The drive back to the mansion was quieter than the drive to the office.
Not calm.
Just exhausted.
Rain still slid slowly across the windows while the city lights blurred past outside.
Dante drove.
Silent.
One hand against the steering wheel.
The other resting near the gear shift like he no longer had the energy to react to anything that had happened today.
In the backseat, Izana sat with Zarek asleep across his lap.
The baby carrier had finally been abandoned after the meeting.
Now Zarek rested wrapped in blankets instead, small body warm against Izana while one tiny hand loosely held onto Izana's finger.
The other still clutched the edge of his shirt.
Izana's eyes kept lowering toward him every few seconds automatically.
Checking.
Watching.
Making sure he was still breathing properly.
Still warm.
Still asleep.
Dante noticed through the mirror.
Again.
And again.
Finally—
"…You've checked him fourteen times."
Izana didn't look up.
"…No."
"…Izana."
Izana adjusted the blanket slightly higher around Zarek.
"…It was twelve."
Dante stared at the road for a second.
Then sighed.
"…That somehow makes it worse."
Silence returned briefly.
Then Dante spoke again.
"…I never want to experience that again."
Izana's hand rested lightly against Zarek's stomach beneath the blanket.
"…You survived."
Dante let out a tired laugh.
"…Barely."
Zarek shifted slightly in his sleep.
Immediately Izana's attention dropped toward him again.
His thumb brushed once over the side of Zarek's hand.
The movement settled him instantly.
Dante watched that through the mirror too.
Then looked away.
"…The room was scared to argue because they thought they'd wake him."
Izana answered simply—
"…Good."
Dante shook his head slowly.
"…You're impossible."
Neither of them spoke after that.
The mansion gates finally came into view through the rain.
Tall.
Dark.
Familiar.
The car slowed smoothly through them before pulling toward the front entrance.
Several staff members were already waiting beneath the lights outside.
The second they noticed Zarek asleep in Izana's arms—
their movements softened automatically.
Doors opened quietly.
No loud greetings.
No unnecessary speaking.
Izana stepped out carefully, one arm fully supporting Zarek while keeping the blankets secure around him.
The nursery bag rested over his shoulder again.
Dante got out after him and muttered quietly—
"…I'm going to sleep for twelve hours."
Izana walked toward the mansion doors.
"…No, you're not."
Dante looked genuinely offended.
"…You're cruel."
Izana ignored him completely and stepped inside.
The warmth of the mansion hit immediately.
Soft lighting.
Quiet hallways.
Distant sounds from downstairs.
Safe.
Different from the office.
Izana walked slower here.
More carefully.
Zarek shifted once against his chest but stayed asleep.
Upstairs, the bedroom door opened quietly.
Leah was awake.
Still sitting up slightly against the pillows with a blanket wrapped loosely around herself.
The second she saw them—
her entire expression softened.
Relief first.
Then warmth.
"…You survived."
Izana walked toward the bed without slowing.
"…Barely."
Leah smiled immediately at the response.
Because he'd copied her from earlier.
Even if he probably didn't realise it.
Izana sat carefully beside her on the bed.
One arm still holding Zarek securely.
Then leaned over slightly and pressed a soft kiss against Leah's cheek.
Leah immediately leaned into it for a second before he pulled back.
"…Long day?" she asked quietly.
"…Yes."
"You look tired."
"…You say that every day now."
"…Because you look tired every day now."
Izana ignored that.
Leah's eyes lowered toward Zarek immediately.
Still asleep.
Blankets tucked around him.
One tiny hand visible near his face.
Leah gently rubbed her finger against his cheek.
Soft.
Careful not to wake him.
Zarek reacted anyway.
His small hand lifted slowly and wrapped around her finger.
Then he smiled sleepily without opening his eyes properly.
Leah's entire expression melted.
"…Oh."
Quiet.
Warm.
She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against the top of his head.
"…Hi, sweetheart."
Zarek made a soft sleepy sound.
Izana watched both of them silently.
His expression softer now than it had been all day.
Leah looked up at him again.
"…How bad was the meeting?"
A pause.
Then—
"…Dante suffered."
