them for a while."
"I know," Jake sighs and sit down on the bed that Elena is pacing around. Elena goes into her jewelry box and grabs a necklace with a gold chain that had an emerald charm on it. Jake goes into his nightstand drawer and grabs another necklace from it. It also has an emerald charm, but it's on a silver chain. The children run into the room with their bags on their backs. Jake kneels down by Liam and Elena kneels down by Leigh.
"Leigh and Liam, we have something for each of you." Elena and Jake clasp the necklaces around their children's necks.
"Children these necklaces are important, so you can't take them off. They will keep you connected from wherever you are at all times, so if you lose each other you can communicate." The twins grab their things off of their parent's bed and they walk out of the door. Elena ushers them out to the car and helps them buckle into their car seats. Jake follows shortly after and he gets into the driver's seat. He starts the car and they start the long drive.
After the long drive to Los Angeles, Jake pulls into a building that is made up of weathered red bricks. The parking lot is crumbling and the paint for the parking spots has started to fade. Jake pulled into a parking spot on the side of the building and puts the car in park. Elena gets out of the car and gets the children out of their car seats. After that she helps them get their bags out of the car. They head into the weathered building and they walk into the lobby where a lady is waiting, comfortably in her office chair, for someone to walk in.
"Hello, what can I do for you?"
Elena leans in close and says in a hushed tone "I am looking for the child services area of this facility."
"It is down the hall and to the right."
"Thank you," Elena replies with a note of sorrow that hangs in the air like a thick curtain. Jake goes to her side and places his arm around her waist and hugs her tightly. They go down the hall, turn right, and head into the child services lobby.
"Kids go over into the corner and play while I talk to this nice lady for a few minutes. But before you go my dear children I want you to remember one thing: anger is just the side effect of pain and when all of that is over all you have is the mistakes you make because of it."
"Okay, mom." The kids yell as they chase each other to the corner where the toys are. A man walks over to Jake and Elena and hands them a small packet of papers.
"Elena, I will take care of them and make sure that they are safe."
"I know Theoden, but I hate that I even have to do this in the first place. I should be able to protect my children myself. I should be able to protect my children without having to abandon them."
"I know, but you will be keeping an eye on them and I will do my best to watch them until it is safe for me to bring them back to you."
"I need you to keep track of them Theoden. I don't care if you have to follow them for the rest of their lives; I want them to be safe from him."
"I will do what I can, but you know that I can't stop him from adopting the twins if he finds out that they are here."
"I know, which is why he will never find out that they are here." Elena starts to fill out the packet and tears pour down her face as she signs the last lines of the forms that place her children into this place. She hands the forms to Theoden and she buries her head in her hands. Her tears stain her face as she tries to contain herself before she says goodbye to her children.
She wipes the tears off of her face and walks over to them. She kneels down next to them and gets their attention.
"Leigh and Liam, this is Theoden. He is the friend I was talking about.  He is going to take great care of you. There is another thing that I want you to remember while I am gone. I want you to remember that I love you and I care about you. It doesn't matter where I am, I will always love you." She pauses and takes a deep breath. Liam and Leigh hug her. Elena starts to cry again while she holds her children. She looks up at Jake and he nods slowly. Elena lets go of her children and gets up from the floor. She walks over to Jake and looks at her children. Her vision is blurry from the tears that are welling up in her violet eyes. Jake shakes Theoden's hand and Jake guides Elena towards the door.
"Mommy, I don't want you to go," Liam says as he runs over to Elena.
"I'm so sorry my son, but I have to. I don't want to go either, but when you are older you will understand why." Liam grabs Elena's leg and refuses to let go.
"I'm so sorry my sweet boy," Elena says as she tries to coax him off her leg. Her sobs grow the more she tries to get Liam off her leg. Theoden walks over and kneels next to Liam.
"Hey Liam," Theoden says to get his attention. Liam looks over at him with his tear-filled eyes.
"Yeah?"
"How about you come with me and pick out a Popsicle?"
"What flavors do you have?" Liam asks as he wipes the tears from his eyes.
"I have all of them."
"All of them?" Liam asks excitedly.
"How about you come and take a look at them, so you can pick the one that you want."
"Okay!" Liam jumps into Theoden's arms and he picks Liam up. Liam and Theoden head out of the room to get Liam a Popsicle.
"Mom, I will make sure he's okay." Leigh pipes up and says.
"I know you will my little warrior. I know you will watch after him for me, you always do."
"Mom I will look after him too. I will make sure that he is safe."
"I know you will my little warrior, I know you will. Now how about you go and join Theoden and Liam to get a popsicle. All great warriors need a Popsicle sometimes."
"Okay mom. Don't worry about us we will be okay."
"I know, now go grab a popsicle." Leigh runs off to find Theoden and Liam to get a Popsicle.
"Jake, we have to go before I can't leave."
"Okay," Jake says as he ushers her out of the door. The room is left in silence and the grief hangs in the air untouched by everyone else.