As Ivy was calmer, Nick held tightly to her hand and led her into the house. As he switched on the lights and drew all the curtains to open the windows, Ivy slowly made her way into the dining hall.

She touched the cold marble table sending her shivers for a moment, recalling the countless meals they had on it.

“Let’s air the place and upstairs too,” Nick suggested when he return to her and held her hand, feeling her hesitation to head up the stairs.

“I’m here. Don’t worry. Come…” Nick urged as the tightened grip of his hand seems to provide Ivy with some strength to finally agree to head upstairs.

It was bright with the lights being switched on but the gloominess in the both of them was overwhelming. Nick had to toughen up himself as the familiar scent of Jason still lingers when they approached the end of the stairs.

Ivy stopped midway at the stairs as Nick went on to draw the curtains at the balcony revealing a once familiar view of her and Jason sitting at night with Lucky, discussing all sorts of matters while training her alcohol tolerance.

As Nick began to open up the sliding door, a part of Ivy wanted so badly to stop him to prevent the familiar scent of Jason from leaving. “Stop…” She mumbled but it was too late as Nick had already opened the sliding door widely. She couldn’t help but shut her eyes tightly as the familiar scent of Jason slowly wafts away.

Ivy stood enduring her tumultuous emotions without noticing Nick who had opened every single door and window in each room. Nick then returned to her and held her by the stairs for a moment.

“It’s alright. It’s going to be alright…” Nick comforted her as he placed a petal of iris on her hand when he let her go.

“It seems you need this more than I do now.” He said as she smiled sadly before taking a deep breath.

“Cry all you want. Let it go all you want. I am here with you.” Nick said as Ivy recognise his verse. She least expected him to use it back on her as she smiled.

“So much for thinking how great I have recovered wanting to help him…” Ivy scolded herself as she slowly walked into Jason’s room.

It still looked the same and nothing was touched. She wondered how Daisy was coping with Jason’s father. She wondered how Lucky was as well. He must have been confused.

She walked past the dressing table and saw her reflection with the shimmering diamonds of her necklace as she caressed them and held them in her palm, imagining Jason’s shadow behind her, embracing her or putting the necklace on her. Just the thought alone felt like swords piercing through her heart as her eyes reddened. Nick watched her from the doorway with a heavy heart as he understands her feelings very well.

She forced herself to walk out of the room abruptly and head to the balcony. She noticed the trees in front of the yard were much taller now. There were more dragonflies around. Noticing Nick was behind her, she took a seat on the bench and let the soft breeze soothe her dampen mood, hopelessly and forcefully having to accept the fact that Jason, was no longer around.

“I used to sit here with him, chatting away till late at night. Training my liquor tolerance... Talking about facts of life I hated... Forcing myself to face with the reality of life after my grandma’s death and… Here I am again, forcing myself to accept the reality of his d…” Ivy’s voice trailed away as Nick sat next to her and patted her shoulder as she leaned on him.

“I thought I had gotten over it and was accepting it when I came to see you… I thought I could give you hope to live on and move on. I thought I had cried till I had no more tears but …” Ivy choked on her words as Nick wrapped her in for a hug.

“You did well. You made me step out of the house comfortably. You gave me hope and reason to worry again…” Nick comforted as Ivy hugged him tighter.

“I’m sorry Ivy. I’m very sorry for your loss and all that had happened. I should have kept watch on Nancy …” Nick’s eyes reddened when he said her name. Ivy realised then that she wasn’t the only one who lost someone. Nick did too.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Ivy said as she sat up to meet his gaze. “None of this was our fault. It was an accident.” Nick then couldn’t help but cry with Ivy as they both sat and hugged each other for a moment, trying to move on from grieving.

That evening, Ray returned with Marcel to check on them both who were quietly sitting on the balcony watching the yard from afar. They were both emotionally tired as Ray and Marcel led them back to Nick’s house.

“It’s not time yet for you to stay there, the rightful owner.” Ray tried to tease Ivy who sat on the couch after a very light dinner.

“I’m sorry. I really thought I had already accepted it and cried all I wanted but I…” Ivy sighed as Ray hugged her. “Take your time, sis. You’re doing very well already.” Ray praised.

“Could you let me stay here tonight with him?” Ivy asked worriedly as Ray nodded.

“I will stay over too to keep watch. Especially with your condition like this, you might…” Ivy nodded understanding he was worried about her sleep paralysis.

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“Alright… Don’t let Daddy know what happened…” Ivy said as Ray nodded.

“I want to accompany him to sleep first. Wake me up later alright?” Ivy said as Ray nodded watching her walk into Nick’s room where Marcel was.

“I will watch over him. Go ahead and rest, Marcel.” Ivy said as Marcel nodded and left the room.

Ivy then went to Nick’s bedside and sat on the floor as Nick smiled.

“Having trouble sleeping?” Ivy asked gently as Nick sighed and caressed her face.

Ivy smiled. “Me too… It’s getting bad for me because I have an imaginary world that used to be full of irises and dogs I kept when I was young. My grandma was in there too and there was a phoenix who turned out to be someone I was destined to protect while the phoenix was also trying to protect me. But he died as a sacrifice to protect me. Now, the world I have is all dark and gloomy. I have turned into the evil side and there were nightmares…” Ivy’s smile faded as she explained while Nick held her hand.

“I still dream of that day where countless of times I had to wake from seeing their last moments…” Nick choked as Ivy gently patted his hand.

