Bonding

Chapter 1: Strength

Udonna glanced over at her son. They stopped for the night approximately three hours away from Briarwood. Bowen's bike had broken down again and now he was trying to fix it. Leanbow had gone to find somewhere that had some decent shelter or something he could use to make a decent shelter.

Bowen glanced up at her and then quickly began working on his bike. Even though it had only lasted a second, Udonna had seen something in her son's eyes. It was a combination of pain and fear, and maybe even sadness.

"Bowen, is everything alright?" Udonna asked, moving slightly closer to her son.

Bowen nodded and Udonna decided not to press the matter until her son opened his mouth and murmured, "No, Mom, everything is not alright."

She sank to the ground next to him and asked, "Why?"

He looked up at her and set aside his tools—he'd fix his bike later.

He bit his lip and then answered, "I'm just scared I'm going to turn around and you'll be gone."

Udonna reached out and placed a motherly kiss on her son's forehead. "Bowen, I will always be there for you," she told him.

He nodded and asked, "Promise me you won't get captured again, please, Mom?"

Udonna nodded and asked, "Why?"

Bowen buried his face against his mother's chest and began to cry. Udonna wrapped her arms around her son and began rubbing his back. "I'm not strong enough," Bowen mumbled into her shirt.

Udonna pulled back and asked, "Bowen, what are you talking about?"

Bowen wiped his nose on his sleeve and explained, "When Hekatoid captured you, I lost it on Xander and went on about I was alone again. Then when Sculpin took you, it was that same feeling of helplessness. I can't lose you again." He began to cry again and Udonna carefully pulled her son onto her lap and rocked him gently.

"Bowen, you don't have to protect everyone..." She began.

He raised his eyebrows and she continued, "It's my job to protect you—not your job to protect me."

He nodded and curled into his mother. It felt safe and familiar, sitting there in his mother's arms, as she glanced up as his father rejoined them.