Viva la Vida Cover

The Brocade Baby (Rewrite) Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Treulich geführt

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Ephesians 5:31

 

The police quickly swarmed the town of Amable and were horrified to see the damage. So many buildings were destroyed, so many lives were lost and all because of one man's insatiable greed. Raoul and his (surviving) men were quickly arrested and with witnesses confirming that it was indeed him who caused this mess, he was to be imprisoned for good. Before he ended up getting arrested, Aldo decided that he wasn't finished with him yet and knocked him over again just so he could clamp his jaws on his nose.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Raoul screamed in pain as he felt the dog's teeth sink into the skin around his nose, leaving bloody marks on it. "My nose, oh my beautiful nose!"

"Oh grow up," Barnim responded dryly. "You'll live. Besides, it's worse than what I would have done to you."

Meanwhile, Timotheos and the Larues stayed at the hotel with Louise and Ambroise, who were finally reunited at long last, and gradually became close friends with her. The police were able to track down the remaining criminals that were hired by Raoul into killing her and the baby, thus ensuring that she would be able to walk outside in Brussels again without having to worry about being ambushed. Julien himself recovered in the nearby hospital and was in stable condition, with Elio also joining him due to having sustained serious injuries that left him on the brink of death. Timotheos and the others prayed that both men would recover, with Timotheos and Audrey being especially worried for Elio due to him having sacrificed his life to save theirs. The police were able to inform Louise's husband, Janvier Dubois, of the incident that happened recently, with Louise piping in to confirm it. Janvier himself was not pleased to hear about this, especially when he found out that it was his own brother who was responsible for causing this mess in the first place. He immediately arrived back home the next day, which was definitely earlier than what Raoul expected, and went to meet up with Louise and the others at Hotel Mont-d'Or. The moment he saw his wife and son, he immediately pulled them into a tight embrace with tears in his eyes.

"Oh mon amour!" he cried out in joy and relief.

"Ma chérie!" Louise replied as she also began weeping in joy. "I feared that I would never see you again!"

"So did I!" he responded before looking straight at her and his son. "I am so sorry for everything. If I had known Raoul would cause all of this over the inheritance, I would never have left on that business trip. I promise, I will never leave you alone again!"

"It's fine, Janvier," Louise replied in a gentle and reassuring tone. "I know you would never intentionally hurt me and Ambroise. It was just something that neither of us would have prepared for."

"And Ambroise," Janvier responded while looking at his son who was staring at his father. "My son. My child. My everything. I am so glad that you are alright!" As he said this, he took the baby out of his wife's hands and held him in the air in happiness, with the baby laughing all the while. The others melted at the sight of the father and his infant son finally being together again. Timotheos couldn't help but be reminded of his own father and how he would do something similar, at least back when he was alive. Noticing the group nearby, Janvier handed the baby back to Louise before awkwardly approaching them and coughing nervously. He still had an expression of guilt on his face and seemed to have trouble staring at them directly in the face.

"So, you are the ones who took care of my son while me and my wife were away," he asked nervously, to which the others responded by nodding.

"Oui, monsieur," Timotheos responded while being equally nervous. "Well, there was my mother Miranda Blumenthal and my grandfather Barnim Dirk who did most of the work to be honest, hehe."

"Right, and me and my mother as well as my father Julien Larue also pitched in from time to time," Audrey responded with a nervous grin.

"I see," the man responded. "Listen, I am truly sorry for everything that my treacherous idiot of a brother caused for you. I also wish to express my utmost gratitude towards all of you for your assistance in protecting my son for the last few weeks. I am willing to pour all of my resources into rewarding you all in some way and fix the damage that my brother caused."

"Oh um, merci monsieur," Brielle responded with surprise. "That is very kind and generous of you. You are most definitely the opposite of your brother."

"Well, it is my duty to clean up after my brother's mess," Janvier responded dryly. "Though given all the trouble he caused, I do not think of him I will ever see him as a brother anymore nor do I believe my parents will approve of what he has done."

"Right," Timotheos stated in a dark tone. "At this rate, I hope he burns in Hell for what he did to everybody." Brielle and Audrey also nodded and so did Louise as they all came to despise him. Janvier also nodded as even he agreed that Raoul was beyond redemption at this moment.

"It's true," Janvier responded. "He sealed his fate the moment he decided to target my wife and son. I will make sure that he stays in prison where he belongs while also making sure to remove him from my will for good."

"Good to hear!" Brielle responded. "Let's just hope nothing like this happens ever again."

For the next few weeks, Raoul's insane scheme hit the news and even reached international media as he was now seen as an irredeemable monster who tried to kill his own family members all because of an inheritance issue. The death of Eulalie was also investigated by the police and Elio for a few days and they eventually found her body close to the Forest of Shadows of all places. The fact that nobody noticed it, due to her having been hastily buried by her killers, made the discovery even more terrifying but at the same time tragic. She was given a proper funeral the day after she was found by Louise, Elio and the others as a way to remember her sacrifice. The judge agreed that a man like him was not worthy of being released, not even on parole, and sentenced him to life in prison, much to his horror and despair. Raoul had bandages on his nose along with having his leg wrapped around where Aldo had bit him and was a sight for sore eyes. The Blumenthals along with the Larues and Louise were present, all glaring daggers at the disgraced noble. Ambroise was sleeping peacefully in Louise's arms despite the rather aggressive and tense case that was happening in the court room. Janvier was also present during the trial and held nothing but contempt for him as well as shame and disappointment. Despite this, the idiotic little twit somehow had the nerve to try and beg for mercy and even beg his brother to somehow bail him out.

"Janvier, please!" Raoul cried out in fear and despair. "Please don't let them send me to that place where all the disgusting low-lives are waiting for me! Please! Dear brother! I beg of you!"

"Brother?" Janvier responded in a cold tone that immediately shut up Raoul. "Since when did you think you have the right to call me brother after what you did? After all the chaos you caused over a small sum of inheritance money? No Raoul, you and I stopped being brothers the moment you dared to attack MY family along with the innocent families who had nothing to do with you!"

"But WE'RE family!" Raoul cried out. "Aren't I your family member?"

"Not anymore you aren't," Janvier responded in a furious tone. "You are no longer my brother let alone my family member! I trusted you to at least get along with my wife and child yet you couldn't even do that! As of this moment, you are DEAD to me and will no longer be considered a member of the Dubois Family!"

Hearing this made Raoul even more upset to the point where he began throwing a tantrum in court and started screaming in agony, prompting the nearby police offices to restrain him.

"NOOO!!! NOOO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!!" he cried out as he watched his brother and the other 2 families leave the courtroom. As they left, Janvier slumped onto the ground while covering his face so no one could see his tears. Barnim could only place a comforting hand on his back in an attempt to console the man.

