His shifu was right.
Bei Shang's heartbeat thundered with each step as he raced into the fortress. He barely registered the ground beneath him, his mind fixed on only one destination. He burst into Nick's ten,Mitch sat at the entrance with tear-streaked cheeks, his small body trembling..
"Mom…"
"It's okay…" Bei Shang whispered , he rubbed Mitch face and hair all over before kissing his forehead, Mitch still cried but at least his trembling have reduced.
"Mom… Dad and I were about to go into the tent," Mitch sniffed and rubbed his nose . "He suddenly clutched his chest and fell. I tried to wake him, I really did… but he wouldn't move. They called the doctor… and all he said was that Dad's sleeping."
"Let me see him".
Nick looked fragile lying on the bed, his white hair falling softly over his face. A blanket covered his bare body, his expression unusually peaceful.
Bei Shang knelt down beside him placed a finger under his nose , he was breathing but his breathing was slow.
Bei Shang held Nick's hand to his forehead, the cool forehead made his body settle down a bit.
He was only sleeping, that was good.
"Mom… is daddy going to sleep like you did for 2 years?"
Bei Shang shook his head "I won't allow it"
The doctor came in a moment later , voice gentle as he delivered his diagnosis.
"The general is in a comatose state. His heart, his breathing, his entire aura… they've all dropped to baseline levels. It's unprecedented for a Huli Jing, even during hibernation. I… I can't wake him."
Bei Shang nod his head and excused the doctor. He sat beside Nick for a long time, just holding his hand, drawing strength from the warmth of his skin. Eventually, he looked over at Mitch.
Mitch was sitting down beside his mom , his eyes watching the two of them.
"Mitch…do you want to go on a picnic tomorrow?"
Mitch blinked, his voice was soft "Without dad?"
Bei Shang nodded "Hmm , just me and you"
Mitch nodded slowly.
Bei Shang carried Mitch into his arms, the Little boy added weight everyday, it was getting harder and harder to carry him.
Outside the tent , His Shimei, Summer and Sliver were waiting, his Shimei stood up and went to meet him.
"Is he…?"
Bei Shang shook his head.
"Natural illness?"
Bei Shang shook his head, his voice was soft "I have to start preparing "
"…." tears gathered in Xuan Hua eyes.
Mitch blinked and looked at his mom "Preparing for what?"
"Your picnic " Bei Shang rubbed his hair " Have a nap , the doctor told me , you haven't slept in three days "
"I am okay…"
"Common let's go"
Mitch woke up periodically, his chest heaving and his eyes looking around. Bei Shang would rub his forehead to comfort him , once he saw someone was beside him , he would close his eyes and sleep back. All this happened till morning.
The sun have just started peaking out of the clouds when Bei Shang carried Mitch into his arms, a soft blanket covering the little boy , a basket of rations on the other , Mitch rubbed his face against his mom's own and kissed his cheek.
The journey was long, it was when it was fully daylight, Bei Shang finally felt satisfied with the picnic spot and started to lay everything.
Mitch sat down quietly, he smiled when his mom gave him his bread and dried meat.
"Mom , why are you not eating?"
"Hmm I am okay" He rubbed Mitch's hair and kiss his hair "I am full watching you eat"
Mitch giggled and continued eating.
When Mitch was done, he laid down on his mom's lap , Bei Shang fingers was soft on his head, patting him like he always did .
His mom had always been affectionate but there was a sad feeling to this , Mitch tried to ignore it at first but later on , it felt like a bone stuck in his throat.
Iran left him without explanation, his dad was sick and his mom behaved like he was preparing for a journey. In every circumstances, no one thought of him or stayed with him. Was he really that unimportant…useless?
"Mitch?"
Mitch blinked and raised his head; his smile was bright "Yes mom? "
Bei Shang smiled and rubbed his forehead " I want to tell you something , it doesn't mean I don't love you , it just means that situations were difficult and different"
Mitch nodded , feeling his throat tightened even more.
