“I can agree on that. I promise not to neglect myself either.” Henry presses a kiss on both Dahlia and Magnolia’s forehead before Henry smiles warmly between them both
“But I think in the meantime I can stop myself from being stubborn, recover and let you both take care of me until then.”
“How much trouble would I be in if I apologised to Mags for her looking like me?” Henry is obviously teasing and he also smiles softly that Dahlia does know that he is being silly.
“She looks so peaceful too. I can’t remember the last time Mags looked so peaceful Darling. Can you remember?”
“I think I can work with that but I still need to be around for my girls for another ten years. Can we agree on that? I need to make sure I can look after you both for another ten years.”
Henry is slowly walking with the help of Dahlia but he also smiles “I love you both so much.”
Henry smiles at the other beloved woman in his life whilst he is holding their little girl but Henry is also caressing Magnolia’s back just as he did when she was a little girl
“I couldn’t leave her, not even after she fell asleep. She needs me here right now and leaving here doesn’t feel right.”
“If I start being careful that means I’m admitting to being old and I don’t want to admit that I’m old, at least not for another ten years.”
Henry looks at Dahlia and Magnolia before nodding his head and slowly starts getting up with a very subtle groan of pain before he slowly starts walking.
Henry finds himself smiling because he feels peace knowing that Magnolia had a little of Dahlia and himself even after moving so far away.
“You never have to worry about being scared again. I won’t fail you too.” Henry is gently rocking Magnolia just like he did when Magnolia was a little girl.
Henry immediately becomes more embarrassed when Magnolia arrives because he knows now that it can only go one of two ways but he does feel calmer since Dahlia comforted him.
“It was just a simple accident Magnolia, I swear. I planned to have fun with your mother and I guess I took a bad step.”
Henry smiles and shakes his head “No Darling, of course I don’t mind. You take a nap for as long as you need and I’ll even take care of Charlotte if she cries.”
Henry places a kiss on Magnolia’s head and smiles “Would you like me to sing to you like I did when you were a little girl and tired?”
“You know she is going to not stop worrying about me now.” Henry sighs softly but gently holds Dahlia’s hand because he knows that Dahlia meant well.
“Did you at least tell her not to worry whilst driving? You know how dangerous driving whilst distracted can be for anyone, My Darling.”
“Of course. We never changed your room from the day you left, it always remained your room. I’ll help you both move back in, it never stopped being your home.”
Henry places another kiss on Magnolia’s head and smiles warmly “And I’m so glad that you’re coming home where you belong.”
“I was just trying to be romantic.” Henry whines, then whines again when he gets up because even the effort of getting up hurts his back even more.
“You should have told her a little bit of a white lie, surely she wouldn’t have mind and I wouldn’t feel so embarrassed about my accident.”
“We understood. We still do because you were hurt, but just know that your mom and I never gave up hope that you’d come home someday.”
Henry places a kiss on Magnolia’s forehead and then gently cuddles Magnolia “You ever need anything your mom and I are here for you and always will be, okay?”
“What did you tell her? I know Magnolia is going to ask me and I don’t want to give her the wrong answer from what you gave her.”
Henry moves only a little which hurts his back a little but only enough that the hiss of pain he expels is only minimal. Henry then looks at Dahlia and forces a smile
Henry is holding Magnolia in a way that screams he is never going to let her far out his sight again and he even carries Magnolia as he did when she was a child
“I don’t blame you for leaving Magnolia. Your mother and I understood but we never stopped missing you and thinking about where you were”
“You didn’t tell Mags about this did you Dear? You know that she is only going to worry about me and I don’t want that.”
Henry is absolutely going to feel embarrassed about the fact that their child is now going to know that he got injured “Did she sound mad when she was on the phone?”
Henry looks at Magnolia, processing what he says and quickly realises how much he might have been making Magnolia feel bad.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you feel like you had to avoid your mother and I because of what happened with your sister. I’m so sorry Magnolia, please forgive me.”
Henry does let out a soft laugh that pulls into his back, which also doesn’t feel great but after a couple of seconds rubbing the pain subsides.
“I think the universe will let you have this one, Darling, or at the very least I will let you have this one because you truly deserve it.”
“Of course I care. I care about Vanessa more than I did before, especially because I can see how happy she makes you and happy is all I have ever wanted for you.”
Henry exhales softly “I don’t think it’s Vanessa I’m truly worried about but him. What if he takes you all away from us too?”
“Maybe it’s the pain or maybe the shock is finally starting to kick in, or maybe I really am just that dramatic.” Henry takes in a sharp breath which he instantly regrets when a sharp pain shoots through his back.
“Ow! Ow! Oh, that one came with a punching force of a dang Rhino, Darling.”
“No, I…” Henry sighs softly, pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head in disbelief at himself once again having an awful way with words.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just have an awful way with words, which is something that your mom will also tell you. I’m sorry for offending you.”
“Things would be so much different than they are now if I became paralysed and I won’t be mad if you couldn’t do this anymore darling.”
Henry smiles small “I love you and losing you would be devastating but I’d never ask you to stay with me if you felt miserable, I never could ask that of you.”
“I didn’t mean it, it wasn’t supposed to sound like that. I just… she’s still part of him Magnolia. How am I supposed to fully trust her with my little girl and her little girl?”
Henry exhales and looks at Magnolia “You can be mad at me as much as you like but I’ll do what I can to protect you.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Henry replies knowing after many blissful years of marriage when he shouldn’t push it and they have reached that stage.
“You aren’t going to run off and leave my stupid ass if I do become paralysed, right? I know for some people their partner becoming Paralysed is a marriage ender.”
“William Afton is not a man you can trust, no matter how well he becomes never completely trust him. Be better than me, okay?”
Henry leans forward and lightly kisses Mags on the forehead “I still don’t completely trust Vanessa but she makes you happy, that is something I’m not blinded to.”
“I’m sure she will but try and not get too mad if Vanessa is a little conflicted. I am sure she won’t mean it personally. I know it’ll be a little harder to accept with Clara if you asked Vanessa to keep her away.”
Henry is gently caressing Magnolia’s back and smiles warmly at Magnolia.
“I don’t quite remember, maybe I was just so distracted with your beauty that it slipped my mind.” Henry is smiling at his wife whilst smirking
“You know, Dear, I can’t be paralysed because if I was paralysed I would not be looking into your beautiful eyes right now and that is what I am doing.”
“I do like when you are on the bottom.” Henry said, laughs and then holds the bottom of his back whilst letting out a groan.
“That was karma for making all this a joke, wasn’t it?” Henry then takes slow steps with the help of his wife who he is now trying to butter up “You are so beautiful.”
Henry nods his head because he understands his little girls concerns and Henry gently caresses Magnolia’s hair and gives Magnolia a gentle smile.
“I don’t think that you should have to let that man anywhere near Charlotte, however Vanessa might feel differently. Have you told Vanessa about it?”
“I wanted to give you a hard time but this is not what I meant.” Henry is trying to make jokes and keep the atmosphere light so Dahlia doesn’t worry about him
“Maybe this isn’t the smartest time to be making jokes I am just glad you knew I couldn’t be serious about things before you married me.”
Henry is a little emotional watching his beautiful Granddaughter admire him with the same curiosity that his own little girls did as babies.
“I understand your worries and I am sure Vanessa does too. Remember, you’re never obligated to let anyone see her just because of a DNA match, okay?”