"I can't believe that happened," Janvier stated in a somber tone. "I trusted him and he betrayed me. That was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life."

"You did the right thing," Barnim replied in a gentle tone. "It was necessary after all."

"I know," Janvier replied. "But still, it hurt having to do that to my br-I mean Raoul."

Everyone could only look on in sympathy and pity as they saw how much Janvier cared for Raoul despite everything he did. Even Louise couldn't help but feel sorry for her husband, especially since he and Raoul used to be close until Raoul's greed corrupted him to the point of no return. Eventually, Raoul was placed in prison where he would suffer for the rest of his life whereas the Dubois Family and the others moved on without him. The Blumenthals and the Larues ended up staying at the Dubois Family estate for a couple of weeks while Janvier hired the best workers to quickly rebuild the town of Amable, allowing Timotheos and Audrey to spend more time with Ambroise to their happiness. The adults would check up on the status of the building process for the next couple of days to make sure that everything was going smoothly. Timotheos and Audrey became a lot closer as they were no longer simply just friends but lovers as well, to the joy and amusement of everyone. Miranda, Brielle and Louise found themselves becoming very close friends almost to the point of becoming more like sisters. They even went on their own little shopping spree as a way to kill time and get a new wardrobe for themselves and their family members. Barnim, Julien, Janvier and even Elio would discuss with each other over the crazy turn of events that occurred over the past month and found themselves getting along with each other. Elio himself stayed with the 3 families and found himself viewing them as the closest thing he had to a family. Sadly, once August had passed and September was right around the corner, he had decided to leave as he still felt that he was to blame for the mess that happened in Amable, much to everyone's dismay.

"Do you really have to go?" Audrey asked him as he sat in the living room to discuss his plans with everyone. They were all saddened to see him go and didn't want him to leave.

"I'm afraid so, kid," he responded in a sad tone.

"Look, what happened in Amable wasn't your fault," Miranda explained. "Sure you may have accidentally led those thugs to us but it wasn't like you intended to do it."

"Even so, I still put you all in danger, Especially the children," Elio responded. "There's no way I could ever forgive myself for making such a reckless mistake like that, especially since it nearly broke my code of honor. That and I couldn't even save the life of Eulalie or the lives of those who chose to stay in Amable." The others showed pained expressions when they heard this as they recalled how Eulalie along with those other townspeople sacrificed their lives to save Amable and Ambroise.

"But you still defended us when you had no reason to," Timotheos pointed out. "That has to mean something."

"True, but it was still my recklessness that almost led to you all being put in danger."

"Still," Louise pointed out. "Even if you weren't the one who led those men to the town, chances are they would have eventually found out where my son was and targeted the town anyway. If anything else, it's my fault for not keeping my child safe and secure from the hands of Raoul and his men."

"Don't say that," Miranda responded as she laid a comforting hand on Louise. "We all wanted to keep Ambroise safe and we certainly don't hold it against you for what happened to our home."

"Merci," Louise responded with a soft smile as her guilt slowly dissipated.

"There is also one more reason as to why I can't stay," Elio began. "I just don't feel like I belong here. I'm afraid that if I stay here with you guys, I will end up attracting more enemies who will stop at nothing to kill me. I have made many enemies in the past as a result of me destroying their criminal empires and disrupting their corruptive business practices and I don't think they would let me leave in peace. There are also plenty of other people who may require my assistance when it comes to dealing with more scum that need to be taken out and I can't just sit here and ignore their cries."

"How long will you be gone?" Miranda asked.

"I don't know..." Elio responded. "I really don't know. I've been doing this for a long time by now and don't know when I'll be able to stop."

"But you will come back and visit right?" Timotheos asked.

"Sure I will kid," Elio replied with a rueful smile. "Sure."

"Well, if you need to go, do what you can," Barnim responded. "But just know that we are all grateful for what you have done for us."

"Thanks," Elio replied. "I... really appreciate it."

The next morning, Elio was ready to leave and was currently standing outside of the entrance of the Dubois Family home where the others were standing there with tearful, sad expressions. Janvier handed Elio a black suitcase that had money in it as well as other supplies that he will need for his journey.

"Here you go," he stated as he gave it Elio. "Consider it a reward for protecting my wife and child."

"Grazie," Elio responded before tipping his hat to the others as a sign of farewell. "Well, it was nice meeting you all and getting to know you. I know this is hard for all of us but I'm afraid this is where.... we part ways." As he said this, he showed signs of tearing up and looked as if he too was going to burst into tears at any given moment. Seeing this, Timotheos and Audrey teared up as well before rushing towards him and pulling him into a deep embrace, shocking the hitman.

"We're gonna miss you too!" they cried as they held onto him tightly, to which he nervously but gently returned their embrace. The others watched with smiles and tearful expressions as they saw how deeply attached the 2 teens had become towards Elio. The hitman finally let his tears flow down his cheeks as he smiled over how he was able to form a deep bond with the children as well as the other families that were present. Once they let him go, he pulled himself together before giving one final nod to the families before picking up his suitcase, turning around and walking away. The others could only watch as he slowly walked further away from them and waved to him while saying their farewells. They watched as he further away to the point where they couldn't see him anymore. It was a very emotional and bittersweet moment for everyone as there was a chance that they may never see him again despite his claim that he would return.

Elio, Miranda thought to herself with tears in her eyes. Wherever you go, know that we will always miss you.

I'm gonna miss him, Timotheos thought to himself. This couldn't possibly get any more sad.

He would quickly be proven wrong.

Sometime after lunch, there was a knock at the door, prompting Janvier to get up and answer it. Timotheos and the others remained at the dining table but were able to overhear a bit of the conversation that Janvier engaged with the person outside.

"What? Really? That's wonderful! I'll inform them right now! Merci!" Janvier responded before running back to them. "Everyone, I have received great news!"

"What is it?" Barnim asked out of curiosity.

"The town has been fully rebuilt and your homes are as good as new!"

This caught everyone's attention and made them all excited as they were finally able to return to their original homes. Though they enjoyed their time with the Dubois Family, they still felt homesick and wished to go back to Amable.

"That's great news!" Miranda responded. "When do we go back?"

"They told me that you can go back tomorrow if that's alright with you," Janvier replied.

Everyone celebrated as they were finally able to return to their original lives in Amable. However, Timotheos was the only one not celebrating as he realized that he may not be able to see Ambroise for a while. Sensing that he was upset over not being able to see Ambroise as much anymore, Audrey wrapped an arm around his shoulder in a comforting manner as she knew how much Ambroise meant to him.

"It'll be alright, Timmy," Audrey said in a soft tone. "I'm sure you can visit him again someday."

"I know but it just won't be the same," Timotheos said as he sniffed. "I'm.... gonna miss him."

"I know, Timmy. We all will."

