#first off: screaming that you're using that gif from *THAT* scene 🤡

[draslihanxfahri-bailey]

"... Fine, maybe I know more, but my point still stands!" Would Asli continue this 'argument' for as long as possible? Perhaps. It was all in good fun, after all. She would rather they have this than to genuinely be fighting with him. No words in any of the languages she knew that were in her arsenal could describe how much she loathed fighting with him. Aslihan waited quietly as she watched him make his choice. For a moment, she thought she was going to have to swallow her pride and admit to everyone, unfortunately including the man known as her brother, that she has finally been bested by someone. However, a genuine big smile soon formed as she heard his answer. "I think I can manage that," she mused. "Name when and I'll get right on it. I'll even make you your own homemade batch of potstickers, just to sweeten the deal better."

Passion, for as long as she could remember, was always considered a high value in the Bailey family. Aslihan couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't passionate, especially for her interests. And the older she got, the more things she's grown passionate about. Of course, she knew that it was a rather fortunate and even privilege position for her to be able to act on all of her passions. But she has also tried to make sure to help others to be able to act on their passions. Even if she does lose sleep doing so. Though, that was something she could never complain about. "Hey! I do take breaks every now and then, thank you very much. I'm just... extremely selective concerning them." Though, with her daughter being here soon, it has made her think about things. Decisions and choices that she's contemplating on taking that would result in her being able to have more breaks. Especially one of them, which would be one of the biggest and hardest decisions she'll have made in the past couple of years. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she understood how right it would be. Even though it wasn't easy, but necessary. And the best step to take in her life right now. Though, she would have to wait a moment and she wanted to talk with Elijah about it before making any decisions. "I'm sure you're doing an amazing job. Trust me, I'm still learning as I'm going and each day is different. Just don't give up, okay?"

It was hard to look at him. She didn't want to admit to him the truth and to make things worse. But... not answering didn't help either. Especially as he looked from her, a clear show that he knew what her answer would've been. It was hard to watch him yet not know what to say to attempt to make things better. Because, in the end, nothing would. Nothing could change what happened, what choices they made, and all of the lost memories they were meant to share together and with Alex yet will never now know what they would've been.

But, there was also that always present need to protect him that showed itself. That was ready to take the blame he tried so hard to carry. This wasn't his fault, after all. And she refused to let him believe that it was. "I wrote you letters," she admitted softly. Her fingers playing with her Magen David slowly yet she tried to continue on. "From the day I found out about her to the day we flew here from London, I wrote you letters. But I couldn't... I tried to send them to you so many times, but I couldn't. I kept them in a few bundles in Alex's baby box and I told myself that I would one day finally send them to you. The amount of times I started writing and drafted emails, where I tried to send you a message through Instagram... I called the rescue once." It was her turn to look away from him. Her eyes shutting tightly to hide the tears that were forming. Shame filled her being and she tried to continue. "I... I heard your voice and for the first time in so long, it wasn't an old video from our time together or from my memories. But I panicked and hanged up. I was just so scared and I... I missed you so much... I was a coward, Atlas. I should've tried harder, done better, and I'm so sorry. None of this was your fault; It's mine."

Dark brown eyes opened at his words. Scanning his features quietly, she smiled softly. "I've faced death before and turned out okay," she joked lightly. Yet, she knew that it wasn't going to help much. Shaking her head, she slowly got up and walked over to Atlas, sitting in the chair closest to him. "You're right," she admitted softly. "I... I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if I'm going to be okay or not. But... I know that you will be okay. You can do this without me. We've spent the past two years coparenting and taking care of Alex by ourselves, and you've done an incredible job with Alex without me around. You will be okay, no matter the outcome. And you'll still have my family around to help you as well. You... You'll have Eli. And I need you and Eli to lean on each other and raise the girls together in case... in case I do die." Quietly, she reached her hand out to place on his shoulder. "You are capable of so much, Las. You always have been and you always will be. And you are capable of doing this without me. I can promise that. Even if you don't believe that, I believe in you. That has never changed." Her lips pressed together. There were many things she could promise him, but that? She couldn't. She would always try to protect him. Including from what else could happen. "I can't promise you that," she whispered, pulling her hand back from him. Looking down, she noticed the time on her watch and she stood up. "I-I have to go. Eli and I have an appointment in an hour. I'll... I'll see you soon, okay?" ||📜@atlaswilliams

"Seventy seems low for you, so no. I'm not buying it." By comparison, Atlas felt as if he knew nothing at all about the world and the life he lived. It wasn't on the account of her making him feel inferior, but how could anyone stand next to a Bailey and feel as if they'd lived at all? "What do I want? Damn, that's a tough question. Hearing you tell the world that you got bested would be a good one. Especially if I can get a one Theo Bailey upfront and center. A high five is lame. I'm more of a fist bumping guy. I guess if I really have to choose just one," he trailed off, anticipation dripping off his words as his grin slowly grew wider, "then I'm going with a home cooked meal. I'd be an idiot if I passed that up. I think you know what I'm picking too." It was her personal favorite and a dish he'd come to quite enjoy himself, but hadn't had the privilege of enjoying in months.

His passion matched hers in the sense that the wolves were his life, just as research, education, and discovery was hers. While he wasn't the sharpest mind in studies that mattered to the rest of the world, someone would have done well to know more about wolves than he did. Between his time at the rescue and the education he'd obtained at University, it was the one thing he'd always taken seriously enough to give a damn about. Even at his lowest points, the wolves mattered the most. "You should do that thing that people do sometimes, I think it's called taking a break? It could be good for you. I promise things won't fall apart in your absence and if they do, you can blame me for pulling you outta there for a day." She was an important piece to the puzzle at her job, but one day away wouldn't send any establishment crashing to the ground below... he hoped. "I hope so. I'm doing everything I read online. Even singing her a few tunes in the morning. Something about manifestation?" If he believed hard enough, then it would be.

Patience was a virtue. He'd been told such a thousand times and he'd never truly realized what it meant until he'd become a father. Patience meant waiting for a tantrum to pass. Patience meant staring your child in the eyes while they openly defied a very simple request. Patience meant answering every question that left your daughter shot off, even if you don't know the answer.

But this? Waiting for a simple yes or no? It was the most torturous thing that he'd ever experienced in his thirty-something years of living.

Her silence was enough of an answer, as was her gentle plea of his name. Rather than argue in a battle he would never win, he dropped his gaze from hers and focused on a worn wooden board at his feet. She could blame herself all she wanted, but the fix to the silence between them had worked both ways. Sure, she could have called, but he couldn't blame her for staying silent. After all, why would she reach out to a man who'd basically left her behind? A man who hadn't even called to let her know that he'd landed safely, or that he was appreciative of everything she and her family had done for him in those three weeks.

The guilt buckled down and made a home in his chest, but he did his best to mask the overwhelming heaviness that settled there. This wasn't about him. It was about her and her health. Health that had severely been affected by the birth of their daughter and now, she was facing that battle again. "You can't promise that," he countered quietly, voice weak. So much for manifesting anything, right? "I want to believe that you will be, because I can't... I can't do this without you. So, I'm going to believe that you're going to be fine, but you can't... you can't promise that." Alex needed her mother and that wasn't going to change. Atlas needed her too, but it felt selfish beyond his means to mention it. "If something changes... just promise me that you won't try and hide it."