Nekros stood in the alleyway and rubbed at the scar on his neck. It was barely noticeable after twenty-six years, but it still ached. It was a constant reminder that he had failed that night. He'd allowed them to take her. He hadn't cared much about his own life, never had... But Rhiannon... he should have done more. Fought harder.

He physically shook his head and tried to push those dark thoughts out of his mind. He had to get those thoughts out of his head. He had fought as hard as he could at the time. He was stronger now. He'd unlocked magic he never believed was even possible, even for the dragons. He had this chance now. He couldn't... he wouldn't ruin it.

Forcing his hand away from the scar, he looked around the narrow space until he found it. The back door to the studio. Right next to it... the place where they had left her. He'd read the report Lysander had gotten from... it took him a moment to remember his modern name... from Nolan... a thousand times. This was where they left her to be found so she could be legally entered into the human government system and legally adopted by the Colonel and his wife.

Colonel Richard fucking Kincaid. He couldn't stop the rumbling growl in his throat. He'd never met a human he hated more. He'd always known there was something extremely wrong with that man. He was so staunchly against the mere idea of working with ancients, but he got along better with the dark elf than he did any one of his own kind. To know that it had been that man to have such a role in his daughter's life. It was enough to set his blood on fire.

The door opened suddenly, and a woman stepped out. She took one look at him and froze. She was small, slender, grey hair beginning to show in her dark hair and the warmest, kindest brown eyes he had seen in a long time. As the realization of who, or what, he was sunk in, her eyes widened, and her pupils dilated in fear. "Madeline Kincaid?" he asked gently, hoping not to scare or traumatize the woman. She nodded slowly. "My name is Nekros. I'm..." he hesitated. Was it right to call him her father, even after everything?

"Rhia's father." She finished for him, the words coming out breathlessly.

A tiny spark of hope flared to life in his chest, and he smiled. "Yes." He breathed. "I didn't mean to bother you. I just... I needed to see..."

He looked back down at the spot and felt the emotion welling up in his throat. He felt her reaching for him, and he forced his body to stay as still as still as possible. He couldn't stop the feeling of disgust and fear crawl across his skin as her hand landed on his arm. Do not kill her, he chanted to himself. She has done nothing to you. Rhiannon will never speak to you if you kill her. Do. Not. Kill. Her.

Not trusting himself, he shifted to tuck his hands in his pockets and break contact with her. He tried to make it look as innocent as possible, and not that he would rather rip out every tooth than let her touch him again. "Come inside." She said in a gentle voice. "I want to show you something."

He followed her into the open space. The studio smelled of paint and clay. It was warm and homey, nothing like the facility he had been confined to for twenty-six years. The room still felt small, and he quickly identified every exit and window large enough for him crawl out of. His hand twitched upwards and he had to fight to keep it away from his neck.

Madeline pulled out a large plastic tub from under the stairs and peeled open the lid. She turned back to him holding several thick photo albums and jerked her head up the stairs. He followed again, slower this time. The loft had only one window leading to the fire escape. It was tiny. He wasn't sure if he would be able to fit through it if he had to. He forced himself to breath and focus on the table where Madeline had laid out the books. "Maddox and Rhia hated me for it sometimes," she was saying. "But I was always one of those moms who took pictures of everything. I always wanted something to look back on when they were too busy to come visit."

She took a small step sideways to let Nekros look through the books. His eyes went wide, and a rock formed in his throat as he realized that the books were filled with pictures of Madeline and Maddox Kincaid... and Rhiannon. The world went quiet around him as he flipped through the pages. She was instantly recognizable in every picture by her bright red hair.

Madeline chattered about the pictures he would linger on, but he didn't hear her. the pictures were so mundane, but they were evidence that she had a childhood. Sitting on the floor with a younger version of Maddox and playing a board game. The two children sitting under a tree adorned with lights in a living room. Rhiannon standing on a curb wearing a backpack and looking like she would rather be anywhere else but there in that moment. Her in a crowd of other children at some sort of public event.

The further through the books, the older she got. Every dozen or so pages, the year was marked with a picture of her in front of a cake or presents. Birthday pictures. She was a teenager, lanky and awkward and beautiful. Two other females the same age started making a regular appearance in the pictures. She had friends! He couldn't express how that eased the pressure in his chest. Occasionally a boy would show up, holding her hand or kissing her cheek, but they weren't there long.

He did notice that several spots for pictures were empty and there was a distinct absence of her husband. For which he was grateful. He wasn't sure how he would have been able to handle seeing that man with her when she was clearly so happy.

He frowned when he reached several pages that were empty. He heard Madeline stutter and fall silent. He chanced a glance at her. She was also looking at the empty pages. "Did something happen?" he asked quietly.

She nodded and she blinked rapidly in an attempt to hold back her tears. "There was a man." She said stiffly. "They were engaged at one point."

A snarl ripped from his throat, and he cursed himself mentally as Madeline took a step back. He knew enough of the story to understand. The reason it had taken so long for her to shift the first time was because of human medical treatments. It had been no accident.

He forced his chest to expand in a breath and he moved on. There weren't many more. He stopped on the last page where there was a picture of Rhiannon. Just Rhiannon. She was laughing at something the person holding the camera was saying. This was his little girl. He hoped he would get the chance to see her smile like this at him.

"I can't imagine how hard this is for you and Rhia's mother." Madeline said quietly. "To know that complete strangers have been raising your child."

Nekros looked at her and blinked. "Madeline," he said slowly. "You are Rhiannon's mother."

She shivered and her arms tightened around herself. "Your wife..."

He shook his head, cutting off whatever she was going to say. "I wish I could say that Phoenix loved her. I wish I could say that she would be just as proud of our daughter as I am. She never wanted to be a mother. It was not in her nature to care for anyone but herself. It took many eons for her to think of me as a part of herself. If there is one good thing to come out of all this bad... it was that she knew what it was like to have a mother. You and your son are her family. And for that, Madeline... thank you." He looked away from her crying face and back down at the picture. "May I keep this?"

"Of course." She whispered. "Take as many as you like. I have copies everywhere."

He pulled the picture out of the plastic fold and tucked it carefully into his jacket pocket over his heart. He left the studio shortly after. The room was too small, and his control over his emotions were slipping. As he stepped back out on the street and felt the sun on his face, he was able to take a full breath again.

He was free.

Rhiannon was free.

He knew there was so much to be done... but he couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips. For the first time in a long time, he had something to look forward to.

~