Harlee POV
I closed my eyes.
"Do your worst." I instructed, then panicked. "Only don't really do your worst, you know? Please do a good job?" Ash laughed their musical laugh.
"Why don't you have one of the others do this for you?" Ash asked picking up the scissors.
"Because you have better taste." I replied sheepishly and Ash laughed again. I had chopped my hair off to the knotted parts that I could see, but I needed someone to do the back, and hopefully style it so I resembled something human and less chia-pet.
"You know, Zeev would probably be better at this than me then." Ash commented, gently snipping another tangled mess from my hair.
"Really? What the Hell isn't he good at?" I grumbled and Ash laughed again. "Fine then, I wanted a little extra bonding time with you Ash." Ash's hands froze still twined in my hair. Ash cleared their throat.
"And why would that be, Mistress?" Ash asked softly.
"Ash, I um.. had a lot of time to think while I was alone, and I feel like I still may have treated you unfairly." I murmured. I could feel a surge of emotions through our link.
"Now don't get me wrong-like Zeev-you both went about meeting me the entirely wrong way." Another quiet snip and a clump of hair fell to the ground. I hesitated for a moment before continuing. "But the thing is, I missed you both so much, and I realized that I really did love you. All of you. I laid a hand on my stomach and thought of Sands as well. Ash's hands stilled again.
"It may not be as intensely, or quite the same as my love for Zeev, but Ash-you came for me." I was crying again. "You were willing to help me shoulder some of the Corruption from Sam. I can feel how much you care about me through the link we share and.." Ash's hands settled on my shoulders and I looked up. Ash's eyes were closed, but there was a faint line of tears running down their face.
"Oh Ash!" I cried, standing up and wrapping my arms around Ash's slim shoulders. Ash buried their face in my shoulder. "I love you Ash." I murmured, feeling Ash's body shudder at the words. Through the link I could feel Ash's emotions. The way Ash's Heart was finally starting to feel.. right. I squeezed Ash tighter.
Zeev POV
"Wow." I mouthed as Harlee walked into the living room with a fancy short hairdo and a big grin. It suited her face beautifully, making her eyes truly pop, and I grinned at Ash. The cut reached just below her chin, framing her face and was layered, with tendrils floating wildly away from her head. "Did you style it too?" I asked, ruffling her hair. Harlee shoved my hand away angrily.
"No-that's all her-apparently it gets springy if you release it from all that weight." Ash laughed, also running a hand through it. She swatted Ash's hand away as well.
"Rude!" She griped, flopping down on the couch beside me. I immediately opened my arms for her and she snuggled within them, then reached over to snatch Ash towards us as well. I couldn't express my relief at having her in my arms again. "Where're Sands and Sam?" She asked quietly.
"Work, Angel of Death, Fallen Angel of Death-both responsible for souls." I shrugged. Harlee sighed.
"Is it wrong I'm glad Sam isn't here?" She muttered and I laughed.
"No. Grouchy much. Also-you call him Sam to his face?" I shuddered.
"It was something the baby said and I kind of picked it up. It made him really mad, so I got in the habit of using it to annoy him." Harlee's voice got very quiet. Ash and I glanced at each other and automatically squeezed her tighter. She absently traced circles on her stomach, frowning. The sound of the TV was the only noise for the next hour.
Harlee POV
I woke up with a blanket and a cool Ash draped across me.
"How are you feeling Mistress? Harlee?" Ash asked me softly. Ash's hand was wrapped around mine, which was clutching my stomach.
"When's a baby supposed to start moving?" I asked with tears in my voice. Ash hovered over me abruptly.
"Harlee, stop. You're tormenting yourself over this. This child is NOT a normal child. It's half Angel. It's going to be fine." Ash glared at me, but the tears just started leaking out of my eyes. "Oh good grief, fine." Ash leaned in and kissed me, hard. I jerked, but my tears stopped. The heady burnt pumpkin flavor was tempered with caramel today and I melted into the flavor. When Ash released me, I frowned.
"No fair. That's absolutely cheating." I complained.
"Food's ready." Zeev announced chipperly. "It's vegetable lasagna!" My mouth watered.
"You two are terrible. Yeah, yeah, I know, Demons!" I sighed. Ash pulled me up from the sofa and passed me off to Zeev, who wrapped me in a tight hug before escorting me to the kitchen. They sat on either side of me while I ate, both gently keeping contact with me subtly, as if afraid I might blow away.
Zeev POV
I watched Harlee sleep as Ash settled back on the bed beside her. Sam and Sands had returned. Sam had taken up his usual post at the window and Sands was sprawled at the foot of the bed.
"Her dreams are so.. terrifying." Ash murmured. I glared at Sam with a growl of agreement. The bed moved as Sands sat up.
"This ought to help." He laid a gentle hand on her thigh and she began to still, her dreams going blank through our link.
"Thanks, Brother." I whispered and Sands offered me a wan smile.
"Such coddling." Scoffed Sam from the window. I growled.
Harlee POV
I sat up suddenly with a jerk. Ash gasped and gripped my arm and Zeev immediately growled.
"What's wrong?" Sands asked softly from across the room. The TV show we were watching went to commercial.
"I bet I lost my job." I whined. Everyone looked at me incredulously, even Sam, who had distanced himself from us as much as possible. Then Zeev started to chuckled, followed swiftly by Ash's musical laughter and Sands joined with with a gorgeous laugh as well. How can someone laugh beautifully like that?
"Ridiculous." Sam snorted from the corner of the room, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. Ash threw a sofa cushion at him, which made everyone freeze. Sam's expression soured as he rounded on Ash.
"I swear to you if you harm Ash or any of the others I will make your life a worse Hell than you made mine." I spat venomously. Sam flinched and gripped his arm where the Mark was under his shirt.
"Yes Mistress." The words were forced through clenched teeth. To say the least, our Bond had not been settled. Both of us were bucking it hard, but I had two Demons and an Arch Angel behind me lending me strength. For now, I could pull rank on him easily enough. I felt Zeev squeeze my shoulder.
'You're going to have to settle this soon.' His voice whispered through my mind. I sighed and sat back, leaning into his embrace. I knew that, but just being forced to look at him every day was torment. How do you take charge of someone you still fear? Ash laid their head in my lap and I ran my fingers through the soft strands of hair. Ash had added some sliver streaks to the green and black recently. It was very pretty.
"Thank you Mistress." Ash blushed. I leaned forward and kissed Ash's temple, then relaxed back into Zeev's arms to pull his hand down to my midriff, cradling my rounded abdomen. Our child. Zeev's hand cupped it gently and he brushed my neck with his lips.
"I love you Harlee." He whispered and I sighed.
"Love you too."