A few days later

"Unca Mikey, see trees?" At the small but confused statement I looked down at Amelia who was clutching my hand, her sightless eyes looking around as we continued our walk.

I stopped walking as I watched her tilt her head as if she could hear something I couldn't. I crouched down in front of her as she tilted her head once more as a breeze blew passed us. "What do you mean, Amy?"

She gave a heavy sigh of frustration. "Trees, Unca Mikey." She gestured with her hand in the direction where the trees were even though I knew she couldn't see them.

I nodded slightly as I held her hand. "Yes, the trees. What about them?" I narrowed my eyes as I looked past Amelia to where Heidi was attempting to sneak away. "Heidi, you get back here!" I pointed at her, doing my best to give her a stern look even as she giggled hysterically and rushed back towards me. I was watching them for Luka and Shey, they were out training together. May said it would help them work out some of the negativity to train against each other, she stated it would be a healthy way for them to work out their stress. I couldn't say I disagreed with her, there was nothing quite like mindlessly going through the motions to exhaust your brain to the point you couldn't think about anything else.

Amelia tugged on my hand slightly, bringing my attention back to her. "The trees, Unca Mike, you see the trees. I can't." She looked so confused and I was stumped at what she wanted. "I can't see dem. Don't know them." She frowned and tilted her head again and my heart clenched in my chest before I gently pulled her closer, giving her a small hug. It was always so hard for me to see her understand the realization of her condition. She was blind and there were moments you forgot she was but she never did and when she would say these things it always made my heart ache for her.

"That's okay, Amy." I rubbed my chin on the top of her head as I gave her a comforting squeeze before slowly letting her go. Heidi slammed into my shoulder with a laugh, attempting to scurry up my side and to my shoulders. "Heidi!" I frowned at her as I disentangled her from my side. "Amelia was trying to tell me something. It's not nice to interrupt." I set her down on her feet and she shoved her little hands on her hips and tossed her hair from her face.

"She'll tell me!" With that she turned to Amelia and rapidly started speaking that strange little language they had but whatever their conversation was it seemed to brighten Amelia up as she hastily responded. I sighed and looked around yard, my eyes scanning the trees out of habit. You could never be too safe, even when on pack land. Children were so vulnerable and if one wanted to take out a pack they went for the children. It was a horrid and cowardly move but that didn't make it any less a threat.

I knew I was being a bit too paranoid but I couldn't help it when I was tasked with looking after the twins. I was continually reminded of just how fragile they were, especially Amelia, but they were small and defenceless. They were this pack's future and nothing could be allowed to harm them.

Heidi pulled me out of my musings as she tugged on my wrist slightly. "Ahme wants to see the trees." She looked up at me and I blinked, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Honey, Amelia is blind." I knew that Heidi understood that Amelia was different than her, that she couldn't do certain things or lacked in certain areas, so I didn't understand what she was trying to say.

She nodded, her curls flying around her face. "Yah. See with hands." She grabbed Amelia's hands, smoothing her own over her sister's palms. "She sees with hands. We show her a tree." She kept hold of one of Amelia's hands as she pointed to the tree line.

I frowned, I understood what she was saying now but I didn't like the idea of taking them out to the treeline. It was too far from the house. "P'ease, Unca Mikey?" Amelia shifted her head, her cloudy eyes gazing in my direction and I sighed, knowing that I couldn't tell her no.

"We can't go to the tree line, it's not safe but I do have an idea." I narrowed my eyes slightly before standing up. I let out a sharp and heavy whistle that carried over the air quickly. There was a slight pushing in my mind from my link to Ezekiel and I could guess his confusion and I sent him a picture of a tree branch that had leaves and sent him my urge to bring it to the twins. It was almost easy for me to relay information to him as I did, I was used to it now. The pressure from his mind was gone and I crouched back down. "Uncle Kiel is going to bring us something to help Amy see the trees." I gave Heidi a small smile and she gave an excited squeal that was mirrored in Amelia.

They held hands tightly and Heidi pulled Amelia away slightly before they started running in a circle, their hands clasped together tightly. I watched them with a faint sort of somberness at the realization that these moments weren't going to last, that one day Amelia would be gone from our lives. I did my best to shake it away, to live in the moment as the two of them swung around and around, white and black curls flying in the air as they giggled loudly.

