Young God | L. Laufeyson

28. Memory Lane

"Oh, my god." Aurora blurts out, panic overwhelming her as she gets up quickly, leaving Loki on the ground behind. Suddenly, her mind is clear and everything makes sense now, the physical pain is gone. "I- I shouldn't have remembered. I connected my translator implant to my memories on purpose to erase them- shit, shit, shit!"

The auburn-haired girl leaves the restrooms and with a quick pace also the diner, the fear shakes her whole body. The waitress has eyed them curiously but Aurora doesn't care. She needs to get away from here, from Terra. She needs to leave as soon as possible before he finds her.

"Wait, Aurora!" Loki grabs her arm before the traveller gets to cross the street. "Of what are you talking? What do you mean, you remember? And who's Peter Quill?"

Aurora presses her lips together and tears dwell in her eyes. She is screwed and she will doom him to death if he's with her. A lump is stuck in her throat and Loki has never seen her so terrified. All he wants to do is to punish those to death who cause her fear. "I remember everything. My name, my origin, the reason why I deleted my memories!"

"What?"

"My name is Aurora Reyes. I'm really 26 years old and I was born here on Terra, on Earth... in Alabama." Her voice is still weak and she's overwhelmed by memories. It feels like she suddenly owns the life of a stranger due to the one year without remembering but also like a long lost part of her has returned. Her happy childhood flashes through her mind. "I lived there with my mom..."

"Aurora! Don't run too fast, you know that I'm not that athletic." The red-headed young woman calls out to her child, already being out of breath. The meadow is huge and the auburn-haired girl laughs carelessly.

"Catch me if you can!" She teases with a giggle and the toddler still races through the grass.

"Oh, trust me, I will eventually. I'll never leave you, my angel." A soft smile appears on Dorothy Reyes' lips. "You're my everything."

"She was kind and beautiful and her hair was red, burning like a flame." Suddenly, Aurora becomes sad and sorrow is written on her face. Quickly, Loki pulls her into an alley, so nobody will question their messy and foreign appearance.

"What happened?" He asks carefully, still processing that a simple melody triggered Aurora's memory.

"She gave me away. I don't know how, but she contacted Yondu, the Ravager who raised me. It was around... 1994-ish when this blue alien showed up in my living room and my mother handed me over." She remembers this days deeply, the day that changed her whole life.

"Mom, who is this man? And why is he blue? Can I become blue too?" Aurora asks curiously with excitement and Yondu glances down at her with a small smile, this human is completely different from Quill.

"Aurora, sweetie, this is Yondu, he is our friend. I know you won't understand this but you have to go with him." Dorothy sobs and her heart is torn apart. She couldn't keep her promise, she couldn't take care of her greatest treasure after everything he has done to her. "You are in danger, your life is in danger and I just want you to be safe. Please, do as mommy says, okay?"

"But why are you crying?" The little Aurora notices the tears on her mother's face and she grabs Dorothy's hand, holding it tightly. "Does this make you feel better? Do you want me to hug you? I'll hug you, okay? Then it'll get better, I know it!"

The 6-year-old embraces her mother and the red head only cries more, thinking about their doomed future where they will no longer be together. She buries her face into Aurora's hair, savoring every second of their last time. "Im just so happy that you have such a big heart. Don't stop believing in the good of people. Can you promise me that, little angel?"