To say he was nervous was an understatement, Ben had no idea what anything around him even was, certain things seemed to be familiar to him while others completely went over his head. For the most part he’d trailed behind the female as they walked.
When they got to the Marine Research Center Ben was hit with a sense of nostaglia, deja vu. But he couldn’t say why, it all seemed so familiar, from the sights and sounds. To even the touch and smell of the air. Maybe that’s why as they got closer the overwhelming feeling returned, the closer they reached to the door, the more overwhelmed he became.
It all reached its head as soon as the door was opened, another memory breached the surface of his mind, louder than the rest.
A sort of soft laughter echoed in his ear, in his mind he could see himself carressing her face, staring into her eyes.Talking about a smile that could power a small city.
When she embraced him it felt right, it felt like something was sliding into place, like everything from this moment would be okay, as long as she held him in her arms.
Melting into the embrace he found himself tearing up, the emotions crescendoing as he pressed their foreheads together.
Ryn had walked with Ben and Hope straight to Maddie’s office, pausing only to ask where Maddie was, before going through to the office. She watched as Hope went and sat at her awáng’s desk, picking up a piece of paper and a pen, drawing to keep herself occupied.
Ryn turned to face the door as it clicked open, smiling a little as she saw Maddie. She opened her mouth to explain why she was here, but Maddie saw him, and knew. She nodded her head once as she looked at her in confirmation. “Ben is home.” They were living somewhere different, but Ben’s home would always be with them.
She was about to explain about Ben’s memories, but as the two embraced and he uttered her name with so much love and devotion, she smiled even brighter, feeling her tension relax. There wasn’t anything to worry about, this strange little town had brought him back to them. It had given them the one thing they needed to complete their family.
“Ben was broken. But Maddie has fixed him.” She smiled, moving in to kiss the side of Maddie’s head, not wanting them to pull away from eachother. “Everything is okay now?”
Ben is home. Maddie nodded at Ryn's words, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks, the feeling of relief quickly overwhelming her. It'd been four years of searching, four years of waiting, four years of uncertainty, four years of hoping and wishing. It was difficult not to doubt, difficult not to wonder if it was better to accept the facts and try to move forward. Both Ben and her father were gone, the existence of supernaturals had been exposed to the world, Bristol Cove was divided and rapidly spinning out of control. Without Ryn and Hope at her side, Maddie wasn't sure if she could have held on as long as she did.
But Ben was resourceful, he was fearless and stubborn, willing and able to fight for what he wanted and succeed no matter the odds. It was a silly thing to think about, the brunette aware putting such standards on him wasn't fair. Still, Maddie believed in Ben, and she should have known not even death could keep him away from them, that he wouldn't allow it. He would find his way to them, he would find his way home. He always did.
Maddie pressed her forehead against his, smiling when Ben said her name. "...We've missed you so much, Ben." She leaned towards Ryn when the shorter brunette kissed her temple, wrapping one arm around Ryn and Hope to pull them into the embrace. After a moment though, the human realized what exactly the mermaid had said seconds before, blinking a few times while inspecting both Ben and Ryn.
"Wait...what do you mean broken?" One hand rose to rest against Ben's cheek, her thumb wiping away at his tears, the other taking a hold of Ryn's own. Maddie's gaze switched back and forth between the others. "What is there to fix? What's wrong?"