The next day, which was early in the morning, Janvier had his chauffeur drive all of them back to Amable in his limousine. He explained that it was best to say goodbye to them while they were in their hometown. The trip was quite short (though Timotheos wished that it would be longer) as the town wasn't too far away from the Dubois estate along with the limousine being quick enough to arrive at Amable in just a few minutes. As soon as they arrived at the entrance of Amable, the chauffeur was able to find the nearest parking spot to the newly rebuilt Blumenthal residence. Though the Blumenthals were happy to see their home again, it felt incredibly bittersweet as that meant saying goodbye to the Dubois Family for now. The Larues felt the same way as they had grown fond of Louise and Janvier despite the awkward first meeting.

"I'm gonna miss you so much!" Brielle cried as she clung onto Louise with tears in her eyes.

"I'll miss you too Brielle," Louise responded with tears also in her eyes. "I'll also miss you too, Miranda."

"Yeah," Miranda responded with a sad smile and tears. "You too, Louise." The 3 women all hugged each other, with Ambroise still being held by Louise and looking at the crying women with curiosity in his eyes.

"Well, it's been one heck of a ride with you," Barnim responded with a jovial tone that hid his sadness as he placed a hand on Janvier's shoulder. "Hopefully we get to see each other again."

"I hope so," Janvier responded. "Maybe we can travel through Belgium or other parts of Europe together for a guy's trip or something like that."

"Yeah, that sounds nice," Julien said in a wistful tone.

"Besides, I don't want to miss the impending wedding of your grandson and his girlfriend over there," Janvier said with a sly grin, causing the other 2 men to start laughing, prompting the 2 teenagers to give them strange looks as to what they were laughing about. "Oh, and one more thing."

As he said this, he went to the back of the limousine and opened the trunk to pull out another suitcase before bringing it to Barnim and Julien. He then handed it to Barnim with a smile on his face, causing the others to become curious over what was inside.

"Um, Janvier? What's the deal with this?" Barnim asked in confusion.

"Well," Janvier began. "Open it and find out."

As Barnim opened the suitcase, he, Julien and the others nearly had their eyes bugged out from shock over the contents of the suitcase. As it turns out, there were stacked piles of euros inside the case. They were so busy spending time with Ambroise and his family that they completely forgot about the reward that they had given out to anyone who was willing to care for him.

"I.... I.... I can't believe this," Barnim finally responded in shock.

"Neither can I," Julien agreed. "I've never seen so much money packed away like this!"

"You didn't think we'd forget our promise did you?" Janvier asked with a slightly mischievous grin. "When my wife told me about her intention to reward you in some way, I was more than happy to agree and pitch in as much money as I could for you all. Consider it our gratitude for taking care of our son for so long."

"We figured that you would be too humble to ask us for a reward but decided to give it to you anyways," Louise explained. "It's the least we could do after everything that happened."

"Are you sure?" Miranda asked. "I mean, it's really not necessary..."

"Please take it," Louise responded. "We would never forgive ourselves if we didn't give you some kind of compensation for what happened to you and your home."

"Well...." Barnim stated. "If you really insist, then we'll take it. Merci beaucoup."

"De rien," Janvier replied. "Well, we would love to stay and chat more but I'm afraid this is where we part ways for now."

"Right," Julien responded. "We're gonna miss you."

"And we'll miss you too," Janvier responded with tears in his eyes. As he said this, all 3 men fell into a group hug with tears flowing from their eyes and the sounds of sobbing being heard from both of them. The 3 women along with the 2 teenagers watched the emotional moment with sad smiles on their faces as it finally dawned upon them on the fact that they wouldn't be seeing the Dubois Family for a while. Louise looked towards Timotheos and noticed that he was struggling not to cry as she knew what he was thinking about.

"Timmy," Louise said, prompting the young man to look at her.

"Yes?" he asked in curiosity.

"I believe there is someone who wishes to say goodbye to you," Louise replied as she held her son to him. Timotheos was taken aback by this sudden act but with Louise's encouragement, he was able to carry the baby in his arms once again. Ambroise looked up at him and giggled while placing his hand on the young man's cheek, causing Timotheos to almost burst into tears right then and there. Nonetheless, he was able to keep himself composed as he carried the baby in his arms one last time before they parted.

"I'm gonna miss you, kleiner bruder," Timotheos said in a wobbly tone as he tried to smile away the tears. "I really will. But don't worry, I'll come visit you. I promise!"

"T-Timmy."

To say this moment was shocking would be an understatement as everyone clearly heard what Ambroise said. Timotheos was the most shocked as he did not expect Ambroise's first word to be his name. Tears started to stream down his eyes as he laughed while also blubbering over the baby's words.

"He said my name!" Timotheos cried out in joy and sadness. "His first words! Were my.... *sniff* name!" He quickly handed the baby back to Louise, who was still surprised but looked on in pride and sympathy as not even she expected her son to say his first words so early. Though I would have liked it if he said mama or papa but Timmy is close enough, she thought to herself with a slight giggle. As Timotheos continued to cry in joy, Audrey held him into a deep embrace despite also having tears in her eyes and so did Miranda. They were both happy to see that Ambroise said his first word and that it happened to be Timotheos' name. Barnim was also quite happy to see his grandson's close bond with the baby come to fruition, especially since he knew how emotional their separation will be.

Louise and Janvier went back to the car, with Ambroise in hand, but not before opening the window so they could say goodbye to their friends again. Timotheos and the others waved back with tears in their eyes as they bid farewell to the Dubois Family as their limousine started to leave.

"Au revoir!" said Brielle.

"We'll miss you!" Julien shouted.

"Bye Louise! Bye Janvier! Bye Ambroise!" Audrey said as she waved at the departing family.

"Goodbye!" Miranda shouted.

"Auf wiedersehen!" Barnim shouted as he also waved.

"Bye!" Timotheos shouted as he continued to weep.

Louise waved goodbye through the window and so did Janvier. Ambroise was kept inside the limousine but Timotheos knew that deep down, the baby was also saying goodbye to him. Timotheos watched as the car drove away to the point where he couldn't see it anymore while also witnessing the sun rise up and shine upon them, as if to comfort him. He looked up at the sky and smiled as he saw that as a sign of hope for better things to come. Don't worry about me Ambroise, Timotheos thought to himself. I'll be okay. As he looked at his family and friends, he took a deep breath before deciding on what to do next.

"Alright everyone," Timotheos stated. "Let's go see what happens next."

 

5 years later...

