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Caleb could taste the ash on his tongue. He could hear his parents scream, crying out in pain as the flames engulfed his childhood home. This was his fault, he did this, he murdered his parents. Caleb could feel tears running down his face as a voice behind them spoke in thick Zemnian.
“They were traitors, Caleb. You helped to protect the Empire, and proved your loyalty.” A heavy hand rested on Caleb's shoulder. The pressure of the hand spread to his chest making it hard to breathe. It felt like someone had set a large beast of some kind on top of him that was slowly, painfully crushing him while the flames began to engulf his slender frame.
“Caleb, you are safe here…” the voice said. “Safe with us. Here in the flames. We are your family.”
~~~~~~
Molly had woken up to use the bathroom, maneuvering the small apartment easily and avoiding what most would bump into in the dark. This came in handy when Frumpkin rushed into the washroom as soon as Molly opened the door to leave.
“Well good morning, little devil dear.” They hummed the endearing nickname they had given Caleb's familiar. Molly went to pick up the large tabby but he easily slinked away, meowing loudly. “Hey, you will wake Caleb,” they softly scolded the tabby which was met with a reply of even louder meowing. Molly attempted to pick up the cat again but once again Frumpkin easily avoided their hands. Frumpkin took off toward the bedroom, still meowing loudly as he paced in front of the door. Clearly, something was wrong since Frumpkin only acted like this when Caleb is-
There was a loud crash from inside the bedroom that broke Molly from their thoughts. They broke into a sprint to the bedroom, frantically looking around to find Caleb. The human man was hunched over his night table with a dish that had been from a snack now lay on the floor in pieces. One piece had a crimson liquid trickling down onto it from a cut on the human's hand. Caleb's bright blue eyes were dilated and shone unnaturally bright with a small glint of light trailing behind his gaze as he glanced around their shared room. Small licks of flame brushed against the human's palm with some fading up toward his arm. From where he was, Molly could see Caleb's chest heaving slightly under his shirt, his forehead and neck coated in sweat.
“Caleb, darling- hey, hey, look at me.” Molly quickly moved to kneel in front of Caleb and touching the man's face. “Hey, are you with me?” There was no reply, which gave them all the answer they needed.
They moved quickly to the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack. Luckily Molly kept these on hand for sore feet from theater practice. Nott had come downstairs at this point, a small dagger in her hand.
“Are we being robbed?!” The small goblin girl spoke in a loud whisper, but Molly paid no mind as they moved past. They could explain this later. Right now Caleb needs help, their help.
Molly moved quickly, hearing Nott gasp as they both entered the room. Caleb had moved a bit but not much, only enough to lean back on the bed. They knelt between Caleb and pressed the freezing icepack to the human’s arm with the hope that the cold ice pack would be enough of a shock to bring Caleb back.
Caleb attempted to pull his arm away in shock but Molly made sure to keep the pack pressed on. “Hey, hey. It's okay Caleb, you're okay.” That is the first time the glow in Caleb's eyes dimmed and seemed to finally see around what was actually happening around him.
~~~~~
The flames licked and curled against blistering skin, the heat boiling Caleb to his core. With his arms, it was nothing but a numb sensation of raw power that Caleb had become familiar with. It was everything else that hurt. He could feel the flames scorch his torso and legs as he attempted to make his way through the flames. He watched his childhood living room burn. The large grandfather clock somehow still chimed loudly even in its state of flame covered ruin. Caleb tried to cover his ears, the sound of the grandfather clock making his ears ring. Between the heat, the feeling of scorching flames, and the chimes Caleb began to lose himself. He held his head and rocked in place, tears beginning to trail down his cheeks. That is when a sudden cold rush hit his left forearm.
He attempted to shake off the cold out of blind fear. It was only after he couldn’t move the chilled arm that Caleb noticed how the flames suddenly didn't burn. The sound of the grandfather clock faded away, suddenly seeming like it was miles away. That is when he heard a voice. Not the deep gruntled voice from before but a soft voice.
“Hey, hey. It's okay Caleb, you're okay.”
~~~~~
The first sense to return was touch. From the ice pack, the feeling grew down his arms and into his fingertips. Two warm sets of weight rested on his palms, ones he knew very well. That was when hearing and smell came back, bringing with them the worried voices of Nott and Mollymauk.
“Caleb, darling, are you able to hear me?” Molly spoke softly, their voice dripping with worry.
“J-Ja…” He muttered with what energy he could. “Ich kann dich hören, aber ich ... ich kann immer noch Flammen sehen.”
Molly's voice was soft, feeling much more calming against his ears. “Deep breaths dear… Do you think you can repeat that in common for me?” The soft taloned hand gently gripped Caleb's hand before placing a kiss on the back.
“N-Nien.” Caleb shook his head as he tried to curl into himself. Nott's small form moved into Caleb's lap and cupped his face. The goblin just sat there as a comfortable weight in his lap, her hands keeping his face in place.
It was a slow process for the flames to leave, but Nott and Molly sat with him with soft grounding words and touches. At one point Nott left his lap and instead somehow Caleb wound up in Molly's lap. Nott seemed to have disappeared for something during that time, the soft pitter-patter of her feet signaling her leaving.
“How are you holding up dearest?” Molly's voice was soft and kind. No pressure to it, no need to rush and pretend to be okay.
“Better…” Caleb’s voice was a bit raspy as he nuzzled into Molly. Caleb frowned softly as he spoke, “I am awful Mollymauk. You deserve better than me. I have blood on my hands.”
“Shh… Stop that. Caleb, I know your past. I love you anyways my darling.” Molly kissed his head. “No matter what you think, Nott and I are not leaving you. We love you. You are our family. My family.” Molly stroked Caleb's hair slowly and held him close. “That thing in the past. You did not do that out of your own choice. That was not you.”
Caleb shook his head and fought back tears. “No… I do not deserve you Mollymauk…”
By this point, Nott had returned with a mug of tea and a large weighted blanket Nott has gotten him for Christmas last year. Molly shifted to wrap Caleb in the blanket as Nott joined by their side. “I made you some tea. Ginger, no sugar.” She handed him the mug with a worried expression.
“Danke…” Caleb took the mug and glanced down at it. It was a simple mug with a photo on it. It was of a trip to the Menagerie Coast. Jester had taken the picture on her cell phone of them all on the beach, her face visible in the corner with her tongue out. Beau was attempting to get Nott in the water with little success. Cadeuces was swimming happily in the water with Fjord, both seeing relaxed and happy as they float. Yasha was barely wading in the water with a small smile to the camera. Then there was Molly and Caleb. Caleb was incredibly sunburnt under a beach umbrella with a beautifully dressed carefree Molly sitting next to him.
Then it hit him. This is his family. Not those of his past… not those he killed. Fjord, Jester, Cadeuces, Beau, Yasha, Nott… and Molly. He looked to Molly with tears in his eyes. This was his family. They were not going to leave, not force him to do anything or hurt anyone. He snuggled close with Nott and Molly, listening as a soft pittering of rain filled the quiet room from outside.
This was home.