Since it was dark and drizzling, Ivy quickly found some shelter among a big yam bush which her grandma used to hide her when it rained. It would be a good disguise too if they were tracked. She sat Jonathan closer into one of the huge tree trunks, leaving Joseph in his arms.

“Come, let’s rest for a bit alright? You did very well Jon Jon.” Ivy praised as she let Jeremy make a bottle of milk for Joseph who was beginning to make a fuss. She went to quickly gather some tweaks nearby to make a cradle by Jeremy’s side who sat next to the boys.

Before Ivy gave the bottle to Joseph, she poured a little out in the flask’s cover and gave it to Jonathan. Jonathan shook his head instantly to reject it with a pout. Ivy then took a packet of biscuits she brought along and opened it to offer him a piece.

“Don’t worry. We all have enough. You need to replenish some energy to lead the way again later alright?” Ivy persuaded as Jonathan looked at Jeremy who nodded in agreement before Jonathan dared to take it from Ivy. Ivy then slowly carried Joseph into her arms and tilted his head so he could start feeding.

“You seem natural when it comes to this?” Jeremy teased as she blushed a little when Joseph started to hold his bottle. Ivy was impressed at Joseph’s independence and wondered if he took after Jeremy or his mother.

“I will clean your wound next,” Ivy said sternly after placing Joseph on the tweak-made cradle. Though Jeremy was skeptical of their situation to be able to meddle with his messy wound, he obediently listened to her. Jonathan quickly finished up his light meal to look after Joseph while Ivy quietly put on a new bandage for Jeremy.

However, their peaceful moment quickly came with an interruption. A quick rustling of the leaves noises around made Jeremy and Ivy on high alert. Fortunately, Joseph was still feeding in Jonathan’s arms so he would not be crying unless startled. Ivy signaled to Jonathan with her finger on her lips as he nodded solemnly.

Jeremy held Ivy close in his arms as the boys were well-protected in the corner of the tree trunk. He could tell she was enduring the pain from her shoulder as he stole several kisses on her forehead to ease her tense self while the leaves rustling were beginning to faint away. That was when they heard a loud hooting from the stream area.

“Looks like they had left… Take the boys and leave now. That’s the signal that help has arrived.” Jeremy urged her.

“No, let’s go together…” Ivy pleaded and due to the chilly weather, the warmness from his body was so soothing that she did not realise he was down with a fever.

“Go, Vivi… Bring Ray to help me. The boys need you…” Ivy frowned at the name of her brother as tears welled. She quickly kissed him and forced herself to prepare to lead the boys to the stream.

“Jon, Daddy needs you to show the way to Auntie Ivy and bring Uncle Ray here alright?” Jeremy instructed as Jonathan bravely nodded. Jeremy gave his boys each a kiss before they left with Ivy carrying Joseph who had fallen asleep in her good arm.

Though Ivy was surprised the boys had already known her brother, she forced herself to step away despite feeling like it was her last moment together with Jeremy. She felt bad for Jonathan who was so young yet he was diligently leading the way. She convinced herself to carry on for the sake of the boys.

When they reached the stream, Jonathan finally fell as his weak body gave in. Ivy quickly helped him up and hid all of them behind some bushes. She held Jonathan close to her and felt his body was extremely heated up as well.

“Jon Jon, are you alright?” She whispered urgently.

“Yes…” He said with heavy breathing and tried to keep himself composed.

Ivy quickly took off her sweater to let Jonathan wear it after putting Joseph by her side of the ground.

“You’re doing well Jon Jon. Bear with me a little alright? We will find my brother to get you some fever medicine later.” She calmly told him and assured him so that he would not worry.

“And daddy too…” He said weakly while sniffing as Ivy’s eyes reddened and nodded. She could tell he was a very responsible and mature boy for his age and it was probably cause he had been taking care of his baby brother.