That made Leah laugh softly.
"…Poor Dante."
"…Yes."
Zarek shifted slightly again.
A tiny yawn escaped him this time.
His face scrunched faintly afterward.
Izana noticed immediately.
"…He's tired."
Leah smiled faintly.
"…Like his father."
Izana completely ignored that.
Instead, he carefully stood back up from the bed.
"…I'll put him to sleep."
Leah nodded slowly.
Then looked toward Zarek again.
"…Goodnight, Zarek."
Zarek made another tiny sleepy sound.
Izana adjusted the blankets around him once more before walking toward the nursery beside the bedroom.
The room was dimly lit.
Quiet.
Warm.
Izana walked toward the crib slowly before lowering Zarek carefully into it.
One hand supporting his head the entire time.
Gentle.
Controlled.
Once Zarek was settled, Izana adjusted the blanket around him.
Then smoothed a hand lightly over his blonde hair.
"…Sleep."
Izana stepped back once.
Then—
Zarek cried.
Immediate.
Sharp.
Izana stopped instantly.
Not annoyed.
Concerned.
He stepped back toward the crib immediately.
"…Hey."
Zarek's crying only got louder.
Izana checked the blanket.
Then checked him carefully.
Nothing wrong.
No discomfort.
No fever.
No trapped arm.
Then Izana noticed it.
The missing weight in Zarek's hand.
No teddy bear.
A pause.
Izana looked toward the nursery bag immediately.
Opened it.
Looked inside.
Bottles.
Blankets.
Extra clothes.
No bear.
Zarek cried harder.
Izana searched again.
More carefully this time.
Still nothing.
The crying became sharper.
More distressed.
Izana crossed the nursery quickly now.
Checked the armchair.
The changing table.
The floor.
Nothing.
He walked back into the bedroom briefly.
Leah immediately looked up.
"…What happened?"
Izana didn't answer immediately.
He searched near the bed.
Nothing.
Zarek's crying echoed from the nursery.
Leah's expression softened slightly in understanding.
"…Iz?"
He stopped moving suddenly.
Still.
Silent.
Then remembered.
The meeting room.
Zarek asleep on his lap.
The blankets.
The members returning.
And afterward—
the teddy bear had never been in his hands again.
Izana's expression shifted slightly.
Cold realization.
"…Office."
Leah blinked once.
"…What?"
Izana turned toward the nursery again immediately.
"…He lost the bear."
Zarek cried harder again as if confirming it.
Leah slowly pushed the blankets aside and stood carefully from the bed.
Still tired.
Still sore.
But moving anyway.
She walked toward the nursery doorway just as Izana lifted Zarek from the crib again.
Trying to soothe him.
"…Shh."
Low.
Gentle.
Zarek kept crying.
Searching.
Looking for something familiar.
Leah immediately understood.
"…Oh no."
Izana held Zarek closer instinctively.
But the crying continued.
Small hands gripping at his shirt now.
Leah reached toward him slowly.
"…Let me hold him."
Izana hesitated briefly.
Then carefully gave Zarek to her.
Leah immediately rocked him gently against her chest.
"…It's okay."
Zarek buried his face against her shoulder but still cried softly.
Leah looked back at Izana.
"…It's just a teddy bear."
Izana answered immediately.
"…It's his."
The room went quiet after that.
Because Leah understood exactly what he meant.
Not the toy.
What it represented.
Comfort.
Safety.
Routine.
Something Zarek loved.
Leah watched Izana carefully for another second.
Then—
"…You're going back now?"
"…Yes."
No hesitation.
None.
Izana was already moving toward the bedroom again.
Reaching for his coat.
His keys.
Leah watched him quietly while holding Zarek closer.
"…Iz."
He stopped at the doorway.
Looked back immediately.
Leah's voice softened.
"…Drive safely."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…Both of you already survived enough today."
Izana's gaze shifted briefly toward Zarek crying softly against her shoulder.
Then back to Leah.
"…I'll be back soon."
And then he was already gone.
Leaving the warmth of the nursery behind.
All for one small teddy bear with a red ribbon around its neck.