How strange it was to think that fourteen years ago today…the best thing in her life had come into existence. Fourteen years ago her little Millicent had been born…it was just so strange to think that so much time had passed already. How could it have been fourteen years ago? How was that even remotely possible?

Bellatrix sighed, rather sadly and rubbed the bridge of her nose. It was almost frightening how often ideas like this kept chasing themselves around her mind. Ever since she had been told her daughter was a senshi…she had been pulling more and more away from the war, away from any chance of doing anything that might put a target on Millicent’s back. It wasn’t fair to her. Although, not participating in something she clearly she was honor bound to do…wasn’t really fair to anyone, now was it?

It seemed that there wasn’t a night that passed where Bellatrix didn’t regret not powering up and letting Caelian roam the streets. She often wondered how many people had been hurt…or killed…or just simply corrupted because of her self imposed exile. But…in this household…Caelian was not needed, nor was she something that was wanted.

The woman slowly flipped through a large photo album, smiling every few seconds as picture after picture filled her with memories of everything. It wasn’t fair. How did time manage to slip by so quickly? And not just with her daughter…but even with…with just everything. It had been over a year since she had last powered up…and honestly, part of her wondered if she could even still do it. What was the shelf life on powers like that? Would they disappear? Maybe there was a large part of her that wanted them to…but there was no real way to decide, really. Here she was though, no longer washer little girl in diapers, no longer was she laughing and rolling around the floor…she was in year two of the crazy mixed up teenage years…and to top it off, she was fighting a war as well. A war that still made no sense what so ever to Bellatrix. It seemed so pointless. So un-winnable…and if the side who seemed to be winning really won…well.

Clearly that would be the day that everyone lost everything.

The buzzer on the oven rang at that moment and the woman closed her book, getting up and rubbing at her eyes, feeling as though she had just rapidly aged another fourteen years while looking through all of the photos. She still couldn’t grasp anything. Not the passing of time, not the age of both herself and her daughter…

Just nothing was making sense anymore. Nothing.

Well. Maybe a few things. The cake looked good. Very good indeed. Thank God for the little things, you really had to be picky about being happy.
Bellatrix sighed, giving a little smile. “Happy Birthday, Millie. I hope this year brings you more joy than you could have imagined. Starting with this cake.”