“When we head out, someone is waiting for you.” The little boy’s eyes brightened up for a brief moment but dimmed again before Ivy could tell him the identity.

“Our mummies had left this world. I know it wouldn’t be them.” He said sadly as Ivy quickly wiped her tears away.

“But Auntie Hazel is still around…” Jonathan’s eyes beamed with hope as for the first time, Ivy saw his smile, identical to Jeremy’s. She smiled and hugged him as he forced himself to not sob.

“It’s alright. All of this will be over soon. Auntie promises I will keep you all safe. Come, let’s get moving to the stream alright.” She urged as he nodded with a full alert look.

Ivy threw some rocks across the stream and a few figures appeared from the opposite of the stream. She grinned knowing the first buffed figure was Ray as she quickly led the young boys across.

“Uncle Ray!” Jonathan instantly ran up to his arms as Ray carried and spun him around for a bit.

However, because the current was strong and Ivy’s weak arm could not support her balance, she knelt on a huge rock for refuge with a huge impact before Ray put down Jonathan for his minions to attend to and came to save Ivy and Joseph. Ivy could feel a huge bruise brewing from the part she knocked on the rock but she ignored the pangs of the pain cause she was in the refuge of her favorite brother.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Ivy!” Ray hugged her instantly but knew her arm had an issue when they were on shore on the other side. “Ray…” She finally called out when he put her down on the ground after crossing the stream. “You’re alright? Where does it hurt?” Ray inspected her but she held his hand to stop him.

“Jonathan has a fever. This little one is fine. He was just fed.” Ivy updated as Ray tried to read her intense gaze as he nodded meekly before instructing his minions to bring the children to safety.

“Jeremy... Go by the yam bushes. His injury is worsening…” Ivy instantly pleaded as Ray amid chaos instructed the team to head to the location.

“I want to go with you…” Ivy pleaded.

“No… Ivy. Leave with the kids.” Ray sternly instructed but it was already too late as she limped back towards the stream, ignoring him.

“Ivy!” Ray sighed heavily as he lifted her into his arms and walked across the stream with her toward the location she mentioned.

“You never listen do you?” He nagged as Ivy knew he was inviting trouble by carrying her this way to the yam leaves area.

“Put me down… I will wait here…” She finally gave in but Ray did not want to risk it. “It’s alright… there we’re close by.” He said as he put her down while his minions ahead of her were inspecting Jeremy.

She limped over to see Jeremy. “Jere… I had Ray and the team. The boys are safe…” She updated as she tried to get Jeremy to stay conscious but she finally realised he was down with a high fever too.

Ray sprung into action to carry him on his back and headed towards the stream. However, at the stream this time, the trackers had planted traps for them after spying on them all the while.

One of Ray’s minions had noticed some parts of the soil were being meddled before slowing down to take cover. Ray knew the trackers had caught up with them with landmines. They all cleared the area and had one of them throwing rocks onto the landmines as they took cover.

With the unexpected loud, huge explosion, once again, Ivy felt herself being transported back into her blurry world. For once, Ivy was at peace with the fact that if it was the last time she would be able to see her family and loved ones, she accepted it willingly cause she had fulfilled her promise to return the boys safely to Daisy and her family were all well taken care of including Jeremy.

The other minions opposite the stream began to search for all of them amid the fogginess while fighting the trackers. Ray who was still trying to recover from the concussion, carried Jeremy who had passed out towards another car while fighting some of the the trackers. Ivy was then found by Ray’s minions, fainted from the impact of the explosion as she had hit a tree.

As Ray struggled to lead all of them to leave the area after a brief fight with the trackers, he knew his cover was blown. All his focus was to send the couple to immediate medical care at a secluded hospital nearby. He was glad to have Uncle James and Jin’s backup, sending backups to him and preparing a new hideout for all of them at a new children's camp, half an hour away from Landsfield aside from the medical care.

Jeremy was awake first thereafter and found himself staring back at the various Ophal brothers' faces peeking down at him.