I looked to the treeline and watched as Ezekiel trotted out towards us, a large tree branch in his mouth, the leaves of it fluttering in the slight breeze. He looked proud of himself and I smiled as I watched him carry it over the distance towards us. "Girls, Uncle Kiel has brought us a tree." I smirked slightly as they fell down, breathless giggles escaping them before they both let out chirps of excitement.

Ezekiel dropped the tree branch in front of me and both girls managed to get over to us and wrap their arms around him as they cooed out their love and thanks. He stayed stiff for only a few moments before he lowered his head, licking at chubby cheeks and giving small and affectionate nudges to each of them, despite the fact they were tugging on his ears in a way that I knew was painful for him.

"Come on, girls." I gestured for Heidi to let him go and she grabbed Amelia's hand and pulled her towards the large tree branch.

"A tree, Ahme!" Her face was nearly glowing as she guided her sister to sit down in front of the branch and to reach out and touch. I watched as Amelia's face lit up with a happy sort of awe as she trailed her fingers and hands over the bark and little branches that held the leaves.

"Pretty, Eidi." She breathed out the words and I felt my heart turn over in my chest as Heidi carefully explained what each part was as Amelia touched it. There were even points where Heidi closed her own eyes, touching the tree like Amy as if trying to see the world how she did. I sat down, watching them as they explored the new facet of Amelia's world together.

Ezekiel moved to lay down beside me and I reached over, rubbing at the left side of the large scar on his face, knowing how much it itched him at times. "Thanks." I nudged him slightly and he merely huffed at me, laying his head on his paws, his eyes watching the girls like I had.

"Watching the girls I see." Benji walked around the side of the building lifting his hand. He smiled at me and I lifted my hand as well.

"Shey and Luka are busy for a bit, so yes." Ainsley and Sammy were in therapy, which was why I had been given the duty, not that I minded watching them. They were the best part of my day some days.

"Benji!" Heidi bolted her to feet and rushed for the older male as he chuckled and crouched down for her. I watched as he swung her up into the air before hugging her tightly.

"Wanna see Altia." The words jolted me and I jerked my head back towards Amelia. She held her hands out towards me. "Wanna see Altia." She shoved her hands out towards me and I shook my head.

"Amy, I can't do th-"

"Wanna go!" Her voice screeched upwards at the end and I got to my knees as I reached for her. "Wanna go now!" Her face went bright red and she let out a piercing screech as her little hands tightened into fists. Ezekiel jumped to his feet, barking rapidly as he moved on his feet, his focus entirely on her I glanced between her and him before my heart lurched in my chest as my own wolf shifted and stiffened.

"Get them!" I jerked my hand out and Ezekiel took off right as Amy's entire body stiffened as she let out a gurgle. She flopped backwards, her limbs going stiff and straight and body shaking as the seizure started. Panic tightened my stomach as I scurried to my feet and scooped her stiff body off the ground. She shook and she jerked in my arms as I turned on my heel running for the house, barely hearing Heidi's screams for her sister over my own heartbeat.

Seconds felt like an eternity as I ran for the chapel. Every second counted when it came to one of her seizures. Her body was rigid and shaking as her limbs started to jerk. I bolted through the garden gate and straight towards the house. I was so thankful that I had left the sliding doors open when we had come out for our small walk.

I dashed through the sliding doors and moved towards the altar that we had set up near where Lily's bed used to be. My heart pounded hard in my chest as I lay Amelia down right as her body went limp as the clonic phase of her seizure set in. I carefully rolled her onto her side, holding her there as my heart lurched in my throat, she was pale and shaky and I smoothed her curls away from her face before tucking a nearby pillow underneath her head.

"It's alright, Amelia, mummy and daddy are going to come right in, okay?" I shushed her gently as she slowly opened her eyes, her cloudy gaze staring off somewhere beside me.

Her chin quivered and her eyes filed with tears. "Go Altia, Unca Mikey." Her voice was slightly slurred and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, sweety." I didn't really know what to do but my wolf shifted inside me, tensing with something I couldn't understand and I cursed as right after she stiffened again, her entire body going rigid as another seizure struck her. "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay." I wasn't sure if I was saying it for her or to help calm myself as I stroked her hair, trying to minimize her movements so she couldn't slam her limbs against the stone altar and hurt herself. "It's going to be okay." I hovered over her, counting the seconds until the clonic part would appear again. My heart beat in my throat as I reached thirty before she went limp. I exhaled heavily and smoothed my hand over her pale forehead right as Luka and Shey burst in.

