Jora smiled softly at him, her hand brushing lightly over his arm as she leaned closer. “I know,” she murmured, her voice low and gentle. “You don’t have to hide in corners, Sage. You don’t have to sit out. You’re safe here—with us. All of us.”

She glanced down at Lyra, who was now wiggling a little to get even closer to her father, and chuckled softly. “She’s got your stubborn streak, that’s for sure,” Jora said, shaking her head with a fond grin. “But at least she’s got my brains too… kind of.”

Her eyes returned to Sage, soft and warm, full of reassurance. “It’s better this way,” she murmured, letting him nestle against her more. “All of us together. We’re… we’re a family. And we’re not going anywhere.”

She pressed a quick kiss to the side of his head, just above his ear, as Lyra snuggled in between them, and let herself sink a little more into the comfort of their small, chaotic, perfect corner of the world.

Jora smiled softly at his words, feeling the warmth spread through her chest. He looked so at ease here, leaning against her, watching Lyra, and she knew how much it meant to him to be home, to be safe, to be with them.

“Definitely not,” she murmured back, brushing a loose strand of hair from Lyra’s face as the little girl laughed at their teasing. “And luckily, neither of us are,” she added, letting her gaze flick between Sage and Lyra, her heart full despite the chaos they’d just survived.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, just enough to feel the steady rhythm of his breath, grounding herself in the quiet of the moment. “She’s stubborn, yes,” Jora admitted with a soft chuckle, fingers playing gently over Lyra’s hair. “But she’s clever, brave… and she’s ours. That counts for a lot.”

Her eyes softened as she glanced at Sage again, warmth and relief mixing in her expression. “And we balance each other, like you said. We’ve got this… together.” She squeezed him gently, a small, steady reassurance that they were safe for now, and that no matter what came next, they wouldn’t face it alone.

Jora smiled when she felt how easily he settled, how natural it was for him to rest against her now. She shifted carefully so Lyra stayed snug between them, her hand smoothing over the little girl’s hair before drifting back to Sage’s shoulder.

“I know you already know,” she murmured quietly, voice warm with that shared understanding. “But I’m going to tell Selene tonight. And my mom, too.” A soft breath left her. “They deserve to hear it from me… not whispered down the beach or guessed at.”

Her thumb traced idle patterns against his arm as she leaned in a little closer, her tone thoughtful rather than nervous. “I think Selene will cry. My mother definitely will,” she added with a faint, affectionate smile. “But they’ll be happy. I know they will.”

Her gaze dropped to Lyra again, fondness blooming in her chest as the girl slept, unaware of how much her world was about to grow. Jora hesitated, then spoke more quietly, honestly.

“I just don’t know how we should tell her,” she admitted. “She’s smart. She notices everything. And I don’t want her to feel surprised in the wrong way… or left out.”

She glanced back to Sage, eyes soft, searching. “Do we make it something special? Or just… tell her gently, the three of us?”

Jora smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to Lyra’s hair before settling again. “I want her to feel how loved she is. How this isn’t something being taken away from her—just something new being added.”

She stayed there with them, holding the quiet, trusting that however they chose to do it, they’d do it together.

Jora listened to him quietly, her expression softening as he spoke. The care in his voice—the hope—made her chest ache in the best way. She leaned down, brushing her lips to his temple, then gently eased herself up without disturbing Lyra.

“We’ll figure it out,” she murmured. “We always do.”

A little while later, she found her mother and Selene together in the kitchen—her mom chopping vegetables, Selene perched on the counter, talking animatedly about something she’d seen down the beach. Jora hovered in the doorway for a second, nerves fluttering despite how many times she’d imagined this moment.

“Hey,” she said, drawing their attention.

Both of them looked up immediately. Her mother’s smile came easy and warm. Selene tilted her head, already sensing something.

Jora stepped fully inside, hands resting unconsciously over her stomach. She took a breath, then another.
“I wanted to tell you both myself,” she began, voice steady even as her heart raced. “Before dinner. Before it becomes… a whole thing.”

Her mom set the knife down slowly. Selene slid off the counter.

“I’m pregnant,” Jora said softly. “Again.”

For half a second, the room went utterly still.

Then her mother made a small, broken sound and crossed the space in three strides, pulling Jora into a tight embrace. “Oh, sweetheart,” she breathed, already crying. “Oh, Jora… that’s wonderful. That’s so wonderful.”

Selene froze—then her hands flew to her mouth. “Wait—really?” she squealed, eyes shining. “Oh my god—Jora!” She laughed, then immediately teared up too, rushing forward to hug her from the other side. “Lyra’s going to be a big sister?”

Jora laughed softly, overwhelmed but glowing. “Yeah,” she said. “She is.”

Her mom pulled back just enough to cup Jora’s face, eyes searching, proud, emotional. “Are you okay? You’re feeling alright?”

“I am,” Jora nodded. “Tired. But good. Sage’s been… amazing.”

Selene grinned through her tears. “I knew it. I mean—I didn’t know, but—” She laughed at herself. “This is perfect. I’m so happy for you both.”

Jora exhaled, something uncoiling in her chest as she smiled at them. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Her mom kissed her forehead. “This family just keeps growing,” she said softly. “And that’s a blessing, every time.”

Later, when Jora returned to the living room, the warmth followed her. She sat back down carefully beside Sage, her hand finding his.

“They cried,” she whispered with a fond smile. “Exactly like you said.”

She glanced down at Lyra, still nestled comfortably between them, then back to Sage. “We’ll tell her together,” Jora added gently. “Just us. When she’s awake, and we can make it feel safe and exciting.”

Her fingers laced with his. “She’s going to love this,” Jora said with quiet certainty. “Because she already knows what love feels like.”