“Each time I wake I think to myself you’re alive. You’re fighting. I must strive to see you in front of me one day, strong and the usual you again. Today, I did…” Nick caressed her face as they both were in tears.

“So, thank you for making this belief come true…” Nick said as he patted her head while she smiled.

“I heard you rejected Phyllis’ sessions. Why?” Ivy asked. “Like you, I thought it was pointless.” He said briefly.

“And now?” She asked, studying his gaze. “I don’t know…” He said skeptically.

“Would you like to come for one session? I could join inside with you unless you’re not comfortable?” Ivy offered as he contemplated for a moment.

“Just once.” He said as Ivy smiled and nodded.

“Even if I have no time moving forward, I want you to know no matter what it is, you could always come to find me. I will be there for you always.” Ivy assured him as he nodded.

“Why would you have no time?” He asked as she sighed.

“The entire accident may not have been something simple... The family’s business is in a dire state... I can’t afford to sit back and watch what Jason had left perish. I am going to work to fight Jeremy from misusing his powers.” Ivy explained though weak but with strong conviction, angrily as Nick patted her head.

“Jason wasn’t wrong about you. You’re full of potential. With the right opportunities, your charm is blinding…” Nick praised as Ivy chuckled.

“So, get well soon and I am waiting for you to take over the emcee position like you used to… My brother isn’t doing well on the job.” Nick chuckled as he nodded.

“Have you…” Ivy wanted to ask him a long pressing matter but she wondered if it would offend Nick.

“Yes, what is it? Just say…” Nick urged.

“Have you visited their graves before?” She bravely asked as Nick shook his head sadly.

“I didn’t have the courage…” He said.

“Would you… want to…? With me?” Ivy asked hopefully as he contemplated but knew it was best for them to do so.

He then nodded.

“I will tell Ray and Marcel about it then. We will go tomorrow?” She asked skeptically unsure if should she push his limits as he surprised her with a nod again.

They both smiled. “Sleep… I will accompany you.” She said as he felt bad for her to be on the floor.

“Would you mind sitting on a chair or coming to this side of the bed? I feel bad …” He said as Ivy shook her head.

“Is alright… it’s fine this way. Don’t feel bad. Just sleep. Ray will bring me to bed later. I will leave after you sleep.” She said as he sighed and lay down in bed while she lay her head on the bedside.

He then held her hand for comfort before they both slowly drifted to sleep.

Ivy found herself back in her paracosm fighting against the swarm of serpents and this time she saw Jason in his phoenix form fighting alongside her. Recalling this scene as before, she halted her moves and Phoenix came saving her right on time as he chopped away a serpent’s head which was close to biting her.

With that, he held her to land her on to the ground as the waves of serpents were gone. She looked into his gaze and gently caressed his cheeks. She remembered all of their memories from the very beginning as Jason too realised the pouch carrying her memories was now empty.

“You left so many for me but you’re here protecting me… Doesn’t it tire you? Isn’t it unfair for you?” Ivy questioned as her eyes reddened.

She now knew the meaning of love and sacrifice as she cherishes them even more. She had even more reasons to strive and stay alive to be together with him.

However, she knew her destiny was to always stay alone as she was meant to save the world from the calamity he would bring. Despite that, she wasn’t giving up instilling hope for him to live on. At least, that way she could seek some comfort for all of his sacrifices for her.

“Why would you in every life do this? Only to end up dead? I am not worth it.” Ivy said as Jason wiped her tears away.

“All of that you have done, the one thing you did right was to let me honor my promise to always protect you and love you in my own way.” Jason comforted and before she knew it, she opened her eyes to see herself staring back at Jason who was in a cube while she was still held captive by the veins of ivies.

She realised they were in each other’s mind earlier as she blinked her tears away. She quickly regain her composure when she heard Avinha’s footsteps coming back.

“Stay strong, Ivy,” Jason said in mind to her right when she realised she could control the ivies. She loosen up her hand and the ivies made space for her as though trying not to hurt her.

“Stay loose…” She said in her mind controlling the ivies as the ivies loosen slightly more when Avinha stepped in.

“Looks like you’re having a great session reminiscing the past?” Avinha teased as Ivy gave him a piercing look.

Before he could touch her face, Ivy summoned her seven swords and release her hands from the ivies veins. She then charged the swords at Avinha who was taken by surprise but quickwittedly fought against her.

Jason then noticed Ivy had three swords lighting up with an awakened aura.

The swords each have their own criteria for Ivy to overcome before they could be awakened which meant Ivy had embraced confusion, revenge, and now fear. Jason recalled their father telling him if Ivy could conquer all seven, she would be undefeatable as an immortal. Jason knew Ivy had a strong urge to kill Avinha and though he thinks Avinha deserved to die, a part of Jason didn’t want to watch Ivy fall into her fate yet.

“Ivy! No! You cannot kill him or we will be trapped forever! It’s a spell bounded by us three! If one of us dies, the rest are held captive in this tower for good! Stop, Ivy!” Jason lied in his mind to coax Ivy to stop as she held back for a moment.

Lucky for Jason, Ivy didn’t make sense of the bits and pieces of his thoughts she caught earlier while chasing Avinha. In her moment of hesitation, Avinha charged back at her before she finds herself falling off from a high building again.

This time she saw the face of the lady and it was the exact person in the picture she saw in Peter’s room.

“Mother… Why? Why would you let me go this way every time? Mother, did you ever love me?” Ivy calmly watch her mother’s face grow distant as she endured the piercing pain of her heartache.