“Jeremy you’re alright?” Ray asked while Jeremy blinked a few times.

“Ivy…” He mumbled with a foggy mind.

“She is still unconscious but she is fine. Lay down… You’ve had a serious infection but it’s all under control now…” Ray assured.

“The boys…” He mumbled again.

“They are with Hazel.” Ray updated as the name brought Jeremy at ease. Jeremy closed his eyes for a moment to take in all that had happened.

“Jeremy… Ivy’s mother passed on. I will leave things here to Jin. I have to leave. Charles’ men are all over looking for me. I will have to take refuge for a while…” Ray updated as Jeremy’s eyes opened wide and stared at him.

Jeremy slowly nodded. “Alright… Let’s not tell her first when she is awake. Thanks, Bro.” Jeremy said as the brothers agreed unanimously.

Back in Ivy’s paracosm, she sat under the skies lit by hues of aurora as she found herself by the frozen lake she once nearly fell in.

“Ai Lee… come have some mung bean cake. Mummy just made some…” She heard that familiar voice as she spun around to find a fine demure young lady sitting by a bench waiting for her to join in. She recognised the dress as it was the dress the woman in her dreams used to push her off the tall building.

“Ai Lee, quickly!” Permisla urged as Ivy stood and slowly made her way to sit in front of Permisla.

“Here… Your favourite…” Permisla placed the plate of mung bean cakes in front of Ivy but she continued to stare at her mother in disbelief.

“Mummy…” She whispered as it felt so surreal.

“Eat…” She urged as Ivy skeptically took her first bite.

“I’m sorry my dear child. You have suffered a lot… I have not been a good mother…” Permisla apologised as Ivy shook her head with tears in her eyes.

“I should be sorry for coming to see you so late… I should have done so earlier…” Ivy insisted as Permisla smiled.

“Promise me, you will live your life bravely and make me proud, my little one,” Permisla said as Ivy, with a heavy heart felt it was strange.

“Mummy, will I see you again?” Ivy asked but Permisla could only smile sadly as she placed a little doll on the table. Ivy recognised it was the one Permisla always held on to when she visited her.

Ivy quickly ran over to hug her.

“Grandma had always said so hasn’t she?” Ivy met Permisla’s gaze when she said that.

“I will forever be in your heart, Ai Lee.” Ivy hugged her tightly this time, not wanting to let her go as she began to weep in her arms while Permisla gently combed Ivy’s hair to comfort her.

Ivy then found herself opening her eyes to bright lights as she kept blinking to clear vision. Ivy found herself waking to her family’s faces peeking down on her as she wiped away her tears and tried to calm herself from the dream.

“Jeremy… The boys? Ray…” She questioned while trying to sit up but noticed her right arm was being hooked up to her neck. Ryu pointed at the bed next to hers and the sight sent relief to Ivy.

“The boys are with Hazel. Ray is safe…” Jeremy updated as she closed her eyes and nodded before Ryu and Cassandra started nagging her about her safety.

Despite the distractions, she felt strange that Jin was quiet and it seemed something was amiss. She noticed her usual mobile phone was in Jin’s possession. Her mind ran through the possibilities of who could be injured badly or dead but none of them in her list was missing.

“Enough! Out! All of you!” She instructed in annoyance.

“Leave my phone behind..” Ivy sternly pointed at Jin before she hid back in the blanket in annoyance. Jin knew it was going to happen so he had already swapped her sim card earlier for a new one.

When she heard everyone was out including Jeremy who was helped by Jin while being attached to a drip, she dialed the number to her mother’s hospital which she had memorised.

She was not at ease after that strange dream and true enough, when the news of her mother’s passing was conveyed by the nurse in the sanitarium over the phone, she was filled with anguish and devastation.

She stood by the window, looking up at the sky, wondering if Permisla had found refuge in that dream with her over a last meal.