Bite

37

I gasp as I open my eyes to see myself laying on grass. My family is surrounding me as well as my friends and boss. I get up, instantly regretting it when I felt extremely dizzy. I noticed all of my wounds were gone and Stefan was gasping right beside me.

"Ashara!" My mother hugged me and started to cry. At first, I was surprised but then I started to cry too. My father and Emilia joined in. We were just crying and holding each other. I notice Monica and Stefan crying together as well.

"What happened?" Ellisyn asked, looking at us.

"Stefan gave up his godhood for me." I sighed. "That's how he got me back."

"Wow." My mother looks at him, surprised. "You did a wonderful thing, how could we ever repay you?"

"No need. I did it for her." He smiles at me. I look back at him. Damn, this man literally went to hell and back for me. What more could I ask for?

I move my hand towards his.

"Well, I hate to break up the wonderful family moment here but we should go before someone calls the police." Ellisyn looks around. We start to walk away from the scene. The Summers were gone. Anastasia was gone. Stefan would age and die as I would. It almost didn't seem real.

"I'm ready for a shower." Emilia sighed. "I'm covered in blood and mud and there's sticks in my hair."

"Same." I look at my ruined sleeves and the ruined legs of my pants. At least it wasn't my normal clothes or then I would have turned Anastasia into a fur coat. We head back to the car and get in.

"I could use a burger right now." My father speaks.

"Alan!" My mother chuckles as she buckles in.

"What? I'm starving, I almost lost my daughter, and I had to fight a bunch of beasts. I deserve that." My father smiles back at her, gently grabbing her hand.

"You're right. But we should probably get changed and showered before we go anywhere." My mother responded. I laid my head on Stefan's shoulder. He was stroking my hair.

"I can't believe that you did all of that for me." I looked up at him.

"Well, I did, Ashara. You are worth hell." He gently kisses my forehead.

I hope I'm not dreaming. We enter the city and we finally reach the apartment. We opt for the fire stairs, not wanting people to see us messed up like this. There are three bathrooms in the penthouse. Terrence, Emilia, and Ellisyn showered first. I looked at myself in the mirror. There was scarring when I had gotten injured but it no longer bothered me. It was part of me now.

"So did you see your ancestors?" My father asked, sitting on the kitchen table beside me.

"I did. Both my black and native ones. They were happy to see me." I looked at him. "It's a beautiful place."

"I bet it was." My father looks back at me. "Your mother was distraught. Emilia was falling apart. I was falling apart." His eyes are wet with tears. I hug my dad, not knowing how else to comfort him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to suffer for me." I sighed. I didn't want to tell them about the deal. They'd be mad at me then. Not that I would blame them of course.

"I'm done if someone else wants to enter." Terrence left the bathroom.

"I'll go." I responded. I went to my room, getting clean clothes and underclothes. I grabbed my hair towel and my regular towel. I enter the bathroom and undo my hair, removing the rags I called clothing and my messed up armor and shoes.

I get in the shower and just let the water run down my body. The water at the bottom of the shower is pink. Gross. I then start to put shampoo on my hair and scrub myself clean. I rinse off and step off of the shower, drying off and putting on new, clean clothing. I get out of the shower and sit down on the couch to watch a rerun of my mother's favorite show with her. She says nothing but she does put her arm around me the whole time. This is good.

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Stefan was waiting for his bagel bites to finish cooking as Monica entered the kitchen. She went to the sink and filled a pitcher with water. It was one of those fancy ones with a filter on it.

"Monica?" He felt extremely awkward calling her anything else.

"Yes?" She looked at him, her brow raised.

"I was wondering....if maybe we could start over." Stefan spoke to his mother.

"That would be nice." Monica smiled at him. "I was hoping you'd eventually come around."

"I just want to get to know my mother outside of combat situations." Stefan chuckled as the microwave went off. He opened the door, inhaling the smell of cheese, tomato sauce, and pepperoni. Monica then checked the filter of the pitcher and took out a glass from the shelves, pouring some water for herself.

"I would like that." Monica looked at her son. "And I'm guessing you and Ashara are a thing now."

"Of course." Stefan smiled. "We have been for a while."

"I figured but I didn't think it was my business." Monica sighed, leaving the kitchen. Stefan returned to see Ashara with her mother.

"Hey." He sat down next to her.

"Hey, Stefan." Ashara looked at him.

"What are you watching?" Stefan asked her.

"Watching this lady trying to make chipotle chicken pasta. Sounds kind of gross." Ashara wrinkled her nose.

"Why is that?" Stefan got closer to her.

"I don't know, I've never liked the idea of chicken and pasta on the same dish." She shrugged. "It is just too many chewy things in one plate for me."

Stefan chuckled. He was glad to be home with her, no fighting, no sickness, no fear. Just them and their family/friends.