Xerxes walked out of the nursery with a soft smile on his face. He had spent much longer than he intended in there. Unlike Xavier, Xander actually let his father hold him till he fell asleep. He planned to go back and make sure Xavier got used to him as well, it hurt him a little when the nurse was the one that had to comfort him so he would stop wailing. Gosh, he did not think it possible, but he loved those children. Somehow in the space of a week there had occupied a heart he only thought was filled with hate.
The smile and the euphoria did not last long, though. When he sighted the one person he could strangle until she stopped breathing. He stopped walking. His head tilted to the side when he saw her bend over and lean against the wall.
'If she isn't okay, why didn't she just stay in the hospital?' He thought to himself.
She looked up, and they met gazes and he watched her push herself away from the wall and straightened the floor-length white dress she wore. The first time he saw Xian without makeup was after the surgery and although it did not seem like it he noticed it. But today was the first day it was really vivid to him.
They hadn't lived together for months, but he recognized that dress because he picked it out for her. Over three years ago, when they were just newly married. She, of course, treated it like something less than that since it wasn't a fancy party gown. Even then, it was the first time he had seen her wear something familiar with her bare face and partially wet hair. She looked beautiful... this was the first time he thought so.
For the first time, she didn't seem like a stranger, like another acquaintance he met formally. She looked dishevelled and comfortable, especially in those pink bunny slippers she wore. It was something he had been pushing away at the back of his mind, but today he couldn't shake it off. The way she looked at him since the hospital, though there was malice and caution, that look of disgust that always made his blood boil was non-existent.
But if he was really thinking of it, she hadn't looked at him that way since she woke up, since she claimed to have lost her memory.
'But you didn't lose it, did you, Xian?' He wondered silently.
"We are meeting way too often, don't you think?" Xerxes stated. Noticing that she tired to walk normally when she noticed him.
Zena looked up and pursed her lips. "I assume that is the reason your grandfather forced us to stay in the same space. So we can meet often."
"Hmm..." he replied. "You must be happy then. Your plan is working."
Zena let out a soft sigh and looked up to meet his eyes. "Look, I do not have time for your accusations and whatever it is your mind makes up against me this evening. You seem... lighter after your visit to the nursery, so let me have a bit of that as well, okay?"
She sucked in a breath and continued her walk to the nursery but no matter how much she tried to keep it cool she felt a sharp pang that caused her to wince, shiver and grab her stomach just as she was about to pass Xerxes.
"Are you okay?" He asked and Zena froze.
She turned to face him with raised brows. "Do you even care about that answer?"
"No, but-"
"Then don't bother asking. Look, today is the first day, right? I am sure we can come up with a schedule that would ensure we won't have to cross paths like this."
"Oh? Have you finally decided to stay away from the boys?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Then how do you suppose we stay away from each other?" He asked. "We are linked by something stronger than each of us," he said, pointing to the nursery.
Zena nodded. "Okay, you just tell me ahead when you go to the nursery and I will make myself scarce there. Other than that, I will avoid the room completely."
"And where will you stay?"
"Another question you don't really care about."
"I care about this one actually," He said and Zena's brows pulled together. "I don't need to be woken up at night while my grandfather starts a crusade on your behalf." She nodded at his explanation. "And since when did you make yourself scarce?"
She frowned. "What do you want me to do then? I am saying I will stay away from you and your precious room is that not enough?"
"No it isn't and does not try to make me the bad guy here, what would be enough would be to have you out and away from my life and that of my sons."
Zena shut her eyes and let out another heavy sigh. "Xerxes, I really do not have the time nor energy to engage you this evening so please just walk away and I promise you would not see me again for at least another twelve hours. And-" she added as he opened his mouth to retort. "Your grandfather would never start a crusade because I do not plan on being uncomfortable. So if you walk away you will stop seeing my face sooner okay?"
Without waiting for a response she turned around and kept walking to the nursery, leaving a slightly confused and surprised Xerxes behind as she walked away.
"What exactly is your deal Xian? What are you playing at?" He whispered softly, turning and going on his way as well.