Page 81 of Witch's Promise

Gabe surged forward again, capturing Sean's lips in another kiss. This one was different – still tender, but with an underlying current of possessiveness that made Sean's toes curl. He gave as good as he got, pouring all of his love and gratitude and relief into the kiss.

When they finally broke apart, both panting slightly, Sean felt a niggling worry resurface. "My dad," he said, hating to break the moment but needing to know. "And the Wisterias. Are they okay? What happened after..."

Gabe's expression sobered, though he didn't pull away. "Your dad's fine," he assured Sean quickly. "Banged up, but nothing serious. He actually wanted to talk to you when you woke up. Said he had some explaining to do."

Sean nodded, a complex tangle of emotions rising in his chest at the thought of facing his father. But Gabe wasn't finished.

"The Wisterias took Jessy home," he continued. "They needed some time to process everything, I think. But they said they'd be back soon. They want to talk to all of us, figure out where we go from here."

The implications of that – of 'we' and 'where we go from here' – weren't lost on Sean. It spoke of a future, of plans and possibilities that he'd thought were long since out of reach.

"Okay," Sean said, nodding slowly. "That's... okay. We'll figure it out."

Gabe smiled, soft and fond in a way that made Sean's heart skip a beat. "Yeah," he agreed. "We will. Together."

The word hung between them, full of promise and potential. Sean felt a warmth bloom in his chest, chasing away the lingering chill of guilt and self-doubt that had been his constant companions for so long.

But the moment was broken by a wave of exhaustion that crashed over Sean, making his eyelids feel suddenly heavy. Gabe noticed immediately, his brow furrowing with concern.

"You should rest," he said, already moving to help Sean settle back against the pillows. "Your body's been through hell, it needs time to recover."

Sean wanted to protest, to say that he'd already slept for a week and that was more than enough. But his body betrayed him, a yawn escaping before he could stop it.

"Fine," he grumbled, even as he sank gratefully into the soft embrace of the mattress. "But don't think this gets you out of more kissing later."

Gabe laughed, the sound warming Sean from the inside out. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Sean's forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

As Sean drifted off, lulled by the gentle stroke of Gabe's fingers through his hair, he felt something settle in his chest. A sense of peace, of rightness, that he hadn't experienced in years.

Sean's eyes fluttered open,squinting against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was quiet, save for the gentle hum of a nearby air conditioner. As his vision cleared, he realized Gabe was no longer by his side. Instead, a familiar figure stood silhouetted against the window.

His father.

Sean tried to call out, but his voice caught in his throat, coming out as a raspy croak. The sound, though faint, was enough to catch his father's attention. He turned, and for the first time in years, Sean really looked at the man who had shaped so much of his life.

The changes were subtle but significant. The perpetual tension that had always seemed to cling to his father like a second skin was gone, replaced by a weariness that spoke of recent trials. But there was something else too – a softness around the eyes that Sean couldn't remember ever seeing before.

"Sean," his father said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. He moved to the bedside, reaching for a glass of water on the nightstand. "Here, let me help you with that."

Sean allowed his father to support his head as he sipped the cool water, relief flooding through him as it soothed his parched throat. When he'd drunk his fill, his father set the glass aside, his movements oddly hesitant.

"How are you feeling?" Sean managed to ask, his voice still rough but at least audible now.

His father's lips twitched in what might have been an attempt at a smile. "Better," he said. "Though I wouldn't say no to another dose of whatever concoction that Finn fellow whipped up. Packs quite a punch."

To Sean's surprise, his father chuckled – a low, rusty sound that Sean realized he hadn't heard in years. The familiarity of it made his chest ache with a complex mixture of emotions he couldn't quite name.

"Look, son," his father began, his tone growing serious. He seemed to struggle for a moment, as if the words he wanted to say were physically difficult to get out. "I... I owe you an apology. A big one."

Sean blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected turn in the conversation. "Dad, you don't have to-"

"No, I do," his father cut him off, raising a hand to silence any further protests. "I've been a fool, Sean. For years, I let Riley poison my mind, turn me against our family, against witches... against you."

The raw honesty in his father's voice made Sean's throat tight with emotion. He'd spent so long angry at his father, blaming him for the pain and isolation he'd endured. But seeing him now, vulnerable and open in a way Sean had never witnessed before, it was hard to hold onto that anger.

"I want to make things right," his father continued, his eyes never leaving Sean's face. "To show you how serious I am about changing, I've agreed to help Alex's organization. To fight the good fight, as it were."

Sean's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You're working with the Shadowguards? Seriously?"

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