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[nerdanel_the_wise]

She is resting comfortably on her bed, curled on her side, staring sleepily at the sonogram image of her son.

Just as sleep -- sleep like Men have, not like Elves -- tries to drag her down, he appears in front of her. Tall, dark, eyes like burning cold-fire.

"Mandos," she breathes.

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[nerdanel_the_wise]

She sits silently for a little while, then nods.

"He has been under a lot of pressure, my Lord Mandos. Something is not right between you and Lee and Gorlim, he has his family, he has his friends -- and each group has its own issues he has been forced to deal with. What did you expect?"

[namo]

"I did not expect so much to change so quickly," he says dejectedly.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

"That is the nature of change, my Lord," she says softly as she stands slowly. Nerdanel approaches him, her face pale but serious.

"You either accept the change, flow with it as a ship does the sea, or you fight it -- swim upstream, swim against the current. If you choose to swim, my Lord, you will most likely drown. What is it you fear about these changes? You have left him, for months by our reckoning, and now you flail about because he chooses to leave you for a few days?"

[namo]

He looks away from her.

"I was never gone long enough to be missed," he points out. "And I dislike this new habit of secrets between us all."

[nerdanel_the_wise]

She takes his hands in hers, stifling the moment of discomfort at touching him, as well as the shiver at the chilled flesh, and draws him toward her bed.

"All lovers have their secrets. It's part of being individuals in a relationship. Do you think there were no other secrets before this one?" Nerdanel chuckles. "My naive Lord," she says softly as she pushes him onto the bed and then joins him. "Put Gorlim out of your mind. Put Lee out of your mind. Sit here with me, with your son, and live in this moment."

The Elf rests his hand on the large swell of her belly, and feels the child react immediately to his father's touch.

[namo]

He tries to shove his loves out of his mind, the thoughts that keep swirling, keep confusing him. With his hand on her belly, he feels his son. Both under his hand and in his mind.

"He is truly there," he whispers, staring at her stomach.

[nerdanel_the_wise]

Nerdanel closes her eyes, letting her mind wander a little.

"Yes, he makes his presence known daily for me," she teases sleepily. It is only a few more moments before her breathing is even and deep.

[namo]

His hand remains on her, but he is silent, basking in the pure, flickering flame of his son's spirit.