Evolved

20. Home

I woke up to soft kisses. My eyes fluttered open to see Cadence. He smiled softly and kissed me again. I smiled tiredly and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back just as tightly. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Cadence," I whispered. "I missed you." I said quietly as my eyes started to water.

"I missed you too Elle. I thought I wouldn't see you again," he said just as quietly. We shared a tender kiss before I sat up. I looked around and listened for everyone else in the house.

"What time is it? When did you get here?" I asked sleepily. He sat up as well.

"I got here a few minutes ago, and it's ten," he replied.

"At night?" I asked a little surprised. He laughed.

"In the morning," he corrected. I sighed and stood up.

"I want to go see the twins," I said before I walked down the stairs. Kylie and Ian were sitting on the couch. When I came downstairs, all eyes turned to me.

"Are you okay Ellie?" Kylie asked worried. I nodded and turned to Ian. He looked happy.

"My brother called me from Russia and told me what you did," he smiled. I blushed and my hands started to tremble again. Cadence came down the stairs a second later.

"You went to Russia?" he asked shocked. I nodded shyly.

"More like I was taken," I muttered. Cadence sat next in the single chair and Damon came in with Tessa and the twins.

"What did Ellie do?" Damon asked. Ian looked to me for an approval. I nodded. I did not want to tell this story. Ian turned to the others and smiled.

"She played it dumb," he smiled. Everyone looked at him confused. I sat with Cadence. Ian continued. "The men at the beach took her because they thought she was the Legacy, but when they took her to Russia, she pretended like she didn't even have the abilities. She stayed in bondage until my brother and his partner took her to Shiatvzi."

"Wait, you came face to face with Shiatvzi?" Damon asked. I nodded and looked back to him to continue.

"Shiatvzi prepared a trip back here for her because he assumed that she was brought there by mistake, but when he turned his back, she killed him," Ian finished. My hands started trembling again. I still hated the thought that I killed someone. It made me sick to my stomach. I curled up and closed my eyes. There was just no escaping this nightmare was there? I felt everyone's eyes on me. I opened my eyes and nodded.

"Way to go ninja Ellie," Kylie smiled. Everyone laughed, except me.

"Were there anymore complications?" Cadence asked. I hesitated before I shook my head.

"Nothing I want to talk about," I replied vaguely. My hands started trembling again.

"What did you do?" Tessa asked softly. I sighed and closed my eyes. I saw the blur of guards coming towards me; the life leave the one guard's face; the neck snap on the other guard; the piles of limbs on fire; the color draining out of the flight attendant's face again. I quickly opened them after that.

"I killed around seventy guards... and a flight attendant," I answered under my breath. My trembling only increased. Cadence rubbed my back gently and pulled me into him.

"Its okay, Elliot. We don't think any less of you. You only did what you felt you had to," Ian encouraged. "You won't ever hear us ask you about it again." He said as a double warning to the others. They all nodded obediently. I thanked them softly and looked at Tessa. I smiled softly.

"How are the twins?" I asked. She smiled. She was practically glowing.

"They're great. Come on, I'll show you," she stood. I stood as well, but I turned to Ian as I remembered something. I asked him who his brother was in Russian. He smiled.

"Ganske," he replied. I spoke more Russian to him explaining how Ganske was very helpful and how he can now protect his family in peace before I followed Tessa to a room. She turned to me when we reached the door.

"You speak Russian?" she asked. I smiled and shrugged. She chuckled before opening the door. The twins were sleeping in a crib. They were much bigger than I remembered. Raleigh's hair was longer and curlier. Roman's hair was a dirty blonde color now.

"Ohh Tessa, they're beautiful," I smiled softly. Raleigh's little eyes fluttered open and she looked at us. She reached up for us. Tessa picked her up but she started reaching for me. I smiled as Tessa handed her over. Raleigh smiled and pointed at my eye. She then pointed to her eye and started clapping. I looked at Tessa.

"They're very smart. They are actually speaking some words right now," Tessa explained. Roman woke up and wanted some attention too.

"Up," Roman asked. Tessa picked him up before turning her attention back to me.

"They don't cry when they want something either, they just ask," Tessa said. I was stunned. I'd never heard of babies doing that, but then again, these weren't normal children. Raleigh smiled at me and nodded. I laughed and we took the twins upstairs. Halfway out the door Raleigh stopped me.

"Fast," she cheered. Roman joined in with her. Tessa handed him over and I sped into the living room with them on either sides of me. When I stopped, they both giggled and cheered. I smiled and handed Raleigh to Damon and Roman to Tessa when she walked back into the room. I went upstairs to my room. I sat on the bed playing with a pillow while I thought. Cadence came through the door a few seconds later.

"Hey," he smiled softly. I smiled softly as he sat beside me.

"Hey, I thought you would've gone off to college by now," I said quietly. He shook his head and frowned.

"Some things came up," he whispered, looking at me knowingly. I sighed and touched his hand.

"I'm sorry Cade," I said softly.

"I don't care. I'm just glad you're safe," he smiled. He kissed me softly and chuckled. "We still have that wedding to plan." He smiled. I sighed contently and nodded.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you too," he smiled.