Sage had turned to Jora when she cupped his cheek, leaning into the touch slightly. Happily. A soft smile turned the corners of his lips upwards at her words, and he looked back towards Lyra for a moment before his gaze returned to jora. "That's all she needs," he murmured. "So that's what I'll give her."

He knew he hadn't meant to miss it. But he still often found himself just...wondering about it all. He could have looked for her longer. Fought harder, maybe escaped somewhere and hold on hope that she'd survived. At the time, he'd had no hope. Looking back on it, he should have known Jora was too stubborn to give up that easily.

Not when her family was at stake.

Even so, he smiled widely back at her when she said they were doing this together. "Good," he noted. "Because I'm perfectly fine with that." He was more than fine with it, of course, and she knew that. None of them were going anywhere.

He'd make sure of that.

Eventually, though, selene came to gather Lyra again, sensing that both he and Jora would need some time to relax after being up all night. Jora had had a small nap, but really it wasn't much in comparison to everything that had happened.

And he was exhausted. Once Kyra was gone, it hit him like a truck, and he slumped against the wall with a heavy breath, mind spinning but body shutting down. He didn't want to sleep ....didn't want to let go of the baby in his arms. He knew those weren't realistic...he'd have to do them at one point or the other. But still. He was reluctant to let go. Afraid of missing something important.

Sage had taken a moment to even register Jora was taking to him. When he did, he turned to peer at her, letting out a soft sigh. "I know," he noted, a yawn breaking his words. "I just...I didn't know. You need rest too, and...." He sort of just trailed off, not sure where this was even going. What he was trying to say.

He was much to tired for that.

So when she suggested she take the babies and he sleep, he knew she was right. He did need the rest.... He hadn't gotten much that night. But if he were to not miss things.... If he were to care for the babies, and even Jora really.... He needed to be awake enough to do that.

So he sighed in agreement, shifting so he could hand captain over to her gently, watching as she nestled each baby in an arm before moving to lay down next to her, tugging a blanket over himself as he got comfortable.

It wasn't their bed, of course, but he was so tired he honestly didn't even care. He just passed out, seconds after his head hit the pillow and his eyes closed. That was probably a good thing.

Jora watched him fade almost mid-movement, the tension easing out of his face the moment the babies were safely in her arms. Her chest ached with it—in that quiet, overwhelming way love sometimes hit hardest.

“I’ve got them,” she murmured softly, even though he was already gone. Still, she said it for herself too.

She adjusted her hold carefully, one baby nestled against each side of her chest, their tiny breaths warm and uneven against her skin. Twins. She still couldn’t quite wrap her head around it. A girl. A boy. Their family somehow bigger, fuller, than she’d ever dared imagine.

Her gaze drifted back to Sage as he slept—too fast, too deep, like someone who had finally allowed himself to let go. She reached out with one hand, brushing her fingers through his hair, slow and gentle, just enough to soothe without waking him.

She shifted slightly so she could lean closer, her shoulder brushing his, anchoring them together even in sleep. Outside the room, she could hear the low murmur of Selene and her mother, the house alive but calm, holding them all.

Jora closed her eyes for just a moment, breathing in the weight of her children, the steady rise and fall of her husband’s chest beside her.

Sage wasn't sure for long he'd slept, but he awesome to the smell of food coming from the kitchen. A meal was being made.... So it had to be closer to lunch time by now.

He smelled it before he came to completely, but forced himself to shift slightly, breaths speeding up as he woke. His eyes opened a moment or so later, stomach driving him to rub his hands over his face with a yawn and pretty over at jora groggily.

"What time is it," he asked, half sitting up and moving to check on the babies that were still in her arms. He knew they'd be fine, of course but still.... He wanted to just make sure. Check. Look at them.

Make sure this wasn't all just a dream.

They were really here.

When Jora mentioned it being a little after noon, he nodded and moved to sit up with a sigh. *I'll go see what's bring made for lunch then," he offered. "I'll be back in a minute, yeah," he added.

When Jora nodded, he moved to stand up and slip out of the room, wandering down to the kitchen. Lyra was there, with the two older woman, helping to mix something into a large pot. "Looks good, hon," he missed to the little girl, who looked up at him with adoration in her gaze.