A Hero In The Dark

Chapter 146: Truth Revealed

"Is there something wrong Em?" asks John when he sees me sitting on the bed in our cabin, Pixie in my lap, worrying about how the return to my parents will be.

"I haven't seen my family since the invasion John," I start slowly. "I left them to fight in a war that they knew nothing about and now I'm going back to tell them I'm leaving Earth to restore another planet that is lightyears away."

John takes a seat beside me on the bed, giving Pixie a pat on her head before putting his arm around me to ease my worry.

"You don't need to do this so fast," he tells me. "Take your time. Enjoy being with them. We aren't on a ticking clock that will destroy us if time runs out. There is no hurry."

I don't meet his gaze. I don't say anything right away; only looking down at my hands around the bunny in my lap.

"If I tell them everything, and they don't like it, we'll never end up going to Lorien," I say, thinking out loud. "I'll never have the chance to restore your home."

Now John is silent.

"We'll figure it out," he answers then, though I can tell that he is just as nervous and uncertain as I am.

I lean against his shoulder, seeking comfort, and John does the same.

"Would you like me to come with you to your parents' house?" he finally asks.

I smile at the thought and it seems to make my nerves lessen more at ease.

"I'd like that John," I reply. "Thank you."

Later that evening, when John and I are ready to fly up to Canada where my old family home is located, I change into a pair of grey sweatpants and pull on my oversized HGA hoodie to cover the scars on my wrists and ankle. John does the same with a similar sweatshirt to hide the recently opened purple scar on his neck.

Then, once we inform Nine and Malcolm of our departure, we take flight.

The air is brisk and chilly.

I use my Eneration to fly next to John and Pixie flaps her hawk-sized wings at my other side. For the first time in the past crazy weeks, I am beginning to feel normal again.

Normal.

To feel that my legacies are back in its renewed strength and my body is as well.

The journey west takes nearly an hour even with our abilities. Though soon, we pass the US-Canada border and from then, time flies as fast as we do.

The sun begins to set by the time we land at the end of the driveway outside my parents' house. A house in the midst of a decently populated city yet not far from acres of field and countryside.

The single garage door brightly colored red, but seeming to fade with old age, opened and assumingly forgotten. One of three windows to my room above open fully as I last left it. As is my parents window to the left.

The lights are on in the family room and in the hallway.

A feeling of nervousness spreads through me like it did back at the HGA. John takes my hand and I take a deep breath before approaching the front door with him.

I ring the bell and wait. I don't know why I do; I just do.

It isn't long before my Father opens the door to embrace me in a warm hug.

"I am so happy you came home dear," he says over my shoulder in his usual strict Indian accent. "Your Mother will be so happy to see you."

When we break away, I notice him eye John and the bunny at my feet. Pixie hops to his legs, seeking attention, and he does neither pet her nor back away. He and John both simply nod in a friendly way before my Father invites them both inside.