 

Audrey and Timotheos continued to see each other for years as their bond grew closer by the day. They stopped caring about the teasing remarks that they got from their peers as they were too in love to notice let alone care. Miranda and Brielle were more than willing to give their approval to the young couple and so were Barnim and Julien. Even Janvier and Louise also saw how close the young couple was and were eager to see when they would get married. Ambroise continued to stay close to the 2 families while also maintaining his close bond with Timotheos and Audrey to the point where he saw them as older siblings, something that touched them deeply. Timotheos found himself becoming more of a teacher and decided that was what he wished to do in the future whereas Audrey herself saw that she liked cooking and decided to become a chef. Both their families were supportive as long as their future careers proved to be productive and something that they actually enjoyed. Elio would also visit from time to time, though his arrivals were often unexpected and unannounced due to him not wanting to attract too much attention. Overall, everyone has happy and able to find some kind of purpose in their lives. However, Timotheos and Audrey's story wouldn't end just yet as there was one more thing they had to do.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and the church building was rebuilt and expanded so that more followers and guests would come to the congregation. It was a lot more spacious in the main chapel, which was convenient given that was where Timotheos and Audrey's wedding was currently taking place. The decorations were all a soft white and light blue color with streams of ribbons, veils and flowers being placed at the top, giving the chapel an almost ethereal yet gentle atmosphere. Most of the townspeople were invited to the ceremony, with Janvier, Louise and their son being invited of course, and everyone was excited. Barnim was the most excited as he had been hoping to see his grandson get married to the woman of his dreams, with Miranda being just as excited and proud. Brielle and Julien were just as eager to see their daughter get married, especially since Audrey had asked her mother if she could wear her old wedding gown to which her mother gladly agreed but not before putting in a few tweaks to fit her daughter. As for who would be the ring bearer, Ambroise was basically the first choice due to his young age as well as his endearing personality being fit for the occasion. It also helped that he was cute as a button and was still very close with Timotheos and Audrey along with everyone unanimously agreeing that they should have him carry the rings to the newlyweds. As for the flower girl, Audrey's cousin Katell had a daughter named Cara, who was roughly around the same age as Ambroise, who everyone saw was fit for the role. It helped that Ambroise and Cara got along with each other (making the others joke about them being a couple in the future), thus making preparations for the ceremony a lot easier for everyone. However, even though they managed to invite most of their friends and family members, there was one person they were unable to contact for the invitation: Elio. Though they understood that he was busy with his job and most likely wouldn't make it to the wedding ceremony, they hoped that he would at least show up for the reception or even before the wedding began. Unfortunately, it seemed as though he wouldn't make it after all, much to the dismay of Miranda and Barnim who had grown quite fond of him.

"Hopefully he at least got the message we sent him regarding Timmy and Audrey's marriage," Miranda mused as she sat in the front pews alongside Barnim.

"Don't worry about it," Barnim replied in a calm yet somber tone. "I'm sure he knows about it and would be just as proud as we are to see your son finally grow into a man."

"Yes indeed," Miranda responded with a wistful smile. "Isn't that right, Jarem? You would have been proud too wouldn't you?" As she said this, she looked down at the empty spot beside her where it had a folded label with the name "Jarem Blumenthal" written on it as if it was saved for him. Even though Miranda and Timotheos had come to terms with Jarem's death, they still missed him after all these years and wished to include him in spirit at least. Despite Miranda not believing in ghosts, she felt as if her husband was still watching over her in some way and was expressing pride at his son finally being all grown up.

Eventually, the ceremony began as everyone stood up to watch Audrey being walked down the aisle by Julien, who was struggling to hold back tears of joy, with Ambroise holding the pillow where the rings were secured and Cara scattering flowers right behind Audrey. Miranda brought her boombox for this occasion so it could play the traditional bridal chorus, "Treulich geführt" for when her future daughter-in-law would walk down to. Ambroise made sure not to drop the rings, as he was told by his parents that they were very important and that losing them will make Timmy and Audrey very sad, which he certainly wished to avoid. Timotheos was standing there beside the other groomsmen with the bridesmaids standing on the other side and the reverend standing in the middle so he could marry the 2 soon-to-be newlyweds. Though the young groom was understandably nervous when it came to marrying his childhood friend/lover, the encouraging stares that he was given from his family was enough to calm him down and smile as he saw Audrey in her beautiful gown approach him. As per tradition, the reverend began the ceremony and had the couple state their vows before having them be given their rings by Ambroise (to which Timotheos patted his head in appreciation). After that was done, the 2 finally sealed their union with a kiss, causing everyone to cheer and clap with delight.

Overall, it was a happy day though the others were saddened by the fact that Elio couldn't be here to witness this wonderful union. Unbeknownst to everyone however, there was a shadow watching the others from outside the entrance of the church. He had just arrived to witness the 2 kids that he met 5 years ago finally tie the knot and could only smile with pride as he saw them all grown up.

"Well, well," he whispered to himself with amusement in his tone. "Looks like they finally got together after all. I'm proud of you kids."

As everyone else was too distracted by the kiss, Ambroise was the only one who noticed Elio watching from outside and waved hello to him without an ounce of fear to which the hitman could only smile and wave back.

The Brocade Baby (Rewrite) Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Reunited at last

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:9-10

 

The time finally came. After 5 days of preparing for the impending battle, as well as allowing the Larues, Timotheos, Ambroise and Elio to escape, the remaining townsfolk were finally prepared to face Raoul and his men who would be arriving on July 28. Though Timotheos and his friends were to locate Louise in Brussels, they still had some doubt over whether they would even survive this whole ordeal (due to the possibility of being ambushed). However, with Elio at their side, they became a lot more confident in that they would escape and not let their fears get the best of them. Audrey, in particular, was ready to now tell Timotheos how she really felt and it took place around the time they were about to leave.

It was around dawn, and the Larues as well as Timotheos and Elio were getting everything they needed in the car. The sun wasn't up yet but the sky turned from a pitch black color to a more indigo blue tone. They couldn't bring too much stuff as they needed space for the people along with having to learn to live on limited resources for the time being. They packed a few sleeping bags, as well as some canned or preserved foods along with cleaning supplies and extra clothes for the trip, though this was no light-hearted camping trip nor was it even a day trip of any kind.

"Okay, clothes?" Timotheos asked Audrey as they were tasked with checking the list of supplies in the car.

"Check," she responded with an affirmative nod.

"Cleaning supplies?"

"Check."

"Packed food and other preservatives?"

"Check."

"Sleeping bags?"

"Check."

"Okay, that should be everything then," Timotheos responded as he and Audrey closed the rear end of the car.

"R-right," Audrey responded with a blush, as even close contact with Timotheos was a bit much for her. Noticing her blush, Timotheos became worried and decided to finally confront her on the issue.

"Okay, Audrey," he began with frustration laced in his tone. "You've been acting really weird for the last couple of days and even before, you still haven't told me on what you were going to tell me back at the park and at your house."

"Oh right, I... forgot?" Audrey sheepishly replied with a forced grin, causing Timotheos to roll his eyes in exasperation and groan.

"Look, Audrey," Timotheos continued. "We may not ever come back here again and we might lose our lives in the process of escaping so whatever you need to tell me, just do it now because I'm tired of you dodging my questions and acting like everything is-"

"I LOVE YOU!"

