by Rue Volley
“It would seem that Johnathan was cleverer than expected… track him and kill him and the human.” He said.
The others flashed from him and he starred at Cali on the floor.
“You will stay here… it seems that your ignorance has cost us.” He said as he turned and started to walk away.
“Where will you go?” she called out to him.
“To retrieve Alexander and Gracie… it is time that they return to Valon.” He said as he rounded the corner and out of her sight.
“Von!... let me go with you!” she called out as she pushed herself up and started to run after him.
***
I sat in the car and let Elijah sleep. He lay against me and I could feel his heart beating slow and steady. From the moment I saw him I felt as if he needed protection. This small thing, unknowing and vulnerable. I am not a Mother, and trust me… the fact that I suddenly felt a “mothering” instinct kick in as soon as I saw him was just as bizarre to me as it would be to anyone who might know me. I am not one to worry about others so much, more apt to care about things day to day and not look into the future. When you live forever that is the way it is. I know I will be here tomorrow… and many, many tomorrows after. But right then as that small creature leant against me and I felt him, I felt like tomorrow was something completely different. I guess I should have been upset. He wasn’t my child; in fact it is Jonathan’s and Brooke's. Johnathan and Brooke’s… what a shock and yet knowing that he was alone, made me want to be with him. Knowing that his Mother was dead made me want to pick up the torch and carry it… like nothing else in the world mattered. He shifted against my chest and I smiled at him, rubbing his hair out of his face and looking at his porcelain skin. He looked so much like Johnathan that you would swear it was… at least at that age. I touched his forehead and he felt warm, just like Johnathan. His hair was the same color. He shifted again and I took my hand from his skin and didn’t want to wake him. I looked up, out the car window and saw Johnathan step out of the house and start walking towards the car. I knew I should be pissed, it would be a natural reaction, but I really was not. In fact I kind of had hope all of a sudden, like something had come to me that was missing, filling a black hole of sadness and giving me a reason to keep going. I did not realize until then that Johnathan did not do that for me… but that small boy did. He needed me, and I needed him… more than I would have ever guessed to be so.
Johnathan slipped into the car and I felt him. His energy was tingling my hands and legs and I did glance at the house, as no one looked out of any window to wave or see us off. I looked at him and he starred at Elijah, snuggled up in my lap. He grinned and leant forward, placing his hand on his head and rubbing it lightly. I looked at him and narrowed my eyes.
“So… they just let him go with us then?” I asked him.
Johnathan leaned back and looked at me, his eyes more hallow than usual.
“He was the reason we came, and they know that he needs to be with his Father as well as you should.” He said.
“I just thought they would come out here and say goodbye… that’s all.” I said, kind of irritated at his tone with me. I am not a child and he makes me feel like one sometimes.
“Well. They said their goodbyes I guess, before we came.” He said.
“Huh.” I said as I glanced back at the dark house and the car started to move.
“What did you think Rue? That there would be tears?... I guess you would, since they are human.”
I looked at him and raised my eyebrows.
“It is a child, their daughter’s child. I would think that they would feel something.”
“Well… as Brooke’s Father told me, he is relieved that I came to get Elijah. Brooke's mother is sick and that in itself is enough to deal with. Elijah was nothing more than a nuisance to an already sad situation.” He said.
“But still family.” I said under my breath.
Johnathan looked at me and tilted his head.
“Since when do you care about family?” he said to me.
I took a breath and wanted to yell at him. I really did, but Elijah was sleeping so peacefully on me that my thoughts shifted to him and his well being… not my own. Maybe I should not be that way, but something in me made me want to live to make him comfortable, even if that meant I had no comfort and not say what I feel that I should. Selfless? Possibly. Stupid… yes.
I looked out the window and Elijah moved a little and I sighed as I held him close to me. I found myself wanting him near me more and more by the minute, and hopefully Johnathan didn’t feel it. I really didn’t want him to. For some reason he is the only part of the equation that I don’t care about right now.
“I guess you don’t feel like arguing for once.” He said.
I looked at him and smiled, not showing my teeth.
“Nope. I don’t.” I said.
Johnathan grinned, not that it made me happy… but to have a moment of peace is a good thingy to have. At least to me it is.
“Well, I have purchased tickets… we can leave now.” He said.
I rubbed Elijah’s head and glanced at Johnathan.
“Tickets for what?” I said.
“The airship.” He said.
My stomach clinched up and suddenly I felt like running. I looked at him and scooted Elijah off of my lap and laid him down gently on the seat. I looked at Johnathan and shook my head.
“I don’t want to fly.” I said.
“Why?” he asked me.
“I just don’t… lets travel another way.” I said. I don’t really know why I am hell bent on fighting this, but I am.
“That is ridiculous, it is the fastest route back home.”
I crossed my arms on my chest and felt a Rue coming on. I was not flying… not doing it.
“It’s not ridiculous, I just have a bad feeling about it.”
“A ‘bad’ feeling? You cannot be serious.” He said.
“No… I do, I don’t want to fly period.” I said.
“Well… we are, the tickets are purchased and we are headed to the terminal.”
