Grace and Harold made their way out of the building. As they came down the steps, David looked hopefully at his daughter. His hope turned to terror when he saw in her eyes that Kayla would not be coming out.
David felt as though he had been punched in the gut. He fell to his knees, quietly weeping.
"Daddy, she sacrificed herself to save me and the baby," Grace said, trying to give David a little of the peace that Roland had given her. It was no use.
"Where is she? Where is her… body?"
"She is inside, Your Highness," Jorek interjected. "I will make sure that she is given the proper respects. She will receive a queen's burial."
Jorek made his way up the steps to retrieve the remains of his queen.
Everyone else stood outside, realizing that there was nothing more for any of them to do. David made his way over to the car and sat in the passenger seat. He shut the door and sat there alone for a moment. Grace could see and feel the pain in his heart, and the feelings of loss and fear that she had felt the first time Kayla had died. The rest of the family turned away and found their cars.
When they arrived at David's house, he insisted that they all go home and get rest. They had a lot to do to prepare for Kayla's funeral. He did not want them doting over him. He told them that he just wanted to sleep and spend some time alone. The dwarves reluctantly left after informing David that they were only a phone call away if he needed them.
Grace stayed behind with Harry and the baby to make sure he was really all right.
David went to the kitchen to make some coffee, but he stopped cold when he opened the cabinet and saw Kayla's favorite mug sitting there. He picked it up as Grace walked into the kitchen.
"Your mom loved this damn mug. I dropped it once after we first moved into this house and chipped the rim. I threw it away, but she got it out of the trash. She told me it was the only thing that she had kept from the time before she and I met, and that it reminded her that she never wanted to go back to that life." He turned it over in his hands and read the faded lettering on the front aloud. "I hate Mondays."
He broke down, unable to hold in his grief. His whole body heaved with each sob for his lost love.
Grace went to him and hugged him tight.
"Munchkin, what do I do now?"
"You live," a voice said from the living room.
"What was that?" David asked, thinking he had hallucinated the sound.
"It was me," Kayla said, stepping into the kitchen, her body slightly translucent.
"How…," Grace trailed off as she looked at the dead woman standing in front of her.
"I made a wish and got a little help. I can only stay for a short time."
"Baby, I don't know what to do without you," David sobbed.
"You be the amazing father you have always been, and now you get to be a grandpa to that beautiful baby girl in there." She turned to Grace. "What did you really decide to name her, by the way?"
"We were thinking about calling her Aurora," Grace replied.
"I think that is a great name." Kayla's spirit beamed.
"We need you, Mom. I don't know how to be a mother."
"Neither did I, and look how great you turned out. Just love her and be there for her. Be a parent first and a friend second. The rest you'll get as you go along."
"I can only dream of being as good a mom as you."
"No, Munchkin, you will be better than I ever was. Now, before I have to leave, I want you to deliver a few messages. Tell Doc and Joy that they are the best friends and parents that I ever could have wished for. Tell Mooney to open his heart; he will never find love in a reference book. Gus and Violet, tell them that they need to love each other as if no one else exists, except of course, the baby that will be here soon. Tell Daisy that I am so proud to have a true sister like her. Let them all know that I will always love them and that I was so blessed to call them family. Harry, you are like a son to me, and I could not ask for a better man to take care of Grace and Aurora. You love them and protect them, always. Grace, you can call me if you really need me and, if I can, I will be here. David, my love, my king, my heart, I will always love you. Thank you for giving me a wonderful life, a beautiful baby girl, and for always being by my side. I want you to be happy and live your life to the fullest every day. Spoil the hell out of that baby, and know that we will be together again. But you have a lot of life left to live. Do not miss a moment of it grieving over me. I'm okay."
Grace felt the hot flood of tears flowing down her cheeks, but she knew that Kayla would always be with her, and she still felt peace. It was not an artificial peace, manufactured by a djinn, it was real peace.
"I have one more thing to do before I have to go." Kayla held out her hand.
Grace reached out, and Kayla opened her fist. The ring with the large blue stone dropped into Grace's palm.
"This is what I think it is?" Grace asked.
"Yes, you choose what to do with it. I know you will make the right choice, Munchkin. I love you guys, always."
With that, Kayla was gone.
Grace sat down with Harry to feed Aurora, and David made coffee. The four of them spent the rest of the night sitting at the table and remembering the woman that they all loved so much.