Timotheos was taken aback by this sudden confession by Audrey. Wait, what did she just say?! he thought to himself as he tried to process what was going on. Nevertheless, Audrey continued on without a care in the world.

"THAT'S RIGHT! I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR YEARS AND MY FEELINGS ONLY GREW BIGGER AND BIGGER TO THE POINT WHERE MY HEART COULDN'T TAKE IT! I'M SORRY I DIDN'T TELL YOU EARLIER AS WE WERE ALL SO BUSY AND I WAS AFRAID THAT YOU WOULD REJECT ME THUS AND MAKE OUR FRIENDSHIP MORE AWKWARD THAN IT SHOULD BE! BUT SINCE YOU WANTED ME TO BE HONEST ABOUT MY FEELINGS, I JUST HAD TO DO IT! ALSO THE REAL REASON WHY I HAD A CRUSH ON JOHAN WAS BECAUSE HE REMINDED ME SO MUCH OF YOU! I KNOW THIS MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN IF YOUR FAMILY DOESN'T MAKE IT, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO CHEER YOU UP AND SUPPORT YOU AND MAKE YOU HAPPY! THERE, I SAID IT!"

As Audrey finished her long speech, she panted and took several breaths before looking straight at Timotheos. His only expression was shock and amazement over how long her confession was but it quickly melted into a gentle smile as he placed a hand on her cheek.

"Oh Audrey, is that you wanted to say?" he asked.

"Yes," Audrey responded with tears forming from her eyes.

"You silly bird, of course I love you too."

Audrey's eyes widened once she heard those words, with her tears streaming down her cheeks from joy.

"You... you really mean it?" she asked with hopeful anticipation.

"I do," Timotheos responded with a nod, causing Audrey to embrace him happily.

"I'M SO HAPPY! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!" she cried out in happiness as she planted kisses all over his face (except ironically the lips).

"Isn't it beautiful?" another female voice responded, causing Audrey and Timotheos to blush in embarrassment and pull away from each other before turning to the source of the voice. Of course, the person who said that was Brielle who was accompanied by Julien and Elio who were all watching from a short distance away with grins on their faces. Brielle was holding Ambroise who was currently sleeping in his car seat for the trip, while also being wrapped in the very same brocade that was on him the day he first arrived in Amable.

"What the-" Timotheos stuttered out. "How long were you guys there?!"

"Oh just in time to see Audrey finally confess her love to you," Julien responded. "By the way, great job sweetie!"

"Papa!" Audrey yelled back in response with her cheeks flushed in mortification.

"It's about time to," Elio responded. "I was starting get annoyed over how long you 2 were going to dance around the issue. Seriously, at this rate, you remind of those overdramatic soap operas that I come across from time to time."

"Hey!" Timotheos responded with a pout.

"But in all seriousness, we should probably get moving," Elio responded in a more somber tone as his grin immediately changed into a serious frown. "We need to find Louise and bring the baby to her ASAP before we Raoul finds out we're already gone."

"Right," everyone else exclaimed at the same time before quickly getting in the car. Julien started the engine while the others put on their seatbelts and carefully placed Ambroise in the middle seats which is where Timotheos and Audrey were also seated. They sat on opposite sides of the the baby (who was placed between them) but not before holding each other's hands behind the seat carrier. Elio himself sat in the back seat as he wished to check the rear windows to see if there were any signs of them being followed. He was also given a shotgun of his own by Barnim for safekeeping along with some extra ammunition in case (though it was currently on safe mode so nobody would accidentally get shot by him inside the car). Overall, they were all secure and prepared to face the worst.

"Is everyone ready?" Julien asked.

"Ready!" everyone replied back, with Timotheos giving a thumbs up as a sign of confirmation.

"Alright then, let's go!" Julien cried out as he immediately drove away from the house before heading to one of the exits of Amable. As he drove, he passed by Barnim, Miranda and the other residents of the town who quickly waved goodbye to them to which Timotheos, Audrey and even Brielle waved back as much as they could. As they finally left the town, they ended up on the road that would lead them to Brussels.

"So where exactly is Louise located?" Brielle asked Elio.

"Last time I checked, she was staying at Hotel Mont-d'Or," Elio replied. "That's where she told us to meet her. Before, she had to stay in smaller and more inconspicuous hotels so that she could be kept undercover. With the money she had on her, she should have been able to afford staying at those places."

"But what if she isn't?" Audrey asked with worry. "What if we don't make it in time? Or worse, what if it's a trap and the others know she will be there?"

"Don't worry, Audrey," Timotheos replied. "We made it this far and that has to mean something. Right?"

"Right," Brielle replied. "Let's just try to think positive. It's what Miranda and Barnim would have wanted."

"Right," Timotheos replied sadly. "Mama, opa."

Sensing that Timotheos was still saddened over having to leave his family behind, Audrey placed a comforting hand on his shoulder in an attempt to cheer him up, which worked given how they had just confessed their love for each other. As the group drove in silence through the dark, they were able to see a bit of sunlight in the horizon. The way the dawn's rays glowed in the background gave them a sense of hope for the future, making them all smile at its beauty. After driving on the road for a while, Timotheos and Audrey felt sleepy and ended up resting in their seats whereas Elio continued to watch out for any suspicious activity outside. Brielle also had fallen asleep while Julien continued driving despite feeling a bit tired himself. Finally, after what felt like ages, Julien recognized the city's outline and entrance, causing him to wake the others.

"Hey guys! We're here!" Julien cried out in excitement, causing the others (sans Elio) to wake up.

"Wait! Are you serious?!" Timotheos asked.

"Oui! We're finally here!" Julien cried out happily, causing the others to be relieved and start cheering.

"You here that Ambroise?" Audrey asked the baby, who was still asleep. "You're finally going to see your mommy again!"

"Yeah, you are," Timotheos responded in a soft tone. "Though a part of him was going to miss the little guy, he finally accepted it and decided that it was best to say goodbye to him after reuniting him with his mother. Who knows? Maybe I'll get to see him again from time to time, Timotheos thought to himself with a smile on his face.

"You really like that kid don't you?" Elio asked Timotheos, causing him to wake up from his thoughts in alarm.

"Y-yes I do," Timotheos responded. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing really. Just wanted to ask." Elio replied. "Though I understand that it's going to be difficult to let go of someone you care for, especially if it's for their own good, you have to understand that not everything will stay the same and things change over time. My advice is that you have to learn to move on even if it takes years for you to do so."

"Right."

"I could talk with Louise into letting you visit him if you'd like."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Knowing her, she's a very generous and hospitable woman who would be more than willing to give you any kind of reward hence why she sent you that letter. I could give her a good word for you and your family as well as the Larues."