“Change it.” I said as I stared at him.
Johnathan glanced at Elijah and then at me.
“You are acting like a child.” He said.
“Whatever… I don’t care what you think… I do not want to fly.” I said.
“I am so not in the mood to argue with you Rue.”
“Really?!” I said way too loud. Elijah’s eyes opened up and he looked at me as he pushed himself up on the seat and rubbed his eyes.
“Nice.” Johnathan said as he held his arms out to him and Elijah left my side and stumbled to Johnathan who sat him on his lap and touched his face.
Elijah yawned and grinned at me. I stared at him, feeling that moment coming on… you know the one. The one where you go “Okay, I could be easy and accept it… but no, I was going to pitch a fit and get my way.”
I hit the button and the window separating the driver from our view dropped and I yelled up to him.
“Stop the car.” I said.
Johnathan turned to the driver and shook his head.
“Do not… keep driving.” He said.
Now that pissed me off.
I yelled at this point.
“STOP THE CAR NOW!”
The driver started to slow down and Johnathan looked at me a lot calmer than I expected him too.
“Rue Volley… I would suggest that you act like the adult that I know that you are… you are embarrassing yourself.”
“Oh yeah?” I said.
And just like that I opened the door up and rolled out of the car. I hit the road with my knees and squealed a little, kinda like a piggy. I rolled a few yards and then came to a stop on my back, staring up at the clouds floating overhead. I tilted my head and then Johnathan came into view, blocking out the sun. He leant down and snatched me up, holding onto my arm a little tighter than I would prefer him too. I struggled, but he was stronger than I was. He started to drag me back to the
car and I bit his hand… like a freak. Yep, bit him. Don’t ask me… because I really don’t know where that came from. Johnathan pulled his hand from my mouth and rubbed it as he tried to keep his temper under control. The cars had stopped on the road and no one had started to honk any horns, but I didn’t care. Suddenly I felt the need to run and I did, but I felt him flash up behind me and grab my shirt behind my neck and start dragging me back to the car. I grabbed behind me and dug my nails into the top of his hand… but he didn’t care. I screamed and kicked and he stopped and jerked me in front of him. I looked up to see that his face was hardened, he did look angry and I glanced at the car and saw Elijah, peeking out watching all of this and I did feel my heart flutter. What the hell was I doing? It’s not like this poor child has not been through enough, but I found myself unable and unwilling to say that I was sorry. Instead I kicked him as hard as I could in his shin and started to run again. Johnathan did double over for a second and then I felt it… the vibration in my feet and legs that told me that Johnathan was gearing up to kick my ass for real. I jumped, as high as I could and he jerked me back down, slamming me onto my back on the concrete. It knocked the air out of me and I tried to breath, but it felt like water… water, drowning. My head ached and Johnathan leaned into my face and shook his head.
“You disappoint me.” He said.
It sounded funny, his voice that is. Kind of like an echo, or something foreign.
“Get the fuck up… keep your mouth shut and get into the car.” He said as he jerked me up again and then as I struggled and tried to breathe, I heard a voice ring out behind us. Johnathan turned and jerked me to his side and I tried to focus, but everything looked kind of blurry. A figure started to appear in front of me, looked more like a shadow at first and then he came into a view. A tall boy, dark hair… very pretty. Nice mouth, I thought…and how weird to think that. I should be freaking out that Johnathan was in the middle of kicking my ass… but no, I was thinking about how cute this boy is and then Johnathan stood me up straight and I took my first full gulp of air since he had knocked it out of me.
“Problem?” The boy asked.
“No… just a misunderstanding.” Johnathan said.
“Looks like there is no conversation going on here.”
Johnathan grinned and placed his arm around me.
“We had a small disagreement, but I assure you that we are fine now. Right honey?” Johnathan said as he looked at me. I felt a shock of energy go up my arm and it burned. I didn’t want to nod, but I found myself doing it.
The boy leaned in and looked at my face.
“Have we met before?” he asked me.
I opened my mouth up and nothing came out. Johnathan turned me and I found myself walking back towards the car. Elijah looked at me, and you would think that with him being a child, this whole thing would have upset him. But he looked calm, not unlike Johnathan. It disturbed me. He held his hand out to me and I took it and climbed back into the car. Johnathan remained there in the middle of the street with this boy staring him down. I turned and looked out the back window as Elijah climbed back into my lap. I looked down at him and he smiled.
“Don’t leave me.” He said in a small voice and it pulled at my heart.
“I wasn’t trying to leave you… Johnathan and I just had to talk.” I said, knowing it was the worst lie… but I don’t want to say that I just feared for my life for the first time with Johnathan… and truly I did.
Johnathan looked at the boy and for a moment they just stood there looking like two gunfighters in a show down.
“She looked upset.”
Johnathan sighed.
“She is on medication, she has outbursts.” He said, quickly coming up with an explanation to everything.
“She is sick?” the boy asked him.
“Very… in the mind.” Johnathan said as he tapped his head and glanced back at us.