"How long?" Shey asked it as Luka moved me out of the way, taking over my vigil in helping her come out of the seizure.

"This was her second one. Tonic seizure lasted thirty second. Didn't think to count the time for the first, was too focused on getting her in here. First seizure she had barely come out of it before the second one hit." I watched over Luka's shoulder as he brushed his lips across her forehead, ensuring she stayed on her side and didn't roll to her back as he murmured to her that it was okay and it would be alright.

"What could have set her off?" At the words I looked over and Shey bit at her thumb nail, her entire posture spoke of her worry for her daughter as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

I swallowed, trying to clear the lump from my throat. "She wanted to see Altia."

Shey's gaze snapped to me and her glare did not go unnoticed. "Not this again." She hissed it out and I showed her my palms in supplication but Amelia grabbed our attention as she gave a small gasping gurgle.

"Another one." Luka tensed and I couldn't help but count in my head as I stared at her stiff little form. My heart beat in my chest each second we went over thirty and when we hit fifty, she relaxed.

"That's fifty seconds for her tonic, her clonic is shorter as well. She isn't getting the down time between seizures." Luka's voice was factual but I could hear the pain in his voice as he shifted Amelia on the altar, trying to keep her on her side as she drifted through the clonic phase of her seizure.

"It's getting worse. We need Doc and Jason." Shey shifted closer to Luka, resting her hand on his shoulder and I could see him tense.

"They can't help, Shey. You know they can't. Not with this." The words were choked out and Luke rubbed his face against his shoulder and I looked away, giving him privacy as he silently grieved for his little girl.

"We have to try." Shey stressed the word, her hand rubbing his shoulder gently and he tensed even more. I looked towards the sliding door, wondering if I should close it. Once again I was being privy to a conversation I knew I had no business being in.

"There is nothing else we can tr- Another one!" Luka's voice pitched higher at the words and I moved over to the sliding doors, closing them. I couldn't sit there and count the seconds as I watched with bated breath. I closed the curtains, trying to darken the room. Mene worked best underneath the moon but I also knew she could work in the dark and I hoped that it would help. "Forty-five seconds." He called out the time and Shey gave a heaving sigh.

"That's better." She sounded hopeful and I moved over to the other windows, carefully pulling the curtains closed on those as well.

"It should be no more than twenty seconds, Shey. It's over double, it's still not good." Luka's voice was low and I glanced over my shoulder, watching as he carefully tended to Amelia, ensuring the pillow was still underneath her head and that she wasn't resting uncomfortably. I could see the pain and anguish that carved deep lines into his face and I swallowed hard, turning away to light candles.

"Daddy?" Her voice was thin and reedy and it made my heart turn over in my chest.

"Yes, baby, I'm here." Luka shushed her softly and I continued carefully lighting the candles on the altar I stood in front of, letting the faint glow of them illuminate the now darkened space.

"Hurts." She choked it out and I closed my eyes, breathing out the pain that both my wolf and I felt at the word.

Luka's anguish rolled over us both, his wolf grieving and anguished over the suffering of his pup as he passed it along to us. "I know, baby. I know."

"Mama?" Her voice warbled and I glanced over as Shey bent over her, kissing her forehead gently.

"I'm here, baby- Oh god, Luka! Another one." Her words came out on a frantic sob and I watched as she grasped the edge of the altar, her eyes on where Amelia lay, her little body once again stiff and shaking. "We need to help her!" She looked just as Anguished as Luka, her cheeks wet and her eyes glassy but Luka didn't respond, silently mouthing the number of seconds that the tonic phase lasted.

Amelia went limp and Luka closed his eyes. "Fifty again." He sounded exhausted and pained. "The chapel isn't helping anymore." He inhaled and I could see him steeling himself. "She needs to go to Altia, Shey."

"No." Shey's face turned stony, despite the tears that still leaked from her eyes.

Luka looked pained as he gazed at Amelia as she lay limp on the altar. "They can help her th-"

"No." Her hands balled into fists and she gave a hard shake of her head. "She stays here." Shey started shaking and Luka finally turned his head to look at her.

"We can't do anything else for her, Shey." He said it softly, as if trying to lessen the blow the words would give.

Shey shook her head. "We have to try!"

"We have been trying! And it's not working." Luka's voice was firm despite the pain that threaded through his every word and I turned away, returning to the candles. I would finish lighting them and I would go. I disliked being privy to conversations that were clearly not meant for other ears. I wondered for a moment how I always managed to get in the middle of them.