"That would be awesome! Thank you!"

Timotheos immediately cheered up at the idea of seeing Ambroise again, causing Elio to smile warmly at the sight. As they got closer to the entrance to Belgium, it seemed as though nothing would get in their way and everything would go well. That was until...

 

*BANG*

 

Suddenly, the car ended up swerving around due to the shot having scared Julien along with the fact that something had damaged 2 of the tires of the car. Audrey, Brielle and Timotheos could only scream in shock due to the sudden noise, causing Ambroise to finally wake up and start crying.

"Ah! Ambroise!" Audrey cried out as she realized that they had unintentionally upset the baby. "Don't worry, little mignon! It's okay, everything's gonna be okay."

"Julien!" Brielle cried out in fear.

"I know! I know!" Julien replied back as he desperately tried to find a way to safely park the vehicle. "Everybody hold on!"

The 2 teenagers did as they were told while trying to shield Ambroise from any sudden impact while Elio gripped onto his gun as well as holding onto Timotheos' head rest. As the car continued to swerve and spin, with everyone screaming in fear, it eventually crashed against one of the trees. The front of the car was heavily damaged along with the windows being cracked though thankfully, the 2 adults in the front were still alive though injured.

"Julien?" Brielle asked nervously. "Mon amour, tu vas bien?"

"Ughh," Julien replied. "Ah, ma tête, mon bras."

"What?" Brielle replied as she saw that he had a significant bruise on his forehead along with one of his arms flailing helplessly.

"Papa!" Audrey cried out as she tried to get out of the car until Elio stopped her.

"Hold it!" he cried out. "It could be a trap!"

"But my dad! He's-"

"I know," Elio replied in a firm but gentle tone. "But we have to remain cautious at a time like this. It appears that they've finally caught up to us. But how?"

 

Meanwhile...

 

"Alright, this should be enough preparations for now," Barnim replied as he checked every building he could find. Preparations were now complete and it seemed as though nothing could possibly go wrong for them and the villagers.

"I hope Timotheos is alright," Miranda stated with concern in her tone. "Along with Brielle, Julien, Audrey, Ambroise and even Elio. Hopefully they made it to Brussels safe and sound."

"Don't worry," Barnim replied as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure, everything will be alright. Let's just have faith and pray that they will be alright."

"Thanks, papa," Miranda replied with a smile.

Just when it seemed that everything would be alright...

 

*BANG* *BANG* BANG* *BANG*

 

The sounds of gunshots were heard, causing the townspeople to start panicking and freak out (it didn't help that it was still dark and the sun hadn't risen yet). As if things couldn't get any worse, grenades were suddenly launched at various houses, causing them to explode and quickly spread fire to many other buildings in the process, including the police station and even the church building. The Blumenthal and Larue Family's homes were also being targeted by the attackers, causing Miranda and Barnim to become frightened and worried over what was going on. Screams and yelling were heard throughout the town as people struggled to try and put out the fires with others having been attacked or killed by mysterious figures. Smoke began to rise from the burning buildings The ones that did survive were held at gunpoint or threatened with blades while being surrounded by the ones that attacked the town.

"What's going on?!" one man cried out.

"Where are those shots coming from?!" a female voice cried out.

Barnim and Miranda tried to fight back but they were outnumbered as the criminals that attacked them held them all at gunpoint. Barnim could only curse as he wasn't able to grab his shotgun and could only defend himself using his blades. They were forced to join the other captives near one of the remaining buildings while being tied up with ropes that were found by the invaders. They were then left wondering as to how their plan fell apart so quickly.

"Papa! What happened?!" Miranda cried out. "Why are they attacking us now?"

"I... I don't know!" Barnim replied in fear. "The attack shouldn't be happening until next Monday unless... no... it can't be..."

"What?" Miranda asked nervously.

"Somehow, they knew about our plan. But how?"

"But how indeed?" another voice replied, causing everyone to turn to the source of the voice. They saw a man wearing a fancy white suit with a red shirt inside along with having smooth blonde hair and pale skin. He had blue eyes that seemed to be more cold than innocent, especially with the man sneering at them in a condescending manner. Though the Blumenthals and the other townspeople didn't ask for his name, they knew who he was judging from his appearance alone.

"Raoul," Barnim growled.

"That's correct, mon ami," the man named Raoul replied in a mocking tone. "I assume Elio told you about moi."

"He told us enough," Miranda replied in a cold tone. "He told us about how you were nothing more than a conniving, slimy, cold-hearted snake who is willing to betray anyone he pleases as long as he gets what he wants."

"Bravo," Raoul replied with a sinister laugh while clapping his hands in mock applause. "I'm impressed you were able to keep that brat away from me for so long. Unfortunately, it looks as if your time is up. Now because of him and Elio, the whole town will soon be wiped off the map and no one will remember you even existed."

"And you honestly think you'll get away with this without any consequences?" Barnim snarled. "People will find out about this and hunt you down like dogs."

"Oh please, as long as I stay rich, I can do whatever I please."

"Bullshit," Miranda replied. "You don't have any real money. From what Elio told us, the money that you received was from your brother and your family. You never bothered to earn money nor did you ever bother to work for it, you merely had it handed to you on a silver platter and deluded yourself into believing that it was yours to begin with."

"Silence!" Raoul shouted angrily. "Don't forget, you're still my captives. I could easily have you all wiped out with a snap of a finger."

"Right and by that, you mean ordering those thugs who hired to kill us?" Barnim asked. "How were you able to hire so many in the first place?"

"Wave a couple of bucks in their faces and they'll agree to any conditions that I give them," Raoul replied. "Even if it means committing genocide and killing a baby in the process."

"You monster," Miranda stated in a cold tone. "You are a disgrace to your brother and family. Not to mention a disgrace to good nobles and aristocrats everywhere as well as the French themselves."

"You think I haven't been called that already? This isn't even the first time I had to resort to murder in order to get what I want. Besides, my idiot brother has no idea what is going on and will never know the truth. He honestly thought that me and Louise would simply get along without any issues. Blah. What a bore."

"Given the way you've been acting for the last couple of weeks, I'm surprised that you even managed to get your portion of the inheritance in the first place," Barnim stated.

"Do not remind me of that hideous document," Raoul snapped. "I will not accept a mere 10% for my inheritance! I deserve more than that! I deserve at least 99 if not 100 at least!"

"You deserve nothing," Miranda replied. "After everything you've done, the only thing that will be left for you is prison if not death."

"Don't get your hopes up," Raoul sneered. "As long as I am in control, I will get what I what I deserve and I will not have it be spoiled by a bunch of peasants."

"Yet we're the ones who were willing to defend our town and Ambroise from your forces despite knowing how dangerous it would be," Barnim replied. "What do you say to that?"