I had no idea why I didn’t just get back out and beat the crap out of him, but I felt frozen here with Elijah sitting on me.
“Like crazy?” the boy asked.
“Yes… and I apologize for the scene… is there anything that I could do to apologize?” Johnathan asked him.
“Yea… stop beating up on little girls, that would be an awesome start.” The boy said.
“I would ask that you not interfere in my affairs. She has been under my care for a very long time, and I know how to deal with her.”
The boy leaned and looked at the car and I quickly looked away suddenly. I knew they are talking about me… how sucky is that?
“Mmm.” The boy said as a very pretty girl walked up behind him and touched his arm.
“Joshua… we need to get going.” She said.
Josh looked back at Johnathan and cleared his throat.
“Where are you taking her?” he asked.
The girl laughed and tried to pull on his arm and Josh pulled it from her.
“Where?” he asked Johnathan again.
“Home… overseas. She is going back to the care that she needs. I fear that I am no longer able to keep her calm.”
“Like an asylum.” Josh said as he kept his eyes on him.
“Of sorts… listen, I don’t why this is any of your concern.”
“Well… maybe it’s because traffic was stopped because you were out here kicking her ass.” Josh said.
I looked at Elijah and something in me changed. Not towards him but in me. I opened the car door back up and stood up, Elijah started to follow but I held my hand up to him and he stayed where he was. I stood there for a moment, ready to take my chances. I took a breath and turned to the three of them…my head pounding and my throat kind of dry. I started to walk and Johnathan clinched his fists and turned to me.
“Get into the car.” He said as he tried to not grit his teeth.
Josh leaned and looked at me, he grinned and then looked at Johnathan.
“I think that you should leave her alone.” He said.
Johnathan turned back to him and gave him a look that would make most people fear him, but this boy stood his ground and because he did I walked. It was like he gave me the strength to do it. I stopped as Johnathan looked at me.
“I am not going to ask you again.” He said quietly.
The boy looked at me and grinned.
“Why are you upset?” he asked me.
I looked at him and he looked so pretty I really found it hard to focus. I swallowed and took a step. Johnathan held his hand out to me and I ignored it.
“I don’t want to fly.” I said.
The boy looked at me and tilted his head.
“Well… then don’t.” he said.
I smiled… see it is easy, or it can be I thought to myself.
Johnathan laughed and grabbed my hand.
“She is a little frightened of flying…” he said as he squeezed my hand.
The boy looked at our hands and then back to Johnathan.
“We are taking a water ship… perhaps you could too.” He said.
I grinned and looked at Johnathan who sighed. He obviously was hell bent on not letting me have my way but now we are faced with an alternative to fighting. He looked back at the boy and smiled.
“A water ship…” he said.
“Yes… it is just as fast.”
Johnathan looked at me.
“Well… would that be acceptable?” he asked me.
I nodded. It sounded better and even though I hate water with all my heart I suddenly found myself at ease with the idea.
“I would love to do that.” I said.
Johnathan took a breath and just like that I won. I mean I guess I won. Doesn’t change the fact that he went semi-psycho on me, but I did roll out of the car. So who started what, really?
“Okay… great.” The boy said and he turned and walked back towards his car. The pretty blonde followed him and I found myself staring at him until he disappeared into the car. Their car pulled up next to us and the boy rolled down his window
.
“Just have your driver follow us… we are headed there now.” He said.
I looked at him and when he glanced at me I looked down… almost embarrassed that I was staring at his face. Johnathan nodded and pulled me along with him back towards the car. I slipped in and Elijah sat there, quiet… unlike a five year old. Johnathan got in and Elijah climbed onto his lap and leaned back as Johnathan played with his hair.
“I guess we are sailing Elijah… does that agree with you?” he asked.
Elijah smiled and nodded. I wanted to say something but I had nothing really. I was just glad that I didn’t have to fly… and that was that.
***
Johnathan and Brooke rummaged through the fridge and pulled out everything that they could to eat. They were both famished. Johnathan shoved a piece of meat into his mouth and Brooke sat there and meticulously placed the meat on bread and laid the other slice on top of it. Lifting it to her mouth and taking a small bite. Johnathan stared at her while he chewed and sat down, so happy to be free of Valon and back to a familiar place.
“I want to tell you that you pretty much kicked all ass back there.”
Brooke looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“I know.” She said as she held her hand up and covered her mouth as she chewed.
“We would so be stuck there with those assholes if it wasn’t for you.”
“Nice to be appreciated.” She said as she took a drink of water and swallowed.
“Well I do… I do appreciate you Brooke.” Johnathan said as he drank from his glass too and kept his eyes on her.
“Stop… just stop now.” She said as she stood up and walked her plate to the sink and placed it down, being careful to not chip it.
Johnathan sighed and stood up.
“I think that we should talk.” He said.
Brooke clinched her fists and turned around to him, replacing the soft look to her face with a hardened one, not unlike when he had first shown up in Valon.
“About what really? Don’t you think that we are way past talking Johnathan?” she asked him.
“No… I don’t.” he said.
Brooke laughed and crossed her arms on her chest.