"We just need another angl-"

"Another one." At the statement I winced as I blew out the match I was using before striking another one. I carefully moved over to the next few candles, making sure each one was lit before I moved on. Luka let out a small sigh, letting me know that Amelia's tonic phase had ended. "No, Shey. No more angles. Just no more." I set the spent matches down on the stone altar top as the room suddenly became tense, my wolf was just as wary as I was as we turned around.

Shey's face was cold and stony and her green eyes glinted in the candle light. "If you loved her at all, you wouldn't be saying that."

A heavy snarl escaped from Luka as he whirled around on her. "I love her more than you could ever know, Shey! You do not get to say that to me! She is in pain, she is hurting, and it's because I love her that I know that we have to take her to Altia!" His breath was heaving out of him and Shey's eyes were wide as she sort of hunched into herself as he nearly loomed over her. "She isn't sleeping, she isn't eating, and she's constantly seizing! She's hurting, Shey, and it's our job to make it better!" There was a growling quality to his voice as the sound rumbled form his chest. "You don't ever get to say I don't love her enough because I do! You don't get to say that to me!" His expression showed his anguished rage as he looked at Shey.

Shey's eyes fell to where Amelia lay on the altar, her body limp from the clonic phase. "Altia doesn't make it better, Luka." She slowly looked up at Luka, her chin quivering so much like Amelia's had before. "It means its over." Her voice cracked and Luka slowly came out of his dominating position before he shushed her softly as he pulled her close.

"I don't want to say goodbye to her either, Shey, but we have to think about what's best for her." He tucked her underneath his chin, holding her tight. I moved over to the alter, taking over the care of Amelia, doing my best to let them have the conversation without being distracted.

"I don't want her thinking I gave up on her." Sheys voice cracked with pain and I carefully smoothed Amelia's hair back from her face like I had before, her breathing was slightly strained and it worried me.

"No one will ever say you didn't do everything you possibly could for her, especially Amelia. No mother could love her daughter more but sometimes we do our best and it's just not enough." Luka said it softly and my heart jumped as Amelia's seized again. I held her carefully, doing me best not to move her as her limbs jerked and her body shook. Her lips turned a startling shade of blue the longer the phase moved on. I counted it silently in my head, urging it to stop when it hit twenty, then thirty, and then forty. "She's in pain, Shey, we can't keep this up, neither of us have anymore in us to watch this again and again." She went limp and I closed my eyes.

"Sixty." I lowered my head, hating how I could nearly feel her little body vibrating with pain underneath my hands. "It's okay, Amelia, it's going to be okay."

"I don't want to let her go." Shey's voice was a cracked whisper. "She's my baby."

"I know, Shey, but we don't have a choice." Luka moved closer with Shey and I slowly moved back away from the Altar, allowing him and Shey close. Luka stopped my retreat with a hand on my arm. "Thanks, Micheal." He said it softly and I nodded, not trusting my voice.

I watched as Shey kissed Amelia's cheek, her tears slowly rolling down her face and dripping off her chin. She kissed her like she was saying goodbye and I hated that she had to do that. Losing a child was a type of pain I didn't want for anyone, let alone Luka and Shey, they had struggled so much already. They didn't need this.

"Mama." Amelia's voice croaked out of a hoarse throat and Shey nodded, smoothing her white curls away from her face.

"Yes, baby. I'm here." Shey whispered it against her cheek and Amelia shifted her head on the small pillow.

"Wanna go." Her voice was pained and croaking as it warbled as if she were on the edge of tears.

"I know." Shey's voice broke and I watched as she paused, swallowing back a sob as she tried to force the emotions down to reassure Amelia. "I know, baby. We will go tomorrow. I promise." Her shoulders shuddered and Luka rubbed her back gently as she shuddered out her breaths.

Amelia perked up a bit at that, shifting on the altar as she lifted her head as she reached for Shey, touching her tear stained cheek. "Altia, mama?"

Shey nodded, closing her eyes as she grasped Amelie's little hand and pressed it to her mouth. "Yes, baby. Tomorrow we will go to Altia." She covered her mouth with her other hand to keep the sobs in as her face crumpled and Luka has to wrap his arms around her to keep her from falling.

"Tomorrow we go to Altia." Luka echoed Shey's words and I could see that, like Shey, he was crumbling with every word he said.

This was a goodbye that no parent should ever have to make.