"I'd say that you were all idiots who got too cocky when it came to my forces," Raoul replied smugly. "I figured that you would try a counterattack while making sure to evacuate that little brat so I had spies check the area for a couple of days."

"And how did you figure out our plans exactly?" Barnim asked in suspicion.

"Let's just say that we had some... inside information from a certain member of the town."

"And who might that be?" Miranda demanded.

"Oh Malthe!" Raoul called out, causing the one who ratted them out to show up from the shadows. Malthe approached the captives with a sneer on his face, causing the others to become shocked and livid. Miranda and Barnim were also surprised to see him, as they assumed he left the town like the others did, but seeing that he effectively betrayed everyone to save his own skin made them furious.

"Bonjour, idiots!" Malthe greeted in a mocking tone.

"You," Barnim spoke venomously. "You betrayed us to Raoul."

"Oui, I did," he replied shamelessly. "But it was for the best. I knew that none of you would be able to defeat Raoul the moment he finally attacked. I figured that it was best to join the winning side and reap the rewards for that."

"The only reward you'll be receiving is a one-way ticket to Hell you rat bastard!" Barnim shouted with fury.

"That's right," Miranda replied. "If it wasn't for you, we would have had a fair chance of beating Raoul and his men!"

"Even so, it's best for one to get a good head-start when in the face of danger," Malthe replied while still wearing a smug expression before turning to Raoul. "Now Raoul, you promised to give me a reward for my service to you. Now where is it?!"

"Ah that," Raoul replied. "How could I forget? You see, your reward is to be spared from the town's destruction."

"Really?" Malthe asked hopefully.

"Oui, however there is a catch to it."

"And what would that be-"

 

*BANG*

 

Everyone gasped in horror as they saw Raoul suddenly pull out a gun and shoot Malthe several times in the forehead. Malthe could only express shock as he was suddenly killed by the one he thought would reward him for his service or at least spare him from the attack. As the traitor ended up falling backwards, his forehead was completely riddled with holes with blood seeping out of his head. Miranda and the others could only stare in shock at how sudden his death was, though Barnim didn't seem that surprised. I never liked that guy to be honest, Barnim grimly thought to himself. He was always so full of himself while also being a complete bootlicker. He was like that even when the Nazis showed up and took over most of the town. Seriously, what did he think was going to happen after selling us out to Raoul?

"Now that I've gotten rid of that loose end," Raoul began in a taunting tone. "I believe we should deal with these fools right now. Maybe it will demoralize that Timotheos boy and his friends enough to hand over the brat to us."

"YOU LEAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN ALONE!!!" Barnim shouted as he got up only to be restrained by some of Raoul's thugs.

"Careful, old man," Raoul responded mockingly. "You'll die from a heart attack with that much bluster. Men, dispose of these fools already and make it quick!"

However, before he could do anything, Miranda suddenly whistled twice and clicked her tongue 3 times, causing the others to become confused over what was going on. A few minutes later, Miranda and Barnim's dogs suddenly arrived (all 5 of them) in order to save their owners and the rest of the townsfolk. Because of how sudden the dogs' appearance was, the men weren't able to defend themselves in time and found themselves being bitten, chewed and scratched by the vicious canines. Barnim made extra sure that the dogs would also know where to bite such as in the arm, the leg, the heel, the face and especially the groin, as everyone knew that was a man's greatest weak spot. Miranda took this as a chance to kick her now distracted captors to the ground before quickly untying herself (as she wasn't able to do it earlier without getting killed). She grabbed one of her father's knives, which he was forced to drop when held hostage, before slashing one of the attackers across the face. She used the knife to quickly cut her father free (right after he kicked the other captors away) before handing him his other knife. He was able to free the other captives who immediately rallied behind them and started attacking the criminals. Raoul could only stand there with his mouth wide open and eyes almost bulging out of his skull at how quickly everything was falling apart.

How could this be happening? I planned this whole thing! I had everything under control! Raoul thought to himself as he began to panic.

"What are you doing you imbeciles?!" Raoul cried out to his men who were now finding themselves overwhelmed by the courageous townspeople. "What do I pay you idiots for?!" Not like I was going to pay them in the first place, he thought to himself with disdain. Unfortunately, this caught the attention of Barnim who immediately chased after him. Raoul could only run away in fear as he saw that the old man was not going to give up on catching him, not helping matters was the fact that Raoul accidentally dropped his gun in the process. He attempted to run away into the Forest of Shadows only to feel something bite his left leg, causing him to scream in pain. As it turns out, Aldo had tracked him down due to having noticed his scent lingering away from the town and with Barnim ordering him to find Raoul managed to succeed.

"AAAAHHHHH!!! GET THIS STUPID MUTT OFF OF ME!!!" Raoul cried out in pain as he felt the sharp fangs of Aldo sinking through the fabric of his pants and deep into his skin.

"Good job Aldo! You caught him!" Barnim shouted as he approached Raoul with his shotgun. Raoul could only fall forwards and attempt to weakly crawl away from the 2 of them only to feel the barrel of the shotgun poking at the back of his head. "And where do you think YOU'RE going? Monsieur?"

Raoul could only turn his head around as he saw Barnim pointing the gun right at his face, with Aldo having decided to stop biting him for the time being before choosing to instead growl at him. Despite this, Raoul tried to put on some bravado as a way to retain any sort of dignity he had left.

"You think you've won with the help of some measly pups?" Raoul taunted. "I still have my men going after your grandchildren in Brussels. What do you say to that?"

"I'd say that you should rethink your priorities and pray that they survive because if they die, their blood along with yours will be on YOUR head."

Raoul could only gulp as he realized that the old man was serious and began to panic over the fact that his life was very much on the line here.

 

Back in Brussels....

 

The group could only sit in their car in terror, while Brielle tried to use the supplies from the first aid kit they packed earlier to help Julien. As it turns out, he had broken one of his arms along with having suffered from what appeared to be head trauma. Audrey could only try and encourage her father to stay awake while Timotheos held onto Ambroise after having calmed him down. Elio stepped out of the car to deal with some more criminals who were still after them but couldn't find anyone at the moment. Tension once again filled the air as the group was so close to reuniting Louise with her baby and yet still at risk of being killed. Realizing that they don't have much time left, Elio decided to do the unthinkable.

"Guys, I have an idea and I know you aren't gonna like it," Elio revealed, causing everyone to turn to him.

"What do you plan on doing?" Timotheos asked nervously.

"I'm going to need you guys to run as fast as you can to Hotel Mont-d'Or or better yet, find the nearest police station and ask them for directions as they may be your only hope now," Elio explained.

"But what about you?" Audrey asked as she realized what he was planning to do.

"I'm going to stall the others and make sure they don't go after you. Just focus on protecting the baby and each other."

"But we'll die if we leave the car," Brielle cried out.

"No, just me," Elio responded as he attempted to leave the car.

