It’s an hour after my father is with us when a knock comes from the door. I expected Rachael to answer it but Lily goes instead with a certain look in her eye. My father has spent so long waiting and yet we have no idea what to say. I am not sure he knows either but the silence just feels right, to enjoy each other's company after so many years…

“Neil, Alex, Rachael, Elisabeth, it seems things turned out very well. I don’t suppose you have a bit of time for a chat,” Luci gives a slight nod to Lily, they have been talking slightly so I just gesture for him to take a seat. I guess he is feeling quite serious with a suit and a clean shave compared to his last visit where he looked quite scruffy.

“What is it you want Luci?” This isn’t a social visit it seems.

“To talk about your daughter,” I finch at him saying that.

“You better not touch her,” Rachael grips my shoulder as I rise but more as support as she stands with me.

“Relax I am fond of this household, the events have happened and now your daughter might well be the most powerful being in existence but she is still a creature based in the mortal world,” - Luci

“Are you banishing me?” - Lily

“No, but things are never simple. We know you are hellbound but your death would likely fracture the realms sending you here,” - Luci

“You think about harming her and I will crush the hells if I have to” My fury is leaking out biting at the air but I am nowhere near powerful enough to actively do anything without Lily’s power.

“I am saying she can’t die otherwise she will disturb the balance, the hells will pour into the mortal plain as she comes here. The opening required for here would be significantly larger than your little soul bonding one, as impressive that was” - Luci

My mother and father are being oddly quiet, I can’t blame my father he is just out of his element a bit but mum being quiet always worries me. Her head is a mystery…

“So she has to stay here?” - Rachael

“No, she is still in her mortality, well figuratively. Her development into a celestial being is a bit different to a human into a witch. A witch is just an awakened human, she is more. Sorry, you would think with the few celestial humans I would have gotten better at this,” - Luci

“What you are saying is because she never crossed over the normal way she is still bound to the mortal plain?” - Elisabeth

“Sort of but in the basic idea yes, visiting is fine but she still is attuned to the mortal plain and needs to spend a lot of her time there otherwise things get a bit unstable in ways I am not sure anyone could imagine,” - Luci

“Honestly I have no idea what I want to do with my time,” - Lily

“You will find something Lily it can just take time,” - Rachael

“I know mama but it just feels so empty,” - Lily

“You are always welcome to stay with us, we will always be here for you,” - Alex

“Just make sure you are actively spending about four days a week in the mortal plain and everything should remain balanced,” - Luci

“Message received, you are leaving now right?” Honestly, Luci can be a pretty good friend but now is not the time to test anyone here. I do not want him bringing down the mood further.

“Of course, I didn’t want to disturb a family gathering. Neil maybe when you have time you would pay me a visit, with your wife and any other family members,” - Luci

“I am sure we can sort something out soon enough,” My father is just as polite as always but my mother is gripping his hand a bit as support.

“Excellent,” Luci gives a slight bow before turning to leave.

“I will escort you out,” I get up and send something along the bond to Rachael, she hesitates but takes a seat.

It doesn’t take long to reach the door but I step outside as he looks around seeming to take in the sights, he is waiting for something.

“Why did you have to visit now?”

“Because Alex, your daughter needed to know before she spent too long here-”

“We might be on decent terms but that doesn’t mean you have a right to harm her,”

“I mean no offense but your time as a witch has taught you that the balance needs to be maintained. If the hells collapse into the mortal realm it will be like a never-ending invasion. The laws of silence are a bit more lifted now and the strands are scattering a lot, I just want to make sure we avoid a few,”

“How much do you really know about everything before?”

“You assume I could answer if I wanted to?”

“You know a lot more right?”

“Of course and I do love a happy ending for my friends and even enemies, generally enemies I prefer to be happy a bit more away from me,”

“Cut the crap Luci,”

“You are right to assume there is more but if she says here for more than three days in a week and I don’t know when things might change, she will actively cause issues,”

“You might have doomed her to be lost forever,”

“How long do you think I look into the events of things, I have seen-”

A pause … fuck.

“Does she have happiness in the future?”

“I am not sure that-”

“TELL ME!”

“I would like to believe she will end up on one of those paths but she might be lost for a while. Give her a good home when she visits,”

“I would willingly destroy all of reality for her,”

“I have seen what you do to beings that get on your bad side, I would prefer not to be there but breaking reality would likely cause-”

Another pause, I really hate these stupid laws at times.

“Just leave, we will sort things out a bit later,” I am calming down a bit but my anger threatens to spill over.

“I hope this doesn’t come between us, I must confess I have come to like your family, all of it,” With that Luci leaves a quick teleport to the end of the garden and then just walking away without a care in the world shifting to a more scruffy look. Honestly, I know why he gave the warning, he just wants peace. I do too but my daughter being trapped, lost even in the mortal realm just feels like it will rip out my heart.

The door opens, I can feel her and just turn to rest my forehead against her’s.

“I just want her to be happy Rach,”

“We will support her as much as we can. Just because she is unable to be here as much doesn’t mean we can’t visit Lexi,”

“We also need to know when to give her space, she isn’t a small child anymore.”

We finally share the same thought and kiss each other slightly, honestly, I can’t think of how I calmed down before being with her. Time to head back inside, this is meant to be a happy time of reuniting the family, not dark warnings and bad news...