Discover L (Book 2) | Complete |

~~~ Cold Hard Truth ~~~

While Bryce caught Robbie up on what just happened, L focused on the vision and where it would take them. The next scene in the vision found L's parents trekking up a mountainous hillside; their thick, arctic style coats covered in snow and yet more was falling over them while L watched. They trudged towards a small village, the houses of which looked to have been built to withstand the weather they were being pelted with; sturdy, stone buildings with triangular roofs.

L's parents seemed to be heading for the biggest building in the village, a frosted sign over the door showed a picture of two flagons. The moment L's mum forced the door open, they were blasted with a wave of heat and music. They made their way inside the pub, to be greeted by drunken merriment, apparently the whole village had gathered to get out of the cold.

They were welcomed multiple times on their way towards the bar, it didn't seem to matter that they were strangers or that they trailed melting snow across the floor. The bartender asked for their drinks, the Nordic language translated exactly as the Supernatural ones had. L's parents took their drinks when served and searched for an empty booth. They sat and drank in silence, their expressions were sullen and not even the upbeat atmosphere around them could change it.

"If we don't find help here, I don't know what we'll do." L's mum finally said after several minutes.

"We keep looking, we can't have exhausted every option." L's dad tried to sound hopeful, but his heart just wasn't in it.

"No, but we're exhausting ourselves. It's been months now and we're still no closer than when we left." She leaned in and lowered her voice, "I say, we go back for L and take her on the run, we could do that."

"And what kind of life would she have? She'd never be free to be a child, she'd be constantly looking over her shoulder, worrying, that's no way for anyone to live."

"I know, it's just... I miss her, I want her back, Simon. I want to hold her and cuddle her, and be her mummy."

Tears fell down her cheeks and L felt her own spill out, she didn't bother to wipe them as more would only follow. She felt Bryce's arm around her and she leaned into him but didn't look away from her parents. Her dad reached out a hand and held her mum's face, wiping at the tears with his thumb.

"I know you do and I want that too, but this way means she's safe. If we can't find help, from anywhere or anyone, then we'll have to rethink our plan. Going back for L may become our best and only option, but until then we have to think about her safety first. I hate to be away from her but I couldn't bear the thought of losing her forever."

L's mum sniffled but she nodded, taking a swig of her drink. L watched her dad wipe at his own eyes, their conversation had affected him just as much. L let her own tears fall, despite her being the one they left, she felt her heart break for them. The decision to leave her was still as painful as the day they'd made it, they'd broken themselves just to keep her from getting hurt. L had always wanted to know what it had been like for them; she'd known for some time now why they did it, but not what the aftermath had been.

She wanted to hug them, to tell them she was there and she was okay. She wanted to tell them that they'd made the right decision, that it was alright. But she couldn't, mostly because of the vision but partly because she wasn't sure if she truly believed it. Was it really the right decision when she looked back at her life? Would she have preferred to be with her parents and be in danger, than to grow up safe but alone? She knew the answer in her heart, but she could never say it out loud.

She could see the hurt the decision had caused her parents, the impossible situation they were in. She couldn't say if she would have done the same thing had she been the one to make the call. She couldn't blame them for what they chose, but at the same time she couldn't entirely forgive them for leaving her. And that's where the tears thickened, her heart ached and she let it out in a wrenching sob. Bryce's arm tightened around her and for the moment, L didn't care about the vision, or Sully or the Jötnar, wherever they were.