"I am not… " Bei Shang sniffed, his eyes were red " I am …I am not your real mom"
Mitch tilted his head. "Why?"
"Your real mom was my twin sister, she died giving birth to you and your dad didn't want you to know about it. When you clocked 8 years old, you started to ask questions; he was afraid of hurting you so he came to find me. I decided to become your mom "
"Does it matter?"
Bei Shang let out a shaky breath. "Does it?"
"I knew …" Mitch looked at the horizon, its trees clustered so close together he could smell the deer beyond them. " Your hair and eye color is black, the picture dad showed me of mom had brown hair and brown eyes, you didn't know how to speak German and you always looked so scared. I knew there was something wrong but I couldn't point it out "
"Do you hate me?"
Mitch shook his head "You are my mom. The one who have been my mom for three years "
"Even if it started as a lie"
"We are saying the truth now aren't we?" Mitch smiled, his lips trembled "I love you mom , I love you and Iran and dad so so much"
No matter how many times he was abandoned.
No matter how many times he was hurt.
He couldn't help but forgive.
"Mom , remember when you told me I will find the meaning of love? My definition of love is forgiveness."
Bei Shang kissed his face, his voice as soft as a whisper.
" I want to stay"
"Why can't you stay mom?" Mitch's voice cracked.
" I want to stay but I can't. I have to break my promise to you and your dad " He sniffed and looked at the sky " can I tell you a story?"
Mitch nod his head.
His mom told him a long story. It was about a demigod and a fisherman, it was a strange story, sometimes his mom laughed and he laughed too , sometimes his mom cried and he patted his back but each sentence was filled with affection , as if it was a story he loved with all his heart.
"Do the fisherman and the demigod end up together?" Mitch asked.
Bei Shang nod his head, his smile was bright "Yes , they even have a little son and they love him very much"
"It's a lovely story"
" I know" Bei Shang kissed him and rubbed his forehead " I am sorry Mitch"
Mitch smiled, feeling the bone and tightness so much he could barely breathe.
"I forgive you"
"I love you a lot, your dad loves you too , the situation we find ourselves in …. It is difficult and hard but you are always number one to us , you're everything to us okay?"
"Then why am I always the one left behind?" Mitch finally allowed the tears to run down, he sniffed and rubbed his face "Why do I have to be the one waiting?"
Bei Shang rubbed his cheek; his voice choked with emotions "I am sorry "
" I am tired of waiting… it hurts so much to wait "
Bei Shang sniffed and raised his hands "10 years , give me 10 years, I promise to come back in 10 years"
"I don't want to wait anymore" Mitch covered his face letting the tears cover his face, his voice was whiny "You just woke up a few weeks ago and now you are leaving me. Dad is so ill , Iran just left me without any explanation, I am so tired"
Bei Shang gathered him into his arms , rocking him like a baby , his voice was soft "Ten years , just ten years okay?"
They cried for a long time; after a while Mitch nod his head; his voice already disappeared with his tears.
"Ten years"
Bei Shang kissed his forehead and looked at the sky ; the heavens rumbled with thunder, the wind blowing into his hair.
The heavens were tired already, Guayin have not broken the retribution pot yet but the heavens are already trembling with retribution. They want to force him back even if it's through the people he loved.
The dao sparkle in his veins , his meridian pulsing and his body trembling. His Celestial side too responded to the call of the heavens, his shifu had done her best , the gods and goddess have been paitent with him , it was the heavens calling now.
He have only one person left to say good bye to.
He lowered his head and kissed Mitch forehead.
"I love you so so much, never forget that okay?"
A little boy ran into his arms calling him mom three years ago; his eyes full of love even if it was his first time seeing him. A little boy cried and held on to him , calling out to him to stay.
Young but so full of love and kindness; he hopes his little boy grows up to continue to be the loving kind person he is.
"I wish you all the best things in life , all the happiness, all the joy and all the love in this world"
This is the last gift he could give this son who showed him nothing but unconditional love.