"No please!" Timotheos cried out as he grabbed onto his sleeve in desperation. "You're still a valuable member of this team!"

"Even so, I'm still the one who led those monsters after you. Consider this my atonement for dragging you into this mess."

As he said this, Elio immediately left the car before closing the door before standing in front. After a few minutes of inactivity, the hitman raised his gun to the area where the others were hiding.

"On the count of 3, I need you guys to leave the vehicle and run as fast as you can into the city, got it?"

"Got it," everyone else replied despite the tension and nervousness they felt.

"Once you do, don't look back, don't even think of trying to rescue me. I'm doing this for your sake."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Brielle asked cautiously.

"Just trust me."

"Right," Timotheos responded as he held onto Ambroise as tightly as he could while bracing himself for their escape.

"Ready everyone?" Elio asked as he raised his right hand and began the countdown. "3..... 2..... 1..... GO!"

Everyone immediately scrambled out of the car while bringing some of their personal belongings as quickly as they could before running towards the entrance of the city. Brielle and Audrey kept Julien standing whereas Timotheos carried the baby with him out of the car. As soon as they left the car, one of the mercenaries tried to shoot at them only for Elio to get to him first. The sounds of gunshots filling the air increased the adrenaline in their bodies as the group ran towards the city. Even though Timotheos wanted to look back and see if Elio was alright, especially when he heard the sound of Elio's shout of pain, he knew that this wasn't what he wanted and that he would want the others to be safe. I hope he lives, Timotheos thought to himself. I really do. After everything he's done for us. Everything he's risked to bring us this far. We won't let your sacrifice be in vain!

As the group arrived in the city, they had to be careful not to get hit by other vehicles while struggling to find the nearest police station. Where is it? Where is it? WHERE IS IT? Audrey thought to herself as she and the others desperately tried to find one. Thankfully, after a few minutes of searching, they were able to find one and raced towards it. The moment they arrived inside, they found 2 police officers standing around the desk and immediately approached them

"Excuse me, officers?" Brielle urgently asked them. "We need your help!"

"Oui, oui mademoiselle," one of the officers responded in a warm tone. "What can we help you with?"

"We're currently under attack and have very little time to explain!" Brielle responded as she motioned to her husband who was starting to pass out. Realizing the severity of the situation and how injured he looked, the officers immediately went to call the nearby paramedic while Julien was carefully placed on the nearby bench where he laid down and rested. At the same time, one of the phones on the desk started ringing, prompting the officer closest to the desk to pick it up.

"Bonjour, you reached the Brussels station what can I do for you?" the officer asked before his face suddenly turned from calm to shocked. "There's a what?! Someone's attacking Amable?! There's fire spreading throughout the town and several people have died?"

"Wait what?!" Timotheos and Audrey cried out in shock and horror.

"Oh no..." Brielle gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Right, we'll send a squad to deal with the perpetrators immediately," the officer responded before hanging up and turning to the group with a serious expression. "So, you said that you were being attacked earlier? Is this in any way connected to your current situation?"

"Oui," Brielle responded. "We were forced to leave Amable to avoid getting killed by a man named Raoul and his hired thugs. We were told that they were going to attack next Monday! We didn't think they would attack the town so soon and come after us."

"I see," the officer replied. "Looks like we'll need to keep you here for safety for now."

"That would be great except we can't," Audrey explained. "We were told to meet this baby's mother at Hotel Mont-d'Or today ASAP!"

"The baby's mother huh?" the officer replied as he got a closer look at the sleepy infant. "Very well, I'll help bring you to the location. But you'll have to leave that man here for his own safety." As he said this, he motioned to Julien who was still resting on the bench and no longer in any condition to keep walking. Seeing him in this state made Brielle tear up before she composed herself and agreed that it was necessary.

"Alright then, let's go," Brielle stated before approaching her husband and giving him a kiss on the forehead. "We'll be back soon, mon amour. Just hang on there."

Once she did that, she along with the 3 kids and the officer immediately left the station to find the hotel. Thankfully it wasn't too far away as they were able to find the hotel which was only a few minutes away and with no traffic to get in the way. However, the moment they arrived, more gunshots were heard causing the group to almost stumble in shock. The officer that was with them immediately pulled out his gun and aimed it at the perpetrator who immediately rushed towards them with lethal intent. He immediately shot him down with no hesitation before turning to the group.

"GO! I'LL HANDLE THIS GUY! YOU JUST GET THAT BABY TO HIS MOTHER NOW!" he cried, prompting the others to nod and nonverbally thank him before entering the hotel.

The moment they arrived, they were about to head to the main desk to ask for Louise until they heard a soft feminine voice.

"Ambroise?"

The group turned their heads to the source of the voice and saw a beautiful woman with fair skin, long, flowing, blonde hair, soft brown eyes and light freckles on her face. Which matched Louise's description (at least from what Elio described her) to a T. She wore a black coat along with a matching dress and boots underneath and carried a black purse too which made her stand out compared to the other guests. She had stood near the large, grandiose staircase that was placed in the middle of the lobby and was in shock over seeing the group. The group was equally shocked and didn't know how to react until they heard Ambroise babbling and reaching out to the woman.

"A-Are you... Louise?" Timotheos asked the woman cautiously, to which she responded by nodding and smiling.

"Oui, I am Louise, the mother of Ambroise," she stated. "May I?" Seeing that she wished to hold her baby after being separated from him for so long, Timotheos acquiesced (despite his own attachment to the baby) and gently handed the baby to the mother. The moment she held him in her arms, she began to weep as she planted kisses on her son's forehead. "Oh mon bébé, mon bébé, mon bébé, mon précieux bébé! I missed you so much! I'm so sorry for leaving you alone for so long! I'll never let you go again!"

The others watched with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes as they saw the happy reunion, with Timotheos smiling despite the bittersweet feelings that arose from this happy reunion. Though a small part of him wanted to keep Ambroise in Amable, he knew that it was best for him to be with his mother after being away from her for so long. As if she sensed how he felt, Louise placed a comforting hand on Timotheos' head and gave him a warm smile before using her one free hand to embrace him, surprising the young man.

"Merci," Louise said in a warm tone. "Thank you so much for protecting my baby boy.

"Um... you're welcome?" Timotheos awkwardly responded, causing the mother to giggle.

"It's fine to be nervous," Louise responded. "This is the first time we have officially met. Elio told me all about you and your family along with your friends."

"R-Right," Timotheos responded.

"And to the rest of you, I thank you also," Louise continued as she faced Audrey and Brielle. "If it weren't for all of you, my son may have perished at Raoul's hands."

"You're welcome," Brielle responded with Audrey nodding in agreement. "We were only doing the right thing."

"That's good to hear," Louise responded. "Rest assured, I will find a way to repay all of you in the near future. But right now, I just wish to spend time with my son."