Helluva Deal

29. Avenging Demons

Hot. Cold. Pain.

These are the first things, Blitz becomes aware of when he comes by again with a low groan.

„Blitz!"

His eyes fly open at hearing the by endless worry shaken voice and he wants to sit up in reflex, but he doesn't move one millimeter, because he's already kissed deeply and feels tears dripping onto his face. His eyes search Stolas' and for a moment, he forgets everything and just feels happy again.

Stolas is here. Holding him. Caressing his face. Kissing him.

And Blitz knows, he's okay.

„Oh, Blitzy..." Stolas pulls back again to shaking wipe his own tears off his partner's face, „Blitz... You... I... I thought... Oh, Blitz!" he incredibly carefully presses their foreheads together.

Blitz' heart flutters and breaks at the same time and he weakly crocks out, „I'm s-sorry, Sto... I... I p-portaled...but d-didn't notice... I-I think...I woke up with a f-fever... That's w-why I couldn't control i-it..."

Talking is such a strain. As is breathing... It really hurts for some reason.

„Shush. It's okay, Blitz. You are safe now!" Stolas pulls back again, regaining some self-control, but still swallows hard, „It was good that you came here. Ozzie called me immediately and was already tending to your leg when we arrived mere seconds later. Alastor will take care of your leg shortly. He's just checking..."

„Our baby!" Blitz tries to sit up, but even if it wasn't for Stolas' gentle but steadying hand on his chest, he couldn't move. He's far too weakened for that.

„She's okay," Alastor's voice is gentle and assuring, just like his touch of Blitz' belly, „In fact, she's perfectly fine. Unlike you, my Dear. But we'll work on that in a minute..."

Blitz nods, then he looks around for the first time, his head the only thing he can move right now, „Loonie... Via... Millie, Moxxie..." tears invade his eyes, „I-I thought...I'd never see any of you again!"

„Same, Dad," Loona wipes her eyes with one hand, her other arm still wrapped around Octavia, soothing her. The young owl-demon is still crying, but she smiles at him. And M and M are also holding on to each other.

Blitz realizes that something severe is going on or at least happened while he was unconscious and insists, „Guys... Talk to me? You look scared beyond limits..."

„Blitz..." Moxxie starts but has to clear his throat, unable to fight back new tears himself, „We... We actually thought..."

„You looked dead and weren't breathing anymore when they arrived," Fizz appears next to him now as well, smiling softly down on his old friend, „It wasn't clear whether you'd make it until a few minutes ago before you woke up."

„...What?..."

„Your body did something...very interesting apparently..." Ozzie steps up next to Fizz, gently, soothingly stroking his back, his smile with which he's regarding Blitz is gentle and soothing as well, „...The severe blood loss, the high fever and the exhaustion had you at the very edge of death already when you were brought here. But when it got even worse within seconds...something inside of you apparently used all of your last energy to keep only those vital systems and organs inside of you working enough to protect your baby. That's why...technically...YOU were dead just minutes ago... While your baby was still fine. To be honest, I don't know how much longer your body would've been able to hold this up, but..."

„...it did save your child from experiencing any harm through this dreadful night," finishes Alastor.

Blitz' head is spinning and he tries to understand what his friends just said. The most important part is – his baby wasn't harmed in any way. That's good. And all this probably also explains why he feels more powerless than ever before and still can't move anything but his head. And his family...