Immortalys III: The Revelation

Chapter Forty-Two: Absolution

Willow bolted out of the meeting room and down the main hallway, slowing down when she reached Friction's medical chamber, out of breath.

"Friction, I've just been to another officers' meeting, and Immortalys' rule over other planets has been disbanded." Then she narrowed her eyes at her partner, who was standing next to the bed wearing socks and a hoodie. "...What are you doing out of bed? Did anyone say you could get up?"

Friction shrugged. "Well, no, but I felt like I could take a quick walk around the place. I've only ever seen this room and the surgery room since we've been here. But Willow, you're not going to believe what I just—"

"Get back to bed, Friction."

"Willow, Blainey's mom came back!"

Willow froze and gaped at him. "...What?" she whispered.

"Everyone on the Silonea 7 spacecraft came back."

Willow and Friction both sprinted out to the lounge, where they stopped at the doorway to stare at the newcomers. The family resemblance was uncanny: Fern Vega had exactly the same red hair, freckly face, and youthful disposition that Willow was so used to seeing on Blainey; one of Blainey's younger brothers looked like Cecil while the other shared features with his mother. Blainey looked busy explaining something to her brothers while they stared at her, still transfixed with her mature appearance.

"How is this possible?" whispered Willow.

"Time slip," Friction replied simply.

Blainey, spotting Willow and Friction, ran up to meet them. "You're not supposed to be out of bed, Friction," she said, but her eyes were so full of a new warm light that Willow felt she could ignore the cross tone in her voice.

"Sorry," Friction said lamely.

"Your family..." Willow began, gesturing to the four of them on the bench. "I'm so happy for you." She watched as Fern leaned lovingly on Cecil's shoulder to whisper something in his ear. Cecil looked so much more alive than Willow had ever seen him: he smiled, met his wife's eyes, stroked her hand. Willow felt that even seeing him throughout these five years she hardly knew him now. "...You have your whole family back."

Blainey gave a radiant smile. "We're going to Deneb as soon as we can get our stuff packed," she said. "My family and the Huxleys. We're not really sure how long we'll be staying there, but... it could be a long time."

Willow felt a sudden lump rising in her throat. "...A long time?"

"Can I at least hug you?" asked Friction. "Is that allowed?"

Blainey gave him a tight hug, burying her face in his shirt, and then turned to Willow.

"I..." Willow began, trying halfheartedly to defend herself against this undeserved mercy, but Blainey leapt forward and embraced her, too.

"Blainey..." Willow whispered, "I'm so sorry about everything bad that has happened to you. I'm so sorry for... I just have no idea how we're ever going to make it up to you."

Blainey shook her head. "...All I'm going to say is that nothing will ever be the same."

As they pulled apart, Willow murmured, "I just don't know how I'm going to be able to say good-bye."

"We'll see each other soon," replied Blainey. "Especially if you come to Deneb again."

Willow swallowed painfully. "And if that doesn't happen soon enough... you know where to find us."

"Yeah. And don't worry about me." Blainey's deep blue eyes met Willow's, and Willow could see her mind had already departed from Earth and had journeyed off among the stars, far away. "...I'll be fine."

As Blainey rejoined her family Willow turned away, but Friction gestured back at them. "Willow, look. Would you ever have foreseen that?"

Willow followed his gaze. Blainey had sandwiched herself between Rupert and Fern, smiling merrily. Taffy sat at Blainey's feet wagging his tail and panting while Rupert readily scratched his ears. Rupert's parents talked with Blainey's parents, probably reminiscing about past times or listening to Cecil describe the last few years. Willow tried to catch her friend's eye, but Rupert had just added something funny to the conversation and Blainey threw her head back and laughed.

Willow smiled and shook her head wonderingly. "No, I don't think I would have."

"I like it," Friction replied simply as they kept walking.

They exited through one of the back doors, and while the cold air pricked at Willow's cheeks the warm, pink sunset glittered across the snow.

"So," Friction said, snuggling up against Willow to keep warm, "what were you saying about all of the other planets in the universe? I kinda wasn't paying attention to anything you said back there."

Willow laughed. "It wasn't that important. The officers are thinking of calling a council with the nearby leaders to form trading agreements. They will all be getting used to governing themselves again, so we'll see how that goes."

"Yeah, that'll be crazy." Friction fondled her hands in his. "I'm just relieved I get to experience it all with you."

Willow smiled. "Me too."

"So... are you sure you want to go back to the old house after all this?"

"I think it would be good to get back into some sort of routine before we have our baby. Mike and Trisha said they would love it if we came back for a while. Perhaps later we can find another area that we like. Maybe another planet, if we feel like it. The universe is wide open, Friction, and we can go anywhere."

Friction wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her to his chest so they could both gaze out at the tundra. "I like that."

"So..." Willow asked, "how do you feel about making a list of baby boy names soon?"

Friction gave a start, and flipped Willow around to stare her in the face. "Wait... baby boy names?"

Willow nodded, smiling, and Friction grasped her in a tight hug. "Oh Willow... a baby boy! You must have found out this morning. That's so great!"

"You'll be the greatest dad for him, Friction; I know it."

Friction kissed her forehead. "I love you, Willow."

"I love you too, Sicko."

Trisha walked up behind them with a thick blanket and draped it over their shoulders. "Stay warm, Friction; we don't want you getting sick. It's freezing up here. Willow, how much more do you want to help out before we head back to Vernon?"

"As much as we can," Willow answered. "We can do our part to make sure all of these people depart safely for Deneb."

Trisha quickly disappeared back inside, and Friction rested his chin on his wife's shoulder, closing his eyes against the fiery sunset. The familiar northern wind had begun to blow again, spreading soft snow over the wreckage in the distance until it could hardly be noticed amidst the tundra's rocky outcroppings. Willow, gazing out over the landscape, could almost see the glow of the Immortalys Capitol shimmering there above the mountain peak, more brilliantly azure than the sky itself.

End